Maiser Omer, RCM
FirstService Residential Ontario
Year entered the profession: 2011
Year RCM obtained: 2014
Other education: Bachelor in Law, Master Degree in Criminal Law.
Mentor(s) in the industry: I have been extremely fortunate to have worked with numerous individuals who have taken the time to share their knowledge and experience with me. One person that stands out as a mentor is Sheila MacDonald, RCM. Sheila was always patient and kind, she offered her support and shared her knowledge. Also, I want to express my gratitude to our President, Mark Hopkins and Vice President, Jeff Webb for their tremendous support and encouragement that helped me grow within FirstService Residential.
What path brought you to a career as a condominium manager? How has your membership in ACMO helped you in your career? Working for a condominium law firm and having a law degree from Europe, property management was a good industry to start a career. I had great opportunities with FirstService Residential starting as a site administrator and working my way up to a Regional Director. Working through all levels has helped me understand all aspects, levels and responsibilities of my position.
ACMO has been instrumental in my career. I have increased my knowledge through seminars and courses and I have found the annual ACMO conference to be especially valuable for networking and education.
What is one must-have skill for a condo manager? Why? I believe as condominium managers we are required to have many skills, so it is hard to pinpoint only one. We have to be flexible, adaptable, multi-tasking, organized, able to delegate, self-motivated, patient and consistent.
Tell us about a personal success story on the job. I believe every day in this industry is a success story; one success story of my career is dealing with a long expropriation of land, dealing with York Region, the corporation’s lawyer and being able to facilitate the communication in between our Board of Directors, York Region and lawyers recovering a high compensation for the corporation.
What’s your biggest challenge as a manager? What’s your favourite part of the job? In my opinion the biggest challenge as a manager is dealing with difficult people (toxic people). My favourite part of the job is that every day is full of different challenges.
Best business advice you ever received. Do not take anything personally. In our industry you need to consult with professionals and get the best advice; researching is essential. We are facilitators of communication in between multiple parties and our communication skills are extremely important.
Answer this statement – I am an RCM because … I respect myself and my job and I want to have all the necessary qualifications to best serve our clients and partners.
Where do you see yourself in five years? I recently started my Regional Director position that I greatly enjoy. I believe in five years I will take on more challenges, help my company grow and be involved more with ACMO and other similar condominium management platforms.
What would you tell young people to encourage them to pursue a career in condominium management? I would say that the property management industry is a great career path for anyone that is looking for great opportunities, has great customer service skills, is flexible and adaptable.
The day-to-day operations of a building is challenging and a constant learning curve. The CMRAO works in the public interest to license and regulate condo management professionals. CMRAO is licensing condo managers and management companies, making sure they meet minimum education requirements and comply with a code of ethics.
Meeting these standards enhanced the integrity of the sector, elevates the profession and provides condo owners with confidence in those who manage their important investment.
I encourage young individuals entering the property management profession to become an ACMO member and a Registered Condominium Manager (RCM). As previously advised some of the benefits of being an ACMO member are the opportunity to build a network with other industry professionals at events, luncheons and the annual conference.
