Pellitteri Waste Systems: Three Generations of Growth

This article was sourced from Waste Advantage Magazine. you can read the full story on their website here.

The Pellitteri tradition of service began more than 85 years ago in Madison, WI, when Tom Pellitteri’s father, Tony, and his uncles used a borrowed truck to deliver coal and haul away garbage for merchants on Madison’s Capitol Square. Steady business and a strong dedication to customer service ensured the growth of the business to a point at which the Pellitteri brothers purchased their own trucks and built a respected reputation in the disposal business. Pellitteri was the first company to bring mechanized packer trucks and automated container systems to Madison to reduce the “back-breaking” lifting of 55-gallon drums and GI garbage pails. Tony continued to operate the business, Tony Pellitteri Trucking Service, until his death in 1968, after which it was sold to a national trucking company, SCA Waste Services.

In 1979, Tom Pellitteri and his wife, Michele, founded Pellitteri Waste Systems, Inc., which has become a comprehensive waste disposal and recycling business. They built their business on the principle of always looking for a better way to meet the needs of their customers. Today, the third generation of the Pellitteri family oversees the business’s day-to-day operations and long-term planning.

Currently serving 44 communities and more than 80,000 households, as well as thousands of commercial accounts, Pellitteri Waste Systems provides waste and recycling collection, specialty recycling services, onsite confidential data destruction and single-stream recycling processing to commercial, industrial and residential customers throughout Southern Wisconsin.

In 2024, the company sorted more than 77,500 tons of mixed recycling at its local MRF, recycled almost 27,000 tons of specialty recyclables from manufacturers and industrial customers, hauled over 6,500 tons of construction materials to be recycled and shredded and recycled more than 1,400 tons of confidential data.

With roughly 170 employees, 110 trucks in their fleet (with CNG vehicles added to the fleet in 2015, and maintenance facilities expanded internally to accommodate the servicing and maintenance of CNG trucks), a materials recovery facility (MRF) and an industrial recycling facility, Pellitteri Waste Systems continues the family business’s tradition of service.

Growth Strategies
In late 2020, one of Pellitteri’s largest competitors acquired another competitor in its area, and the company saw a large increase in customers looking to switch to its services, but trucks, parts, containers and employees were all hard to find on short notice. Fortunately, Pellitteri had built strong relationships with its vendors and had access to everything they needed to bring on the new business growth.

“Our vendor partners were right beside us, working with us to prioritize our needs because they knew we weren’t just there for today and wouldn’t walk away tomorrow,” explains President David Pellitteri. “We’ve always looked at our vendors as valued business partners with whom we work hard to develop strong relationships. We shed off vendors we feel are not valuing partnerships and replace them with vendors who take the time to understand our needs and help us fulfill them in the short and long term. Between 2021 and 2024, our revenues increased by 68 percent. We work hard to earn our new customer accounts one at a time, and our vendors helped to provide what we needed to support our growth.”

A recent situation exemplified how having good business partnerships is crucial to long-term growth and success. David explained that he always recommends that communities that go out to RFP give haulers six to nine months to get the equipment, trucks and communications lined up for a smooth hauler transition.

“This is essential to the success of the transition to deliver on our mission,” he says. “Our families live in these communities. We want to hear great feedback when we meet someone at a kid’s sporting event that they love the new collection program, not how spotty the service was at first, or that the cart delivery got screwed up. However, in early December, we received a call from a community that was on the fringe of our service area and wasn’t on our radar. They had awarded a new curbside contract to a hauler starting a couple of weeks later, but the hauler had just backed out. They heard about our good reputation from other communities in the area so they reached out and asked if we could start servicing their community of 1,000+ homes, spread out over 30 square miles, starting January 1st. Our cart manufacturer, Cascade Carts, was able to remove all the prior hauler’s carts and install our carts before the first service in January. In situations like these, strong vendor partnerships show their true value above a couple of pennies in pricing. Now, we will have a customer for a minimum of 10 years. As an extra kicker, business owners involved with the community are seeing how well we were able to handle the issue and are asking us to service their commercial businesses.”

Facing Challenges
Over the years, labor challenges have limited the ownership team’s ability to spend time growing the business. For much of the organization’s history, the team struggled to find experienced drivers because pay and benefits were not keeping up with the market.

“It took us a while to understand how big this issue was and how it cost us more than we thought,” says David. “Around 2015, we systematically began increasing our pay and benefits package by adding or upgrading a new program each year. By 2021, we felt we had a top-tier package that could compete with any private trucking company and the local government CDL-level jobs. As part of the plan, we put a truck replacement program in place to keep our fleet fresh and provide the trucks experienced drivers would want to drive. We also remodeled our headquarters to provide a more professional environment and help attract new sales and administrative talent. Our employee count has increased by 50 percent in the past four years, and we are hiring experienced, well-qualified drivers from both our industry and other hauling industries.”

Working safely is one of the company’s core values. Pellitteri has weekly safety meetings with all employees and bi-weekly management safety meetings to review any recent safety issues or concerns.

“Over the past 18 months, we have revamped and updated our new driver training program and also added more safety reward programs to ensure we are emphasizing and encouraging employee safety, each and every day,” says Operations Vice President Drew Cochrane.

Pellitteri Waste Systems says battery fires currently pose the greatest industry challenge and risk to its trucks, recycling facilities, and workers. Other recycling facilities continue to experience catastrophic damage from fires that are believed to have begun by rechargeable and lithium-ion batteries. The number of fires will continue to grow if these batteries are disposed of by traditional methods.

“I serve on a number of committees that are working to create a safe and easily accessible infrastructure for battery disposal in Wisconsin to ensure the batteries are not put in the normal waste stream,” says David. “There are answers and solutions available, and we will learn best practices as other states also try different disposal methods.” In the meantime, the company has been running paid campaigns on social media channels to educate the public on proper battery disposal.

Working Efficiently
Not only did Pellitteri Waste Systems open a new Data Destruction Division in 2002 to protect customers’ confidential information, but the company was also proud to be the first Wisconsin data destruction service provider certified by the National Association for Information Destruction.

In 2012, Pellitteri Waste Systems added a BHS single-stream MRF in Madison. For many years, the third generation of Pellitteris traveled around the country attending the NWRA Chairman’s Council tours and learning about MRFs, as well as connecting with other industry leaders to learn how to build, design and run an MRF. Since the build-out of the MRF, the company has had two major upgrades. The first upgrade added robotics and a glass cleanup program. The second upgrade added additional opticals, more robots and AI technology.

All of the communities they serve now have expanded single-stream recycling collection so residents and businesses can co-mingle and recycle more materials than what is required by Wisconsin law. Recyclables are sorted, baled and shipped to manufacturers to be made into new products. Items that are acceptable for recycling at the MRF beyond what is required by state law include:

• Paper cups (hot and cold)
• Cartons
• Metal pots and pans
• Shredded paper in clear plastic bags (smaller than a basketball)
• Small metal appliances like toasters and blenders (smaller than a basketball)
• Small metal plumbing fixtures, faucet, valves and short pipe
• Aluminum foil
• Pizza boxes

In 2021, Pellitteri Waste Systems created a new Recycling Solutions Division to provide specialized recycling services for manufacturing companies. Operating in a facility between Madison and Milwaukee, the division has expanded the scope of materials that can be recycled for industrial and manufacturing customers.

“Diverting materials from the landfill and finding reuse/recycling options has always been a priority for the company. By offering more specialized recycling services to higher volume waste generators who can source separate their materials upfront instead of intermingling them, it opens up more marketability of the materials for reuse,” says David. Organizations with large volumes of pre-and post-consumer paper, plastics, cardboard, metals and other materials can benefit from a customized recycling plan to save money and reduce waste. The company also accepts stretch film/clear bags, electronic waste, ingredient bags and wood and plastic pallets. They also host e-waste events and refer communities they serve to their local Clean Sweep for household hazardous waste.

Educational Outreach
Pellitteri Waste Systems has developed several educational resources over the years to help customers and communities become better recyclers and divert more unnecessary waste from the landfill.

“We created more than two dozen short recycling tips videos that can be found on our website and have been promoted through paid YouTube and social media campaigns, and we regularly publish recycling tips on our social media channels,” says Vice President of Sales and Marketing Danielle Pellitteri.

In fact, their seven-minute video showing how recyclables are sorted at their MRF is shared with many organizations and schools and shown on MRF tours. In addition, they are featured in a great educational video for kids called “Becoming Stewards of Recycling,” and their mobile app and website include a Recycle Right Search Tool, allowing users to verify if items can be recycled.

“We are proud that our company has been recognized for its educational outreach by several organizations. In 2023, Pellitteri Waste Systems received the Recycling Excellence Award from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Outstanding Achievement in Education Award from the Associated Recyclers of Wisconsin and the Business Friend of the Environment Award from Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce,” comments Danielle.

“The response to our investments in recycling education programming has been great,” notes Marketing Coordinator Joleen Engeseth. “We’ve always received a lot of questions about recycling and our availability for in-person presentations. Building up our digital resources in recent years has helped us to reach and educate a much larger number of people, making access to recycling education easy and fun while better using staff time.”

Giving Back
The company also supports many local fundraising events and charitable causes, such as fire/police departments, youth sports teams, non-profit organizations and community festivals, providing monetary support as well as in-kind service donations.

“Additionally, last year Pellitteri Waste Systems supported 84 local community programs and raised thousands of dollars for food pantries in Southern Wisconsin as part of its ThanksGIVING Back employee fundraising effort,” says Vice President of Information Technology Tim Pellitteri.

“Giving back to the community is extremely important at Pellitteri Waste Systems,” adds Tim. “In fact, it is part of our mission statement—foster an environment which benefits our team, clients and community. This isn’t just lip service; our families and employees live in the communities we serve, so we want to do our part to strengthen our communities.”

Future Success
Pellitteri’s ownership team believes the company’s most outstanding achievement to date is transitioning ownership from one generation to the next while honoring its mission and core values.

“We continue to prepare for our children, the next generation, to have an opportunity to become equal partners in the future,” says David. “We’ve evolved from a strong mom-and-pop hauling business to a professional organization providing waste and recycling collection, recycling processing, expanded specialty recycling and onsite confidential data destruction services to commercial, industrial and residential customers throughout Southern Wisconsin.”

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For more information, visit www.pellitteri.com.
To see their MRF in action, visit www.pellitteri.com/mrf.
To see the list of acceptable recyclable items, visit www.pellitteri.com/residential-recycling and www.pellitteri.com/industrial-recycling.

TruStage celebrates 90 years of service

MADISON, Wis. — Born out of the credit union movement, TruStage, a financially strong insurance and financial services provider, is celebrating 90 years of helping more people make confident financial decisions at every stage of their financial journey.

“Ninety years ago, we were built on the simple, yet powerful philosophy of people helping people,” said Terrance Williams, president and chief executive officer of TruStage. “While much has changed since 1935, our values, innovative spirit and noble purpose of making a brighter financial future accessible to everyone will guide us for the next 90 years and beyond.”

TruStage was founded in Madison, Wis., as the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Mutual Society, providing insurance to protect credit unions and their members during the great depression. Recognizing the growing importance of our mission, President Harry Truman laid the cornerstone at our expanding headquarters in 1950. Today, TruStage continues that pursuit, now protecting 39 million consumers across the nation.

In addition to traditional insurance, TruStage also has a diverse portfolio of technology-enabled lending and business protections, annuity offerings, wealth management and workplace solutions, that help make financial stability accessible and affordable for middle market consumers.

Additional highlights over our history include:

• Contributing $59.9M to our communities through the TruStage™ Foundation since 1967
• Investing more than $400M into more than 65 startups through TruStage™ Ventures since its 2016 launch
• Supporting the credit union industry through advocacy, league membership and more than $159M over the past five years
• A strong and ongoing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, including scoring 100% on both the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC) Corporate Equality Index and Disability Equality Index for workplace inclusion
• Unifying all solutions and product brands under the TruStage brand in 2023

Our mission-driven and innovative spirit remains unchanged and has laid the foundation for us to continue serving a variety of partners in today’s evolving marketplace. We celebrate our history and look ahead, leveraging the same values that made our company great from the beginning to support financial opportunities for future generations of middle market consumers.

About TruStage

TruStage is a financially strong insurance, investment and technology provider, built on the philosophy of people helping people. We believe a brighter financial future should be accessible to everyone, and our products and solutions help people confidently make financial decisions that work for them at every stage of life. With a culture rooted and focused on creating a more equitable society and financial system, we are deeply committed to giving back to our communities to improve the lives of those we serve. For more information, visit trustage.com.

TruStage Foundation

The TruStage Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) that serves as the philanthropic arm of TruStage. Efforts of the TruStage Foundation center on building equity in the communities where we live and serve. TruStage is a financially strong insurance, investment and technology provider, built on the philosophy of people helping people. We believe a brighter financial future should be accessible to everyone, and our products and solutions help people confidently make financial decisions that work for them at every stage of life. With a culture rooted and focused on creating a more equitable society and financial system, we are deeply committed to giving back to our communities to improve the lives of those we serve.

Wisconsin Grown: Celebrating 68 Years of QTI

Founded in 1957 in Madison, Joe and Jeanne Silverberg began a legacy of staffing and HR excellence that still serves organizations and job seekers across the state of Wisconsin today. In 2025, we are celebrating 68 years of QTI!

For 68 years, QTI has evolved alongside Wisconsin industries, providing our community members and local businesses with top talent, secure jobs, and the HR Consulting support needed to succeed.

In addition to our Madison location, QTI has opened a branch in Baraboo in 1982 and branches in Portage, Milwaukee, and Beaver Dam from 1994-1996. From our foundation in Madison, to our locations across Southcentral Wisconsin, and now clients across the nation, QTI has been a proud partner to Wisconsin manufacturers, nonprofits, educational systems, businesses, and everything in between.

We asked our employees what being a “Wisconsin Grown Business” meant to them.

“Wisconsin has a reputation for a strong work ethic, for a genuine care to make the communities we serve to grow and thrive, and I am proud to say that’s true,” said Charyl Uptegraw, Senior Consultant with QTI’s HR Consulting team.

Casey Liakos, QTI’s VP of Executive and Professional Search, said QTI’s tenure within the state of Wisconsin originally drew him to join our organization.

“After almost 70 years in the business, QTI is really part of the fabric of our community. I really wanted to be a part of that,” said Liakos.

“Above all, we owe our success to our people. At QTI, our slogan is, “our work is people, because people are at the heart of what we do.” We work hard to understand what our customers and job seekers need from us, and are extraordinarily proud that for nearly seven decades, we have delivered,” said QTI’s CEO and President, Londa Dewey, who has led The QTI Group since 2007.

We are proud to be a Wisconsin-grown, family-owned business.  Dave Silverberg, son of QTI’s founders, serves as Chairman of the Board, Jay Loewi, who joined QTI in 1989, serves on the Board, while his son, Jason Loewi, serves as QTI’s Vice President of Staffing today.

As we look ahead, we want to say thank you to the people in this great state who have trusted us to find exceptional talent, find stable jobs, and make certain their compensation and benefits are competitive. In true Wisconsin fashion, we are looking “forward” to many more years of business here at QTI!

New UW-Madison research reveals a genetic influence on quitting smoking

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
April 17, 2025
CONTACT: Lauren Schmitz, llschmitz@wisc.edu

MADISON, Wis., – In a novel study that is among the first in economics to combine genetic information and data from a randomized controlled study, a team of researchers led by Associate Professor Lauren Schmitz of the La Follette School of Public Affairs identified that smoking cessation efforts may be less effective for individuals with a high genetic risk for smoking.

The National Bureau of Economic Research working paper, which also includes La Follette Professor Jason Fletcher as a co-author, finds that participants in the landmark Lung Health Study with more genetic variants that predisposed them to smoking addiction were less likely to  benefit from a five-year smoking cessation intervention program.

“While we have intuitively understood for some time that genes likely play a factor in making it easy for some to quit smoking while difficult for others, we didn’t have the capabilities to test this until quite recently,” Schmitz says. “This study leverages advances in statistical genetics to better understand the interplay between genes and behavior and hopefully improve treatment options.”

This study uses the polygenic index from 4,145 participants in the Lung Health Study, a randomized controlled trial conducted from 1989 to 1994 with heavy smokers between 35 and 60 who were diagnosed with early stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and were motivated to quit smoking.

A polygenic index is a weighted average of an individual’s genetic predisposition for a given trait, such as smoking addiction, based on the cumulative effects of measured genetic variants. Polygenic index measures have become an important tool for connecting genetic data with social outcomes in social science research.

Although both treatment groups in the Lung Health Study were 23% more likely to quit smoking on average, the success of the intervention declined by approximately 2.5% for every standard deviation increase in the polygenic index associated with the likelihood of beginning to smoke.

Smoking has declined in popularity in the US over the last several decades, with 2024 matching a historical low as only 11% of adults reported smoking cigarettes in the previous week. Despite the decrease in prevalence, smoking remains a significant public health concern.

“Tobacco use is still the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the US. Precision medicine approaches that tailor smoking cessation efforts to individuals’ genes could help improve cessation outcomes in high-risk smokers,” Schmitz says.

Schmitz and Fletcher are leading scholars in the emerging field of social genomics, and core faculty members for the Initiative in Social Genomics at the La Follette School of Public Affairs.

The Initiative in Social Genomics integrates social science and genetic research to study how genes are linked with human behavior and socio-economic outcomes, how genes and environments interact, and how social conditions can influence humans all the way down to the molecular level.

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Capitol Bank Announces Two Promotions, Strengthening for Future Success

Madison, WI (March 26, 2025): Capitol Bank is pleased to announce promotions for Nick Inman and Paige Janquart, which will further enhance the Bank’s leadership team and position the Bank for future growth.

Nick Inman has been named SVP, Chief Credit Officer. Inman brings over 19 years of lending and credit experience to Capitol Bank as he assumes leadership of the Bank’s credit function. In his two years with Capitol Bank, Nick has led several transition efforts to position the Bank for scalable growth while adding efficiencies. This change will allow for continued enhancement of the Bank’s credit operations.

“Nick’s expertise and dedication to the Bank have been evident since his arrival, and I’m pleased to have Nick at the helm of our credit department,” said Justin Hart, CEO.

Paige Janquart has been named VP of Finance. Janquart, with 14 years of accounting and banking experience, has played an integral role in the Bank’s accounting department prior to and since exceeding $500 million. In Janquart’s new role, she will assume additional responsibilities overseeing the Accounting and Financing department.

“Paige has been an instrumental part of the Bank’s accounting & finance functions. She exemplifies the Bank’s mission and values and will continue to position the Bank for future success,” said Ami Myrland, President and CFO.