Over 275 exhibitors offering a marketplace of products and services for co-ops, condos and HOAs are waiting to meet you as the The Chicagoland Cooperatorreturns Tuesday, October 28th to host the Condo, HOA & Co-op Expo at the Navy Pier Convention Center.

Admission is FREE for the trade show, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Check www.chicagocondoexpo.com for registration details and more information.

Now in its fourth year, The Chicagoland Cooperator’s Expo has grown into the largest trade show of its kind in the Chicagoland area. The convenient Navy Pier location, the more than 275 vendors in attendance, and the combined knowledge and expertise of the industry experts that are participating make this a must-attend event for those in the condo, HOA and co-op industry offering easy access to vendors, products and ideas that you can’t afford to miss. And unlike the impersonal touch of social media, you can meet face-to-face with the professionals you need.

Come to Learn

One of the main reasons board members, managers and real estate professionals attend the show is the quality of the free educational seminars presented on topics of the day. This year’s Chicagoland Expo will delve into a recent precedent-setting legal case, the Palm II court decision, which sets parameters on how boards can conduct meetings, hold quorums, maintain confidentiality, conduct voting and avoid any breaches of fiduciary duty. Advantage Management’s Adam Stolberg and Levenfield Pearlstein attorney Howard S. Dakoff, will be presenting the seminar, “Understanding the New Rules in a Post-Palm II Era,” to discuss how this important case affects board operations.

Associa’s Christine Evans will present “Can You Hear Me Now? Improving Board/Management Communication” designed to help attendees learn how to cultivate a productive and positive relationship with their management team. Any board member will tell you that effective communication between the manager and the board will make for a smoother running community.

Is your building community as energy-efficient as it should be? If not, come hear DRF Trusted Property Solutions’ Scott Schnurr and professional engineer Jeff Crittenden of CLEAResults keynote a panel about the best ways to identify savings through government incentives and rebates in “Capturing Energy Rebates for Efficiency—and Savings.” This seminar can help get your community on the path to conservation and savings.

The seminar presentation by The Building Group, “Dealing with the Difficult: Avoiding and Resolving Conflicts,” will present sure-fire ways to mediate disputes. The Building Group’s Jim Stoller, Kovitz Shifrin Nesbit attorney Robert Kogen, and Frost Ruttenberg & Rothblatt’s Kimberly Waite will teach board members, owners, renters and staff how to resolve conflict so that expensive litigation can potentially be avoided.

Managing money is your association’s largest asset, and this duty is a major responsibility for every condo board. The session “How to Bulletproof Your Association,” by Association Evaluation’s Sara Benson, will provide attendees with sound, actionable advice to help boards navigate through the financial problems that typically affect condo associations.

In addition, The Chicagoland Cooperatorwill be presenting several free seminars on legal, management and maintenance issues. All presentations are free for all attendees, and conclude with a Q&A session at the end to allow audience members to get direct feedback from panelists.

Advice is Free, Too

The old saying goes that nothing in life is free. Try talking to a lawyer about a legal situation at your condominium and you’ll realize soon enough that time is indeed money. One of the most popular attractions at the Expo are the free advice booths staffed by professionals from a wide array of industries. These experts will be on hand throughout the day to answer any and all HOA- and building-related questions you may have face-to-face. Do you have legal questions about your association, financial questions, or questions about day-to-day management? Just stop by one of the booths for answers from leading legal, management, maintenance and financial professionals.

Board member Faye Fabiano visited the free advice booths at the 2013 show. “I had a couple of complicated questions regarding our community and the professionals that were there listened to me and gave me some really helpful information. They were so knowledgeable and nice,” said Fabiano, who's from Des Plaines. It’s a great opportunity for board members to get helpful legal advice from the experts without getting a costly legal bill.

Winner, Winner

And attending the Expo can make you a winner. The Expo will feature dozens of raffles and giveaways throughout the day—including the Grand Prize Reserve Fund giveaway, courtesy of The Chicagoland Cooperator and Yale Robbins Publications LLC. One winner’s name will be drawn at random to win a $2,500 contribution to their building or association's reserve fund. A check for the winnings will be made payable to the winner’s association, care of their management company. Only board members qualify to enter the reserve fund drawing, and attendance at the Expo is required for eligibility. For complete details on how to enter the reserve fund drawing, visit the Expo website, www.chicagocondoexpo.com.

The Chicagoland Cooperator’s Expo is just days away. Make sure you register for this exciting event by going to www.chicagocondoexpo.com. Admission is free for the exhibit hall and the seminars.