Tervita Corporation Announces First Chief Operating Officer, Executive Team Changes

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - Jan. 17, 2014) - Tervita Corporation today announced the appointment of Chris Synek as its first chief operating officer, among other changes to the executive team.

"It is critical in 2014 that we execute our business plans flawlessly. Our key goals are to meet our safety and EBITDA targets, optimize the performance of our assets, and lead our industry in customer satisfaction and cost management," said Tervita chief executive officer John Gibson. "I am excited to welcome Chris Synek to Tervita for the tremendous value he will bring to help us achieve these goals."

Synek joins Tervita from Republic Services Incorporated, an $8-billion environmental services company of more than 30,000 employees where he was most recently executive vice president of Sales and Marketing. With more than 25 years of experience in senior operating and commercial roles, Synek will oversee day-to-day operations and sales at Tervita. Synek joins Tervita January 20 and will be based out of the United States.

At the same time, both Mark Pytosh, chief financial officer, and Garry A. Smith, president of the Waste Processing division, have decided for personal and family reasons to leave Tervita.

After four years in Canada, Pytosh will return with his family to the United States, where he has accepted a CEO job in Houston. Smith is taking a career break and will remain in Calgary.

"Mark Pytosh has played an instrumental role in restructuring Tervita's balance sheet and I would like to thank him for his contributions," Gibson said. "I wish him every success in his new role.

"Garry Smith built our exceptional Energy Marketing business," Gibson added. "I would like to thank him for his contribution to Tervita and wish him well with his lifestyle choice to spend more time with his family."

Both Pytosh and Smith will work closely with their replacements over the next few weeks to ensure a smooth transition.

Gary Morris, Tervita's executive vice president of corporate development, has been appointed as interim chief financial officer, effective January 20. Morris has previously served as CFO of Halliburton, a $28-billion global oilfield services leader with more than 75,000 employees. Morris will oversee the Finance and Business Development departments and will continue to be based out of Tervita's Houston office.

Synek will also serve as interim president of Waste Processing until a permanent replacement is appointed. Synek will have accountability for all of Tervita's business units - Waste Processing, Waste Management, Production Services, Environmental Services and Metals Recycling - as well as the Sales function. The presidents of these divisions and the EVP of Sales will now report to Synek.

"Excellence is one of our core values at Tervita and we are thrilled to add two world-class, Fortune 500-calibre executives in Synek and Morris," Gibson said. "Their track record of delivering results with large, multinational, entrepreneurial companies will drive our business to the next level."

About Tervita

Tervita is a leading North American environmental solutions and energy services company. Our more than 4,000 dedicated employees partner with natural resource and industrial companies who share our values, and we work with our customers to create a sustainable future. Safety is our highest priority: it influences our actions, guides our decisions and shapes our culture. We maintain a strategically located network of more than 95 state-of-the-art waste management facilities and a fleet of specialized equipment and assets to help customers address production and operational waste challenges. Our highly effective, convenient and environmentally sound solutions help minimize environmental impact and maximize returns. www.tervita.com