March 27, 2026 — The ConnexFM National Conference, an annual event for the multi-site facilities management industry, also offers opportunities for career advancement and development. When its members network at The Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, Orlando, FL, April 19-22, 2026, the education sessions also can help attendees improve their career development.
I am attending Connex FM, because I love networking with facility managers and hearing them share their workplace stories. Live events are among the best ways to learn about the challenges faced by colleagues. During Connex FM’s conference, I am attending sessions that address AI, workplace, leadership, breaking barriers, and getting certified, including:
Applied AI: Practical Ways AI is Used in Facilities Management and Commercial Real Estate
Facilities teams are under constant pressure to do more with less, often reacting to issues instead of getting ahead of them. This session breaks down how AI is being used right now in facilities management and commercial real estate to change that dynamic. This learning experience demystifies AI by focusing on four practical capabilities: language, vision, patterns, and action, and how they show up in day-to-day operations. Through real-world examples, you’ll see how AI can build actionable data and continuity from acquisition to operations, and beyond. Speaker: Billy Holder, Founder & CEO, Project Aidra LLC.
Breaking Barriers: Women Leading the Way in Facilities Management
Trace the journey of women in facilities management from the field’s pioneers to today’s leaders shaping its future. This panel will highlight the challenges, celebrate the successes, and spotlight opportunities for women in FM, offering practical, actionable insights to foster diversity and inclusion across the industry. Historically, multi-site facilities management has been male dominated, but women have been breaking barriers and redefining the field for decades. This panel brings together women from different eras of FM to share their experiences, challenges, and triumphs. From the first women who entered the field to today’s leaders driving innovation and change, this session offers a comprehensive look at how women have evolved in FM. Speakers: Shana Santoni, Director of National Accounts, ENTOUCH; Angela Tolmasoff, Director of Retail Facilities & Maintenance, SalonCentric; Elena Boone, Director of Facilities, Guitar Center; and Teresa Phelps, Vice President Business Development – Retiree, MCS Chain Store Maintenance.
From Friction to Function: Boosting FM Performance and Leading Change Through Strategic Partnership
In FM, even strong strategies fail when partnerships break down. Competing priorities, mixed messages, and cultural misalignment between owners, operators, suppliers, and service partners quietly erode performance long before costs or service levels reveal friction. Can anything be done in advance? Join this session with your partner. You’ll explore a real life scenario of a strategic partnership on the verge of collapse. Together, examine what actually shifted the relationship and what it means for your partnership. Speaker: Natasha Todorovic, Co-founder, Spiral Dynamics.
The Asset Management Journey: From Reactive to Proactive for Maximized ROI
Discover how today’s most forward-thinking multi-site organizations are transforming real-time service data into actionable insights — driving visibility, predictability, and digital continuity across the full asset lifecycle. In this fireside chat, Efficio’s Tom Kay will lead a discussion with industry leaders on how asset owners are leveraging field data, AI, and smart service workflows to minimize reactive maintenance, extend asset life, and deliver measurable ROI. Speakers: Sid Shetty, Chief Customer and Business Officer, Service Channel; Ryan Martineau, Co-Founder and CEO, Specifx Data, Inc.; and Brian Nay, Director of Field Services/Store Support Center, RaceTrac.
Kick off your White Belt Certification journey with a two-hour, interactive workshop designed specifically for facility management and commercial real estate professionals. Participants will engage in hands-on group activities focused on boosting employee engagement, identifying and fixing broken systems, and generating innovative, actionable ideas for their organizations. This session is the first step in a four-part program that continues with online courses culminating in certification awards at the October Mid-Year Conference. Speakers: Doug Hall, Founder, Eureka! Ranch & Innovation Engine, and Allen Randolph, Sr. VP of Customer Solutions, Kaivac, Inc.
