3 Key Reasons To Be A Good Neighbor And Community Member

National Good Neighbor Day is observed annually on September 28.  
 

Neighbors are an integral part of our social lives. Good Neighbor Day on September 28 is an annual holiday that promotes neighborliness and niceness towards people who surround us. 

According to a NAR Community Preference Survey, 78% of respondents said that the neighborhood is more important to them than the size of the home.  Neighbors are the ones you live within the same geographical area, share the same street, the same park, play with your children and are the closest to your family.

People are so quick to be at odds with their neighbors for various reasons. Neighborhood battles have been going on for years. There are several reasons why you should invest in getting to know your neighbor and cultivate a friendship with them.

3 Key Reasons To Be A Good Neighbor And Community Member

1. Peace and Harmony: No one really likes living a stressful life. Most of us dream of owning our home and living happily ever after. There can be no peace when you are fighting with your neighbors.  Try to accept your neighbors, respect their differences and their lifestyle. With all of the crime in America people resort to unlawful and crazy actions when challenged by neighbors. Strive to maintain a peaceful home, street, and most of all contribute to peace and harmony in your community.

2. Your Family's Safety: It's a good feeling to know that your neighbor has your back. A good relationship with your neighbor can benefit you in many ways. If you go on vacation they can watch after your home. If your child is out in the community they can have an eye on any situation you  may not see, they can come to your rescue if you have an emergency at home or offer family support in a crisis.

3. Contribute to the Community: When all neighbors are living peacefully the overall community lives at peace. Law enforcement is not frequently visiting the neighborhood and the value of the community is regarded higher. When the residents are living harmoniously the community is a better place for everyone.

Since 1985, Association Management Group (AMG) has offered clients a proven track record of excellence as the Carolinas' leading property management organization. Our goal is to preserve, protect and enhance the value of our client communities, which include homeowner Associations, condominium Associations, planned unit developments and common interest office communities. Our unique and proprietary systems keep our clients’ communities running smoothly, elevating the community Association experience for more than 30,000 property owners and community residents across North and South Carolina. 

copyright 2017© Association Management Group 

Paul K. Mengert, President and CEO of Association Management Group (AMG), will participate in Operation Smile’s 10th annual “Dancing with the Carolina Stars” fundraising event in February 2018.

Photo Cutline: AMG President/CEO Paul K. Mengert

Paul K. Mengert, president and CEO of Association Management Group (AMG), the Carolinas’ leading community association management company, has accepted the challenge to participate in Operation Smile’s 10th annual “Dancing with the Carolina Stars” fundraising event in February 2018.

Mengert will perform an original dance with the goal of raising a minimum of $10,000.

“Operational Smile is dedicated to providing cleft lip and palate repair surgeries to children worldwide, dramatically increasing their quality of life,” Mengert said. “While I am certainly not a dancer by nature, I am ready to step outside my comfort zone for this worthy cause.”

With 10 North Carolina Stars and two professional Showcase Dancers participating, Operation Smile hopes to raise upwards of $350,000 at the 2018 event to give at least 30 children the chance to receive new smiles.

Mengert and AMG have gained a reputation for community involvement in the Triad. Operation Smile’s spokesperson Stephen Hartley said, “Paul has a long history of giving back to the community. We could not be more excited to have Paul turn his fundraising efforts to such an important cause as Operation Smile.”

To learn more about Operation Smile and “Dancing with the Carolina Stars,” visit the organization’s webpage at https://operationsmile.org/events/dancing-carolina-stars

. For more about AMG, contact Joselin Paz at Jpaz@amgworld.com

About Association Management Group: AMG is the Carolinas’ leading professional community Association management company dedicated to building effective, successful community Associations. AMG guides and assists executive boards to help protect the Association's interests, enhance the lives of community members and improve the property values of the community. With offices throughout the Carolinas in Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C., as well as Greenville, S.C., AMG is a knowledgeable partner in enforcing community governing documents with a proven set of processes and techniques. AMG specializes in supporting communities with a broad range of services that can be tailored to individual community needs. Association Management Group, Inc. is a locally Accredited Business by the BBB, as well as a nationally Accredited Association Management Company (AAMC) by the Community Associations Institute. For more about AMG, visit https://www.amgworld.com.

Photo Cutline: AMG President/CEO Paul K. Mengert

AMG Offers Tips For Community Hurricane Preparedness

In past years the Carolinas have fallen victim to devastating storms. At AMG we want to help homeowners keep their homes safe and reduce injury from storms. Hurricanes and tropical systems can cause serious damage on both coastal and inland areas. These hazards can come in many forms including: storm surge, heavy rainfall, inland flooding, high winds and tornadoes.

To prepare for these powerful storms, AMG is encouraging families, businesses and individuals to be aware of the potential risks. You should have a community preparedness plan to prepare your home, workplace and community for the storm.  When you live in an area where hurricanes are a risk, planning is essential.

If you live in a community, your neighbors can be a great help in case of an emergency, and you can also be of service to your neighbors. Working together can help keep everyone safe. A community working together during an emergency makes sense. 

Here are some ways you can help neighbors (and they can help you) in case of a hurricane:

1. Get to know your neighbors. Think about people in your neighborhood who may need your help, for example:

·         Older people living by themselves;

·         People with physical or sensory disabilities;

·         People with a chronic illness or with a mental illness;

·         Single parents with young children;

·         Large families; 

·         People newly arrived, including tourists, refugees or immigrants.

·         Talk to your neighbors to identify those who may need assistance

If you are an HOA board member or leader of your community association, you may want to consider a community plan and how to get the information out to the residents.

• Where to go for community resources

• How to prep your home, closing and locking hurricane-proof windows, sealing all openings, securing rooftops and yard items

• Emergency phone numbers

Community associations can get residents involved and working together by holding safety and preparedness events. Use the space in your association newsletter to communicate preparedness information to the residents of the community.

Here is a list of items that might be helpful in the event of a hurricane:      

·         lanterns

·         Batteries (in different sizes!)  

·         Matches 

·         First aid kit

·         Duct tape

·         Rain gear

·         candles

·         battery operated radio      

·         Clock (wind-up or battery-powered)

·         Plastic garbage bags

·         Fire extinguisher

·         Scissors

·         Can Opener

·         Clean clothes

·         Extra blankets

·         Heavy gloves

If your community association becomes aware of impending storms, it is helpful to notify residents of some home preparedness items they can obtain to prepare.

Here is a list to share with the residents of your community:

·         Remove outdoor items

·         Trim dead branches from trees

·         Board up windows

·         Fill gas tanks and extra containers

·         Get extra cash

·         Move furniture away from windows

·         Store important documents in waterproof containers

·         Extra supply of medicines

·         prepare for the needs of pets

Another great way to get your residents involved is holding a canned food drive to collect items to distribute before the big storm arrives.

Here is a list of items residents should have on hand during any emergency:

·         Bottled water (1 gallon/person/day) 

·         Bottled juice

·         Two coolers: 
        One for drinks & one for food               

·         Canned foods

·         Manual can opener

         Dry pet food

          Tweezers

·         Medic-alert tags

·         Insect-repellent sprays

·         Feminine hygiene items

·         Sunscreen

·         Soap

·         First aid kit

·         Prescription medication

          Over-the-counter medication

·         Children's medicine

·         Bandages

·         Adhesive tape

·         Antiseptic solution

·         Thermometer

If you are having an actual emergency please dial 911 immediately. Please be aware and publish all emergency contact numbers.

For more information on how AMG helps serve community associations visit our website at https://www.amgworld.com/.

Association Management Group, Inc. to Sponsor Majestic Floor Covering’s Charity Golf Tournament Benefiting Victory Junction Children’s Camp

AMG to Serve as a Driving Range Sponsor, Donating Funds So Disabled Children Can Attend Camp

“AMG is dedicated to giving back to the communities we manage and to serving the Triad at large.”  - Paul K. Mengert         

GREENSBORO, N.C.-- Association Management Group (AMG), one of the Carolinas’ leading homeowners association management companies, will serve as a Driving Range Sponsor in the 2017 Majestic Floor Covering Premiere Charity Golf Tournament on Oct. 13, 2017 All proceeds for this tournament will benefit Victory Junction, a summer camp for children living with mental, physical and developmental disabilities.

AMG President, Paul K. Mengert, said he was honored to be able to sponsor a portion of the golf tournament, adding to the growing list of philanthropy performed by his community association management company.

 Mengert says, “AMG is dedicated to giving back to the communities we manage and to serving the Triad at large. Our participation in this tournament is just one of the ways in which we do this. I am thrilled that AMG can help children with disabilities attend camp, where they can have fun, enjoy a variety of outdoor activities and meet new friends.”

Victory Junction was founded in 2002 as the brainchild of the late NASCAR driver Adam Petty, whose passion was working with children living with disabilities. Today, Victory Junction serves children ages 6-16 with a wide range of disabilities, providing medically safe and exhilaratingly fun challenges- always at no cost to the children or their families. At this year’s tournament, Majestic Floor Covering hopes to raise $50,000 for Victory Junction, enough to send 20+ children to camp for a week of life-changing experiences.

“We are proud to be working with a great organization like Victory Junction”, said Mike Key, owner of Majestic Floor Covering.  “Those of us with healthy children cannot relate to the challenges faced by parents of children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses.  If not for Victory Junction, these children might miss out on many of the activities we take for granted”.

For further information on Victory Junction, visit https://victoryjunction.org/

For more information about AMG’S philanthropy, contact Jpaz@amgworld.com

About Association Management Group: AMG is the Carolinas’ leading professional community Association management company dedicated to building effective, successful community Associations. AMG guides and assists executive boards to help protect the Association's interests, enhance the lives of community members and improve the property values of the community. With offices throughout the Carolinas in Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C., as well as Greenville, S.C., AMG is a knowledgeable partner in enforcing community governing documents with a proven set of processes and techniques. AMG specializes in supporting communities with a broad range of services that can be tailored to individual community needs. Association Management Group, Inc. is a locally Accredited Business by the BBB, as well as a nationally Accredited Association Management Company (AAMC) by the Community Associations Institute. For more about AMG, visit https://www.amgworld.com or contact Joselin Paz at Jpaz@amgworld.com

Lessons Learned in a Taxi Cab

It's interesting to consider why some businesses flourish and others decline. Often organizations that experience a decline in sales and lose customer confidence lack a clear understanding of why the business is not flourishing.

I learned an important lesson last weekend when requesting a taxi cab. I seldom use taxi cabs because of the efficient services now provided by such ride-sharing apps as Lyft and Uber. However, this morning I was in a hurry. An Uber or Lyft was five minutes away and there was a taxi waiting at my hotel. Even though I hadn't used a taxi in some time I thought, "They're going to be just as good and they're sitting right in front of me so let's go for it."

This was not a great decision. I began feeling regret as soon as I got into the cab and realized how dirty it was. Heat was coming out of the vents at a strong rate even though it was a warm day. I gave the driver my destination and she said, "Do you know the directions?"

Now it's been quite some time since I was in a taxi. Because the online services immediately know the directions based on the request, I wasn't prepared to supply the address beyond the name of the large conference where I was speaking. "Can you put it in your navigation system based on the name or Google it?" I asked. To my chagrin she responded, "What's Google?" I think this sums up my experience. I'm in a dirty cab, heat is blasting out of the vents even though it’s a hot day, and the driver is clueless about Google.

I quickly put the destination into my iPhone and began to give the driver turn by turn directions.

Now the real fun begins. She's driving like a maniac and there's no seatbelt available. And they wonder why the taxi service industry is in decline.

When we reach my destination there was a credit card machine available so I slid my credit card but no result. The driver exits the cab and comes around to assist me but it still doesn't work. I notice the fare is still increasing, which by the way is approximately double what Lyft or Uber would've charged.  At this point I asked the driver, "Did you stop the fare?" She responds by saying, "Oh, I didn't know I had to do that." After she stopped the fare I processed my credit card. Of course with the experience I'd had I wanted a receipt to make sure I was charged the correct amount. No receipt. The driver explains, "The machine jams a lot of times and won't give us receipts." "Okay."

Trying to make the best of it, I decided it was a great learning experience. If the owners of the taxi cab would take an Uber ride and learn what the competitive services offer, I'm sure they would realize that if they want to compete in today's world they're going to have to step up their technology and customer service.

This is a lesson I try to remember every day at Association Management Group. If we want to be the best, we have to offer not only high-level service, but service that is ever evolving — service that gets better every day. We have to stay on top of technology, offering our customers more than others and at competitive prices.

Association Management Group Leaders Present $100,000 Check Represents Efforts of 60 Sponsors and 1,200 Runners Working Together To Help Fight Hunger in the Triad

Paul K. Mengert and May Gayle Mengert of AMG Present “Run on the Runway” Fundraiser Check of $100,000 to Hunger-Relief Beneficiaries.

Co-Chairs Association Management Group President/CEO Paul K. Mengert and Vice President, May Gayle Mengert, present hunger-relief charities a $100,000 check raised from the Piedmont-Triad International Airport’s 8th Annual “Run on the Runway” 5K 10K

GREENSBORO, N.C.—On Sept. 14, 2017, Paul and May Gayle Mengert, returning as co-chairs of the 8th annual Piedmont-Triad International Airport (PTI) 5K/10K “Run on the Runway” fundraising event, presented a $100,000 check to help fight hunger in the Triad. The Mengerts’, founders of Association Management Group (AMG), led the effort that included more than 60 sponsors and 1,200 runners.

The $100,000 raised in proceeds will translate to 600,000 meals for those in need across the Triad, and will be donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina, Greensboro Urban Ministry and Open Door Ministries of High Point. These organizations provide valuable food assistance to Piedmont Triad residents.

“We live in what we strive to make the most advanced country in the world," said Paul Mengert, Co-chair of the event, and President of AMG, “Yet there are families in our own communities who don't have enough food to feed their children. This is why we participate: So that no child in North Carolina has to go to bed hungry”.

In fact, the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle has recently found that North Carolina has the 8th highest rate of food insecurity in the nation, highlighting the necessity of philanthropic efforts on the part of local businesses.

“So few people realize the extent of hunger across our state,” said May Gayle Mengert, Vice President of AMG, “We need to work together to lift one another up and provide nourishment to families in our own backyard. We are so humbled that AMG was able to participate in this event and contribute to ending hunger across the Triad.”

For more information about AMG’S philanthropy, contact Jpaz@amgworld.com

About Association Management Group: AMG is the Carolinas’ leading professional community Association management company dedicated to building effective, successful community Associations. AMG guides and assists executive boards to help protect the Association's interests, enhance the lives of community members and improve the property values of the community. With offices throughout the Carolinas in Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C., as well as Greenville, S.C., AMG is a knowledgeable partner in enforcing community governing documents with a proven set of processes and techniques. AMG specializes in supporting communities with a broad range of services that can be tailored to individual community needs. Association Management Group, Inc. is a locally Accredited Business by the BBB, as well as a nationally Accredited Association Management Company (AAMC) by the Community Associations Institute. For more about AMG, visit https://www.amgworld.com or contact Joselin Paz at Jpaz@amgworld.com

Triad HOA Management Company President Paul K. Mengert to Lead Advanced Community Management Course at the Community Associations Institute

AMG president/CEO Paul Mengert (standing) teaches the 2016 Community Management course to students at the Community Associations Institute.

On Sept. 7 and 8, Paul K. Mengert, president and CEO of Association Management Group (AMG), the leading Community Management company across the Carolinas, will share his expertise in management, teaching an advanced course at the Community Associations Institute (CAI), in Virginia.

Mengert’s course, CAI-310: Management Company Administration, will help community management professionals apply principles of organizational theory to operate a future community management organization. It will cover such topics as creating and managing budgets, contracting and management ethics.

“My course is designed to prime participants for success, guiding them through the challenges and experiences they will encounter in the community management industry,” Mengert said.

Since 1985, Mengert has taught management classes throughout the Carolinas and the nation. From Elon and Wake Forrest’s law schools, to Harvard Alumni Business School programs at Queens University in Charlotte, NC, Mengert has shared his experiences and knowledge to educate industry professionals.

“I have had the pleasure to work with not only managers, but CEOs of management groups across the country,” Mengert said.

As a long-time faculty member of the Community Associations Institute, Mengert was honored to be asked to contribute another course.

“The Community Association Institute is a leader, nationally and worldwide, in training for community association managers,” Mengert said. “I am proud to have served as a faculty member for more than 20 years. Our mission is to help managers better execute their duties to the communities they work with to increase the property value and experience for members of the communities.”

For more information on the Community Associations Institute visit, https://www.caionline.org/

About Association Management Group: AMG is the Carolinas’ leading professional community Association management company dedicated to building effective, successful community Associations. AMG guides and assists executive boards to help protect the Association's interests, enhance the lives of community members and improve the property values of the community. With offices throughout the Carolinas in Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C., as well as Greenville, S.C., AMG is a knowledgeable partner in enforcing community governing documents with a proven set of processes and techniques. AMG specializes in supporting communities with a broad range of services that can be tailored to individual community needs. Association Management Group, Inc. is a locally Accredited Business by the BBB, as well as a nationally Accredited Association Management Company (AAMC) by the Community Associations Institute. For more about AMG, visit https://www.amgworld.com or contact Joselin Paz at Jpaz(at)amgworld(dot)com