ServiceMaster Clean Announces Creation of 'Extra Mile Award'
Texas Motor Speedway's John Ridenour is First Recipient
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (April 15, 2010) – ServiceMaster Clean today announced the creation of a program to recognize the efforts of track service personnel whose contributions often go unnoticed, but are vital to the success of an event. The ‘Extra Mile Award’ will recognize such efforts.
John Ridenour, the third operations employee hired at Texas Motor Speedway in 1997, is the first recipient of the Extra Mile Award. Prior to coming to TMS, he spent 18 years in stadium operations for the Dallas Cowboys.
“By all accounts, John Ridenour personifies service excellence in everything he does,” said Jim Wassell, chief marketing officer for ServiceMaster Clean. “We couldn’t be any more thrilled than to present the first-ever Extra Mile Award to such a classy gentleman. These behind-the-scenes personnel are integral to the sport of racing – without folks like Big John, these races would simply not come off the same.”
ServiceMaster Clean is in its second season as the official sponsor of caution periods at the 19 International Speedway Corp. (ISC) and Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) tracks, as well as Dover International Speedway.
Track management personnel select the Extra Mile Award winner. The recipient can be any member of the track staff that works in a service-oriented position. The honoree will receive special awards and recognition during race weekend.
“Big John”, as Ridenour is known at TMS and around his hometown of Grapevine, is responsible for track and SAFER wall repairs during a race. He is stationed in turn three during the race with a service vehicle and trailer outfitted with everything needed to make repairs to the track surface, a SAFER wall or the catch fence.
"I wish every employee I have had the work ethic, can-do attitude and skills that John possesses, said TMS’s Vice President of Operations and Development Mat Stolley. “Because his work history is steeped so strongly with sporting venues, John realizes the urgency that most all tasks need to be performed with on race days and in preparation for a race week. His experience is invaluable to TMS."
John and his wife of 31 years, Kim, have two daughters, Sarah and Mckala.
ServiceMaster Clean is also a service industry where tasks and efforts are not always recognized, but rely on those behind the scenes to make it happen and keep things running.
In homes and businesses across North America, a yellow ServiceMaster Clean van means cleaning and restoration is being done quickly and professionally by America’s number one cleaning team.
With more than 4,500 franchise locations around the world, ServiceMaster Clean serves customers through a global network of franchises that provide janitorial services, commercial carpet cleaning, hard surface floor care, residential carpet and upholstery cleaning, and disaster restoration services. The company has been a market leader for more than 60 years. For more information, visit www.servicemasterclean.com.
About ServiceMaster Clean
ServiceMaster Clean is part of the ServiceMaster family of brands, one of the world’s largest and most versatile service networks. The company’s brands include TruGreen, TruGreen LandCare, Terminix, American Home Shield, ServiceMaster Clean, Merry Maids, Furniture Medic and AmeriSpec. ServiceMaster Clean is committed to its franchise owners. Our ability to offer qualified prospects up to 80 percent financing to start their cleaning business is just one of the many benefits of our program. Visit our franchise Web site at www.ownafranchise.com to learn more about the opportunities available with ServiceMaster Clean.
About Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway, with a crowd capacity in excess of 190,000, is among the largest sports stadiums in America and features an array of amenities that make it one of the premier venues in the world of sports. Known as “The Great American Speedway!,” the 1.5-mile superspeedway located in Fort Worth plays host to two races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series as well as one in the Indy Racing League IZOD IndyCar Series. The attendances for the NASCAR Sprint Cup events since the facility opened in 1997 annually rank among the largest sporting events in the United States. Texas Motor Speedway is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. a publicly traded company that is a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States.
-- 30 --
Tags: