A History of Excellence in Service

Reserve Advisors: Managers of Excellence Award

This year we are proud to announce that Gittleman manager Stana Gerlach (CMCA, AMS), received the 2011 Reserve Advisors: Managers of Excellence award. The award was established by Reserve Advisors, a national provider of reserve studies, insurance appraisals, and transition studies, to recognize community association managers who are industry leaders.

Stana Gerlach has been in the industry for more than 10 years and oversees seven townhome and condo associations in suburban Minneapolis. Throughout her career, Gerlach has pursued professional development opportunities, such as her Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA) and Association Management Specialist (AMS) designations through the industry's trade group, Community Associations Institute of Minnesota (CIA-MN).

Gerlach fosters open and honest communication with the associations and boards. "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.

CAI-MN Vision Awards

2011 also marks fifth consecutive year that a manager from Gittleman Management Corporation has won the Outstanding Excellence in Service Award. From 2007-2011, Gittleman Managers have received seven out of nine service awards presented by the Community Association Institute of Minnesota (CAI-MN) at its annual Vision Awards ceremony. This year, Gittleman Management Corporation is pleased to announce that Margaret Carter (CMCA, AMS) received the highly coveted Excellence in Service Award and Aron Ponthan (CMCA) received the 2011 CAI-MN Rookie of the Year Award.

CAI-MN is the regional chapter for 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 community association management. 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 peers.

2011 Excellence in Service Award

Margaret 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—Margaret has helped her clients solve complicated community and property related issues on a routine basis.

Mark Gittleman, President of Gittleman Management noted, “This award recognizes Margaret 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. Margaret always operates at the highest levels of integrity, thoughtfulness, and customer service. We are very proud of her accomplishments and recognition.”

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.

Mark Gittleman notes that, “Aron always strives to provide the best service possible to all of his Association Board clients, responding thoughtfully and in a timely manner to issues and priorities within the community.”

Past Nominees and Award Winners

Excellence in Service Awards

Hamlet Vazquez (CMCA, AMS) of Gittleman Management received the highly coveted 2010 Excellence in Service award at the CAI-MN annual Vision Awards program.

Vazquez was selected among nine Association Managers from five different management companies by a juried group of peers. 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.

Mark Gittleman commented, “We are excited that Hamlet received well deserved and hard earned recognition for the depth and breadth of his excellent work and professionalism. He is truly outstanding Association Manager.”

Jeff Peterson, CMCA of Gittleman Management Corporation was the recipient of the 2009 Excellence in Service Award. Peterson has been an Association Manager with Gittleman Management Corporation for over eleven years.

Mark Gittleman, President of Gittleman, commented, “Jeff has been a tremendous Association Manager for our company and its clients. 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.”

In 2009, five Gittleman Management candidates were nominated: Lisa Astleford (CMCA), Dawn Blake, Chris Campbell (CMCA), Mark Karason (CMCA, AMS), and Jeff Peterson (CMCA). Jeff Peterson and Christopher Campbell received awards in the two manager categories.

Jane Bristow, CMCA of Gittleman Management Corporation was awarded the 2008 winner of the 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; loyalty to consumer clients and the ability to interact well with board members, clients, service providers and other professionals. Contributions to the CAI-MN chapter and promotion of ethical conduct and competence are included as part of the qualifications for this award. Ten candidates from seven different companies were nominated for this award in 2009.

Rookie of the Year Awards

Chris Campbell, CMCA of Gittleman Management Corporation, was the recipient of the 2009 Rookie of the Year Award. Campbell joined Gittleman as an Association Manager in February, 2008.

Mark Gittleman commented, “It has just been tremendous to have Chris pick things up so quickly and build on his existing management and customer service experiences. I am most impressed with Chris’ steady composure and his facilitator/planning skills in successfully completing large, complicated projects.”

Keith Myrmel, CMCA of Gittleman Management Corporation, 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 in the management industry who has displayed exceptional abilities either generally or on a specific project and reflects the manager’s significant accomplishments. Five candidates from four different companies were nominated for this award in 2009.