RIA release 1.4

January 04, 2012

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Restoration Industry Association Transfers Certified Rug Specialist Certification to Association of Rug Care Specialists

ROCKVILLE, MD – The Board of Directors of the Restoration Industry Association (RIA) has voted to transfer ownership and administration of its Certified Rug Specialist certification program to the Association of Rug Care Specialists (ARCS) effective January 5, 2012.

“Given the RIA’s focus on the restoration sector, our board unanimously agreed that it is in the best interests of the rug care industry to transition this program without cost from our organization to the Association of Rug Care Specialists,” said Timothy Shaw, RIA’s executive director. “We know the CRS will be in good hands with ARCS and we eagerly anticipate seeing the certification program grow under ARCS’ leadership.”

The CRS is the nation’s only certification program that focuses on the advanced technical study of Oriental and specialty rugs with an emphasis on the history of handmade rugs, rug identification, cleaning and repair techniques, and potential cleaning problems based on a rug’s origin and construction. Successful candidates for the certification must participate in five days of intensive instruction, pass a two-part written examination, and write a paper on a topic relevant to the cleaning and repair of Oriental and specialty rugs. An elite group of 65 rug care specialists in the United States currently hold the CRS certification.

Under the terms of the agreement, RIA will transfer to ARCS the rights to CRS trademarks, logos and pins, as well as the Industry Guide and Recommended Practice for Rug Cleaning Guide that is the basis for the certification program. All CRS records and intellectual property related to the certification will also be transferred to ARCS.

“We are grateful for the support of the RIA Board in making this transition a reality. Their decision is indicative of the cooperative spirit that exists between our two organizations,” said Bill Foulds, president of ARCS. “The bottom line is that this agreement will strengthen the rug care industry and further our association’s mission of educating rug care specialists and advancing the art and science of rug care.”

According to Foulds, the transition of the upper-level CRS certification program to ARCS enables the newly formed ARCS association to provide educational opportunities to all levels of rug care professionals. The ARCS Education Committee recently completed instructor guides for both entry- level and intermediate-level courses.

The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) has member firms worldwide. RIA provides industry leadership, supports science, and promotes best practices for restoration and cleaning. Its membership focuses on fire and smoke restoration, environmental remediation and contents restoration. More information is available on the RIA website: www.restorationindustry.org.

The Association of Rug Care Specialists (ARCS) is an international association dedicated to educating rug care professionals and advancing the art and science of rug care. Membership is open to any professional who cleans, repairs, services, or otherwise maintains area rugs, provided 95 percent of the work is conducted at an in-house plant and not subcontracted to another firm. Further information is available at www.rugcarespecialists.org.