BENTON HARBOR, Mich. — In 1958, Maytag organized a network of commercial laundry sales distributors to provide dependable equipment to both coin-operated laundries and apartment buildings. This group came together the same year in Newton, Iowa, for the first Maytag commercial national sales meeting.This year, Maytag Commercial Laundry will celebrate its golden anniversary with the annual commercial laundry meeting, Feb. 28 through March 2 at The Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz. Maytag distributors from across the world will come together to celebrate 50 years of success, reward the outstanding sales performers of 2007 and go over the company strategic plan for 2008.“We’re excited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our annual commercial laundry meeting this year,” says Craig Kirchner, director of global commercial laundry at Whirlpool Corp. “We’re very fortunate to have such a strong, dedicated network of distributors, and the annual national meeting allows us to show our appreciation while presenting plans for continued success in the year ahead. It’s always been a wonderful event for all who attend.”A tradition like this always leads to memories. Jerry Wolf, owner of Wolf’s Distributing Co. in Anchorage, Alaska, has been a Maytag distributor since 1948. Wolf still remembers that first national commercial laundry meeting 50 years ago and the early days of the distributor network. In the early days, Wolf, who claims to have only missed one or two meetings during the past 50 years, says distributors would often take turns providing refreshments for the convention, sharing favorite delicacies from their regions with the rest of the distributors.“I would always bring down king crab legs and reindeer sausage from Alaska for everybody,” Wolf fondly recalls.
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