As the world came to a halt in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the restoration and cleaning industry seemed to speed up. While many companies saw a decrease in calls for water losses and mold jobs, there was a visible uptick in interest for cleaning and disinfection services. On Wednesday, Feb. 10, join this live webinar from 9 to 11:30 a.m. MT, brought to you by The Experience and R&R.
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With the increase in cleaning calls, restoration contractors faced new liability concerns, a need for updated contracts, a renewed necessity for best practices in cleaning and disinfection, and more. Many learned how to effectively market these services to their local communities in unique ways. Others had the foresight to look at the post-pandemic world and foresee customer needs before they arose. Still, other companies likely made some mistakes that caused hiccups along the way.
A panel of restorers and cleaning experts will discuss what they learned during this pandemic, and how they’ll harness those lessons in their companies moving into our new “normal”.
Moderator
Michelle Blevins | Editor-in-Chief of Restoration & Remediation
Michelle Blevins joined R&R as Editor-in-Chief in April 2015. As a journalist and writer, Michelle has learned the true key to successful publications is relationships. With a passion for education, she has created valuable, lasting relationships with many in the restoration and cleaning industries and leaned on their knowledge and expertise to educate R&R’s readers through their monthly magazine and multitude of other online avenues.
Panelists
Dr. Gene Cole
Eugene Cole, Dr.PH., is the former Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at Brigham Young University and Director of Research, LRC Indoor Testing & Research. He currently serves on the Executive Committee for the Cleaning Industry Research Insitute (CIRI) also holding a position on its Science Advisory Committee. Cole has over 35 years of research experience, with emphasis on identification and reduction of pollutant reservoirs and sources, bioaerosols, residential, school, and workplace exposure assessment and control, product evaluation, cleaning and restoration, mold and sewage remediation, and biocides.
Shawn Folks | CEO of Guarantee Restoration Services
Shawn Folks is the Chief Executive Officer and Owner of Guarantee Restoration Services, based in Baton Rouge, La. He is a 2003 graduate of Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. In 1974, his parents, Chunky and Ellen started Guarantee Restoration as a carpet cleaning business. Shawn has worked for the company in several capacities for about 35 years, starting as young as about five years old. Previously, he served as a technician and then worked his way up into becoming a production manager, where he served at that capacity for 10 years. In 2014, Shawn took over his parents’ business as CEO, a role he continues to serve today. Since taking over, the company has expanded from one corporate office to 4 locations along the I-10 corridor. In addition, he holds several industry licenses and certifications. He is also the member of several local and national associations. Personally, Shawn is married to his wife, Jamie, and they have three children, Thomas, Dylan and Charlotte. They have two miniature dachshunds, Maci and Goldie.
Kelly Kambs | COO of American Technologies, Inc. (ATI)
Kelly Kambs brings over 20 years of leadership roles across the services and building supply industries including Johns Manville, USG, PPG, Masco and, most recently served as President of Terminix. With a proven track record of establishing process improvements and new market growth, she is responsible for driving accountability across the organization and building a unified infrastructure that aligns to standardized policies and procedures.
Lisa Lavender | COO of Berks Fire Water Restorations & The Restoration Technical Institute
Lisa Lavender holds her IICRC Master designations in Water, Fire, and Textile Restoration. As Chief Operating Officer and Co-owner of both Restoration Technical Institute and Berks ∙ Fire ∙ Water Restorations, Inc., Lisa has more than 20 years of experience in water and fire restoration services and has been training other restoration professionals since 2012. In 2018, she has expanded her passion for serving other restorers by partnering and becoming VP of Operations Design for iRestore, software.
Nate Seward | CIH | Pathogen Response & Resource Alliance
Nate Seward, PE, CIH is the owner of two environmental & industrial hygiene consulting firms, Criterion Environmental, Inc. (California-based) and Premier Environmental Consulting (Nevada-based). Nate is also the Owner and Training Director of The Academy of Textiles, which has a new CORONAVIRUS DISINFECTION CERTIFICATION Course. To date, Nate has performed and reviewed well over 10,000 environmental investigations and have been blessed to obtain various environmental licenses, registrations and certification. Nate is part of the newly formed Pathogen Response and Resource Alliance, and has his IICRC Master certifications in fire and water. Nate is an EPA-approved and IICRC instructor and also provides cannabis consulting services nationally as it relates to indoor air quality and odor mitigation/abatement for several dozen commercial growing and cultivation operations in the US.
