Four Republic Services Employees Honored as Industry Leaders

The honorees include Dave Bombei from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, recognized as Technician of the Year, and Houston-based Ausencio Carrera, who earned the title of National Safety-Sensitive Driver of the Year. From the company's home base in Phoenix, Arizona, Kenny Gallegos was named Operator of the Year, while Donato "Tito" Ponce received the National Roll-Off Driver of the Year award.

To mark the achievement, Republic Services provided personalized company trucks to Carrera and Ponce, while Bombei received a new maintenance vehicle equipped with custom tools. Gallegos, who retired in May after 33 years of service, was celebrated at his local site for his career-long contributions to landfill and transfer station operations. Republic Services CEO Jon Vander Ark noted that the quartet represents the company’s internal standard for technical expertise and a persistent safety-first mindset. Since 2006, the organization has consistently secured spots in the association's annual rankings, reinforcing its focus on high-level operational safety.