At its November board meeting, the Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC) announced its 2011 board of directors. Currently 120 laundries have received HLAC accreditation and more are currently preparing nationwide.
The HLAC 2011 officers are:
- Chair: Nancy Bjerke, BSN, RN, MPH, CIC, Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) representative
- Vice Chair: Rocco Romeo, CEO, HLS Linen Services
- Secretary/Treasurer: Rob Potack, Vice President, Unitex Textile Rental Services
The HLAC 2011 board of directors also includes:
- HLAC immediate past chair, Patti Costello, Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE) representative
- Brad Bushman, American Reusable Textile Association (ARTA) representative
- Sandra Hensley, RN, MSEM, BSN, CIC, Consumer representative
- Rick Kislia, COO, Crescent Laundry
- Bill Mann, Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA) representative
- Ed McCauley, president/CEO, United Hospital Services
- Judy Reino, president, Reino Linen
- Lynne Sehulster, PhD, M (ASCP), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention representative
Joining the board is Chuck Rossmiller, CEO/general manager, Healthcare Laundry Systems/Crothall, Wheeling, Ill.
"I am honored to be leading such a distinguished team of laundry and healthcare leaders," says Nancy Bjerke. "Patient care and comfort remain a high priority for healthcare facilities. HLAC-accredited laundry providers offer the level of quality and consistency that directly aligns with the increasing supply chain needs of healthcare clients. In 2011, HLAC and the board will continue its focus on key initiatives of standards development, creation of value-added tools for accredited laundries, inspection consistency and education to healthcare professionals at all levels."
Founded in 2005, HLAC is an independent council that has developed a comprehensive set of standards for healthcare textile processing. It is the only organization that exclusively inspects and accredits laundries that process healthcare textiles. To learn more about the Standards, and the inspection and accreditation program, visit www.hlacnet.org.
CDC Urges Vigilance: New Recommendations for Monitoring and Testing H5N1 Exposures
July 11th 2025With avian influenza A(H5N1) infections surfacing in both animals and humans, the CDC has issued updated guidance calling for aggressive monitoring and targeted testing to contain the virus and protect public health.
IP LifeLine: Layoffs and the Evolving Job Market Landscape for Infection Preventionists
July 11th 2025Infection preventionists, once hailed as indispensable during the pandemic, now face a sobering reality: budget pressures, hiring freezes, and layoffs are reshaping the field, leaving many IPs worried about their future and questioning their value within health care organizations.
A Helping Hand: Innovative Approaches to Expanding Hand Hygiene Programs in Acute Care Settings
July 9th 2025Who knew candy, UV lights, and a college kid in scrubs could double hand hygiene adherence? A Pennsylvania hospital’s creative shake-up of its infection prevention program shows that sometimes it takes more than soap to get hands clean—and keep them that way.