Inland Empire Property Management

Donna Frates Earns Prestigious Certification for Large Scale CommunitiesFrates honored as first Merit staff to earn Large Scale Community Management Certification from the California Association of Community Managers

After one year and 36 hours of classroom training and education, Donna Frates, CCAM, Merit's Project Coordinator at the Preserve at Chino, recently received the Large Scale Management certification from the California Association of Community Managers (CACM).

"I'm the first person at Merit to obtain this prestigious certification; being a "pioneer" was important to me," says Donna Frates. "I enjoy the complexities and challenges that come with large master-planned communities which I've managed for years. I'm committed to providing superb service to every client, and this certification validates the knowledge and expertise I bring."

CACM's Large Scale Community Management program develops a manager's knowledge of the varied needs, best practices, strategic planning, financial planning and operations for master-planned communities. The certification involves three courses: Human Resource Management, Risk Management and Large Scale Community Management.

Donna has been with Merit for more than ten years and also has a son who works as a General Manager for a Merit-managed community.

Merit’s Inland Empire Manager HonoredKristie Rose Wins CAI Manager of the Year Award for excellence in Community Management

Kristie Rose, PCAM, CCAM, Merit’s Inland Empire Business Unit Leader, was recently honored with the industry coveted Manager of the Year Award from the Community Associations Institute (CAI).

“I am honored to be recognized by this incredible group of my industry peers,” states Kristie Rose, PCAM, CCAM. “There are so many managers within the industry who deserve recognition for their incredible efforts and yet very few who will ever receive this praise. I feel grateful just being nominated and humbled to be the recipient of this award.”

Kristie brings over eight years of community management experience with portfolio and master-planned communities to our Inland Empire communities. She is an active member in both the Community Associations Institute (CAI) and the California Association of Community Managers (CACM). She is a also a previous recipient of CAI’s Inland Empire Rookie Manager of the Year Award and currently serves as a board member for the CAI Greater Inland Empire Board of Directors.

Inland Empire Hosted VendorsMerit recently hosted over 45 vendors at its Inland Empire office for a Vendor Fair

More than 130 Merit managers and staff from the region attended the event, which created an opportunity for vendors to share their company's products and services. Vendors previewed their current maintenance practices, new technologies and distributed samples along with in-depth discussions with their certified industry experts.

Merit will be hosting vendor events in other regions throughout California. For more information contact events@meritpm.com.

Inland Empire Hosted Educational EventAn expert panel discussed trends in HOA management

More than 50 attended the Merit hosted reception and educational presentation on managing and living in community associations. Panel experts spoke on the financial challenges facing associations, understanding current association legislation, techniques in creating community and blending conservation with curb appeal.

Supporting Deployed U.S. Troops with Care PackagesThe Inland Empire team gathers items for marines in action

With loved ones recently deployed to Afghanistan, Merit's Inland Empire team adopted two security platoon Marine units for the 2011 holidays and throughout 2012. Merit's team, along with vendors and homeowners at Heritage Lake, collected items to create care packages that were sent to two sets of troops. Both units go out on six to seven week missions. Therefore, the packages were filled with the most commonly requested items. Popular items were t-shirts, socks, toiletries, games, small canned fruits and snacks, recent DVD's, small new toys for the children they meet, and magazines related to sports, hunting, fishing and cars/bikes.

Employees Create and Donate Blankets to Project Linus

Soon after the recent tsunami in Japan, Merit's Inland Empire office received an email from their local Project Linus chapter stating that the organization needed 180 blankets to help refugee children. Employees immediately responded. Nine onsite Merit employees at the Preserve at Chino volunteered to make blankets and of those nine, three also paid for their own kits. Employee's handmade 10 blankets at work during lunch and from home. Other employees from the Inland Empire office created and donated 10 additional blankets. In all, Merit was pleased to donate 20 blankets to the tsunami victims in Japan.

The Inland Empire team will continue to make blankets throughout the year during their team meetings. If you would like to donate to Project Linus or are interested in more information on Project Linus please email Valerie Lamb at vlamb@meritpm.com.