National Clothesline
Obituaries
Bill Steiner
Founder of Steiner-Atlantic
William K. “Bill” Steiner, founder of Steiner-Atlantic and Dryclean USA, died Dec. 27, 2012,
after a three-year struggle with pancreatic cancer. He was 82 years old.
Born in Chicago, IL, he displayed his entrepreneurial talents at an early age
working as a “newsie” near the Illinois Central trains in Chicago. He held parttime jobs in high
school and worked his way through Baltimore Business college to earn his
accounting degree.
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Tiring of the constant travel and the cold winters in the north, he moved to
Miami in 1959, where he met his future wife, Sheila. They were married in 1961.
He began a new career in the drycleaning business, building and selling several
of his drycleaning plants, before co-founding Dryclean USA, which continues
today under the leadership of son, Michael.
He also started Steiner-Atlantic Corp. in 1959 to distribute commercial laundry
and drycleaning equipment, boilers, parts and service for companies of all
sizes, both domestically and internationally. The company provides professional
supervision and complete installations for resorts, hotels, cruise lines,
drycleaners, coin-ops and industrial laundries.
The company represents many of the top manufacturers in the industry, including
Milnor, Chicago Dryer, ADC, Cleaver Brooks, Fulton, Union and Unipress.
Steiner-Atlantic's primary market areas are Florida, the Caribbean and Latin
America.
The company was recognized at last year’s Textile Care Allied Trades Association conference for its 50 years of
membership and participation in the organization. His son, Michael, took the
helm of the firm in 1987 and remains as CEO today.
Constantly seeking to improve drycleaning machinery to make the industry more
environmentally friendly, he is the holder of several patents for drycleaning
equipment and processes.
Outside of the industry, he was an avid reader of books on history and
non-fiction, a member of the Manuscript Society, an aficionado of music in all
forms, a doting father and grandfather and a devoted husband to Sheila.
As long-time members of Beth Torah Congregation in Aventura, FL, the couple
provided for the educational center there in memory of their son, Jim, who
perished in a tragic auto accident at the age of 21 in 1989.
Their generosity was also focused on the community at large. In honor of their
generous and long-term support, the Jackson Memorial Hospital Foundation
renamed a part of the hospital to honor them, calling it the Bill and Sheila
Steiner Family North Lobby.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by four sons, Robert, Richard, Michael
and David, and four grandchildren, Marc and Katie of San Francisco and Jacki
and Jessica of Hallandale, FL. He is also survived by a younger brother, Tom.
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Beth Torah Congregation, Jackson
Memorial Hospital or the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.
James DeSanto
Spent entire career in drycleaning
William K. “Bill” Steiner, founder of Steiner-Atlantic and Dryclean USA, died Dec. 27, 2012,
after a three-year struggle with pancreatic cancer. He was 82 years old.
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While working as an accountant, he was asked by a client to help him book rock
'n roll shows around Baltimore. Enthralled with show business, he became a busy
impresario, booking prominent stars such as Screamin' Jay Hawkins and the
Kingston Trio at concerts around the country.
Tiring of the constant travel and the cold winters in the north, he moved to
Miami in 1959, where he met his future wife, Sheila. They were married in 1961.
He began a new career in the drycleaning business, building and selling several
of his drycleaning plants, before co-founding Dryclean USA, which continues
today under the leadership of son, Michael.
He also started Steiner-Atlantic Corp. in 1959 to distribute commercial laundry
and dry leaning equipment, boilers, parts and service for companies of all
sizes, both domestically and internationally. The company provides professional
supervision and complete installations for resorts, hotels, cruise lines,
drycleaners, coin-ops and industrial laundries. The company represents many of
the top manufacturers in the industry, including Milnor, Chicago Dryer, ADC,
Cleaver Brooks, Fulton, Union and Unipress. Steiner-Atlantic's primary market
areas are Florida, the Caribbean and Latin America.
The company was recognized at last years Textile Care Allied Trades Association
conference for its 50 years of membership and participation in the
organization. His son, Michael, took the helm of the firm in 1987 and remains
as CEO today.
Constantly seeking to improve drycleaning machinery to make the industry more
environmentally friendly, he is the holder of several patents for drycleaning
equipment and processes.
Outside of the industry, he was an avid reader of books on history and
non-fiction, a member of the Manuscript Society, an aficionado of music in all
forms, a doting father and grandfather and a devoted husband to Sheila.
As long-time members of Beth Torah Congregation in Aventura, FL, the couple
provided for the educational center there in memory of their son, Jim, who
perished in a tragic auto accident at the age of 21 in 1989.
Their generosity was also focused on the community at large. In honor of their
generous and long-term support, the Jackson Memorial Hospital Foundation
renamed a part of the hospital to honor them, calling it the Bill and Sheila
Steiner Family North Lobby.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by four sons, Robert, Richard, Michael
and David, and four grandchildren, Marc and Katie of San Francisco and Jacki
and Jessica of Hallandale, FL. He is also survived by a younger brother, Tom.
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Beth Torah Congregation, Jackson
Memorial Hospital or the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.
