Corporate philanthropy and personal volunteerism are vital components of Yardi’s corporate culture, which reaches around the globe. In Pune, home to Yardi’s India office, two teams of employees from the YES and rcash divisions of the company selected a local non-profit organization to benefit from their efforts. Green Hills Group is a volunteer-based effort to turn more vegetation and healthy landscaping to the open spaces around Pune in an effort to combat pollution, poor air quality and global warming. Focusing efforts on rain water harvesting and tree planting, Green Hills Group needs significant volunteer power to carry out the work at hand at a low to no cost. Employees from Yardi were committed to helping out. “Many times, we see that we quickly contribute in terms of financial assistance, but we do not give up our personal time. We found this as great opportunity to contribute in terms of giving of our personal time for social cause,” said Pratima Deshpande, one of the Yardi employees who participated in the project. Each team member contributed two hours per month to the project. The Hanuman Hills and the Chatushrungi Hills, two of the areas that Green Hills Group is working to restore, happen to surround Yardi’s Pune office. So those contributing their time are able to see the result of the project efforts when they arrive and depart from work each day. Work includes development of a Continuous Contour Trench to be used for rainwater harvesting, preparing soil beds for planting, building tanks and drip-irrigation to self-water the trees in the future, after they reach more than 500 in number. A portion of the trees in the project are fruit trees, and produce from the trees is harvested by volunteers to deliver to needy Pune children and...

For Black Oak Associates, sustainability is a means of providing tenants with affordable commercial spaces while offering local residents a cleaner, healthier community. Black Oak Associates has adopted a policy of sustainability that applies to the corporate office and its properties. Heberto Alanis specializes in the company’s green initiatives: “We believe that sustainability is a really good strategy. It promotes value, drives returns, and defines our organization,” Alanis says. “It will be an ongoing strategy for us that will help the community and our tenants.” Black Oak has approached green building as a two tier endeavor, considering the needs of its tenants as well as the needs of the communities in which Black Oak properties are located. The site of Eldersburg Commons, for example, had been an eyesore for years. During the hardest times of the recession, tenants vacated the shopping center, leaving the 330,000 square-foot building as a concrete shell. Black Oak soon stepped in with plans to reinvent the site as a thriving community center. “It is brownfield land that we are developing, which in itself is a green project,” explains Alanis. “We’ve been meeting with the architects and finding ways to integrate LED lighting, TPO roofing, and exploring our solar options. We will make use of more efficient HVAC units and energy saving programs to power the building.” Once the green upgrades are in place, the shopping center will welcome its tenants. The project has piqued interest from many retailers. WalMart will serve as the shopping center’s anchor. Additional vendors will be selected with local residents in mind; Black Oak has reached out to residents to determine what stores and restaurants they would like to have in the center. The company established a Popularise page that allows residents to leave feedback...

When a devastating tornado hit Moore, Oklahoma in May, Yardi’s Stacy Blanchard, a strategic client account executive in the Dallas, Texas, office, was moved to act. She thought of raising funds to donate to a clearinghouse aid agency like the Red Cross or United Way, but decided that what she really wanted to do was help a family, face to face. Utilizing the power of social media, Stacy reached out to a friend in Moore who hadn’t lost her home, but knew many people who had. An estimated 1,150 homes were lost, 24 people died, and $2 billion in damage was incurred in the storm. For Keri and Mike Wilson and their family, losing their home was awful, but the safety of their teenage children, who were home when the tornado touched down and decimated most of their neighborhood, was paramount. Drew and Sydney, their children, took shelter in the laundry room during the storm. It was the only part of the house that remained standing. Sydney’s car ended up upside down in the back yard. Keri Wilson described her home as reduced to “bricks and sticks.” Mobilized to action, Stacy spent time talking to Keri and learning the details of her story. As a mother of two, she was moved by the terror of a fellow mom who wasn’t able to learn for more than two hours whether or not her children were OK. Keri described how when she was finally able to make contact with her parents, who had been able to reach her home, she collapsed in sobbing relief. Once the stress of survival had passed, the Wilsons had to scramble to figure out where they would sleep and how they’d begin replacing a lifetime of household goods and valuables. Focusing...

For Yardi programmer Alexander Graf, spending time each week with his “little brother” should probably not be described as volunteer work. As he talks about his mentee through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program of Santa Barbara County (part of the nonprofit Family Service Agency), Alex tells stories as though he is talking about his own sibling. Hanging out with Jerry, his 10-year-old “little brother”, is clearly not a chore to him at all. Jerry came into Alex’s life just two years ago. Despite a very busy schedule filled with work and community activities, Alex makes time to see him every week. With four siblings and a large extended family, Jerry might not always have the chance to have an adult’s undivided attention focused just on him. During his outings with Alex, that changes. “It’s nice to be a positive influence on someone’s life. And it’s great to see the happiness in kids’ eyes when they get to do something they have never been able to do before. Most of the mentees are from low-income families, and they don’t always get a lot of individual attention,” Alex said. Alex and Jerry enjoy spending time together at the Santa Barbara Zoo, the batting cages, local parks, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.  Alex has realized that Jerry might not respond if he simply tells him a story, but if you show him how to do something, like a chemistry experiment or how to make a balloon animal, he will be curious and probably want to participate. In turn, Jerry might not ask his Big Brother many questions about his own life, but he loves to tell Alex long, complicated stories that he makes up. Alex’s experience with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program...

The 2013 NAA Education Conference & Exposition is just around the corner. Next week at this time I’ll be in sunny San Diego, listening to the wisdom of business virtuosos like Richard Branson, Erik Wahl, and Bert Jacobs. If Lauren Boston is right, I may see a few tears shed into lunch napkins. For me, NAA is a big deal because it will be my first chance to represent my company outside our self-hosted conferences, and I want to make the most of it. Perhaps the experience will be similar for you. Conferences can be invaluable learning experiences, but they do require an investment of resources to attend.  If you’re the only attendee for your company, you want to return to work with knowledge gained, providing value for your colleagues and clients.  But there’s so much to do and just two days to accomplish it, so where to start? Here are 4 steps I’m taking to make the most of my first NAA I hope you’ll consider sharing what steps you’ve taken too. Prepare goals and questions. What are you hoping to get out of the conference? If you’re representing an office, what would your colleagues hope to learn if they were going? What solutions, on-site or in-office are you hoping to identify this year?  Create a list and make that a focus while you’re there. It will help give you conversation topics during networking events, as well as help keep you focused as you move through the expo center and sessions. Created a schedule.  There are loads of resources for doing this throughout the NAA website and the App.  If one of the solutions you’re looking for deals with revenue management then make time at 9:00am Thursday for “Integrating a Revenue Management System...

Amy Bassett, Director of Education and Community Engagement for the Santa Barbara Symphony, knows how much difference music can make in the life of a child. She has experienced its power first-hand. Growing up in a very small town in Massachusetts, Amy was exposed to the power of music via television broadcasts of the Boston Pops, performing every Fourth of July at the Fireworks Spectacular on Boston’s Esplanade. The concert was televised statewide, and she would watch every year. Drawn to their performance, she became a musician, mastering the bassoon, and eventually earned a doctorate in musical arts. “For me, music was something that came into my life and helped me define and figure out who I was, and decide where I wanted to go,” said Bassett. Her musical talent and drive has taken her all over the United States, introduced her to interesting and accomplished people, and now allows her to play a role in sharing world-class music with the next generation. The Santa Barbara Symphony’s youth programs have a strong legacy that dates back a half-century. They expose local schoolchildren to the beauty and power of classic compositions, bring them to the historic Granada Theatre for performances, and offer participatory opportunities to children who have the talent and desire to take up an instrument. Over 100 volunteers help make the programming possible. “They are very excited,” Bassett said of the students who participate in the Symphony programs. “Many of them haven’t been exposed to it before, but with a little preparation and explanation, it goes a long way.” The Symphony’s education programs, which reach 4,500 students each year, include: The Music Van, which visits nearly 60 elementary schools across Santa Barbara County each year and gives 2200 third-graders the chance to learn...

We can almost guarantee that within one click of your mouse, we can convince you that Point2’s office in Saskatoon, located in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, is a pretty fantastic place to work. Why? Well, the company is known for its team cohesion and spirit. And then there’s the secret weapon: the cooking abilities of Jacquelyn Bauer, Point2’s Director of Customer Relations. The Gourmet Housewife is the food blog that Jacquelyn maintains in her free time, but her lucky coworkers often get to sample leftovers. Not much helps wear off the chill of a sub-zero Saskatoon winter day like a warm loaf of homemade bread. In other words: if you’re ever invited to a Point2 company potluck, be sure to attend. There will be a near-certain chance of encountering a Jacquelyn-made treat, like a sautéed kale salad with panko and pine nuts, chewy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, or homemade bagels. That’s right folks, she makes her own bagels. Totally awesomesauce. But even if we can’t all work with Jacquelyn at Point2 or invite ourselves to her house for dinner, we can still enjoy the gorgeous food photography and creative original recipes to some of her favorite dishes via her blog. She focuses on “simple gourmet” fare that you can recreate without too many trips to the grocery store or hours spent stirring sauce on the stove. It is easy to forget that good food doesn’t have to be sacrificed due to a busy schedule, and Jacquelyn makes preparing such dishes look easy. A self-described perfectionist, Jacquelyn applies the same loving care and attention to detail to her work at Point2 as she does to her kitchen creations. She’s been with the real estate software firm for 13 years, starting when she was...

Across all sectors of the real estate marketplace, Yardi clients are innovators when it comes to development, management, operations and producing returns on investment. In Philadelphia, Yardi client Post Brothers is defining a new niche in multifamily living with units that are both eco-friendly and targeted to the renter who appreciates luxury and high quality of life. “The Goldtex Lofts can best be described as a new breed of Eco-Chic apartments. Not only are these luxury units on the cutting edge of design with the highest-end amenities, they were built with the most advanced environmental features available, creating a new standard for green development in Philadelphia and beyond,” Post Brothers CEO Mike Pestronk told Multi-Housing News’ Jessica Fiur. You can find the full interview with Pestronk about the project, including details on the design and environmentally-conscious aspects of the project,  on Multi-Housing...

L&B Realty Advisors has been named one of Dallas Morning News’ Top 100 Places to Work for the second consecutive year. The company received accolades for its stellar work environment and nurturing relationship with clients. The success of Yardi client L&B starts from within. The company’s culture statement reads, “There is a FORCE that drives L&B. It is the connection of our people, their careers and our clients.” That FORCE—flexible, ownership, relevance, connected, empowered—unites teammates to create an atmosphere that is professional, innovative, effective and fun; the FORCE reference naturally led employees to select Yoda as their mascot. Those who uphold the FORCE host a miniature version of the Star Wars sage on their desk for a few weeks. It’s a simple way to keep the FORCE alive among employees each day. Employees’ balanced approach to business and interpersonal skills has served them well thus far. Since 1965, L&B Realty Advisors has provided real estate and asset management services to institutional and private investors. Services assist clients with the acquisition, management, and disposition of assets as well as pension plans, public and private wealth funds, endowments, and foundations for investors. L&B prides itself on longstanding client relationships, many of which average 17 years with returns that exceed benchmark forecasts. Currently, the company manages more than $5.4 billion on behalf of its clients. One successful project, a series of new developments at Tyson Corner Center in Washington, D.C., is an L&B real estate holding with a promising future. The project consists of mixed-use facilities that furnish the neighborhood with over three million square feet of combined hotel, retail and residential space. The site has been propelled into the spotlight by the adjacent mall, which holds anchor tenants such as Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor, Macy’s, L.L....

The Manhattan Valley Development Corporation will mark 45 years of providing affordable housing in Manhattan at the end of 2013.  As part of the celebration of this milestone anniversary, Yardi client MVDC will award the first Leah Schneider scholarship in honor of the organization’s former director who passed away in 2001. Since 1968, MVDC has maintained a focus on one vital goal: providing and maintaining affordable, safe housing in Manhattan’s upper Westside. Over the years, MVDC rehabilitated and developed more than 1200 housing units, including affordable ownership projects that were sold to residents at below-market prices. Today, MVDC oversees 784 apartments in 47 buildings, serving around 3,000 residents. The ongoing challenge of maintaining affordable housing in New York City, one of the nation’s priciest apartment markets, and serving an aging resident population are two priorities for MVDC Executive Director Lucille McEwen. “There are market forces and gentrification and pressure to create more high-end living in this immediate area, but we’ve always maintained affordable housing and that’s our real focus,” said McEwen (left), an attorney who has a passion for affordable housing and is also a lifelong Manhattan resident.  “We are reaching out to other like-minded individuals and organizations to see what we can do collectively.” “One of the things we’re trying to figure out is: How do we get more housing that’s targeted towards low-income seniors? That’s a great need in the community. They can’t afford to move, and they can’t afford these new construction co-ops and condos that are going up. They need the accessibility ramps to get into buildings, and elevators, and other things that help when you have limited mobility.” Many of MVDC’s residents have been living in their apartments for years, even decades. McEwen knows of one man who has...

For Sharon Terry, CEO, establishing PXE International was not a matter of fulfilling a personal preference or a sense of adventure. The organization was created out of necessity. “We didn’t feel like we had a choice to start PXE,” she says. “We were completely compelled. If we didn’t do it, nothing would happen.” Nearly 20 years ago, Sharon discovered that both of her young children had pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), a rare genetic disease that affects the tissues of the eyes, skin, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems. Sharon and her husband embarked on a whirlwind study of genetics to learn more about the disease and available treatments. At that time, they had woefully limited data to help them. Inconsistencies and contradictions riddled what little information they found. The Terrys decided to take matters into their own hands, initiating PXE International. Sharon details her account in the article, Learning Genetics. “We were starting from the ground up,” recalls Sharon. “Now, we are the world’s premiere organization for PXE research.” Since 1995, PXE International has encouraged and sponsored groundbreaking research while providing support for those affected by PXE. To date, the organization has raised more than $1.7 million for applied translational research, treatment development and product development. The organization also provides insurance advocacy for families who were previously denied coverage. Researchers have determined that PXE is triggered by a gene that is expressed primarily in the liver; recent research has shown that PXE is a metabolic disease like diabetes or phenylketonuria. The disease can ultimately cause skin problems, vision loss, and problems in the arteries. There is no certified treatment or cure for PXE, though recent clinical studies have made promising headway. PXE International is a collaborator in a study by Dr. Lebwohl of Mt. Sinai School of...

Melanie Calbow has proven to be more than a Billing Administrator. Her dedication to problem solving and quality customer service has earned her the reputation of being a stellar team player and customer advocate. Melanie quickly adapted to her position in the finance department after graduating from UCSB. “I didn’t have an accounting background but I was in school for it. I found that I really enjoyed working with numbers and things fell into place.” For eight years, Melanie has excelled in the fast-paced atmosphere of finance. As a Billing and Collections Administrator, each day is packed with new challenges and opportunities. “My day differs each day. That’s the fun part of my job,” Melanie says. “You have to be on your feet and ready to change gears at any given moment.” Creating statements and sending out invoices are only the tip of the iceberg. Sale order addendums, contracts, and even a few IT calls make their way to Melanie’s desk.  “I also talk to tenants every day,” she laughs. “Sometimes they don’t recognize how the statement is arranged so they call us. I’ve even gotten a few calls from people wanting tech support for Voyager. We live and breathe yCRM; though it’s similar to Voyager, it’s not the same so I have to point them in the right direction.” Melanie and her team are known for problem solving. It has been a part of her job that has allowed her to have major one-on-one impact with clients. “We get callers who have been to other people and we’re often the last ones in the line,” she explains. “They’re tired, usually frustrated, and they just want some help.  We try to improve the mood and find them the appropriate contact. We have that contact...

Eric Matulka has a simple yet solid foundation from which to build technology strategy and policy: He believes that good technology should make life easier.  From that baseline, when he chooses vendors and platforms for DEI Communities, he’s looking for solutions that are time and efficiency savers for all users. Matulka, Vice President of Information Technology for Yardi client DEI Communities in Omaha, Nebraska, applies business acumen and a wealth of IT experience to his role. He’s a dedicated student of social media, experimenting with social engagement services on an in-depth personal level to determine how they can bring value to DEI Communities’ residents and employees. “We want to be able to tell our story, and allow people to learn more about our apartment communities. We want to be able to say to people – this is how to find us, this is how to communicate with us, and if you have more questions, here’s a variety of ways to find out more about us,” said Matulka. When he assesses new software offerings, he looks first at how they might improve life for residents. Next on the checklist is how the product being considered could improve things for employees. “I also seek ways to make life easier for our staff. If we can make it easier for them to do their job, whether it is communicating with residents, or doing some of the back-end tasks, or working with the corporate office, banks, vendors, that’s an exciting development,” he said. An expert on social media and online engagement, Matulka has watched how different types of multifamily communities are using social media services. He’s concluded that there is no “one size fits all” solution when it comes to the relationship between social media and the apartment...

Today, April 22, is Earth Day. Alliance Residential Company is among the Yardi multifamily clients that will mark the occasion: A tree will be planted at almost every Alliance community this week, except those that are in exceptionally urban environments or have special circumstances. “The goal is to plant a tree at the majority of our Alliance communities,” said Kelly Vickers, Alliance’s National Director of Sustainability. “Trees do so much for the environment: filtering air pollution, reducing soil erosion, creating shade, helping recycle water.” Alliance’s facility directors, who oversee 257 apartment communities across 13 states, worked with the companies’ regional landscaping vendors to coordinate the selection of appropriate local native trees, which will find new homes in the ground at each community site. The properties that can’t plant trees are helping out in a different way, such as supporting the Nature Conservancy’s “Plant a Billion Trees” campaign, which is working to preserve Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, an endangered tropical forest, and entails planting a billion trees by 2015. Each $1 donated equals one tree planted, and Alliance communities are encouraging their residents to support the cause. Broadening awareness about the benefits of sustainable living is just one aspect of Alliance’s Focus Green campaign, which was formally launched in 2012. Earth Day comes and goes in a flash. With Focus Green, Vickers and Alliance have developed a set of comprehensive principles to help guide the company toward a greener future. This year, the program will expand into action items that touch development, operations, training and administration. “The program has two overarching goals. The first is to reduce the consumption of energy and natural resources at our communities and our offices. The second is to educate, promote and support our associates’, residents’ and owners’ participation in more...

Phipps Community Development Corporation (Phipps CDC) is dedicated to creating programs that help lift families out of poverty. More than 40 programs provide New Yorkers with the tools needed for self-sufficiency and promising futures. Nancy Riedl, Director of Development and Communications, addresses the hurdles that many low-income families face, “Housing isn’t the only answer. Residents need other supportive services—education, career readiness and community resources—to propel them into successful and sustainable futures. Our programs address these issues,” she says. “Many people living in poverty haven’t been exposed to all of the resources that they need. We try to directly address those needs where we find them.” Each year, Phipps CDC assists more than 9,000 New Yorkers with a variety of resources to meet their unique needs. Youth Education To break the cycle of poverty, Phipps CDC begins working with expectant parents and those with young children in its Early Head Start program. Classes are held in clients’ homes or at community centers, helping parents prepare their homes, finances, and social lives for the joys and challenges of parenting. More than 1,000 children ages 5-13 partake in Phipps CDC after-school programs. Volunteers and staff offer homework assistance, computer instruction, and guidance in the visual and performing arts, culinary arts, environmental studies and sports. The activities encourage kids to set goals, work in teams, and practice self-discipline. As a result, youth discover the skills needed to build confidence, become stronger students and take leadership positions among their peers. Phipps CDC youth programs extend beyond the school year and into the vacation months. Each summer, more than 600 families participate in camps that strengthen the body and the mind. Full-day camps pull youth away from the televisions and provide a safe, structured environment in which they can thrive....