Happy 40th Anniversary to CAI Heartland!

A Breakfast That Built a Chapter

How a Mentorship and a Shared Vision Became the Heartland Chapter of CAI

Sometimes the most important chapters of our lives often begin without fanfare. For me, the story of the Heartland Chapter of the Community Associations Institute started with a referral in 1983.

I was a first-year law student at Saint Louis University School of Law and a newly appointed board member at Spring Creek Condominiums. Like many HOA directors, I quickly discovered that governance raised legal questions I couldn’t answer alone.

My real property professor, Peter Salsich at SLU Law—connected me with one of his former students: Marvin J. Nodiff, already an established authority in condominium law and a Fellow in the College of Community Association Lawyers. From our first conversation, I knew I had found both an answer and a direction. I could build a career—a niche—in owners association law.

By 1985, our conversations had turned into something larger. CAI had existed nationally since 1973, organized through the joint efforts of the Urban Land Institute, the National Association of Home Builders, the U.S. League of Savings and Loan Associations, the Veterans Administration, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. But our part of the country did not have a seat at that table. We believed community association professionals in the region deserved a local chapter where managers, attorneys, board members, and business partners could share best practices.

I remember the morning vividly. Marvin and I sat down for breakfast at a small restaurant in the Central West End. Over omelets and coffee, we laid the groundwork for the Heartland Chapter: who to recruit, how to structure it, what it should stand for.

From that breakfast, we reached out to Tom Brackman, Tom Wilhite, Cheryl & Bob O’Connor, Bob Klages, Mary Alice Norman, Linda Schweppe, and Roger Larson. This small group together with several others spearheaded the organization with a pioneer spirit.

Marvin became my mentor—always generous with his time, knowledge, and encouragement. He was widely respected, earning CAI Heartland’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and later authored Creating Community Association Law: True Tales from Early Pioneers, published by CAI. We always talked about practicing together but never did; I wanted a broader platform, and he preferred a smaller firm. I am pleased that another of Marvin’s protégés, Todd Billy, has since joined me as a partner at Sandberg Phoenix.

Today, CAI has grown to more than 44,000 members worldwide, collaborating with 64 chapters across the U.S., Canada, the Middle East, and South Africa—serving the more than 75 million Americans who reside in over 358,000 community associations. The Heartland Chapter, approaching 500 members, has been a cornerstone of my career and, more importantly, a source of lifelong friendships.

Here’s to the next forty years.

Tony Soukenik
Co-Founder and former chapter president, CAI Heartland Chapter

Written in celebration of the 40th Anniversary, 2026