TRSA’s 110th Annual Conference was held this Oct. 10-12 at The Ritz-Carlton Tiburon Golf Resort Hotel in Naples, FL. Nestled between the beach and the golf course, the conference connected key linen, uniform and facility services industry leaders, allowing an opportunity to mix professional development and industry updates with several networking opportunities including an interactive charcuterie building challenge, the TRSA Open Nine-Hole Golf Tournament and an optional brewery tour.

The 110th Annual Conference’s agenda offered a wide range of general and breakout sessions, including a pair of keynote speakers. Walter Bond, a former NBA player who is now a motivational speaker, best-selling author, business coach and co-founder of a leading professional training and development organization, talked about using motivation to overcome obstacles that stand in your way, allowing your business to generate momentum toward winning.

The second keynoter, Andrew Davis, CEO, Monumental, has been recognized as one of the industry’s “Jaw-Dropping Marketing Speakers,” and is a mainstay on global marketing influencer lists. Davis has crafted documentary films and award-winning content. During his keynote session, titled “The Cube of Creativity: Why adding constraints sparks innovation, action and delivers out-sized results,” Davis discussed how some threats help spark creativity and innovation.

Four breakout sessions at the conference included the following topics:

  • Hiring and retention
  • A panel of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) experts
  • Economic and Industry Update from the Robert W. Baird Facility & Industrial Services Research Team and Andrew Wittmann CFA, director, senior research analyst
  • Intelligent business growth

General sessions included a global CEO panel as well as an AI specialist from Brim & Co., a technology firm based in Miami, discussing Artificial Intelligence (AI): From Sci-Fi to Production and Profitability. The global panel included Hartmut Engler, managing director, CWS Workwear International, Duisburg, Germany; Ray Hayes, executive director – innovation & capability, Specialized Linen Services, Victoria, Australia; Jim Kearns, executive vice president, Alsco Inc., Salt Lake City; and Xavier Martiré, CEO, Elis Group, Saint Cloud, France.

During the State of the Association and Annual Membership Meeting, TRSA leaders provided an annual update on the association’s finances and member-driven initiatives. At the meeting, attendees saw the re-election of three board members – Brian Herington, PureStar Group, Las Vegas; Liz Remillong, Crothall Laundry Services, Huntersville, NC; and Steve Sintros, UniFirst Corp., Wilmington, MA – as well as the election of new board members Theresa Garcia, Division Laundry and Cleaners, San Antonio; and Josh Wildman, Wildman Uniform and Linen, Warsaw, IN. During the meeting, attendees also gained insight into the development of TRSA certification programs, in-person and virtual events, information-sharing opportunities and industry-specific training. Click here to read more about an award new board member Garcia’s company Division recently received.

The 110th Annual Conference also offered Industry Awards recognition, including the Operator and Supplier Partner Lifetime Achievement Awards. Jim Vaudreuil, president, Huebsch Services, Eau Claire, WI, accepted the Operator Award, while Jeff Belcher, the former president and owner of Alliant Systems, Irving, TX, was selected as the Magin-Biggie Lifetime Achievement Award honoree for supplier-partner executives. For more information, visit www.trsa.org/awards.

The event kicked off with a Supplier Partner Council meeting and welcome reception for all attendees. Activities for spouses and/or significant others included a welcome meet and greet, morning yoga class on the beach and a chef-led cooking class. Sponsors of the event included Royal Basket Trucks, JENSEN USA Inc., Kannegiesser ETECH, Ellis Corp., Pellerin Milnor Corp., Unitex International Inc., G.A. Braun Inc., Brim Laundry Machinery Co. Inc., Lavatec Laundry Technology Inc., Monarch Brands, Alliant Systems, ARCO/Murray and The Clean Show presented by Texcare.

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