LAUREL, Md. — The Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI) is inducting four industry professionals into its Hall of Fame for 2026, honoring decades of leadership, advocacy and service across the garment care industry.

This year’s class includes Bobby Patel, president of Kona Cleaners in Orange, California; Carol Memberg, publisher of National Clothesline; James “Jim” Cripe, owner of Valet Cleaners and Laundry; and Nora P. Nealis, former executive director of the National Cleaners Association (NCA).

Bobby Patel has spent more than two decades growing Kona Cleaners into a 14-location operation, guided by a commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence. A past president of both the California Cleaners Association and DLI, he has helped fellow cleaners adopt new technology, marketing and business intelligence tools to grow their own companies. Deeply committed to his faith, family and community, Patel is widely respected as a humble leader, trusted mentor and valued friend throughout the industry.

Carol Memberg has led National Clothesline for more than 60 years and has also served as executive director of the Pennsylvania and Delaware Cleaners Association, where she worked on legislative and environmental issues affecting cleaners, and helped promote the value of professional garment care to the public, government agencies and the industry.

James Cripe, who served as president of both the Southwest Drycleaners Association and DLI in the early 2000s, was a principal participant in passing Texas environmental cleanup legislation for dry cleaners — a model other states later adopted. He also helped create DLI certification programs, wrote exam questions, and taught maintenance education at the former Texas Research Center for Laundry and Drycleaning.

Nora Nealis, former executive director of the National Cleaners Association, developed the DEC Certification course for New York state, which has certified thousands of dry cleaners in safety and environmental compliance. She also helped secure bond money and grants for small businesses upgrading equipment, and worked with regulators including the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“We continue every year to have great Hall of Fame candidates presented to the Board of Directors, and we’re pleased with the selection process,” says Chris Edwards, DLI District Two board member and Hall of Fame Committee member. “All the candidates in this year’s group of inductees are very deserving of DLI’s highest honor. I am proud to have them join all of the existing Hall of Fame honorees.”

This year’s group joins previous inductees including Jim Barry, Dan Eisen, James Peuster, Jane Zellers, Michael Nesbit, Jim Douglas, Dixie Stoddard, Barney Deden, Stan Golomb, Chris Edwards, Jeffrey Miller, Sid Tuchman, Donald Fawcett, Walter “Buster” Bell and Milton Chortkoff.

DLI’s Board of Directors will present the awards at the Drycleaning & Laundry Expo East in Washington, D.C., on October 17.