In episode 166 of the Asset Champion podcast, host Mike Petrusky welcomes Laura Kuhn, ProFM, FMP, SFP, and Director of Fleet and Facilities Management at Jefferson County Commission, WV. Laura is passionate about creating government buildings that are modern, accessible, and welcoming. Mike asks Laura about her thirty-year career in facilities, and they explore some of the challenges of managing a mixed portfolio of assets, including historic structures as well as newer government facilities. Laura believes that the heart of facility management is the people, not just the technology or infrastructure, and she shares why long-term planning and asset management are essential. Technology, including AI and smart building systems, can improve facilities maintenance, she says. To keep pace with these innovations, continuous learning and professional development are essential for FM professionals, and the IFMA community offers the credentials and networking necessary for growth.
Agenda
- Managing mixed assets, including historic structures and modern facilities
- Planning for long-term asset management in government operations
- Leveraging technology like AI and smart building systems to improve facilities maintenance
- Focusing on people in facility management and serving the community
- Pursuing professional development through IFMA credentials, networking, and continuous learning
What you need to know: Facility and maintenance takeaways
Takeaway 1: Managing mixed assets requires balancing preservation with modern needs
Working with a diverse portfolio of buildings, from historic structures to modern facilities, presents unique challenges for facility managers, especially in government operations.
Laura describes what this looks like for her: “For years our county offices and courts have been scattered across what we call our downtown campus in Charlestown, West Virginia. It’s our county seat. It’s a mix of older buildings that were bought like one at a time as the county grew. It’s a mix and we have our historic courthouse, which is a really, really cool building. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places.”
She also shares the challenges that having a historic courthouse creates: “… so we can’t change anything in there because it’s a historic building. These buildings were built before we had things like the Internet. We have a chandelier that’s in the courthouse that is an electric chandelier now, but it used to be gas powered.”
Takeaway 2: Lack of long-term planning creates operational challenges
Without strategic planning and space management, facilities can become inefficient and fail to serve the needs of employees and the public.
“… it was added piece by piece with no real long-term planning, no space planning, and because of that we’ve ended up with buildings that don’t flow well, security challenges, access issues, and just spaces that aren’t meeting the needs of the public anymore.”
She then explains the process for moving forward, including how Jefferson County’s new renovation project addresses decades of piecemeal growth by consolidating operations into two modern, LEED-certified buildings totaling 150,000 square feet.
Takeaway 3: People, not assets, are the heart of facility management
While the work involves managing buildings, equipment, and systems, the true purpose of facility management is serving the people who use those spaces.
Laura shares her belief that “The real purpose behind all that is taking care of the employees who work in these spaces, the public who walk through the doors, and everyone who uses our county offices and our court facilities. If the assets aren’t managed well, people can’t do their jobs well.”
Takeaway 4: Technology enhances but doesn’t replace the people-centered mission
AI, smart building systems, and other emerging technologies offer powerful tools for facility management, but they serve to support the human element of the profession.
“AI especially is going to help us analyze data faster, spot problems before they happen, and make it easier to make those long-term decisions about the assets. But even with all that technology, I still think the heart of facility management is the people,” she says.
She then adds a powerful reminder: “Technology is the how, but the people are always the why. While I’m excited about the AI and innovations, I still see them as a way to support our mission and not replace it. At the end of the day, facility management is still about caring for the people who rely on these spaces.”
Takeaway 5: Professional development and community are essential for career growth
Laura shares how “the IFMA credential programs were a game changer for me. I took so much away from those courses, but I’d also encourage people to get involved in facility management conferences and communities.”
She emphasizes the different ways professional development delivers value.
“The networking is great, of course, but you also learn so much from hearing how other people solve problems and how they manage their assets and ways they discovered to make their operations run smoother. Staying connected and staying curious and keeping that goal to never stop learning is what keeps us moving forward as a field.”
Maintenance management insights
- Managing a diverse portfolio of historic and modern buildings requires balancing preservation requirements with the infrastructure needs of modern technology and accessibility standards.
- Without strategic long-term planning and space management, facility operations become fragmented, leading to security challenges, access issues, and spaces that fail to serve employees and the public effectively.
- The heart of facility management is people, not assets—buildings and systems serve as the foundation that enables employees to do their jobs and allows organizations to serve their communities effectively.
- Technology like AI and smart building systems offer powerful tools for data analysis, predictive maintenance, and long-term decision-making, but these innovations must support the people-centered mission rather than replace it.
- Professional development through IFMA credentials, industry conferences, and networking provides essential knowledge and problem-solving resources that keep facility managers competitive and continuously improving throughout their careers.
Do a deep dive into more asset management insights by exploring all Asset Champion Podcast episodes.
