Media Contact: Mark Evans, 979/492-1150 or mark@thelyst.com
ARLINGTON, Va., May 24, 2011 — The National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI) has recognized one organization for outstanding contributions to the apartment industry and four individuals for professional achievement.
“These honorees are making significant contributions to our industry through their leadership, professional and community involvement and by serving as mentors to their staffs, co-workers and others who may be new to the apartment industry,” said Jeff Lowry, CAPS, NAAEI President. “The individuals we recognize have benefited from the professional designations NAAEI offers and have used the skills and knowledge acquired through these programs to improve property financial performance, more effectively lead onsite teams and enhance resident satisfaction.”
The NAAEI Designate Awards are part of the National Apartment Association’s Paragon Awards, which recognize excellence and leadership in the rental housing industry. Honorees will be recognized as part of the PARAGON Awards Ceremony that will be held at the 2011 NAA Education Conference & Exposition on June 24 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Conference Center in Las Vegas. More information on these awards may be found at http://www.naahq.org/about/awards.
The following will receive 2011 NAAEI Designate Awards:
- Professional Designate of the Year: Melanie Bailey, CAM, CAPS, NALP, was praised for successfully managing the daily operations of 47 El Paso communities, serving as a role model and mentor to employees and co-workers and becoming active in policy issues affecting the industry. She is vice president of El Paso-based Integrity Asset Management. The Texas Apartment Association also recently named her the 2011 winner of its Rita Kirby Regional Property Manager of the Year Award.
- National Apartment Leasing Professional of the Year: Andrew Lund, NALP, was credited for reducing property turnover by 7 percent year over year, increasing occupancy from 93 percent to 96 percent, dramatically increasing resident satisfaction and for developing relationships with residents that exceed the normal call of duty. He is property manager of WinnResidential’s Mill Pond Village in Broad Brook, Conn.
- Certified Apartment Management Technician of the Year: Francisco Camacho, CAMT, is the maintenance supervisor for the Arboretum, a WinnResidential apartment community in Burlington. He was commended for saving the property $80,000 over a 24-month period by reducing the need for outside contractors for renovations, consistently ranking high on resident satisfaction surveys and using in-house staff to install an irrigation system for a 33-acre property.
- Certified Apartment Manager of the Year: Bonnie Kaplan, CAM, is the community manager of AMLI at Danada Farms in Wheaton. She was applauded for leading her 20-year-old property from No. 20 to No. 18 nationally on the Resident Satisfaction Survey, demonstrating leadership and receiving numerous accolades from AMLI and the Chicagoland Apartment Association. She is celebrating more than 20 years in the industry.
The following organization is the inaugural recipient of the Anthony V. Pusateri Award for Apartment Career Promotion. This award was named in honor of the late Anthony V. Pusateri, CAPS, CPM, a past president of the National Apartment Association, a founder of the NAA Education Institute and member of the Institute of Real Estate Management Faculty. Pusateri had the vision that the NAA Education Institute would lead the apartment industry in the promotion of apartment careers and the creation of new pipelines of skilled talent, and he worked diligently to make it a reality.
Apartment Career Promotion Award: The Texas Apartment Association Education Foundation was named as the first recipient of this new award. The foundation was cited for playing a leading role in the University of North Texas’ Residential Property Management degree program, working with local affiliates to encourage community colleges to offer apartment industry education courses and reaching out to military spouses looking for a “portable” career.
###
About the National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI)
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. For more information, please visit www.naahq.org/education or www.apartmentcareerhq.org.