With the New Year underway, The New Jersey Cooperator’s 2012 Condo, HOA & Co-op Expo is quietly taking shape as this spring’s must-attend event for the Garden State’s property managers, board members, trustees and unit owners.

Held at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus on Wednesday, May 9, 2012 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the free event will showcase hundreds of exhibitors from throughout the region, along with free advice booths and a full slate of educational seminars.

Good information and clear communication are crucial for anyone involved with the administration of a condo building or homeowners association—crucial not just to thriving, but even surviving in today's challenging economic times. Finding that information and developing communication strategies isn't always easy, however. The New Jersey Cooperator'sCondo, HOA & Co-op Expo offers attendees the opportunity to do both, in one day and under one roof, with a full slate of unique educational programming.

Exhibitors, from attorneys to roofers to managers and financial professionals, have already secured their spaces for the New Jersey Cooperator’s fourth annual event. Along with the trade show, the event will feature educational seminars and free advice booths designed to help condo, HOA and co-op association board members, unit owners and managers keep their communities running smoothly.

Can Your Community

Use a Little Extra Cash?

In addition to useful information and advice, you could also be a big winner in helping your condominium association survive in these tough economic times.

The 2012 event once again will feature the very popular New Jersey Cooperator’s Expo Reserve Fund drawing. One lucky board member will win a cool $2,500 for their building or association’s reserve fund, courtesy of The New Jersey Cooperator, the sponsor of the Expo itself.

The big winner in 2011 was David Lai-Len, vice president of Adams Village COA, located in Basking Ridge. He was very surprised that he won. “I'd never won anything like that before. I had to call and verify that it wasn't a joke. I kept pinching myself.” Lai-Len's very real winnings are being used to help offset the cost of replacing the roofs in his community.

A Full Day of Seminars

As in past years, a full slate of seminars will be presented, running throughout the day and covering topics ranging from energy conservation to legal issues, board operations and effective property management to telecommunications. Past seminar presenters have included funding strategists from National Condo Advisors, attorneys from the Lawrenceville-based law firm Stark & Stark, and management consultants from Association Advisors.

Last year's seminars attracted standing-room-only audiences, so the complete lineup of seminars for this year—to be announced shortly—is sure to present essential and cutting-edge information for anyone involved in running a condo association or co-op building. Be sure to arrive early and claim a spot in the audience.

The Advice is Free, Too

Booths and a full schedule of seminars may be the big draws to the Expo, but that's hardly the whole picture. In addition to networking and education opportunities, the show's popular free advice booths will be returning as well. If you have questions about your association’s finances, policies, or day-to-day management, you can stop by one of the booths for answers from leading legal, management, maintenance and financial professionals. Lai-Len said he found the booths and seminars very informative and attending the expo was a great opportunity to network with vendors as well as other board members and professionals.

And of course, no trade show would be complete without giveaways and raffles. Throughout the day, random drawings will be held for a host of valuable door prizes donated by Expo exhibitors and The New Jersey Cooperator.

Seminars, Prizes, and Much More

If you want to help your condo community, remember to mark your calendars for the upcoming Condo, HOA & Co-op Expo. And, just by attending you could be the 2012 winner. The winner of the Reserve Fund prize will be drawn at random after Expo registration has closed, and a check for the winnings will be made payable to the winner’s association board, care of their management company. Only board members qualify to enter the 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.nj-expo.com.

So stay tuned to The New Jersey Cooperator for updates and new additions to the Expo’s exhibitor and seminar roster, and be sure to visit us at the Meadowlands Expo Center on May 9th! For more information on who is exhibiting at the show, to sign up as an exhibitor, or to register for this one-of-a-kind event, go to www.nj-expo.com.