Joseph P. Tate

(Senior Partner)

A 1962 graduate of Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Illinois, Joe graduated from the Indiana University in 1967.

Joe began his career in the solid waste industry in 1967 and worked within the following companies:

  • 1967 – Formed Valley Sanitation: President/Owner 8/67 – 2/94
  • 1979 – Formed Valley Sanitation, Inc.: Sec/Treasurer 10/79 – 12/93
  • 1982 – Formed Cedar Disposal: Secretary 8/82- 12/93, Vice President 2/88 – 12/93
  • 1986 – Formed Beloit Disposal, Inc.: Treasurer 2/86 – 2/94, Secretary 2/86 – 2/95
  • 1986 – Formed Valley Flower Environmental, Inc.: Treasurer 3/86 – 2/94
  • 1987 – Formed Alliance Transportation Svcs, Inc.: Secretary/Treasurer 2/87- 3/93
  • 1988 – Partnered with Ven Housen Disposal Services: Sec/Treasurer 2/88 – 2/94
  • 1989 – Formed Sharps Incinerator, Inc.: Treasurer 2/92 – 2/94
  • 1989 – Formed Valley Sanitation of Elgin, Inc.: Dir 11/89 – 8/97, Pres/VP 90-95
  • 1990 – Formed Alliance Environmental Services, Inc.: Sec/Treasurer 11/90 – 12/93
  • 1991 – Formed Mineral Springs Corporation: Secretary/Treasurer 7/91 – 4/93
  • 1992 – Formed Emerald Park, Inc., a solid waste landfill: Vice Pres 1/92 – 12/92
  • 1992 – Merged the Valley companies to form Superior Services, Inc.: 7/92 – 7/99
    • Chairman of the Board 1/93 – 7/99
    • Chief Executive Officer 1/93 – 8/94

Key dates in the development of Mr. Tate’s solid waste interests:

  • 1967 – Valley Sanitation started in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin.
  • 1993 – Valley companies merged with two other waste handling companies to form Superior Services, Inc. The Valley companies contributed about $25 million in annual revenue to Superior’s $60 million in annual revenue. Superior provided solid waste collection, transfer, recycling and disposal services.
  • 1996 – Superior Services, Inc. went public with an initial public offering of $35 million.
  • 1998 – Superior Services, Inc. had a secondary offering raising $110 million.
  • 1999 – Superior Services, Inc. sold to VIVENDI, a French company headquartered in Paris, for slightly over $1 billion on $400 million of revenue. VIVENDI was engaged in a variety of businesses, including water, energy, waste management, construction and telecommunications.

VIVENDI had 235,000 employees worldwide and total sales of about $35 billion. At the time of the sale, Superior had 49 solid waste collection operations, 20 transfer stations, 23 company-owned landfills and four managed landfills. The company had approximately 3,000 employees and operated in 12 U.S. states serving more than 750,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers.

The following are business concerns in which Mr. Tate owns or controls equity:

  • OnMilwaukee.com, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Milwaukee internet city guide)
  • TMX, White Pigeon, Michigan (Decorative mulch company)
  • Tate Farm, Fountain Green, Utah (Ranch)
  • John Mason Car Wash, Carol Stream, Illinois (Car wash and oil change)
  • Lake Country Disposal, Sullivan, Wisconsin (Solid Waste Disposal Company)
  • Sherman Disposal, Janesville, Wisconsin (Solid Waste Disposal Company)
  • Midwest Compost, Elgin and West Chicago, Illinois (Yard waste transfer station)
  • Rapport Leadership International, Las Vegas, Nevada (Corporate organizational development and leadership training)

Joe is married to the former Jenifer Ortwein of Racine, Wisconsin. They have three grown daughters, Casey, Sam and JJ and five wonderful grandchildren. Joe and Jen currently reside in their lakeside Milwaukee, Wisconsin home with their Great Dane, Tucker. Joe’s current passion in life is working with the youth attending Rapport Leadership Classes.

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