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ROSEMONT, Ill., USA— October 12, 2022—,  an ������ý Charities™ signature program dedicated to the advancement and retention of women in the cleaning industry, announced its 2022 award winners during its eighth annual Awards Reception. More  than 900 industry  professionals attended the event on Tuesday, October 11 at the McCormick Center in Chicago, Illinois during ������ý Show North America.

“As one of the core programs Hygieia Network was founded on, we’re thrilled to announce and congratulate the 2022 winners who have gone above and beyond as we continue to break the glass ceiling for women in the cleaning industry,” said ������ý Hygieia Network Program Director Dr. Felicia L. Townsend. “We’d like to thank our independent jury members who helped us determine our winners, as well as everyone who nominated an inspiring individual or company.”

The jury included ������ý Charities Board Co-Chairs John Riches and Ted Stark; President and CEO of SouthEast LINK, Ailene Grego; and ������ý Hygieia Network Past Chairwoman, Meredith Reuben.

The 2022 awards and winners include:

• ������ý Hygieia Network Member of the Year,  which recognizes a woman’s involvement in activities that align with Hygieia’s mission and vision, went to Stephenie Henderson, Vice President of Strategic Accounts, Berry Global for her dedication to Hygieia and efforts to grow its impact over the past year.

• ������ý Hygieia Network Rising Star of the Year,  which honors a woman age 45 or younger who has made significant achievements and demonstrated consistent upward mobility in her career within  the industry, was presented to Kenisha Middlebrooks, Associate Manager, Commercial Warranty, TTI Floor Care North America  for her impressive career trajectory and achievements within the cleaning industry.

• ������ý Hygieia Network Company of the Year,  which celebrates a company’s involvement in activities that align with Hygieia’s mission and vision, was awarded to  Sunbelt Rentals  for its contributions to advancing the role of women in the cleaning industry and increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.

In addition to revealing this year’s winners, ������ý Hygieia Network acknowledged the 2022 Hygieia Network Scholarship recipient Madalynn Kennedy, who is pursuing a degree at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio. Hygieia also recognized the contributions of its volunteers and sponsors to a successful year of educational, mentoring, and networking programs. At ������ý Show North America, Hygieia also hosted a panel on engaging and retaining women professionals in the cleaning industry. The panel was moderated by Hygieia’s Program Director, Dr. Felicia Townsend, and included panelists Rachel Brutosky from Nilfisk, Lisa Gould from Envoy Solutions, and Katie Snider from Network Distribution.

To learn more and become a member, visit  .

About ������ý Hygieia Network

Named after the Greek goddess of cleaning and hygiene,  the Hygieia Network is an ������ý Charities non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and retention of women in the cleaning industry.  For more information, visit    or follow us on  ,  ,  and  .

About ������ý Charities

������ý Charities™ is the charitable and philanthropic arm of ������ý and the worldwide cleaning industry. A 501(c)(3) organization, ������ý Charities’ mission is to make the world a cleaner, healthier, better place to live by sponsoring, funding, and operating charitable and social programs directly connected to the cleaning industry. Our Signature Charities are changing the way the world views cleaning: Cleaning for a Reason provides professional home cleaning for cancer patients; the ������ý Hygieia Network advances women, diversity, equity, and inclusion in the cleaning industry; and ������ý Scholars supports youth with scholarship aid and seasonal internships. To learn more about ������ý Charities and to make your own donation, visit

About ������ý

With more than 10,500 members—including distributors, manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, wholesalers, building service contractors, in-house service providers, residential cleaners, and associated service members—������ý is the world’s leading trade association for the cleaning industry. The association is committed to changing the way the world views cleaning by providing its members with the business tools they need to promote cleaning as an investment in human health, the environment, and an improved bottom line. Headquartered in Rosemont, Ill., USA, the association has regional offices in Mainz, Germany; Whitby, Canada; Parramatta, Australia; Seoul, South Korea; and Shanghai, China. Visit  ,  join the discussion with  ,  and  follow ������ý on our    and  .  For more information, visit  ,  or call 800-225-4772 (North America) or 847-982-0800.