Waste Management boss gets his hands dirty

Waste Management Inc., with about 230 employees in Simi Valley, will be featured on “Undercover Boss,” a new hourlong reality series airing on CBS Sun., Feb. 7, immediately following the Super Bowl. 

The program follows corporate leaders from large companies as they anonymously work side-by-side with employees and get an in-depth look of how their organization runs.

Larry O’Donnell, Waste Management’s chief operating officer and president, was the first executive to go undercover. O’Donnell cleaned portable toilets, sorted recyclables on a conveyor belt and picked up roadside trash. 

Employees from cities around the country, including Syracuse, Rochester, Ft. Lauderdale and Houston, are featured. 

“From this experience, I learned more about the company’s day-to-day waste, recycling, energy and disposal operations and the employees who work so hard every day and the challenges they face,” said O’Donnell. ”Armed with this new perspective, I was able to make improvements and recognize some of the company’s hard-working, talented front line employees.”   O’Donnell and two employees were also interviewed by Oprah Winfrey about their experiences which aired Feb. 1. 

To watch a preview of “Undercover Boss,” go online to www.cbs.com/primetime/ undercover_boss.