Here’s My 2014 CAI National Conference Story And I’m Stickin’ to it
By Lynn Boergerhoff, Woodstock Townhome Association
H
aving settled into my seat for the return flight from Orlando to Minneapolis, I’m able to reflect on the many thoughtful experiences. I attended as a Board member of the Foundation for Community Association Research (FCAR), as a HOA Board President, and as Chair of CAI-Minnesota’s Community Association Volunteer Leader (CAVL) Committee. With just two years board presidency experience I’ve been in the FCAR and CAVL positions less than a year. This was my first CAI national conference. It took some effort and money out of pocket to get here. Booking the airfare, finding a modest hotel near the conference site (I couldn’t afford the conference hotel rate), registration and calling for daily taxis came to about $1300. So what did I get beyond good coffee and great buffet dinners that made this a wonderful experience?
Surroundings I left memories of Minnesota’s recent harsh winter at the airport. For the next 5 days I was surrounded by palm trees, orchids and wicker furniture in a spacious conference hotel with a tropical Indonesian theme. My mind opened and reset to receive from all my senses. The experience would be 360 degrees and I was ready to get my bearings. This change of surroundings, actually any change, is big part of great conference experience.
Organization My experience with community associations was limited to my own Board Presidency and the CAVL members I met at CAI-MN’s education events. I quickly learned that CAI is solidly nation-wide with chapters in nearly all states and growing rapidly as an international organization. It’s an organization of and for volunteer board
members, professionals and vendors with the ability to reach beyond my limited local experience.
People From my first cup of coffee, I traded greetings with an ever-changing mix of volunteer leaders and professionals from a range of disciplines important to community associations. Sometimes I joined the conversations that followed. Other times I just listened. I enjoyed hearing the refreshing variety of personal stories and regional variation. The terminology was both the familiar and unexpected as I met peers from Dubai, Canada and Australia.
Ideas No shortage of these. For me, that’s one of the main attractions of such multidimensional events; hearing about ideas that work and don’t work so well, and, like the well known serenity prayer, developing the wisdom to know the difference.
Feedback
Vendors Who better to help me appreciate the essential goods and services we use so often in community associations? These vendors know about the well established capabilities I need to serve homeowners and meet my fiduciary duties to the association. Ok…I did bring back a laser pointer/flashlight/pen tchotchke.
My take-away The CAI national conference was a rich experience, meaning full of quality features I wanted and needed. My reward was a refreshed outlook for the future of community associations here at home and across the US. Now let’s see what I can use in my association and local chapter.
I valued the feedback I heard in reply to my questions and comments. This was a reality check from other volunteer board members who were able to see my local experience through their lens.
July | August 2014
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