March 2023

Women in Community Association Management By Nicole Martone, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, Associa Community Management Corp. of New Jersey, AAMC

I n 2018, CAI reported that 62% of professional com munity managers are women. 55% of female managers lead associations with a $5 million annual budget. Do these statistics surprise you? Me neither. These statistics do not mean that the conversation surrounding gender equality is over, but it does mean that there is still work to be done. Luckily, negative behavior towards women is not the norm when dealing with industry professionals. The community association industry here in New Jersey includes countless women who are well-respected lawyers, engineers, sales professionals, property managers, and even secretaries. However, gender disparities have prevailed when dealing with some association members and boards. The prevailing conversation around gender equality when dealing with professionals often revolves around different experiences that women, specifically those in association management, have within the industry. Some women may feel like they are being questioned or replaced based on their gender rather than their qualifications. This can lead to feeling demoralized and may lead to a lack of confidence

for women trying to build a career in these fields. Some boards may feel compared to less experienced male man agers, leading to situations where women assert themselves more than their male counterparts. Personally, I have older family members that believe I’m a secretary because I work with a computer. Spoiler alert, I’m not. This mentality does not translate well generationally and can lead to some challenging situations. When deal ing with boards, women might face challenges of proving themselves when it comes to a lesser qualified male or being looked at a certain way for being a strong assertive female. Boards may be more prone to accept the shortcom ings of a younger male that is growing into his career than they are a younger female that may also combine her lack of confidence with emotions. To overcome these disparities, the entire industry should encourage women to push for recognition of their expe rience and expertise, even if it is sometimes met with resistance. As a woman trying to grow her career and stepping into association management, I would like to cel CONT I NU E S ON PAGE 32

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