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Kara Cermak is part of the RealManage family after selling her company in 2017.  Kara served as the President and is the daughter of the founding owner of Rowell Incorporated, AAMC. Kara graduated from Northern Illinois University with an Operations Management Degree and a minor in English Literature.  She has over 30 years of experience in the industry, managing communities, and overseeing the day-to-day operations of a team. As a leader in the industry, Kara realizes the importance of improving the industry as a whole. She obtained the CMCA®, AMS® and PCAM® (the pinnacle of CAI designations).  She served as a Board Member for the Illinois Chapter of the Community Associations Institute (CAI) for 8 years and also served as President of the Chapter for a year. She became National Faculty for CAI’s Professional Designations Program in 2009 and continues to teach throughout the country. Kara earned the Educator of the Year Award in 2017 and served from 2017 through 2019 on the National CAI Board of Trustees, and the National CAI Community Manager's Council. She is now a member of the Community Manager Success/Support Group (CMSG) for the RealManage family, and teaches, mentors, and supports community managers and board members within RealManage for their personal development. Kara, in concert with other professional women friends, founded celebrating all that is feminine (CATIF) in order to fund charities that need a means of funding, giving back to women and children in our community. The charity is a 501(c)3 and we have contributed over $200,000 to local organizations, from a grassroots effort of fundraising, over the last 10 years.  

Pat Costello is one of the founders of the firm of Keay & Costello, P.C. He is an attorney and with offices located in Wheaton and Batavia. Since 1993 Pat has concentrated his practice in the area association law, representing condominium, and community interest community associations. In his practice Pat has appeared before courts in DuPage County, Kane County, Will County, Kendall County, Lake County and Cook County. Pat has been licensed in the State of Illinois and by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois since 1993. He is a member of the Federal Trial Bar for the Northern District of Illinois. Pat is also a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, DuPage County Bar Association, Kane County Bar Association and the Chicago Bar Association, ATCHA and CAI. Pat currently serves as the Co-Chair of the CAI Illinois Legislative Action Committee.

Patrick T. Costello - Keay and Costello, Attorneys at Law (keaycostello.com)