The Industry’s Inflection Point To the CACM Membership: I am honored to have this opportunity to serve the CACM membership and share my initial thoughts as your new President & CEO. But first, I would like to acknowledge the outstanding work and leadership of my predecessor, Karen Conlon. For 22 years, she has done a magnificent job of establishing this association as the leader in California-specific professional development and advocacy for community management. We are grateful for her contributions and leadership. The industry now has moved beyond those early growth stages, and we’ve reached the “point of inflection” – change. The early industry pioneers worked hard to establish the strong foundation we’re standing on today; one rooted in professionalism, ethics and an ever-evolving repertoire of California-specific knowledge. And now, as the industry matures, management firms are established and the professionals who started this industry contemplate retirement, our industry must consider its future. The world is changing, and firms are smartly adjusting to the evolution of the industry. Certainly the face of the industry will change and executives will adjust. The best strategies will evolve for the most successful firms. The outcome should be a stronger industry and a better product for the boards of common interest developments. Whichever business models dominate the industry over the next 10 years, managers are still dealing with homeowners, families and neighborhoods on a very personal level. And success for the manager is dependent upon artfully dealing with the unique circumstances of each community with professionalism, talent and tact. As we advance into this new stage of development, the need for professional, well-trained managers will grow. Specializations will emerge from the need to more efficiently serve our communities and the profession of community management. To this end, CACM is positioning itself to provide members with greater emphasis on business management skills and professional development. We will look closely at core competencies, values and essential skills necessary for a successful career in community management. We will adjust our courses and training programs accordingly to improve our credentialing programs and specialty designations. CACM exists so that you have the tools needed to achieve professional success. This is one objective I will always remember as your new President & CEO. I stand beside you to change CACM as the industry changes and look forward to hearing from you and beginning a long tradition of collaboration.
David Zepponi, President & CEO
www.cacm.org | Vision Spring 2015 7
