School of Drycleaning Technology Graduates Latest Classes

LAUREL, Md. — The Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI) has announced the graduates from its recent Introduction to Drycleaning and Advanced Drycleaning resident courses.

Since 1927, DLI’s School of Drycleaning Technology has helped thousands of dry cleaners succeed, the organization says. Including first-year entrepreneurs and seasoned industry veterans alike, the school’s hands-on approach to sharing new ideas, insights and systems can help any cleaning professional improve, notes DLI.

The next Introduction to Drycleaning course is later this month, Oct. 17-21, and the Advanced Drycleaning course follows Oct. 24-Nov. 4. Scholarships are available, and interested parties should contact DLI for more information.

In other DLI news, each year, its Board of Directors holds elections. District director terms last two years while executive terms last one.

This year’s DLI board of directors lineup features:

• Chair: Greg Myers, Southside Cleaners, Lakeland, Fla.

• President: David Beatty, CPD^®, Murrysville Cleaners, Murrysville, Pa.

• Vice-President: Michael Nesbit, MW Cleaners, Spring, Texas

• Treasurer: Leland Waite, Waite’s Cleaners, Mobile, Ala.

• District 1 Director: John Dallas, Fabricare House Cleaners, Norwell, Mass.

• District 2 Director: Martin Young, Young’s Cleaners, Concord, N.C.

• District 3 Director: Perry Bullard, CED^®, Fabric Care Center, Brunson, S.C.

• District 4 Director: Gary Maloney, Nu Yale Glacier Cleaners, Jeffersonville, Ind.

• District 5 Director: Dennis Schmitt, Lindeman’s Cleaners, Green Bay, Wis.

• District 6 Director: Michael Nesbit, MW Cleaners, Spring, Texas

• District 7 Director: Heath Bolin, Sparkle Cleaners, Tucson, Ariz.

• District 8 Director: Bobby Patel, Kona Cleaners, Costa Mesa, Calif.

• Allied Trades Director: Joe Blaha, GreenEarth Cleaning, Kansas City, Mo.

• Allied Trades Director: John Jordan, Fabritec International, Florence, Ky.

In addition to its board of directors, DLI leadership includes a group of district committee members (DCMs), DLI says.

These volunteers help guide board policy by providing additional perspectives in each DLI district. DCMs learn the ins and outs of DLI board meeting style and often choose to become candidates in their district’s election when the present director’s term elapses, DLI notes.

Here are the DCMs:

• District 1 DCM: Kathy Benzinger, Benzinger’s Dry Cleaning, Hamburg, N.Y.

• District 2 DCM: Mark Pollock, Signature Cleaners, Doylestown, Pa.

• District 3 DCM: Mark Watkins, Mark’s Quality Cleaners, Birmingham, Ala.

• District 5 DCM: Ed Longanecker, Iris City Cleaners, Mount Pleasant, Iowa

• District 7 DCM: Jess Culpepper, CGCP, Culpepper Cleaners, San Antonio

Graduates from DLI’s Introduction to Drycleaning course this summer: Front row (from left): Austin Julian, Julian’s Dry Cleaners, Rochester, N.Y.; Rebecca Savage, Mountaineer Cleaners, Boone, N.C.; Raj Bir, Corona, Calif.; Sarah Huskins, Mountaineer Cleaners, Boone, N.C.; Arielle Julian, Julian’s Dry Cleaners, Rochester, N.Y.; Kayla Grant, Big Ridge Cleaners, Hixson, Tenn.; Theresa Golish, Classic Cleaners, Indianapolis; Katrina Welch, Avenue Fabricare, Milwaukee; April Tillberry, Classic Cleaners, Indianapolis; and Myra Harris, U.S. Naval Academy Laundry Facility, Annapolis, Md.Middle row (from left): Francisco Villegas, FRSteam by Custom Commercial, Hayward, Calif.; Xiaofeng “Leo” Xi, Shine Partners, Mianyang, China; Nasir Rana, American Dry Cleaning, Catonsville, Md.; Michael Haskins, U.S. Naval Academy Laundry Facility, Annapolis, Md.; Mireya Salgado, Mountaineer Cleaners, Boone, N.C.; Benjamin Zyndorf, Perfect Cleaners, Fairlawn, N.J.; Avi Bir, Corona, Calif.; William Clay, Acme Cleaners, Orlando, Fla.; Allen Neumann, Texas Custom Cleaners, Pfugerville, Texas; Jake Massingill, Park Place Cleaners, Birmingham, Ala.; and Alex Massingill, Park Place Cleaners, Birmingham, Ala.Back row (from left): Eric Bragg, FRSTeam by Crescent Restoration, Memphis, Tenn.; Stephen Tyler Matz, FRSTeam by Crescent Restoration, Memphis; Dan Tarkoff, Tarkoff & Associates, Randolph, N.J.; Jordan Bowen, Scotts Cleaners, Greenville, N.C.; Fernando Sanchez, All American Cleaners, Roswell, N.M.; Christopher Baldock, Prestige Cleaners, Roswell; Nathan Achberger, Sunshine Cleaners, Baton Rouge, La.; and Brian Johnson, DLI director of education and analysis. (Photos: DLI)

Graduates from DLI’s Advanced Drycleaning course this summer: Front row (from left): Austin Julian, Julian’s Dry Cleaners, Rochester, N.Y.; Tavia Robinson, Lyons Cleaners, Memphis, Tenn.; Arielle Julian, Julian’s Dry Cleaners; Angelo Nguyen, Scott and Goldman, Buena Park, Calif.; Raj Bir, Corona, Calif.; and Brian Johnson, DLI director of education and analysis.Middle row (from left): Avi Bir, Corona, Calif.; John Rothrock, Yale Cleaners Inc., Broken Arrow, Okla.; Benjamin Zyndorf, Perfect Cleaners, Fairlawn, N.J.; Michael Trieu, 9582118 Canada Inc., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; William Clay, Acme Cleaners, Orlando, Fla.; and Olufemi Adelodun, FB Optimum, Oke Afa, Nigeria.Back row (from left): Adetunji Aiku, Culmen Dry Cleaners, Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria; Eric Wollenhaupt, Classic Cleaners, Indianapolis; Lawrence Dickey, Classic Cleaners, Indianapolis; Fernando Sanchez, All American Cleaners, Roswell, N.M.; and Christopher Baldock, Prestige Cleaners, Roswell.

Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].