The Accredited Snow Contractors Association (ASCA) has announced the formation of a six-member Board of Advisors. This board, comprised primarily of professional snow management experts, will consult with ASCA Executive Director Kevin Gilbride on all matters related to the association.

The board members include:
•    Troy Clogg, Troy Clogg Landscape Associates, Wixom, Mich.
•    Jeff Herold, COO, The Brickman Group, Gaithersburg, Md.
•    Kyle Rose, Rose Property Management, Shawnee, Kan.
•    Peter Smolka, Everest Snow Management Inc., Chicago, Ill.
•    John Allin, PJA, Inc., Erie, Pa.
In addition, ASCA partner Mills Insurance, Shamong, N.J., will have a seat on the board.

The board is made up of companies that have one thing in common: they have a deep understanding of managing snow and ice the right way, said Gilbride. They all bring to the table a willingness to share, and their knowledge and professionalism are a testament to their commitment to the industry.

"I am thrilled to have such a strong group of industry leaders participating on the ASCA advisory board and I look forward to moving forward quickly to accomplish our goals," Gilbride said.

The Board of Advisors will meet in the coming weeks to take the next steps in setting the ASCA's short-term agenda. This will include establishing committees to accomplish association goals to raise industry standards, begin lobbying efforts and set expectations for the association's long-term success.

The formation of the ASCA was announced to industry leaders at Snow Magazine’s 2011 Leadership Summit, a two-day executive-level event that took place in Cleveland Aug. 29-30.

The association stemmed from a mandate by industry leaders to explore a number of important industry-related issues, including the need for a viable insurance solution, the formation of industry standards, increased educational opportunities and the start of lobbying efforts to protect the interests of the professional snow removal community

Mills Insurance, in partnership with GIE Media's Snow Magazine -- the leading business management publication serving snow and ice management contractors -- analyzed data, identified snow contractors’ exposures, developed controls for those exposures and created the ASCA to implement and monitor this process going forward.

Snow contractors interested in finding out more about the ASCA can do so at www.ascaonline.org, or can contact Gilbride directly at 330/523-5368.