As we head into the last couple of months of 2007 I find myself reflecting on another great year for the PPMA.

We have seen some amazing commitment by our volunteers, raising the standard that we as an organization bring to our membership. A common discussion around the board room table at our executive meetings is, “what can we do to add value for both our principle members and our associate members”.

This year has been exceptional in that respect. We are starting to see the results of the hard work done by the Education Committee as we are looking forward to certifying our first graduates from the Professional Apartment Caretaker Certification Program. The Trade Show Committee really out did itself this past year, bringing the event to a new level and setting the bar for the future trade shows. The Golf Committee put on a spectacular day in the sunshine at Larters. We were pleased to roll out the Workplace Health and Safety Manual, a template that will help all of us in creating our own manuals. You can download your copy directly from our website at www.ppmamanitoba.com.

2007 has also been a year of changes. With the retirement of Roger Barsy, we were all holding our breath wondering who would take over as the director of the RTB. We were both relieved and excited to hear that Laura Gowerluk accepted the position as Acting Director of the Residential Tenancies Branch. I was somewhat concerned by the term “Acting Director” but I was informed that many, many years ago Roger had started out as the Acting Director so hopefully somewhere down the road Laura also drops the “Acting” title and works with us for years to come.

The Unit by Unit Rehabilitation Scheme, that we’ve been talking about for over a year, is finally a reality. By the time this newsletter hits your desk, the program will be up and running. For more info visit the RTB website at http://www.gov.mb.ca/finance/cca/rtb/index.html.

Looking forward, 2008 promises to be more of the same. All committees are hard at work preparing the upcoming events.

Stay tuned for news on the trade show. Hockey Night in Canada’s Ron MacLean will be our keynote speaker at the luncheon as the show takes on a hockey theme.

We are looking forward to bringing our members quality educational programs, informative speakers and a good mix of social events, so stay tuned. We are always looking for help and ideas so please speak up and get involved in your organization!

Have a great fall!