Ed Cross, Esq. - Charlie Cassani, CR - Dave Robbins, CR, WLS, CMP - Maturing of the Industry Part 3 of a 4 Part Series: The Rise of the AGA!

On May 17, 2019, IAQradio launched the first of a 4 part exclusive series with RIA and IICRC on the Maturing of the  Cleaning and Restoration industry. Frequent IAQradio listeners and "followers" of the Z-man's blog are aware, on May 1st, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona an historic announcement was made at RIA's 73rd annual Convention and Exposition. RIA President Lee King, CR and IICRC Chairman Pete Duncanson taking a page from Reagan and Gorbachev's historic Glasnost agreement executed a Strategic Partnership on behalf of their respective organizations. After the execution of the agreement Mark Springer, CR  who is RIA's President Elect announced the launch of RIA's AGA committee. The Advocacy and Government Affairs (AGA) committee chair is well known restoration contractor advocate and counselor Ed Cross known in the industry as "The Restoration Lawyer".

 

You have heard the RIA and IICRC leadership weigh-in on Part 1 and 2 of this 4 Part exclusive IAQradio series that will culminate this fall with signatories to the agreement King and Duncanson giving a progress update and preview of upcoming collaboration activities for the last quarter of 2019 as the industry rolls into 2020's convention season! This week for Part 3 we will feature a fast paced, interview with AGA committee chair Ed Cross and 2 of his committee members.

 

The Restoration Lawyer will oversee the "Rise of the AGA" to help level the playing field for restoration contractors who must compete in an ever increasing contentious marketplace.  Charlie Cassani, CR a fellow Californian from the Golden state's Capital City Sacramento will join Ed for the show along with RIA board member Dave Robbins, CR, WLS, CMP from the Volunteer state based in Memphis, Tennessee.

 

The Global Watchdog will be monitoring the show from down under this week as he is on Australia's Sunshine Coast in Queensland facilitating RIA's 2nd Annual Australasian Conference and Trade Show. Please join Radio Joe and the Z-man this week to hear how Ed Cross and his AGA committee plan to help restorers "Make it Better" for disaster victims and insurance policyholders who have suffered a loss!

 

Ed Cross, J.D.

Mr. Cross has built a successful law practice that specially caters to the needs of insurance damage repair contractors and remediators. Mr. Cross received a Bachelor's Degree in Speech Communications with an emphasis on Public Speaking from California State University at Northridge in 1986 (Dean's Honor Roll), and his Juris Doctor Degree from Western State University in Fullerton California. Ed is also well known for his risk management advice, cleaning and restoration contracts and related forms available for free and/or for purchase on his website edcross.com . These are simple one page forms in plain English that protect payment rights and deter lawsuits. He has recently added contract forms specific to the needs of those doing work in Texas and Florida.

 

Charlie Cassani

Known to his friends and colleagues as "Charlie", Cassani's length of time in the industry and the technical knowledge gained form four-plus-decades of field experience, ownership, and participation in professional industry associations provides a historical and fundamental understanding of the components of restoration services and restoration service organizations.

 

As an owner-operator and CEO of a nationally known cleaning and restoration franchise, he practiced and understood the limits of a run-from-the-top organization. As a team member at Restoration Management Company known as RMC, he gained insight and understanding of the unlimited potential of an organization that operates from the bottom-up with talented, professional co-workers.

 

His national reputation as an ethical, recognized expert in the field of restoration sciences is one of many key components that separate RMC from other national and international restoration organizations. Cassani is the company's Analytical Specialist and recognizes and identifies with the RMC Brand of performance as a day-to-day practice of this organization

 

Cassani's experience includes being a California licensed General Contractor and California Department of Insurance provider of Continuing Education Credits (CEC's). Cassani's commitment to volunteerism is evidenced from his membership on RIA's Certified Restorer Re-development committee which became known as the "gang of 9".

 

The gang of 9 is credited with doing the heavy lifting that produced the cleaning and restoration industry's first Body of Knowledge. This document is officially called, "The Certified Restorer Body of Knowledge, the complete guide for those pursing excellence in restoration education and training".

 

Presently Cassani's volunteer work with the Restoration Industry Association is as a member of RIA's Advocacy and Government Affairs (AGA) committee.

 

Dave Robbins  

Dave Robbins is an industry veteran and licensed general contractor with more than 30 years of experience in the commercial restoration industry. He has earned the prestigious designations of Certified Restorer (CR), Water Loss Specialist (WLS) and Certified Mold Professional (CMP) from the Restoration Industry Association (RIA). Dave also holds the designation of Certified Healthcare Constructor (CHC) from the American Hospital Association. Dave served on the Restoration Industry Association's Board of Directors from 2016 - 2019.

 

Dave is an owner and Vice-President of SRP Contractors, a large scale restoration firm operating throughout the Southeast. SRP is a long time RIA member and three-time Phoenix Award winner. SRP currently has offices in Memphis, Nashville and Little Rock.

 

Presently Robbins' volunteer work with the Restoration Industry Association is as a member of RIA's Advocacy and Government Affairs (AGA) committee.