‘Best Practices for Board Members’ Free Seminar Series Launched for Community Association Officers in Palm Beach County

Palm Beach Community College and Local Professional Firms to Educate Condo, Co-Op, HOA Board Members on Issues Facing Community Associations

BOCA RATON, Fla., Nov. 15 /PRNewswire/ — The Community Association Officers Forum (CAOF), an education and business partnership helping community association officers understand the issues they face as members of their associations’ Boards of Directors, announced today the launch of its 2007-08 series of free seminars in Palm Beach County for board members of local condominium, co-op, homeowner and other community associations.

CAOF’s “Best Practices for Board Members” series of monthly seminars will kick-off December 4 and run through early April at two convenient locations in Boca Raton and Boynton Beach. These educational events are made possible by the sponsorship of Palm Beach Community College, Becker & Poliakoff, Commerce Bank, Kane & Company, P.A., Prime Management Group and Seitlin Insurance & Advisory Services.

Absolutely free of charge to community association board members, the “Best Practice for Board Members” seminar series will feature expert guest lecturers on key aspects of community association governance and management, including Budgeting & Fiscal Planning, Fiduciary & Legal Responsibilities, The Insurance Crisis and Disaster Planning.

“We're very pleased to team with Palm Beach Community College and these outstanding local professional firms to offer at no charge this comprehensive seminar series to condo, HOA and other community association board members throughout Palm Beach County,” said Margaret Grisdela, Executive Director, CAOF. “Association boards face real challenges in running their communities and we hope board members will join us to stay abreast of the latest developments and learn 'best practices' on vital community management issues.”

“Becker & Poliakoff and the other professional firms participating in the CAOF seminars work day-in and day-out with volunteer board members who face serious and complex issues that impact the quality of life and financial futures of property owners within their communities,” said Kenneth S. Direktor, shareholder and director of the Community Association Law practice at Becker & Poliakoff, co-sponsor of the CAOF Palm Beach County series. “We're very excited to co-sponsor this series to help board members navigate the issues, deliver the benefits of sound association management and provide greater peace of mind to the satisfaction of all those who choose to live within their communities.”

Each of the CAOF “Best Practices for Board Members” seminars will be held in two separate locations and community association board members wishing to attend may choose the date and place that is most convenient for them:

    — In Boca Raton, at the Embassy Suites, 661 NW 53rd Street (just west of
       I-95 and north of Yamato Road; and,
    — In Boynton Beach, at the Westchester Country Club, 12250 Westchester
       Club Drive (jog between Lake Ida & Woolbright).
The CAOF “Best Practices for Board Members” seminar topics, dates for both locations and guest lecturers will include:
    Budgeting & Fiscal Planning: Managing your Community's Funds
      Boca Raton, Tues. Dec. 4th / Boynton Beach, Tues. Dec. 11th
      — Welcoming remarks by Gwen M. Nicholson, Program Manager, Palm Beach
         Community College
      — Kenneth Direktor, Esq., and Robert Rubinstein, Esq., Becker &
         Poliakoff
      — Joseph Ercolino, VP, and Christina Siconolfi, VP, Cash Management
         Services, Commerce Bank
      — Jeffrey L. Ducker, CPA, Kane & Company

    2008 Outlook:  What's New, What's Coming?
      Boca Raton, Tues. Jan. 8th / Boynton Beach, Tues. Jan. 15th
      — Robert Rubinstein, Esq., and Kenneth Direktor, Esq., Becker &
         Poliakoff
      — Frank Spinosa, Regional Vice President, Commerce Bank
      — Monte Kane, CPA, Managing Director, Kane & Company
      — Charles D. (“Chip”) Sollins, Chief Executive Officer, Prime
         Management Group
      — Ed Whipple, Property and Casualty, Seitlin Insurance & Advisory
         Services

    The Insurance Crisis: What Board Members Need to Know
      Boca Raton, Tues. Feb. 5th / Boynton Beach, Tues. Feb. 12th
      —  Moderated by Ed Whipple, Property and Casualty, Seitlin Insurance &
          Advisory Services
      —  Kenneth Direktor, Esq., and Robert Rubinstein, Esq., Becker &
          Poliakoff
      —  Jeffrey L. Ducker, CPA, Kane & Company
      —  Bryan E. Feuerberg, Assistant Vice President, Commerce Bank
      —  Charles D. (“Chip”) Sollins, Chief Executive Officer, Prime
          Management Group

    Fiduciary and Legal Responsibilities of Board Members
      Boca Raton, Tues. Mar. 4th / Boynton Beach, Tues. Mar. 11th
      —  Robert Rubinstein, Esq., and Kenneth Direktor, Esq., Becker &
          Poliakoff
      —  Monte Kane, CPA, Managing Director, Kane & Company

    Disaster Planning: Is Your Association Ready?
      Boca Raton, Tues. April 1st / Boynton Beach, Tues. April 8th
      —  Moderated by Charles D. (“Chip”) Sollins, Chief Executive Officer,
          Prime Management Group
      —  Kenneth Direktor, Esq., and Robert Rubinstein, Esq., Becker &
          Poliakoff
      —  Todd Mutschler, Vice President, Consumer Lending, Commerce Bank
      —  Jeffrey L. Ducker, CPA, Kane & Company
      —  Ed Whipple, Property and Casualty, Seitlin Insurance & Advisory
          Services
On-site registration and continental breakfast begins at 8:00 a.m., followed by the seminar from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Association Board Members from condos, co-ops, homeowner and other community associations located in Palm Beach County may register in advance online at www.CAOFonline.com or via telephone at 561-266-0100.

About the Community Association Officers Forum

The Community Association Officers Forum (CAOF) was established to provide a series of free educational seminars to condo association officers to help them understand the issues that they face as members of their community associations’ Boards of Directors. Patterned after a Southwest Florida seminar series launched in 1999 by Edison College’s Office of Continuing Education, Guardian Property Management Co., Becker & Poliakoff and others, the annual CAOF “Best Practices for Board Members Series” is sponsored by Palm Beach Community College, Becker & Poliakoff, Commerce Bank, Kane & Company, P.A., Prime Management Group and Seitlin Insurance & Advisory Services.

SOURCE Community Association Officers Forum

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