Greater Buffalo BOMA has presented its annual awards saluting the personal and personnel accomplishments of member firms. Recognizing that the success of outstanding buildings is based on outstanding service and contributions of the people who run those buildings, each year Greater Buffalo BOMA presents the Faces of BOMA Awards at the annual Christmas Party. This local association of BOMA International salutes the following members for their contributions to and improvement of the commercial property management industry.
For outstanding service as Vendor Member of the Year, Greater Buffalo BOMA recognized Michael Farrell, of Constellation Energy. An active and energetic member of BOMA for the past nine years, Farrell has worked on such committees as the annual Trade Show committee, The Office Building of the Year (TOBY) Awards, and golf committee. He is chairman of the Trade Show committee for 2009, and has new ideas and outstanding goals for this event. Farrell is also a member of BOMA/Rochester.
Another individual saluted at the Faces of BOMA awards is Timothy Curtis. Employed by Engineered Facility Services (EFS), he has served as chief engineer to key clients, providing outstanding technical and mechanical services wherever needed. EFS has been a member of Greater Buffalo BOMA for the past couple of years, and was pleased to nominate Curtis in recognition of his services.
In the category of Property Manager, the Faces of BOMA Award was presented to Alvin Grabowski of Ciminelli Development Corp. From stationary engineer to chief engineer to property manager to his current position as director of property management, Grabowski has proven his leadership skills. He has consistently demonstrated exceptional commitment to customer service, whether dealing with owners, tenants, associates or contractors. Throughout Grabowski's career both locally and in Syracuse, he remains active with BOMA while achieving his FMA and RPA designations, and eventually teaching various BOMI courses. For those that have had the honor of working for or with Grabowski, they know that he is the consummate teacher. He is always willing to mentor and share his experience, wisdom and knowledge with his team. Most recently Grabowski earned the designation of LEED Accredited Professional. Applying this education while attending to his responsibilities as property manager has allowed Grabowski to consistently exceed the expectations of his customers.
The next award given during the evening's festivities was the Distinguished Service Award, given to a BOMA member in recognition of their outstanding contributions over the past year, and their support of Greater Buffalo BOMA. This Award was presented to Maryjo Courtin, FMA. Courtin started her career in the commercial property management industry five years ago. Being new to property management and its unique challenges did not slow her down, she assumed her duties with enthusiasm. With a keen eye for detail and outstanding organizational skills, Courtin set about establishing herself as a role model in this field. Excellent customer service is a hallmark of her work with the tenants at the Lafayette Court Building in the downtown area.
As time progressed and her responsibilities expanded, Courtin decided to further her professional qualifications, and pursued studies from the BOMI Institute, ultimately obtaining her FMA designation. Courtin also joined BOMA, and became a strong advocate for the associations' values and objectives. She obtained a seat on the board of directors, and joined the golf committee as the chairman. Her dedication and accomplishments were immediately noticed, as she oversaw one of the most successful golf outings in the history of the association. Many happy attendees agreed it was an outstanding event. Courtin's next focus for BOMA will be to co-chair the trade show, scheduled to run in the spring of 2009. And while all of this was going on, Courtin became a grandmother for the first time!
The final acknowledgement for the evening was to salute the Building of the Year for Greater Buffalo BOMA. This award is given to the most innovative WNY commercial real estate project that demonstrates the use of technology and creation of a pleasant work environment. It recognizes building management for their commitment to the local community through measures to conserve energy as well. The project is recognized for promoting "green" strategies thereby reducing the impact on the environment. The award was presented to Iskalo Development's Electric Tower at 535 Washington St.
One of the most recognizable buildings on the city's skyline, the Electric Tower originally opened in 1912, and was patterned after the Tower of Light from the 1901 Pan American exposition. When Iskalo Development acquired the Electric Tower in 2004, the company took on the responsibility of restoring a highly recognizable building with a history that has mirrored that of the city. Built during the city's run as one of America's largest and most progressive cities, the building, through a series of changes over the years, lost some of its original luster and had become functionally obsolete by today's standards. After 18 months of planning and design, 15 months of construction and over $18 million of investment, this property is now prepared to participate in downtown Buffalo's renaissance.
Greater Buffalo BOMA salutes all of the recipients of this year's Faces of BOMA Awards, and looks forward to even more recognition next year. Tags: