When: Thursday March 9th

Where: Old San Francisco Steak House

Time: 11:30 Registration
          12:00 – 1:00 Lunch

Cost: $15.00 Members
         $20.00 Non-Members

(Cash or Check Only...Please)
 To avoid the costs of invoicing, we ask that you make payment for program at the door.

Phone Jim Coles @ 306-0605 or fax 306-0599

Automated External Defibrillators are the newest tool in the hands of laypersons for saving lives in the event of cardiac arrest but are they right for your facility? On March, 9th, Mary Edwards, Workplace Coordinator with the American Red Cross and Mark Cate, with Hewlett Packard, makers of the HeartStream AED will demonstrate the device, discuss legislation that protects AED users and discuss why, as facility managers, you cannot afford not to have one. If you have never heard of the AED or you have heard of it and decided it is not the right time for your facility you need to be at this meeting.

by Bob Payne
Program Chairman

IFMA Leadership Conference and Management Conference Report
February 4-7 in Houston

 This year IFMA split the session into two distinct conferences. 

Professional conferences are some of the true benefits IFMA offers. I highly encourage each of you to consider attending next year.  It is a highly motivating event which provides leadership techniques and understanding and is applicable to your profession, your daily job, and your home life.  National speakers such as Dr. Dale Henry, Barbara Glanz, and Dr. David Kurly conducted sessions.  We learned techniques for memorizing as well as ways to understand “Gen Xers” (the generation born between 1973 to 1983 give or take year or two.)  But most important, I believe the speakers had the following messages.  Message 1: To be successful and to remain gainfully employed ,the facility professional needs to learn and understand finances: budgeting, balance sheets, ROI.  Message Two: Improve your communication methods.  Take steps to ensure you use the right techniques to deliver your message.  Know your audience and take measures to improve your written, verbal and listening skills.  Message Three: Improving the work environment starts with improving what you control and most of us first need to look within. “You cannot expect your employees to be enthusiastic and motivated if you are not enthusiastic and motivated.

The Management Conference was conducted February 6-7. The Management Conferences replaced the IFMA Mega Regionals and emphasizes chapter and council administration. The main points were directed on how to improve participation, improving the techniques used to membership database. The changing trend of e-mail/web newsletters.

In summary, both sessions were very beneficial.  I highly encourage each of you to consider attending next year.

    Alan Whitson gave a great presentation on moves.  Sixty people turned out, and if you didn't get there by 1130, you were late and sat with your back to the speaker.  These few notes do not do any justice to his fast talking example filled words of wisdom.  Here's a few notes.

    Consider a major move as a partnership with your vendor.  To help you compare bids, you might compare cost per truck load.  A vendor could miss the number of truck loads, but they know their cost per truck.  Take each vendor through your area on separate tours.  You can get a better feel for their capability and their capacity when they can talk freely.
    Keep your people informed via newsletters, videos, mock-ups and models, and give them a tour of the 'new' facility.  Before the movers arrive, have a purge party; get rid of all that computer paper 'trash' etc.  Moving plants is a pain; so, if your contract allows for changing out plants, now is the time, or let employees move them if they want them.  There are three keys to effective communication: keep employee and management informed, gather and monitor feedback, keep messages consistent. 
    Keys are always a problem, so devise a system rather than let it happen.  To save the cabinet, take the files out of the drawers, and maybe some of it will be thrown away.
    Build a punch list and have the items fixed before you move.  Expect that walls will be marked up.  (If your walls have a flat finish paint, shoot someone; it's too tough to clean. Next time use eggshell).  Plan for damage.   Schedule people, elevators, parking, new furniture install, telephones, computers, common areas, keys, unpacking, cleanup and passes.
    During the move, establish a command post.  Supervise the move on both ends.  Have an action plan, phone list, and floor plan, directional signs, and a lost and found.  Security should know who and what goes in and out.  Feed the troops; keep them together (they might not come back after lunch or supper)
    After the move, set up support areas.  Have coffee, telephone directories, mini floor plans, and local area stuff (a welcome package) ready on the first day.  Someone should check each person's chair height.
    Verry important; post move follow-up.  Go through a punch list for construction, furniture, telephones, computers, security systems etc.  Call the first week, a shake down period, to lower expectations, because there hasn't been a perfect move.  Conduct a post occupancy evaluation. Get their feedback.  You will learn something, and they can vent to the right person.
This was one great program.