NEW BOARD MEMBER TIPS

By Rafael Aquino

Published September 8, 2021  

 

As we near election season, many potential board members are unsure what they should do in the first few weeks of being elected to the board. In today's blog, I wanted to provide five steps that should be taken either before or right after you've been elected

  1. Read the prior meeting minutes to get up to speed with the previous/current challenges.

  2. Read the manager's reports to understand the day-to-day and the projects that are going on.

  3. Review Financial Statements to understand the financial condition of the association.

  4. Review Reserve Study or Engineering Reports to understand any upcoming repairs or any immediate repairs.

  5. Property Tour - Take a tour of the management office, storage areas, closets, mechanical rooms, etc. If you don't see these rooms clean, organized and the equipment looks in bad shape, it's a telling sign that things are being mismanaged

Taking these five steps seriously and understanding each one will allow any new board member to understand the current situation accurately. Further, it is not just understanding the situation but also communicating it to your residents, whether your findings are positive or negative. Leadership comes in many shapes and forms; however, those leaders that know how to communicate well always seem to make the instrumental changes needed.

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As the Co-Founder and CEO of Affinity Management Services, Rafael P. Aquino leads his team to redefine excellence. They serve community   associations   efficiently

and effectively with dedication and passion. Rafael’s energy and positive spirit is the foundation of Affinity Management Services’ company culture, which instills enthusiasm and excitement when providing expert advice to its board members and relieving the day-to-day burdens of running a community association.

 

Since 2007, Rafael has developed a work culture that values responsive and high-quality services. He has led his team by following a proactive vs reactive philosophy. The same approach Rafael instills in the day to day operations of each association. Today, Affinity Management Services maintains its success and benefits as a result of the foundation Rafael has built and continues to foster by providing educational seminars, continuing education classes for association managers and board members alike.


Rafael and his team help condominium and homeowners’ associations save money and improve their communities. His calm, personable, and service-oriented nature helps him to establish strong relationships with ease. Rafael is known as a sincere and honest leader who looks out for the best interests of his clients and communities, and he strongly advocates for their needs. His role requires coordination and communication, as such he takes logical and intelligent steps to approach challenges head-on.


As a graduate of Florida International University’s electrical engineering program and a licensed community association manager, Rafael’s education and skills equip him with unique insights to tackle complex problems through critical thinking. He understands how each component within a system works together in order to effectively arrive at solutions, techniques, and conclusions. Therefore, as he manages the multiple challenges of running a community association management company, he understands how each property is its own unique system and tailors’ specific services to assure that all their needs are met.

For more information about Rafael P. Aquino and Affinity Management Services please visit www.ManagedByAffinity.com or call 1-800-977-6279

Doral Office: 8200 NW 41st ST

Suite 200

Doral, FL 33166

Broward Office: 150 S Pine Island RD Suite 300

Plantation, FL 33324

O: 800-977-6279 ● F: 305-325-4053

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