Fresh, interesting and efficient - not words that instantly jump to the mind of anyone who has engaged with our Chapter website recently, right?  Like everything, without the investment of resources, the only guarantee is a downward trend over time.  Your Board has approved funding for a complete website overhaul this year so keep an eye out for our website refresh! 

Are you investing in your own professional growth?  This week we kicked off our Professional Member Only-Speaker Series. This is significant for our Chapter as this pilot represents additional content specifically tailored to our Professional Members.  If you weren’t signed up, please make a note to make it to the next opportunity in the series. 

These are just a couple of the many ways we are raising the bar for this year.  We ask that you continue to get more engaged and make your own professional growth and relationships a priority. 

I look forward to seeing even more of our membership at our upcoming events!

Robert Sunukjian
President 2017-2018

Annual Community Outreach Toys for Tots Drive

Join our Chapter for the Annual Community Holiday Donation Drive by gathering new and unwrapped toys for children ages 0-16!

Toys will be accepted at the following events:

1) Membership Appreciation on November 9th at The Angus Barn Pavilion

2) December 13th Luncheon at Embassy Suites 

Also if you would like to place a Toys for Tots box in your office for donations, please contact Committee Co-Chair Ed Boyle and a Committee member will contact you to make arrangements for the box.

 

*Please do not purchase any realistic looking toy weapons as they will not be accepted!*

Click the logo for details.

2017 GTC of IFMA Membership Appreciation Event

IFMA Advocacy Day 2017

GTC of IFMA members Cris Karasek and Mike Schley attended IFMA Advocacy Day 2017 in Washington DC on September 12th and 13th.
What exactly is Advocacy Day?  The following article was featured in FMJ and gives the basics.  It's written by Jeff Johnson, IFMA's 
Director of Global Affairs, and Jed Link, IFMA's Director of Public Relations.  Next month, we'll feature a more personal view 
of what it's like to attend Advocacy Day.

Each year, FM Advocates travel to Washington, D.C. to participate in IFMA’s free Advocacy Day and Public Policy Forum. It’s an energizing two-day experience that takes participants behind-the-scenes of the U.S. capital, not only to rub elbows with key decisions-makers who craft policy that impacts the built environment but also to see the how facilities meet the unique needs of the federal government.

In national, state and local governments across the globe public policy decisions have a dramatic impact on FM. In everything from energy policy, sustainability, tax policy, disaster preparation and recovery, emergency response, work safety policy, facility management standardization, education and training, smart buildings, worker access and mobility and more, FM has a stake.

Formulating sound public policy requires lawmakers, subject matter experts, and advocacy groups working together to find common ground and meaningful solutions to real problems. To ensure that FM has a place at the table (and not, as the popular saying goes, on the menu), IFMA’s government affairs program is robust and global.

In Washington, D.C., IFMA helps lead a coalition of built environment groups in the administration of the High-Performance Building Congressional Caucus – a group of like-minded members of the U.S. House of Representatives who work together in pursuit of sound policy relating to the built environment.

That IFMA is a powerful voice of the FM industry among policy makers is a fulfillment of a critical mission. A 2016 survey of FM professionals found that 83 percent perceive this advocacy role is an important or very important part of the service provided by a professional association.

 

World Workplace Pre-Party Reminder

World Workplace will be held in Houston, TX from October 18-20, 2017.  The Budd Group and Aramark are sponsoring a Pre-Party!

The WWP Pre-Party for our Chapter attendees will be held Wednesday, October 18th at Xochi, a trendy restaurant in the Marriott Marquis Houston host hotel, located at 1777 Walker St, Houston, TX 77010 from 5:00PM to 7:00PM.  

RSVP to Katie McConnell 

CFM Question
You just received the results of a customer service survey that indicates that your services do not meet with customers' expectations.  You call a staff meeting to describe the results of the survey and to discuss an improvement plan.  What is the most important thing you can do to ensure that your staff aids in improving the delivery of service:

A. Come to the meeting with an improvement plan outlined 

B. Hire staff to clean up the backlog

C. Ask for ideas from staff on how to improve the services & develop an improvement plan with them

D. Set targets for staff to meet to ensure all services will be delivered on time & on budget