I am writing this as I reflect on my time at the Restoration Industry Association (RIA) 2021 Convention and Expo. This event was packed with anticipation as it was one of the first in-person events since the shutdowns of 2020. It was also a celebration of the 75th anniversary of RIA’s rise to become, in the word’s of Ed Cross, “The oldest, largest, best-funded, and best-organized association representing the interests of restoration contractors in the US and around the world.”

Many titans of our industry returned to reconnect with their peers, with whom they have worked side-by-side to tackle the issues shared by restoration professionals over these past decades. Katie Smith so eloquently characterized this common plight as she received the 2021 Women in Restoration Award, “There are thousands of contractors, but we don’t have thousands of problems. We all have the same major headaches.”