Past Conferences

Condo Conference Goes Over the Top!

Bob Gardiner, B.A., LL.B., ACCI, FCCI

The 7th annual ACMO/CCI Condominium Conference was our most amazing extravaganza ever.

The Conference theme "Building Better Communities", addressed many aspects of life in our vertical and horizontal villages. ACMO and CCIToronto have been partners in this sophisticated joint venture and other successful projects to benefit the members whom we serve.

Held at the International Plaza Hotel on November 7th and 8th, 2003, the Conference attracted over 410 registered delegates. Fifty-eight expert speakers tickled their fancy and sizzled their brains. The Conference was better than Disneyland for all of us condo nerds. Attendees had the opportunity to button-hole the experts with their urgent questions. Insiders networked with the in-crowd.

Friday Sessions
The Conference launched with a moving and hilarious motivational phenomenon, that "I Can Do That!" lady, Suzie Humphries who confronted life and inspired us with her experiences. Yes we can, Suzie!

Morning sessions included Preventative Maintenance, Beware: Toxic Mould - Your Worst Nightmare! and Telecommunications. After lunch at the trade show, delegates had to figure out how to select from 2 sets concurrent sessions - Risky Business, Reserve Funds or Show Me Money... Budgeting and Investing, followed by Crimes in Condos, Community Planning or Energy Efficiency.

Saturday Sessions
That perennial favourite, the Case Update session featured 8 lawyers across the nation. Again, delegates to choose among two morning sets concurrent sessions ­ Requisitioned Meetings, Time and Stress Management or Buying and Selling Condominiums, followed by Construction Contracts and Deficiencies, Creating Long Term Relationships Between the Board and Management, or Waste Management and Recycling.

After lunch, Zandra Bell had the audience rolling in the aisles when she stumbled into our Conference by mistake and gave us a piece of her mind as to how she had been mistreated as a condo owner. My ACMO counterpart - co-chair Laura Lee closed out the conference.

Speakers and Sessions
The roster of expert speakers' credentials, sponsors and exhibitors detailed in the On-Site Program is a testament to the exceptional expertise of our condominium industry leaders. The Session Synopsis includes valuable articles regarding many of the Conference presentations (available from CCI-Toronto at a cost of $25).

Trade Show
Seventy exhibitors representing a wide variety of condominium-specific trades and services were overjoyed to meet directors' and managers' needs during the two-day Trade Show - with lunch, wine and cheese and many other benefits provided by our trusty sponsors.

CCI/ACMO Trade Show Exhibit Area.

We are thrilled to announce that the winner of the $2,000 travel gift certificate is Paulette Walker, who had her Trade Show Passport stamped at all 70 exhibitors' booths.

ACMO and CCI-Toronto simply could not continue to host such an amazing extravaganza without the financial support of our Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze sponsors and the input from each of our exhibitors. A sincere thanks to all.

CCI NATIONAL
CCI-National provides another valuable dimension. Throughout the Conference, the National board and committees attended a series of meetings. Many of the National directors played starring roles at various sessions. At the National AGM held Friday afternoon, 10 directors were elected. Our representatives from CCIToronto on the National board are Peter Harris, Dr. Gina Cody and Janice Pynn.

CCI National Annual General Meeting

CCI-Toronto was pleased to host a dinner at the lakefront Boathouse Grill for the National directors, on the Thursday night preceding the Conference in recognition of their volunteer efforts on behalf of condominium owners. Two of the most Canadian of all Canadians at the Conference were Anne and Scott Merry who went way out of their way to make sure they didn't miss any of the information sessions. They drove from Halifax to the western tip of Vancouver Island, turned around and headed back to Toronto on time for our social event. Now that's dedication!

Friday night's big event was the CCI-National Awards Dinner. We are very proud that Janice Pynn, Vice-President of the Toronto Chapter was awarded a rare designation as a Fellow of the Canadian Condominium Institute (FCCI) for her many outstanding contributions to the world of condos. (See article below.)

A Toronto Chapter Past-President, National Past-President, founding director of National and author of the Condominium Handbook was recognized as being in a category all of his own. Gerry Hyman, Q.C., B.A., LL.M., ACCI, FCCI received a fond standing ovation from his many good friends when he was announced as the first Inductee into CCI's new Hall of Fame, much to his surprise. (See article below).

The Lorne Young Chapter of the Year award was presented by last year's winner, the Huronia Chapter, to the Golden Horseshoe Branch. Though obviously they deserved it (because of their exceptional efforts during the past year), I must admit I had expected that CCI-Huronia (which Toronto chose as the previous year's Chapter Winner), understood that the award was only a temporary gift, conditional upon the concept of reciprocal nepotism. Sometimes the best laid devious plans don't work out and merit takes precedence.

Luckily, the Golden Horseshoe Chapter recognized its duty to award the H. Penman Smith Award for Newsletter Excellence back to our Toronto Chapter! We are justly proud of the Condo Voice magazine, which is chock full of information for condo directors and managers. The real credit is deserved by our editorial directors, Denise Lash and Dr. Gina Cody, with professional input by our administrator, Lynn Morrovat and the team at Taylor Enterprises. Our star advertising department is Marie McNamee, whose finesse and acumen helped our advertisers realize how much we need them to make this magazine possible.

Special thanks go out to my ACMO co-chairs of the Conference, President Laura Lee and Past-President Jim Bezemer. Members of the Condominium Conference Committee have spent the past year inventing session ideas and working out the myriad of details which make the Conference possible. Special mention goes out to all those committee members: Ron Danks, Don Braden, Roy Arluck, Dr. Gina Cody, Larry Holmes, Donna Swanson, Denise Lash and Jasmine Martirossian. Behind the scenes, Taylor Enterprises' staff pull all the administrative strings to make this puppet walk and talk - especially Lynn Morrovat, Sherry Denesha, Mary Lou Murray and Andrea Simmons.

2004 Conference
Planning for the 2004 Condominium Conference is already under way. If you have any ideas for sessions, topics or improvements for next November's Conference, please forward them to the Conference Office, 2121 Argentia Road Suite #404, Mississauga, Ont. L5N 2X4 or fax (905) 826-4873 by February 1st, 2004.

See you next November.

Bob Gardiner, B.A., LL.B., ACCI, FCCI
President, CCI Toronto

2003 CCI/ACMO Annual Conference

And the Award Goes To...

CCI National Chairman, Ron Danks at the National Awards Dinner.

At the CCI National Awards Dinner on Friday November 7th, 2003, the CCI ­ Toronto and Area Chapter and two of its members were honoured with prestigious awards.

CCI- Toronto and Area Chapter Receives the Penman Smith Newsletter of the YearAward.
For the second time since this award was introduced in 2001, the CCI Toronto and Area Chapter has been the recipient of the Penman Smith Newsletter of the Year Award from CCI National for the Condo Voice. Co-Editors, Denise Lash and Gina Cody were on hand along with fellow CCI-Toronto Board Members to accept the award.

CCI-Toronto Chapter is presented with the Penman Smith Newsletter of the Year Award by Karen Reynolds of the Golden Horseshoe Chapter. Left to right: Karen Reynolds, Armand Conant, Gina Cody, Denise Lash, Bob Gardiner, Janice Pynn, Steve Willerding, Bob Girard, Donna Swanson and Peter Harris.

Janice Pynn is awarded the FCCI Designation
Toronto and Area Chapter director and Vice President, Janice Pynn, was awarded with the honour of receiving the FCCI designation, making her a Fellow of the Institute. Admission to the Fellowship is reserved for those who have demonstrated not only excellence in their chosen professions, but who have also clearly demonstrated their support, promotion and participation with CCI.

CCI-Toronto Vice-President, Janice Pynn is awarded her FCCI plaque. Left to right: CCI National Chairman Ron Danks, Janice Pynn and CCI-Toronto Past-President, Gina Cody.

Janice Pynn has spent more than twenty years in the property management field and is currently Vice-President of Simerra Property Management Inc. Janice is a Professional Member of CCI-Toronto, has been a Chapter Board Member since 1998. In addition, Janice serves as a Director on the National Board of CCI and sits on its Education committee. Janice currently serves as the Chair of the Toronto Chapter's Membership Committee where she has been the driving force behind the development of the Chapter's "Ambassador Program" ­ a major recruitment drive already showing impressive results.

Janice's peers on the CCI Toronto Board feel she is a most worthy recipient of this honour as her dedication, hard work and contributions reflect the goals of the Institute and help to further enhance the professionalism and knowledge of directors and managers.

Gerry Hyman is the first Inductee into the CCI National Hall of Fame.

Gerry Hyman giving his acceptance speech for the Hall of Fame Award.

Gerry Hyman was the first such Inductee and he was present, along with his family on November 7th to receive his award ­ presented by CCI National Chairman, Ronald Danks. (see Member Profile on page 21 for full details on Gerry Hymans contributions to CCI)