Alsco Uniforms: The It Pays to Keep Clean Podcast

At his first Managers’ Meeting, Stratford General Manager Frank Gibbs talks with Dana about what brought him to Alsco Uniforms, the importance of meeting customers in person, and the unique team dynamics in the Stratford branch.

In this episode of the It Pays To Keep Clean podcast, Jim and Dana discuss Jim's most recent branch visits. He visited Music City to talk totes and AllFresh product sampling, the Mile High City to visit their well-maintained facilities and meet some success stories from the internal management development program, and the Valley of the Sun to see their creative initiatives to make safety fun.

In this episode of the It Pays To Keep Clean podcast, Dana says “ciao” to the President of Alsco Italia Fabrizo D’Antino, as they discuss his climb up the ranks in the company, the biggest changes he’s seen in his tenure, and the needed capacity of their new branches, both completed and in progress.

In this episode of the It Pays To Keep Clean podcast, Jim recounts his visits to Chicago and three Florida branches that have “never looked better”. Join Jim and Dana as they celebrate one of the best safety records company-wide in Miami, remark on the care taken by the team in Tallahassee, and praise the scheduled downtime for preventative maintenance in Tampa.

Shh… It’s a secret! In this episode of the It Pays To Keep Clean podcast, General Manager – New Zealand/Asia Monique Welsh and General Manager – Australia Steve Barden spill the beans on a new ESG initiative they’re excited about. They also discuss how they got to their current roles with Alsco Uniforms, market opportunities in APAC, and what they’re looking forward to in 2026.

In this episode of the It Pays To Keep Clean podcast, Chief Operating Officer of Alsco Italia Martina Testolina bravely fights her jet lag to talk with Dana about her 30-year! journey with Alsco Uniforms, expectations versus reality for starting her new position in January of 2020, and her current focus areas.

Description: "Since age 3, Senior Supply Chain Manager Jenny Shi has known she was destined to be a master negotiator. Now, she leads our small but mighty Supply Chain team with the same tenacity and drive. In this episode, she shares her ambitious plans for 2026 and beyond with Dana."

Author, public speaker, customer experience expert… magician? Shep Hyken speaks after his keynote address at the Managers Meeting in Carlsbad, CA. He details the five key actions to take when there’s a customer problem or complaint, shares the Employee Golden Rule, and emphasizes the importance of asking the Extra Question.

In this episode of the It Pays to Keep Clean podcast, Dana has the honor of speaking with the 2025 RR Steiner High Achievement Award winner Alex Stuart about her journey with Alsco Uniforms, her nationwide team of six, and her approach to growth in the healthcare space.

On Jim's last branch visits of 2025, he saw Lanham's point of pride recovering from equipment issues while maintaining new business, enjoyed some donuts with Alexandria's big service team, spent time with Wilmington's gregarious group of IPTKC podcast fans, and shared selling tips with Rochester's Route Sales Representatives.

Say g’day to this episode of the It Pays To Keep Clean podcast! Group Chief Executive for APAC Mark Roberts recounts his Alsco Uniforms journey that included a big move during the pandemic, strong ESG initiatives, and serving up the most important meal of the day.

In this episode of the It Pays To Keep Clean podcast, host Dana Craig has a chat with CLEAN CEO Kevin Godley about his journey from finance to the laundry industry, the impact of the last few years on their business, and their new plant in construction.

Never one to back down from a challenge, Regional Manager Russ Harsch made the leap from Region 7 to Region 3 less than a year ago, and it’s been action-packed ever since. Join us as Russ takes us through his journey in the industry, gushes about his team of leaders, and weighs the differences between the cultures in California versus Texas.

This ain’t his first rodeo! Cal Renick made the move from Regional Sales Manager in Region 7 to National Sales Manager in Region 2 less than a year ago, but you wouldn’t know it from Region 2’s big wins in the last quarter. Join us as he and Dana discuss the Springfield Clinic installation, tips for focusing on target market business, and teambuilding strategies for a young squad.

After connecting with an op-ed from Bob Steiner, Director of Human Resources , Gene Ketter knew Alsco Uniforms was the company he wanted to work for. Just ten days into his new position, he weighs in on running the Management Trainee Program, working with operations in the HR decision-making process, and his goals for the next 90 days.

In this episode of It Pays To Keep Clean, Jim catches the contagious energy of the teams in the Pacific Northwest as he discusses the Portland consolidation, the Seattle Fairmont installation, and the Vancouver C.A.R.E. Program.

Don’t let his southern roots fool you! Jacob Milford is loving the New England area as he visits our new acquisitions and gets to know his team in Region 6. Join us as he and Dana discuss hiring strategies, big wins from his first seven months, and the Churchill and MacIntosh acquisitions.

In this episode, Jim goes back on the road to visit our new locations from the Churchill and MacIntosh acquisitions. He shares how he got to meet the new teams, celebrate their rebranding efforts, and discuss new market opportunities in Allentown, Stratford, and Brockton.

In this episode of the “It Pays To Keep Clean” podcast, we hear from the Large Projects Team in our first-ever group interview! The crew defines what constitutes a large project, discusses how to integrate the regional engineers and S&P specialists in their projects, and shares how they manage uncertainty.

Against the beautiful backdrop of Canada Place in downtown Vancouver, honorary Canucks Jim and Dana chat about the Management Training Program at Alsco Uniforms, its evolution in our history, and the Topper Linen acquisition.

Before a much-needed travel break in May, Jim heads out to the Midwest for a four-part visit full of growth progress, strong 5S, and sharp-dressed RSRs! We also hear about his bonus trips to our two new locations in Brockton and Allentown, where he met some wonderful new additions to the Alsco Uniforms team.

In this episode, join Jim as he embarks on one of his biggest travel months yet, featuring dinners in the Dominican Republic, capacity opportunities in the Creole State, large customers in the Lone Star State, and seasonal business in the Sunshine State.

In this episode, Dana and Jim spotlight operations in the UK—from Alsco Uniforms acquisition of CLEAN, through a global pandemic, and into the present day. Jim also shares his career journey, showing that even after more than three decades, he’s still learning every day.

On Jim’s first branch visits of 2025, he celebrates the success of the new Renown healthcare account in Reno and Carson City, gets energized about growth with the team in Los Angeles, and escapes the chilly Utah weather in Phoenix.

In this episode, Eastern Division Director Tom Schrishuhn breaks down his division’s organic growth strategy and highlights the success of two recent acquisitions on the East Coast—all with a little help from those iconic Alsco Uniforms green trucks!

Home laundry mishaps won’t hold Tim Stuewer back! In this episode, Alsco Uniforms Director of Operations Support shows how his teams help Alsco Uniforms maintain its solid industry reputation by assisting the branches in serving their customers’ needs and keeping their employees safe.

Regional Manager Jean-Francois Gravel wants his new salesforce to win, relishes in the high praise of a reference customer, and accentuates the significance of trust and good communication for growth. C’est bien!

Regional Manager—and unofficial Region 7 head coach—Pelham Chastang gives a play-by-play of the commitment his team has to bring home some renewal wins.

National Sales Manager Dave Carman savors the sweet taste of Hershey as he underlines the importance of positive communication in growth meetings.

Regional Manager Jay Addis talks culture changes, relentless self-assessment, and a #OneTeam mindset.

After doubling the Canadian sales team over the last year, National Sales Manager Brian Davidson is hoping to continue that momentum through positive and efficient weekly growth meetings.

In the final episode of 2024, Jim reflects on this year’s highlights, memorable visits, and big wins—plus, he unwraps a special surprise!

National Sales Manager Chris Wilson calls out the St. Louis branch’s success in moving into a new market and Anchorage’s growth opportunities.

Regional Manager Beau Murchison explains Region 2’s top-down approach to growth, highlights renewing a long-held customer after they underwent leadership changes, and stresses the importance of sales blitzes.

Following in his grandmother’s footsteps, Regional Manager Tim Jones joined the laundry industry at a young age and joins Alsco Uniforms with great expertise and experience. In this episode, he celebrates several big wins in his region, including the Churchill Linen acquisition, and shares a positive outlook for 2025.

Coming off of a huge win with the Haas installation, National Sales Manager Cathy Marshall is training a new batch of Sales Consultants—all while sporting a fresh pair of kicks!

In this episode, Jim stays true, north, strong, and free as he ventures to a few Alsco Uniforms Canadian Branches and two back-to-back grand openings.

Alex Stuart, Corporate Account Healthcare Manager, shares the competitive advantages healthcare customers receive as a customer of Alsco Uniforms.

Share in the Grand Opening of our state-of-the-art facility in Surrey, B.C. Hear from Alsco Uniforms leadership as they describe what the new facility means to both the company and the rapidly growing Surrey community.

In this episode, National Sales Manager Brad Cox details how teamwork landed his team a multi-location account, and he emphasizes the opportunity for facility services additions as we end the year.

Inspired by the Growth Journey Update message from Jim Kearns, Divisional Director Kelly Johnson boasts the sensational Haas installation, appreciates the progression of the weekly growth meetings, and pledges a focus on training customer excellence in the back half of the year.

In this episode of the “It Pays To Keep Clean” Podcast, Julio Dominguez, an RSR from the Pennsauken, NJ depot of the Wilmington branch, tells the story of how a night out for a friend’s birthday turned into the perfect opportunity to gain some new business.

Listen to Episode 6 of the It Pays to Keep Clean podcast and gain insights from Jim’s recent visits to our Seattle, Billings, and Vancouver branches. Jim and Dana also highlight some early BIG WINS for the SUMMER SLAM PROMO.

In this bonus content Jim answers questions from the field

Jim Kearns visits the Alexandria, VA,; Lanham, MD,; and Wilmington, DE laundry facilities. He talks about a big new account onboarding in June and route sales. Website: https://alsco.com/ Apple Podcasts: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fadeb736-778f-4311-ae00-f8fe76cb883a/alsco-uniforms-the-it-pays-to-keep-clean-podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Tv7FFXEFxZ8gnCBGrfnGy Amazon Music: https://apple.co/4bZDC2T - X: https://x.com/alscouniforms - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alscouniforms - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alscoinc/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alscouniforms/

We get an update from Jim on his sales lead. We also hear about travel delays, Top 100 boards, and employee engagement as he shares his recent visits to several of Alsco's Texas branches.

Check out Episode 3 of the It Pays to Keep Clean podcast for insights from Jim Kearns recent visits to our Midwest branches and join us as we discuss what makes a good lead. Website: https://alsco.com/

In this bonus content episode, Jim Kearns and Dana Craig dive into the exciting details of the openings of two new branches.

Dive into Episode 2 of the It Pays To Keep Clean podcast as we explore Winners Circle and Winter in Florida.

Check out the first episode of the It Pays to Keep Clean podcast featuring Jim Kearns, COO of Alsco Uniforms with your host, Dana Craig.