Members of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists (AWGS) met recently in Dublin, OH, to tour Dublin Cleaners, owned and managed by the Butler family, and to listen to a variety of seminars and socialize.
Guests at the event heard from digital marketing specialist and AI expert Kristina Stubblefirld, and Emily Rochotte, a social media manager whose specialty is TikTok content.
A highlight of the meeting was the presentation of the 13th annual Jack Barth Memorial Award of Excellence. Initiated by Linda Stokes-Barth in remembrance of her late husband and his achievements in the drycleaning industry, the award recognizes an AWGS member for advancement, promotion, and development of industry standards for wedding gown care and for outstanding contributions and service to the association and its members.
This year’s honoree, was Nadine Rana of Style & Grace Cleaners in Toronto, Ontario. Her parents, Neville and Grace Mungal, joined AWGS in 1991, and Rana and her brother Don Mungal (of Drape Master) are currently second-generation owners. Rana has presided over rebranding her company from multiple names to the new designation Style & Grace Cleaners.
As she noted, “Our goal at Style & Grace is to take the term ‘Take you to the cleaners’ and turn it on its head, leaving you with a positive experience, polished product, and convenient service.”
Other speakers at the event included Jim Gilligan of Snedicor’s in Howell, MI, as well as Gary Fine of Parkers Custom Clothing Care in Toronto, Ontario, and Mickey Goldberg of One Local.
Retiring president Kermit Engh with incoming president Kyle Matthews
Retiring president Kermit Engh of Fahion Cleaners in Omaha, NE, presided over the installation of officers: incoming president Kyle Matthews of Janet Davis Cleaners in Berkeley, MI; vice president Gary Fine of Parkers Custom Clothing Care in Toronto, ON; and secretary-treasurer Rhonda Wernick of Oakwood the Greener Cleaners in Nashville TN.