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: February 15–20, 2027
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 which 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 include 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 who are 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 are encouraged to speak with the head of the Educational Committee, Robert Mann, or the class instructor, Ellen Amirkhan, for final approval.
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 restoration services provided by its sister company, ATC, in Izmir, Turkey. Robert spent over 25 years working as a technical consultant in modern rug production in nearly all major rug-producing countries.
