The other day Carey Mitchell sent an e-mail saying he had retired from Shaw Industries, the largest carpet maker in the world. There was an attachment with some hand-written speeches that he had given at Bane-Clene conventions and he asked if we would want them. It was very thoughtful of Carey and of course they will be put in a prominent place in our company archives.
Many famous people have been invited to speak at Bane-Clene meetings. Some were celebrities and many were hard-working people from inside and outside our industry who had an effect on our customers' businesses. Carpet industry people like Carey Mitchell, Ron VanGelderen, Bill Doan, Cy Gantt, Jim Keener, Irv Shaw, Don Mercer, Walt Lipscomb, Jon Trivers and Don Barrett, Jr. helped us build an image of credibility.
Carey was presented with our "Jimmie Award" for having a profound affect on our company and our customers. Shaw maintained a state-of-the-art laboratory to test and study the effects of cleaning on their products and over the years he sent members of his technical staff to Bane-Clene Institute. This commitment by Shaw Industries to work with cleaners demonstrated an understanding of where the rubber meets the road.
On behalf of all of us at Bane-Clene, may we wish you a blessed, healthy and happy retirement Carey. Thank you for your many years of service to our industry.
