I F M A
October-November 2005 Newsletter 
By Mary Duke

SEPTEMBER 8 MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

Anita opened our meeting with a briefing of the Katrina Relief information. Donations were suspended due to the overwhelming response by the Austin community. Charities are currently trying to catch up on the items already received. IFMA-Austin will donate $1,000 to the American Red Cross.

Tux announced our Sponsor - Yancy Arrington with Corporate Care donated $50 to one lucky attendee from a drawing of business cards. The winner was Dennis Huddleston - who was very gracious and donated his winnings back to the Red Cross. A round of applause erupted for his generosity. Thanks Dennis for your kind heart! Remember to contact Tux if you are interested in sponsoring a meeting - you will be given a couple of minutes to discuss your business and also have the opportunity set up a display table, etc.

Michael Knox and Pam Hefner

ECONOMIC GROWTH & REDEVELOPMENT OFFICE 
CITY OF AUSTIN

City Planning Policies, Programs, 
 Redevelopment of the Mueller Airport

Jubal Smith, CecD                                                                                               
Jubal Smith joined the City of Austin as Manager of Economic Development in September of 2004. The Economic Growth & Redevelopment Office is responsible for creating programs and implementing policies resulting in new jobs and investment for the City of Austin.

Jubal's work includes consulting with companies considering Austin as a prospective location for business, working with existing employers considering expansions, and partnering with entities, both private and public, to develop economic development strategies and marketing initiatives for the Austin Region. His department also creates internal economic development policies and guidelines for the City of Austin

Michael Knox, ASLA                                                             
Michael is a Principal Planner for the City of Austin's Economic Growth & Redevelopment Services Office. Since 1988 he has focused on downtown redevelopment. His responsibilities include assisting downtown developers, coordinating and working with downtown groups such as the Downtown Austin Alliance and the Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association, and coordinating with other City departments and other public agencies, including Capital Metro and the US General Services Administration.

Since the 1998, he has either managed or played a key role in virtually every downtown planning study, including the 1991 R/UDAT and its follow-ups, the Downtown Austin Design Guidelines, Heritage Austin, the Downtown Access and Mobility Plan, the Downtown Arts Master Plan, and the Downtown Austin Retail Market Strategy. He is now starting work on a new downtown comprehensive plan. Michael is the staff liaison to the City of Austin's Downtown Commission, and the contract manager for the two downtown public improvement districts, which he helped create.

He provides information about downtown development to City management and the development community, publishing the quarterly Central Austin Emerging Projects Map and also the quarterly Downtown Report, which can be found on his web site . Austin stat's from 2003:

Population 
· 681,437 (16th largest in the US - larger than Atlanta and Baltimore!

MSA Population (5 county area)

  • 1,377,633
  • This is a 47.7% change since 1999-2000, very rare to have this large of growth. Most cities grow at a slow rate or have people migrating out.
  • Austin has a city owned electric utility with 360,000 customers and is the 10th largest municipality.
  • Live music capital
  • Forbes Top 10 City, May 2004

People who live here are young and well educated.

Austin strives to lure basic companies (industry) who are exporter of goods and services. This essential to building wealth as it brings new money to Austin that is spent in our city over and over again.

Not all businesses are eligible for the incentive program. There are two types of incentives - firm based such as Freescale, Samsung, Home Depot) and project based - The Domain project.

Some of the criteria are:

  • Number of jobs
  • Diversity
  • Growing Firm
  • Location in east Austin

    SAVE THE DATE!!

    IFMA'S Austin's Annual Holiday Party 
    Location: Esther's Follies 525 East 6th Street

    When: Friday December 16, Fajita Dinner @6:30pm 
    Pre-Show Dinner, Show starts @ 8 PM


     

OCTOBER 11 MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

Phoenix Project Rebuilds the Pentagon

SPEAKERS:

Walker Lee Evey - President, Design-Build Institute of America

Mr. Evey is President of the Design-Build Institute of America, a national non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of integrated design and construction project delivery services. Long before he joined DBIA in June, 2004, Mr. Evey was a leading proponent of design-build project delivery, utilizing design-build in projects he managed.

Mr. Evey served for five years as Program Manager for the Pentagon Renovation Program for the Department of Defense. He managed the ten-year, $4 billion major construction program, and also successfully led the Phoenix Project, which rebuilt in only one year the Pentagon areas damaged by the 9/11 terrorist attack. Implementing design-build project delivery at the Pentagon, he turned a program on the verge of cancellation into an award winner.

In 2003, while senior vice president of 3D/I, a leading nationwide construction management firm, Mr. Evey spent three months "on loan" as a Senior Advisor to the Iraqi Ministry of Housing and Construction, the Iraqi ministry responsible for construction of housing, roads and bridges, and public buildings nationwide. In his words, Mr. Evey "spent time on the ground doing real work with real people rebuilding a country … not watching Iraq on TV."

Prior to joining the Pentagon effort, Mr. Evey was the top civilian Air Force contracting official at the Pentagon, and also held a variety of key positions with NASA. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and in 1967 and served as an Infantry Platoon Leader and Company Commander in Vietnam.

Ms. Christy Skirchak

Christy Skirchak started her career in Acquisitions with GSA in 1986 and worked in the Fort Worth Region 7, GSA Public Buildings Service (PBS) Office until 2000. She was one of the Contracting Officers for the Pentagon Renovation Program, Phoenix Project. She is the Director of Acquisition Management for GSA, PBS in Region IV (Atlanta) with a workforce covering eight States in the Southeast and is currently serving as a Subject Matter Expert regarding Federal Acquisition Regulations for GSA Central Office.

She is also the President for the Atlanta Chapter, National Contract Management Association.

The Pentagon Renovation Program's Phoenix Project was the reconstruction of the most severely damaged area of the Pentagon resulting from the attack on September 11, 2001. All five floors of the outer three ring's (E, D and C) between Corridors 4 and 5 required complete structural demolition down to slab on-grade. The name "Phoenix Project" is derived from the mythological bird of rebirth and immortality. Less than a month after a terrorist- hijacked airliner slammed into the Pentagon last year, the building's chief renovation official estimated that repairs to the stricken building could take years to accomplish. In remarks to reporters Oct. 2, 2001, renovation project manager Lee Evey said it would take 18 months just to clear debris and rebuild the damaged sections of the Pentagon. He noted another two years of work would probably be necessary in order to install necessary utilities and provide furniture, fixtures, equipment and carpeting. By spring 2003, all "Phoenix Project" interior renovations were complete. Some people are calling the project a miracle. Lee Evey credits teamwork among his employees and contractors for being years ahead of schedule. 

Some of the pointers to Lee's techniques include:

  • Act as a team
  • Recover people
  • Begin Renovation

Why renovate?

  • Remove 2,000 tons of asbestos
  • Electrical technology was dilapidated and obsolete
  • Structure was built without structural steel
  • No existing elevators or escalators
  • Not ADA compliant
  • There were tunnels of telecommunication conduit (15,000 miles) that had to be traced, wire for wire
  • Raw sewage was leaking from ceiling into work areas

What was done?

  • Reinforced walls with steel tubing
  • Kevlar, a geotech mesh, was stretched between the steel tubes to prevent debris from becoming shrapnel in the event of external explosion.
  • Blast resistant windows were installed

The attack . . .

  • A 757 traveling 350 mph +/- at impact caused an internal explosion.
  • The aircraft came in so low that it took an antenna off a car on the highway
  • The right wing hit an electric generator
  • The left side hit walls 2-3' tall causing the left wing to dig a furrough.
  • The subsequent fire was stopped in the renovated area by the sprinklers in wedge 1 of the Pentagon.
  • Because 2,600 personnel were being moved from building 2 to the newly remodeled building 1, only 125 lives were lost

Physical Damage

  • Windows remained intact
  • Steel tubes were bent, but remained intact
  • Building remained standing for 35 minutes prior to collapse which aided in the saving of many lives
  • Building 2 did its job well in saving lives.
  • Crews worked 24/7 and all demolition was complete and cleared in 1 month and 1 week
  • The construction of the original Pentagon was done in 16 months using rebar. If the aircraft had hit another part of the building, the damage would have been far worse.

Improved Contracting Methods

  • Hire better contractors
  • Provide incentives to achieve goals
  • Set clear goals
  • Operate as a team
  • Measure progress against goals
  • Reward achievement
  • Most contracts assume you will fail causing in-fighting
  • Low bid drives away top performers
  • Get the best value for the money
  • Pay money to the unsuccessful vendor for their best ideas to use on the project
  • Award Fee of 10% of the contract price based on performance
    • Quality
    • Solve problems
    • Communicate
    • DBE incentives
    • Safety
    • Contractor and government to split savings, overruns up to 120% of the price
    • Tell the contractor what you want, not how to get there
  • Operate as Teams
    • Form teams early
    • Integrate contractors, customers, maintainers
    • Open communication lines
    • Measure progress against goals

More information can be found at :

http://www.designbuildsymposium.uci.edu/walkerleeevey.htm http://www.aecnewswire.com/industrynews/Detailed/336.shtml http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Aug2002/n08282002_200208283.html

HOWDY TO OUR NEW MEMBERS!

  • Kelly Nunn, Dell
  • Wendell Baschnagel, Facilities Manager, Ambion, Inc.
  • Glenn Spradin, Director of Facilities, North Austin Medical Center
  • Don Fowler, Sales, Thomas Reprographics
  • Jeff Beneski, Manager, Shred First LLC
  • Christopher Hugman, President, Safe Sight

GOLF TOURNAMENT

Golf tournament chair, Glenda Stubbs, informed us that the tournament is scheduled for Monday, March 27, 2006 at the Hills of Lakeway. Mark your calendars and get the money into your budget now!  Please e-mail Glenda your charity suggestions!

Letter from our tournament chair, Glenda Stubbs:

It's time again to start talking about our next annual fundraising event but first I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that has supported, participated and volunteered in previous tournaments. Your support of our organization and our selected charity is truly appreciated.

For those of you that are new to Austin Chapter of IFMA, we sponsor an annual golf tournament to support both an Austin-based charity and our organization. The proceeds from the tournament are split equally between the charity and our chapter. We use the money for chapter events during the year.

Previously, we selected Austin-based charities such as Meals on Wheels and Hospice Austin and, for the last 2 years, we have lent our support to the Austin Children's Shelter.

The 2006 tournament will be held on March 27, 2006 at the Hills of Lakeway. We are taking recommendations from the Austin members for a charity that could benefit from our donation and that would not otherwise receive a substantial donation from other sources. Please submit via e-mail to Glenda, the name of the organization along with their mission statement and any background information that would describe their goals. The deadline for submittals is November 15th. The Austin Chapter's Board of Directors will review all submittals and make the final selection.

Our goal is for the 2006 tournament to be the best ever and would ask that all members support this effort. There are many opportunities for support that include sponsorships, goodie bag items, door prize donations or by simply attending the awards dinner after the event.

This event has always been a lot of fun and is a wonderful way to help our chapter as well as making a difference in the lives of Austinites.

Check out the Austin Chapter of IFMA website for the sponsorship form , the tournament registration form  as well as some "important things to know" about the tournament. If you have any questions, please contact me at Glenda.stubbs@SBCglobal.net or call (512) 335-1482.

2006 Austin IFMA Golf Tournament March 27, 2005, 12:30 pm Shotgun Start The Hills of Lakeway Golf Club

 

2006 Austin IFMA Golf Tournament 
March 27, 2005, 12:30 pm Shotgun Start 
The Hills of Lakeway Golf Club

Important things to know:

Directions: Please check out the new directions to the Hills. You can only enter from Lohman's Crossing.

Parking: There will be an attendant to direct you to the appropriate parking area. If you have something to unload they will direct you to the appropriate location.

Registration: The registration table will be open at 10:00 just outside the main Hill Club House. Everyone will need to stop at the registration table to check in.

Golf Carts: Proceed to your designated golf carts to make sure your name and team are all accounted for before the 12:30 p.m. shotgun start.

Dress Code: Proper golfing attire is required for EVERYONE attending this event. Denim, shirts without collars, t-shirts, cutoffs, tank tops, halter-tops, bathing suits, etc. are not acceptable. Golf shoes and acceptable golfing footwear are required.

As a part of the entry fee, a box lunch and dinner will be provided for each player and tournament volunteers.

Beverage carts will drive the course during play and dispense free soda, water, and beer.

Final deadline for sign-up will be March 20th. A waiting list will be kept for those not able to get in due to a fill up of the 128-player restriction.

Tickets will be given to each participant at registration for a drawing that will be held at dinner. You must be present to win. Additional tickets will be given with the purchase of a "Mulligan". Mulligan's can be purchase at the registration table for $10.00 each.

Trophies and prizes will be given to the top three-team scores.

Non-players are invited to join the fun. Dinner is available at $22.00 per person and will begin approximately at 6:00 p.m. Please send your RSVP to Glenda by March 20th.

A cash open bar will be available in the Clubhouse prior to the dinner.

If you have any questions that have not been addressed, please e-mail Glenda Stubbs

 

 

WORLD WORKPLACE 2006

Vendors, if you are looking to expand your business nationally, Tux McCaulley will provide information on securing a booth at World Workplace 2006 after the first of the year.

LUNCH SPONSORSHIPS

Tux also mentioned that we are looking for luncheon sponsors. The cost is $250, $50 dollars which is used in a drawing, plus you have 2 minutes to talk up your business. The lucky winner for this meeting was Matt with Riff Associates who won the book "User Effective Buildings".

CAPITAL AREA FOOD BANK

IFMA will be collecting donated food items for the Capital Area Food Bank at our next meeting. Please remember to bring 3 to 4 food items to donate at the November 10th meeting.

If you do not wish to donate food or if you will not be attending the meeting, you can make a monetary contribution. For every $1 donated the Food Bank can provided 5.5 meals.

The Capital Area Food Bank Food Wish List Includes:

  • Baby Food & Cereal
  • Canned Fruit
  • Canned Meats & Stews
  • Canned Tuna
  • Canned Vegetables
  • Diapers
  • Peanut Butter & Jelly
  • Pasta Sauces
  • Rice & Beans
  • Personal Care Products
  • Single Serving Pop-Top Canned Foods

We have set a goal to collect 600 pounds of food to feed the needy during the cold months ahead. Please help us to achieve this goal and make our food drive successful!

NOVEMBER 10 PRESENTATION

 IFMA - Austin invites you to their November presentation
Disaster Preparedness
A Process, Not a Product 

Ensuring preparedness for disasters is a process. Chad Williams will speak about lessons learned in plan development for disaster preparedness along with the thought process for developing a plan. Come join us as Chad Williams speaks about disaster preparedness for the November IFMA presentation

Lunch will be provided. RSVP rsvpifma@yahoo.com 

Thursday, November 10, 2005 
11:30 AM - 1 PM 
Embassy Suites Hotel I-35 N and 290 East 

- Please RSVP early - 

$20 members 
$25 non-members 

Our speaker will be Chad Williams, Property Manager, Moore& Associates, Inc. 

Chad Williams joined Moore & Associates, Inc. in October 2004 as a Property Manager. He is responsible for the day-to-day operations, capital and tenant improvements, contingency planning, life/safety systems, and tenant interaction for the Austin portfolio. His daily duties include supervision of the Austin management team, tenant relations and problem resolution, as well as general operation details required to maintain Class "A" properties. 

Chad's broad experience includes sixteen years in the US Air Force and Air Force Reserve. Chad's military experience included ground combat skills and special tactics instruction, base defense and anti-terrorism planning, instruction, and evaluation, operations planning and leadership, and large scale program development and management. Chad achieved the rank of Master Sergeant and received numerous individual and Air Force level awards. 

Chad holds a Bachelors of Business Administration and Management from St. Edward's University located in Austin, Texas and is nearing completion of the Masters of Business Administration program with specialization in the area of Entrepreneurship 

January 12: "2005 Changes in Texas Accessibility Standards for Facility Managers" Kristi Thomas, Accessology, Inc. 

HOLIDAY PARTY

We are six weeks away from our annual holiday party! Mark your calendars for Friday, December 16. Jamie Flemming, event chair has book us at Esther's Follies. For those of you who are new to us - we always have a great time sharing friendship and laughs at the familiar retreat on Sixth Street. Watch for e-mails to get your reservations in for yourself and one guest. Dinner will be provided (fajitas and fixin's). Cash bar.

WHOSE WHO!

BIO FOR ERIN WHALEN

I was born an only child in Memphis, Tennessee and grew up in Dallas. I attended Richardson High School (our mascot was the Eagle), moved to Austin in 1988 to attend the University of Texas - McCombs School of Business where I received my bachelors degree.

I met my spouse while working at Texas Wind Power Company. We had worked together for over a year, but had barely spoken. When I was interviewing him for our company newsletter, I realized that we had the same interests and we became instant friends, then started dating, and the rest is history. We were married July 2 of this year and have no children. We live in Rollingwood.

I love Austin because it is a very active city with plenty to do. It also has a great local art scene.

My favorite local tourist attraction is Town Lake Hike & Bike Trail.

My favorite vacation was Israel (6 week trip in High School). We explored every part of the country and I spent one week on a "sea to sea" program where we hiked nonstop from the Sea of Galilee to the Mediterranean Sea.

I enjoy running, swimming, biking, and attending art galleries.

I am a member of the Austin Fine Arts Alliance, Austin Runners Club, Rogue Running, and USA Triathlon.

My dream job would be marketing director for Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

My favorite restaurant is Chuy's. My favorite type of food is vegetarian.

My favorite movie is Best in Show. My favorite celebrity is Jon Stewart because he is extremely intelligent, witty and charming.

When I was a child, I wanted to be a pianist on Broadway.

The following 3-4 words that best describe me are: adventurous, outgoing, and competitive :)

I am a member of IFMA, BOMA, AAFAME, IIAA (Independent Insurance Agents Austin), ACA (Austin Claims Association), and IREM.

In my previous jobs I've worked as a Public Relations Director (Texas Wind Power Company). I've enjoyed my previous jobs because I am a big believer in renewable energy and green building. While at Texas Wind Power, I worked with the leaders in those fields. I worked with the media (NBC Nightly News, Time Magazine, Wall Street Journal). I also got to put on a Robert Earl Keen Concert at Stubbs for a national wind power conference.

I am currently working as a Marketing Director with Southpro Restoration Services. The provide water and fire damage restoration; mold remediation; contingency planning. I enjoy my current job because it is a great feeling to help people in their time of need. Right now, we are working on hospitals and schools in New Orleans, and we are getting so much gratitude from the city. My biggest challenge at my current job is helping to manage the activities of four Texas offices as well as our catastrophe division in East Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

The most interesting thing that has ever happened at my current job is walking into inches of water at the new Frost Bank Tower at 8:30am on a Friday morning and watching the whole process of restoring the building.

I manage four people and am on a team of about 100+ people. I support the entire company.

The biggest thing on the horizon for me - the First Annual Goofy Challenge at Disney World. I'm running the half marathon on January 8 and the full marathon on January 9. That's why they call it the Goofy Challenge!

KELLY NUNN BIO

As a new member of IFMA Austin (Sept.'05), I'm excited about the opportunity to introduce myself to you. I have a 20-year history with the facilities and real estate business in Austin. During my second year in college at UT (1987) I started a CAD Service bureau with two friends. One of those "friends" decided to not pay the IRS and that ship failed. I then decided to take the remaining friend, write a business plan, secure some seed capital and start another CAD service bureau and software development firm called BLADE Technologies, Inc. We specialized in contract / temp CAD services and facilities management software development. At its peak we employed 50+ people and had clients such as Dell Computer Corporation, Michael and Susan Dell family residence, ABIA, TXDOT and maybe some of you.

After 13 years and knowing my first daughter would be here soon, I decided to sell my stake in the company to my good friend and business partner. In August 2002 I became a stay-at-home dad to Bella B. Nunn. Once she was old enough to walk and talk she realized she wanted to be around other kids. Once she started part-time at a day school, I realized I, too, needed to be around other adults and started looking for opportunities. I made a short list of companies I wanted to work for and got my dream job with Dell, Inc. as a Global Facilities Systems Manager. I was most attracted to Dell Inc. because it is a meritocracy and it allows me the latitude to nurture my FM and IT skill sets. Moreover what I do has a global impact.

Other interesting notes about me:

  • I have lived overseas
  • I am an international award-winning artist
  • I've had "one-man" shows in New York, Los Angeles and Athens Greece
  • I've been nominated for Entrepreneur of Year 4 times
  • I like to volunteer for RIF / Habitat for Humanities / Caritas
  • I like to read about American History
  • I live very close to Deep Eddy Pool and Bar (love both)

 
We hope you have enjoyed the newsletter. Your input is welcome for: 

?Articles 
?Business updates 
?Newsletter improvements 
?Links to other organizational news, meetings, and information that may be of interest to our members

Please contact Mary Duke at Marydu@fmgi.com with your submittals. And, you can always call me at 908-4662! J