Trainer Bio:

Michael Gantt

Mike has been involved in REAC inspections as his full time occupation since August, 1998.  As a subcontractor to The MTB Group, he conducted over 2000 inspections for HUD/REAC from late 1998 to mid 2005.  By this time, Mike had also fulfilled the roles of REAC Certification Trainer,  Quality Control Rep, and Program Manager concurrently with his inspection work.

As Certification Trainer, Mike conducted official certification classes that resulted in certification of REAC Inspectors and issuance of their M Numbers - the HUD ID number that allows one to do REAC inspections.  As Quality Control Rep, he conducted continuing training of active inspectors in the field, and evaluated their performance.  As Program Manager, he was responsible for the assignment and tracking of inspections, and for problem resolution and help desk support for up to 35 inspectors in the field in 15 states.  At this time, he was responsible for about 20% of the REAC inspections being conducted in the entire nation.

In 2002, Mike began to conduct "industry side" REAC training, designed to help the employees of ownership and management organizations better understand the REAC inspection and maintain good compliance with the UPCS standards on which the inspection is based.  Under the auspices of a series of companies, first The MTB Group, then The Inspection Group, and now REACSolutions, he has conducted over 100 such REAC training sessions in about half the states of the nation.  He remains Lead Trainer and Director of UPCS/REAC Training for The Inspection Group, while also conducting REAC training under his own company name, REACSolutions.

After conducting so many REAC seminars, Mike has recognized that the original training methods developed by HUD, and adopted into the REAC training methods that all REAC trainers are still using today leave much to be desired.  The old methods were focused on evaluating property performance and compliance.  His objective in developing the new "REAC Guru" training methods and materials are instead focused on achieving a high level of performance and compliance.   

Today, Mike still conducts Pre-REAC Inspections for dozens of companies and hundreds of properties, as well as providing REAC Inspection Monitoring, Appeals Preparation, and REAC Training.  This allows him to assist managers and maintenance people through all phases of achieving superior REAC compliance - from  training on the requirements, through observing the condition of properties, planning and prioritizing REAC preparations, decision making, tracking progress, witnessing and recording the inspection as it occurs, and preparing appeals where necessary.  His continuing and very intense involvement in preparing properties for REAC inspections and dealing with the aftermath of inspections gone wrong allows him to remain solidly grounded in the practice of improving property performance rather than in theory alone.

To date, Mike has written and published three paperback books on the REAC inspection - see www.reacguide.com for more details.