Condo Media - October 2017 - 62

Volunteer Spotlight

The Face of the Future

Why Property Management Needs Young Professionals Like John Kadim
Let's face it. No one grows up dreaming of
becoming a property manager one day. Even a seasoned professional like Jared McNabb, CMCA, PCAM,
general manager of Brookhouse Condominium Trust of
Brookline, Mass., admits that, when there's an opening,
it can be hard to fill the position because, by and large,
the younger generation is not being exposed to property
management as a potential career.
It certainly was not the career John Kadim expected
when he set out into the workforce, MBA in hand.
"Becoming a property manager
was 100 percent a fluke," he says.
In response to an ad for a management trainee at Crowninshield
Management Corp., AMO, of
Peabody, Mass., he became an
assistant manager; five years later,
he was still there. Just weeks ago,
he started a new job as portfolio
manager for Thayer & Associates
Inc., AMO, of Cambridge, Mass.
To John, while the job of property manager can be demanding
and exhausting, it can also be challenging and fun. "In some jobs,
you can tell what you'll be doing
on Thursday six years from now,"
he explains. "In this job, you get
a little bit of everything-general management, facilities management, accounting,
finance, customer service. It doesn't get boring!"
Because it's a profession that remains largely under
the radar, however, property management is a field
that needs to attract youth. In this spirit, the Institute
of Real Estate Management (IREM) developed its "30
Under 30" awards program to encourage and recognize
the next generation of real estate managers. Each year,
just 30 young professionals nationwide are named
to this prestigious list of individuals who have made
a significant impact on their community and career.
Among the most recent recipients is John Kadim, MBA,
CMCA, AMS, ARM.
And that's not the only recognition John has already
achieved. The string of initials after his name-CMCA®
(Certified Manager of Community Associations),
AMS® (Association Management Specialist), and
ARM® (Accredited Residential Manager)-are cre-

dentials John has earned through hard work on his
own time in the pursuit of professional excellence.
And he's now working toward his PCAM® (Professional Community Association Manager)-the highest
professional recognition available nationwide to
managers who specialize in community association
management.
"He's very conscientious," says David Barrett,
CMCA, AMS, PCAM, president of RCM Services of
Allston, Mass., and former director of operations of
Crowninshield, where John began
his career assisting David with a
portfolio of sites. "John wants to
learn what he doesn't know, and
he wants to do a good job," David
recalls. "He always tries to excel."
Community Associations Institute
(CAI) and IREM accreditations
are not the only way that John has
leveraged these organizations to
advance his career. When he became
a property manager, John turned
to CAI to educate himself in his
new profession and quickly began
volunteering his time. He began
by attending Emerging Leaders
Network (ELN) events, but, in his
words, "ELN networking was great,
but I wanted something more geared
toward education." He quickly became involved with
the Seminar & Conference Committee, helping to
develop educational programs for CAI members.
Being a committee member is a natural fit for John.
Jared worked with John for many years at Crowninshield, and he observes that John has "the patience required for any group of individuals making decisions."
Say, association boards of trustees, for example. Even
more importantly, Jared notes, John understands the
emotional component of property management. "At
the end of the day, he remembers that it's not just an
asset or an investment," says Jared. "It's also someone's home."
That's a talent that will serve John well as a leader
among his generation of property managers. "It's getting hard to find good young talent in this industry,"
says David. "I get excited when I see young people getting involved. John has a very promising future."

JOHN KADIM

CONDOMEDIA

Condo Media - October 2017

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