January 2001 Newsletter

The IFMA Austin News
January 2001
Home by J. Robert Howard

January Program

Space Efficiency Solutions
When: Thursday, Jan 11th
Time: 11:30 am
Where: Embassy Suites(IH-35 @ US290).
How much: $ 20.00 (no credit)
The meeting will begin with registration and social. The program will be presented by Matt Jacobs and Troy Menchhofer of C&R Storage Equipment. This program will provide insight into selecting the most efficient storage equipment, including racking, conveyor, and shelving systems. It will be oriented towards warehousing but is applicable to both office and warehouse storage problems.

Email your reservations to IFMAaust@aol.com
This is important.

Candles
   And they call some of these people "retarded"..
   A few years ago, at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash.   At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win.    All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry.
   They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back........ every one of them.   One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, " This will make it better."    Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line.
   Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes.   People who were there are still telling the story. Why?    Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves.
   What matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course.
    "A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle"

2000 IFMA Austin Chapter
Officers & Committee Chairs
President
Mike Leach, Cadence Design Systems 231-3334
Vice President
Judy Balli, Mannington Comm. Carpet 218-4055
Treasurer
Nancy Paine Sematech 356.8458
Secretary
Bronson Dorsey CoRe-Strategies 797.7009
Programs
Robert Payne, SAS Institute 258-5171
Membership
JoAn Reames, ABC Pest & Lawn Services 837-9500
Public Relations
Veronica Bailey, Haworth Inc. 908-4651
Community Involvement
Cynthia Stewart, KDI   443-4929
Newsletter
Roberta E. Schofield, JE Dunn Construction, Inc. 327-6411
Webmaster
J.R, Howard, FACServices 996-4142
Education
Ken Doss, Dell Computing 728-4563
Education
Earnie Leake, Austin IDC 997-3936
Immediate Past President
Ed Garcia,`CONDEA Vista Co. 331-2327
IFMA Austin News is published monthly by members of the International Facility Manager Association, Austin Chapter

The December Meeting was canceled

Subject:: Worms

    Four worms were placed into four separate jars.
    The first worm was put into a jar of alcohol.
    The second worm was put into a jar of cigarette smoke.
    The third worm was put into a jar of sperm.
    The last worm was put into a jar of soil.

    After one day:
    First worm died.
    Second worm died.
    Third worm died.
    Fourth worm was still alive.

    Lesson:
    As long as you drink, smoke and have sex, you won't get worms.

Shaw Industries ranked first for the second consecutive year in five categories in Floor Focus Magazine's annual "Favorite Carpet Manufacturers" survey. The survey of Top 1000 facility managers ranks carpet manufacturers in five categories - service, quality, design, value and performance.

FLOOR FOCUS ®
"FAVORITE CARPET MANUFACTURERS"
"Top 1000" Facility Managers Survey - Dec. 1999
(WHAT THEY REALLY THINK!)

SERVICE

QUALITY

DESIGN

VALUE

PERFORMANCE

1. SHAW

1. SHAW

1. LEES
1. SHAW

1. SHAW

1. SHAW

2. INTERFACE

2. LEES
2. MILLIKEN

2. LEES

2. LEES
2. MILLIKEN

3. MANNINGTON
3. MILLIKEN
3. LEES

2. INTERFACE
2. MILLIKEN

3. MILLIKEN

3. INTERFACE

4. INTERFACE

3. INTERFACE

4. BENTLEY

3. BENTLEY

5. BENTLEY
5. MANNINGTON

4. C&A
4. BENTLEY
4. MANNINGTON

5. C&A
5. MANNINGTON

4. MANNINGTON
4. MONTEREY
4. PRINCE ST.

Source: Floor Focus Magazine, 12/99
Floor Focus, Inc. 28 Old Stone Hill Road Pound Ridge, NY 10576

Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.

The Year 2001 programs

Jan 11
Feb 8
Mar 8
Apr 12
May 10
Jun 6 Space Efficiency Solutions
Best Practices
The Sustainable Building

Golf Tournament July 12
Aug 9
Sep 13
Oct 11
Nov 8
Dec 13 tbd
tbd
tbd
tbd
tbd
tbd

by Bob Payne

FEBRUARY
February 8: On this Thursday, we will be having a seminar on finance. Here's the basic on Finance 101.

BASIC FINANCE FOR FACILITY MANAGERS
    Does the idea of talking to your CFO in financial terms seem daunting?    Well-honed financial skills are crucial in facility management. Without them you face a career of unending frustration. Good financial skills allow you to take charge of your facilities, reduce your stress levels and increase your career opportunities.
   Learn The Jargon, How To Compute It.
Here’s your opportunity to learn the financial jargon, what it means, how to compute it, and when and how to use it. Packed into a four-hour session are the basic tools and concepts you need to analyze facility alternatives and select the solutions that solve your problems. But, more importantly you’ll gain insights on how to present your projects so they get approved.   Put The Concepts Into Practice
    Whether you own or rent your facilities, work at a publicly traded company or a not-for-profit this seminar has something for you. There's lots of real life facility examples so you can put the concepts covered into practice
About the Seminar Leader:
Learn from somebody who’s been there - Alan Whitson, one of the most entertaining and knowledgeable facility management authorities in the nation. Besides showing you the basics, Whitson will walk you through the analysis of facility issues he has helped some of the world's largest companies solve.

Opening

OPERATING ENGINEER/BUILDING ENGINEER
Are you tired of wearing a maintenance uniform? Your uniform days are over! Come work at an innovative "dress as you want" type of company. GSD&M Advertising, also known as, "Idea City", has a position open for Operating Engineer/ Building Engineer.
This person will perform maintenance service and repairs in the areas of plumbing, refrigeration, and HVAC with a Novar building energy management system. Provides project management assistance during construction and office moves. Must have a minimum of 4 years experience in this field along with past or current professional training through ACC, BOMA, and/or IFMA.
GSD&M offers good benefits, competitive salaries and a creative work environment. To submit your resume, please
fax to (512) 242-8932 or
email resume@gsdm.com or mail to
attn: People Dept.
828 W. 6th St.
Austin, TX 78703.

OSHA's mission is to send every worker home whole and healthy every day. Since the agency was created in 1971, workplace fatalities have been cut in half and occupational injury and illness rates have declined 40 percent. At the same time, U.S. employment has nearly doubled from 56 million workers at 3.5 million worksites to 105 million workers at nearly 6.9 million sites.

With five full-time chefs, the White House kitchen is able to serve dinner to as many as 140 guests and hors d'oeuvres to more than 1,000.
The White House requires 570 gallons of paint to cover its outside surface.

Floor Surfaces and the ADA
Walk-off mats
Mats placed on the floors of office lobbies and school vestibules during wet weather are not considered carpet and therefore do not have to be attached to the floor surface. These “walk-off” mats are considered furnishings and are not covered by the ADA. However, the ADA does require that accessible features must be maintained so that furnishings do not degrade the accessible route.
Walk-off mats are designed to provide traction on wet floors. As long as they are stable and do not pose a tripping hazard, they may actually improve the accessibility of the surface. On the other hand, the use of loose throw rugs or matting that bunches up or slides easily would decrease the accessibility of the surface.

Be sure all walk-off mats lay flat and have beveled edges to avoid tripping hazards. Also, be sure the walk-off mat is backed with a non-slip material so it does not buckle or slip.
Carpet
Carpet must be firmly attached to the sub-surface of the floor. If carpet buckles or shifts, that is an indication that it requires a more secure form of attachment. That could mean the carpet requires glue to keep it from shifting or needs to be re-stretched so no buckling occurs.
If you have carpet tile, not all tiles must be glued to the sub-surface since carpet tiles are generally secured with a grid of glue that holds the remaining tiles through friction. Glue any tiles that are curling or have lifted edges and as long as the resulting carpeted surface remains firm and stable the carpet is considered to be firmly attached.
Provided by Cash Callahan and Company.

Where are you ?
by J. R. Howard
Sometimes we get very comfortable when the phone doesn't ring and our boss is busy elsewhere. It's nice until there's a complaint, or someone wants to change things.

It's always more fun to be on offense rather that defense. I suggest you find out where you are so you can chart a course to maintain your position of good standing. Read the following table and evaluate the status of the maintenance function development within your company. In some areas you are probably at level 1. It's very comfortable to be at level 1 unless you really like surprises. If you have been at level 2 for a while, then you need to quit procrastinating and get going. If you are at level 3, how long have you been here and when will you get to the next level? At these levels, you might be at some risk to be outsourced. My hats off to you if you are at level 4 in all areas. If you are at level 5, you need to help the rest of us. I can come over anytime after 7:30am.

Level 5 Excellence The organization is continually reviewing systems and implementing improvements. The organization is recognized as having leading edge industry wide.
Level 4 Competence The organization has implemented systems throughout and these systems are accepted as part of the norm. (The systems are now in control)
Level 3 Understanding The organization and individuals are developing improvement plans for the systems and the improvements are being implemented in varying degrees throughout the plant.
Level 2 Awareness The organization and individuals have become aware that current practices are inadequate and that changes are required to improve the system.
Level 1 Innocence The organization is not aware that alternatives exist. There is no plan or investigation for changing the current practices. (The system is not in control.)

The table comes from "Maintenance Technology",
Auditing Maintenance Processes for Plant Efficiency, by Joe Zancolich

"It could be argued that the World Wide Web was simply a vacuum waiting to be filled..  This would certainly explain the Big-Bang-like explosion that has swept most of this planet for the past few years....  There are something on the order of 60 million references housed at some of the larger Web search sites..  Where did all this information come from?.  The only explanation is that it was there all along. It just needed a void to fill." Brian J. Thomas
The World Wide Web for Scientists & Engineers