Each month, units profiles one of the industry's rising stars to give you a preview of multifamily housing's bright future.

Name: Danny Dugger, CAMT

Title: Director of Maintenance Procurement and Education

Company: J.C. Hart Company, Carmel, Ind.

Years in the Industry: I started as a teenager.

Volunteer Positions: Indiana Apartment Association (IAA) Maintenance Chair, member of the Young Professionals in Multifamily (YPM) Committee, member of the IAA Education Convention Committee. Co-taught CAMT classes for IAA.

units: How did you first get involved with the industry?

Dugger: I lived at a J.C. Hart community when I was a teenager. The supervisor at that time recruited me to pick up the grounds for him for a very fair can of "pop." I later realized he was training me to actually become a groundsman for later on in life. During high school, I worked summers and weekends for the company, and I ended up working for that supervisor as a full-time groundsman/tech in 1999 at the same property where I lived growing up.

units: What lessons did you learn from that very first job that you still apply to your daily work?

Dugger: Working hard really does pay off! At the same time I was working summers and weekends for J.C. Hart, I held down a job working as a crew leader for Hardees. My job at Hardees taught me that if you work as a team, amazing things can be accomplished. I remember how it affected the whole team if one member wasn't there. 

I have tried my hardest to limit the time that I am not at work. As a groundsman, I still remember ruining those first bushes that I had to cut. That has made me pay special attention to a new project that I haven't done before. Showing up on time is another lesson that I apply daily. 

I usually arrive an hour or so early. You can accomplish so much more early in the morning. Treating others with respect and really listening to them is also something I learned back then. I try to emulate the way my supervisor at the J.C. Hart Company treated people back then. 

units: What makes the apartment industry appealing for young professionals who are interested in maintenance work?

Dugger: The industry is growing rapidly. There really is so much room for growth for young professionals to start off as groundspeople, punch techs or maintenance techs. When I was 16 and doing grounds work, I didn't know this was going to be the industry I would have as my career. 

The industry is very exciting. Day to day, you never know what you are going to run into. You can learn so much. Young professionals do plumbing, HVAC, electrical, etc. They interact more with 

the residents than any other staff member. This will not only help you communicate better each day, but you learn that helping someone with their home is very rewarding.

We are providing people with homes. That in itself is rewarding. I have met many people in this industry who have started off as grounds and moved their way up to directors or vice presidents.

units: What can companies do to attract more young talent?

Dugger: I think that we should be more involved with middle school and high school job fairs. Most school-aged people do not know how interesting the apartment industry really is.

To be considered for a future Next Gen column, please contact Lauren Boston at 703-797-0678.