Almost 80 community association board members from 20 states and Washington, D.C.—all of them homeowners who lead their communities as volunteers—have been recognized as part of Community Association Leader Appreciation Month.

Sponsored by Community Associations Institute (CAI), the observance coincides with National Volunteer Month in April.

An estimated 1.7 million Americans serve on boards that govern more than 328,000 homeowners associations, condominiums, cooperatives and other planned communities across the country. These volunteers are typically elected by their homeowner neighbors, some serving year after year after year. Collectively, community association board members contribute time valued at almost $1.5 billion to their communities every year.

The board members honored by CAI were recommended by residents, fellow board members or managers in their communities.

“Imagine volunteers contributing more than 66 million hours of their personal time annually to serve their neighbors and communities,” said CAI Chief Executive Officer Thomas M. Skiba. “The board members recognized by CAI symbolize the commitment of time, energy and expertise provided by literally hundreds of thousands of association volunteers. While many are supported by community managers and other professionals, board members are ultimately responsible for the well-being of their communities.”

The following are just a few examples of what colleagues and peers said about their board members:

• Erin Camden, Southern Terrace Homeowners Association, Las Vegas, Nev. "Erin is genuinely interested in the enhancement and betterment of Southern Terrace. She uses her business experience and applies it to all aspects of the community and still keeps those personal touches."
• Joe Jacobson, Tara at Barrington Estates, Aurora, Col.  "Joe has provided unshakable leadership for an association that has dealt with numerous issues during its short life, and he has fostered a cohesive, friendly environment within the association that has people in the surrounding area clamoring to buy into the association."
• Lois Kinney, Summit House Condominium, West Chester, Pa. "Lois has served on the budget, social and children’s committees and various ad-hoc committees over the years, working alongside a very substantial number of other community volunteers. Any time the community needs a helping hand, Lois is one of the first to raise her hand, even after 30 years."
• John Stolz, Island J Homeowners Association, Foster City, Calif. "An association that was once uncomfortably divided is now a place where property values are on the rise, and where a sense of community exists at long last. Thank you, John, for your competent volunteer service, determination and leadership!"
• Susan Rupe Whitcomb, Gulfstream Towers Association, Sarasota, Fla. "Susan’s advocacy for (critical community) projects . . . demonstrates her unwavering commitment to this building and its residents. … Susan has made a lasting difference at Gulfstream Towers."

"These leaders and other homeowner volunteers dedicate themselves to building and sustaining their communities," Skiba says. "They develop and meet budgets, ensure that services are provided, hire and supervise service providers, plan and oversee capital improvement projects, coordinate association activities and so much more.

"But what they really do—what’s most important to homeowners in every community association," Skiba add, "is preserve the nature and character of their communities, protect property values and meet the established expectations of their fellow residents. It’s a challenging, demanding, time-consuming responsibility, but they do it—often year after year."

Visit www.caionline.org/boardstars to see a list of board members who were recommended for this honor and to see what their peers and colleagues had to say about a few of them.

CAI is a 32,500-member international organization dedicated to helping homeowner volunteer leaders, community managers and other industry professionals build better communities.