Founded in 1980, IFMA is the world's largest and most widely recognized international association for facility management professionals, supporting 24,000 members in more than 100 countries. This diverse membership participates in focused component groups equipped to address their unique situations by region (134 chapters), industry (16 councils) and areas of interest (six communities). Together they manage more than 78 billion square feet of property and annually purchase more than $526 billion USD in products and services. To meet its mission to “advance the professional discipline of facility management worldwide,” on an annual basis IFMA: Offers professional advancement through credentialing programs and provides a range of educational courses, from entry-level programs to those for highly experienced facility managers. Produces World Workplace, the world’s largest series of facility management conferences and expositions, and Facility Fusion, a more intimate gathering of FM professionals with powerful networking and a fusion of education, leadership training, best practices and an exposition. Conducts research that strengthens the knowledge and skills of FM professionals while advancing the FM profession. Produces industry-leading publications, including magazines, newsletters and blogs, and maintains the Knowledge Library, a robust online collection of resources reviewed by FM content experts.