Barbara Byrd Keenan, CAE, who recently retired as Chief Executive Officer of Community Associations Institute (CAI) after twelve years of service, has received the first Barbara Byrd Keenan Award, given by the National Board of Certification for Community Association Managers (NBC-CAM). NBC-CAM's new award honors those who have offered distinguished service in the advancement of manager certification.

NBC-CAM, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, is the first national certification program for association managers, offering systematic and comprehensive training to those who would otherwise have to rely on a trial-by-fire method of obtaining continuing education. In its five years of existence, the CMCA certification has helped raise industry standards, teach and train new managers, and create a way for industry leaders to maintain control of their profession. More than 3,900 professionals nationwide have achieved NBC-CAM's Certified Manager of Community Associations® (CMCA®) credential.

"I am so very honored to receive this award," says Keenan. "I have always felt that it's important for us to do whatever we can to help encourage the utmost of professionalism and expertise in our community's managers. I'm thrilled that an award that carries my name will go on to honor others who believe as I do that manager certification not only maintains high standards, but helps ensure that managers learn how to effectively put people first."

Steve Castle, president of Mid-Atlantic Management Corporation in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, chairs the NBC-CAM Board of Commissioners, and was a member of the first class of CMCAs. According to Castle: "When I got into the business 25 years ago, I had to learn by hard knocks, but I would have loved to have had this sort of certification program available. Now, thanks in large part to the incredible contributions of Barbara Byrd Keenan, we have a thriving program. It's so fitting that this award carries her name now and into the future."

During Keenan's tenure, CAI has won numerous national awards from various organizations, including the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), the Greater Washington Society of Association Executives (GWSAE), the Society of National Association Publications, Print Magazine, and the North American Precis Syndicate, for outstanding achievements in educational programs, design and layout, marketing, media relations, publications, and government and public affairs activities. Keenan's post-CAI plans include a Ph.D. program, teaching and consulting projects, and other executive leadership opportunities in the not-for-profit sector.

The Community Associations Institute is a nonprofit association created in 1973 to provide education and resources to America's 231,000 community associations—condominium associations, homeowner associations and cooperatives. CAI members include homeowners, associations and the professionals who provide products and services to them.

The National Board of Certification for Community Association Managers (NBC-CAM) was established by CAI to ensure that managers have the appropriate skills to effectively manage community associations.