Cory Philpot: From CFL to GFL 

Following an impressive professional football career as a running back including a Grey Cup Championship win, Cory Philpot has traded the Canadian Football League (CFL) for GFL Environmental, where he works as the processing facilities supervisor for the Delta and Vancouver branches in British Columbia.    

“From my time playing on the field, I have gained strong communication, teamwork, and adaptability skills that have been advantageous in my career today,” Philpot said.  

Raised by a single mother of five, Philpot grew up in Melbourne, Florida. Despite not being enrolled in organized sports, he demonstrated real talent as an athlete.  

“At 15, I was playing football in the park when a coach happened to spot me and noticed my abilities,” Philpot said. “It was a life-changing moment; from there, the rest was history.”  

A generous family in his neighborhood had learned of Philpot’s potential and offered to sponsor him, which provided him with opportunities to play football.  

In his teenage years, he broke records in Florida and deservingly landed a scholarship to the University of Mississippi. 

After university, Philpot signed with the BC Lions in the CFL and made the move up to Canada. 

He played an impressive nine years with the Lions, winning the Grey Cup Championship with the team in 1994. The following year, Cory set the CFL record for most touchdowns in a season (which has since only been broken by Milt Stegall). He earned the nickname “Quick Six,” as a nod to his jersey number and lightning-fast moves.  

Following Philpot’s retirement from the field in 2001, he did sports promotion work for local bars and clubs. Although he enjoyed this work, he was eager to have something more stable and had come across a driver opportunity for a waste company.  

After GFL acquired the company Philpot worked for, his manager recognized his leadership and strong interpersonal skills, earning him a promotion to processing facilities supervisor. 
 
Over the last couple of years, Philpot has played an instrumental part in launching the new battery waste program at GFL’s Delta branch.  

Batteries are collected at the branch to be sorted and then prepared for shipment; once ready, the batteries get shipped to recycling plants across Canada and the United States.  

Philpot mentions how rewarding it’s been to see this new program carry forward into 2024 and continue the work of diverting waste from landfills.   

As passionate as Philpot is about his work, he also deeply cares about giving back to the community. Philpot was inspired to found All-Star Youth Sports (ASYS), a non-profit organization that facilitates opportunities for kids in sport that is based in British Columbia.   

“I was so grateful for the financial support I received as a child to pursue football and I wanted to help give other kids that same opportunity,” Philpot said. “ASYS is a fantastic program that encourages kids to learn the game and advance their skills in a supportive environment.”  

If that wasn’t enough, Philpot is also head coach for the British Columbia Football Association (BCPFA) and manages province wide programming. He continues to dedicate a lot of his energy to opening doors for youth within sports.   

He attributes his successes to having a positive attitude, which has helped him deal with the highs and lows of life.  

“You just have to do the best you can, don’t worry too much about things outside of your control,” Philpot said.   

Outside work, Philpot loves to immerse himself in sports, hang out with his family and friends, and watch his twin boys excel in their professional football careers.  

Philpot encourages prospective GFL employees to showcase their hard work and willingness to learn. He looks forward to continuing to grow with GFL. 

“You never know what opportunities are awaiting!” he said. 

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