Reeling from his own home being crushed by a 150 foot oak tree (pictured right) during Hurricane Isabel, MICA Executive Directory Thomas Shaner made the best of a bad situation by reminding other Marylanders who also suffered storm damage to be sure that their home improvement contractor is licensed by the Maryland Home Improvement Commission before beginning work in the home.

MICA got this message out to homeowners through such sources as Baltimore's ABC 2 News, Fox 45 News, The Baltimore Sun and ChesapeakeHome.com. Shaner's damaged home was a key visual for much of this coverage.

MICA headquarters staff got numerous calls seeking referrals for member contractors and MarylandRemodelers.com's Find a Contractor Directory also saw a surge in hits.

Founded in 1962, the Maryland Improvement Contractors Association (MICA) is the state's leading advocate for the home improvement industry, defending your rights in Annapolis and before the Maryland Home Improvement Commission. Among its primary objectives is the elimination of unlicensed contractors and stronger enforcement of regulations governing our businesses.