APPA comprises six regions: CAPPA, ERAPPA, MAPPA, PCAPPA, RMA, and SRAPPA. Each region holds an annual meeting in the fall that provides institutional members with professional development opportunities and business partners a chance to engage with members on various levels. Following are conference reports from each region. Learn more about APPA’s regions and chapters.
Luis Morales, University of Texas at El Paso
[email protected]
cappedu.com
Greetings from far-West Texas,
Our 2024 joint CAPPA/MAPPA conference in St. Louis was hugely successful. The effort to plan and execute this conference was massive. We were fortunate to have some outstanding facilities folks from CAPPA and MAPPA to lead us through it. They exemplified what we want APPA to be. Their goal was to produce a valuable, positive, and memorable experience for all who attended. We received many compliments about the conference, and by the way, the latest numbers indicate that the conference came in a little in the black.
CAPPA is actively promoting membership throughout the region. Our membership vice president has gathered data lists from inactive members and institutions that have never been members of APPA. We are confident that his plan to develop and promote “what we do” will yield results.
Our professional development committee has also been very active this fall. By understanding what our clients are looking for when joining CAPPA, we can focus our continuing education offerings throughout the year. Whether it is Toolkits or boutique conferences, they are ready to tailor the seminars to what our colleagues are asking for to be better facilities managers.
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The biggest news this fall is that our board voted to have our mid-year meeting the weekend after the April 2025 APPA Spring Conference in New Orleans. This will allow our board to attend the conference. Opening the opportunity to rub shoulders with our APPA colleagues will make our board better, helping them bring back best practices and ideas from other APPA regions.
We believe collaboration with other boards is very important. With the help of our new APPA leadership, we wish to propose setting aside time for a roundtable with members from other regional boards who may be at the conference. We would like to invite APPA’s President/CEO to join us at the roundtable.
Happy Holidays to all. Have a blessed Christmas Season.
Luis Morales is associate director of facilities services at The University of Texas at El Paso as well as CAPPA president for 2024–25. He can be reached at [email protected]
Jessica Abbott, Wolcott Public Schools
[email protected]
erappa.org
2024 was an exciting year for ERAPPA and its local chapters! Here are a few highlights of some of the biggest changes that happened in our region last year:
OCAPPA
The ERAPPA chapter once known as OCFMA formally changed its name to OCAPPA (Ontario College APPA) and updated its logo at its annual general meeting. OCAPPA is the local chapter for Ontario’s 24 community colleges.
SNEAPPA E. Lander Medlin Leadership Award
Southern New England APPA (SNEAPPA) created the SNEAPPA E. Lander Medlin Leadership Award in January 2024. This award will be awarded to a proven, enthusiastic leader in Connecticut, Massachusetts, or Rhode Island who seeks consensus and shows enthusiasm, leadership qualities, and positivity around facilities at educational institutions. Candidates must also contribute to either SNEAPPA, ERAPPA, or APPA. The award will be accompanied by a stipend to assist the recipient in further growing in leadership in any capacity they desire.
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Merger of SUNY/PPAA and NYAPPA
Two parallel organizations within New York—SUNY/PPAA and NYAPPA—have now merged with a full and robust Board of Directors under NYAPPA, thanks to the leadership of Juanita Larrabee. Before the merger, NYAPPA represented public and private institutions across the state, and SUNY/PPAA was comprised exclusively of public institutions.
ERAPPA Newsletter
ERAPPA relaunched its newsletter in June, which is now published quarterly. Past issues can be viewed here: https://issuu.com/erappa. Thank you to our VP for Technology & Communications, Jason Sawyer, for pulling this together, and to Arthur Walsh, a past president of ERAPPA, who helps edit each edition.
ERAPPA E. Lander Medlin Educational Scholarships
Lander Medlin, former president and CEO of APPA, served as the APPA liaison to ERAPPA for many years. Before joining the APPA staff, she was also an ERAPPA region native. At the awards banquet during the ERAPPA 2024 Annual Meeting in September, it was announced that the regional scholarship program had been renamed the ERAPPA E. Lander Medlin Educational Scholarships. This was done in honor of her dedication and commitment to the field of facilities management during her 30-year tenure as president & CEO of APPA, Leadership in Education Facilities.
As an educator, Lander has led her field, believing that continual education is not just about learning, but also empowering and elevating oneself. As a leader, she led with the belief that the quality of academic programming is directly related to the quality of the educational facility. These scholarships will be given to deserving individuals demonstrating a similar desire and enthusiasm to continue their professional development through regional and national programs to better their facilities and development as leaders.
Jessica Abbott is director of facilities for Wolcott Schools in Wolcott, CT, and regional director for ERAPPA. She can be contacted at [email protected].
Ally Kosur, Illinois State University
[email protected]
mappa.appa.com
Welcome to MAPPA!
On behalf of the Board of Directors recently installed at the CAPPA/MAPPA Joint Conference in October 2024, we want to welcome you and wish you the best in the new year.
Our board is comprised of the following individuals:
President: Nicole Corll, senior associate director, Kent State University
Vice President: Jeremy Johnston, director of physical plant, John Carroll University
Secretary: Dan Ridgway, director of operations, Kent State University—Satellite Facilities
Treasurer: Jim Klaiber, consultant, Independent Firm
Regional Director, APPA: Brandon Baswell, service manager, Michigan State University
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Professional Development Chair & Conference Coordinator: Dawn Aguilera, business operations manager, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Communications Chair: Adam McLimans, business systems analyst, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Conference Coordinator: Michelle Holstege, facilities services administrative assistant, Grand Valley State University
Membership Chair: Ally Kosur, data & reporting analyst, Illinois State University
Awards & Recognition Chair: Vacant
Business Partner(s): Vacant
All of us are excited to serve in our roles and welcome in the new year, hoping to better our institutions, region, and profession. As a Board, we have been revamping our website, communications, and by-laws over the past year to increase efficiency and transparency. This year’s main goal is to keep our momentum from last year going and continue that growth. Specifically, we would like to expand our offerings by providing the content and support that best serves you and our membership.
Suggestions or Ideas?
We are always looking for new members and ways to engage our membership. If you have any suggestions or ideas or would like to become more involved, please reach out to Ally Kosur at [email protected]. Additionally, if you have ideas for content or a feature story, we would love to hear from you. Please reach out to Ally at the above email.
Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to another year together!
Ally Kosur is the data & reporting analyst at Illinois State University and the membership chair for MAPPA. She can be reached at [email protected].
Christopher McConnell, University of Alaska
[email protected]
pcappa.org
Over 200 professionals attended the Pacific Coast APPA (PCAPPA) 2024 Regional Conference, held October 21–23, 2024, in Spokane, Washington. The event was a monumental success, with robust attendance, enthusiastic sponsor engagement, and impactful presentations dedicated to enhancing professional growth and building community connections.
PCAPPA 2024 Highlights
The 2024 conference highlighted the importance of resilience in the face of challenges, fostering collaboration across institutions, and driving innovation in higher education. The event’s success set a high bar for future gatherings.
Other notable events for 2024 included supporting multiple supervisor toolkits throughout the PCAPPA region, in addition to webinars and local chapters hosting professional development “drive-thru” workshops.
Looking Ahead: PCAPPA 2025 Conference
Building on the momentum from 2024, PCAPPA is now setting the stage for the 2025 conference to be held in San Jose, California on October 19–21, 2025. Themed “Shaping the Future: Innovations in Sustainability & Resilience,” the conference aims to address the pressing challenges faced by educational institutions, focusing on environmental, financial, and operational sustainability.
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Proposed tracks for the 2025 conference include the following:
Innovation and Leadership in Climate Action
- Implementing renewable energy and reducing carbon footprint
- Integrating sustainability into academics
- Collaborating with communities and industry
Financial Sustainability Amidst Revenue Shifts
- Managing deferred maintenance and infrastructure upgrades within budgets
- Optimizing space use
- Using technology for cost savings and forecasting
Building a Sustainable Workforce and Operations
- Tackling recruitment challenges
- Partnering with vocational schools and unions
- Enhancing efficiency through technology and training
Stay tuned for more details about the 2025 conference. In the meantime, please stay connected with PCAPPA through our website, participate in our engaging webinars, connect with your local chapters, and consider volunteering with us. We look forward to meeting you in the new year.
For more information, visit our website or find us on social media.
Christopher C. McConnell is director of facilities, planning & construction at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, and serves the PCAPPA board as chair of membership & community engagement. He can be reached at [email protected].
Timm Lyons, Brigham Young University—Idaho
[email protected]
rma.appa.org
The Rocky Mountain Region of APPA (RMA) is looking forward to the upcoming year! Exciting things are happening regionally, nationally, and internationally, and we encourage you to participate in it all.
On that note, please save the date for our next annual conference in September 2025, hosted by Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. Look for more information by email and on our website soon!
As we begin 2025, we would like to share the President’s Message from RMA’s new President, John Herrera from Arizona State University.
Dear RMA Colleagues,
I am humbled and honored to serve as your next President of RMA. Coming off the heels of a great 2024 conference at New Mexico State University, I am both energized and focused on building upon this great organization. Over the course of the year, we will work together to grow our membership, deliver outstanding professional development programs, expand networking opportunities, and strengthen our current state chapters while working to establish additional state chapters. My goal is to strive towards improving the delivery of RMA’s excellent resources to all our members.
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My ask of you is to get involved. RMA is positioned to foster collaboration through webinars, 14ers Club mentoring program, professional development scholarships for RMA and APPA training and conferences, and networking opportunities to share knowledge and empower each other to achieve personal and institutional goals. Consider being part of the Board of Directors and/or attend the RMA annual conference—it is a great opportunity to share your experiences to support collaboration and support our member institutions throughout the region.
I want to thank the RMA membership and the Board of Directors for allowing me to serve as your RMA President. I truly believe in collaborating, learning, and supporting one another. RMA provides perfect teaching and learning opportunities and supports invaluable networking amongst our colleagues and RMA’s tremendous Business Partners.
I encourage you to take full advantage of RMA as a platform. Share your experiences, learn from one another, and build upon this extraordinary community of facilities and business professionals dedicated to solving problems and improving our campuses.
Warmest Regards,
John Herrera, MPA, CEFP
2024–2025 RMA President
Timm Lyons is the university operations systems coordinator at Brigham Young University–Idaho and serves the RMA as the communications coordinator. He can be reached at [email protected].
Solomon Franklin, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
[email protected]
srappa.org
SRAPPA Leads to Inspire!
The Fall issue of the SRAPPA Newsletter includes a Women in Facilities Summit feature, the SRAPPA Member Spotlight—Susan Piguet, and a recap of the VAPPA 2024 Conference and Leadership Summit. In addition, this year’s SRAPPA President, Jeff Benjamin, shares his message for the 2024–2025 year.
