News Advisory & Story Suggestion
Synopsis: Even in this difficult economic climate, companies struggle to find internal talent with the skills and education to replace retiring baby boomers.
Expert interview: Fighting the Maintenance Crisis – Joel Leonard, maintenance evangelist and host, SkillTV.net, Itasca, Ill.
Background: The average age of the hundreds of thousands of facility maintenance professionals around the globe is 48. As baby boomers in the upper age bracket retire, maintenance positions are left unfilled. Citing examples from the Smithsonian to the airline industry, Leonard says with no one to fix broken pipes, frayed wires, aging equipment and few who understand how to support modern automation technologies, entire nations and industries are experiencing “The Maintenance Crisis.”
Where: Mandalay Bay Convention Center – Room A
3950 Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas
When: 9 a.m. to 9:50 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 17*
Expand the story: Rising Through the Ranks: Achieving Leadership in Facility Management – Learn how industry leaders climbed the facility management ladder to rank among the field’s top practitioners. They include: Kevin Folsom, director of facilities and plant operations, Dallas Theological Seminary; Larry Morgan, senior facilities manager, SAP Labs, LLC, Foster City, Calif.; and Tim Woodley, director of operations, West Linn-Wilsonville School District, Tualatin, Ore.
Interview: Speakers are available prior to or following the general session presentation, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 16
About the show: Facility Decisions Conference & Expo is a new, educational conference and trade show for facility professionals responsible for non-residential building management.
Get the latest scoop on the facility management industry and gain access to the professionals who own, operate and maintain the nation’s buildings. The expected 1,800 attendees uphold public safety, maintain commercial vitality and promote environmental stewardship. More than 50 free educational sessions led by industry experts help professionals solve their biggest and most timely issues. Members of the media are welcome to attend all sessions and visit the exhibit hall to experience the latest products, services and technologies designed to keep buildings running effectively, efficiently, safely and sustainably.
About the producers: Facility Decisions Conference & Expo is sponsored by ROC Exhibitions, Inc., Lisle, Ill., and Trade Press Publishing, Milwaukee. The companies also co-own the National Facilities Management & Technology Conference/Expo, next slated for March 10-12, 2009, at the Baltimore Convention Center.
Trade Press publishes Building Operation Management and Maintenance Solutions magazines; developed FacilitiesNet (www.facilitiesnet.com), the leading portal for those who design, build, manage and maintain nonresidential buildings; and launched FacilityZone (www.facilityzone.com), the search engine for facility professionals.
ROC Exhibitions produces nine trade shows annually in the United States and Mexico. ROC-produced events serve the fields of facility management, fire and life safety, law enforcement and security, metalworking, plastics fabrication, assembly technology and electronics manufacturing. Visit ROC Exhibitions online at www.rocexhibitions.com.
Media contacts: Sue Markgraf, GreenMark Public Relations, 847-970-9160 or smarkgraf@greenmarkpr.com
Cory Ampe, Trade Press Publishing, 414-228-1134, ext. 448 or cory.ampe@tradpress.com
For information, including press and attendee registration, session information and an exhibitor list, visit www.facilitydecisions.com.
Media onsite: Stop by the press room to register to attend conference sessions and interview presenters. The press room will be open in the registration lobby from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. Please bring press credentials.
Media Contact:
Sue Markgraf
GreenMark Public Relations
847-970-9160, office
smarkgraf@greenmarkpr.com