Dear Chicago Chapter of IFMA Members,

We have some special events lined up for the Chicago Chapter of IFMA members this year.  Facility Fusion is coming back to Chicago March 20 – 22.  This is a good opportunity to attend a national conference locally.  There are still a few open booths for the Expo, but sign up soon as they are going fast!  If you’re interested in the Expo, please contact our chapter administrator at [email protected] and she can provide additional information. 

There are a variety of options to attend Facility Fusion from a full event registration, one day registration and Expo only.  If you are unable to attend the conference, the Expo only is a great option as it is free and allows networking opportunities on the Expo floor.  IFMA is designating Wednesday, March 21 as Chicago Day and offering a one-day registration discount to our chapter members.  This special rate of $199 includes conference and expo activities, networking breaks and the power speaker lunch.  The Chicago Chapter will have a booth at the Expo and we hope to see many of you there!  Plan to stop by the booth to pick up your Golden Ticket to attend the cocktail reception following the sessions Wednesday evening.

Spring will be here before we know it and so will our annual golf outing!  Save the date for the 6th Annual Chicago Chapter of IFMA Charity Golf Outing on Thursday, May 24.  Keep an eye out for registration information and sponsorship opportunities.  We will also be collecting items to use in the raffle and silent auction that directly benefits our charity partner, Opportunity Knocks.  If you are interested in donating items for the raffle, please reach out to our chapter administrator at [email protected].

I hope to see you at an upcoming event!

With regards,

Nicole Satterly,

Chicago Chapter of IFMA President 

Join the Workplace Evolutionaries (WE) & the Sustainability Community (ESUS) at one of the world’s largest sustainable buildings, theMart, as we heed the “call to action” and dive into the 3rd industrial revolution, its impacts on the built environment, and why we are the one’s we’ve been waiting for!

• Join us for a highly–interactive, stimulating day with global thought leaders focused on this important topic of leveraging sustainability as a competitive advantage.
• Experience one of Chicago’s most impressive sustainable landmarks in the heart of Chicago, the Merchandise Mart building, of which WE will have an exclusive behind the scenes tour.
• Learn how you can make an impact on the built environment!
• Socialize with drinks and nibbles with your WE and ESUS tribe.

Location:
The Merchandise Mart
222 Merchandise Mart Plaza
Marshall’s Landing 
Chicago, IL 60654

As always, the Chicago Chapter waited until after the holidays to throw the Holiday Party.  A well needed boost brought over a hundred members and guests to One North Kitchen & Bar on January 11^th.  Braving wild weather outside, the Chicago Chapter came together to celebrate the end of the year and starting new.  Thanks to Nancy Miller, the Hospitality Committee, and all others who helped to plan the party and direct the crowd.  We hope to see all attendees at our upcoming Happy Hour, March 6^th

Opportunity Knocks was on-hand, as always, with pickles at the ready to be sold to Holiday Party attendees.  Opportunity Knocks is the Chicago Chapter’s Charity Partner – They are dedicated to providing opportunities and resources for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  For more information or to donate to this wonderful group, please click here.

On Thursday, February 15^th, the Chicago Chapter gathered at Petterino’s for the monthly luncheon.  The topic of this month’s presentation was Emergency Preparedness in the 21^st Century - it was very timely given the recent tragedy at Parkland and other similar events around the country.  Laurie Gilmer and Randy Braverman delivered a sobering presentation to the group with the goals of understanding the role of the Facility Manager in emergency preparedness, best practices in emergency preparedness, and specific steps Facility Managers can take to lead an organization in preparing for emergencies.  With 65 members and guests in attendance, it was a Lunch Event that certainly stick with all attendees for a long while.

Calling Professional Members

Join us for our FREE

ANNUAL SPONSOR APPRECIATION NIGHT

Please join us at Marshall's Landing at the Merchandise Mart for our annual Sponsor Appreciation event that will include fine cocktails, delicious appetizers and trivia.  Fabulous prizes will be awarded, so you don't want to miss your chance to play and win! Trivia will be hosted by Sporcle

This is an exclusive, FREE event for our professional members to show our appreciation for our Chicago IFMA Medal Sponsors and a unique opportunity to interface within these groups.

Click here to register.

For the Chicago Chapter’s January meeting, we had the opportunity to enjoy a presentation from Greg Dekker, VP Sales Effectiveness for Teknion.  Based on the idea of ‘Power Tools for Change’, in this engaging and immersive seminar Greg revealed how the pressure for workplace change is far higher than ever before.  By outlining the risks and implications of change and sharing a "greatest hits" collection of change management techniques, Greg brought his message to a crowd of over 70 members and guests.