Credentials / Experience: Lisa graduated with distinction from Pennsylvania State University with a BS degree in Accounting. She has her IICRC Master Water, Fire and Textile Restorer Certifications.  Over the last 19 years, she has opened and operated a full-service, award winning restoration company, Berks • Fire • Water Restorations, Inc. In 2012, she opened the Restoration Technical Institute. Lisa has written and instructed a variety of restoration and insurance continuing education courses.

What was your best day ever at work and why?  I am very grateful to have a job that I love. It is difficult to rule out a single day, however, some of my happiest moments are: When team members evolve and grow in the company, when we make a meaningful positive impact on our customers, and when students share their excitement and enthusiasm for the industry and their careers.

What do you love about teaching?  I love the sharing of knowledge and mistakes with others to help them live to their potential and serve their purpose.

What is your favorite food at RTI? I like watching others eat.  My son calls me a “food starer.” I find joy in feeding people all the RTI food delights. It is what makes me a little odd…LOL!

Credentials / Experience: 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.

What do you love about teaching? 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.

Credentials / Experience: 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.

Favorite hobby and why? I enjoy coaching my daughter’s softball team. I travel often and schedule practice and games when I am back home on the weekends.

What is your favorite food at RTI? I like it all, but I take full advantage of the ice cream machine by making myself a Root Beer float after lunches!

Share your funniest restoration story with us: I once had a client who literally looked in a 40 yard dumpster because she thought we put her husband in it.

Credentials / Experience: Ron has been in the cleaning industry since 1977, specializing in restoration, carpet and upholstery cleaning. As a Servpro franchise owner for 30 years, Ron realized volume sales of up to $1.5 million annually. He understands the dedication required to maintain a growing business and the importance of continuing his own education to remain informed of industry changes, trends and the latest technological advances. Ron sold his business in the Spring of 2002 to dedicate all of his time to teaching. He has been an IICRC instructor in the U.S. and Canada for over 15 years.

What was your best day ever at work and why? One day at RTI one of the students said he was a “mouse catcher” in New York, and I believed him.

What do you love about teaching? Teaching the student that this is their craft and they are more than a Poop-sucker or wall washer.

Favorite hobby and why? Teaching the classes – I look forward to every class I teach.

Credentials / Experience: 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.

What was your best day ever at work and why? There are several. Teaching has taken me to some places one may never get an opportunity to experience. One was teaching the carpet cleaning staff at Epcot Center. While they were taking their exam, we took a personal tour of the underground of Disney World and the backside of the property where they store the fireworks. I also taught a class at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. I toured the entire facility, including the corporate offices, consulting them on carpet cleaning and stain removal. At the end of the day I rode around the track. That was awesome! The bank on the curves are so steep they have special cranes designed to hold to paving equipment in place.

What is your favorite food at RTI? You serve food? LOL! If one is not careful, one would have to roll themselves out in a wheelbarrow. Too many yummy things to choose from. Thank you for having protein bars and fruit and purified water….and ice cream.

What was your first car? My first car was my favorite. It was a 1966, red, Chevrolet Chevelle, 2 door with a 283 engine and power glide (slide) transmission.  I bought it from my brother Chuck in 1973 for $300.00. My gearhead best friend and I replaced the transmission with a Muncie 4 speed transmission, Hurst shifter, installed a GTO positraction rear end and replaced the 2 barrel carburetor with a Holley 4 barrel. Yes, at one time I was a grease monkey; those were the “glory days” as “The Boss” sings about.

Credentials / Experience: Jeff is the President and Owner of ESCA Blast, a supplier and turn-key renter for all types of blasting equipment and supplies. It was established in Hatfield, PA over 30 years ago, and he has been at ESCA for 12 years. Jeff has worked on many landmark buildings during his tenure at ESCA Blast, from the U.S. Capital and Library of Congress to High Bridge Park in NYC and the Merchant Exchange Building in Philadelphia. He 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 20 years in management, sales and marketing with small and large companies – all in technical fields.

Favorite hobby and why? Gardening. It’s relaxing, rewarding, and a great way to “unplug.”

What is your guilty pleasure? Why? Sour Patch Kids – I find them to be very addicting and wish I knew why!

Share your funniest restoration story with us: I was hired 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 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 literally got the compressor started again 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!

Credentials / Experience: 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.

What was your best day ever at work and why? I have had many… The best are those where I see the people I work with flourish and contribute, while realizing professional growth.

What is your favorite food at RTI? All the pasta dishes!

What is your guilty pleasure? Why? Cigars because they are fun.

Credentials / Experience: 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.

What do you love about teaching?

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.

Favorite hobby and why? My favorite hobby is riding my motocross bike with my brother. We go high into the mountains and tune out the rest of the world. Nirvana! (No cell service!)

Share your funniest restoration story with us:

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.

Credentials / Experience: 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

Tony is currently serving on the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, Restoration Certification (IICRC) Board of Directors and as Chairman of the Odor Control Committee on the Technical Advisory Board, as well as a member of the Standards Committee “ANSI S-500 Water Damage Restoration.” He was a Founding Father and past President of the Southwest Carpet Cleaners Association, which is now the Professional Cleaning & Restoration Alliance (PCRA).

Tony is a graduate of University of Puget Sound, in Tacoma, Washington. He is certified as a Master Textile, Master Fire and Water Damage Restoration Technician and Senior Carpet Inspector #797 with the IICRC, Master Deflooding and Restoration Specialist with the Coalition Drying and Restoration Network (C.D.R.N.), Certified Mold Remediation Specialist with American Indoor Air Quality (AmIAQ), and Certified Restorer #70 with Restoration Industry Alliance (RIA).