Jeff Cartwright: Alsco.

• Author: Stomeirowski, Peg
• Position: VIEW FROM THE TOP - Interview

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Jeff Cartwright began his career with Alsco washing trucks after high school classes in Medford, Ore. He later returned to Alsco, working in production while attending college in southern Oregon.

He was office manager, then production manager in Medford before becoming general manager in Blackfoot, Idaho. In 2001, he moved to Alaska with his wife to become general manager in Anchorage.

ABM: Tell us about Alsco's roots and growth.

Cartwright: Alsco, formerly American Linen Supply Company, is known as the first supplier of commercial textile services worldwide. It traces its roots to a modest beginning in 1889 by George A. Steiner in Lincoln, Neb. Until then, merchants, restaurateurs, tavern operators and factory owners had to pay a pretty penny to supply workers and facilities with linens and uniforms and to keep them clean. The concept of outsourcing was decades away.

Nonetheless, the idea caught on, and over 120 years, Alsco has grown to include more than 120 processing centers worldwide, including in Anchorage. Alsco entered the Alaska market in 1988 with the purchase of a small competitor. In 1996, a larger competitor was acquired, and processing was moved from downtown to the larger facility on Fireweed Lane in midtown.

ABM: Keys to Alsco's success here?

Cartwright: The Anchorage branch has seen steady growth. Success can be attributed to Alaska's strong economy, as well as to Alaska employees who've dedicated many working years to the textile services industry. The Anchorage branch itself represents a wealth of experience, with several employees having well over 20 years in the textile supply industry.

ABM: Describe the highs and lows of multi-generational family management.

Cartwright: Working for a fourth generation, the family-owned business has provided Alsco employees with a sense of security and loyalty that many of our publicly owned competitors do not provide. Each generation of family management has had its own unique and forward-looking vision for the continued growth and security of Alsco and its employees.

ABM: Of the three main business sectors served by Alsco, which is largest here? Hospitality, health care, or mining, petroleum and industrial--and why?

Cartwright: Health care is one of the largest business sectors for the Anchorage branch. Alsco currently serves three large...