Immediate past president of our chapter, Robin Connolly, recently passed the LEED CI test and is now certified as a LEED AP.  Details on her terrific accomplishment are further inside.  Read some of what Robin has learned.

Please note:  IFMA-Austin luncheons at the Embassy Suites are a thing of the past.  Our luncheon for January is this Thursday the 10th and is being held at Riverplace Corporate Park, as a special event hosted by Aspen Properties.  Please read on for more information or click here   You can also RSVP right here.

Next month we begin luncheons in our new home, Texas Land & Cattle Steakhouse, 1101 S. MoPac.  Luncheons are held the 2nd Thursday of the month, beginning at 11:30 AM.  Reservations required.

Opportunities exist for sponsorship of the 2008 IFMA-Austin Open.  The Hills of Lakeway Golf Club will host once again, on March 31.  The deadline for payment is March 1.  Learn more by clicking here.  Sign up to play and/or sponsor now!  Professional members wishing to be involved, but not play golf, please contact chapter president Shannon Schiermannhere.

Have you heard about Globalcon 2008?  Held on March 19 and 20 at the Austin Convention Center, Globalcon is part Expo, part conference, and part networking event.  The Expo portion showcases the latest innovations in technology and energy efficiency.  This is a great chance to "shop" for energy and money-saving technologies for your facility.  Learn more here. 

The chapter directory project is underway.  Do we have your contact info listed correctly?  If not, please contact directory co-chair Vesta Yoder right away, here.  And if you'd like to advertise, the rates are very reasonable.  Please contact co-chair John McGimsey for more information, here. 

The 2007 Holiday Party at The County Line was a blast.  Todd Coleman/Texas Building Services sponsored the shindig, and provided an assortment of varietal wines and generously stuffed goodie bags.  Thank you for the terrific hospitality, Todd! 

The gift exchange brought in plenty of laughs.  Notorious Oklahoma Sooner fan (and IFMA-Austin webmeister) J.R. Howard (overcome with joy in the picture below) was the lucky winner of a Longhorns sweatshirt  but he generously passed this true champions attire along to someone more, um, deserving.  Looks like J.R.'s wife, Lois, is quite satisfied with his winnings.  Could she be a closet UT fan?

And in true Christmas storybook fashion, event guest Daryl Miller of Southwest Solutions Group won a Red Ryder BB Gun.  IFMA-Austin president Shannon Schiermann makes the presentation to Daryl in the picture below. 

Later in this issue, Chapter 1st VP Mark Wendland reviews the year, IFMA style.  You'll also get to know Mike Wenglar of KVUE TV in "Performance Review" and John McGimsey of Lone Star Supplies in "Cold Call."  Read on!

http://www.ifma-austin.org/

IFMA Austin 2007 Year-In-Review      by Mark Wendland, 1st VP & Treasurer

2007 has proven to have been another successful and event-ful year for IFMA-Austin.  Through chapter functions, here's a sampling of what we learned as we "set up shop":

Facility Managers were taught how to negotiate Commercial Tenant Improvements “Face to Face” by Amy Mitchell of Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP, and Diana Holford of The Staubach Co.  Of course, before obtaining the space, FM's ensured it was not in a flood zone by researching on-line, web-based flood data maps that Charles Carpenter from Harte-Hanks taught us to use. 

During the design phase of our new space we implemented several new practices learned by attending lunch programs.  For instance, we wanted to incorporate sustainability practices we learned from Steelcase‘s presentation entitled “Sustainability through Life Cycle Thinking.”  We also incorporated great FM ideas we learned in our session entitled “Facility Management at Camp David during the Reagan Years,” conducted by Jim Broaddus of Broaddus and Associates.  However, one thought kept popping up in the back of our mind.  We remembered that the design and integration of AV equipment needed to be conducted upfront during the space planning process (thanks to Marvin Hecker of JanCom Technologies).  Austin Energy’s Carlos Cordova and Michelle Noriega provided us information on how to outfit our new space with energy efficient products and provided specific information on Austin Energy’s leading edge energy rebate program.   

Due to our heavy workload demands we decided that some relaxation and tours were in order.  We took a tour of the new Dell’s Children’s Hospital.  Thanks to Shawn Lavin of Seton Network Facilities for providing us an insightful behind-the-scenes tour.  Directly after this event we all rushed over to Pappasito’s Cantina and enjoyed each others company.  Our annual golf tournament at “The Hills of Lakeway” was disguised as a rain dance, but all of the soggy golfers, sponsors, and volunteers made the best of the event before it was called off by club officials.  Prizes ranged from a TV to a Callaway driver and nearly filled a moving truck.

IFMA Austin took the time to recognize the FMs with a Professional Members Recognition event boat ride on Lake Austin.  It was a little on the warm, ok, maybe on the hot side, but this is August in Austin right?  We all had fun anyway.   

Back to the work front, we took advantage of becoming better versed on the importance of professional ethics; Ricardo Baca of Coats Rose, LLP, recalled a few humorous situations but also some tragic (and avoidable) situations.  Peter M. Winters, CFM, CFMJ of HOK Advanced Strategies closed out the IFMA Austin calendar year by providing insightful information on “Doing Business in Asia.”  You never know when your job duties may call for an overseas trip.  We are trying our best to keep you prepared.        

I cannot wait to see how 2008 unfolds.   Hope to see you at all of our events this year.

IFMA-Austin's Mark Wendland (L) and Ted Ulmer (R)

 "Performance Review"     Q & A with Mike Wenglar, Vice President, Engineering, KVUE TV

"Performance Review" is a regularly featured interview with one of our chapter's professional members. 

Provide some insight on your Employer/Company's core function/service. 
KVUE TV is a Commercial Television Station and ABC Affiliate.

Identify Company's total number, sq. ft., types, and locations of offices, e.g., corporate, industrial, owned, leased, downtown, suburban, local, regional.
Studios at 3201 Steck Avenue (32,000 sq ft); Transmitter site (2000 sq ft); 1100” Star mount 12’ Faced Tower.  All owned.

Identify Company's total number of employees.
130 in Austin.

What are your primary job functions?
Director of Technology and Physical Plants as well as all broadcast equipment.

How long have you been in the FM field?
36 years at KVUE.  Education in electronics and photography.

Who do you report to?                                                              
Broadcast Technicians/Engineers as well as operators.

Who reports to you?
36 staff members including two supervisors.

Do you outsource any functions? Which ones?
Janitorial and lawn care.

Describe your recycling program, if applicable.
We recycle cans, paper and old equipment.

Describe any energy conservation measures you have implemented in your facility.
Energy management system on the HVAC Systems.

Identify some FM challenges you face within your organization.
Converting to HD, and not having a lot of facility help, trying to keep the property up and functioning and in compliance with all local, state and federal regulations.

Identify some challenges the FM industry as a whole must face in the near future.
Conservation, going green.

What are some of your hobbies and interests outside work?
Broadcast consultation, amateur radio operator, still photography, IT/Computers, digital and analog design, PC board design, owner of an AM radio station.

Thanks, Mike! 

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"Cold Call"   Q & A with John McGimsey ("Mc-JIM-see") of Lone Star Office Supplies

"Cold Call" is a regularly featured interview with one of our associate members.

Describe your company's core competency.
We sell Office Supplies—paper, pens, paper clips, toner, everything in an office. We also sell printing materials—business cards, letterhead, forms and marketing materials. Our other products includes promotional products—embroidery, silkscreen, hats, key chains, you name it.  

Describe your primary job functions.
I focus primarily on business development, growing the business with new accounts and developing greater depth with current customers. It’s as much involved in customer service as it is in selling products.

Describe an average day.
I always start my day with coffee early in the morning followed with some light calisthenics and yoga, and then followed by a short jog of about 12-15 miles. After an apricot-mango-sandalwood scented mud bath I get in about an hour or two of surfing, depending on the waves and the weather. After that I head to the office where I read the morning news; The Journal, The Times and sometimes the Buda Free Press. By this time it’s now 8:30 am and time to look and see who needs my products and services. I make marketing calls for a half hour, take a late morning nap and then it’s time for lunch. After lunch I’ll visit customers until about 3:00 PM and rush home for Oprah by 4:00. That’s the general routine each week unless I have to get home early for a special showing of Dr Phil.   

What type of clients you work with?
Most of my clients and customers include a variety of diverse industries and companies—construction, real estate, financial institutions, law offices, educational, city and state offices, transportation and shipping, convents, high tech industries, schools, private and public, …..to name a few.

What percentage of your work and clients is local/regional/national?
Most of my clients are in Austin and the surrounding areas, from Liberty Hill, Florence to San Antonio. Surrounding locations include Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, DC, Vegas and assorted resorts in the Caribbean.

How long have you been in this field?  Tell us briefly about your career, education, certifications.
I am fairly new to Lone Star, coming on board in August of ’07. Before that I spent 7 years in office supplies with Dunder Mifflin. 

I have a diverse background starting with my education. I studied Zoology at N.C. State University with a focus on Entomology (bugs) and Parasitology (body bugs). I have worked in the veterinary medicine field in research and private practice. I spent time in the Hotel / Restaurant industry in Atlanta. Then customer service in the wireless communications industry. And now in the office supplies and promotional products world.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learned from a client?
“Talk to me….communicate in a way that leaves no doubt, no room for worry and no speculation. Never leave me in the dark and we will always be the best of friends.”  That was told to me by a client many years ago, I’ve never forgotten it. Always let your clients and customers know what is going on, good or bad, and you’ll build loyalty to last a lifetime.

How's business right now?
Business is going very well and we are anticipating that 2008 will be a new milestone for our company. There are many opportunities on the horizon and we are excited about what lies ahead.

Identify some challenges in your industry.
I think the challenges in our industry are common to most industries – how will the market influence our business and the buying power of the customer? What ways can we separate our company from the other competitors? Where is the best place to get a great burger at lunch? Should I be able to wear jeans on casual Friday?  It’s the usual stuff for us. 

Tell us about your personal life, family, hobbies and interests outside work.
I am a husband and father of three great kids. 2 in college and 1 in elementary school—yes this was planned!  My wife and I have a marriage counseling ministry and we work primarily with young married couples.  I am a hopelessly addicted, diehard fly fisherman with no plans for rehabilitation.  I make custom fly fishing rods as a side business and often make and sell fishing flies as well.  On occasion I do casting lessons and guided trips around the area. Yes, there is a lot of fly fishing around Austin.  I enjoy running, backpacking and jousting.  I’m a volunteer fireman with our local department in south Austin.  I recently took up hunting two years ago and love it.  My favorite bumper sticker: I love animals….They’re delicious!

Can we quote you on that?
“Treat a person as he is, and he will remain as he is. Treat him as he could be and he will become what he should be.” 

                                                                                                J. Johnson

I’ve always liked the above quote—it speaks a resounding message that I am to see the potential in people, see them as who they can be, not who I’ve decided they are. I learned some years ago that we are not a fixed being, but fluid, changing and evolving. See others as having potential for greater things. 

Thanks, John!

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