National Clothesline

Insurance industry executives and a special guest were highlights of the Certified Restoration Drycleaning Network’s international convention attended by more than 330 CRDN partners and guests from across the United States, Canada and the U.K. at La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, CA.

The event was highlighted by presentations from guests Chris Zelley, vendor manager at Farmers Insurance, and Larry Thomas, senior vice president of Crawford Contractor Connection. Both shared their perspectives on the insurance industry and the growing role of textile restoration within the claims process.

The general assembly presentations were supplemented by educational breakout sessions and networking among members.

The conference concluded with a black tie awards gala to honor the achievements of CRDN’s local businesses over the past year. On hand was special guest John Littlefield, designer on ABC-TV’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” who presented awards to the CRDN businesses that participated in 26 episodes of the show in 2009, bringing CRDN’s involvement to 87 episodes over four seasons.

“Textile restoration requires a separate set of operating procedures specific to the insurance industry,” said Wayne Wudyka, CRDN’s CEO. “Our convention speakers were instrumental in emphasizing our theme of ‘Speed of Change,’ focusing on rapid advancement within our category and the need to provide consistent, highly professional and standardized services from coast to coast.”

CRDN works with insurance adjusters and contractors to help homeowners recover from fires, floods and other catastrophes. The company’s representatives respond to disaster scenes large and small with 24-hour service, seven days a week.

CRDN is able to restore more than 97 percent of clothing and other fabric items to pre-loss condition, which saves insurance companies millions of dollars annually. With more than 140 locations across the U.S., CRDN operations cover 94 percent of U.S. zip codes.

The organization’s web site is www.CRDN.com.

Prestige Cleaners of Knoxville, TN, received the Community Excellence Award at America’s Small Business Summit 2010 in May.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce award recognized the success Prestige has achieved in the eyes of its employees, customers, and community.

“If you want to know about the quality of a company, just talk to its customers,” said Thomas J. Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber. “Prestige Cleaners received an outpouring of support from across America.”

Prestige Cleaners was named one of the U.S. Chamber’s 75 Blue Ribbon Small Business Award winners on March 1. Each business had the opportunity to invite members of its community to show support for their business by voting online between Monday, March 1 and Friday, March 12. With nearly 1,500 votes, Prestige Cleaners became the second recipient of the annual Community Excellence Award.

The award, part of the U.S. Chamber’s DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Awards program, sponsored by Sam’s Club, is designed to recognize companies that showcase exemplary business practices in the areas of employee development, community involvement, customer service, and strategy.

“Prestige Cleaners has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to Knoxville by both investing in the expansion of their business, as well as through corporate citizenship,” said one online voter. “They are an example for all small businesses to follow.”

Prestige Cleaners was founded by Eddie Mannis in March, 1985, with used equipment, three employees, and one store. Today, Prestige is one of the larger independently owned drycleaners in the United States with 10 locations and five delivery routes as well as a state-of-the-art processing plant and a training and education center.

For more information about the company, visit www.prestigecleanersinc.net.

Scott Singer, a FRSTeam fabric restoration service provider, has established a partnership with Charles A. Anton, president of eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire-based Anton’s Cleaners.

Currently maintaining a presence as FRSTeam by Love Cleaners in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Delaware, Singer believes expansion into the Northeast is the next logical step.

“In this way, we are extremely well-poised to address any situation, large or small, in any of our territories or surrounding areas. By joining forces with Anton’s Cleaners — who has set the standard in the New England drycleaning industry for over 96 years— I believe the two names will provoke instant recognition, credibility, and respect.”

Operating under the combined name, FRSTeam by Anton’s Cleaners, along with the full complement of retail drycleaning services in 44 locations, full textile restoration will be offered for all types of garments, bedding, window coverings, rugs, shoes, luggage, leather, furs, suede, etc., for all types of disaster situations.

“Our experience with insurance carriers, contractors and homeowners will allow us to continue to provide the unparalleled customer service FRSTeam is known for, coupled with the superior quality workmanship indigenous to both Anton’s and FRSTeam by Love Cleaners,” Singer said.

Founded in 2005 to provide fabric restoration solutions to the insurance industry, FRSTeam now offers fabric restoration services to property insurers and loss and damage mitigation contractors in 43 states across the continental United States and Canada.

Diana Vollmer of Methods for Management was the keynote speaker at the 18th Annual Professional Development Conference of the Saskatchewan-Manitoba Professional Drycleaners Association (SPDA).

The May 14–15 conference featured her interactive presentation “How to Increase Market Share in Times of Boom or Bust,” revealing ways to build sales and profits, emphasizing the opportunities that abound at any point of the economic cycle.

The conference also included an insurance overview by Ian Amondsen of Marsh Canada and an environmental regulations update by Lori Forester and Larry Skibicki of Environment Canada, as well as allied trades displays and an awards banquet.

The Saskatchewan Professional Drycleaners Association (SPDA) was formed in 1987 to bring the Saskatchewan and Manitoba garment care industry and allied trades together to enhance professionalism.

Methods for Management serves the drycleaning industry through independent consulting relationships as well as coordinating and facilitating Management Bureaus. MFM Management Bureaus provide a non-competitive environment where members can comfortablly share information, issues, and concerns with peers.

Bates Troy Inc. received its second Green Business Initiative Award from the Broome County, New York, Legislature in three years. The proclamation was presented to company president Brian Kradjian on Earth Day, April 22, 2010, in the Broome County Legislature. The following day a tree was planted in honor of Bates Troy Inc. at Broome County’s Otsiningo Park.

Highlights of Bates Troy’s 2009 green initiatives include participation in the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority’s (NYSERDA) $mart Commercial Lighting Program; the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Laundry ESP; and an award of four Eco-Leaves by the Green Cleaners Council for things like the introduction of environmentally-friendly garment bags to its retail drycleaning stores. A complete list can be found at www.BatesTroy.com.