9 minute read
Member News
Vision Editorial Committee Member Welcomes New Baby Girl
Congratulations to Justin Sacoolas, CCAM, who recently welcomed a new daughter. Lowen weighed 6 pounds 12 ounces upon arrival but was growing fast. Her reported weight was up to 11 pounds in mid-April. Dad said the best memories so far have been watching her and big sister Eleni instantly bond. “They love to be around each other. It is sweet to see,” he said, adding that he pulls the dad shift from 7:30 pm to midnight or 1 am to allow mom a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. To read about how he’s balancing home and work life with a young family, turn to page 30 for his article.
Happy Sweet 16 to Smartwebs
Smartwebs marked a significant milestone, celebrating 16 years of offering software solutions that promote innovation, growth, and service in the HOA community management industry. They celebrated this special anniversary with cake, balloons, and a toast in which leadership expressed gratitude to the team and clients who made it all possible.
GB Group Merges with Valcourt Group
To expand its footprint beyond California, GB Group has merged with The Valcourt Group. The strategic merger also allows them to expand the services offered to include large-scale waterproofing and exterior maintenance. GB Group owners Russell and Ryan Brown reassured the communities they work with that they will still be handling daily operations and the general GB Group customer experience.
Todd Greisen Learns Firsthand Why You Don’t Feed the Bears
Todd Greisen, CCAM, and General Manager of the Pine Mountain Club Property Owners Association, was recently on NBC News due to a drastic increase in bear incidents within the community. The large but rural community in the San Emigdio mountains north of Los Angeles is no stranger to seeing black bears in the neighborhood. However, the situation has escalated with an almost 100% increase in incidents due to some residents misunderstanding the dangers of feeding bears. Rest assured, the Property Owners Association is taking proactive measures to ensure resident safety. Watch the news story and see Greisen explain these actions here. Read the full story on page 46.
RSI Promotes Dianiss Gonzalez and Tara Padilla
Congratulations are in order as Reserve Studies Inc. (RSI) recently announced two promotions. As the new Director of Operations, Diannis Gonzalez is responsible for scheduling projects, allocating resources, communicating with clients, and managing the day-to-day workflow. Additionally, Tara Padilla is now RSI’s Vice President after working her way up the ranks from her early days as an administrative assistant.
Pilot Painting & Construction Celebrates 50th Anniversary
Pilot Painting & Construction opened its doors in 1974, meaning this year is its 50th anniversary of serving community associations in Los Angeles, San Diego, Inland Empire, Orange County, and Coachella Valley. Southern California managers might wonder how many of those 50 years they have been handing out tiny paint cans filled with jelly beans (IYKYK). CACM looks forward to many more years of eating jelly beans and seeing Pilot’s creative booths and costumes at the SoCal Law Seminar and Expo.
Kelly Zibell Takes on a New Role at Communitas
Kelly Zibell, CCAM, and Founder of Divergent Consulting Group, has taken on a new role as Senior Vice President of Community Management at Communitas. Communitas is a group of industry insiders committed to fostering growth and success within the management community sector. Together with their member companies, they form a community of like-minded professionals dedicated to innovation, collaboration, and collective success. Zibell also serves on CACM’s Vision Magazine editorial committee. You can read her latest article on essential leadership skills for community managers on page 24.
Dan Fernandez Joins Action Asphalt Paving & Maintenance
Many NorCal managers and industry partners know Dan Fernandez from his years at TARC Construction. Fernandez recently announced that he has pivoted and is now Director of Business Development & Marketing at Action Asphalt Paving & Maintenance. He began his construction journey immediately after high school as a commercial metal stud framer and home builder. Then, in the 1990s, he transitioned to the asphalt and paving world as an estimator and project manager. When we reached out to him to congratulate him on this new role, he said, “I love what I do and feel blessed to be a resource and partner of the HOA industry.”
Walters Management, ACMC Announces Leadership Changes
RealManage, Inc. recently promoted Rachel Garrett, CCAM, to President of Walters Management, ACMC . Garrett first joined Walters in 2016. Over the last eight years, she maintained a 96% client retention rate. Her dedication to exceptional customer service and caring for the needs of each community contributed to earning her this prestigious promotion. Soon after, Deena Arvizu, CCAM, was promoted to take over Garrett’s previous role as Regional Vice President.
New Face Representing PrimeCo Painting in San Diego
Becky Larson is not new to the industry but is new to PrimeCo. Larson excitedly announced on LinkedIn that she has joined PrimeCo as a Business Development Manager for the San Diego region. She has served HOAs in various roles for several years. She has a wealth of industry knowledge, connections, and experience, which will benefit the San Diego area communities that partner with PrimeCo for their painting and repair needs.
MB Jessee Painting Hires Ernesto Diaz
Ernesto Diaz recently joined MB Jessee Painting as a Business Development Representative. He comes to the company with 10 years of experience as a Regional Sales Manager for an ambulance company. Diaz has been actively applying the skills learned in emergency services to his role with MB Jessee. Outside of work, he enjoys teaching CPR and First Aid, spending time with family, and giving back to at-risk youth interested in becoming EMTs.
Berg Insurance Makes a Big Change
Berg Insurance recently announced a significant change. Due to the California insurance market fluctuations and recent decisions by Farmers Insurance to drastically reduce its offerings in the state, Berg has ended their long-standing relationship with the carrier. They are now partnered with LaBarre Oksnee Insurance. This was a strategic move to increase the insurance options they can offer the community associations they serve. You can still reach Michael Berg, Terri Guest, and Kimberly Lilley at their Berg Insurance email addresses and see their smiling faces at CACM trade shows and events.
Action Property Management Opens New Office
Catie Contreras, CCAM, of Action Property Management broadcast two exciting developments on LinkedIn: The company is opening a new regional office in beautiful Carlsbad, and Contreras was appointed Regional Manager overseeing this office. She said, “My focus will be on business development in North County. With over 14 years of HOA experience, this is an exciting new challenge, and I am thrilled to do it with a company I love.”
The Management Trust Grows Through Acquisition
The Management Trust announced its recent acquisition of Regency Management Group in Monterey, California. Regency was formed in 2005 to provide quality management services to Monterey County and surrounding areas. “When I made the decision to sell my business, I searched for a company that would continue the culture and values I had established in my own business. I’m very grateful to have found The Management Trust, as they demonstrate the same care for their clients and employees as I had over the years. Thank you to everyone at The Management Trust for welcoming all of us to your family,” said Carolyn Donaway, President and General Manager of Regency Management Group in a LinkedIn post. The Management Trust said it plans to continue adding to its team as it “forges ahead in our growth mode.”
ProTec Building Services Opens New Office
ProTec Building Services recently announced the consolidation of their three Orange County offices. This consolidation will help enhance their teamwork and improve their ability to serve and get the job done, the company said. “By bringing our teams under one roof, we’ve streamlined our operations to provide you with superior, hassle-free customer service!” Protec’s new facility is located in Irvine, California.
Enumerate Offers Automated AP Program
Enumerate launched Automate AP, a fully native and comprehensive accounts payable offering that automates invoice ingestion, approval workflows and payment delivery. Enumerate’s CEO, Vijay Ramnathan, states that “Automate AP was purpose-built to solve these challenges [inefficient and inaccurate payable processes, fraudulent activity, etc.] for community associations, and we’re excited to bring these cost and time savings to our customers.” With this launch, Enumerate provides an end-to-end community management platform.
CINC System Launches GenAI Solution
CINC Systems has launched Cephai, a generative artificial intelligence platform. Cephai can answer common homeowner questions such as architectural requests, payment-related questions and more. The company said that “Cephai enables community managers to save hours each week,” and that immediately following its soft launch the AI platform answered as many as 45 questions a week for one association. Cephai is now accessible through the homeowner and board app.
New Arrival at SwedelsonGottlieb
There is a new member in the SwedelsonGottlieb family. On May 23, Alessia Enci Chiang was welcomed into the world at 5:28 pm, the day of the Flower Moon to parents, Adrian Chiang, Esq., associate attorney at the firm, and his wife Stephanie. The company said, “We are all over the moon with our sweet little bundle of joy!” Congratulations!
Varsity Painting Expands Operations
Varsity Painting has expanded its service area to include Sacramento. Mandi Newton, VP of Marketing and Business Development, recently announced that Sacramento associations, apartments, commercial buildings, and retail centers now have another option for wood repair, painting, and custom color services. Headquartered in Walnut Creek, they now serve most of Northern California thanks to the expansion.
