WM CEO Jim Fish is retiring after 10 years in the role. WM President John Morris will become CEO starting Jan. 4, the company announced Wednesday
Fish has been CEO since 2016 and has held various roles at WM for about 25 years. In that time, the company has invested heavily in recycling and renewable natural gas infrastructure and completed several notable acquisitions, including the $4.6 billion Advanced Disposal deal in 2020 and the $7.2 billion Stericycle deal in 2024. WM’s annual revenue nearly doubled from $13.6 billion in 2016 to $25.2 billion in 2025.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to have served as WM’s CEO over the past decade and proud of all our team has accomplished together,” Fish said in a statement.
It’s the second CEO transition for major publicly traded waste companies this year. Ned Coletta became the new CEO of Casella Waste Systems in January after the retirement of longtime CEO John Casella.
Fish applauded Morris’s move into WM’s CEO role, describing him as a strong leader and “a champion for our people, safety, innovation and operational excellence.” Morris will also join the board of directors when he becomes CEO, and Fish will resign from the board. Fish is expected to serve in an advisory role until mid-February.
Before being named president in 2025, Morris has previously served as market area general manager of New York City, area vice president of the greater mid-Atlantic Area, chief strategy officer, senior vice president of field operations and chief operating officer.
Morris first began working as a driver in the waste industry when he was in college, he told Waste Dive in a 2025 interview.
"Over three decades of industry experience have given him a deep understanding of our business, culture and opportunities,” said Kathleen Mazzarella, chair of WM’s board of directors, in a statement. “He’s overseen innovative service delivery to enhance customer experience while reducing operating expenses. All of this was accomplished while improving employee satisfaction, safety, and retention.”
In his role as president, Morris managed executives under sustainability, customer experience and enterprise strategy roles. He also oversees field operations, including rollouts of tech upgrades and fleet improvements for safety and efficiency, including autonomous vehicle pilots. WM hinted at further C-suite changes earlier this year when the company promoted Tara Hemmer from chief sustainability offier to COO in May.
“For decades, WM has been built on a strong foundation of safety, service, and operational excellence,” Morris said in a statement. “I am committed to building on that legacy while strengthening our position for innovation and continued long-term growth.”
Mazzarella also thanked Fish for his years of service.
“Jim’s philosophy on stakeholder priorities is simple: Jim always puts people first, knowing that they, in turn, will take care of the customer and the business. As a result, Jim’s legacy includes making WM a great place to work.”
