What's Right for IICRC Registrants?

By now, many of you may have heard that at its September meeting, the IICRC board of directors bestowed upon me the privilege of leading this fantastic industry organization for the next year.

What an honor it is to follow in path of the five past presidents under whom I have had the privilege to serve: Mike Lynch, Dan Bernazzani, Dane Gregory, Lee Zimmerman, and Carey Vermeulen.

As a 13-year volunteer with this internationally recognized organization, one thing I’ve learned through a lot of hard work alongside some very dedicated people is that with privilege comes responsibility. The IICRC president, executive committee and board is charged with planning, directing and coordinating the affairs of this rather unique standard setting organization and certification registry. And they perform these duties as “volunteers.”  To date, the IICRC boasts some 4,200 certified firms and some 46,000 current registrants, having certified well over 110,000 technicians since its inception a little over 30 years ago.

And here’s the point.

Much of the growth and success the IICRC has enjoyed came automatically because of the mindset of those involved. Many self-sacrificing individuals, including Kenway Mead, Tom Hill and the IICRC’s administrative staff, and IICRC consultants Jeff Bishop, Larry Cooper and Mark Hansen, along with all the hundreds of volunteers, have worked tirelessly for the organization to achieve its goals in standard writing, in creating multiple certification categories (now 20-plus), in forging alliances with allied affiliates such as CRI (carpet), CIRI (research), ISSA (janitorial), PLRB (insurance) and AHFA(upholstery), and in making this a better industry in which to live, work and achieve our personal goals. The guiding principle that motivated these efforts? “What’s right for IICRC registrants?”

Oh, I know, successful organizations attract some criticism from time to time. Believe me, as a former owner of an IICRC-certified firm and being an IICRC-certified technician, I can understand and actually relate to some of it. In fact, I believe constructive criticism is good. We learn from our mistakes, and even from the misperceptions that some industry participants may have. But IICRC volunteers always have kept the momentum going.

Through successes and failures, good times and bad, the guiding principle remains “What’s right for IICRC registrants?”

So what can you expect from my leadership?

Already I’ve made a fairly long list of IICRC projects that require concentrated effort to bring to conclusion. I’ve prepared my vision statement for the IICRC board – far too long to reproduce here. With the board’s capable assistance and guidance, I look forward to a productive year in 2007.

And during my presidency the mantra will continue to remain, “What’s right for IICRC registrants?”