2025 CONFERENCE PROGRAM
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
FACILITIES EXPO CONFERENCE
| Time | Name | Speakers | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, April 8, 2026 | |||
| 8:50 AM - 9:50 AM | Session 01: Lighting 101 -- Lighting your Facility with Quality and Efficiency | Benjamin Buchanan , Executive Vice President - LA Lighting | The speaker will discuss two of the most important aspects of a lighting system: its quality and its efficiency. In discerning quality, he will give an in-depth review of the components of a lighting fixture that contribute to its function, helping identify what a facilities manager should focus on for insuring quality in their lighting systems. From hard metals, to electronic components, sensors and battery systems; how to tell the mark of a fixture that will last, and one that won’t. Next, a deep dive into what makes an LED system efficient: from LED board types, LED generations, and LED binning, to driver efficiencies and fixture efficiencies. |
| 8:50 AM - 9:50 AM | Session 02: Emergency Preparedness in the Workplace | Jannine Wilmoth , Emergency Manager - Anaheim Fire & Rescue, Emergency Management Division | Emergencies and disasters in Southern California can happen any time and anywhere. From earthquakes and wildfires to power outages, severe weather, and unexpected workplace disruptions, every organization faces risks that can impact safety and operations. This presentation will explore practical steps you can take now to strengthen your personal preparedness and demonstrate how those same principles apply in the workplace – showing how individual readiness, simple planning actions, and a culture of preparedness contribute to a safer, more resilient organization. The speaker also will share information and resources to help organizations not only prepare for disasters but also respond to them effectively and support long-term recovery. |
| 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | Session 03: A Look at San Bernardino Valley College’s Award-Winning Green Building Projects | Keith Bacon , Vice President of Administrative Services - San Bernardino Valley College Farrah Farzaneh , Executive Director of Facilities Planning, Sustainability and Construction - San Bernardino Valley College Abel Favela , Associate Director, Bond Program Planning and Construction - San Bernardino Valley College | In this session you’ll hear about the impressive green building achievements of San Bernardino Valley College – which received awards from the U.S. Green Building Council at its annual Green Gala in California in 2024. The College’s accomplishments include the Career Pathways 2 project, a state-of-the-art facility designed to earn Zero Net Energy, LEED Platinum and Envision Gold certifications. In the College’s Technical Education Center, advances include solar thermal chimneys and real-time performance monitoring, which keep the center’s energy costs to a minimum. Gain valuable information that can help you improve your own facility’s energy management. |
| 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | Session 04: Ensuring Proper Fire Extinguisher Service and Minimizing Your Liability | David Bergman , President - Mobile Fire Extinguisher, Inc. | This session will discuss how to confirm you are meeting the fire extinguisher service requirements of the California Fire Code. Included will be a checklist you can use when dealing with fire extinguisher service companies to ensure you receive service as directed by the Code. Also discussed will be recommended proof of insurance requirements for contract service companies to minimize your liability from improper maintenance should it occur. Gain information that can protect you and your facility. |
| 11:10 AM - 12:10 PM | Session 05: Building a Security Culture: Empowering Teams, Tenants, and Managers | Mario Gaggioli , Chief Operating Officer - Guard-Systems, Inc. Ivan Villegas , CPP/Chief Security Officer - UCLA Office of the Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer | This session, featuring speakers from BOMA Los Angeles, will explore how to build a strong security culture grounded in situational awareness, proactive training, and shared responsibility among managers, security teams, tenants, and stakeholders. The speakers will outline how to design effective training programs, ensure that guards take ownership of their role, and engage tenants in ways that strengthen readiness. From fire/life safety drills to tools for recognizing suspicious activity, attendees will learn how to make security a mindset rather than a momentary state of mind. This session provides practical strategies that facilities can implement immediately to protect people, property, and operations. |
| 11:10 AM - 12:10 PM | Session 06: National Electrical Code (NEC) Compliance – And a Look at 2026 Changes | Greg Rogers , Regional Director - NFPA | Involved with electrical systems in your facility? Don't be isolated from knowledge and information that will help reduce risk from electrical systems. This presentation will help you with National Electrical Code (NEC) compliance. Learn about free code access and resources available to you. You will also understand the NEC system and significant changes to the 2026 edition of the NEC recently incorporated by reference into the California Electrical Code. |
| 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM | Session 07: Smart Retrofits and Future-Proofing: Prioritizing Upgrades for Sustainable Facilities | Robert Hagstrom - Southern California Edison | As facilities age, strategic planning becomes critical to ensure long-term performance and sustainability. This session will explore how to prioritize retrofits and upgrades, sequence repairs and replacements for maximum impact, and integrate benchmarking and retrocommissioning into your roadmap. Attendees will gain practical insights to future-proof existing buildings while optimizing energy efficiency and operational resilience. |
| 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM | Session 08: Management presentation – description to come | Description to come. | |
| Thursday, April 9, 2026 | |||
| 8:50 AM - 9:50 AM | Session 09: NFPA 70B – What the Current Electrical Maintenance Standard Involves and How to Comply | Michael Scalzo - AAA Facility Services; Consultant for National Lighting Contractors Association of America | In 2023, the National Fire Protection Association updated its NFPA 70B, which outlines proper electrical maintenance -- changing it from “recommended practice” to a “standard”, thereby making compliance required. In this presentation, the speaker will describe essential steps needed to develop an electrical maintenance program in accordance with the NFPA 70B standard. This includes: well-documented procedures, meticulous records, thorough personnel training, and a structured plan for routine inspections, testing, and corrective actions based on the condition and significance of the equipment. Find out what you need to know to ensure your company's compliance and safety. |
| 8:50 AM - 9:50 AM | Session 10: The Basics of Occupational Safety and Health Requirements for Facilities Managers | Raul Guzman , Director-OSHA Training Institute Education Center - College of Continuing and Professional Education, California State University Dominguez Hills | This session will provide an overview for facilities managers of occupational safety and health requirements they need to know. Topics include an overview of Cal/OSHA requirements, components of an effective Injury Illness Prevention Program (IIPP); recommendations for implementing a safety and health program, and worker training requirements. This presentation will be valuable for managers and supervisors working in facilities of all types. |
| 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | Session 11: Facility sustainability presentation – description to come | Description to come. | |
| 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | Session 12: Reliability-Centered Maintenance – the Tool for Achieving Advanced Facilities Management | Mike Gehloff - Allied Reliability | Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM), the maintenance management strategy originally developed in the 20th century by the airline industry to assure the reliability of jetliners, has for several decades been utilized by well-run facilities as an advanced maintenance management tool. This presentation will provide an introduction to RCM principles and to the comprehensive, risk-based approach to facilities management that RCM provides. The speaker will describe the transition from reactive and time-based maintenance strategies to proactive, condition-based methodologies that optimize asset performance, safety, and cost-efficiency. The presentation also outlines the RCM decision tree, aligning maintenance actions with regulatory standards (such as NFPA), and highlights the importance of continuous improvement, training, and data-driven decision-making. Case studies also will be included. The information can help move your facility to a very improved level of efficiency |
| 11:10 AM - 12:10 PM | Session 13: Practical Building Decarbonization, Electrification and Energy Conservation | Brian Stern , Director of Energy/Vice President - Glumac Zoe Roberts , Associate Senior Energy Consultant - Glumac | This session will present practical applications for building decarbonization through electrification and energy, focused on lowering utility expenses, improving occupant experience, and reducing long-term maintenance needs. The speakers will discuss practical applications for electrified building technologies including how to integrate decarbonization measures into typical project delivery methods and end-of-life equipment replacements. Collaboration between project management, engineering and facilities services – both during planning, design, construction and commissioning – is critical to driving cost effective decarbonization retrofits that reduce ownership. The session will leave attendees with information on best practices and lessons learned from completed projects. |
| 11:10 AM - 12:10 PM | Session 14: Wildfire Impact Prevention, Response, and Recovery for Facility Managers | Franco Seif , President/CEO - Clark Seif Clark, Inc. | This presentation provides facility managers with practical strategies to protect buildings, occupants, and operations from wildfire threats. It covers key prevention measures, emergency response procedures, and post-wildfire recovery actions tailored to facility environments. Attendees will learn how to assess wildfire risk, harden facilities, coordinate with local agencies, implement effective evacuation and communication plans, and restore operations safely after an event. The session equips managers with actionable tools to enhance resilience and ensure business continuity in the face of increasing wildfire hazards. |
| 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM | Session 15: Facility Tour of the Anaheim Convention Center | Zubair Serang , Facility Maintenance Manager - Anaheim Convention Center | The guide will provide a comprehensive perspective of operations at the Anaheim Convention Center, focusing on the strategic execution of utility management, preventive maintenance and predictive maintenance. The ACC is a LEED-certified 1.8-million-sq-ft facility, which is comprised of over 1 million sq ft of exhibit space, a 7,500-seat Arena, 94 meeting rooms of 352,000 sq ft total, 138,000 sq ft of ballroom space (one is 38,000; another is 100,000), 176,000 sq ft of pre-function lobby space, and over 200,000 sq ft of outdoor event space. The campus is serviced by 6 mechanical plants with 15 heavy tonnage chillers supplying nearly 10,000 tons of cooling, all maintained and serviced in-house. Included in the tour will be information on maintenance operation strategies, along with an outlook for the future. |
| 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM | Session 16: Special Film - Thermal Imaging in HVAC: Theory and Practice | Facilities engineers and maintenance professionals who work with HVAC systems can benefit from learning about proper thermal imaging theory and practice, which is the focus of this informative video. The film, originally one of the sessions in the 2023 HVACR Symposium produced by The HVACR School, features instructors Eric Kaiser and Bill Spohn of TruTechTools. They highlight the uses and limitations of thermal imaging to set realistic expectations for application. Thermal imaging is especially useful for making temperature comparisons because it helps users visualize the temperature differences between multiple points. The film presents a wealth of helpful best practices information. | |
As of 2012, the Green Building Certification Institute allows individuals with LEED Professional credentials to report any education related to green buildings to the Institute for continuing education. Upon request, Facilities Expo will send a certificate of completion for sessions on green building topics to any LEED Professional who requests one for GBCI documentation purposes, as long as they make the request at the conclusion of the class session, and as long as their badge was scanned.
