A Message from the President

As I begin my term as CFTA President, I am honored by the opportunity to serve and excited about what lies ahead for our Association.

While I officially assumed the role following our annual conference in August, many of the initiatives highlighted here did not begin with my presidency. They are the result of conversations, planning, and collaboration involving volunteers, Guild leaders, committee members, Board members, Sponsors, Business Partners, and members from across our community. During my term as President-Elect, I had the privilege of helping advance many of these efforts and prepare for what comes next.

One of the most significant accomplishments during that time was the development and approval of our 2026-2030 Strategic Goals & Objectives along with revised Mission, Vision, & Core Values. Together, these efforts provide a roadmap that will help guide future Boards, committees, task forces, guilds, and volunteers while ensuring our work remains aligned with the needs of our members and the institutions they serve.

Before looking ahead, I would also like to recognize the contributions of our immediate Past President, DeVon Miller. During his term, CFTA made significant progress in strategic planning, member engagement, and organizational development. Many of the initiatives discussed in this message began during his presidency and benefited from his leadership, vision, and commitment to the Association. I am grateful for the foundation he helped establish and for his continued support as we move into this next chapter.

One outcome of that process was a renewed focus on how we describe our community and the value we provide. Many members have informally referred to the Association as "CFTA" for years, but our strategic planning discussions highlighted two important realities. First, the name Campus FM Technology Association no longer fully reflected the breadth of our community or the impact our members have within their institutions. Facilities management remains an important part of our foundation, but today's membership includes professionals working across disciplines such as GIS, BIM, CAD, space management, analytics, systems integration, and other information- and technology-focused roles. Second, the name did not fully capture our aspirations for the future.

As our profession continues to evolve, our members are increasingly called upon to do more than manage technology, systems, and data. They help inform decisions, support institutional priorities, and create meaningful outcomes across higher education. We believe our identity should reflect not only who we are today, but also who we aspire to become. We aspire to be the community where professionals come together to share expertise, develop leaders, advance the effective use of information and technology, and help institutions achieve better outcomes.

For that reason, the Board adopted CFTA as our official identity, retiring Campus FM Technology Association as our public-facing name, and introduced a new tagline:

Trusted Information. Informed Decisions. Actionable Outcomes.

This change is about more than a name. It reflects a shared belief that technology is only part of the story. The greater value lies in how information, expertise, and collaboration come together to help our institutions make better decisions and achieve better outcomes.

While our identity has evolved, the foundation of this organization remains unchanged. CFTA continues to be a community built on professional relationships, shared expertise, and a willingness to help one another succeed.

That spirit is one of the things I have appreciated most throughout my involvement with CFTA. As a member, volunteer, Director, President-Elect, and now President, I have been continually impressed by the willingness of our community to share ideas, solve problems together, and invest in one another’s success. The initiatives described here are important, but they are only possible because of the people who make this Association what it is.

That momentum is already visible across the organization. Since the 2026 Annual Conference, we welcomed a new Board member, appointed a new Volunteer Coordinator, welcomed an Interim Vice President, and are launching a new BIM Guild. Together with our existing Guilds, these developments strengthen our ability to serve members, broaden participation, and support the continued growth of our community.

Looking ahead, that commitment to growth and engagement will be reflected in several new opportunities for members and the broader higher education community.

Our annual conference will return to a college campus setting, creating opportunities to learn directly from peers in the environments where they work every day. We are also bringing back campus tours, allowing attendees to experience facilities, technologies, and operational practices firsthand.

Beyond the conference, we remain committed to year-round engagement through Guild activities, Water Cooler discussions, webinars, and other opportunities for members to connect, learn, and share experiences throughout the year.

We are equally excited to launch a new leadership development initiative in partnership with Izabela Miller, founder of Growing Curiosity, speaker, author of The Science of GIS Leadership, and leadership coach. The program will consist of three connected experiences: a webinar this fall, a second webinar in the spring, and a keynote presentation at the 2027 Annual Conference.

The series will be open to both members and non-members, extending these opportunities to the broader higher education community while introducing new professionals to CFTA and the value of our community.

Many of these initiatives are still taking shape, and additional details will be shared in the coming months. I encourage you to stay connected through the CFTA website, member forum, LinkedIn page, Guild activities, Water Cooler discussions, and other Association communications as we continue moving these efforts forward.

None of these accomplishments would be possible without the many individuals and organizations that contribute their time, expertise, and support to this Association. Every committee member, Guild participant, Sponsor, Business Partner, volunteer leader, and engaged member plays an important role in shaping our future.

If you would like to become more involved, I encourage you to reach out to our Volunteer Coordinator, Rae Tournay of Carnegie Mellon University, or complete the CFTA Willingness to Serve Form. Whether your interests include Guild activities, committees, Water Cooler discussions, conference planning, content development, mentoring, or other initiatives, we are always looking for members who are willing to contribute their knowledge, ideas, and experience.

Getting involved with CFTA does not require serving on the Board or becoming an officer. Some of the Association's most meaningful contributions come from volunteers who share their expertise, participate in Guilds, help plan programs and events, contribute content, or simply support initiatives that align with their interests and skills. We believe everyone has something valuable to contribute, and we are committed to creating opportunities for members to engage in ways that are meaningful to them.

One of the strengths of CFTA has always been the willingness of members to step forward, share their expertise, and help shape the future of the profession. I encourage you to consider how you might contribute to our growing community.

We have accomplished a great deal together, but this is only the beginning. With a clear strategic direction, a stronger organizational identity, and an engaged community committed to learning, collaboration, and leadership, I am optimistic about what lies ahead.

Thank you for your support, your involvement, and your commitment to CFTA. I encourage you to stay engaged, participate in the conversations ahead, and help shape the future of our Association. I look forward to working alongside all of you as we continue turning trusted information into informed decisions and actionable outcomes.

Jeffrey Ulricksen
President, CFTA