Southern Conference and Waste Management Announce Environmental Sponsorship Agreement
Waste Management to expand waste diversion and recycling initiatives on Southern Conference campuses and at athletic events
ATLANTA and HOUSTON – November 10, 2010 – The Southern Conference, through its multimedia rights partner SoCon Sports Marketing, an IMG College property, and Waste Management (NYSE: WM), the largest waste and environmental services company in North America, today announced an agreement making Waste Management the Official Environmental Partner of the Conference.
As part of the three-year agreement, Waste Management will expand its waste and recycling operations on several Southern Conference campuses and at athletic events, as well as develop sustainability initiatives to engage students, faculty, alumni, and the surrounding communities.
―We are excited to sign a sponsorship agreement with Waste Management as the Official Environmental Partner of the Conference,‖ said John Iamarino, Southern Conference Commissioner. ―We thank Waste Management for its commitment to providing a ‗green solution‘ for the campuses in our Conference and are confident in its ability to make a positive impact on our fans.‖
Waste Management currently serves two Southern Conference schools, Furman in Greenville, SC, and Samford in Birmingham, AL, where it provides comprehensive environmental services including recycling and other on-campus waste diversion initiatives. As part of the agreement, which began in July 2010, the company will work closely with the Conference to expand its environmental initiatives to additional schools.
―We applaud the Southern Conference‘s emphasis on developing college student-athletes and helping them become lifelong leaders and role models,‖ said Paul Pistono, vice president of Waste Management's Public Sector Solutions. ―Waste Management is proud to be working with the Southern Conference to help its member campuses become more sustainable, protect the environment and save money by minimizing, recycling and diverting waste as well as advance other environmental solutions.‖
The program was announced prior to America Recycles Day which is Monday, November 15.
About the Southern Conference
The Southern Conference, in its 89th season of intercollegiate competition, is a national leader in emphasizing the development of the student-athlete and helping build lifelong leaders and role models. The conference has been on the forefront of innovation and originality in developing creative solutions to address issues facing intercollegiate athletics. From establishing the first conference basketball tournament (1921), tackling the issues of freshman eligibility (1922), developing women‘s championships (1984) to becoming the first conference to install the three-point goal in basketball (1980), the Southern Conference has been a pioneer. The Southern Conference is the nation‘s fifth-oldest NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association.
The conference currently consists of 12 members in five states throughout the southeast and sponsors 19 varsity sports and championships that produce participants for NCAA Division I Championships.
For more information, visit www.SoConSports.com.
About IMG College
IMG College is the leader in capturing consumer devotion to college sports through partnership opportunities in licensing, marketing, events and hospitality, multimedia rights, stadium and arena development, sales, and consulting. IMG College works across local, regional, and national platforms to connect top corporations to the college market‘s more than 172 million fans—77 million of which are female—an affluent fan base with more than 29 million college fans earning more than $100,000, and 17 million fans between the ages of 18 – 24. IMG College partners with the nation‘s top collegiate brands, including the NCAA and its 88 championships, NCAA Football, leading conferences, and some of the most prestigious universities in the country. IMG College is a division of IMG Worldwide, the world‘s premier sports, media, and entertainment company. For more information, please visit www.imgworld.com.
About Waste Management
Waste Management, based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Our subsidiaries provide collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. We are also the largest recycler in North America and a leading developer, operator and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. Our customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. To learn more visit www.wm.com or www.thinkgreen.com.
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