CREJ - Property Management Quarterly - February 2015
The International Facility Management Association was founded in 1980 to support the growing educational, informational and networking needs-- of facility management professionals. Today, IFMA represents more than 24,000 members in 96 countries and 133 regional chapters. The association represents, supports and unites the largest community of facility management practitioners, consultants, educators, students, and product and service providers in the industry. IFMA’s mission is to advance the facility management profession by providing exceptional services, products, resources and opportunities. The association: • Certifies facility managers through three globally recognized credentialing programs; • Produces informative and well respected annual facility management learning events; • Conducts research that strengthens the knowledge and skills of facility management professionals; • Provides a wide range of educational courses, from entry-level to senior management programs; and • Connects the global facility management community online and in person. Searching for facility management answers on your own can be time consuming, mind-numbing and costly. After trying to singlehandedly face facility challenges, many join IFMA and recognize the benefits of professional resources and community support.
Facility management is a profession that encompasses multiple disciplines to ensure functionality of the built environment by integrating people, place, process and technology. The profession’s core competencies represent the areas of responsibility for which facility management oversees: • Communication; • Emergency preparedness and business continuity; • Environmental stewardship and sustainability; • Finance and business; • Human factors; • Leadership and strategy; • Operations and maintenance; • Project management; • Quality; • Real estate and property management; and • Technology.
This year the Denver chapter will host IFMA’s World Workplace 2015 Conference & Expo. The event is designed for managers searching for answers to facility challenges. Expanding on the same resources and support that members have access to year-round through IFMA local chapters and council, the organized yearly event creates a single, comprehensive learning and networking event. Held Oct. 7-9 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, the event highlights the latest best practices and forward-thinking business strategies and workplace solutions. World Workplace is not only the association’s annual conference, it’s also the preeminent professional development event for facility management. Designed to help attendees improve facility performance, profitability and efficiency, education is the cornerstone of the event. Each session is hand-selected by a committee of knowledgeable practitioners, partners and IFMA staff to ensure the value and relevance of the content presented. Last year’s conference welcomed more than 4,000 attendees representing 2,000 companies from around the world. In addition to highly rated education, a number of fun and informative networking activities allow managers to meet new people, reconnect with colleagues, build a valuable contact list and enjoy the host city. Some topics that will be covered include learning how to do more with less, making the most of existing buildings, boosting revenue, and improving the efficiency of operations, employees and the business itself. In addition, industry experts, business leaders and respected educators will share proven methods for balancing practical strategies with creative solutions. Facility managers and other workplace professionals can exchange best practices and share ideas for meeting increasing demands.