Lori Tiedeman of Lafranchi Architecture & Development wins Facilities Manager Award
North Bay Business Journal
“It takes a ‘go with the flow attitude’ and good instincts to be a good facility manager. Every day is different and problems pop up without warning so you must remain calm, be flexible and be adept at prioritizing.”
Professional background:
Prior to joining Lafranchi Architecture & Development in 2005, my career included 28 years in banking and real estate. 24 of those years were spent at Exchange Bank. My varied positions and work experience in customer service, purchasing and facilities, training, bank administration, branch management, and my four years in real estate laid the groundwork for my current success today.
Education: Ursuline High School and Santa Rosa Junior College.
Number of people who report to you: One
Describe the facilities you oversee:
Currently, I oversee a 20,000 sf multitenant office building in downtown Santa Rosa and a 27,000-square-foot single-tenant building in Windsor
Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I was born and raised in Santa Rosa. My husband, Steve, and I loved the area so much that we remained here to raise our two sons, Tyler and Zac. I love spending time with my family and friends and I enjoy working for Lafranchi Architecture & Development. We also have the cutest dog named Spanky.
What do you see as the role of the facilities managers within your organization?
My role is to provide a safe, comfortable and professional environment for my tenants so they can focus on their business and clients. At the same time, I have a fiscal responsibility to ensure the properties create long term value for the building owner by keeping operational expenses down, the rent roll full and keeping the buildings and properties well maintained.
What is the achievement you are most proud of?
Along with ensuring that the building structure and systems are maintained and operating in a way that produces optimal operating results, I also market and lease the office spaces. We have 40 tenants and it has been very rewarding to me to have an extremely low vacancy rate with minimal turnover over the course of many years. I also take pride in the tenant compliments letting me know how nice the building looks.
What product or service would/or is helping you do your job more effectively?
I always appreciate my vendors and service providers, so I would have to give them credit for helping me do my job more effectively. A good vendor/service provider is worth their weight in gold. I depend on them to give me good recommendations and to perform their work in a reliable and timely manner at a fair price. I really enjoy the relationships I have with these people who help me keep my buildings top notch.
Detail your community involvement activities:
I have served on the board of directors for R House of Santa Rosa and the Santa Rosa Junior College Bear Cub Athletic Trust Committee. I am also a past participant in Leadership Santa Rosa.
Current reading: “Bird by Bird” by Anne Lamott
Stress-relievers: Biggest stress relievers are hiking with my husband, creating art, and driving the back roads of Sonoma County.
Favorite hobbies: Creating art … especially, glass mosaics, gardening, getting outdoors in nature, having fun with family and friends.
Words that best describe you: Optimistic, loyal, reliable, resourceful, honest, a people-person.
Is there something we didn’t ask that you would like to add?
It takes a “go with the flow attitude” and good instincts to be a good facility manager. Every day is different and problems pop up without warning so you must remain calm, be flexible and be adept at prioritizing.