President's Report
In my first column I'd like to introduce myself. As many of you know, I have been very active in TCATA, but you might not know why.When I first joined National Clothesline, I had no idea what TCATA even stood for. Because my parents made the decision to become members and always spoke so highly of the organization they felt it was just as important for the next generation be active too.
My first conference was in 1989 at The Greenbrier in West Virginia. At that time people were only nametags to me... I was as green as they come. But, after attending a couple of conferences and serving on the board, the nametags became people who then became some of my closest business associates and friends.
I'm truly honored to serve as your president not because I'm the first woman but because this association and industry has been so good to me and my family and I want to continue to give back.
I would also like to say thanks to former president Gerald Henke for his leadership and commitment to TCATA. I will do my best to help keep our organization on the path he set.
Welcome New Members
Material Flow Systems, of Ontario, California, designs and installs trolley rail systems and sorters for the garment industry, specializing in industrial laundries. Main contact is Jason Cassady, Sales Manager.BeCreative360 of Orange, California, creates marketing materials for drycleaners and other industries. Main contact is Dave Troemel, Marketing Director.
CleanCloud, based in London, sells cloud based point of sale and order management software that allows retailers to run their businesses in store, online and on the go. Main contract is John Buni.
Maxi-Press Elastomeric of Middlebury, Connecticut, makes high performance water extraction membranes and spare parts for commercial laundry equipment. Main contact is Reiner Schmelcher.
Schaeffer Assumes Presidency of TCATA
Other Officers, Board Members Take Office
At the closing dinner at the 2018 Annual Management and Educational Conference held in early May, Leslie Schaeffer, vice president of National Clothesline based near Philadelphia, was installed as the incoming president of the Textile Care Allied Trades Association (TCATA). She will serve a two-year term as president.
Ms. Schaeffer has been very active in TCATA for many years, having served on annual conference committees, as chair of both the site selection and membership committees, and as a board member. She has always believed in the value of trade associations, an issue she addresses in a recent interview. Leslie noted in that interview that she plans to continue the work that TCATA has been doing for years, particularly protecting members’ interest in the legislative and regulatory area. Click here to watch Leslie's interview. She is the first female president of the Association, and the first to serve from the “related trades” category, meaning the first that is not a manufacturer or distributor.
Ms. Schaeffer worked in various positions at National Clothesline, a business started by her parents in 1959, starting in the 1980’s, eventually working her way up to vice president. She also runs several regional dry-cleaning trade shows. Leslie has been married to her husband, Rob Fleszar for twenty-five years. She has a daughter, a son and three grandchildren.
John Silverman of Tschopp Supply, Buffalo, New York, assumed the role of Treasurer. He has been active in TCATA, including serving currently on the Membership Committee.
Also elected as officers were Peter Limoncelli of Yankee Laundry Equipment, elected vice president of the Distribution Division; Michael Leeming of Parker Boiler elected vice president of the Machinery Manufacturers Division; and Gene Williams of American Laundry Products elected vice president of Supply Manufacturers Division.
Newly elected board members are Mack Magnus of M & B Hangers, Matt Lamons of Loomis Brothers Equipment Company, and Kelly Kelleher of Kelleher Equipment.
Reelected board members include Bill Brooks of Alliance Laundry Systems-UniMac, Bill Schnitzer of Quality Fabricators, Orville Johnson of FabriClean Supply, and Charlie Thompson of American Trade Magazines.
Cantrell Selected as 2018 TCATA Scholarship Fund Recipient
Congratulations to Steven Cantrell of Lynn Haven, Florida, who was selected as the recipient of the 2018 TCATA College Scholarship Fund. He is the son of Glenn and Christie Cantrell, who both work for JENSEN USA of Panama City, Florida. (Mariah, Steven’s sister, was the TCATA scholarship recipient in 2015.)
Steven was chosen from an outstanding group of applicants. Ranked 11 out of 370 graduating seniors in high school, he maintained a GPA of 4.50 despite a schedule of demanding courses. Steven was chosen to represent Beta Club at the Florida State Convention where he competed in math and was part of the Quiz Bowl team. He was also an active member of Mu Alpha Theta and the National Honor Society, received the principal’s leadership award, and was named the Mosley Top Senior Science Student of the Year, among other honors.
Steven was a member of the varsity baseball team for two years that achieved State Runner Up status. While on the team, he and his teammates put together a workshop for disabled children to teach them the game of baseball.
Having already completed his freshman year at the University of Florida – where he made the Dean’s List - Steven will continue there this Fall, where he is majoring in Aerospace Engineering.
“I continue to be very impressed with the quality of the applicants that apply for the scholarship,” stated Leslie Schaeffer, TCATA president. “The Association is most pleased to provide assistance for outstanding students like Steven, and we all wish him the very best success in college and beyond,” she went on to say.
