Mark your calendars! The date for The Chicagoland Cooperator’s second annual Chicagoland Condo, HOA, & Co-op Expo, is fast approaching. This year’s event will be held from on Wednesday, November 14th from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00  p.m. at the Navy Pier Convention Center in Chicago. (check  www.chicagocondoexpo.com for more information!)  

 The Chicagoland Expo is the largest expo in the state entirely dedicated to  connecting condo, HOA, and co-op managers, board members, and residents with  the professionals and service providers their communities need on a regular  basis. Between nearly 300 exhibitors, countless product demos, free advice  booths, and full roster of educational seminars, it’s literally a one-stop, custom-built marketplace for vendors, products and  ideas.  

 “The express purpose of the Chicago Expo is to help attendees make useful,  productive connections, gain valuable information, and network with their  peers,” says company president Yale Robbins. So if you’re a decision-maker for a condo, homeowners association, or co-op community—or even if you just call one home—and you have a pressing legal issue or an important project waiting in the  wings, you owe it to yourself and your community to drop by the Expo and  experience what it has to offer. It would take months to meet with the same  number of vendors and professionals a typical Expo attendee will interact with  in one afternoon on the show floor.  

 An Opportunity for Education

 Hands-down, one of the biggest reasons for board members, managers, and owners  to visit the show is the Chicago Expo’s full slate of free educational seminars. Custom-built to help anyone involved—or even just interested—in the administration of a residential building or homeowners association, the  2012 seminar panels will provide in-depth discussion of the legal,  administrative, management, and financial concerns pertinent to the region's  HOA managers, board members, and residents.  

 This year, management, legal, and accounting pros from Caruso Management Group  will present “The Truth and Nothing But the Truth—Insider Secrets from an Attorney, Accountant and a Property Manager,” where experts will discuss frequently-asked legal, financial, and  administrative questions and outline the roles and responsibilities of boards  and their hired professionals. National Condo Advisors/Strategic Inspections  will offer “Everything You Need to Know About FHA, VA & Fannie Mae Approval for Your Condo,” covering the newest loan requirements for condo communities. Associa Management  will present “The Top 5 Things Managers Wish Boards Knew,” delving into what an association needs in order to cultivate a productive,  efficient board/management partnership. DRF Trusted Property Solutions/Nicor  Gas Energy Efficiency Program rounds out the roster with an in-depth discussion  of energy efficiency issues, and how boards and residents can make their  buildings greener and more cost-effective. And that's not all—even more speakers are being added as the show draws closer! All presentations  are free for all attendees, and conclude with a Q&A segment to allow audience members to get direct feedback from panelists. Expo  seminars always attract standing-room-only crowds, so make sure to arrive early  to claim a spot in the audience.  

 In addition to networking and education opportunities, the Chicagoland Condo,  HOA & Co-op Expo will feature free advice booths staffed by professionals from a  broad array of industries, waiting to answer any and all HOA- and  building-related questions face-to-face. 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. How’s that for instant gratification?  

 It Doesn't Stop There

 And if all that isn’t enough, the Expo will also feature dozens of raffles and giveaways throughout  the day—including the Grand Prize Reserve Fund giveaway, courtesy of The Chicagoland Cooperatorand Yale Robbins Publications LLC. One attendee at the show will be drawn at  random to win a $2,500 contribution to their building or association's reserve  fund. The winner will be drawn after registration has closed, and a check for  the winnings will be made payable to the winner’s association, care of their management company. Only board members qualify to  enter the reserve fund 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.chicagocondoexpo.com.  

 So stay tuned to The Chicagoland Cooperator for updates and new additions to the Expo’s exhibitor and seminar roster, and be sure to visit us at the Navy Pier  Convention Center on November 14th. For more information on who is exhibiting  at the show, to sign up as an exhibitor, or to register for this exciting  event, go to www.chicagocondoexpo.com.