How One Detroit Attorney Turned Waste Management Solutions Into a Empire

Wendy Turner Miller is changing the landscape for professional Black women in a predominantly male arena. The feisty 5-foot-5-inch lady lawyer turned successful industrial waste management professional, is a pioneer in the field going where few women have ventured before. As a burgeoning player in the waste management industry, the CEO and president of Superior Innovative Solutions says the secret to her success is to “Believe in yourself and know that you are your own driving force. Push past the fear of the unknown and dream big. Hard work and perseverance is what drives success in life.”

Never one to be deterred by being the first, this legal maverick became the first Black woman to sit as a
Chapter 7 Trustee in the Eastern District of Michigan. Wendy has a prolific career in bankruptcy law, but the established attorney, whose mantra is being a servant leader, felt it was her duty to step out and step up into this new post. Wendy knows it is hard to be the one who tills the ground for others, adding, “Was I intimidated? You bet; but I knew I owed it to myself and to other minority women, in law, to push past that fear and give it my best shot.” Now serving at the post for over two decades, she is widely regarded as an expert in her field.

Despite the acclaim, Wendy overcame other challenges on the homefront. After her divorce, the suddenly single mother of two took time for self-care, where she reflected on leaving a legacy for her two boys. “My law practice and Chapter 7 Panel Trustee position were not things that I could pass on to them, therefore, creating a company and a legacy for my children became my passion and my vision,” says Wendy.

It was then, in a dark moment, that she shifted into a new season. The tough legal beagle built what is now Superior Innovative Solutions (S.I.S.). The thriving waste management company specializes in the removal of hazardous chemicals and remediation from toxic sites. Under her management, S.I.S. has flourished. Her team has won dozens of coveted contracts with industry leaders such as Aramark, Clean Harbors, Leadec Service Group, HM White, DLZ, Detroit Water and Sewage Department, Mercedes Benz, as well as subcontracted work for Ford Motor Company and Barton Malow.

The company’s focus started with the automotive industry and soon evolved to construction companies, steelwork, and coronavirus disinfecting and cleaning Now, S.I.S. has its hand in “engineering firms, construction firms, utility companies, hospitals, municipalities, and the U.S. government.” With Wendy at the helm of this 100% minority-owned business, S.I.S. is destined for the stratosphere.

“I am strongly committed to S.I.S. becoming a premiere, one-stop shop for facility maintenance needs.”