ICS publisher Evan Kessler jumps into the fray with his thoughts on the neccessity of a national trade association for the cleaning industry.

This old adage may never be truer than with respect to CRI SOA Program, the mill warranty programs and the IICRC. Discussions have lit up the industry bulletin boards and got the industry blood stirring among cleaners and suppliers alike.

The volume on the ICS bulletin board recently has been something above a din, what with the talk of the CRI Seal of Approval (SOA) Program and the effects it may have on professional carpet cleaners.

For me, the loss of Howard Olansky is like the loss of a parent. And indeed, the role he played for over half a century in the floor covering and related industries was paternal. Howard observed, reported, took part in and informed our industry about the events, the technologies, the trials and the tribulations of our men and women in the trenches.

"You cannot exceed the level of your knowledge."

I must credit long-time industry stalwart Bob Bonwell for the phrase he coined many years ago that I have heard and repeated countless times. It's no wonder, then, that education is the key to success. I recently had the distinct pleasure to be invited to visit Advanced Specialized Equipment in Sydney, Australia in September to see, among other things, their new Interactive Training Institute (ITI) and flood house.