From the CEO

As I travel to our customer locations and meet with our people, I continue to be amazed and energized by the awesome value we bring. I am genuinely excited about the many positive things that we are doing for our people and our customers.

I am pleased to announce that we have completed our merger with Professional Services, a quality-focused regional competitor based in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania. We have been working diligently to protect you from any distractions related to this integration. This merger clearly demonstrates Compass Group's commitment to Crothall, their support of our long-term strategy, and their desire to ensure that we are a dominant player within the healthcare market.

In this issue, we uncover a surprising fact about the Fringe Costs for support services departments. We highlight what you need to know before HCAHPS takes patient satisfaction data public. We also discuss why Laundry is now the most outsourced hospital department, as reported in this year's Modern Healthcare outsourcing survey. As always, we offer insight and demonstrate how Crothall partners with hospitals to provide solutions.

Crothall Cares has allowed us to do wonderful things for thousands of people in need. This clearly reflects the caring heart and generous spirit of our employees. In the spirit of the rapidly approaching holiday season and to say "thanks" to our valued customers, we have made a significant donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Click here to read more about Crothall Cares.

The challenge of Crothall Services Group today is to achieve excellence in all that we do in every service we provide. The tireless efforts of our people, guided by our Crothall Values, will help us achieve our objectives.

With the excitement of our tremendous potential in 2008, I am committed to making us an even better organization. All the best wishes for a most meaningful holiday season and an even more successful 2008.