Getting Back to Work: Preparing Buildings for Re-Entry Amid COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic spread quickly across the United States in February and March forcing cities to impose stay-at-home and shelter in place orders. Building operations had to adjust as non-essential personnel worked from home. We are now preparing for a phased re-occupancy of office buildings over the coming months. BOMA International assembled a task group from across North America to help owners and managers prepare for what is coming. The co-chairs of that task group will provide an overview of the comprehensive guidance document BOMA produced covering the health and safety of building personnel, tenants, visitors and contractors and healthy and safe building operations, systems, and management practices. They'll share the task group's best thinking and suggested best practices for social distancing and use of personal protective equipment (PPEs), safe use and occupancy of elevators, security, HVAC, janitorial, plumbing and water, tenant communications, building personnel, risk management and insurance, legal issues and more.

Learning Objectives:

1. Create a building re-entry plan for your properties that protects the health and safety of building personnel, tenants, visitors, and vendors and contractors.

2. Develop steps and strategies for implementing and communicating your plan to tenants, vendors, suppliers, and building personnel to ensure a safe and smooth transition back to the workplace.

3. Identify resources for information and updates on COVID-19 response, including federal, state, and local government and regulatory bodies, as well as public health agencies.

4. Describe BOMA International's recommended best practices for building re-entry, based on the experience and best thinking of industry practitioners from across North America.

Tina Haubert, MBA

VP of Operations and Asset Management, Mann Enterprises

Tina Haubert is Vice President of Operations and Asset Manager for Mann Enterprises, Chicago, IL, responsible for ensuring operational excellence across a diverse national portfolio of offices, retail shopping plazas, parking, and telecom facilities.

Prior to joining Mann Enterprises in 2014, Tina was Managing Director of Global Accounts with the Executives Club of Chicago, and held several positions with Jones Lang LaSalle, including: Compliance Manager – Corporate Services; Director of Operations – Energy & Sustainability Services; and Senior Vice President, National Product Manager – Investor Services.

Ms. Haubert earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and an M.B.A in Finance and Business Ethics from Loyola Graduate School of Business. Tina is a member of BOMA International’s National Advisory Council, a forum of the major national and regional real estate firms in North America.

Tom Gille, BOMA Fellow

Principal, REAL Systems

Tom Gille has over 40 years of experience in commercial real estate. In 1996 he formed REAL Systems where he worked with management and service firms in the design and implementation of their strategic planning and performance improvement programs. In addition to his role as principal at REAL Systems, he was named Chief Operating Officer of CAC Real Estate Management Company in 2005. Prior to starting his own firm, Mr. Gille was Vice President of Asset Management at Catellus Development Corporation. His responsibilities included overseeing the property management and joint venture operations for the company’s entire portfolio.

As a noted trainer, he has lectured on maximizing property operations, strategy development and risk management as well as for industry organizations such as IFMA, BOMA, BOMI, CCIM, IREM, ULI, and NAIOP.

He is the author of numerous articles on negotiations, risk management, property operations and performance improvement. He is a licensed real estate broker and has also held positions as president of the Bay Area chapter of the Institute of Real Estate Management, director of the San Francisco Association of Realtors, director of the Building Owners and Managers Institute International (BOMI), and president of BOMA San Francisco and BOMA California.

Mr. Gille served for many years as an instructor at local colleges and universities in the San Francisco Bay area. He received a B.A. and M.A. in political science from San Francisco State University. His graduate study was in the field of constitutional law.

Patricia M. Areno, CAE (Moderator)

Senior Vice President, BOMA International

Patricia Areno is Senior Vice President with BOMA International where she oversees the association’s staff divisions. Ms. Areno has worked on many important projects and programs for BOMA, including the latest guidance document on building re-entry amid COVID-19. Before joining BOMA in 1990, Ms. Areno held management positions with the Professional Insurance Agents Association, the New York State Nurses Association, and the Health Systems Agency of Northeastern New York, where she directed education, conferences, public relations, and communications. Ms. Areno earned a B.A. degree from the University at Albany and is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) through the American Society of Association Executives.