Education

The IFMA Greater Triangle Chapter is committed to pursuing excellence in continuing education. Not only do we provide our members with the tools necessary to earn IFMA credentials, we proudly support our local community college students through scholarships. We offer mentorship opportunities for our chapter members to help them grow professionally, personally, or coach them toward achieving a designation. Our chapter also actively supports the IFMA Foundation through scholarship awards in honor of our very own IFMA Fellow. Several of our members actively participate in IFMA Foundation activities and have been relied upon to develop content for IFMA National.

Our chapter is proud to say that we have several members who hold multiple credentials. Six of our members hold the Sustainable Facility Professional (SFP) designation. Nearly 13% of our members hold the Facility Management Professional (FMP) designation, and over 10% of our chapter has earned the Certified Facility Manager (CFM) credential.

CFM Certified Property Manager

Certified Facility Manager (CFM) is the globally-recognized credential to help you showcase the mastery of your skills and knowledge across the entire FM body of knowledge. The CFM is the pinnacle achievement in facility management certification. Widely regarded as the industry standard in facility management certification.

  • Gain credibility in your professional network.
  • Showcase your knowledge of 11 core competencies.
  • Grow as a leader in facility management.
  • Proudly join a distinguished group of FM professionals.

Learn More About Becoming a CFM

FMP Facility Management Professional

The Facility Management Professional (FMP) is designed for facility professionals looking to strengthen their hard and soft skills in facility management. When it comes to facility management education, the FMP gives you the skills and knowledge you need to be effective and solve complex on-the-job challenges.

  • Learn best practices and run your facilities more effectively and efficiently.
  • Gain confidence in your role as a facility manager with in-demand skills.
  • Manage your facilities more effectively and efficiently.

Learn More About Becoming a FMP

SFP Sustainability Facility Professional

The Sustainability Facility Professional (SFP) helps make an impact on your organization’s environmental, social and economic bottom lines through sustainable best practices, while improving the experience for everyone in your facilities. The SFP credential is a time-tested credential that helps facility managers make data-driven decisions and understand sustainable best practices.

  • Sustainability best practices, solutions and strategies.
  • How to incorporate sustainable practices into your facility.
  • How to optimize resources to impact the triple bottom line.

Learn More About Becoming a SFP

Hear From Our Chapter Members With a CFM, SFP or FMP

For me, it’s about continuous learning.  The world of facilities management is in a state of continual change. To provide the best value for my organization, I need to continue to change with it.  Whether it’s a new technology that can help FMs leverage data to make better decisions or a more informed workforce that desires changes within the facilities they occupy, you have to be agile enough to meet the needs of the customers and the business.  When I returned from service overseas, my company presented me with the opportunity to fill the role of Facilities Manager since it was similar to my military job functions after the fighting stopped in Iraq.  I quickly realized it was more than just managing vendors, monitoring and managing occupant comfort, and making a business case for funding or projects/repairs.  I also had no idea that IFMA existed, much less the designations and certifications. 

– Travis Dodson, CFM, FMP, 2021-2022 IFMA Greater Triangle Chapter President
Operations Manager, American Board of Pediatrics

The best thing is being associated with other peers who have accomplished the CFM and frankly, the resources available through those relationships and the associated contacts within the FM world. The re-certification process has also helped keep these skills and associations up to date and relevant in a changing FM environment.

– Tim Carr, CFM, 1998-1999 IFMA Greater Triangle Chapter President
Senior Vice President, Real Estate Development & Facility Management, YMCA of the Triangle

I would advise future Facilities Management professionals to make their case for company-supported designations by using the information, particularly the statistics and best practices, available from IFMA International. Between searching the website, signing up for IFMA ENGAGE, joining an industry-specific council, & accessing whitepapers, there is SO much information available from the association. Locally, attending meetings, joining a committee, and participating in GTC IFMA’s many available activities (especially the building tours!), will allow you to meet Professional Members in your geographic area who are more than willing to share industry-related information that you can use to manage your own facility. The Associate Members in our chapter represent a wide variety of trades and service-providers. They are experts in their respective fields and always ready to support our profession.

– Cris Karasek, CFM, SFP
2018-2019 IFMA Greater Triangle Chapter President

My first role in FM was with a team that highly valued the collaboration and guidance provided by IFMA. My manager at the time held several certifications and encouraged the team to engage with IFMA and earn certifications to build a stronger, more knowledgeable team.

– Jackie Eddy, FMP
North America Facilities Manager, Epic Games