At Heritage Environmental Services, we’re proud to employ veterans across the country. Military experience brings with it some indispensable skillsets, including leadership, organization, problem solving, and technical knowledge. In honor of veterans day, we did a Q&A with several of our Heritage veterans working at our Indianapolis facilities, Rick Kolanowski, Bill Anderson, Kevin Taggart, Jamie Scott Camarillo, Bart Kicknell, Bob Daniels, and Brian Murkison, about their experience with both the military and working at Heritage:

When did you start at Heritage and what’s your current position?

Rick Kolanowski:I first started at Heritage in 1999 until 2008 as a contractor. I had a two-year hiatus away from Heritage and I’ve been back for 14 years. So altogether I’ve got 24 years withing the Heritage family. I knew the people; I knew the company, so it was easy to transition to come back as a Heritage employee.

Bill Anderson: I started at Heritage in 2014 I’ve been a mechanic. I like it I like the people I work with, that’s the most important thing is enjoying the people you work with.

Kevin Taggart: 2013 it’s been 10 years. I started as a van driver for a year then I did a year of that and then I went on to do roll off and I’ve been doing roll off ever since. But I do a little bit of everything, tankers, roll offs, pens, and whatever they need, I guess. Wherever they call we go.

Jamie Scott Camarillo: I started at Heritage back in ’99 as a temp on the filter press and been here ever since.

Bart Bicknell: I’ve been here over 22 years. I started out in field services just to get my foot in the door. Worked 1 year there and then seeing as how I had wastewater treatment operator’s license I saw an opening at the plant and stepped down from a superintendent job in HRE to supervisor job here at the plant so I could do what I trained to do. I’ve been here ever since in the same position.

Bob Daniels: January ’95- present. I started here as an unloader, and then I came up to be a supervisor. Then I stepped back from being a supervisor and now I’m a Chemical Treatment Operator.

Brian Murkison: I started work at Heritage in 1988 June 13th. I started as a material handler, then in 6 months I was a customer service rep. Then in the year after I was a group leader. 4 years after that I was a shift supervisor and for the last 29+ years I’ve been in safety.

Do you feel that your military career helped prepare you for your work at Heritage?

Rick: Not only the technical skills but also mainly the maintenance part transitioned over as far as maintaining equipment, the same thing we focus on here at Heritage is to stay compliant and safe.

Bill: Yeah, it has because I’ve always done mechanical work before. I’ve been in the industry for 30 years.

Jamie: Yes, I would definitely say being in the marines has helped me a lot here. I didn’t know anything about hazardous waste or the environmental field or anything and I was able to learn it all and then also transition into a Chemical Supervisor and now Fixation Manager which definitely helps dealing with the different personalities in the plant.

Bart: When I was getting ready to get out, since I was in combat arms in one of those exciting jobs, I looked around and tried to decide what I wanted to do. So I saw there was a training course open at Kansas State University for HazWoper, Hazardous waste operations, so I thought maybe that’d be kind of exciting. I like to play with chemicals anyway, so I went through that, got out and I’ve been in this business for almost 30 years now. The main thing the military did for me was teaching good work ethic, self-discipline. Probably the closest thing I did in the military to this would be the ability to wear protective equipment. 

Bob: No other than just having military protocol.

Brian: Absolutely, being able to change, being able to adjust, being able to identify issues and problems and step up when certain things go down. It’s a number of things that I believe the military helps us to adjust and do well here at Heritage.

What do you enjoy most about Heritage and the people you work with?

Rick: It’s mainly just the people. Heritage is a great company to work for as far as the benefits and everything and what they stand for as a company and the people that you work with every day that make you stay.

Bill: I enjoy the people I work with. We have a good group of guys that work here. Drivers are good, they get along with us well. We work hand in hand together.

Kevin: The people, I get along with everybody and we work well together. It’s comfortable working here. It’s nice to have people you can count on. If you need something they’ll get it for you. It’s been one of the better places I’ve worked at.

Jamie: I think the day-to-day chaos to tell you the truth. Being on the chemical side of the plant, the aqueous side, it’s kind of given like the proof is in the pudding as far as the treatment tanks pass and don’t pass. In my world now in fixation you can actually go from plan A to Z in a day, but you have the flexibility to pivot on the fly to make things work.

Bart: It’s never the same. There’s always something different. I never would be a good factory worker. I’ve got to do different things and you always have a chance to learn something new here. That’s something that’s based on your own motivation here. You can do practically anything you want. You’re only limited by your own motivation.

Bob: The hours, the days off.

Brian: The differences and diversities of the people and major opportunities to live and grow here.

Do you think Heritage promotes a good work environment for veterans? What does Heritage’s support of veterans mean to you?

Bill: It means a lot to me. My father was in the military and it’s just hard to find companies that really support your veterans. A lot of them are overlooked and I think Heritage does a very good job of looking at their veterans and recognizing their veterans every year so that means a lot to me.

Kevin: It mean’s they care. We wouldn’t have what we have if not for veterans and people that serve. I did WAA two years and it’s always good to do that. I mean like volunteering you meet a lot of new veterans that are out there doing it too. Going to Maine and going to the cemetery kind of takes your breath away. If you’ve ever been its like you don’t realize it until you go there. It’s a lot going on with that people don’t realize. 

Jamie: I think they’re pretty dang good at supporting the vets. This year for instance during the game for the Colts, I signed up to do the flag on the field. It’s a pretty good opportunity, I’ve never been on that field, so I really appreciate that.

Bob: I think they do for everybody, it’s not just for veterans. They promote from within as much as they can. 

Brian: I think Heritage does an excellent job in promoting opportunities for veterans and anyone who has a want to grow to learn and to thrive. It’s a company that will give them opportunity.

What advice would you give to a veteran looking to work for Heritage?

Rick: Heritage as a whole has great core values as far as family and everything that they do for the people who work for them as far as taking care of everything and promoting safety and quality within the industry. So, it’d be a great place to take your career if you are a veteran.

Bill: Come on board. They look at you and you get a lot of Thank You’s from your managers. They do it as a whole group, THG celebrates veterans’ day with everybody, you don’t get that from other companies.

Kevin: It’s a good place to work, its hands on, you work with other people, and It’s got a good experience. Just an overall good place to work. If you’ve got a problem just talk to somebody or call somebody and they’ll help you out. And the pays good and you always got to have that.

Jamie: Definitely be humble. You have to be flexible and humble. You have to start somewhere to really get your abilities out there. You can’t pass on the benefits it’s really a great company to work for, for someone starting out or starting over. They really let you do what you’re good at. The sky’s the limit.

Bart: Just do your best, put your right foot forward and go as far as you want to go.

Bob: I think it’s a good place to work, you make it what you want.

Brian: I would tell them to come in and do what they were trained to do when they were in the military. That is to grow with the company because the company is continuously growing. I would tell them to adapt and adjust as needed and they’ll grow.