CFO Intelligence Magazine – Fall 2025
Brian Giambagno
Interstate Waste Management CFO
Interstate Waste Services has cracked the code on growth. Under CFO Brian Giambagno, the family-owned hauler leverages strategic M&As — some 40 transactions in the past 15 years, with values ranging from $1 million to $200 million apiece — transforming itself from a mid-market regional player into one of the nation’s largest privately owned vertically integrated waste business.
The Teaneck, NJ-based business has seamlessly integrated regional key players, expanding its footprint and adding new service offerings without sacrificing quality services.
M&As can help a company grow market share, delivering cost effective services through economies of scale, access to new markets and technologies, diversification, and enhanced talent acquisition. Still, multiple studies show that financial, cultural and other issues mean that 70% to 90% of M&As fail or underperform. In a tell-all interview, Giambagno told CFO Intelligence how a combination of financial savvy and a commitment to family values has enabled IWS to succeed where so many other ventures have stumbled or failed.