The TFM Show 2009 Preview

This June, facility managers will find an abundance of information in Indianapolis.

By Anne Vazquez
Published in the April 2009 issue of Today's Facility Manager

 

The TFM Show is the nation’s premier event for the facility management (FM) professional. In its 12th year, The TFM Show will take place June 16 to 19, 2009 in Indianapolis at the Indiana Convention Center.

Co-located with the CONSTRUCT2009 Show, this year’s TFM Show will provide facility managers (fms) the added benefits of networking with architects, engineers, specifiers, and other types of professionals working in the commercial building industry.

The events have co-located before, but now that both shows are owned by one organization—Hanley Wood, they blend even more seamlessly. With 225 exhibitors on the show floor, the expanded show gives fms the opportunity not only to meet with organizations geared directly to their profession, it also provides a venue to visit with many more product manufacturers all in one place.

And while two distinct education programs have been tailored for TFM Show and CONSTRUCT2009 Show attendees, the total 130 sessions are available to everyone. Additionally, networking events are open to attendees of both The TFM Show and CONSTRUCT2009 to foster interaction between all types of industry members.

First Day: Tour, Golf, Classes

On Tuesday, June 16, attendees can spend several hours touring the Indianapolis Museum of Art. The museum (founded as the Art Association of Indianapolis in 1883) recently underwent a renovation. This included the addition of a new entrance, new gallery space, and underground parking with a green roof, as well as changes to the site to relate better to the community.

At the museum, a panel discussion with participants from the architectural firm of Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf, contractor Wilhelm Construction, and event sponsor LinEl Signature will take place during lunch. The fm at the museum will speak on the functionality and operation of the building, along with input from the other participants on the design process and lessons learned.

Those who want to play a round of golf that day instead can register for a group outing scheduled at the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course. Hosted by the Indianapolis Chapter CSI for the past 20 years, this activity serves to promote fellowship within the chapter and raise money for its Educational Memorial Trust, which supports annual college and university scholarships. Designed by renowned golf course architect, Pete Dye, holes seven through 10 are located within the infield of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

TFM Show attendees can also choose to jump right into classroom instruction by attending one of the sessions scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. Grady Whitaker, FCSI, principal of Whitaker Architects, P.C. in Tulsa, OK, will present “Reinvigorating Your Organization - The Gung Ho Way”; also in that time slot is “Small Business Makeover.” Later that afternoon, Pam Newman will speak on “Financial Fundamentals,” which will focus on the principles of running a financially successful organization.

General Session And Exhibit Hall

On Wednesday, June 17, educational sessions will be held in the morning. TFM Show and CONSTRUCT2009 attendees will then gather for the General Session featuring Mark Mulqueen, vehicle program director, International Space Station (ISS) Program, Space Exploration. Mulqueen, who works at Boeing Integrated Defense Systems in St. Louis, MO will talk about what it took to design, build, and assemble the ISS—a complex international scientific project.

Located 220 miles above the earth and traveling at speeds of 17,000 miles per hour, the ISS includes living spaces approximately the size of a five bedroom home. It is equipped with its own power generation and environmental control systems.

Immediately after Mulqueen’s presentation, The TFM Show/CONSTRUCT2009 exhibit hall will open. The hours—11:30 am to 4:00 pm—have been scheduled separately from the educational session hours to allow ample time for attendees to enjoy the entire event and see all that there is to see. While the TFM Show features its own set of exhibitors, the co-location with CONSTRUCT2009 will enable attendees to explore an even broader and varied show floor.

Many of the exhibitors will have their booths located within a specific pavilion. For instance, the Green Pavilion will include providers of environmentally friendly and energy efficient products and solutions, while the Lighting Pavilion will showcase resources in that specific realm. Additionally, there will be a New Product Pavilion, Glass Pavilion, and Metal Pavilion.

The exhibit hall will be full of activity during the show’s dedicated hours on Thursday, June 18 and Friday, June 19 as well. During those two days, fms can attend instructional offerings at the Education Pavilion, which will feature a total of 10 sessions. Running for 30 minutes or 60 minutes, these sessions are scheduled so as not to conflict with the education program off the show floor. As with The TFM Show educational program offerings, attendees of the Education Pavilion can earn continuing education units (CEUs) for these sessions.

On Thursday, June 18, the first full day of the show, a welcome reception, sponsored by Grace, will provide all attendees, exhibitors, and speakers with the opportunity to get together for food, drink, entertainment, and networking. Sited at the Hyatt Hotel next to the convention center, the reception will be a relaxed way to wrap up what is sure to be a busy and rewarding day at the show.

Educational Offerings

Continuing through Wednesday, June 18 and Thursday, June 19, The TFM Show’s accredited conference program was created to provide a comprehensive educational opportunity for FM professionals. Categorized into seven tracks (Applied Management, Energy and the Environment, Leadership and Change, Interiors/Exteriors, Safety/Security, Technology and Engineering, and LonMARK), the 40 session program has been created specifically to address the needs of fms.

The curriculum is comprised of more than 11 hours of instruction that will not only offer solid FM solutions, but it will also enable attendees to earn valuable CEUs. Fms will be eligible to earn CEUs from the The American Institute of Architects (AIA) (including its new requirements for sustainability design), the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), The BOMI Institute, and the Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI).

To date, some of the most popular classes in the TFM Show education program are:

• FM Mantra: Doing More With A Lot Less with James Elledge, CFM, RPA, FMA, IFMA Fellow. In this Applied Management session, Elledge (a regular contributor to TFM magazine) will address the challenges faced with constraints on time and manpower.
• Green Buildings and the Total Cost of Risk with Stephen G. Bushnell, CPCU, ARM, a product director at Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company.
• The Art of Budget Funding with Mike McConnell, CPM , RPA, a commercial property manager for Colonial Properties Trust.

Other notable class topics include: Calling 911...and Nothing Happens! with Stevan P. Layne; Transformation To Success—Matching Your Passions and Talents To Your Job with James Barbush; and Workplace Hostility—Fact and Fiction with Charles Carpenter.

Additionally, TFM Show attendees will have access to the 90 sessions that are part of the CONSTRUCT2009 educational program. This overlap will enable fms to learn about topics related to, or maybe just beyond, their everyday scope of work.

More To See, Learn, And Do

Immediately after the Grace-sponsored welcome reception on Thursday, June 18, attendees will have another opportunity to network and have some fun by attending a minor league baseball game at Victory Field, home of Indianapolis Indians. Recognized as the “Best Minor League Ballpark in America” by publications such as Baseball America and Sports Illustrated, the facility is located across from the Indiana Convention Center.

And, on Saturday, June 20, the TFM Show schedule will wrap up with a tour of the City of Columbus, IN. Located about 40 miles south of Indianapolis with a population of 39,000, Columbus is ranked sixth in the nation for architectural innovation and design by the AIA. Attendees of this tour can see more than 70 buildings and pieces of public art by internationally noted architects and artists, including I.M. Pei, Eliel Saarinen, Eero Saarinen, Richard Meier, Harry Weese, Dale Chihuly, and Henry Moore.

In December 2007, TFM columnist Tim Springer, Ph.D. wrote about a trip he had made to Columbus, IN. In that article [online at http://www.todaysfacilitymanager.com/articles/hello-columbus.php], Springer writes, “The story of Columbus is as special as the resulting community and offers many lessons to those of us in the facilities, architecture, and design professions, as well as society at large.”

Countdown To Indianapolis

Thousands of industry professionals will be in Indianapolis for several busy days. The hundreds of exhibitors, plethora of educational offerings, and numerous networking events will provide fms who work in buildings of all shapes and sizes with valuable information and experiences.

The TFM Show registration is now open. A full education package and individual sessions are available, as well as registration for the exhibit hall only and individual ticketed events. Those who register by May 14, 2009 can purchase discounted education packages and receive free admission to the exhibit hall. There is also a spouse/guest program that allows attendee companions to enter the exhibit hall and attend ticketed events.

Fms who are ready to attend can visit www.TheTFMShow.com to register and to view more details about show events.

 

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