UK Association Leader Dies in 8-Vehicle Crash

Murray F. Simpson, 48, chief executive of the Textile Services Association (TSA), the British counterpart to TRSA, died around 6:40 p.m., Nov. 25, following a multi-vehicle collision on the M1 motorway near Leicester, England.

Three other people were injured in the crash that apparently occurred when a truck collided with as many as seven vehicles, according to a local news report. Two other victims were treated and released, while a third remained in a local hospital in serious but stable condition. A woman, 36, was arrested and remained in custody, the report said. The accident investigation continues.

Simpson had led the TSA since the late ’90s and was instrumental in both domestic and international efforts to advance the textile services industry through conferences, advocacy, education and outreach.A statement from the TSA board of directors mourned Simpson's passing. "Our thoughts are with his family and close friends, at this difficult time," the statement said. "Murray was a larger than life figure in our industry and will be sorely missed." 

TRSA members may recall Simpson was a featured speaker at the 2012 TRSA Annual Conference in Chicago, where he addressed efforts in the United Kingdom (UK) to reduce losses of hospitality linens.
Simpson had also participated as a speaker on safety, international market trends and other topics at various TRSA events and at the Clean Show. In recent weeks, he had worked closely with TRSA President and CEO Joseph Ricci on plans for an international textile services industry conference in 2016 in Belgium.

“TRSA and the international textile services industry lost a strong ally and friend this week,” Ricci said. “Murray was a professional that cared about his members, his colleagues and the industry he served for nearly 20 years. He was instrumental in bringing together the international textile services community through the formation of the International Textile Services Alliance (ITSA) and was a driving force behind the World Textile Services Congress, most recently working side-by-side with TRSA and the Belgium FBT to re-launch the congress which was last held post-September 11in London. With Murray’s passing, the textile services industry lost a leader and supporter; and many of us lost a friend.”

Irving Scott, a UK laundry journalist and longtime associate of Simpson, recalled him as an outstanding industry leader who worked well with people. “Murray was known across two continents for his wide knowledge, his true dedication to the cause of developing members’ interests, his all-embracing affability and all-round goodwill to all he met and dealt with.”

As noted above, notable achievements included Simpson’s role as a key organizer of the 2001 World Textile Rental Congress in London, which he had to manage amid significant fallout from 9/11, including scores of cancellations by prospective U.S. attendees.

“Murray’s time at the TSA cannot be said to have been uneventful,” Scott said. “His drive was persistent and his many challenges never went unmet, and there is no doubt that the many national and international conferences which he organized and led were memorable, entertaining and delivered optimism to an entire industry.”