Editor’s Note – June 2025

Harrell Kerkhoff

This issue of Maintenance Sales News features our publication’s second annual “New Products Award Entries.” Subscribers will soon vote on the entries, with first place given in different categories. The winners will be recognized in our September 2025 issue, as well as online, on social media, and in our enewsletters through the end of the year.

There are a wide variety of products to be judged, which indicates the amount of innovation that continually takes place within the cleaning industry — allowing away-from-home facilities of all types to remain clean and safe well into the future. Product innovation also benefits distributors as it gives them new items to showcase when meeting with current and potential customers.

We will see who the winners are in our September issue — but really, all these products are winners when it comes to helping the industry grow. Good luck and congratulations to all!

Meanwhile, the cover article of our June 2025 issue focuses on the annual DPA (Distributor Partners of America) Buying Conference, which was recently held in Orlando, FL.

The DPA Buying Group, which celebrated its 25^th anniversary at this year’s Buying Conference, is a member-driven marketing and procurement group of independent distributors and national suppliers in the Janitorial/Sanitary, Safety Equipment & Clothing, Industrial, Packaging and Restoration industries.

I would like to thank DPA CEO Zachary T. Haines, DPA President Jeff Tishko, and DPA V.P. of Distributor Development Mary Rouse for their generosity and help regarding our publication’s coverage of this event.

Jeff Tishko perhaps put it best when discussing the importance of the Buying Conference: “It’s good to visit with people from around the country, learn about new products, and find out how different companies are tackling problems and taking advantage of certain changes found in various market segments.”

This issue also includes our annual “Special Section: The Guide To Green,” featuring key “green” products from trusted manufacturers/suppliers that are making a difference in the cleaning industry. These products not only work well and are comparative in price, but through their use, help cleaning professionals improve sustainability goals.

And finally, have a great summer everybody! Here are some of my favorite quotes about summer to get us ready for the season:

• “Sun is shining. Weather is sweet. Make you wanna move your dancing feet.” – Bob Marley;
• “It’s summer and time for wandering…” – Kellie Elmore;
• “Summer Afternoon – to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” – Henry James;
• “I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June.” – L. M. Montgomery;
• “Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.” – Sam Keen;
• “It’s a smile, it’s a kiss, it’s a sip of wine…it’s summertime!” – Kenny Chesney;
• “One must maintain a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter.” – Henry David Thoreau;
• “Spring being a tough act to follow, God created June.” – Al Bernstein;
• “I could never in a hundred summers get tired of this.” – Susan Branch;
• “Summer: Hair gets lighter. Water gets warmer. Nights get longer. Life gets better.” – Unknown.

Stay cool!

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.

Harrell Kerkhoff

Editor, Maintenance Sales News Magazine