Staying connected and knowledgeable is important in any industry, and the contract furniture industry is no exception. Today, we will provide a brief overview of the many important associations in our industry so you can decide which ones make the most sense for your team to be involved in.

IFMA: The International Facility Managers association is the worlds largest and most widely recognized association for facility management professionals. The organization is over 40 years old and has members in over 106 countries around the world.

CoreNet Global: An American non-profit corporate real estate association based in Atlanta, Georgia. CoreNet is the thought leader in corporate real estate benchmarking, workplace, and infrastructure management. The organization represents executives in 50 countries who manage the real estate assets of large corporations.

CREW: The Commercial Real Estate Women Network. This professional association for women in the CRE profession creates programming focused on business networking, social and educational programs and the advancement of women in commercial real estate. 

IIDA: The International Interior Design Association. This organization supports design professionals, industry affiliates, educators, students, firms, and their clients through a network of over 15,000 members across 58 countries.  

AIA: The American Institute of Architects, is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image. 

ASID: The American Society of Interior Designers also support the design community in the United States. This organization works to advance the profession and communicate the impact of design on the human experience. 

DIFFA: The Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids. This organization raises awareness and grants funds to organizations that provide treatment, direct care services, preventive education programs and advocacy for individuals affected by HIV/AIDS.  

USGBC: The U.S. Green Building Council, which is committed to a sustainable, prosperous future through their LEED accreditation, the leading program for green buildings and communities worldwide. The USGBC mission is to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built, and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life.

So, as you can see, there are many organizations where you can connect, grow and learn. So much opportunity to better yourself, your industry and your world.