The Indoor Air Quality Association(IAQA) held their first ever awards competition in conjunction with the organization's Annual Meeting & Exposition in Las Vegas at the beginning of October. Members of the association submitted nominations to a review committee that selected honorees from four categories: Trainer of the Year, Product Technology, Contractor of the Year, and Industry Person of the Year.

Jim Holland of Restoration Consultants (Sacramento, CA), received the Trainer of the Year Award. Holland's company specializes in training for the cleaning, restoration and IAQ industries. Restoration Consultants is an approved IAQA Course Provider for mold remediation classes. It also provides training for the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification and has been instrumental in the development of the Association of Specialists in Cleaning and Restoring's education programs.

Robert Baker of BBJ Environmental (Tampa), received the Product Technology Award. BBJ Environmental produces antimicrobial products to treat hvac systems and other indoor environmental surfaces. The company has recently been awarded patents for unique new products EPA-registered for indoor use.

The Contractor of the Year Award went to Greg Long of TPV Group (Waco, TX). TPV Group specializes in mold remediation, hvac system cleaning and other forms of restorative cleaning. In the last year TPV Group has become a leader in the Texas mold remediation market, setting the highest standards for quality and safety. TPV Group's projects have included several high-profile mold remediation insurance claims that gained national headlines.

Glenn Fellman received the Industry Person of the Year Award. Fellman is publisher of Indoor Environment Connections newspaper and serves as IAQA's executive director. In the last year he edited industry standards for the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) and the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). Fellman was recognized for leading IAQA through a period of unprecedented growth in which the association's membership has tripled in size.