Maria Rios is the first female Hispanic-owned waste removal company in United States history and one of the largest minority-owned companies in the state of Texas.  NWI is a fully-certified, commercial waste disposal company specializing in construction, demolition, commercial/industrial non-hazardous waste removal, portable toilets and recycling services.

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In 2015 the International Women’s Entrepreneurial Challenge (IWEC) announced Rios as one of the top 27 women entrepreneurs in the world.  Fortune named Rios as one of the 2013 Fortune Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs in the U.S.  Goldman Sachs honored Rios as one of its 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs.  In 2015 Rios and NWI were featured on CNBC’s Blue Collar Millionaires, a docu-series profiling big personalities who have gained wealth “by getting their hands dirty…and rolling up their sleeves…with a can-do mindset.”  CNBC marketed the Rios episode as “The $30M empire built on trash.” 

 

Maria Rios is living the American dream, as she began her U.S. journey emigrating from El Salvador as a child. Her family came to the U.S. to pursue education and a better life. Through reliance on faith, a relentless work ethic and determination, Rios graduated from Houston Community College and earned her BA from the University of Houston.