Meet the Facility Manager – Brian Anderson of CBRE
How did the facility manager for Nissan’s corporate headquarters get into facility management? You’ll find out in this edition of our Meet the Manager series.
In this article, you’ll meet Brian Anderson, senior facility manager at CBRE who is responsible for Nissan’s corporate headquarters in Franklin. Brian will share his story and give you insight into the facility management trends he is seeing.
We are always excited to feature our clients and this interview is no exception. We’re thrilled to introduce you to Brian and the great work he does for CBRE.
Meet Nashville Facility Manager Brian Anderson
What is your role at CBRE?
I am the Senior Facility Manager for the Nissan Account in Franklin, Tennessee.
How large is your facility (sq. ft.)? In other words, how much space do you manage?
The Nissan Headquarters location is 550,000 square feet, but I manage a few million square feet across the Southeast.
How did you get involved with facility management?
Through my father and fate really. I wanted to be in the automotive field, but I had a bad experience with the unions in Chicago and needed a job. I had experience in working building maintenance (as it was called back then) with my dad and a friend had an opening for a maintenance tech at a local medical center.
What is the biggest challenge you face in your current role?
Traffic! Driving the 26 miles each way to work can take over an hour – routinely.
What has been your biggest success story in your current role?
Really, just getting here. My role on the AIG account was ending exactly when a role on the Nissan account came available. I was very fortunate to land here!
What is your best piece of advice to others in facility management?
Find a balance in everything that you do, be it work play or home and don’t forget to take time for yourself!
What’s your favorite part of your job?
The variety of work that I do. I always say that I go from “boiler room to board room”, and that is absolutely true.
What’s unique about your specific role with your company that may be different from another facility manager’s role?
CBRE has incredible resources to support facility management! The wealth of knowledge here is amazing. If you need to know something, ask! There’s always a way to find it.
Describe what a day in your role looks like.
I typically have a jam-packed schedule – from the time I arrive till when I leave with little down time.
How does having a clean building help your business?
It shows how the business cares about the work environment that their employees work in. It’s only natural, people want to work in a clean building!
How does preventative maintenance create value for you or your business?
Preventative maintenance extends the life of everything in a building!
How has DPM Care’s service impacted your business?
DPM is incredibly reliable yet flexible enough to manage a changing schedule as needed.
What is the biggest facility management trend you are seeing right now?
The flexibility for where people can work – the impact of big data and electronic mobility is having a huge impact on every work environment.
Thank you for sharing with us, Brian!