Dan Farrell serves as Director of Facilities / Area General Manager for CBRE Global Workplace Solutions, Local Facilities Management. He is responsible for the LFM portfolio in the Greater Philadelphia area.
Dan is married to his wife, Michelle and has two stepsons, Hunter and Colton. He enjoys cooking, golfing and getting the honey-do list done.
How did you get into Facilities Management?
After leaving military service I started my FM career as a general laborer primarily moving furniture. It was a humble beginning for sure. With a strong work ethic and an eagerness to learn, I progressed through many positions including Shipping & Receiving clerk, General Maintenance Supervisor, Maintenance Supervisor, Maintenance Manager, Operations Manager, Account Leader, Account Director and now Area General Manager.
Tell us about a favorite project.
I have been fortunate to be a part of many great projects. At the outset of the pandemic, it was interesting to work on getting client facilities prepared for returning to work. Learning about many new technologies such as coatings that cleave viruses to dramatically reduce the spread of disease on high touch surfaces and installing hands free everything kept us busy.
What’s your greatest success story?
It has probably been said many times but the success and advancement of the people I’ve had the opportunity to lead far outweighs any personal success. Seeing them grow into strong leaders that will take our mentorship and add their experience to advance the industry and further the careers of their own teams is the ultimate success.
Tell us about a challenge or obstacle you faced in the Facilities field and how you overcame it.
A common challenge faced by all in FM is consistently securing the capital needed for end of useful life equipment replacement. While every client we partner with has a slightly different approach it has been surprising how few have solid five-year plans to assist in prioritizing and justifying to leadership their funding needs. Development of a data driven plan is one of the very first things I do in new partnerships, and it has greatly assisted in overcoming this obstacle.
What is something most people do not know about you?
I want to make furniture in my retirement years. I have been working to improve my understanding of woodworking for a few years and have a lot to learn. Unfortunately, I have quite a few years left to perfect my skills.
What learning experience would you pass onto future FM’s?
Remain curious and open to learning. It gets very easy to think we have all the answers when you have been successful over a long stretch of time. Stay inquisitive, join groups, and ask lots of questions to both learn and to keep the work feeling fresh and rewarding.
Dan Farrell serves as Director of Facilities / Area General Manager for CBRE Global Workplace Solutions, Local Facilities Management. He is responsible for the LFM portfolio in the Greater Philadelphia area.
Dan is married to his wife, Michelle and has two stepsons, Hunter and Colton. He enjoys cooking, golfing and getting the honey-do list done.
How did you get into Facilities Management?
After leaving military service I started my FM career as a general laborer primarily moving furniture. It was a humble beginning for sure. With a strong work ethic and an eagerness to learn, I progressed through many positions including Shipping & Receiving clerk, General Maintenance Supervisor, Maintenance Supervisor, Maintenance Manager, Operations Manager, Account Leader, Account Director and now Area General Manager.
Tell us about a favorite project.
I have been fortunate to be a part of many great projects. At the outset of the pandemic, it was interesting to work on getting client facilities prepared for returning to work. Learning about many new technologies such as coatings that cleave viruses to dramatically reduce the spread of disease on high touch surfaces and installing hands free everything kept us busy.
What’s your greatest success story?
It has probably been said many times but the success and advancement of the people I’ve had the opportunity to lead far outweighs any personal success. Seeing them grow into strong leaders that will take our mentorship and add their experience to advance the industry and further the careers of their own teams is the ultimate success.
Tell us about a challenge or obstacle you faced in the Facilities field and how you overcame it.
A common challenge faced by all in FM is consistently securing the capital needed for end of useful life equipment replacement. While every client we partner with has a slightly different approach it has been surprising how few have solid five-year plans to assist in prioritizing and justifying to leadership their funding needs. Development of a data driven plan is one of the very first things I do in new partnerships, and it has greatly assisted in overcoming this obstacle.
What is something most people do not know about you?
I want to make furniture in my retirement years. I have been working to improve my understanding of woodworking for a few years and have a lot to learn. Unfortunately, I have quite a few years left to perfect my skills.
What learning experience would you pass onto future FM’s?
Remain curious and open to learning. It gets very easy to think we have all the answers when you have been successful over a long stretch of time. Stay inquisitive, join groups, and ask lots of questions to both learn and to keep the work feeling fresh and rewarding.
IFMA Philly Newsletter Winter 2025 Upcoming Events, Past Event Highlights, New Members, and much, much more! Click on the image below to view newsletter.
IFMA Philly Newsletter Fall 2024 Past Event Highlights, Upcoming Events, Learning Opportunities, FM Spotlight Highlights, and much, much more! Click on image to view newsletter!
IFMA Philly Newsletter Summer 2024 Past Event Highlights, Upcoming Events, Learning Opportunities, FM Spotlight Highlights, and much, much more! Click on image to view newsletter!
