President’s Message COMMUNITY
Dave Potter, CMCA, AMS Golden Rain Foundation – Seal Beach Chapter President
ASSOCIATION BANKING
FINANCIAL STRENGTH MEETS INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE.
I am writing this after returning from CAI Nationals in Orlando. The annual convention was exciting and informative, as well as bittersweet; it was the final conference for CAI’s long-tenured CEO Tom Skiba. After leading the chapter through an incredible cycle of growth, he is retiring and we all wish him the best. After the conference, it was announced that Dawn Bauman, whom I’ve had the pleasure of working with through CLAC and speaking with at chapter luncheons, would assume the CEO role. I couldn’t be more excited and pleased with this choice, and I know CAI is in the best possible hands for the future.
Our first few months under our new CEO are shaping up to be as eventful as ever. On August 5, our Emerging Leaders present a Goal Setting Workshop to help attendees learn about the effective way to set goals. This workshop aims to provide participants with a practical roadmap for effective goal setting and the tools needed to achieve their desired outcomes. And if you’re just looking for CEUs, you get 2 for attending this workshop. Then on August 14, the chapter is hosting a Flamingo Bingo, which will be a night of dinner, networking and fun at the Tustin Ranch Golf Club.
On August 24, our Outreach Committee’s Annual Beach Clean Up is happening where you can do your part to help keep our beaches clean and beautiful for all to enjoy. Two days later, on August 26 is our Annual Symposium and Expo, which will have scores of learning opportunities and a vendor expo. September brings more courses from HOA U and the chapter’s CMCA study group. It will also feature the return of our bowling tournament, just in time for budget season.
Budget season is traditionally the most stressful time of year for managers and Board members, because a community’s budget is the single most important, and often contentious, decision every year. The decision is only made by reaching a consensus among the varying points of view.
Martin Luther King Jr observed that “A genuine leader is not in search of consensus, but a molder of consensus.” There are so many aspects of life where this is applicable. King isn’t advocating authoritarianism. He’s saying that real leaders don’t rely on preexisting agreement; they help create it. That often means starting with a minority viewpoint and gradually moving people toward shared understanding.
Seeking consensus can sometimes be an excuse for inaction or playing it safe. Molding consensus often involves taking unpopular stands and facing resistance — but it’s this very perseverance that can ultimately unify people around a just cause.
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6 July | August 2025
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