Meet Michael West, The Rug Expert
Mike West performs independent third party inspections for Consumers, Retailers, Installers, Contractors and Manufacturers. He is third generation in the Textile Service industry. Business & Industrial Management: San Jose State University. Officer/Instructor in the U.S. Army. President of Merle West, Inc., Whittier, CA, with complete rug and drapery cleaning plant and two retail carpet stores. Past Editor of Western Carpet Cleaner magazine. Featured Speaker: ASCR, CFI, CCINW and WFCA. Held office of President CFI, IICRC, CUCI (Div. of ASCR INT). Three time recipient of the Joe Laurino Carpet Cleaner of the Year award and the Bill Bailey Memorial Award. National Spokesperson-Monsanto Fibers 1987-88. Allied Fibers Carpet Research Advisory Board 1983-87. IICRC Certified Master Cleaner and Senior Carpet Inspector Mike West was one of the principle instructors for the Carpet & Fabricare Institute for over 15 years.
Qualifications:
- Third generation in textile services.
- Personal involvement with carpet, rugs, upholstery and flooring since 1948. Cleaner, repairer, installer, sales, etc.
- Officer, United States Army, First Lieutenant, 1967-1969
- Manager, CEO and President, Merle West, Inc., Whittier, CA 1969-1991 (two retail stores, installation contractor and complete cleaning plant)
- Manager, CEO and President, Clean Care, Inc., Monterey, CA 1997- Present (carpet, rug and upholstery cleaning, complete rug and dry cleaning plant)
- Editor, Western Carpet Cleaner trade magazine, 1974-1976
- Past President: Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), Carpet and FabriCare Institute (CFI), Carpet and Upholstery Cleaners Institute division of Association of Specialists in Cleaning and Restoration (ASCR)
- Allied Fibers - Carpet Research Advisory Board, 1982-1986
- Monsanto Fibers - National Spokesperson, 1987-1988 (Television, Radio & Newspapers including Regis & Kathy Lee Show in New York)
- Instructor and Principal with Academy of Textiles and Flooring (ATF) and IICRC Certified Schools, including Senior Carpet Inspection and Resilient Floorcovering Inspection, 1975-present
- Co- Author: Senior Claims Handling Manual, West & Williams Floorcovering Dictionary, On-site Dry Cleaning, Carpet Cleaner’s Handbook, Upholstery Cleaner’s Handbook, Odor Control Manual, Oriental and Fine Rug Cleaning and numerous trade articles
- Certified: ASCR - Inspector, IICRC - Senior Carpet Inspector, Master Cleaner, ATF - Resilient Floorcovering Inspector, Wool Safe Advanced Carpet Inspector
- Member: National Institute of Carpet and Flooring Inspectors - NICFI, Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration - IICRC, Carpet and Fabricare Institute - CFI, and Senior Member of American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists - AATCC.