Industry Recognition

Community Association of Minnesota (CAI-MN) Vision Awards

From 2007-2012, Gittleman Managers have received eight out of eleven service awards, as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the (CAI-MN at its annual Vision Awards ceremony. This year, Gittleman is pleased to announce our Founder, Melvin Gittleman, received a Lifetime Achievement Award, and Spike Squire received the 2012 CAI-MN Rookie of the Year Award.

Gittleman Management was also honored to have three managers nominated for awards by clients and colleagues for their outstanding work as Association Managers. Nominations included Lisa Astleford, CMCA, AMS and Paul Lawson, CMCA, AMS for the Outstanding Excellence in Service Award; and Han Tran, CMCA for the Rookie of the Year Award.

CAI-MN is the regional chapter of a national industry association, providing resources and services to management companies, vendors, and homeowners. The Vision Awards Program recognizes the best of the best for their outstanding achievements in the community association management industry. Award winners and nominees demonstrate high standards of management, including advanced training, certification, and a commitment to excellence. The award nominations are reviewed and scored by an independent jury of industry peers.

2012 Lifetime Achievement Award

Mel Gittleman received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his numerous contributions to community association living over the course of his career. In granting this award, the incoming President of CAI-MN, stated, “Mel offered — day in and day out — a compelling vision for community living, dedication to clients, and commitment to quality, until his retirement in 2009.

“A key part of his success was the dedication and commitment to clients that he fostered among employees of the company, which helped set a standard of quality and excellence within the industry. Mel enjoyed and maintained many ongoing, long-term relationships with clients over the years, and was pleased to have had the opportunity to contribute to a high quality of life within their communities.”

2012 Rookie of the Year Award

Gittleman’s Spike Squire, Property Manager for the Carlyle, was recognized as the industry Rookie of the Year. Squire was recognized by a jury of his peers for his extraordinary accomplishments including his highly regarded weekly newsletter to homeowners and his exceptional efforts to enforce policies that are important to the community.

2011 Rookie of the Year Award

Aron Ponthan, CMCA, was recognized as the 2011 Rookie of the Year. During Aron’s time with Gittleman Management, he has assumed responsibility for several accounts with widely varying issues. Aron has received positive feedback from Board members and homeowners about his professional, business-like manner and effective performance.

2009 Rookie of the Year Award

Chris Campbell, CMCA, was the recipient of the 2009 Rookie of the Year Award. Mark Gittleman, President of Gittleman Management, commented, “I am most impressed with Chris’ steady composure and his facilitator/planning skills in successfully completing large, complicated projects.”

2007 Rookie of the Year Award

Keith Myrmel, CMCA, was the recipient of the 2007 Rookie of the Year Award.

The Rookie of the Year Award is given to a manager with fewer than two years experience who has displayed exceptional abilities.

2011 Excellence in Service Award

Margarita Carter was selected from among eight nominees from five different management companies for the 2011 Outstanding Excellence in Service Award. During her sixteen years in property management — and five plus years as a community manager — Margarita has helped her clients solve complicated community and property related issues on a routine basis.

Mark Gittleman noted, “This award recognizes Margarita as an outstanding community association management professional who is both well respected and well liked by her peers, her clients, and third parties with whom she works and operates. Margarita always operates at the highest levels of integrity, thoughtfulness, and customer service. We are very proud of her accomplishments and recognition.”

2010 Excellence in Service Award

Hamlet Vazquez, CMCA, AMS, was awarded the 2011 Excellence in Service Award. Among the accomplishments publicly recognized at the program were his successes in reaching homeowners with weekly email updates, conducting third party surveys to measure member satisfaction with management services, and documenting substantial reductions in the number of problems and incidents on a year‐over‐year basis.

2009 Excellence in Service Award

Jeff Peterson, CMCA, was the recipient of the 2009 Excellence in Service Award. Peterson has been an Association Manager with Gittleman Management for over eleven years. Mark Gittleman, commented, “Jeff is a recognized steward and leader for the homeowner associations he serves and is a highly capable and trusted manager for our clients on issues large and small. It“s an honor for him to be recognized in the broader community for over a decade of outstanding work.”

2008 Excellence in Service Award

Jane Bristow, CMCA, was awarded the 2008 Excellence in Service Award.

The Excellence in Service Award is given annually to a manager or affiliate member who displays integrity, reliability, commitment to the industry, and loyalty to consumer clients; the ability to interact well with board members, clients, service providers and other industry professionals. Contributions to the CAI-MN chapter and promotion of ethical conduct and competence are included as part of the qualifications for this award.

Reserve Advisors: Managers of Excellence Award

Stana Gerlach, CMCA, AMS, was selected to receive the 2011 Reserve Advisors Managers of Excellence Award. Stana Gerlach has been in the industry for more than ten years and oversees seven townhome and condo associations in suburban Minneapolis. She fosters open and honest communication with the associations and boards she works with. “I believe in bringing my boards into the conversation. I encourage board members to participate in vendor meetings and supply them with the necessary information they need to make informed decisions,” says Gerlach. “And, I always deliver the truth, even if there’s a problem. Problems don’t get resolved by hiding from them. They get resolved through honest and direct conversations.”

Reserve Advisors established the Managers of Excellence program to honor the best community association managers throughout the country. The Managers of Excellence award is presented on a quarterly basis to managers who demonstrate a strong commitment to community associations and enhancing the overall value of the properties, exhibit industry experience and expertise, understand the importance and benefits of a reserve study, and exhibit professional conduct.