LAS VEGAS /June 29, 2009/ The National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI) is pleased to announce that Kara Garst, CAPS, of Cedar Park, Texas, has been awarded Professional Designate of the Year. Ms. Garst was recognized at the 2009 PARAGON Awards Ceremony Saturday evening at the Mandalay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
"Kara and her colleagues represent the best and the brightest in the apartment industry," said Alexandra Jackiw, CAPS, CPM, NAAEI President. "Kara has devoted herself to volunteering and leadership at her state, local and national apartment associations, in addition to her multi-property responsibilities. We are delighted to award Kara with the 2009 NAA PARAGON Award for Professional Designate of the Year, the highest honor that our industry grants annually."
Ms. Garst began her career with UDR, Inc. in 1997 as a leasing consultant. Since 2002, Ms. Garst has been the district property manager, responsible for managing a portfolio totaling 2,800 units.
Ms. Garst has also committed herself to her state and local apartment associations. She is a delegate for the Texas Apartment Association and serves on the TAA Education Conference committee. Ms. Garst serves as the tri-chair for the legislative committee and as Austin Apartment Association President.
On the national level, Kara is an NAA Leadership Lyceum graduate, an NAA delegate and is a PAC Ambassador on behalf of NAA.
In 2008, Ms. Garst earned NAAEI’s Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor (CAPS) designation and, most recently, she was named the Texas Apartment Association’s Rita Kirby Regional Manager of the Year.
The National Apartment Association PARAGON Awards recognize excellent performance in the apartment industry. For a full list of the 2009 NAA PARAGON Award winners, visit: www.naahq.org/about/awards/Pages/PARAGONWinners2009
Headshots of all of the NAA PARAGON Award winners are available. Please contact Julie Barden, Manager of Communications and Affiliate Relations at juliebarden@naahq.org.
To learn more about careers in the apartment industry, visit www.ApartmentCareerHQ.org.
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The National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI) is the education arm of the National Apartment Association. The mission of the NAAEI is to provide broad-based education, training and recruitment programs that attract, nurture and retain high-quality professionals and develop tomorrow’s apartment industry leaders.