There are a lot of jobs that are full of adventure and reward. First responders rightfully deserve credit for the challenges they face everyday. Contractors and other construction professionals overcome obstacles everyday while pilots land in far off lands. For Carlos Melgar, Action Property Management’s controller – client accounting, adventure can be found on a daily basis as he rises to the challenge of providing monthly financial information to over 300 of Action’s HOA clients.
To the layman, accounting may appear to be a tedious job, but no two days are ever the same. Along with his team, Carlos is responsible for ensuring that two to three financial statements are prepared each day. At the same time, he regularly responds to the urgent needs of associations. Some may simply need information while others want money transferred to new accounts. The one thing all these requests have in common is the urgency of a deadline. As he puts it, “You’re constantly putting out fires.”
From communities of single family residences to high-rise buildings, Carlos oversees the financial interests of a diverse portfolio. While each of these associations share many common characteristics, they all have unique needs. Whether it’s onboarding a new client or solidifying a long-term relationship, Carlos has the skills and background to meet the need.
As a third generation accountant, numbers have always been in his blood. His grandfather was an accountant in Mexico and his father followed in his footsteps. After a mid-career transfer from Tijuana to Mexico City, Carlos’ dad made the decision to raise his family in America. When it came time to choose a career for himself, Carlos looked back at the life of his grandfather and father. Their influence and encouragement helped him see that accounting could also provide him with a rewarding life for his own kids.
Carlos Melgar, CAFM, CCAM
”Carlos Melgar sees each day as an adventure that must be conquered. He knows that success is more than just financial. True success comes from enjoying each day and delivering results.
Accounting is a needed profession that forces people to think and solve problems while providing a stable income that supports a comfortable lifestyle. When you combine those factors with a supportive team of colleagues, it becomes much more than just a job. Carlos has been with Action for 15 years. Two other members of his finance team also have long tenures of 25 years and 13 years. As a part of the Action team, Carlos has already weathered a recession and housing crisis and in a new era of financial unknowns, he remains confident in his ability to continue providing stellar service for his clients.
While numbers consume his time at work, Carlos enjoys working with his hands at home. Along with YouTube and any other source of information he can dig up, he has taken on the renovation of two bathrooms and is currently sprucing up the kitchen with plans to tackle a garage improvement project in the near future.
His analytical mind also finds pleasure at the billiards table. Many skills that are unique to mathematical minds can be found in the game. Angles, formulas, and trigonometry all go into setting up the perfect shot. Good players also fine tune the ability to predict outcomes and execute strategy. As a student of the art of pool, Carlos has found success and enjoyment as he plays.
When it comes to finding professional success, Carlos is a true believer in dressing for the part. Though the office was relatively empty as the COVID-19 pandemic plagued the world, Carlos still woke up every morning, selected one of his 32 suits, then decided which of his 52 shirts and 75 ties would make up his attire for the day. Fortunately his wife admires a well-dressed man, and she consistently encourages him to keep his wardrobe fresh and exciting. Though he takes his job seriously, he realizes that there’s a time to work and a time to play and he’s not afraid to participate in casual Fridays or join a company softball team.
Whether he’s working with his hands or his mind, Carlos Melgar sees each day as an adventure that must be conquered. He knows that success is more than just financial. True success comes from enjoying each day and delivering results. While financial reports are what his clients see, it is a sense adventure that drives him to succeed.
