Benny’s Justin Alford

Broad Street Car Wash’s Doug Karvelas, Helen, Justin and Juliet Alford and CWONJ President Dino Nicoletta.

Broad Street Car Wash’s Doug Karvelas, Helen, Justin and Juliet Alford and CWONJ President Dino Nicoletta.

The Car Wash Operators of New Jersey’s (CWONJ) Fall Membership Meeting, November 8, at Suburban Golf Club here featured International Carwash Association (ICA) President and Benny’s Car Wash co-owner Justin Alford. Alford, a third generation carwasher who hails from Baton Rouge, LA, made the trip with his wife Juliet and daughter Helen, a fourth generation carwasher, to speak at the annual meeting attended by 60. “It was an honor to have Justin come to New Jersey and share his family’s incredible and successful carwashing story,” said CWONJ President Dino Nicoletta.

Broad Street Car Wash’s Doug Karvelas, Helen, Justin and Juliet Alford and CWONJ President Dino Nicoletta.

CWONJ Past President Doug Karvelas (center) took guest speaker and ICA President Justin Alford on a tour with some other operators including (L to R) Dino Nicoletta, James Burkhardt, Tom Fuller, Doug Kleeschulte, and New York operators Gary Baright and Tom Hoffman, Jr.

Prior to the annual membership meeting Alford got the opportunity visit some washes in the state. “What a great day,” said Alford. “We were able to visit so many really interesting washes and spend time with some of my carwash friends old and new,” he said. “What a great group of operators.”

Alford, whose grandfather started in the industry in 1951, owns nine Benny’s car washes in the Baton Rouge, LA, market with his father Ben and brother Jason. They run successful conveyor locations with full service, express, oil changes, gas, detail and c-stores. In fact, Benny’s and Innovative Control Systems (ICS), Bethlehem, PA, the event’s hors d’oeuvre sponsor, were instrumental in launching the first express carwash in the US in 2001.

Alford shared his company’s growth and evolution and educated the group on all things Baton Rouge complete with Mardi Gras beads that featured the wash’s mascot. “What a great meeting,” added Nicoletta. “Justin is a true professional and a really outstanding guy.”

Also during the meeting Princeton Public Affairs Group (PPAG) lobbyist Sam Weinstein updated attendees on the two-year efforts to push legislation through the state that would deem carwashes “essential” if COVID or another similar epidemic shuts down businesses. “Sam and the team at PPAG are pushing hard on our behalf and with a little more effort we hope to get to the finish line,” said Nicoletta.