Rookie Leasing Professional of 2020

Brassfield Park Apartments  |  Hawthorne Residential Partners

Our Leasing Rookie winner joined our industry nine months ago. In her short time in her position, she has excelled in more ways than imaginable. After only two months, she obtained a company earned recognition after receiving 17 approved applications. She also assisted with earning the community two additional awards for most lease renewals company wide. She holds a closing ratio of nearly 40% and can’t wait to make even more waves in this industry! In a world where it is difficult to see a smile behind a mask, Kaleigh feels it is important to find creative ways to show hers to others. Her journey of success in this industry is just beginning. Congratulations to you Kaleigh!

Best Supporting Role in 2020

Burkely Communities

This Diamond Award category is quickly becoming a favorite among our members! It celebrates our unsung heroes in our industry, from Groundskeepers to Accounting Reps, to Marketing Specialists and beyond. PTAA enlisted a Hiring Manager to interview our nominees and she shared with us just how impressed she was with the nominees in this category. She was blown away by one in particular, and we are thrilled to present this award to Raheem Outlaw. Raheem is a Marketing Specialist by title, but his range of knowledge and skills encompasses way more. Raheem is involved with brand management, social media, accounting, market research, covering other positions when needed, and project management. On one day, he may be managing the resident communication during a property-wide Duke Energy project requiring power/internet shut offs – during the pandemic, when internet was essential! And the next day, decorating a company holiday tree. Raheem was able to meet the challenges of 2020 head-on by pushing creativity with his unmatched energy. He feels his greatest accomplishment in 2020 was the successful project takeover of a low-income housing/water contamination project and the Duke Energy project mentioned before. This, he says, has set the bar for what he now knows he is capable of and more. Congratulations Raheem!

Leasing Professional of 2020

Savannah Place  |  Ginkgo Residential

Our Leasing Professional of the Year prioritizes her customers by being open and empathetic to their wants and needs. She was able to overcome the challenges of 2020 by being creative, and making sure each of her interactions were genuine and that her prospects and residents experienced the smile behind the voice. Her enthusiasm, expert communication skills, and professional demeanor helped boost her property’s occupancy from 92% to an unbelievable 98%! Congratulations Margaret! 

Maintenance Technician of 2020

Brookberry Park  |  Blue Ridge Companies

CJ has been described by residents as being prompt, efficient and always friendly. He has all the needed credentials and licensing to be an effective and knowledgeable technician. What sets him apart is his desire to receive additional knowledge with soft skills that are equally important. He has taken courses on Fair Housing, Safety, Covid advanced sanitation, and Diversity Training. CJ says that one skill he has acquired during 2020 is the ability to communicate with residents by phone on troubleshooting issues. He is described as a hard worker learning all he can, and has a fantastic attitude. Great job to you CJ!!

Assistant Manager of 2020

119 South  |  Bell Partners, Inc

We are so happy to present this award to Elizabeth for all her hard work and dedication in 2020! Not only was she able to achieve a 47% leasing closing ratio during a pandemic, her collection skills also contributed to one of the best financial performances that 119 South has delivered since their stabilization. She has been described as reliable, positive and consistent by her teammates. On top of the challenges the pandemic brought, she also maintained her NALP credential and ongoing educational development through a property management company transition. Congratulations Elizabeth!

Bobby Proctor Maintenance Supervisor of 2020

Parliament House  |  Apartment Dynamics

Shane Brewer has been in the industry for 27 years, 12 of those with Apartment Dynamics. He is the Maintenance Supervisor for an almost 50 year old community, which in itself is no small task. His expertise in maintenance is coupled with a positive morale and transparent communication. You know you have found a diamond when you have a maintenance tech that is also able to create a contagious atmosphere of fun and transparency. Shane is known to assist other properties with more difficult maintenance issues while taking the opportunity to train other technicians so that they would have the skills to diagnose future issues. He invests in other co-workers and is said to represent his company’s core values to a Tee! Way to go Shane! Well deserved!

Cynthia Apple Manager of 2020

Glendare Park Apartments  |  Ginkgo Residential

This Certified Apartment Manager oversees the largest apartment community in the Winston-Salem area. In 2020, his tireless energy was spent toward improving resident retention and collection efforts. Along with his team, he was able to improve resident satisfaction by 5.48% from the prior year and yielded a positive NOI growth of 11.2%. His supervisor has said that Paul has a tremendous influence in his role as Property Manager and has taken Glendare Park to a new level. His enthusiasm and commitment to his community, team, and the industry is seen by so many. He is an active committee member at the AANC level and serves on the Next Gen Committee. He was also a recipient of a 20 in their 20’s scholarship this past year. Congratulations on a successful year, especially during such a challenging one! Way to go Paul!

Regional Manager of 2020

Hawthorne Residential Partners

Taylor oversees nine properties in her portfolio including two lease up communities. She was able to lead a team to stabilize a luxury high rise in under nine months during the pandemic, as well as start a second lease up. Determination and focus has landed Taylor consistently in the top 3 Regional Managers for her company throughout 2020 and into this current year. She keeps her team motivated by regularly praising and highlighting their accomplishments with a weekly “Magnificent Monday News” email. It includes funny memes, leasing leaders, occupancy and renewal success, and more. She ran many contests and was present for her team in an environment that made it difficult to do just that. Our phone interviewer said that she oozed passion for our industry and remarkable professionalism. As Taylor looks back at her answer from last years nomination question, she ended it with “Change is inevitable, and the only option is to embrace it.” She still stands by this and looks forward to change and perseverance this year. Congratulations to you Taylor!

Corporate Professional of 2020

Blue Ridge Companies

Rhyssa has been with her company since 2008 and began as a Leasing Specialist. Early in her career, it was obvious to her peers and company leadership that Rhyssa possessed the skills and work ethic to play an invaluable role in their company’s growth and success. She now serves as Blue Ridge Companies Operations Support Specialist. Some of her responsibilities include supporting and training new associates, overseeing the company’s internal help desk portal, developing internal audit guides for numerous company processes, to name a few. She is considerably involved in our industry at the legislative level, volunteers at Second Harvest Food Bank, and was instrumental in helping to create curriculum for virtual training and COVID relief payment initiatives in 2020. Perhaps the most notable way Rhyssa supported her team was in the summer of 2020 when one of their communities had a building fire which resulted in a 24 unit loss. After cancelling a personal trip planned, she stayed back to help relocate those residents on a Friday that went well into the weekend. There is no doubt she did so with a smile on her face and a warm and comforting disposition. You are a true gem Rhyssa, Congratulations!

Affordable Community of 2020

Landura Management Associates

Century Square is a 44 unit townhouse style community built in 1983. Affordable Housing entails a plethora of inspections, program compliance and required certifications on top of the typical paperwork that multi-family communities have. The expected changes and demands from the pandemic were an added layer of additional compliance that required extra special care and attention. How did this team adapt? One word- “leadership.” Working together, they were able to meet the needs of the resident recertification process in a way that would keep their residents safe. Century Square attacked the pandemic with a “we care about you FIRST” attitude. Covid prevented the usual type of social events for residents and this team used a creative approach to let their residents know they cared about them and their homes. They used the event budget to beautify the property. This included newly painted front doors, fencing and light posts, new roofs on buildings, new signage, updating the office with new flooring, including updating flooring in some occupied units. One resident wrote about the Century Square team, “You have done a lot of work in our community. It looks good and feels so much better. Nice family makes a good world to live in.” Way to make a difference, Century Square team!! That’s what it’s all about.

Student Community of 2020

Burkely Communities

This was the only nominee in the category, but don’t let that fool you! Campus Crossing has made quite the impact in 2020 and this award is most certainly earned! This 348 bed student community was able to successfully reach a 100% leased occupancy by the beginning of the school year. This was accomplished all while adapting to the changes of a new management company and new branding of the community. Campus Crossing has always been the place students have wanted to live to enjoy tons of amenities. After the selling off of some unit locations, the amenity package changed dramatically. The rebranding has now made Campus Crossing the place you want to live that also supports your academic success. They offer GPA rent discounts, just to name one awesome new amenity! With many colleges going mostly online during this past year, this 100% occupied Student Community of the Year was able to provide outstanding results and superb customer service to their residents. Congratulations to the Campus Crossing team!

Dynamic Team of 2020

Hawthorne Residential Partners

These Dynamic Team video submissions are scored based on demonstrating cohesive teamwork, authenticity, and creativity. Village Lofts has overcome so much this year, including bringing on a new maintenance team. This rock star team has nothing short of a can-do attitude and their dynamic results go way beyond the typical nine to five day!

Conventional Community of 2020 – Less Than 10 Years Old

Carlisle Residential Properties

Greenway at Fisher and Stadium Park is a boutique size community that boasts exceptional customer service and unparalleled communication between staff and residents. One resident wrote, “In a year where communicating details and balance was needed, the Greenway staff gave pinpoint perfect communication through the process. They put so much passion and care in how we experienced our residency as so many amenities were put on hold. They created different types of perks for us on a daily basis.” This award-winning community strives to provide an individual level of service that recognizes each resident’s wants and needs. Almost all of their residents are referred by other residents, and they are able to invest almost all the marketing budget in the residents rather than advertising. Residents reap these benefits by being offered Starbucks brand coffee, free Grasshopper tickets to all home games, frequent resident events, brewery visits, bowling, and movie nights. It’s easy to see what sets this community apart. Congratulations to the team at Greenway and Fisher and Stadium Park!

Conventional Community of 2020 – More than 10 Years Old

Blue Ridge Companies

Legacy at the Point is a unique community designed for individuals aged 55 and over. In a year of unbelievable uncertainty, this property maintained an 81% renewal ratio and maintained a 99.3% average occupancy year round. Legacy at the Point has received several company awards celebrating their pristine maintenance shop, leasing skills, maintenance supervisor skills, and most noteworthy, resident satisfaction ratings. One long term resident wrote that the team at Legacy is part of their family and will continue calling it home for years to come.
All apartment communities experienced extreme challenges this past year. Managing a 55 plus community added an additional layer of responsibility in keeping their higher risk residents safe during the pandemic. This community is located in what is considered a “food desert” due to lack of close grocery stores. The Legacy at the Point team worked diligently to have a mobile grocery store travel to their community and will continue to be a participant in Growing High Point’s initiative to get fresh foods and produce to residents to accommodate lower incomes. This team is nothing short of genuine and refreshing! Congratulations Legacy at the Point!

Supplier Partner Volunteer of the Year, 2020

Chadwell Supply

We all know what a challenge 2020 was for all of our companies because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that has definitely influenced  the “President’s Awards” this year. Once the pandemic became a reality the leadership team at PTAA established a weekly call so that we could figure out the best way forward as an industry. Bert has been an integral part of those calls, and his perspective – including his past property management experience, and his work at the national, regional, and local levels have been incredibly valuable to the Board of Directors and the rest of the PTAA leadership as we figure out the best way forward for our industry. In addition to all of that, his service on the Products and Services Council, the Board of Directors and with the state association and the National Apartment Association has meant that PTAA has been represented incredibly well at all levels. We truly appreciate Bert’s contributions and are excited to honor him with the Supplier Partner Volunteer of the Year award. Congratulations Bert and thank you for your service.

President’s Choice of 2020

Blue Ridge Companies

Nothing has impacted our industry like COVID-19 in most of our lifetimes so it truly does influence all of these awards. The President’s Choice award goes to another person whose contributions stood out this year because of her willingness to share, week-in and week-out, the insights gained from her unique perspective. That perspective comes from her service as a board member at the Apartment Association of North Carolina, as the chair of AANC’s government affairs committe and as a Regional Vice President of the National Apartment Association. In addition to those roles she still serves as Executive Vice President at Blue Ridge Companies. She has been a leading advocate for our industry at the state and local level for years, and for the last year she has contributed an incredible amount to our collective efforts to find our way through the pandemic. 

Advertising & Promotions Supplier Partner of 2020

Fast Signs of High Point is known for responding quickly and delivering on their promises. Our members told us that Joan and her team will take the time to find out exactly what you need and find a way to make it happen on time and with expert care. In addition to serving PTAA members, they have a passion for supporting the local community. Congratulations Fast Signs of High Point, our members really appreciate all you do!

Interior Contractor Supplier Partner of 2020

The word our members used most for Got You Floored was SERVICE. They spoke of their amazing customer service at every point of contact. They praised the service Got You Floored provides to the association and industry through their involvement in nearly every aspect of PTAA. They serve on committees, support and advocate for the industry through their Government and Industry Affairs involvement, and sponsor and attend nearly every event and class. But the heart of Got You Floored shines through in their service to the community. They give so much to so many. Thank you, Got You Floored, for your service, integrity, and dedication in 2020. Congratulations!

Exterior Contractor Supplier Partner of 2020

PTAA members love BluSky Restoration. When you are experiencing the worst case scenario, it is imperative to have a trusted partner who is experienced, knowledgeable, and professional to help. BluSky brings a sense of calm and confidence to any situation. They are responsive and every member of their team from supervisor to crew are expertly trained. One member said, “Blusky’s quick response time and fantastic communication during the repair process has made them our emergency response team of choice.” Congratulations BluSky!

Landscaping Supplier Partner of 2020

Cox Landscape Management has provided quality workmanship and superior attention to detail for their clients. One PTAA member said, “Cox keeps our sites looking better than our competition which allows us to stand out from the crowd. They do an outstanding job of transforming new sites and handling and improving every aspect of landscaping. From eco beds to major drainage corrections and retaining walls, Cox does it all!” Congratulations on serving your clients and our industry so well!

Professional Services Supplier Partner of 2020

What a year for L&B! With the eviction moratorium and constantly changing legal landscape, our members were so grateful to have Loebsack and Brownlee on their side. They provided constant legal updates and advice to their customers and the multifamily industry as a whole. Chris gave countless hours of his time to host webinars and classes to help us navigate this trying year. His team continued to bring the fun and support we all needed. Thank you Loebsack and Brownlee for your service to our members and our industry!

Product Supplier Partner of 2020

Lowe’s Pro Supply really rose to the challenge in 2020! PTAA members talked about the convenience of same day delivery and the ability to purchase what they need from the store after hours and for emergencies. The overwhelming feedback from PTAA members centered on the outstanding communication and customer service provided. One member wrote, “Lowes Pro Supply has had a massive impact on our properties this past year. This team really stepped up and stayed relevant during a time when the world turned upside down. Sending out valuable resources during the first days of COVID sharing stock levels of PPE and cleaning supplies and even now I receive weekly availability reports of all appliances they carry.” Congratulations Lowe’s Pro Supply! Thank you for providing outstanding service when our members needed you most!