I have just finished reviewing the attendee survey results from AMCOcon, our first day-long educational conference held entirely by virtual means. The feedback suggests that exhibitors, sponsors and attendees were overwhelmingly satisfied with the event. What is perhaps more noteworthy is that so many ACMO managers and management firms were keenly interested in the subject matter of the conference, “Integrity and Professionalism in Condominium Management,” and participated in sessions on ethical management, avoiding conflict of interests, effective communication, and conflict management. I think this speaks to their commitment to going beyond the minimum to pursue a higher standard of excellence in condominium management.

This same commitment led them to join ACMO and voluntarily pursue their Registered Condominium Manager (RCM) designation or ACMO 2000 Certification.

It is also at the core of why ACMO was formed in 1977 by a group of property managers frustrated with the lack of regulation and standards in a rapidly growing industry. Their goal was to improve condominium managers’ and management firms’ training, qualifications, and performance and better protect condo owners’ interests in an industry then characterized as the “wild west.”

For the next 40+ years, ACMO stayed true to that mandate by advocating for the industry and leading the development and implementation of standardized condominium management education, continuing education programming, a professional designation for managers (RCM), operating standards for management firms (ACMO 2000 Certification), and above all, a professional code of ethics. ACMO also led the way in advocating for the licensing of managers and management firms. When the Condominium Management Regulatory Authority launched in 2017, ACMO’s educational program was adopted as a licensing requirement.

Notwithstanding the emergence of a regulatory body, ACMO continues to lead the way in promoting standards that go beyond the minimum licensing requirements. For example, earlier this year, the CMRAO fined Mrs. Elena Schneider $8,000 for a conflict-of-interest breach under clause 58(1) of the Condominium Management Services Act but chose not to revoke her general license. ACMO subsequently reviewed her case and felt that the CMRAO decision did not go far enough to protect our profession’s integrity or the public. As a result, ACMO revoked Mrs. Schneider’s ACMO membership and RCM designation for life.

Going forward, ACMO will continue to advocate for higher standards of integrity and professionalism in condominium management and design our programming to support that goal. Stay tuned later this year for our new Certificate Program, a more robust half-day continuing education program, and information on new RCM requirements that will build more value and differentiation into the industry’s leading professional designation that goes beyond the minimum,

View PDF Back to Latest Issue