BENTON HARBOR, Michigan - In 1958, Maytag organized a network of commercial laundry sales distributors to provide dependable equipment to both coin-operated laundries and apartment buildings. This group came together the same year in Newton, Iowa, for the first Maytag Commercial Laundry national sales meeting.

Maytag Commercial Laundry will celebrate its golden anniversary this year with the 50th Annual Commercial Laundry Meeting, February 28 through March 2 at The Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz. Maytag distributors from across the world will come together to celebrate 50 years of success, reward the outstanding sales performers of 2007 and go over the company’s strategic plan for 2008.

For many of the distributors, though, the meeting is a chance to see old friends and trade sales advice with one another.

“You get to renew old friendships and build new ones through networking,” said Jerry Wolf, owner of Wolf’s Distributing Company in Anchorage, Alaska. “You never quit learning. I make it a point to talk to other people at the meeting about what they’re doing in their markets and how it would work in mine.”

A Maytag distributor since 1948 and regular attendee of the annual commercial laundry meetings, Wolf remembers that first national commercial laundry meeting 50 years ago and the early days of the Maytag Commercial Laundry distributor network. In the early days, Wolf, who claims to have only missed one or two meetings over the past 50 years, says distributors would often take turns providing refreshments for the convention, sharing favorite delicacies from their regions with the rest of the distributor network.

“I would always bring down king crab legs and reindeer sausage from Alaska for everybody,” Wolf fondly recalled. “Of course, Maytag takes care of all that now, but we were in our grass roots period back then. “We were a very close group of individuals who had been associated with Maytag for a number of years. We all got along well with each other.”

Bernie Lofchick, owner of Midland Commercial Sales & Service in Winnipeg, Man., Canada, has attended annual commercial laundry meetings for the past 41 years, missing only one. He, too, looks forward to them every year.

“I’ve yet to go to a Maytag sales meeting that I haven’t enjoyed immensely,” Lofchick said. “The caliber of the folks at Maytag is second to none. The themes of the meeting have always been dynamic, and I know that Maytag goes through a lot of time and effort to provide us with interesting and exciting presentations.”

Making the effort to meet up at least once a year and maintain good working relationships with other Maytag distributors is very important to the success of the company’s sales force. “Everybody’s very helpful and willing to share their personal experiences and advice for the benefit of others,” he said. “Years ago, I coined the phrase ‘Together, we stick — apart, we’re stuck.’ It’s very important for all of us to work together.”

“We’re excited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our Annual Commercial Laundry Meeting this year,” says Craig Kirchner, director of global commercial laundry at Whirlpool Corporation. “We’re very fortunate to have such a strong, dedicated network of distributors, and the annual national meeting allows us to show our appreciation while presenting plans for continued success in the year ahead. It’s always been a wonderful event for all who attend.”

As seasoned veterans of the Maytag distributor network, both Wolf and Lofchick are still going strong well into their 70s. Enjoying what you do for a living makes that possible. “Maytag has been a great part of my life for the last 60 years, and I’ve enjoyed every moment working with my associates in the Maytag distributor network,” Wolf said. “At 77, I wouldn’t still be doing it if I didn’t enjoy it!