Pam Alexander

Yardi

By Leah Etling on Nov 29, 2012 in People | 1 Comment

Whether she’s hiking an icy trail in Yosemite, troubleshooting an accounting software issue for a Yardi client, or hanging out with rock stars, Pam Alexander is equally at home. Her unflappable and understanding nature shines through in any situation.

An eight-year Yardi employee who currently serves in multiple roles as a client services manager, Pam is the kind of person who is great to have on your team, whether the day’s activity is zip lining in Mexico, correcting a general ledger imbalance, or riding an elephant in India. No matter where she happens to be in the world, Pam embraces life to the fullest.

The California native has a long list of things she loves about her job, starting with the people she works with, from her team members around the globe to upper management. Pam’s work puts her in contact with Yardi staff in multiple countries and offices on a daily basis.

In addition to her work managing the Santa Barbara PAYScan team, she manages the financial portion of the Voyager product, working with development and QA to ensure clients’ needs and wishes are incorporated into software changes.  Troubleshooting high-level accounting glitches and overseeing the Pune client services and residential case teams is another aspect of her work.

With experience elsewhere in the software industry, Pam notes that one thing that sets Yardi Systems apart is the company’s willingness to listen and respond to its clients.

“Customer service here is client based. We want them to be happy. We always try to accommodate them and be responsive to their needs, to make sure they have what they need to get their job done,” she said.  “To me it’s important to get the clients voice over to development, and I appreciate that I am able to bring that voice, but still touch on some of the troubleshooting and problem solving, and help client services in general. I enjoy doing all of it.”

Coming to work at Yardi in Santa Barbara, Calif. was a homecoming for Pam, who had spent more than 20 years living and working in North Carolina after serving in the U.S. Army. After attending high school in Ukiah, Calif., she spent three years at Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia, where her regiment was assigned to support the 82^nd Airborne.

“The Army slogan at that time was ‘Join the Army to see the world.’ I got stuck in the backwoods of Savannah,” she joked. The mid-1970s brought about a major transition for women in the Army, and combined basic training for men and women was instituted for the first time. Weapons training for female soldiers also became mandatory, though women were not allowed to go into combat.

The rigorous training was an excellent way to establish discipline, Pam noted. “The whole thing was about that and about developing self-confidence.”  After completing her service, she went to college in North Carolina, focusing on accounting and business. In high school, she had discovered a natural aptitude for numbers and bookkeeping.

“I’ve never had the desire to be a CPA. It’s all about the problem solving, which is why I fit perfectly in software,” she said. Married and a new mom, she completed her classes while her son, Beau, was still an infant.

Fast forward three decades, and one of Pam’s many fun adventures is going to meet up with Beau while he’s on tour with major bands like Tool, Rush, Godsmack, Green Day and Kid Rock. A professionally trained sound engineer, his job is to make sure all the on-stage equipment is working correctly so the show sounds perfect. His mom helped develop his aptitude for the music industry early – when Beau was a kid, she would test his knowledge of bands playing on the radio while they drove places in the car.

“When he’s close by I’ll go and spend the day with him, and watch him do the whole setup for the shows, and watch him work,” Pam said. She also gets to hang out on the stage while the bands are performing – even though some of the bands might not be her personal favorites, it’s a thrill to see her son so successful at a career he loves.

Travel is one of Pam’s personal passions, and she’s made up for her Army time stuck in the Savannah backwoods with amazing trips all over the world. After traveling to India to work with the Yardi team in Pune, she’s made personal trips to the Taj Mahal, Agra, and Delhi. She and her sister Janis enjoy an annual outing to Cozumel, where zip-lining, exploring Mayan ruins and beach time relaxation are on the itinerary. Still on her travel to do list: Alaska, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Many of her travel suggestions come from Beau, who has been around the world  multiple times on various band tours.

At home on the Central Coast, Pam is also on the go on the weekends. Hiking the local mountain and coastal trails, including favorite routes at Pt. Sal and Zaca Peak, is one of her favorite ways to pass the time. But when Monday rolls around, she’s always happy to hit the trail back to work.

“I’ve had many jobs where I would wake up and think, I just can’t go in to work – there’s nothing fun about it,” she said. “But I’ve been here over eight years now, and never, ever had that feeling.”