LAS VEGAS — The American Reusable Textile Association (ARTA) and the Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC) recently hosted their fourth “Breakfast at Clean.”
This year, besides a meal and a chance to socialize at the Las Vegas Convention Center, ARTA says the June 6 event featured several award presentations, including the first-ever Nate Belkin Award for Excellence in Marketing Reusable Textiles, which was presented to Lac-Mac Ltd. of London, Ontario.
Lac-Mac Ltd. was established in 1920 and is one of North America’s leading manufacturers of reusable protective technical products for various market segments, according to ARTA. The company specializes in high-performance, liquid-proof, breathable personal protective equipment (PPE) products. For more than 30 years, Lac-Mac has been a licensed manufacturer for products using a family of technical GORE® fabrics, ARTA says. In addition, the company manufactures protective products under the exclusive R.MOR.Tex® brand for the operating room.
ARTA says the new award will be presented biennially to the member company that best exemplifies ARTA’s mission. Nate Belkin, Ph.D., founded ARTA in 1982 while working for Fashion Seal Healthcare. He died in 2010.
For the second award of the breakfast, Gerald (Jerry) Benstock, chairman emeritus of Superior Uniform Group and Fashion Seal Healthcare, was honored with ARTA’s Appreciation Award for his role as a founding supporter and friend of ARTA. Benstock was pivotal in ARTA’s formation by providing Belkin the support and time for the ongoing endeavor, the association says.
Benstock joined Superior Uniform Group in 1951 shortly after graduating from New York University College of Engineering, ARTA says. He worked as a plant engineer and floor manager before being tasked with designing and supervising the construction of a new corporate headquarters, sewing factory and warehouse in Huntington, N.Y. By the end of the 1960s, Superior Uniform Group had 12 manufacturing plants in the Deep South and a major warehouse and distribution center in Arkansas.
In the mid-1980s, Benstock expanded the company into Central America and established a major presence in El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Haiti, according to the association. It was during the early 1980s that Belkin went to Benstock with the request to launch ARTA.
Superior Uniform Group filed its first public offering of more than $10 million in 1968. Today, the company’s revenues exceed $250 million, ARTA says. As chairman emeritus, Benstock remains an active consultant to the company, still working five days a week and enjoying the success of his family members.
Finally, the ARTA MVP Award was presented to an association past president, Don Pedder. ARTA says Pedder was honored for his past and ongoing contributions to the association.
Pedder is a 50-year industry veteran and principal of Donald Pedder Consulting, according to ARTA. He started his career at Gordon Linen Service as a regional engineer. He later worked for Initial as an engineer, HLS Linen Services in Chicago as president and CEO, and Reino Linen Service as COO.
Pedder was the first laundry operator to join ARTA in 1992, according to the association. Under his leadership, laundry operators now make up 50% of ARTA’s membership.
In addition, Pedder established the association’s biennial education conference in 2006 and developed the organization’s sponsorship program. He also supported the creation of a Canadian ARTA, or CARTA, and later oversaw the merger of ARTA and CARTA.
Today, he works with Centurion Medical Products, consults for laundries, and serves as an HLAC inspector.
ARTA President Brendan O’Neill presented the awards.
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