2022/07 - Discover Rug Cleaning (Indianapolis, IN) – Association of Rug Care Specialists

2025/04 - ARCS Annual Convention 2025 (Washington, D.C.)

$750.00

Date: April 2 to April 5, 2025
Location: Washington, DC
Price: Member $750 first person; $700 each additional person - To book a one-day pass for Thursday ($500) or Friday ($250), call Ann Marie Thompson directly at (503) 949-9700. Optional Saturday Tour-TBA.

IICRC Continuing Education: 14 credit hours

If you have any questions, please contact info@rugcarespecialists.org.

AGENDA

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Registration
Welcome Happy Hour: Lobby Lounge (cash bar)
Dinner on your own

Thursday, April 3, 2025

Welcome and overview of the day by ARCS President
Annual Meeting – Recap of the past year and projects in the works by ARCS Board of Director
Associate Member
Branded not Blanded – Dan Antonelli
Acquisitions – Jared Reeves Certified Clean Care Watkinsville, GA
Associate Member
Keynote Speaker- Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP
Closing Comments & instructions for following day – ARCS President
Dinner on your own

Friday, April 4, 2025

The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum
Ayoub Carpet Service

Saturday, April 5, 2025

Tour (optional)

SPEAKERS

Aaron Glazier - President
Certified Clean Care
www.certifiedcleancare.com

Aaron has been with Certified Clean Care since 2013 and is currently the Rug Shop Manager. In that timeframe he has completed his degree with a Bachelor’s in Business Management. Got married to his bride in 2015 and recently just had his first child on Valentine’s day of this year. He completed the Master Rug Cleaner course in 2018 and has been a member of ARCS for several years now. He enjoys smoking BBQ in his off time and travels every chance he gets.

Keynote Speaker
Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional)
https://arnoldsanow.com/
speaker@arnoldsanow.com

Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional), works with Leaders and Teams to help them get along better with customers, co-workers, and employees, ensuring a more positive, productive, and profitable workplace and customer care culture.

He has delivered over 2,500 keynote speeches, professional development training programs, and facilitations to more than 500 companies, associations, and governmental agencies worldwide. He is also a former adjunct professor at Georgetown University.

He is the author of 7 books, including "Get Along with Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime," "Present with Power, Punch and Pizzazz," and the recent #1 Amazon best-seller, "Leadership in Trying Times." He is a frequent guest in the media, including CBS Evening News, ABC World Morning News, FOX Business, Wall St. Journal, USA Today, Washington Post, Time Magazine, etc.

Successful Meetings Magazine has named Arnold one of the five best "bang for the buck"speakers in the USA, and his peers rated him as one of the top 30 Global Gurus in Communication

Jared Reeves, Guest Speaker
Certified Clean Care
www.certifiedcleancare.com

Jared Reeves is the owner of Certified Clean Care, a premier carpet cleaning and restoration company. He acquired the business from his mentor in 2015 and has since led its remarkable growth, expanding revenue by over 500%. Under his leadership, the company has evolved into a multi-brand operation, now managing five brands across two states and four locations.

Jared has been actively involved in acquisitions of all sizes, strategically expanding his company’s footprint. One of his most recent acquisitions includes Carr’s Rug Cleaning in Knoxville, TN. His expertise in scaling businesses and navigating acquisitions has made him a respected leader in the industry.

Most recently, Jared was honored as a finalist in the Bulldog 100, an elite recognition awarded by the University of Georgia Alumni Association to the 100 fastest-growing businesses owned or operated by UGA alumni. The program highlights entrepreneurs who demonstrate exceptional growth, innovation, and leadership in their industries. Being named a finalist places Jared among an elite group of business leaders making a significant impact on the economy and their respective fields.

His journey from mentee to industry leader showcases his commitment to growth, strategic expansion, and business excellence.

Dan Antonelli
President and Chief Creative Officer
Best Selling Author, “Branded Not Blanded:
KickCharge® Your Home Service Brand”
dan@kickcharge.com

Dan Antonelli is the President and Chief Creative Officer of KickCharge Creative, an award-winning 40 person New Jersey-based branding agency that specializes in helping home service businesses redefine themselves and stand out with disruptive brands. Dan is a nationally recognized speaker and expert on home service branding, with several books on branding to his credit, including Building a Big Small Business Brand and his new Amazon best-selling book, Branded Not Branded: KickCharge Your Home Service Brand. During more than 30 years running his own agency, Dan’s marketing expertise has been featured on MSNBC and in industry magazines including Entrepreneur, HVACR Business, Plumbing & Mechanical, and Contracting Business, among many others. His signature wrap style that integrates disruptive branding has served as a model for superior home service fleet branding throughout the world. With more than 3,000 home service brands under his belt, including well-known brands like Goettl, A1 Garage, Eco Plumbing, and Grasshopper Heating & Cooling, Dan and his team have overseen the branding of more home service businesses than any other brand agency in the world.

FEATURED MEMBERS

Dan Ayoub - Owner
Ayoub Carpet Service

Dan Ayoub is President and Owner of Ayoub Carpet Service® (ACS®), a family-owned business serving Northern Virginia, Maryland, and the DC area since 1952. With over 38 years of industry leadership, Dan has built upon a legacy of quality craftsmanship, customer service, and innovation in carpet, rug, and flooring care.

Under Dan’s leadership, Ayoub Carpet Service has expanded its operations, modernized its cleaning and restoration techniques, and maintained its reputation as one of the region’s premier experts in rug care, carpet cleaning, and flooring solutions. ACS combines modern cleaning technology with traditional handwashing techniques, ensuring efficiency while safeguarding each rug’s integrity. Dan’s dedication to excellence has earned ACS numerous industry recognitions, including features in Washingtonian Magazine, The Washington Post, Northern Virginia Magazine, Best Pick Reports, and Consumer’s Checkbook, as well as certifications from CRI, IICRC, ORRA, and ARCS.

Beyond his business expertise, Dan has deep roots in the NoVa community, where he grew up and developed a strong connection to the region. From an early age, he immersed himself in the family business, learning the trade firsthand and honing the skills passed down through generations. The Ayoub name has been synonymous with fine rug care. As a dedicated successor of the original Ayoub family business, Dan takes great pride in preserving and elevating this legacy of excellence.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS

The Darcy
1515 Rhode Island Ave NW
Washington, DC 20005
https://www.thedarcyhotel.com/
Room Rate $289
Reservations-The Darcy

To make your room reservation and receive the discount, please call Ann Marie at (503) 949-9700.

2025 - CRS Course & Test (Dallas, TX)

$3,300.00

To complete the CRS Course & Test, you must be a Member of ARCS.

To register - email your company name, the person attending, email address, and phone number to info@rugcarespecialists.org

Date: January 20-25, 2025
Location: Dallas, TX; Class and test given at Oriental Rug Cleaning Co.
Instructor: Ellen Amirkhan & Robert Mann
IICRC Continuing Education: 12 credit hours

Member Price: $3,300
Single Day Audits: Member Price: $250/day; Nonmember Price: $600/day

The Certified Rug Specialist class is a five-day, advanced rug identification seminar. Aimed at those who are already competent in basic rug ID and looking to take the next step, this class arms students with the tools to improve and expand their readily apparent rug identification skills, as well as provide them with the skills to identify those rugs which may not be so obvious.

In addition to identifying the rugs' origins, the class covers the practical uses for that knowledge, such as common pre-existing conditions, cleaning considerations common to the rug type and conversational knowledge with helps to distinguish oneself in the marketplace.

While this class is the primer for the rug identification portion of the CRS exam, it is also of value to anyone looking to improve their rug knowledge or "shake the dust" off existing rug ID skills. Class fees includes five lunches, handouts and a copy of A Comprehensive Guide to Oriental and Specialty Rug Cleaning, which serves as the class manual. While there are currently no specific prerequisites for this course, students must be cleared by the ARCS education committee to ensure they have the adequate background knowledge to benefit from the material presented.

The CRS class is for students with a good foundation of experience in cleaning and rug identification, the ability to readily identify commonly encountered rugs and looking for a program to take their skills to the next level. Participants must be ARCS members in good standing. No specific prerequisites are required, but all applicants for the class are encouraged to speak with the head of the Educational Committee, Robert Mann, or the class instructor, Ellen Amirkhan, for final approval.

AGENDA

MONDAY - January 20th
Armen: Cleaning Chemistry 2 hours
Ellen: Machine-Made Rugs 1.5 hours
Lunch
Ellen: Review

a) History of Oriental Rugs
b) Dyes
c) What is an Oriental Rug
d) Four Categories of Oriental Rugs/Traditional Persian
e) Where Oriental Rugs Get Their Names
f) Construction
g) Knots and Grading Systems
h) End Finishes
i) Side Finishes
j) Chemical Wash
k) Design Components
h) Dating Rugs
i) Components of Identification/Technical Analysis

Countries Producing Oriental Rugs
a) Iran: Heriz, Sarouk, Kashan, Kerman, Mahal, Tabriz, Meshed, Joshagan, Serab, Bijar, silk rugs

TUESDAY - January 21st
a) Finish Persian rugs from Monday
b) Six Persian single-wefted rugs: Hamadan, Malayer, Senneh, Bakhtiari, Karaja, Lillihan
c) Tribal Rugs: Baluch, Turkoman, Bakhtiari, Afshar, Shiraz

WEDNESDAY - January 22nd
Countries Producing Oriental Rugs, con’t
a) Afghanistan
b) China
c) India
d) Pakistan
e) Romania
f) Tibetan
g) Turkish

THURSDAY - January 23rd
Countries Producing Oriental Rugs, con’t (if necessary)
Caucasian & Navajo Rugs (taught by Robert Mann)
Hands-On Technical Analysis—divide into groups
Appraisals—Power Point

FRIDAY - January 24th
Review for written test
Practice rug Identification in the plant with rugs not previously seen
Mock Rug Identification test
Questions, Answers, Problems

SATURDAY - January 25th
9AM-12PM
Written test
Hands-On Identification Test

SPEAKERS

Ellen Amirkhan: Ellen Amirkhan is a graduate of Texas Woman's University with a Bachelor of Science degree and Southern Methodist University with a Master of Liberal Arts degree. She is President of Oriental Rug Cleaning Co., Inc., in Dallas, Texas, a business started by her grandfather in 1911 that specialized in cleaning, repairing, appraising, and selling oriental rugs.

A past president of the Association of Specialists in Cleaning and Restoration (ASCR) - now the Restoration Industry Association (RIA) - Ellen develops and teaches oriental rug schools for the International Society of Appraisers (ISA) and other recognized groups across the United States and England, and is a co-developer of the Master Rug Cleaner Program.

In addition, she consults and serves as an expert witness for the legal profession. Ellen holds the designations of Certified Appraiser of Oriental Rugs from the International Society of Appraisers (ISA) and the Oriental Rug Retailers of America (ORRA) and Certified Rug Specialist (CRS) from the Association of Rug Care Specialists (ARCS).

Ellen's awards include the RIA Dr. Steven Spivak Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Textile Industry, The ASCR Helen Bradley Distinguished Service Award and The North Texas Chapter of the International Society of Appraisers (NTISA) Ellen Amirkhan Distinguished Service Award.

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 for over 25 years working as a technical consultant in modern rug productions in nearly all the major rug producing countries.

FEATURED MEMBERS

None for this event.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS

None for this event.

FEEDBACK & TESTIMONIALS

Ellen Amirkhan and Robert Mann are truly world class individuals who love this industry and are working hard to help others continue to grow their own passion for rugs.

Chuck Koshgarian, Koshgarian Rug Cleaning

Don't miss out on this course! It will only be available every other year, you don't want to spend the next 2 years wishing you would've jumped on board sooner!

Jordan King, Oriental Rug Cleaning of Indianapolis

PHOTO & VIDEO GALLERY

2024/11 - Turkey Journey

$3,600.00

Date: November 1–16, 2024
Location: Turkey
IICRC Continuing Education: 14 credit hours

Fill out form at bottom of page and please call Ann Marie Thompson at 503-949-9700 for payment

If you have any questions, please contact info@rugcarespecialists.org.

Member Price:
Single Occupancy = $3,600
Double Occupancy = $3,200 per person

Non-member Price:
Single Occupancy = $4,000
Double Occupancy = $3,600 per person

Deposit is 1/2 the price due upon signup, non-refundable. Final payment is due September 30th. Join ARCS November 1st - 16th, 2024 for a dream trip to Turkey!

November 1st –Friday Depart US. Direct flights on THY (Turkish Airlines) leave from twelve major US cities late day on Friday. November 2nd -Saturday arriving in Istanbul afternoon, non-stop. THY is a great airline and a Star alliance member if you have miles.

Roundtrip airfare to Turkey is not included with registration fee.

Additional Details:
- Great food, wonderful people, beautiful fall weather.
- Immerse yourself in Turkish culture while visiting big cities, small mountain villages, ancient ruins, and busy markets. Enjoy a guided tour through Istanbul, Bursa, Izmir, Usak, - Konya, and the old city, beaches, and Greek ruins of Antalya.
- Private tours of rug washing and ‘antiquing’ plants, restoration facilities, rug museums, collectors, dealers, and an ongoing discussion of the rug industry as it is today with the people in that industry.
- Just enough driving so we can see some beautiful scenery; not too much time in busses.

AGENDA

November 1st-Friday – Depart US. Direct flights on THY (Turkish Airlines) leave from twelve major US cities late day on Friday. November 2nd -Saturday arriving in Istanbul afternoon, non-stop. THY is a great airline and a Star alliance member if you have miles.

Roundtrip airfare to Turkey is not included with registration fee.

Connecting through Europe works too; check out SunExpress ( a joint venture of Lufthansa and THY) with low cost frights from many major European cities to Istanbul.

Istanbul: 4 nights, Top Kapi Museum (Imperial Palace), Archeological Museum, Museum of Turkish Culture, Covered Bazaar, Spice market, Mosques, boat rides, great restaurants – both simple and elegant – and much more. Istanbul is a world class city, population 14 million, established over 3000 years ago.

Bursa: 1 night. We will take the ferry across from Istanbul to the original Ottoman capitol. Markets mosques, sights.

Izmir: 2 nights. We will visit the Antique Textile Conservation facility, the new Arkas rug museum, Ancient ruins, and have dinner overlooking the harbor at a really good fish place.

Usak: 1 nights. Touring rug washing and rug antiquing facility. Weaving workshops, a patchwork rug workshop (place your custom orders if you wish) and reviewing a large pile of wholesale rug offerings.

Konya: 2 nights. Konya is an old silk road city. Visit local rug producers wash plant and warehouses. Mevlana museum and tomb, walk the old city. A conservative and religious city it is a marked contrast to where we will have been. Drive through the Toros mountains to our final destination on the Southern Coast.

Antalya/Kemer: 4 nights. Pebble beaches with water that might be warm enough if you are brave (the hotel pools are heated!). We’ll stay at a beach resort hotel with sea and mountain views in the small coastal city of Kemer ,40 minutes from Antalya. Lots of options; Greek and Roman ruins, Antalya old city, mountain walking, boat trips, hanging by the pool, great food, and much more.

November 16th - Fly out of Antalya. Antalya has connections to Istanbul and also to many European cities (Frankfurt/Munich).

Space is limited, Reserve your spot now!

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS

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.

FEEDBACK & TESTIMONIALS

"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

PHOTO & VIDEO GALLERIES

Please call Ann Marie Thompson at 503-949-9700 to arrange payment after filling out this form

Fill out my online form.

2024/06 Discover Rug Cleaning (Knoxville, TN)

2024/06 Discover Rug Cleaning (Knoxville, TN)

$250.00

Date: RESCHEDULING - TBD
Location: Carr's Rug Cleaning
Instructor: Kyle Kluth
IICRC Continuing Education: 7 credit hours
Pricing: Member Price: $250; Non-member Price: $250

Founded by Bob Carr, Carr's Rug Cleaning has been a leader in the textile cleaning industry since 1984. We were the first in Knoxville to become Certified Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning technicians as well as the first Certified Rug Specialist in the state of Tennessee. We place a huge emphasis on training and education in rug and carpet cleaning, doing our best to stay up to date on the most advanced cleaning techniques. We do not use a one-size-fits-all approach for our services. With meticulous attention to detail, we employ the best methods and professional cleaning agents for your particular fabric, stone, or hardwood floor, and their specific issues.

FEATURED MEMBERS

Carr's Rug Cleaning

2919 Sutherland Ave Knoxville, TN 37919
carrsrugcleaning.com

HOTEL INFORMATION

Closest Hotel:
Red Roof Inn
1315 Kirby Rd
Knoxville, TN 37909

Half Mile Further:
Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, and a Courtyard by Marriott

2024/04 - ARCS Annual Convention 2024 (San Diego, CA)

$950.00

Date: April 17 to April 20, 2024
Location: San Diego, CA
Price: Member $950; $750 for each additional person - One Day Guest Pass $475; Optional Saturday Tour-TBA

IICRC Continuing Education: 14 credit hours

If you have any questions, please contact info@rugcarespecialists.org.

AGENDA

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Registration
Welcome Happy Hour: Lobby Lounge (cash bar)
Dinner on your own

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Welcome and overview of the day by ARCS President
Annual Meeting – Recap of the past year and projects in the works by ARCS Board of Directors
Presentation of CRS Recipients
Generational Transitions - Mike Jensen & Kash Sobhe will share how their companies transitioned from one generation to the next followed by a Q & A.
Capital Improvements – Capital improvements are necessary on every scale. Trent Woods of Stanley Steemer will discuss how their locations decide on machinery, wash plant lay outs, etc. and what is met with resistance versus what is accepted with ease.
Importance of Intake Photos - Presentation by Ellen Amirkhan
Ask The Expert Panel - 1.5 hour panel of some of our favorite seasoned rug cleaners will answer all of our questions!
Keynote Speaker- James Evanow
Closing Comments & instructions for following day – ARCS President
Dinner on your own

Friday, April 19, 2024

Rug Renew
Blatchford’s San Diego Rug Cleaning & Repair
Prospect Rug Gallery

Saturday, April 20, 2024

Tour (optional)

SPEAKERS

Aaron Glazier - President
Certified Clean Care
www.certifiedcleancare.com

Aaron has been with Certified Clean Care since 2013 and is currently the Rug Shop Manager. In that timeframe he has completed his degree with a Bachelor’s in Business Management. Got married to his bride in 2015 and recently just had his first child on Valentine’s day of this year. He completed the Master Rug Cleaner course in 2018 and has been a member of ARCS for several years now. He enjoys smoking BBQ in his off time and travels every chance he gets.

Mike Jensen
Star Rug Cleaners
www.starrugcleaners.com

Mike bought Star Rug Cleaners in 2012 from his dad when he was 25. However, Mike started working odd jobs, pickups and deliveries for him when he was in elementary school. After a short stint working at a local grocery store in Santa Barbara, Mike returned to Star Rug Cleaners managing the office while attending college. During this time he turned his focus to education on rug ID and the cleaning process. It wasn’t until after Mike attended his first ARCS convention in Austin that he realized how much he still had to learn. Since then, their process has changed dramatically and Mike attributes the growth in revenue to the continuous improvement of the end product. The friends made and conversations had as a member of ARCS has been instrumental to the growth of Mike’s rug knowledge and company.

Kash Sobhe
Rug Ideas
www.rugideas.com

Kash Sobhe; is a 3rd generation rug expert. His late grandfather started their family business in Iran in 1953, over 66 years ago. His father, Dr. Kay, is a second-generation rug expert with over 50 years of dedication to the industry. Kash and his family moved to the U.S. about 16 years ago where they decided to continue their passion for rugs in Los Angeles. As 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.

Trent Woods - Secretary
Stanley Steemer
www.stanleysteemer.com

Trent is a 2010 graduate from the University of Akron. He began his career in 2012 as a carpet cleaning technician with Stanley Steemer. After working as a cleaning technician, he worked in the air duct cleaning division and water restoration department before being promoted to run the new area rug plant facility in Columbus, OH. Trent’s passion for area rugs quickly grew and was promoted to do what he loves at a national level within the company. He currently oversees several facilities across the country within the corporate and franchise system. He helps with the setup of plant facilities, training technicians and is constantly improving the area rug cleaning division. Trent looks forward to working with some of the best leaders in the rug cleaning industry and taking the next step with the Association of Rug Care Specialists.

Ellen Amirkhan
Oriental Rug Cleaning Co
www.dallasrugcleaner.com

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.

James Evanow, Keynote Speaker
www.jamesevanow.com

Captain James Evanow is an international keynote speaker, trainer, and author. He also mentors select clients using his flagship program, “The 2 Degree Principle,” providing breakthrough mentoring in the areas of personal and business growth and development.

James is a multi-talented entrepreneurial businessman. With over 24 years of experience as a sea captain and his experience as a businessman, coach and keynote speaker, James is uniquely qualified to help individuals achieve their goals by transforming obstacles into opportunities.

In his keynote speeches and workshops James shares compelling stories from his years at sea and makes them relatable to the audience. His leadership skills mentoring crewmen and employees alike, sometimes in life or death situations, combined with his experience as an entrepreneur makes him a perfect candidate to teach others his learned lessons on how to navigate through turbulent times. His unique coaching style combines his passion, wit and humor delivering a presentation that inspires people to move towards their desired goals in business and in life. James enjoys working with CEO’s, entrepreneurs that are on their own journey, providing them with the tools that will help them stay on course and arrive at their destination or goal in an empowering way.

He has traveled throughout the United States and Canada, training on emotional intelligence, accountability, servant leadership, and creative leadership in over 80 cities. His coaching certification is through the organization Strategic Intervention which was founded collaboratively by Tony Robbins and Cloe Madanes, who is a world renowned psychologist. His passion for servant leadership and empowering others inspired him to write his first book, “Wisdom from the Sea,” which chronicles tales of adventure at sea in the context of leadership and self-development.

Servant Leadership- Servant Leadership is a powerful leadership style that can lead to greater employee satisfaction, stronger teams, and more sustainable organizations. The Captain’s experiences at sea embodies servant leadership and will show how it can affect your team and organization.

FEATURED MEMBERS

Dave Nichols – Owner, Rug Renew
Family Owned & Operated Rug Renew is a family owned and operated full-service area rug cleaning company specializing in hand washing and repairing all types of rugs. These include fine Oriental area rugs, Persian rugs, Tribal rugs, Navajo rugs, machine-made, and designer-commissioned custom-made pieces. Large or small, we clean them all! Formerly a division of Above & Beyond Carpet Care, Rug Renew has grown and emerged as an extremely successful stand-alone rug care center. Our only purpose is to provide the most advanced, safe, and comprehensive rug care possible in order to help extend the legacy of the rugs you love.

Kate Blatchford and Lisa Wagner - Blatchford's San Diego Rug Cleaning Co
Blatchford’s San Diego Rug Cleaning & Repair is a San Diego based business specializing in the care of antique, semi-antique and contemporary hand-woven textiles. Our craftsmanship of rug washing and hand repairing over the decades has built our reputation as one of the premier rug cleaning and repairing facilities in the United States. We are the most referred company for the cleaning and repair of oriental and specialty rugs in San Diego. Whether you have an investment textile, or a rug you fell in love with for your home, we care for your rugs just like our own. Come see for yourself that we are the ones to trust with the care of your favorite rugs.

Prospect Rug Gallery - Shawn Bagheri
Established in 1994, Prospect Rug Gallery is a family owned business, offering superior customer service and a vast collection of antique and new oriental rugs. We specialize in Persian, European, Indian, Turkish and Caucasian designs, offering clients, collectors and decorators choices such as Sarouks, Serapies, Agras, Mahals, Sultanabads, Oushaks, Kirmans, Keshans, Quashqais, Kazaks and more. These truly timeless treasures capture the beauty and elegance of the past.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS

Courtyard By Marriott San Diego Old Town
2435 Jefferson Street San Diego, CA 92110
619-260-8500
www.Courtyard By Marriott
Room Rate: $219
Book your group rate for 2024 ARCS Annual Convention

2022/07 - Discover Rug Cleaning (Indianapolis, IN)

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