Professional Community Association Management Since 1984
customercare@ciaservices.com
Houston 713-981-9000
San Antonio 210-490-0000
Home > Resources > Library > Archived Newsletter

Archived Newsletters

Every month, we issue an electronic newsletter, eNews Monthly, to keep clients informed about Association items, spotlight clients, answer frequently asked questions, and let you know what is happening with the company. Old issues of eNews Monthly are available on our Library page.

June 2016
eNews Monthly
Accomplishments
Image

Better Business Bureau Recognition
by Laura Tate

C.I.A. Services was one of 292 companies recognized at the annual Better Business Bureau Awards of Excellence event on May 11, 2016.  

This year, C.I.A. Services was recognized as a 2016 Winner of Distinction.  We are very pleased to add this award to our collection from previous years.  In 2012, 2013 and 2015 we were Distinction winners and in 2014 we were a Pinnacle winner.  This is the fifth consectuive year for us to be recognzied by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for service excellence.              

Applicants are required to answer a series of questions about their company.  The questions range from describing their company in detail to sharing activities and programs the company is involved in that result in the betterment of the industry, community or a charity.

We are very proud of our A+ rating with the BBB and pleased to once again be among the companies honored. 

Volunteer Spotlight
Image

Orsinger Lane - Edgar Dupre’
by Leticia Burchard

When I first became Community Manger I received an email from Mr. Dupre’ asking that I call him the next day at noon. When I called the next day I was put on speaker phone, Mr. Dupre’ had arranged for all the board members to meet at his house. Each Board Member welcomed me and expressed how happy they were that I had become their Community Manager. These volunteers are very caring gentlemen. I call them The Orsinger Boys.  So this is why I have chosen Mr. Edgar Dupre’ as the Volunteer Spotlight.

Mr. Edgar Dupre’ is a native San Antonian, born in 1941 at the downtown Santa Rosa Hospital. He lived in the Woodlawn Lake area and graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1958. He then enrolled at St. Mary’s University, graduating in 1963 with a B.S. in Physics. Upon graduation, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Air Defense Artillery. After completing his active duty service, he began his civilian career as a Research Physicist at Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio.  He retired in 2001.

He and his wife, Marlena have lived in the Orsinger Lane Community since 2006. Just last year, Marlena and Edgar celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Mr. and Mrs. Dupre’ have two children and three grandchildren. He was elected to the Orsinger Lane HOA board of Directors in 2014 and will complete his term in 2017.

It is a pleasure to work with Edgar!

Seminar Series
Image

We are pleased to present the C.I.A. Services Seminar Series.  During our series, we present seven classroom seminars and one webinar throughout the year - each at multiple locations for a total of 28 training sessions. Click here to read the full seminar descriptions and see the schedule.  

Each seminar concentrates on the practical aspects of the topic and provides board members with background knowledge to help them in their decision making. We consistently receive positive feedback on the content and presentation.

  • Board Member Orientation
  • Advanced Topics for Board Members
  • Meeting & Records - The Legal Requirements
  • Understanding Collections & Financial Reports
  • The Super Budgeting Process
  • Practical Deed Restriction Management
  • Essentials of Architectural Control
  • Community Website Administrator (Webinar)

Each two-hour seminar begins at 6:00 pm and we provide deli sandwiches in case you come straight from work.  You’ll leave with a wealth of practical information and a notebook for future reference.

Image

Essentials of Architectural Control

Your governing documents provide authority to regulate design and appearance of any construction, improvements or alterations within the community. This is a powerful authority with an obligation that it be used sensibly. This seminar will explain the range and limits of this authority, demonstrate the role of architectural guidelines, describe the interplay between deed restrictions issues and architectural issues, and touch on handling the tough problems.

06/07/16 – Tuesday

6 – 8 pm

San Antonio

06/09/16 – Thursday

6 – 8 pm

Humble

06/23/16 – Thursday

6 – 8 pm

Southwest Houston

Image

Advanced Topics for Board Members

After you’ve been on the Board a few months or a few years, you realize that some things are pretty complicated. This seminar has a heavy legal and legislative orientation. We’ll dissect the lawsuit process, review foreclosures and bankruptcies, and discuss significant portions of the Texas Property Code and federal law. After all the legal stuff, we’ll touch on aspects of “risk management” which includes insurance, reserves and budgeting concepts.

07/07/16 – Thursday

6 – 8 pm

San Antonio

07/18/16 – Monday

6 – 8 pm

Humble

07/19/16 – Tuesday

6 – 8 pm

Southwest Houston

Community Spotlight
Image

Colony Grant Homeowners Association

We are proud of every one of our communities so it is always hard to find just one to highlight. We start by having each of our Community Managers write a nomination for one of their communities. We then read them and take a vote. Here are our most recent selections:

  • June - Colony Grant Homeowners Association - Southwest Office - Libby Hodges
  • May - Greensbrook Community Assoication - North Office - Frances McIntyre
  • April - Atascocita Timbers Homeowners Association - North Office - Linda Morris
  • March - Cinco Ranch Southwest Community Council - North Office - Laura Tate
  • February - Homeowners Association of Timber Forest - North Office - Linda Morris
  • January - New Forest Homeowners Association - North Office - Valerie Lehr

To see the full story on these communities and to see the past winners, visit the Community of the Month page on our site.

New Communities
Image

Lakewood Owners Association

We are pleased to announce The Lakewood Owners Association is joining our family this month.  The community is located in Lakehills just a few miles from our Bandera Office.

Lakewood Estates and Lakewood Park have about 330 lots in a very nice rural community with a community park on Medina Lake.

Welcome to the family!  We look forward to working with you!

Image

Bridges Condominium Owners Association

We are also pleased to announce that The Bridges Condominium Owners Association is joining our family this month.  They are located just a few miles from our San Antonio office.

The community consists of 11 buildings with 191 total units. We look forward to serving their residents for many years!

Community Anniversaries
Image

Every month we appreciate the communities that are celebrating their anniversaries with us. Here are the clients that started with us in June.

  • Oak Cliff Place Homeowners Association — 24 years
  • Copper Creek Civic Improvement Association — 19 years
  • Kenswick Trace Homeowners Association — 8 years
  • Woodbend Pines Homeowners Association — 3 years
  • RiverWalk Property Owners Association —  2 years
  • CrossCreek Commercial Association — 2 years

Our goal has always been to create a positive, long term relationship with all of our client communities. We are very proud to be managing all of these communities.

Employee Corner
Image

Anniversaries

We love to celebrate special milestones with our employees. In the Employee Corner of each eNews issue, we list all employees that have reached their 1 year anniversary with our company. Additionally, once an employee celebrates their 5th year, we will acknowledge them as a new stockholder and on their anniversary each year thereafter.  

  • Congratulations to Gloria Bell on her 27th anniversary with C.I.A. Services. Gloria is a stockholder at our North Office providing a variety of staff support.  Gloria is a mainstay we all depend on and has been helping us since before a few of our employees were born!

  • Congratulations to Anna Quiroga on her 9th anniversary with the company.  Anna is a stockholder and the Lead Community Specialist in our North Office ensuring the best customer service everyday!

  • Congratulations to Patrick Sheffield on his 8th anniversary with the company. Patrick is a stockholder at our Southwest Office where he is a Maintenance Coordinator for several communities and the office practical joker.

  • Also congratulations to Annette McConnell on her 8th anniversary with C.I.A. Services. Annette is a stockholder and the Office Manager at our Bandera Office ensuring that our accounting functions run smoothly. 

  • Also, congratulations to Roseann Ashe on her 8th anniversary with the company. Roseanne is a stockholder and began her carreer with C.I.A. Services when our Bandera office opened and was recently promoted to the position of Office Manager at our San Antonio Office.

  • Congratulations to Dwayne Ring on his 6th anniversary with the company. Dwayne is a a Maintenance Coordinator in our North Office and a Stockholder!  Dwayne is one of our go to guys for all things maintenance related.

  • Congratulations also goes out to Mercy Derry and Jenny Jones.  Both ladies are celebrating their 1st anniversary with the company.  Mercy is an Administrative Assistant and Jenny is a Community Specialist in our North Office.  Mercy handles multiple newly developing communities.  Jenny is one of the happy voices that you hear when you call in.  
Image

Farewell, So Long, Goodbye
by Tina Jameson

We are both happy and sad to announce that LeAnn Bruton has retired.  LeAnn Bruton was a valued member of our Bandera Office Accounting Department.

LeAnn’s gentle spirit and sense of humor are going to be missed. In the four plus years LeAnn was with us, she accepted every challenge, figured out how to handle every situation, and gave every day her best effort.  After her retirement became known several weeks ago, we have received nothing but compliments from the many people that worked with her.  

We know LeAnn has many interests and will be spending time pursuing her many hobbies. You should see the couture wedding gowns she has produced! We will miss her accounting talents, her mentoring in the office, but mostly, we are very happy for her as she moves on to the next phase of her life.

A few of LeAnn’s co-workers had many nice things to say about her.

Debra Bearden: LeAnn is very knowledgeable and was a good “go to” resource for information when I didn’t understand things.  She was a dependable and loyal co-worker, always willing to help and enjoyable to work with. 

Cindy Hatthorn:  It was wonderful working with LeAnn for the past 3 plus years.  She is missed greatly already! 

Annette McConnell:  I will miss LeAnn for several reasons.  Her calm demeanor, sense of humor, love of music and her wealth of knowledge in bookkeeping.  Luckily for us, she will be dropping in from time to time to harass us.  I am looking forward to that.  She was a wonderful employee and seeing her desk vacant is difficult - we are already talking about how strange it is she won’t be coming back. 

Melany Fraga: She left us, I am mad at her for that because I’ve wanted to call her 3 times today for stuff I don’t know about. The end.

LeAnn wrote a message to her coworkers on her last day and expressed her feelings about saying goodbye.  "Now we come to my last day of full time employment, and it’s already becoming one of the toughest days of my life.  Leaving a job I have loved, where I have worked with people I have come to know and love, is really hard."

We’ll end our goodbye with a poem penned by LeAnn.

I hate to make you sad,
But I am really glad,

I won’t be bored, you know,
I’m going to sew and sew and sew!

Celebrating 2016 Graduates
Image

Congratulations to Employee Tracey Lehr!

Tracey Lynn Lehr has been an employee with C.I.A. Services, Inc. since March of 2013 while also going to school.  Tracey is a member of our staff support at our North Houston Office. 

We are pleased to announce that Tracey graduated from Lone Star College – Kingwood campus (Home of the Kingwood Coyotes) on May 14, 2016, with an Associates of Art and Business degree.   Tracey has been accepted to the University of Houston - Downtown where she will continue her education, majoring in International Business with a minor in History, while still working at C.I.A. Services.

Tracey your C.I.A. Services family is very proud of your accomplishments and wishes you all the best in fulfilling your future goals.  For years you’ve dreamed about this day and now it’s finally come.  So, buckle in and hold on tight, your life has just begun.   

Image

Our Extended Family Graduates

McKenzie Ann Withrow, Daughter of Nancy McGinnis, our Customer Service Manager in our North Houston Office. While working in the banking industry McKenzie continued her education.  She graduated from University of Houston - Downtown (Go Gators!) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. 

Linsey Peterson, Daughter of JoAnn Peterson.  JoAnn is an Accounting Clerk in our Bandera Office. Linsey graduated from Hillsdale College (Go Chargers!) located in Hillsdale, Michigan.  She is a member of Eta Sigma Phi and Kappa Kappa Gamma soroity.  She will be attending The Bush School of Goverment and Public Service at Texas A&M.

Image

Daremas Fitzgerald Bell and Jakoby Fitzgerald Bell, Grandsons of Gloria Bell. Gloria is a member of our Support Staff in our North Houston Office. 

Daremas graduated from Klein Forest High School (Go Eagles!) located in Houston, Texas. During his school career Daremas played football, was in Orchestra and earned his Eagle Scout. Daremas will be attending Texas A&M Engineering Academy Blinn/Bryan.

Jakoby graduated from The Orme School (Go Warriors!) located in Mayer, Arizona.  During his school career Jakoby was a member of the National Honor Society and played football.  Jakoby will be attending Arizona State University in the fall.

Image

Wyatt J. Derry, Son of Mercy Derry. Mercy is an Administrative Assistant in our North Houston Office.  Wyatt graduated from Spring High School (Go Lions!) located in Spring, Texas.  During his school career, Wyatt earned his black belt in Tae Kwon Do.  He will be taking a gap year and working while finalizing future plans.

Aaron William Douglas, Son of Angela Douglas.  Angela is our Corporate Website Administrator in our North Houston Office.  Aaron graduated from Waubonsie Valley High School (Go Warriors!) located in Aurora, Illinois.  Aaron was on the football team, played trumpet in the band and guitar for fun during his school career. Aaron will be joining the Air Force after graduation.

Jon Anthony Torres, Son of Anna Quiroga.  Anna is our Community Specialist Team Lead in our North Office.  Jon graduated from Spring High School (Go Lions!) located in Spring, Texas.  Jon played football and Baritone horn in the band.  Jon will be attending North Harris Community College with plans to complete his education at the University of Houston.

Image

Raeleigh Ann Cowart and Shelby Kay James, Daughters of Kimberly Cowart and granddaughters of Valerie Lehr.  Both Kimberly and Valerie are Community Managers in our North Houston Office.

Raeleigh graduated from Del City High School (Eagles Rule!) located in Del City, Oklahoma.  Raeleigh was a member of the Army ROTC during high school.  She will be attending O.S.U./Oklahoma City campus in the fall.

Shelby graduated from Midwest City High School (Go Bombers!) located in Midwest City, Oklahoma.  Shelby played the viola for the orchestra.  She has been accepted to Rose State College with a two year academic scholarship. 

Image

Kolton Joeris and Kassidy Joeris, Grandson and Grandaughter of Nick Garza.  Nick is a Maintenance Coordinator in our San Antonio office. 

Kolton graduated from MacArthur Park Lutheran School in San Antonio, Texas.  Kolton won his medal for perfect attendance and wants to be a police officer when he grows up.

Kassidy also graduated from MacArthur Park Lutheran School in San Antonio, Texas.  Kassidy wants to be a princess when she grows up.

Kolten and Kassidy are twins!  Their teacher, Mrs. Esquivel, is pictured with them.

Read Past Issues of eNews Monthly

Every month, we issue an electronic newsletter, eNews Monthly, to keep clients informed about Association items, spotlight clients, answer frequently asked questions, and let you know what is happening with the company. Old issues of eNews Monthly are available on our Library page.