From the President
Board of Directors
What is your Attitude?
by
Gene Sullivan | New Concepts Management Group, Inc.
President Gene Sullivan Phone 952.922.2500 gene@ncmgi.com
M
y father, was a military pilot with the United States Marine Corps. He told me of a story of his early training days where the Corps’ fixed wing training unit in Pensacola, Florida became increasingly concerned over the number of young pilots who ended up ditching their planes in the water over and over again while beginning take off. What was initially being written off as a bad batch of recruits, who couldn’t be taught how to fly, became an early lesson in understanding vertigo. “Vertigo” is that dangerous state of mind all pilots will face at some point in their flight experience where they become confused with their direction and orientation. This can easily happen when you are forced to react by putting your aircraft in quick and tight maneuvers. For it is in that brief moment the pilot must make a decision, to accept what “feels right” or ignore that for what you expect, that which “is right.”
Do you accept or expect? People that accept the way things are, see themselves as victims; people who cannot make a difference, but only as one who hopes someone else can. People not willing to accept the way things are, expect a different outcome, because they are willing to make a difference. I have seen both during my time as President of CAI. I have had the calls from people who ask “How come you haven’t done this?” or “Why don’t you do that…?” People who only can find fault because they hope someone else will care.
Those are people like Cliff Kurth, Halo Stafford, Carla Gruenhagen, Linda Wilkins, Peter Tjornhom, Brandon Stendal, and Tim Magnuson who are on CAI’s Charitable outreach committee who once again have encouraged us to look beyond ourselves and have said we can make the difference in the lives of those with drug and alcohol addiction by investing in Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge. Not only have they helped us to focus on life besides ourselves, they have helped us to direct thousands of dollars in less than two years to this great organization. We need to thank all of them for their heart and example.
Vice-President Joel Starks, CMCA Phone 952.698.2053 joel@sharpermanagement.com Treasurer Halo Stafford, CMCA, AMS, PCAM Phone 952.944.2237 edenplacemgr@pinnaclefamily.com Secretary Nancy Polomis, Esq. Phone 952.941.4005 npolomis@hjlawfirm.com Directors
We need to recognize the tireless work of those who have been willing to serve on CAI’s Legislative Action Committee. Who have not been willing to accept things the way they are, but instead, have worked to build the organization we have today with our own lobbyist and have made a huge contribution to maintaining the best of what people appreciate about HOA living. It has been through the thoughtful and deliberate work of those on the education, tradeshow, and social committee, who have worked to provide us with opportunities to become better and more professional at our craft, but to also remind us that we simply just aren’t competitors, we are people who want to make a difference in the lives of others! My encouragement to those reading this is – what is your attitude? Are you one who will accept things as they are, or are you one who will help us make even more of a difference?
JoAnn Borden, CMCA, AMS, PCA Phone 763.746.1196 jborden@developcommunity.com Matthew Drewes Phone 952.835.7000 mdrewes@tn-law.com Joseph Fadell Phone 952.392.9208 fadell.joseph@gmail.com Russ Lis, CMCA, AMS Phone 612.805.6111 rlis@reconstructionsolutionsgroup.com Crystal Pingel, CMCA, AMS, PCAM Phone 952.277.2703 Crystal.Pingel@fsresidential.com Jim Rezek Phone 763-424-9984 jimrezek@comcast.net Michelle Stephans, RS Phone 763.754.5500 michelle@reserveadvisors.com
I have also been humbled and in deep admiration over those who have said I will not accept the way things are, I will make a difference!
Committee Chairs Communications Chair
Carin Rosengren Phone 952.432.3722 CRosengren@kellerpm.com
Charitable Outreach Committee Chair Cliff Kurth Phone 763.248.1047 cliff@aemn.co
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Education Committee Chair Nigel Mendez Phone 651.287.8640 nmendez@carlsonassoc.com
Golf Tournament Chair Kris Birch Phone 651.481.9180 krisbirch@birchlawn.net
Minnesota Communit y Living
Legislative Action Chair John Dorgan Phone 612.721.4116 jrd@jdorganlaw.com
Membership Chair
Paul Lawson FirstService Residential Phone 952.277.2792 paul.lawson@fsresidential.com
Social Committee
Jenna Wright Phone 303.547.7848 jwright@bensonpc.com
Trade Show Committee Chair Michele Ramler Phone 763.231.9809 mramler@cedarmanagement.com
Vision Awards Chair Shaun Zavadsky, CMCA Phone 952.277.2786 shaun.zavadsky@fsresidential.com