Mark Nelson came to Spartanburg as the owner/principal of what grew to be the second-largest glass recycling company in North America in 2005 from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio. While the company was recently sold, Nelson helped lead the business by overseeing the construction of 15 facilities within the United States and Canada.

Nelson played an active role in business development and expansion within the post-consumer and post-industrial glass recycling industry. He had the opportunity to work closely with a multitude of state and local officials as new recycling programs were introduced.

While the job was demanding, Nelson was still able to find time to give back to his community. He has served as a coach for numerous church league basketball and Little League baseball teams, and he continues to be an active volunteer with the Episcopal Church of the Advent’s Troop 1 Boy Scouts.

Mark Mullen began his career in the medical sales division of Johnson & Johnson over 23 years ago after graduating from Presbyterian College. Since that time, he has provided countless surgeons and other medical personnel in the region with insight into new devices and support for their applications — whether for a large corporation or, more recently, as an independent distributor.

Mullen was born and raised in Spartanburg where he currently lives with his wife Keenan and two sons. Whether it’s the bustling small shops and sidewalk-lined neighborhoods of the city or the rolling hills and backroads of the county, he loves everything about the place. Like Nelson, he also appreciates what it’s given him, and he, too, is ready to give back.

Giving back is one of the reasons Spartan Waste was founded – it’s why the company is committed to donating a portion of its proceeds to local causes. Ultimately, Mullen wants Spartan Waste to be a company people in this area can rely on and be proud of.