The Greater Phoenix Chapter of IFMA, the world’s leading association for facility management professionals, is celebrating a milestone 40th anniversary on June 27 at the SRP PERA Club, 1 Continental Drive in Tempe.
This landmark occasion will be commemorated during the Chapter’s highly anticipated Annual Phoenix Rising: IFMA Excellence Awards and State of the Chapter event, presented by Highland Commercial Roofing.
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The evening will feature reflections from distinguished Past Presidents, offering insights into the chapter’s journey and its contributions to the industry over the past four decades. In addition to the keynote speaker (Meghan Tooman, Vice President and Co-owner of DORIS LLC will speak on workplace evolution), the celebration will highlight the outstanding achievements of members through the presentation of prestigious awards.
Members have been invited to nominate their peers for recognition in multiple categories, including FM Project of the Year, Sustainability Project of the Year, FM Professional of the Year, Associate Young Professional of the Year, FM Young Professional of the Year, Associate of the Year, Rising Star – Student of the Year, Committee of the Year, Committee Member of the Year, and Helping Hand. These honors reflect IFMA Greater Phoenix’s commitment to fostering excellence and innovation in facility management.
Past chapter President Marshall MacFarlane, IFMA Fellow, has spent more than 25 years in facilities management. An IFMA Greater Phoenix Chapter member for 15 years, MacFarlane said he has seen a noticeable evolution in the industry.
“The profession has evolved the same way buildings have; this is a relatively young profession,” MacFarlane explained. “The facilities management world has graduated from a handy man looking after a building to those in the industry taking on more responsibility. Back then it was about the buildings. As buildings evolve so does the role of the facilities manager. I tell technicians it’s less about turning a wrench and more about customer service and communication.”
“It’s more about communicating with tenants and our superiors. With modern building systems, it’s also about education. ‘Why does this happen?’ This industry has truly evolved.”
IFMA is the world’s largest and most widely recognized international association for facility management professionals. IFMA certifies facility managers, conducts research, provides educational programs and produces World Workplace, the world’s largest facility management exposition.
The Greater Phoenix Chapter of IFMA is one of the top association chapters in the world. It is dedicated to continuous improvement of the facility management profession by providing relevant educational and networking opportunities for its membership while supporting the community.
In 2023, the Phoenix Chapter won the Chapter Award of Excellence in Web Communication at the IFMA World Workplace Conference & Expo held in Denver, Colorado. The Student Chapter won the Student Chapter of the Year Award.
The Chapter Award of Excellence in Web Communication is presented to the chapter(s) that provide comprehensive web-based communication to their members that informs them of chapter activities, related events, and opportunities. The ability to meet the needs of the viewer, appearance, quality, resources, and continual improvement will be reviewed.
The Student Chapter of the Year Award is presented to the IFMA student chapter that best demonstrates an overall commitment to building a future in the facility management profession. This commitment can be demonstrated through the chapter’s educational activities, programs, and internships. Innovative ideas such as community outreach programs or assisting local companies to better plan, design and change their facilities will be considered.
The student chapter initiatives significantly impacted chapter members’ lives and career advancement. Accomplishments include launching successful programs like G.R.O.W. (Get Ready for Opportunities at Work) and the Young Professional Mentorship program, providing hands-on experiences, exposure to industry professionals, and personalized guidance to students.
The chapter’s student membership has seen substantial growth, increasing by 200 percent from the previous year and an impressive 750 percent increase since 2019. The student chapter’s efficient organizational structure, including a constitution, responsibility matrix, and timeline guides, has been instrumental in its success and has served as a model for other student chapters.
“For four decades, IFMA Greater Phoenix has been dedicated to fostering excellence within our chapter and empowering the next generation through our student chapter. Our outstanding web communication efforts reflect our unwavering commitment to keeping members informed and engaged, ensuring they have the resources to thrive. Having witnessed this journey firsthand, I am incredibly proud of the dedication and hard work our team has poured into advancing our mission,” said chapter President Monisa (MJ) Nagarajan Gomathi, CFM, FMP, SFP, FMG, Facilities Project Manager with Terracon.
One of the chapter’s most popular events is its annual benefit golf tournament. For the past few years proceeds from the event have benefitted three charities: Girls Can Build, Lokahi Teams and the IFMA Foundation.
