August Member Spotlight: Tom Keehan, Washing Systems

Tom Keehan
Vice President, Finance
Washing Systems

Washing Systems is the one of the largest providers of laundry cleaning products and services to the North American commercial laundry industry. As Vice President, Finance, Tom Keehan played an integral role in the legal, financial and administrative aspects of Washing Systems’ expansion into markets in the United Kingdom and France. The EACC, Tom says, provided both important networking opportunities and practical advice that eased Washing Systems’ transition into an international market. “After joining the EACC in 2009, we made key connections to resources representing the French government. We also attended seminars that provided insights into how to operate a successful business in Europe,” Tom said.

For EACC members like Washing Systems, seminars like the Operating in Europe series are full of relevant and practical information businesses need to know when broadening their scope to include a European presence. Over the course of three breakfast seminars, the Operating in Europe program addresses key issues, such as this fall’s upcoming themes: Buying and Divesting Companies, Banking, and Branding/Trade Shows and Trade Partners. “The EACC offers extremely practical advice from lawyers, CPAs, and other professionals who have extensive experience in assisting companies like ours in expanding into the European market,” Tom said. “Setting yourself up as a business is the easy part,” Tom says. “The real challenge is obtaining accurate information on the details of establishing a real presence in a new country.”

In addition to making contacts abroad, Tom values the opportunities the EACC presents for networking with companies in the Greater Cincinnati Region who are situated similarly. Connecting with other companies provides the opportunity for sharing experiences and solutions, and is a clear advantage of EACC membership.

Executive Director Anne Cappel says that the strong commitment to facilitating relationships between members is what sets the EACC apart from many other professional groups. “Currently, we assist similarly situated companies in arranging one-on-one meetings to share experiences and build upon ideas for best practices. The request for this kind of assistance has grown significantly, and we are seriously considering a future program that would create a safe place for a roundtable discussion for member CEOs to connect with each other,” Anne said. For Washing Systems, as well as many other member companies, the EACC continues to be an invaluable resource for connecting to the right people and best information in their new markets.

Washing Systems Background:

- Company incorporated in Cincinnati 1989.
- In 2008, Washing Systems introduced its “Pure Solutions Line,” a full line of environmentally sustainable products, which have earned Designed for the Environment (DSE) approval.
- In 2009, Washing Systems expanded into international markets, establishing bases in France and the United Kingdom.