Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1289816
46 / SEPTEMBER.OCTOBER.2020 USICERINKS.COM That was huge to have a partner like the ORFA to help us grow. They continue to be a great supporter and partner to improve the ice industry across all of North America. Secondly, you have to give a lot of that credit to the NGBs. Their support, both financially and in its creation, was vital. Without them this organization would not exist and would not be where it is today. // How did the goals and growth shift as the organization became more established? One of the most significant things that happened early in the organization's history was the creation of the North American Rink Conference & Expo (NARCE) in 2003. NARCE has now become the largest annual professional development conference and trade show for the ice rink industry. We get more than 600 industry professionals to attend every year and the networking that happens during the event is just as valuable as the con- tinuing education. The growth of the Regional Training Programs has also been remarkable. We went from offering just a handful of CIT courses in the early years to now offering dozens of in-person CIT & CRA courses all around the country every year. This has provided our members more opportunities than ever to earn one of our three professional designations. // How do you feel the organization has supported the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic? What the staff have done during the pandemic has been absolute- ly incredible. As soon as rinks started to close around the country, our staff quickly shifted gears from normal day to day business to gathering valuable information and resources to distribute to not only our members but the entire industry to help them get through the early stages. They simultaneously created an extensive COVID-19 resources page on our website, conducted weekly informational webinars and Q&A sessions on Zoom and developed the "Returning to the Rinks" joint document with USA Hockey and U.S. Figure Skating to help rinks prepare for when they could open again. Once it became clear that we would not be able to hold our Regional Training Programs in-person this summer, the staff were able to format our existing courses to an online instructor lead format in a very short period of time. All of these things have been instrumental in helping get the rink industry moving forward during this unprecedented time. // Where do you see USIRA in the next 5, 10, 20 years? I see them continuing to be the premier organization solely focused on serving the ice rink industry. That's where they are now, and that's where I see them staying. They'll continue to grow and evolve and I look forward to their future. J 763-205-0828 camcolubricants.com Helping you keep it cool for over 30 years! PHOTO: RINK ARCHIVE a look back with Steve Cady IF YOU DON'T HAVE RINKS, YOU HAVE NO PLACE TO SKATE OR NO PLACE TO PLAY HOCKEY. THEY WANTED AN ORGANIZATION TO SUPPORT RINKS. , STAR/ORFA Alliance in 2007. , NARCE 2008