CAMS has grown to include comprehensive list of services for all types of properties

CAMS celebrates 30 years of locally focused community association management services

In a previous century, before community associations were common and asked to handle complex business issues, Mike Stonestreet formed Community Association Management Services (CAMS) to help condominium communities with monthly financial reports, maintenance and repairs, and board meetings.  

In the 30 years since, Stonestreet and Dave Sweyer joined forces and the company has grown dramatically and tackled increasingly complex issues like financial management, infrastructure, disaster recovery, and stormwater management. Its 300 employees today bring skills and expertise to the table that the founders could not have imagined back in 1991.

In the intervening three decades, the company has become a pioneer in community management, working with master communities, large-scale and lifestyle communities, marinas, high rises, age-restricted communities and even a campground. Its incomparable experience with every manner of community management issues is at the service of 658 communities and more than 100,000 households in the Carolinas today. One thing that has not changed is the founding principle of serving people, not property. 

In the past decade, CAMS has focused its efforts on building out its technology solutions and a tech-savvy team of forward-thinking professionals who share the founders’ drive and dedication to communities and their residents. CAMS employs technology to speed communications with residents, board members and others, and to create processes that build relationships and solve problems.

One particular area of expertise that CAMS offers communities in this region is its long history of handling the fallout from the plethora of hurricanes that have walloped the coast since the arrival of Hugo. “We gained a lot of experience with these storms. We learned how to handle claims, deal with insurance companies, communicate with owners, and how to prepare for the storms,” said Mike Stonestreet.

With the COVID pandemic, the company has now seen just about everything. Adapting quickly with remote meetings, CAMS’ community associations hardly missed a beat.

CAMS has more experience than almost any community management company out there, but they have remained true to who they are and who they serve. Unlike the corporate association management companies whose work is transactional and profits come from volume, CAMS remains family-owned and built on relationships. Co-owners Dave and Mike have met all their employees and are accessible to clients, something that is unthinkable at national “big box” outfits.

Another contrast that recommends CAMS over the large conglomerates is that it is solely focused on its core area of expertise, and not a series of other business lines. “A lot of other companies do real estate sales, or rentals, or own maintenance companies,” said Stonestreet. “But this is all we do. We’re 100% dedicated to community management.”