The fourth annual New Jersey Cooperator’s Condo, HOA & Co-op Expo is coming—the 2011 event will showcase over 200 exhibitors from across the tri-state area when the day-long trade show returns to the Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Admission is free for the entire day—including a full slate of educational seminars and one-on-one professional advice brought to you by The New Jersey Cooperator and Yale Robbins, Inc.

Reserve Fund Winner

For the second consecutive year, the Expo will feature a raffle drawing for $2,500, with the prize money going to the winning association’s reserve fund. The 2010 winner, John Lupero, vice president of the Mutual Fifteen Condo Association, recently received the award during The New Jersey Cooperator’s Exhibitor ROI Boot Camp, a day-long workshop focused on helping vendors maximize their participation in the 2011 Condo, HOA & Co-op Expo.

Very excited about winning the award, Lupero said the association will put it to good use for operating expenses to supplement their reserve fund. The association is part of Rossmoor, an active adult community located in Monroe Township that contains over 2,300 residences and some 3,000 residents. Mutual Fifteen, which consists of 68 units, is one of the smaller governing bodies within the overall Rossmoor village community, he said..

The 2010 Expo was Lupero’s first experience at the New Jersey Cooperator’s trade show and he said he was very impressed, and wants to attend again in 2011. “It was good to see a variety of vendors in different fields, especially when I got to see the legal firm that represents us—I’m talking about our community. That was interesting to see them there as well. It was not only contractors but a cross section of legal people, our insurance company had a representative there. So it was good to see, a cross-section of various exhibitors.”

The exhibitor training session was taught by Jefferson Davis, owner of the trade show consulting firm Competitive Edge. During the day, Davis walked vendors through the best ways to improve their return on investment in the show, and expert panelists fielded questions from the audience about the benefits and experience of attending a trade show. Lupero participated in the panel, which he called “quite a learning experience,” along with Mel Neulander, board president of The Briarcliff, a co-op in Cliffside Park, and property managers—Access Property Management’s Denise Lindsey and Community Service Group’s Michael Pesce.

The Exhibitor ROI Boot Camp is only one of many resources—many of them free—available to vendors for the 2011 Expo. For more information about the trade show, visit www.nj-expo.com or call 212-683-5700.

Education and More

Anyone involved with the administration of a condo building or homeowners association knows that good information and clear communication are crucial to a community not just surviving, but thriving, especially in today's challenging economic times. Finding that information, can be time-consuming—and sometimes difficult. The Condo, HOA & Co-op Expo will offer attendees the opportunity to gather solid information from industry leaders, in one day and under one roof, with a roster of unparalleled educational programming.

Other Offerings

The Lawrenceville-based law firm of Stark & Stark will be presenting their always popular legal seminar; New York-based National Condo Advisors, which spoke in 2010 about the FHA and the new construction loan approval process for condos and HOAs, will again be a presenter; and property manager Association Advisors, located in Freehold, is also a featured seminar sponsor for 2011.

There will be plenty of other exciting activities to partake in at the Expo’s day-long event. Invite your entire board to attend and increase your community’s chance of winning the reserve fund prize!

And don’t forget: if you have questions about your association’s finances, policies, or day-to-day management, you can stop by one of the Expo’s free advice booths for answers.

Save the Date

The New Jersey Cooperator’s Condo, HOA & Co-op Expo is truly unique—it’s a rare chance to get a vast array of residential real estate resources in one place, united for one purpose. 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 in Secaucus on May 11th! 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.