Ruth Travis - IICRC President

IICRC President Ruth Travis has more than 20 years of experience in the fabric and floor cleaning industries. She has been a registrant of the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification for 17 years, and has taught IICRC-Approved Certification courses in color repair, carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, odor control and rug cleaning over the past 10 years.

In her years of service to the IICRC, Travis has served on several committees including:

• Marketing and PR Committee, as Chairman
• Paid President’s Feasibility Task Force
• S-300 Upholstery Cleaning Standard Committee and Editing Committee
• S-100 Carpet Cleaning Standard Committee and Editing Committee
• S-500 Water Damage Restoration Standard Committee
• S-520 Mold Remediation Standard Committee Supporters
• Certified Firm
• Registrant Standards Committee

In addition to her involvement in the IICRC, Travis served as the president of the Society of Cleaning and Restoration Technicians (SCRT), formerly known as the International Society of Cleaning Technicians, from 1989 through 2006. In that role, she supervised the execution of two industry studies (in affiliation with Shaw Industries) on strength loss of wet carpet and water extraction equipment.

Travis currently owns R L Seminars, Inc., a fabric care consulting business. Previously, Travis co-owned the Rug Exchange and Gallery, which fostered her love for rugs and earned her the nickname “The Rug Lady.” She is also a carpet inspector and carpet color restoration specialist. She was formerly co-owner of Interior Care, Inc. a fabric care service specializing in residential and commercial cleaning and maintenance.

As an industry leader, Travis has written many columns and articles for several trade publications. For five years she wrote a column for Cleanfax Magazine entitled “Rug Lady Report” and currently writes the IICRC President’s column in ICS magazine. Her articles have also been published in Pro-Chem Trend Tracks and on the Housekeeping Channel.

Travis holds a Bachelor’s Degree in textiles from the University of Tennessee.

Jeff Bishop - IICRC Technical Advisor

IICRC Technical Advisor Jeff Bishop has more than 36 years of cleaning and restoration industry experience. As technical advisor, Bishop provides technical services and support for IICRC certification programs and standards development. Bishop is an IICRC Certified Master Textile Cleaner, Master Fire Restorer, Master Water Restorer and Senior Carpet Inspector and teaches over 50 certification courses annually.

In addition to his current role with the IICRC, Bishop serves on the advisory board of the Insurance Technical Training Institute, and as a Director of the Society of Cleaning and Restoration Technicians. He has also served the IICRC as Vice President and Chairman of the Examination and Standards Committee. Bishop has edited and provided technical counsel on several IICRC standards including:

• The ANSI-approved IICRC S500 Standard and Reference Guide for Water Damage Restoration
• The IICRC S520 Standard and Reference Guide for Mold Remediation
• The IICRC S100 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Carpet Cleaning
• The IICRC S300 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Upholstery Cleaning

Since 1973, Bishop has authored 13 books and produced seven video tapes on cleaning and restoration-related subjects. He serves as a cleaning and restoration consultant to fiber producers, carpet mills, insurance training schools and local, state and federal agencies and serves as an expert witness. He is fully knowledgeable in disaster restoration including hurricane, flood and fire damage; and has extensive knowledge in mold remediation and water restoration.

In 1992 Bishop was selected as the CleanFax Magazine "Person of the Year" based on his writing of the IICRC S001 Carpet Cleaning Standard. In addition to many other industry awards, Bishop was also honored in 1989 by industry peers when he was inducted as a charter member into the Cleaning and Restoration Hall of Fame.

Bishop writes a monthly column for Installation and Cleaning Specialist Magazine and was featured on NBC Dateline's exposé of deceptive advertising in the cleaning service industry in 2000, having done similar interviews for the FOX affiliate in Atlanta, GA, and KCBS in Los Angeles.

Tom Hill - IICRC Executive Director

IICRC Executive Administrator Tom Hill is a veteran of over 40 years in the cleaning, maintenance, and restoration business. Tom has been involved with the IICRC since its inception in 1972 and holds the first registrant number. He is also a past president and past treasurer of the organization.

Hill is IICRC-certified in:

• Carpet Cleaning
• Commercial Carpet Cleaning
• Upholstery and Fabric Cleaning
• Water Damage Restoration
• Odor Control
• Color Repair
• Basic Carpet Repair
• Carpet Repair and Reinstallation
• Journeyman Textile Cleaner
• Journeyman Water Restorer
• Master Textile Cleaner

As an IICRC-certified Master Textile Cleaner, Tom instructs classes leading to certification in carpet cleaning, upholstery and fabric cleaning. He has taught textile cleaning classes in 7 countries.

Hill was a member of the original Carpet Cleaning Standard Committee in 1991 (IICRC S001-now S100) as a technical contributor and has been involved with all of the IICRC standards in his role as IICRC executive administrator.

In addition to his current roles with the IICRC is President of Kenway Consultants, Inc., the IICRC administrative services contractor. He is also head of the Vancouver, Washington based consulting firm of T.Hill & Associates, whose clients include carpet manufacturers, fiber producers, cleaning equipment manufacturers, trade associations, and professional cleaning and restoration companies.

Tom has published over 200 technical articles in 5 countries and is a monthly contributor to Installation and Cleaning Specialist Magazine.

Tom graduated from the University of California at Davis with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology.