Joe Higens has always worked toward furthering his education.

In the beginning of 2010, Joe began taking the necessary classes to gain the highest level of certification in his field, that of Master Textile Cleaner, which he completed mid 2012. This certification is earned through an organization called the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). Since 1972, the IICRC has served as an independent, non-profit certification body, dedicated to setting and promoting high standards and ethics and to advance communication and technical proficiency within the inspection, cleaning and restoration service industry. The IICRC currently represents more than 5,700 Certified Firms and 54,000 Certified Technicians in 22 countries. The IICRC, with participation from the entire industry, sets standards for inspection, cleaning and disaster restoration.

Mead2At the beginning of 2013, Joe was well on his way to acquiring yet another important certification – that of Senior Carpet Inspector. That’s when he met a man named Kenway Mead. It just so happens that Mr. Mead is one of the founding members of the IICRC and had fairly recently moved to Grants Pass, Oregon. Now, not only was Kenway Mead a founding member, but he was for a number of years the group’s Executive Administrator and a driving force behind the IICRC’s growth and standing within the industry. Kenway Mead is in fact so revered in the industry that yearly, the individual, company or group that has displayed vision, leadership and tireless energy on behalf
of the cleaning and restoration industry on a regional, national or international level is awarded the Kenway Mead Leadership Award. Truly one of the highest awards the industry bestows.

So the magic in this story is to imagine Joe, who has been working to achieve his certification, to get a call from one of his industry’s true champions. There is the honor and opportunity in the meeting, and then to receive high praise and a letter of recommendation, well that’s the story… .

Here’s Kenway Mead’s letter of recommendation…

Mead3