IFMA Names 2009 Awards of Excellence Winners

The International Facility Management Association has announced the winners of its Awards of Excellence, which recognize groups and individuals who have made significant contributions to the facility management profession and the association. Awards were presented during the Awards of Excellence banquet on Friday, October 9, during World Workplace in Orlando, FL.

“I am continually amazed and impressed with the caliber and accomplishments of our IFMA award winners,” said Thomas L. Mitchell, Jr., CFM, CFMJ, chairman of IFMA’s board of directors. “The Awards of Excellence program was created with them and many others in mind as an opportunity for the FM community to honor these leaders throughout the profession as well as positively recognize their successes with the goal of inspiring others to achieve the same level of excellence.”

Winners were announced in 19 categories, with judging panels comprised of industry experts evaluating nominees individually and scoring them in a number of specific areas. IFMA recognizes companies and individuals for achievements that advance the facility management profession as well as chapters and councils for outstanding performance in key areas such as sustainability, research, education and participation.

The Sheila Sheridan Award of Excellence for Sustainable Design and Energy Efficient Projects went to Curtis Slife, CFM, AIA, NCARB, president of FM Solutions. FM Solutions and Arizona Public Service Co. partnered to evaluate two sites for overall facility efficiency and to explore Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® certification. The three-phase implementation process developed by FM Solutions realized substantial energy, water, and cost savings.

Diane Coles, MCR, was this year’s recipient of the George Graves Award for Facility Management Achievement. As the director of workplace services for SCAN Health Plan, Coles spearheaded a workplace strategy known as the AWESOME Project — “Alternative Workplaces Engaging Staff and Office Management Efficiencies” — which demonstrated how facility management can contribute to corporate strategic initiatives.

The Distinguished Author Award of Excellence for an Article or Research Paper was presented to Peter S. Kimmel, IFMA Fellow, for his research paper titled “Energy-Savings Survey: What Building Professionals are Doing to Save Energy and Which Best Practices Work the Best,” which summarizes survey results that identified successful energy-saving practices.

The Distinguished Educator Award went to Dean T. Kashiwagi, Ph.D., P.E., for his numerous accomplishments in education and research. His many achievements include receiving a Fulbright Scholar award to share state-of-the-art facility and project management research and practices with the people of Botswana, Africa. Kashiwagi also put his groundbreaking FM Model of the Future graduate program into practice at Arizona State University and was instrumental in the investment of US$100 million in the institution.

Ted D. Webb, CFM, was awarded the IFMA Distinguished Member of the Year Award for his tremendous involvement and positive impact throughout the association. He has held leadership positions in the Tulsa Chapter of IFMA since its formation in 1987, was one of IFMA’s first Certified Facility Managers® and is currently involved in the creation of a facility management degree program at Oklahoma State University, where he oversees the student scholarship program.

The IFMA Associate Member Award went to Cubix, Inc., for the company’s ongoing contributions of time, expertise, and financial support of the Orlando Chapter of IFMA. Its efforts in coordinating and promoting chapter educational seminars and facility tours have greatly enhanced members’ learning experiences. Cubix, Inc., also funded research for the IFMA Foundation’s The Business of Green Cleaning publication.

The Brigham Young University Student Chapter of IFMA was honored with the Student Chapter of the Year Award. The Council of the Year Award went to the Utilities Council of IFMA, which has been a model of leadership and innovation since 1982. The council places strong emphasis on recruitment efforts and recently attracted more than 65 new members, in spite of a down economy.

The Chapter of the Year Award, small chapter, went to the Greater Orlando Chapter of IFMA for its commitment to serving the professional development needs of members. The chapter also continues to inspire members to become involved and believes that every member is an ambassador for IFMA and the chapter. The Chapter of the Year Award, large chapter, was given to the Denver Chapter of IFMA, which measures its success by member involvement and has demonstrated a marked increase in membership participation, resulting from its value-based membership strategy. The Chapter Award of Excellence for Membership Marketing, large chapter, went to the Greater Phoenix Chapter of IFMA. The Greater Triangle Chapter of IFMA won the Chapter Award of Excellence for Newsletter Publishing, large chapter, with the small chapter award going to the Pikes Peak Chapter of IFMA. The Chapter Award of Excellence for Web Communication, large chapter, was awarded to the Greater Phoenix Chapter of IFMA, with the small chapter award going to the Sacramento Valley Chapter of IFMA.

The Silicon Valley Chapter of IFMA won the Chapter Award of Excellence for Professional Development, large chapter, with the small chapter award going to the Louisville Chapter of IFMA. The Research and Development Council of IFMA received the Council Award for Excellence in Newsletter Publishing. The Council Award of Excellence in Programs and Professional Development was awarded to the Banking Institutions and Credit Unions Council of IFMA.