Ed D’Elicio owned and operated a few drycleaning plants one of them being the largest drycleaning plant in the State of Florida (14,000 sq ft) -- cover story of the October ’94 issue of the American Drycleaner magazine – The Plant of the Future. Ed was the first major drycleaning route operator in Palm Beach County primarily serving Palm Beach, Jupiter Island, Singer Island, West Palm Beach and Boca Raton. He owned and operated one the largest tailor shops in South Florida with seven custom tailors. Ed has been an independent consultant since February 1998 having consulted to some of the largest independent drycleaners in the United States while operating dry cleaning management bureaus. Over the years Ed has conducted a series of seminars across the United States on various topics related to dry cleaning. Ed has also designed over 50 dry cleaning plants since 1999. Two examples are Jones Cleaning Centers, Fresno, CA (7500 Sq ft) which was awarded, ‘Plant Design of the Year Award for 2004’ as well as Rey’s Cleaners, Miami, FL (32000 sq ft) which received a Merit award nationally for central plant design in 2005. Ed has been on the forefront of computer integration and garment tracking systems, having integrated RFID technology and computerized conveyor systems into plant design. In addition to systems development, Ed is also involved in financial analysis, business valuations and route development for his clients. In 1999/2000, Ed founded America’s Best Cleaners (ABC) which is now expanding into World’s Best Cleaners (WBC). This organization identifies, locates and recognizes the top drycleaners in various Metropolitan Statistical Areas in the US and Internationally. To be recognized, one must meet a rigorous set of criteria – essentially placing that cleaner at the highest level within its marketplace -- established in conjunction with the Hohenstein Institutes (www.hohenstein.de) with whom WBC/ABC has a contract as their exclusive representative in the US and Canada. Ed was also instrumental in introducing Mainetti USA the world’s largest hanger company to the drycleaning industry and was on the forefront of introducing Liquid CO2 to the drycleaning industry as an environmentally friendly, stable, safe, gentle solvent. He also helped introduce Metalprogetti USA, based in Perugia, Italy, a high-tech conveyor company, to the US market