Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery announces new CEO

The Board of Directors of Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery, a Garaventa family company, has announced that Kish Rajan will succeed Ronald J. Proto as CEO at the end of 2022.

Kish has served as the Concord, California-based company’s chief administrative officer since 2019. Prior to that, his career spanned several roles in business and government, including service as director of Gov. Jerry Brown’s office of Business and Economic Development, a term on the Walnut Creek City Council and over a decade in mobile technology business development.

“Ron has been a terrific CEO,” says Silvio Garaventa Jr., vice chairman of Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery’s board of directors. “We appreciate his commitment to our company and our family. He will continue as a consultant after his CEO term ends on December 31, 2022 … Kish’s proven success in business, technology and state policy makes him an excellent choice to continue MDRR’s leadership in our industry. We are very excited about the future. Kish’s term as CEO will begin January 1, 2023.”

With a focus on forward-thinking and innovation, Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery has been among the companies leading the march toward meeting California’s waste reduction, sustainability and climate goals.

“I am proud to lead MDRR and all that it stands for,” Proto says. “We continue to build upon our very strong foundation, and I look forward to continuing to work with Kish as the company strives for even greater success ahead.”  

Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery has been a family-owned and operated company since the 1930s. Deeply rooted in the community, the Garaventa family understands the importance of thought leadership and forward-thinking.

Louisa Garaventa Binswanger, a board of directors member, says both Proto and Rajan share the board’s values.

“The Garaventa family first and foremost cares about the communities and people we serve,” she says. “Ron continued this tradition as our CEO during the past four years. I would personally wish to recognize his exemplary leadership. We are prepared for an orderly transition as Kish has demonstrated his commitment to the communities we serve and his ability to lead our family business in the future years.”