Power 100 2020 Q&A: Ven Poole

Courtesy of Ven Poole
VEN POOLE
Q&A
57 | senior partner, Dewitt Carolinas; board member, GFL Environmental
Raleigh
Poole’s father, Lonnie Poole Jr., founded Raleigh-based Waste Industries in 1970 and grew it to more than $60 million in annual revenue by the time Ven became its risk manager in 1990. It was a big shift from his previous post as an engineer at Lockheed Martin-Orlando Aerospace. The N.C. State University graduate became vice president of corporate development in 2001, presiding over 150 acquisitions, then CEO in 2015 before the $2.8 billion sale to GFL three years later. The family donated $40 million to N.C. State, where the management college is named for Lonnie. Ven has held numerous civic positions, including co-chairman of former Gov. Pat McCrory’s environmental policy team.