2025 CAI Awards Gala

The Greater Houston Chapter of the Community Associations Institute (CAI) held its Annual Gala on January 24th to honor exceptional companies and individuals in the community management industry.  CAI is a national organization dedicated to building better communities through information, education, and resources to the homeowner volunteers who govern communities and the professionals who support them. 

Nominations for award recipients are open to all Houston Chapter CAI members and reviewed by a panel of esteemed Executive Directors from CAI chapters around the country. We are honored to announce that two of our colleagues were awarded the title for their category! 

It is with great pride that we recognize all of our nominations for 2025. It is a privilege to be recognized by our peers for the great work that we do every day for our communities.  

• Management Company of the Year
  
• C.I.A. Services
• Portfolio Manager of the Year
• Sabrina Padgett
• Laura Tate
• Newcomer Manager of the Year
• Cassidy McNeal
• Support Staff Member of the Year
• Neal Lehr
• Steven Soto
• Charlotte Bulcken 

Thank you to all of our hard-working employees and community members who made all of this possible!

Mickey Berguin of Woodforest North II
by Cassidy McNeal

Volunteers within the Association play a crucial role in fostering a sense of community and ensuring the voices of all homeowners are heard. Their time and dedication help shape the community by organizing events, addressing concerns, and making informed decisions with the best interest of all residents in mind. Mickey Berguin with Woodforest North Section II is a prime example of a devoted board member. With 23 years of service on the Board, including 19 years as President, Mickey’s commitment to the community is unmatched.  

Always willing to go the extra mile, Mickey takes a hands-on approach and frequently meets with residents and vendors in the community to address concerns and offer solutions. His commitment to maintaining a well-run community has made him a familiar face throughout the area! Over the years, Mickey’s service has extended beyond the Board—he has also worked with the Architectural Control Review Committee. His experience in multiple roles has provided him with a deep understanding of the various elements needed for a thriving community.  

Mickey is retired from the United States Postal Services and a United States Army Veteran. Mickey has also been a faithful member of Inspire Church for the last twenty-plus years and has served on several Boards in the area, currently serving on the North Channel Emergency Medical Services Board of Directors where he has been a Commissioner for 18 years. Mickey also graduated from Harris County Precinct 3’s First Citizen Academy in August of 2023 and has since proven to be an asset to the Constable’s office and the citizens of this precinct. His passion for community service shines through in every endeavor.

Outside of his service to the community and surrounding areas, Mickey is a devoted family man. Mickey and his late wife, Felicia Berguin, were blessed with their children, Mickey Berguin, II, Shantay Berguin, Mickayla Berguin, and Frankie Hall Jr. as well as three grandchildren. Mickey’s unwavering dedication to his family, neighbors, and community exemplifies the spirit of service we are fortunate to have in our leadership.

We are blessed to know and work with Mickey and honored to spotlight him this month!

Winter Fun

An unusual Houston snowfall arrived breathtakingly and our community came alive with joy and celebration. Families, friends, and neighbors stepped out to embrace the winter magic. Here’s a glimpse of the heartwarming ways we marked the day:

• Snowman Extravaganza: The neighborhoods were filled with creative snowmen, from traditional designs to quirky characters.

• Employee Snow Snapshots: Our employees shared beautiful photos of their snowy adventures. From making snow angels to fun frolicking, there was a lot of fun had!

• Playful Pups: From playful pups to joyful peers making snow angels, these moments captured the magic of the day. Many shared stunning pictures of the snow-covered streets and their winter adventures.

• Magical Office: We even had some employees take an adventure-filled walk from their homes to the office to capture the stunning view and make office snowmen and snow dragons!

This snow was more than just a weather event, it was a celebration of community spirit and shared joy. What a wonderful start to the new year!

We are proud of every one of our communities, so it’s always hard to find just one to spotlight.  However, we are always eager to share!

Here are the most recent selections:

• February Bridlegate Ranch Property Owners Association San Antonio
• January Stable Gate Homeowners Association Houston
• December Twin Oaks Village Community Association Houston
• November Summer Lake Ranch Property Owners Association Houston
• October Retablo Ranch Owners Association San Antonio
• September Atascocita Trails Homeowners Association Houston
• August Community Association of the Highlands Houston

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

Community Anniversaries

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

• Oak Hollow Homeowners Association - 24 years
• Eastpoint Subdivision Homeowners Association - 22 years
• Greensbrook Community Association, Inc. - 19 years
• Eilan Property Owners Association, Inc. - 11 years
• Eilan Condominium Association, Inc. - 11 years
• Colonial Lakes Office Park Owners Association, Inc. - 10 years
• Community Association of Avondale, Inc. - 3 years
• Westridge Cove Community Association, Inc. - 3 years
• Bonterra at Woodforest Community Association, Inc. - 2 years
• Grand Vista Community Association, Inc. - 2 years

Thank you to all these amazing communities!

Employee Anniversaries

We love to celebrate special milestones with our employees. In the Employee Corner of each eNews issue, we will list all employees celebrating their first anniversary with our company and any stockholders celebrating their work anniversary.

Congratulations Evan Ducote on his 11th year with C.I.A. Services! Evan is a Maintenance Coordinator serving several of our Houston communities.  He has a strong background in landscaping and always wants to get the job done as quickly and efficiently as possible.  His kindness and positive attitude make him a joy to work with.  When he’s not checking things off his work to-do list, one of the things Evan enjoys is competing in fitness challenges.  He is currently training for Hyrox, a global fitness race in which participants from all around the world compete in the exact same format. The race starts with a 1 km run, followed by 1 functional movement, which repeats 8 times. It takes place in large indoor venues, creating a unique stadium-like atmosphere for all participants.

Congratulations Charles Driskell on his 10th year with C.I.A. Services! Charles is one of our San Antonio Maintenance Coordinators. He is dedicated to his work and always thoughtful in his actions. Outside of work, Charles enjoys spending his time traveling to see his grandkids, riding motorcycles, sitting around a fire with family & friends, hunting, and fishing.

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:

• Corporate Transparency Act *NEW*
• 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.

Associations in Practice

Our Associations in Practice Series is an offering of short videos with 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 had 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. 

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 also provide updates through 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.