TRSA Hosts Northeast Regional Meeting at Citi Field
TRSA recently hosted a Northeast Regional Meeting that included a stadium tour, meeting and baseball game at Citi Field, the home of Major League Baseball’s New York Mets.
The Sept. 1 program kicked off with a tour of Citi Field followed by a behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium and lunch. Twenty-five members, including many next-generation leaders, attended the event to learn more about federal and state legislative and regulatory issues. The meeting kicked off with insight into the New York state political and legislative landscape such as the impact of midterm elections on labor and environmental issues and congestion pricing, as well as tax and other potential issues impacting the linen, uniform and facility services markets from TRSA’s retained New York Legislative Counsel Evan Stavisky, founding partner and president, The Parkside Group.
Kevin Schwalb, TRSA’s vice president of government relations, highlighted federal regulatory issues including recent OSHA Heat and Injury/Illness National Emphasis Program and pending rules, as well as potential state and federal programs regarding zero-emission fleet requirements reflecting recent California regulations. Schwalb further discussed the industry’s most pressing potential regulatory issue pertaining to elimination of PFAS from drinking water and the impact on POTWs and laundry discharge.
“PFAS is going to have an enormous impact on the industry, while not exactly what PERC was to drycleaners, the linen, uniform and facility services industry will be looked at to reduce PFAS in the waste stream,” Schwalb said.
Joseph Ricci, TRSA president & CEO, offered insight into several TRSA initiatives including the release of the TRSA Member Toolkit of customizable print and digital marketing materials developed from consumer and customer research. “These materials provide the industry with easy-to-use materials and common language around hygiene and environmental and supply-chain sustainability,” said Ricci, about these key messages that resonate with consumers and customers alike and communicate the industry’s essential services and the importance of reusable textiles for employee and consumer safety and image.
Following the meeting, participants were treated to a baseball game between first-place teams the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets. The Mets won 5-3.
TRSA regularly conducts regional legislative conferences and events, as well as supports regional partners including the Northeast Linen Association (NELA), Midwest Textile Services Association (MTSA), and Western Textile Services Association (WTSA), as well as now providing association management for the Wisconsin Association of Textile Services (WATS). “Alliances with regional organizations helps the industry speak with a common voice on regulatory and legislative issues that potentially impact our businesses,” Ricci said.
Participants in the Northeast Regional event included:
- John Auriemma, president, American Wear Inc.
- Steven Beck, president, Beck’s Classic Mfg. Inc.
- Brian Beere, owner, Single Source Plus
- Jeff Bloom, vice president, Beck’s Classic Mfg. Inc.
- Scott Delin, VP of sales, healthcare, Fashion Seal Healthcare
- J. Dempsey, president, Dempsey Uniform & Linen Supply Inc.
- Chris Glen, regional sales manager, Maxi-Movers
- Jonathan Kollmar, sales consultant, MIP USA Inc.
- Brendan Luneburg, uniform director, FDR Services Corp.
- Keith Luneburg, president, FDR Services Corp.
- Anthony Magliocco, general manager, Arrow Linen Supply Co. Inc.
- John Magliocco, president, Arrow Linen Supply Co. Inc.
- Joseph Magliocco, production supervisor, Arrow Linen Supply Co. Inc.
- Austin McCormack, director of business development, FDR Services Corp.
- Jesse McCormack, vice president, FDR Services Corp.
- Steve Miller, vice president and general manager, Victor Kramer Co.
- Gary Ostrum, northeast sales manager, Brim Laundry Machinery Co. Inc.
- Michael Potack, chairman, Unitex Healthcare Laundry Services
- Rob Potack, CEO, Unitex Healthcare Laundry Services
- Tony Sloane, operations manager, Morgan Linen Service Inc.
- Bill Varcoe, general manager, Dempsey Uniform & Linen of NJ