Columbia, MD – The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) has given its annual convention and exhibition a major facelift and will be unveiling some of those changes at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. The Leadership Summit and Industry Expo will take place from March 8-11 and will feature four facilitated discussion forums on several different hot topic themes that encompass a host of different subject:

• Management in Today’s Challenging World – lean management, personnel issues, today’s technology
• Covering Your Assets – risk assessment, legal issues in restoration, lead-safe practices
• Opportunity Knocking in a Deficit-Laden Economy – new revenue streams, distinguishing your company from the competition, social media marketing
• Spend More Time Planning Your Vacation Than Customer Service? – defining the industry’s customers, setting and exceeding customer expectations, providing world class customer service

“RIA has a reputation for providing new ideas, trends and concepts at its Convention,” said RIA President Frank Headen, CR, WLS, CMH. “These expanded sessions allow attendees to determine what topics are important to them and gather information from the leading cleaning and restoration professionals from around the world.”

There will also be two keynote presentations. Evan Marcus of Dillon Marcus Executive Retreats will address the “Wisdom of We” and the importance of “inter-dependence” in today’s business environment. Ted Garrison of Garrison & Associates takes a look at “An Industry in Turmoil: Trends to a Restoration Turnaround.”

Eight other 90-minute break-out sessions will tackle the topics of: job costing analysis, organizing for tomorrow’s business, “leed” vs. “green” certifications, RIA’s Phoenix Award winners, restoring contents, a review of Xactware’s 2010 annual property report, transitioning the family restoration business to the next generation, and how to become a “restoration survivor.”

For more information or to register, visit www.restorationindustry.org.