Condo Media - August 2014 - 2

CONDO MEDIA

FR OM TH E CE D'S DE S K

The Ofﬁcial Publication of CAI New England
CHAPTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Claudette Carini
CAI NEW ENGLAND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Frank A. Lombardi, Esq., President
Janet Aronson, Esq., President-Elect
Robert Keegan, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, Vice President
Wesley K. Blair III, Treasurer
David Boston, PCAM, Clerk
Paul V. (Pete) Garrett, CMCA, AMS, PCAM
Barbara Reilly
Andrew Robinson
Chris Snow
Paula Solemina
Beth Sullivan
CONDO MEDIA INC. BOARD MEMBERS
Jared McNabb, CMCA, PCAM, President
Wesley K. Blair III, Vice President
James Connolly, Treasurer
Ellen A. Shapiro, Esq., Clerk
Richard E. Brooks, Esq., Director
Claudette Carini, Director
Jack Carr, P.E., RS, LEED-AP, Director
Richard Churchill, Director
COMMITTEES
Attorneys' Committee
Mark Einhorn, Esq.
Mark Rosen, Esq.
Banquet Committee
Jennifer Lombardi
Charlotte Scuderi
Conference & Expo
Beth Sullivan
Emerging Leaders Network (ELN)
Pamela Jonah, Esq.
Golf Tournament
Tony Chiarelli
Paula Solemina
Maine Legislative Action Committee
Joseph Carleton Jr.
Managers' Committee
Katie Wells, CMCA, AMS, PCAM
Massachusetts Legislative Action Committee
Matthew Gaines, Esq.
Membership Committee
Jared McNabb, CMCA, PCAM
Program Advisory Council
Jennifer Barnett, Esq.
Scott Wolf, CMCA, AMS, PCAM
Rhode Island Legislative Action Committee
Ed Allcock, Esq.
Frank Lombardi, Esq.
Vermont Legislative Action Committee, Chair
Paul T. Carroccio, P.E., CMCA, AMS, PCAM
EDITORIAL
Claudette Carini, ccarini@caine.org
SALES AND MARKETING
Natalie Springsteen, nspringsteen@caine.org
ADVERTISING COORDINATOR
Jeanne Yanaro, jyanaro@caine.org
CORRESPONDENCE
CAI New England / Condo Media Inc.
888 Worcester St., Ste. 20
Wellesley, MA 02482
(781) 237-9020, Fax (781) 237-9028, www.caine.org

Fail to Prepare,
Prepare to Fail

his month's cover story explores the topic of association board meetings - often looked upon as a necessary evil by association board
members and professional managers alike. In working with hundreds
of CAI New England chapter committees and boards over the years,
I have found one thing to always be true about meetings: Those committees
and members who fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
Committee meetings can be a positive experience for both volunteer members and staff. It's an opportunity to uncover common ground around important committee missions and goals, explore ideas presented by individuals
from various backgrounds and experiences, and establish a sense of teamwork
and camaraderie when a consensus and success is achieved.
However, successful meetings require hard work before, during, and after
their allotted meeting date and time. All participants have a responsibility to
be prepared, which means reading the meeting package, asking questions,
and doing research prior to the meeting. During the meeting, members must
actively participate in vetting those ideas presented and presenting to the
committee possible alternatives, if necessary.
Conference call participation can present a challenge in engaging all members, and as such, callers have an added responsibility to focus on the meeting
discussion and participate as though sitting in the meeting room and refrain
from multitasking or putting the call on mute. While conference calls may be
necessary given the distance of travel, it is imperative that these meetings are
effectively managed and equally productive.
Once a committee decision is made, the work doesn't stop there. Committee members have an obligation to ensure that volunteer tasks assigned or
taken on are carried out and followed through on. Success is not in holding
the meeting but is deﬁned by the overall results of the meeting.
Over the summer months, chapter committees will be hard at work developing programs for the fall. I challenge you to get involved and join one of
the many successful chapter committees that make CAI New England one of
the largest and most active in the country.
See you in September!

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Massachusetts by the New England Chapter of the Community
Associations Institute, 888 Worcester Street, Suite 20, Wellesley, MA
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POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Condo Media c/o the
New England Chapter of the Community Associations Institute,
888 Worcester Street, Suite 20, Wellesley, MA 02482.
This publication attempts to provide CAI's membership with
information on community association issues. Authors are responsible
for developing the logic of their expressed opinions and for the
authenticity of all presented facts in articles. CAI does not necessarily
endorse or approve statements of fact or opinion made in these pages
and assumes no responsibility for those statements. This
publication is issued with the understanding that the publisher is
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Declaration of Principles, jointly adopted by a Committee of the
American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers.

CONDO MEDIA * AUGUST 2014

Sincerely,

Claudette Carini
Chapter Executive Director

http://www.caine.org http://www.mcneill-group.com

Condo Media - August 2014

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