Veransa names former Denali executive as CEO

Sarasota, Florida-based organics waste diversion company Veransa Group Inc. says it has hired Dave Vaughn as its new CEO. Vaughn most recently has been an executive vice president with Arkansas-based Denali Water Solutions, another organics diversion management firm.

Veransa, which describes itself as “a company that transforms green waste into valuable commodities on an industrial scale through vertical integration of waste collection centers and manufacturing facilities,” says Vaughn will assume several responsibilities with the company.

“He will be integral in Veransa’s rapid growth by driving best practices across the company’s operations, managing integrations of acquisitions and greenfield locations, and overseeing the development of compost and other sustainable, beneficial reuse, products,” says Veransa of Vaughn’s new role.

Vaughn has more than 35 years of experience in the environmental services and waste collection industry, according to Veransa, including more than years of “executive operational leadership in the organic recycling space.”

He previously served as executive vice president of the West Region at Denali, which Veransa describes as “diversified environmental services company focused on wastewater, water residuals and biosolids products and services, including composting and green waste recycling.” Vaughn joined Denali in 2021.

Prior to working with Denali, Vaughn was an executive vice president at Athens Services, a California-based waste collection and recycling company. He also served as vice president and senior director at Recology in the San Francisco area.

“I am extremely excited to join the talented team of industry leaders with the Veransa Group,” says Vaughn.

Comments Roger Johansson, co-founder of Veransa, “Dave’s operational expertise and wealth of knowledge in Veransa’s space is a perfect match with who we are and where we are headed.”

Johansson had temporarily served as Interim CEO of Veransa and “will remain an integral part of the leadership team focused on business development and growth initiatives,” states the company.

Veransa’s equity partner is Connecticut-based RFE Investment Partners IX, which describes itself as a “lower middle market private equity firm with a 40-plus-year history [of] supporting small, growing companies.”