In order to help familiarize the cleaning and restoration industry with the new ANSI/IICRC S520 Standard & Reference Guide for Professional Mold Remediation, Second Edition, the IICRC is coordinating a series of educational workshops around North America. 

In order to help familiarize the cleaning and restoration industry with the new ANSI/IICRC S520 Standard & Reference Guide for Professional Mold Remediation, Second Edition, the IICRC is coordinating a series of educational workshops around North America. These informative workshops also are approved for IICRC Continuing Education Credits in the areas of cleaning, restoration or mold remediation.

IICRC continues to represent the cleaning and restoration industry at trade shows and conventions throughout North America. Among those planned for this year is representation at the Property Loss Research Bureau (PLRB) Convention; the Connections Conference and Exhibition; various franchise meetings; The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) Convention; The National Disaster Reconstruction Expo and The Connections Convention.

Work continues on the latest update of the IICRC S100 Carpet Cleaning Standard. The Standards Committee continues to move forward with technical upgrades that will lead to ANSI accreditation of the S100. The updated document should reach the peer review process later this year.

There are discussions taking place with the IICRC, the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) and the Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI) regarding the creation of a new ANSI-accredited standard for carpet installation. Still in the early stages, this new industry standard would update and replace the existing CRI 104/105 installation standards.

A new advanced specialty certification, Commercial Drying Specialist (CDS), is in the developmental stages. This new category will focus on the skills unique to drying large commercial properties following water damage. It is hoped that classes will be available in this very specialized category before the end of 2009.

On Jan. 10, the IICRC lost a true friend and mentor with the passing of Cy Gantt. Cy passed away peacefully following a courageous fight with leukemia. An honorary member of the IICRC board of directors, Cy had served on the IICRC BOD for almost 20 years. Many will remember Cy from the late 1980s when while working for DuPont Stainmaster, he and Bill Doan worked to establish a lasting relationship between the carpet cleaning industry and the carpet manufacturing industry. Upon his retirement from DuPont, Cy went to work on behalf of IICRC as a volunteer, working to open doors for IICRC Certification with the carpet manufacturers and retailers by introducing key people to the program.

For several years, Cy went mill to mill in Dalton, Ga., delivering IICRC directories and spreading the word about certification. It was Cy who introduced IICRC to the idea of working toward ANSI accreditation of industry standards. A veteran of more than 50 years in the textile manufacturing and cleaning industries, Cy brought the wisdom of generations to the IICRC board of directors. He will be greatly missed.

The next IICRC certification council and board of directors meetings are planned for May 17-19 in Clearwater Beach, Fla., immediately following the Connections Conference and Exhibition.