As a property management company, 1st American Management Company, Inc. AMO ® takes pride in its team of financial experts from its certified public accountant (CPA) to its accounting department.
Having a stellar CPA, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Vice President and Co-owner Gina Manns on the 1st American Management staff elevates 1st American Management’s financial capabilities and makes it remarkable compared to other property management companies.
Manns said. “I don't think a lot of firms will go out and seek to have a CPA on staff, so I think that makes us stand out.”
Obtaining a CPA state license entails passing a rigorous exam, meeting experience requirements and continued professional education for 120 hours every three years, so CPAs are well equipped to handle any financial obstacles to come their way.
When she was hired, Manns had already passed her exam and needed to complete her experience requirements. She met those requirements early on in her 25 years of experience at 1st American Management, making her an even more valuable asset.
Besides having the higher standard set by having a CPA, 1st American depends on that knowledge to ensure that financial statements are prepared for board members and owners and year-end information is ready to go when tax time comes. This saves time and makes the communication regarding accounting needs go much smoother.
Teresea Beach, Accounting Manager and Assistant Vice President, works alongside fellow Accounting Manager Tammy Bridegroom, Manns and the rest of the accounting department to tackle all the financial needs of 1st American Management’s clientele and their properties.
This organized, detail-oriented department handles a variety of tasks to save homeowner associations and property owners money by providing accurate, appropriate, and relevant information. This includes meticulously ensuring financial statements are accurate, preparing year-end packets for CPA firms, and providing extra tools like AppFolio so clients can easily stay up-to-date on their finances and records. This software program allows homeowners, board members and commercial owners access to an online portal which gives them the ability to view association and property documents and pay assessments electronically.
“Everyone we have in accounting has several years of experience, so it's not people just coming out of school,” Beach said. “We've done this for a long time. We know what we're doing.”
1st American Management also has a closing department which functions as a branch of the accounting department. In this two-person department, the staff serves as 1st American Management’s direct contact with title companies for closings. This entails closing out credit balances, sending new – residents welcome packets, handling initial billing for homeowners, and more.
Beach shared that the staff at 1st American Management is a family-oriented company that cares about employers and employees alike and cares about what is going on in each other’s lives even outside of company walls.
“When I was interviewed 25 years ago, I was told that we’re a good little company,” Manns said. “We really were a good little company. Now, we’re much larger, but we are still a good little company and that is important to us.”
For more information about 1st American Management Company, Inc., visit https://1stpropertymanagers.com/.
