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In this special year-end episode, host Donna DiMaggio Berger and producer Claude Jennings cut through the noise and reveal the real shifts that changed how community associations operate—from high-stakes legal challenges to the everyday pressures managers and volunteer directors face on the ground. This isn’t just a recap. It’s a reality check.

Donna and Claude revisit their most talked-about conversations of the year, including:

• Building a company worth selling — insights from a top property management leader on culture, systems, and long-game strategy.
• A former Florida Condominium Ombudsman who demystified what meaningful government support should look like.
• A Shark Tank founder whose flood-ready product offers communities a rare gift: storm prep that actually works.

They also spotlight two sleeper-hit episodes that delivered outsized value:

• A pest control strategist explaining modern, low-toxicity treatments and how understanding pest behavior can save buildings money, time, and disruption.
• An etiquette expert who reframed neighbor conflict as a communication skill—not a personality flaw—and showed how diplomacy, positive intent, and smart email habits can avert half your headaches.
• A guest who revealed the common gaps in most communities' screening and security protocols and how to address them.

One of the year’s most sobering discussions came from immigration attorney Ira Kurzban, who explained why every association needs a well-defined ICE response protocol—long before it’s needed. 

And yes, Donna and Claude revisit the throughline in almost every episode: Artificial Intelligence. Is the guest's industry going to be impacted by AI, what can AI do well, what it can’t, and why “AI wrote it” is not a substitute for human judgment.

If your community is ready to shift from reactive crisis management to proactive prevention, this 2025 wrap-up pulls together the year’s most powerful lessons into clear, actionable takeaways you can put to work immediately—whether you’re a board member, manager, or industry professional.

Related Links:

• Firm Bio: Donna DiMaggio Berger
• Podcast: Take It To The Board’s 100th Episode Milestone— From Building Castle Group to Industry Icon: A Conversation with James Donnelly
• Podcast: Important Insights from Florida’s Former Condominium Ombudsman
• Podcast: Storm-Ready in Seconds: How Shark Tank’s StormBag Is Changing Hurricane and Severe Weather Prep
• Podcast: Monsters In The Walls — Pest Control Truths for Condos and HOAs
• Podcast: Mind Your Manners: Restoring Respect in Condo, Cooperative and HOA Communities
• Podcast: Screening Vendors and Service People for Enhanced Security