January. It is the start of a new year for The Clean Trust. By the end of January, the new board of directors will have officially met and begin acting on the strategic plan in place. We continue to set ambitious goals and it will take volunteers – new and old – to help us reach our true potential. This next phase for The Clean Trust will require great people with industry experience to step-up and play a role.

The smaller structure of the organization provides an opportunity for more industry leaders to contribute as volunteers. The Clean Trust wants to grow its foundation of volunteers to help our veterans achieve more this year than ever before. With energy and enthusiasm, seasoned volunteers are filling some significant positions, but we still have more to fill. We are reaching out the industry and have a special request that The Clean Trust’s regional shareholder associations recommend volunteers from their pool of experts for chairs, vice chairs and committee members. We all have suggestions and opinions on what should be done; this is your chance to have a voice. Serving as a volunteer provides a way to impact the organization and make real change, ultimately benefitting our industry as a whole.

Passionate volunteers keep our committees moving the industry forward. For example, our government affairs committee was instrumental this year in pursuing state legislation ensuring that The Clean Trust certifications are recognized for its expertise and that legislators are making informed decisions when it comes to cleaning, restoration and inspection. Another example is our distance learning committee that is working to determine how to include a “hands-on” element to distance learning and deciding which courses to develop first and in which languages.

These committees represent a handful of the incredible work being done by our more than 150 volunteers throughout the organization. With 46 committees, there is a committee for you. Committees range from certifications, standards and industry categories to broader activities like marketing and education.

I encourage you – both new registrants and our experienced professionals – to become increasingly involved with the organization. In my career, I’ve found the most value in the organization when I am active and can affect change. In my 28 years of service, I have been the chair of the long-range planning committee, a volunteer on the finance and standards committees, as well as past chairman for both the Applied Structural Drying (ASD) and Applied Microbial Remediation Technician (AMRT) committees. I have served on the executive committee (part of the time as treasurer and part as vice president) for 12 years and under six different presidents. I participated in development of all water damage and mold standards and was a past chairman of SCT (1983/84). From this list, it should come as no surprise that I have truly been rewarded in applied knowledge during all of my time as a volunteer with The Clean Trust; and, I believe you can have the same experience. I am excited for volunteers to sign up and participate.

Without a doubt, with the continued support of brilliant minds and leadership within our industry, The Clean Trust will continue to build up its reputation and enter the next phase of growth. If you would like to get involved, please contact The Clean Trust headquarters to find out how you can best serve.