Planet Laundry Nov 2020

COVER STORY

Years in the laundry industry: Two years After your service, what inspired you to get into the laundry business? I liked the opportunity to have both a leadership role and be able to work with my hands on the equipment as well. I had no idea what went into laundry previous to working for Girbau North America. It is definitely a very interesting industry. What skills did you learn in themilitary that helped prepare you for success in the business world, as well as in life? Prior to enlisting in the Air Force, I had no electrical knowledge whatsoever. My in-class technical training lasted for about four months, and it was on-the-job training after that. The Air Force also taught me how to work with a sense of urgency to complete the mission. Repairing fighter jets is a fast-paced environment, because of the mission you carry out. Providing accurate information and helping people get their laundry equipment up and running as soon as possible is similar to working the flight line. What programs or resources for veterans would you recommend? I would suggest veterans becomemembers of the various organizations available to all of us, such as their local American Legion and VFW. There are many business leaders

within these organizations who can create opportunities for you through networking. Also, be sure to reach out to your local Veteran Service Officer to see what programs are available to you. Specifically, I used the GI Bill to help pay for college.

LEE NORMAN Wash Away – Sharpsburg, Ga. Military branch: U.S. Army Years of service: 1955-1958, plus five years in the reserves Career path while in the military: Combat engineer and truck/tank mechanic Rank upon discharge: E3 Specialist Years in the laundry industry: Six years After your service, what inspired you to get into the laundry business? After my military stint, I

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