Surely many of the 272 laundry industry stalwarts that TRSA is honoring this year with service awards to recognize their decades in the industry considered stepping down amid the COVID-19 pandemic that affected every aspect of the laundry business, from the C-suite to routes, the wash floor, maintenance, service and many others. The fact that this group—nearly double last year’s number of service awardees—kept at it through 20 months of trial by coronavirus is a testament to their dedication to the linen, uniform and facility services industry.

Among this year’s awardees is a relatively large number of 50-year industry veterans ...