RYAN ‘COOKIE’ COOK
COLLEGE: Colorado University, Denver
MAJOR: Mechanical Engineering
GRADUATION DATE: 2013
Ryan has been a team member with College Hunks Hauling Junk for four months. His goal is to own and operate a mechanic shop. His interests include working on cars and DJing at weddings and parties. Below are pictures of Ryan’s Dodge Ram 1500 Magnum custom paint job that he did himself. He is also a local graduate of Columbine High School where he played football for four years as defensive end. Ryan is interested in recycling and in trying to be as ‘green’ as possible.
May 25th, 2009
On Wednesday May, 20 2009 the Denver franchise of College Hunks Hauling Junk was featured on the 5 o’clock CBS news. The segment focused on our emphasis on recycling, donating, and reusing the items that we haul away. Emmy award winning journalist, Molly Hughes, interviewed us on May 5th while completing work for Karen Cosens, who we would like to thank for allowing CBS to film us while on the job site. Click here to view ‘Hunks Haul and Recycle’ story!
Please comment below and let us know what you thought of the story!
May 22nd, 2009
BRYAN ‘THE FEVER’ LeFEBVRE
COLLEGE: Colorado University, Denver
MAJOR: Business Administration; minor in Music
GRADUATION DATE: 2011
Bryan has been a team member with College Hunks Hauling Junk for seven months. He is currently in a band, The Frozen Movement, that has been playing gigs in Denver for the past two years. He is a dedicated musician and is well-versed at playing many instruments such as the guitar, bass, and drums. He has also spent time studying opera. Bryan is in the beginning stages of starting his own production company with the dream to record other band’s music. He enjoys helping the community and the opportunity at College Hunks Hauling Junk to work with other like-minded young professionals.
May 11th, 2009
COLLEGE HUNKS HAULING JUNK was recently profiled in the April 2009 Reader’s Digest edition – titled ‘Dreamers: Hunks of Junk’. The article gets into some more details about College Hunks Haulling Junk got its start and also has a great Q&A with CEO, Omar Soliman, and Nick Friedman, President. Some of the Q&A is excerpted below for your reading pleasure.
Q. What did friends say when you quit your jobs to start College Hunks?
A. Nick Friedman: They thought we were crazy. They said, “What about your résumé?”
Q. Any regrets?
A. Nick Friedman: No. I felt like I was stuck in a rat race at the consulting company. There was just too much time in the workday. Now that Omar and I have our own business, there isn’t enough time in the day to do everything we want to do.
Q. What’s the strangest thing you’ve found in someone’s junk?
A. Omar Soliman: There was the very long boa constrictor. We’ve also picked up World War II ammunition, a vintage set of Playboy magazines from the 1960s [the employee who found the collection sold it on eBay for $300], and baseballs signed by Hank Aaron and Willie Mays, which we keep on our desks.
Q. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned?
A. Omar Soliman: People don’t fail-systems do. If something goes wrong, you can’t blame an employee. You ask, What in our system went wrong?
Q. What are the pros and cons of hiring college kids?
A. Omar Soliman: They’re energetic, not as likely to complain or file grievances. The con is they’re likely to go out partying the night before and not show up for work.
May 4th, 2009
