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This Veterans Day, we express gratitude to the outstanding individuals who have made the sacrifice of serving our country. We are honored to have many veterans as part of the Athens family.
Operations Supervisor Ricardo Diaz has been with Athens Services for more than 10 years. He started his career in Maintenance at the Sun Valley Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) and now is the Operations Supervisor for the City of Santa Paula.
Ricardo joined Athens after returning from the Navy, where he enlisted in 2006 as an Aviation Mechanic. His expertise focused on emergency aircraft systems, including ejection seats, explosives, parachutes, and more. During his service, Ricardo rose to the role of Collateral Duty Inspector and completed his Navy career in 2011 as a Second-Class Petty Officer.
“I joined the Navy because I always felt a call for adventure, and the Navy offered that, along with the chance to build a future,” shared Ricardo. “Growing up, I wanted to see the world, and enlisting gave me that opportunity.”
Throughout his four deployments, Ricardo visited countries like Turkey, Africa, Curaçao, Qatar, and Spain. While the work was demanding, he recalls memorable experiences, like swimming with whale sharks on Christmas Day and visiting a city previously unseen by U.S. military personnel.
Transitioning to civilian life posed its own challenges, and Ricardo chose to pursue higher education, earning an associate degree in General Studies and Behavioral Sciences from Valley College. When it was time to begin his professional career, he connected with a veteran services office, which led him to Athens.
What started as a simple job application became a fulfilling, decade-long career. Ricardo encourages others to see Athens as a place of endless growth opportunities: “If you want to succeed at Athens, you can. There are so many ways to grow here. You’re not limited to one role—you can explore different paths, just like I did. I began in post-collections, transitioned to hauling, and I’m excited to keep learning about other areas of the business.”
Now residing in Simi Valley, Ricardo is also pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Sociology at California State University, Northridge. In his free time, he cheers for the Los Angeles Dodgers and competes in powerlifting, recently achieving an impressive 675-pound squat.
At Athens, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to veterans nationwide for their dedication and service. We are proud to have team members like Ricardo who have served our country with honor. This Veterans Day, let’s pause to thank a veteran and remember those who sacrificed to protect our freedom.
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