Since its inception in 2016, nearly 200 women have been nominated for R&R’s Women in Restoration award. Each year the field seems to become broader and more competitive, with nominations becoming more in-depth and elaborate! This year’s nominees included owners, VPs, project managers, technicians, operations managers, marketing and sales, and more.

I want to tell you about my father-in-law. In 1988, he started his business in his garage with his best friend shortly after high school. He sold that plastics injection molding company several weeks ago, for what I would guess is a handsome sum, and is now just two years from retirement after slowly phasing out of the company.

It’s been a busy weather start to 2019 for restorers across the U.S. In the Northwest, there was the deep freeze; the Midwest has been experiencing record-breaking and deadly flooding and before that some major snow and ice storms; some of the Central States – and Georgia – have seen deadly tornadoes. And that was all just through the month of March.

It goes without question the use of drones – both in business and for recreation – has truly taken off over the last few years. Now equipped with technology like cameras, thermal imaging capabilities, and even computers, drones are being used in industries across the board.

If you are like me, some mornings you arrive in the office with the best of intentions to get things done, and before you know it, half the day is gone and you’ve spent a whole lot of time doing a whole lot of things that aren’t on your to-do list. 

This Q&A between R&R Editor-in-Chief Michelle Blevins and ARS Restoration Specialists Branch Manager Kori Medeiros details the importance of establishing key relationships and emergency response plans with local businesses, and being ready to get to work at any hour.