President's message: CAI delivering decades of experience

Over the past 9 months the chapter has hosted in excess of 41 programs for community association volunteer leaders and homeowners as well as managers and other industry professionals. By years' end, a total and record 60 local chapter events and meetings will have been held in 2008. These include training for volunteer board members, professional management development programs (PMDP), networking events like the ever popular annual awards banquet and golf tournament, and various board and committee meetings of CAI members. As I reflect on my term as chapter president with now just 3 months remaining, I am impressed by the quality of chapter programming and the timeliness in which chapter volunteers have provided important industry information to our members and readers. I have had the continued opportunity to work with the membership committee and am excited to report that CAI and Condo Media continue to reach new community association decision makers everyday. Through resources of the internet and state agencies throughout New England, hundreds of new community association decision makers are added to our mailing lists each and every month. September and October are two of the busiest months for the chapter from both an administrative and programming perspective. Chapter leaders are preparing and finalizing budgets for the coming year and committees will host an extensive schedule of educational and networking events including the most anticipated event of the year, the Annual Conference and Expo. This event is to be held on October 25th at the Marriott Hotel in Burlington, Mass. While this annual event has been hosted by the chapter for nearly 2 decades, since my last term as president 10 years ago, I have seen this annual show grow from a reasonable audience of participating vendors and attendees to a sold out exhibit hall and standing room only events. "One Voice Working Together," the theme of this year's conference, reflects the combined efforts of the CAI N.E. Chapter including its volunteer leaders, committee members and staff as well as community association volunteer leaders and industry professionals, working together in the best interest of all N.E. common interest communities. I would encourage all condominium board members, trustees, committee members, homeowners and industry professionals to participate in this year's event scheduled from 8 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. with a full day of exhibits, educational sessions, complimentary breakfast and lunch and networking with colleagues and peers. Come for the whole day or just a few hours, either way, I look forward to seeing you at the show. Richard Brooks is the 2008 president of CAI N.E. chapter and partner at Marcus, Errico, Emmer & Brooks, Braintree, Mass.