ISSA Announces 2014 Achievement Award Winners

ISSA will present the following awards to these achievers in the professional cleaning industry during ISSA/INTERCLEAN® North America 2014, which takes place Nov. 4-7, 2014 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

Jack D. Ramaley Industry Distinguished Service Award
The Jack D. Ramaley Industry Distinguished Service Award may be conferred by the board to those individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service to the cleaning and maintenance industry through their innovation, professionalism, leadership, elevation of industry standards, promotion of the Association’s growth and development, unselfish dedication without personal gain, and emulation of the ISSA Code of Ethics. This year’s award recipient is Ids Boersma. After finishing his international marketing degree and working in various sales and marketing positions, in 1992, Boersma started working at Amsterdam RAI, ISSA's trade show partner. Within RAI, he has held several event-management positions, all closely related to organizing exhibitions, including the forerunner of ISSA/INTERCLEAN®, INTERCLEAN Amsterdam. From 2000 until 2003, he was responsible for the digital media department. In 2003, he was appointed RAI’s director of international exhibitions, where he was responsible for the portfolio of RAI’s market-leading international trade shows held in Amsterdam. During this period, he also developed and oversaw the geo-adaptation strategy for the events. A key aspect of this strategy was the creation of international alliances and joint ventures. He was RAI’s main point of contact with ISSA and played a vital role developing the special relationship that now exists between the two. He also chaired the ISSA/INTERCLEAN Committee for ISSA/INTERCLEAN Amsterdam. In December 2007, he was appointed managing director for RAI Exhibitions and took a place on the Amsterdam RAI Board of Directors. RAI Exhibitions is the division of Amsterdam RAI responsible for all trade and consumer shows organized by Amsterdam RAI. Despite these additional responsibilities, he has remained in close contact with ISSA and frequently shares thoughts and ideas concerning ISSA/INTERCLEAN and future developments with the association.

 Manufacturer Representatives’ Distinguished Service Award
The Manufacturer Representatives’ Distinguished Service Award recognizes a person within the industry who has had a positive impact on the industry and the association and who has been supportive of manufacturer representatives. This award is presented on behalf of all independent manufacturer representatives. This year’s award recipient is John Stroud. Stroud is president of the O’Dell Corp. in Ware Shoals, S.C., which has been an ISSA member since 1999. He began working in the jansan industry in 1977. He joined O’Dell in 1989, and under his leadership O’Dell has become a leading manufacturer in the wet mop, dust mop, microfiber, and broom categories. He attributes O’Dell’s success to his manufacturer representatives, who have been instrumental in the company’s growth. Outside of the industry Stroud is an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Greenwood, SC, where he serves as a deacon, an elder, and a trustee. He currently serves on the board of trustees for his alma mater, Presbyterian College, Clinton, S.C., and is actively involved in conservation efforts throughout South Carolina through Looped E Farm. He also has served on the board of the South Carolina Waterfowl Association for 17 years and currently serves on the board of directors at Countybank and JCB Holdings.

YES Industry Special Achievement Award

The YES Industry Special Achievement Award honors an individual or company from the industry who has made substantial contributions to the advancement of the cleaning industry and ISSA and who has demonstrated strong support of the Young Executive Society (YES). This year’s award recipient is James Ammons. Ammons started in the jansan industry in 1994, working for Scott Paper where he stayed for two years. When Scott Paper was sold, he moved to Baywest Paper, serving as an area manager. In 1996, he was hired by Angel Cotton, where he worked for 18 years (1996-2013), the first eight as an associate and the last 10 as a partner and director of sales, during which time the company won more than a dozen sales awards. This year, wanting to relocate to Texas, he sold his part of Angel Cotton to his partners and started work as the general sales manager at Peerless Marketing. An active supporter of ISSA, Ammons served six years on the YES Coordinators Committee (2004-10), including as 2006 Chair. He served twice as a panelist for ISSA’s Career Coach (2007, 2009), including one year as its panel moderator, and he served two years on ISSA’s Manufacturer Representatives’ Council (2009-10). Outside of ISSA, Ammons served on the Southern California Sanitary Supply Association board for eight years (1999-2006), including as president (2006). And in 2014, he received the Vendor of the Year Award from Matera Papers.

Source: ISSA