After years of putting out fires and pointing the finger at employees, Eric Sprague and Larry Wilberton learned to point the finger at themselves. In this episode, Sprague shares how he and Wilberton transformed their property restoration and cleaning company into one with a culture of high engagement, performance and profit by rethinking their roles as leaders. Today they help other blue-collar companies do the same through Morning Tech Meeting and Blue Collar Consulting. 

Paul Huszar, president of CEO of VetCor, joins us to share the story of his company. Huszar is a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army. He and David Howard, another former Army officer, founded the Tampa, Florida-based company in 2013 and started franchising it in 2020. Huszar discusses the challenges veterans face in finding work in civilian life and how the restoration business provides a unique opportunity for them.

R&R Editor Valerie King announces the call for 2022 Ladder Award nominations in this special message. She shares the importance of the award, now in its third year, as well as eligibility requirements and judging criteria. Click here to submit nominations or learn more about the 2022 Ladder Award and to submit a nomination by Monday, May 30, 2022.

PSA by Canam Systems provides integrated restoration management software designed to help restoration companies increase efficiency, accountability and, ultimately, profits. In this Ask the Expert episode, Sales Manager Ryan Pritchard shares practical steps restoration contractors can take to ensure the software they invest in delivers value, including integration and scaling solutions with the growth of their business. He also discusses a PSA rebrand introduced at the start of 2022.

The American Policyholder Association is a nonprofit watchdog organization that promotes integrity, honesty and best practices in the property loss adjustment sector of the insurance industry. In this episode of Ask the Expert, Executive Director Doug Quinn talks about the APA’s work advocating for policyholder benefits and promoting solutions in insurance coverage, the insurance claim process, and the repair and rebuilding process for policyholders across the U.S.

Barry Rice, a Certified Safety Professional with over 20 years of experience, is the Environmental, Health and Safety director for Signal Restoration Services’ family of companies that includes Signal, US Roofing and PuroClean. In this episode of Ask the Expert, Rice discusses the importance of safety, as well as best practices for employee health and safety, in this particularly high-risk field of restoration.

In this special episode, Diana Rodriguez-Zaba, president of ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba serving Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, shares her story and insights. She is the winner of R&R’s seventh annual Women in Restoration Award and rose to the top of an impressive list of 46 nominees. All nominations were reviewed by a panel of judges based on journey and experience in the industry, job growth and future reach, industry and community involvement, and awards and certifications.