Affineco Recognizes
Arturo Munoz as Employee of the Month
By Susan Minichiello
Through his exceptional
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work, along with his considerate and respectful manner, Arturo Munoz has earned the honor of Affineco Employee of the Month. Arturo came to the United States from Colombia in 1995 and first began working for Premier Maintenance, a division of Affineco, shortly after his arrival. Since October 2007, Arturo has worked as a part-time maintenance cleaner at St. Vincent's Hall-Brooke building in Norwalk, Connecticut. In addition, he cleans the Merritt Federal Credit Union on the Wilton-Norwalk line one day a week. Previously he worked at Perkin Elmer in Norwalk. Since joining Premier, Arturo has continually demonstrated dedication to his job and provided a high level of service to clients.
"Arturo is a consistent cleaner who is always polite and helpful," said Premier District Manager Richard Perry, Arturo's supervisor. "He's an all-around good guy with a great personality."
The people who work in the buildings Arturo cleans echo these sentiments. In fact, one person was so impressed that she felt compelled to send a letter to Richard commending Arturo.
Maggie Dunford, who works at St. Vincent's Hall-Brooke building, wrote that Arturo keeps the Hall-Brooke building "in wonderful, pristine condition" and has a "very caring, thoughtful and pleasant manner." She also said, "Arturo appears to take great pride in what he does, going the 'extra mile' and ensuring that everything is spotless!" Maggie detailed examples of Arturo going the extra mile, including one occasion when he noticed her car had a nearly flat tire and warned her immediately. "I honestly believe Arturo's alertness and concern saved me from a potentially dangerous situation especially since I don't have a cell phone and would have been stranded on the highway or worse, suffered an accident," she wrote. Maggie was thrilled to hear that Arturo is being recognized for his outstanding work and attitude.
For his part, Arturo says that he truly enjoys every aspect of his job. He is happy about the great relationships he has formed with the people at Hall-Brooke and says that he really takes pleasure in his interactions with the staff there.
Arturo lives in Norwalk, Connecticut. He has two children--one boy and one girl--who live in Colombia.
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BOMA Southern CT Events
September 2
3rd Annual Charity Fishing Tournament, Clambake and Summer SocialJoin your colleagues on the open seas as BOMA Southern CT hosts its 3rd Annual Charity Fishing Tournament, Clambake and Summer Social. The Fishing Tournament is on a first-come, first served basis: A limited number of boats are available. The cost to sponsor a boat is $950.00, which covers: fishing for four people (equipment included), snacks and beverages, and the clambake following the tournament. If you'd like to attend the Clambake/ Summer Social only at 4:00 p.m., the cost is $55 for Members, $75 for Non-Members. This year, BOMA Southern CT will donate a portion of the proceeds from this event to the Make a Wish Foundation, a charity for children with life-threatening medical conditions.
12:00 to 4:00 p.m. Fishing Tournament
4:00 p.m. Clambake/Summer Social
Stamford Harbor Park
333 Ludlow Street
Stamford, CT
SAVE THE DATES
October 7
TOBY Awards Gala
The Inn at Longshore
Westport, CT
December 2
Holiday Social
Carriage Barn Arts Center
New Canaan, CT
www.soctboma.org
BOMA Greater Hartford Events
September 23
Monthly Meeting
Presented in partnership with IFMA, BOMA Greater Hartford will host its September meeting at The Phoenix Companies, Inc. headquarters in Hartford. After an hour of networking and refreshments, attendees will tour the facility, known as the "Boat Building." The building is a major architectural landmark and an exceptionally significant example of the Modernist architectural style. It is just the second building in Connecticut to be awarded Silver-level LEEDŽ certification for existing buildings (LEED-EB) by the U.S. Green Building Council and is also the first New England office building to be both LEED certified and on the National Register of Historic Places.
5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Registration & Networking
6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Tour
The Phoenix Companies, Inc.
One American Row
Hartford, CT
Members $35
Non-Members $45
www.bomahartford.orgFor more information and to register for all BOMA events, please contact Sharon Moran at smoran@ssmgt.com or 860-243-3977.
 IFMA-Hudson Valley Events
SAVE THE DATE
October 27-29
IFMA's World Workplace 2010 Conference & Expo
IFMA's World Workplace Conference & Expo is the association's signature event and is backed by 30 years of IFMA knowledge, experience and a commitment to quality. IFMA's World Workplace welcomes professionals representing all aspects of the work environment--facility management, real estate, IT, HR, engineering, architecture, design, security and other related industries. If you play a role in assessing, planning, designing, implementing and supporting workplace programs that directly impact the bottom line, then you have a lot to gain from a three-day investment in World Workplace.
Georgia World Congress Center
Atlanta, GA
For more information and to register, please visit IFMA's World Workplace Conference & Expo.
For more information on all IFMA-Hudson Valley events, please visit the online calendar. |
Thank you for taking the time to read Greenings.
We'd like to know what you think. If you have suggestions for future newsletters or comments about this issue, you can contact me directly.
Best Regards,
Matt Ellis
Publisher
matt@ellisstrategies.com
877-278-6560
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Dear ,
It certainly has been a busy summer. First, let me begin by sharing with you the exciting news that both Premier Maintenance and United Services successfully completed the CIMS / CIMS-GB Certification process with Honors. In addition to this honor we take great pride knowing we are the first Connecticut-based company to achieve this accreditation. It would not have been possible without the combined efforts of all our employees. Through the certification process we expanded our expertise and knowledge and learned more about what our customers are truly looking for in a service company. This process has demonstrated how we are evolving into a greener, more energy-sustainable company. This movement is contagious and we congratulate one of our clients, The Darien Library, who has achieved the honor of receiving the LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
Congratulations to our entire team, and a special thank you to Beth Mahon and Julie Jansen for helping to compile all of our information!
Thank You!
Michael Diamond, CBSE
President
Premier Maintenance, Inc. |
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Premier and United: First in Connecticut to Achieve New "Standard" of Excellence
By Susan Minichiello
Premier Maintenance and United Services--divisions of Affineco--have proven once again they are a cut above the competition: Each division is now certified to ISSA's Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) and CIMS-Green Building (GB). Both Premier and United received the additional designation of Certification with Honors. No other Connecticut-based company has ever earned CIMS-Green Building certification.
 Premier President Michael Diamond says this extraordinary achievement demonstrates a commitment to excellence and provides an opportunity for advancing green cleaning solutions. "In today's tough economy, CIMS helps us better serve our clients by reducing costs while improving efficiency," said Diamond. "The added value of the Green Building Standard emphasizes how vigorously we are advocating with clients for sustainable processes such as less water usage, less energy usage and more recycled-content products."
CIMS is the first comprehensive management and operations standard targeting the essential elements of a well-run, client-centered cleaning organization. It aims to advance the professionalism and enhance the reputation of the industry. Administered by ISSA, The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association, CIMS and CIMS-GB were developed through a true consensus process involving input from technical committees representing all sectors of the industry.
"We have always been focused on surpassing industry standards. Since 1968 we've been members of BSCAI. Now, because of our membership in ISSA, we're able to bring more resources, more knowledge and more value to our clients," said Diamond.
The Standards provide a framework for cleaning organizations to set themselves apart in the marketplace and validate their management and operations, while providing customers with a method to quantify whether the organization they hire is professional and capable of meeting their demands. Any company can claim to be high-quality, client-focused and capable of delivering a comprehensive green cleaning program, but CIMS and CIMS-GB certification offer independent third-party validation of such claims. In addition, as the shift from cleaning for appearance to cleaning for health accelerates, CIMS and CIMS-GB allow organizations to prove the key role they play in protecting public health.
"We are acutely aware that how we clean a facility and what kinds of products we use in that facility are critically important to the health of the people who work there. We were pleased this element of cleaning was a component of the CIMS certification process," said United Services President Paul Senecal.
CIMS applies to an organization's management, operations and performance systems. The five core sections of the Standard are: quality systems; service delivery; human resources; health, safety, and environmental stewardship; and management commitment. CIMS-GB is an optional sixth dimension that focuses on the delivery of environmentally preferable cleaning services. CIMS-GB certification demonstrates an organization's commitment to sustainability and its ability to assist clients in achieving LEED-EBOM points, offering clients assurance that the organization they select is prepared to partner with them in the LEED process.
Certification with Honors is the highest designation available to those who comply with CIMS and CIMS-GB, indicating that an organization meets 100 percent of the mandatory management requirements and at least 85 percent per section of the recommended elements.
"This designation is important to anyone purchasing cleaning services," said Bill Garland, former BOMA National President. "It distinguishes the company as a firm that has gone through a rigorous review of all of its internal systems to merit the CIMS and CIMS-GB certification. This includes quality programs, human resource management, customer communication, pricing, product selection and many other factors."
To become CIMS- and CIMS-GB-certified, Premier and United staff worked tirelessly to conduct a comprehensive internal review to ensure compliance with the certification requirements and adjust deficient policies and procedures accordingly. Each division submitted thorough documentation supporting its compliance. An independent, third-party assessor then performed an on-site review of each division's systems, processes and documentation, ultimately recommending both Premier and United for CIMS and CIMS-GB Certification with Honors.
"The team here did a remarkable job preparing for the CIMS assessment. It was doubly gratifying for us to earn Certification with Honors," Senecal said.
"Pursuing and achieving these certifications enabled us to take a lot of the processes and procedures we already performed and document them to create consistent standards across our companies," said Diamond. "That consistency boosts not only the quality of our services but also the efficiency of our operations at every level, giving clients--both new and old--even more confidence that they've made the right decision choosing us to meet their cleaning and green cleaning needs."
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Darien Library Gets the Gold
Darien Library |
Geothermal heating is probably not the first thing you associate with a public library, but then the Darien Library is not your typical library. Opened in January 2009, the library is a model of energy efficiency, sustainability and best practices in building and maintenance. And now, the Darien Library has received LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It is the first public library in New England to earn LEED Gold.
"We consider ourselves a successful business that happens to be a library," said Alan Gray, Assistant Director-Operations for the Library. "During the planning for this building we set a goal to get LEED certification because we wanted to demonstrate that we were committed to the future of our community."
Gray says the library knew early on they needed to partner with a green cleaning service company. They checked around and were referred to United Services.
Alan Gray, Darien Library Assistant Director - Operations, with LEED Gold award |
"We started working with the Darien Library a year before it opened to fully understand its needs and its goal of LEED Gold Certification," said United Services President Paul Senecal. "By getting in so early in the process we were able to integrate our green cleaning offerings into their plan for achieving certification. Subsequently, when we started service we were fully on board to support their program."
"They have more than met our expectations," said Gray.
Since its opening, the Darien Library has received rave reviews from the media and the community. According to Gray, it is one of the busiest libraries in the country and has been ranked in the top ten by Hennen's American Public Library Ratings
"The Darien Library is remarkable because it is intrinsically sustainable. The sustainable features are embedded within the architecture of the building and the landscape architecture of the site," said Peter Gisolfi, Principal, Peter Gisolfi Associates of Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, who led the design team.
Some of those features are:
- Geothermal wells used as both heating and cooling source
- Located on a Brownfield site and incorporated water conservation on site for grey water usage with the building
- Automated material handling; eliminates wasted effort by staff
- Designed to utilize natural light and reduce electricity
- Built with locally sourced bricks and slate
The Darien Library was built at no cost to taxpayers. Gray says the $24 million price tag was covered by private funding. He calls it a gift to the community of Darien and an investment in its future.
"We are honored to be a part of Darien Library's achievement. Their commitment to the community and the environment will hopefully serve to inspire other institutions when they design or renovate a building," said Senecal.
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Building Owners and Managers Join Emergency Preparedness Effort
By Matt Ellis
When a gunman opened fire at Hartford Distributors in early August, building owners, property managers and civic leaders all had to wonder if their facilities were prepared to deal with a crisis of this capacity. On average, over 500 work-related homicides occur each year in the United States according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics. But this is only one kind of potentially catastrophic incident for which officials need to plan.
 "If you're only preparing for weather-related emergencies these days you're not really well planned," said Ellie Sgritta, a property manager for RFR Realty, LLC, which manages seven Class A commercial properties in Stamford, Connecticut. "The idea that after 9/11, we still have inadequate planning is scary."
In March, Sgritta and other members of BOMA Southern Connecticut and BOMA Greater Hartford attended a seminar on emergency preparedness for workplace violence and other incidents presented by Joe Donovan of Beacon Capital Partners in New York. After that seminar, Premier Maintenance President Michael Diamond volunteered to chair a new committee on emergency preparedness for BOMA's Connecticut chapters.
"I really think BOMA should have a role in formulating a plan that brings the public and private sectors together in the event of an emergency," said Diamond who is joined on the committee by BOMA members Sgritta, Nancy Gell, Jodi Gutierrez, Jim Kalamajka, Gene Kisken, Steve Korf, Mike Liebensohn, David Monson, Deb Smith, Jeff Trell, Lee VanDeusen and Mike Wanik.
One of the group's first steps was to meet with the Director of Operations for the City of Stamford, Ernie Orgera to begin the process of determining how the entities can work together. Diamond says similar meetings will take place with other cities in the region.
"In an emergency situation, or even when there are major traffic tie-ups, the cities should be communicating directly with the big office buildings in town so information can be passed on to the thousands of people at work there," said Diamond. "We have talked with security firms who tell us that one of the biggest problems they face during an emergency situation is rumors resulting from bad communication."
The committee aims to produce a template all building owners and managers can use to detail their own emergency procedures. They are modeling their efforts after the San Francisco BOMA group which has fostered a close relationship with that city's Department of Emergency Management (SFDEM). As a result, BOMA has a seat at the SFDEM's emergency operations center--the central hub that aggregates information from all public agencies and private entities in the event of a crisis.
"We want to be sure we have the best plans in place in case something should happen," said Sgritta. "We've reached out to other cities that are in the process of creating plans, and that has been really helpful."
The committee will update BOMA members at the Greater Hartford chapter's meeting on September 23. According to Diamond, the committee will conduct a simulated exercise during which each table will play the role of an individual building and will be presented with an emergency scenario to play out.
Sgritta says she is looking forward to that meeting and the reactions from the larger group. "Whenever you bring up emergency preparedness you get different perspectives, and it's important for us to see all of those," she said.
"We are looking to find the exposures we all have and come up with contingency plans to deal with them," said Diamond. "We have some really experienced people working together on this plan and hopefully we will have a workable plan to share with our members."
Photo courtesy of: www.runtogold.com.
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Premier Maintenance, Inc.
360 New Haven Avenue
Milford, CT 06460
(p) 203-878-0638
(f) 203-874-6024
United Services of America
2001 West Main Street
Stamford, CT 06902
(p) 203-542-0450
(f) 203-874-5078
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