SRAPPA Members,
What an incredible year it has been for SRAPPA. As we look ahead, I am energized by the opportunity to gather together at the SRAPPA Conference, October 27–30, 2026, in Concord, NC. If you have not yet registered, I encourage you to do so at www.srappaconference.org. This year’s conference promises to be a meaningful time of learning, connection, and shared growth. We are excited to introduce Technical Tuesday on October 27, offering free, hands-on demonstrations designed to strengthen practical knowledge across our profession. If you cannot attend the full conference but would like to participate in this free one-day event, please register. On Friday, October 30, we will also host a special Women in Facilities event, which attendees may join separately for a small fee. Our welcome reception at the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be a memorable experience, with full access to the venue, its history, interactive exhibits, racing simulations, a pit stop challenge, and much more. Whether you are a lifelong NASCAR fan or simply looking forward to fellowship with colleagues, I hope you will join us.
One of my goals this year was to strengthen participation in the Mentorship Program, and it has been encouraging to see that effort grow. To those already serving as mentors or mentees, thank you for investing in one another and in the future of our profession. SRAPPA is at its best when we sharpen, support, and challenge each other. No matter the size of our institutions, we share many of the same responsibilities, pressures, and opportunities as stewards of our campuses. If you do not yet have a mentor, I encourage you to consider joining the program. None of us has to navigate this work alone, and together we become stronger.
Serving as SRAPPA President this past year has been a true honor. When I reflect on SRAPPA’s history, I am reminded of the pioneers whose vision and commitment helped shape this region and the facilities professionals who continue to carry that legacy forward. Since 1952, SRAPPA has brought people together to learn, lead, and grow through shared experience. As we celebrate 74 years of that history, Proverbs 27:17 comes to mind: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Each of us has something valuable to contribute, and each of us has something new to learn. Through that exchange, we become better professionals, stronger leaders, and more effective servants to our institutions. I hope you will make plans now to join us next year as we celebrate SRAPPA’s 75th anniversary and honor the legacy we have inherited while continuing to build the future together.
I also hope each of you found time this past year to invest in your own professional development through SRAPPA and APPA. Whether through a state, regional, or national conference; APPA webinars; APPA U; the Institute for Facilities Management; Leadership Academy; the Certified Educational Facilities Professional (CEFP) credential; Supervisor Toolkit; or the Mentor/Mentee Program, every opportunity to learn strengthens both the individual and the institution they serve. Growth does not happen by accident. It happens when we choose to stay curious, remain engaged, and continue developing the people around us. The SRAPPA Board has scholarship funds available to support many of these professional development opportunities, and I encourage you to visit the SRAPPA website to apply. As Sir Richard Branson said, “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”
Thank you, SRAPPA members, for the trust and confidence you placed in me to lead this outstanding organization over the past year. I am grateful for those who helped build SRAPPA into what it is today, inspired by those who continue to serve, and excited for those who will carry this organization into the future. It has been a privilege to serve alongside you. May we continue learning from one another, encouraging one another, and strengthening the profession we are all proud to represent.
Thank you,
Collin Sewell, P.E., CEFP
