Dear GTC IFMA members,

On Tuesday, October 2, 2018, just prior to the start of the IFMA Foundation Denim & Diamonds Gala and Charlotte’s World Workplace event, the IFMA Foundation Academic and Scholarship Awards ceremony took place.  This year’s theme was, Ignite FM: Join the Charge to Make FM a Career of Choice. Twenty-three deserving students were awarded scholarships for accredited Facility Management-related college degrees (bachelor’s and master’s) for the 2019 academic year from IFMA chapters across the world.

GTC of IFMA chose Devin Shackelford, a Senior at Kennesaw State University in Atlanta, Georgia, as the recipient of their $10,000 scholarship (which includes attendance to World Workplace).  Devin has a passion for sustainability in the field of construction management and wants to use his talents in a way that will help preserve and repair our global environment. His professors identify him as having natural leadership skills and for the last three years he has been actively involved in student organizations and competitions.  Devin’s career goals include managing facilities internationally and to become an expert in sustainability measures.

GTC of IFMA is able to fund the scholarship through the efforts of our Golf Committee, co-chaired by Todd Taintor and Buck Fisher.  Each April, the Golf Committee is proud to host the Mike Bradley Memorial Golf Tournament.  The tournament is almost always an instant sell-out with over 130 participants. Next year’s golf tournament will be held April 24, 2019.  Devin is invited, and we hope will be there that day so that members can have the opportunity to learn how their scholarship dollars help emerging Facility Management Professionals.

Also looking forward to seeing our membership at the annual Membership Appreciation event at the Angus Barn tomorrow.  These are busy times for our Professional Facility Managers and the Associate Members who support them.  Recent weather events have taxed time and resources in ever more demanding ways.  Let’s use this event as a time to be thankful and celebrate the relationships that GTC allows us to cultivate and grow. 

Cris Karasek
President 2018-2019

2018 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!

There will be two collection dates:
1) Membership Appreciation Event – Thursday, November 8 at Angus Barn Pavilion
2) December Facility Tour – Wednesday, December 5 at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral
 
 Please contact Ed Boyle or Bobby Grant if you would like a Toys for Tots box for your office.

Bring your boxes and unwrapped toys to the November 8th IFMA Membership Appreciation.  The Marines will distribute the toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for the holidays and to help inspire them with hope.

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

PRE-WWP TOUR OF SNYDER PRODUCTION CENTER/COCA-COLA BOTTLING CO. CONSOLIDATED by Cris Karasek

As an exclusive World Workplace benefit to the Carolinas Chapters, Erika Zaharis CFM NCIDQ, former IFMA GTC member and committee chair, arranged for a tour of the Snyder Production Center operated by Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated in Charlotte NC.  Attendees from the GTC were David Sielaty, Lisa Davis, Brian McManus, and Cris Karasek. 

The group, limited to 15 attendees, met in the facility’s reception area, amongst hundreds of pieces of antique Coca-Cola memorabilia.  Safety and security are paramount for employees and tour attendees; pre-registry and identification was required, as well as a safety-related film and Personal Protection Equipment (PPE).  Among other requirements; no jewelry (interesting for those of us who never remove ours!) and no canvas shoes.

The tour was guided by Kevin Flinkingshelt, Operations Manager for the Plant, and began in the production area with a line-by-line tour of operations including blending, packaging and real-time metrics automation.   In the warehouse, we saw how product is stored and watched how deliveries are prepared (by a robot!) and loaded onto delivery trucks. 

Thanks again to Erika for this unique and fascinating opportunity!

David Sielaty, Lisa Davis, Bryan McManus, & Cris Karasek        Erika Zaharis, Tour Arranger

2018 WORLD WORKPLACE

Over 70 GTC of IFMA members attended World Workplace 2018 in Charlotte this year!  World Workplace facilitates idea-sharing and knowledge-exchange between all professionals who support the work environment. Collaboration between all members of our community is key to our profession’s rise as a career of choice. We have many resources at our fingertips; but in today’s digital world, a swipe of the finger can’t replace the handshake of a colleague.  

Many of our members find great value in the conference:
"IFMA’s World Workplace has been an excellent opportunity for me as a Facility Director to see and hear from others skilled in the profession.  By providing the opportunity to others on my staff to attend WWP, I know that is an investment to their professional development and will increase their value as an employee and contributor to our organization. Coming away with a few good ideas, meeting other colleagues who do what we do, and learning more about the profession is definitely a win for me as a supervisor and a win for the employee in their growth and experience in the field. There is great value and opportunity in WWP. I encourage all managers and directors to get their staffs to WWP each year."
Mitchell Vann,  Director of Facilities, Infrastructure and Safety - Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University

"As a first time participant in World Workplace, I found the event extremely valuable.  Day to day, I work within the parameters of my own role and can forgot how vast and innovative the industry is.  It was exciting to see what new designs and processes are being used and brainstorm how I might be able to implement some of them in my own facilities.  It was a great experience to be able to discuss my buildings with industry trades people along with peers and colleagues across the country and the world.  I came away excited and ready to implement new solutions to our users."
Ben LoCascio,  Building Support Services Coordinator - Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University

Get ready for WWP 2019!  Registration is already open for the conference and expo to be held in Phoenix, AZ from October 16th-19th.

You are invited to prepay for the 2019 Greater Triangle Chapter of IFMA monthly meetings at a cost of $180.00.  

This is a great way to not have to remember to register as you will automatically be signed up in CVENT.  Also you will only have to submit one expense report to your company. 

We hope you will take advantage of this prepay opportunity!

Prepay Deadline:  Friday, December 21, 2018

SIGN UP HERE

CFM QUESTION
In real estate, curb appeal means:

A. Height of the curb and distance to the parking lot
B. Initial impression a facility makes on a visitor
C. Layout of the landscape and shrubbery
D. Large natural areas preserved for environmental reasons