Leadership & Leg.: Record-Setting Hill Day

Posted March 18, 2016 at 4:12 pm

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(l/r): Rick Gerlach, Cintas Corp.; Bruce Feldman, Economy Linen & Towel Service Inc.; Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH); Greg Hart, Cintas; Cecil Lee, Standard Textile Co. Inc.; and Frank Langer, R.W. Martin & Sons Inc.

More than 100 TRSA members convened at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD, on March 16-17 for the association’s annual Leadership & Legislative Conference. The two-day event featured a host of informative political speakers, face-to-face meetings between textile services executives and legislators on Capitol Hill, as well as committee meetings.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

The opening day of the conference got underway on Wednesday afternoon with a keynote address by Chris Stirewalt, Fox News Channel’s digital politics editor, who offered a rundown of the 2016 presidential election primary season from both parties’ perspectives. Much of his talk centered on the meteoric rise of Donald J. Trump from billionaire businessman to front-runner in the Republican party, and the GOP establishment’s attempt to block Trump from getting the party’s nomination. Following his speech, Stirewalt took several questions from the audience.

“Chris Stirewalt was great!” said Steve Tinker, senior vice president of research & development and marketing, Gurtler Industries Inc., South Holland, IL. “His insights into the Trump phenomenon were enlightening and entertaining, even if somewhat alarming!”

In addition to Stirewalt, the first day featured a presentation from Mark Freedman, executive director, labor law policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Freedman talked in detail about proposed revisions to overtime regulations and the ramifications for businesses across the nation. The final regulation recently was sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. “The rules would raise the threshold for employees to be classified as exempt from overtime pay from $455 to $970 per week, dramatically expanding the number of employees who would be eligible for overtime,” Freedman said. Freedman projects the rule may be issued by late spring or early summer 2016, with an implementation period of roughly 60 days.

Stirewalt stuck around to chat with attendees at the Hill Day issue briefing and teambuilding event that took place following Freedman’s presentation. The teambuilder was an opportunity for attendees to gather in groups and discuss the issues that they would present to members of Congress and their staff on Capitol Hill the next day.

HILL DAY

The second day began with members boarding a bus from the Gaylord National Harbor and making the short trip to Capitol Hill, where conference attendees held a breakfast meeting with Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI). Sen. Johnson briefed members on the federal deficit and urged them to advocate for their businesses and free markets in their meetings with legislators.

“I really enjoyed this year's conference,” said Bill Evans, president & CEO, AmeriPride Services Inc., Minnetonka, MN. “Although there were many highlights, the most impactful item to me was Sen. Ron Johnson's address to us on Thursday morning. He certainly ‘tells it like it is’ and is a real patriot.”

Following the breakfast meeting, a record-setting number of more than 70 conference attendees broke up into smaller groups to hold one-on-one meetings with members of Congress from their home states. Nearly 60 meetings took place on Wednesday morning on the Hill. TRSA members focused on three key issues affecting the textile services industry:

“The program is very good,” said Bruce Feldman, president, Economy Linen & Towel Service Inc., Dayton, OH. “It is important to meet with our elected officials at their office as it shows them how important the issues are to their constituents and our industry.”

COMMITTEE MEETINGS

After advocating on behalf of the textile services industry on Capitol Hill, conference attendees arrived back at the Gaylord National Convention Center to meet in their committees. Committee meetings that took place at the conference included:

  • Educational Task Force
  • Environmental & Sustainability
  • Government Relations
  • Healthcare
  • Human Resources
  • Marketing & PR
  • Safety
     

NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES

The two-day event wrapped up with a networking event with a St. Patrick’s Day theme in the atrium of the Gaylord National, which has floor-to-ceiling windows featuring an expansive view of the Potomac River and the nation’s capital on the opposite side of the river. In addition to the St. Patrick’s Day celebration, the first day of the event closed with a Young Leaders Dinner.

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