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CLA Gears Up for Excellence in Laundry Conference 2016

Educational sessions, networking, exhibits planned for May 18-19 California event

OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. — Four years ago, the Coin Laundry Association (CLA) launched its first-ever Excellence in Laundry Conference, bringing together the self-service laundry industry’s most successful people for two days of educational sessions, networking, exhibits and a unique opportunity to share best practices with their peers.

The event inspired attendee and Santa Clarita, Calif., Laundromat owner Art Jaeger to introduce the first-of-its-kind, customer-selected, ozone-infused sanitary wash cycle — a move that has proven to be highly successful and profitable, CLA says.

“The only reason that it all came together was that representatives of the ozone, washer and card manufacturers were all at the conference, enabling me to lay the foundation for this project,” says Jaeger. “Leveraging those types of relationships has proven invaluable to me throughout my time in this industry.”

Now, CLA is readying for its third biennial Excellence in Laundry Conference, slated for May 18-19 at the Ojai (Calif.) Valley Inn & Spa.

The event focuses on helping self-service laundry professionals improve and grow their businesses, while also providing insight on today’s laundry consumer.

“We had such an overwhelmingly positive experience after the first Excellence conference in 2012 — we realized this needed to be a recurring event to help Laundromat owners take their businesses to the next level,” explains Brian Wallace, CLA’s president and CEO.

“There’s no other event in the laundry industry where you’ll be able to network with the very best in the business and learn tried-and-true strategies from some of the country’s leading business authorities.”

Speakers will include Dr. Alan Beaulieu, president of ITR Economics. Since 1990, he has been consulting with companies throughout the United States, Europe and Asia on how to forecast, plan and increase their profits based on business cycle trend analysis.

He co-authored Prosperity in the Age of Decline, a powerful look at how to make the most of the U.S. and global trends over the next 20 years, and Make Your Move, a practical and insightful guide on increasing profits through business cycle changes.

The Excellence in Laundry lineup will also feature Paul Taylor, author of The Next America: Boomers, Millennials and the Looming Generational Showdown. The book draws on his work at the Pew Research Center, a non-partisan “fact tank” that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. Taylor oversaw all demographic, social and generational research as Pew’s executive vice president in 2003-2014.

Capping off the roster is special Kenny Aronoff, a long-time studio and touring drummer who has worked with the likes of John Mellencamp, The Rolling Stones, Sting, Lady Gaga and others. These days, he splits his time between touring, studio work, and teaching others how to embrace adversity and gain confidence in their personal and professional lives.

In An Evening with Kenny Aronoff, conference attendees will hear stories about some of his successes, as well as his failures, as he shares his “7 Keys for a Successful Life and Career.”

Besides the educational sessions, laundry professionals will enjoy a welcome reception the evening of May 17, a dinner gala on May 18, and a farewell picnic on the afternoon of May 19.

“The Excellence in Laundry Conference isn’t just about having a good time and learning a few new ideas,” says Wallace. “It’s about connecting professionals and unlocking doors of opportunity.”

The event is limited to CLA members only. To register, or to learn more, visit the Excellence in Laundry Conference website.

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