2020 BBB Awards for Excellence Pinnacle Winner

We are proud to announce that C.I.A. Services has been recognized as a 2020 BBB Awards for Excellence Pinnacle Winner!

Each year, the Better Business Bureau awards organizations and people who stand out and meet their "gold standard of trust." Companies and employees are entered to be selected on the basis of a great demonstration of trustworthiness and ethical business practices. Entries are judged anonymously by a panel of volunteer judges, who are community leaders from the civil, academic, business, and nonprofit communities. 

The Better Business Bureau states that the Awards for Excellence recognize businesses, organizations, and employees in each region that are "positive examples to all," who "mirror the core values of the BBB," and exhibit the "highest standards of business ethics and practices." We have been recognized along with many other great companies and individuals for fostering trust with our clients, employees, and the community.

Originally, a celebration luncheon was to take place in October 2020 that we were planning on attending to accept our award. Unfortunately due to public health concerns with COVID-19, the event was canceled. Regardless, we are grateful and proud to be recognized for this high honor from the Better Business Bureau. Check out their winner announcement article here!

Jerry Allen and Robert Colbert of Plantation at Woodforest
by Jennifer Northington

This month we would like to spotlight Jerry Allen and Robert Colbert of Plantation at Woodforest.  This year, these two dedicated Board members celebrated 20 years of service on the Board.  Both of these kind and hardworking gentlemen have volunteered countless hours over the years in a variety of capacities.

Jerry and his wife Nancy have been residents of the community for 20 years.  Jerry was eager to be a part of the community and immediately volunteered to run for a position on the Board. Jerry has been the access-device representative for many years and works with residents to get gate controllers and access system entries done as well as liaisons with the gate company.  He can always be counted on to provide valued input and assistance when there are any issues or concerns. Jerry is also a member of the local MUD Board and is instrumental in communicating important information for the residents and the surrounding area.  He also works closely with the contract patrol deputies to ensure that our residents know they can count on a safe and secure community.   

Robert and his wife Gloria have also been residents in the community for 20 years.  Robert exhibits the desire to serve and be a leader in his community.  Through serving as a Board member, he found a way to help shape the future of his neighborhood and be a voice for residents. He works for the benefit of all residents and believes in finding reasonable and equitable solutions to problems. His level-headedness and compassion are a benefit to the community in many ways.  Knowing his neighbors and promoting a sense of community are cornerstones for Robert.  Robert is always willing to speak to contractors and vendors to answer questions and ensure the services the residents deserve are delivered.   

Both Robert and Jerry also serve as members of the Architectural Review Committee and along with the other committee members, carefully review every Home Improvement Application.  These gentlemen work as a group with the rest of the Board to help to ensure community events run smoothly. They are always happy to pitch in to help in any way they are needed. Their dedication to the families that make up their community shows in so many ways.  They share a passion for service and the desire for Plantation at Woodforest to be a wonderful place to call home for all residents.   

Please join us in thanking Jerry and Robert for their service and congratulating them on their 20 years of service to Plantation at Woodforest!  

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:

• September - Cinco Ranch Residential Association II - Humble Office - Laura Tate & Kim Cowart
• August - Valley Lodge Property Owners Association - Southwest Houston Office - Libby Hodges
• July - Sunrise Pines Homeowners Association - Humble Office - Kaila Gattis
• June - Indian Shores Property Owners Association - Humble Office - Brenda Ellington
• May - Aliana Homeowners Association - Southwest Houston Office - Deniece Reyes
• April - Remington Ranch Community Association - Humble Office - Jennifer Northington

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

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

• Valley Lodge Property Owners Association — 27 years
• Westfield Glen Property Owners Association — 20 years
• Eldridge Park Village Community Association — 18 years
• Woodforest North II Homeowners Association — 18 years
• Clear Lake City Boulevard Association — 15 years
• Fairway Place Homeowners Association — 13 years
• New Forest Homeowners Association — 13 years
• Westfield Forest Homeowners Association — 13 years
• Lakeridge Homeowners Association — 8 years
• Rancho Verde Community Association — 6 years
• Aliana Commercial Owners Association — 6 years
• The Wilderness Oaks Owners Association — 3 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.

This September marks 6 years since the opening of our San Antonio Office. Because of this, we have a plethora of San Antonio communities celebrating their 6th anniversary with us this month.

• Bandera Landing Townhouse Owners Association
• Charro Legacy Trails Cell-4 Homeowners Association
• Cedar Springs Homeowners Association
• Culebra Crossing Homeowners Association
• Canyon View Association
• Deer Hollow Homeowners Association
• Deerfield Homeowners Association
• El Sendero (San Antonio) Homeowners Association
• Fieldstone Association
• Hidden Heights Homeowners Association
• HSE Homeowners Association
• Magnolia Heights Homeowners Association
• Northwest Park Homeowners Association
• The Overlook Homeowners Association
• Orsinger Lane Homeowners Association
• The Oak Trail Homeowners Association
• The San Antonio Pembroke Village Homeowners Association
• Retablo Ranch Owners Association
• Redland Springs Association
• San Antonio Oak Crest Homeowners Association
• San Antonio Quail Ridge Homeowners Association
• Shavano Forest Owners Association
• Sierra Vista Homeowners Association
• San Antonio St. James Place Homeowners Association
• San Antonio Stonecrest at Lookout Canyon Homeowners Association
• The Summit Mutual Amenities Association
• Tezel Trails Homeowners Association
• Westover Forest Homeowners Association
• The Woods at Fair Oaks Homeowners Association
• Walden Meadows Homeowners Association
• Westover Valley Homeowners Association

Thank you to all of these wonderful communities!

Stay Plugged in With Webcasts

We offer each of our seminars in the form of a recorded webcast on demand for you to watch at any time! If you have missed a seminar, our seminars are available on our YouTube channel. The following seminars are now available:

• Board Member Orientation
• Practical Deed Restriction Management
• Understanding Collections and Financial Reports
• Meetings and Records - The Legal Requirements
• The Essentials of Architectural Control
• The Super-Budgeting Process
• Advanced Topics for Board Members

Just go to our website, www.ciaservices.com, and click on the Resources tab. From there, select our Library and you will see the links to each webcast and other training materials or you can simply click on the links above.

Associations in Practice Series

Lifting Our Spirits
by Lindsay Scholfield

Since mid-March, one of the focuses for C.I.A. Services has been to ensure that our employees are able to stay safe at home.  This has been a challenge for all of us in several ways.  One of the biggest challenges that we as a company have faced was learning how to continue our day-to-day operations while physically being separated.  Many of us have grown accustomed to stopping by someone’s cubicle or office for questions or conversations related to work.  Calling or emailing someone that used to sit 10 feet away from us has become our current normal.

In addition to now working from home, many of the communities we serve now see residents in the same position that we are.  This has translated to an influx of inquiries, be it reporting something that may be amiss, or submitting a home improvement request.  Having that co-worker that used to be 10 feet away now seems like a luxury as we patiently wait for a response to our email.

Being that we are now nearly 6 months into our (hopefully) temporary situation, we all noticed signs of stress and anxiety beginning to creep up.  To help alleviate some of our troubles, and bring us all together, C.I.A. Services reached out to an exceptional motivational speaker.  Some of you may be familiar with the name Sean Corvelle, especially if you’re a fan of comedy or extreme endurance challenges.  Sean has had many adventures in his professional career; he has worked on TV as a stand-up comedian, a motivational speaker, and became the voice of an obstacle course race series. Sean has had multiple guest roles in popular TV shows, such as Friends, Ned and Stacey, and I See You.  He’s also known as being a beacon of inspiration for millions of Tough Mudder participants.  Sean has inspired many people over the years through his pre-race speeches. During his speeches, Sean poses his famous question, “when was the last time you did something for the first time?” as well as his statement that with teamwork, courage, and a heavy dose of mental grit, you can face your fears and get anything done. Together. As a team. 

To say that Sean touched us all during our brief time with him would be an understatement.  We were privileged to hear a unique story regarding an almost brush with death while riding his motorcycle a few years ago.  Sean also shared with us stories about his experiences with Tough Mudder and related it back to some of the work that we perform day in and day out with C.I.A. Services.  He furthered our conversation and asked us what we’re all trying to do right now to support our mental health.  It was then that Sean brought some of us to tears.  Sean guided us in an exercise to help give us a moment of peace, relaxation, and relief. 

We closed out our time with Sean with his famous question,  “when was the last time you did something for the first time?”  We were all challenged to push ourselves outside of our comfort zones.

Thank you Sean for using your time to inspire our employees!

Employee Anniversaries

We love to celebrate special milestones with our employees. In the Employee Corner of each eNews issue, we will list all employees that have reached their one-year anniversary with our company. Additionally, we recognize stockholders on their anniversary month.  C.I.A. Services employees become stockholders after they have been employed for five years.

Ralph Troiano, president of the company, is celebrating 36 years since the creation of C.I.A. Services in 1984. Ralph is an approachable leader that provides expertise within and outside of the company. As the creator of our software, he continues to enhance it regularly, allowing the program to be more efficient and in turn enabling the company to provide outstanding service.  Ralph can frequently be found on the ice playing his favorite game of hockey!

Congratulations to Debra Bearden on her 8th anniversary! Debra is our Team Lead of Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable in our Bandera Office. She is always willing to help her team with anything they may need. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her two horses and two dogs.

Julie Baker is reaching her first anniversary with C.I.A. Services this month! Julie is a member of our Support Staff team at our Humble Office. Julie has 7 children and stays busy and happy spending time with them and attending their extracurricular activities. She is also a full-time student at the University of Houston at Clear Lake.

Congratulations to Susan Davidson, who is also celebrating her first anniversary this September! Susan is a Community Specialist at our Humble Office. Outside of work, Susan enjoys spending time with her son and playing video games.

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.