Whether you’re making connections with the city of New Orleans, a fellow multifamily housing professional or a future business partner, the NAA Education Conference & Exposition is your next stop on the path to success.
For the apartment industry, 2010 is a year of exciting rebirth. The recession is finally over, and while full recovery may take some time, we’re looking to the coming year as a time for new growth, new opportunities and new ways of doing business.
There’s no better place for your company to launch those changes than the apartment industry’s biggest event of the year, the NAA Education Conference & Exposition, June 24-26, in New Orleans.
The conference theme, “Building the Future,” reflects that opportunity. It’s a chance to lay the foundation for your career by connecting with and learning from your colleagues in the multifamily housing industry, and it’s an occasion to optimize your company’s operations with a world-class curriculum of sessions focused on hot topics that will help your bottom line.
While you’re at it, don’t forget to have a little fun. The vibrant, entertaining and welcoming residents of New Orleans are looking forward to treating you like a special guest (Read more in “New Orleans’ Hot Spots,” pp. 90-91). Whatever your tastes are, you’re sure to enjoy the rich music, food, tours, activities, and shops that make New Orleans an exciting city to explore.
Building Value
Looking for ways to build a stronger training program and team while working with a limited budget? The NAA Education Conference & Exposition’s educational program is paramount to the success of your organization. By combining your company’s training with the conference, you will maximize your limited training budget and build the ultimate education experience for your employees.
NAA will assist you in simplifying the planning process and provide resources to help you bring your team to the conference. NAA will help you secure meeting space, provide assistance with contacting top-notch speakers for your event and give you access to our vendors and local contacts to assist with your company needs onsite.
The apartment industry’s top executives know that sending their staffs to the NAA Education Conference & Exposition is one of the best values they can get for their training dollar.
Rick Graf, CPM, President of national apartment management firm Pinnacle, says his company brings a large group of its senior leadership to the NAA conference. “The ability to mingle with the best and brightest in the industry always sharpens our team,” Graf says. “The availability of world-class educators and speakers under one roof is a huge plus for our organization.”
The Dolben Company, which operates 10,000 apartments in New England and the Mid-Atlantic, sent 65 staff members to the 2009 conference in Las Vegas. Dolben’s full-day company meeting was held the day before the conference opened and included training, team building and an awards dinner.
Even in a year in which controlling expenses is a top priority, one budget item Dolben hasn’t cut is for attending education conferences, says Tom Beaton, CPM, Dolben’s Vice President of Property Management.
“Now is the time to keep your people on the cutting edge with learning about innovative and cost-effective onsite and management strategies,” Beaton says. “We will continue to send our employees to the NAA Education Conference & Exposition each June. This way, we are assured to have the best-trained employees in the industry.”
Beaton says the conference is the most anticipated event of the year for the company’s staff. “Because we demonstrate to our staff the value of education and provide the exciting opportunity to attend the conference, our staff retention rate improves and our ability to recruit employees increases,” he says.
WinnResidential brought nearly 100 of its top employees to the conference the past two years. Says WinnResidential President Bill Wollinger, CAPS, SHCM, “I could spend that much money to arrange my own event at our headquarters, but it wouldn’t come close to matching the benefits and broad education opportunities NAA offers.”
Make a Connection
As a multifamily housing professional, you know the value of face-to-face communication. There’s no substitute for the personal connections our attendees make while at the conference.
More than 5,000 of your colleagues will be attending, and the days are interspersed with interactive social and professional events. You’ll mingle and network with colleagues who can offer you new ideas and exchange contact information to build future business opportunities. Just when many people are increasing their use of technology to interact, it’s imperative to keep and build substantive relationships.
There is no better place to seek solutions than from your peers through personal networking. And no event will put you in touch with such first-hand knowledge, best practices and strategies as the 2010 NAA Education Conference & Exposition.
Find a Supplier ‘Partner’
In addition to meeting and connecting with your peers, another great advantage of attending this conference is the ultimate convenience of having more than 300 exhibitors on hand to demonstrate how they can help you expand your business, save money and adopt the latest strategies during this time of rebuilding and growth.
The Exposition is a great occasion to meet potential new partners who can help you streamline your operations, and to visit and reconnect with your current supplier partners. And the convenience of having them all in one place, saving you time and money on research and travel, is too good to pass up.
“The apartment industry’s supplier partners know first-hand the challenges and opportunities your company is facing,” says Eric Overhage, Education Conference & Exposition Committee Co-Chair and 2010 Chair of the National Suppliers Council. “In times like these, the importance of staying in the know about new discoveries in apartment management, products and services has never been more essential to business success.”
Optimize Your Operations
After you’ve made your connections, the general session and thought-leader speakers alone are worth the registration fee. The NAA Education Conference & Exposition is a premier event, uniquely positioned to provide you with the chance to hear inspirational stories from a former U.S. President, Disneyland front-line leader, authors, film stars, successful entrepreneurs, and world-class motivational and topic-expert speakers.
Pilot, professional baseball franchise owner, Governor, and President of the United States are just a few career titles on the resume of George W. Bush, our 43rd president. He’ll provide a unique perspective on a wide range of issues as he shares insights from his 16 years of public service.
Kevin Nealon—one of the premier television, theatrical, and stand-up comedians in the U.S.—will be on hand to show off his unique brand of humor and dry wit. In addition to the memorable characters he created on Saturday Night Live, he also has extensive television and film credits and is currently starring in the critically acclaimed, Golden Globe-nominated Showtime series Weeds.
The author of Walt Disney & You, a training program that has been presented around the world, Bruce Kimbrell, Program Facilitator for the Disney Institute, got his start interacting with customers right there on the front line. He’ll relate his expertise in training and development, human resources, marketing, guest services, and other critical departments that parallel the multifamily housing profession.
World-Class Education
Keeping up with the latest industry trends and tactics can mean the difference between surviving and thriving. NAA and NAA Education Institute have combined their knowledge and experience to put together a world-class curriculum of educational sessions that will help your bottom line.
If you’re looking to renew your Certified Apartment Manager (CAM), Certificate for Apartment Maintenance Technician (CAMT), Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor (CAPS), Certified Apartment Supplier (CAS), or National Apartment Leasing Professional (NALP), attending the NAA Conference & Exposition will give you six of the credits you need toward that goal—and will be a great investment in your career.
Indianapolis-based Buckingham Companies finds significant value in hiring staff members who hold NAA Education Institute designations. The company’s staff members maintain those designations, in part, by attending the NAA conference. Buckingham has determined that employing staff with NAA designations improves the value of a 264-unit asset by more than $1.1 million.
Past conference attendees speak highly of the value they found in the conference sessions. After last year’s All Stars Idea Factory, attendees were pleased that the All Stars’ tips were innovative yet simple enough to implement immediately. “They gave us so many ideas that really don’t cost much and I can use them as soon as I get back to my property,” says Greg Wood, Leasing Director, Ellis-Trick Multifamily, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Other valuable sessions focused on opportunities available from apartment communities going through foreclosure, marketing solutions for a down market and staying profitable at an unstable time.
“I discovered a lot of new ideas that I can use,” says Bobbi-June “B.J.” Santavy, Residential Operations Manager for Guelph, Ontario-based Skyline Management. “I’m Canadian, and the American market is usually years ahead of ours. We’re trying to get an edge.”
“The speakers’ ideas really brought me back to the basics, and helped energize me about some new things to try,” says Kathy Scott, Executive Vice President, Signature Management, Virginia Beach, Va.
This year’s sessions are sure to provide further valuable insight. At the Owner/Operator Best Practice Roundtable, independent owners will provide specific ideas for immediately improving your operations, tips to streamline your business, ideas on where to save and where to spend, and strategies that are working.
At “Increasing NOI and Asset Value: The Case for Attention to Retention,” executives from Greystar, Waterton Residential, The Bainbridge Companies and SatisFacts Research will help you discover retention drivers and realize the positive gain from reducing turnover.
Property Tours
When you’re ready to see the city, the conference’s property tours provide a great opportunity to see two of New Orleans’ most innovative multifamily communities. Sign up in advance, as space is limited.
Located in the heart of the historic Bywater neighborhood, Bywater Art Lofts is a new 37-loft apartment community that was renovated in 2008 at the site of a dilapidated and blighted former garment factory.
The 442-unit Hidden Lake Apartments sat frozen in time for nearly 18 months after the destruction associated with Hurricane Katrina. The property was covered by over four feet of water, got a complete renovation, and today, the gated community with a 12-acre lake rises once again.
Also inspired by the great need for new housing units after Hurricane Katrina, The Muses of New Orleans will be LEED-certified, making it one of the first multifamily properties to achieve this environmental landmark in Louisiana.
Giving Back
Conference attendees will have the opportunity to donate school supplies and conference bags to students in the Start the Adventure in Reading (STAIR) program. STAIR provides literacy support to public school children in the Greater New Orleans area who are in danger of failing reading. The program serves nearly 6,000 young students and their families.
NAA will collect supplies such as glue sticks, crayons and scissors at a donation center in the NAA registration area at the Morial Convention Center. The donation area will be open from Wednesday, June 23 through Saturday, June 26. For information on the STAIR program, the full list of needed supplies, or to donate directly, visit NAA’s conference website, www.naahq.org/educonf.
Disney Institute: Learn From the Best
Discover how attention to details creates a consistent, world-class service environment for both employees and clients.
The Walt Disney Company has never lost sight of its founder’s edict: “Give the public everything you can give them.” From this simple statement, everyone at Disney strives to exceed customer expectations every day. For more than 80 years this singular pursuit of excellence in delivering consistent quality service has granted the Disney organization a world-renowned reputation and ongoing business success.
The long-standing reputation Disney Theme Parks and Resorts has for incredible service and friendly employees is not magic, it is sound ideology consistently applied in business. Through this Disney Institute program, we will show you the importance of attention to detail and how we train our Cast Members (employees) to treat our Guests (customers) as VIPs (Very Individual Persons).
We will also help you to: anticipate the needs, wants and emotions of your customers in order to exceed their service expectations; bring “consistency” to your organization by establishing quality standards; design a delivery system that focuses on the employees, environment and processes that enhance quality service; and create a service plan that integrates quality standards and delivery standards that focus on exceeding family expectations.
Program Benefits
Uncover some of the secrets behind the Disney service culture and processes. During this presentation, you will examine the proven model for delivering world-class Guest service and discover how attention to detail creates a consistent, successful environment for both employees and customers. You can then use these ideas to transform and improve your own organization’s delivery of quality service.
- Develop an organizational culture that supports consistent delivery of quality service.
- Evaluate the Disney approach and tailor it to your business.
- Design quality service standards and processes to raise the level of customer satisfaction.
- Create metrics to gauge the needs, perceptions and expectations of your customers.
- Enable employees, settings and processes to convey your quality service commitment.
Learn More in New Orleans
Disney Institute’s Program Facilitator Bruce Kimbrell will present Saturday’s opening General Session, “Disney’s Approach to Quality Service,” from 8:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Saturday, June 26, at the 2010 NAA Education Conference & Exposition in New Orleans. Visit www.naahq.org/educonf.
New Orleans’ Hot Spots: People, Places and Food
After taking in a day of NAA Education Conference & Exposition sessions at Morial Convention Center, relax and let go by walking to just about anywhere in New Orleans’ French Quarter, Warehouse District or Central Business District for a fantastic adventure you’ll never forget.
Amazing sight-seeing and fine and casual dining opportunities abound, along with interesting antiques shops, artist studios, souvenirs and T-shirt shops galore. From your French Quarter location, you can easily reach adjacent districts. Your concierge will be able to direct you, or ask any of the friendly locals.
Known the world over for its food, New Orleans is an overflowing cornucopia of restaurants—each better than the other. Stay an extra night because many have a Sunday morning jazz brunch worth inquiring about.
Here are some recommendations, but you can be assured of memorable dining wherever you go.
Restaurants and Eateries
The French Quarter and Warehouse and Central Business Districts boast plenty of restaurants, from upscale to more pedestrian fare (like an oyster Po Boy at Mother’s or an amazing muffuletta). It’s always a good idea to call ahead and book your reservation. You may want to ask for a table overlooking Bourbon Street or the Mississippi River.
Café Du Monde (1937 Decatur Street). This famed outdoor eatery is home to scrumptious, memorable beignets, confections that are the southern answer to Krispy Kreme. You can bring home beignet mix and make your own or you can enjoy them with a cup of coffee with chicory—a favorite in these parts. There’s also a Café Du Monde at Riverwalk. It doesn’t have the same ambiance, but features an incredible view of the mighty Mississippi.
Acme Oyster House (724 Iberville). A casual place where you can enjoy all things fried—especially the oysters. It’s got local charm, local history, local seafood and a fine reputation, and it won’t break the bank.
Antoine’s (513 Royal). The ambiance is charming and the French-Creole cuisine excellent here. It should be—it’s been around since 1840. Another option is Antoine’s Annex nearby, which serves less heady fare such as coffee, pastries, soups, sandwiches and salads.
Mother’s (401 Poydras, Central Business District). This New Orleans landmark survived the devastating Hurricane Katrina. Its Louisiana oyster Po Boy is a “can’t miss.”
Mulate’s Cajun Restaurant (201 Julia). Fried alligator (and more), live zydeco (a Cajun form of folk dancing and music), Cajun cuisine and two-stepping make this a popular tourist spot. Definitely an experience.
Brennan’s (417 Royal Street). It’s legendary, and it goes all the way back to 1946. Try it for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House (144 Bourbon). For authentic New Orleans dishes and an amazing view of Bourbon Street, this classic features dining rooms indicative of New Orleans’ European heritage, with handcrafted wrought iron and custom millwork. The menu is a mix of classic Creole dishes and new favorites—oysters any way you like, Gulf shrimp and crab. Signature choices include redfish on the half-shell (grilled, skin on) and New Orleans-style BBQ shrimp. Bourbon House also has an impressive selection of small batch and single-barrel bourbons.
Broussard’s (819 Rue Conti). The ambiance alone harkens back to an earlier time—hand-painted tiles, tropical courtyard and French doors provide the backdrop.
Palace Café (605 Canal). It serves contemporary Creole cuisine in the historic Werlein Music Building. It’s great for lunch, dinner or just drinks, and on Sunday morning, there’s a jazz brunch.
Harrah’s Casino (8 Canal). It’s for gamblers and gastronomes and features slots (and more for the adventurous gambler) as well as an eclectic menu, from Gulf Coast seafood to an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet. There’s a late-night buffet, too.
Gallatoire (209 Bourbon). It is a century-old upscale restaurant and popular among local movers and shakers. Jackets are usually required. White linen tablecloths. Long lines that meander Bourbon Street are the norm.
Can’t-Miss Attractions
- Preservation Hall (listen to real, live jazz)
- A carriage ride through the French Quarter
- The National World War II Museum
- Garden District (short, memorable trolley ride required)
- Jackson Square (for more shopping and meandering)
- St. Louis Cathedral (a religious, historic and architectural treasure in Jackson Square)
- Riverwalk (shopping and restaurants and an amazing view of the Mississippi River)
- Islands of Botanica (835 Piety) features Haitian Voodoo priestess Sallie Ann Glassman and her shop of oils
- New Orleans Insectarium (30,000 types)
- The French Market