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Nancy Womack, director of account and sales representatives development for Greif (Smyrna, Ga.), has retired after 37 years in the recycling industry.
After graduating from Mercer University (Macon, Ga.) in 1986 with a BS degree in communications, Womack accepted a job running the Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful program. Ultimately, she served two more local Keep America Beautiful programs in Georgia—in Fulton County and Roswell. While working for the City of Roswell, she started its curbside recycling program and ran its community recycling collection center, which included selling OCC to Caraustar (which later became Greif). A job opened up at Caraustar in 1998, and she went to work for the company as a developer, with responsibility for developing tonnage for the firm’s Doraville, Ga., plant. Over her 27 years with Caraustar/Greif, Womack held positions as a developer/broker, senior broker, sales manager and, finally, director of account and sales representatives development.
Womack also was active in the Paper Stock Industries (PSI) Chapter of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (now the Recycled Materials Association), first serving as its Communications Chair from 2018 to 2020, then as Events Chair for two terms from 2020 to 2024. In addition, she served as PSI’s Membership Chair for a one-year term from 2024 to 2025 and was co-chair of the ReMA national Membership Committee for that period as well.
Recently, PSI caught up with Womack and asked her to reflect on her career in the recycling industry, her service to the PSI Chapter and her plans going forward. Here’s what she had to say:
What were your proudest and/or most notable professional achievements? I loved every season at Caraustar/Greif. I had 14 years of buying and selling paper locally in Georgia and then around the country. I began developing processes for the salespeople, primarily because I wanted to measure myself! Then I became the sales manager, which meant I hired, trained, measured and coached the company’s salespeople across the country. What I loved most about our group was that it was very entrepreneurial. I saw what needed to be done, and I was afforded the opportunity to do it. That freedom carried on with me when I became a director. I felt like I had a direct impact on our sales team. I excel in training people, giving them all the tools they need to be successful and then coaching them along.
What are your defining memories from your terms as PSI’s Communications Chair and Events Chair? I enjoyed being the Communications Chair. That role gave me the opportunity to really know everything that was going on with the organization since I had to report out on it. I also thoroughly enjoyed being Events Chair because putting on a party and showing hospitality are two of my gifts. We had several fun and successful PSI receptions while I served in that role. I was also responsible for maintaining the PSI scholarship donations. Our process changed my first year in that role since it was during the pandemic. We weren't sure how successful we would be because we couldn’t hold an in-person fundraising event, but we ended up raising more than ever.
What were the challenges and rewards of serving in those PSI leadership positions? I was challenged when I began with PSI because, although I had always heard about the organization, I hadn't been involved and then I was the Communications Chair. I had to learn quickly! There are several “seasoned” board members of PSI, and I didn’t want to disappoint anyone. After all the years I served, I finally figured it all out. And it was very rewarding being able to have an impact with all the members of PSI. It was a lot of fun, and I miss all the people deeply.
What do you plan to do in your retirement? I have several plans on deck! For one, I am currently a conservator for an elderly friend of mine who is now in memory care. She is high maintenance, but I love her. Managing her well-being is a part-time job. I’m also close to receiving my coaching certification through the International Coaching Federation. My goal is to work with young people, ages 18 to 35, as they progress through college and enter their careers. I use the Harrison Assessment to increase levels of self-awareness and help people make the right choices for their future. I will also be using the Harrison Assessment for corporations by using the Team Paradox report. I implemented this process at Caraustar/Greif and look forward to helping other companies create more bonded teams.
I’m serving our local community by serving as chair of Keep Roswell Beautiful. We have a community that is committed to the environment, and I get to use all my years in the recycling industry to help with local recycling efforts. It is very rewarding.
My husband, Eric Glick, and I also are very active in our church, I serve in the children’s and women’s ministry, and I’m grateful for that community as well.
When people ask me how I’ll enjoy retirement, I really can't answer that. At 61, I still feel young. I don't feel like I’m retired, just changing directions. Now I just have the time to follow my heart. Sometimes I think I will be forgotten by this industry that I served for 37 years, and then I realize that I will be forgotten eventually. But I hope I had an impact on the process and the people along the way that will remain in place. I hope I left a little bit of a mark on Caraustar/Greif and PSI that will go on. The most important impact on me was having extended family all along the way and having fun.
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