FACILITRON UNIVERSITY 5 ANNOUNCES ADMIRAL JOHN SHEA AS FEATURED SPEAKER, ALONG WITH POWERFUL SESSIONS ON GOVERNANCE, EQUITY, AND THE FUTURE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES

LOS GATOS, Calif., Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Facilitron is pleased to announce the speaker and session highlights for Facilitron University 5 (FU5), the nation's premier gathering for school district leaders redefining how facilities are managed, governed, and aligned to mission.

This year's conference features Rear Admiral John T. Shea, USMS as the distinguished fireside chat guest. Admiral Shea will share insights from his extraordinary career leading some of the nation's most complex facility systems, including his tenure as CEO of Facilities for New York City Public Schools, the largest K-12 district in the U.S., and his current role as Director of Facilities and Infrastructure at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

In his session, Lessons in Leading Complex Facility Systems, Admiral Shea will explore what it takes to modernize legacy operations, navigate bureaucracy, and implement governance strategies at scale. He will offer hard-earned lessons on managing public assets, pushing innovation through layers of policy and politics, and why governance, not just operations, is the defining challenge of our time.

"Facilitron University is about more than tools or policies. It's about redefining the future of public education through better governance of the assets entrusted to us," says Jeff Benjamin, CEO of Facilitron. "We are honored to welcome leaders like Admiral Shea who bring not only deep expertise, but also a proven record of navigating complexity at the highest levels. FU5 is where we come together as a national community to challenge assumptions, confront barriers, and create solutions that align our facilities with the missions of our schools."

At Facilitron University 5, Facilitron will spotlight the launch of the first-of-its-kind National Model School Board Facility Use Policy, new governance resources, and powerful tools like the Facility Use Audit. FU5 sessions will feature thought-provoking conversations on risk, equity, pricing, and strategic facility management, including:

• Risk, Responsibility, and the Real Cost of Access: What Happens When Facility Governance Fails
  A must-attend panel with district risk managers and advisors examining the hidden liabilities of weak governance—and how to mitigate them while preserving community access.
  
  
• Governance by the Numbers: Workshop introducing Facilitron's Facility Use Audit framework which will explore its value as a roadmap for accountability and strategic oversight.
  
  
• Pricing the Public Good: Rethinking Rate Categories, Fairness, and the Nonprofit Myth
  A bold hybrid panel-workshop challenging outdated pricing models, tackling equity issues, and redefining how districts think about access and cost recovery.
  
  
• Beyond Rentals: Facilities as Strategic Assets
  Fireside chat with industry leaders Al Grazioli, Gene Fuller, and Mark Borrison on how facilities can be leveraged for housing, sustainability, long-term planning, and community trust.
  
  
• The Rope Bridge: How to Cross From Chaos to Governance
  A hands-on session with Facilitron executives introducing the Governance Readiness Checklist—helping districts move from fragmented processes to effective oversight and policy alignment.

About Facilitron University 5

November 12-13, 2025 - San Diego, CA

Unlike traditional conferences, Facilitron University is a national stage for change and a community-building experience that inspires leaders to transform the way schools serve students and their communities. It is a must-attend event for superintendents, chief business officials, operations leaders, and school board members seeking to modernize governance and redefine how school facilities are used. 

About Facilitron

Facilitron, headquartered in Los Gatos, California, is the world's largest public spaces rental marketplace and a pioneer in modern facility management. Since 2014, Facilitron has built a national network of more than 15,000 schools across 31 states—including 8 of the 10 largest school districts—along with higher education institutions and municipalities. Together, they support billions of square feet of facilities and millions of community events each year.

Facilitron's purpose-built platform is more than scheduling software: it's a revenue-generating engine and operational backbone for shared spaces. By managing who uses facilities, when, and under what conditions, Facilitron enables public agencies to streamline operations, recover costs, reduce risk, and expand equitable access. Beyond rentals, Facilitron's AI-powered tools and strategic services extend into energy management, building automation, maintenance, and inspections—while positioning the platform to unlock entirely new categories of value, from integrated services to untapped revenue streams that redefine the economics of both public and private spaces.

For more information about Facilitron and its services, please visit facilitron.com

Contact: Mercer Brockenbrough
[email protected]

SOURCE Facilitron