Inner Owners’ Corporation sets a new industry benchmark with major SCA award win

Inner Owners’ Corporation has long been known among its clients as a quiet achiever: diligent, ethical, transparent and consistently delivering results without shouting about it.

But on November 14, the industry made its own judgement loud and clear, awarding the company the Strata Community Medium Business Award at the SCA (Vic) Awards – a moment that signals a broader shift in the maturing strata sector.

For managing director Michael Cimino, the recognition was both surprising and deeply gratifying.

We nominated in a couple of categories,” he said, reflecting on the night. “We were finalists for both the business of the year in the medium category and for manager of the year for Jorge [Campuzano]. When they read the spiel before announcing the winner, they talked about transparency and client access to information – and we all kind of looked at each other at the table thinking, ‘oh wow, this is us.’

The judges singled out what has defined Inner Owners’ Corporation since day one: zero insurance commissions, full client access to financials, genuine accountability and an open-door policy.

“The reason why this manager’s been selected is because of their approach to transparency and making sure their clients have access to information,” Michael said.

It was also a meaningful milestone for a business that, in its early days, took a different path from traditional industry models. As Michael noted, “our approach has always centred on transparency and alignment of interests. The industry has since matured significantly, moving away from legacy income structures and commission-based practices. Today, the fee models are far clearer and more transparent, which is a positive shift for everyone.”

The judges’ recognition matched the mood of the night. Contractors, OC members and peers approached Michael to admit they “didn’t realise what you guys were doing.” Inner Owners’ Corporation, known for avoiding the performative LinkedIn hustle that dominates the sector, suddenly found itself centre stage.

“It was nice for us to stand up there and go, ‘yeah, we are here, and we do put the hard work in.’ But we’re not going to get too big for our boots. We’ll keep our feet on the ground.”

This year’s awards also celebrated one of the company’s rising stars, Jorge Campuzano, who was recognised as a finalist for Strata Manager of the Year. Jorge, a former lawyer from Mexico, has developed a reputation for solving complex disputes and discovering solutions others overlook.

“He’s saved his committees a total of $5 million this year,” Michael said. One example: a $2 million building order that Jorge had overturned entirely after finding a planning permit exemption no-one else had identified.

“He’s always looking for an alternative way to benefit and not disadvantage the owners’ corporation,” Michael said. “Committees absolutely love his contribution.”

The awards highlight what many in the property sector already sensed: Inner Owners’ Corporation is redefining what professional strata management looks like in a rapidly changing market.

With more than 70 per cent of future housing growth expected to be strata-based, the need for trustworthy, transparent and customer-focused OC managers has never been greater.

For Michael and his team, the accolade is welcome – but the mission remains unchanged. “We know what we do well,” he said. “Clients trust us. That’s all we set out to do, and that’s what we’ll keep doing.” •