The facility management industry gathered at the World Workplace Conference and Expo in Denver, Colorado last week for IFMA’s 2023 Awards of Excellence presentation. The annual awards recognize exceptional contributions to the association, outstanding examples of facility management initiative, and innovative FM projects, practices and solutions.

IFMA’s Awards of Excellence winners were recognized in 14 categories. Nominees were scored individually across a variety of category-specific criteria by judging panels comprised of industry experts.

Canada was represented on the stage as the Greater Toronto & South Central Ontario Chapter of IFMA took home the award for Chapter of the Year, Large Chapter.

Other winners representing several other countries around the world include:

• Chapter of the Year, Small Chapter: West Michigan Chapter of IFMA.
• Facility Management Innovation Award: ThermaClear, ECM Technologies.
• The Sheila Sheridan Award for Sustainable Facility Operations and Management: ESFM / Compass Group USA.
• George Graves Award for Facility Management Achievement: JLL@Google.
• Emerging Professional Award: Richard Gunpat, Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago; Vice President, Trinidad and Tobago Chapter of IFMA; Board Member, IFMA Environmental Stewardship, Utilities and Sustainability (ESUS) Community.
• Associate Member Award: Matthew Korytko, New York City Chapter of IFMA.
• Student Chapter of the Year Award: Greater Phoenix Student Chapter of IFMA.
• Chapter Award of Excellence in Web Communications: Greater Phoenix Chapter of IFMA.
• Council of the Year: Public Sector Facilities Council of IFMA.
• Distinguished Educator Award: Shukri Habib.
• Distinguished Author Award: Book: Lisa Whited for “Work Better. Save the Planet: The Earth-first Workplace is Good for People, Great for Business.”
• Distinguished Author Award: Research Paper; Roger C.K. Law for “COVID-19: Research Directions for Non-clinical Aerosol-generating Facilities in the Built Environment.”
• Distinguished Author Award: Social Media: Delia Burl of SCLogic.

IFMA Foundation Trustees Awards

Individuals and groups who not only answer the call to make a difference but create dynamic opportunities through inspired projects and programs are recognized each year by the IFMA Foundation Board of Trustees.

Global Workforce Initiative of Excellence: Denny Mulgrew and Brian Holt of Sodexo, Irene Thomas-Johnson of Jones Lang LaSalle, Tony Pucci and Angela Johnson Culver of ABM, and Luis Morejon of Newmark.

Community Involvement of Excellence: Edgar Montezuma

Global Workforce Initiative Partnership of Excellence

Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency and Office of Economic Development and Opportunity – Goodwill of Denver

IFMA Foundation Component of Excellence: New York City Chapter of IFMA

IFMA Foundation Volunteer of the Year: Brent Ward, FMP, SFP

The ceremony was hosted by IFMA Fellow and past IFMA Board Chair (2009-10) Thomas L. Mitchell, Jr., CFM. Current IFMA Board Chair Dean Stanberry, CFM, SFP congratulated recipients and acceptors on stage.

“Thousands of IFMA members and volunteer leaders around the world are ready and able to serve,” said Mitchell. “We share our expertise, ideas and tips freely. We write articles, author books, educate, instruct, mentor and innovate. We apply our talent and skills to benefit our chapters and councils, students and young professionals, fellow FMs and the association itself. We don’t do it for recognition, but it is gratifying when recognition is received. Today, we offer that appreciation.”

Stanberry awarded IFMA EMEA Managing Director Lara Paemen with the 2023 Board Chair Citation for her leadership in elevating IFMA and FM throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa; for aligning IFMA’s European chapters to a global standard, providing each with a deeper sense of purpose and connection to the association; and for her vision and enterprise as a co-producer in reinventing World Workplace Europe to be of the utmost interest and benefit to European FMs. “She is the face, heart and soul of IFMA in EMEA,” said Stanberry.