UK
The TSA Board of Directors has announced the appointment of David Stevens as the new Chief Executive of the Textile Services Association. David can be reached at david.stevens@tsa-uk.org
Following the departure in December 2018 of Dr Philip Wright, after a nearly three-year tenure, the board’s first priority has been to ensure continuity of service for its members, resulting in Robin Rhodes joining the Association as interim manager to support the executive team.
After careful consideration, the board has now decided that David, a Board member himself for over 20 years and actively involved in many of the TSA activities, would take on the role of CEO to deliver the Association’ plans on a part-time basis.
Charles Betteridge, the TSA’s chairman said: “David enthusiastically stepped up to the task when we were looking for a new CEO, and his appointment brings a number of immediate benefits to the TSA. A long recruitment process could disconnect us further from the membership at a time when listening to our members must be our first priority.
“David has drawn-up a detailed two-year plan, during which time he will use his deep and intimate knowledge of the sector to help the TSA deliver what its members expect from their trade association.”
David Stevens said: “I am delighted to take on this challenging role and my key focus will initially be to make sure that the TSA delivers a vibrant and innovative programme of activities to engage the Membership on both the supply chain and laundry side.”
David spent more than 30 years in the commercial laundry business, starting early, in his formation years when he attended the UK’s only laundry-based higher education course, Laundry Technology and Management at Derby College.
He later joined the family laundry company Paragon, in 1982 as a production manager, before moving up to become general manager and then managing director in 1995. Not shy of taking up new challenges, David was one of the founding forces and later director of a leading national laundry conglomerate, the Brilliant Laundry Group. Having sold the family company in 2016 to CLEAN linen, David maintains a consultancy business and is now in the position to take on this new and exciting role.
David has been supporting the commercial laundry sector for many years, not just as a businessman, having been chairman of the TSA’s commercial committee for over 10 years.
In taking up the role of CEO, David Stevens resigned as a board member with immediate effect. A replacement board member is yet to be announced.
