2016 RIA Certified Restorer Prep Course Signifies End of an Era

2016 RIA Certified Restorer Prep Course Signifies "End of an Era"

Back row, left to right: Mehmet Ucar, Quantum Restoration (Melbourne, AUS); Kayle Short, BELFOR (Toronto, CAN); Steve Brown, WLS, Disaster One (Greensboro, NC); Owen Boak, Elements Clean (Melbourne, AUS); Nick Anderson, Buffalo Restoration (Bozeman, MT); Josh Miller, CR, WLS, CMP (Guest Instructor, Detroit, MI); Edward Fogle, WLS, SERVPRO (Frederick, MD); Lorne McIntyre, CR, WLS (Guest Instructor, Toronto, CAN); Carlos Calderon, Calderco Restoration (Miami, FL)

Middle row, left to right: Penny Tralau, Mould Rescue (Sydney, AUS); Russ Anderson, United Services/DKI (Griffith, IN); Ken Larsen, CR, WLS (Lead Instructor, Destin, FL)

Front row, left to right: Mark Klamerus, Disaster One (Wilmington, NC); Ivi Sims, Mould Squad (Melbourne, AUS); Dayle Ehresman, BELFOR (Vancouver, CAN); Christine Boak, Elements Clean (Melbourne, AUS); Rajen “Raj” Kishun, ServiceMaster Markham (Toronto, CAN); Pete Consigli, CR, WLS, Course Facilitator (RIA Director of Education & Industry Adviser)

The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) held its signature Certified Restorer (CR) advanced certification preparatory course in Roselle (Chicago) Illinois from November 7-11, 2016. Jon Don hosted the CR prep week again this year at their corporate HQ in their state of the art training center.

The 2016 CR course concludes RIA’s certification grandfathering period as the association prepares to roll out its revised advanced certification programs in 2017 for the CR and Water Loss Specialist (WLS) designations. Changes to the CR program are the first since the designation was first conceived by the late Martin L. King, CR, ASA in 1980. The Certified Restorer has long been considered the most prestigious and difficult credential for a professional restorer to attain.

The Certified Restorer Body of Knowledge, which has been in development for six years, is expected to be released to the industry in the first quarter of 2017 and serve as the basis for RIA’s updated certification programs to be rolled out in the fall of 2017.

The 2016 CR course had two guest instructors join CR lead instructor Ken Larsen, CR, WLS and facilitator Pete Consigli, CR, WLS. RIA Education Committee member Josh Miller, CR, WLS, CMP and Lorne McIntyre, CR, WLS, RIA’s Canadian Council education subcommittee chair joined Consigli and Larsen as the association expands its educational team by mentoring the next generation of trainers.

The CR and WLS courses have a tradition of inviting local subject matter experts (SME’s) to do guest presentations at their advanced course prep weeks. This year Bartosz A. Dajnowski, MS, President at G.C. Laser Systems Inc., gave an informative presentation on the use of laser technology originally developed for art restoration which is now being adapted for building and contents restoration applications.

The 2016 course was characterized by Larsen as a “CR Legacy” class. Consigli opined that the demographics of this class suits the legacy moniker based on the international make-up of the 2016 CR candidates.

RIA’s growing international presence was on full display. Five members from Australia traveled to the course; the CR class also had three RIA Canadian members and six US members from different regions of the country.