Redtail Ponds Nov17

Redtail Ponds

The first thing you notice when you visit the Redtail Ponds housing community in Fort Collins is how many residents have dogs. There are big ones and small ones, bulldogs and collies, mutts and mixes. Residents of the community proudly walk their pets in and out of the building’s front door, into a brisk fall Colorado day. Not long ago, the majority of the 60 residents of Redtail Ponds were spending all of their time outside – or in vehicles, temporary shelters, or on the streets of Fort Collins. Some were homeless for years, other for decades. Now, they have homes. “For 46 years of my life I struggled, and in the past two years I feel like I have probably come farther in my life than I ever have. And I owe that to Redtail Ponds,” said Tom Campbell, a resident of the community. We were visiting Redtail Ponds to make a video about the community’s life-changing impact on the local homeless community. You can view that video here: There’s much more to the Redtail Ponds story, and it starts with the story of Housing Catalyst, the non-profit affordable housing developer that constructed Redtail Ponds and is working on more permanent supportive housing for Northern Colorado. Zachary Penland, Program Manager at Redtail Ponds and a dedicated advocate for the homeless in Fort Collins, explained: “People sign a lease, and they can stay as long as they want, as long as they are abiding by that lease. What makes it different is supportive services. It is specifically tailored for individuals who have experienced homelessness and have a long term disability. We recognize that with those additional barriers, simply handing them a set of keys, saying good luck and walking away isn’t going to be enough. They need that ongoing support to be successful in their housing. We provide that onsite support so that they can ultimately be successful in their new homes.” On site supportive services include mental health counseling, job assistance, veterans services, AA meetings, benefit consultations, a women’s support group, art and gardening activities and more. Redtail Ponds is conveniently located a block away from MAX, Fort Collins’ central transit hub, so those without cars can easily get to jobs and offsite appointments. A bike storage area on site is packed full. Housing Catalyst Yardi client Housing Catalyst was formerly called the Fort Collins Housing Authority. The organization changed its name in 2016 because it wanted to more broadly reflect its efforts to make change in residents’ lives. “There were several reasons why we chose the new name. First, we purposely left out the words ‘housing authority’ because they can unfairly bring to mind large, outdated apartment buildings and perhaps misconceptions of unsafe living conditions,” said Carol McGrath, Senior Accountant for Housing Catalyst. “Second, we felt that Housing Catalyst better reflects how we challenge the status quo. We exist because everyone deserves a place they are proud to call home. We take care of our residents and our properties by providing quality homes that defy negative stereotypes. The name Housing Catalyst helps us to portray those core values of our agency.” Housing Catalyst owns and manages 357 affordable housing units funded with Low Income Housing Tax Credits, 196 Public Housing units, and 1,216 Housing Choice Vouchers. ““While we aren’t the biggest PHA out there, we are the largest, most active affordable housing developer in Northern Colorado,” said Carol. Two more supportive housing developments are planned. Transforming Lives Carol, Zachary and Property Manager David James spent time telling us the story of the development of Redtail Ponds and sharing some of the differences that the community has made in residents’ lives. “We’ve seen some really amazing transformations since people have moved into Redtail Ponds. We have seen people gain employment, in some cases enough employment that they have been able to afford to get their own place. We’ve...

An Awesome Upgrade Nov15

An Awesome Upgrade

The “Upgrade Like a Rock Star” series highlights insider tips and tricks for a smooth transition to Voyager 7S, Yardi’s newest and most robust property management platform. For this installment, Yardi caught up with Will Newton, Director of Support Systems at Avesta Homes. His team converted from Voyager 6 to 7S more than two years ago. The transition took about four months. Getting Started Newton and his team began by promoting employee buy-in. Newton and a Yardi consultant visited each of Avesta’s four regions to drum up curiosity and excitement about the new software. “We basically did a little tour around each of the regions and got everybody pumped up about it,” begins Newton. “So, just kind of a quick, ‘here’s all the new functionality that you’re going to see. It’s much prettier and easier. You’re going to like it!’ That kind of got everyone excited about using it.” Testing and Implementation To make testing fun, Avesta turned the process into a competition. “We’re a pretty competitive company,” laughs Newton. “I had a little scoreboard thing going. I’d run queries on how many lines of code you did, how many update statements occurred, and other stuff that was more tangible for people.” These competitions helped the staff systematically sift through each of Avesta’s custom menus. Staff confirmed that pages and links functioned properly, and that pages appeared identical on various browsers. To avoid burn out and maintain regular workloads, staff limited tests to one hour per day. Avesta then hosted six on-site trainings, one for each region and two at the central office. During each occurrence, the offices shut down for a few hours so that all of the staff could be present. Regional subject matter experts, or SMEs, demonstrated specific, commonly used functionalities...

Beyond Credit Checks Nov09

Beyond Credit Checks

Patrick Hennessey, Vice President and General Manager at Yardi, joined the team in 2010 as an expert in screening software. He found Yardi’s small company feel and large company resources appealing.  “We have a great team of people, cutting edge technology, and the efficiencies that a company the size of Yardi are able to attain with support teams on both coasts and flexible hours for our clients,” says Hennessey. Hennessey leads the Yardi Resident Screening team in honing and refining online screening software for multifamily clients. The team introduced the product to Canadian markets earlier this year. Benefits of Yardi Resident Screening Hennessey’s focus, Yardi Resident Screening, helps leasing agents select and retain low-risk residents. The system facilitates: comprehensive reports reliable data automated recommendations insights into applicant traffic applicant and resident performance reporting improved efficiencies Hennessey explains, “We do a few key things to help our clients through Resident Screening. First, we help our clients make the best possible leasing decisions. We do that by helping them find more high quality applicants and fewer low quality applicants. Thus we help them maximize revenue by minimizing unwarranted financial risks.” He continues, “Additionally, we limit their legal exposure by using a neutral third party for their screening process. That ensure that the applicants’ rights are protected and that they are given a fair opportunity in the leasing process.” In addition to increased consistency in the selection process of their residents, property managers who adopt Yardi Resident Screening can expect cost savings as a result of improved efficiencies in the leasing office. Rather than requesting a credit report and scoring it by hand, users execute tasks online. Added Security The efficiency and convenience of online leasing has directly influenced the demand for resident screening tools. With Resident...

Hillside House

Since 1945, Hillside House has edified Santa Barbara’s residents living with disabilities. The organization continues its mission into a new era that will expand services and build a stronger sense of inclusion in the community. The organization began as a care center for 15 young adults with cerebral palsy. Over time, it acquired the resources to care for people living with a variety of developmental and intellectual disabilities. Today, Hillside House is a therapeutic learning community comprised of 59 residents. Residents receive meals, medical care, and 24-hour assistance in the care of 90 staff. Executive Director Craig Olson joined the team at Hillside House 12 years ago. The non-profit has become a second home. “I just have a love for our residents and I want to help,” says Olson. Olson’s passion for building community began with his interest in the art of wine making. “[Wine culture] has taught me a lot about hospitality and being upbeat about life. You have to have that vibrancy. Wine brings people together and creates a sense of community. I aim to replicate that sense of inclusion and community here.” The first lesson of inclusion, Olson learned, was to interact with people with disabilities in the same way that he would interact with anyone else. “One common misconception is that they’re different than anyone else,” chuckles Olson. “I remember the first time that I came to work and I was supposed to do an activity with the residents. It was a softball game. I said, ‘I don’t know how to do that.’ My coworker said, ‘Well…just go play softball. Just treat them like you would anybody else and it’s going to go fabulously.’” That brief exchange highlights the methodology of Hillside House in Santa Barbara:  the organization promotes inclusion...

Affordable Care

Patricia Cooper found herself facing a two-fold void in the Santa Barbara community. A growing number of families were in desperate need of counseling, but they could not afford traditional services. Countless graduate students vied for scarce opportunities to fulfill their 3,000-hour residencies. Once the connection between the two dilemmas became evident, Cooper sprang into action. Filling both needs became easier than Cooper had expected. In 1984, Cooper and her partner, Jaclyn Henretig, opened the doors to Community Counseling and Education Center (CCEC). The nonprofit organization offers counseling and educational programs for low-income individuals in the community. CCEC doubles as a training ground for graduate students. The demand for low-cost counseling and hands-on training was so great that the organization thrived immediately. Cooper laughs, “We just kind of took off and didn’t look back. We trusted and everything just fell into place. If you look in retrospect, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into in terms of how much time and effort it was going to take. But along the way, we had so much fun doing it.” CCEC assists a diverse range of clients by offering individual and couples counseling, group therapy, Spanish-language services, as well as programming for single parents and the LGBTQ community. Each program has flourished since the organization opened. Communication and coping mechanisms are two of the most popular topics in counseling sessions. “The most requested service among couples is to strengthen communication skills,” observes Cooper. “It’s also a lot of looking at past habits for handling stress that are not functional. We’re looking at alcohol and drug use, specifically.” During the Recession, the organization experienced an increase in clients. Those years highlighted the necessity of affordable counseling programs that can serve the community without clients’...

Built to Last Nov01

Built to Last

Philadelphia real estate developer and manager Kaiserman Company knows something about stability.  It’s a third-generation family business founded in 1923.  Some residential properties the company built in the 1950s still stand.  Many of its retail and office building tenants have been clients for decades. Today, Kaiserman seeks another type of permanence: environmental preservation, a goal that has come to define its commercial and residential property management business strategy.  As stated on the company’s home page, “We strive to own, operate, and manage the most carbon-responsible properties possible, and we are proud to serve as a model for green-building operations.” This vision is summarized even more succinctly in another section of the Kaiserman website: “Our logo is blue.  Our mission is green.” Sustainability Commitment “We try really hard at every step, starting with purchasing only sustainable products and going all the way to making sure the paper we use, including envelopes, is all post-consumer waste.  We also try to educate our residents and tenants, down to providing bins to separate recyclable materials in our buildings,” Eric Schulz, a property manager for Kaiserman, said during a recent Yardi Advanced Solutions Conference. Other efforts include converting all incandescent lighting in the Rittenhouse Claridge, Kaiserman’s high-rise apartment building, to LED lights.  “We reduced our carbon footprint by 1,178 tons in 2015 alone, and that number will increase each year.  We use low volatile organic compound paints, and all products we use are ecofriendly. It might cost us a little more to do some of those things, but we try to do our part to help the environment,” Schulz said.  Kaiserman further advances its vision of environmental responsibility vision by participating in a number of local environmental councils and alliances, and by applying ENERGY STAR benchmarking to its commercial properties. Further, Kaiserman anticipates LEED Gold certification for its new 10,000-square-foot resident amenity center at the Rittenhouse Claridge in Philadelphia. Kaiserman helps offset whatever added costs sustainability might entail with Yardi Procure to Pay, its end-to-end paperless invoice processing and procurement system.  By procuring maintenance, repair and operating supplies through Yardi Procure to Pay, the company wins on multiple fronts: online order processing, and easy access to MRO items, including a range of sustainable offerings, that come at pre-negotiated rates from national vendors.  Invoice processing through vendor payment is paperless too. Other Yardi online solutions integrated into Kaiserman’s Yardi Voyager property management and accounting platform promote sustainability in other aspects of the company’s business, including resident applications, resident and tenant payments, communication and maintenance management.  “The less paper in the office, the better. That’s really where we aim to be,” Schulz said. Community Involvement Kaiserman meets its community obligations in other ways besides sustainability.  For example, the Claridge employs several special needs individuals through Programs Employing People, a local nonprofit organization.  “They are just great people who needed an opportunity and one of our properties was willing to do that for them. They help maintain our hallways, lounge amenity spaces and guest suites.  They’re paid the same as other workers doing the same jobs and are treated just like anybody else,” Schulz said.  In 2016 Kaiserman received an award from the Philadelphia Business Journal for its participation in PEP, “which was a great honor for us,” Schulz said.  Kaiserman also provides volunteers, event sponsorship, holiday drives and financial donations for about two dozen Philadelphia-area organizations. As Kaiserman progresses through its tenth decade, Yardi solutions play an integral role in helping the company manage its priorities.  “Marketing, mobile payments and text payment solutions are driving us where we need to be, which is user-friendly and online,” Schulz...

McKinney & Olive Oct25

McKinney & Olive...

Crescent Properties recently revealed McKinney & Olive, a Class A office building in one of the most desirable zip codes in Dallas. Yardi sat down with Montie Rouze, Vice President of IT, at the Yardi Advanced Solutions Conference in May to learn more about the new project. “They call McKinney & Olive the ‘sexy building’ because it has a curved shape to it that makes people think of the shape of a woman,” smiles Rouze. The 530,000-square-foot building stands on a 3.1-acre site conveniently located Uptown. At 20 stories high, it will be the tallest building in the neighborhood. “There is high end retail on the bottom floors,” explains Rouze. “The site will have lots of common areas, piazza space, and a neighborhood area with a big park. They really want people in the neighborhood to enjoy it, not just the tenants in the building.” Tenants and their guests will have easy access to the neighborhood’s best amenities including fine dining, shopping, and luxury hotels. The attractions of Dallas Arts District and West Village are just a stone’s throw away. McKinney & Olive is situated with easy access to McKinney Avenue Trolley with service throughout Uptown and Downtown. During development, Crescent turned to Yardi Voyager  Construction Management with Job Cost. The software helped Crescent control costs via complete budget oversight, forecasting, and contract management. “The development process is what got us into Voyager,” begins Rouze. “We had been a [competitor] client, so it was a daunting change. But we had this development project, and we needed Job Cost to track the development. We knew that Yardi’s Job Cost was better than [the competitor’s].” “We bought Yardi just for this one building, and called it our proof of concept for the platform,” continues Rouze. “We...

Truth in Numbers Oct24

Truth in Numbers

Thanks to detailed accounting options and superior customer support, Sentio Healthcare Properties continues to expand its use of Yardi Voyager across its property portfolio. As a REIT specializing in senior living, Sentio Healthcare Properties oversees a diverse portfolio ranging from medical office buildings to senior housing, including independent living, assisted living and memory care facilities. At the company’s Orlando headquarters, about 20 employees work with third party operators at 34 properties located in 16 states. “REITS are not the easiest structure to understand,” admits Julia Avallone, Manager of Property Level Accounting and Asset Management (CPA) at Sentio Healthcare Properties. “I’ve been at Sentio nearly three years, and I’m still wrapping my brain around all the accounting complexities. That being said, I think it’s rare to find an accounting role where you feel that you are making a positive contribution to somebody’s  life. I feel that my role at Sentio is mission driven and contributes, albeit in a small way, to the quality of life the residents in our facilities enjoy.” Making the Switch to Senior Living Avallone began her career in public accounting mainly for real estate clients. Eventually, Avallone decided to transition into another industry, and one of her managers recommended Sentio. “My husband was also in public accounting, and it was too much to both work in the (same) industry,” explains Avallone. “I was looking for a change, and one of my managers knew the controller at Sentio. It was a good fit.” Avallone used to handle accounting for approximately half of Sentio’s portfolio, but is in the process of transitioning to an asset management role. Because Sentio’s properties are located in a variety of different markets, each community comes with its own advantages and challenges. For example, Texas recently moved to...

MC Companies

The first thing you notice on MC Companies website is that the Arizona-based multifamily housing provider is a very compassionate company. It’s one of the traits that make them one of Arizona’s “most admired companies.” The “Good Life Promises” that are part of the firm’s foundational values include a rent rescue program that excuses late fees and “life interruption relief,” a standardized accommodation for residents who might need a little help recovering after a job loss. ‘”Giving is very important to our company,” said Lesley Brice, principal and president of MC Companies, a Yardi client. Fellow principals Ken McElroy and Ross McCallister founded the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based company in 1985. McElroy, a real estate entrepreneur and author who is passionate about giving back to the community, first became involved in Autism activism 11 years ago, when the child of a friend was diagnosed with the disease. McElroy is now chair of Scottsdale’s annual Autism Speaks fundraising walk. The event is held nationally each fall. In Arizona alone, 20,000 people walked in 2015, and 25,000 are expected at this weekend’s event. “Ken quickly realized that based on the statistic of 1 in 68 children (1 in 44 boys) with Autism that there are tens of thousands of affected individuals living in our apartment communities in Arizona,” Brice said. And with that realization, the entire MC Companies team was galvanized to action. As Brice explains it, the need to mobilize quickly to fundraise for the 2015 walk produced two exceptional ideas that MC Companies used again for the 2016 campaign. Hours4Autism – “We developed a program that allows companies to raise donations through Paid Time Off donations.  In our first year with our 300 employees, we raised over $20,000 or 1100 hours last year and expect to...

Great Goals Oct17

Great Goals

One of Jim Merski’s favorite quotes, rooted in a 17th Century Italian proverb, is “Good is the enemy of great.” “Our goal is to be great,” says Merski, chief financial officer of Boston-based Barkan Management Company Inc., a Yardi client that manages 147 residential communities with more than 23,000 units, primarily condominiums, along with other residential and commercial properties. Merski has lived that philosophy in his 2 ½ years with Barkan by focusing on process improvement, reporting and consistent financial processes—aiming, he says, to “bring our company to a much higher level of customer service, with a focus on reaching excellence.” Merski understands that excellence in condo management requires accommodating the human element.  “Accounting is not numbers. Accounting is communication. We need to break down the results of operations to the lowest common denominator for our board members, many of whom are non-financial people. They are volunteers, so we want them to get their arms around what’s going on very quickly,” he says. Colorful Numbers Barkan has enlisted a number of Yardi solutions in that effort.  For example, Yardi-built modules translate financial information in the company’s Yardi Voyager® property management and accounting platform into color-coded graphics.  This includes current and historical accounts receivables, payables, budgets and operating funds, along with replacement reserve funds, total cash, and changes in cash over a 12-month period. “The objective is to help a non-financial user of the financials (board member, trustee, director) to understand what’s going on within minutes of looking at the charts and graphs, without having to dive into the numbers.  Anyone can see at a glance how the month went,” Merski says.  “Voyager gives our clients and site property managers a very nice sense of how their associations are doing on a cash basis.  Feedback...

Combating Cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. As a company, one of our core values is community service. Participating in nonprofit work and giving back is a shared part of the culture at Yardi. Many of our employees give back regularly through local and global charities, volunteerism, and raising awareness. Yardi is honored to support organizations doing work to further research, prevention and education efforts in the fight against cancer. American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society (ACS) has been working to raise public awareness about cancer for over 100 years. Founded in 1913, the ACS started as a small group of committed doctors and civilians with one mission: to fight back against the disease.  In the late 1930’s, the organization created a legion of volunteers to educate the public and fundraise. Later in 1946, the ACS expanded their programming to include cancer research, raising more than $4 million to fund the Society’s groundbreaking research and educational initiatives. The ACS has been involved in almost every major cancer research breakthrough in the last 70 years. This also includes the strategic fundraising of cancer-fighting medications, the passage of the National Cancer Act in 1971, as well as advocacy in legislation and preventative medicine. Their annual events, including Relay for Life and Making Strides, encourage community members to get involved, promotes awareness and early detection, and raises millions of dollars for cancer research and prevention education. Thanks in part to the American Cancer Society (ACS), there are nearly 14.5 million people in the United States who have survived cancer. Cancer Care for Hope CancerCare was founded in 1944 with the goal of providing free, professional support services and information to people managing the different challenges of cancer. In the past year, CancerCare has provided nearly $13 million...

Wikimedia Foundation Sep29

Wikimedia Foundation

The Wikimedia Foundation is a nonprofit that’s dedicated to empowering and engaging people around the world to share in free knowledge. The organization supports and hosts Wikipedia and its sister Wikimedia sites, with the vision of allowing everyone, everywhere to freely share in the sum of all knowledge. Three projects have helped expand the scale of available Wikimedia content worldwide. Raising support for these projects is Caitlin Virtue, who seamlessly stepped into her role as Director of Development at the Wikimedia Foundation nearly three years ago. In addition to her last name, the career path is basically in her veins. “I grew up in the not-for-profit world,” begins Virtue. “My dad worked at the YMCA and my mom at the Red Cross. Working with a nonprofit was a really natural step for me.” The singular vision of the Foundation resonated with Virtue: “Our mission, the vision, is that every human being should be able to share in the sum of all human knowledge. We want everyone everywhere, regardless of what language you speak, to have access to the sum of all human knowledge. That’s the direction that we’re going and every day we get closer to achieving it.” After a brief pause, she laughs, “We will never get there, of course. Knowledge is being created all of the time. But that’s the value. We want information to be accessible to everyone all around the planet.” To compile the sum of all human knowledge, the Wikimedia Foundation supports 11 projects including: Wikipedia: the free online encyclopedia Wiktionary: a free dictionary Wikiquote: a free collection of quotes Wikibooks: a free collection of books Wikisource: a free collection of primary source materials Wikimedia Commons: a free media repository Wikispecies: a science-based wiki on documenting all the species...

The Gershen Group

Princeton, N.J.-based property management firm The Gershen Group LLC opened in 1959 as a small family based firm.  It concentrated on planning and consulting before branching out to housing management in 1972.  Its principal focus today is affordable and senior housing, although the company’s commercial holdings have consistently increased over the years. Long after The Gershen Group moved past the mom-and pop-phase, a family-based orientation remains the core of its operating philosophy. Extended Family “We tend to keep employees a very long time, which is not the norm in today’s business world,” according to Jonathan Gershen, vice president and general counsel of the company his parents founded. “Only a few employees are actually family members, although they almost could be—one person has been with us 35 years, another for 25 years.  We think of our staff as family, and this mentality has served us very well.” This attitude extends to the company’s business partners.  “With our clients—whether they’re our fee-managed properties or our residents—the relationship goes beyond ‘Just pay your rent and that’s it.’  We know who they are, and they know the building manager who’s been there for 10 or 20 years.  We want to keep that connection,” adds Deborah Gershen, vice president and director of property management. She adds, “It would be very easy to manage everything that comes in the door.   We’ve given up projects, or not taken them on, when people say ‘the building’s broke, we don’t have to spend any more money.’  My answer is, ‘We’re not the right manager for you.’  We’ve been very selective that way, and that won’t change.” Technology as an Ally When it comes to adopting property management software, The Gershen Group makes another subtle yet firm distinction between personal and business considerations. “Our...

Roscoe Properties Sep20

Roscoe Properties

The semi-annual Yardi Advanced Solutions Conferences (YASC) take place on the West and East Coasts, providing clients with the opportunity to attend an event close to home. Each conference offers specialized courses on product features, networking opportunities, and one-on-one consultations with Yardi representatives. At YASC in Washington, D.C., Yardi sat down with Mariana Estrada, VP of Operations at Roscoe Properties. The company has had the opportunity to explore several products since joining the Yardi network in 2008. Estrada updated Yardi on her experiences with the software. Estrada began with Yardi Procure to Pay (P2P), a centralized platform that offers complete spend visibility, streamlined invoice processing, centralized MRO purchasing and vendor onboarding.  “The concept of P2P is exactly what we believe in – a paperless, time-saving option. We have a decentralized payables process so our onsite teams are responsible for processing payables and expense management at the site level. The time they used to spend filing and processing paper invoices is now time they can spend serving current residents and attracting new residents,” says Estrada. “And now with the Marketplace, we’re gaining even more time savings and streamlining our purchasing process even further. We just implemented one of our major vendors and Yardi was able to create an online catalog for us.” Yardi Marketplace furnishes access to more than 1 million MRO products and building materials. The program also delivers the best available discounts from nationally recognized suppliers. “The Marketplace has an Amazon-like interface everyone knows how to use,” Estrada explains, “so there are virtually no issues with training our maintenance and site teams. A few mouse clicks and the PO is created and the order placed. Since the users don’t need to re-populate line item details, they are able to move invoices through the processing...

Walk with Heart

You see the little Heart-Check mark anywhere there is food these days: a box of Cheerios in your pantry, a can of Campbell’s soup in the store, a Subway sandwich wrapper at the park. Today, 92 percent of consumers recognize the efforts of the American Heart Association brand. But that wasn’t always the case. Heart disease used to be a silent killer. The American Heart Association (AHA) has brought the importance of heart health to the foreground of wellness. The U.S. faces a sincere need for heart health education. One in every four deaths is the result of heart disease, according to a report by the Center for Disease Control. That makes heart disease the leading cause of death among men and women. Lisa Thomas, Senior Heart and Stroke Walk Director, hopes to change that. Through public education and fundraising, Thomas and her team work to reclaim lives from the clenches of heart disease. “Public education is a part of everything that we do,” says Thomas. “It’s so important to know your risk, know your numbers and see your doctor every year to stay up to date. Prevention is key. Prevention saves lives.” Eating a heart-healthy diet is a good place to start, hence the Heart-Check mark on certain foods at the grocery store. These foods meet the nutritional requirements set by AHA to promote heart health. Common characteristics are foods that are low in cholesterol and salt, and contain ingredients that favor the cardiovascular system. Consistent exercise is another key preventative measure. “Powerwalking is a good one. It’s so easy to just grab your shoes and walk, in the neighborhood, at the mall, the park—anywhere there is space,” says Thomas. That basic concept is the backbone of the association’s annual Heart Walk series...

VÖLKEL COMPANY Sep02

VÖLKEL COMPANY

For more than a decade, Dirk Völkel has channeled his passion for retail asset investment into his company, VÖLKEL COMPANY Group, which provides real estate management services in Germany.  Founded in 2004, the company today operates 170 properties valued at 1.3 billion euros and handles a high volume of transactions from offices across Germany. “Our business is family-driven and focused on maintaining long-term relationships with clients,” said Völkel, the company’s founder, main shareholder and managing director.  “We are a one-stop-contact in Germany, capable of providing the full spectrum of investment advice and services.  Some of our team members have been working in the field for up to 25 years, so we know the difference between real experience and merely good marketing.” Individual client service A special point of pride for Völkel is the degree of personal service his company delivers.  “For some large, long-established companies, any given client is one among many.  For us as a mid-size company, every client is important as an individual, and we take every client seriously. In an era that has seen the outsourcing of many services, our services are 100% “Made in Germany,” he said.  “We handle investments as if they were our own money. We are proud of the good references we have earned.  In fact, much of our new business comes from word of mouth among investors who are satisfied with our services.” While justly proud of his company’s achievements in offering engaged, flexible, quick and successful investment services, Völkel knows well enough that continued success depends on maintaining a keen focus on the future, rather than dwelling on a distinguished past.  “We constantly work to improve our high-quality services.  Not only that, we continuously measure our clients’ expectations of us.  As one extremely important example,...

UCSB Arts & Lectures...

Roman Baratiak got his start as a work study student at UCSB. He instantly fell in love and has been changing lives ever since. “I soon discovered what happened when the lights went down and the curtain opened and incredibly talented artists and performers took the stage,” says Baratiak. “They brought us to other worlds, introduced us to other cultures, and provided us with a beautifully aesthetic and fulfilling experiences. I fell in love with that.” Three years later, that love transformed from a work study position into a full-time career. Baratiak has now been with the organization for nearly 40 years and currently serves as Associate Director. He enjoys organizing the lecture and film program because it allows him to present the Santa Barbara community with people who are extremely interesting, informative, and unique. “I have very eclectic tastes so it’s the perfect job for me,” says Baratiak. “I can go to work and learn something every day and feel like I’m growing as a person. I know I’m in the right spot.” Though Baratiak loves to learn during the lectures, it’s the benefit for the community that elevates his enthusiasm about his work. He strongly supports education for people of all ages as a way to keep us connected with the global community and with our own humanity. “The arts will always be important. They teach us about the world that we live in. They also allow us to get in touch with our own humanity and creative side. As a spectator, we can see human potential on stage by seeing amazing musicians, dancers, and speakers. We grow to understand the amazing amount of talent that goes into these things. It’s also a bit like going to the spa or getting a...

Boone Atkins Aug22

Boone Atkins

Currently serving as Yardi Vice President of PHA and Affordable Housing Sales, Boone Atkins also spent decades as a Yardi user. With more than 22 years of experience in the real estate industry, Yardi gained a valuable asset when Boone shifted from a client into a leadership position in December 2014. “I met Anant Yardi in the early 90’s when I began working as a consultant and in executive positions for companies using Yardi software. From a client and employee perspective, my impression of the Yardi company has never changed. Yardi is truly dedicated to the mission of helping clients and employees succeed and grow,” said Boone. Atkins sees trends in the affordable housing and PHA industry as similar to market rate multifamily housing. “Our affordable and PHA clients want technology to help them become more efficient. No matter the industry vertical, it is all about getting the biggest bang for their buck.” Read on for more insight from Boone Atkins in our latest installment of the Yardi Leadership Series. When did you join the Yardi team? Atkins: My shift from Yardi client to employee happened in December 2012. In total, have more than 22 years of experience in the real estate industry. My current base of operations is Denver, but I’m on the road a lot with clients and staff. Did your impression of Yardi change once you became an employee? Absolutely not! This company is dedicated to the mission of helping clients and employees succeed and grow, and that’s never wavered in all my years associated with Yardi. How does Yardi help affordable and PHA clients become more efficient through technology? Atkins: We’re delivering on that expectation by automating and streamlining workflows for affordable housing compliance, ad hoc reporting, dashboard analytics, business...

Fairview Gardens

Over a hundred years ago, a farmer stuck his shovel in the dirt on a small plot of land in Goleta, California. The site has never been the same. The site is now The Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens, a non-profit educational facility and working organic farm. The organization aims to nurture the human spirit through interactive public programs and community services.  Two years ago, Angela Miller-Bevan stepped away from her career in corporate advertising and marketing to join the Fairview Gardens team. She began as a volunteer, then worked as an assistant to the Development Director before accepting the position. “I came to promote the mission: to educate everyone—from birth to the end of your life—to know how important it is to eat the right foods and know where your food comes from. And how to eat food we can actually grow right now because we are in a drought. It’s about sustainable community and keeping something alive that has been in our community for so long,” says Miller-Bevan. For decades, Fairview Gardens has served the community through public programs including the Teen Permaculture Apprenticeship and the new Sprouts program. Yardi supports the Apprenticeship Program immersion experience that ranges from six to ten months. The program equips young adults with the skill needed to own and manage their own farms and farm programs. Participants explore permaculture ethics, the slow food and fiber movements, organic agriculture, watersheds, alternative economics, farmworkers’ rights, herbalism, and living soils. Apprentices also learn natural dyeing, making herbal medicines, and harvesting wild edibles. “Most people don’t know that the average age of farmers is 72. It’s sad,” observes Miller-Bevan. “You can’t go to a computer and have a computer grow your food. It’s impressive to see young adults...

Paperless Progress Aug09

Paperless Progress

With thirty years of experience in nursing and senior care, Rhonda Knisley understands the power of ditching paper records for digital data. For the last three decades, Rhonda Knisley has watched healthcare change from paper archives and prescription pads to digital data and mobile record keeping. All along, she’s focused on providing senior living residents with personalized care while being at the forefront of some the industry’s newest technologies and services. Rough and Rewarding “When I started my job 30 years ago, I walked into the building and down the longest hall. There were 35 residents all lined up on one side of the hallway in their wheelchairs. I looked at them and thought to myself, ‘This may be the worst job I’ll ever have,’” she admits. “But then I absolutely loved it! I walked in as a floor nurse and within six months, I was the director of nursing. Within a year, I was the executive director of nursing. In the end, I became a consultant. Overall, it’s been very rewarding.” As Director of Nursing for First Community Village, Rhonda Knisley has done everything from coordinating software implementations to running multi-facility nursing operations. “I loved working in the continuing care arena,” she says. “I’d see people come into the healthcare center and then transition back into the community, and I can see how they are able to stay connected with their friends and family.” A Multifaceted Population Headquartered Ohio, National Church Residences is the nation’s largest not-for-profit provider of affordable senior housing and services with 340 communities in 28 states and Puerto Rico. At First Community Village, a National Church Residence property located in Arlington, OH, the community residents encompass a varied demographic. “We have a very affluent population, and because it’s Upper Arlington,...