Contact:

Matt Phelps                                                   Fay Lim

Communications Specialist II                       Communications Supervisor

Matt.Phelps@snoco.org                               Fay.Lim@snoco.org

425-388-3126                                               425-388-6413

Snohomish County Solid Waste Director Matt Zybas Selected to SWANA International Board of Directors

Board helps to shape solid waste policy for North America

EVERETT, Wash., August 2, 2019 – Snohomish County residents may not know the Solid Waste director for Snohomish County Public Works, but Matt Zybas’ peers are recognizing him for his expertise and wisdom. The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) recently appointed Zybas to its Executive Board for the International Solid Waste Association of North America.

“Matt is an invaluable member of our Public Works team. He has the experience that uniquely qualifies him to see the ‘bigger picture’ issues of how statewide solid waste policy, programs, and legislation can impact jurisdictions throughout the state,” Snohomish County Public Works Director Steve Thomsen said. “He also understands the practical operational issues in managing a large solid waste utility.”

Zybas will represent Region 11 on the board, which includes official member organizations Washington, Alaska and Oregon, along with individual SWANA members in Idaho and Wyoming.

The board covers the entire United States and Canada. More than 10,000 public and private sector professionals are members of the SWANA organization. For more than 50 years, SWANA has been the leading association in the solid waste industry, helping to shape solid waste policy through a shared emphasis on education, advocacy, and research.

Zybas also continues to serve as a SWANA Evergreen Chapter Board Member and Treasurer as well as a co-chair for the Washington State Association of County Solid Waste Managers (WACSWM).

He was presented with the 2015 Program/Project Manager of the Year Award from the Washington State Association of County Engineers (WSACE) for his outstanding leadership and service in the emergency response and debris removal following the SR 530 landslide. With Zybas’ leadership, Snohomish County successfully completed the project early and under budget.

About Snohomish County Public Works

The Snohomish County Public Works Department constructs and maintains county roads; controls and manages surface water quantity, quality, and fish habitats; and oversees the recycling and disposal of solid waste. The department’s main office is located at 3000 Rockefeller Ave., Everett, WA 98201. For more information about Snohomish County Public Works, visit www.snohomishcountywa.gov/PublicWorks.