Community Association Managers International Certification Board (CAMICB) is tremendously proud to begin the celebration of our 25th anniversary year, marking a quarter century of commitment to professionalism in the field of community association management.

CAMICB – established in 1995 as the National Board of Certification for Community Association Managers (NBC-CAM) – grew out of a desire within our field to establish community association management as a distinct profession, defined by a commitment to professionalism, integrity, and mastery of the knowledge, skills and abilities required to serve effectively as a community association manager.  The change to CAMICB (then NBC-CAM) in 1995 was clear and specific: develop a credentialing program for community association managers anchored by a strong examination, testing candidates in the key areas of a manager’s responsibilities, and reward successful candidates with a strong, recognizable credential, positioned to evolve into the standard – “The Essential Credential”—in the field of community association management.

The Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA®) examination wasadministered for the first time in 1996.  In the years following the CMCA examination earned initial accreditation through the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), representing independent, third party validation of the program’s compliance with best practices in professional credentialing and placing the CMCA program on a par with leading professional credentialing bodies.  The CMCA examination has been reaccredited twice by NCCA, most recently at the close of 2019.  The examination development, maintenance, and oversight process has engaged an extraordinary, dedicated group of volunteer leaders and subject matter experts.

As recognition of the value of the CMCA credential grew within the United States it also grew around the world.  In 2013 NBC-CAM became CAMICB, recognizing growing international interest in the credential.  In this anniversary year CAMICB will continue development of an international form of the CMCA examination with active delivery of the examination projected in Dubai, Australia, and elsewhere around the world and will pursue international accreditation for the CMCA examination.

It is particularly gratifying to celebrate our 25th Anniversary at a time when the future looks so bright for our profession.  Today, there are more than 73.5 million homeowners in the United States living in common interest communities.  Demand for knowledgeable and committed professional community association managers is extremely high, and CAMICB is committed to maintaining the CMCA credential as the benchmark of professionalism in our field.  In November 2019 CAMICB was proud to award the 20,000th CMCA credential.

Our friends and colleagues at Community Associations Institute (CAI) have been key strategic partners in the growth of CAMICB and in the growing recognition of the value of the CMCA credential.  To mark the start of CAMICB’s 25th Anniversary year CAI’s signature publication, Common Ground, features a cover story highlighting the history of our organization and the importance of the CMCA credential to the field of community association management.  The article is extremely well done and serves as a stellar kick off to our 25th Anniversary.  You can read the full article here.

The commitment to the field of community association management made by the founders of our organization 25 years ago is embodied today in the managers who hold the CMCA credential.  To our credential holders, stakeholders and friends in the profession – I thank you for your continued commitment to CAMICB. Please join us as we celebrate a remarkable milestone.  Watch www.camicb.org and our social media sites for profiles, feature stories, and updates as the year unfolds.

Here’s to another quarter century!

Drew Mulhare CMCA, AMS, LSM, PCAM
Chair, CAMICB Board of Commissioners