NWRA announces 2026 Hall of Fame class

The Arlington, Virginia-based National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) has announced its 2026 Hall of Fame class. Frank Antonacci, Jerry Antonacci and Dennis Pantano will be formally inducted during the NWRA’s Annual Awards Gala on June 10, held as part of the inaugural Waste Leadership Summit in Washington.

“The Hall of Fame reflects the highest standards of leadership and service in our industry,” says Don Ross, chairman of the NWRA board of trustees and president of The Don Ross Group. “Frank Antonacci, Jerry Antonacci and Dennis Pantano have each demonstrated an unwavering commitment to building strong organizations, investing in their people and advancing the waste and recycling industry through integrity and innovation. Their collective impact will be felt for generations to come.”

The NWRA’s Hall of Fame honors individuals whose careers reflect exceptional leadership, long-standing service and contributions to the waste and recycling industry. According to the NWRA, this class of inductees exemplify those values through decades of innovation, mentorship, operational excellence and commitment to advancing the industry.

“Each of these honorees represents the best of our industry,” says Michael E. Hoffman, president and CEO of NWRA and member of the NWRA’s Hall of Fame class of 2020. “Their leadership, integrity and dedication have not only built successful organizations, but have also shaped the next generation of industry professionals and strengthened the communities they serve. We are honored to recognize their lasting impact.”

Dodge Center, Minnesota-based McNeilus Truck & Manufacturing will serve as the Hall of Fame sponsor for the 2026 Annual Awards Gala.

“The Hall of Fame provides an opportunity for the industry to reflect on the progress that has shaped where we are today,” Lee Dreas, president of McNeilus, says. “McNeilus is proud to be part of recognizing the individuals and contributions that have helped move the industry forward.”

Frank Antonacci and Jerry Antonacci

The Antonacci family’s legacy began when Guy “Sonny” Antonacci started Somers Sanitation, a single truck serving residents in Somers, Connecticut. From that one-truck operation, the family built a multistate enterprise with more than 500 frontline trucks and a workforce of approximately 1,500 employees across multiple companies.

Today, Frank and Jerry lead Enfield, Connecticut-based USA Hauling & Recycling Inc. and its family of companies, including All American Waste, Murphy Road Recycling and F&G Recycling, collectively recognized as one of the largest privately held, family-owned waste and recycling organizations in the U.S. The All American materials recovery facility in Berlin, Connecticut, was recognized as Recycling Facility of the Year in 2023.

Dennis Pantano

With more than five decades of leadership in the waste and recycling industry, the NWRA says Pantano is widely regarded as a strategic operator, mentor, builder of high-performing organizations and a longstanding supporter of the NWRA since the 1980s. His career began in 1974 as an owner of Fredonia Sanitary Services in Dunkirk, New York, a solid waste collection company serving western New York and Pennsylvania. In 1976, he founded IVS Environmental Services, a hazardous waste transportation and remediation firm serving the northeastern United States, which he successfully led through its growth and eventual sale in 1996.

Pantano went on to hold senior leadership roles with Browning-Ferris Industries, Waste Management of New York, Progressive Waste Solutions and Casella Waste Systems.

During his tenure with Boca Raton-based Coastal Waste & Recycling, the company has grown from approximately seven locations and 100 employees to more than 40 locations across three states and a workforce exceeding 1,600 team members.