Erik Lind Elected President of IFMA DFW Chapter
This summer, APEX Vice President of Strategic Accounts Erik Lind was elected president of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) Chapter. A long-term member, Erik has previously served on the chapter’s board of directors as secretary, second vice president and first vice president. He also has served on the FMexpo, Awards, and Sustainability committees. In 2015, he was named the IFMA DFW Chapter Associate of the Year.
We sat down with Erik to learn more about his plans as president and why he thinks IFMA is an invaluable resource for today’s facility management professional.
Q. Congratulations on being elected president of the IFMA DFW Chapter! Why did you decide to run for this position?
As a proud member of the IFMA DFW Chapter for almost 20 years, I have had the great privilege of meeting and learning from a wide variety of leaders in the local facility management community. Their dedication to the advancement of facilities professionals, business partners and the chapter as a whole has been nothing short of inspiring. I believe I can continue that tradition and aim to inspire the next generation of industry leaders.
Q. What are your goals as president of the chapter?
Our goals as a board and as an organization are simple: Network, have fun, and provide opportunities for learning and advancement—and do it consistently.
Q. When and why did you first become involved with the chapter?
I have been a member for just over 18 years. What compelled me to first get involved was the ability to meet like-minded people. I was at a point in my career where I was transitioning into a business development role, and I realized I knew few people in the industry who were not already clients.
Q. The chapter hosts a variety of events each year. What's your favorite event (and why)?
The tours, happy hours, seminars and golf tournament are all amazing events that are put on by our great volunteers. We always have an exceptional time full of laughter. For me personally, though, the most rewarding events are those that allow us to get together and perform a community service. These are great opportunities to actually get to know fellow members on a personal level while giving back to our local community.
Q. What do you believe are the biggest challenges for facility managers today, and how can IFMA help?
The biggest challenge today is the constant flow of change and uncertainty. Over the last few years, facility managers have juggled things like building shutdowns, personal protective equipment (PPE) sourcing, mask mandates, vaccination reports, voluntary office returns, mandatory office returns, hybrid workforces, reductions in required lease space, rising costs and more. The list is long and daunting, but facilities professionals excel under pressure. They are natural problem-solvers who are energized by challenge. IFMA helps by bringing the community together to share best practices and successes. In addition, the service and product providers involved with IFMA, especially the Corporate Sustaining Partners such as APEX, are committed to delivering exceptional value and service to their clients. Many business partners even obtain facility management credentials like the Facility Management Professional (FMP) and the Sustainability Facility Professional (SFP) so they can serve as better resources.
Q. In your opinion, what is the most valuable benefit of being an IFMA member?
As the world’s largest and most widely recognized association for facility management professionals, IFMA has over 20,000 members in various stages of their careers. I believe the most valuable membership benefit is the ability to connect with these other members. IFMA is able to capture, foster and grow the collective knowledge base of its membership through consistent and engaged communication, thereby empowering its members to be tremendous assets to their companies.