On Tuesday, December 11th, thousands of board members, managers, building owners and condo and HOA residents will gather at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center in Ft. Lauderdale for the latest edition of The Cooperator Expo South Florida. 

Since its kickoff in 2012, the South Florida Expo has been drawing hundreds of vendors, service providers, industry professionals, and thousands of attendees from all over the region for a day full of networking, service-shopping, free advice, and information-rich educational seminars – all at no cost to attendees. 

The Expo South Florida is one of two such events in the Sunshine State sponsored by Yale Robbins Publications, parent company of The South Florida Cooperator, and the Western Florida Cooperator, and is a golden opportunity for anyone involved – or just interested – in their building or association’s day-to-day operations to take advantage of having over 340 vendors and service providers, attorneys, management professionals, and a huge array of other condo and HOA-related resources. The Expo is an invaluable opportunity for attendees to learn about the latest in building services, attend valuable seminars, get free advice from legal and management experts, and more. (Did we mention that it’s free to register? Just visit fl-expo.com – it’s that easy.)

And speaking of seminars, this year's roster of enlightening, educational presentations will feature the following, several of which count toward Board Certification and/or CEU credits: 

8:00AM–10:00AM, ROOM 1

Sponsored by Katzman Chandler
Course: #9628832 
Speakers: Bill Raphan and Sue Raphan
Learn the basics of fiduciary duty, financial reporting and budget preparation, meetings and meeting notices, elections, and much more! Enjoy a fun class while at the same time fulfilling the State’s board member certification requirements.

10:20AM–11:20AM, ROOM 2

 THE PERFECT PAVING PROJECT — GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR PAVING CONTRACTOR 
Sponsored by Asphalt Restoration Technology Systems, Inc.
Course: #9628562
Speakers: Connie Lorenz
Ever wonder if you are getting what you paid for with your paving contractor? Is the RFP right for your community? Is it bad if the trucks with the new asphalt are sitting on the property for hours before installing it? How long before you are allowed to drive on new pavement? This fun, information-packed seminar will examine the ins-and-outs of how to put together and complete the “perfect paving project.

11:20AM–12:20PM, ROOM 1

ADVANCED BOARD MEMBER TRAINING 

Sponsored by Katzman Chandler

Course: #9629074 (2 Elective Credits)

Speakers: Bill Raphan and Sue Raphan

This essential course for advanced board members will touch on a variety of relevant topics, such as amending documents; borrowing from the reserves; voting on contracts; determining what constitutes a quorum; defining a “supermajority”; recalling a board member; and tackling and debunking the myths of Robert’s Rules of Order.

12:20PM-1:20PM, ROOM 2 
40-YEAR RECERTIFICATION 
Sponsored by M2E Consulting Engineers
Speaker: Rossana Guedez
The 40-Year Recertification Ordinance was initially enacted in Miami-Dade in the mid-1970’s and requires 40-year-old buildings to be recertified by a qualified engineer or architect for structural and electrical safety, and every 10 years thereafter. This presentation reviews the objective and benefits of the 40-year recertification; Miami-Dade and Broward ordinances; what the process is like; and what it entails, such as inspections, potential repairs, length of the process, and so on.

1:20PM–2:20PM, ROOM 1 
HOW TO CREATE AND MANAGE THE BUDGET FOR YOUR ASSOCIATION 
Sponsored by Renovations Property Management
Speakers: Oscar Borras

Creating a budget and getting it passed on time can be a difficult task if you don’t have the tools, support or necessary knowledge to do it. Additionally, the budget is extremely important for the well-being of the association’s financials. Renovations Property Management will be leading a complimentary budgeting class to help you understand the process of budgeting, as it is the foundation for a successful year in any association. Among the many topics to be discussed at this informative seminar include planning the budget; revenue; expenses; and reserves.

2:30PM–3:20PM, ROOM 2 
ARE YOU READY? WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT DISASTER PREPAREDNESS 
Sponsored by Ged Lawyers, LLP
Speaker: Marius Ged & Glen Ged

Community associations must stay prepared for natural disasters and emergencies. In this seminar, experts will discuss what boards and managers should do in advance of an emergency, whether it’s a natural or man-made disaster, fire, flood, or any other threat that can impact a community’s property and/or lives.

3:30PM–4:30PM, ROOM 1

Presented by FDBPR
Course: #9627308
Speakers: Lazaro Gonzalez

This one-hour credited CAM-CEU course will demystify the process of filing a complaint with the Bureau of Compliance and highlight the statutory requirements and components to make it a valid complaint. In addition, the presentation will cover what the Division has jurisdiction to investigate as well as what’s non-jurisdictional. This presentation benefits unit owners and board members, as well as community association managers.

For more information and FREE registration, visit fl-expo.com. See you at the show!