Many people inquire about how the IICRC spends “registrant” fees. They are under the impression that one person has total control over the finances. That’s just not so.

There are literally hundreds of IICRC volunteers who give their personal and professional time and donate their expertise to the betterment of the inspection, cleaning and restoration industry.

 Many people wonder how the IICRC organization is run, and who is responsible for keeping this gigantic ship moving forward. To start, let me clear up one important point: the IICRC has no employees

When the IICRC began some 36 years ago as the IICUC, there was only one certification category, what we now call Carpet Cleaning Technician or CCT. The course included carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, carpet inspection, water damage restoration, carpet repair, and even some marketing information all rolled into one two-and-a-half-day course. 

Every year in late January, IICRC representatives travel to Las Vegas to attend Surfaces, the largest floor covering trade show in the country. 

One of the classics of American literature is the 1960 Harper Lee novel To Kill a Mockingbird. In that wonderful story, readers are introduced to an amazing character, a lawyer by the name of Atticus Finch.

One of the most active standing committees in the IICRC is the marketing and PR committee, because it involves most IICRC programs and activities. There are several basic areas of responsibility for the committee, which include trade media outreach, registrant support and consumer awareness.

During my travels throughout the United States, as well as in England, Japan and Australia, I’ve been very fortunate to meet many people through my affiliation with both IICRC and SCRT.

I’m a carpet inspector. I received my IICRC Senior Carpet Inspector certification back in 1994 and have been performing inspections for mills, retailers and consumers ever since.

Recently, I attended a national franchise convention that featured a well-known consultant from Dalton, Ga., as the keynote speaker. His mission was to inform the attendees of trends in the carpet manufacturing industry that will eventually impact their business.