Spotlight on Education

WHAT’S YOUR SPECIALTY?

Adding a specialty designation after your CCAM or MCAM designation accentuates your value in a niche market and broadcasts your expertise to your employer, community association board clients and colleagues.

A Specialty Certificate demonstrates an in-depth understanding of one of the management specializations, including High Rise, Large Scale, Portfolio Management or New Development Community Management. You can earn designations in addition to the certificate, including adjunct specialty designations for Age-Restricted Adult Community Management and Commercial & Industrial CID Management. What does each specialty entail?

LARGE SCALE COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT (CCAM-LS)

This program condenses years of experiential knowledge putting you on the fast track to large scale community management best practices related to governance issues, people and personnel, facility management, recreational amenity management, architectural control, green management, strategic planning, finance and community-building.

HIGH RISE COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT (CCAM-HR)

This program condenses years of experiential knowledge with best practices in high rise community management. It focuses on people and personnel, property protection, mechanical systems, fire and life safety, regulatory considerations, legal issues and finance.

PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT (CCAM-PM)

In this program you gain expertise in task management, leadership and communication, common area management, working with service providers, safety and regulations, averting legal issues and cost control strategies.

NEW DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT (CCAM-ND)

This program provides an understanding of working relationships and processes employed in creating and transitioning developer controlled CIDs to owner involved associations including Department of Real Estate (DRE) documents and regulations, start-up operations prior to the first close of escrow, phasing schedules, ongoing operations and trends in new developments.

How to Obtain a Specialty Certificate

WHO CAN EARN A SPECIALTY CERTIFICATE AND DESIGNATION?

Community managers who have held the Certified Community Manager (CCAM) certification for a minimum of two years.

WHAT’S INVOLVED?

Successfully complete the required coursework:

• Human Resource Management

• Risk Management in Community Associations (prerequisite applies)

• One of the following specialization courses:

• High Rise Community Management

• Large Scale Community Management

• Portfolio Management

• New Development Community Management

• Submit the applicable Specialty Certificate application and processing fee within 36 months of completion of the first required course.

• Upon acceptance, complete a solution-based essay demonstrating knowledge and understanding of the required courses.

• CCAM or MCAM continuing education requirements must be met in order to use a specialty designation.

KNOW YOUR NICHE

Managers, what area of specialty is right for you? CACM has identified professional interests that may assist you in determining which specific area you would be best suited for.

HIGH RISE

-You enjoy the mechanics of a building’s operations.

-You enjoy being available (and visible!) to homeowners at all times.

-You enjoy managing a staff (maintenance, customer service, cleaning, security, grounds, parking, concierge, etc.)

-You enjoy working to ensure procedures are in place for after hours emergencies.

-You are a creative problem solver.

LARGE SCALE

-You enjoy working alongside local governmental entities.

-You enjoy managing a staff.

-You thrive working with committees and teams.

-You enjoy managing complex communities (i.e. complex common areas)

- You enjoy the complexity of the relationship and responsibility to sub associations.

-You are a creative problem solver.

NEW DEVELOPMENT

-You enjoy working with and understand the mind of developers.

-You enjoy watching a project built from start to finish.

-You enjoy the legal set up of required community documents.

-You are a relationship builder and enjoy developing healthy relationships between the developer and homeowners.

-You enjoy setting up processes and procedures for new communities.

-You are a creative problem solver.

PORTFOLIO

-You enjoy change and the ability to maintain a diversified schedule.

-You like the idea of working with different property types.

-You have a bit of thick skin, as you’ll be the “front line” for a multitude of homeowners throughout the different properties you manage.

-You are great at multi-tasking.

-You enjoy working on multiple projects simultaneously.

-You are a creative problem solver.