Ecolab Event Raises More Than $136,000 for the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation
Ecolab Inc. helped raise more than $136,000 for the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) through a silent auction during the 12th Annual Ecolab Chairman's Reception, held the evening of May 18

Annual event has provided more than $1.4 million for scholarships since 2003

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ecolab Inc. helped raise more than $136,000 for the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) through a silent auction during the 12^th Annual Ecolab Chairman's Reception, held the evening of May 18 in conjunction with the National Restaurant Association (NRA) Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago.

More than 900 foodservice operators and guests attended the event, which supports the NRAEF ProStart^® program. ProStart is a nationwide, two-year high school program that unites the classroom and industry to develop the best and brightest talent into tomorrow's restaurant and foodservice leaders.

The money raised at the event will provide scholarships for students seeking professions in the restaurant and foodservice industry.

"We are honored to host this annual event, which brings together so many industry leaders to support the NRAEF ProStart program," said Ecolab Chairman and CEO Douglas M. Baker, Jr. "Education and training are critical to the continued vitality of the restaurant and foodservice industry. The ProStart program and other NRAEF educational initiatives help to ensure that today's talented young people become tomorrow's industry leaders."

Mike Hickey, Ecolab executive vice president and president, Global Institutional, who also is an NRA board member and vice chair of the NRAEF board of trustees, presented Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO, National Restaurant Association and NRAEF, and Michael Gibbons, chair, NRAEF, with a check for $136,550 on behalf of Ecolab and event attendees.

"The Foundation's programs are shining a spotlight on the diverse and rewarding career opportunities in the restaurant and foodservice industry," said Sweeney. "On behalf of the nearly 100,000 ProStart students and scholarship recipients served by the NRAEF, we are grateful to Ecolab and their industry partners for their longtime and sustained contributions to help feed dreams and build futures."

Over the last 12 years, Ecolab has helped raise more than $1.4 million for NRAEF and the ProStart program through this annual event.

About the NRAEF
As the philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association, the NRAEF exists to enhance the restaurant industry's service to the public through education, community engagement and promotion of career opportunities. The NRAEF works to attract, develop and retain a career-oriented professional workforce for the restaurant industry. The restaurant and foodservice industry comprises 980,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of more than 13 million employees, making it one of the nation's largest employers. For more information on the NRAEF, visit NRAEF.org.

About Ecolab
A trusted partner at more than one million customer locations, Ecolab (ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that protect people and vital resources. With 2013 sales of $13 billion and 45,000 associates, Ecolab delivers comprehensive solutions and on-site service to promote safe food, maintain clean environments, optimize water and energy use and improve operational efficiencies for customers in the food, healthcare, energy, hospitality and industrial markets in more than 170 countries around the world.

For more Ecolab news and information, visit www.ecolab.com.

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Ecolab Inc.
Roman Blahoski, 651-293-4385
MediaRelations@Ecolab.com

Source: Ecolab Inc.

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