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O C T O B E R , 2 0 1 7
MANAGEMENT
TRENDS
Conference Checklist:
A Community Manager’s Guide
By Jeff Cirkus, CMCA, AMS, PCAM
Associa - Community Management Corp., AAMC
© iStockphoto.com
W
ith the CAI-NJ Conference and Expo quickly
approaching on October 18, 2017, commu-
nity managers have an excellent opportunity
to meet new professionals within the industry, connect with
existing colleagues, as well as hear from industry experts
on various important and timely topics. Regardless of
whether you’re a veteran community manager or just get-
ting started, the Conference is well worth your time. Below
are some important reasons to attend along with tips for
how to get the most out of the Conference.
Walk the exhibit floor
A conference wouldn’t be a conference without an
exhibit floor. This year, the CAI-NJ Conference and Expo
will have 167 exhibitors! Including in the mix are service
providers covering any and every service needed for com-
munity associations. As Community Managers, it is import-
ant to know who to call in any given situation that arises
for the communities we serve. Take this opportunity to walk
around and chat with the different exhibitors and see what
services they can provide.
Make sure to bring business cards with you so that
the professionals you meet know how to reach you.
Additionally, you may want to have a system for keeping
track of who you met. For instance, keep the business cards
of service providers you plan to reach out to shortly after
the Conference in one pocket, and keep those you plan to
contact at a later date in another.
Education
This year, there are six separate educational sessions,
covering topics ranging from disaster preparedness to an
update on recent legislative activity impacting the commu-
nity association industry. The topics are hand picked to pro-
"Make sure to bring
business cards with
you so that the
professionals you
meet know how to
reach you."