Welcome Casa Los Cerros!

Tri-City would like to welcome Casa Los Cerros to our client family!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

By Phyllis Carpenter

Phyllis Carpenter
CMCA, AMS, PCAM
President / Owner

2013 is very special for me for several reasons. Let's go back in time 40 years ago. I was approaching my 25^th birthday in May of 1973. I was a single mother with two small children; Richard age 6 and Shawn not quite 2.

I was applying for a job with an employment agency and was sent on an interview at Hallcraft Homes in their Property Management Division. Many of you long-time Arizona residents will remember Hallcraft Homes as one of the major housing developers in the Phoenix area at the time. I was hired at the time as an administrative assistant (of course, in those days we were called secretaries).

The Property Management Division of Hallcraft Homes was purchased by a company by the name of Associated Management Services which became Western Management a couple of years later. This company eventually merged with Tri-City Property Management Services, Inc. in 1979 and moved its operation to Mesa.
 

In the meantime, I had transitioned into a community manager/office manager at the time of the merger. I continued working at Tri-City in this capacity for several years and seized the opportunity to buy Tri-City in 1993.
 

So this is a very celebratory year for me. May 15th will mark 40 years in the HOA industry and as of February 1^st, the owner of Tri-City for 20 years. A monumental occasion to say the least.

It's been so very interesting to reflect over the years and recognize and appreciate all the changes that have taken place, the advances in technology, the changes in the industry, and a deep appreciation for all of those that have been a part of this incredible journey.

We still have two individuals on our staff who have been with me on this journey for over 30 years each. Katy Ziker worked with me at Western Management long before the merger with Tri-City took place in 1979. She continues to be a significant part of our staff as our Senior Community Manager. Rarely do you find someone so conscientious and dedicated to the communities she manages. I so appreciate her many years of service to our company.

The other individual is Vanessa Dwight who began working at Tri-City as a teenager and had already been with the company when I met her in 1979 after the merger. Now over 30 years with the company, she continues to be a reliable and valuable employee in our Accounting Dept. 

It's been my privilege to work with Katy and Vanessa, to be their friends and share the journey of their lives through the years.

I also owe a special debt of gratitude to three individuals who make my life easier. Our incredible Executive Team.   Richard Saathoff, my son and the 6-year old mentioned at the beginning when I started in this industry. Richard came to work at Tri-City in 1996 after graduating from ASU and serves as our Executive Vice-President overseeing the technical aspects of the company. Jean-Marie Bellington, my sister who worked for Tri-City briefly in the 1980's and then returned to us over 10 years ago. Jean-Marie serves as our Vice-President of Operations and oversees the financial operations. Elaine Anghel, who certainly seems like family, started at Tri-City in 1998. She is our Vice-President of Management Services and oversees all the community managers and works with our client board members when needed.

These three individuals are in large part responsible for the success of our company and contribute to the enviable reputation we have amongst our peers in the industry. Their dedication to Tri-City, their loyalty and their firm belief in our philosophy of management continues to be the backbone of the company.

We have an incredible staff dedicated to the service of your community, many of whom have been with us for several years. The HOA industry is not an easy area to work in. There is tremendous turn over and we have come to terms with some of the drawbacks and burn out, but feel very blessed to have so many on our staff that support our work ethic and values and provide the expertise, education and dedication it takes to provide the service that we are so very proud of.

We resurrected an old photo from the 1980s.
Note there's not a computer in sight!

Having been in this business now for 40 years, I have literally grown up with the industry and seen it evolve into what it is today. I have seen management companies come and go. I was instrumental in serving as one of the original 7 management companies who formed the Arizona Association of Community Managers (AACM) 10 years ago. This is truly an organization that along with Community Associations Institute (CAI) drives the industry. 

And of course none of this history and longevity would be possible without you, our clients. On this monumental occasion, I want to express my sincere and heartfelt appreciation for each and every one of you. I am convinced that Tri-City provides you with the best service available in this market. Our ethics and dedication to your community are truly unsurpassed. We want to continue to improve our product and service in an effort to continually build community in partnership with each of you. Again, thank you, thank you, thank you. It's been an amazing journey. I am truly blessed!

Tri-City will be closed Monday, February 18, 2013 in observance of the President's Day Holiday

Tri-City will be closed Monday, February 18, 2013 in observance of the President's Day Holiday. The office will reopen Tuesday, February 19, 2013.