Condo Media - May 2020 - 2

President's Message
WWW.CAINE.ORG

IT'S A SHARK-EAT-SHARK WORLD

s the CAI-NE chapter president, I recently hosted CAI-NE's
annual awards night. During the evening I had the pleasure
of presenting the Award for Excellence in Public Service
to my former colleague who occupied the office next to
me for many years at MEEB, the Honorable MaryLou
Muirhead, Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Housing
Court. Judge Muirhead is one of the true pioneers of our
condominium industry who has toiled for years as a condominium lawyer and who
has transcended the practice of the law to the bench where she now enforces and
makes the law. She is the first truly dedicated Massachusetts condominium lawyer
to ascend to the bench, which is a remarkable accomplishment.
Likewise, I was thrilled to present Attorney Charles A. Perkins of the Law firm
Perkins & Anctil with the CAI-NE Hall of Fame Award for his 40-plus years of
dedication to the practice of condominium law in Massachusetts. Charlie has been a worthy competitor,
colleague, and adversary, and just an all-around great guy and friend over the years. Those were just two
of the highlights of the evening for me personally. There were many other awards presented that evening
to community associations, homeowners, professional managers, CAI business partners, and chapter
volunteers that will be spotlighted in next month's June Condo Media cover story.
Hosting such an event and seeing the dedication that all these individuals put into their volunteer roles
and professional jobs got me thinking-these awe-inspiring individuals, associations, and companies got
there not just through hard work but through collaboration and team work. That is what makes great
leaders-the ability to work collaboratively with others for the ultimate good of the organization, and
ultimately, for the benefit of the entire condominium industry.
Their success recognized on this special night made me think of a Japanese term called obyfami, which describes the practice of certain shark fetuses eating other shark fetuses in the womb usually until there is only
one or two fetuses left. In my practice as a condominium lawyer, I have often seen a practice similar to obyfami occur in condominiums at the board level and association as a whole. I have seen it occur in management
companies, and yes, even in law firms. The CAI-NE award winners got there without having to eat their own.
Obyfami is not good for condominium governance, our business partners or the industry as a whole.
While avoiding this cannibalistic practice might not lead to an award, I am certain it will lead to better
governance all around and benefit the industry. There is room for all of us to work together so we can deal
with the challenges facing our burgeoning and growing industry.
Let's support and respect each other in 2020 and leave the feeding frenzy to the real sharks lurking
in our coastal waters. Let's follow the lead of our award winners to collaborate and build on our future.
Congratulations to all of the award winners and thank you for your leadership in 2020 and beyond.
Sincerely,

Edmund A. Allcock, Esq., CCAL
2020 CAI-NE Chapter President

CONDOMEDIA May 2020

http://WWW.CAINE.ORG

Condo Media - May 2020

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