Two rising professionals in the linen, uniform and facility services industry were selected to receive scholarships to attend TRSA’s 2025 Production Management Institute (PMI), which took place August 10–14 in Hyattsville, Maryland. Santiago Rodriguez of CORE Linen Services and Aaron Towns of ImageFIRST Healthcare Laundry participated in the intensive, weeklong program designed to develop the next generation of production leaders through hands-on training, classroom instruction and real-world case studies.
Funded by the TRSA Foundation—the Textile Rental Education and Research Trust (TRERT)—the Institute Scholarships support the industry’s future by providing access to high-impact professional development through TRSA’s signature education programs, including PMI and the Executive Management Institute (EMI).
Santiago Rodriguez, Operations Manager at CORE Linen Services in La Mirada, California, has worked in the industry for six years, all with CORE. With a deep appreciation for the essential role laundry services play in public health and daily operations, Rodriguez has grown steadily from Production Manager to his current leadership role. “I was eager to continue learning through the Production Management Institute,” he said. “PMI reinforced how people, processes, equipment and materials are all interconnected. Earning this certification enhanced my growth and leadership potential.”
Aaron Towns, Assistant Plant Manager at ImageFIRST Healthcare Laundry in Detroit, has been with the company for one year and is already setting his sights on long-term growth. Inspired by his father, Edwin Hobson—a PMI graduate and Production Manager at the Merrillville, Indiana facility—Towns is eager to follow in his footsteps. “Becoming a proud alumnus of PMI is an incredible milestone for me,” said Towns. “I’m determined to seize every educational opportunity to enhance my skill set and become a more effective leader.” His career aspirations include advancing to Plant Manager, then General Manager or Director of Operations, with an ultimate goal of serving at ImageFIRST’s headquarters.
“Programs like PMI and EMI are essential to building a strong leadership pipeline for our industry,” said TRSA President & CEO Joseph Ricci, CAE. “We’re proud to support professionals like Santiago and Aaron who are committed to advancing their careers and contributing to their companies’ success. They joined nearly 200 colleagues participating in TRSA’s leadership development institutes. We encourage operators to start thinking now about high-potential team members to nominate when applications open next spring for the 2026 TRSA Institutes.”
The Textile Rental Education and Research Trust is dedicated to advancing industry education, research and professional development. Funded by donations from TRSA members, the foundation has supported more than 30 internships and awarded more than 15 scholarships to employees of TRSA operator and supplier partner companies and their families. It has also supported important research initiatives, including the Global Textile Services Market Analysis produced with the Economist Intelligence Unit, and an upcoming economic impact study from Oxford Economics, set to be released later this year.
