Thomas Mazzei, CEO said when asked about the company’s start up “Almost the entire year of 1987 was spent launching Cardinal.  Every Saturday morning the founders met in my basement.  It was tough times as we contemplated life without a regular “job” and a guaranteed paycheck.  However, it was exciting too because we believed that our plans for a truly hands-on, professional and customer-oriented approach to providing community management services was going to be hit. It has been. 35 years later, we are one of the best known and well regarded community management companies in the industry.  We help people and communities thrive and that’s what gets me up in the morning!”

Thomas’ brother, Don Mazzei, Cardinal’s COO added “After, working in the community association business for half a dozen years we realized there was a better way to manage communities then what was considered as the standard way by other companies who were managing condominiums and homeowner associations.  After nearly a year of discussing what was missing,  we developed a plan that would surpass what was considered the norm and set us apart from the competition.  At that time we had no idea if our plan would prove successful, we took a leap of faith.  We soon knew that we were right – there was a need in the market for something greater and more boutique and exclusive. And soon we blossomed into the largest family owned community association company in the Washington Metro area. One of the best memories of developing a company for me was when we were growing so fast we had to stop taking on clients until we were able to build our capabilities to insure our quality of service.  I am excited about the future of the company and enjoyed developing individuals to carry our torch in the years ahead.”

"I joined Cardinal Management Group in October of 1995" shared Jonathan Sucher, Senior Vice President.  "At the time I was referred to Cardinal Management Group by a community association attorney.  I wanted to join a right sized company (not too big and not too small) that was family oriented as my own family was just starting out at that time.  Now 26 years later my family is grown but I always felt the family values of the company.  There has been a lot of growth in the company as well as my growth as a community management professional.  Daily I endeavor to provide the same level of support to my team that the owners provided when I came into the organization.  Truly without the numerous fantastic Cardinal Management Group team members working on any one account, site or issue we would not be as successful as we have been.  Cardinal has also allowed me to serve on the National Community Association Institute Foundation for Community Association Research (FCAR) Board of Directors to give back to the industry what I have been given.  Pay it forward!"

Rounding out our interview, Mr. Terry McGuire, Senior Vice President expressed “I am very happy to be celebrating this Anniversary with the Mazzei family and the extended Cardinal family.  The term “family” cannot be overemphasized here.  My introduction to the Mazzeis and Cardinal began when I was in a position to be hiring a community management firm and I was clearly impressed.  I was impressed enough to see that Cardinal was hired and later to seek employment with them and that was over 30 years ago.  Through that time there have been births, graduations, weddings and funerals that have touched us all and we’ve shared those events as a family.  I think a relationship of over 30 years speaks for itself, but just in case, there is nowhere I’d rather have been for the last three decades than with these people…the family.  Happy 35th!”

Here is to another 35 years of Managing to Make a Difference!

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