Twenty years ago I started in this industry as a green property manager trying to figure out how condos actually work. I spent years at three of Hawaii's top managing agents, learning the industry from the inside — the good, the bad, and everything boards never get told. Then I founded NK Management — one of Hawaii's original independent AOAO site management firms — serving some of the most complex high-rise properties on Oahu (as GM and RM) while mentoring resident managers and property managers across the state. When I sold NK in January 2025, I knew the next chapter had to be different. Hawaii's AOAOs deserve better — and now they have somewhere to turn.
Mano Nguyen
Cap X Founder
May 2026
Resume
Why Mano is qualified to lead your projects:
- 20+ years of Hawaii AOAO management experience — as General Manager and Resident Manager of some of Oahu's most complex high-rise condominium properties, including simultaneous oversight of multiple luxury towers
- Founded, operated and sold NK Management — one of Hawaii's original independent AOAO site management firms, holding an active BC General Contractor license. As owner, Mano personally handled all construction estimates, RFP development, contractor bidding, construction accounting, and project administration across hundreds of capital projects statewide. Managing agents often hired my staff because they were well trained.
- 20+ years of hands-on construction management — managed capital projects from the owner's side across roofing, concrete, waterproofing, painting, pool renovation, mechanical systems, window programs, water mitigation and structural repairs — scoping work, vetting contractors, administering contracts, and managing closeout from first dollar to final lien waiver
- RFP development and competitive bidding — wrote and administered dozens of construction RFPs across all major capital project categories; knows how to scope work that protects the association, attracts qualified contractors, and produces defensible apples-to-apples bids that hold up under board scrutiny
- Owner's representation experience — engaged, supervised, and evaluated multiple third-party construction management and owner's representation firms on behalf of AOAO clients; knows firsthand what prudent, independent oversight should deliver — and what it shouldn't cost
- Construction accounting and contract administration — managed construction budgets, draw schedules, change order review, retainage tracking, and lien waiver compliance as a standard part of every capital project
- Served 300+ Hawaii AOAOs — built direct working relationships with board presidents, treasurers, and committee chairs across more than 300 associations statewide; understands how boards think, how they vote, and what they need to hear to make confident, prudent decisions on major capital commitments
- Trained in parliamentary procedure — studied under Hawaii's top parliamentarians with deep working knowledge of Robert's Rules of Order; has navigated some of the most contentious and complex AOAO board rooms in the state — contested elections, emergency special meetings, owner consent votes, and high-stakes capital project approvals
- Fluent in board governance — understands HRS Chapter 514B inside and out; knows the difference between what a board can decide unilaterally and what requires owner consent, what belongs in executive session and what must be disclosed, and how to structure a capital project recommendation that holds up legally and politically
- Unmatched institutional knowledge — no other construction management or owner's representation firm operating in Hawaii today combines three decades of board-level relationships, hands-on capital project execution, licensed contractor oversight, and deep familiarity with Hawaii's unique AOAO regulatory environment
- CMCA certified — Certified Manager of Community Associations, the nationally recognized professional credential in AOAO management
- Executive MBA, UH Shidler College of Business — graduate-level training in finance, operations, strategic planning, and organizational management
- Deep contractor and engineering network — relationships with licensed, vetted contractors and engineering firms across every capital project category built over three decades in Hawaii; knows who performs and who to avoid
- Navy veteran — Hospital Corpsman, 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines — trained to operate under pressure, lead teams, and make sound decisions when stakes are high