The best-educated human being is the one who understands most about the life in which he is placed. —Helen Keller

I’m sure most readers have experienced starting a new job and then realizing how much learning is necessary to do the job well.  At first, there is that helpless lost feeling when everything is foreign. As time goes by you learn bit by bit how to fulfill your duties—often through trial and error. Community association managers understand this scenario all too well.

CAMs are equipped through the licensing process to understand the basic aspects and terminology of their jobs, but the process itself does not claim to prepare managers for all of the day-to-day duties and problems that can occur. How do you learn how to manage a large concrete restoration project or handle a special assessment, or any of the myriad of other problems that will fall under your responsibility? I remember a saying that goes something like “on large condominium projects, there is always the beginning manager and the ending manager. The beginning manager gets fired at some place in the project, and then they hire a manager who knows what he’s doing!”

For many years FLCAJ has seen the need to equip managers to be both the “beginning and the ending manager” in their projects. With that goal in mind, we began to head in a direction two years ago that is coming to fruition in April. FCAP, Florida Community Association Professionals is a new organization whose purpose is stated in the tagline “Training, Equipping & Advocating for Florida’s Community Association Professionals.” Our extensive explanation of the program begins on page 6

And don’t forget the 2012 Communities of Excellence Conference and Awards Ceremony will be held Friday, March 30, in Hollywood, Florida, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Conference Center. Turn to page 42 to preview the program. To make reservations to attend this free event, visit www.communitiesofexcellence.net.

Terry

Editor