TRSA Recognizes PMI Scholarship Winners

Two rising leaders in the linen, uniform and facility services industry recently earned scholarships to attend TRSA’s 2025 Production Management Institute (PMI), which took place from Aug. 10-14 in Hyattsville, MD.

The awardees included Santiago Rodriguez of CORE Linen Services and Aaron Towns of ImageFIRST Healthcare Laundry. Both men participated in PMI’s intensive, weeklong program aimed at developing the next generation of production leaders through hands-on training, classroom instruction and real-world case studies.

Funded by the TRSA Foundation – also known as the Textile Rental Education and Research Trust (TRERT) – the Institute Scholarships support the industry’s future by providing access to high-impact professional development through TRSA’s signature education programs, including PMI and the Executive Management Institute (EMI). Career highlights of the two scholarship recipients include:

Santiago Rodriguez, operations manager at CORE Linen Services in La Mirada, CA, has worked in the industry for six years, all with CORE. With a deep appreciation for the essential role that laundry services play in public health and daily operations, Rodriguez has grown steadily from production manager to his current leadership role. “I was eager to continue learning through the Production Management Institute,” he said. “PMI reinforced how people, processes, equipment and materials are all interconnected. Earning this certification enhanced my growth and leadership potential.”

Hear From Santiago:

Aaron Towns, assistant plant manager at ImageFIRST Healthcare Laundry in Detroit, has served the company for a year and has set his sights on long-term growth. Inspired by his father, Edwin Hobson—a PMI graduate and production manager at the Merrillville, IN, facility—Towns is eager to follow in his footsteps. “Becoming a proud alumnus of PMI is an incredible milestone for me,” said Towns. “I’m determined to seize every educational opportunity to enhance my skill set and become a more effective leader.” His career goals include advancing to plant manager, then general manager or director of operations. Town’s ultimate goal is to serve at ImageFIRST’s headquarters in King of Prussia, PA.

Hear From Aaron:

“Programs like PMI and EMI are essential to building a strong leadership pipeline for our industry,” said TRSA President & CEO Joseph Ricci, CAE. “We’re proud to support professionals like Santiago and Aaron who are committed to advancing their careers and contributing to their companies’ success. They joined nearly 200 colleagues participating in TRSA’s leadership development institutes. We encourage operators to start thinking now about high-potential team members to nominate when applications open next spring for the 2026 TRSA Institutes.”

The TRERT organization, which funded these scholarships, is dedicated to advancing industry education, research and professional development. Funded by donations from TRSA members, the foundation has supported more than 30 internships and awarded more than 15 scholarships to employees of TRSA operator and supplier partner companies and their families. It has also supported important research initiatives. These include the Global Textile Services Market Analysis produced with the Economist Intelligence Unit; and a forthcoming economic-impact study from Oxford Economics. The latter report is slated for release later this year. TRSA recently announced a new fundraising drive to provide additional resources for these programs.

The fundraiser, dubbed Invest in the Future: TRSA Giving Day, was unveiled at last month’s Clean Show. During that event in Orlando, FL, TRSA launched its first-ever TRSA Foundation Giving Day campaign in support of TRERT. The fund drive will conclude on Nov. 19. Members and supporters are encouraged to give early to help build momentum for this effort, which will fund scholarships, internships and research that strengthen the industry for the future. For more information, visit www.trsa.org/givingday.

About TRSA

TRSA (www.trsa.org) represents the nearly $50 billion North American linen, uniform, and facility services industry which employs 200,000+ people at 1,500+ facilities by advocating for fair, balanced tax and regulatory policies and promoting the industry as the “original recyclers” that reuse, repair, repurpose and recycle reusable textiles. TRSA quantifies our industry’s commitment to cleanliness and sustainability through its Hygienically Clean and Clean Green certification and programs. TRSA members process nearly 90% of all commercially laundered uniforms, linens, garments and other reusable textiles in North America, positively impacting the comfort, safety, and image of millions of individuals every day.