by Jayne Mortensen

In 1977, Herman Miller, the contract furniture industry leader, started an organization called FMI, Facilities Management Institute in Zeeland, Michigan. This organization offered educational programs for individuals responsible for duties related to the corporate facility. It was designed as a service to educate their clients and provide better solutions for furniture as it interacted with the facility. A deeply rooted research and design company, Herman Miller wanted to design products based on their customer’s needs. They didn’t ask the presidents of the company, they asked the individuals responsible for managing the facility. At the time no one knew to call them Facility Managers, for the most part these individuals had “real jobs” working full time at some other function for their companies.

 In 1979, George Graves was working for Texas Eastern Corporation (known today as Duke Energy) and through his association with Herman Miller, became involved in FMI. Mr. Graves realized the need for a national association dedicated to the what was becoming a new profession, called facility management. In 1980, with the help of Bill Back and J.C. Avant, both with Texas Eastern, they organized NFMA, National Facility Management Association. The first meeting was private and took place in Houston, Texas, where the attendees were Mr. Graves, Mr. Avant and a handful of other oil and gas company representatives. The meeting lasted two days and during that meeting the responsibility and duties of a facility manager were outlined and a Constitution and Bylaws were finalized. Mr. Graves was elected as the first President and Mr. Back was elected first Secretary. The “N” in NFMA was replaced by an “I” after Canadian facility professionals became involved in the organization, therefore becoming IFMA, International Facility Management Association. 

In twenty five short years there are now more than a hundred IFMA chapters worldwide, and you can earn a degree in Facilities Management through accredited University programs. Thanks, Herman Miller and the leaders of Duke Energy...for getting us started and thanks to the countless members and volunteers that keep us growing into the next millennium. Join IFMA today by contacting national.