Meet the Board

In the CID industry for: 23 years CACM Board member for: 15 years; Secretary (current) Specializes in: Portfolio, large scale, active adult and onsite management

The most appealing aspect of community management

is: Within my organization, my passion is directing community management sales and marketing initiatives, public relations and advertising campaigns. I also thoroughly enjoy providing guidance to boards of directors in all facets of community management. My hobbies include: Spending quality time with my wife, son, two daughters and dog. We enjoy traveling and experiencing outdoor adventures including boating, wake boarding and skiing. I am passionate about: My family, good friends and my career. I truly love what I do. I want to be remembered as: A loving husband and father.

Jacqueline Dynes, CCAM DyneNamic CID Management

In the CID industry for: 27 years CACM Board member for: 13 years Specializes in: Portfolio management The most appealing aspect of community management is: Call me crazy, but I enjoy the diversity and challenges of the industry. This certainly isn’t a 9 to 5 job and many days things can change in a minute. Your career is what you make of it and how hard you want to work. My hobbies include: Hobbies in this business? Who has time? Reading anything that is NOT related to the CID industry! I am passionate about: The legal aspects of my career and trying to resolve issues with my homeowners and board members. Above everything, I am a stickler for honesty. CACM’s b oa rd m emb ers sha re

Watch for more CACM board bios in the next issue, when we’ll feature details about our other eight members.

René Decker, CCAM PowerStone Property Management

their sta ts a nd insights

I want to be remembered as: Honest and someone who always tried to do her best. What you see is what you get!

Gordon Goetz, CCAM The Management Trust – Goetz Manderley

In the CID industry for: 20 years CACM Board member for: 8 years; Chair from 2011-2013

Specializes in: Portfolio, high rise, large scale, active adult and commercial condominium management

The most appealing aspect of community management is: The ability to grow professionally and make a positive impact on people’s lives.

My hobbies include: Bicycling

I am passionate about: Portraying our industry as a profession. A profession comprised of highly talented and educated individuals that add real value to the communities they support.

I want to be remembered as: Someone who was always fair. Someone who was able to to see both sides of any issue, give proponents of each side ample opportunity to make their case and decide, when necessary, in an unbiased manner.

Kathryn Henricksen, CCAM FirstService Residential California, LLC

In the CID industry for: 27 years CACM Board member for: 15 years; Vice Chair from 2009-2010

Specializes in: Portfolio, onsite and large scale management

The most appealing aspect of community management is:

There are so many variations in a typical day. A manager might work out in the field, might spend the day at their desk, might be working with numbers and budgets and financials or strategic planning and goal setting with the board. We experience construction projects, new developments, litigation/law, legislation and MORE!

We have an opportunity to experience success every day – we might build a million dollar clubhouse, or make Mrs. Smith the happiest homeowner by replacing a $35 shrub at her front door.

My hobbies include: Live music (concerts), wine tasting (at concerts), cooking while tasting wine, reading, celebrating life with family and friends!

I am passionate about: Family, friendships, work and dogs!

I want to be remembered as: “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.’” -Erma Bombeck

Diane Houston, CCAM The Management Trust – Transpacific, ACMF

In the CID industry for: 26 years CACM Board member for: 12 years; Secretary from 2007-2010

Specializes in: Portfolio and high rise management

The most appealing aspect of community management is:

I love the variety that every day brings; from working with all sorts of trades, problem solving, and the rewards of making a difference in bettering the communities we serve.

My hobbies include: Gardening, cooking, wine, adventure travel, hiking, photography.

I am passionate about: A lot! I tend to be passionate about so many things, from simple joys, such as harvesting my own herbs, vegetables and flowers to create a meal; the beauty of nature and discovering new places; to education, politics and civil rights. As a former teacher, I love the training/teaching part of my job, both to my staff and through CACM as an instructor and occasional speaker.

I want to be remembered as: Being someone who embraces life and work with passion, searches out adventure and finds joy everywhere, even in the simplest things.

Bruce Ratliff, CCAM Action Property Management, Inc., ACMF

In the CID industry for: More than 30 years CACM Board member for: 12 years; Vice President from 2008-2009; Chair from 2009-2011

Specializes in: High rise management

The most appealing aspect of community management is: It is interesting and never the same day twice. I appreciate watching the industry grow and become more sophisticated, but more importantly appreciate being part of the industry growth. I am passionate about: Everything I do. I am a study in excess and work very hard to reach moderation with excitement.

I want to be remembered as: A quintessential expert in high rise management, with expertise in identifying the lifestyle expectation of the community and delivering service to high rise dwellers in the manner they desire and deserve. I hope to have mentored others through practical application and a culture of elevating, meeting and exceeding expectations. This is a very fulfilling career path that brought me great rewards personally and professionally.

William Stewart, CCAM Santaluz Homeowners Association

In the CID industry for: 44 years CACM Board member for: 13 years; Chair from 1997-1998; Vice Chair from 1996- 1997

Specializes in: Large scale management

The most appealing aspect of community management is:

As an onsite manager working directly for boards most of my career, I have enjoyed a relatively independent environment where it was up to me to create the culture, hire the staff and orchestrate every other aspect of the business operation and determine the quality of the customer service and living environment through my own efforts. No government interference, but no safety net either.

My hobbies include: Golf, snow skiing, water skiing, backpacking, camping, painting, writing and gardening.

I am passionate about: Creating organizational environments where people are provided the zenith in empathetic service and follow up and are treated like family in the most welcoming way possible – and all of this in the context of a regulatory association that applies rules to so many aspects of their property and everyday lives.

I am also passionate about making certain that people who work in our industry are adequately trained in the basic skills of the profession and comport themselves according to ethical standards and standards of practice and care associated with our profession or become subject to effective disciplinary action.

I want to be remembered as: Someone who cared about establishing high standards of professionalism, integrity and communication in our industry to the benefit of the professionals and the consuming public as well.

CACM Board Election Board elections are conducted annually. The board members serve three-year terms and are limited to two consecutive terms. Electronic voting for the next election will be held December 3 – 17, 2013.

Square Peg

By Tara Graviss, CCAM

There are a few fundamental things most people have in common: They want to be heard. They want to feel valued.

Volunteer opportunities offer a way for members to give back to their communities while being valued and expressing their voice. They also offer a method for the board and management to constructively direct personalities and energy in ways that are productive and beneficial to the association and all of its members.

Proper structure, organization, reporting and oversight of volunteers is important to ensure everyone stays on task and plays by the same guidelines. Planning will avoid disgruntled volunteers and maintain a positive, productive atmosphere. Before you roll out your volunteer program be sure to:

Consult your governing documents/attorney Define volunteer committee/subcommittees and reporting structure Create a Volunteer Agreement Determine training needs and resources Consult your insurance provider for liability coverage, etc. (Editor’s Note: Check out CACM Insurance Programs developed specifically for the CID industry.) Identify possible volunteer opportunities/areas of focus (if you don’t already know, a simple member questionnaire may generate some ideas)

As you can see, months of planning and organization may be needed before your begin your volunteer program.

Enlist the help of your board members to establish subcommittees for community efforts (i.e., arts and culture, landscaping, events and activities, etc.). The subcommittee chairs can report to the board via a monthly/ quarterly report.

Once you have defined your volunteer opportunities you can define the skill sets needed for related tasks and develop a simple volunteer application designed to fit a round peg in a round hole. This will allow subcommittees to develop in a natural way.

A key component to helping volunteers feel valued is to understand their skills, interests, passions and talents; this will help ensure you can match them with assignments/activities they will enjoy. Making sure you have the right person for the right job will maximize volunteer efforts and opportunities, creating fully engaged volunteers.

By maximizing skillsets, you can maximize efforts and rewards. And, don’t forget to say thank you; just as talents and skillsets are individual, so are motivations. A simple highlight in the association newsletter or an acknowledgement at the annual picnic will do. Everyone likes to be valued, and saying thank you is always appreciated.

Wouldn’t you rather have a community of empowered, motivated folks? Pull out your people skills and get organized! Take those nitpickers and naysayers, and get them engaged!

Tara Graviss, CCAM is a community manager with Walters Management at Liberty Station in San Diego.

How to Ident fy a Square Peg n a Round Hole

If any of these traits sound like one of your volunteers, you may need to rethink his or her role in the association.

The volunteer exhibits: • Loss of productivity and passion • Feelings of being undervalued and un-empowered • Constant infighting/squabbling • Critical views • Territorial outbursts

The volunteer is disinterested in: • Finding financial savings for the association • Goal setting and benchmarking • Networking • Strategic planning • Ownership and accountability • Creative thinking