Episode 80 – A Look Ahead: 2026 Annual Conference & CEO Summit

Jason Risley: I’m Jason Risley, the host of TRSA’s Linen, Uniform and Facility Services Podcast. With only two weeks to go in 2025, we’re looking ahead to next year. TRSA has a full lineup of industry events, professional development and networking opportunities lined up for 2026, including its Annual Conference and CEO Summit scheduled for May 12-14 in Napa, California. I recently talked to TRSA President and CEO Joseph Ricci, TRSA Chair Randy Bartsch from Ecotex Healthcare Linen Service and TRSA Vice Chair PJ Dempsey from Dempsey Uniform and Linen Supply to get an overview of the highlights to look forward to at the 2026 Annual Conference. Before we move on to the interview, I have a quick word from our sponsor: The threat of combustible lint is real. This episode is brought to you by SonicAire. They offer the only fans engineered to control this risk and keep your commercial laundry compliant actively. Guaranteed. Now, let’s start the podcast.

Jason Risley: I’m here today with TRSA President and CEO Joseph Ricci, TRSA Chair Randy Bartsch from Ecotex Healthcare Linen Service and TRSA Vice Chair PJ Dempsey from Dempsey Uniform and Linen Supply. We’re closing out 2025 and looking ahead to our 2026 schedule of industry events, including the Annual Conference and CEO Summit scheduled for May 12-14 in Napa, California. Joe, for listeners who may be new to TRSA or the Annual Conference, can you give us the big picture? What is this event and why is 2026 in Napa such a milestone year?

Joseph Ricci: The Annual Conference represents TRSA’s premier event for CEOs and senior executives, both operators and supplier partners. It gives them an opportunity to connect, innovate and celebrate, to develop conversations with suppliers and colleagues, to look at the sessions that we have that are around sustainability, technology, purchasing, innovative approaches to their operations and also to celebrate on an annual basis our Lifetime Achievement Award winners and recognize their contributions to both the industry and TRSA. This year represents the first year that we’re holding a CEO/Senior Executive Summit for operators only. The topics that will be discussed during small-group sessions will include workforce development, sustainability, automation and technology, and how these applications can be adapted for your operations, whether it’s a new plant or an existing and operating plant.

Jason Risley: You mentioned the CEO Summit. We also have a supplier partner council meeting taking place at the Annual Conference, a lineup of keynoters and several breakout sessions. Randy, what stands out to you about the content lineup this year?

Randy Bartsch: Hey, Jason. I think what really stands out this year is the intentionality that we put into creating the content that really matters. We built a program that I think reflects what I’m hearing from CEOs and industry leaders. Telling us about what’s occupying their days, talent gaps, obviously technology adoption, customer expectations as they’re continuing to evolve and ultimately competitive pressures that they’re seeing. What we tried to do is build that into the program. As Joe mentioned, we have the first-ever CEO Summit. It’s designed specifically for operators, CEOs and across companies of all sizes. Create an opportunity for peer-to-peer problem solving where you can walk into a room with people that are sharing the same leadership challenges, and walk out with some practical ideas that you can use next week when you get back to the office. And we think that’s going to be a real home run. At the same time, as you mentioned, Jason, the supplier partner council session with Eduardo Villavicencio, that’s going to dig into how sales and service teams can adapt their playbooks for different customer types and buying behaviors. And I think that’s going to be quite timely and give people something they can really take action on. I’m really looking forward to our keynote lineup. I think this year’s going to be really exceptional. We’ve got Dr. Parag Khanna, who’s one of the world’s leading futurists. He’s going to help us make some sense of the global mega trends and geopolitical things that are happening that are helping shape markets and people and supply chains, and give us a sense of where things are heading. We also have Dr. Alex Wyatt. He’s a pioneer in cancer research. He’s a global leader in precision oncology and he’s going to share with us some breakthroughs in cancer detection and treatment that are reshaping healthcare. Equally important is how these amazing new clinical processes are going to create a ripple effect that touch our sector, including impacts on patient days, types of linens and engineered textiles that are going to be required to support patient care as we move into the near future. And then, given that we’re in Napa Valley, Alpana Singh, a master wine sommelier, is going to join us with her remarkable story, sharing some of her learnings and tell us about leadership, resilience and the American dream. I know that’s something that I’m looking forward to. We’ve got some great breakouts, Korn Ferry on risk. Baird’s going to talk to us on market and financial trends. And then Oxford Economics is presenting the TRSA economic report. I think each of these sessions is going to lead to some great conversations both in the sessions and around the conference. So there you have it. I think there’s some great takeaways. Leaders are going to leave NAPA with some strategies, insights and frameworks that I think will really help them move forward.

Jason Risley: It’s a great lineup of keynoters and education sessions, and certainly there will be some great takeaways for attendees at next year’s Annual Conference.

Randy Bartsch: Yeah, you bet.

Jason Risley: You’ve been to many Annual Conferences throughout the years, PJ, what stands out to you about the networking and then for this year’s conference, the Napa experience?

PJ Dempsey: Thanks for having me, Jason. I will say, the TRSA Annual Conference, I think one of the differences with this is that for us it’s like the industry town square. You’ve got all the industry CEOs or senior leaders, they’re all in one place, and in every part of the industry whether it’s industrial, healthcare or F&B. In that respect, it’s different from any other TRSA conference. It can be lonely at the top and to be in a social setting with your peers, everybody’s guard is kind of down and you realize, the industry’s the industry, but people are people, and it’s easy to make a connection. TRSA does a great job of creating a lot of social opportunities there, networking, receptions and whatnot, that make getting to know somebody just much, much easier. And, of course, being in Napa, I mean it’s just such a beautiful area. If anybody hasn’t been there before, what a great opportunity to have an excuse to go there. I’ve been there more than once and every time I’ve been there I’ve been anxious to come back. TRSA has chosen a really beautiful resort for us to be at for the convention; I don’t think anybody’s going to have any complaints about that and it’s also nice if you’re able to, it’s a great opportunity to bring your spouse, as there are the spouse/partner excursions that make it easier for those of us if you’re in a meeting for spouses or partners to get together, and they have just as much fun and can build just as many friendships as those of us in the industry.

Jason Risley: Thanks for sharing. Joe, did you have something that you wanted to add?

Joseph Ricci: Just wanted to add to PJ’s comments that we’ve spent the last few years really trying to develop, as PJ said, social opportunities to interact and we’ve developed games where people play, whether it’s pickleball or this year we’re going to add bocce or golf, or events where we get together and play games in small teams taking advantage of the competitive environment of our members. And those events all include spouse/partners. So it’s a good opportunity to bring them along, have them interact with each other and really enjoy time together as well as time with your colleagues.

Jason Risley: Absolutely. In one sentence, why attend Napa in 2026? Why don’t we start with you, Joe, and then we’ll go around to Randy and PJ as well.

Joseph Ricci: The TRSA Annual Conference and CEO Summit gives you an opportunity to interact with colleagues and help lead our industry into the future.

Randy Bartsch: Well, I think I’m going to be there because I want to hear the learning and leadership conversations that are going to happen.

PJ Dempsey: To me, I’d say you know a 15-minute chat in the hallway can save you six months of trial and error with something else. You’re going to come home with with new ideas and stuff that you can immediately use.

Jason Risley: Does anybody have anything else they’d like to add about the Annual Conference or their experience at past Annual Conferences, or anything they’re looking forward to, in particular at this upcoming Annual Conference?

Joseph Ricci: I’ll just add that we’re looking forward to our second silent auction, which supports the TRSA Foundation. Last year, we were able to raise nearly $15,000 on items that were donated by our members ranging from vacation homes and tickets. I know that I bid on and participated in a one-week tour with a Tingue representative, which gave me an opportunity to visit OPLs and member companies that I would have never visited before. And there’ll be lots of opportunities like that and others where you can bid on these items, support the foundation with a tax-free donation and really gain experience with our members in our industry.

PJ Dempsey: I would say if you’re coming, and I hope you will be, that before you come I’d have two or three questions that you might like to have answered, and whether it’s another peer operator or one of our industry vendors, industry partners that’s going to be there as well, there’s going to be somebody there that can help.

Randy Bartsch: Napa’s always a great place and I look forward to seeing everybody there. It’s a great opportunity for everybody to come together and learn where we need to be and where we are and where we’re going.

Joseph Ricci: Randy, didn’t you used to live near there or have a vacation home near the Silverado?

Randy Bartsch: Yeah, my parents actually had a condo in the resort complex and we used to go down there every year for a little getaway and spend some time, enjoy a little bit of wine and enjoy an amazing part of the country.

Joseph Ricci: So a little bit of coming home for you. That’s great. Randy did mention the speaker we’re having on cancer, which I think will be really interesting in looking at trends in the industry. But also one of the reasons we’re having that speaker is every two years when we turn over chairs and this will be Randy’s last Annual Conference as chair before PJ takes over in October. But this will be an opportunity for us to celebrate Randy’s chairmanship and support his charity, which is the BC Cancer Foundation, which the doctor participates on. So we’re really excited about that.

Randy Bartsch: Excellent. Well, it’ll be a great opportunity to learn what’s happening from his perspective, not only from medical, the latest things that are happening in the cancer area, but more importantly how those changes are going to impact what happens in the hospital and how they use laundry and linen, which I think will resonate with most of us.

Jason Risley: Thank you again, Joe, Randy and PJ for sharing your insights on next year’s Annual Conference and the inaugural CEO Summit. I look forward to seeing you all in Napa in May 2026.

Randy Bartsch: We’ll be there.

Joseph Ricci: Thank you, Jason.

PJ Dempsey: Looking forward to it. Thanks, Jason.

Jason Risley: If you’re interested in learning more about the charity that Joe and Randy mentioned during our discussion, visit the BC Cancer Foundation at www.bccancerfoundation.com. Again, the TRSA Annual Conference and CEO Summit will take place on May 12-14, 2026, at the Silverado Resort in Napa, California. Register for the conference at www.trsa.org/annual. If you sign up by January 30, 2026, you’ll save $200 dollars off the registration fee. Additionally, the first 40 operators to register by January 30, will earn VIP status, including admission to an exclusive wine tasting and networking event on Thursday, May 14, before the awards dinner. Finally, laundry operators who have never attended the TRSA Annual Conference will receive a discount. Thanks for listening! Before you go, if you’re serious about facility safety and OSHA compliance, visit sonicaire.com. Their combustible lint control solutions are protecting commercial laundry facilities nationwide. Until next time …