Beyond Buildings: Exploring Facilities Management

In this episode, Brian chats with Kristy Colligan, the Facilities Logistics Supervisor for Lake Highland Preparatory School. Kristy shares her unique journey from being an associate athletic director to her current role at Lake Highland. The discussion centers around the intersection of athletic discipline and professional achievements, the vital role of mentorship, and the importance of effective communication in leading a team.

00:00 Introduction and Kristy Colligan's background in athletics and career transition.
03:00 The transition from athletics to facilities logistics: Challenges and benefits.
07:00 Impact of sports on career achievements and work ethic.
10:00 Key initiatives Kristy is tackling at Lake Highland Preparatory School.
15:00 The role of facilities management software in organizing events.
20:00 Challenges and strategies in coordinating multiple school events.
25:00 Mentorship experiences and their influence on professional growth.

In this episode, Glenn Robbins and Brian Gregory explore the intersection of facilities management and education leadership. Glenn shares his journey from a blue-collar background to becoming the superintendent of the Brigantine Board of Education. The discussion focuses on the importance of facilities in creating a conducive learning environment, especially for special needs students, and highlights strategies for long-term planning and collaboration.

00:00 Introduction and Glenn Robbins' background.
05:00 Justifying headcount and resources for facilities teams.
10:00 Challenges of managing a coastal school district.
15:00 The role of networking and mentorship in career development.
20:00 The significance of research in finding the right job fit and ensuring necessary resources.
21:33 Justifying budget and visionary thinking.
22:39 Celebrating wins and planning for long-term upgrades in facilities.
23:41 Preparing students with technology and critical thinking skills.
26:18 The essence of leadership: Serving others and enabling their success.
30:00 Embracing ungraded learning environments.
35:00 The impact of a changing world on education.

In this episode, Kurt Zastrow and Brian Gregory delve into the evolving world of educational spaces, focusing on the importance of adaptable and diverse learning environments. Kurt shares his expertise on how flexible classroom settings, digital literacy, and hands-on learning can significantly impact student outcomes and prepare them for future success.

00:00 Introduction and background: Kurt Zastrow's journey and role in Demco, exploring diverse learning environments in education.
05:30 The necessity of adaptable classroom spaces: Examples of flexible settings and the benefits they bring to instructional and learning needs.
10:15 Integrating technology and hands-on learning in educational spaces.
16:00 Challenges and benefits of remote education versus in-person learning.
22:45 Creating a consistent look and feel across classrooms and school districts.
28:20 Pre-approved lists of furniture, configurations, and maintenance solutions.
34:05 Preparing students for college, careers, or trades with various instructional formats.
40:10 Trust, making things right, and pushing boundaries.
45:30 Future trends in learning environments including technology integration and outdoor learning spaces.
50:00 The impact of classroom environments on student engagement, success, and community building.

In this episode, Craig and Brian dive deep into the challenges and advancements in using deep learning, machine learning, and AI in facilities management. Craig shares insights on how smart technology, like high-quality sound systems and AI-powered surveillance cameras, is transforming educational spaces and beyond.

00:00 Introduction and background: Exploring the intersection of technology and facilities management.
05:30 The rise of AI and machine learning: How facilities managers are navigating this new landscape.
10:15 Smart technology in classrooms: Enhancing education through smart microphones and interactive presentations.
16:00 Shortage of experienced facilities managers: Addressing the retirement wave and future forward-thinking.
22:45 Augmented reality and digital twins: Training and monitoring in the next generation of facilities management.
28:20 Virtual walkthroughs and video conferencing: Facilitating better collaboration and communication.
34:05 Future technology trends: AVIXA meeting highlights including holography and immersive audio.
40:10 Embracing change: Why it’s crucial for adapting to new technologies and demographics in facilities management.
45:30 Conclusion: The future of facilities management with AI and augmented reality.

FMX CEO and Host Brian Gregory sat down with Jeff Lettau, Director of Facilities Operations at Richland School District. In this episode, their conversation uncovers the significance of training and mentoring replacements, taking time off, and measuring success by the strength of the team you leave behind. The two delve into Jeff's unique leadership style, which he describes as a "benevolent dictatorship," and explore how he empowers his team by admitting when he doesn’t have all the answers.

00:00 Introduction and background: redefining success in facilities management.
05:16 Legacy through mentorship: a testament to effective leadership.
10:46 Empowerment at work and home: the magic of "I don't know."
15:21 Deconstructing systems and fixing broken things.
26:31 How to fill out staffing needs in today's K-12 landscape.
37:51 The hiring process and how to find the right candidates. 

Beyond Buildings host Brian Gregory sits down with Ret Weeks, the dynamic leader of stadium operations and capital projects for the Savannah Bananas. Tune in to discover how Ret and his team prioritize fan experiences, manage the challenges of a historic stadium, and continuously innovate to make baseball fun and engaging. This episode is packed with insights on servant leadership, operational excellence, and team culture.

00:00 Introduction to stadium operations leader Ret Weeks.

03:43 Brian and Ret talk financial management, analyzing data, tracking expenses, budgeting.

07:59 How stadium operations enhance fan experience with quality service.

13:49 Prioritizing fans, even over sponsorship and sales.

18:13 Adding a thousand seats requires supporting facilities.

22:13 North Star guiding operational decisions, serving fans.

24:28 Understanding purpose makes routine tasks meaningful.

In this episode of "Beyond Buildings: Exploring Facilities Management," Maciel Pais and Brian Gregory explore the impact of humor on team dynamics, the importance of budgeting and forward-thinking in school resource management, and integrating IT with facilities departments. Brian interviews Maciel Pius, the IT and digital learning director at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School, who transitioned from a 17-year teaching career during the pandemic. They discuss the benefits and challenges of adopting technology solutions like FMX, the role of AI tools in education, and the positive impacts of structured processes on productivity. 

00:00 Teacher transitioned to IT director for impact.

05:27 Teaching was rewarding, missed daily interaction.

07:33 Transitioning roles, embracing change, motivating others positively.

11:56 AI as a valuable tool for teachers.

13:05 Education shifted from traditional assessment to support.

18:55 Respect the process for faster support.

21:55 Using humor to ease frustration in troubleshooting.

24:40 Maintaining aging buildings requires careful infrastructure planning.

27:34 Collaborative effort led to successful FMX implementation.

30:30 Embrace rapidly changing technology for better life.

In this episode, Director, Operations and Maintenance at Huntley Schools Doug Renkosik shares his unique 30-year journey from structural engineering to facilities leadership in public education. The episode delves deep into the challenges faced by Huntley School District during its rapid growth from 800 to 10,000 students, highlighting the adjustments required in staffing, budgeting, and building maintenance. Doug emphasizes the importance of building a reliable team, maintaining rigorous training programs, and the critical need for effective communication with the Board of Education. 

00:00 Doug's work as project engineer, then facilities manager.

06:33 Investment in tech training can lead to loss.

08:56 Long hours, tight budget, frequent staff changes.

13:36 Requested help was ignored, causing prolonged stress.

14:45 Traffic engineer needed, problems arose later. Sprinkler system complexity and management issues.

20:34 Ohio funded new schools, increasing operating costs.

22:39 Sharing successes and staying connected with workforce.

27:01 Network, learn, make time, solve challenges.

28:05 Prioritizing exercise, reading, and outdoor adventures post-work.

In this episode, our host, Brian Gregory, sits down with Lee Raspberry, Director of Construction and Planning for Bastrop Independent School District. Together, they discuss utilizing machine learning and artificial intelligence to optimize building automation systems. They cover:

[00:00:54] Lee's background and what drives him to wake up and do the best job he possibly can every single day
[00:02:46] The importance of sustainability and how energy management impacts the buildings we work, learn and live in
[00:06:52] Lee's experience moving from the private sector to the public sector (and why he caught so many colds!)
[00:09:51] Lee's approach to reducing consumption and positively impacting the environment
[00:19:05] How Lee leverages machine learning to develop algorithms for his BAS that allow for more efficient temperature control
[00:29:36] Lee's most enjoyable and challenging moments of his career
[00:34:49] Advice from Lee for those entering public education or building automation

In this episode, our host, Brian Gregory, sits down with John Carrillo, Chairman of the Global FM organization. Together, they discuss the impact and importance of digitization and technology in the FM industry. They cover:

[00:01:03] John's background and how he transitioned from architecture to facilities management

[00:03:56] The impact joining an organization like IFMA had on John and why this is so important

[00:05:48] Impactful moments in facilities management history and John’s predictions for what may be coming down the road

[00:09:06] How to increase your team’s resilience 

[00:15:16] The impact digitization has on sustainability

[00:17:15] John’s view on facilities management and why he’s so passionate about this field

[00:18:30] How larger companies are leveraging new, advanced technology to drive their operations and businesses forward

[00:28:35] Advice for those looking to enter the facilities management field