Professionalism, accountability, and education are of utmost importance to credibly and capably represent the tens of millions of dollars of real estate throughout Arizona.  To that end, AACM developed its Certified Arizona Association Manager (CAAM®) program.

The CAAM® certification is an Arizona-specific designation signifying that a manager is trained to address maintenance issues specific to our climate and laws particular to our state.  Additional course completion and testing requirements in the areas of essential management principles and ethical business practices round out the CAAM® curriculum, ensuring that management representatives are comprehensively prepared to represent the values of Arizona’s communities and homes.

In order to obtain CAAM® certification, an individual must meet at least one of the following qualifications:

• Member management company employees who are community managers actively engaged in community management.
• Member management company employees who are executives and are actively engaged in community management.
• Non-member management company employees who are community managers actively engaged in community management.
• Non-member management company employees who are executives and are actively engaged in community management.
• Community managers who are employed directly by a community association.
• Employees of a developer or builder who are employed as the HOA Coordinator for that company.

A person who has earned CAAM® certification may continue to use the CAAM® designation as long as they maintain their required Continuing Education Unit requirements and remain in good standing with AACM as a Management Company Member employee, a Platinum-level Affiliate Partner employee, or an Individual Member, regardless of a career change after earning their CAAM® certification.  A person who has earned CAAM® certification but is temporarily unemployed may continue to use the CAAM® designation and take continuing education courses as a non-member for up to six months from their last day of employment in the community association industry, after which time they must apply for Individual Membership with AACM in order to maintain their CAAM® certification.

CAAM® certification requirements include:

• An application and 3 letters of recommendation, as the caliber of CAAM®s is of utmost importance to AACM and its Members.
• All membership dues and fees (if applicable), a registration fee, course fees, continuing education credits and fees, and any other applicable fees must be current at the time of CAAM® certification and subsequent renewal.
• Completion of the CAAM® course curriculum, and
• CAAM® Continuing Education Units; 27 in a period of 3 calendar years, including 3 CEUs each year of mandatory Annual Law Update credits, and 3 CEUs of Public Speaking during an individual’s first three-year AACM certification period*.

*Exception: CAAM®-certified individuals with a certification date prior to January 1, 2007 may take their 3 required CEU’s of Public Speaking within their second three-year AACM certification period.

The Continuing Education Unit (CEU) program, in support of the CAAM® certification, continues to offer CAAM®-certified managers elective courses to enhance their professional education.

The courses required to receive CAAM® certification may be taken in any order.  A test is taken at the end of each course, and must be passed with a grade of at least 70% (in addition, the Ethics course requires a signed AACM Code of Ethics).  Test scores and certificates are mailed to the designated executive or  CAAM® Program Contact for each company, to be passed on to the individual who participated in the CAAM® course.

CAAM® REQUIRED COURSES

CAAM® - Basics of Association Management (BAM)

BAM is a 2-day course covering a comprehensive spectrum of topics vital to effective community management.  This course is taught by seasoned community managers as well as legal and financial specialists.  Legal aspects of HOAs, understanding association insurance, budgets, financial statements, reserves, industry terminology, board meetings, and member communication are all topics included in BAM.

CAAM® - Ethics

This is a full-day course written and instructed by members of the AACM Board of Directors and Professional Standards Committee.  It is designed to help managers understand the high ethical standards held by AACM Members and their associates, and employ said standards in their daily business.  AACM’s organizational structure is explained, along with the Code of Ethics and Professional Standards that all AACM Members have committed to uphold.  Hypothetical situations are presented in class to assist managers with real-world decisions, and a Manager Code of Ethics is to be signed by all class attendees at the end of this course, indicating the individual manager’s agreement to also commit to the ethics detailed in class.

CAAM® Law

Navigating and understanding community association law and the legal issues that affect HOAs and community managers can be quite a challenge.  Some of AACM’s Affiliate Partners who are legal professionals specializing in the HOA industry instruct this full-day course.  Topics include community association documents, condominiums vs. planned community developments (PUDs), roles of the Board and the Manager, developer transitions, reserves, collections, restriction enforcement, board meetings, and insurance.

CAAM® Finance

Financial management is an integral part of the community manager’s duties.  This course is designed to set forth minimum standards and recommended procedures for financial management of a community association.  Financial experts, as well as seasoned community managers, instruct this course, including topics such as recordkeeping, accounting methods, financial statements, budget preparation, reserve studies, and taxes in the course curriculum.

CAAM® INITIAL CERTIFICATION COSTS

AACM Individual or Management Company Member Costs

• $150.00 Registration Fee (includes CAAM® binder for course materials)
• $150.00 for each full-day CAAM® course
• $300.00 for 2-day CAAM® BAM course

Non-Member Costs

• $500.00 Registration Fee (includes CAAM® binder for course materials)
• $300.00 for each full-day CAAM® course
• $600.00 for 2-day CAAM® BAM course

CAAM® CHANGES AND CERTIFICATION EXPIRATION/RENEWAL

AACM will maintain records for each CAAM®.  The Designated CAAM® Program Contact (designated Management Company Member employee, or Individual Member, as applicable) will be notified approximately four months prior to a CAAM®’s certification renewal date (3 calendar years from the January following the certification date).  However, it is strongly recommended that each CAAM® also maintain his or her own records and certificates.  The Designated CAAM® Program Contact as described above must notify the AACM office of any name changes or employment changes on the CAAM® Information Change Form as soon as possible after a change (either termination or hire) occurs regarding a CAAM®'s status with their company.  Please contact the CAAM® Coordinator or the AACM Office at 602-685-1111 to obtain a CAAM® Information Change Form.