The following drycleaning professionals are running for election to the Director post in their Districts. Each nominee is running unopposed in his district and has an extensive background in the industry. Ballots will be mailed to voting members in each district.
Continue reading “DLI Holding Elections for Districts One & Five “
It is hard to believe we are already at the end of the First Quarter of 2023. Looking back at this decade, it is hard to believe all the challenges drycleaning businesses have been through over the last three years. What stands out most to me is the level of cooperation and the commitment of drycleaners to share their best practices and work together to improve their businesses. Continue reading “On Screen or In-Person, You’re DLI’s Greatest Resource”
A new year offers a new start and the renewal of optimism. We all seem to reflect that in our New Year’s Resolutions. The stats, however, suggest our follow through has room for improvement. Apparently fewer than 25% of people actually stay committed to their resolutions until February, and only 8% continue with them through year end.
Volunteer Leadership Guides Institute & Industry
Drycleaning & Laundry Institute officials swore in DLI’s 2022-2023 Board of Directors at its Summer 2022 Board Meeting in Atlanta. DLI’s Board is comprised of fabricare business owners and operators from eight regions around the U.S., an Executive Committee, and Allied Trades representatives. All Board members volunteer their time and energy to guide the Institute toward providing the best benefit to DLI member cleaning professionals.
Continue reading “DLI Announces 2022-2023 Board of Directors”
Hello, fellow DLI members and thank you for your membership. My name is Jeff Schwegmann and I have the great honor to be your next DLI President. I am humbled and honored to serve our industry and be in the company of such great business leaders. Little did I know that by attending my local association meeting and being encouraged to attend a board meeting, that I would wind up at our national association. It truly is an honor and privilege to work for the membership and the great people of Drycleaning and Laundry Institute. My family has owned and operated our drycleaning company since 1946. I am the 4th generation of our family to run our company and proud to be a drycleaning business owner.
By being a member of DLI you are part of a special club or community of owner-operators who face the same challenges day in and day out. Drycleaners are a very giving group, it is fair to say that any member you meet will be willing to help you with your business. Chances are they have overcome the same challenge that is currently keeping you awake at night.
Continue reading “Farewell, Not Goodbye by Bobby Patel, DLI President 2022-2023”
DLI’s Board of Directors posed for a group photo at the entrance to The Institute’s offices and School of Drycleaning Technology, April 1, 2022, 50 years to the day after the formation of IFI when AIL and NID merged in 1972.
FRONT ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT): Ray Kroner, Rhonda Eysel, Kathy Benzinger (Treasurer), Jeff Schwegmann II, CGCP® (President-Elect), Bobby Patel (President), Kyle Nesbit (Treasurer-Elect), Hilary Taylor, Don Holececk, Ed Longanecker.
BACK ROW (L-R): Toran Brown, Norman Way, Allan Cripe, Mark Pollack CPD®, Tom Ustanik, John Mertes, Sassan Rahimzadeh. NOT PICTURED: Joe Blaha, Dru Carlisle, Jess Culpepper (Chair), Larry Fish.
DLI’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS MET IN-PERSON AT DLI’S SCHOOL OF DRYCLEANING TECHNOLOGY IN LAUREL, MARYLAND, APRIL 1, 2022, 50 YEARS TO THE DAY OF THE INSTITUTE’S FOUNDING ON APRIL 1, 1972, WHEN TWO INDUSTRY GIANTS MERGED. The National Institute of Drycleaning (NID, founded 1907) and the American Institute of Launderers (AIL, founded 1883) merged to form the International Fabricare Institute (IFI) on April 1, 1972. IFI rebranded to DLI in 2007 marking NID’s 100th anniversary.
Continue reading “DLI Board of Directors Steer Institute into the Future”
HOORAY!!! I am sure you are celebrating along with me that we can finally get back to the business of doing business. It’s been a difficult two years but we have come out of some really tough economic times. Kudos to you!
We all learned a lot and like you, many of the practices we put in place wound up being best for our businesses.
Continue reading “Mary Scalco: The Comeback is Always Greater than the Setback”
I would like to wish all my fellow drycleaners a very happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year. Our industry has weathered the biggest crisis we have faced in our lifetimes. With every crisis comes opportunity and we have a chance to capture a more significant piece of the pie.
To survive the changes sweeping our industry, we must adapt and think outside the box. Over the years, we drycleaners have faced many challenges, yet we adapt and get tougher with every challenge. Resilience is a muscle one can strengthen over time and the challenging times we are facing present an opportunity to flex this muscle. Several techniques I’ve found helped me build my resilience over the years and I hope you may find some of them helpful as well.
Continue reading “From DLI’s President: Building Resilience for a Stronger Future”
DLI’s Board of Directors recognizes valued contributions and inducts new volunteer leadership each year. New Directors are sworn in as their predecessors move to an executive position or become DLI Senators, an exclusive title for previous members of the Board. This year DLI welcomes a host of new faces to its governing body.
