Those fortunate enough to attend the 2007 Connections Conference and Exhibition in Clearwater, Fla., saw sun, sand and one of the more interesting educational lineups in recent memory.

A heavy emphasis on marketing and best business practices anchored an agenda that also saw presentations on everything from equipment usage on water damage jobs to leather identification to thriving in the high-end residential marketplace.

The most perplexing session, “What is Clean?” a panel discussion featuring Ken McIntosh of the CRI, IICRC Technical Advisor Jeff Bishop and Horizon Consultants’ Doug Bowles, presented the latest information on the various testing procedures, standards and protocols with regard to the CRI’s Seal of Approval Program, and how they are affecting cleaning.

But as the second-half Q-and-A was just starting to hit its stride, the 55-minute seminar came to a close. Judging by the number of hands left in the air, it’s a good bet a lot of thought will be given to putting a longer session addressing these same issues on the agenda for the Convention and Trade Show in Las Vegas this September.

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of the 13 associations who come together year after year to strengthen and improve the Connections Events, or of the sponsors.

The Carpet and Rug Institute; Dri-Eaz Products; Excellent Supply; FLIR Systems; Ground Heaters, Inc.; Phenomenal Products; the IICRC; Jon-Don, Inc.; Pro’s Choice and Prochem (as well as ICS) were instrumental in bringing the event to fruition.

Originally conceived as the educational or “technical” complement to the Connections Convention and Trade Show held each fall, the Conference and Exhibition has steadily improved year after year, coming into its own as a can’t-miss event for the cleaning and restoration industries. But there is change in the air; held in Clearwater since inception, next year’s event will head east to Orlando.

Keep checking back! We'll be swapping out photos and replacing them on a regular basis with more of the hundreds of images Cliff Grost and his trusty camera took while at the Conference!