Houston – This March, the International Facility Management Association’s second annual Facility Fusion Conference & Expo will help facility, design and real estate professionals recharge their careers through instructor-led educational courses, an expo showcasing the latest workplace products and services, cutting-edge facility tours, and other professional development and networking opportunities.
Held March 23-25 in Boston, Mass., at the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel, Facility Fusion combines all of IFMA’s previous spring events into one conference offering a fusion of new ideas, best practices, and leadership and management training. The event will feature industry-leading keynote and power speaker presentations, nearly 60 educational sessions and an expo with more than 75 exhibiting companies.
Facility Fusion kicks off on Wednesday, March 23, with a keynote presentation from “The Gen Y Guy” Jason Dorsey, acclaimed generational consultant, entrepreneur and speaker. Dorsey will present “Crossing the Generational Divide: Making the Four Generations in Your Workforce a Competitive Advantage in Any Economy,” in which he highlights what each generation brings to the workplace and how to build on these strengths to achieve better results.
The first day will also feature educational sessions highlighting sustainability best practices, building security, leadership development and maximizing the return on investment internships provide. Representatives from Jones Lang LaSalle, Pfizer and the Smithsonian Institution will present. Many Facility Fusion educational sessions on Monday and throughout the conference will also have a strong corporate real estate focus.
“Facility Fusion offers a program that can benefit facility and real estate managers alike,” said Eric S. Baugh, president of the Corporate Real Estate Council of IFMA and an educational session presenter. “Facility managers’ value to the C-suite today is in providing accurate and timely information. These sessions will cover new legislation that every facility professional should be aware of, what facility and real estate managers should be doing right now to benefit their corporation’s bottom line, and where the future of workspace and real estate is heading. We hope to inspire each attendee with ideas they can implement right away to provide more value to their organizations.”
The Facility Fusion expo will also debut Wednesday and remain open through Thursday, March 24. Open to the public at no cost, the expo will feature more than 75 exhibiting companies showcasing the latest products and services impacting the workplace. The expo will also include a solutions arena highlighting educational content and featuring new product demonstrations. Organizations including CORT, George Mason University, Staples and the U.S. State Department, among others, will be on the expo floor.
Day two of Facility Fusion will begin with a power speaker presentation on emergency planning and preparedness by a speaker to be named at a later date. It will include educational sessions on energy savings, building renovation, indoor air quality and food service management. Representatives from BAE Systems, the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories and Virginia Tech University will present. Additionally, the conference’s second day will include sightseeing tours highlighting Boston’s most recognizable attractions.
The conference will conclude on Friday, March 25, with presentations from power speakers Elizabeth Freedman, MBA, and Bob Nunnally. Freedman, an author and career and workplace expert, will present “Personality Poker: How to Lead with Your Strong Suit,” in which she helps participants identify their personality “hand” and use it to better achieve their career goals. Nunnally, a retired U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and experienced facility manager, will deliver “Commanding Your Organization,” in which he teaches attendees how to take charge of their careers through character and performance and defeat the “missiles of adversity” they encounter along the way.
Educational sessions on Friday will cover topics including new legislation impacting the training and certifying of facility managers, how to build a career in facility management, and the intersection of sustainability and public policy. Representatives from the U.S. General Services Administration, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and State Farm Insurance will present. The final day of Facility Fusion will also include behind-the-scenes tours of several specialized Boston-area facilities.
Those interested in attending Facility Fusion may register online or by calling 713-623-4362. Members of the media may register for the event at no cost by e-mailing [email protected]. To learn more about the IFMA Facility Fusion Conference & Expo, or to learn about the Certified Facility Manager® and Facility Management Professional courses being offered in conjunction with the event, visit www.ifmafacilityfusion.org.
IFMA is the world’s largest and most widely recognized international association for professional facility managers, supporting more than 19,000 members in 78 countries. The association’s members, represented in 124 chapters and 16 councils worldwide, manage more than 37 billion square feet of property and annually purchase more than US$100 billion in products and services. Formed in 1980, IFMA certifies facility managers, conducts research, provides educational programs, recognizes facility management certificate programs and produces World Workplace, the world’s largest facility management conference and exposition. To join and follow IFMA’s social media outlets online, visit the association’s LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages. For more information, visit the IFMA press room or www.ifma.org.
