When Rubicon created the annual George Washington Carver Award, we did so under the premise that at Rubicon, we not only encourage innovation and creative thinking in all of its forms, but we also challenge team members to set the bar, and their personal goals, high.
This focus on innovation and thinking “outside of the box” is a core part of our thinking when it comes to considering Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria in all that we do as a company. To that end, I am thrilled to share that Ryan Cooper, Waste Diversion Manager and Organics Recycling Lead here at Rubicon, has been named Rubicon’s George Washington Carver Award recipient for 2019.
Ryan embodies what it means to be a Rubicon employee. This peer-nominated award recognizes those pioneers in the company who bring fresh thinking and innovation to all that they do at work. Aligning with our core values, embrace learning and new ideas, the George Washington Carver Award acknowledges team members across the company who are challenging the status quo and making an impact through innovation.
Why Ryan
Ryan Cooper, who frequently speaks at conferences and events, and writes for the Rubicon blog on topics ranging from food waste recycling, to organics and composting, to anaerobic digestion, was nominated for the George Washington Carver Award by a group of his peers.
In support of his nomination, Key Account Director Wren Unger, said “Ryan Cooper always looks far and wide for solutions to divert our customers’ food waste from landfill. From working with local farmers to finding the latest onsite technology, Ryan is a trusted expert in his field.” Wren continued, “Recently, Ryan recommended sending food waste from one of our large customers to an anaerobic digester, but the initial disposal fee was cost prohibitive. Ryan stayed on the case and eventually the vendor reduced its fee, and now we have been able to present this option to the customer at a fair saving over the cost of sending their food waste to landfill.”
When asked in what way Ryan represents the spirit of Rubicon, Wren noted that “Ryan is a huge resource for all of us at Rubicon, and he is always willing to help others in any way he can. He is respected by his peers and his vendors because of his hard work and dedication to ending waste.”
Despite the demands of his work at Rubicon, Ryan doesn’t let his busy schedule interfere with supporting his community. He participates in volunteer and community events to further educate and encourage best practices towards ending waste, and he is a frequent public speaker at events such as WasteExpo, the Waste Conversion Technology Conference & Trade Show (WCTC), and Southeast Recycling Conference & Trade Show (SERC).
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Congratulations Ryan! On behalf of the entire team here at Rubicon, it is an honor and a privilege to be working alongside you in our mission to end waste, in all of its forms.
Charles Zinkowski is Director of Communications at Rubicon. To stay ahead of Rubicon’s announcements of new partnerships and collaborations around the world, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, or contact us today.
