Trade Association Announces 2015 Award Winners
The Coin Laundry Association‘s Awards Committee has announced the 2015 recipients of the CLA Industry Awards. The committee recognizes the top volunteers in the self-service laundry industry every two years. All awards honorees have made significant contributions to the benefit of the Coin Laundry Association, the self-service laundry industry and their peers.
Tom Rhodes of Sunshine Laundries in Vero Beach, Fla., has been named the CLA Member of the Year. In addition to serving as a director on the CLA Board and president of the Florida Coin Laundry Association, Mr. Rhodes has led a number of key committee initiatives, resulting in the publication of an updated census of U.S. laundromats and the creation of a quarterly economic report that laundry owners may use to gauge the industry’s position in the economic cycle.
In addition, Kenny Wells of Wells Laundry in Killeen, Texas, becomes just the 26th recipient of the Founder’s Award in the history of the laundry industry. This award is the highest honor bestowed by the CLA and is meant to recognize an individual’s lifetime contributions to the coin laundry industry. The Founder’s Award is reserved for individuals who are true pioneers in the business and are directly responsible for the ongoing growth of the self-service laundry industry and the Coin Laundry Association. Mr. Wells’ resume is an impressive one and includes service as president of the Texas Coin Laundry Association and chair of the CLA Board of Directors. As a multi-store operator with more than 30 years of experience, he is universally recognized as a superb operator willing to openly share what he’s learned with others in the industry.
The CLA Awards Committee – chaired by Minnesota laundry owner Jeff Gardner, who writes PlanetLaundry’s insightful “The Laundry Doctor” column – also identified four individuals for special recognition through Leadership Awards:
• Brian Grell of Eastern Funding distinguished himself by promoting the value of CLA membership as a director on the CLA Board, hosting an industry educational forum in New York City and raising much-needed funds for the LaundryCares Foundation.
• Daryl Johnson of Giant Wash Laundries in St. Ansgar, Iowa, not only serves as CLA Board director and president of the Iowa Self-Service Laundry Association, but has also spearheaded the association’s efforts to repeal the existing sales tax on self-service laundry in Iowa.
• Michael Finkelstein of Associated Services in Danville, Va., is being recognized for his significant efforts to represent the industry in the U.S. Mint’s Alternative Metals Study. He has submitted valuable testimony and has advocated protecting the quarter during stakeholders’ meetings sponsored by the Mint.
• Rob Maes of Express Laundry Centers, based in the Houston area, has made numerous contributions within the past two years, including service as president of the Texas Coin Laundry Association and penning several insightful articles appearing in PlanetLaundry magazine.
Jim Whitmore of WSI Laundry Corp. in Gloucester, Mass., has been selected for the CLA’s Outstanding Director honor. Mr. Whitmore has made a number of lasting contributions to the CLA Board, including serving as chair of the Green Committee, as well as his work on the Board’s Executive Committee.
Another special honor in 2015 is the selection of Wally Makowsky as the winner of the Richard H. Torp Excellence in Education Award. Mr. Makowsky has spent his 55-year career in the laundry industry, sharing his in-depth knowledge with his peers. His popular “Wash with Wally” column has been a staple of PlanetLaundry magazine for many years.
The Delaware Valley Coin Laundry Association has been selected as the CLA’s Affiliate of the Year. Over the past two years, the organization has increased meeting attendance and delivered consistently excellent educational programming for its members.
Also among this year’s awards are recognition for 2013 CLA Board Chair Keith Griffin and 2014 CLA Board Chair Andy Kretz. Among the retiring CLA Board members recognized with Distinguished Service Awards are: Jeffrey Barman, George Pierce, Deborah Dower, Kenny Wells, Wayne Lewis, Bill Bittner and Keith Griffin.
All of the 2015 CLA Industry Award honorees will be recognized at Clean 2015 in Atlanta during a special reception on April 18 at the Georgia World Congress Center.
