For the first time since its inception in 1995, the National Board of Certification for Community Association Managers (NBC-CAM) has certified two managers living and working in Dubai of the United Arab Emirates. Jeevan D'Mello and Sameer Kulkarni of Emaar Properties traveled halfway around the globe in late January to take the Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA) examination in New York. Both passed.
In addition to the Emirates, community managers from Australia, Canada, South Africa and the Grand Cayman Islands have earned the CMCA credential.
Asked why the two managers would go to such lengths to take the CMCA certification examination, Emaar Properties CEO Richard Rodriguez said: "The CMCA certification for Emaar's senior managers underscores our commitment to undertaking proactive community management practices that enhance the lifestyle experience of residents in our communities. Emaar's Community Management Department liaises with community members, and the new certification will enable us to further raise the professional status of our community association management."
"Emaar is the first property developer from the Middle East to have its community managers earn the CMCA credential," said NBC-CAM Executive Director Dawn M. Bauman, CAE. Noting that the CMCA is the only national certification for community managers in the United States, Bauman said the achievement "will further enhance the level of confidence of Emaar's customers on the company's breadth of community management knowledge. Congratulations to Jeevan D'Mello and Sameer Kulkarni for earning their CMCA certification."
Added D'Mello: "The CMCA program is a great learning experience that helps property developers gain internationally acceptable standards of knowledge and skill in community management and raises the professional status (of community managers). The certification further equips Emaar to meet the requirements of the new Strata Law, and build stronger homeowner relations."
Dubai's new Strata law divides the common areas of associations, which are normally managed and owned by the property developers, by the number of units and distributes an equal ownership of the common areas to the unit owners. Strata will put ownership and the management and maintenance of common areas into the hands of the homeowners.
Further information about the Strata law can be found at http://business.maktoob.com/news-20070423116408-New_legislation_to_have_positive_impact_on_property_owners.aspx
Emaar Properties is already preparing to send more employees to the United States to take the prerequisite course and CMCA examination. Bauman said NBC-CAM will do all it can to help Emaar's employees achieve certification.
The CMCA signifies that a manager has passed NBC-CAM's exam and met the requirements for managing condominium, cooperative and homeowner associations. More than 7,650 professionals have earned CMCA certification since 1995.
To search for an active CMCA, go to www.nbccam.org/hiring/search.cfm.
NBC-CAM was founded by Community Associations Institute (CAI) to establish guidelines for acquiring and demonstrating fundamental knowledge of community association management. An affiliate of CAI, NBC-CAM operates as an independent entity.