Past champions were honored with commemorative leather jackets during the Fifth Annual Maintenance Mania National Championship—presented by HD Supply and held in Las Vegas in conjunction with the 2011 NAA Education Conference & Exposition—celebrating the growth of an event that began in 2007 with less than 100 attendees and this year boasted a crowd of 650.
First-time entrant Jose Torreblanca of Indianapolis-based Van Rooy Properties took top honors with a cumulative time of 1 minute, 57.2 seconds. Last year’s third-place winner, Van Rooy’s Enrique Alarcon, moved up a spot to earn
second place. Dave Berryman of The Kamson Corporation in New Jersey placed third. Twenty national finalists participated.
“It’s so exciting, especially because this is my first year competing,” said Torreblanca, who won the individual Armor Concepts door jamb armor installation and Kwikset key control deadbolt test events. “I didn’t think I had a chance of winning and now I’m ready to come back next year.”
“The competition couldn’t have gone any better,” said Berryman. “The competitors are like family—they’re a wonderful group of guys. HD Supply was awesome and everything went very smoothly.”
The huge crowd of supporters—many of whom were wearing bright t-shirts, face paint and hats—cheered the competitors, and one lucky audience member won a $500 American Express gift card provided by HD Supply.
The layout of the arena changed this year, with spectators much closer to the action. Scores were tabulated using OpsTechnology’s wireless app to instantly relay each competitor’s times.
Members of Baltimore-based Maryland Multi-Housing Association, clad in foam crab hats, earned the Spirit Award.
“The competition was really fierce but it’s great that we all have a lot of spirit for these competitors in general, despite our individual association and company
affiliations,” said Dana Ricks, Regional Property Manager for Baltimore-based Continental Realty Corporation and an enthusiastic member of the Maryland cheering section. “I don’t have a voice anymore but we have to cheer on these guys.”
Pat Hutchison, Vice President of Legacy Partners and a member of the Apartment Association of Metro Denver, said, “Maintenance Mania is a great way to recognize the unsung heroes of our business. They’re really our ambassadors, and the ones who make our residents happy.”
Lynne Sullivan, President of the Indiana Apartment Association (IAA), was thrilled with this year’s event—and IAA competitors’ impressive performances.
“Maintenance technicians are the lifeblood of our industry and this is a way to show our support for all they do,” Sullivan said. “We are really proud of our guys and this means a lot to them.”
Other individual event winners included Kevin Berryman, Jr., The Kamson
Corporation, New Paltz, N.Y. (Price Pfister faucet repair and Philips race car competition); Alarcon won the GE appliance repair and Kidde fire and carbon monoxide safety installation; Justin Heenan, Dermot Realty, Wichita, Kan., won the Fluidmaster toilet repair; and Aaron Adams, ConAm Management, Wichita, Kan., won the Seasons ceiling fan installation.
“The caliber of competitors at this event is a testament to the evolution of Maintenance Mania in the past five years,” said NAA President Doug Culkin, CAE. “It is an honor to recognize some of the most talented maintenance professionals in the multifamily housing industry.”
“NAA and HD Supply have outdone themselves again this year, with the trophies, jackets and medals,” said 2007 Co-Champion Herb Harr of Van Rooy Properties.
Mike Hendel, Senior Manager, Strategic Marketing for HD Supply and founder of Maintenance Mania, also was recognized in his fifth and final year with the competition.
“I approached Doug [Culkin] about Maintenance Mania seven years ago and it is really special to see how the event has evolved,” Hendel said. “Watching apartment industry professionals, sponsors and NAA come together for the fifth year of the competition—and my last year with Maintenance Mania—means so much. I still have great visions for the future of this event.”
NAA, together with presenting sponsor HD Supply, conducts Maintenance Mania events at affiliated apartment associations throughout the country. The event consists of several skill-based table games based on common maintenance activities and a race car competition. All games are timed to determine the fastest competitor in each game and overall. Each game is supported through national sponsors, including Armor Concepts, Fluidmaster, General Electric, Kidde, Kwikset, Philips, Price Pfister and Seasons.
The program provides an opportunity to recognize the skilled maintenance professionals in their communities who are instrumental to the success and viability of the multifamily housing industry.
For information or to schedule an event for the 2011-2012 season, contact NAA’s Senior Manager of Affiliate Relations Kimberlee Berry at 703/797-0625.
|
2011 Maintenance Mania National Championship Results |
|
Overall Final Times |
|
Place |
Finalist |
Company |
Time |
|
1 |
Jose Torreblanca |
Van Rooy Properties |
1:57.2 |
|
2 |
Enrique Alarcon |
Van Rooy Properties |
1:58.2 |
|
3 |
David Berryman |
The Kamson Corporation |
2:01.0 |
|
4 |
Kevin Berryman, Jr. |
The Kamson Corporation |
2:06.6 |
|
5 |
Justin Heenan |
Dermot Realty |
2:11.7 |
|
6 |
Brian Niehaus |
Van Rooy Properties |
2:13.2 |
|
7 |
Lannon Quintana |
Legacy Partners Residential |
2:16.1 |
|
8 |
Jason Frotten |
Horizon Realty Management |
2:16.3 |
|
9 |
Aaron Adams |
ConAm Management |
2:17.3 |
|
10 |
Alexandru Bucalov |
Berkshire Property Advisors |
2:19.8 |
|
Individual Event Winners |
|
Event |
Winner |
Company |
Time (sec) |
|
Door Jamb Installation |
Jose Torreblanca |
Van Rooy Properties |
23.7 |
|
Appliance Repair |
Enrique Alarcon |
Van Rooy Properties |
10.6 |
|
Lockset Re-key |
Jose Torreblanca |
Van Rooy Properties |
11.9 |
|
Ceiling Fan Installation |
Aaron Adams |
ConAm Management |
13.0 |
|
Smoke & CO Alarm Installation |
Enrique Alarcon |
Van Rooy Properties |
07.5 |
|
Faucet Installation |
Kevin Berryman Jr. |
The Kamson Corporation |
12.5 |
|
Toilet Repair |
Justin Heenan |
Dermot Realty |
22.1 |
|
Race Car Competition |
Kevin Berryman Jr. |
The Kamson Corporation |
05.1 |