AGM coverage

Article from Volume 11, Issue Number 4, 2024

By Alan Forbes | Other articles by Alan Forbes | Feature

CCI Manitoba’s AGM: a passport to success

What happened at September’s Annual General Meeting created a path forward for CCI Manitoba

CCI Manitoba’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held at the Norwood Hotel on Thursday, Sept. 19. More than 80 members registered for the event and even a torrential rainstorm just before the formal start could not keep them away.

AGENDA

1. Call to order – John Popowich, president

2. Welcome and opening remarks – John Popowich, president

3. Proof of notice – John Popowich, president

4. Establishment of quorum – John Popowich, president

5. Approval of agenda – John Popowich, president

6. Motion to approve the Sept. 19, 2023, Annual General Meeting minutes

7. President’s report – John Popowich, president

8. Treasurer’s report – Audrey Harder, treasurer Motion to appoint Scarrow & Donald LLP to review the accounts of the chapter for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

9. Communication Committee report – Duane Rohne, chair

10. Education Committee report – Carl Dalton, chair

11. Government Relations Committee report – Doug Forbes, chair

12. Membership Committee report – Alan Forbes on behalf of Patricia Salam, chair

13. Nominations Committee report – Alan Forbes, rice-president

14. Sponsorship and AGM Committee report – John Popowich and Kathleen Vandale, co-chairs • Presentation of Jane Lecours Award by Maureen Hancharyk, past president • Recognition and appreciation to outgoing directors Maureen Hancharyk and Duane Rohne

15. National Chapter report – John Popowich, National Council representative

16. Election of the 2024-2025 Board of Directors – Alan Forbes, vice-president

17. Introduction of the 2024-2025 Board of Directors – John Popowich, president

18. New business

19. Door prizes and more prizes

20. Adjournment

Jane Lecours Volunteer Award presented to Ross and Lydia Pelland

At our AGM we present an award in recognition of an outstanding volunteer in the condominium community in memory of Jane Lecours, a past president of CCI Manitoba and long-time property manager. Past president Maureen Hancharyk presented this year’s award to Ross and Lydia Pelland, of WCC 168 (Marian Del Rey), who received three separate glowing nominations from residents of their condominium corporation.

The nominators’ comments include

They volunteer for anything, no questions asked.
They plant flowers every year, beautify the condominium, look after the flower beds, maintain the grounds, do the weeding and general upkeep throughout the summer.
They look after the pool and patio and sprinkler system whenever it needs attending to.
They work in all areas of maintenance and gardening without question.
They were instrumental in the upgrade of the gazebo and installing an expanded deck.
They are real assets and members of the volunteer committee.
They deserve recognition of their commitment because of years of service and making our community a wonderful inviting place to live.

One comment that says it all: “Having been part of this community for 23 years, they are the most admirable and well respected people in our building today.”

WHO WAS JANE LECOURS?

Jane Lecours, who died in February 2021, was a leader in Manitoba's condominium industry for more than 25 years. Jane was a proud, committed and well-respected member of CCI. She served on the Board of Directors of CCI Manitoba for many years and served as president of the board from 2011 to 2013. She also served as the Manitoba Chapter national representative from 2011 to 2020. Over the years, Jane served on a number of CCI committees, both provincially and nationally. Throughout her career in property management, Jane’s knowledge, experience and expertise were legendary. Jane was the consummate volunteer, going above and beyond and giving many hours of her time promoting the condominium community. Jane’s devotion both personally and professionally led to many friendships, which she valued immensely.

Prize winners

Prizes were awarded by members of the AGM and Sponsorship Committee Kathleen Vandale, Seth Henoch and John Popowich. Besides door prizes, there were presentations for the early renewal contest, the member referral contest and for collection of the most passport stamps.

Here are the smiling faces of some of the prize winners at the AGM.

The prizes handed out were:

Early renewal contest - refund of membership fee
Door prize draw - $500 Visa gift card from CCI Manitoba
Member referral contest - $500 Visa gift card from
CCI Manitoba “PASSPORT” game - $500 Visa gift card
Random draws for three-$100 Visa gift cards donated by Connie Dame at Karma Property Management
Random draw for $100 Visa gift card donated Kathleen Vandale at HUB International

Prize winner Balwinder Dhillon with CCI Director Kathleen Vandale

Prize winner Heather Klassen with CCI Director Seth Henoch

CCI President John Popowich with prize winner Maria Bojorge

Prize winner Bill Bradshaw with CCI Director Kathleen Vandale

Prize winner Denis Smith with CCI Director Kathleen Vandale

Meet the four re-elected CCI Manitoba directors

Kerri Melnyk, Eric Hrycyk, Kristen Bishop and Alan Reiss have been re-elected to our Board of Directors.

We have 15 positions on our board, with each director normally serving a three-year term. The terms are staggered so that our members elect five each year at our Annual General Meeting (AGM). The four directors re-elected to our board bring the total serving to 13, with two vacancies.

The profiles of the re-elected directors highlight the diversity of skills and experiences our directors bring to our board. Perhaps they will inspire you to consider sharing your skills and abilities with us in the future, either as a committee member or as a director.

Kerri Melnyk

Kerri serves as the director of Multi-Family Management at Cushman & Wakefield Stevenson, where she oversees the daily operations of both the Condominium and Residential divisions. Her role involves providing leadership and direction to property managers, maintenance staff, contractors and on-site personnel, as well as administrative and accounting teams. With 16 years of experience in the industry, including 13 years at Cushman & Wakefield Stevenson, Kerri has extensive experience collaborating with Boards of Directors.

Eric Hrycyk

Eric retired from the Winnipeg Police Force after 30 years of service, then started a new career as director of Corporate Security for Pollard Banknote. He eventually retired again and moved into the Pointe Riviere Condominium in 2011 with his wife. Eric has served on his condominium’s board for most of his time there and is its current president.

Eric was first elected to CCI Manitoba’s board in 2021 and was re-elected this year for another three-year term. During his tenure with us, he has served on the Education Committee and the Government Relations and Advocacy Committee.

Kirsten Bishop

Kirsten has been part of the property management world in various capacities since the early 1990s, starting her working career with a real-estate company while overseas and subsequently when she moved back to Canada. Kirsten pursued this interest working with a commercial property management company in Winnipeg for many years. In 2006 she was introduced to condominiums and found it very satisfying to work as a team with various boards and buildings, learning and growing in her capacity as a condominium manager and property manager.

Kirsten served one term on the board of CCI committees and currently serves on the Executive Committee as secretary.

Alan Reiss

Alan is an active long-time CCI member and completed all three levels of the CCI condominium directors’ course in 2017. In 2020 Alan was asked to consider running for election to our CCI board and he was elected that year. Besides serving CCI on our Education and Communication committees, Alan is a frequent contributor to our newsletter. His Reiss Report column takes an in-depth look at the performance of Winnipeg’s condominium market on a quarterly basis.

He is also an owner/investor of several condos and has been serving as a director on the Hearthstone Estates condominium board for many years. As well, he’s served on several Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board committees, including MLS, Public Relations, Membership, Real Estate News and Investigative. Alan is also a member of the Manitoba Real Estate Association, the Canadian Real Estate Association, the National Association of Realtors and the International Real Estate Society. He continues to be one of Winnipeg’s most productive and knowledgeable realtors.

Fond farewells

Two CCI directors are leaving us. We will miss them dearly.

Duane Rohne got involved with CCI as a volunteer in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, when choosing not to no longer be involved on our Board of Directors because of changes to his personal circumstances, to his credit, Duane still wants to be involved as a committee member and eventually run again to become a director of the chapter.

Duane initially came to our attention by volunteering for the Newsletter Committee, in the summer of 2020 and It didn't take long for us to recognize his exceptional skills and dedication. By October of that year we were already welcoming him onto our Board of Directors at our AGM.

Duane has served on numerous committees, often multiple within the same year. From stepping up as the Membership chair, to taking on the Communications and Newsletter chair’s position this past year. Duane has brought fresh perspectives, enthusiasm and endless hours of volunteer time to each committee he's been part of. His ability to consistently contribute and innovate is truly inspiring.

Duane's assistance with member inquiries was invaluable. When he didn't have an immediate answer, he went above and beyond to find a solution, whether it involved reading multiple articles or searching through various resources. He also attended nearly every CCI event, meeting, webinar, forum and lunch & learn we hosted, whether it was required or not. He was always the first to volunteer for any task, consistently going above and beyond, whether he was assisting our administrator at the registration desk or swiftly doing last-minute tasks for our events. His willingness to jump in wherever needed, without ever a hint of complaint, truly sets a remarkable example for all of us.

Maureen Hancharyk served CCI and its members for 12 years. Comments of appreciation on behalf of the board were made by past and current chapter administrators Millanne Baxter and Aesia Desrosiers. Here is an excerpt from their impassioned speech.

“Maureen first became involved with CCI Manitoba back in 2012 during the era of our property tax campaign. She was fired up and ready to make some change. It was during this pivotal time that the board recognized her genuine passion and determination for all things condo — qualities that would prove to be an invaluable asset to our board for many years to follow. One year later, she was elected vice-president and in 2015 she was elected president, a post she held until the fall of 2021.Over the past few years we have looked to you for guidance as past president and a valuable member on our executive and board….

“You sure left some big shoes to fill.

“Your time with CCI has been impactful for so many, not just because you are so passionate about helping people and effecting change but also because you are always willing to give so much of your own time. From the very beginning you were constantly finding ways to infuse fun and laughter into otherwise not-so-fun topics and conversations. No offence to anyone here, but condo bylaws and reserve-fund studies are not the funnest things to talk about. But…when you add Maureen’s secret sauce to these topics…Wine & Cheese…suddenly you have a recipe for fun and community.

“Maureen, your impact has been nothing short of transformative. Your enthusiasm, passion and tireless commitment have left a lasting mark on our organization. You always ensured our fellow condo members felt heard and supported by CCI. Whether it was taking countless member calls to offer a listening ear or replying to emails and addressing individual condo situations, you did it all with so much empathy and care.

“We are so grateful for you. Your legacy will continue to inspire and uplift us, and your contributions will always be cherished.”

Departing message from Maureen

“I have been involved with CCI Manitoba Chapter for so many wonderful years.

“I chose to run for the CCI Board of Directors because I was disappointed there were no condo owners on the CCI board and I was also the president of the condo corporation where I live and knew I would learn a lot if I was elected.

“And now, after 12 long, wonderful years, I decided it was time to step down from the CCI Board of Directors.

“I enjoyed every minute of my time there and will miss all of the wonderful people I met over the years, fellow CCI board members, professional and business members and condominium owners. You all have enriched my life. Thank you so much.

“Thanks to Aesia and Millanne, the current and former chapter administrators, for your very warm and beautiful tribute recalling all the fun memories over these past years. I was humbled and very touched by your words.

“CCI Manitoba Chapter is such an amazing organization and I will continue to encourage non-members to join and get involved.

“It is so much fun, you learn so much and it truly is a group of great people all working toward a common goal of education, advocacy, information awareness and expertise.

“Thanks a million.”