Columbia, MD – Palm Springs, Calif., will host the Restoration Industry Association’s 64th Annual Convention & Exhibition from March 10-14. The event will be held at the Wyndham Palm Springs Hotel & Palm Springs Convention Center, and attendees will have access to almost 80 hours of continuing education over the four-day period.

Pre-convention workshops offered on Wednesday, March 11 are:From Hiring to Firing and Everything in Between: An Employer’s Guide to Legal Complianceby Randi Klein Hyatt, Esq., Shawe Rosenthal, LLP;Adjuster-Buster: 10 Steps to Break Barriers & Build Working Relationships with Adjustersby Peter Crosa, SSHCA; and aComprehensive Day of Specialty Rugs & Wool Carefrom Linda Plunkett, CRS, CFS, AWPOV, Inc., Thea Sand, CRS, Emmanuel’s Rug & Upholstery Cleaning, Aaron Groseclose, CRS, MasterBlend, and Val Arbab, Val Arbab’s Rugs & Restoration.

Some of the sessions that will be offered during the convention include:Contracts, Documentation, Litigation Reports from the Restoration Lawyerpresented by Ed Cross, Esq., Edward H. Cross & Associates; Innovations in Rug Cleaningpresented by Aaron Groseclose, CRS, MasterBlend; Tom Monahan, Centrum-Force, and Stephen “Dusty” Roberts, Luv-A-Rug;Estimating HVAC Restoration Services on Soot, Fire & Smoke, by Tom Yacobellis, DUCTZ International;Professional Conduct: What Does it Really Mean?by Charles Cassani, CR, Steamatic of Sacramento;Marketing vs. Advertising: The Differences and Using Both Effectively, presented by Coach Jerry Salmon, management consultant and trainer; andThe Hidden Dangers: Bacteria & Their Role in Indoor Healthfrom Peter Sierck, CMC, CMRS, CIEC, Environmental Testing & Technologies.

The post-convention workshops to be held on Saturday, March 14, include:Project Management & Risk Assessment Considerations for Restoration and Environmental Contractorspresented by Peter Sierck and Ed Cross;Pack-Outsled by Barb Jackson, CR, Total Contentz, LLC; andAll New Hires Look Great in the Beginning: Behavioral Assessment for Interviewing Effectivenessled by Dana Clark, Ph.D., a former operational psychologist with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

The convention provides numerous networking opportunities for attendees with events throughout the convention such as the Welcome Reception on Wednesday evening. Industry leaders will be recognized at the annual awards ceremony and certificants will receive their Certified RestorerSM, Water Loss SpecialistSM, Certified Mold ProfessionalSM and Certified Rug SpecialistSM certifications during the Induction Ceremony Thursday evening.

“The value of networking with your peers from around the world cannot be underestimated,” said RIA President Rusty Amarante, CR, “and the RIA Convention is geared to encourage this type of peer-to-peer exchange.”

For those who like to see products in person before buying or who want more information than can be found on a company website, there will be 160 booths featuring a variety of exhibitors showcasing the industry’s latest tools and equipment.