SWANA chooses new board president

Timothy Flanagan is the new president of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) board of directors.

As of July 1, Flanagan has been at the helm of SWANA’s 21-member board after Brenda Haney transitioned into the role of past president. This transition was delayed in FY 2022 in response to the pandemic.

Art Mercer has taken on the role of vice-president, Tammy Hayes has become treasurer, and Elizabeth Roe was elected to the board as secretary.

Flanagan has been a member of SWANA and the SWANA Gold Rush Chapter since 2005. He is a SWANA-certified manager of landfill operations, and is project director for SCS Engineers.

He served as director of SWANA’s Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Technical Division, which he also represented on the international board. In 2016, he was elected to SWANA’s executive board and the SMM Technical Division recognized him with its Distinguished Individual Achievement Award.

Prior to joining SCS in February 2022, Flanagan was general manager of Monterey Regional Waste Management District (MRWMD) from 2015 through 2021, after 10 years as assistant general manager.

“It is truly an honour to be voted the president of SWANA. This is the culmination of a 40 year career which started running a recycling program for the City of Palo Alto in 1982,” said Flanagan.

“The transition of this industry which, way back when, had recycling and composting as an afterthought, but now are the centerpiece of sustainable materials management and the use of materials as a resource, is amazing.”

“I stand on the shoulders of many current and former SCS managers and Directors (including past President Michelle Leonard) who have helped lead SWANA to be the preeminent solid waste and recycling association in the world. I am humbled and grateful to accept this position and to help position SWANA to be lead the generational changes targeting waste minimization and resource management.”

“Tim Flanagan brings a strong variety of both public and private sector solid waste experience to the Board, and he will be an excellent President,” said David Biderman, SWANA executive director and CEO. “He is very passionate about solid waste, recycling, and SWANA, and I look forward to working closely with him.”

SWANA’s Board of Directors is responsible for setting strategic direction and overseeing the association’s operations and policy positions. The Board of Directors receives input from an Advisory Board made up of delegates from all SWANA chapters, technical divisions, private sector groups, and from Young Professional members.