“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” At least that’s how the adage usually goes. In more recent times, however, a desire to break from convention has prompted a new conclusion: “If it ain’t broke, break it — then start over and make it better.”
Organizers for the upcoming Facilities Midwest Expo have opted to borrow from both axioms for the event, which returns to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill., Sept. 18 and 19.
“We knew we wanted to offer our attendees the same high-quality conference content at no cost,” says director of education Wendy Loerch. “That wasn’t about to change. But we wanted to enhance the amount of information available, increase networking activities and give our attendees more in-depth learning opportunities.”
With that in mind, several popular features of the 2006 inaugural event will return in 2007:
As for what’s new at Facilities Midwest, a special afternoon session has been added to Wednesday’s conference schedule:
The Disaster Experience for Facility Executives. Not for the faint of heart, this session led by Bob Mellinger of Attainium Corp., puts participants in the throes of a real-life disaster situation as it unfolds. Attendees will be asked to make the critical decisions any organization will have to make and deal with the consequences of those decisions. Facilities Midwest has arranged for a discounted price of $49 for online registrants. The exercise takes place Wednesday, Sept. 19 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
“This is an exceptional value and a great opportunity for Facilities Midwest attendees,” says Loerch. “This tabletop exercise demonstrates potential weaknesses in an organization’s disaster plan — before a disaster actually occurs.”
With the exception of the $49 Disaster Experience, all other sessions and exhibit floor access is free.
