In April, we spent time with our Director of Inspections, Karen, and this month, we’re excited to introduce the other members of Kipcon’s Inspections Team (if you’ve been checking in with us each month, you’ll already know a few of them)! Brandon, Adam, Jodi, Naomi, Jean, Jason, and Carlos are the team members responsible for your Reserve Study reports, drone inspections, and so much more.
For this month’s blog, you’ll hear from Jean, Brandon, Karen, and Jodi directly about what makes not only the Inspections Team special, but what makes Kipcon, as a whole, stand out.
Describe the Inspections Team
Jenn: What’s the Inspections Team like?
Jean: Even though we don’t get to work together in person very often, I really feel like we’ve gotten to know each other through our weekly virtual meetings. We always take a few minutes to catch up on what’s going on in our personal and work lives, and I think that’s helped us build some great relationships. Everyone respects each other’s opinions, even when we don’t all see things the same way. We’re all working toward the same goal of producing the best reserve study possible and making sure our clients are happy. It’s a great group of people, and I really enjoy being part of the team.
Brandon: Hard working. Collaborative. Diligent.
Karen: I would describe our team as dedicated, adaptable, and always ready to help. No one hesitates to pitch in when a colleague needs support, regardless of their role or department. That willingness to work together creates a positive environment where we can meet challenges head-on and consistently deliver great results for our clients.
Jodi: Professional, dedicated, and helpful.
Left: Adam Lutz & Jean Riccio / Right: Jodi Smallwood, Karen Thomlinson, Jason Roman & Brandon Femia at Kipcon’s February State of the Company
Describe the Daily Grind
Jenn: What do your daily schedules look like? What makes up the work week for the Inspections Team? Is the team in constant communication regarding projects?
Brandon: It may be a bit different for me than others, but I probably talk with everyone on the Inspection Team at least once a week on the phone, and multiple times via email. We are in touch often!
Jodi: Site Visits, data input, proof reading reports, tracking projects… that’s my day-to-day.
Jean: Every week is a little different, but most of my time is spent performing site inspections, preparing reserve studies, working on revisions, and communicating with clients and property managers. I try to schedule at least one site visit each week and make sure I send the inspection recap to the client while everything is still fresh in my mind. At the same time, I’m keeping up with projects from previous inspections by answering questions, reviewing additional information and preparing those reserve studies. It can definitely be a bit of a juggling act…
I also often meet with board members over Zoom to accomodate their schedules. During those meetings, we review their reserve studies and I answer any of the questions they might have. Throughout the week, I interact with my team whenever we have questions or want a second opinion, and we meet virtually once a week to catch up, collaborate, and support one another.
Jenn LaGuardia, Chelsea Brodmerkel & Jodi Smallwood (Jodi is officially a part of the Inspections Team but can frequently be found at events with the Marketing Team. Thanks, Jodi!) Left: CAI Keystone Community Live! 2026 event / Right: 2026 CAI NJ Ultimate Wine & Dine
Describe What Makes Your Team Special
Jenn: What would you want our clients to know about Kipcon and the Inspections Team?
Karen: I’d want them to know that our team works collaboratively to provide the best possible service. While individual team members may have different responsibilities and areas of expertise, we regularly work together to solve challenges, share knowledge, and ensure our clients receive thorough, reliable, and timely support.
What sets our team apart is our attention to detail and commitment to delivering thorough, high-quality evaluations. We take pride in providing comprehensive inspections and well-supported reports that help our clients make informed decisions. Every project receives our full effort, and we strive to ensure that our findings are clear, accurate, and valuable.
Jodi: We work really hard to do the best for the communities we work with. We’re organized. Kipcon is also involved in industry changes. We’re fully dedicated to providing quality work. We care.
Brandon: I feel like what differentiates us from other firms is our communication and client contact. We pride ourselves in not only keeping our clients informed, but we also keep each other informed.
Inspections Meets Marketing (from left to right): Jason Roman, Arlene Frumkin, Jodi Smallwood, Chelsea Brodmerkel, Naomi Joyamdeh & Jenn LaGuardia at Kipcon’s September 2024 State of the Company
Describe a Memorable Moment
Jenn: Are there any moments with your team that stick out to you? Has there been a time where you felt like you maybe had a special bond with someone else on the team?
Jean: I have never been a big lawn game kind of person. I know that probably sounds boring…maybe I am! Anyway, at one of our quarterly in person company meetings, we all played cornhole, which I’m sure everyone else thoroughly enjoyed. I, on the other hand, reluctantly participated, figuring I’d be out after the first round. However, my partner, Carlos, was really good, so we kept winning and somehow made it all the way to the finals. I definitely can’t take any credit for that…it was all Carlos! So, I had to keep playing round after round. It still makes me laugh thinking about it. My arm was even sore the next day from all the throwing!
The Kipcon Switch
Jenn: One of my favorite questions to ask for this blog series has been, if you could switch roles with anyone at Kipcon for a day, who would you choose? So, who would you choose?
Brandon: Not Karen, that’s for sure! Maybe one of the project managers? To see how things would go without having to do some of the administrative tasks of my job and to just be able to focus solely on projects. Though I enjoy my current role and all the responsibilities it entails, it has been a while since I could say that!
(If you missed Brandon’s webinar this month, Choosing the Right Reserve Study & Adequacy, you can check it out here. Feel free to share the link with any and all of your HOA and COA board member friends.)
In Conclusion…
Jodi said it best… We care. The common thread throughout this series has been that. As individuals, as teams, as a company, Kipcon does whatever it takes to get the job done.
Now it’s time to let us get the job done for you.
Connect with Kipcon
For all your community’s Reserve Study and inspection project needs, call us at (800) 828-4118 or contact us here.