CHRISTIANSBURG – Alan Cummins celebrates 20 years of leadership and service to Montgomery Regional Solid Waste Authority, a governmental partnership between Montgomery County, the towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg, and Virginia Tech.
The Board of Directors, led by Board Chair Steve Fijalowskoski, honored Cummins for his leadership, vision, and positive environmental impact on April 16, 2026.
During Cummin’s tenure, he restructured the organization and elevated the Montgomery Regional Waste Authority’s vision and mission following the landfill’s closure. His engineering and consulting background has enabled him to “right-size” the organization. He has a lean team that is cross trained to handle multiple on-site jobs. Cummins seeks to support local businesses whenever possible, keeping local money local. All trucking and hauling through MRSWA is local.
Always on the cutting edge and seeking ways to support environmental sustainability, Cummins recommended to the board that MRSWA explore solar fields atop the former landfill. The land could not be used for anything else, and portions of the field were stable. He has championed this project and will continue to work to support clean energy for the local community. As a leader, he continues to seek ways to improve operations and reduce costs to partner municipalities to manage resident and citizen costs.
He and his team have found ways to bring field trips and tours back to MRSWA for residents and school-aged children to learn more about recycling and environmental responsibility. Another program brought back to the residents and partners was the disposal of hazardous waste. Each locality has information about the dates on which this service is provided.
Talking trash has a whole different meaning at MRSWA. Cummins engages with local civic and business groups, including the Ruritans, the Rotary Club of Montgomery County, the Rotary Club of Blacksburg, the Lions Club, the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, and more. It is often said that “Alan likes to talk trash”. The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce recently recognized this MRSWA for its work in Sustainability and Green Efforts.
“It is a pleasure to serve on the MRSWA board of directors,” said Fijalowskoski. “Alan is always prepared for board meetings and keeps the board informed outside of meetings. We appreciate how he engages in the community with presentations and tours of the facility. We are fortunate to have an engineer of his caliber leading this organization.”
“I have worked with Alan Cummins for 20 years,” said Kim Stafford, Administrative Coordinator. “While he has the title of Executive Director, he is the most collaborative leader I have ever worked with. He asks for our opinions and listens. He encourages us to enhance our development. The more we learn, the more we are rewarded and appreciated, especially through cross-training to support our goals. I cannot imagine working for someone else. He cares about the employees who work here and demonstrates that regularly.”
MRSWA
