Thank you, IAQA members, for the opportunity to serve another term as president. I feel blessed to be a part of an organization that not only gives knowledge back but creates long-lasting friendships within our industry. I’m following in the footsteps of great leaders, individuals who were motivated and persistent in pursuing a goal of success for the association. I intend to keep that tradition going.

This year brings new challenges to myself and the board of directors as we continue to develop and improve education opportunities that reflect our industry’s high standards and are beneficial to our members. These education opportunities will be provided across the country throughout the year and consist of a diverse offering — from general knowledge about OSHA safety regulations, to mold, asbestos and silica. Our new educational program is extensive. We are excited about the opportunity to give something back to our members.

During our annual meeting in Chicago, we met with the Allied Industry Partners (AIP) to discuss the status of the industry and ways to further develop the AIP relationship. The partners agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) recognizing the ASTM D-7338, IICRC S-520 and the NADCA ACR as the prevailing industry standards of practice for mold assessment and remediation. The MoU should be finalized soon. The agreement will have all the AIP promoting the prevailing standards for mold assessment and remediation as well as include the standards in our training.

The Allied Industry Partners present for the meeting included:

• Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA)
• Restoration Industry Association (RIA)
• American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)
• National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA)
• Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC)
• Environmental Information Association (EIA)
• National Air Filtration Association (NAFA)
• American Bio Recovery Association (ABRA)
• Lead and Environmental Hazards Association (LEHA)

The AIP will continue to strengthen the united position in additional areas as well, such as the categorization of water during a water loss and hurricane storm damage, silica, and other areas of indoor air quality and restoration. The goal is to improve industry understanding and consensus, and to unify our training in these areas of practice.

Another challenge is to continue to increase our membership. As with other associations, many of our members are entering the twilight of their careers and are looking forward to a much-deserved retirement. We need to bring more youth into the association, a process that starts at the chapter level. The chapters that are growing and thriving are the ones that have the most activities. If any chapter or member needs any help or ideas, my door is always open. The same is true for all the members of the board of directors.

Many opportunities will be available throughout the year to meet at chapter meetings for education as well as networking with members and future professionals within our industry. Networking is an important benefit of IAQA membership. I’ve been a member for many years and networking has allowed several opportunities to come my way that otherwise would not have. The IAQA has a wealth of technical knowledge, when combined with the networking opportunities, the long-term relationships have been priceless.

For our current members, as well as prospective members, I want to assure you that my intention, and that of the board of directors, is to grow the IAQA without limits. We will stay focused on remaining a leader in the industry and a benefit to our members while also staying current with industry standards and requirements. I look forward to a completing a productive and successful presidency and invite each of you to become more involved.

I encourage you to volunteer for a committee, participate in the free quarterly webinars, take the free online IAQA University course on psychrometrics, take advantage of our member discount program, and please don’t forget to update your IAQA Profile!

I’m very proud to be your president and will continue to work on behalf of our members and industry partners.