Carwash Con East recorded the event’s largest show floor in its 37-year history.
“Carwash Con East had it all,” said co-chair Dave DuGoff. “Not only did we have our largest number of exhibits in our history with 423, but we had speakers and education that reached out and brought you in.”
Carwash Con East, formerly the Northeast Regional Carwash Convention (NRCC), rebranded earlier this year. The board decided to rebrand to attract new vendors and attendees. And according to 1Stop Merchandise co-owner, Even Baright, the mark was hit. “As a first-time exhibitor, I really didn’t know what to expect, but I couldn’t be happier with how everything went,” he said. “We met some amazing operators and built some strong leads.”
Three awards were given out at the annual awards luncheon. The first two were to Emerging Leaders Aaron King of Mast Solutions Inc. and Kevin Fitzgerald of ScrubaDub Auto Wash Centers for their exceptional leadership, early impact, and dedicated service to the industry.
The third award, a new one this year, called the Giving Back award, was presented to Motor City Wash Works for its 16+ year effort to raise money and awareness for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Richard Belanger accepted the award.
The show’s highest honor, it’s Hall of Fame award, was bestowed to Micrologic founder and visionary Miguel Gonzalez for his tireless support of Carwash Con East. This award was presented to him by the 2025 Hall of Fame Recipient, Tom Hoffman, Jr.
Attendees enjoyed an expanded and dynamic mix of industry-leading speakers and educational seminars, including dedicated programming for managers and valuable opportunities to connect and network with fellow industry professionals. The full educational lineup is available on the event’s website. Highlights included:
- Keynote Speaker Ken Schmidt shared insights on achieving market dominance
- Southwest Airline’s Tony Brigmon explored the keys to stellar service and meaningful employee engagement.
- Kyle Doyle presented “The Hidden Habits of High-Performing Washes,” revealing practices that can help elevate wash performance.
- Mel and Mike Ohlinger tackled visibility and AI search, helping operators understand how to stand out in an increasingly AI-driven world.
- Two self-service sessions focused on competing effectively and doubling down on what works.
- Two dedicated manager tracks covering sales and coaching strategies.
- The early bird panel focused on all things car washing.
- The virtual car wash tour featured four different wash models, offering a behind-the-scenes look at a variety of operations.
- The Simoniz Celebration and welcome reception provided networking opportunities.
Carwash Con East 2027 is slated for October 4-6 at the Atlantic City Convention Center.