UniFirst Corp., Wilmington, MA, recently held its 22nd annual Founder’s Day on July 14. The event honored employees, as well as customers that exemplify the company’s commitment to service excellence, according to a news release.
Founder’s Day has been a yearly UniFirst event following the passing of company founder Aldo Croatti in 2001. The event is held with in-person celebrations at UniFirst’s 270-plus locations throughout North America. Thousands of UniFirst employee team partners take time to honor the man who first started the uniform service and supply company back in 1936.
This year’s theme paid tribute to Mr. Croatti through the lens “Legacy of Service.” At local celebrations from coast to coast, recognition was given to the company’s team partners who have gone above and beyond. Other awards included special commendations for customer loyalty and recognition of company milestones.
“At the heart of our company exists a deep appreciation for hardworking people – both customers and employees alike,” said Cynthia Croatti, special consultant and adviser to the CEO and senior leadership team, and daughter of UniFirst founder Aldo Croatti. “These dedicated workers have been the driving force behind our success since day one. As we reflect on the past 87 years and look ahead to the future, we aim to honor and uplift our exceptional customers who have formed enduring partnerships with us. We will remain steadfast in our commitment to working hard and continuing our legacy of service.”
During the Founder’s Day celebration at its Wilmington, MA, corporate headquarters, UniFirst honored its longstanding national account customer Savings4Members, a business consulting firm based in Manchester, NH. Savings4Members has partnered with UniFirst for more than 12 years. UniFirst presented the Savings4Members team with the Customer Legacy Spotlight award, in recognition of their unwavering loyalty and embodiment of UniFirst’s core values of customer focus, commitment to quality and respect for others.
Founder’s Day also is an opportunity for each UniFirst location to name its Employee of the Year (EOY) – the person who best exemplifies the company’s core values. Customer focus, commitment to quality and respect for others are UniFirst’s fundamental core values. Each EOY was presented with an award and a gift of recognition, as well as a bonus paid day off. The EOYs have their names engraved on commemorative plaques that are on permanent display at their respective local UniFirst locations throughout North America.
“I am truly thankful for all of our hard-working team partners,” said Steven Sintros, UniFirst president and CEO. “Their dedication to always delivering for our customers, our company and each other is what makes our company special and one that I’m proud to lead. My congratulations go out to all our Employees of the Year for demonstrating service excellence. And to our customers, thank you for trusting us to serve you.”
UniFirst also announced the recipients of their two higher-education scholarships, the annual Aldo Croatti Scholarship and the Ronald D. Croatti Scholarship programs. The former, awarded in honor of its namesake, assists children of UniFirst staff members in their academic pursuits. The latter, presented in recognition of the longtime president and CEO who passed away in 2017, helps full-time UniFirst employees who enroll in undergraduate or graduate study at an accredited college or vocational/technical school in the areas of information technology (IT), sales leadership, or business administration/leadership.
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