Mark your calendars! The date for The South Florida Cooperator’s first annual South Florida Condo, HOA, & Co-op Expo, is fast approaching. This year’s innaugural event will be held at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County  Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday, December 6th from 10 a.m. to  5 p.m. (check www.fl-expo.com for more information!)

 The South Florida Expo is the largest expo in the state entirely dedicated to  connecting condo, HOA, and co-op managers, board members, and residents with  the professionals and service providers their communities need on a regular  basis. Between the nearly 200 exhibitors, countless product demos, free advice  booths, and full roster of educational seminars, it’s literally a one-stop, custom-built marketplace for vendors, products and  ideas.  

 One Day, One Place - Endless Solutions

 Yale Robbins Publications LLC., The South Florida Cooperator’s parent company and producer of the Expo, has been sponsoring successful,  hugely popular trade events for the condo, co-op, and HOA community in New  York, New Jersey, New England, and Chicago for years. The New York show is over  two decades old and going strong, and YR-produced expos in the other markets  have established themselves as must-see events for residential community  decision-makers, including board members, property managers, and involved  owners.  

 “The express purpose of the South Florida Expo is to help attendees make useful,  productive connections, gain valuable information, and network with their  peers,” says company president Yale Robbins. So if you’re a decision-maker for a condo, homeowners association, or co-op community - or  even if you just call one home - and you have a pressing legal issue or an  important project waiting in the wings, you owe it to yourself and your  community to drop by the Expo and experience what it has to offer. It would  take months to meet with the same number of vendors and professionals a typical  Expo attendee will interact with in one afternoon on the show floor.  

 The scale of the South Florida show is certainly impressive - however, “It's not just the sheer number of exhibitors that sets this event apart from  other trade shows in the area,” says VP Henry Robbins. “It's the quality of the vendors and service providers we've assembled. We're  here to connect key players in the market with the decision-makers from  residential communities throughout the region.”  

 It’s About Education

 In addition to the scores of exhibitors, another huge draw is the South Florida  Expo’s full slate of free educational seminars. Geared to help anyone involved - or  even just interested - in the administration of a residential building or  homeowners association, the 2012 seminar panels will provide in-depth  discussion of the legal, administrative, management, and financial concerns  pertinent to South Florida's HOA managers, board members, and residents.  

 This year will feature legal pros from Becker & Poliakoff, insurance claims experts from East Coast Public Adjusters, and  management experts from Associa, with more speakers to be added as the show  draws closer! All presentations are free for all attendees, and conclude with a  Q&A segment to allow audience members to get direct feedback from panelists. Expo  seminars always attract standing-room-only crowds, so make sure to arrive early  to claim a spot in the audience.  

 But Wait...There’s More!

 In addition to networking and education opportunities, the South Florida Condo,  HOA & Co-op Expo will feature free advice booths staffed by professionals from a  broad array of industries, waiting to answer any and all HOA- and  building-related questions face-to-face. If you have questions about your  association’s finances, policies, or day-to-day management, you can stop by one of the  booths for answers from leading legal, management, maintenance and financial  professionals. How’s that for instant gratification?  

 And if all that isn’t enough, the Expo will also feature dozens of raffles and giveaways throughout  the day—including the Grand Prize Reserve Fund giveaway, courtesy of The South Florida  Cooperator and Yale Robbins Publications LLC. One attendee at the show will be  drawn at random to win a $2,500 contribution to their building or association's  reserve fund. The winner will be drawn after registration has closed, and a  check for the winnings will be made payable to the winner’s association, care of their management company. Only board members qualify to  enter the reserve fund drawing, and attendance at the Expo is required for  eligibility. For complete details on how to enter the reserve fund drawing,  visit the Expo website, www.fl-expo.com.  

 So stay tuned to The South Florida Cooperator for updates and new additions to  the Expo’s exhibitor and seminar roster, and be sure to visit us at the Greater Fort  Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale on December 6th.  For more information on who is exhibiting at the show, to sign up as an  exhibitor, or to register for this exciting event, go to www.fl-expo.com.