Editor’s Note – January/February 2025
At the risk of sounding like an old person (I’m 61), I must ask: How are we to the year 2025 already? For those too young to remember — or not even born — it was kind of a big deal when we stopped putting “19” in front of years and started using “20,” as in 2000, 2001, 2002 … And quite frankly, it doesn’t seem to me all that long ago.
The late American screenwriter Ben Hecht was once quoted as saying, “Time is a circus, always packing up and moving away.” What I have found about aging is, time does seem to move faster the older you become.
When I was a kid, the school year felt like it lasted forever. I couldn’t wait for summer vacation to finally arrive — freeing myself from what seemed like endless days in the classroom and nights doing homework. Christmas and my birthday also seemed to take their sweet time in arriving. The problem is, as one becomes older, the busyness of life speeds time up. That is probably due to daily demands brought about by work, family commitments and trying to meet endless deadlines that are part of adult life.
If anybody were to ask me what advice I would give to a young person, it probably wouldn’t be about saving money or always doing your best — even though those are good virtues. My advice would be simpler: “Enjoy being young — everything about it. Smell the roses as a young person. And never, ever wish you are older. That will come soon enough, and once it does, good luck trying to be 18 again.”
It’s been said by many, “Youth is wasted on the young.” That may be true, but that doesn’t mean youth is a waste of time. Far from it. It’s just that being young often brings the notion that youth will last forever, and that simply is not true. Before you know it, the first 25 years of a “new” century is nearing completion. I guess the best anybody can do is enjoy the ride and look forward to what the future will bring. One’s past is often to be treasured, but the future brings with it a certain level of excitement that is unmatched by previous events.
The cover article for the January/February 2025 issue of MSN focuses on Thornton Brothers, a
distributor of jan/san and related products and services located in Athens, GA. In business since 1939, company officials continue to focus on what has brought Thornton Brothers to prominence over the past eight-plus decades, while also looking ahead to future partnerships and continued growth.
“We’ve come a long way through the years due to a great sales team and other dedicated employees who embody our values and consistently deliver for our clients,” Thornton Brothers President and CEO Clay Gilbert said, during a recent interview. “Thornton Brothers has also thrived thanks to the loyalty of our customers and the support of our trusted supply partners.”
Gilbert added the distributorship is broad-based, focusing on a wide variety of customers within such segments as jan/san, packaging, and safety supplies. The company has expanded as well in recent years, such as providing products and services related to laundry and warewash.
This issue also includes our annual Buyers Guide. From A to Z, key suppliers to the cleaning and related industries are highlighted.
I would like to thank everyone for their continued support of Maintenance Sales News. Please send news items and story ideas to: harrellk@rdgmedia.net. Stay young!
Harrell Kerkhoff
Editor, Maintenance Sales News Magazine