Southwaste Leadership Team
Ryan Wurgler
Chief Executive Officer
Ryan Wurgler joined WRM as President & Chief Operating Officer in February of 2021 and became the Chief Operating Officer on July 1st, 2021. Prior to joining WRM, Ryan served as Vice President of Operations for Stericycle Environmental, Senior Vice President of Operations for Clean Harbors, Divisional Vice President for Waste Connections and Division Manager for Waste Management.
In his 30-year career, Ryan has led organizations with up to $700MM in revenue, over $150MM in EBITDA and more than 2,100 employees. Ryan has a demonstrated record of delivering strong stakeholder returns while focusing on hands-on leadership, team member development, operations management, organic growth strategy, M&A integration and superior sales & marketing performance.
Ryan holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from the North Dakota State University, with a double major in Accounting and Economics.
Ed Hickman
Chief Financial Officer
Ed Hickman has served as Chief Financial Officer for WRM since 2016. Ed previously worked as the company’s Director of M&A.
Prior to joining WRM, Ed was the Senior Vice President of Relativity Capital, a private equity firm investing in aerospace & defense, transportation, and industrial businesses.
Ed has a Master of Business Administration degree from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Michael Costello
Chief Operating Officer
Michael Costello is the most recent acquisition to WRM’s senior leadership team, joining as the Chief Operating Officer in April of 2022. Prior to WRM, Michael was the Chief Executive Officer of Otto Environmental Systems, a $97m manufacturing company where he was responsible for streamlining executive leadership and developing lean processes to improve profitability.
Michael has over 20 years of experience in profit and loss management and excels at building cohesive, cost-efficient organizations ranging from $19m to $160m. During that time, Michael acquired industry expertise in manufacturing, environmental, industrial services, transportation, distribution, and more. Michael has a degree in Heavy Equipment Management from the American Training Institute in Newark, NJ.
Brian Kelleher
Vice President Of Sales and Marketing
Brian joins us with an extensive operational background and is a proven Sales Executive. Brian is a driven and passionate revenue leader with an entrepreneurial mindset, consistently delivering more than expected. He has 19+ years of extensive experience developing and driving robust growth strategies, operations, and initiatives in diverse and rapidly evolving water, wastewater, recycling, composting, and grease markets. Brian’s career highlights include securing multimillion-dollar contracts, leading large-scale projects, and transforming underperforming teams into thriving regions.
Brent Karrington
Vice President Mergers and Acquisitions
Brent Karrington is the Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions, focused on leading our strategic growth through key acquisitions and mergers. With a robust background in finance and accounting, Brent specializes in corporate development, M&A, and strategic planning. His experience spans various sectors, including FinTech, real estate, and automotive, supported by work with top private equity groups like Blackstone and Carlyle.
Before joining our team, Brent was crucial in business transformation and strategy implementation across multiple industries. He holds two bachelor’s degrees from Southern Methodist University, where he was a full-scholarship athlete and an MBA from The University of Oklahoma.
In his role, Brent leverages his deep industry insight and strategic acumen to drive our organization’s growth and competitive advantage.
Tim Cox
Vice President of Operations
Tim Cox has served as Vice President of Operations at WRM since 2012. He was promoted from Market Manager, a role he had held since 2009.
Prior to his time at WRM, Tim was the Director of Landfill Operations for multiple states for Waste Management, a $13 billion company in Houston, TX.
Previously, he was Regional Landfill Manager for Browning Ferris Industries, a Houston, TX waste management company that was disbanded in 1999.
Tim has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of California Santa Barbara.
Alon Najer
Vice President of Operations
Alon Najer is the Vice President of Operations at Waste Resource Management. He brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to excellence, promising to propel our operations team to heights.
Alon’s professional journey is marked by a continuous pursuit of improvement and a hands-on approach to leadership. Starting his career in the logistics industry, Alon quickly developed a knack for identifying efficiencies and spearheading operational advancements. This early experience laid a solid foundation for his subsequent transition into the civil groundwater management and treatment sector—a field to which he has dedicated over 14 years of his career.
Alon holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Houston, CL.
Steven Charo
Director of Operations
Steve Charo has served as Market Manager of WRM since 2017. He was promoted from Market Manager, a role he held since 2012.
Prior to coming to WRM, Steve was the District Manager for Waste Management, a Houston, TX waste management company.
Previously, Steve was Director of Operations for U.S. Liquids, a liquid waste management services company where he was responsible for operations in multiple states.
When he isn’t working, you’ll find Steve working on something at home or playing with the grandkids.
Brent Hollenbaugh
DIRECTOR OF Human Resources
Brent is an experienced HR executive with over 20 years of human resources leadership experience and has a strong passion for building effective teams. He has a proven track record leading the HR function in private, public, and P/E-backed companies, overseeing teams of up to 25 professionals and supporting 7,000+ employees, with companies exceeding $5B in revenue across industries like manufacturing, oil & gas, transportation, and logistics. He is known for driving cultural improvements, enhancing organizational capability, and building cohesive teams. His expertise in strategic HR planning, talent acquisition, leadership development, and succession planning support the company’s growth plans.
Brent holds a BS in Business and an MBA in Human Resources Management from Liberty University. His passions include discovering exceptional dining spots, globetrotting, managing his investments, and golfing.
Our Salespeople
Helping you achieve more through custom solutions that address your individual needs.
Richard Hernandez
Mobile: (817) 791-5180
Email: rhernandez@southwaste.com
Richard has served as Senior Vice President of Plumbing Solutions for WRM since 2019. He has been with WRM since 2009 and has taken on multiple roles, including Director of Sales and Marketing.
Prior to WRM, Richard worked with Waste Management for 8 years up until 2009. He served as a Major Account Manager, Sales Manager, and Market Sales Manager for North Texas.
Previously, Richard worked for and retired from the United Parcel Services after 25 years with the company. He worked as a Package Car Driver, Operations Manager, District Sales Manager, and Director of Sales and Marketing for Latin America.
Richard has a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from the University of Texas at Austin.
Scott Arthur
Mobile: (713) 836-2906
Email: sarthur@southwaste.com
Houston
Scott, born in Key West, Florida came to Texas as a commercial diver. He has been with Southwaste since 2009 as a Sales Rep and Market Area Sales Manager.
Prior to Southwaste, Scott owned a successful distribution business for 11 years. Scott is a networking and social media expert. In his free time, he bikes and spends time with his daughter.
Edgar Villareal
Mobile: (713) 927-1539
Email: evillarreal@southwaste.com
Customer Experience / Major Accounts
Edgar is a native Texan and is the manager of Customer Experience. Edgar has worked in the waste industry for over 8 years and previously held a position as Client Manager Supervisor.
Edgar is married with two children: a 3-year-old boy and an 8-year-old girl. Edgar loves spending time with family and is a big Texans fan.
Rayan Trikkadeeri
Work Mobile: (682) 772-2726
Email: rtrikkadeeri@southwaste.com
Dallas
Rayan moved to Dallas from New York in 2006. Rayan joined the Southwaste team in 2020. Rayan comes with 25 years experience in the restaurant industry. Before joining Southwaste, Rayan was the Regional Manager for I-Hop Restaurants. Prior to that, he has had experience with various other national brands and owned and managed restaurants in the Dallas metroplex.
When he is not at work Rayan loves spending time with his family. He is a nature lover and has a passion for cooking and is an innovative chef.
Rayan holds a Bachelor’s in Hotel & Restaurant Management and an Associates in Medical Billing & Accounting.
Simon Solorzano
Work Mobile: (832) 674-5711
Email: ssolorzano@southwaste.com
Customer Experience Specialist
Simon is proud to be a first generation American and a native Texan. Before transitioning into the role of Customer Experience Specialist, Simon served as Receivables Analyst where he was instrumental in growing revenue by engaging customers to foster mutually agreeable resolutions. Prior to joining Southwaste in 2019, Simon spent 10+ years in the Energy Sector as an Analyst. Simon has the ability to nurture professional relationships which leads to long-term solutions and success. Simon offers clients an absolute promise to provide professional, timely and attentive customer service.
When Simon is not engaged in work, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, grilling while watching the Houston Astros, Rockets and Texans.
We can provide you with practical solutions that help you stay up to code and manage your liquid waste responsibly.
