2023 Awards of Excellence Winners, Other Honorees Announced

IFMA’s Annual Awards Celebrate the Stand-out Achievements of Association Members, Chapters and Councils, and Corporate and Industry Partners

IFMA announced the recipients of the 2023 Awards of Excellence today at its World Workplace^® Conference and Expo in Denver, Colorado, USA. IFMA’s annual awards recognize exceptional contributions to the association, outstanding examples of facility management initiative, and innovative FM projects, practices and solutions.

Held on the closing day of the conference, the awards ceremony was hosted by IFMA Fellow and past IFMA Board Chair (2009-10) Thomas L. Mitchell, Jr., CFM. Current IFMA Board Chair Dean Stanberry, CFM, SFP congratulated recipients and acceptors on stage.

“Thousands of IFMA members and volunteer leaders around the world are ready and able to serve. We share our expertise, ideas and tips freely. We write articles, author books, educate, instruct, mentor and innovate. We apply our talent and skills to benefit our chapters and councils, students and young professionals, fellow FMs and the association itself. We don’t do it for recognition, but it is gratifying when recognition is received. Today, we offer that appreciation,” said Mitchell.

Stanberry awarded IFMA EMEA Managing Director Lara Paemen with the 2023 Board Chair Citation for her leadership in elevating IFMA and FM throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa; for aligning IFMA’s European chapters to a global standard, providing each with a deeper sense of purpose and connection to the association; and for her vision and enterprise as a co-producer in reinventing World Workplace Europe to be of the utmost interest and benefit to European FMs. “She is the face, heart and soul of IFMA in EMEA,” said Stanberry.

In addition to EMEA, Canada, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as several U.S. states were represented by this year’s honorees.

IFMA’s Awards of Excellence winners were recognized in 14 categories. Nominees were scored individually across a variety of category-specific criteria by judging panels comprised of industry experts. Recipients of the IFMA Foundation’s Board of Trustees Awards were also honored, announced and congratulated by Foundation Chair Regina Ford Cahill.

Immediately following the awards presentation, attendees were captivated by closing keynote speaker Erin Brockovich, environmental activist and consumer advocate.

Learn more about IFMA’s Awards of Excellence at awards.ifma.org.

IFMA’s 2023 Awards of Excellence Winners

Distinguished Author Award: Book
Lisa Whited
“Work Better. Save the Planet: The Earth-first Workplace is Good for People, Great for Business”

Distinguished Author Award: Research Paper

Roger C.K. Law
“COVID-19: Research Directions for Non-clinical Aerosol-generating Facilities in the Built Environment”

Distinguished Author Award: Social Media

Delia Burl
SCLogic

Chapter Award of Excellence in Web Communications

Greater Phoenix Chapter of IFMA

Emerging Professional Award
Richard Gunpat
Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago; Vice President, Trinidad and Tobago Chapter of IFMA; Board Member, IFMA Environmental Stewardship, Utilities and Sustainability (ESUS) Community

Associate Member Award
Matthew Korytko
New York City Chapter of IFMA

Facility Management Innovation Award
ThermaClear®
ECM Technologies

George Graves Award for Facility Management Achievement

JLL Work Dynamics

The Sheila Sheridan Award for Sustainable Facility Operations and Management
ESFM / Compass Group USA

Distinguished Educator Award
Shukri Habib

Student Chapter of the Year Award
Greater Phoenix Student Chapter of IFMA

Council of the Year

Public Sector Facilities Council of IFMA

Chapter of the Year, Small Chapter

West Michigan Chapter of IFMA

Chapter of the Year, Large Chapter

Greater Toronto & South Central Ontario Chapter of IFMA

IFMA Foundation Trustees Awards

Individuals and groups who not only answer the call to make a difference but create dynamic opportunities through inspired projects and programs are recognized each year by the IFMA Foundation Board of Trustees.

Global Workforce Initiative of Excellence

Denny Mulgrew and Brian Holt of Sodexo
Irene Thomas-Johnson of Jones Lang LaSalle
Tony Pucci and Angela Johnson Culver of ABM
Luis Morejon of Newmark

Community Involvement of Excellence

Edgar Montezuma

Global Workforce Initiative Partnership of Excellence

Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency and Office of Economic Development and Opportunity – Goodwill of Denver

IFMA Foundation Component of Excellence

New York City Chapter of IFMA

IFMA Foundation Volunteer of the Year

Brent Ward, FMP, SFP