The Florida Educational Facilities Planners Association (FEFPA) was started in the early 1960's as a cooperative effort between a small group of school districts' facilities planners and the Department of Education, Office of Educational Facilities (OEF). The intent, as it is now, was to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and promote cooperation between Florida School Districts and OEF.

The association has evolved from its humble beginnings. Conferences, which were held several times per year, focused on topics of interest to school planners with input and support from OEF. Initially, only school district planners were participants at meetings and conferences.

When the community colleges came into being, those planners began to participate and recently, along with university planners, practicing architects, engineers, product manufacturers, and vendors have been encouraged to participate and become members and associate members. Early meetings were attended by approximately 30 people. In recent years summer conferences have been attended by over 500 people.

In the beginning OEF had a very strong and visible role in the planning and management of FEFPA. Several years ago OEF was renamed Educational Facilities Technical Assistance (EFTA)in the Planning, Budgeting, and Management section of the Florida Department of Education and (EFTA) now takes a less active though no less important role in FEFPA. EFTA now has one appointed member on the FEFPA Board of Directors. Where the Secretary/Treasurer was once an OEF employee, these offices are now elected positions.

EFTA continues to rely heavily on input from FEFPA and often asks the association to participate in workshops, review proposed rules and legislation, and participate in task force initiatives. FEFPA supports EFTA by providing advertising, web page links, and space and time for EFTA to present at meetings and conferences. FEFPA conferences are always interesting when EFTA makes presentations concerning budgeting and finance, with proposed and recent legislation. FEFPA and EFTA have enjoyed over 30 years of close association, and look forward to many more years of information and idea exchange.

FEFPA now has two conferences per year, a winter conference usually in January or February and a summer conference in July. The winter conference is two days and the summer conference is three days, not including the "pre-conference workshops". The summer conferences now include Gold, Silver, Bronze sponsors with exhibits and product vendor displays.

In 1999, FEFPA expanded its activities with two new programs:

• At the 1999 Winter Conference the first Architectural Showcase was held. This showcase highlighted the excellent design capabilities of our Associate Members.
• In an effort to encourage qualified persons to choose a career of educational facilities planning and to assist deserving persons in pursuing their education, FEFPA has established an assistanceship to be awarded annually to the most deserving applicant. The first of these annual awards was announced at the 1999 Summer Conference.

FEFPA Presidents

2007-2008 Ian Esplin

2006-2007 Lisa Cook

2005-2006 Bill Smith

2004-2005 Vicki McGrath

2003-2004 Jim Miller

2002-2003 Paul Byrd

2001-2002 Auguste Nicoleau

2000-2001 Bob Griffith

1999-2000 Terri Warhaft

1998-1999 Lamar Powers

1997-1998 Lisa Durham

1996-1997 Hank Henry

1995-1996 Bob Moloney

1994-1995 Paul D. Kelley

1993-1994 Tracey Gallentine

1992-1993 Bob Forney

1991-92 Jim Miller

1990-1991 C.R. Lyons

1989-1990 Larry Mione

1988-1989 McGlade Holloway

1987-1988 Jeff Brezner

1986-1987 Walter Miller

1985-1986 Dave Epperson

1984-1985 Jim Schroeer

1983-1984 Jim Louwers

1982-1983 H. Spencer Graves

1981-82 Paul Phillips

1980-1981 Terry Tougaw

1979-1980 Harry Pelley

1978-1979 James L. McGee

1977-78 Robert W Gilbert

1976-1977 Tony Schultheis

1975-1976 Charles Kivler

1974-1975 Tom Ewart

1973-1974 Fred Sivia

1972-1973 Ben Blankenship

1971-1972 Ben Blankenship

1970-71 Robert Fuller

1969-1970 Ben T. Higgins

1968-1969 Paul Krone

1967-1968 Paul Krone

1966-1967 Robert Pulver

1965-1966 Robert Pulver

1964-1965 James R. Barnes

Thanks to Paul Kelley for providing much of the historical information about FEFPA.