BEING BOARD PRESIDENT: TWO PORTRAITS, PART 2

Saltzman has a radically different approach to the job than does Michael Herzog (of Part 1). While Herzog is detail-oriented, with a grasp of every aspect of his building's operation and history, and the inclination to be the sole board member involved in every element, Saltzman operates as a consensus-maker, driving the board toward making decisions and taking timely action.

For instance, a major issue with many buildings from the 1960s is the galvanized air-conditioning drainpipes, a constant and expensive source of backups and leaks. Robert Grant, director of management at Midboro, the building's long-time managing agent, recalls that years before Saltzman came on the scene, the board abandoned the idea of rectifying the situation after learning that the job would not only run up a bill of over $2 million but would also involve extensive construction work inside apartments.

Saltzman took on the problem that had been evaded for years. Grant recalls she got the board to plan the project in affordable phases, and then undertook to sell the project to the residents. Almost every apartment in the building had installed expensive built-in cabinetry, and one of the challenges was getting shareholders to cooperate with work that could have required them to pay for extensive reconstruction of their units. But after a never-let-up number of meetings, both with residents and her fellow directors, Saltzman finally got the board to create a plan to take on the cost and supervision of the interior apartment work as part of the project.

With Barbara, things happen!

Notes shareholder Josh Kazam, "It's very difficult to actually accomplish things in a building where you have many different tenants with many different opinions. I like the urgency that she adds to the situation so that the board actually ends up being effective in doing what it's there to do — run the building. With Barbara, things happen!"

Gale Donovan, a 20-year resident in Colony House, confirms that Saltzman is extraordinarily focused. "She decides something should be done and she gets it done. You don't just hear a lot of verbiage that goes on and on and what should be done gets lost in the shuffle."

Saltzman even went further and personally took over responsibility for overseeing the apartment work when residents had to move out of their homes for as long as two to three weeks while the project was underway. Every day at four o'clock, "I went through the apartments where they were working" to insist that every piece of molding and every panel had to be put back so that it looked as though it had never been removed. One shareholder had a major dinner party scheduled for the week when the crew was ready to start work in her apartment, and she insisted that shareholder reschedule for a week later.

"It was the husband's boss, and I knew it was a big deal, but we had a schedule," Saltzman explains. The schedule went ahead. "I think if you explain your reasons so that people understand not only what you're doing but why you're doing it, people are cooperative."