Columbia, MD – The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) has announced several changes that will continue to have a positive impact on the association and the services it provides to its members and the industry.

Since May 2010, RIA’s board of directors and senior staff members have participated in strategic planning efforts to identify priorities for 2010 and beyond, as well as how the association can maximize its current assets and improve member services.

The trade association has retooled and reinvented its convention, which will be unveiled beginning with the 66th Annual Convention & Exhibition in Colorado Springs, Colo., from March 7-11, 2011. More details can be found on the RIA website at www.restorationindustry.org.

RIA has also appointed Tim Shaw of the Association and Communications Management Group to serve as the interim executive director following the departure of Don Manger last week. “Tim will be working closely with the staff to execute many of our new and existing programs,” said RIA President Frank Headen, CR, WLS, CMH. “Don Manger made many excellent changes to the association during his tenure and we wish him well. As part of aligning RIA strategically from a financial and operational standpoint, RIA’s board of directors will retain a management firm to assist in handling daily association operations.”

RIA has also begun work on the industry’s first major fire damage standard. “We recently held a planning meeting with key industry stakeholders and have begun drafting the outline for the standard, which will be developed by topic-specific components rather than one large standard,” explained Headen. “Sub-committees are expected to begin work early next year.”