| Founded | October 1980 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Houston, Texas, USA |
| Area served | Facility management |
| Members | 19,233 (as of June 2, 2008) |
| Website | ifma.org |
The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) is a professional association for facility professionals (facility managers.) IFMA headquarters is located in Houston, Texas.
IFMA was founded in October 1980 by a group led by David Armstrong at the Facility Management Institute (FMI) in Ann Arbor, Michigan as the National Facility Management Association (NFMA), a not-for-profit incorporated association. The name was changed to IFMA in 1982. As of 2010, IFMA has more than 19,000 members in 125 chapters and 16 councils in 78 countries worldwide.
IFMA certifies facility managers, conducts research, provides educational programs, recognizes facility management degree and certificate programs and produces World Workplace, a facility management-related conference and exposition. The official publication of IFMA, Facility Management Journal (FMJ), is published bimonthly.
Contents |
In the early 1970s, two simultaneous events helped set the evolutionary course of facility management. First, the use of independent, freestanding dividing screens in the office environment –– popularized in the 1960s –– gradually faded in favor of today’s increasingly sophisticated systems furniture, commonly known as "cubicles". Next, the introduction of the computer terminal into the workstation challenged facility managers to solve computer, wiring, lighting, acoustic and territory problems. The office scene was becoming more complex and the facility manager needed guidance.
At the time, many facility professionals were members of other international organizations, but those groups could not supply the information needed to manage the offices of the future. The first step toward the formation of a more specialized organization occurred in December 1978 when Herman Miller Research Corp. hosted a conference, “Facility Influence on Productivity,” in Ann Arbor, Mich.
This conference was the meeting place for the three founders of IFMA. George Graves of Texas Eastern Transmission Corp., Charles Hitch of Manufacturer’s Bank in Detroit and David Armstrong of Michigan State University voiced a need for an organization of facility professionals from private industry.
In May 1980, Graves hosted a meeting in Houston to establish a formal organizational base for a facility management association. By the end of the meeting, a new organization known as the National Facility Management Association (NFMA) had a constitution, bylaws, temporary officers and plans to expand nationally.
At the first annual meeting of NFMA in October 1980, there were 47 participants — 25 were direct members of the association. The attendees from Houston helped establish the first chapter and committed to host the second annual national conference. Shortly after the 1981 conference, the name was changed to the International Facility Management Association to accommodate a large Canadian membership. The growth of the new organization began to accelerate.
Today, IFMA serves more than 19,000 members in 78 countries with 125 chapters. The association’s structure of 16 councils serves the vertical and specialized interests of those who manage educational and cultural institutions, manufacturing and petrochemical plants, research and development laboratories, financial centers, call centers, corporate headquarters, utilities and health care facilities –– as well as those who focus on environmental health and safety concerns, computer applications and real estate issues.
To date, 3,670 Certified Facility Managers have been designated through IFMA's certification program — an examination designed to test skills and knowledge in nine core competencies.
IFMA’s annual World Workplace Conference & Expo event and its counterpart conferences, World Workplace-Europe and the Asian Facility Management Conferences, attract thousands of attendees each year and continue to elevate the importance of the facility manager worldwide.
The annual conference and exposition of IFMA, World Workplace provides educational and networking opportunities for both IFMA members and non-members. The conference is a three-day gathering of facility professionals, educators, students and companies for the continued advancement of the profession.
IFMA designed World Workplace as a collaborative forum for facility managers and those in related fields to discuss, evaluate, share and grow, both personally and professionally. The World Workplace experience includes a conference focused entirely on education and a trade show that incorporates product demonstration and instruction. World Workplace draws attendees from all over the world and from a variety of workplace-related industries, including technology, engineering, architecture, design, security, real estate and facility management.
Prior to 1995, World Workplace was known as the IFMA Annual Conference.
IFMA’s Facility Management Journal is a bimonthly publication written specifically for facility professionals concerned with developing and maintaining productive workplaces. IFMA’s FMJ is a source of current, credible news for industry professionals seeking to improve the productivity of their facilities. Each issue of the FMJ focuses on a specific concern, trend or aspect of facility management.
Established in 1990 as a non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation, and separate entity from IFMA, the IFMA Foundation works for the public good to promote priority research and educational opportunities for the advancement of facility management. The IFMA Foundation is supported by contributions from the FM community including IFMA members, chapters, councils, corporate sponsors and private contributors.
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