The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) has announced its member-elected executive committee and appointees to its global board of directors for the 2022-23 fiscal year, with diversity high on the agenda.
Laurie A. Gilmer, P.E., CFM, FMP, SFP, LEED AP has been installed as board chair, joined by First Vice Chair Dean Stanberry, CFM, LEED AP O+M, and Second Vice Chair Francisco Antonio de Souza Abrantes. Two returning and seven newly appointed directors round out the global board.
With members based in Italy, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Singapore, Spain and the United States, supporting facility, real estate, project and global portfolio management; process improvement and performance management; office optimization and consolidation; technology; and corporate workplace strategy and design for organizations worldwide, IFMA says its new board members reflect the breadth of experience and global reach of the facility management (FM) industry.
“Each year, IFMA benefits from the expertise and unique perspectives of its board and presiding chair. Every volunteer working on the association’s behalf is a valuable part of our growth; but our chair contributes strategy and vision essential to our progress. I’m excited to see what new doors Laurie will open for us, building on the accomplishments of her predecessors and imbuing IFMA with her own perspectives and passions,” said IFMA President and CEO Don Gilpin.
A published author, accomplished speaker, a strong proponent of professional education and credentialing, and an advocate for sustainable building performance, Laurie Gilmer takes the helm at a time of elevated recognition for the FM industry and increased opportunities to rekindle community connections that are the very foundation of IFMA.
“One of the overriding post-pandemic realizations for us as an association, an industry and a society is the importance of connection. Being physically cut off from one another sparked a strong desire to develop and maintain our personal and professional relationships. Cross-functional teamwork and multi-industry partnerships have flourished. As a result, more organizations and related professions now fully grasp the true value of FM, and we’re benefiting from a broad range of working partners from the ground floor to the C-Suite,” said Gilmer. “As chair, I’m looking forward to strengthening our network and engaging with our community – fostering the connections that are not only vital to our future, but truly embody the IFMA experience.”
After serving two back-to-back terms as chair (2020-22) – recommended by IFMA’s Nominating Committee due to the irregular circumstances presented by the COVID-19 pandemic – Peter Ankerstjerne, MBA, COP, IFMA Fellow will remain involved with the board as past chair.
“Our community is indebted to Peter’s crisis management, foresight and enterprise. He accomplished so much for IFMA and FM, leading us through an ever-changing landscape of work and workplace, focusing our energies on buckling down, rather than buckling under, in adapting to new realities,” said Gilpin.
