On September 11, 2020, Environmental Waste Minimization, Inc. (EWMI) celebrated 25 years of service. Our growth and adaptation can be attributed to our innovation, service, and corporate culture. We sat with EWMI principal Mr. David Pohwat, along with Remediation Sales & Estimating Director Tom Sidloski and Associate Project Manager Mike DeHaven, to learn more.
Innovative Growth
EWMI has grown from just four of the founding partners in 1995 to over 100 employees and two locations in 2020. We’ve relied on customer needs and employee innovation to expand in a competitive marketplace.
When EWMI began, the company was primarily focused on transportation and disposal. “We’ve always given customers and employees the ability to present us with new ideas,” Mr. Pohwat says. “And when the idea fits, we have the ability to take it to the next level.”
While EWMI is smaller than some companies in the environmental management field, we have found an incredible niche in our work across the United States. “We offer all the same services as the big guys,” says Mr. Pohwat. “We can do anything from small, milk-run lab pack pickups to multi-million-dollar jobs.”
One of our niche areas are complex, groundbreaking remediation projects. “We really put our name on the map with an enormous project in the Baltimore Harbor,” says Mr. DeHaven, who worked in Field Services on the job. “In the 18 months we spent there, we remediated soil that was heavily contaminated with hexavalent chrome and allowed for development on the site. It was incredible to see the outcome of our hard work.”
Customer-Centric Service
EWMI’s principal ownership came from different environmental companies and started EWMI with the goal of providing a different level of service to an entirely new customer base. “We knew we could provide something different,” Mr. Pohwat says. “We are more efficient than other companies, more professional. Our intense customer service is something that always surprises our client. We’re small, but we can offer more than some of the bigger companies.”
Collaboration is key when providing this level of service. “We’re always focused on how to make things right for our customers,” says Mr. DeHaven. “As brokers, our team is constantly working together to utilize new tactics and facilities that will save our clients time and money.” EWMI’s mastery in the field and concerted corporate culture has consistently saved our customers time, money, and headaches over the last 25 years.
A Culture of Caring
According to Mr. Sidloski, EWMI’s corporate culture comes directly from ownership. “Having our four owners actively involved in day-to-day decision making is a unique part of working at EWMI,” he says. “Ownership’s constant focus on safety has been a hallmark of the company. Training and money are never an issue, and they put the employee’s wellbeing first.” Our award-winning strategies and .672 EMR rating speak to EWMI’s heightened focus on safety.
EWMI’s employee-centric focus doesn’t stop at safety. It also allows for constant professional growth for employees. “I’ve been promoted several times at EWMI – I started off boots-on-the-ground in Field Services, and now I’m an Associate Project Manager,” says Mr. DeHaven. “I love working here because there is constant opportunity for growth. Every day, every job is unique and different.”
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EWMI is looking forward to our future – our innovation, customer-centric service, and corporate culture will continue to distinguish our work and allow us to grow even more.