What is the true value of leadership development? In this episode of the Linen, Uniform & Facility Services Podcast, we sit down with Sergio Peña, district manager at Roscoe Co., Chicago, and graduate of TRSA's Executive Management Institute (EMI), to discuss the lasting impact the program has had on his career, leadership style and professional network.

In this episode of the Linen, Uniform & Facility Services Podcast, Laura Waldman, vice president, Superior Linen Service, Tulsa, OK, shares how TRSA's Executive Management Institute (EMI) helped her transition into an executive leadership role and build a strong network of industry peers. She discusses the program's impact on her professional and personal development, the practical lessons she's applied within her organization and why she believes EMI is one of the industry's most valuable leadership-development programs.

Andrew Wittmann, senior research analyst, Robert W. Baird & Co., gives an update on economic trends in the linen, uniform and facility services industry, including an overview of the potential Cintas and UniFirst deal and its impact on the marketplace. Baird partners with TRSA to publish a quarterly report on economic trends in the industry. For more information and to participate in the survey, contact Wittmann at [email protected].

Liz Remillong, vice president of strategic alliances at CORE Linen Services; and Stephanie Gregg, senior consulting director, indirect spend, at Vizient, share their thoughts on the role that group purchasing organizations (GPOs) play in the healthcare sector and their impact on healthcare laundry services. Remillong and Gregg share their thoughts on the evolution and role of GPOs, pressures facing modern healthcare systems, supply chain resiliency and the importance of reusable textiles, infection prevention, ways to improve partnerships between laundries and healthcare providers, and more. For information on TRSA's 15th Annual Healthcare Conference, scheduled for Oct. 14-15, 2026, in San Diego, visit www.trsa.org/healthcare.

At the 14th Annual Healthcare Conference in Boston, TRSA Chair Randy Bartsch, the executive chair of Ecotex Healthcare Linen Service, moderated a panel discussion featuring a dynamic group of industry leaders discussing the evolving landscape of the healthcare market sector. Panelists included Michael Barner, the CEO of CORE Linen Services; Ben Berstein, vice president of corporate development at Nixon Medical; and Phillip Foussard, president at HHS-FMA Laundry. For information on TRSA's 15th Annual Healthcare Conference, scheduled for Oct. 14-15, 2026, in San Diego, visit www.trsa.org/healthcare.

TRSA President & CEO Joseph Ricci, TRSA Chair Randy Bartsch from Ecotex Healthcare Linen Service and TRSA Vice Chair PJ Dempsey from Dempsey Uniform and Linen Supply give an overview of the highlights to look forward to at the 2026 Annual Conference & CEO Summit, scheduled for May 12-14 in Napa, CA. Thanks to SonicAire for sponsoring this episode of the podcast. Visit SonicAire.com for more information.

A group of industry veterans that also serve as TRSA's Hygienically Clean Auditors discuss the highlights from the Clean Show floor, including automation, digitalization and more. Recorded live at the recent Clean Show in Orlando, FL, with John Highsmith, Dan Sanchez, Doug Story and TJ Peterson. Questions? Comments? Contact us at [email protected].

Currie Gilbert and Caleb Gilmer from Performance Matters discuss the need for route service representative (RSR) training in the linen, uniform and facility services industry, and highlight a partnership between TRSA and Performance Matters to fill that need through a program launched at the recent Clean Show in Orlando, FL. The two tailored RSR training programs include RSR QuickStart Training, which is ideal for new RSRs; and RSR ProTrack Training, which is designed for experienced RSRs. For details on the program, visit www.trsa.org/events-education/on-demand-learning/rsr/.

Larry Erickson, the chief technology officer at Kannegiesser North America, discusses breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI), the importance of collecting data and using it to improve plant productivity and efficiency, as well as technology that will shape the future of laundry plant operations. View the latest technology in action at Clean Show 2025. For more information, visit www.thecleanshow.com.

Fresh off a major legislative victory in Texas, TRSA's Vice President of Government Relations Kevin Schwalb joins the podcast to discuss the economic benefits of reclassifying the industry under the "retail trade" category for tax purposes, the impact of the new law on TRSA members and the linen, uniform and facility services industry, and how TRSA's advocacy efforts helped get Texas Senate Bill 2774 and House Bill 1769 signed into law by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. If you're interested in getting involved in TRSA's advocacy efforts, save the date for the 16th Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, DC, on Feb. 17-19, 2026. Visit www.trsa.org/legcon for more information.

TRSA Chair Randy Bartsch, Ecotex Healthcare Linen Service, Vancouver, British Columbia, discusses his goals for the association and the industry during his two-year term as TRSA Chair, the association's expanded advocacy efforts in Canada, the benefits of certification, developing the next generation of industry leaders, healthcare trends and more.