Restoration Industry Association (RIA) honorary members Pete Consigli, CR, WLS and Cliff Zlotnik, CR, WLS, CMH with great sympathy share the news of the passing of Jim Barrett on April 16, 2017.
Barrett had been retired for many years living in the Boston MA area with his wife Joanne who was frequently at his side at industry gatherings when Barrett was active in RIA an association he loved and helped grow in the 1970s and 80s.
Barrett was a member of The Honorable Order of the Blue Goose Association and a member of the Adjuster’s round Table of Boston.
Barrett was an early adopter of forging mutually beneficial working relationships between restorers and adjusters and their claims offices.
Barrett was the first restorer to receive RIA’s most prestigious credential in 1981 and was Certified Restorer #2 following in the footsteps of Marty King, CR, ASA the founder of the Certified Restorer program.
Barrett loved being a CR and as member of the first CR induction class at RIA’s 1981 convention in San Diego, CA he helped advocate and build the CR program in the 1980’s and 90’s.
RIA industry and education adviser Pete Consigli fondly remembers his friendship with Barrett in the industry’s early days of development and growth.
“Jim Barrett was one of the cleaning and restoration industry’s trailblazers who embraced a philosophy and Esprit de Corps epitomising personal and professional growth through ‘association’, along the way that is how businesses and an industry got built”.
James V. Barrett Eulogy
Cliff Zlotnik eulogised Barrett on his weekly IAQradio show on April 21, 2017:
It’s with great sadness that we announce the passing of James V. Barrett.
Jim was the founder of Fire Restoration Services of New England. An inspiring industry pioneer who built a legendary service company doing high profile restoration projects for high profile clients, including: the Kennedys, celebrities and sports personalities.
He was extremely proud of being a Certified Restorer, a designation he earned in 1980. His Certified Restorer number is #002. Realizing a need for the independent pooling of talent and resources necessary to handle large losses, he partnered with three other restoration firms to form Restoration Associates, the first such venture of its kind.
He was generous; willingly sharing his technical knowledge and business acumen through his long and strong association involvement and volunteerism. He hosted plant tours of his impressive facility which was truly both “state of the art” and “best in class”. Those of us who knew him and had less experience, smaller, less mature and less successful business all wanted to emulate him and his success. He epitomized class act.
He was a Past President of The New England Institute of Restoration and Cleaning (NEIRC) and a past president of The National Institute of Fire Restoration (NIFR) a division of RIA when it was formerly known as ASCR International.
A foundational member of the restoration industry. He is fondly remembered by those who knew him and especially those who rose in the ranks of the industry alongside him.
He wasn’t all business; he also liked to and knew how to have fun. A happy go lucky Irishman, with a smiling face, friendly greeting. He had a gift for storytelling and joking. I’ll miss the hearty slaps on my back and his friendly encouraging words, he will be missed.
Cliff Zlotnik, IAQradio Episode 457 April 21, 2017