Celebrating National Waste and Recycling Workers Week by Showcasing Four Talented Waste Workers

Athens Services proudly recognizes Angel Ramos, Adrian Diaz, Angela Morris, and Manuel Gamero during National Waste and Recycling Workers Week.

The week of June 17 is National Waste and Recycling Workers Week, a time to express gratitude and appreciation for waste workers around the nation. Our communities are healthy, safe, and clean thanks to the hard work and expertise of these dedicated individuals. At Athens, we are proud and thankful of all our team members and their endless dedication to serving our communities year-round.

Residential Driver Angel Ramos, Salt Lake Yard

Athens Team Member since 1982

Angel Ramos has been with Athens for 42 years. He came to the United Stated from Mexico on vacation to visit family. His uncle, who had worked for Athens for more than 20 years, introduced him to the company. Angel immediately recognized the incredible career opportunity Athens offered. He later moved to the U.S. and has been with Athens ever since.

Angel has serviced cities all throughout the San Gabriel Valley including Montebello, Temple City, and Azusa leaving a lasting impression on the customers he serves.

Back in 2019 Angel was recognized by ABC 7 for his friendship with then 18-month-old Ryan of Monterey Park. These cherished bonds with customers are what Angel values most.

Aside from customer experiences, he also appreciates his team. Angel looks forward to their daily huddles where they have the opportunity to review safety training, work together, and set a game plan for the day.

Angel describes his time working at Athens as perfect. He has been treated great and is very grateful for all he’s received and accomplished, allowing him to lead a fulfilling life and provide for his children. Angel looks forward to retiring with Athens.

“I’ve always worked my hardest and have done what I needed to and in return the company has treated me and all team members great,” said Angel.

Angle has lived in South Central for over 30 years. He has been happily married to his wife, Maria De Rosario Velazquez, for 21 years. They have three sons: Brandon Marcus (31), Zachary Logan (23), and Angel Antonio (20). In his free time, Angles enjoys watching soccer, especially his favorite team, Club Deportivo Guadalajara, also known as Las Chivas.

Shop Utility Adrian Diaz, Van Norman Yard

Athens Team Member since 2015

Adrian Diaz always knew he wanted to work for Athens. He wanted a stable career where he could learn, grow, and help others. Adrian discovered Athens through multiple friends who worked for the company and after hearing their experiences, it was evident that team members were valued at Athens and the company provided all he was looking for.

“This career has always been the career that I wanted to do because it’s always growing, expanding, and offering new learning opportunities. Trash is never going to go away; this is a business for life,” said Adrian.

Nine years later, Adrian has advanced his way from the role of Bin Repair to Shop Utility. In this role, he assists every position at the Van Norman Bin Yard including welders, mechanics, drivers, and more. Every day brings something new, such as offloading and organizing shop material, helping welders with needed material, ordering parts, and helping drivers meet customer expectations in any capacity.

Throughout his time at Athens, a lot has changed, but one constant is the presence of great people who are willing to help others grow. Adrian thanks the welders, mechanics, and all other team members who took the time to help him learn and hone his skills. He is proud to work at Athens and looks forward to one day retiring with the company.

Adrian resides in Baldwin Park and in his free time enjoys BMX riding and working on his 1966 Mustang and 2010 Harley.

Weighmaster Angela (Angie) Morris, American Organics Composting Facility

Athens Team Member since 2020

Angela (Angie) Morris has been a valued member of the Athens team for over four years, steadily climbing the ranks. Beginning as a Laborer at American Organics in Victorville, CA, Angie quickly transitioned to the role of Lead Sorter. In this position, she excelled on the sorting lines, ensuring optimal waste sorting efficiency.

Angie shared that prior to working at Athens, she never understood why she had to separate organics waste. Now, seeing firsthand the benefits it has and how food-scraps can be transformed into nutrient-rich compost, she has developed a profound appreciation for the environment and for the work we do here at Athens.

Angie’s management recognized her exceptional performance and identified her potential for growth within Athens. They approached her with the opportunity to learn the back-end processes and become a weighmaster. Over the past year, she has embraced this role, handling scale tickets, records, reports, invoices, and more.

Her favorite aspect of the job is being able to work with directly with drivers and customers, building relationships and delivering exceptional service.

“At Athens, the sky’s the limit,” said Angie. “I’ve never encountered a company so dedicated to fostering the growth of its team members.”

Angie holds a profound appreciation for her management team, acknowledging their unwavering support in nurturing her growth and recognizing her exceptional performance.

A resident of Victorville for over 15 years, Angie is a dedicated mother to five children: Tyrell (21), Kristian (18), Kristopher (17), Keysean (14), and Kyra (13). Kristian, having observed his mother’s fulfillment in her career at Athens, contemplates following her footsteps once he completes his college education.

In her free time, Angie enjoys listing to music, watching movies, and watching basketball, especially her favorite team, the Los Angeles Lakers.

Commercial Driver Manuel Gamero, LA North Yard

Athens Team Member since 2023

Manuel Gamero embarked on his Athens journey just 8 months ago, driven by a clear vision for personal and professional growth. Initially joining as a Scout Driver, Manuel’s dedication and aptitude swiftly earned him a promotion to the role of Commercial Driver within a remarkably brief span of 3 weeks.

Before joining Athens, Manuel honed his skills in medical transport, recognizing the importance of continuous development in his career trajectory. Pursuing his Class B license was a strategic move to expand his opportunities and excel as a driver.

Being an Athens customer, Manuel was familiar with the company and approached his neighborhood Scout Driver at the time to ask if Athens was hiring.

From his very first day, Manuel found himself surrounded by supportive colleagues eager to guide him through his new role, and he proved to be a quick learner. Manuel now services Hollywood and Burbank and most looks forward is leaving his communities clean, servicing all bins, and knowing that he’s making customers happy. Frequently, these customers express their gratitude by offering him water or snacks, a small gesture that resonates deeply with Manuel.

For now, Manuel is enjoying his route and expanding his skills but, in the future, he hopes to work his way up even more, potentially even becoming a supervisor.

“It’s the right company to start driving at,” said Manuel. “You’ll discover a plethora of exceptional coworkers who genuinely embrace you as part of the family. Moreover, our supervisors go above and beyond to support you in every possible manner to make sure you’re happy and satisfied”

Residing in La Crescenta alongside his wife Evelyn of eight years, Manuel cherishes family time with their three children: Issac (12), Zoey (3), and Moses (2). In his free time, Manuel is a Muay Thai fighter and enjoys watching UFC, martial arts, and boxing.