Following a full day of meetings, education, events and directly after the first general session, take a break at the Welcome Reception on Wednesday evening. Network with colleagues and meet new peers as you reminisce on the day, past industry events and prepare for Thursday’s educational offerings as well as the first day of the NAA Exposition.

NAA’s Excellence Awards, or “Excels,” recognize excellence and leadership in the rental housing industry. The Excels celebrate communities, industry professionals and affiliated apartment associations that make unique contributions to the industry. This year’s awards ceremony will be complimentary for interested conference-goers and those ready to cheer on their company, colleagues and other nominees. Atten-dance will be limited to the first 400 people who arrive. 

Game Changers at Apartmentalize this year are experts in contending with adversity. Greg Offner, a former dueling pianist turned workforce strategist, will present Dueling with Disruption. Radhika Dirks is CEO and co-founder of XLabs and RIBO and will discuss all items related to artificial intelligence. Comedian and disability advocate Maysoon Zayid is known for her TED Talk “I Got 99 Problems… Palsy is Just One,” which has more than 11 million views. 

Be in the room where it happens to hear from Wednesday’s General Session speaker, award-winning artist Leslie Odom Jr., who is known for his breakout role in the musical “Hamilton.” Thursday morning will feature speaker Kyle Carpenter, who is the youngest-living Medal of Honor recipient. He was awarded the honor nearly 10 years ago on June 19, 2014. Apartmentalize will close with Friday’s General Session speaker: Actor and former hip-hop frontman Mark Wahlberg. 

This year, there are more than 90 full educational sessions to choose from, ranging from dozens of topics. This includes affordable housing, human resources, leader-ship, maintenance, operations, marketing, technology and much more. Follow session tracks based on these topics or branch out and find new and interesting items to consider. 

There are more than a dozen express, 30-minute education sessions split into two days of learning on Thursday and Friday.  Express sessions will be presented on two stages with quick, digestible content. Topics include centralization, emotional support animals, Wi-Fi connectivity and everywhere in between. 

Apartmentalize will take over the Museum of Art and give attendees a quintessential Philly experience for the Thursday Night Party. Take a trip just off the iconic steps to the Rocky statue to snap a picture with the character made famous by actor Sylvester Stallone. 

Since August 2023, NAA and HD Supply have been celebrating 2023-2024 Maintenance Legends Winners. One grand prize winner will drive away with a brand-new truck at Apart- mentalize. 2024 Maintenance Legends finalists have each already received gift and cash prizes valued at $5,000, while 25 additional nominees will get access to free trainings and certifications including CAMT, CPO, EPA and more.

The NAA Exposition brings together the rental industry’s top management professionals and suppliers eager to network, share ideas and the latest products and services. The Expo is open on Thursday and Friday with complimentary lunch. The Expo floor is also home to the Express Education sessions. Also featured is the NSC Lounge, where attendees can learn about the companies who are members of NAA’s National Suppliers Council. 

One of America’s most historic cities, Philadelphia provides the perfect backdrop for the industry’s most important annual educational conference. Find time to visit the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall or head a little outside City Center for a world-famous cheesesteak.