Content about Company Founded

ST. LOUIS — Companies face various challenges in a given year. But for Faultless Healthcare Linen, a Kansas City, Mo.-based healthcare textile laundry company, the challenge of taking on more business was considered a “good problem.”

So much so that the company’s “good problem” led to the opening of a new $12 million, 103,000-square-foot facility in St. Louis.

“We were awarded a significant amount of business from the Barnes-Jewish Christian (BJC) Healthcare System in St. Louis, and we needed to create more capacity to accommodate that business and to be able to continue to grow,” explains Faultless CEO Susan Witcher.

Located at 1615 N. 25^th Street, Faultless Linen’s newest facility opened its doors last summer, and has enabled the company to process 17 million pounds of healthcare textiles annually to date, serving 470 customer accounts, the company says.

The company reached out to Gerard O’Neill of American Laundry Systems to design the plant, after having worked with O’Neill on a previous facility.

“Having worked with Gerard on our last plant in 2005, we found him to be an excellent resource,” says Witcher. “His involvement facilitates an efficient process through every phase of the project, from plant design, RFPs and vendor selection, infrastructure, installation, through start-up.”

“The two primary focal points in the design were energy efficiency and production efficiency,” she adds.

Though the new facility has boosted the company’s production capacity, the road getting there was not easily travel.

“When we got all of this new business from BJC, we actually had to take on that business before we got the new plant opened up,” Witcher says.

The company had to employ double shifts at its 45,000-square-foot facility in the Soulard area of St. Louis to accommodate the business acquired from BJC. Once Faultless opened its new facility roughly four miles to the north, it was able to shut down a separate 18,000-square-foot plant in Soulard, and split the BJC business 50-50 between the remaining Soulard plant and the new laundry.

The new plant employs the use of various industry-familiar systems, and bears the same layout of Faultless’ existing facilities, according to Witcher. “In terms of the general design of the workflow, it’s very similar to our other plants. A lot of the systems that we’ve used in our other big plants in St. Louis, we designed into this one.”

For example, the facility utilizes an E-Tech monorail system for sort soiling; Milnor PulseFlow® tunnel (eight 250-pound modules); Chicago Dryer Co. finishing system that includes ironers, feeders and folders; Softrol garment sorting system; and Kemco process water system.

Considering the new facility’s technology and capacity, it’s brought a sense of ease for the staff—there are 110 full-time employees—regarding the overall production, Witcher says.

“From a quality-of-life perspective, everybody’s in a much better place because we’re running both plants seven days a week (through) 10-hour days, so everybody’s back on a normal schedule and (has) more room to move.”

The larger facility has an annual capacity of 43 million pounds, but only 40% is currently being utilized.

To fill its unused capacity, the company’s sales force is continually scoping out prospective clients, Witcher says, and even hosted an open house in early November to ensure that the company acquires new business to be able to take full advantage of its facility.

In addition to energy and production efficiency, one other priority for the company was to ensure the new plant met standards established by the Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC), which examined the facility in early January.

Because Faultless Linen’s other facilities are already HLAC-certified, the company has a “very clean understanding of the processes that are required, and the documentation that’s required,” Witcher says.

Much like the Soulard plant, a wall divides the new facility in two, where one side strictly processes soiled linen, while the other handles clean linen to be shipped out. Soiled linen is sorted into slings by type and washed hygienically with the proper pH. Once properly cleaned, linen is stacked onto clean delivery carts that have been sanitized through an automatic cart washer.

Meeting standards like these, in addition to training employees on proper procedures, are just some of the ways the company is ensuring it meets HLAC’s criteria, according to Witcher.

Achieving the HLAC accreditation is “entirely voluntary,” she notes, but represents an important “stamp of approval.”

“I think it speaks to our customers, and our potential customers, that we are committed to doing things the right way. … From an infection control standpoint, it is becoming increasingly important,” says Witcher, adding that the Association for periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) recommends the practice of laundering surgical attire in an accredited facility.

With the new facility up and running, the company still has many goals in mind, according to Witcher. In addition to awaiting HLAC certification, the company is also pursuing the Hygienically Clean certification from the Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA).

With room for the business to grow, Witcher says she feels “excellent” about the facility going into the new year.

“While we’re not at peak productivity and energy efficiency at this point, over the next several months we would expect nothing but continued improvement in the performance of the operation,” she says.

Equipment/Supply Distribution: Bill Bell, Steiner-Atlantic Corp., Miami, Fla.

I grew up in Charlotte, N.C., with two loving parents. I have an older sister and a twin brother, and our parents instilled in us the value of hard work, education and moral character, which shaped the adults we are today.

I get my competitive spirit from playing sports throughout my early years. I graduated from Mars Hill (N.C.) College in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in business. I reside in Orlando, Fla., with my wife, Lisa, and our daughters Taylor and Jordan.

As regional vice president for Steiner-Atlantic Corp., I am responsible for sales and service in the central Florida market. Steiner-Atlantic, founded in 1959 by William Steiner, is a large laundry, boiler and dry cleaning equipment, parts and service distributor, with its core business in Florida and the Caribbean.

Upon graduating from college, I set out on my path to a successful sales career by working for Controlled Motion, a small company selling power transmission to equipment OEMs and end-users. My mentor, Tony Harris, taught me the importance of listening and recognizing what my customers needed. I owe much of my success to him.

After working for him for five years, my journey shifted to selling textile sock dyeing and packaging equipment. This move led to my start in the laundry business, when David Carter hired me to cover the central Florida territory for Wink Davis Equipment Co. in 2001. Upon completing my training, I relocated from Charlotte to Orlando. In 2004, when Wink Davis closed its doors, another door opened for me with Steiner-Atlantic.

Mike Steiner, our president and CEO, brought me on board to continue servicing our central Florida market. At Steiner-Atlantic, we provide customers with turn-key solutions from design-build to equipment sales, installation, start-up and training, with continued parts and service.

I am honored to have received many sales accolades, including Chicago Dryer’s “Rising Star” and “Heavy Hitter” awards, and multiple Pellerin Milnor “Key Man” awards. This past year, I also received our local Association for Linen Management chapter’s Allied Tradesman of the Year award.

I look forward to the challenges of 2013, and hope that you will find some of the articles that I participate in to be informative and helpful.

Textile/Uniform Rental: Tom Peplinski, Golden West, Oakland, Calif.

I am the operations manager for an independent industrial laundry located in the San Francisco Bay area. Starting in 1980, delivering linens and mats to the mining industry of northern Minnesota, I have held management positions in sales, service, production and administration. The position of operations manager suits me well, as it affords me an opportunity to interact and direct all departments while drawing on a vast wealth of experience.

Golden West is a family-owned, independent laundry with six routes serving the San Francisco Bay area. Like most laundry companies, there is a real challenge in finding and establishing long-term employees. However, by creating procedures designed to empower employees, Golden West has created a strong retention program.

The last few years of economic belt-tightening has had a profound effect on our industry. Adapting to an ever-changing economy requires reviewing and modifying policies, procedures and practices.

While identifying key areas for profit and setting practical cost-cutting measures in 2012, Golden West experienced one of its most successful years for growth and profit. I am excited about the opportunities in 2013, and enter into the new year with the understanding that change is more than a mindset.

Healthcare Laundry: Judy Murphy, RN, BSN, CLLM, RLLD, North Mississippi Medical Center, Tupelo, Miss.

My background is in education, nursing and quality. I started working for North Mississippi Medical Center (NMMC) in the Education department in February 1988. Via scholarship, I received my associate degree in nursing from Itawamba Community College in June 1991, and my bachelor of science degree in nursing from the Mississippi University for Women in May 1996. During this time, I worked full-time as a staff nurse, charge nurse and in administration. NMMC has been instrumental in helping me achieve my educational goals and to grow within the organization.

In 1997, I became a clinical liaison for Materiel Management and served as a clinical resource for purchasing, sterile processing, laundry, nursing, surgery, etc. I worked with nursing to develop linen specifications, determine best practice, develop utilization programs, develop linen awareness/use and misuse recommendations, and implement staff development programs. In 2012, we implemented a successful linen-reject program that utilizes the end-user to help improve quality by removing unacceptable linen items at the point of use.

I’ve researched staining concerns, as well as ozone applications in laundry (NMMC was one of the first U.S. facilities to place an ozone system on a CBW®); provided education on topics that include bed bugs, safety, infection control, etc., at a local and national level; and have written articles for NMMC’s bimonthly Check-up magazine.

I was asked to take on the role of laundry director in February 2008. To become better informed, I turned to the American Laundry and Linen College (ALLC) in Richmond, Ky. I received my CLLM certification from the Association for Linen Management (ALM) in July 2008 and my RLLD certification in March 2012. I serve as president of the association’s Tri-State Chapter, administrative secretary on its national Board of Directors, member of its Scholarship and Membership committees, ALLC facilitator for fall 2012, and as a member of a variety of focus groups on a wide range of projects.

Challenges abound in the linen industry. Though it’s truly a manufacturing process, this industry has its own niche.

One universal challenge has been the implementation of the latest Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN) recommendations regarding reprocessing scrub apparel. NMMC had been successfully home laundering for years. Processing the scrubs added more than 17 hours of labor to our work day but we received no additional FTEs. Implementing lean processing concepts, learning how other laundry plants were succeeding, and networking with many industry experts has allowed us to adjust and conquer. We’re now researching anti-wrinkling technology and automated scrub-processing equipment.

Another challenge is having to process 6-7 million pounds per year using older, poorly maintained laundry equipment in an older, poorly designed facility. Fortunately, I work for a company that focuses on quality and customer service (currently the only two-time healthcare winner of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, in 2006 and 2012) and understands the need for an educated, well-trained staff, state-of-the-art equipment and lean processing concepts.

We’ve been able to slowly replace outdated equipment, and are planning a modern, state-of-the-art, energy-efficient (possibly LEED-certified) facility with pack room and sterilization capabilities. Our goal is to efficiently process 15 to 20 million pounds of linen per year, with plans to begin operations within the next 18 to 24 months.

In an uncertain future, survival will depend upon our ability to continue to develop and implement best practices, forward “out-of-the-box” thinking, and lean concepts in an effort to become a truly lean, green washing machine.

Tomorrow: Introductions to representatives of the consulting services, hotel/motel/resort and commercial laundry sectors...

AVENTURA, Fla. — William Kalman “Bill” Steiner, founder of Steiner-Atlantic Corp. and Dryclean USA, died Dec. 27 after a three-year struggle with pancreatic cancer. He was 82.

The Chicago-born Steiner worked hard his entire life, beginning as a newsboy at age 9. He held part-time jobs throughout high school and worked his way through Baltimore Business College to earn his accounting degree.

While working as an accountant, a client asked Steiner to help him book rock ’n’ roll shows around Baltimore. Show business soon enthralled him, and he booked prominent 1950s stars such as Screamin’ Jay Hawkins and the Kingston Trio at concerts around the country. But he eventually tired of the constant travel and moved in 1959 to Miami, where he met his future wife, Sheila. They married in 1961.

It was in Miami that Steiner began a new career in the dry cleaning business. He founded Steiner-Atlantic Corp., a distributor of commercial laundry and dry cleaning equipment, boilers, parts and service, in 1959. Michael Steiner took over the reins of that company in 1987.

After building and selling several of his own dry cleaning plants, Bill Steiner co-founded Dryclean USA, a dry cleaning business franchisor, in 1977. That business also continues through this day under Michael’s leadership.

Bill Steiner constantly sought to improve dry cleaning machinery in order to make the industry more environmentally friendly, and he is the holder of several patents for environmentally safe dry cleaning equipment and processes.

Bill and Sheila Steiner have been members of Beth Torah Congregation in Aventura for many years. They provided the educational center there in memory of son Jim, who died in a 1989 auto accident at age 21. But they were also generous in their community. In honor of their long-time support, the Jackson Memorial Hospital Foundation renamed a part of the hospital the Bill and Sheila Steiner Family North Lobby.

Surviving Steiner are his wife, Sheila; four sons, Robert, Richard, Michael and David; a brother, Tom; and four grandchildren.

Donations in Steiner’s memory may be made to the Beth Torah Congregation, Jackson Memorial Hospital, or the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.  

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas — Charles R. “Chuck” Clement, founder of lint filter manufacturer Clean Cycle Systems and laundry/linen cart manufacturer Tecni-Quip, died Aug. 26 at the age of 94.

Tecni-Quip designed and manufactured the first enclosed aluminum and fiberglass linen distribution carts. In the 1980s, Clement developed the slimline dry-style lint filter and launched Clean Cycle Systems.

Clement was born Oct. 14, 1918, to Shelby and Charlene Clement. His mother died from tuberculosis when Chuck was 11.

In 1940, Clement was inducted in the U.S. Army. He served seven years as a first and second lieutenant and another 10 years as a reservist, earning the rank of captain.

During his tour in the Panama Canal Zone in 1944, Clement met Jane Reynolds, a civil service employee overseeing the canal's finances. They were married a year later.

After the war ended, they relocated to Los Angeles, where Jane worked as an executive secretary while Chuck attended college on the GI bill and earned a degree in aeronautical engineering. He worked many years in aircraft design and manufacturing as chief engineer for Hi-Shear Corp., Torrance, Calif.

The Clements founded Tecni-Quip in 1961 in Long Beach, Calif. She ran the office and he developed the cart product line. Sales were limited to local hospitals at first, but the company grew within a few years to encompass national distribution.

In 1984, after designing and manufacturing lint filters for other companies, the Clements created Clean Cycle Systems, which today offers domestic and international sales.

The couple worked as a team for more than 35 years and were involved in many industry trade associations as well as their church and local civic organizations. Jane died from cancer in 1994.

The companies relocated manufacturing and sales to the San Antonio area in 1996. Today, they are run by the Clements' daughter, Jo Beth, and son-in-law, Mike.

Clement met Edith Conner in 1998, and they were soon married. She died in 2010.

He remained involved in many activities, hobbies, and his church until the time of his death.

He was preceded in death by his first and second wives, his parents, and his sister, Louise Ray. Survivors include his daughter, Jo Beth Clement-Reilly, and son-in-law, Mike; a sister, Mary Tom Monette; and two grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Eagle Scout 2012/2013 Troop 317 Projects benefiting the Seguin Community, c/o TQI LLC, P.O. Box 2050, Seguin, TX 78155.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Swisher Hygiene has acquired the assets and business of Savoy Linen Services, a Connecticut-based linen services company.

Started in 1924, Savoy provides linen rental and laundry services primarily to foodservice customers in the southern New England and greater metro New York City markets. Concurrent with the acquisition, Paul Vazzano, the owner of Savoy, joins Swisher Hygiene and will contribute to the continued growth of its linen services business.

“The acquisition of Savoy is a continuation of our efforts to build upon our existing presence in the linen and dust control markets and expand throughout North America,” says Steven R. Berrard, Swisher Hygiene CEO. “We will be very deliberate in making value-added acquisitions and building additional facilities in order to further expand our linen production capabilities, properly leverage our customer base and create additional cross-selling opportunities for our full-service platform.”

Total consideration paid by Swisher Hygiene included cash and a promissory note that may be converted to a maximum of 171,428 shares of Swisher Hygiene common stock.
 

Equipment Manufacturing: Kim Shady, Laundrylux Corp.

Since graduating a long time ago from the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management, I have been involved in the hospitality industry in some form. I managed private country clubs for three years, owned a restaurant and banquet facility for five years, and have managed professional laundry sales organizations for the past 24 years.

Laundrylux, founded in 1955 by Bernard Milch as Wascomat of America, has been a leader in North America laundry equipment sales. In the past three years, with the introduction of the Electrolux brand in North America, the company changed its name to better match its future. Now, we offer two world-class brands—Wascomat and Electrolux—and both bring something unique and valuable to the table.

Our core business is providing laundry solutions for lodging and long-term care facilities, but we are also strong in the fabricare and athletic industries. The challenges we face include helping our clients understand how to operate an on-premise laundry professionally and profitably.

The majority of our clients are focused on their guests or customers, and laundry operations tend to attract little focus. Lack of expertise in the laundry operation keeps them from understanding how to reduce costs and operate at their highest efficiency. There is a lack of understanding that all washers and dryers are not built the same. Selecting the proper laundry equipment can significantly reduce labor and energy costs. There can also be great savings in linen replacement with properly featured washers and dryers.

Our most impressive accomplishment for 2011 was assisting a nursing home group with 30-plus facilities in reducing its energy and labor costs. We brought an integrated system in which all pieces of laundry equipment communicate to a central computer. The nursing home group has taken control of its laundry operations through machine controls that monitor every facet of laundry costs. It outfitted most of its laundries with state-of-the-art equipment to monitor every location via the Internet. The information allows the group to compare facilities and set operational baselines. They can easily identify problems within days and define corrective actions to reduce energy or labor waste.

I look forward to sharing my industry experience and further building my knowledge from this panel.

Member at Large: Douglas Story, Swisher Hygiene

Most people call me Doug. I started as a researcher responsible for creating something new from the by-products of the papermaking industry. That research yielded various types of surfactants (detergents) and coupling agents that are now widely used in the laundry industry. That research effort, and leaving South Carolina to live with my bride in North Carolina, is the core of how I moved from research and development to the laundry industry.

I’m a biology/chemistry graduate of Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, N.C., with an MBA from Loyola University of Chicago. For more than 30 years (25 in the laundry industry), I have worked in a career that has crossed many boundaries within today’s laundry business organizational structure.

From research chemist to global marketing and portfolio management, I have gathered a diversity of experience that has allowed me to develop a unique 4-D view of how organizations and their employees must work to accomplish the strategies and objectives of a viable laundry operation and business.

From personnel to operational needs, I have had the opportunity to work with and learn from the best our industry has to offer. I hope that I can pass along some of those “learnings” in this publication.

I am vice president of innovation for Swisher Hygiene, an international service organization that provides full-service programs for a wide range of cleaning and cleaning service operations. From the special expertise of servicing laundry needs or operation to the expertise required to handle solid-waste programs, Swisher Hygiene is a single source supplier.

My team and I are continually looking to the challenge of providing new technologies and services. We not only want to make everyone’s life easier but also aid our customers in reducing costs and enhancing the sustainable future of their operation and business.

Swisher Hygiene has been on the leading edge of driving a wide range of programs and services that will take the day-to-day burden of many operational procedures off the collective backs of management so it can focus on customer service and business growth.

Our challenges are also our accomplishments: we use innovation models to create new solutions to old and new problems for our customers. We are also looking beyond “what we’ve done for you today” to the next generation of ideas and innovative solutions.

Chemicals Supply: Marlene Williams, Anderson Chemical Co.

I am the lab/research and development manager for Anderson Chemical Co., a family-owned business in Litchfield, Minn. My background is in product development and support for laundry, kitchen and housekeeping for the institutional and industrial markets as well as sanitation technology and water management. I manage our R&D laboratory and have responsibility for quality control and our technical service network.

I’ve been the lab/R&D manager for 22 years and am part of a group of specialists with similar longevity who provide services for formulating and textile evaluation. We have developed laundry chemistry, most recently green products, in partnership with the EPA’s Design for the Environment Safer Product Labeling Program. We service institutional and industrial laundries through distributors across the country.

Our daily operation is variable, balanced between product development, quality, and support for chemical specialists in the marketplace. We provide machine and chemical program information, and laboratory troubleshooting support for our accounts. In addition to a well-equipped laboratory, we have established a network of industry specialists to cover the gamut of laundry challenges.

Challenges for the future include green chemistry product development for both chemistry and performance. Increased awareness and regulation requiring green formulations are with us now and will continue to expand in the coming year. Raw-material availability and cost will continue to be challenges as global markets compete for limited and specialized materials. Effective cleaning and sanitizing at lower temperatures and against a larger base of pathogens will require an expanded focus in 2012.

Our company has just celebrated its centennial. During those 100 years, we expanded our offerings from local to national/international. Our fourth-generation leaders are dedicated to moving the company forward in response to new and developing industry needs. I am excited to be a part of this year’s panel and look forward to the opportunity to learn and share with others in the industry!

Click here for Part 1.
Click here for Part 2.
Click here for Part 3.

TORONTO, Ontario, Canada — Clairvest Group Inc., Clairvest Equity Partners IV Limited Partnership and Claire Equity Partners IV-A Limited Partnership have entered the linen rental industry via a combined $8.6 million investment in Linen King, an Oklahoma-based textile services company that provides commercial laundry services to the healthcare and hospitality industries.

“Our team has followed the textile rental industry for a number of years,” says David Sturdee, Clairvest managing director. “We are excited by the opportunity to partner with a strong and ambitious management team led by the founders of the company, who will continue to own a meaningful percent of the company.

“Linen King has an outstanding reputation for reliability and customer service, and we look forward to working with management to help execute their growth initiatives.

“I’m thrilled to have Clairvest as our partner to help fuel the next stage of our expansion,” says Leonard McCullough, Linen King’s CEO. “We’ve spent the last 12 years rapidly becoming one of the largest textile rental companies in the central U.S. and are enthusiastic about working with Clairvest to expand our footprint throughout the country.”

Linen King operates plants that serve the Oklahoma City, northwest Arkansas, mid-Missouri and central Arkansas regions. The company was formed in 1999.

FAIRFIELD, N.J. — An outstanding business program, a resort area with much to see and do, and near-perfect weather combined to make the Textile Care Allied Trades Association (TCATA) Annual Conference in Park City, Utah, in August one of the group's best ever, the association says.

Jade West of the National Association of Wholesaler Distributors provided attendees with an overview of federal legislation and regulation having a significant impact on businesses that has passed or may be passed.

Best-selling author Joachim de Posada discussed the “marshmallow principle” of delayed gratification, the subject of a famous 1970s experiment. He explained how businesses might apply the principle to be more successful.

Economist Alan Beaulieu explained to attendees how they could make adjustments in their business planning to prosper in anticipated, predictable economic cycles.

At the closing dinner, several members were recognized for achieving milestone anniversaries. Foster-Stephens of Elk Grove Village, Ill., became only the fifth company to celebrate 75 years of association membership.

A special surprise was the presentation to Foster-Stephens President Nancy Jones of the original membership application made by Elmer Jones, the company’s founder and Nancy’s grandfather, submitted shortly after Foster-Stephens was founded in 1936.

Also recognized were 50-year member Laundrylux and 25-year members Fuller Supply, Gurtler Industries and United Brass Works. Milton and Gail Magnus of M&B Hangers were recognized for their support of the Annual Conference, an event they haven’t missed in 35 years.

Bryant Dunivan, vice president of sales and marketing for Energenics, was elected TCATA president-elect. He will serve a two-year term. Joining Dunivan on the board will be Roger Komins, Package Supply, elected treasurer-elect.

Elected vice presidents were David Tingue of Tingue, Brown & Co., representing the Supply Manufacturers Group, and D’Arcy McConvey of Dalex Canada, representing the Distributors Group.

DENVER, N.C. — Leonard Frushtick, founder of Leonard Automatics, died Monday at age 80, the company reports.

Frushtick started his career selling buttons to the garment manufacturing industry, and later expanded the business to include a variety of machinery.

In 1969, he moved his family to North Carolina to be closer to the garment industry and founded Leonard Automatics. As garment manufacturing began to decline in the mid-’80s, Frushtick migrated to the laundry industry. His creativity gave him the ability to develop new technologies involved with garment finishing, and has lent itself to promoting an atmosphere of creativity and innovation at Leonard Automatics that exists to this day, the company says.

Frushtick became a prolific painter after his retirement, and he and his wife, Phyllis, traveled extensively, providing a wealth of experiences for him to express on canvas.

A private memorial service for Frushtick is scheduled for Friday in Bluffton, S.C. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Hospice Care of the Low Country, 119 Palmetto Way, Bluffton, SC 29910.

Surviving are his wife of 60 years, Phyllis; daughters, Sue Jones and Geri Bland; son, Jeffrey Frushtick; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. — Pierce Commercial Laundry, Mandeville, La., recently received the prestigious Fred Maytag Award during Maytag® Commercial Laundry’s 53rd Annual Meeting in Palm Springs, Calif.

The Fred Maytag Award, with a history of more than five decades, is the longest-running award in the commercial laundry industry, Maytag says.

RICHMOND, Ky. — If you’re an Association for Linen Management (ALM) member who plans to vote for the 2011 Heywood Wiley Manager of the Year or Allied Tradesperson of the Year, the association’s two top awards, then get ready for some changes.

Voting for three finalists in each category has traditionally been conducted on site each year during ALM’s annual conference, but all voting for this year’s honors will be conducted online. An independent committee will select the finalists.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Regional drycleaning and laundry supply distributor E.J. Thomas Co. has been sold, the company reports. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The new owners are Randy Zimmerman, who is now responsible for E.J. Thomas’ day-to-day leadership, and Matt Walter, who will provide advice, counsel and strategic direction to the company.