WILMINGTON, Mass. () — Founder’s Day is the day each year when the 250-plus locations of UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF) across North America celebrate the memory and business values of company founder Aldo Croatti. The company’s 14,000-plus employee Team Partners took a break from their busy schedules on July 12 to honor the man who started the $1.8 billion uniform service and supply company on the same day in 1936.
Headquartered in Wilmington, Mass., UniFirst is a leading provider of customized work uniform programs, corporate attire, and facility service products to businesses throughout the U.S. and Canada. Together with its subsidiaries, UniFirst also provides first-aid and safety products, and manages specialized garment programs for the cleanroom and nuclear industries.
Founder’s Day has been an annual event since Mr. Croatti’s passing in 2001. Annual festivities held at each UniFirst facility include barbecues, speeches, fun-filled activities, employee awards, and more. The day also recognizes Mr. Croatti and his founding Core Values that remain the foundation of the company’s corporate culture today—Customer Focus, Respect for Others, and Commitment to Quality— with Team Partners renewing their annual commitment to the company’s Essentials of Service and pledging to keep customers the focus of everything they do.
This year’s companywide events also recognized some of UniFirst’s “unsung leaders”—employee Team Partners who work behind the scenes or on their own to positively influence peers, customers, or others in their communities without seeking recognition for their accomplishments. These individuals were nominated by their peers at UniFirst locations from coast to coast by submitting videos describing in detail the nominees’ “unsung” leadership qualities.
“It’s seemed fitting to honor my father’s legacy by celebrating the unsung leaders who are readily found throughout our locations at every job level. They’re the lifeblood of our company,” said Mr. Croatti’s daughter and UniFirst executive vice president Cynthia Croatti. “Aldo always led by example without seeking a lot of fanfare or attention, and simply did what was right for UniFirst, our customers, and his community.”
It is in this same spirit on Founder’s Day that each of the 250-plus UniFirst locations also named its Employee of the Year (EOY)—the person who best exemplifies the company’s Core Values. Each EOY was presented with an award and a special recognition gift, as well as a bonus paid day off. The EOYs also have their names engraved on commemorative plaques that are on permanent display at their local UniFirst locations.
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, as well as the delivery of facility service programs. Together with its subsidiaries, the company also provides first aid and safety products, and manages specialized garment programs for the cleanroom and nuclear industries. UniFirst manufactures its own branded workwear, protective clothing, and floorcare products; and with more than 250 service locations, over 300,000 customer locations, and 14,000-plus employee Team Partners, the company outfits nearly 2 million workers each business day. For more information, contact UniFirst at 888.831.1787 or visit UniFirst.com.
Contact:
Donna Kish
PR/Communications Specialist
UniFirst Corporation
68 Jonspin Rd.
Wilmington, MA 01887
978.527.3871
Donna_Kish@unifirst.com