Mark Nighbor of Ponte Vedra is the vice president of marketing and communications for Advanced Disposal, which is the fourth largest solid waste collection, recycling and disposal company in the United States.
Tell us what you do at Advanced Disposal.
I manage all the marketing and communications for the services we provide to residential, commercial and industrial customers across 16 states and the Bahamas.
How long have you had that position?
I have been in my current role for over four years and have been with the company for 17 years in a variety of sales and marketing positions in the Midwest and at the corporate office here in Ponte Vedra.
What is the most satisfying aspect of your job?
The team at Advanced Disposal provides an essential service that keeps communities safe and clean. The challenge with my job is to market a service that is not “top of mind” but can become critical if the service is not performed safely and consistently.
Tell us about your education and career path. What led you to the career you now have?
I graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in finance and management. I started my career in the technology industry and after 20 years decided to switch to the waste industry. I know that is an unusual transition, but I just replaced selling and marketing packets of data with packets of trash.
Many people who live in the Ponte Vedra area moved here from elsewhere. How long have you been a local resident? Where did you move from?
We moved to Ponte Vedra seven years ago after spending 30 years in Chicago.
What do you like best about residing in this community?
Coming from Chicago, absolutely the weather and access to golf all year long. We also appreciate the quality of life in this community and the partnership that exists between government officials, businesses and residents to maintain and improve that quality of life.
In your free time, what kinds of activities, hobbies or volunteer opportunities do you participate in? What draws you to these?
I enjoy traveling with my best friend and wife Teri, going to college football games with my daughter Casey and golfing with my daughter Ellen. I am a big sports fan rooting for my Chicago Bears, Cubs, Bulls and Blackhawks teams and, yes, there are other sports in addition to college football.
I am currently the chair of the board of directors for the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce and the president of the board of directors for the St. Augustine/St. Johns County Habitat for Humanity. The Chamber does a great job supporting the growth of business in the county and Habitat for Humanity provides affordable housing, which is one of the challenges we need to overcome in our community.
