Message from the President
Dear Members,
Spring has sprung in New York City and our Chapter of IFMA is in full swing. The month of March was a productive one for our organization, with great events and the second installment of our Professionals-Only Breakfast series to build upon the already successful year thus far.
Last month, the Chapter held its second Professionals-Only Networking Breakfast meeting, which was met with resounding approval from those in attendance. These breakfasts, which provide professionals with terrific opportunities to enrich their experiences as IFMA members, will be held quarterly as part of our efforts to offer our members unique and valuable programming. Last month also featured a Disaster Experience Workshop for Facilities Managers at Macro Consultants. The workshop, moderated by Bob Mellinger of Attainium Corp., provided an overview of the principles of emergency management and a simulation of a disaster scenario.
For the month of April, we will be kicking off our Tour de Lunch Series, the first in a series of three lunchtime tours that will occur throughout the remainder of the year. The first tour will be held on Wednesday, April 10, 2013 at the Museum of Arts and Design. Later, on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, IFMA will continue to spread awareness and knowledge of disaster response procedures by hosting a seminar entitled "Hurricane Sandy: Emergency Response at the Holland Tunnel." The event will relay the successful strategy used to protect the tunnel during the storm. Our Annual Golf Outing has also been scheduled for Monday, September 23, 2013 at Leewood Golf Club.
As always, I would like to take the time to thank all of our members for their unwavering enthusiasm in striving to maintain the IFMA New York City Chapter as the premier organization for Facility Managers and Professionals in the New York Metropolitan Area.
Brian Ostrowe, CFM
President
Upcoming Events and News
Tour de Lunch Series - Wednesday, April 10, 2013 | 12:15 PM
Join IFMA NYC for a lunchtime walking tour series throughout some of New York City's new and old landmarks. The Museum of Arts and Design will be the first of three tours scheduled for this year. Participants will have the opportunity to network and get a behind-the-scenes look at this fascinating building. After the guided tour of the museum, lunch will be provided at Steelcase, located across the street.
Preventative Career Medicine - Wednesday, April 24, 2013 | 5:30 PM
This career services workshop has been designed for employed professionals but may be very useful for unemployed individuals as well. Speakers from The Career Collaborative, a joint effort of Hal Flantzer and Paula Cohen, will cover the topics related to job search and professional success.
Hurricane Sandy: Emergency Response at the Holland Tunnel - Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | 5:30 PM
Hurricane Sandy, the Perfect Storm, paralyzed the entire region with unprecedented flooding and subjected many to life-threatening disruptions of essential services, including major transportation systems. This is the Holland Tunnel's story of how it met Sandy head-on, and prevailed.
2013-2014 Sponsorship
We are pleased to announce the 2013-2014 sponsorship campaign and hope you will join us in promoting volunteer involvement, emerging leaders and social networking.
Sponsoring the New York City Chapter of IFMA is a great opportunity to gain additional exposure for your organization, open new doors to networking opportunities, and receive complimentary access to monthly programs and special events throughout the year.
Nespresso USA, Inc. has been a Corporate Sponsor of IFMA's New York City Chapter for a number of years and is delighted to support its endeavors in providing extensive knowledge about the industry through its membership.
"Nespresso USA has celebrated its first year as a Platinum Sponsor of IFMA. We are pleased with the great brand awareness opportunities a sponsor has to reach and connect with industry professionals. We set out with chapter involvement as a key to our sponsorship and are pleased to announce how easy and helpful IFMA, the Chapter Board and Committee Chairs have made it for us to meet members and attend productive networking events. Nespresso Grands Crus Coffees, Commercial Machines and Technical Service made us a partner that IFMA members can truly rely on." - Jim Frisby, Key Account Manager
The Executive Board of the New York City Chapter would like to thank you for your membership during the 2012-2013 year, and we hope that you will join our elite list of sponsors for the 2013-2014 year. Without the support of our sponsors, we cannot provide in-depth programs and educational opportunities to all of our chapter members that we have maintained in the past.
Please support our community by registering at www.ifmanyc.org. The deadline for sponsorship registration is June 30, 2013.
Feel free to contact either of our Sponsorship Committee Chairs with any questions or comments regarding sponsorship - Rebecca Avazis (ravazis@innovant.com) or Kelley Douglass (kelley.douglass@ki.com).
I look forward to your involvement in an exciting year for our chapter!
Best regards,
Brian Ostrowe, CFM
President, IFMA New York City Chapter
IFMA Cares Honors Consolidated Carpet for its Donation to Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter's New York Headquarters
IFMA Cares is pleased to announce that it honored Consolidated Carpet with an award for their donation of adhesives and over 1,800 square feet of Interface carpet tile to the recent renovation of the Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter's (NCS) New York City Headquarters.
Michael Moskowitz and Sonya Verny of IFMA Cares presented the a plaque commemorating the donation to Kristin Scotto, who accepted it on behalf of Consolidated Carpet in a ceremony that took place on December 19, 2012.
IFMA Cares and Consolidated Carpet worked together to renovate the outdated and worn-out flooring in the NCS office. The carpet was installed in three days, by two installers from Consolidated Carpet, with labor costs generously donated by the Greater New York Floor Coverers Association Promotional Fund.
The Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter, Inc. serves people who are chronically homeless, formerly homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless. Established by religious and community leaders on Manhattan's Upper East Side, NCS was founded on the premise that homelessness is the responsibility of the entire community.
IFMA NYC Holds a Disaster Experience Workshop for Facilities Managers in March
IFMA's Disaster Experience Workshop was held on March 12, 2013 at Macro Consultants and was moderated by Bob Mellinger of Attainium. Program attendees were separated into groups and participants were asked to simulate their response to critical decisions that they would be faced with as facility managers. The session began with an introduction and overview of the principles of emergency management, followed by a discussion of the disaster scenario.
For the disaster scenario, participants simulated their response to a radioactive bomb that detonated across the street and were faced with enforcing quarantines at their facilities. As participants discussed their reactions, the speaker added additional challenges to test their leadership skills and knowledge of facility management. Throughout the simulation, attendees maintained a focus on the safety of building occupants and effectively handling their facilities' responses to open as soon as possible following the disaster.
The program concluded with a post-disaster debriefing and wrap-up discussion that provided insights into improving crisis communications and decision-making skills. Participants also learned strategies for utilizing previous disasters to prepare for the future.
Professional Credentials
Pratt Institute FMP Classes - Registration Open!
Pratt Institute is offering new certificate programs and courses in both Manhattan and Brooklyn, including the International Facility Management Professional (FMP) certification. Register here.
IFMA NYC FMP Credential Workshop - Project Management
This is a course of preparation for IFMA's Facilities Management Professional certification. Course is designed to assist facility professionals seeking certification with preparation for the competency-based examinations, focused on project management. Register here.
News from National
World Workplace Conference & Expo 2013
October 2 - 4, 2013 | Philadelphia, PA
Save the Date for IFMA's World Workplace Conference & Expo - is the largest, long-standing and well-respected annual conference and exposition for facility management and related professions. Click Here to Register.