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President's Column
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Farrah Esquer |
The first quarter of 2017 has flown by like a cardinal winging its way north for the warmer seasons. At the beginning of the year, we added an innovative technology to our toolbox to help make our owners' and Board Members' lives a little easier. (Please see our technology article in this issue.) Never forgetting our mission to help the communities in which we work and live, we teamed up with our industry partners and the Food Bank to help feed the elderly and the children of Orange County. Through our Board Education program, we continued to assist our Boards in getting up to speed on a variety of new subjects that can affect our communities, such as short-term rentals (Airbnb), social media sites (Nextdoor), and the recent state legalization of marijuana usage. In addition, we rolled out our Mobile Board Education program in which we bring our comprehensive class to you. The class is a refresher for veteran Directors, an introduction to community associations for new Directors, and training for Committee Members.
On January 1 Cardinal also welcomed its first new client of 2017 - Garden Valley Homeowners' Association, Inc. The community consists of 159 units located in Garden Grove and amenities include a large community clubhouse, pool area, tot lot, and volleyball and basketball courts.
With all of these activities and more since the first of the year, we can hardly wait to see what the next quarter brings!
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Cardinal Receives Industry Awards
Team Cardinal is proud to announce that we received the runner up award for "Corporate Sponsor of the Year" from
CAI - Orange County Chapter
during the annual Excellence in Community Awards dinner at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel on February 4. This award is presented to the company that has achieved the largest point total based on criteria that includes points for committee  service, sponsorship, advertising, and commitment to the Chapter. Making the award even more prestigious for us is that Cardinal's 35-member staff was competing with many other larger companies, some of which have more than 200 employees.
In the final award of the evening, Cardinal President Farrah Esquer received the Chapter Appreciation Award for her continued dedication to the Chapter. This award is bestowed by the Chapter's Executive Director to the individual who has made significant contributions to the Chapter over the past year. Farrah's continued support has enabled the Chapter to substantially move the needle toward exceeding its annual goals.
Congratulations to all recipients and nominees!
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Technology Makes It Easier to Get Your Message Out
Honoring our continued mission to provide innovative technology to our clients, we have partnered with Pilera Software to enhance our existing web portal service. What does this mean to you?
At no additional cost to our Board Members or owners, you can now view your account history online, including all credits and charges, and you can continue to make your assessment payments online. In addition, Cardinal can send mass unofficial emails from our Boards to their owners and residents who have provided an email address. Owners can also submit changes to their mailing addresses and update their personal contact information in addition to noting their preferred method of contact (email, phone, text).
And finally, still in the "no charge" column, Board Members can access Association documents such as governing documents, Board packets, financial statements, and recurring contracts, among others.
For a minimal fee, Board Members can send text or phone messages to Association residents. Also, Boards can choose to have Association-specific forms available for submittal through our website. This includes such forms as clubhouse rental, architectural applications, and key requests.
As we know, clear communication is essential for all successful relationships. We are providing these additional tools to help make communicating with your community easier and more successful!
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Food for Thought
Cardinal founder and CEO Susan Naples has always believed in supporting the people and communities in which Cardinal conducts business. "Technology is essential, of course, but we simply cannot ignore the needs of the people in our communities. I believe we owe a debt of gratitude to make a difference in people's everyday lives where we can," said Susan.
Working with the Outreach Committee of CAI-OC, Cardinal employees donated canned and other non-perishable food to the Orange County Food Bank to help the organization reach its goal of collecting 1.5 tons of food to distribute to Orange County's elderly and young families during the month of March. In addition to collecting food, the Cardinal team volunteered to sort and box the food for distribution.
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| Cardinal Manager Theresa Hirschman working at the food bank. Theresa is a member and past co-chair of CAI's Outreach Committee. |
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Building Strong Communities Through Education
Nearly 25 Board Members attended our first Board Education class of the year. In January, Robert DeNichilo, Nordberg DeNichilo, LLP, gave attendees practical tips on navigating potentially sticky issues affecting our communities, such as short-term rentals (Airbnb), social media sites (Nextdoor), and the recent state legalization of marijuana usage. Plan to attend our next class on March 29. (Please see the article about insurance education in this issue.)
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Congratulations April and Wes!
Congratulations to Cardinal Managers April Dana and Wes McKay for earning the Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA) certification administered by the Community Association Managers International Certification Board (CAMICB). The CMCA recognizes individuals who have demonstrated the fundamental knowledge required to manage community associations. This credential is the result of rigorous study and passing monitored exams.
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Ensure Your Knowledge of Insurance
Our next Board Education class "HOA Insurance Fundamentals" will be held Wednesday, March 29, in partnership with
CAI - Orange County Chapter
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Michael Berg, President of Berg Insurance Agency, and Karen Holthe, Director of Operations and Business Development, Cardinal Property Management, will team teach the class at Cardinal's headquarters. Sign-in and refreshments will begin at 6:00 p.m. and the class will held from 6:30 to 8:30.
Learn about Association insurance requirements, proper handling of claims, setting appropriate deductibles, and  determining who is responsible for the deductible. Have your questions answered by the experts.
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Cardinal's Champions for a Cause
Cardinal's Champion for a Cause (CCC) is an internal Cardinal program that allows employees and the company to team up to donate money to the employees' favorite charitable organizations throughout the year. Employees who participate in Casual Friday dress day each week donate a small sum of money to do so. Cardinal matches the collected funds, and a participating employee's name is randomly chosen during a staff meeting. That employee selects the charity to receive the donation.
Administrator Jennifer Centeno was selected to direct this quarter's fund. Jennifer chose Orange County's Ronald McDonald House.
Located on a residential street in Orange,  very close to CHOC Hospital, this house is dedicated to supporting the families of sick children. Their mission is to keep families together, and provide the care and support in a truly trying time.
Before joining Cardinal, Jennifer was the photographer for the neonatal unit at CHOC. "I saw firsthand what the Ronald McDonald House does for families whose newborns are in the intensive care unit. That's why I chose them to receive Cardinal's funds for the quarter," said Jennifer.
If you are interested in volunteering, here is the link: rmhcsc.org/orangecounty. If you can't commit to volunteering consistently, you can book a day to cook for the families, or donate from their wish list to keep the house going.
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March to Boot Camp Without Leaving Your Community
Cardinal is now offering "Board Member Boot Camp" tailored specifically for your association and taught to your Board at a meeting space of your choice.
This 1.5 to 2-hour training course is designed as a refresher for veteran Directors, an introduction to community associations for new Directors, and helpful training for Committee members and potential Directors.
Cardinal President Farrah Esquer and an industry expert will cover such topics as the nature of community associations and their corporate status, understanding your role as a Director and Committee Member, your fiduciary duties, how to enforce your governing documents, compliance with applicable statutes, and preparing for and attending Board meetings.
We look forward to seeing you in class!
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Cardinal on the Fly
You live your life on the fly. Cardinal-Online can flit with you wherever you go. We are proud to announce that Cardinal Property Management's
website
is available on smart phones and tablets.
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Help Cardinal Fly Farther in 2017 and Receive a Discount for Your Association
Would you like your association to receive a $200 discount on its next monthly management fee? Cardinal has been dedicated to helping Boards and Directors throughout Orange County for 35 years. Our strategic plan for 2017 and beyond includes not only further spreading our wings in Orange County but also into the Inland Empire and Los Angeles County. Cardinal holds the prestigious Accredited Association Management Company (AAMC) designation from the Community Associations Institute (CAI).
We are offering our client associations $200 off their next monthly management fee for referring a new client who signs a contract with Cardinal. Refer your friends to our website so they can see who we are and how we can help their communities to enhance the quality of their community living experience.
Watch our website and newsletter for further information in the coming year.
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