Educational Opportunities At Industry Event

Throughout the week, ISSA again will present more than 90 education sessions for all-access pass holders. Similar to the floor plan layout, different sets of seminars have been recommended based on attendee interests/background. For facility cleaning managers, three tracks in particular have been set up on Monday, Nov. 18, to maximize the experience. The Green Clean Schools track, presented by Healthy Schools Campaign, covers topics such as how to work with district stakeholders to invest in green cleaning programs, severe weather preparation and implementing sustainable practices on a tight budget. The Healthcare track, put on by IEHA, covers epidemiology as it pertains to healthcare professionals, adopting a safety-focused approach as an environmental services (EVS) professional, strategies to address infections and allergens, and eliminating cross-contamination. The Hospitality track, also put on by IEHA, offers seminars on motivating a housekeeping team, improving floor cleaning to elevate safety, hotel management and more.

Plenty of educational opportunities aside from track-specific seminars will also be available after the show floor opens on Tuesday, Nov. 19. Unlike previous years, however, the education sessions during show floor hours will no longer be held in the Education Theater. Three different featured booths, Solve for X (booth 2601), the Specialty Cleaning Theater (booth 3300) and the ISSA Innovation Center (booth 401) will instead be holding a series of 30-minute sessions during show floor hours.

Solve for X sessions will identify obstacles commonly found in the workplace and offer applicable solutions through an audience-interactive forum. Notable sessions for facility cleaning managers are: “Commercial And Residential Carpet Cleaning: Avoid And Resolve Issues” with Mark Exner on Tuesday from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; “On-Site Generation Demystified: What It Is And Isn’t” with Heidi Wilcox on Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.; and “Supporting The Cleaning Needs Of Facility Operations” with Patrick Okamura on Wednesday from 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The Specialty Cleaning Theater will offer sessions on damage restoration, hospitality, health care and residential cleaning through a variety of live demonstrations and discussions. Recommended sessions include: “What Is Clean? Is It Clean?” with Lynn Webster on Tuesday from 2:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.; “Cleaning Any Size Hotel And Meet Customer Expectations Consistently” with Margaret Walker-Shaw on Wednesday from 3:45 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.; and “Infection Control: Breaking Down Barriers And Building Bridges” with Stephanie Atwood on Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

The Innovation Center will showcase many of the latest products and technologies intended to reshape the industry in years to come, including participants from the ISSA Innovation Awards Program. Facility managers will find value in several sessions that touch on robotics, infection control and products that will result in process improvements, to name a few.

Honoring The Industry

In addition to the robust show floor and countless educational offerings, ISSA Show attendees have the opportunity to participate in two complimentary ceremonies commemorating notable people and manufacturers in the cleaning industry. Starting Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. with the ISSA Hygieia Network Awards Reception, Kathy Walters, former president of Georgia-Pacific, will address attendees as ISSA awards top contributors to the retention and progression of women as leaders in the commercial cleaning industry.

Then, capping what is sure to be an entertaining week is the 2019 ISSA Innovation Award Program. This is a culmination of the most innovative equipment, solutions and products from the past calendar year. In what is now the 10th iteration, industry experts cast their votes across five product categories — Cleaning Agents, Dispensers, Equipment, Services & Technology, and Supplies & Accessories.

Attendees can vote online through Nov. 15 and see the product nominees firsthand at the ISSA Innovation Showcase (booth 101). Winners for each category will be revealed Monday during the ISSA Lunch and Learn at 11:45 a.m. and formally recognized on Thursday in a presentation ceremony from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Honorees will also be immortalized in the ISSA Innovation Award Hall of Fame, which features winners dating back to its 2010 debut.

With all these offerings, attendees will spend the week working very hard, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be time to play hard, too. Aside from the show itself, there’s no better place to be when it comes to letting loose, reuniting with an old friend and losing track of time at the slot machines.

Schedule subject to change.