Key Takeaways:
Facilities management has long been associated with keeping buildings running, but today's facility managers are increasingly expected to influence organizational strategy and support long-term financial performance. As aging infrastructure and growing technology investments place new demands on organizations; facilities professionals are finding themselves at the center of critical business decisions.
Brandon McCullough, facilities manager at the Charter Township of Northville, believes the profession's evolution presents an opportunity for managers to demonstrate their value in new ways. He will explore this and more in his session “Selling the C-Suite: Strategies to Get Projects Done and Increase Your Influence” at NFMT West in Las Vegas from November 3 to 4.
FN: What needs to change for facilities management to be recognized as a strategic partner that influences business performance, risk management and organizational goals?
Brandon McCullough: That's actually something I've been battling throughout my career. I went to school for construction management, and the typical path is ending up with a builder — commercial, residential or working for a large corporation. What I didn't want was a career where I had to move all over the country every time a project ended. My path ended up being a little different, and it helps explain why I feel the way I do about facilities management today.
I graduated with a construction degree in 2007-2008, which was obviously a terrible time economically, especially in Detroit. I literally couldn't find anything. I had an expensive degree, student loans and eventually landed a job with Habitat for Humanity. Long story short, it was a great experience. I drove an hour and a half each way to make $36,000 a year, but the experience I gained was immense.
From there, I never would have imagined I'd end up in facilities management. Then the City of Novi was hiring a facilities manager. I applied knowing almost nothing about the field other than having a construction background and had built houses. In college, I also did some apartment maintenance. That was probably the worst job I've ever had, but it was baptism by fire and taught me what I didn't want to do for the rest of my life.
When I got to Novi, there really wasn't a facilities program in place. The person I replaced was more of a support role operating out of City Hall. Every department — police, fire, public works, even leased facilities like the ice arena — handled things differently. There were all these facility-related processes, but there was no coordination, no consistency and everything was siloed.
I was basically handed a blank slate and told, "Create something."
I've always been a fairly innovative person, so I jumped in. A lot of my learning came from making mistakes, getting back up, and figuring things out. Within a year, I had standardized services and processes in place. What that experience taught me is that when you really look at the financial health of any organization, facilities play a massive role.
If you own a portfolio of real estate, some of your biggest expenses are energy, HVAC systems and all the infrastructure that keeps buildings running. It's a lot of the non-sexy stuff. Everybody likes flashy projects, new technology, cool apps or whatever the latest trend is. But if a boiler goes down in one of your buildings, or your heat pumps fail because nobody was doing preventive maintenance, that's where the real costs show up.
I think one of the biggest trends we're seeing is the evolution of the facilities profession itself. The old "cowboy generation,” the guys hiding in the boiler room with a wrench, is giving way to a much more technology-driven role. Today, our HVAC systems are online. We can monitor and adjust temperatures remotely. Buildings are becoming smarter.
As a result, facilities teams are finally being viewed more like information technology departments and less like the stereotype of the janitor sitting in the back room. That's important because the role has become much more strategic.
Another major factor is the aging infrastructure. Leadership teams are realizing they aren't necessarily the subject matter experts when it comes to major capital projects and equipment replacements. A lot of buildings are still running boilers and systems from the 1970s and 1980s. Organizations need professionals who can guide those decisions from start to finish.
Giving facilities leaders more responsibility helps the bottom line. It improves forecasting, reduces surprises and creates long-term savings. A professional facilities management program doesn't just save money on future capital improvement projects; it also drives energy conservation, helps organizations adopt new technologies and improves workplace environments for employees.
I think a lot of companies outsourced these functions for years and are now realizing that having accountable, in-house facilities professionals can actually be more cost-effective.
At Northville Township, every year I put together an ROI report showing the projects we've completed in-house. I compare what we spent against what it would have cost to hire outside contractors. It's important to demonstrate the value and the savings we're generating.
At the end of the day, a lot of these decisions come down to money, especially in the private sector. I'm fortunate to work in the public sector, where we're focused on serving the community. The leadership team here does a very good job of listening during budget discussions and making sure we're investing appropriately so we're not chasing our tails later on.
FN: How can facilities management leaders better connect facility performance metrics to business outcomes and return on investment?
McCullough: The way I've always approached it is pretty straightforward, and honestly, sometimes it can be a little scary. In the municipal sector, we're forecasting 10 years out, so every budget cycle I might have 10 to 20 major capital improvement requests. If I have something that's about to fail or create serious risk for the organization, I don't sugarcoat it. I spell it out.
I'll say, "Here's what happens if we don't replace this."
I understand that a boiler or an air handler isn't exciting. It's not the kind of project that gets people fired up. But if that piece of equipment fails in the middle of winter, and we're already dealing with higher deferred maintenance costs because parts are obsolete, here's what it's going to cost us, and here's the risk we're taking by waiting.
Unfortunately, a lot of facilities professionals walk into a boardroom and simply say, "We need to replace this because it's dying." Then leadership responds, "Well, make it work."
I think what separates successful facilities leaders is accountability and the courage to have honest conversations in a professional way. You don't walk in demanding money. You walk in with a compelling argument.
You explain, "These are the costs we've incurred over the last three years. This is why replacement is necessary. This is the return on investment of a new unit."
When you start speaking the language of business and finance, stakeholders are much more likely to respect your recommendation. If you walk in and say, "I need a new boiler because somebody told me we need one," you're not going to have much leverage. You're not building trust.
But when you have clear documentation, supporting data and a realistic explanation of the risks involved, it not only protects you, but it also helps decision-makers understand the situation. Most of them don't know what a boiler does, what an air handler does or what risks come with aging infrastructure. That's our job to explain.
One other piece of advice: simplify it. Don't get overly technical. A lot of people don't know this about me, but I'm also a city councilman in a fairly large city in Metro Detroit. On that side of the table, I'm one of the stakeholders. I'm part of the decision-making process.
I can tell you that many elected officials and executives have no idea what facilities professionals are talking about when they start diving into technical terminology. If you start talking about valves, motors, pumps and equipment specifications, you're probably going to lose your audience.
Instead, educate them. Take them on a walkthrough. Bring them into the boiler room. Take them up to the penthouse mechanical space. Show them the equipment. Explain what it does and why it matters.
I think that goes a long way toward earning trust and respect. Once people understand the issue, they're much more willing to provide financial support for projects that are critical to the organization, even if they're not the kind of projects that end up on the cover of the annual report.
FN: What do you think will be the most important takeaway from your session?
McCullough: If there's anything I'd want people to take away, it's probably two things.
First, take a 1,000-foot view of whatever you're trying to propose to the C-suite or executive leadership. Make sure you have a compelling story, but don't rely on the story alone. Back it up with analytics and hard data. Show the numbers. Show the trends. Show exactly why you're recommending something.
Then clearly communicate the severity of the risk involved. That's what gets people's attention. Decision-makers need to understand not only what you're asking for, but what happens if they choose not to act.
I still remember a situation in Novi involving an old township building. We submitted a service improvement request for about $20,000 to address lead-related issues. At the time, EPA requirements meant that because of the age of the building, we had to assume lead was present and follow the appropriate procedures.
The request was denied.
I remember hearing some of the elected officials asking why it was so expensive. They didn't want to spend the money. Then, about a year later, materials started deteriorating and chipping. Suddenly, everyone wanted to know why we hadn't warned them.
That was probably the easiest email I've ever had to send because I was able to pull up the documentation and show them exactly where we had identified the issue, explained the risk and requested the funding. By that point, it became an emergency project, and if I remember correctly, it ended up costing about 20 percent more than what I had originally budgeted.
The lesson is simple: document everything. Present the issue. Explain the risk. Back it up with data. Make your case professionally and clearly. Too often, facilities professionals either get too technical or assume everyone understands what they're talking about. Most people don't. Your job is to make the issue understandable and actionable.
The second thing I'd tell people is don't sell yourself short. If you're the subject matter expert and you've done the research, stand behind your recommendation. Sometimes people will ask, "Is there a cheaper way to do this?" Maybe there is. But if you know that a cheaper option isn't the right solution and it's not going to meet professional standards, don't compromise just to get approval.
Because if you agree to a shortcut and it fails later, the responsibility is still going to come back to you. Hold your ground. Be accountable. Use analytics to support your recommendations. Most importantly, don't advocate for anything that falls below the professional standard simply because it's the easiest path forward.
To learn more about earning that seat at the leadership table, be sure to check out McCullough’s session at NFMT West 2026 this November. Register for West here.
Jeff Wardon, Jr., is the assistant editor for the facilities market. With more than three years of experience, he covers topics including technology, wellness, sustainability and emerging industry trends.
