| May 2010 Newsletter |  |
| Special Feature - | Members Help Columbus Bilingual Academy |
| Program Recap - | AEP GridSmart Program [includes photos] |
| Meet The Member - | Amy Bedzyk - Chemical Abstracts Service |
| Sponsor Spotlight - | Scioto Services |
Three members of the Central Ohio IFMA Chapter donated their time and talent in May to help renovate the main office at the Columbus Bilingual Academy, a charter school for grades K-8 on Midland Avenue in the city’s Hilltop area.
They are:
Strait developed and coordinated the project as part of a four-month leadership and self-expression course in which she was involved through Landmark Education in Cincinnati. She was searching for a community project when talking with Brown, who suggested the academy.
Strait then began rounding up the resources for the renovation. She found individuals and companies to contribute goods and services for the project. The transformation took two days. Goods and services amounted to $14,000.
Michael Byrne, campus director, said of the project:
“We could not be more thankful for this honor. It is wonderful to have a new and inviting space to welcome our parents and community members.”
Photos of this event - click here
Information about AEP Ohio’s incentive programs for companies seeking ways to trim their electricity usage—and save money—was presented to members and guests of the Central Ohio IFMA Chapter May 19 at the Confluence Park Restaurant.
Angie Doan, outreach and marketing manager for KEMA Services, offered directives on how to apply, and how to make applications for stimulus package funds speed through the process.
KEMA is the implementation contractor for AEP Ohio gridSmart energy efficiency programs for non-residential customers.
AEP Ohio has three incentive programs tied to the gridSMART program approved by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Funds for these programs are available to companies for energy-saving programs and equipment through the Department of Energy’s $3.4 billion stimulus funds under the american Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Among the largest awardees of the demonstration funding was $75 million to AEP Ohio, which has three incentive programs tied to the gridSmart program.
The programs tie into a larger effort to cut the state’s electricity consumption by 22 percent by the end of 2025. American Electric (NYSE:AEP) delivers electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states, including about 1.5 million Ohio customers. The company last year earned $1.38 billion on $14.6 billion in revenue.
The programs range from a rebate for high-efficiency lighting projects to incentives on purchasing equipment that cuts down on electricity demand.
Through AEP Ohio’s Custom Program, businesses may receive as much as $300,000 in incentives for purchasing high efficiency equipment and implementing industrial process improvements and technologies that reduce energy consumption and peak demand.
All business customers are eligible to participate, and energy efficient improvements that reduce energy consumption and peak demand that aren't covered in AEP Ohio's Prescriptive Program qualify.
The Custom Program helps reduce the payback period of equipment, promote energy efficiency, and lower electricity bills.
The Prescriptive Program offers businesses set financial incentives for the implementation of energy-efficient improvements and technologies that reduce energy consumption. The program is a simple and easy-to-use way to receive funding for common energy efficiency projects.
All business customers in AEP Ohio's service territory in Ohio are eligible to apply, and can choose from a predefined incentive menu based on a fixed-cost per unit installed in these categories--heating and cooling (HVAC),lighting, motors and drives, and refrigeration
Through the company’s Self-Direct Program, AEP Ohio is allowing qualifying companies that have finished energy-efficiency projects since 2007 to apply for an incentive payment or credit up to $225,000 against an electric bill surcharge.
Applications for these programs may be obtained on AEP Ohio’s web site—wwwlgridsmartohio.com. To participate in one of these programs, Doan urged those in attendance to pay particular attention to their applications and be sure to:
Knowing members of the Central Ohio IFMA Chapter pays off!
It did for Amy Bedzyk, staff facilities coordinator with Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS), who joined the global leader in chemical information in September 2008.
Bedzyk was working as an interior designer with Corporate Interior Concepts when IFMA member Doug Dickenson, flooring consultant with Legacy Commercial Flooring, alerted her to a job listing for CAS on the IFMA Web site—www.ifmacentralohio.org. She had gotten to know Dickenson through work on “a few projects” that involved the two companies.
Bedzyk, submitted an application, interviewed at CAS with IFMA members Jack Higgins, manager, facilities operations, and William Sopira, manager, facilities services, and was hired.
Amy is one of seven CAS employees—the most of any company—with a membership in the Central Ohio IFMA Chapter.
Bedzyk was encouraged to join IFMA “to help me professionally network, and to meet people around Columbus”. She became a member of the organization in March 2009.
At CAS Bedzyk is the office ergonomics consultant and responsible for office environment assessments. She is also involved in:
Bedzyk said her current position isn’t far removed from her role with Corporate Interior Concepts and has experienced no problems moving from one to the other.
“It was a good fit because of my knowledge of interiors, furniture, and office ergonomics” she said.
Bedzyk grew up in Grandview Heights and graduated from Adrian College in 2004 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with a major in Interior Design.
Her first employment after graduation was with Maddalena’s Inc., Jackson, MI. There she was involved in space planning with a number of product lines, including Herman Miller, Allsteel, HON, Treadway, and Kimball.
After a year, she moved to Empire Office Products in Jackson as an interior designer and worked there for about 18 months before returning to Columbus. Bedzyk learned of an opening with Corporate Interior Concepts and became an interior designer there.
Amy and her husband, Jon, reside in Columbus with their dog and two cats. Both enjoy swimming and golfing. Amy hopes to participate in the 22st Annual IFMA Golf Outing at Riviera Golf Club in July.
Additionally, she is working toward LEED Professional accreditation.
Click the banner to visit sponsor's website
For more than 30 years, Scioto Services has been at the front of the building services industry, offering central Ohio businesses an arms-long list of programs guaranteed to keep their the Special Services Division was born.
“Special Services was started because many of our customers asked for our help in resolving some of their other pressing issues. Like most things, the division was started with a need,” said Steve Niswonger, vice president of business development.
He added, “Since we were already in our clients’ facilities for cleaning purposes, it is cost effective for us to complete projects. Offering multiple services was also another way for us to add value to our clients.”
The division, which has grown to 20 associates, is headed by David Laase, who joined Scioto Services in 2005 as a project specialist.
“As director, I oversee projects as well as sales and installations for the division. We are a multi-faceted division, and involve ourselves in many things ranging from floor projects and concrete work to even snow plowing,” Laase said.
Laase says their work is not for the “fainthearted” because of the nature of the tasks the division is asked to perform and the time in which to do them.
“The quick response requires a lot of long hours, and we don’t have the luxury of time on our side. We have to know what to do and go do it. You have to be able to do some quick research—learn, adapt, and apply it.
“A lot of our jobs are unique. We do things and take on responsibility that a lot of other people and companies won’t. We are 24/7,” Laase said.
Laase also pointed out he and his associates “don’t have a typical day. On one day I may find myself driving up to 300 miles. There’s not much we won’t tangle with.
“My job is a non-typical one with long hours, but I’m the type of person who thrives in stressful situations. I really enjoy the floor work, and through hectic at times, not knowing where the job will take me from one hour to the next.
“The majority of the things we do are time sensitive. We are not given a lot of flexibility. We are given a lot of parameters and constraints that we must work within. For example, we painted the ceilings of a large production area and polished the concrete floor at the same time to meet a client’s time schedule,” he said.
On another occasion, Laase tackled “one of the worst floors” he had ever seen. The end result was “a client thrilled with our work,” and self-satisfaction in knowing “our hard work was appreciated.”
Laase said, “One of the most rewarding products we offer is Encase, which is a grout restoration product. It is rewarding because you can take a horrible looking floor and make it look beautiful over night. The same holds true in cleaning equipment. It is rewarding to make a piece of old equipment look new again.”
In addition to tile restoration, the division is involved in hard surface floor care, carpet cleaning, high lift cleaning, cryogenic cleaning, concrete installation and repair, concrete grinding and polishing, painting, and applying epoxy floor coatings.
“Despite the downturn in the economy, the past two years were good ones for the division,” Niswonger said. “The change has forced us to learn from what we have done in previous years to make sure we are prepared for the future from a manpower, training, and communication standpoint.
“When you show value and flexibility to complicated and time-sensitive tasks, your customers remember you in the good times and the bad times. Our overall volume of ‘specials’ has not been affected. In fact, we are actually busier with repeat business and from ‘word of mouth.’”
Scioto Services, a Gold level sponsor of the Central Ohio IFMA Chapter, employs over 1,000 associates in Ohio. In addition to its Marysville headquarters, the company has offices in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Mansfield.