Facilities in Focus

Robots are no longer a thing of the future. They vacuum our floors, help pick and package our goods and now they are mowing lawns. It almost seems too good to be true. In this episode of Facilities in Focus, Mackenna Moralez is joined by Michael Kashuba, the director of parks and recreation of the city of Amarillo. They discuss how the parks department is transforming turf management by using autonomous robotic mowers. With stories about real-time alerts and security features, Kashuba shares how robotics have become a force multiplier within the department. The episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about how robotics are revolutionizing grounds management. 

“We’re not looking at reducing jobs—we’re looking at ways to get our staff doing the work they want to do, and letting the autonomous mowers handle the rest,” Kashuba says during the episode. 

The Facilities in Focus podcast publishes bi-weekly. The second season will cover technology within the facilities management space. 

For comments or to be a guest on the Facilities in Focus podcast, please email Mackenna at [email protected]. 

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Mackenna Moralez is joined by Gavin Ventresca, project management specialist for Boeing. Backed with a bachelors degree in architecture and facilities management, Ventresca’s entry into the industry differs from the typical facility manager. During their conversation, Ventresca discusses how he views technology as just another tool in the toolbelt and advises what new FMs can gain by embracing change. From debunking lazy Gen Z myths, to embracing mistakes as learning moments, this conversation is for anyone curious about the future of facilities management, the power of technology and what it means to build a career you love.  

"I like it when I walk into a hot dumpster fire, and I’m able to figure out what’s going well, what’s not, and what we can do to fix it," Ventresca says during the interview. 

The Facilities in Focus podcast publishes bi-weekly. The second season will cover technology within the facilities management space. 

For comments or to be a guest on the Facilities in Focus podcast, please email Mackenna at [email protected]. 

Follow us on social media:  

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/facilitiesnetnfmt  

Youtube: @FacilitiesNet  

X: @FacilitiesNet_NFMT  

Facebook: Facebook.com/FacilitiesNetNFMT 

Welcome back to Facilities in Focus! Mackenna Moralez is joined by Building Operating Management’s Facility Influencer and industry expert Shawn Black to kick off the second season. The pair discusses AI and the promises and pitfalls of the emerging technology and how it is already shaping our lives. Whether you’re a techie, a skeptic or just AI-curious, this conversation will leave you thinking long after it ends. 

“We can’t afford to wait until AI causes harm to start asking the hard questions—we need to build accountability into the system from the start,” Black says during the episode. 

The Facilities in Focus podcast publishes bi-weekly. The second season will cover technology within the facilities management space. 

For comments or to be a guest on the Facilities in Focus podcast, please email Mackenna at [email protected]. 

Read Shawn's article on robots: https://www.facilitiesnet.com/software/article/The-Future-of-Facility-Management-Teslas-Optimus-Robot--20276

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Welcome back to a bonus episode of Facilities in Focus! Host Mackenna Moralez sits down with Cat Antenucci, one of the 2024 Facility Champions award recipients. Cat discusses her dynamic journey from maritime engineering school to assistant director of engineering for Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa. She shares how her early exposure to facilities maintenance and engineering fueled her rise in a male-dominated industry, the confidence she brings to leadership and how she builds trust and respect with her team. Listeners of all ages will gain insight on the importance of embracing challenges and the empowering impact of showing up authentically in the workplace every day.  

“I get that I’m a young female here, and that definitely takes people to shock at least at face value, but I know my stuff,” Cat says during the episode. “You want to quiz me? Go for it. I’ve got nothing to hide.”  

Nominations for the fourth annual Facility Champion award is currently open and be submitted at https://www.facilitiesnet.com/lp/champion/. Submissions are free and the deadline for nominations is June 6. Winners will be featured in an upcoming issue of Building Operating Management Interactive, recognized on FacilitiesNet this fall and celebrated during a virtual event.   

Learn more about Cat Antenucci here: https://www.facilitiesnet.com/facilitiesmanagement/tip/2024-Facility-Champion-Catherine-Antenucci-Asks-Questions-to-Further-Results--54256  

The Facilities in Focus podcast publishes bi-weekly. The second season will cover technology within the facilities management space.   

For comments or to be a guest on the Facilities in Focus podcast, please email Mackenna at [email protected].   

Follow us on social media:    

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/facilitiesnetnfmt    

Youtube: @FacilitiesNet    

 X: @FacilitiesNet_NFMT    

Facebook: Facebook.com/FacilitiesNetNFMT 

Welcome back to Facilities in Focus! After wrapping up our first season on emergency preparedness, we’re diving headfirst into season two, and this time it’s all about technology and its impact on the facilities management industry.  

Before we jump into the new season, we’ve got a special tech horror story special for you! 

Host Mackenna Moralez is joined by Michael Kashuba, Shawn Black and Alex Carlson as they share their most embarrassing and horrifying encounters with technology. 

You’ll laugh, you’ll gasp and you might even just feel better about your own tech failures. So, grab your headphones and get ready for a fun preview of what’s to come. Because as we know – in facilities management, nothing ever goes according to plan. 

The second season of Facilities in Focus premieres on June 4 and will publish episodes bi-weekly. 

To comment or to be a guest on Facilities in Focus, please email Mackenna at [email protected]. 

Follow us on social media:  

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In the season finale of Facilities in Focus, Mackenna Moralez talks with Brian Forde Jr., the chief operating officer for Boston Public Schools about the unprecedented operational challenges schools faced during the early days of the COVID-19. He describes the measures that were taken to maintain safety for all students and their facilities and whether or not education facilities are ready for the next pandemic.  

"It wasn’t just about responding to COVID; it was about setting a new standard for resilience and preparedness across our schools," Forde says during the podcast. 

This concludes the first season of Facilities in Focus, but don't worry, we have a few bonus episodes premiering in the next few weeks. The second season will debut in June and will cover technology within the facilities management space.

For comments or to be a guest on the Facilities in Focus podcast, please contact Mackenna Moralez at [email protected] 

Follow us on social media: 

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/facilitiesnetnfmt 

Youtube: @FacilitiesNet 

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Facebook: Facebook.com/FacilitiesNetNFMT 

In this episode of Facilities in Focus, Mackenna Moralez speaks with Maureen Roskoski, Vice President of FEA about her first-hand experience in the Maui wildfires of 2023. Maureen recounts how she was stranded without communication or clear evacuation routes, and how she relied on emergency preparedness practices from her professional expertise in facilities management. Throughout the discussion Maureen offers actionable advice for facility managers to enhance resilience, emphasizing the growing importance of disaster planning amid climate change. 

"Facility managers are often the first responders before the fire and police arrive,” Maureen says during the podcast. “They need to be ready to tackle challenges, from evacuations to managing critical infrastructure." 

To read Maureen’s first-hand account of the Maui wildfires: https://www.facilitiesnet.com/emergencypreparedness/article/Maui-Wildfire-A-First-hand-Account--20148

The Facilities in Focus podcast will publish bi-weekly episodes. The first season will cover emergency preparedness. 

For comments or to be a guest on the Facilities in Focus podcast, please contact Mackenna Moralez at [email protected] 

Follow us on social media:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/facilitiesnetnfmt

Youtube: @FacilitiesNet

X: @FacilitiesNet_NFMT

Facebook: Facebook.com/FacilitiesNetNFMT

In this episode of Facilities in Focus, Mackenna Moralez talks with cybersecurity expert and former FBI operative Eric O’Neill. Eric shares insights of his career and why it is important for facility managers to have strong cybersecurity practices within their operations. 

“Cybersecurity may seem esoteric and mystical, but it’s really just the new battleground between attackers and defenders,” O’Neill says during the podcast. 

The Facilities in Focus podcast publishes bi-weekly episodes. The first season will cover emergency preparedness. 

For comments or to be a guest on Facilities in Focus, please reach out to Mackenna at [email protected] 

In the spring of 2024, the Mount Horeb Area School District in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin prevented an active shooter incident with security processes that they had in place. In this episode of the Facilities in Focus podcast, Mackenna Moralez speaks with Dr. Steve Salerno, superintendent of the Mount Horeb Area School District about the district’s response to the incident, highlighting the importance of preparation and proactive security measures.   

“It’s about being proactive instead of reactive because not having a system in place can lead to unnecessary tragedy,” Salerno says during the podcast. 

To reach out to Salerno about bolstering your emergency preparedness plans, please email him at [email protected] 

The Facilities in Focus podcast will publish bi-weekly episodes. The first season will cover emergency preparedness. 

For comments or to be a guest on the Facilities in Focus podcast, please contact Mackenna Moralez at [email protected] 

2025 marks the 20th anniversary since Hurricane Katrina left a devastating impact on the city of New Orleans. In this episode of Facilities in Focus, Mackenna Moralez interviews Doug Thornton, executive VP of stadiums and arenas at ASM Global, which oversees the New Orleans Superdome. Thornton recounts his experience being at the forefront of opening the Superdome as a place of shelter during the hurricane and reflects on how the community came together to rebuild after the storm had passed.  

“Everybody was impacted, and they were in the proverbial same boat,” Thornton says during the podcast. “For once, it didn’t matter if you were rich or poor, black or white—this tragedy united us."  

The Facilities in Focus podcast will publishes bi-weekly episodes. The first season will cover emergency preparedness. 

For comments or to be a guest on the Facilities in Focus podcast, please contact Mackenna Moralez at [email protected]