Patricia L. Harman

One of the main responsibilities of a trade association is to accomplish things for an industry that individual companies would be unable to undertake on their own.

Building science and its impact on restoration and reconstruction will be the focus of this year’s RIA Fall Conference in Albuquerque, Oct. 5-8.

Before the water had started to recede following two days of torrential rains in early May, RIA member firms were on the ground in Nashville, Tenn., to assess the damage and help the city regain some semblance of normalcy.

Restoration Industry Association certificants holding the Certified Restorer (CR) and Water Loss Specialist (WLS) certification have joined an elite group of professionals recognized by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the...

The Restoration Industry Association has added standards development to its efforts to strengthen and educate the cleaning and restoration industry.

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.

The past several years at RIA have been best exemplified by one word: change. The organization changed its name almost three years ago to better illustrate what its members do on a daily basis - they restore damaged buildings, improve and address IAQ issues, and clean and restore damaged contents.

Keeping members abreast of changing information, preparing them for new dangers on the horizon, and making that education easy to obtain are just some of the reasons why RIA members value events such as conferences and conventions.

Education and information are two important benefits a trade association provides to its members. This year RIA has launched several new initiatives to highlight the advanced education members have attained

While the economy may be cooling down a bit, things at the Restoration Industry Association are heating up for 2009, with several new initiatives and programs on tap.