Carr named recipient of the CAI-NE Hall of Fame Award

Boston, MA Jack Carr, P.E. RS, LEED-AP, retired senior vice president at Criterium-Engineers and recipient of the 2020 Hall of Fame Award joins those who have been recognized with the CAI New England chapter’s highest honor.  Since 1994 Carr has been an active CAI member, speaking at industry events, serving on the Condo Media board and throughout his career supported and promoted CAI, the chapter and the community association industry.

Twenty years ago, the condominium industry in Maine was very different from what it is today. Around that time, Carr was running the Portland, Maine office of Criterium Engineers, and he identified condominiums as a potential new market. “It seemed like a good idea to balance out the business,” he said.

When he first started looking for ways to tap into the market, Carr quickly discovered CAI. “CAI, of course, is the center of all things when it comes to condos and property management, like spokes around a wheel,” he said. Soon, he began volunteering for the organization, making presentations at events, writing Maine regional news articles for Condo Media (now at around 160 and counting), and serving on the magazine’s board since 2006.

“Jack is a consummate engineer. He’s extremely detail oriented, and he’s extremely knowledgeable on all matters of engineering. But this is where he differs from other engineers: he is able to take complex engineering concepts that have to do with building infrastructure and all aspects of building maintenance, and make them understandable for the average Condo Media reader,” said Jared McNabb, president of Condo Media.

Claudette Carini, executive director of the New England Chapter of CAI said, “Jack has never missed an editorial deadline–and somehow has managed to keep articles primarily about building maintenance and repair focused and timely and, more importantly, fresh and interesting in innovative ways.”

While enthusiastically sharing his knowledge and experience with others, Carr has continued to deepen his own expertise over the years. Licensed in five states as a professional engineer (P.E.), he has also earned an MBA in finance and taxation from Boston University and parlayed his passion for environmental issues into a LEED-AP credential. Further, Carr is one of the rare professionals to have earned CAI’s designation as a Reserve Specialist (RS). “So when I do a reserve-fund analysis for an association, I’m not just an engineer, I’m a finance major looking at these numbers,” he said.

Now a senior consulting engineer for Criterium, Carr contributes to the firm’s current national headquarters, in Freeport, Maine. His job has taken him around the country, where he often takes colleagues into the field, teaching them how to meet with association boards and introducing them to local CAI offices. Wherever he goes, whether it’s a job-related venture or a CAI event, he takes pride in his ability to bring people together and encourage networking.

“There are three areas I would use to define Jack,” said David Leopold, president of Criterium Engineers. “He’s a great communicator about technical things; he serves as an advocate for the organization, whether it’s writing articles or sharing information to help people better understand things; and finally, he’s a connector, bringing people together to solve problems. He is always there to help his colleagues and constituents.”

For consistently supporting and promoting CAI, the chapter, and the community associations industry throughout his career, Carr has been awarded CAI-NE’s highest honor and distinction: induction into the Hall of Fame. “Jack is a volunteer who keeps giving,” said Carini. “The industry, CAI, and the New England Chapter are better for his longstanding commitment and years of involvement.” Leopold concurs, adding, “I’m so thrilled for him. He couldn’t be more deserving of such a wonderful honor.”