EPISODE 546: Mark Springer, CR & Ed Cross, Esq. – Maturing of the Cleaning & Restoration Industry: RIA & IICRC Announce Strategic Partnership

On May 1st, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona an historic announcement was made at RIA’s 73rd annual Convention and Exposition. The convention opened with a Town Hall session traditionally done as the association’s closing general session with breaking news that shall shape the direction of the industry for years to come! RIA President Lee King, CR and IICRC Chairman Pete Duncanson taking a page from Regan and Gorbachev’s historic Glasnost agreement executed the Strategic Partnership on behalf of their respective organizations. RIA 1st VP Mark Springer, CR and longtime IICRC board member Craig Kersemeier, WLS were instrumental in helping facilitate the negotiation on behalf of each organizations board of directors leading to the signing ceremony in Phoenix on May 1st. After the execution of the agreement Mark Springer announced the launch of RIA’s AGA task force. The Advocacy and Government Affairs (AGA) committee chair was then introduced. Well known restoration contractor advocate and counselor Ed Cross known in the industry as “The Restoration Lawyer” then addressed the convention delegates about the AGA’s inaugural initiatives. Please join us live for this exciting exclusive interview by “Radio” Joe Hughes and the Cliff “Z-man” Zlotnik this week with Springer and Cross who will share their unique insights into the making of the partnership agreement and the task force’s advocacy plans for the future. This show is the first in a 4 part series that will evolve over the next several months as the IICRC is invited to weigh-in with their unique perspective in part two. Part 3 will provide an update by Cross on the AGA activities. After Labor Day a collaborative show is planned with King and Duncanson to inform the industry on the progress of the partnership’s ambitious plans to unify the industry and advance the trade for professional cleaning and restoration contractors! This week, IAQradio’s Restoration Global Watchdog will join the show and weighs in with his thoughts on the historic announcement. Pete Consigli, CR, WLS says, “Over the past decade a succession of volunteer leadership and executive management of both RIA an IICRC have worked towards this historic day. I am thrilled to see the industry come together to collaborate for the greater good. Consigli goes on to say, I thank everyone who played a part in the agreement and hope with broad base support from industry stakeholders the partners will accomplish their goals”.