Past Events

The basic outline of the course is as follows:

Reviews the basic steps in a “best­ practice” rug cleaning, why we do them and some of the most common prevailing methods in application today. While pros and cons of each method are discussed, editorial content is kept out.

• Pre­-cleaning Inspection – Why some consider it the most important step in rug cleaning and some of the most common conditions encountered in area rugs.
• Dry soil removal – Why it’s important and ways to do it.
• Washing – From dry cleaning methods to full saturation washing. Each method is discussed covering the why and how as well as the pros and cons.
• Drying – Surveying the most common methods in use today
• Finishing processes – Grooming, browning correction, color correction, etc.

Covers the basics of the most common fibers and chemicals encountered in area rug care. Topics are discussed generically, avoiding favoritism and bias.

• Wool – Why it is the most common rug fiber. How we go from sheep to rug yarn.
• Cotton – Production and application
• Silk – It’s advantages, disadvantages and production
• Bast Fibers – production and uses
• Plastics – Nylon, Olefin, etc.
• Rayon – production and it’s many other names

• Soil – most common types, how they accumulate and implications for cleaning
• Solvents – Polar and Non­-polar, volatile and non­volatile and applications for cleaning
• Detergents – what they are and how they work
• The PH scale – What it is, why it’s important and the general PH of specific substances
• Sinner circle

A general discussion of tufted rugs and their specific cleaning needs and concerns is followed by a survey of the most common types of tufted rugs encountered, how to identify them and their specific cleaning needs and concerns.  We finish covering the most common specialty rugs a cleaner will encounter.

• Tufted rugs – What they are and how they differ from other area rugs
• Tufted rugs made in China
• Tufted rugs made in India
• Custom­-tufted rugs
• Machine­-tufted rugs
• Specialty rugs – Skins, Shags, craft rugs, etc.

Picks up where we left off. We start with Machine­-made rugs and cover how to tell them from hand­made rugs. While hand­made rug ID is not discussed, students are introduced to the basics of where they are made, different construction techniques and the terminology used, building a foundation for future classes.

• Wilton construction – both traditional and face­-to­-face variants
• Axminster – both tradition and the Karastan® variants
• Hand­made – piled and non­-piled construction, terminology and how to tell them from machine­-made rugs

About the instructor ­- Armen Dohanian: is a fourth generation rug cleaner. His family owns a 100 + year old rug cleaning and restoration business in Boston, Massachusetts. Involved in rug cleaning from an early age, Armen is currently vice­-president of operations at the Oriental Rug Cleaning Company in Dallas, TX, a 103 year old, “full­-service” rug cleaning and restoration company. Mr. Dohanian is an ARCS Certified Rug Specialist (CRS), a certified Master Rug Cleaner and a Woolsafe North America "Fiber Care Specialist" as well as a member of the International Society of Appraisers.

This class will cover all of the important steps that can make or break your customer experience:

• Learn about your company and what you offer 
• Elevator Pitch 
• Common Pre-Inspection Conditions 
• Terminology: How to Convey Technical Explanations in Layman’s Terms 
• Help new customers navigate the rug cleaning process 
• How to Make Repeat Customers Continue to Feel Valued 
• THE IMPORTANCE OF DOCUMENTATION 
• Managing Customer Expectations 
• Dealing with Complaints 
• Proper Phone Etiquette 
• Proper In-Person Etiquette 
• Inter-Office Communication

Jennifer Colaco: joined Oriental Rug Cleaning in Dallas, Texas as office manager in 2010, becoming the fourth generation of her family to be involved in the flooring business. Prior to this, she worked in textile project management. Jennifer is Vice-President on the Association of Rug Care Specialist Board (ARCS), a Certified Rug Specialist, and Master Rug Cleaner.

A graduate of Texas A&M University, Jennifer and has spent the majority of her professional career interfacing with customers. Her focus on delivering excellent customer practices for her team led her to create and teach “Effective Communications for Rug Cleaners”, currently offered through ARCS.

1. Wednesday, April 27th
   1. Registration
   2. Welcome Cocktail Reception: Lobby Lounge
   3. Dinner on your own
2. Thursday, April 28th
   1. Annual Board Meeting
   2. CRS Presentation
   3. HR Practices & How to Scale to Apply to Specific Needs ~ Ian Schotanus, The Big Picture Consulting
   4. How to Develop a Safety Culture: Safety Manager with Woodard
   5. Current Afghan Rug Trends (Future & Present)
   6. Training Practices & How to scale to apply to your business needs ~ John Gagnepain - Woodard Training Dept.
   7. The Lean Journey: How to empower your teams to eliminate waste and increase efficiencies in their own workspace. ~ Matt Lanham and Team Members for Panel, Cambridge Engineering
   8. 2020 Vision on Workforce & Benefits Trends: How the changes in the workforce are impacting business culture, benefits, and competition for talent ~ Cali Beeman with Gallagher
   9. Associate Member Presentations/snack time (Meet & Greet your Associate members)
   10. Round Table ~ Jordan King, Ben Knause, Meg Walker, Scott Ring
   11. Dinner @ Kemoll’s Chop House (Hosted by ARCS in honor of our founding members)
3. Friday, April 29th
   1. Woodard Rug Plant Tour
   2. Saint Louis Art Museum
   3. Lunch
4. Saturday, April 30th
   1. St. Louis Arch Tour (optional)

Matthew Lanham

Matthew Lanham currently serves as the Director of Sales Management and Customer Service with Cambridge Air Solutions in Chesterfield, MO; a privately-held company focusing on energy-efficient heating, ventilation and cooling equipment for warehouse and industrial spaces. Before assuming the role of director, Matthew served as a regional sales manager for the southeast United States and Canada; fostering relationships with design and specifying engineers, mechanical contractors and end-users alike.

Matthew holds a B.S in Chemistry from the University of Missouri and minor in mathematics as well as a B.S. in Accounting from the University of New Orleans

Scott Barger

Scott started his career serving as a carpenter for 5 years before becoming the Safety Coordinator in the petrochemical industry. He has served on the Hazmat Team, the Fire Brigade, as an OSHA VPP coordinator, and an ISO trainer. He has background experience in insurance loss/risk control as well as a supervisory role with Amsted Rail. Scott continued his journey into various aspects of safety for 12 years as the Safety Manager with Fire Safety Inc. dealing with service and installation of fire protection equipment.

Today Scott serves as the Safety Leader at Woodard Cleaning & Restoration. He enjoys getting onto job sites and working with team members to get input on current and future safety opportunities.

Randy Hyde

• Randy Hyde - Past President
• Renaissance Rug Cleaning Inc.
• www.renaissancerugs.com

Randy Hyde; Owner of Renaissance Rug Cleaning, Inc. established in 1999 in Portland, Oregon. He started in the rug business with Atiyeh Brothers in the late 1980s. In 1996 Randy accepted a job with rug dealer, author, and tribal rug expert James Opie in part to manage the wash plant but also to sell rugs. Randy purchased the cleaning end of the business in 1999 and changed the name to “Renaissance Rug Cleaning”. Today Renaissance provides cleaning and service to most of Portland’s dealers and collectors. From 2015-16 Randy served on the ARCS board of directors and as ARCS President from 2016- to April 2018.

The Big Picture Consulting, LLC (TBPC)

Whether you need new documents, policies, or emergency support due to a government audit or employee situation, TBPC follows a Business Goals First consulting philosophy that goes well beyond typical compliance support you see from ‘add-on modules’ provided by payroll or Worker’s Compensation companies. Not only will you receive the letter of the law, but also an honest risk analysis of how to most efficiently comply with those laws or regulations and how they may impact your business operations, company culture, and long-term goals.

Every piece of advice offered is filtered through the lens of providing you with any and all information needed to make the most qualified business decision possible as well as a variety of options to allow you to accomplish your goal in any given situation. Whatever you are facing, TBPC will provide solutions and ongoing support/assistance through every step of the way… All while achieving and maintaining the highest level of compliance protection possible for your business!

Ian Schotanus

• Ian Schotanus SHRM-SCP, OSHA-30
• Owner & Lead Consultant
• The Big Picture Consulting, LLC (TBPC)

Ian is the Owner and Lead Consultant for The Big Picture Consulting. As a US Navy veteran with 2 Business Degrees, having worked in the retail/service field as both Sales and Technician, and over a decade’s worth of experience as a National Level HR & Safety Compliance consultant, he has a well-established knowledge base specifically geared to assist Residential and Commercial Service Providers. He has personally assisted hundreds of companies prevent or minimize financial damage caused by employee lawsuits, OSHA investigations, Wage and Hour Division audits, and more!

Specialties: Business Management, Systems Analysis and Design, Payroll Compliance, Safety Compliance, Employee Management Resolution

Cali Beeman

Cali joined the Gallagher Benefit Services team in 2013 servicing large accounts and currently serves as Benefits Consultant from the San Antonio office. She is a certified Human Resources Professional with benefits administration and compliance experience. Her past employers include the San Antonio Spurs as a Benefits & Staffing Specialist and Calvert Memorial Hospital in Southern Maryland as a HR Projects & Compliance Specialist.

As the spouse of a US Air Force member, she has had the privilege of working in various industries and company cultures. Her previous involvement with corporate strategic planning provides her the ability to find a balance between business and employee needs in regards to cost-control for budget planning and value for employee satisfaction.

Her background in Benefits Account Management and previous Human Resources experience gives her the unique ability to provide client insight for tying their Benefits and Human Capital Strategies together most effectively.

Although Cali and her husband are originally from the East Coast and have traveled the U.S. for the past 20 years, their dedication to the USAF came to a close, and they have finally “settled down” in New Braunfels, Texas with their two children.

John Gagnepain

John has worked in the Training and Employee Engagement field for over 25 years. He is the Director of Training and Leadership Development at Woodard Cleaning & Restoration. He previously oversaw training, employee engagement, and secret shopper programs at Six Flags St. Louis and lead the online training initiatives for all Six Flags Theme Parks.

Meg Walker

Meg Walker is Vice President of Aladdin Cleaning & Restoration in San Antonio, Texas. Upon graduation from Texas Christian University in 2004, Meg began her career at Aladdin in accounting, marketing and HR. In 2016 she graduated from the Master Rug Cleaner Program. Meg is the current President of the Board for the Association of Rug Care Specialists.

Jennifer Vickery

Jennifer joined Oriental Rug Cleaning in Dallas, Texas as office manager in 2010, becoming the fourth generation of her family to be involved in the flothe Association of Rug Care Specialist Board (ARCS), a Certified Rug Specialist, and Master Rug Cleaner.
A graduate of Texas A&M University, Jennifer and has spent the majority of her professional career interfacing with customers. Her focus on delivering excellent customer practices for her team led her to create and teach “Effective Communications for Rug Cleaners”, currently offered through ARCS.

Ellen Amirkhan

Since 1980, Ellen Amirkhan has served as president of Oriental Rug Cleaning Co. in Dallas, Texas, a business started by her grandfather in 1911 that specializes in cleaning, repairing, appraising and selling oriental rugs. A Past President of RIA, Ellen holds the designations of Certified Rug Specialist and Certified Oriental Rug Appraiser through the International Society of Appraisers. She is a co-developer of the Master Rug Cleaner Program, co-author of A Comprehensive Guide to Oriental and Specialty Rug Cleaning and serves as an expert witness for the legal profession.

Woodard Cleaning & Restoration

Woodard began in 1946 when Earl and Nancy Woodard began to offer their customers in-home rug cleaning door-to-door — an innovation at the time. Today, the Woodard family adheres to that same dedication to quality, customer service and innovation. Justin Woodard — grandson to Earl and Nancy, and son of Charlie Woodard — continues the family legacy as he owns and oversees Woodard’s operations.

Justin and the Woodard family attribute the company’s success to the superior knowledge and expertise of their team, the dedication to providing high-caliber cleaning, their 100% satisfaction guarantee and the many loyal customers they’ve been honored to serve for the past 70+ years.

Sheraton Westport Chalet - $119/night!
191 W Port Plaza Dr.
St. Louis, MO 63146
Phone: 314-878-1500

Follow this link to book your group rate for the Association of Rug Care Specialists!

Robert Mann: Robert owns and operates Robert Mann Rugs Inc. in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1978, RMR Inc. provides cleaning and repair services to retail and wholesale clients throughout the United States, as well as outsourced restorations services provided by its sister company, ATC, in Izmir, Turkey. Robert spent over 25 years working as a technical consultant in modern rug productions in nearly all the major rug-producing countries.

Intake, Log-in, Assessment: Going over a rug when it comes in is the first step in making a cleaning plan. We’ll check for condition problems that may complicate cleaning, assess soiling and stains, test colors for stability if necessary, measure, tag, photograph, and document all we see. Learn to create a plan for cleaning each individual rug we take in.

Pre-Wash Treatment: There’s a lot to do before you get a rug wet. Stains or soiled areas may need to be pre-treated. Dry soil and pet hair removed. Torn corners or other small damages sewn or protected so they don’t get worse in the cleaning process. Learning to recognize potential problems before they ‘happen’. Grouping rugs for efficient processing in the wet cleaning phase.

Washing, or ‘Wet Cleaning’: Accepted as the most effective method for cleaning handmade rugs this is a skilled and labor-intensive process. We will wash the rugs. At our disposal is a large wash floor, wringer, centrifuge, power washer, and wash tub. Problems will come up – stains, color run, dirty fringes. We will solve those problems and more.

Finishing: Is a washed rug ready to deliver once it is dry? No way. Finishing and ‘detailing’ are essential skills. How do we determine if a rug is clean enough? What can we do to make a rug look its best? Steaming pile, trimming fringes, removing stains that didn’t come out in cleaning, removing urine stains, ‘touching up’ minor color runs, there is a lot to do, and practice is how we learn. Make a rug looks its best. Your customers will thank you.

Follow Up and Conclusions: A review of what we have learned and discussion of how to move forward from whatever level we begin at.
What does it take to set up a wash plant?
How do drying rooms work?
What are the essential pieces of equipment, and can you wash rugs without them?
What about chemicals and supplies?

ARCS’s “Practical Dye Removal for the Rug Washer” course is a good primer on a complex subject. Ben did a great job explaining the principals and practical application of the most commonly encountered bleaches used in our industry. Those applications were then demonstrated at work in multiple real-world scenarios, not just “ideal” situations. Balancing risk versus reward, Mr. Knause walked students through an experienced professional’s thought process and approach to each problem. Participants were then given ample opportunity to practice with each product under the watch of an experienced cleaner, allowing them to get a better handle on the use of each type of product. This class will shorten the learning curve of anyone getting into color correction and is a must-attend course for any experienced cleaner who wants to know more about the subject.
Armen Dohanian - Oriental Rug Cleaning Co.

Friday March 18, 2022 - Day 1

ARCS’s “Practical Dye Removal for the Rug Washer” course is a good primer on a complex subject. Ben did a great job explaining the principals and practical application of the most commonly encountered bleaches used in our industry. Those applications were then demonstrated at work in multiple real-world scenarios, not just “ideal” situations. Balancing risk versus reward, Mr. Knause walked students through an experienced professional’s thought process and approach to each problem. Participants were then given ample opportunity to practice with each product under the watch of an experienced cleaner, allowing them to get a better handle on the use of each type of product. This class will shorten the learning curve of anyone getting into color correction and is a must-attend course for any experienced cleaner who wants to know more about the subject.
Armen Dohanian - Oriental Rug Cleaning Co.

Friday, November 5th

8:30 AM – 6 PM: We’ll begin with a visit to the Thomas McCormick Gallery for a seminar on and viewing of his collection of Saltillo Sarapes along with plenty of time for questions. We’ll also get to visit with him about his adventures in antique picking, rugs and art. We’ll have lunch afterwards and then head over to Teddy Varndell’s textile mill where he will show all of his great old textile machines hard at work along, many of which are 100 years old! We will also get to see natural dye demonstrations. Our last stop will be Teddy’s shop for happy hour where we get to check out his rug and textile inventory.

Saturday, November 6th

8:30 AM – 1 PM: We will start our morning with a trip to Minasian Rug Care for a visit to their wash facility and excellent rug showroom. We will then head over to Heirloom Oriental Rug Specialists to visit Roberto Mora and see his day-to-day rug cleaning operations! Lunch and dinner at your leisure.

This is such a rare opportunity and only 20 spots are available! We hope you can join us! Sign up today!

Price includes transportation to and from each location noted above, lunch, and happy hour on Friday only.

Roberto Mora’s rug cleaning plant

Heirloom Oriental Rug
2027 Johns Drive, Unit A
Glenview, IL 60025
heirloomorientalrugspecialist.com

Teddy Vandell’s Textile Mill & Shop
2101 N. Monitor
Chicago, IL 60639

Thomas McCormick Gallery
835 West Washington Blvd
Chicago, IL 60607
thomasmccormick.com

Minasian Rug Company
1244 Chicago Ave,
Evanston, IL 60202
www.minasian.com

Hyatt Regency Chicago
151 East Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601
Room Rate: $169
Phone: (312) 565-1234

2021 TRADE SHOW HOURS:

- DAY 1: Wednesday, September 8th - 4:00 - 8:00 pm
- DAY 2: Thursday, September 9th - 2:30 - 6:00 pm
- DAY 3: Friday, September 10th - 12:00 - 3:00 pm

ARCS Speakers

ARCS - Viscose – Presenter: Kash Sobhe. Whether we like it or not, viscose rugs are here to stay. Most often, the problem is not the viscose but the cleaner's lack of experience, knowledge, finesse, understanding of chemistry and task appropriate cleaning and extraction equipment. Kash Sobhe has perfected methods that will dispel fear, promote confidence and deliver great results when cleaning these rugs.

Wholesale Instead of No Sale – Panel: Jennifer Colaco, Oriental Rug Cleaning Co., Dallas, TX; Meg Walker Aladdin Rug Cleaning, San Antonio, TX; Robert Mann, Mann Rugs, Denver, CO. Overview: Carpet cleaning and restoration businesses are always looking for ways to diversify and add revenue. Rug Cleaning is usually on their radar. There is no need to invest thousands of dollars in equipment, training and space. The easiest and most profitable way to offer rug cleaning is to partner with a well-established, successful and reputable in-plant rug cleaner in your area. Jennifer, Meg and Robert work closely servicing a large base of wholesale customers and share how this program can be a win-win for the carpet/restoration industry and rug cleaning plants.

Kash Sobhe - Director at Large

Kash Sobhe; Kash is the FIRST and ONLY Certified Master Rug Cleaner in the entire greater Los Angeles area. Kash is also a WoolSafe Certified Fiber Care Specialist and a Certified Color Restoration Specialist. He has grown up caring for rugs and will continue the family business. He graduated in Business Marketing from California State University Northridge.

Jennifer Vickery Colaco - President
Oriental Rug Cleaning Co., Inc.
www.dallasrugcleaner.com

Jennifer Vickery Colaco; Jennifer has served on the ARCS Board of Directors since 2017, as member-at-large, Vice President and is now the current president. She is Office Manager at Oriental Rug Cleaning Co. in Dallas, Texas and is the fourth generation of her family to be involved in the flooring business. She is a Certified Rug Specialist and Master Rug Cleaner.

Megan Walker - Past President
Aladdin Cleaning & Restoration
www.aladdincleans.com

Meg Walker; Meg is Vice President of Aladdin Cleaning & Restoration in San Antonio, Texas. Upon graduation from Texas Christian University in 2004, Meg began her career at Aladdin in accounting, marketing and HR. In 2016 she graduated from the Master Rug Cleaner Program. Meg has served on the ARCS Board of Directors since 2016, as Secretary, President and currently as Past President.

Robert Mann
Robert Mann Rugs
mannrugs.com

Robert Mann; Robert is the owner of Robert Mann Rugs in Denver, Colorado. His technical expertise is unrivaled having worked extensively in rug production, weaving design, dying, carpet finishing and washing, both domestically and internationally. Robert is generous with his knowledge and is a great resource for our industry.

The Tools of Rug Identification – Grouped in a linear and methodical progression, students learn how to read a rug’s construction to identify its origins. Material progresses from easily discernible traits to more nuanced variations using the most commonly encountered area rugs as teaching material. Students come away knowing the covered material as well as how to advance their skills outside of class.

Survey of hand­-tufted, machine­-made and specialty rugs

Hand­-knotted Rugs – a brief history, nomenclature and introduction to structure, the tools of rug ID

• Persian rugs

• Copies of Persian rugs

• Designer rugs

• Flat-weaves

Overview of Cleaning Process

• Review of the steps in a “best practice” rug cleaning as outlined in ARCS’ Industry Guide & Recommended Practice for Rug Cleaning

Rug Intake

• Pre­-inspection and documentation, inventory control & pre­wash stabilization 

About Rugs & Fibers

• A review of the most commonly encountered rug fibers and construction techniques and what their implications are for the cleaning process.

About Soils & Cleaning

• Review of the types of soils found in rugs: What are they? How do they accumulate?

Rug Washing

• Getting our hands dirty cleaning the host plants inventory. Topics will include:

  • How to generate a cleaning plan

  • How all the host’s “toys” work and how to scale the operation up and down to meet the demands of each student

  • What to do if a rug starts to go south

Drying Theory

• Discussion of drying theory and its effects on the cleaning process.

Results

• Evaluating results and discussing the next steps. Discussion, how clean is clean enough? Weighing risks vs rewards.

Finishing Processes

• A survey of the non­-wash processes that go into a rug cleaning

  • Grooming

  • Fringe Correction

  • Post­-wash treatments

  • Cosmetic Touchups

• Checkout procedures

  • Recording and reporting results

Spotting techniques

• A discussion of the techniques for removing common spots such as rust, paint, wax, etc.

Discoloration Remediation

• How the products work and how they differ from spotters.

• Risks and how to manage them

• Discussion and demonstrations of common applications and techniques

  • Urine Stain removal

  • Floor Stripping of Dye

  • Dry stripping of Dye

Review Test - Don’t worry, it isn’t graded

Thursday March 4, 2021 - Day 1

ARCS’s “Practical Dye Removal for the Rug Washer” course is a good primer on a complex subject. Ben did a great job explaining the principals and practical application of the most commonly encountered bleaches used in our industry. Those applications were then demonstrated at work in multiple real-world scenarios, not just “ideal” situations. Balancing risk versus reward, Mr. Knause walked students through an experienced professional’s thought process and approach to each problem. Participants were then given ample opportunity to practice with each product under the watch of an experienced cleaner, allowing them to get a better handle on the use of each type of product. This class will shorten the learning curve of anyone getting into color correction and is a must-attend course for any experienced cleaner who wants to know more about the subject.
Armen Dohanian - Oriental Rug Cleaning Co.

2020 TRADE SHOW HOURS:

- DAY 1: Wednesday, September 9th - 4:00 - 8:00 pm
- DAY 2: Thursday, September 10th - 2:30 - 6:00 pm
- DAY 3: Friday, September 11th - 12:00 - 3:00 pm

ARCS Speakers - Track 5 - Thursday September 10, 2020

ARCS Welcome - How to Handle Flooded Rugs – Scott Ring, Woodard’s Cleaning and Restoration. Many times, rugs are permanently damaged not from a water incident, but from improper handling. Scott will guide you through the best practices for mitigating and restoring wet rugs.

ARCS - Spot Cleaning Rugs 101 – Jordan King. Join the conversation with Jordan King, owner of MasterBlend and operations manager of Oriental Rug Cleaning of Indianapolis, as he shares insights on this crucial skill needed to deliver the best results when dealing with area and oriental rugs.

ARCS - Rug Intake & Wholesale Programs – Jennifer Colaco. The most important step in rug cleaning occurs before the actual cleaning process begins. Many common problems, complaints and re-dos can be eliminated if both sales and technicians properly inspect and pre-qualify with the customer. Jennifer works closely in servicing a large base of wholesale customers and shares how this program can be a win-win for you and the wholesaler.

ARCS - Viscose – Kash Sobhe, Rug Ideas. Whether we like it or not, viscose rugs are here to stay. Most often, the problem is not the viscose but the cleaner’s lack of experience, knowledge, finesse, understanding of chemistry and task appropriate cleaning and extraction equipment. Kash Sobhe has perfected methods that will dispel fear, promote confidence and deliver great results.

ARCS - Rug Construction and Why It Matters – Randy Hyde, Renaissance Rug Cleaning. Successful cleaners should understand the importance of rug identification and rug construction as it relates to rug cleaning. Join Randy for a great presentation that will increase your bottom line and enhance your reputation.

Jennifer Vickery Colaco - President
Oriental Rug Cleaning Co., Inc.
www.dallasrugcleaner.com

Jennifer Vickery Colaco; has served on the ARCS Board of Directors since 2017, as member-at-large, Vice President and is now the current president. She is Office Manager at Oriental Rug Cleaning Co. in Dallas, Texas and is the fourth generation of her family to be involved in the flooring business. She is a Certified Rug Specialist and Master Rug Cleaner.

Randy Hyde - Past President
Renaissance Rug Cleaning Inc.
www.renaissancerugs.com

Randy Hyde; Owner of Renaissance Rug Cleaning, Inc. established 1999 in Portland, Oregon. He started in the rug business with Atiyeh Brothers in the late 1980’s. In 1996 Randy accepted a job with rug dealer, author and tribal rug expert James Opie in part to manage the wash plant but also to sell rugs. Randy purchased the cleaning end of the business in 1999 and changed the name to “Renaissance Rug Cleaning”. Today Renaissance provides cleaning and service to most of Portland’s dealers and collectors. From 2015-16 Randy served on the ARCS board of directors and as ARCS President from 2016- to April 2018.

Jordan King - Secretary
Oriental Rug Cleaning of Indianapolis
www.Orientalrugcleaningindianapolis.com  

Jordan King; “Jordan is the operations manager at Oriental Rug Cleaning of Indianapolis and Sani-Bright Carpet Cleaning. Since joining the business in 2009, Jordan’s passion for service has helped fuel their rapid growth. He is a certified Master Rug Cleaner and holds the CRS designation. Jordan has always had an entrepreneurial spirit; through high school and college, he owned & operated a successful recording studio as well as a lawn care business. He has found the networking, education, and friendships formed through ARCS events & classes to be highly valuable. It continues to give him and his team the edge they need to bring a 5-Star experience to their clients.”

Scott Ring - Treasurer
Woodard Cleaning and Restoration
www.woodard247.com

Scott Ring; Scott started in the cleaning and restoration business in the late 1980s with Woodard Cleaning & Restoration. After working production in the rug plant for approximately 7 years learning the business, he went on to pursue a career in hand-knotted rug sales. He worked in retail sales and importing for 13 years before returning to Woodard to now run their rug operations. Working with a 73-year-old business, he has been able to serve all three generations of ownership. Scott spent the next few years growing the rug business and adding additional decontamination, rug padding and hand-repair services.

In 2017 he became Director of Cleaning Services at Woodard, overseeing rug, residential & commercial location cleaning. With over 25 years of textile cleaning & retail sales experience, he says he has been blessed to have several mentors to help him figure things out along the way. Working at Woodard, their core purpose is to help people get back to their lives. The challenge and the privilege to serve others, both team members and customers is what motivates him daily. Scott is on his second term on the board of directors with the Association of Rug Care Specialist and has completed the Master Rug Cleaner certification.

Kash Sobhe - Director at Large
Rug Ideas
www.rugideas.com

Kash Sobhe; Kash is the 3rd generation in his family business, Rug Ideas. He is the FIRST and ONLY Certified Master Rug Cleaner in the entire greater Los Angeles area. Kash is also a WoolSafe Certified Fiber Care Specialist and a Certified Color Restoration Specialist. He has grown up caring for rugs and will continue the family business. He graduated in Business Marketing from California State University Northridge.

1. Wednesday, April 29th
1. Registration
2. Welcome Cocktail Reception: Lobby Lounge
3. Dinner on your own
2. Thursday, April 30th
1. Annual Board Meeting
2. CRS Presentation
3. Keynote Presentation: Zar Toolan with Wells Fargo Financial Services.
4. Morning Medical Insurance Trends: Tim Wells with the Crane Agency
5. How to develop a Safety Culture: Jeff Hummel, Safety Manager with Woodard
6. 4 Generations in the Workforce: Boomers, Millennials, Gen X, and Y: Cali Beeman with Gallagher
7. 10 year Anniversary Presentation: Ellen Amirkhan and Jennifer Colaco
8. Dinner @ Kemoll’s Chop House (Hosted by ARCS in honor of our founding members)
3. Friday, May 1st
1. Woodard Rug Plant Tour
2. St. Louis Art Museum
1. James F. Ballard Rug Exhibit
4. Saturday, May 2nd
1. St. Louis Arch Tour (optional)

Zar Toolan

Zar leads a team of over 70 advice professionals who help WFA’s financial advisors deliver better client outcomes. Zar oversees WFA’s advice-delivery & research platforms, portfolio construction & analytics, market & advice commentary, equity & fixed income research, and capital markets guidance. Zar is a published author and keynote speaker. He has appeared on Bloomberg, CNBC, and Fox Business, and has been quoted in Fortune, US News & World Report, Business Week, On Wall Street, and other wealth management publications on investor behaviors, markets, and goals-based investing. Zar is the architect of the Plan to Pie® and RAPTRSM suite of portfolio management and risk analytic applications.
Earlier in his career, Zar worked as a Nuclear Engineer and Operations Manager for the U.S. Navy, overseeing reactor refueling of nuclear-powered submarines. Zar holds an MBA in Finance from the College of William & Mary and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University, where he was an All-Ivy League rower. Zar loves seeing the country on foot and has completed over 50 marathons and ultra-marathons, as well as many other endurance events. An active member of the Saint Louis community, Zar serves on the Board of Trustees for several non-profits, including the Saint Louis Science Center and Gateway Greening. He lives with his wife, Liz, and two children, Maeve and Finn.

Tim Wells

Tim Wells has over fifteen (15) years of experience in the insurance business assisting employer groups to drive efficiencies in their health and wellness programs. Prior to joining Crane, Tim worked with a large national brokerage firm along with one of the leading providers of Life & Disability coverage. Having spent time on both the carrier and brokerage side has afforded Tim the opportunity to become an expert in such areas as:

• Self-Funding;
• Health Care Reform;
• Pharmacy Management;
• Ancillary Benefit Coordination;
• Recruitment, Retention and Training;
• Marketing/Sales;
• Legal & Compliance.

Tim obtained his B.A. in Finance and MIS at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio after graduating from St. Louis University High School.

Jeff Hummel

Jeff is a graduate of the University of Missouri St. Louis. His career started in sociology working with youth for the state of Missouri. In 2001 he changed direction and started a new career in the construction industry as an estimator. Jeff worked as a project manager for approximately 15 years before moving to Woodard Construction Services.

Jeff is a servant leader. He transitioned into safety management due to his ability to lead safety through Woodard’s core values.

Jeff is finishing up his certification for specialist in safety & health. He has traveled around the United States working with other companies to review best practices. He has attended the National Safety Council Congress & Expo, AAIM, Captive Resources, and many OSHA classes.

Jeff is leading a dynamic and engaging safety program. He will share best practices, safety strategies, and Woodard’s journey of growing capable leaders.

Cali Beeman

Cali joined the Gallagher Benefit Services team in 2013 servicing large accounts and currently serves as Benefits Consultant from the San Antonio office. She is a certified Human Resources Professional with benefits administration and compliance experience. Her past employers include the San Antonio Spurs as a Benefits & Staffing Specialist and Calvert Memorial Hospital in Southern Maryland as a HR Projects & Compliance Specialist.

As the spouse of a US Air Force member, she has had the privilege of working in various industries and company cultures. Her previous involvement with corporate strategic planning provides her the ability to find a balance between business and employee needs in regards to cost-control for budget planning and value for employee satisfaction.

Her background in Benefits Account Management and previous Human Resources experience gives her the unique ability to provide client insight for tying their Benefits and Human Capital Strategies together most effectively.

Although Cali and her husband are originally from the East Coast and have traveled the U.S. for the past 20 years, their dedication to the USAF came to a close, and they have finally “settled down” in New Braunfels, Texas with their two children.

Meg Walker

Meg Walker is Vice President of Aladdin Cleaning & Restoration in San Antonio, Texas. Upon graduation from Texas Christian University in 2004, Meg began her career at Aladdin in accounting, marketing and HR. In 2016 she graduated from the Master Rug Cleaner Program. Meg is the current President of the Board for the Association of Rug Care Specialists.

Jennifer Vickery

Jennifer joined Oriental Rug Cleaning in Dallas, Texas as office manager in 2010, becoming the fourth generation of her family to be involved in the flothe Association of Rug Care Specialist Board (ARCS), a Certified Rug Specialist, and Master Rug Cleaner.
A graduate of Texas A&M University, Jennifer and has spent the majority of her professional career interfacing with customers. Her focus on delivering excellent customer practices for her team led her to create and teach “Effective Communications for Rug Cleaners”, currently offered through ARCS.

Ellen Amirkhan

Since 1980, Ellen Amirkhan has served as president of Oriental Rug Cleaning Co. in Dallas, Texas, a business started by her grandfather in 1911 that specializes in cleaning, repairing, appraising and selling oriental rugs. A Past President of RIA, Ellen holds the designations of Certified Rug Specialist and Certified Oriental Rug Appraiser through the International Society of Appraisers. She is a co-developer of the Master Rug Cleaner Program, co-author of A Comprehensive Guide to Oriental and Specialty Rug Cleaning and serves as an expert witness for the legal profession.

Marc Braun

Marc joined the Cambridge family in April 2008 as the VP of Operations, has served as Executive VP of Sales and Marketing and most recently been promoted to President in January 2017. Through Marc’s leadership, Cambridge has been able to set strategy that works on the internal and external growth of the organization. Organizational health is everything and Marc’s goals for the organization are to double sales in 5 years through healthy and sustainable growth by holding our employees to the highest of expectations and to love them unconditionally.

Woodard Cleaning & Restoration

Woodard began in 1946 when Earl and Nancy Woodard began to offer their customers in-home rug cleaning door-to-door — an innovation at the time. Today, the Woodard family adheres to that same dedication to quality, customer service and innovation. Justin Woodard — grandson to Earl and Nancy, and son of Charlie Woodard — continues the family legacy as he owns and oversees Woodard’s operations.

Justin and the Woodard family attribute the company’s success to the superior knowledge and expertise of their team, the dedication to providing high-caliber cleaning, their 100% satisfaction guarantee and the many loyal customers they’ve been honored to serve for the past 70+ years.

Sheraton Westport Chalet - $129/night!
191 W Port Plaza Dr.
St. Louis, MO 63146
Phone: 314-878-1500

Follow this link to book your group rate for the Association of Rug Care Specialists!

Friday March 6, 2020 - Day 1

ARCS’s “Practical Dye Removal for the Rug Washer” course is a good primer on a complex subject. Ben did a great job explaining the principals and practical application of the most commonly encountered bleaches used in our industry. Those applications were then demonstrated at work in multiple real-world scenarios, not just “ideal” situations. Balancing risk versus reward, Mr. Knause walked students through an experienced professional’s thought process and approach to each problem. Participants were then given ample opportunity to practice with each product under the watch of an experienced cleaner, allowing them to get a better handle on the use of each type of product. This class will shorten the learning curve of anyone getting into color correction and is a must-attend course for any experienced cleaner who wants to know more about the subject.
Armen Dohanian - Oriental Rug Cleaning Co.

The Tools of Rug Identification – Grouped in a linear and methodical progression, students learn how to read a rug’s construction to identify its origins. Material progresses from easily discernible traits to more nuanced variations using the most commonly encountered area rugs as teaching material. Students come away knowing the covered material as well as how to advance their skills outside of class.

Survey of hand­-tufted, machine­-made and specialty rugs

Hand­-knotted Rugs – a brief history, nomenclature and introduction to structure, the tools of rug ID

• Persian rugs

• Copies of Persian rugs

• Designer rugs

• Flat-weaves

Overview of Cleaning Process

• Review of the steps in a “best practice” rug cleaning as outlined in ARCS’ Industry Guide & Recommended Practice for Rug Cleaning

Rug Intake

• Pre­-inspection and documentation, inventory control & pre­wash stabilization 

About Rugs & Fibers

• A review of the most commonly encountered rug fibers and construction techniques and what their implications are for the cleaning process.                                                      

About Soils & Cleaning

• Review of the types of soils found in rugs  What are they? How do they accumulate?

Rug Washing

• Getting our hands dirty cleaning the host plants inventory.   Topics will include:

  • How to generate a cleaning plan

  • How all the host’s “toys” work and how to scale the operation up and down to meet the demands of each student

  • What to do if a rug starts to go south

Drying Theory

• Discussion of drying theory and its effects on the cleaning process.

Results

• Evaluating results and discussing the next steps.  Discussion, how clean is clean enough?  weighing risks vs rewards.

Finishing Processes

• A survey of the non­-wash processes that go into a rug cleaning

  • Grooming

  • Fringe Correction

  • Post­-wash treatments

  • Cosmetic Touchups

• Checkout procedures

  • Recording and reporting results

Spotting techniques

• A discussion of the techniques for removing common spots such as rust, paint, wax, etc.

Discoloration Remediation

• How the products work and how they differ from spotters.

• Risks and how to manage them

• Discussion and demonstrations of common applications and techniques

  • Urine Stain removal

  • Floor Stripping of Dye

  • Dry stripping of Dye

Review Test - Don’t worry, it isn’t graded

We will visit a number of different cities and villages, meeting people all along the way, including:

• Istanbul - Carpet museums, Aya Sophia, Mosques, wholesale carpet dealers, covered bazaar, markets
• Izmir - private tour of ATC - a premier carpet restoration facility. Ancient ruins of Ephesus, small village carpet production in Seljuk, visit a small neighborhood wash plant.
• Central Anatolia - Aksaray, Guzelyurt, Ilhara Valley with its ancient Christian Churches
• Hot Air Balloon Excursion- additional cost of $150-$200/person, contact Ann Marie for advance registration
• Kayseri - Visit handmade carpet industry facilities scattered around the area.
• Istanbul - back again for more sights, shopping, and great food.

Cities, Dates and Hotels

November 2nd – November 5th: Istanbul (4 nights)

Turkoman Hotel
Asmalı Çeşme Sk. No: 2 Adliye Yanı Sultanahmet 34490 Sultanahmet Istanbul / Turkey
T. : +90 212 516 29 56
Website: http://www.turkomanhotel.com/

November 6th – November 8th: Izmir (3 nights)
November 9th – November 10th: Flight to Kayseri-Bus to Guzelyurt (2 nights)
November 11th – November 13th: Kayseri (3 nights)
November 14th – November 15th: Istanbul – The Turkoman Hotel (2 nights)
November 16th: depart for the US

Registration includes lodging, meals (no alcohol), site admission(s) and travel within Turkey. 
Registration is double occupancy, single occupancy is an additional fee.  Roundtrip airfare to Turkey is not included with registration fee, however group travel will be arranged from Chicago to Istanbul for those interested.

"Several ARCS members recently had the opportunity to tour the beautiful country of Turkey. This trip was slated to be fast-paced and filled with interesting sights, people and amazing rug industry content. I am happy to report it did not disappoint.

Our trip began in Istanbul which was chock-full of rich history and culture. We toured some amazing sights such as the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and Suleymaniye Mosque. While in Istanbul, we were able to view some wonderful carpet museums with massive collections of some of the world’s oldest & best carpets. The city and people were welcoming, and the hospitality was unmatched.

Next, we departed for Izmir, where our group had the chance to spend some time at ATC (Antique Textile Conservation). ATC is the premier facility for textile restoration work and the breadth of their knowledge is impressive. All kinds of textiles can be found here from important European tapestries to world-class carpets, and even Navajo textiles of the American Southwest. They are being expertly restored at this facility. Our group had the honor of welcoming Ahmet Opcin, one of the owners of ATC, who joined us for the remainder of our time in Turkey. Ahmet was extremely gracious with his time and was an excellent guide. The trip would not have been the same without him and it was such a pleasure to meet him.

While in Izmir we toured the ruins of Ephesus, visited local rug washing facilities, and were welcomed into the manufacturing plant of Ergin Makina. They manufacture equipment for rug washing and were gracious hosts. Our group also had the chance to tour Can Carpet where we saw natural dying of wool & carpet weaving.

Our trip continued to more central Turkey to the cities of Kayseri & Konya. We stayed in the quaint village of Guzelyurt. Here we spent a few nights in rustic bed & breakfasts. The families that operated these homes were unbelievably welcoming and hospitable towards our group. While in this region of Turkey, some of us took the opportunity to enjoy a sunrise hot air balloon tour of the beautiful Cappadocia area; it was quite breathtaking.

In Aksaray, we toured a large wool processing plant that produces machine-spun wool. We were also welcomed into many rug galleries in this same area, where many from the group were able to purchase rugs for their homes and retail businesses. 

One highlight was spending some time in Sultanhani which houses the largest Caravanserai in Turkey. The caravanserai served as a roadside inn for ancient travelers and is a great example of 13th century Seljuk architecture. Our group was welcomed to Sultanhani by none other than the mayor himself, Fahri Solak, who also happens to be in the rug business. Our entire group of 18 were welcomed into his office for tea and a generous gift. We toured Fahri’s rug repair workshop & gallery as well as a carpet weaving facility down the street from his office.

At the end of our trip in Kayseri, we had a chance to visit 3 homes of kilim weavers. These women were so gracious, allowing our large group into their homes to see them working. The small looms were set up in family rooms & balconies. It was quite the experience.

Overall, the kindness of the people and sights in Turkey were excellent. The amount of rug industry content was truly spectacular. Many thanks to ATC, Ahmet Opcin, & Robert Mann for making this a trip of a lifetime. I look forward to the next one!"

-Jordan King
Oriental Rug Cleaning

"The ARCS trip to Turkey was one of the best trips of my life. I have traveled most of my life to a wide variety of places and Turkey jumped to my top 5 pretty early on the trip. The sights, sounds, culture, and food of Turkey were enough to make for an incredible trip, but the industry knowledge made it all the better. After being in the rug cleaning industry for 9 years, there is a certain amount of knowledge that one gain from working, classes and conventions, but my understanding of some of the finer points of rugs came through this trip. We were able to watch wool processing, wool dying, rug weaving and knotting, a number of finishing and distressing processes. We were invited into the premier rug and tapestry restoration facility in the world, ATC, where we watched the masters working their crafts. We wheeled and dealt with rug vendors and a rug auction. The information gained on this trip cannot be measured. The other excellent part of the trip was the interesting group of people we traveled with. Everyone was incredibly kind and getting to know everyone made the trip really great.  I look forward to the next one!"

-Jennifer Colaco
Oriental Rug Cleaning Co.
Dallas, Texas

"The 2019 ARCS Turkey Trip was a once in a lifetime experience. We loved the tourist hot spots that everyone loves to see. However; the more exciting part of the trip was having the opportunity to venture off the beaten path and experience things and meet people that you wouldn’t be able to experience otherwise. We thoroughly enjoyed the culture and the people as we traveled across the whole country. The memories made in Turkey will last a lifetime and the relationships that were built will have a lasting effect for years to come. If I were given the opportunity to visit a second time I wouldn’t hesitate to experience it all over again."

-Aaron Glazier
Rug Manager
Certified Clean Care

8 a.m. – Registration

8:30 a.m. – Welcome- Ruth Travis, WoolSafe N. America Director & Meg Walker, ARCS President

8:45 a.m. – WoolSafe Research Update- Agnes Zsednai & Steve Bakker

9:30 a.m. –  ARCS Update

9:45 a.m. –  Sponsorship Spotlight

10:15 a.m. – Break

10:30 a.m. – Building a Rug Plant- Jordan King

11:30 a.m. – Rug Intake- Beginner ID- Scott Ring

12:30 p.m. – Lunch

1:15 p.m. – Rug Marketing- Scott & Miranda Gwilliam

2:15 p.m. – Viscose- Kash Sobhe

2:45 p.m. – Color Run- Randy Hyde

3:15 p.m. – Break

3:45 p.m. – Demonstrations- Shearing, Tiny Simple Repairs- Robert Mann

4:45 p.m. – Moths & Mold- Jarrod Horton

5:30 p.m. – Closing speeches followed by Beer

Randy and Val Hyde of Renaissance Rug Cleaning will teach this intense two day, hands-on repair class. They will take students through some of the most common repair techniques for cleaning businesses, including a variety of end and edge repairs, repairing splits, ways to hang rugs and more

The class consists of two intensive eight-hour days.  Fee for the class includes lunch for the two days, handouts, and all teaching materials.