Announcing Renea Miksch as New President and CEO!

International Community Association Manager Day

It takes a special person to be a community association manager. It can be a challenging job but can reap so many rewards.  June 13th was International Community Association Manager Day. We have so many wonderful managers at C.I.A. Services and wanted to celebrate each and every one of them on this special day.

As a small token of our appreciation for what they do every day, all managers received a gift bag containing fun treats and a cute "I’m a Community Association Manager, what’s your superpower?" shirt. 

We continued the celebration by spotlighting each manager in a special edition of What’s New. Many thanks to the volunteers and colleagues that we work with every day that shared thoughts about a manager to make this possible. Your kind words are truly touching and very appreciated. You can read them here.

To all of our managers: The actions you take every day help homeowners and residents everywhere have the best possible place to call home. From making sure the facilities look nice to creating a true sense of community, you do it all!  Thank you for being a part of a great thing. We really appreciate you, and hope you enjoyed your special day!

We hope everyone had an amazing Father’s Day on Sunday, June 18th!  June is a very busy month and our June edition of the eNews Monthly was full of graduation celebrations.  However, we cannot forget all of the Dads and wanted to share a few of our dad stories.    

We consider ourselves an extended family and are happy to be celebrating every father that works for us or helped mold those that do.  We invited employees and our extended work family to write a few words to honor the dads in their lives.  

As a result, we have an amazing group of dads to introduce to you, and hope you enjoy reading about each one.

From our family to yours, we hope your special day was great!

Cris Turley, Community Manager & Dad to Matt, Frankie & Sam
by Rosie Turley and Family

Fatherhood makes Cris a better person. His kids are his world. He is their role model and a loving, caring protector. The following are quotes from his children.

Dad, a figure I have looked up to all my life. I have learned and acquired multiple tools to use in my daily life, home life, and work-life from you. I appreciate you for who you are. Everything you have taught me will be taught to my kids. I appreciate you. 
Love, Matt

Daddy is my hero! I copy everything he does and love it when he plays with me.
Love, Frankie 

Dad, you are great and your sense of humor has definitely rubbed off on most of us! You have taught me many skills for life over the years including how to hook up a trailer, and teaching me how to drive a manual. Seeing Niagara Falls with you was incredible! I also have to thank you for the surprise baby brother Frankie!
Love, Sami

Anderson Campbell, Maintenance Coordinator and Dad to Alurra, Anderson, & Andreah and husband to Robbye Campbell
by Robbye Campbell and Family

When invited to submit something about the special dads in our lives, Community Coordinator, Robbye Campbell not only provided her personal sentiments about her husband and Maintenance Coordinator Anderson Campbell, she also gave their children the opportunity to say something about their Dad. 

Anderson has been my best friend, confidant, and my rock. He is a real family man who is always willing to help with whatever or whomever, no matter the time and always keeps God first in our lives. My Ironman, hubby we love you to the moon and beyond! From, Robbye

Omg, my dad is so funny, like seriously so funny! I’ve gotten abs from laughing at him! He’s really handy too, he loves to fix up stuff and he’s good at it! He also gets the bugs when I’m too scared, LOL. I couldn’t imagine not being able to talk and laugh and joke with him every day. I wouldn’t be me without him and I’m better for it. He is our Ironman and we love him 3,000 and nothing is going to change that. Unless I win the lotto... From, Alurra

My father is someone I’ve always looked up to. He’s the reason my outlook on life is the way it is, very optimistic. He’s someone I love and respect from the deepest part of my heart and I wish him nothing but happiness as he continues to be the greatest man I’ve ever known. From, Anderson Alidas

I am so grateful to have such an amazing father, who is there when I need him, the strength when I am feeling weak, and graceful guidance when I need help. There is no better father figure I could ask for. From, Andreah

Steven Soto, On-Site Maintenance Technician and Dad to Lizzy Soto
by Lizzy Soto

My dad is the most compassionate person I know. Growing up, he taught me what it meant to be a good person, without ever having to say anything. Every day I watch him help someone out, regardless if it is a friend or a stranger. My dad has always been someone I could reach out to for help, and someone I can rely on.

I couldn’t imagine where I would be without him. Every day I am grateful to have someone as awesome as him raising me and teaching me to be myself. I will always want to be like him.

Tony Victorino, C.I.A. Services Founder, and dad to Renea, Dawna, Rhonda, and Elephant to Morgan and Maggie
by Renea Miksch

It doesn’t seem possible that my dad has been gone for nine years. I guess that is because he is always close to me in every aspect of my life.  I always think about what my dad would say to me right now or how would my dad handle this or that.  Even though he is not with us he still impacts who we are today. I see him in my sister Dawna and my cousin Brett, as they both look like him.  I hear him in my sister Rhonda, as she has his wittiness.  And although he has been gone most of their lives, I see him in my girls and my nephews from their political and religious views to their wittiness and smart mouths, and even in their quick responses and funny jokes.  It is a blessing that even though he is not here he is with us every day.  

My dad was anything but ordinary.  When he first found out that he was to become a grandfather he refused to be called any common name that would refer to him as a grandparent, so he was known to many as Dude.  Dude didn’t imply age and was cool.  Then when his first granddaughter came into his life, she told him she didn’t like the name Dude and wanted to call him something else so he let her.  Just like any toddler she went through a few names until she decided she wanted to call him Elephant.  Most people would laugh, however, in the town we live in most people called him Elephant. It was different, just like my dad and it made people remember him.  

I miss my dad every day and one thing that Facebook is good about is the memories.  I laugh and cry when a memory of my dad pops up, especially with my kids and family. Since the anniversary of my dad’s passing just happened I have a lot of those memories popping up and in the midst of all the sad memories was my youngest daughter, Marley asking if she could move his chair from his room into her room.  When asked why, she responded with, "Duh, that is where I always sit with Elephant and we play the guitar, sing silly songs, watch his news, and nap."  Those are the memories I cherish and wish we had more to share.  

Happy Heavenly Father’s Day Elephant!

Walter Tate, Father to Laura, Patty, & Brittany Tate, North Houston Office
by Laura Tate

My dad, Walter Tate, was known to most simply as "Tate”.  He was born in Birmingham, Alabama, served in the United States Marine Corps, and ultimately moved to Houston where he met and married our mom, Ann Pearson.  They went on to raise four daughters: Laura, Patty, Cindy, and Brittany.

He spent much of his life as a crane operator for chemical plants.  He enjoyed the outdoors, fishing, and tinkering with various projects in his work shed in his free time. He was a dad to only girls, but he made sure we all had overalls to wear, our own fishing poles, and Brittany (the youngest) even had a special area in his shed that she could play in while he tinkered. 

Most importantly, my dad was a great father to us.  We grew up in a typical middle-class environment and learned from our dad the importance of hard work.  No matter what the economy looked like, our father always provided for his family.  I can remember during hard times that he would mow yards and take on handyman jobs.  He led by example, and I believe that work ethic was instilled in every one of us. 

He also made sure we had other life skills that we would need.  I was probably around 12 years old when he started teaching me how to drive.  I still joke about the first time he took me on the road and his teaching method.  Here I am, just able to reach the pedals and see over the steering wheel, driving down the road.  About one minute in, he told me, “Alright kiddo (he always called his girls kiddos), you see that car parked in the street?”  I answered Yes, Sir (because you always had to show manners).  “Don’t hit it.” That was the secret to driving.  And before I would be allowed to be on the road, I had to learn how to change a tire, change the oil, and perform a tune-up. 

He wasn’t just about work though.  Our family outings included summer road trips to Alabama, Saturdays fishing at local ponds, and the occasional visit to the neighborhood pool where he would amaze us by diving off of the high board! 

Both of our parents are now gone, Mom in 2010 and Dad in 2018.  Although it is very sad to not have them in our daily lives, they are both still very much in our hearts.  We were blessed to be raised by them both and to have their examples and lessons to pass on to the next generation in our family.

Hank Easterling, Father of Kim Moore, Executive Vice President
by Kim Moore

My father, Hank Easterling, was such a great dad and not a day goes by that I don’t reflect on something he taught me over the years.  I was fortunate to grow up having both my wonderful parents to teach and guide me through those formative years as a child and teenager.   

Both my parents taught me so much that truly prepared me for life, but my dad taught me so much about business and work ethic.  My dad worked for the Santa Fe Railway (later named BNSF) for most of his career.  Of course, back in his early years, men like my dad were taught to pick a career and stick with it for life, so my dad did and chose the office administration side of the railroad industry, dealing with rates for freight hauling.  I can remember summers spent at the New Orleans train station, where my father worked for the railroad upstairs and where my mom (Carolyn) ran a small credit union for the Amtrak workers in a small one-person office along the railroad tracks.  As a young girl, it was such an adventure to go to work with both of them and learn a bit of what it means to show up for work and work hard.  I also met so many great people there from all walks of life that I remember to this day and what they did daily for their work.   

Not only did my dad have a full-time job and a family to care for, but he also had a side (passion) job: his own DJ and band booking agency.  My dad loved music and had an amazing collection of records from the 40s to the 80s. He was also a drummer in his early years and went to California for a brief time. He enjoyed DJ’ing all sorts of parties in New Orleans as his weekend side job.  Each year, he donated his time and DJ skills to a local organization for their yearly picnic for disabled children. 

My dad put me to work very early in my life. I began as his assistant DJ at age 13, along with my mother.  We did this as a family business and have so many wonderful memories of parties we worked together.  We have tons of stories of great parties, scandalous parties, and some not-so-great ones too.  Stories I will never forget, that have taught me a lot about hard work and doing something you truly love to do.  Every weekend he would take me to the record shop to purchase popular records. He gave me an extreme love for all genres of music and music history.  In retirement, my dad spent time researching musicians and music history and I loved to hear all about the things he would find.  Another way of expressing his creativity, my dad wrote a Western love story screenplay. He dreamed of one day having it produced.  

My dad always told me that I needed to go as far as I could with my education and to always keep learning.  He also taught me that you are to work hard for the company that employs you and to always strive to do the best possible job and seek to advance yourself. I had many jobs through my teenage and early adult years and he always taught me to "never burn a bridge with an employer, because you never know when you might have to walk back across it."  He also said, “Your word is golden, so do what you say you are going to do and follow through".  I entered my forever career with C.I.A. Services at the age of 28 and my dad was so proud of the advancements I made along the way.  

My parents are both gone now. We lost my mom when I was 23 and my dad just two short years ago. I was so blessed to have my dad for so long. They left me so much to be grateful for and the knowledge I need to succeed in life.  I could not have asked for more, as they gave me all I needed.

Scott Palmer, Father to Ami Moss, Administrative Assistant
by Ami Moss

My Dad, I don’t even know where to start. He was the all-around traditional American redneck farmer. He was up before the sun and didn’t go to sleep till after it was down. I can remember loading hay onto an 18-wheeler in the dark and taking it into town before anyone was awake. We would always stop and get the best breakfast burritos.

He was the guy that you could call at any time of day, for any reason, and if he could help, he would, and if he couldn’t, he wouldn’t leave till it was figured out. A few of his biggest life lessons were to work hard, show up early, and never be afraid. Right after my 18th birthday, I moved back in with him. A couple of months later, he was riding our homemade go-kart down on the farm, tragically crashed, and was left 4/5ths paralyzed. I was lucky enough to spend 3 months in rehab with him while learning how to be his primary caregiver. The day after we got back home, he made me and my two younger brothers take that go-kart for a ride, because he never wanted us to be afraid of it. I have used this lesson with the parenting of my own children. When my girls fall off their bikes, they get up, get right back on, and try again.

Even with little control of his hands or the majority of his body, he didn’t stop living life. He went to driving school and learned to drive with hand controls. He managed to drive 7 hours from New Mexico to Arizona to spend Christmas with me one year. And when the time came, he gave himself a new nickname, “Grandpa Wall-E”. My daughter Evelyn was his first grandchild and the only one he knew about when he passed (My brother and sister-in-law would find out just a couple of weeks later they were pregnant). My dad was unable to hold her for longer than a few seconds, but she stole his heart. Now, whenever we see little Wall-E figures we usually get them and place them on his shelf.

I think one of the most miraculous things about my dad’s life is the fact that he reconnected with his birth mother late in life. 6 months before he passed, a flyer of his mother searching for her son was found and passed along to us. She happened to live in the town 20 minutes from my dad, so he was able to meet her and his 3 biological sisters. Turns out I was the first grandchild and Evelyn was the first great-grandchild. I am so grateful to have them in our lives now.

I like to think that when my dad passed 6 years ago, he passed knowing he was more loved than he ever could have been. I make sure to keep him alive every day; when we get the hiccups, when we see a feather, when we find a cute Wall-E, or when we hear his favorite songs, we honor his memory. I miss you, daddy.

Fredericksburg Peaches in Hidden Springs
by Kim Terry

One of our newest communities, Hidden Springs, is an “agrihood” located in beautiful Fredericksburg, Texas. Agrihoods are starting to pop up all over Texas; the farm-to-table movement is one of the driving forces behind this trend.  Agrihoods combine agriculture and neighborhood, blending a close-knit community with an emphasis and appreciation for nature and sustainability. 

Hidden Springs has a 30-acre preserve with ponds, fruit trees, grapevines, butterfly gardens, a family garden, and walking trails.  Right now, the crop in Hidden Springs is PEACHES!  Fresh, Fredericksburg peaches were picked from the community orchard, and the bundles have been placed in the Agrihood barn for property owners to claim and enjoy. What a lovely, fresh treat for the community.

Mr. William Sumpter Frazier II of Lochshire Maintenance Fund Association
by Valerie Lehr

Lost, but never forgotten.  

We are sad to announce that one of the beloved Board Members from Lochshire Maintenance Fund Association has passed away. Mr. William Sumpter Frazier II, Sumpter to his friends, passed away unexpectedly on June 20, 2023, at the age of 82 years old.  

We want to take a moment to honor his memory and dedication to his community. Sumpter was a kind and generous man who loved his community and family. Not only was he a member of the Board of Directors for over 40 years, but he was also a recently retired attorney for the Harris County Office’s Child Protective Services Division. He oversaw abuse and neglect cases in all nine Harris County Courts. During his tenure, he implemented multiple organizational changes to improve the responsiveness of his organization and its ability to monitor the progress of cases. He truly loved kids and wanted the best for all of them. Prior to being with Harris County, he was a General Practice Attorney for almost 30 years, for a total of 45 years practicing law.

As a Board Member, he put his attorney experience to work and did his best to protect, maintain, and improve the community. Whether it was rallying members to vote in the annual election or combing over bids, he gladly did it. One of my favorite memories of his selflessness happened after Hurricane Harvey hit the community in 2017. The Board, led by Sumpter, stepped up to assist with handing out supplies and feeding the residents that were affected by the storm. In addition, they decided to hold off on issuing deed restriction notices and work with residents on a flexible timeline.

Words cannot express how much Mr. Frazier will be missed. We ask that everyone please keep Mrs. Frazier, their family, and the community in their thoughts and prayers.

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

• Eastpoint Community Association - 33 years  
• Inwood Northwest Neighborhood Association - 22 years  
• Royal Palms Homeowners Association - 19 years  
• Community Association of Crockett Park - 13 years 
• Kendall Pointe Homeowners Association - 6 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.

We are proud of every one of our communities, so it is always hard to find just one to highlight. However, our managers are always eager to share the great things they see their communities doing!

Here are the most recent selections:

• July Homeowners Association of Timber Forest Houston
• June Sonoma Ranch Homeowners Association Houston
• May Westover Forest Homeowners Association San Antonio
• April Sunrise Pines Homeowners Association Houston
• February Hidden Springs Homeowners Association San Antonio 

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

Stockholder Anniversaries

Jennifer Northington, of our North Houston office, is celebrating her 11-year anniversary!  Jennifer began with the company as an Administrative Assistant and was quickly promoted to Community Manager.  She has specialized in large master-planned communities for much of her tenure as a manager with the company.  Jennifer is also a mentor to new managers.  She is known to be a fan of traveling, especially to destinations with beautiful beaches and lots of diving.  

Jo Ann Peterson is celebrating her 8-year anniversary!  Jo Ann works in our Bandera office, processing checks for our communities.  Having been a teacher for many years, this is the perfect position for Jo Ann as her proofreading skills are first-rate!  She also holds the title of "Wildlife Manager" for our office here in the Hill Country - feeding deer, birds, squirrels, etc., and taking photos of the wildlife and flowers.  In addition, Jo Ann enjoys her church and finds great pleasure in working with elderly folks who may need help downsizing for various reasons.

Congratulations are in order for Kaitlin Sowemimo on her 7 year anniversary with the company! Kaitlin is an Administrative Assistant for several Houston communities and juggles those responsibilities with ease.  She enjoys working out, reading, and spending time with her nephews Jalen, Julian, and her fur baby LuLu.

Brandon Tate, an HIR Coordinator out of our North Houston office, will also be celebrating his 7-year anniversary this month!  Brandon processes home improvement requests, including communities with complex guidelines and requirements, with ease and speed.  Outside of work, Brandon enjoys reading, video games, and all things in the entertainment realm. He also enjoys spending time with his rescue dog, Sampson, and his family.

Tiffany Sales, one of our A/P - A/R clerks in our Bandera office, is celebrating her 7-year anniversary this month.  Tiffany is very dedicated and detailed in everything she does. She is always willing to help anyone in the office who needs assistance. Tiffany enjoys spending time with her husband, Clifton, and son, Charley, as they both keep her busy when she’s not at work.

New Stockholder Anniversaries

Once an employee reaches their five-year anniversary with the company, they become a stockholder in accordance to our Employee Stockholder Program. This month, we have 2 new stockholders to celebrate!

Kerry Wilkins is a Community Specialist in our Customer Service department out of our North Houston office. She handles both phone and email communications, and is always very helpful to homeowners that reach out for assistance. On a personal note, there have been many big changes for Kerry. She recently celebrated moving into her new home, and she is currently looking forward to becoming a grandmother! Kerry enjoys going out to eat and spending time with her family.

Congratulations to Robbye Campbell, Community Coordinator for the Aliana Community Council! Robbye oversees the lifestyle events for the community. She is perfect for this position as she has great, personable relationships with homeowners. Robbye cannot meet a stranger, as she immediately makes friends with anyone! Outside of work, Robbye enjoys crafts and spending time with her dedicated husband, Anderson, and their children.

Congratulations to all employees celebrating their anniversaries in July!

Associations in Practice

Our Associations in Practice Series is an offering of short videos with very specific topics.  

The 2023 session of the Texas legislature had some impact on property owners’ associations.  The short 17-minute video, Texas 88th Legislative Session, provides a concise review of what passed and what didn’t, and what’s next for POAs based on the Session.

Although the 88th Legislative Session came to a close on May 29th, an extraordinary event unfolded when Governor Abbott opted to veto several bills, including one that has a direct impact on POAs. In light of this development, our Texas Legislative Session Update video, a follow-up to the above, provides crucial insights and an in-depth update regarding this situation.

Also available is Texas 87th Legislative Session.  The 2021 session of the Texas legislature produced significant changes to the Texas Property Code affecting property owners’ associations. This video explores those changes and provides specific follow-up recommendations. 

Super-Budget Concepts is a great introduction (or refresher) to our Super-budget and a nice refresher or opening to the full webinar offered in our Seminar Series. 

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 are interested in one of our seminars, they 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

To watch any of the webcasts, simply click on the links above.

C.I.A. Services, Inc. has a long and proud history of providing up-to-date news on our company happenings, industry news, and association governance.  Each month, we are pleased to share with you our eNews Monthly.  Each issue is loaded with great information! 

We have broadened our social media presence to include LinkedIn and Facebook. With these additional layers of communication, you can always find the latest information about our company, employees, association management, and other related news.  

If you are not already following us, please ”Like” us on Facebook and “Follow” us on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date on all things C.I.A. Services and beyond

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.