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GENERAL OVERVIEW Mitchell H. Frumkin is a professional engineer, mediator, and construction expert with more than 45 years of experience in the evaluation, design, inspection, maintenance, and repair of residential buildings and community association property. He founded Kipcon Inc., an engineering firm serving community associations, and led the company for decades before transitioning its ownership and leadership in 2024. Mr. Frumkin has worked with buildings ranging from low-rise communities to high-rise condominiums. His experience includes construction defects, structural and façade conditions, water infiltration, building-envelope failures, roofing, pavement, drainage, and the deterioration of aging building components. He has conducted building evaluations, identified deficiencies, developed repair plans and specifications, and provided oversight during corrective construction. He also has extensive experience with reserve studies, capital planning, and the transition of community associations from developer to homeowner control. As an expert witness, Mr. Frumkin has participated in construction defect matters involving both plaintiffs and defendants. His work has required him to explain the nature and consequences of building deficiencies, assess proposed repairs, and address the costs and practical challenges of correcting them. That experience informs his approach as a mediator: helping parties understand the technical questions, identify areas of agreement, and evaluate workable paths toward resolution. A construction dispute often involves more than determining what went wrong. The parties must also decide what repairs are appropriate, who will perform them, what they will cost, and how the work will affect the people using the property. Mr. Frumkin is a past national president of the Community Associations Institute (CAI) and a past president of the Foundation for Community Association Research. He co-authored CAI’s National Reserve Study Standards and co-chaired its Condominium Safety Public Policy Task Force. His work on national guidance has also addressed developer transitions, reserve funding, building maintenance, and structural safety. CAI recognized his contributions with its Distinguished Service Award in 2024. His publications and professional writing include contributions to Best Practices: Transitions, developed through a joint CAI and National Association of Home Builders task force; CAI guidance on reserve funds and reserve studies; and the reserve studies section of New Jersey Condominium and Community Association Law. He has contributed to the development and updating of national reserve study standards and has written and spoken extensively about the long-term care of community association buildings. Mr. Frumkin frequently teaches community association boards, managers, engineers, attorneys, and real estate professionals. His presentations include CAI chapter and national programs, webinars, and courses for professional and management organizations. He focuses on making technical subjects understandable to the people responsible for evaluating risks, selecting repairs, and committing association funds. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Mitchell H. Frumkin is President of Kipcon Inc., a full-service engineering firm which provides engineering and design services across a full range of disciplines. Mr. Frumkin founded the firm in 1986 and fosters its growth with constant innovation and education. Throughout the past three decades, Mitchell has pioneered ways to design and deliver engineering solutions for all types of projects. These end-to-end solutions reflect the latest in engineering techniques and innovative technologies. Mr. Frumkin is also a founding partner of Energy Squared, LLC. A consulting engineering firm providing single-source MEPR (mechanical, electrical, plumbing and refrigeration) engineering analysis and design for both new construction and existing building remodels. In addition, Energy Squared offers building performance modeling and energy simulations as well as feasibility studies for sustainable and energy-efficient facility energy system. RECENT EDUCATIONAL SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS Mr. Frumkin teaches classes nationally on a variety of topics such as construction defects and all other aspects of multifamily residential community associations. List of his most recent classes:
Selected seminars and courses
LICENSES AND EDUCATION
Certificate of completion of Arbitration Fundamentals and Best Practices for New AAA Arbitrators and NJAPM’s Supplemental Civil Mediation Program. Professional engineer licensed in fifteen states (NJ, NY, PA, CO, IL, ME, MD, MA, MS, NC, OH, TX, VT, VA, DC). Community Associations Institute’s Reserve Specialist designation. Recently, obtained an F.A.A., U.A.S. Remote Pilot license. AUTHORED PUBLICATIONS Mitchell has served as the chair of a joint task force between the Community Associations Institute (CAI) and the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) dealing with the transition of community associations from developer to homeowner control. This task force published a paper entitled, Best Practices: Transitions. In addition to numerous other publications, he is featured in the book, New Jersey Condominium and Community Association Law, in the section entitled, “Reserve Studies.” Past chairman of CAI’s National’s Reserve Professionals Committee, Mr. Frumkin is the contributing author of the Guide for Association Practitioners (GAP) report, Reserve Funds: How and Why Community Associations Invest Assets. During his time as Chair, this committee developed the “National Reserve Study Standards of the Community Associations Institute”, as well as the “Reserve Specialist” designation. In 1998, he was awarded the National Presidents Award for these efforts. In addition, Mr. Frumkin has served as a reviewer for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) in regards to reserve study issues. In 2003 he was involved with rewriting the chapter in the AICPA’s Common Interest Realty Associations Guide regarding future major repairs and replacements. PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS National Home Builders Association Member Cooling Tower Institute Member International Code Council Member Mr. Frumkin served as national President of the Community Associations Institute in 2002, as well as president of the National Research Foundation in 1997. On a local level he has served as President of the New Jersey Chapter in 1995 and of the CAI Pennsylvania and Delaware Valley chapter in 2016. He was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 1998. COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE Mr. Frumkin volunteers his spare time to a variety of community and professional organizations. South Brunswick Human Relations Commission - The Mission of the Commission is to foster good will, cooperation, and conciliation among the diverse cultures represented within the Township through community efforts and other means. Ride for Amy Foundation – The Amy Foundation is to provide educational and early detection procedures for breast cancer among uninsured and underinsured women in central NJ who are without the financial means to obtain mammograms, diagnostic The Foundation for Community Association Research Committee - The Foundation sponsors a needs-driven research that informs and enlightens all association stakeholders—residents, homeowner volunteer leaders, community managers and other professional service providers, legislators, regulators and the media. Our research initiatives: Build a database of knowledge that strengthens decision making, Identify and define critical community association trends, Facilitate greater understanding of the community association experience and Guide the volunteers and professionals who govern and manage associations. The foundation supports the continued success of common interest communities by identifying challenges that can be addressed with reliable and actionable research. South Brunswick Senior Housing Committee – Provides affordable senior housing within the community. With two properties in place and future plans to expand. AIPAC - Empowers pro-Israel activists across all ages, religions and races to be politically engaged and build relationships with members of Congress from both sides of the aisle to promote the U.S.-Israel relationship. CAI - NJBA Task Force on Community Associations issues.
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