This third week of Black History Month, we celebrate a Republic employee and a world-class athlete who share a talent for not only sports, but for leadership.
Michael “Alex” S., Operations Manager, Columbia/Lee County, SC
Alex has a knack for leading teams and helping operations flow smoothly. At Republic Services, he enjoys the people he works with and truly making a difference in the areas he services.
Outside of work, Alex is passionate about sports and coaches lacrosse – another opportunity to help lead a team to success, much as he does during his day job. In college he led his team on the field, serving as a team captain for the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Division 1 lacrosse program at Hampton University.
Alex sees Black History Month as a chance to reflect on all the impactful contributions that African Americans have made to society. He says, “It offers a space for celebration within the community and gives the opportunity to look at how far we have come.”
Jim Brown, Athlete
While he is well known as one of the best football players to ever play in the NFL, many people may not know that Jim Brown was also named an All American in another sport in college. Like Alex, he excelled in lacrosse.
Jim was the first African American lacrosse star and was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. He appreciated the history and culture of the sport, which was started by Native Americans.
When Alex’s university, Hampton, launched their Division 1 lacrosse program, Jim recognized the significance of it. He saw the lacrosse team at Hampton as a way to open the door to new opportunities for the African American community.
As a running back in the NFL, Jim led the league in rushing yards in eight of his nine seasons, was named the most valuable player three times and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Since his playing career he has remained active in the African American community through mentoring and volunteering with anti-gang campaigns.
Like Alex, he proved himself a leader, on and off the field.
To read more of our Black History Month stories highlighting employees, along with historical leaders, who have made significant contributions, click on the links below:
Black History Month Week 1 (Javara P., SVP, Operations Support)
Black History Month Week 2 (Dana D., Dispatcher, West Grove/Delmar, MD)