Seven TRSA member linen supply operators and one supplier partner are the 2026 recipients of the SafeTRSA Safety Excellence award, to be presented Feb. 18 at the 16th Annual TRSA Legislative Conference in Washington, DC.
This accolade is one of 14 categories of Industry Awards to be celebrated at a gala dinner.
Among the others are two awards for member communications: one for Advertising Effectiveness (suppliers only) and the other, new in 2026, for Newsletter Effectiveness.
The highest level safety award (Gold) went to one operator: Hotelier Linen Services-PureStar, Miami Lakes, FL. The plant reduced its total incident rate from 3.48 in 2023 to 0.43 in 2024 and to 0.0 YTD as of September 2025. Continuous improvement in the safety program and organizational culture are credited. Leaders at every level set clear expectations and hold themselves accountable.
The Gold-level supplier winner: ARCO/Murray National Construction Co., Downers Grove, IL. In 2024, ARCO achieved an experience modification rating (for worker’s comp) of 0.51, lowest in company history. A dedicated safety team monitors jobsites, leads training, and supports field teams in identifying and mitigating risks. Every associate is First Aid/CPR/AED and OSHA 10 certified and superintendents are 30-hour OSHA certified.
Silver-level (second tier) recognition was bestowed upon:
Brady Linen Services-PureStar, North Las Vegas, NV. A new heat illness prevention program resulted in zero heat-related incidents in recent years – where the average high temperature is around 102°F from June through August.
Crown Health Care Laundry Services, Pensacola, FL. The Good Catch Program empowers team members to identify and report hazards before they cause harm. This zero-discipline initiative celebrates proactive safety behavior.
Novo Health Services, Madison, TN. The incident rate at this plant improved 75% year over year. The facility has implemented stretching before and during shifts, resulting in zero ergonomic incidents in the past 24 months.
Trisha Sullivan, Gunderson Uniform and Linen Rental, Menasha, WI. Under this HR & safety manager’s leadership, Gunderson maintains a 0.77 worker’s comp modification rate and has gone three years and nine months without a lost-time injury.
Honorable mentions went to HandCraft Linen and Uniform Specialists, Richmond, VA, where workers’ comp premiums over the last six years have decreased by more than 55%.; and Mohenis Services, Petersburg, VA, for the 101 Days of Safety program (July to August) covering hydration and heat, drivers and back-to-school safety, as well as a new digital platform dedicated to safety.
The Newsletter Effectiveness award recognizes accomplishment of the objectives that a newsletter aims to achieve, such as lead nurturing, thought leadership, customer retention, product updates or industry news. Gold-level winners:
- CITY Laundering Co., Oelwein, IA
- Kannegiesser North America, Minneapolis, MN
- Elaine Morrison, Nixon Medical, New Castle, DE
Honorable mentions: CORE Linen Services, La Mirada, CA, and HandCraft.
Advertising Effectiveness winners are singled out for the highest ratings in each of the two Textile Services reader surveys taken twice each year. Taking home this honor at this year’s Awards Dinner will be Jensen USA, Panama City Beach, FL; and Tingue, Peachtree City, GA.
The Legislative Conference takes place Feb. 17-19 at the Royal Sonesta Capitol Hill. It starts the first afternoon (Tuesday) with a symposium for suppliers featuring consultant presentations on generational change and value-driven relationships. TRSA committees open the Feb. 18 agenda, enabling every member to join discussions on how to improve the association’s work.
Later that afternoon, attendees prepare for Laundry Hill Day on Feb. 19. In small-group visits to congressional offices on Thursday, members personally engage legislators and their staffs. Insightful stories about the industry are shared, addressing the industry’s key legislative priorities, emphasizing its economic impacts on cleanliness, sustainability and workplace safety contributions.
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