Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 5th November 2026 Issue no. 1233
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ISSA announces 2026 Achievement Awards Honorees
ISSA has announced the 2026 ISSA Achievement Awards honorees, in its annual program that recognises professionals who are driving the industry forward through their contributions in their businesses and beyond.
These five honorees will be recognised on 17th November during the ISSA Spotlight Event & Awards ceremony at ISSA Show North America 2026, which takes place 16th -19th November at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
“The strength of our industry is built on the dedication, leadership and contributions of individuals who continually raise the bar for excellence,” says Laurie Sewell, ISSA Board of Directors president. “This year’s honorees represent the very best of our industry—from those who have dedicated decades to advancing our profession to emerging leaders shaping its future. Their commitment to innovation, education, mentorship and service inspires us all and demonstrates the lasting impact one individual can make.”
The 2026 Achievement Awards and their recipients are:
• ISSA Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award: Steve Swigart, chairman of Spartan Chemical Company. Presented by the ISSA Board, this Award honours an individual whose substantial contributions have advanced the industry and ISSA over a significant period of time. Steve has done exactly that since joining Spartan in 1970. He has helped guide the family-owned manufacturer through decades of growth and innovation while supporting educational opportunities for building service contractors and their families. Through it all, his guiding principle has remained simple: Build a company with good people.
• Jack D Ramaley Industry Distinguished Service Award: Stan Doobin, owner and CEO of Harvard Maintenance. This award is reserved for individuals with at least 10 years of outstanding service to the professional cleaning industry. Stan has given more than four decades. After trading plans for a Wall Street career to join his family's janitorial business, he helped grow Harvard Maintenance from about 80 employees into a national operation with more than 12,000. Along the way, his employee-first leadership and commitment to sharing knowledge have left a lasting mark on the industry.
• Manufacturer Representatives’ Distinguished Service Award: Jeff Stone, national sales manager at ProTeam. This award recognises individuals who support manufacturer representatives, the industry and ISSA. Jeff has done all three throughout a career built on relationships and service. His path began in his family's soap business in Detroit and led to 39 years representing ProTeam. He also spent 29 years as an independent manufacturer's representative and served on the ISSA Board of Directors. His story highlights the value of staying involved, mentoring others, and never burning bridges.
• ISSA Rising Star Award in Honour of Jimmy Core: Jameka Carter, events & social media project manager at Imperial Brady. This award recognises one of the 30 members of the 2026 Class of ISSA Emerging Leaders for notable contributions to their organisation and the industry. Jameka earned that distinction by growing from credit analyst to events and social media project manager at Imperial Brady. She brings people together through the company's Innovations Expos and her service on the ISSA Hygieia Network Event Committee. Her story underscores the power of mentorship, kindness and stepping outside one's comfort zone.
• ISSA Trainer of the Year Award Honouring Marion Ivey: Helge Alt (pictured), president of Puhastusekspert. Now in its second year, this award recognises outstanding excellence in training and education within the commercial cleaning and facility solutions industries. Helge Alt, of Estonia's Puhastusekspert, has demonstrated that excellence for more than three decades by helping cleaning professionals turn knowledge into better results. Her training emphasises practical skills that improve cleanliness while reducing wasted time, supplies and chemicals. Through educational resources, international projects and work developing Estonia's cleaning qualification system, Helge equips frontline workers and supervisors to raise standards and take pride in their profession.
Join ISSA in celebrating these five Achievement Awards recipients at the ISSA Spotlight Event & Awards ceremony on Tuesday,17th November at 9:00 a.m. PST at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Register for ISSA Show North America 2026 at: https://xpressreg.net/register/issa1126/landing.asp
For Las Vegas hotel and travel discounts, visit: www.issashow.com | www.issa.com
5th November 2026