Special Report: The TFM Show Preview

By Heidi Schwartz
Published in the March 2006 issue of Today’s Facility Manager

Home of the first skyscraper (the Home Insurance Building at 10 stories), the first air conditioned building (the Wrigley Building circa 1946), and the last professional baseball stadium to accommodate night games (Wrigley Field in 1988), the city of Chicago once again has the pleasure of hosting The TFM Show®. Since 1997, The TFM Show has been successfully educating the largest network of facility professionals from markets such as education, health care, government, commercial office space, hospitality, industrial manufacturing, service sectors, and more. Held this year from April 10-12 at its new location at the Navy Pier—the state’s most popular tourist destination—the 2006 TFM Show promises to deliver to its attendees the most effective balance of work and play.

Featuring an entirely free educational program for the first time in its history, this world class event is registering a record breaking number of participants from around the globe. Top level facility management professionals from more than 15 countries and 38 states have already signed up for the show, which is also attracting building owners, operations managers, engineers, architects, and others involved in managing, constructing, renovating, and maintaining non-residential structures.

Coupled with the popularity of its downtown location, the 2006 TFM Show promises to be much more than just a local or regional show. Indeed, this year’s move to the Navy Pier will not only be ideal for exhibits and conferences, it will also be convenient to the city’s great selection of hotels and restaurants.

Unsurpassed Education

With a reputation for delivering comprehensive learning opportunities, the nation’s premier educational forum will introduce a new conference format. Sessions will be offered in the form of classes, workshops, and panel discussions led by the nation’s foremost experts in facility management.

Attendees will have the opportunity to take advantage of more than 60 different classes featuring the eight key subjects intrinsic to the topic of facility management.

  • Applied Management covers issues that involve the corporate goals of a facility. Benchmarking, certification, budgeting, management, and corporate strategies represent portions of this subject matter.
  • The Building Envelope examines circumstances that impact the exterior surface of a building’s construction including facades, windows, floors, roofs, and doors. Classes in this track include those on construction, renovation, and preventive maintenance of the building shell.
  • Energy and Lighting looks at topics that impact a facility’s various resources. Energy management, lighting retrofits and design, and HVAC issues are representative subject matter.
  • The Environment explores issues that determine a facility’s impact on the location’s ecology. Topics include sustainable design, green practices, and environmental management.
  • Interiors focuses on concepts that relate to the internal physical elements of a facility, especially those used in daily worker activities. Subject matter encompasses signage, furnishings, space planning, and design.
  • Safety highlights incidents involving the well being of a facility’s occupants and proper use of equipment. Coverage includes IAQ, mold, fire, and ergonomics.
  • Security addresses issues involving the protection of the facility including physical assets and occupants. Subject matter includes disaster recovery, security systems, access control, and security services.
  • Technology and Engineering covers material involving continual advancements in technology and equipment. The Internet, CAFM, wireless, VoIP, and building automation represent portions of the educational subject matter.

Educational Affiliations

With in-depth coverage of these essential topics, The TFM Show’s outstanding educational program benefits from collaborations with top associations, educators, and leading organizations. And for TFM Show attendees interested in maintaining professional designations, continuing education credits will be available from a number of important industry associations including the following:

American Institute of Architects (AIA): HSW Learning Units will be awarded for specific sessions attended at The TFM Show. AIA will provide a form for members to complete at the Show. (Members should bring their AIA numbers with them to expedite the accreditation process.)

International Facility Management Association (IFMA): Certified Facility Managers (CFMs) and Facility Management Professionals (FMPs) who attend The TFM Show will receive one CFM/FMP maintenance point per session attended or 10 FMP maintenance points and 20 CFM maintenance points for attending the conference for three days.

International Interior Design Association (IIDA): Attendees at The TFM Show are eligible for IDCEC/IIDA Credits which are recognized by IIDA, the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), the Interior Designers of Canada (IDC), and the Interior Design Educator’s Council (IDEC).

BOMI Institute: BOMI Institute will present Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits for time spent on education at the show. For every hour of attendance, individuals holding a Real Property Administrator (RPA), Facility Management Administrator (FMA), or Systems Maintenance Administrator (SMA) designation will earn one CPD point. One credit will also be awarded for each hour spent in The TFM Show exhibit hall.

CEFPI: Recognized Educational Facility Professional (REFP) is CEFPI’s professional designation. Attendees at The TFM Show will earn REFP points from CEFPI for taking classes at the show.

In addition to CEUs, the local Chicago IFMA chapter will be presenting two free educational sessions on Monday, April 10, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Sponsored by Staubach Midwest Construction, “Leasing For Facility Managers” and “Construction Management for Facility Managers” will examine complex business issues faced by facility professionals. Due to the popularity of these special classes, registration numbers are approaching capacity.

As show time draws near, some classes are beginning to fill up. For instance, Dean Kashiwagi’s two-part workshop on “Successful Project Management Despite Budget Cuts” (Monday, April 10, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:50 a.m.) already has nearly 100 registrants. And perennial favorite Paul Doherty’s “Technology and the Business of Facility Management” (Monday, April 10, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:50 a.m.) is also attracting crowds.

However, the two keynote sessions have attracted the largest crowds by far. These panel discussions will present participants with an unequalled caliber of speakers on the subjects deemed most important to facility managers—disaster planning and the future of the profession.

When asked what he expects to gain from his experience at the show, Gerard White, CMDSM, MADA, director of procurement and operations for the American College of Cardiology in Bethesda, MD, says, “In my position, my responsibilities have grown to include emergency preparedness, so security is my main focus at The TFM Show.”

Tuned In Networking

In addition to the educational opportunities, White plans to optimize his time by taking advantage of The TFM Show’s numerous networking events. He notes, “I registered for The TFM Show because of the networking opportunities that will be available to me. Sharing information is the driving force that assists me with my goals; it provides me with creative solutions to complex situations.”

This year’s show is presenting a trio of exciting networking opportunities which will take place in select locations around the city: the Intercontinental Hotel, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Navy Pier.

On Tuesday, April 11, the fourth annual Facility Executive of the Year dinner and awards presentation will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Intercontinental Hotel. Sponsored by Grainger, this evening will honor the accomplishments of Stu Carron, P.E., MBA, global director of corporate facilities and real estate for JohnsonDiversey of Sturtevant, WI.

Registrants for this year’s facility tour will get a behind the scenes pre-construction look at one of Chicago’s most widely respected landmarks, the Art Institute of Chicago. Scheduled to open in 2009, the new Modern Wing will be the subject of this site tour.

The tour will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 12. Buses will depart from the Navy Pier; advance ticket purchase is required.

From 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, the exhibit hall at the Navy Pier will become the center of attention. On both days, the hall will be transformed into a gathering place for exchanging information, building relationships, and bridging the gap between work and play.

Food and drink will be available during these informal receptions, and attendees will have a chance to win prizes, meet vendors, and chat with other TFM Show participants in a relaxed setting.

Brian Weiss, director of marketing for Philadelphia, PA-based ARAMARK Business & Industry Facility Services says, “ARAMARK is excited about this opportunity to speak directly to key decision makers about its capabilities in providing state-of-the-art service for a variety of facilities, from office buildings to manufacturing plants to R&D locations.”

Exhibit Excellence

The exhibit hall will definitely be a highlight at this year’s TFM Show. With product demonstrations, new introductions, and vendor presentations, the show floor will display cutting edge solutions for facility management professionals.Paul Dupont, new sales initiative director with the Wornick Company of Cincinnati, OH says, “Companies with advanced emergency preparedness plans for the workplace have recognized the importance of planning for the needs of their employees. Facility managers can be key players…especially those who are charged with continuing operations under emergency situations. As the nation’s premier forum for senior facility management executives, we felt The TFM Show was an excellent venue to showcase the first emergency meal kit designed with the workplace in mind.”

On a more lighthearted note, all TFM Show registrants will have a chance to win one of the following: Xbox 360, iPOD, Nextel Blackberry, portable DVD player, or dinner at the show. And Michael Jordan wannabees will have an opportunity to show their stuff in the exhibit hall at the hoops shooting contest. At this event, 10 TFM Show attendees will be selected to display their skills on the half court. These randomly selected individuals will have a chance to sink a series of basketball shots in order to win $50,000.

From April 10-12, 2006, Chicago will be the most important place for key facility managers. At The TFM Show, attendees will gain the educational experience of a lifetime.