IEHA CEO/Executive Director Beth Risinger Shares 2012 Highlights

Corinne Zudonyi, editor of Housekeeping Solutions magazine and CleanLink.com, sat down with IEHA CEO and Executive Director Beth Risinger to discuss IEHA's 46th Conference & Convention. Running Oct. 15 through 19, IEHA members will flock to the Windy City for education, training and a whole lot of fun.

Here is what Risinger had to say about the upcoming show:

Zudonyi: How many years has IEHA been co-located with ISSA/INTERCLEAN?
Risinger: It has been about 13 years since the collaborative agreement was finalized in the Fall of 1999. We had our first combined show in 2000. It has been a great partnership and a stellar relationship — ISSA has been gracious and we have reciprocated. We are now celebrating our 13th Anniversary together with ISSA; diligently supporting its value-based programs such as CIMS, while helping our members build on this solid foundation with our Professional Education Credentialing Program (PECP), CEH & REH Certification, and other unique educational offerings of IEHA.

Zudonyi: What benefit is there to IEHA members that these events are held in conjunction with one another?
Risinger: ISSA has representation in Washington DC, and this provides key political and regulatory leverage to help the entire industry, and, of course, our members as Alliance Partners. The ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America Show — especially with our involvement — has a large, optimized footprint and attracts all key stakeholders. And since we book our own exclusive hotel at the event within the larger venue, end-users and manufacturers who stay with us benefit from our personal focus and the small-show attention we give them within the larger magnet of ISSA. It's a great draw, a strong alliance, and a benefit for all.

Zudonyi: Both IEHA and ISSA provide educational sessions in the days prior to the show floor opening. What are the differences in these sessions and how can members capitalize on both these opportunities?
Risinger: Career advancement — certifying facility managers to make them better qualified and compensated — is our unique specialty and we provide an exclusive education package offline, online and, importantly, live at the ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America show.

We have mostly non-conflicting education event schedules. We are first with a “Boot Camp” on Saturday and Sunday, October 13th and October 14th. This is an intensive one-of-a-kind offering. Then we have CEU and certification programs on Monday and Tuesday.

ISSA's complementary education runs Tuesday through Friday. We provide several speakers for the ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America event from within our 3500-members in healthcare, hospitality, education and other segments.

Zudonyi: What are some of the training/educational offerings available at the IEHA conference?
Risinger: The IEHA educational provisions in conjunction with ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America 2012 are selected to be diverse, deep and career building. Specifics on Saturday and Sunday educational offerings can be found here, and offerings on Monday and Tuesday can be found here.

There are, in addition, many excellent vendor-showcase offerings that provide practical hands on training with new technologies and tools to make facility operations run better and more profitably.

Zudonyi: IEHA invites vendors to come in during specific times throughout the conference. Why is this beneficial to attendees?
Risinger: This provides strong benefits going both ways. We believe it is important for our members to meet the leadership from manufacturers and vice versa. By meeting corporate or vendor leaders at the C-suite level, our members can express their needs directly to company "influencers" who can help provide solutions to their challenges.

Zudonyi: Is there anything new or special attendees can look for at this year's conference?
Risinger: There is an array of new technology that will be featured at the IEHA event, including cutting edge reduced-chemical, aka "chemical-free" modalities. This is an exciting time to be in our industry and our show offerings reflect this by way of intimate tabletop exhibits and face-to-face interaction with technology leaders at all levels.

Zudonyi: Networking is a great way to exchange ideas and share successes. What types of networking opportunities are available at this year's IEHA conference?
Risinger: They are almost endless. For example, Sunday night we host a welcome party, a gala event with a "Roaring 20s" theme. "Everyone" will be there, product giveaways will be featured, and everyone is sure to: 1) have a good time and 2) make connections easily - without even trying - in a friendly, fun-filled atmosphere complete with a generous supply of food, beverages and entertainment.

Zudonyi: Last year you launched the Integrated Cleaning Measurement (ICM) tool at the show. How was that received and what role will it play at this year's conference?
Risinger: IEHA's Integrated Cleaning & Measurement (ICM) is one of the most exciting industry programs to come along in decades as it enables scientifically showing the effectiveness of our efforts, dovetails with ISSA's emerging K-12 Clean Standard, and offers IEHA members an opportunity to become proficient at measuring cleaning outcomes using devices such as ATP meters and particle counters. There will be more news and announcements regarding ICM at this year's event, so stay tuned and do not miss it.

Zudonyi: How can attendees best prepare and plan ahead for this years show?
Risinger: Review the schedule available online - download it, asterisk it, make notes to self, and arrange to be on time each day: you don't want to miss a minute of it: the tabletop exhibits promise to be stellar, the educational offerings unsurpassed, and the caliber of our attendees is, once again, extraordinary.

Zudonyi: If you could talk to someone who is still on the fence about attending the conference this year, what would you say to them?
Risinger: The best way I can answer is with three words: IEHA EDUCATION DELIVERS. Our event is all about EDUCATION – sharing practical knowledge proven to help our members' careers. We recently surveyed IEHA members to validate the value of our educational programs, including those featured at the ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America 2012 Event. Out of 236 members polled to assess the Return on Investment (ROI) from their IEHA education, 77 percent believed IEHA programs yielded 100 percent to 1,000 percent or greater ROI…

Zudonyi: Anything else you'd like to add?
Risinger: Just Be There! You will not regret it! We look forward to seeing you and growing together.

posted on 7/30/2012