National Clothesline

The Michigan Institute of Laundering and Drycleaning (MILD) presented Jan Barlow its Mike O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award, an award given to a MILD member who exemplifies a career of service, leadership and commitment to the industry.

Barlow, owner of Jan’s Professional Dry Cleaners, is a past-president and active committee member of the MILD. She focuses on educating industry participants and creating a positive image of professional fabric care specialists.

She serves as president of the Clio Chamber of Commerce and the Clio Area Educational Foundation, which provides grants to local teachers for special projects and scholarships to graduating high school students. She also serves on the Planning Commission for the City of Clio.

She has chaired the Innovative Thinking Conference for the Flint Area Chamber of Commerce and is a member of Zonta International’s Club of Flint 1, a worldwide organization of executives in business and the professions.

Barlow has been recognized by various organizations for her leadership and commitment to community and entrepreneurial development. In the past she was chosen as the “Career Woman of the Year” by the National Association of Career Women, Woman Owned Business of the Year by the Flint Area Chamber of Commerce and was nominated three times for the highly acclaimed international Athena Award.

The O’Neil award, named in honor of a former executive director of the group, was presented at the association’s 91st annual summer convention held at the Boyne Highlands Resort in Harbor Springs, MI.

Eco Dry of America/Firbimatic has announced that James DeSanto has joined its team of sales associates. DeSanto brings more than 30 years of industry experience to his new position, including the past 11 of those years with Marvel Manufacturing. His new position will be as a sales and engineering consultant for Firbimatic.

“We are extremely pleased to have someone of Jim’s caliber and experience on board at Firbimatic,” said Michael Hurd, executive vice president of Eco Dry of America/Firbimatic. “With Jim’s background we will be able to expand our markets and provide our distributors and customers alike with the best possible sales support and service.”

Erin G. Dermody has joined the Certified Restoration Drycleaning Network (CRDN) as Regional Sales Manager - Northeast.

Dermody is responsible primarily for marketing to insurance carriers throughout New England as part of a concentrated effort to enhance and expand strategic relationships for CRDN, an international organization of drycleaners who specialize in insurance restoration drycleaning services.

Dermody’s background includes experience with the insurance industry, with an emphasis in the New England market. Prior to joining CRDN, she was a business development coordinator for a national, insurance-specific temporary housing provider covering the New England territory. She also has served as an officer of the Honorable Order of the Blue Goose International, Bay State Pond, and the New England Marketing Professionals in Insurance.

She graduated from Russell Sage College in Troy, NY, and is based in Boston.

Wayne Wudyka, CRDN’s CEO said Dermody’s capabilities will enable Susan McKeever to concentrate on the Southeast and MidAtlantic regions of the U.S.

“With CRDN’s steady growth, we look forward to adding more staff to our regional team to enhance the service we provide to insurance companies." Wudyka added.

Founded in mid-2001 in partnership with Service Brands International of Ann Arbor, MI, CRDN helps drycleaners who want to build their business through insurance restoration services.

For information on CRDN, call (888)-379-2532 or e-mail: info@restorationdrycleaning.com. The CRDN web site is www.restorationdrycleaning.com.

Jeff Deal, founder of Hamilton Engineering in Livonia, MI, received the Eagle Award from TEC Detroit, TEC, an organization dedicated to increasing the effectiveness and enhancing the lives of CEOs since 1957.

TEC members meet regularly in groups of 14-16 to discuss issues and develop solutions in a confidential environment. TEC Detroit has 13 groups and approximately 150 members.

Dick Beadle, vice president of Business Development for TEC Detroit, said, Deal “is passionately committed to the continuous improvement of himself and his organization and who inspires other chief executives with his wisdom, insight, advice and compassion.”

Dryclean USA, Inc.’s results of operations for the fiscal year ended June 30 showed net earnings from continuing operations for fiscal 2004 were $536,217 or $.08 per diluted share, on revenues of $14.6 million. Those figures compared to net earnings of $546,134 or $.08 per diluted share, on revenues of $14.5 million for fiscal 2003.

The company announced a $.06 per share annual dividend, an increase of 20 percent over the fiscal 2003 dividend, payable on November 1 to shareholders of record on October 15.

Commenting on the report, Venerando J. Indelicato, chief financial officer of Dryclean USA, Inc., said "Although earnings in fiscal 2004 were essentially flat, cash flow continued to increase showing the company's continued financial strength.”

Dryclean USA, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is a leading distributor of industrial laundry, drycleaning machines and steam boilers. Its subsidiary, Dryclean USA License Corp., is one of the largest franchise and license operations in the drycleaning industry, with more than 400 franchised and license stores in the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America.