BERKLEY, MI, May 13, 2010 - Insurance industry executives and a special guest were highlights of CRDN’s international convention, attended by more than 330 CRDN partners and guests from across the United States, Canada and the U.K. at La Costa Resort & Spa.

The event, part of CRDN’s commitment to ongoing education for its members, was highlighted by poignant presentations from high profile and respected industry guests Chris Zelley, Vendor Manager at Farmers Insurance, and Larry Thomas, Senior Vice President of Crawford Contractor Connection.  Both guests shared their perspectives on the insurance industry and the growing role of textile restoration within the claims process.  The general assembly presentations were supplemented by educational breakout sessions and networking among members.

The conference concluded with a black tie awards gala, to honor the achievements of CRDN’s local businesses over the past year.  On hand was special guest John Littlefield, designer on ABC-TV’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” who presented awards to the CRDN businesses that participated in 26 episodes of the show in 2009, bringing CRDN’s involvement to 87 episodes over four seasons.

“CRDN is dedicated to providing unparalleled service through our local partners who are among the most innovative and prestigious textile restorers across the U.S.,” said Wayne Wudyka, CRDN’s CEO.  “Textile restoration requires a separate set of operating procedures specific to the insurance industry, and our convention speakers were instrumental in emphasizing our theme of ‘Speed of Change,’ focusing on rapid advancement within our category and the need to provide consistent, highly professional and standardized services from coast to coast.”