RIA Convention Provides Important Industry Overview

The International Restoration Convention and Industry Expo will be held in Orlando, FL, next month at the Marriott World Center from April 9-11. After a brutally cold winter, warm, sunny Florida will be a great place to thaw out while learning and networking at the same time.

Chip Lackey, senior director of insurance practice for the Midwest for J.D. Power, will provide a big picture view of the property insurance industry and the role restoration vendors play in helping insurers improve or maintain their all-important satisfaction ratings. He will also introduce the latest results from their most recent survey and address the future of the relationship between providers and contractors.

Bryan Koon, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, will explain their priorities before, during and after a catastrophe; how restoration contractors can work most effectively with emergency management agencies; what information agencies need in advance from contractors; provide recommendations on credentialing and accessing areas after a disaster; and address what restoration contractors should/shouldn’t do during a major CAT.

Attendees will have a wide variety of sessions from which to choose from, including: unique building science applications for restoration projects; how to mentor project managers for executive management; preparing for expert witness testimony; a contents game show (complete with prizes!) to test technical knowledge; forensic perspectives on environmental engineering aspects of property losses; a look at the changing claims environment from the TPA perspective; health risks unique to restoration contractors; and historical preservation of buildings.

RIA’s pre-convention workshop is a 2-for-1 deal with two human resource topics packed into one afternoon session. Dr. Holly Bognar will delve into “emotional intelligence” and how using this predictor can build better understanding and a more productive work environment. HR Attorney Joel Greenwald will then present his top ten questions and answers about employee lawsuits.

There will be a variety of networking opportunities, beginning with the welcome reception by the pool, meals in the exhibition hall, the RIA Dinner and Awards Banquet, and the Exhibition itself. Over 150 exhibitors will be showcasing their latest products and services for the restoration industry. Many of the exhibitors have also donated equipment to RIA’s silent auction, a fundraiser for the Restoration Industry Legal Fund to help defray the expenses of the lawsuit against ThermaPure.

Winners of the Phoenix Awards for Innovation in Restoration and Reconstruction will be honored at the RIA Dinner and Awards Banquet. Individuals who have achieved their Water Loss Specialist™, Certified Restorer ®, and Certified Mold Professional™ certifications will be recognized, as well as the winners of the Golden Quill and Martin L. King Awards.

More details are available at www.riaconvention.org. Registration prices go up on April 1st.

Patricia L. Harman is the director of communications and standards for the Restoration Industry Association and editor-in-chief of Cleaning & Restoration magazine. For more information on RIA, visit www.restorationindustry.org

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The Experience Partners with Restoration & Remediation to Supercharge the Industry’s Best-in-Class Event! The Experience Conference and Exhibition features cleaning, restoration, and remediation processes, products, and procedures. Attendees come from near and far to experience live, hands-on demonstrations, specialty pavilions, workshops, and interactive sessions all led by the top instructors in the cleaning and restoration industry.