It became evident to the founders of COF that there is a need for the education of people who are now or may become condominium owners. The condo development industry is very effective at designing beautiful residential and commercial products and persuading us to buy into a carefree ‘lock it and leave it’ lifestyle – someone else will look after our homes or offices while we are at work or away on vacation.
The industry has professional organisations to look after their particular interests, such as ACMA, REIC, RECA and CCI. The industry is not so good at telling us what our rights and obligations are when we consider buying into a ‘living together’ way of life and what our obligations and rights are when we buy into co-ownership of a corporation valued at perhaps millions of dollars that may need professional help in many areas. Condo ownership is quite unlike ownership of a single family home on its own lot on a city street. COF intends to fill this information void for Alberta condominium owners.
COF intends to help condo owners find out what their obligations and responsibilities are, and determine best practices in making condominium corporations work effectively for condo owners, condo boards of directors, condo administrators/managers and professional advisors like lawyers, engineers and financial advisors. You – the owners – will tell us and other condo owners and corporations what worked (and what didn’t) in your condominium.
Terry has lived in condominiums for over 18 years. On boards, as both a secretary and chairman, he has focused on governance, record keeping, communication and transparency.
In his career, Terry worked for CMHC, Shell and was self employed in the housing and energy industry (public consultation and emergency planning). He has supervised engineers, real estate appraisers, architects and property managers.
Terry is a retired member of the Real Estate Institute of British Columbia (RI(BC)) and Real Estate Institute of Canada (FRI). He is retired and an instructor in the Board Development Program of Alberta Culture, training the boards of non-profits, including condominiums, in board governance. Terry has a business degree and a diploma in urban land economics.
Linda is a condominium owner with wide experience of ownership in Calgary and elsewhere. She has a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Calgary and holds certificates in Condominium Management from Mount Royal University and the Canadian Condominium Institute courses 100, 101, 200 and 300.
After teaching for ten years, she had a career in Human Resource Management in both the private and public sectors. Linda has been a construction business owner, a condominium owner, a condominium board member (President), and a Home Owners Association President/Treasurer and is a member of the Condominium Manager Implementation Advisory Committee.
Mark has a Bachelor’s degree in Geography and post-graduate Diploma in Town Planning. He worked for most of his career in local and provincial government.
He became aware of condominium living when he and his wife bought into their present complex in 2000, moved in in 2002 and Mark was elected to the board in 2004. They still live in the development. At the time they bought, and then when Mark was elected to the board, he realized he was unaware of the legislative and procedural background to condominium life. He served two terms as President and during that time took the Condominium Management 100 and 200 courses offered by the Canadian Condominium Institute – Southern Alberta Chapter.
His previous experiences as a civil servant, Toastmaster, Board Development Program instructee and instructor and officer in several voluntary organisations proved invaluable in condominium management as an owner and board member.
Linda, Mark and Terry all have Honorary Member Status in Condo Owners Forum and Mark and Terry still remain active in the organization.
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