Association & Industry News   Business Program Finalized for TCATA Annual Conference Study Shows Sustainability of Professional Cleaning Who's Afraid of Social Media and Social Networking? Schreiner to Head Fire Code Committee Ann Howell of Riddle & Associates to Retire Cotter Attends CLAE Meeting Export Opportunities Court Holds R. R. Street & Co. Inc. Not Liable      In California Environmental Contamination Lawsuits Boost Your Rank on Google:  15 Essential Questions Come Join Us On LinkedIn! In Memoriam UDPDATED Welcome New Members UDPDATED     Legislative & Regulatory Updates   New Federal Regulations Governing Truck Driver Hours      of Service Finalized Driver Use of Hand-Held Cell Phones NLRB Moves Ahead on "Ambush Elections" Summary of Health Care Reform Law TCATA Works with EPA on NESHAP Revisions New Ruling by NLRB Will Allow Micro Units      for Union Organizing Employee Rights Required Notice Postponed Job Creation Act of 2010 – Summary Fire Code Changes Survive Final Action Hearings      Members In The News   Martin Zaret Returns to Diamond Chemical Grimaldi Purchases Adco Cleaning Products Alliance Promotes Brooks to Unimac National Sales      Manager Chicago Dryer Company Hires Anderson as Regional Sales      Director Softrol Hires Grandy as Vice President of Sales & Marketing

If you receive a solicitation from Fair Guide to place a "free listing" on its website, beware – they are in no way associated with the Clean Show. Neither the Clean Show nor Riddle & Associates authorized the use of their names for this purpose, nor did either provide an exhibitor list. Signing the form obligates you to a three-year contract at a substantial yearly fee. Click Here to Get A Copy of Alan Beaulieu's PowerPoint Presentation from the 2011 TCATA Annual Conference For Members Only

Business Program Finalized for TCATA Annual Conference

(January 2012) 

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Study Shows Sustainability of Professional Cleaning

(January 2012) - A study by the Europe-based International Committee of Textile Care (CINET) shows that professional cleaning of garments is on average twice as environmentally friendly as home cleaning. The independent study was undertaken to compare the professional cleaning process to home washing to determine which is more sustainable.

The study looked at energy and water usage, cleaning processes that place different emissions in the soil, water and air, and the chemical composition of detergents. In analyzing laundering at home, the study investigated how consumers utilize their home washers and dryers. For professional cleaning, the study assumed the use of modern, efficient perc, hydrocarbon and wet cleaning equipment and best practices of handling discharge and waste.

The study, "clearly shows that overall, professional cleaning is considerably more environmentally friendly than household washing, when taking into account the current state of technology, the correct working processes and a careful discharge of waste containing solvents. That means we can, once and for all, wipe out the image of the cleaning sector as the largest polluter," according to CINET.

"TCATA members, cleaners and their customers should be aware of this important study and spread the word so as to counter some of the false perceptions of the environmental impact of our industry," noted TCATA CEO David Cotter.

To view the full study, click here.
    

Who's Afraid of Social Media and Social Networking?

(January 2012) - The use of social media continues to grow in importance to businesses of all sizes.  Below is an article about this from best-selling author Jeffrey Gitomer (some members may remember he was the keynote speaker at the 2001 TCATA Conference).  The upcoming conference in April will feature speaker Sheila Kloefkorn on how businesses to use social media for greater profitability.

You're a chicken.

Let me correct that. You're a dumb chicken. You're out in the middle of the road, pecking for scraps of food, and an 18-wheeler is about to run you over.

LET ME EXPLAIN: Business social media has created the biggest chicken farm in the history of mankind.

But you're chicken to get involved with, or participate in, what will prove to be the biggest boom to business and sales since the creation of the Internet. The chicken farm is also known as "Corporate America."

Since a very small percentage of salespeople and business people in the country are taking total advantage of business social media, I'm assuming you fall into the chicken category. And I'm not just talking corporations and lawyers here. I'm talking you, the salesperson, are a chicken.

Here are the elements that may be holding you back from participating in Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube to build your connections, your reputation, your business, and (of course) your sales: members click here.
    

Schreiner to Head Fire Code Committee

(November 2011) Jim Schreiner of ADCO, Inc. in Sedalia, Missouri, was recently appointed by TCATA president Lawton Jones to head the joint TCATA/DLI Fire Code Committee. The main function of the committee is to ensure that the interests of the allied trades and dry cleaners are duly considered by fire code setting organizations and to try to effect changes to the codes where appropriate.

Jim is the Chief Operating Officer at ADCO, a manufacturer of chemicals for the dry cleaning industry. He holds a doctorate in chemistry has been with the company for 13 years. Jim has significant experience with fire codes, and is serving on the National Fire Protection Association's Technical Committee on Textile and Garment Care Processes, which oversees NFPA® 32 – Standard for Drycleaning Plants.
    

Ann Howell of Riddle & Associates to Retire

(November 2011) John Riddle of Riddle & Associates in Atlanta, management company for the Clean Show, has announced the retirement of long-time employee Ann Howell at the end of this year. Many people who have attended a Clean Show have met Ann, who has served as communications manager at Riddle & Associates for 22 years.

The next Clean Show will be held in New Orleans June 20-22, 2013 and, although she's retiring, you may see her there. "I will continue to do a little bit of work with Riddle & Associates on some other projects and I will help out with the Clean Show if they ask me, but I'm not going to be in charge of anything," Ann said. She plans to work one or two days a week and hopes to spend more time with her six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. All of us at TCATA send our best wishes to Ann!
    

Cotter Attends CLAE Meeting

(January 2012) - TCATA CEO David Cotter recently met with other association leaders in the dry cleaning and laundry industry at the annual meeting of the Cleaning and Laundry Association Executives (CLAE) group. He reports that there was a good exchange of information which included recent developments on chemical regulation, fire codes and how associations can assist their members in utilizing social media to become more profitable. "There is so much happening in the dry cleaning and laundry industry today - from government regulation to a long list of other issues - that it is more important than ever for associations to exchange information and work together for the good of our members," Mr. Cotter noted.
    

Export Opportunities

(November 2011) In response to several member requests, TCATA is increasing its efforts to inform members about export education and opportunities. An updated link to export information will soon be posted in the "Members Only" section of the website. CEO David Cotter recently participated in a webinar sponsored by the U. S. Department of Commerce on obtaining help in financing exports and growing business in India. The PowerPoint presentation from that webinar is available here.
    

Court Holds R. R. Street & Co. Inc. Not Liable In California Environmental Contamination Lawsuits

(August 2011) In a landmark decision, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rendered its opinion holding R. R. Street & Co. Inc. of Naperville, Illinois not liable for contribution to perchlorethylene ("PCE") environmental cleanup costs under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act ("CERCLA") and California nuisance and trespass laws. In the Court’s published opinion, the Ninth Circuit held that Street, as an equipment manufacturer, was not liable as an arranger of hazardous waste as a matter of law because Street had not sold its product with the specific purpose of disposing of a hazardous substance.

Background
In the 1980’s, Team Enterprises, LLC (“Team”), a large dry cleaner in California’s central valley, disposed of contact wastewater containing perchloroethylene by pouring that wastewater down the sewer drain. After finding PCE in the soil, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board required cleanup. Consequently, Team sued Street, along with other dry cleaning equipment manufacturers and PCE solvent producers, seeking financial contribution for the incurred cleanup costs. In August 2010 a district court judge entered judgment in favor of Street, exonerating Street of any contribution liability.

Team appealed that decision, the primary focus of its appeal being that Street, as a result of its sale of a Puritan Rescue 800 filter-and-still combination to Team, was an arranger of hazardous waste under CERCLA. According to Team, Street was an arranger of hazardous waste because Street took intentional steps and planned for the disposal of PCE and because Street exercised control over the wastewater disposal process.

The Ninth Circuit rejected Team’s argument that Street intended to dispose of hazardous waste, stating that, “The self-evident purpose of the Rescue 800 was to recover and recycle usable PCE that would otherwise be discarded.” The Court also rejected Team’s argument that Street’s instructions to pipe wastewater to a pail or other suitable container amounted to Street exercising control over the disposal process. In a related appeal, in August 2011, the Ninth Circuit affirmed a United States District Court order dismissing claims against Street for contribution liability under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

L. Ross Beard, Street’s Chief Executive Officer, said “We are pleased with the Ninth Circuit’s opinions. Street has a long history of responsible product stewardship and we will continue to vigorously defend any allegations or claims suggesting the contrary.”
    

Boost Your Rank on Google: 15 Essential Questions

(December 2011) Bob DeStefano of SVM E-Business Solutions addressed attendees of the 2010 TCATA Annual Conference last April on "How to Build an Online Marketing Machine." Bob, who was highly rated by those who heard him speak, has generously agreed to write several follow-up articles for TCATA members.

Click here for Bob’s article on the brand new Boost Your Rank on Google: 15 Essential Questions
    

Come Join Us On LinkedIn!

(December 2011) One of the key roles of an association is to facilitate connections between members, and TCATA is pleased to enhance our role in doing that by establishing our own company group page on LinkedIn. The TCATA LinkedIn Group is a forum for members to connect in a virtual meeting place during the times before and after the annual conference. Many members probably already have LinkedIn accounts, and know that it is widely considered the top business-oriented social networking site.  Any member of TCATA is pre-approved and welcome to join.  Members are encouraged to use the group not only as a way to connect with other Association members, but also to gain the assistance of your colleagues - you may want to ask a question, seek advice or update your colleagues on a particular issue.  When posting on the site, please remain cognizant of TCATA's anti-trust guidelines and remember that the group is not meant for job postings or individual company promotion. We'll continue to improve this group based on the comments you and other members provide. Click here for more information on how to join the TCATA group on LinkedIn!
   

In Memoriam

It is with sadness that we report on the passing of the following member:

Gerald “Jerry” Lieberman of B & G Lieberman Company in Charlotte, North Carolina, passed away on Thanksgiving Day. He started B & G Lieberman, a distributor of tailoring, dry cleaning and laundry supplies, to support his widowed mother in 1949. He became an entrepreneur and excellent salesman, developing his company and establishing a customer base across the United States. He was known by many in the industry as "The Button Man."

Mr. Lieberman was always active in his local community, having served on many boards and commissions, particularly in the environmental area. He was also a supporter of the national and regional trade associations in the dry cleaning and laundry industry. He is survived by his wife Marianne, two children and several grandchildren. His son Larry serves as president of B & G Lieberman.
    

Welcome New Members

TCATA is pleased to welcome the following new member:

Sasol North America - Houston, TX. Sasol is an international manufacturer of surfactants used in detergents for the commercial laundry industry.

New Federal Regulations Governing Truck Driver Hours of Service Finalized

(January 2012) Driving hours for commercial truck drivers are regulated by Federal "hours of service" (HoS) rules administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DoT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). On December 27, 2011, FMCSA issued a Final Rule enacting a number of changes to the HoS rules which will affect wholesaler-distributors, both those who operate their own truck fleets and those who utilize the services of for-hire motor carriers. The most notable changes to the HoS rules include the following:

** Drivers must take a 30-minute break at least once in an 8-hour on-duty period.

** The 34-hour re-start period must include at least two 1:00 a.m.-5:00 a.m. periods.

** Use of the 34-hour re-start period is limited to once per week.

** The definition of "on-duty time" is changed to exclude: (1) Up to 2 hours in the passenger seat of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) if that 2-hour period immediately precedes or follows an 8-hour period in a sleeper berth; and (2) All time resting in a parked CMV.

The compliance date for the new definition of "on-duty time" is February 27, 2012; the compliance date for the bulk of the new rule's provisions is July 1, 2013.

These changes to the HoS rules do not go as far as FMCSA had proposed on December 29, 2010 in its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. It is important to note that no changes are made to the daily driving limit (11 hours) or driving "window" (14 hours), the 60-hour (in 7 days) or 70-hour (in 8 days) on-duty limits, or the limited exemption for drivers who return to the same place of business at the end of each daily tour of duty. However, the effect of these new regulations will nonetheless be widely felt. According to FMCSA, "FMCSA's new HOS final rule reduces by 12 hours the maximum number of hours a truck driver can work within a week" from "82 hours within a seven-day period … to 70 hours." (See FMCSA's December 22, 2011 press release announcing the changes to the HoS regulations.)

To view the new final HoS rule (which is 212 pages in length) and/or several helpful documents related to it, please go to the FMCSA website and click on New Hours-of-Service Final Rule.
   

Driver Use of Hand-Held Cell Phones

(January 2012) - As of January 3, 2012, regulations prohibiting the use of hand-held cell phones by drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMV) in interstate commerce went into effect. According to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, "Drivers who violate the restriction will face federal civil penalties of up to $2,750 for each offense and disqualification from operating a commercial motor vehicle for multiple offenses." Further, employers "that allow their drivers to use hand-held cell phones while driving will face a maximum penalty of $11,000."

To view this new rule promulgated by the Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), click here.

To review a helpful FMCSA document titled "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)–Ban on Hand Held Cellular Phones," click here.

The new regulation follows the promulgation in September 2010 by FMCSA and last February by PHMSA of regulations banning texting by drivers operating CMVs. To view the texting ban rule which went into effect on October 27, 2010, click here.
   

NLRB Moves Ahead on "Ambush Elections"

(December 2011) The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has been considering for several months new rules governing "Representation Elections" – the procedures by which successful union organizing campaigns are handled by the Board and certification elections conducted. The new rules make significant changes to the current procedures, in many ways curtailing the right of employers to effectively participate in the certification election process, and denying workers access to information necessary for them to make informed decisions about whether they wish to be represented by a union.

The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace, of which TCATA is a member, and many of our coalition colleagues submitted comments to the NLRB this summer objecting to the proposed new rules, and provided witnesses for the Board's single one-day hearing on this controversial issue. Unfortunately, the Board majority chose to ignore most of the objections raised by the employer community, and will publish the final rule in the Federal Register on December 22nd. The new rules will take effect on April 30, 2012. Members will want to consult your own labor counsel to determine how and if these rules affect your company.

These "Ambush Election" rules are clearly designed to shorten the time between a successful organizing campaign and a certification election. (Historically, the shorter the time between an organizing campaign and a certification election, the greater the chance the union will win the election.) In many cases, an employer may not even realize that an organizing effort is underway until the petition is presented, and these new rules would leave the employer little time to prepare a response to the union. The new rules are extensive, and cover multiple aspects of representation case proceedings, including among many provisions:

• The method and timing of filing of documents;
• The scheduling of pre-election hearings;
• Requiring employers to provide a list of eligible voters within two days of a regional director's decision (seven days are allowed today);
• Requiring employers to provide telephone numbers and email addresses of their employees (only names and home addresses are now required);
• Restricting the employers' right to raise issues after the preliminary hearing;
• Limiting an employer's right to challenge the eligibility of employees in the proposed bargaining unit until AFTER the election unless 20% of the proposed unit is being challenged; and
• Eliminating the 25 day waiting period before an election is scheduled.

The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed a complaint in the D.C. Federal District Court last night – within hours of the final rules being made public – and hope that our legal challenge to the new rules will proceed through the courts successfully and quickly.

In the interim, you can read a summary of the new rules provided by the NLRB: click here.
   

Summary of Health Care Reform Law

(January 2012) - Many TCATA members may be wondering what is happening with the health care law, something that has not been much discussed in recent months. With thanks to the Small Business Legislative Council, here is a recent update on this.

Until the Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of aspects of the law, small businesses are in a "what to do about health care" decision limbo. If the Supreme Court rules it is all constitutional, then small businesses can begin to focus seriously on how they want to position themselves with respect to the future - whether to provide coverage or let their employees migrate to obtaining coverage through state exchanges.

It is unlikely that the Supreme Court will invalidate the entire health care law. The more likely scenario is that Court could rule portions, most prominently the individual mandate, are unconstitutional but that other parts of the law remain valid.

In the meantime, there are two ongoing activities that are worth noting.

A significant number of States have moved to set up the health insurances exchanges established by the law and a good number of those States have received significant federal money to move beyond the planning stage. There is a good chance that at least some of the exchanges will try to operate even if parts of the law are ruled unconstitutional. Under the law, they are supposed to be up and running in 2014. In theory, individuals and small business would be able to purchase health care insurance through the exchanges. Exchanges would certify health plans as Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) to be offered in the Exchange. Under the law, the individual mandate is what gives the states exchanges "hefty" since most individuals would go to the exchanges to obtain coverage. The exchanges could still play a role in organizing competition without the individual mandate if the rest of the law is not invalidated.

There is also another movement afoot with down- the-road ramifications. The law provided for the creation of buying co-operatives. They will be geographically based, although they can be multi-state. They will be customer controlled, that is, individuals or businesses buying the coverage from them will control them. Some local groups of employers see these as an opportunity to control their cost destinies. The co-op could offer a plan that competes within a State's exchange against other plans. These co-ops are in their early stages of formation. There is some federal funding available for the start-up. A number of businesses in various areas of the country are in discussions about trying to tap the federal money to get a co-op running. The first round of funding is expected to be announced soon. Even if the individual mandate is ruled unconstitutional but the rest of the law is not invalidated, the co-ops could provide some leverage in the marketplace for small employers. For a more detailed summary, members can click here.
   

TCATA Works with EPA on NESHAP Revisions

(November 2011) - Kevin Lawson of Tri-State Laundry Equipment and David Dawson, formerly of R. R. Street and Company, represented TCATA at an October meeting with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to discuss revisions to the dry cleaning National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP). This meeting was the continuation of a process that began in June 2010 in response to a court-ordered remand of the NESHAP subsequent to lawsuits filed by both industry and environmental groups dissatisfied with the provisions of regulatory changes required by the revised standards.

Mr. Lawson and Mr. Dawson report that much of the meeting was spent informing and updating EPA staff regarding the use of various solvents, types of equipment in use and other fundamental information about the industry. Other industry representatives at the meeting included Nora Nealis of the National Cleaners Association, Mary Scalco of the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute, and Faye Graul and Caffey Norman of the Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance. The group also discussed the need for modernizing regulations governing emissions from petroleum solvent plants and the conflicts created between EPA regulations and building codes.

Environmental activist groups are pressuring EPA to further restrict drycleaning in occupancies that are co-located with other businesses and require replacement of drycleaning with wet cleaning. Industry representatives explained to EPA staff the limits of wet cleaning and why cleaners are reticent to invest in new equipment given ever-changing EPA regulation. TCATA and the other industry representatives are following up by providing data and other information to EPA, who will establish a plan to examine the arguments supporting further regulatory changes by the end of this year.
   

New Ruling by NLRB Will Allow Micro Units for Union Organizing

(September 2011) - In a recent ruling (Specialty Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center of Mobile) that will likely have major, negative impact on businesses, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has reversed years of case law and radically changed the standards by which appropriate bargaining units are determined. The new standard will facilitate the creation of "micro bargaining units," which will allow labor unions to organize just a few employees out of a single facility, and effectively "cherry-pick" a group of labor-friendly workers.

This means businesses could have separate unions - and different, even conflicting, labor agreements and work rules - for your office clerical staff, your customer service representatives, your drivers, your forklift operators, your order pickers, your services technicians, etc. This potential proliferation of unions and contracts brings a loss of operational flexibility and multiple risks of labor unrest and strikes. With this decision the threat of fractional organization of the workforce is real. Having gained access to the workplace by representing a micro-unit, union expansion efforts in the facility are a certainty.  

TCATA has been a member of the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace for several years, an organization comprised of hundreds of businesses and associations working on this and other labor issues. The CDW is currently working with allies of Capitol Hill to get legislation introduced that would block implementation of this latest NLRB decision. Click here for the full NLRB ruling.
   

Employee Rights Required Notice Postponed

(January 2012) - A D.C. Federal Court heard oral arguments in the combined cases challenging the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB) rule requiring the posting of a "Notice of Employee Rights under the National Labor Relations Act." We previously reported the deadline for posting that notice had already been postponed to January 31, 2012. Last week the Board postponed the effective date for posting the notice to April 30, 2012. If you need or want more information on this rule-making, please see NAW's Legal Advisory, "NLRB Final Rule Requires Private-Sector Employers to Post Notice of Employee Labor Law Rights." Click here.
   

Job Creation Act of 2010 – Summary

(January 2011) Several members have inquired about the investment and tax implications of the recently passed Job Creation Act. Linked here is a 12-page summary compiled by the Senate Finance Committee that you may find helpful.
   

Fire Code Changes Survive Final Action Hearings

(May 2010) The Drycleaning Industry's proposal to incorporate sprinkler expemptions into the International Fire Code's requirements for drycleaning occupancies has survived the International Code Council's public comment period and Final Action Hearing which took place in Dallas during the last week of May. The industry's effort, led by TCATA Government Affairs Committee Chair Dave Dawson accomplished the change through the ICC's Public Proposal mechanism and was first approved by the Code Council during their Code Development Hearing in November of 2009. Following a public comment period and a vote of the ICC membership, the industry's Proposal becomes part of the I-Codes with the April 2011 publication of the 2012 Codes. The code revisions are designed to more closely conform the IFC with the NFPA 32 Standard for Drycleaning Plants, which provides exemptions to the sprinkler requirement in plants using Class IIIa solvents when the drycleaning equipment meets defined standards for fire prevention. These changes will greatly simplify the permitting process for equipment dealers and drycleaners who wish to install new equipment using Class IIIa solvents. The IFC requirement for adding sprinkler systems with these installations made them cost prohibitive in many locales and prevented the adoption of newer technologies. TCATA will continue to work with other industry associations and equipment manufacturers to further modify both NFPA and IFC code requirements as fire prevention and safety technologies evolve.
   
        

Martin Zaret Returns to Diamond Chemical

(January 2012) - Diamond Chemical Company of Rutherford, New Jersey, a leading supplier of specialty chemical products, is pleased to announce the addition of Martin Zaret as Vice President. He has more than fifteen years of chemical industry sales and marketing experience working as a general manager and sales manager for institutional detergent manufacturers.

Martin will work with the sales force, manufacturer's agent representatives, Starco Chemical's and Diamond Chemical's distributors, and national accounts to grow their chemical business.
    

Grimaldi Purchases Adco Cleaning Products

(December 2011) - Mark Grimaldi, CEO of Equinox Chemicals, of Albany, Georgia, has announced the purchase of Adco Cleaning Products of Sedalia, Missouri. Grimaldi stated "This latest acquisition will continue our aggressive strategy to revolutionize and revitalize the laundry, dry cleaning, and cleaning chemical industry." Grimaldi and his executive team recognized that the industry was full of opportunities for the strongest technical support and service organization that carried the highest quality products to the customer. To capitalize on these opportunities the team launched an aggressive global strategy to identify, acquire and/or partner with the very best organizations with the very best products in the industry - Adco fit that bill. Since 1908, Adco has been a leading manufacturer of a comprehensive line of specialty cleaning chemicals and detergents used in dry cleaning, commercial laundry and janitorial and institutional cleaning applications.

Grimaldi entered the dry cleaning and cleaning chemical industry with the formation of Rynex Technologies for the manufacturing and distribution of biodegradable, earth- and health-friendly dry cleaning solvents and related products. In June of this year, Grimaldi entered into a joint venture with Christeyns NV, the largest privately held laundry products manufacturer and supplier in Europe.

Equinox Chemicals has recently been honored with such awards as "Manufacturer of the Year", "SBA Exporter of the Year" and "Local Economic Impact - City of Albany". The acquisition and consolidation of Adco into the existing Equinox organization will allow for direct integration of new and innovative products to the already existing Adco brands and product lines.
    

Alliance Promotes Brooks to Unimac National Sales Manager

(December 2011) - Alliance Laundry Systems of Ripon, Wisconsin has promoted Bill Brooks to national sales manager of UniMac. As such, he will be responsible for overseeing sales of the UniMac brand of heavy-duty commercial laundry equipment in the United States and Canada.

Brooks joined Alliance in 1990 and has held several positions during his tenure. He most recently was the national accounts sales manager. He is an expert in the OPL industry and has provided counsel to many national hotel and healthcare chains on issues that impact a laundry's operating costs.
    
    

Chicago Dryer Company Hires Anderson as Regional Sales Director

(December 2011) - Chicago Dryer Company of Chicago, Illinois hired Chuck Anderson as sales director for the company's Western U.S. region. He has been in the laundry industry for more than 23 years, most recently with Ellis Corp. Anderson will work with the company's distributor network to increase sales and provide additional customer support services.
     
    

Softrol Hires Grandy as Vice President of Sales and Marketing

(December 2011) - Softrol Systems of Acworth, Georgia has hired Tim Grandy as vice president of sales and marketing.

Softrol stated that Grandy's fourteen plus years of business development, product development, engineering, technical support, and sales management experience will help strengthen and grow the company's position, as well as initiate penetration into markets other than textile rental and textile manufacturing.
     

TCATA's mission is to increase professionalism through business operations and sales improvement education, provide forums where business challenges are discussed and solved, generate and apply business intelligence, and create a favorable business climate by seeking fair regulation and legislation.

Contact: David Cotter, CEO, info@tcata.org

271 Route 46 West, #D203, Fairfield, NJ  07004 tel: (973) 244-1790 fax: (973) 244-4455