Planned Companies unveils new green O.R.A.C.L.E. facility in New Jersey

Planned Cos. unveiled its O.R.A.C.L.E. facility, one of the first hands-on real estate and "green" educational and training centers in N.J., following the ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening celebration at the company's headquarters at 150 Smith Rd. On May 19, Planned Cos. held a ribbon cutting celebration which included a keynote address by mayor James Barberio, who expanded on the many positive contributions that Planned has made towards "green" awareness. He also stressed the importance of professional development through continued education. "With businesses such as Planned implementing sustainable initiatives, Parsippany has earned the distinction of the very prestigious Sustainable Jersey Certification in its first year, becoming one of the 28 towns out of 240 registered municipalities," said Barberio. "Green initiatives in the workplace are not only a great way to reduce costs and increase efficiency, but they help to protect the environment as well. Green buildings, especially those with LEED certification are the wave of the future and we commend Planned for taking these initiatives," he said. The event kicked-off with welcoming remarks by Planned president and CEO, Rob Francis, were given to the 100 guests in attendance, including representatives from companies such as Grubb and Ellis, Ivy Realty, Valley National Bank and Fox Rothschild, as well as other elected officials, such as Chamber of Commerce president Robert Peluso and town council members Michael dePierro and Vincent Ferrara. Additional speakers at the event included Peluso, Michael Mendillo, president, Wentworth Group, who discussed the synergies between Planned Cos. and Wentworth Group in their commitment to education, professional development and sustainability, as well as Graceanne Welsh, director of education and development, Wentworth Group, who expounded on the importance of giving back to associates in order to ensure that they have the tools and services necessary to be the best at what they do. "O.R.A.C.L.E.'s primary mission is to elevate the real estate management and service industry, raise the bar on training and education, positively impact asset values and enhance our collective understanding of the basic building functions through promoting education, safety, and overall tenant/resident satisfaction," said. Francis. The acronym O.R.A.C.L.E. represents the companies' core values: owned by the students (O), responsible to the environment (R), actively seeking a better way (A), client centered in results (C), limitless in possibility (L) and excelling at being the best (E). The facility is 2,000 s/f and is comprised of 16 workstations, which were created by experts in their fields, such as a green cleaning and maintenance station, a residential security gatehouse station, a concierge/front desk station, multiple stations on basic functions, preventative maintenance and maintenance of building components, space to review LEED certification steps and processes, which illustrate the benefits of implementing green initiatives at the workplace, and twenty (20) work bays equipped with laptops to access Planned's Online School of Professional Development, a virtual school that was launched in June of 2009, which offers Planned associates and professionals training on more than 3,000 courses, from tutorials on Microsoft Office programs like Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel to classes on business communications, such as interviewing, customer service, new-business presentations and administering effective meetings. In addition, the facility has a 20+ seat training room for webinars and instructor lead courses, that together with the 16 workstations provide hands-on training across all service lines offered at residential and commercial developments in the areas of green cleaning, security, maintenance, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, and education. "O.R.A.C.L.E. is about green practices and sustainability, which is demonstrated through our modules and stations energy-saving simulations, non-toxic and biodegradable green cleaning, maintenance practices, and much more,"said Francis. "Incorporating our commitment to accountability, responsiveness to clients and a focus on customer service, O.R.A.C.L.E. further illustrates our dedication and passion for the industry." About Planned Companies Planned Companies is passionate about providing the most accountable and professional service for its valued clientele. The company is differentiating itself from the competition through its commitment to service and its belief that the right attitude can make a positive difference for its tenants and residents. With four generations of experience, Planned Companies, comprised of Planned Security Services, Planned Lifestyle Services and Planned Building Services, offers its clients the unparalleled consistency and quality of service required for corporate, commercial/retail and residential properties. In 2010, Planned Companies received the Vision Optimas Award from Workforce Management magazine in recognition of its unique and innovative business infrastructure. Planned was also named a finalist of the NJBiz Business of the Year awards program in the 100+ employee category. For more information about Planned Companies, please contact Mary Kusen at [email protected] or visit the company's website at www.plannedcompanies.com.