Networking Opportunities At IEHA

IEHA is an excellent organization for facility executives looking for business networking and development. Membership includes over 3,500 managers that are responsible for custodial programs in commercial, industrial or institutional facilities, and offers the opportunity for members to learn from each other so that they can improve facility operations.

Benefits of IEHA membership include: leadership opportunities, resource materials, education program designation, employment referrals, and a hotline for technical questions. They also have an online member-only forum.

IEHA also offers an industry-leading certification program. And according to IEHA President Michael Patterson, the benefits are both educational and financial.

“For years, our organization has conducted a salary survey that’s repeatedly shown that individuals who have certification through IEHA earn more than their peers,” he says. “So investing your time and money in networking and continuing education will have a financial return.”

Both networking and education are made easy through IEHA. As members, managers can network with industry experts from around the world either online or at the annual convention and trade show, which also includes educational training.

“You have a lot of folks that you see each year, it’s like a family reunion,” says Keith Smith, assistant to the assistant director of building services, University of Maryland. “You develop contacts, which helps you with leads if you are trying to progress. Not everything is out there in the public sector, so you have to go find it.”

For those members unable to travel to industry events, both networking and educational opportunities are also available through the local IEHA chapters, which meet regularly.