WILMINGTON, Mass. (July 2023) — UniFirst Corporation (NYSE:UNF), a North American leader in providing customized business uniform programs, facility service products and first aid and safety services, recently held its 22nd annual Founder’s Day on July 14. The event honored employees, as well as customers who exemplify the company’s commitment to service excellence.
Founder’s Day has been a yearly UniFirst event following the passing of company founder Aldo Croatti in 2001. The event is held with in-person celebrations at UniFirst’s 270-plus locations throughout North America. Thousands of UniFirst employee Team Partners take time to honor the man who first started the uniform service and supply company back in 1936.
This year’s theme paid tribute to Mr. Croatti through the lens “Legacy of Service.” At local celebrations from coast to coast, recognition was given to its hardworking Team Partners who have gone above and beyond and whose dedication is integral in making UniFirst a leader in the industry. Other awards included special commendations for customer loyalty and recognition of company milestones.
“At the heart of our company exists a deep appreciation for hardworking people—both customers and employees alike. These dedicated workers have been the driving force behind our success since day one,” said Cynthia Croatti, Special Consultant and Advisor to the CEO and Senior Leadership Team, and daughter of UniFirst founder Aldo Croatti. “As we reflect on the past 87 years year and look ahead to the future, we aim to honor and uplift our exceptional customers who have formed enduring partnerships with us. We will remain steadfast in our commitment to working hard and continuing our legacy of service.”
During the Founder’s Day celebration at its Wilmington, Mass. corporate headquarters, UniFirst honored its longstanding national account customer Savings4Members, a business consulting firm based in Manchester, New Hampshire. Savings4Members has partnered with UniFirst for over 12 years. UniFirst presented the Savings4Members team with the Customer Legacy Spotlight award, in recognition of their unwavering loyalty and embodiment of UniFirst’s core values of customer focus, commitment to quality, and respect for others.
“What an honor and privilege it was to attend the 2023 UniFirst Founder’s Day event and to be recognized with the Customer Legacy Spotlight award. Throughout the event, it was very clear to see what UniFirst’s core values are – customer focus, commitment to quality and respect for others,” said Jason Larson, Vice President, Savings4Members. “This is one of the many reasons we’re proud to partner with UniFirst, who provides our members with top-notch customer service. Thank you to the entire UniFirst organization for your commitment to our partnership.”
Founder’s Day is also an opportunity for each UniFirst location to name its Employee of the Year (EOY)—the person who best exemplifies the company’s Core Values. Customer Focus, Commitment to Quality, and Respect for Others are UniFirst’s fundamental core values, laying a solid foundation for delivering service excellence to businesses throughout the US and Canada for 87 years.
Each EOY was presented with an award and a gift of recognition, as well as a bonus paid day off. The EOYs have their names engraved on commemorative plaques that are on permanent display at their respective local UniFirst locations throughout North America.
“I am truly thankful for all of our hard-working Team Partners. Their dedication to always delivering for our customers, our company, and each other is what makes our company special and one that I’m proud to lead,” says Steven Sintros, UniFirst President and CEO. “My congratulations go out to all our Employees of the Year for demonstrating service excellence. And to our customers, thank you for trusting us to serve you.”
UniFirst also announced the recipients of their two higher-education scholarships, the annual Aldo Croatti Scholarship and the Ronald D. Croatti Scholarship programs. The former, awarded in honor of its namesake, assists children of UniFirst staff members in their academic pursuits. The latter, presented in recognition of the longtime president and CEO who passed away in 2017, helps full-time UniFirst employees who enroll in undergraduate or graduate study at an accredited college or vocational/technical school in the areas of information technology (IT), sales leadership, or business administration/leadership.
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About UniFirst
Headquartered in Wilmington, Mass., UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF) is a North American leader in the supply and servicing of uniform and workwear programs, facility service products, as well as first aid and safety supplies and services. Together with its subsidiaries, the company also manages specialized garment programs for the cleanroom and nuclear industries. In addition to partnering with leading brands, UniFirst manufactures its own branded workwear, protective clothing, and floorcare products at its five company-owned ISO-9001-certified manufacturing facilities. With more than 270 service locations, over 300,000 customer locations, and 14,000-plus employee Team Partners, the company outfits more than 2 million workers every day. For additional information, contact UniFirst at 888.296.2740 or visit UniFirst.com.
