CFA Institute Begins Construction of New Global Operations Center in Downtown Charlottesville Today
CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals that sets the standard for professional excellence and credentials, will conduct a “wall-breaking” ceremony today to launch the construction of its new Global Operations Center at the former campus of Martha Jefferson Hospital in downtown Charlottesville. Scheduled to open in the fall of 2013, the new center will bring more than 400 employees to the site and serve as an anchor for CFA Institute offices in Brussels, Hong Kong, London, and New York.
CFA Institute traces its local roots back more than 50 years to a two-person office at the University of Virginia’s Monroe Hall. The organization, a champion for ethical behavior in investment markets and a respected source of knowledge in the global financial community, has become one of the larger private employers in the area, and generates significant local economic activity. As part of its unique and leading role in setting the standard for ethics and professional excellence in finance, CFA Institute has brought thousands of people to the area over the years, including a significant number from outside the United States.
“The process by which we are executing our vision is grounded in our commitment to corporate citizenship,” said Tim McLaughlin, CFA, CPA, chief administrative officer and chief financial officer of CFA Institute. “During the past year, we have minimized the duration of the construction process by gaining feedback and necessary approvals prior to working on site. The intensity of the work and the focal point of our future offices are shifted away from our residential neighbors. We also are proud of our design strategies, which will create a healthy workplace for our employees, generate tremendous efficiencies with regards to water and energy consumption, and result in an aesthetically pleasing campus that fits within the fabric of Charlottesville’s High Street entrance corridor.”
A total of 526 dedicated parking spaces will be located on site, eliminating the potential for spillover parking in the surrounding residential neighborhood. The project will pursue LEED Certification as well. Upon completion of the new Global Operations Center, the resulting Class A office space will total 144,000 square feet, more than twice the size of the current CFA Institute office space, uniting staff from four current local offices and accommodating anticipated future expansion.
“We consider sustainability as a strong guiding principle to create a foundation for the next 50 years of operations at CFA Institute. In our industry, we achieve sustainability by promoting ethical practices for financial professionals and corporations worldwide. From an economic, environmental, and preservation perspective, our adaptive re-use of the downtown Charlottesville site is the most sustainable practice we could pursue,” said John Rogers, CFA, president and CEO of CFA Institute. “The people of CFA Institute are our greatest asset, and basing our global operations in the center of such a dynamic and vibrant community offers many advantages now and for decades to come.”
The “wall-breaking” event symbolizes the adaptive re-use of several buildings on the former hospital site, which will include the preservation and significant interior restoration of the historic Patterson Building built in 1929. Members of CFA Institute staff and its global Board of Directors will be joined at the celebration by representatives of city and state government, the local neighborhood association, and prominent leaders of the regional business community.
Wall-breaking ceremony participants include:
John D. Rogers, CFA, President and CEO, CFA Institute
Alan M. Meder, CFA, Chair, CFA Institute Board of Governors
Charles J. Yang, CFA, Vice Chair, CFA Institute Board of Governors
Daniel S. Meader, CFA, Immediate Past Chair, CFA Institute Board of Governors
Timothy G. McLaughlin, CFA, CPA, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Financial Officer, CFA Institute
Guy Williams, Head of Finance and Risk Management, CFA Institute