MARCIA TODD

The selection of Marcia Todd as our Canadian Industry Person of the Year for 2025 was greeted with great enthusiasm by the people who were let in on it and asked for comments about her. She has been well known across Canada and in the U.S. for her journalistic work, and especially as publisher and editor of Fabricare Canada for over 30 years. Now at age 101, she has much to look back on with pride.

Marcia was born in Tulsa, OK on July 24, 1924. Her father was a journalist who worked for different publications, especially in the oil and gas industry. It could be thought that she picked up her love for writing from him, but genealogy records show numerous writers on her family tree, and a family crest that depicts a hand holding a pen. The motto translates to, ‘By this, I rise.’ And indeed, she has.

She graduated from Grinnell College in Iowa. Her career began as a fashion copywriter in the retail field. Then she joined the American Institute of Laundry (AIL, later IFI/DLI). Here she began her real work within the laundry and dry cleaning field.

Marcia opened her own advertising and public relations firm outside of Chicago called Marcia Miller Inc. She created, printed and distributed bundle insert fliers to go with orders when dry cleaners and laundries gave them back to their customers, as well as other services.

She also developed a system of sales training that involved having people make secret shopper calls to those on her program, asking them challenging customer service questions, and recording the calls. She then reviewed the calls, made her comments on what went well and what could have been better, and the tapes were sent to the cleaner involved to share with the staff. Nobody wanted to be caught out by one of these calls!

Marcia honed her editorial skills as Managing Editor of American Drycleaner and American Laundry Digest. She wrote a series of columns aimed at front counter personnel. The advice was basic and heartfelt. The publisher later gathered up two dozen of the columns and turned them into a book called Over the Counter, which was used to train a generation of counter professionals. (The book has been updated and is poised to be released globally in different languages in the next year.)

Marcia moved to Canada in 1975 and began Todd’s Your Answer with late husband Bill Todd, also an industry writer. She became a Canadian citizen, and has now spent 50 years in each of her ‘home’ countries.

She credits Emile Haick, then president of Embassy Cleaners, with truly introducing her to the Canadian industry. He asked her to inspect and evaluate all the plants in the company and give unbiased feedback on what was being done right and what needed improvement. She was strict, she was fair, and she was insightful. She also made a lot of valuable contacts that opened doors to her later.

Marcia took up the position of editor for the Canadian industry publication, Laundry and Dry Cleaning Journal of Canada in the 1980s. In the early 1990s she purchased the magazine, changed its format to traditional magazine size from digest size, and renamed it Fabricare Canada. The magazine grew steadily under her leadership, and she travelled coast to coast to get stories about individual plants, associations and other news.

Never afraid of a microphone, Marcia used her platform to become a popular speaker at conventions and seminars across Canada, the U.S. and around the world. She addressed industry issues and always urged excellence, rather than complacency. She joined the International Drycleaners Congress and began to travel the world attending conventions, enjoying exotic trips with other members, and studying the industry globally for ideas she could bring home to Canada and share through the magazine.

Everyone who knows Marcia is aware of her warm personality, her determination to improve the industry, and her delight in highlighting the best that is going on in Canada and beyond. In 2000, her daughter, Becca Anderson, joined her at the magazine, learning the ropes as her mother had, and getting to know the companies and personalities throughout the industry. This was particularly gratifying to Marcia, as she knew she could leave the magazine in well-trained hands. That transfer happened when she turned 100, in 2024.

We asked a number of people who have known Marcia through the years to comment on her life and legacy in the Canadian industry. The responses poured in, and we have included them below.

Sid Chelsky (Executive Director, Canadian Fabricare Association)

I cannot say enough about my friend Marcia. I first met Marcia when she was working for American Drycleaner and came to the Careful Hand Laundry plant on Avenue Road to interview me and see my operation. Not too much later, Bill Todd of Laundry and Dry Cleaning Journal of Canada (now Fabricare Canada) magazine came to my plant for a similar reason. I am the one who realized that Marcia and Bill would be good for each other, and I introduced them to each other. Later, Marcia married Bill, and she became Marcia Miller Todd.

I have watched over the years how she continued to be recognized as a force in our industry. She wrote many articles and had her photographer take many pictures of successful businesses to share with the industry to help dry cleaners and launderers across Canada and the United States.

She is well known by most, if not all, of the allied trades across North America, and they supported the magazine because of her dedication to the industry and the respect she received back for it.

I truly believe Marcia deserves the award of Person of the Year and I congratulate her for this achievement.

Darcy Moen (former dry cleaner; Customer Loyalty Network)

On a whim, I wrote three articles and faxed them off to the editor (and owner) of a magazine that was sent to my shop monthly. Much to my surprise, she bought two articles (optioned the third), and asked if would I be interested in writing more. And just like that, a new chapter began, and I owe it all to Marcia. She gave me my first big break allowing me a platform, and audience, and an art form to express my thoughts, hopes and dreams for the dry cleaning industry. I am so grateful.

I’ve been blessed by Marcia. She has been a patient tutor, an editor with a firm but fair hand, and one of the best guidance counsellors anyone could have. As we celebrate another milestone year for Marcia, I wanted to take a moment to say ‘thank you’ for giving me a platform, your education, the benefit of your experience, your professional guidance as an author and a dry cleaner, but most of all, I wanted to say thank you for your friendship.

Carlos Fernandes (Senior VP of SSC Sales, Jensen USA)
As much as I respect all recipients that have been honored with this recognition, I can’t help to feel that there is no one that deserves this more than Marcia Todd. Knowing how humble she is, my guess is that upon acknowledgement of the award, she will remark that this should have gone to an industry operator or supplier. I am certain that all that have been afforded this honor will agree that she deserves this more than any of us.

Over my forty years in this industry, I have gotten to know Marcia very well. As a young man starting out with plans to make this industry my career, Marcia was instrumental in helping me by covering many of my equipment sales successes. I have fond memories of the many plant tours with her and explaining the significance of the systems she was reviewing for the story.

She was always genuinely interested in what she was covering and asked many logical questions in order to deliver the correct information to her subscribers. She attended all industry association conferences and her dedication to our relatively unknown industry is second to none. She played a major roll with delivering important industry information from one end of the country to the other.
I can’t say enough how happy I am she is finally getting the recognition she deserves. Congratulations Marica. Thank you for everything!

Dino Kantzavelos (Owner, TSC Wetclean)

I would like to start off by congratulating you for your incredible milestone of surpassing the century mark! You have been a tremendous friend and ally of our family business in the fabric care industry. This is what I am most grateful for.

If you recall, approximately 17 years ago we decided to convert our entire operation to wet cleaning. It was an incredibly challenging time for most dry cleaners, particularly the ones operating with perc, just like us. Whether it was from the landlords or the banks, and even the media, it seemed as if we were public enemy number one. I believe our operation was the third or fourth cleaners in the Greater Toronto Area to do a complete 180-degree shift to wet cleaning. We felt as if we were on an island alone. To be completely honest, we were. It was also at this same time that you reached out to me personally and offered to do a cover story about the new direction we were heading in for Fabricare Canada magazine. You were tough with your questioning and extremely fair with your assessment of what you had witnessed in our plant. Thanks to you, our story reached everyone in our industry from coast to coast and gave us instant credibility. It also helped in solidifying that wet cleaning was a viable alternative to the use of solvents for handling fabrics and textiles of every variety.

I also believe that because of your story, I was looked upon as a new voice of the industry, which opened the door for me to become a member of the Canadian Fabricare Association (CFA) board, and now president. I will be forever grateful for your belief in me and the opportunities that have come my way because of your friendship. God Bless you Marcia, and thank you.

Kevin Marois (Integrity Mechanical and Fabricare Canada columnist)

Marcia Todd has served our industry for decades. There are other trade magazines, but Marcia always focused on the Canadian aspect of issues. She was the one who got me started writing. She sent me to the Expo Detergo Show in Milan, Italy in 2002. I had a new camera and an empty note pad. The Show was an eye-opener. Once the Show was over, I went to the Union factory in Bologna for five days of training. Of course, once I was back, I had to write two articles. They needed some editing, but Marcia liked them and kept me on as a columnist ever since.

Marcia attended every provincial and national show all across the continent. She did a lot of travel. Marcia shared one of her secrets with me. She always dressed up when she travelled. “No one is rude to an old lady that is well dressed,” she said. In fact they usually bend over backwards to take care of her. (And shouldn’t we be dressing up and using the product that we sell?)

You may not know it, but we owe a great debt to Marcia for her work when Environment Canada first introduced Tetrachloroethylene (Use in Dry Cleaning and Reporting Requirements) Regulations (the perc regulations). The original Canadian Fabricare Association was made up of 10 members – one from each of the 10 provincial associations. The CFA (and Marcia) met numerous times with Environment Canada to discuss the proposed regulations. This was a multi-year project. Each time the stakeholders (CFA and dry cleaners) were consulted, there was a new draft regulation that was released, which Marcia published. There were meetings in each of the provinces and many discussions. After each round of meetings, there was another draft regulation sent out for comment. Fabricare Canada was instrumental in providing that information to our industry.

Marcia often toured plants and wrote articles about them. Through her photos we have seen the inside of plants from one end of the country to the other. Marcia also arranged for, and oversees, an annual DLI scholarship. She always gave the news, but she also provided education with her articles.

Things have changed a lot in 20 years. Email and digital photos came along – now the magazine is digital and includes video and links that will give you further information.

I know that I would not be in the position I am today without the information and help we have received from Marcia. I am glad to salute her as Canada’s Fabricare Industry Person of the Year.

Bob Wong (Retired dry cleaner)

My wife Cathy and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Marcia as Fabricare Canada Magazine’s Canadian Industry Person of the Year.

Marcia has been an inspiration to me and many others in the cleaning business, keeping us abreast of the industry in print over the years. She was a great help to me when organizing the Atlantic Fabricare Association’s annual conventions, and she also participated and covered the story for this publication.

I remember getting the magazine when it was in digest size, and would read it back to front looking to see what was for sale and then would read the articles!

I have met a lot of good people in the industry; Marcia is at the top of that list!

Ian Gibson (late founder, Ontario Laundry Systems)

Even in his final days, Ian was thinking of the industry he loved. In speaking of Marcia, he remembered the early years of Embassy Cleaners (later Sketchley Cleaners) when the company opened over 100 plants and depots. Marcia was hired to evaluate the plants and make suggestions on improvements. “Marcia was a big part of their success,” he said.

Lou Mignardi (National Sales Manager, Dalex Canada Inc.)

Marcia continued to reach out to me over the years to talk about big laundry or dry cleaning projects that were newsworthy. I always remember her sitting down in a chair with a pen in hand with her 5×7 notepad taking notes. She was always so patient, and always very curious and interested in my knowledge of the industry. She took an interest in my travels, and we very frequently met up at international trade shows all over Europe. Marcia is a wonderful person and very humble. It was such a pleasure to work with her.

Chris Tebbs (Executive Director, IDC)

The textile care industry has adapted over the last 50 years to encompass new technology, but it still relies heavily on the knowledge of its operators. It is in this area that the trade press can help the industry by keeping it up-to-date with new textiles, new fashions, new solvents and chemicals, and new practices in the plant or for customer service. We have been fortunate to have knowledgeable people with the industry at heart in charge of our trade press for many years, one of those being Marcia Todd of Fabricare Canada.

I was aware of Marcia back in the ’90s, and particularly toward the end of that period when FCRA, the technical institute in the U.K., was approached by Environment Canada for technical information on perchloroethylene, as they were looking towards regulating its use.

Move forward to 2004 when I was appointed Executive Director of the International Drycleaners Congress, and Marcia was elected as the President for 2005. Between us, with me a relative ‘newbie’ to IDC, we organized, in Orlando, one of the most successful conventions. I have to say that most of that success was down to Marcia, her knowledge and her connections.

Like many in our trade press at the time, Marcia was more than just a journalist. She would attend most of the IDC conventions and report on the topics discussed at the conference, and the factory/shop visits that the delegates went on to learn new services and practices. She would be at many of the international exhibitions, again collecting information to disseminate to her readers. She would also participate in local conferences and meetings, with the one aim of ensuring that we had a successful industry.

Marcia has spent a lifetime helping our industry to improve and be successful, and I am extremely pleased to count her as a friend and colleague. That she is now being honoured as Canadian Industry Person of the Year is something that is long overdue and I would like to add my own congratulations to a true leader in our industry.

Mack and Heather MacGregor (Browns Cleaners, Ottawa, ON; IDC members)

We travelled together all over the world with Marcia every year with the International Drycleaners Congress (IDC). It was just a great experience. A few memories stand out.

• In 2009 we were at the IDC convention in China. Peggy Mikuni organized a trip to see the Terracotta Warriors in Xian. We travelled by train overnight. Marcia shared a cabin with our tour guide and two Chinese men. When we got up early in the morning, Marcia was sitting outside her cabin. When asked why she was there, she said the two Chinese men stripped down naked before climbing up into their bed. “I saw it all last night, I didn’t need to see it again this morning,” she said.
• In 2005 Marcia, who lived in Canada when she was President of IDC, put on a convention in her homeland of the U.S. at Orlando, Florida. Despite the difficulties and distance, she was able to pull it off very well. She also arranged a pre-convention cruise that was well attended.
• When I was on the IFI (now DLI) board, I arranged to have one of the board meetings held at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto, which included inviting all dry cleaners in Ontario for a dinner with the board one night. As IFI was not in a good financial position at the time, I felt everyone should pay their way. Marcia let me know that press members didn’t usually pay, but she agreed to pay under duress. She was a great help to me putting it together.
• When DCLI met in Ottawa, Marcia would come by train overnight, taking a berth. She’d then visit dry cleaners around Ottawa all day and take part in the meeting that night.

These are just a few things we remember about Marcia’s very active role in the dry cleaning industry.

Carol Memberg (former editor of National Clothesline)

Marcia Todd and I spent many years attending trade shows and conventions, sometimes rooming together. Once, after a show in Frankfurt, we took a sleeper train toward Munich. We both had lower bunks, next to each other. Early in the morning, I woke up early for a bathroom break, and saw Marcia fully dressed, sitting on a stool outside of her cabin. It seems that the man who was assigned to the bunk above her had undressed directly in front of her, choosing to sleep nude. She said dressing early and finding another place to sit was her best option. [Editor’s Note: This scenario seems to have happened to Marcia frequently in her international travels!]

Sally Conant (Association of Wedding Gown Specialists)

Marcia Todd attended the Association’s first meeting in Ottawa in 1996. She asked all the right questions, looked us over with an uncompromising eye, and seemed to approve of our intentions. We took it as a great compliment and were delighted to have met her. Over the years we continued to interact with her in many ways and continued to have great respect for her opinions. She was a pioneer in an industry with few women as leaders, and we are very glad to have benefitted from her wise counsel. We also cherish her friendship!

Board of The Association of Wedding Gown Specialist

Congratulations to Marcia Todd, the recipient of Fabricare Canada’s Industry Person of the Year!

Marcia Todd has been a guiding light in our industry for decades. In the early days of the AWGS, she used her platform to bring awareness to our mission – inspiring dry cleaners to explore the possibilities of wedding gown care and to embrace the support and mentorship offered through our association.

Through her articles, she highlighted the work of our founders, mentors and early members, showing that excellence in this specialty was attainable and worth pursuing. Her efforts planted the seeds for growth, helping transform the AWGS from a small group of dedicated dry cleaners into a thriving international network spanning over 500 cities worldwide.

On behalf of AWGS, we celebrate Marcia Todd – a visionary, storyteller and champion for excellence, whose influence continues to inspire generations in our industry.

Nadine Rana and Grace Mungal (Style & Grace Cleaners, Toronto)

We all have unique talents – and some among us turn those gifts into something that transforms an entire industry. In dry cleaning, growth often begins with a spark of inspiration, and for many of us, that spark was Marcia Todd.

Affectionately known across Canada’s fabricare community, Miss Marcia has been a true beacon of inspiration for generations. She had an extraordinary ability to tell the story – to shine a light on the people behind the presses, to elevate our craft, and to give voice to families like ours who might never have had the chance to share their journey.

As immigrants to Canada, our family’s path in the dry cleaning industry was shaped by hard work, perseverance, and a deep desire to succeed in a new country. The fruits of that effort were recognized when Miss Marcia visited our plant years ago to feature our family’s work in wedding gown care. My mother, Grace, remembers that day vividly – Miss Marcia’s impeccable attire, her neatly styled hair, her graceful posture as she sat at the desk, and the way she took notes on everything. She was, in every sense, a true journalist – our very own Barbara Walters of the dry cleaning world.

Time has a way of bringing certain moments full circle. During the pandemic, when our family business faced one of its hardest chapters, we found a silver lining: the gift of time. While sorting through decades of archives, I stumbled upon those very same Fabricare Canada articles – yellowed pages that told our story long before I joined the business. Holding those clippings filled me with awe, gratitude and pride.

For my parents, those articles represented validation – a spotlight that celebrated their dedication and resilience as immigrants building a life in Canada. For me, discovering them years later reignited my sense of purpose. It reminded me that our work, our values and our legacy continue to be part of a much larger story – one that Miss Marcia helped capture and preserve through her writing.

Thank you, Miss Marcia, for bringing our story to life, and for giving countless others in our industry the same opportunity. Your words have encouraged, connected and inspired generations of dry cleaners across Canada.

It is an honour to celebrate you and to wish you heartfelt congratulations on this well-deserved recognition.

Steve Freeman (CLATA Secretary)

Congratulations to you Marcia on being chosen the Canadian Industry Person of the Year! What a milestone and honour. There are very few that have given as many committed years to the laundry and dry cleaning industry in Canada as you. Your support of the trade shows, industry association events, the Laundry School in Guelph years ago, and all the other activities across Canada contributed to the success of the industry. Always passionately dedicated, you promoted the Canadian industry and helped make a difference. You are well-deserving of this recognition.

Cherish the many memories and amazing moments you have had, and appreciate what a remarkable accomplishment this is to receive. Enjoy your retirement. Wishing you the best of health and continued happiness in the coming years.

Larry Hart (Past President, Ontario Laundry Managers Association)

First of all, it is my pleasure to be asked to provide this article on a lady who in my experience has never stopped keeping the laundry industry informed. Marcia Todd, through her tireless efforts to cover the stories and events that shaped the laundry industry as the editor for the Canadian laundry industry magazine. When an event was being held, regardless of the day of the week or an early start time, Marcia was present to cover the story, with pictures included.

I had the distinct pleasure of working with Marcia to cover everything from association news, conventions and various educational programs in which the Ontario Laundry Managers Association held during my tenure as President. She had one mission: spread the news so that everyone could stay in contact, while learning from the events taking place. Marcia was the connection to what was going on and happening within the industry. Because of this incredible work on her part, the industry was well represented on the big stage for all to know and learn, we shall always be grateful for your efforts Marcia!

This award could not have been awarded to a more deserving person. Marcia, thank you for everything you completed in your role as editor to keep the industry informed for so many years.

Ken Adamson (former long-time industry member)

I am fully in support of Marcia receiving this award. I cannot think of anyone more deserving.

Nancy Jones (President, Foster-Stephens)

I am delighted to hear that Marcia Miller Todd is receiving the Canadian Industry Person of the Year Award for 2025. I can’t think of a better person to get this honour. Marcia has been a family friend of my parents for decades. I remember stories of Marcia and my mother, Ruth Jones, comparing bellies at a trade show before Becca and I were born.

I first knew her, when I was very young, as the person doing the Marcia Miller Tapes for training counter people. They were distributed via our family business in the U.S. And my memories say that she would call up her customers’ counter people as if she was a customer, with questions to make certain that they had listened to and retained the training on the tapes.

As I grew older, I would accompany my folks to various trade shows, and I would see Marcia there. As I started to work in the business, I got to know Marcia well. She was very gracious about telling me about the industry in general, and about the history of her work with my father. And telling me some funny stories about him also.

I wish Marcia good luck for the future and am grateful for the information she has given me over the 60 years or so that I have known her.

Rob McConnell (President, Gibson’s Cleaners)

Congratulations Marcia! I was thrilled to hear from Becca that you are the recipient of the 2025 Canadian Industry Person of the Year Award. What a well-deserved honour, and how wonderful that you are receiving the very award you created.

You’ve been recognized by associations around the world for your contributions to our industry, and being named the 2025 Canadian Fabricare Person of the Year is truly the icing on the cake of a remarkable career.

Few have done as much for the Canadian and international fabricare industry. Through your work, you’ve touched countless businesses and people, including Gibson’s, my family, and me personally.

I’ve always appreciated how at ease you made me feel during interviews, and how you could take my long-winded answers and turn them into something clear and meaningful. Your knowledge, quick wit, and ‘tell it like it is’ style have made for some of the most engaging and insightful reading in our industry.

On behalf of Tom and Jill Hopkins (in spirit), Nancy, Linley and me, thank you for everything you’ve done to support Gibson’s Cleaners and the fabricare industry, and for the friendship and inspiration you’ve shared along the way.

We feel fortunate to have been touched by your many talents.

Shirley Naylor (Australian trade press editor)

Marcia should be everybody’s Person of the Year, a wonderful human being, and a marvel to behold. I regret we have seen so little of each other these past years. I always think of her with a warm glow.

Jan Barlow (Jan’s Professional Cleaners, Clio, MI)

For the past several decades, Marcia Todd has been my customer service trainer with her book Over The Counter. Although I only knew her from afar, my impression of her was she was a kind, caring individual, and a true industry leader with more impact on more businesses than she might ever know.

Last year when I met her daughter Becca at the CFA conference, I told her how much I admired her mom and appreciated her book over the years. I thought it was a timeless training manual that needed to be updated a bit with the information about technology. We began our collaboration, which has now put Marcia back in the spotlight. Our plan is to take her 25-step customer service and employee engagement manual to a global audience by translation into a variety of languages, and previously unimaginable means of communication with audio, video and workbook interaction.

Marcia is having an infinite impact on our industry! Congratulations on being the Canadian Industry Person of the Year!

The Legacy Continues

Marcia’s original book, Over the Counter, has been updated with new material to meet today’s counter professional’s needs, and will soon be available in translations across the world.

Coming soon:

• Spanish
• French
• German
• Japanese
• and more

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This article was also generated as magazine pages to make a better presentation to the recipient. If you would like to have a copy or to view it in that format, download the PDF here.