OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. — The Coin Laundry Association’s (CLA) Awards Committee recently named the 2015 recipients of the CLA Industry Awards.
The association bestowed its “highest honor,” the Founder’s Award, to Kenny Wells of Wells Laundry, Killeen, Texas.
Wells, and all honorees of the CLA Industry Awards, were recognized at Clean 2015 during an April 18 reception at the Georgia World Congress Center.
Wells becomes the 26th recipient of the Founder’s Award, which recognizes an individual’s lifetime contributions to the coin laundry industry.
The CLA says the Founder’s Award is reserved for individuals who are “true pioneers” in the business and are “directly responsible for the ongoing growth of the self-service laundry industry” and the association.
“Mr. Wells’ resume is an impressive one and includes service as president of the Texas Coin Laundry Association, and chair of the CLA board of directors,” the CLA says. “As a multi-store operator with more than 30 years of experience, he is universally recognized [as] a superb operator willing to openly share what he’s learned with others in the industry.”
The CLA also honored Tom Rhodes, Sunshine Laundries, Vero Beach, Fla., as its Member of the Year.
In addition to serving as a director on the CLA board, and president of the Florida Coin Laundry Association, Rhodes has led a number of “key initiatives,” according to the CLA, resulting in the publication of an updated census of U.S. Laundromats, and the creation of a quarterly economic report.
Other CLA Industry Awards winners include:
• Leadership Awards: Brian Grell, Daryl Johnson, Michael Finkelstein, Rob Maes
• Outstanding Director: Jim Whitmore
• Richard H. Torp Excellence in Education: Wally Makowsky
• Affiliate of the Year: Delaware Valley Coin Laundry Association
• Chairman’s Award: Keith Griffin (2013), Andy Kretz (2014)
• Distinguished Service Awards: Jeffrey Barman, George Pierce, Deborah Dower, Kenny Wells, Wayne Lewis, Bill Bittner and Keith Griffin
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