On Thursday, October 7, 2021, thousands of board members, managers, building owners, and condo, HOA and co-op residents will gather at Navy Pier from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for the return of the in-person CooperatorEvents Fall Expo in Chicago. 

Since its launch, the CooperatorEvents Expo Chicagoland has been drawing hundreds of vendors, service providers, industry professionals, and crowds of condo, HOA and co-op residents and administrators from all over the region for a day full of networking, service-shopping, free advice, and information-rich educational seminars—all at no cost to attendees. Register at ilexpo.com

The Chicagoland Fall Expo is one of two such annual events in the Windy City hosted by Yale Robbins Infomedia, parent company of CooperatorEvents and CooperatorNews, and is a golden opportunity for anyone involved—or just interested—in their building’s or association’s day-to-day operations. There they can take advantage of having more than 200 vendors and service providers, attorneys, management professionals, and a huge array of other multifamily resources assembled under one roof. The Expo is an indespensible opportunity for attendees to learn about the latest in building services, attend valuable seminars, get free advice from legal and management experts, and more. (Did we mention that it’s free to register? Just visit ilexpo.com—it’s that easy.)

Come Learn with Us

Exhibitor booths, information, and demos are the heart of the Expo, but they’re certainly not the only reason to swing by Navy Pier. A full slate of relevant, well curated educational seminars and expert panels will be running all day long, giving attendees the opportunity to take master classes on a broad array of timely topics. This year’s roster of enlightening, informative presentations will feature the following: 

10:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m.: People Problems—Smart Conflict Management for a Stronger Community

Principals from property management firm Westward360 will discuss ways to address interpersonal tension, improve communication, and de-escalate conflicts, in both the context of board operations and between neighbors. Location: Room 1

11:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.: Capital Planning for Aging Infrastructure—You Must Have a Plan

This panel of experts from Reserve Advisors, PBG Financial Services, and Wintrust Community Advantage will discuss the importance of conducting a thorough reserve study (and keeping it up to date), sound investment policy, and best budgeting practices, and will guide you through funding options to zero in on the best path forward for your building. Location: Room 2

11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.: Old Pipes, New Tech—Cost-Effective Repair & Rejuvenation for Your Building's Plumbing Systems

Come learn about new plumbing products and processes from VanDerBosch Plumbing Company, see in-person demos, and find out how your building or association can benefit from what’s new and improved in water and waste management. Location: Room 1

12:30 p.m.–1:30 p.m.: Repair or Replace Your Roof, Managing Roof as an Asset, and Creating a Roof Resume

This seminar sponsored by Custom Installations will offer a crash course in making decisions to repair or replace your roof, discuss how to manage your roof as an asset, and help develop a ‘roof resume’ to give you a constant, real-time understanding of your roof's current status, enabling you to plan in advance and avoid expensive emergency service calls. Location: Room 2

1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m.: Get the Wet Out—Spotting Leaks & Structural Problems Before They Turn Hazardous

This panel of experts from The Real Seal will discuss water management, proper window installation and sealing, signs and symptoms of structural trouble, and some myths vs. realities when it comes to keeping your property safe, sound, and dry. Location: Room 1

2:30 p.m.–3:00 p.m.: Safe and Sound?—Reserve Study Lessons from the Surfside Collapse

This information-packed presentation by Association Reserves will discuss the components of a robust reserve fund, how to make a funding plan and measure the strength of your reserves, communicating the importance of adequate reserves to boards and residents, and—perhaps most importantly—getting buy-in from your neighbor-constituents when it comes to funding and making vital repairs. Location: Room 2

3:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m.: Saving a Bundle—How Bulk Video & Internet Service Can Cut Costs & Boost Value

This panel of pros from DirecTV USA Wireless/Internet will discuss how bundling services together can save your co-op or HOA serious money across the board—sometimes by as much as 50%—and what’s involved in updating and improving one of your building’s most crucial amenities. Location: Room 1

For more information and FREE registration, visit ilexpo.com. See you—in person—at the show!