Highland Cleaners Store Staff

Linda Alvey - District Store Manager

If it’s hard to imagine managing Highland Cleaners’ 12 branch stores without a desk, just ask Linda Alvey how she does it. “I roam around!” she says. Our roaming manager stays busy answering pages and making sure all of the stores are running correctly and maintaining everyday duties.

Linda started in Minor Repairs at the main plant where she worked for about four years. When the Prospect store opened, Linda took on the role of counter manager for two years. She has been a district store manager for many years and she says she likes her roving status.

“I enjoy being able to move around to different locations and meet the customers because customer service is truly my passion! Very few things make me happier than seeing that I’ve made a customer happy, too.”

David Biller - Facilities Manager

“The solvent we use makes us the best in Louisville,” says David Biller. “We keep the cleanest solvent. We have soap representatives check our solvent and they tell us that we have the cleanest solvent around.”

David’s commitment to perfection and keen desire to maintain—and even exceed—our high standards inspire him to keep our dry cleaning solvent in tip-top condition. He also keeps our presses, boilers and other equipment running smoothly.

“We have a lot to live up to, a reputation of being the best,” he says. “I feel it’s my responsibility to maintain the standards, keeping the solvent and everything else in top-notch condition."

Tonya Carman - Spot Cleaning Supervisor

When it comes to taking spots and stains out of clothing, "you really have to have a passion for it," says Tonya Carman.  She should know. She removes ink, blood, coffee and other tough stains from garments at Highland Cleaners every day.

Hired as a spotter almost 20 years ago, Tonya says she enjoys the challenge. “We always use the best and safest method to protect the garment and avoid shrinking. Most stains can be removed if they are not treated at home before bringing them to Highland Cleaners. That’s why it’s always best to bring it to us before touching it.

Tonya says her approach to customers’ clothing is TLC.  “I look at a garment and think, ‘If it were mine, how would I like it to be treated?’  It makes me feel good when I can make somebody happy.”

Donnie Carmicle - Truck Driver Supervisor

As Truck Driver Supervisor for Highland Cleaners, Donnie Carmicle’s job is to ensure that each and every store is serviced properly. He takes his job seriously and believes how drivers handle the clothes and drive on the road is always a reflection of Highland Cleaners.

Donnie has been with Highland Cleaners for almost 25 years. He worked for us from 1981 to 1985 and was our only driver when we had five stores. He left to start his own business in Manhattan, but  in 1993 returned to Highland Cleaners. He now supervises our drivers and oversees pick up and delivery of clothing to all branch stores.

“It's a privilege to work here,” he says. “I have a good crew. It’s a family atmosphere, really. I enjoy the people, and I enjoy coming in to work.  I like the freedom of being out on the road. I'm not an inside person. I've always been used to being an outside person.”

Rosalind Cotton - Laundry Team Leader

Rosalind Cotton’s years of consistent, dedicated service are part of why Highland Cleaners is consistently voted ”Best of Louisville.” Part of our Laundry Department, Rosalind started on the touch-up board, a position she held for 11 years. Since then, she has been making sure your shirt sleeves are pressed to perfection. Rosalind’s job is complicated, as she works on three machines simultaneously: one sleever and two cuff and collar machines. She is constantly moving and handles over one hundred shirts per hour.

Rosalind always has a smile for everyone and passes on her joy for her job to every member of the team.” When the shirts come out really good, it makes me feel good, too—especially when there are no wrinkles after the first time!”

Lorraine Jackson - Alteration/Assembly Manager

You may have never met Lorraine Jackson, but it's a sure bet she's seen your clothes! As our Dry Cleaning Inspection Manager, Lorraine oversees the inspection of almost 3,000 pieces of clothing a day.  Her department watches for spot wrinkles, broken or missing buttons, loose hems and anything else that keeps a garment looking unfinished. On the rare occasion they find something, the garment is sent back and touched up until it meets Lorraine's high standards.

Lorraine’s incredible expertise comes from over 30 years in the dry cleaning business and a hands-on, working knowledge of every facet of the industry. She learned her trade from the Sanders brothers of Sanders Cleaners in St. Matthews and takes it so seriously, she says she “couldn't see working for someone who didn't know dry cleaning.”

Lorraine also acts as our “Roving Customer Problem-Solver,” particularly for customers whose garments need repair and extra attention.  Over the years she has received flowers, candy and letters from a customer who was ecstatic over her assistance.  Lorraine says that is what she loves about her job. “It's always nice to help our customers!”

Frank Johns - Wool Pressing Manager

When your coat comes back from Highland Cleaners perfectly pressed, chances are good that Frank Johns was working with “Suzie,” his pressing, steaming and vacuuming machine. As Manager of the Coats/Skirts/Sweaters division, Frank is responsible for thousands of garments a week.

“We make sure that coats are pressed and look great when they go out,” he says. A valued employee of Highland Cleaners for almost 25 years, Frank Johns began as a pants presser, a job he held for five years.  He left the company for a time and came back as a coat/skirt/sweaters/presser.  After six years, he was promoted to Manager and he has been supervising that division ever since.

Frank is also a minister at his church and uses his excellent communication skills to inspire and motivate his dry cleaning team. “This job gives me the opportunity to associate with good people,” he says. “They're nice to work with.” Frank added that much of his job satisfaction comes from pleasing the customer.  “Knowing they're happy makes me happy.”

Linda Marcum - Office Assistant

Linda handles all of the money, making sure the deposits balance for each of our eleven stores, which is no small task.  She also assists with claims, letters and any other correspondence. Linda has been with Highland Cleaners for nearly 25 years, starting at the counter of our Indian Hills branch. She was then promoted to counter manager, and then finally to office assistant.

“The dry cleaning business really grows on a person,” Linda says of her decision to stay in this business for so long. She enjoys the friendly environment in the office and the challenge of balancing deposits, but she does miss working one-on-one with the customers. “I really liked the customers out in the stores and dealing with people everyday.”

Wanda Milburn - Laundy Manager

“When I hear from a customer, ‘you did a great job on my shirts,’ that's my favorite part of the job,” says Laundry Manager Wanda Milburn, who supervises the laundering process of over 15,000 shirts a week.  She started as a bagger with Highland Cleaners in 1985. Her impressive managerial skills and perseverance to learn the business earned her the position as assistant manager and now manager of the entire laundry department.

She watches over every shirt as it is washed, pressed dry, and sent through the inspection line. Wanda says her goal is to give each customer the “best quality shirt possible.” She tells her staff members,  “If you wouldn’t want your husband to wear this, don't send it out.”

Wanda's care and diligence with each individual garment in her department has won the respect of customers. She has received praise and cards from customers over the years. Giving our customers and Highland Cleaners her very best gives Wanda the motivation and job satisfaction that makes her such a dynamo.

Wendy Norris - Laundy Supervisor

Teamwork is the driving factor behind Wendy Norris’s approach to her job as Highland Cleaners’ laundry supervisor.

“We all pitch in,” she says. “We're a team. The first thing I do each morning is check to make sure all of my employees are here. If someone is out, I take over that spot for that day. If everyone is here, I help out where I’m needed.”

One of the first people to arrive in the morning and the last to leave in the evenings, Wendy supervises more than a dozen people. She has been with us for nearly 20 years and started as an inspector in the laundry department.  She then moved to pressing pants and lab coats, which still holds a high place in her idea of a job done right.

“When I see someone walking down the street with nicely pressed clothes, I always think, ‘Maybe we cleaned that person's clothes!’”

Kris Wilder - Controller/Office Manager

She can't help it; it's her passion.

“I love to make things balance,” says Kris Wilder, bookkeeper and office manager for Highland Cleaners. “If something isn't balancing, I like the challenge of finding what’s not right. I take pride that I understand the basics and know the “why” of something rather than just relying on a computer program.”

Kris has been keeping books for over 25 years, joining the Highland Cleaners team in 2000. Her loyalty and dedication keep her busy even when she’s at home. Every morning she scans the papers looking for items that may help Highland Cleaners in the financial realm.

“I like to stay on top of the industry. I'm always trying to see if there’s something that might be beneficial to the company. You have to try to make everything a team effort, for everybody.”

Sharon McKenna - Household and Silk Pressing Manager

Bio coming soon.