Fran Sadler is a second generation drycleaner.  She graduated from IFI's 6 week General Drycleaning and Management Course in Joliet, Il.  She also studied Fibers and Fabrics under Dr. Dorothy Lyle in Silver Spring, MD.  Fran grew up in her family's multi-store business in Severna Park, Maryland and then moved to Massachusetts where she owned and operated a successful drycleaning operation for 12 years.  During her years in Massachusetts, Fran was also giving seminars and workshops for IFI and other drycleaning associations.

When IFI offered Fran a full time position as an instructor, she sold her plant to move back to her home state.  She worked at IFI as an instructor and the hot line's Technical Information Specialist through the mid 90's.

She now conducts nationwide seminars on stain removal, problem garments, customer service, finishing techniques and wet -cleaning for IFI and Joint State Associations.  Independently, she does private consulting and in-plant training for individual drycleaners.  Her focus is tailored to your particular needs.

Fran is an award winning Dale Carnegie graduate.  She is also CPD and CED certified and is an award winning Jolly Belin member.

Jane C. Zellers, CED, consultant, lecturer and former owner of dry-cleaning establishments has been involved in the laundry and dry-cleaning industry all of her life.  Coming from a three-generation dry-cleaning family, she has gained experience in customer service, knowledge of fabrics, stain removal and all related concerns of the business.  Her lectures and training programs have taken her across the United States and as far away as England, Australia and New Zealand.

Zellers’ enthusiasm translates into professional dedication for her audience.  “After attending one of my seminars,” she states, “I want each person to feel more confidence in handling routine problems as they arise.”  Zellers’ seminars cover a variety of situations.  She teaches customer service, stain removal, dry-cleaning, finishing, shirt laundry, and wetcleaning/restoration for wedding gowns, vintage garments, fragile and trimmed garments.  Her training sessions also include plant startups, review of layouts, production and “hands-on” employee training.  As those who have attended these seminars attest, Jane Zellers offers a professional response to any question involving the profession.

MARTIN YOUNG

            Martin L. Young Jr. is a graduate of UNCC and a second-generation dry cleaner.  He has served as an industry trainer and consultant since 1991, while continuing to operate his own plant in Concord, NC.  In 1994 he was invited to the International Fabricare Institute to help design their outreach education program.  He has conducted numerous seminars in the eastern United States for the International Fabricare Institute, South Eastern Fabricare Association, and the North Carolina Association of Launderers and Cleaners as well as training and consulting on an individual level.  A 1997 article in American Drycleaners magazine named Martin as one of the "best buys in the industry" as a trainer and consultant.  He currently serves as President of the North Carolina Association of Launderers and Cleaners.  He takes great pride in continuing the tradition of quality fabricare established by his parents; evidenced by a recent newspaper readers survey, naming Young Cleaners the "Best Drycleaner," for the ninth consecutive year. In September of 2005, Martin’s plant was one of the very first to earn the Clothing Care Council “Award of Excellence” for Quality Garment Cleaning & Customer Service.

CHRIS ALLSBROOKS

Besides the daily Analysis Lab work she does, Chris played a leading role in IFI’s "Problem Garment" video series, and appeared in various national television broadcasts, including ABC’s "Good Morning America." She also appeared on several local news channels, and the BBC. National magazines, including GQ Men’s Health, Martha Stewart Living, In Style, Real Simple, and Glamour, quoted her on numerous fabric-related issues. She has also been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, and she has been a guest speaker on several radio call-in shows. She speaks at education seminars and conferences, including at the last six Clean Shows - - the drycleaning industry’s largest educational and product exhibition event. She has also taught classes at SDA’s school at the International Textile Center at Texas Tech University, as well as classes at other universities.

James Peuster

James Peuster is one of the leading consultants in the Dry-Cleaning industry who specializes in developing Million Dollar Routes through coaching and cost analysis. James enters his 8^th year and has travelled to over 100 plants. By focusing on building dry-cleaning businesses through marketing and training personnel in all aspects of customer service in the areas of both routes and retail, dry-cleaners can build their business by growing them together. James’s motto is developing your people to develop your business. James brings a unique vision for those who want to become a 21^st century dry-cleaner. He also has management groups for route-specific operators.

For more information, he can be reached at (877) DR-ROUTE or his website is www.theroutepro.com

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Dr. Raleigh (Sandy) Seay

Dr. Raleigh F. (Sandy) Seay, Jr., is President of Seay Management Consultants, Inc., a full service Human Resources Management firm, located in Orlando, Florida.  He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Virginia Tech, a Master’s Degree from Rollins College and a Ph.D. in the Humanities from Warnborough College.  He has held Human Resources Management positions with Burlington Industries, American Hospital Supply Corporation, Roanoke Memorial Hospitals and SESCO Management Consultants and acquired Seay Management Consultants, Inc., in 1981.  Sandy served as an armor officer with the 3rd Infantry Division, U.S. Army in Europe, from 1968-1970.  He is a frequent speaker at management conferences and seminars and has conducted management development workshops throughout the United States and in three foreign countries.  He is the author of a host of articles and management guides in the field of Human Resources Management and Labor Relations, including How to Write an Employee Handbook and How to Hire and Retain Good Employees and Motivate Them to Superior Performance.

 As President of Seay Management Consultants, Sandy and his professional staff help their clients (1) comply with state and federal employment regulations, utilizing the widely acclaimed Seay Management Human Resources Management Audit, and (2) develop the policies, procedures manuals and documents employers need to hire and retain good employees, such as compensation management programs, employee handbooks, conflict resolution, Affirmative Action Plans, employee opinion surveys, management development workshops and other important management programs.  Seay Management Consultants has been in operation since 1966 and has more than 400 clients located throughout the United States.  Sandy has served on the Governor’s Advisory Council on Business and Education for the State of Florida, the Human Resources Committee of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Directors of the Central Florida Chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Parent Resource Center, the Central Florida YMCA and the University Club.  He is past President of the Orlando Rotary Club and currently serves on the Board of Advisors of the Hamilton Holt School of Rollins College and the Country Club of Orlando.  He attends St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, serves on the Distinguished Alumni Counsel of the English Department at Virginia Tech, is past President of the Central Florida Hokie Club, is a charter member of the Thomas Murphy Society and a mentor for distance learning students at Warnborough College. 

Sandy is closely involved with Irish genealogy and history and has written several manuscripts chronicling his family’s genealogy and history in America and in Ireland (the O’Shee family of the southwest of Ireland), including The Mystery of Mathew Seay, published by Tidewater Virginia Families.  His poem “Upon First Arriving in Kilkenny” was published by the Irish Genealogical Society.  He is an adjunct Professor of Humanities at Rollins College and Valencia Community College and is a frequent speaker on the ancient Greek civilization, with a specific interest in the Renaissance and the literature of the Trojan War.  As of the moment, he and his wife Linda have two daughters, three granddaughters and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

“Some people see things as they are and ask why; I dream things as they never were and ask, why not?”

                                             George Bernard Shaw, Irish Dramatist.