CINCINNATI – Cintas Corporation (Nasdaq: CTAS) today announced the top 10 finalists in its 11th annual Cintas Custodian of the Year contest. This year’s finalists across the U.S. have shown tremendous dedication and commitment to their schools. From now through April 12, the public can vote for their favorite custodian at custodianoftheyear.com.
“Every year we receive thousands of heartfelt nominations and inspirational stories,” said John Rudy, Senior Marketing Director of Cintas. “It’s not an easy decision to make, but this year’s Top 10 finalists are exceptionally deserving of recognition for the hard work they contribute to their schools as well as their communities.”
The greatest number of public votes determines the winner of the Cintas Custodian of the Year contest. Cintas will award $10,000 to the winning custodian and $5,000 in Cintas and Rubbermaid Commercial products and services to the winner’s school. The winning school will also receive a complete facility assessment valued at $20,000, in partnership with the Cleaning Industry Management Standard, advanced by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council certification from The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association, ISSA. Cintas will also award the winning school a pizza party for all staff and students. The other nine finalists will receive $1,000 each and complimentary tuition to one ISSA Cleaning Management Institute virtual training event, valued at $1,500. The finalists’ schools will also receive a cleaning supply package from Rubbermaid Commercial Products. Again, this year, the top three finalists will receive an all-expense-paid trip for two to the ISSA Show North America in Las Vegas in November where they’ll be celebrated for their accomplishments.
“It’s important to recognize all that custodians do to create a safe and welcoming learning environment,” said John Barrett, Executive Director of ISSA. “This year we have an outstanding line-up of finalists who go above and beyond to be a positive role model to students and their schools.”
The top 10 finalists in the 2024 Cintas Custodian of the Year contest include (in alphabetical order):
1. Davida Boyd – Helena Park Elementary School (Nederland, Texas)
2. Bob Galewski – Wabasha-Kellogg High School (Wabasha, Minn.)
3. Salvatore “Mr. Sal” Gano – Evergreen Elementary School (Scotch Plains, N.J.)
4. Steve Gasak – Dessie F. Evans Elementary (Puyallup, Wash.)
5. William “Mr. Billy” Krajewski – Quaker Hill Elementary School (Waterford, Conn.)
6. Rudy “Coach Rudy” Ontiveros – Vineyard Junior High School (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.)
7. Joemar Quiros – Frederick Harris Elementary School (Springfield, Mass.)
8. David Smith – Loveland Intermediate School (Loveland, Ohio)
9. Drusilla Stinson – Auburn University (Auburn, Ala.)
10. Hilda “Ms. Hilda” Valentin – Milwaukee Math and Science Academy (Milwaukee)
“We’re honored to take part in celebrating the hard work of these custodians, and we wish them all the best in the contest,” said Robert Posthauer, Sr. Vice President and General Manager of Rubbermaid Commercial Products.
For more information about the Custodian of the Year contest, contact Brianna Fitzpatrick at [email protected]. A Custodian of the Year logo, as well as photos of the top 10 finalists are available via Dropbox here.
About Cintas Corporation:
Cintas Corporation helps more than one million businesses of all types and sizes get Ready™ to open their doors with confidence every day by providing products and services that help keep their customers’ facilities and employees clean, safe, and looking their best. With offerings including uniforms, mats, mops, restroom supplies, first aid and safety products, safety training, fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems and alarm service, Cintas helps customers get Ready for the Workday®. The company is also the creator of the Total Clean Program™ — a first-of-its-kind service that includes scheduled delivery of essential cleaning supplies, hygienically clean laundering, and sanitizing and disinfecting products and services. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Cintas is a publicly held Fortune 500 company traded over the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CTAS and is a component of both the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and Nasdaq-100 Index.
About ISSA:
With more than 10,500 members – including distributors, manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, wholesalers, building service contractors, in-house service providers, residential cleaners, and associated service members – ISSA is the world’s leading trade association for the cleaning industry. The association is committed to changing the way the world views cleaning by providing its members with the business tools they need to promote cleaning as an investment in human health, the environment, and an improved bottom line. Headquartered in Rosemont, Ill., USA, the association has regional offices in Milan, Italy; Toronto, Canada; Sydney, Australia; Seoul, South Korea; and Shanghai, China. For more information about ISSA, visit www.issa.com or call 800-225-4772 (North America) or 847-982-0800.
About Rubbermaid Commercial Products
Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP), headquartered in Huntersville, NC, is a manufacturer of innovative, solution-based products for commercial and institutional markets worldwide. Since 1968, RCP has pioneered technologies and system solutions in the categories of washroom and safety, cleaning, waste handling, material transport, and food services. RCP is part of Newell Brands’ global portfolio of leading brands and continues to develop innovative products. Visit www.rubbermaidcommercial.com to learn more.