Metro Disposal is comprised of partners with decades of industry experience between them. Most of the group stem from a very successful Cleveland company called Karas Trucking. One of the principal owners of Karas Trucking, Stefo Karas, provided much of the original investment to start Metro Disposal. Although retired at the time the company began, Stefo’s mere presence was evidence that success can be driven by dedication and hard work. His two sons, Leon and Art, run the Cleveland and Canton hauling operations, along with Tony Asmis. Leon and Art had grown up around the family hauling business and each gained experience with a national company. Tony had run the hauling operation for Karas Trucking and brought many years of industry experience to Metro Disposal, where he was the only Rear Load driver at the onset of the company. The company maintains an office separate from the two hauling operations where all of the accounting function is maintained. This office is run by the Controller, Bessie Makris. Bessie is Stefo’s sister and brings many years of experience from Karas Trucking where she functioned in a similar capacity.

The framework and direction of the company was established by its President, Mike O’Donnell. The Mount Union College grad gained his experience in the industry on the Sales side, working initially for Karas Trucking and later for the national company that purchased their assets. His years in the industry had yielded some strong business and political contacts in the Cleveland market, and he convinced them that there is a solid value working with a locally owned and operated company. Ultimately this became a primary marketing platform, and spun the phrase: “We are large enough to serve you, and small enough to know you.”

At the early stages Mike brought in another partner to run the sales and marketing, Ken Deininger, who currently is VP of Sales. Ken, an Allegheny College grad, who has known Mike since childhood, is the only partner without prior industry experience. He brought successful sales experience from another industry, and has used the experience to keep the existing customer base healthy and continue the revenue growth thru aggressive sales and marketing.

Aside from the sales the company has done many acquisitions that have contributed to the growth of the customer base. After a little over a year of existence the company had grown to three Rear Load collection routes in Cleveland. On January 1, 2001 six commercial routes were purchased from a national company, a deal that began a rapid growth pattern for the company. The next two years would see Metro purchase the assets of a few local Cleveland companies, adding to the density of the Rear Load system. In addition, in May 2001 the company purchased the Akron/Canton assets of a Canadian company, Capital Environmental, which included a hauling location in Canton. This put Metro Disposal in the Akron/Canton/Portage market overnight with Front Load and Rear Load customers. Several months later Metro purchased five routes from another national company as a result of a DOJ forced sale. By adding these routes to the Capital deal, the company achieved density in a new market in a short period of time. With the addition of the Roll Off system Metro Disposal has become a major service provider in this market, one that continues to grow today.

Through continued great service and communication the company continues to grow in each of the two service markets.