ebster's dictionary defines a "profession" as "a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation." The manufactured housing industry took a giant step toward professionalism in 1989 when it founded the Manufactured Housing Educational Institute (MHEI) as the umbrella for a growing number of educational programs. In response to an informal poll about what MHEI has done for the industry the answer was consistent-"It raises the bar on professionalism."

Joanne Stevens, owner of Squaw Creek Homes and current chair of MHEI, expanded on the professionalism theme, "I look at where we are as like the real estate industry 20 years ago. People enter the business with bare bones on-the-job training. What the real estate industry found as they have increased courses and expanded topics is that professionalism has grown along with it. The image of the realtor has improved. The same thing is happening in the manufactured housing industry. We will become a sought-after professional position, not just a resting point."

The core curricula offered by MHEI are the Accredited Community Manager Program (ACM) and Professional Housing Consultant (PHC). The ACM program involves the "long and intensive academic preparation," described in Webster's. Developed for community owners and managers, the ACM training requires the successful completion of three rigorous courses of study that include final exams, at least five years of management experience (ten years for those without a high school diploma), and approval by MHEI of a completed business plan before full ACM accreditation is granted.

The PHC education program is not as intensive but is equally effective. It offers two course modules that consist of one day of classroom instruction followed by a written exam. Among the covered topics are professional conduct, sales skills, ethics, state law and regulatory requirements.

ACCREDITED COMMUNITY MANAGER PROGRAM

Craig White, the first MHEI Chair, earned the very first ACM designation. The vice president of CWS Communities in Dallas, White is credited, along with the late Doug Altschwager, as instrumental in the founding of MHEI. As Ann Parman, executive vice president of MHEI said, "Doug and Craig drove this."

White pointed out that the founding of the educational institute contributed significantly to the maturing of the manufactured housing industry. "Fundamentally, the importance of MHEI goes to the maturity of our industry. In all mature industries, a common thread is a deep commitment to training by the industry trade association. The Manufactured Housing Institute made that commitment and I'm very proud to see it."

White described the hard work that went into creating MHEI as a "labor of love." He added, "We had little funding and the work that was done to create the ACM program was all volunteer. We had very committed people to write the programs and to do the original teaching. It was all done with high professional standards." White also noted that dependence on volunteers was "our deepest weakness and our deepest strength. All our volunteers were deeply involved in the business so it was hard for them to find the time. But the strength came from a collection of people deeply involved in the business as opposed to consultants."

Ross Kinzler, executive director of the Wisconsin Manufactured Housing Association and a chair of MHEI for eight years from 1991-1999, was also there at the founding. He said they hired the Gwent Group from Indianapolis who had done similar programs for other national organizations to put together a format and initial training for the MHEI. As he described it, "Then we went to the large community owners and state associations for seed money. We raised $15,000 within several months. The next step was to draft and write the training program. We had volunteers write different chapters of the manual and within a year, we launched the ACM program."

The first ACM course was held in Indianapolis at an airport hotel, Kinzler remembered, and attracted about 20 people. Today, with an annual budget of $250,000, approximately 150 people have earned the ACM designation, thousands have completed at least one of the ACM courses and about 900 retail sales people have completed the PHC courses.

Kris Jensen of Jensen's Inc. in Connecticut, which has 26 communities in seven states, earned his ACM designation in 1994. He sends all of his community managers to the ACM courses and 20 of them, thus far, are accredited. His strong commitment to ACM is because the program "confirms the things we have taught our people. We run a good ship and we have guidelines for living. We have a quality of life and we want a quality person representing us. We have other training in-house but this one is a nationally respected program of community management."

He also had high praise for ACM instructor Chrissy Jackson. Calling her a "super lady," Jensen said she is so good, in part, "because she has lived it. She's been a community manager. She's taken hurting communities and built them back up again. This is a person who has lived community management and selling."

Chrissy Jackson had her own share of praise for the many ACM students she has taught. She said, "One of the neatest things is people will come to the classes and you can tell by their attitude, 'I'm here. I dare you to teach me something.' Before we even break for lunch, they are commenting, 'I can't believe the amount of information I'm picking up. This is fabulous. You know, my boss made me come. I had no choice and I'm so glad I came. I got so much out of it.'"

Jackson, who has been doing training for five years and has served the past year as director of training and community resources for the Manufactured Housing Institute, has also authored 16 handbooks, with four more due this year, on various aspects of the manufactured housing industry. She has also completely revised all three textbooks for the ACM program.

Class sizes can be as small as five and as large as 50 with the average around 30. Kinzler pointed out benefits beyond the actual course material. "One of the things about the class is that the students spend a lot of time together inside and outside of class. Camaraderie builds. People open up and tell stories about what's happening in their communities. You learn a lot that way."

An important feature of the ACM program is the benefit that can be derived from taking only one of the three courses. Course 101 covers a broad range of management topics including management and resident policies, leasing and sales techniques, marketing, taxes and insurance and Fair Housing law. Course 201 takes a more in-depth look at financial management, resident relations and marketing. Course 301 prepares the student to write a business plan that must be approved by MHEI before receiving the ACM designation.

Kinzler pointed out, "Not everyone needs all parts of every program. Lots of people go through 101 and that's all they want. You have to complete 101 to take 201 so that's a smaller group." However, he recommends that all community owners earn the ACM designation
.

PROFESSIONAL HOUSING CONSULTANT

The PHC courses debuted as part of MHEI's curriculum in 1995. Roger Huddleston of Roger Huddleston Homes was instrumental in the creation and implementation of the PHC training. "We wanted to create a program that didn't just teach sales skills, but tapped into the integrity of the sales person."

Huddleston described a focus on three areas that was integrated with sales skills to create a solid foundation for the PHC program. "There are lots of sales courses available," Huddleston said, adding that they wanted to integrate three other areas of knowledge to shore up basic sales psychology and technique. Huddleston spelled these out as:

1. A sense of awareness of the history of our profession and industry.
2. A deep commitment to ethics that must be sincere and rooted in ethical teachings.
3. A full understanding of the law.

Huddleston expressed concern that people "in general have not yet grasped the manufactured housing profession as a profession and not just a job." He said, "Our constant goal must be to not only have a better industry perspective, but to have the people in the industry understand what a great service and wonderful gift they give consumers when they do it right."

PHC Instructor Deborah Somers-Baker confirms that this approach is very successful. Baker holds a master's degree in education and has taught the PHC courses for the past two years. Noting her long history as a teacher, Baker said, "I see a level of motivation like no other class I have ever taught. The material starts with the history of the manufactured housing industry. It helps them understand why we are where we are today."

Laws and regulations are also a key part of what's learned. "We learn about the Americans With Disabilities Act, Fair Housing, Truth in Lending, the HUD Code and retail responsibility under the HUD Code." Baker's report card on the PHC training: "There has not been one class anywhere in the U.S. where people did not leave there saying, 'I have been doing this wrong for so long. I need all of my people to go through this.'"

The ethical teachings are also critical. Baker said the message she reinforces with students, "Your abilities will get you to the top, but it's your integrity that will keep you there."

FINDING A CLASS

Most MHEI programs are presented in partnership with a state association. The state associations promote the various classes and seminars in their monthly newsletters. Additionally, Modern Homes reports on upcoming classes in the Calendar of Events.

The Michigan Manufactured Housing Association has an especially deep commitment to education. According to Executive Director Tim DeWitt, the Board of Directors in 1997 came up with a long-range plan, Focus 2000, that called for heightened attention to education.

Among the recommendations of Focus 2000 was the development of a 7,250-square-foot educational conference center that is now fully operational. About 70 meetings a year are held at the center according to DeWitt. ACM and PHC courses are among those offered each year and the easy access to the center in Okemos, Mich., a suburb of Lansing, translates to high attendance.

DeWitt also pointed out the political benefit of the courses. "They allow the industry to gain credibility among the local government because we are attempting to raise the bar of professionalism and understand how local government interfaces with day-to-day operations."

The knowledge and expertise gained through the MHEI courses garner benefits not only in the political arena but also on Wall Street. Ross Kinzler said, "Savvy community owners will realize that the ACM designation impresses all who are involved with a property, including lenders, insurers and others."

Jim Kuhn, president of Suburban Home Sales Inc. in Mount Clemens, Mich., is a retailer who sends his employees for PHC certification. They also recommend the ACM certification to "our many contacts with new community developers and managers." Kuhn summed up the overall benefit: "The importance of continuing education and training in our industry cannot be overstated. Our collective knowledge is critical to the continued growth and success of our industry and enables us to better serve the needs of the customer."

MHEI Executive Vice President Parman echoed Kuhn's belief. "The industry recognizes the importance of continuing education and the value of specific training for industry professions. Trade associations are better situated to provide the training that is instrumental to building the future for their respective industries."

The report from the education front is that MHEI is right on target to raise that bar of professionalism even higher.

© 2000 by Manufactured Housing Institute. All rights reserved.