June 24, 2025
Local NewsState & National

Fosters take ownership of G.H.I. Sanitation

By CALEB NELSON

Sam and Jessica Foster are pictured with Joan Newell, whose husband Wayne owned G.H.I. until he passed away unexpectedly in late May. The Fosters have taken G.H.I. and are excited for their new venture. (Photo by)

GREENFIELD — G.H.I. is under new ownership and has a slightly adjusted name, G.H.I. Sanitation.

Sam and Jessica Foster of Greenfield have bought the business and are excited for the challenge ahead.

Wayne Newell, who began Greenfield Home Improvement as a siding and window business, kept the name when he transitioned into sanitation in 1996 and roll-off dumpsters in 2008, passed away unexpectedly May 26.

A Facebook post went out from Wayne’s family to see who would be willing to temporarily collect the garbage for G.H.I.’s customers and over 50 people responded.

“Some were from around here and some were friends of friends who had family around here,” said Joan, Wayne’s widow. “Brandon Sickles said he’d do it, then he had to go back to what he was doing. Then Sam came along and he had wanted to buy it a few years back.”

Sam remembers that a few years back Wayne “had a price, and that’s what he had for a price and I wasn’t going to push him. We just kind of let it be.”

The deal for the Fosters became complete last week, and now Sam owns his own small business, which has been a goal of his for awhile.

The Fosters have inherited a newer truck, a 2013 Freightliner, that Newell ordered but unfortunately never got to drive.

G.H.I. covers an approximately 50-mile radius from Greenfield.

Sam estimates that between plastic totes and steel dumpsters, G.H.I. has about 800 dumpsters and 19 roll-off dumpsters.

To manage such a large coverage area has come with a steep learning curve, Jessica explained.

“A lot of Wayne’s information was in his head, so that’s where we’re at right now, trying to figure out that this is Monday’s route, this is Tuesday’s route, and trying to figure out how this fits best and how does this work best,” she said.

Joan is very excited she found a buyer for the family business her husband built from a wagon behind a pickup to where it is now.

“I couldn’t do it, so I’m tickled to death,” Joan said. “It’s been hairy the last couple weeks with the phone ringing asking if we’re going to get their garbage. We’re to the point where less people are calling.”