Frequently Asked Questions About Governance

Governance FAQs

  • CAI is led by a 15-member Board of Trustees, including the President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President, and representatives from CAI’s three membership categories: business partners, community association managers, and homeowner leaders.
     

  • The Board of Trustees sets organizational policy representing the interests of the membership, determines the strategic direction of CAI, and ensures operations strive to meet the Board’s Strategic Outcomes.
     

  • CAI practices Policy Governance, a governance model that makes a clear distinction between the roles of the Board and the roles of staff. The Board establishes direction by developing policies that guide future strategic planning and set clear parameters for staff, thereby enabling them to concentrate on operational matters.
     

  • The Board of Trustees is supported by three Membership Representation Groups (Councils) — one for each of the main member categories: Business Partners Council, Community Association Managers Council, Homeowner Leaders Council.
     

  • The Councils help the Board of Trustees craft policy, work with staff as subject matter experts, and represent their respective membership when making recommendations about services and benefits.
     

  • Individuals can serve no more than 6 years (three 2-year terms) on the Board of Trustees. For the Councils, individuals can serve 6 years consecutively (two 3-year terms) and then must take a break of 3 consecutive years before being eligible to serve again, not exceeding two (2) additional consecutive terms.
     

  • Members can self-nominate to run for a spot on an MRG when nominations open in June; election takes place in August. Self-nominations for the Board of Trustees are open in September with the CAI Nominating Committee making appointments in October/November. The chair and chair-elect of each Council also receive a term on the Board of Trustees.
     

  • To serve on the Board of Trustees, you need to meet all the general and member-specific requirements below:
        • Be a CAI member for a minimum of five (5) years at the time of nomination in a category corresponding with the position being applied for
        • Commit to attend scheduled meetings (in-person and via conference call) and otherwise abide by the Bord of Trustees’ official attendance policy
        • Have demonstrated ongoing commitment to the purposes and objectives of CAI and leadership within your class of membership
        • Have not been officially sanctioned or otherwise censured by CAI relative to a CAI designation
        • Have not been convicted of a crime of the first or second degree or a crime of a fiduciary nature of any degree while serving as a member of an executive board or during the course of your employment
        • Additionally, you must meet the qualifications below that correspond with your member type:
        • Business Partners
    • Hold the CAI Educated Business Partners Distinction
    • Have served or be serving on a CAI chapter or national committee or board
    • Homeowner Leaders
    • Have served or be serving on a CAI chapter or national committee or board
    • Have served or be serving on a community association board
    • Homeowner leader members who also hold a manager or business partner membership may not serve in a CAI volunteer position under the homeowner leader category.
    • Managers
    • Individual managers must hold a PCAM designation. If a management company’s Chief Executive Officer (or similar leader) does not have a PCAM, the company must have an AAMC credential.
       
    To be considered for a position on a Council, you must meet the qualifications for your respective membership in addition to the following general qualifications:
    • Is a current member of CAI
    • Commits to attend scheduled meetings (in-person and via conference call) and otherwise abide by the council’s official attendance policy
    • Commits to attend the two-day joint Board/Council Retreat and Policy Governance training being held adjacent to the CAI Law Seminar
    • Agrees not to campaign for election or encourage others to campaign in support of him/her or in opposition to other candidates
    • Has not been officially sanctioned or otherwise censured by CAI relative to a CAI designation
    • Has not been convicted of a crime of the first or second degree or a crime of a fiduciary nature of any degree while serving as a member of an executive board or during the course of his/her employment
    • Is not employed by or otherwise receive renumeration from CAI, a CAI chapter or an affiliate organization
    • Complies with all other CAI regulations regarding the nomination and election process
    • Specific Qualifications for CAI MRGs:
          • Business Partners Council
            • Must be a Business Partner member or an employee of a Business Partner member of CAI and maintained membership for a minimum of five (5) years
            • Must hold the CAI Educated Business Partner distinction
            • Must have served or be serving on a CAI local or national committee or board or otherwise been involved on a local or national level. Attendance at local or national events or trade shows does not fulfill this requirement
            • Must not have been officially sanctioned or otherwise censured by CAI relative to a CAI designation
            • No more than two individuals employed by the same company may serve on the Council at the same time. If companies are related as subsidiaries, partners, or controlled by the same organization, employees are all considered to work for the same company.
          • Community Association Managers Council
            • Must be an individual manager member or the designated Chief Executive Officer or equivalent of a management company holding a CAI membership
            • Individual managers must hold a PCAM designation. In the case of a designated Chief Executive Officer (or equivalent) of a management company who does not hold a PCAM, his or her company must hold an AAMC credential
            • Must not have been officially sanctioned or otherwise censured by CAI relative to a CAI designation held by the member during the 10-year period prior to the nomination
            • No more than two individuals employed by the same company may serve on the Community Association Managers Council at the same time. If companies are related as subsidiaries, partners, or controlled by the same organization, employees are all considered to work for the same company.
          • Homeowner Leaders Council
            • Must be a Homeowner Leader or Individual Homeowner member of CAI and maintained membership for a minimum of two (2) years (An individual who also is a Community Association Manager or CEO of a Management Company member or the owner or employee of a Business Partner member is not eligible to serve on the Homeowner Leaders Council.)
            • Must have served or be serving on a CAI chapter or national committee or board
            • Must have served or be serving on a community association board
            • Must not have been officially sanctioned or otherwise censured by CAI relative to a CAI designation
            • No more than one individual from a particular community association may serve on the Homeowner Leaders Council at any given time.

  • The Councils are elected by CAI members. The Board of Trustees is made up of a combination of members appointed by the Councils (the chair and chair-elect) and members appointed by the Nominating Committee.

  • CAI HQ has a limited number of committees for members to serve on, including the Government and Public Affairs Committee and Federal Legislative Action Committee. Please reach out to the Government and Public Affairs Team if you are interested.