Associa began in 1979 as a single property management firm in Dallas, TX. On this foundation we’ve built a network of carefully selected, wholly owned and locally operated subsidiaries. We also attract and retain the industry’s top community management professionals. With careful, consistent and unparalleled growth over the past three decades, we have become the recognized leader in association management services.
While bigger doesn’t always mean better, our steady growth has given us the resources to follow our passion for excellence; serve as a dedicated partner to homeowner associations, developers and more; and provide our clients bottom-line benefits like large-volume purchasing power. Throughout this growth, we’ve never lost sight of how we began and the importance of providing exemplary service at the local level.
Explore the timeline below for Associa’s historical highlights:
1979 John Carona founded the firm known today as Associa, then a small property management boutique in Dallas, TX, providing limited property management services to apartments and condominiums.
1983 Utilizing IBM System 36 technology, Carona and his young team became among the first in the industry to embrace computer technology in day-to-day applications.
1988 Established an in-house service department to handle the construction and maintenance needs of management clientele, growing the local fleet to more than 100 trucks in five years.
1992 Recognizing national trends and changing demographics, Carona divested various holdings to position community association management as the company’s primary focus.
1996 Opened company’s first branch office, just east of downtown Fort Worth.
2003 Founded Associations Insurance Agency Inc. (AIAI), an independent agency, to provide a better and more cost-effective insurance option to clients.
2006 Founded Community Archives, a web-based resale document processing firm, customized to deliver documents professionally and efficiently to home buyers, Realtors®, lenders and title companies.
2006 Established Associa University, the online, video-conferencing and live training program that boasts more than 300 training courses, making Associa community managers and employees the most educated in the community management industry.
2007 Founded Associa Cares, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to assisting people in all neighborhoods throughout America who are victims of natural or man-made disasters.
2008 Founded the industry’s first nationwide Political Action Committee, Associa PAC.
2009 Became an international business, opening Associa Mexico, in Los Cabos, Mexico.
2010 Began the industry’s first online shopping network, Associa Advantage, enabling homeowners and employees to garner savings on home products and services.
2010 Launched Associa Living, a first-of-its-kind online magazine designed to be a resource of useful and inspiring information for residents of homeowners associations across the nation.
2010 Established Associerge, the industry’s first online concierge service available to all homeowners in Associa-managed communities 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
2010 Debuted Associa Supports Kids, a unique comprehensive program that is designed to educate parents and children about safety and sponsors youth sports activities to help kids stay active.
2011 Upgraded Associa Access to provide Associa homeowners "real-time" communication and connectivity to their accounts via smartphones. The new, user-friendly enhancements are specifically designed for small screens like the iPhone, Android and some Blackberry models.
2011 Upgraded the Associa University website to add even more intuitive, quick and well-designed educational programs. The site now houses the latest information in management, industry, technology and qualitative skills development including live and “on-demand” Communication Behavioral Tools and Training (CBTT) courses. The online campus also introduced the exclusive Associa Advanced Community Association Manager (AACAM) curriculum and designation.
2011 Acquired Hawaii First Community Association Management, further expanding its presence in Hawaii. Associa companies Hawaii First and Certified Hawaii are two of the largest association management companies on the Hawaiian Islands.
2011 Associa Mexico expanded its footprint in the Baja region by merging with Ocean Awakening Property Management headquartered in Rosarito.
2011 Expanded into Canada with the acquisition of Montgomery Ross and Associates, Canada’s leader in condominium corporation management.
