Once a small sideline for many property management firms, association management has matured, spurred by the proliferation—and the aging—of communities over the past 15 years. Recognition of the field, through professional designations, has altered public perceptions of the people who keep communities running smoothly. In addition, outside forces—from FCC regulations to court decisions—have fostered a growing need for property management specialists.

Reaching across New Hampshire, from the seacoast region through southern Maine and across northern Massachusetts, Great North Property Management exemplifies the transformation of the association management industry.

Launched in 1990 by Mark Audette and Lou Gargiulo to manage condominium complexes, Great North represents a new breed of management firms. Reflecting the changing industry, Great North was designed strictly as a third-party management firm, rather than the management arm of a development company.

Although it was a new venture for the pair, Audette and Gargiulo were old hands in the management field. Gargiulo's background was in commercial property management, a field he had worked in for twenty years. Audette knew the residential side of management well: he had converted apartment complexes to condominiums in the early '80s and had a decade of management experience.

"We saw a massive growth in the condominium industry and saw an opportunity to address the needs of associations in a professional manner. Having been on both sides of the fence—converting and managing—I felt I had a good handle on those needs," Audette recalled.

While their backgrounds were different, the partners had a key trait in common: they are both hands-on managers... and continue that pattern today.

Following recent storms along the seacoast, water rose dangerously around many communities. Audette and Gargiulo were out all night with their management team, making sure the properties were safe. In one case, residents had to be evacuated to a shelter, and the two were there to assist with the move.

“We’re out there with our managers; we know the properties and we know the issues,” Audette said. And as the issues facing communities change, the Great North managers keep on top of the wave. It’s a big job, keeping 18 managers busy with more than 100 associations of all sizes, from six units to 400. They handle the work from five offices: in Portsmouth, Newmarket, Nashua, and Lincoln, New Hampshire, and Danvers, Massachusetts, with satellite locations in Manchester and Lebanon, New Hampshire, and Newburyport, Massachusetts.

To maintain the standards it has set, the company makes certain that its managers have manageable portfolios. “There’s only so much that one person can handle,” Audette said. “No two people are alike; no two managers are alike. When we interview with a board, we get a feel for their needs and try to match the best manager for that association.”

“Today’s managers are not just property managers; they have to be asset managers. They’re not just collecting fees and paying bills; they’re concerned with reserves, with roof replacements, with landscaping upgrades and repaving. There are many more issues facing managers as the properties age and as new laws and regulations play a role,” he said.

As this wave of change sweeps through the industry, Great North strives to stay on the leading edge.

The company has an in-house maintenance staff that’s ready to handle emergency calls 24 hours a day and to take care of the small jobs that arise. It has two in-house CPAs, to keep the financial systems of associations running smoothly. “We take the financial side as seriously as the operating side,” Gargiulo said. “That’s why we have the in-house CPAs. They concentrate on providing associations with fully reconciled financial reports each month. We believe that associations deserve this level of accounting scrutiny.”

“We’ve developed a tremendous internal auditing system to assure associations that their funds are 100% safe,” Audette notes with pride.

From every side, Great North’s goal is to go the extra mile. “If there’s something more we can do, give, or provide, we try to do it. And our associations have come to expect that.”

—Article by Pat Gale, Community Advisor