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"Optimism and Strategic Renewal: A Profile of President Polly Pinney"
Author: Thaler-Carter, Ruth E.,
Published In: Facilities Manager
Date: September/October 2009

Today's challenging economy affects everyone, including APPA and its member institutions. In such trying times, institutions and organizations need strong leadership, optimism, and a willingness to revisit basic principles--and that is exactly what Polly Pinney plans to bring to APPA as its new President. Her theme for her presidential year, "Honing the Brilliance--A Time of Strategic Renewal," makes her focus clear. Pinney, executive director of facilities management at Arizona State University (ASU) in Tempe, came to facilities management from an untraditional route, and the same can be said about her path to her current professional position and her role in APPA. Pinney's "untraditional route" to her career in facilities management started with a bachelor's degree in theatre and communications and a master's degree in management, both from the University of South Dakota. She started out as a director of human resources and director of training and development for the South Dakota Department of Labor. She joined ASU in a labor relations position for Facilities Management. Once launched in facilities management, she made steady and impressive progress toward her current position. Pinney takes her facilities management skills to communities outside ASU and APPA. For five years, she taught on issues related to the management of facilities organizations and strategic planning to facilities professionals in the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian community. She is also committed to continuing APPA's progress in diversity, in particular for women in the field. For Pinney, facilities management remains an exciting, fulfilling profession, and is one she wholeheartedly recommends to current students. Despite the challenging times, Pinney believes that APPA's future is extremely bright.


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URLhttps://www1.appa.org/FacilitiesManager/index.cfm?ItemNumber=2577


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