The
chapter won the award for providing timely and relevant information
to its members via the Internet. This included a calendar of
events, cross-country job postings, press releases, links to
chapter sponsors, board and committee contacts, links to other
facility management Web sites, and an online membership application.
Some
20 persons from the chapter were on hand to see Leder accept
the award and to culminate a three-day conference which actually
began as early as the preceding Friday for a number of members
who hit the Big Easy a little early for relaxation and recreation.
The
early arrivals had a Friday dinner at Café Sbisa, featuring
Cajun and Creole cuisine. The next day the group divided into
the so-called "semi-professional golfers" and joined Interface
in the annual IFMA golf outing and the non-golfers, who did
the "tourist bit," roaming the streets of the city and visiting
the Garden District, the French Quarter, and some of the unique
cemeteries where all burials are above ground because the city
is some five feet below sea level.
On
Saturday night, many dined at Emeril's, Emeril Lagasse's (the
TV gourmet) restaurant. It was a true feast and experience for
the diners --a nine-course meal that took three and one-half
hours. But even that failed to satisfy the appetite of several
who went to a jazz brunch the next day at the Court of Two Sisters,
another famous New Orleans restaurant. Afterward it was to the
golf course for some and a tour of plantations for others.
Sunday
evening chapter members attended the World Workplace welcome
reception at Mardi Gras World, a factory that manufactures the
large floats that are used in the annual parades.
And
just when everyone was having a good time, things got serious
with a number of seminars and presentations. Some of the members'
favorites were:
-
Build It and They Will Stay -Secrets to Employee Retention.
-
Strategic Planning While White Water Rafting
-
Organizational Leadership in the 21st Century.
-
Creating a Better Workplace, a presentation by chapter member
Chuck First from Nationwide.
The
overwhelming favorite among the keynote speakers was Susan O'Malley,
who offered an "uplifting and enlightening" presentation called
The Seven Rules of Business Success. Highlights of her address
included such sage advice as:
-
Make your bed everyday.
-
Make a plan and stick to it.
-
Plan
your work and work your plan
-
Outwork
everybody.
-
Set
expectations.
-
When
you mess up, make it right.
-
Do
the right thing.
-
People
make the difference.
Following
Monday's events, members enjoyed a delightful cocktail party
at the Contemporary Museum of Art. Mannington sponsored the
party.
Much
of the credit for the strong representation from the Central
Ohio Chapter goes to Stephanie Segall of Singer Wallcoverings,
education co-chair, and World Workplace 2000 chairperson. Not
only did Segall promote World Workplace 2000 for the chapter,
she was responsible for the entire program of events for the
chapter for the second consecutive year. Janeen Carson and Mark
Haberman ably assisted her in her efforts.
(Segall
and Ken Mulligan also reportedly shared the award for late-night
party stamina.)
Chapter
members attending the event are:
Stephanie
Segall, Janeen Carson, Mark Haberman, Ken Mulligan, Sally Gardner,
Vicki Simons, Craig Thomas, Jim Yankle, Dorothy Leachman, Angie
Castner, Bob Pulsfort, Bob Davis, Carl Nijak, Stephanie Patton,
Joyce Cavin, Gary Nuss, Eileen Smith, Lin Smirniotopoulos, Tom
Logsdon, and Mark Leder.
Next
year's convention will be in Kansas City, and, yes, if you have
questions concerning it, call Stephanie Segall at (614) 717-9957.
She's into it for a third year.
|
|
Making Sense Out of The Information
Technology Alphabet Soup
Using a single strand of wire to help illustrate
his message, IFMA Webmaster Mark
Leder leapfrogged across 150 years of Western Civilization
in 60 minutes to bring a modicum of understanding of the rapid
development of informational technology (IT) and its incredible
impact on today's and tomorrow's world.
|
Leder made his IT journey with members of
the Central Ohio IFMA Chapter during his discussion at the
Fawcett Center September 13 on "Making Sense out of the
Informational Technology Alphabet Soup."
|
 |
Leder pointed out that the strand of wire is symbolic
of the development of IT since wire was first used in the 1840s
to transmit Morse Code. Subsequent inventors realized its capability
as a carrier of voice, light, and radio sound waves until it exploded
into a maize of what is now an "entirely wired nation." He added
that this explosion has created numerous new businesses and opened
vast new worlds for millions of people.
Leder took his audience through much of the basic
terminology of the current IT world. This included the operation
of local and wide area networks (LANs and WANs) and the differences
between the Intranet, Extranet and the World Wide Web, or Internet.
Leder said the Intranet and Extranet are technologies
being increasingly utilized in the workplace. The former is the
system that enables individual businesses and organizations to
communicate exclusively within their branches or divisions regardless
of location. The Extranet, a virtual private network (VPN), enables
employees to be connected to their offices from home and to be
protected with a secure firewall.
He also discussed the various means by which information
is now transmitted, such as with Ethernet, the most prevalent
wiring in place for LAN use; Token Ring, also used in LANs and
with a reduced frequency of data corruption during the transmission;
and ATM, or asynchronous transfer mode, which is being used in
both LAN and WAN environments.
The ATM is a cell-based data passing system or
"belt" that is always moving at exceptionally high speeds and
is better suited to the high bandwidth needs of data
intensive traffic and broadcast video.
Leder cited several trends
of the future, including:
-
More efficient cellular systems and
an expansion of wireless communications for persons working
in the field, i.e., service personnel and those at building
or construction sites who would need to more efficiently access
specific and detailed data to resolve problems.
-
Convergence of transmission systems
such as television, computer, and telephone into a common
multi-function box. While this remains several years away
for home use, convergence would be a cost-reduction factor
in the business world, especially in new buildings.
-
Increased use of biometrics for computer
security. With passwords being the weakest security point
in a network, more and more emphasis will be placed on computer
identification through the use of eyes, fingerprints, or faces.
-
Network appliances, which will become
more prevalent in the consumer arena. Of particular importance
are those that will monitor various mechanisms within the
home, such as a refrigerator, alerting owners and their service
providers to problems if and when they occur. This service
model is similar to one that has been in use for many years
by alarm companies.
-
The advent of communication over electric
lines. As deregulation of electric utilities occurs, these
companies can be expected to use their existing infrastructure
to transmit data. However, issues such as slower speed, technological
limitations, and competing technologies may hinder or stunt
its widespread deployment.
For those who missed the program or want
more information, copies of the slide presentation and handouts
are available for download at Leder's website: http://www.markleder.com
and click on the links button at the upper right.
|
For more than 35 years, Robert S. Davis, Columbus
architect and president of Robert S. Davis, Ltd., with offices
in Powell, has been involved in every phase of project development
from conception through construction.
This includes commercial, institutional, educational,
residential, religious, correctional, and government projects
that have ranged in size and complexity from several thousand
dollars to multi-million-dollar projects requiring multi-disciplined
teams.
His hands-on experience in overseeing projects
with an overall construction value of over one billion dollars
has provided Davis with the knowledge to develop practical and
efficient design and management techniques and skills.
During these years, he found time to put on several
other hats, including those of author, teacher, and community
servant. He also became a member of the Central Ohio IFMA Chapter
where he has served as a board member since 1996, and as co-chair
of the Associate Relations Committee.
Davis, a graduate of The Ohio State University
with a degree in architecture, has worked in numerous capacities
throughout his career, including:
Architect with Design Associates Architects; architect
with the Columbus Board of Education and with Dalton Dalton Little
Brubaker Brandt; director of contract administration for Prindle
& Patrick Architects; and president and chief operating officer
of Project Services Management, Inc.
In addition to his current position, Davis is
President of Davis • McMackin, Inc., a corporation he established
in 1992 to bring the concepts of total quality management to the
design and construction process.
Davis believed that sophisticated owners were
demanding better quality in the buildings they built or renovated,
and better quality in the services provided by their consultants.
The success of this philosophy resulted in numerous
requests for complete architectural service and led to the establishment
in 1995 of Robert S, Davis, Ltd. to provide a complete array of
architectural services.
Davis contends that teams of clients and design
professionals working together implement successful projects,
and he has assembled a group of highly qualified, team-oriented
professionals within his company.
Davis' work can be seen throughout Ohio and in
other parts of the country as well.
For instance, he has been the architect of record
for all corporate projects of the W. W. Williams Co. since 1993;
for numerous new building and renovation projects at both Ohio
University and Ohio State, and at the University of Washington
in Seattle; for projects at The Columbus Academy, St. Joseph Montessori
School, Columbus College of Art and Design, and the Columbus Museum
of Art.
Davis also serves as a special consultant to the
board of the Methodist Theological School of Ohio, is a board
member of the Central Ohio Crittenton Family Services, member
of the board of Church Location and Building for the Columbus
North District of the United Methodist Church, board member of
the Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture Alumni Association
at Ohio State, board member of the Columbus AIA, and was chairman
of the Linworth Methodist Church Building Committee from 1995-98.
|
When Darla King couldn't convince a couple of office
furniture companies for whom she had worked to give a family-owned
Michigan company a stronger sell, she decided it was time to do
it herself.
So, less than two years ago she formed King Business
Interiors, 6155 Huntley Rd., and began developing a full-service
contract furniture dealership, specializing in Haworth furniture.
The company offers numerous other lines, but Haworth is the showcase.
At the end of her first year, she and her five employees
had recorded $6 million in sales; this year, sales have doubled
and her employees have increased to 26.
If all goes according to her five-year plan, King
expects sales of $35 million --about $15 million below those she
considers her major competitors-- and a workforce of about 50.
"It's a doable plan," she says, "because there
is so much business in the Columbus area and because we have compiled
all of Haworth (the Michigan company) under one roof and will
be the one to continue to serve our customers. We want a real
strong base to show we will be there for them in the future."
King maintains that Haworth, founded in 1948 in
Holland, Mich., and a leading designer and manufacturer of quality
office furniture, had been "lost in the shuffle" in the Columbus
market.
She had an extraordinary feeling about the company,
especially after achieving personal sales volumes of $3 million
and $5 million of Haworth products in 1997-98. Failing to convince
others of the need to promote and sell the line, she said, "I'll
do it myself!"
King Business Interiors is ranked within the top
15 percent of all Haworth dealers nationwide and has been selected
to receive exclusivity for Haworth products in the Columbus market,
only one of two dealers nationwide to receive this accomplishment.
During the time King has been in business, the company
has provided furniture services to numerous companies in central
Ohio and throughout the country. These companies include American
Electric Power, Honda of America, Verizion Wireless, Limited Store
Planning, State of Ohio, Longaberger Co., and Abercrombie & Fitch.
The company also has refurbished smaller facilities
such as a bar/restaurant, golf course clubhouses and dining rooms,
and a sorority house at The Ohio State University. King had redecorated
the house some 15 years earlier, and King was the person the sorority's
alumnae association tracked down for this job.
In addition to a strong growth in sales and personnel,
King Business Interiors also has made a significant investment
in the "back end of the business," customer service, project management,
delivery, installation, and warehousing and asset management.
To accomplish the latter, the company acquired a 40,000-square-foot
warehouse and distribution facility in January that is already
nearing its storage capacity.
King brought with her a "team concept" of doing
business. The team is created at the initial point of contact
to fit the customer's needs. The team consists of a sales professional
who drives the price and budgeting; a design professional who
spearheads the aesthetics, space utilization, and code adherence;
a customer service professional who manages the order entry, order
verification, and scheduling of delivery; and a product manager
responsible for installation planning, installation coordination,
and final inspection.
King also is an avid supporter of the IFMA Central
Ohio chapter, a sponsor who sees the organization as "someone
people can reach out to for solutions when they feel isolated
with problems." She added that IFMA has opened a lot of doors
in this respect but still needs to have more "general gatherings
or mixers" where more facilities people will have an opportunity
to network and become members.
The King family --husband, Dave, a vice president
with the company; son, Chris, a student at Otterbein; and daughter,
Chelsea, a fifth grader-- resides in Clintonville.
|
|
