When restoration professionals convene in Atlanta, Ga., for the 65th RIA Annual Convention & Exhibition, they will be getting a look a some of the latest industry information available.

When restoration professionals convene in Atlanta, Ga., for the 65th RIA Annual Convention & Exhibition, they will be getting a look a some of the latest information available on topics such as Chinese drywall; H1N1 and other health-related issues; legal developments regarding health and safety; ethics in the restoration industry; cleaning for health; the differences between EPA and OSHA regulations and the restoration of historical roofs.

Located at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, March 23-27, the Convention provides attendees with the opportunity to expand their networks of restoration professionals to encompass attorneys, building science specialists, insurance adjusters, environmental consultants and specialists, equipment manufacturers and remediation specialists from around the globe.

Dan Coughlin of The Coughlin Group will give the first keynote address on how to lead a team and accelerate its impact in today’s environment. He’ll tackle leadership styles, giving honest feedback while maintaining strong relationships, raising your “personal” bar, leveraging technology and how to create sustainable results.

Barbara Manis, M.D., of National Medical Advisory/Building Health Sciences, will give a keynote address on health issues affecting the restoration industry by delving into the subjects of health awareness and safety, training, how to recognize the dangers for workers, and incident response.

Several exceptional education options will be offered before and after the Convention, including:

• “Survival Spanish for the Restoration Professional” – an intense, hands-on workshop that is Spanish survival immersion training for any restoration professional who oversees or manages Spanish-speaking staff.
• “Creating Working Relationships with Adjusters That Last,” explains how adjusters think, how they choose restoration contractors, what they need from them, and how to deal one-on-one with them.
• “Certified Renovator’s: EPA’s Lead Renovator Workshop” – a course that will enable any company that replaces or repairs housing constructed before 1978 that may be occupied by children and contain lead paint to comply with the new EPA regulation that goes into effect on April 22.
• “The ‘Disney World’ of Rugs Tour”– a one-of-a-kind tour of the carpet mills in and around Dalton, Ga.
• “Creating Great Strategies to Make More Money” – a business workshop that examines the process of strategic thinking and equips business owners to create superior strategies for their businesses.
• “Translating Today’s Technology into Business Dollars” – a look at how to actively market services in the electronic world of LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and a host of other social media networks and options.

The main convention registration includes two-and-a-half days of education and networking events, food for all included events, access to the exhibition, two general sessions and the welcome reception. Separate registrations are required for the pre- and post-convention events. Early-bird registration deadline is Feb. 26 (providing $100 in savings).

For more information go to www.restorationindustry.org.