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A golden celebration EFMA commemorates 50 years of excellence By Jillian Mitchell
A 50th anniversary is much to celebrate – and rightly so. Celebrating five decades of success in British Columbia's educational sector is the Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. (EFMA). A collection of guest speakers, workshops, suppliers and other exhibitors will be on-site at the 2014 Conference and Trade Show entitled "50 Years of Excellence – Continuing to Build," which will occur June 2nd to 6th in Penticton. A recognition ceremony of past association presidents is also planned for the prestigious event. "We are in the planning stages, but it's going to be exciting," hints Molly
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Ops Talk • Fall 2013
Shipowich, EFMA executive assistant, of the upcoming celebration. "Our main focus is the conference, and we're working closely with the B.C. School Safety Association to bring sessions together." As Shipowich explains, the annual conference and trade show is an opportunity to gather with other facility managers and to learn about, share, and discuss current issues in the profession. It is a member favourite, she says – and Bob Hardy would agree, wholeheartedly. The EFMA executive director attended his first conference in 1977 and has attended faithfully ever since. As Hardy shares, the association has a flair for
"keeping things fresh," a fact that he cites as one of EFMA's strengths. At EFMA, the benefits go beyond networking, says Hardy: "It's more like a family. If someone has a problem, they don't reinvent the wheel; they can talk to one another. And that's what it's all about, working together. I can go into every school district in the province and I'll know somebody." Hardy's passion for the industry carried through long after his retirement from Haida Gwaii in 2001. It was a passion sparked by the unmatched camaraderie offered by the association. "Anybody who's in education should
