Creating Community

The goal of this book is to help those people whose lives are impacted by community association living – owners, residents, board members, volunteers, management staff and the business partners that service them – have a clearer understanding of the dynamics about how to create a community in the truest sense of the word: A collection of diverse individuals that are engaged with each other, informed about community issues and actively work together in order to accomplish goals that will make the community stronger and each of their individual lives better. Creating Community contains simple, yet profound, management strategies that board members, volunteers and management can utilize to attract the energy of change needed in order to bring people together towards the pursuit of common goals and objectives. In short, it is about the art of empowerment in community association living.

Michael Pierson began his career in resort and community association management in 1985 and has worked in Washington State (Orcas Island), Hawaii (Maui), and California (Santa Barbara, Orange County and the Coachella Valley). He is a past recipient of Village Resorts' Managing At Peak Performance Award while at The Whaler on Kaanapali Beach; Radisson Hotel International's Manager of the Quarter while at Palm Springs Radisson Resort Hotel; the California Association of Community Managers (CACM) Outstanding Service Award after serving as Chairman of their Public Relations Committee; and Action Property Management's Spirit Award while supervisor of their Coachella Valley Office. He served two stints as Editor the Coachella Valley Chapter of the Community Associations Institute (CAI) newsletter, The Quorum, and in 1993 was named the Coachella Valley CAI Chapter's Outstanding Member of the Year. Michael Pierson is President of Community Association Publishing Services and MyHOA.com and is the author of "Taking Control: Time Management and Communication Tools for Community Association Management" Michael is interviewed regularly by industry publications throughout the country because of his experience in communication tools and community building and enjoys speaking at industry-related events and meetings. He holds a degree in Psychology from St. Martin's University and lives in Bermuda Dunes, California with his wife, two cats and an old, blind, deaf dog.