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Lisa holds a BS in Accounting from Penn State and is an IICRC Master Fire, Water and Textile Restorer. As Chief Operating Officer and Co-owner of both Restoration Technical Institute and Berks ∙ Fire ∙ Water Restorations, Inc., Lisa has over 20 years of experience in the restoration and reconstruction industry and has been involved in the training other restoration professionals since 2012. In 2018, she has expanded her passion for serving other restorers by partnering and becoming VP of Operations Design for iRestore, software. In addition to contributing to the running of the operations of her organizations, she authors a monthly column for R&R Magazine, Restoring Success, writes, instructs, and develop courses and materials in the pursuit of her passion to give knowledge, passion, and inspiration to others for success in the industry. You can reach her at lisa@RTILearning.com.
I love the sharing of knowledge and mistakes with others to help them live to their potential and serve their purpose.
Built By Restorers, For Restorers
After selling the successful Air Quest Systems, a well-known manufacturer of custom desiccant dehumidifiers, large refrigerant dehumidifiers and portable air conditioners, Chuck turned his attention to training others how to utilize “big” equipment for “big” jobs. Chuck is a down-to-earth type fellow with vast knowledge and education. He is a hands-on instructor. Chuck has been a speaker at the Dri-Eaz Restorative Drying Symposiums, the Water Loss Institute, ASCR National, Connections East and West since 2011, SCRIA 2012 thru 2015 and DRC Canada. He has dried over 4 million square feet of structure, hundreds of thousands of books and documents and designed permanent systems for various manufacturing and storage projects over his 20 year career as an Application Engineer. Chuck has an associate’s degree in Electrical Engineering. His career spanned many years with large well-known companies before building Air Quest Systems from the ground up. In addition, Chuck is a contributing author to the new S500.
I like to see the light bulbs going on. When you can take a complex subject like ‘Psychrometrics and how it manipulates Desorption in Wet Materials’ and make it as easy as waiting in line for the Tram at Disney! You see the lights go on and you know they’ve got it now. It’s a great privilege to be able to pass along information on how to be a better dryer.
I started in the carpet cleaning industry with my brother Chuck in 1977. Our company did carpet cleaning, apartment cleaning, painting, carpet repair, carpet installation, color repair, water damage restoration, re-installation, scrubbing and waxing. My role in the company was to train all of our technicians, and today I still train as an IICRC instructor. I have 12 IICRC certifications, and I teach the Carpet Cleaning Technician, Commercial Carpet Cleaning Technician, and Carpet Repair and Reinstallation Technician courses. In 1992 I became a carpet inspector, and in 1994 I went full time as Northeast Ohio’s “go-to” floorcovering inspector. I am chairman of the revision of the S800 (IICRC) Reference Guide and Standard for Inspection of Textile Floorcoverings and of the Carpet Repair and Reinstallation Technician committee. I still perform carpet repairs on a regular basis, which allows my students to trust that I know what I am talking about.
Destry is the President of TEC Pro, which provides training, education and consulting to companies in the restoration and remediation industry. He is also an IICRC Instructor, an IICRC Certified Master Textile Cleaner, Master Water Restorer and Master Fire and Smoke Restorer. Destry has over 20 years of experience in restoration and construction, and he has led in roles as an estimator, project manager and technician. He continues to work in the field as a consultant and trainer to keep himself on top of the best practices, newest methods and equipment. Destry not only brings real world, hands-on training to you, but he makes it fun and interesting.
I once had a client who literally looked in a 40 yard dumpster because she thought we put her husband in it.
Claudia Lezell has been involved in the floor covering industry for more than 30 years. Since 1995, she has owned and operated Inspections Too, Inc., a full-time floor covering inspection and consulting service. Claudia established the Flooring Technology Institute school of learning in partnership in order to teach technical information to the related industries. She has spearheaded, led and served as the Division chair of the IICRC Hard Surface Certification Floor Covering Inspector Program for over 20 years. Claudia actively lectures at national conferences and floor covering trade shows, all while conducting numerous technical seminars designed to educate professionals in corresponding fields.
It sharpens my own skills, communicating new updates and changes in the interindustry. You learn different things from students and you are instructing a certification for a livlyhood.
Jeff is the President and Owner of ESCA Blast, a turn-key supplier and renter of sand & soda & dry ice blasting equipment, abrasives, media, PPE, dust collectors, and more! ESCA was established in Hatfield, PA over 30 years ago, and he has been at ESCA for 14+ of those years. Jeff has worked on many landmark buildings during his tenure at ESCA Blast, from the U.S. Capitol and Library of Congress to High Bridge Park in NYC and the Merchant Exchange Building in Philadelphia. Jeff holds a C-7 Certified Abrasive Certificate from the Society of Protective Coatings and a Food Safety and Sanitation for Food Manufacturers Certificate from Penn State. Jeff earned a Bachelor of Science from SUNY Geneseo, with a concentration in Business and Management. He has worked over 20 years in management, sales, and marketing with small and large companies – all in technical fields.
Association of Preservation Technology Production
Engine Remanufacturers Association
Associated Builders and Contractors
International Concrete Repair Institute
AAMP
ESCA was hired to perform a very special project — to clean a “never before cleaned” Ornate All-Cast Aluminum Car Port for the Architect of the Capital (AOC) at the Longworth House Office Building in Washington, DC during their August Recess. The job site was located one block from the Washington Monument, was heavily secured and required special access permits. The AOC himself came over to inspect our progress on the same day that we were to clean above the main entrance of the Capitol Police HQ, which had to shut down for this phase of our project. As he approached our compressor died. He noticed, began asking a lot of questions and told us that closing the entrance could not be rescheduled – it was do or die! Once he left, we sprang into action, and thankfully we had a bona-fide MacGyver on our crew. We got the compressor started again just as the entrance was being shuttered for us to work on – WHEW! To this day me and the crew get a big laugh when we relive that moment!
I thorougly enjoy teaching students new information and sharing my years of experience with people. My subject matter usually gets put to use quickly and I always get a kick when a former student reaches out to tell me what they learned in my class has made them smarter in the field!
All levels of project support: Site Surveys, Mock-ups, estimates, safety considerations, logistics, best practices, containment, waste disposal.
Tony Macaluso CR, CMRS is a veteran of forty plus years in the cleaning and restoration industry. As co-owner of Sunshine Fabric Cleaning & Restoration in Austin, Texas, his company has provided services in cleaning and restoration since 1973. As administrator of TM Restoration Schools, Inc., Tony has taught numerous classes throughout the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Scandinavia, United Arab Emirates, and Australia. He also has provided consulting and teaching services for several organizations, i.e. Paul Davis Restoration, Fibreclean of Canada, National Flood School (England), Polygon and Munters Group (Scandinavia), and the Australian Carpet Cleaning Institute
Mark Warner holds the position of Education Manager for ISSA’s Cleaning Management Institute. Warner’s responsibilities with CMI include performing training events, as well as the ongoing development of CMI’s educational offerings including the program’s industry leading Certified Custodial Technician program. He has been involved in the cleaning industry for over 30 years and is a past member of the ISSA Board of Directors, holding the post of distributor director. Warner has also served as Division Chair for the IICRC’s Hard Surface Division, President of the Low Moisture Carpet Cleaners Association (LMCCA) and Vice President of The League of Hard Flooring Professionals. In addition, he has been an ISSA CIMS Certified Expert since the program’s inception.
Watched a person put a 175 rpm floor machine right through a wall! It was hilarious! He had to pay for the wall! Poor sucker! I laughed for hours! All right, I confess… it was me.
I love seeing the “lightbulb moment” when a new concept is suddenly grasped. Sometimes, there is an instant and visible reaction! It’s really gratifying to know that you’ve helped someone. In some cases, teachers and instructors can change people’s lives dramatically for the better. Every now and then, someone reaches out to say “thank you”… and that feels really good.
Paul Pinchak began his Property & Casualty career at Safeco Insurance in 1973. He has held a wide range of senior management positions overseeing Underwriting, Product Management and Pricing functions. Retired since 2004, Paul has been a consultant both within and outside the Property and Casualty industry while developing and presenting various Continuing Education courses. He is also an active contributor to publications where he addresses topics designed to educate the insurance buying public. Paul holds B.S. and M.B.A. degrees from Fairleigh Dickinson University