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IF YOU JOIN NCALC/DLI NOW

A PLANT ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE INSPECTION by Greg Icenhour, CED of Shield Engineering

A PLANT MAINTENACE CHECK-UP By Tri-State Laundry Equipment Co.

A SUPPLY INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM from N.S. Farrington & Co.

A FULL REGISTRATION to CAROLINA CLEAN from NCALC

"QUALITY SHIRT FINISHING" IN PLANT TRAINING VIDEO OR DVD IN ENGLISH OR SPANISH from DLI

A STANFORD SPOTTING KIT from Fabritech

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Access to Scholarship for DLI Resident Courses

In order to qualify as a new member you or your cleaners cannot have been a member of NCALC/DLI in the past year and you must pay your annual dues in the correct dues category in full with your membership application.

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North Carolina Association

of Launderers & Cleaners

The Source of Official Information

for NCALC

Carolina Clean

April, 2012

1. • NCALC 2012 Convention at Blockade Runner
   

2. • First Annual Draw Down Raffle at the NCALC Convention
   

3. • Where Did the Time Go?
   

4. • Member Matters
   

5. • Environmental Corner
   

106th Annual NCALC Convention

Friday, May 25th

2:00 - 6:00 PMRegistration Desk Open

2:00 - 6:00 PMAllied Trades Table Top Exhibit Setup in Nighthawk Room

3:00 PMHotel Check-In

7:00 - 11:00Mardi Gras in May Seafood Fest - Ballroom

             Music by Doug Overby - “The Bopper”

Saturday, May 26th

7:30 - Noon    Registration Desk Open

7:30 - 08:30    Allied Trades Tabletop Exhibits & Continental Breakfast

8:30 - 9:00    NCALC Annual Board Meeting - Nighthawk Room

9:00- 10:15    David Dawson. Your Future in the Drycleaning Industry

10:15 - 10:45    Break

10:45 - 12:00    Brian Wallace, 2012 Marketplace Reality

Noon - 7 PM    Family Time

7:00 - 11 PM    Barrier Island Luau - Ballroom

                 More Music by Doug Overby “The Bopper” Contest

Sunday, May 27th

7:30 - 08:30    Allied Trades Tabletop Exhibits & Continental Breakfast

8:30 - 9:00    NCALC Annual Membership Meeting - Nighthawk Room

                 Election of 2012-2014 Officers

9:00- 10:15    Jon Meijer.   How DLI Can Help You Get More Customers

10:15 - 10:45    Break

10:45 - 12:00    Chris Tebbs.  The New International Care Label

Noon - 7 PM    Family Time

7:00 - 11 PM    Young Cleaners Party - Nighthawk Room

7:00 - 8 PM    Presidents Reception

8:00 - 9 PM    Awards Banquet, Installation of Officers & Directors

9:00 - 11 PM    1st Annual Drawdown Raffle

Family Friendly Free Time & Social Activities

In recognition of the fact that Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend are the only two three-day weekends we get every year in our business, NCALC’s annual conventions are designed with the family in mind.

Friday and Saturday night’s social functions are kid and adult friendly, from the Mardi Gras Friday and the Luau Saturday  to the buffets (with adult and kids’ food), to the entertainment (with music for young and old) and contests and Prizes. Sunday night the adults go more formal — there is a special party for the Young Cleaners so you don’t have to spring for a sitter. Every activity ends at 11 p.m.

Education is conducted Saturday and Sunday mornings so everybody is ready for lunch, the pool and/or the beach by noon. Sun  from noon to 6 p.m. for two days is probably more than any is needed this early in the spring.

1st Annual Raffle & Draw-Down Play Rules

In lieu of the Silent & Live Auction as our annual fundraiser, the NCALC Board of Directors approved District Director Tom Wilson’s plan to conduct a “draw down raffle” at the 106th annual convention on Memorial Day weekend.

The plan calls for the sale of 149 individually numbered tickets for $100 each and ticket #145 in a live auction when there are only four tickets left in the draw down for $3250 in prize money. An additional wrinkle is a majority of the final five ticket holders (min. three actual ticket holders must be present) can elect to receive $500 each and stop the final draw. You do not have to be present to win.

$100 prizes will also go to the holders of the 50th and 100th tickets drawn. As tickets are drawn (removed from the drawing as potential winners), they will be placed in a second drawing for door prizes donated to or purchased by the raffle committee.

You may purchase a raffle ticket with your convention registration, or if you cannot attend the convention use the conventionn registration form to purchase you raffle ticket,

If you have any questions, please contact Tom Wilson at 828-648-2817.

To purchase a raffle ticket or donate door prizes or money to support the projects and programs of NCALC, you may also contact any member of the Fund Raiser Committee:

Tom Wilson

American Cleaners

10 Penland St.

Canton, NC 28716

828-648-2817

tom@americancleaners.co

Gloria Cowell

Cowell Cleaners

428 E. Grantham Rd.

New Bern, NC 28560

252-514-7361

cowellcleaners@earthlink.net

Marie Davis

Medlin Davis Cleaners

108 Gorge Ct.

Cary, NC 27511

919-363-2222

Sue Farrington

NS Farrington Co.

1-800-722-0374

suef@nsfarrington.com

Jimmy Lee

Jones Dry Cleaning

1601 E. 4th St.

Charlotte, NC 28204

jimmylee@jonesdrycleaning.com

Charisse Lassiter

Southern Laundry & Drycleaners

Henderson, NC

252-438-5525

classiter11@nc..rr.com

2012 Convention Speakers

Dave Dawson

David Dawson is an industry veteran, best known for his more than 35 years at R.R. Street where he retired as President at the end of 2010. Mr. Dawson has long been active with industry trade associations, having served as the Allied Trades Director on the DLI Board and as director and President of the Textile Care Allied Trades Association, as Chair of its Government Affairs Committee and on its Health and Environmental Leadership Program Committee. Mr. Dawson also serves as the TCATA delegate to the NFPA32 Drycleaning Standard and has represented the industry’s interests with government agencies, regulators, and politicians. His recent efforts before the International Code Council were successful in gaining important revisions to the International Fire Code as it affects cleaning plants.

His professional accomplishments include the invention and commercialization of the closed loop, vapor free solvent delivery system known as CAREfill, for which he was awarded U.S. and International patents and which changed the way perc is sold and delivered in North America. He is a recipient of the IFI Meritorious Service - Green Fields Award, and TCATA’s Young Timer of the Year and J. Morry Friedlander awards for distinguished service. He is well known as a speaker to the trade groups representing manufacturers, distributors and cleaners and has published articles on industry best practices.

Mr. Dawson earned his degree in Business Administration from the University of Detroit and resides in the Chicago area.  

Brian Wallace

A leader in the self-service laundry industry for 20 years, Brian Wallace is a popular presenter and author.  He has led more than nearly 500 educational seminars and penned numerous articles on all things related to self-service laundry management.

As the current President and Chief Executive Officer of the Coin Laundry Association (CLA), Wallace is publisher of PlanetLaundry Magazine (the industry’s leading monthly magazine) and President of CLA Program Services, Inc. (an insurance agency specializing in insuring coin laundries).  He joined CLA in 1992 and assumed the role of CEO in June of 1999.

Wallace serves on the Executive Committee of the Clean show - the world’s largest exhibition of laundry equipment and services.  He is Past-President of Cleaning & Laundry Association Executives (CLAE), a study group of association executives from the laundry and drycleaning industries.  Wallace is also a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the Association Forum of Chicagoland.

In his time “off the road,” Brian resides just outside of Chicago in Elmhurst, IL with his wife Julia and daughter Beatrix.  Together, they enjoy the dining, arts, and live music scene that the city has to offer.  Brian holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication from Northern Illinois University.

The Coin Laundry Association (CLA – www.coinlaundry.org) was established in 1960 as a not-for-profit trade association.  From store owners to washer and dryer manufacturers and distributors, CLA boasts membership in all segments of the self-service laundry business.  Its mission is to provide education and service to the industry’s entrepreneurs, protect their business interests and promote public awareness of the industry’s exemplary services.

Chris Tebbs

Chris Tebbs has been working in the drycleaning and laundering industries for over 45 years.

Starting out in 1967, first with the original Dyers and Cleaners Research Organisation and the British Launderers Research Association, Chris was instrumental in the formation of the combined Association in 1976, the Fabric Care Research Association (FCRA). FCRA , a UK organisation somewhat similar to IFI but with areas of expertise extending to commercial textile rental and institutional laundering, was recognised as one of the world’s leading technical institutes for the laundering and drycleaning industries. Chris became Chief Executive and Managing Director in 1988 and remained in that position until 2001.

During his years with the Association, Chris was involved in all aspects of the work of the Association both directly and indirectly. Whilst research and support of the membership were paramount in the organisation, Chris took more hands-on roles in:

The development of training courses and qualifications in the UK industry.

The introduction and development of drycleaning and laundering quality assessments and, indeed became an approved assessor for both.

Health, safety and environmental issues both of a general nature and industry specific.

Chris has represented the Industry at the highest levels of the UK Health and Safety Executive as well as other major government departments such as Trade and Industry, Employment and Education, on similar areas at the European Commission and, recently, at Environment Canada as well as Provincially in Alberta. He currently sits on NFPA32 in the USA.

His knowledge of the industry internationally is extensive and he has been actively involved in the development of national (UK) and international Standards for drycleaning, wetcleaning, laundering and re-usable textiles for more than 25 years. He is currently the only industry representative on the ISO CommitteeTC38 responsible for all matters affecting Textiles.

The author of many publications produced under the banner of FCRA, Chris was recognised for his services to the UK industry by the award of Honorary Life Membership of the Guild of Cleaners and Launderers, a body of which he was already elected a Fellow. He is also a Past President of the International Drycleaning Research Committee (now International Technical Committee for Textile Care).

During his UK career, Chris was a long-standing member of CINET, the International Trade Association Committee for Textile Care, and on many occasions was called upon to Chair the Care labelling and Health Safety and Environment Commissions.

Following his move to Calgary in Canada in 2003, he was appointed as the Executive Director of the International Drycleaners Congress in 2004 and, in the same year, as a Director of CINET, as the Executive Director of the Alberta Textile Care association in 2005 and then, in 2009, he was appointed as the International Director on the DLI Board in 2009. All positions that he still holds to this day.

Jon Meijer

Jon Meijer is the Director of Membership/Marketing at the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI), the association for professional dry cleaners.  Meijer, formerly IFI’s Government Relations Director and Education Director, oversees all activities of the membership department, marketing, Joint Affiliations, and new member retention efforts. Meijer continues to work in the government affairs area as part of his overall duties for the association.  

Meijer, a Maryland native, first came to the Institute in 1982.  Meijer is a popular industry speaker and has written numerous articles and bulletins for IFI’s Fabricare magazine. Meijer holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration from

the University of Maryland. In 1994, Meijer won a national award from ASAE in the category “Best Overall Federal Regulatory Program” for his work on Environmental Canada’s Certification program.

2012 Convention Special Guest

Charlie Smith

DLI President Charlie Smith, owner of Village Square Cleaners and Cleaner 2 U in Reston, Virginia, is no stranger to NCALC, having served as our District Committee Member 2006-2008 and District Director from 2008-2010 before being elected to serve as Treasurer, President-Elect, President, and Chairman of the DLI Board.

He is known to many of you through his attendance at NCALC Board meetings and conventions, his presence at the annual joint affiliate meetings with our president, VP of Membership, Executive Director and other Board members each fall and in the DLI booth at the Clean Show.

After graduation from West Virginia University, a stock brokerage firm and beauty pageant promotions, Charlie joined the Management Engineering Department at the National Institute of Drycleaning (NID, IFI, DLI) in 1965 where he worked for Charlie Riggot, former IFI CEO. In 1972, he started Village Square Cleaners and has been a major contributor and driving force in his business, community and our industry.

Where Has the Time Gone?

Where has the time gone? It seems like yesterday you selected me as your new President and soon, very soon, I will have the honor of handing the gavel over to a dynamic new leader from Charlotte, Larry Hill.  As I mentioned in my last column, changes are inevitable and I am comforted to know Larry will be at the helm to keep us on course and focused on the needs of North Carolina Cleaners in the coming years.

I sure hope you have cleared your schedule for Memorial Day weekend so that you will be at NCALC’s 106th annual connvention at Wrightsville Beach. We’ve got a fantastic slate of speakers, product displays from the best equipment and supply houses in the world, an exciting “draw down” raffle, beach activities, great music, great seafood and the site seeing around Wrightsville and Wilmington is breath taking! You are sure to have a good time and learn more about industry trends, how others are capitalizing in a down market and where some experts feel the industry is headed.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you need to get involved in this Association! The networking, knowledge and lasting friendships you will acquire at this Convention will help you prosper in our profession, so make time to join us at the Blockade Runner Resort, Wrightsville Beach, May 25th thru the 27th, you won’t regret it!

Many thanks to all of you who have supported NCALC and me over these last two years; it has indeed been an honor.

Sincerely,

Marvin Thomas

President

Member Matters

NCALC extends its heartfelt condolences to Darrel Wilson and his father, Bill, long-time allied trades supporters of NCALC and insurance agents to many NCALC members, on the loss of their mother and wife on March 5.

NCALC notes with sadness the loss of another fine past president, John William “Buddy” Jones, who passed away March 2 at the age of 82.

After his retirement from the US Air Force as a Lt. Colonel, Buddy returned to Charlotte to run the family drycleaning business. In the ensuing years, he was active in NCALC, serving as president in 1984-85 before selling Jones Cleaners and ultimately retiring to Carolina Shores, NC.

Buddy was predeceased by his wife, Francoise, and son, John William Jones III. He is survived by his son Robert and his wife Susan of Carolina Shores, and son Edward of Charlotte.

Congratulations to first-time grandparents Gloria and Keith Cowell as son Jeff and wife Samantha presented them with a grandson, Finley Bryan Cowell, March 13, 2012.

Environmental Corner

You Sold Your Business, You're in the Clear. Right?

You worked hard to grow your business and you had the good fortune to sell it for a profit. You had your lawyer look over the sale contract and you even had the buyer indemnify you for future environmental claims, should they ever arise. You did everything right and now it’s time to relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Several years pass and one day you get a letter in the mail. The letter is sent “certified” and you have to sign for it. You open the letter, it’s from the state environmental regulatory department informing you that as a past owner and/or operator of the sold business, you are responsible for groundwater contamination.

While I don’t want to come off as an alarmist and be the bearer of bad news, I feel an obligation to tell my readers the truth. The truth is that if you owned or operated a dry cleaner that used solvents and those solvents are found in the soil or groundwater, you are, more likely than not, legally liable for investigating and remediating the contamination.

I’ve seen this happen more timers than I care to remember. I’ve seen situations where perc shows up in a municipal well and the regulators research old telephone books to find all of the past drycleaners that operated in the area of the well. I’ve seen landlords and neighboring property owners find perc in soil and groundwater when they were conducting due diligence activities during refinancing and transaction activities. I’ve seen perc discovered in soil and groundwater when streets are widened or new utility lines are installed. I’ve seen insurance companies look for old owners and operators in an effort to have those formers parties contribute toward the cleanup that the carriers have been paying on. All these situations have one thing in common: the former drycleaners are brought in to pay for or share in the cost of the environmental activities.

We talk often to drycleaners about being proactive. Many times those same drycleaners have responded that they do not own the property so they believe the potential problem is not theirs. Or their rebuttal is that they ran a clean operation so they are not concerned. They believe the blame will fall on the previous operator, but we have to tell them that the problems related to perc contamination will not go away.

While you can’t foresee the future and you can’t go along every day worrying about the threat of a lawsuit or cleanup demand, you can do some things to provide some protection against such demands. How you have your business structured is one important issue. Did you own the business personally or is it held as a company where your personal assets can be protected? Did you buy the assets of a company or did you buy the business itself, including the stock? If you bought the company and not just the assets, you likely own the historical insurance policies and that can be worth millions down the road. When you sold the business did you get an indemnification agreement from the buyer? While an indemnity agreement may not matter to a regulator looking for responsible parties, indemnities are still worth having in a sales contract.

Another area that can provide you with protection against future cleanup demands are your old records. You want to locate and keep old records that show you ran a good operation and that you followed regulations. Will your old inspection records, maintenance logs and monitoring reports support your claim that you ran a clean operation? If the answer is yes, then those records should be copied or scanned and stored in a safe, dry place. You also want records that show who you bought your equipment and solvent from and how much you purchased. You want records that show who disposed of your waste solvent and filters. You want to hold onto your old equipment manuals for the dry cleaning machine, distillation columns, misters and filtration systems. Write on the manual the years that the specific equipment was used. You want to keep a copy of tour sales contract and you want to find as much information as possible regarding the people that sold you the business. Try to keep records that include the seller’s name(s) and social security number(s) in the event that you need to find them years down the road.

Find, locate and securely store copies of your old insurance policies or any evidence that documents who your carrier was during given years. Old insurance policies can be worth millions of dollars years from now. If you can’t find your old policies, look through your old accounting ledgers and check books for information about you insurance, whether it’s a certificate of insurance, an old payment stub, cancelled checks, accounting ledgers, check books and any correspondence from the carriers. Don’t be shy, call your old broker, the one you left five years ago and haven’t spoken to and ask for copies of your old policies or documentation regarding the name of the insurance company. the years of coverage, the type of policy, the policy limits and the policy number. The policy number is very important. If he does not have the records but recalls the name of the carriers and coverage periods, as him to put that information in a letter for you.

If you know the person you bought the business from, as him if he has old policies or evidence of coverage. Go through the same steps just discussed in an effort to locate that information. I’ll say it again, old insurance could be worth millions of dollars to you.

While I understand that the IRS only requires you to keep records for seven years, some records are worth keeping for good. Old insurance policies and records should always be saved. When it comes to protecting yourself from unforeseen future liabilities, more often than not there are gold nuggets buried in your old records.

With over 20 years of experience, Steve Henshaw holds professional geology registrations in numerous states. As President and CEO of EnviroForensics, he serves as a client and technical manager on projects associated with the site characterization, remedial design, remedial implementation and operation and litigation support and insurance coverage matters. He has acted as Project Manager or Client Manager on over 200 projects. These projects have included landfills, solvent and petroleum refineries, foundries, metal plating shops, food processors, wood treating facilities, chemical manufacturers and distributors, mines and quarries, heavy equipment manufacturers, computer manufacturers and transporters.

E-mail: shenshaw@EnviroForensics.com