Annual Convention
Lifetime Achievement Award
The Cleaning Equipment Trade Association (CETA) established the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995 to recognize those who have achieved excellence in the Pressure Cleaning Industry and to honor those who have made significant contributions.
Nominee must have made a significant contribution to the industry and will continue to distinguish their work in the improvement of our industry.
The prestigious CETA Life Time Achievement Award honors an individual or individuals who have made significant contributions to the pressure cleaning industry. The CETA Board of Directors is pleased to present this year’s honorees with this award for their many achievements and contributions to the Pressure Cleaning Industry.
Please contact Awards Chair, CETA, with suggested nominations and requests for information at info@ceta.org.
2024 CETA Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient – Mr. Nick Braber
Mr. Nick Braber
Nick Braber’s journey into the world of pressure washers commenced during his high school years in 1972. His introduction into the industry was an effort to make extra money and to help support his father’s new company, (Braber Equipment where the name “BE comes from), a farm implement wholesaler. In a bid to assist his father’s emerging enterprise, Nick began vending Palm line brand pressure washers at the age of 16, utilizing the back of his pickup truck as his marketplace.
As Braber transitioned into the agricultural machinery domain over the ensuing years, he found himself repeatedly drawn to pressure washer booths during trade shows, reminiscing about his early involvement in the industry. Encouraged by his wife Susan in 1991, Nick took the decisive leap to establish his own pressure washer manufacturing venture.
From 1991 until 2015, Nick meticulously nurtured his brainchild, which has flourished into one of the pre-eminent pressure washer manufacturers across North America. Under his stewardship, BE Power Equipment evolved into an international powerhouse, boasting manufacturing facilities in Canada, the United States, Asia, and Australia. Rather than succumbing to the typical trajectory of business founders divesting their creations, Nick orchestrated a seamless transition, transferring BE Power Equipment to the capable hands of the next generation, his son Curtis, who is a longtime supporter and contributor to CETA, including being on the CETA board and a past President.
Past CETA Lifetime Achievement Award Winners
- 1995 Walter Malsbury Walters Manufacturing
- 1996 Jack Simpson Simpson Company
- 1997 Jim Coleman Mobile Sales & Service
- 1998 Jerry Alexander KO Manufacturing
- 1999 Gene Bowling Alkota Cleaning Systems
- 2000 Dwayne & Gale Whitmire Whitco, Inc.
- 2001 Michael Christopherson General Pump Inc.
- 2002 William Bruggeman Cat Pumps
- 2003 Larry Linton Landa Water Cleaning Systems
- 2004 Charelen Laymon Hotsy Bay Area
- 2005 Cliff and Betty McGinty General Equipment Company
Royce Rasmussen Royce Industries LLC - 2006 Charlene Yarbrough Advantage Publishing
- 2007 James A. Scott Alkota Cleaning Systems
- 2008 Jim Prosser J Prosser Enterprises
- 2009 Ben Benefield Etowah Chemical Sales and Service Inc
- 2010 Bob Griswold Apache Industrial Cleaning Systems
- 2011 Bob Farley Farley’s Inc.
- 2012 A.J. Speigel Mi-T-M Coproration
- 2013 Roy & Linda Chappell Chappell Supply & Equipment Co.
John Sr & Brenda Purswell Alklean Industries, Inc. - 2014Gary Scott Alkota Cleaning Systems
- 2015 Ralph A. Notch AR North America, Inc.
- 2016Charles Tibboles R.W. Beckett
- 2017 Tim & Karen Layden High PSI
- 2018 Dr. Marlo Dean Karcher NA
Mr. Roger Walz Alkota Cleaning Systems - 2019 Gregg Brodsky Alkota Cleaning Systems
- 2020 Patrick G. Wingen Aaladin Cleaning Systems
- 2021 Sam Humphrey Mi-T-M Corporation
- 2022 Terry Murray Etowah Chemical Sales and Service
- 2023 William (Bill) Sommers Pressure Systems Inc.
- 2023 Jim O’Connell Pacific Bay
- 2024 Nick Braber BE Power Equipment
CETA Distinguished Service Award
2024 Distinguished Service Award Recipient – Mr. Mylan Williams
Mr. Mylan Williams
Mylan Williams (57 years old) is a proud father of two sons and President
(Second Generation Owner) of Hy-Flo Equipment Company in Pittsburg, KS. Mylan has dedicated and contributed his entire 40-year career to the pressure washer industry.
Four decades ago, Mylan began working for his father, Ronald Williams, right out of high school in 1984. For the first 15 years Mylan worked in the shop as a pressure washer repairman and rebuild specialist. In 1999 Mylan was promoted to sales and traveled throughout Hy-Flo’s sales territory where he would sell equipment and help grow the company. In the fall of 2009, Mylan’s father Ron was forced to abruptly retire in order to take care of his wife (Sharon Flower Williams) who tragically had her 5th stroke which paralyzed the left side of her body. Overnight, Ron went from full time Hy-Flo to full time caregiver, and it was all up to Mylan to keep the company afloat. At the time Mylan was in his own little sales world when he was suddenly thrust into being the General Manager and now in charge of running the entire company. Within the first 5 years under Mylan’s leadership, he was able to grow the company / sales by double which is a remarkable achievement! Mylan officially became the owner of Hy-Flo in 2017 and is proud to work with his two sons Landan & Chandler who represent 3rd generation Hy-Flo.
Past Distinguished Service Award Winners
- 1986 B. H “Bud” Benson L & A Products
- 1987 William Lindsay L & A Products
- 1988 Robert Borden
- 1989 John L. Roy
- 1990 Warren Jarvis
- 1991 Patrick Wingen AaLadin Cleaning Systems
- 1992 Charlene Laymon Always Under Pressure
- 1993 Ben Benefield Etowah Chemicals Sales & Service
- 1994 Larry Linton Landa Inc
- 1995 Dave Wyett Kleen Quip
- 1996 Mark Adams Hydro-Blast Inc
- 1997 ORIX Credit Alliance Inc.
- 1998 Tom Martin Elite Manufacturing Corp.
- 2000 Roy Chappell Chappell Supply & Equipment
- 2002 Charlene Yarbrough Advantage Publishing
- 2003 Robert Griswold Apache Industrial Cleaning Equipment
- 2005 Paul Lombard Service One LC
- 2006 Karl Loeffelholz Mi-T-M Corporation
- 2007 R. Calvin Rasmussen Royce Industries, L.C.
- 2017 Gary Weidner
- 2019 Dick Johnson Alkota Cleaning Systems
Paul Linton Karcher NA - 2021 Jack Hill General Pump
- 2022 Ben Hagemann – CEO & GM – American Pressure Inc.
Chad Rasmussen – CFO – Royse Industries, L.C. - 2023 Melvin Farley – Coils R Us
- 2024 Mylan Williams – Hy-Flo Equipment Co.
CETA Community Service Award
2024 CETA Community Service Award Recipient – Paul Middlecoop
Mr. Roy Chappell – CEO – Chappell Supply & Equipment Co.
CETA’s Community Service Award is awarded to a company, its employees, or its owner(s) who have improved their community through volunteer efforts. This can be on a local, regional or national level.
When it comes to a person who is dedicated to their community, Paul Middlecoop is at the forefront of my mind. Paul has been a member of the community of Canal Fulton for over 30 years, and has continued to grow in his involvement since joining the Canal Fulton Rotary club in 1998. Throughout the years, Paul has dedicated his time, money, and hard work to events like the Mother of All Races, an annual 5/10k, the international book donation charity, the Yankee Peddler Festival, dinners at Friday night football games, working with the Youth Interact Club, and more through the Rotary Club. While this may have been where his journey began, it led him onto bigger projects for the community.
In 2017, Paul joined a committee to get a YMCA built in Canal Fulton after a
good friend from Rotary asked him to help lead the project. After all, the City
of Canal Fulton had been attempting to build a recreational facility for over
19 years with no luck. Paul has always had a famous saying though – “It’s not
‘I can’t’, it’s ‘How can I?’”, and so the hard work began.
Past CETA Community Service Award recipients
- 1994 RGF Environmental Systems Inc West Palm Beach, FL
- 1995 Royce Industries LC Salt Lake City, UT
Royce & Julie Rasmussen - 1996 Landa, Inc. Portland, OR
- 1997 Steam Cleaners, Inc. Fresno, CA
- 1998 Mi-T-M Corporation Peosta, IA
- 1999 Elite Manufacturing Corp. Decatur, AR
- 2000 Pressure Systems Industries Phoenix, AZ
Robert Fowler - 2001 Beaver of Wisconsin Plover, WI
Chester Biadasz - 2002 Bozeman Distributors Baton Rouge, LA
- 2003 Not awarded
- 2004 A.J. Spiegel, Mi-T-M Corporation Peosta, IA
- 2005 Sioux Corporation Beresford, SD
- 2006 Alfred Karcher GmbH Company Germany
- 2007 Pat Wingen, Aaladin Cleaning Systems, Inc. Elk Point, SD
- 2016 Rodney Adkins – CTS Cleaning Systems, Inc. Fayetteville, NC
- 2022 Roy Chappell – Chappell Supply & Equipment, OKC, OK
- 2024 Paul Middlecoop – 3R Sales & Service