Nico March Hero of Community Management Award
Through his generous support, Nico March established the Nico March Hero of Community Management Award to shine a global spotlight on exceptional community management professionals. His investment in this award reflects a strong belief in the importance of leadership, service, and professionalism in community associations.
This award recognizes and honors community association management professionals whose leadership, service, and commitment have made extraordinary and lasting impacts on the communities and people they serve.
Community managers are at the heart of successful communities—leading through complexity, navigating challenges, and delivering stability, often without recognition. This award celebrates those who go above and beyond to serve with integrity, professionalism, and purpose.
What This Award Recognizes
This award honors individuals who:
- Step forward in moments of crisis or transition
- Take on significant fiduciary and leadership responsibility
- Demonstrate integrity, accountability, and compassion
- Deliver measurable, positive impact in complex community environments
Celebrating the professionals who lead, protect, and strengthen communities—often without recognition.
A Global Perspective
As CAI’s international presence continues to expand across the Middle East, Africa, Canada, Australia, Europe, and beyond, the need to recognize excellence in community association management transcends national boundaries. This award celebrates professionals whose leadership is defined by service, consistency, measurable impact, and financial stewardship—regardless of geography.
Award Details
The award is presented annually and is by nomination. The award recipient will receive:
- A $2,000 stipend
- Complimentary registration to a CAI event of their choosing, including:
- CAI Annual Conference and Exposition
- Community Association Law Seminar
- High-Rise Managers Workshop (if eligible)
- Large-Scale Managers Workshop (if eligible)
- CEO-MC Retreat (if eligible)
- Or other qualifying CAI-affiliated events
- Recognition through Foundation and CAI communications, including:
- Foundation website
- Foundation Annual Report
- CAI communication channels
- Recognition at CAI events
Eligibility
Eligible nominees must be actively engaged in community association management and may include:
- Community association managers with direct responsibility for one or more associations
- Portfolio or on-site managers
- Regional directors, executives, or other professionals with oversight responsibility
Nominees may be based in the United States or internationally.
The award is intended to recognize individuals who have gone above and beyond the expectations of their role—demonstrating exceptional leadership, initiative, and impact. Ideal candidates will have made a notable or extraordinary contribution to their community, their organization, or the broader community association industry.
Candidates should demonstrate exceptional leadership through:
- Service and ethical conduct
- Financial accountability and fiduciary stewardship
- Measurable positive impact within their communities
- Commitment to advancing professional standards and elevating the profession
Nomination Process
Nominations may be submitted by peers, volunteer board members, employers, or professional organizations.
To nominate a candidate, please submit a statement of no more than 500 words describing why the nominee deserves recognition as a hero of community management. Submissions should highlight the nominee’s leadership, impact, and contributions to the communities they serve.
Acknowledgment
The Foundation is proud to recognize Nico March for his long-standing contributions to the community association industry and his commitment to leadership, service, and financial and professional excellence.
Nico is the Founder and Managing Director of The March Group, a firm specializing in corporate asset and liability management since 1983. For more than four decades, The March Group has supported community associations and management companies with prudent financial management and reserve investment strategies across the United States and internationally.
He is also the co-author of CAI’s best-selling book Reserves: How and Why Community Associations Invest Their Assets and has been a lifelong contributor to financial education within the industry.
The Foundation is grateful for his generosity and vision in establishing this award and helping elevate the global community management profession.