The National Disaster Reconstruction Conference & Expo announced registration for its educational programs is now available by visiting the event Web site. 
   The conference, which takes place Jun 17-18 in New Orleans at the Morial New Orleans Convention Center, features experts who will address disaster preparation, response, repair, remediation, and restoration.

   “The NDR Conference will present new and exciting business opportunities to attendees,” said Imago Trade Shows conference director Jimmy Mouton. Imago is co-sponsoring the event along with Reeves Journal parent company, BNP Media of Troy, Mich.

   “At a time when normal business activity is curtailed, disaster services are still booming,” Mouton said. “Every time a business or homeowner experiences a fire, flood, tornado, hurricane, water leak, mold, asbestos claim, sick building, or bio hazard, lucrative business opportunities are created for those ready to address the problems,” Mouton added.

   Mouton said a variety of contractors, cleaning and restoration professionals, building services providers, insurance companies, wholesalers, environmental hygienists, hazardous material mitigators, and data center emergency solutions consultants are among the best candidates to increase their work in the disaster response field. Conference content includes sessions from representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Indoor Air Quality Association, the Restoration Industry Association, the American Bio-Recovery Association, the U.S. Green Building Council, the Mechanical Contractors Association, and the Institute for Business & Home Safety.    

   Highlighted topics include “Measuring Mold Growth”, “Securing Government Contracts”, “Massive Roofing Renovations – Saving the Superdome”, “Interpreting EPA Labels”, “LEED Certification”, “The Disaster Experience”, “Satellite Communications in Disaster Zones”, and “Hosted IP PBX From a Disaster Recovery Point of View."

   In other action, organizers of the event said U.S. Army Col. Alvin B. “Al” Lee, the New Orleans District’s 60th commander and district engineer, will address the NDRExpo Conference attendees on Jun. 18, as the day’s opening speaker.

   As district engineer, Col. Lee is responsible for a district, which, in tandem with the Hurricane Protection Office, is working on appropriations exceeding $7 billion for hurricane restoration. The New Orleans District’s jurisdiction includes 2,800 miles of navigable waterways, 1,300 miles of levees and floodwalls eleven navigation locks, six major flood control structures, and other projects to create and protect coastal wetlands.

   Col. Lee also serves as chairman of the federal-state Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act Task Force, which oversees a $60 million annual program to protect and restore Louisiana’s coastal wetlands. Col. Lee’s previous assignment was as a fellow in the Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellows Program, assigned to Caterpillar Inc. in Peoria, Ill. He comes with district-command experience, as his assignment previous to Caterpillar was as the commander and district engineer of the Charleston District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in Charleston, S.C.

   The conference schedule is posted at www.ndrexpo.com and continues to grow as additional presenters are added. For more information on the conference or expo, contact Mouton at jmouton@imagotradeshows.com or call (770) 645-0046.