AAMC

Accredited Association Management Company (AAMC)
 National Corporate Certification
 Administered by the Community Associations Institute (CAI)”

CAI is the nation’s voice for condominiums, cooperative and homeowner associations. The Institute is a national, nonprofit association created in 1973 to educate and represent America’s residential community associations and related professionals and service providers. It is a multidisciplinary alliance, dedicated to the development of effective community associations. Its members include condominiums, homeowner associations, community managers, management firms, public officials and lawyers, accountants, insurance providers, engineers, builders/developers and other providers of professional services and products for community associations.

Of the more than 60 management firm members of Orange County CAI, only five have met the rigorous standards required to earn this prestigious designation.

The AAMC accreditation symbolizes a commitment to providing the unique and diverse services community associations need today. An Accredited Association Management Company ensures that staff has the skills, experience and integrity to help your community association succeed and excel through tested knowledge and skills and stringent operational requirements.

This commitment helps ensure your association runs smoothly by:

• Developing association budgets and financial reports to ensure your association prepares for future expenses and communicates to homeowners how their assessment dollars are spent;
• Performing site inspections to evaluate your association’s grounds and common elements and ensure proper upkeep
• Enforcing community association rules and restrictions fairly, equitably and reasonably
• Assisting Board Members in selecting contractors and insurance providers that can provide top-notch services for your association
• Overseeing and authorizing payment for services to ensure financial safeguards
• Promoting open communication, collaboration and community spirit within the association. Accredited Association Management Companies are required to meet CAI’s financial management and reporting standards. All companies that carry the AAMC designation must maintain fidelity, general liability and workers’ compensation insurance, in addition to meeting federal, state and local laws.

As a client of an Accredited Association Management company, your community association is protected with the financial safeguards required by the accreditation.

Your community association benefits not only from the experience of an individual manager but also from the collective resources that a highly trained and knowledgeable staff an AAMC-accredited management company provides. A staff member of an AAMC management company has a solid understanding of all aspects of community association management.

PCAM

National Individual Manager Designation:
 PCAM – Professional Community Association Manager
 Administered by the Community Associations Institute (CAI)

The Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM) designation is the pinnacle of professional achievement for managers with advanced-level skills and experience. A PCAM candidate must earn the CMCA certification and AMS designation, and successfully complete CAI’s Professional Management Development Program (PMDP), which includes a challenging case study analysis of a community association. The case study of a community selected by CAI begins with classroom instruction, followed by an exhaustive review of the association’s finances, documents and operations and an on-site inspection.

The applicant must also have at least five years of community association work experience and participate in a minimum level of CAI service activities.

PCAM designees must maintain membership in CAI, maintain the CMCA certification and AMS designation, comply with the CAI Professional Code of Ethics and successfully complete the required continuing education coursework to be re-certified every three years.

AMS

National Individual Manager Designation:
 AMS – Association Management Specialist
 Administered by the Community Associations Institute (CAI)

The AMS designation is the second tier of the pyramid of professionalism for community association managers. This designation builds upon the CMCA’s fundamental knowledge. It includes requirements of additional education and verified experience in the field.

Designees must have completed at least two years of financial, administrative and facilities management, with experience performing specific community management functions.

AMS designees must abide by high ethical standards as outlined in the Professional Manager Code of Ethics.

The AMS designation must be renewed every three years. The designee must maintain a professional membership in CAI, maintain the CMCA certification and comply with the CAI Professional Code of Ethics.

CMCA

National Individual Manager Certification:
 CMCA – Certified Manager of Community Associations
 Administered by the National Board of Certification for Community Association Managers (NBC-CAM)

This is the only national certification program for those professionals who manage community associations. This program ensures that community association managers have the essential knowledge to effectively manage community associations. The CMCA certification program provides community association managers with the knowledge they need to deal with:
Government and legal matters
Budgets, Reserves, Investments and Assessments
Financial Controls
Risk Management and Insurance
Property Maintenance
Contracting
Association Meetings
Human Resources