Total Facility Management Show Draws Crowd
“We surpassed last year’s attendance substantially,” said Ted Coene, co-president of Group C Communications. “The overall increase is commendable, particularly in view of the events of September 11. The show’s success is a tribute to the nation’s economic recovery and a very balanced mix of exhibitors covering every aspect of the facility, as well as a comprehensive line-up of educational seminars and networking events.”
The 2002 event drew over 3,100 registered attendees and more than 180 exhibitors. It had an expanded conference line-up and was endorsed by numerous national associations, including BOMA, AFE, and CSI. Presented by leading industry luminaries, over 90 hours of educational sessions delivered content designed to inform and educate attendees. The format, which included pre-conference workshops plus roundtables and sessions, allowed attendees to obtain a better understanding of the newest trends and technologies impacting the facility industry.
“The great support from the industry further reinforced the show’s position as the most vital facility exhibition in the country,” said Jennifer Macaluso, the show’s event manager. “The seminars not only provided exhibitors with an ideal platform to promote their products, but also gave visitors the opportunity to acquire more in-depth understanding of specific products, services, and topics, which were of particular interest to them.”
HIGHLIGHTS
One of the more lively panel discussions, centered around “The Energy Crisis,” touched upon deregulation, the Enron scandal, and the rolling blackouts experienced by Californians last summer. The panel was moderated by George Chamberlin, host of “Money in the Morning.” Panel participants included Debra Reed, president of SDG&E; David Batt, vice president of strategic management at Chevron Energy Solutions; Donald Gilligan, advisor to NAESCO; Michael Dunbar, facility director at Biosite, Inc.; and Art Mannion, executive vice president and co-founder of Sure Power.Tim Springer, principal of Foresight Associates, kept his audience fascinated with his timely general session presentation, “Workplace Strategies…Most Of Our Future Lies Ahead.” Springer discussed the ways in which the role of facilities — and facilities managers — have changed in the wake of the events of Sept. 11.
On the final day of the conference, the behind-the-scenes tours brought attendees to the site of San Diego’s first underground trolley station at San Diego University (SDU), to the inner workings of Peregrine Systems Inc.’s high-tech campus, and to the hippo filtration tanks at the San Diego Zoo. John Millard, engineering services administrator at Cincinnati, OH-based Federated Department Stores, called the tour of the SDU campus “a good nightcap for the week’s activities.”
“It’s always gratifying for facility managers to get out in the field and observe a variety of projects,” said Millard.
Due to the events of Sept. 11, security products were in abundance among the exhibitors. And that was OK with attendees.
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“I’m pleased to see a new variety of software options that didn’t seem to exist last year,” commented Jeff Crane, operations manager, Blackbaud. “I’m planning a security upgrade later this year and it was great to meet the vendors.”
Said Randall Nason, vice president of the security consulting group C.H. Guernsey & Co., “We find that the people who attend the show are genuinely interested, and they tend to be the exact people who are responsible for making decisions.”
In 2003, The Total Facility Show will be held at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL, April 9-11. For more information, visit www.tfmshow.com.
Publication date: 06/24/2002
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