Since 1970, Earth Day has served as a reminder to honor our beautiful, fragile, and generous planet. What started as a single day is now a week-long observance! Below, you will find ideas for Earth Day programming that build loyalty and community among your staff. Yardi Atlanta even offers a full week of fun, informative activities that you can adapt to your site. Build loyalty Employees favor eco-friendly workplaces over traditional models. Millennials in particular desire workplaces that “improve society.” When working for an earth conscious employer, employees report a heightened sense of well being and purpose. Sustainability measures are popular tools to attract and maintain talent. Use Earth Week to highlight your existing green efforts or jumpstart new programs at your organization. In the process, you will build loyalty amongst employees and position your brand well with prospective new hires. Explore an office-wide celebration If a week of earth-friendly activities seems overwhelming, take heart. You don’t have to go in alone. Yardi Atlanta, for example, collaborates with local businesses to get employees involved in Earth Week. Its programming piques employee interest in sustainability while encouraging workplace satisfaction. Starting April 22, Yardi Atlanta will host fun and informative daily activities. Sustainability Within Atlanta Yardi (SWAY) teamed up with Yardi client and property management company, Cushman & Wakefield, to host these events: On Monday, Yardi corporate sponsors a healthy breakfast for staff. Selected foods will emphasize the role sustainable farming practices play in overall environmental health. Tuesday emphasizes sustainable transportation. A representative from the Georgia Power Electronic Vehicle Program will facilitate a session on EV car chargers and rebates. Guests are also invited to a car show with contributions by local dealers. Tesla, Porche, Land Rover, Jaguar, Nissan, and BMW will have cars and...
Meet Anja Jacobs
Yardi Senior Manager and U.S. Polo Champion
They say polo is the sport of kings. But in the case of Anja Jacobs and her teammates, make that the sport of queens. Jacobs, an Atlanta-based Yardi senior manager for military housing, and three fellow mallet-wielding warrior women were recently crowned U.S. Open Women’s Polo Champions. Their March victory in Palm Beach, Florida was the result of a long year of hard work, long travel journeys, and rising above challenges. Jacobs is the type of person who sets her mind on a goal and goes for it – both at work and in her personal life. About 15 years ago, she decided it was time to fulfill a lifelong dream: riding horses and playing competitive polo. Today, she has 13 horses in her backyard and devotes most of her free time to the sport. “I had always wanted to ride horses as a kid, but I grew up in Miami, and there weren’t a lot of opportunities to do so,” said Jacobs, who has worked at Yardi for the last seven years. “After I’d graduated from college, I attended an alumni event that was hosted at a polo game, and I immediately knew I had to try it.” First, she had to learn the rules of the game – which is basically high speed croquet on horseback. “It looks like chaos if you ever try to watch a polo game without knowing the rules, but there are really strict rules that are all about safety. It looks like one of the most dangerous sports there is, but every rule is about the animals’ well-being first and foremost,” Jacobs said. With a background in martial arts and ballroom dancing, she has both a killer instinct and sense of balance that are essential for a successful polo player. Jacobs is a defensive specialist, meaning that her role, and that of her horse, is to clear the field so her teammates can get to the goal. “I’m a scrapper and a fighter,” Jacobs says of her efforts on the field. Her U.S. Open championship team also included Nina Clarkin, the No. 1 ranked women’s polo player in the world; Mia Cambiaso, a 15-year-old phenom in the sport, and Pamela Flanagan, who not only plays polo but is also an attorney and horse rescuer. The group came together organically after Jacobs and Clarkin, who met at international polo events, struck up a friendship. Success in the sport is based on the player’s handicap level, which ranges from -2 to 10. Jacobs boasts a handicap of 2; Clarkin is rated a mixed 4 in the U.S. and a 10 on the Hurlingham Women’s scale in Great Britain, her home country. The U.S. Open Polo Championship does not require all players to be from the U.S. Flanagan and Jacobs are both U.S. citizens, while Cambiaso is from Argentina. In countries like Argentina where polo is extremely popular, children learn the sport very young. Cambiaso was already playing competitive polo at age 5. And Jacobs’ favorite horse, Power Ranger Red, is also a former Argentinian who she purchased from a four-year-old Argentine boy. “He is the most amazing horse. The reason I have 13 horses is because I bought Power Ranger Red, and then bought 12 more trying to find another horse like him,” said Jacobs. Power Ranger Red is her go-to starter, the first horse she rides in every polo match. Atlanta may not have a huge polo community, but it is horse-friendly and there are many opportunities to learn to ride. That’s what Jacobs did when she decided to take up the sport 15 years ago. Two years ago, she purchased a 10-acre farm outside Atlanta so that her horses would have a great place to live. When she’s not assisting Yardi’s military clients, Jacobs’ free time is occupied by exercising her herd of horses and preparing for the next polo match. The...
People Focused
Arty Sonambekar
Aarty Sonambekar, a director with Yardi’s Global Solutions team, believes the secret to her success is understanding people. Based in Yardi’s Pune office, she focuses on the company mission to “take care of our clients” and “take care of our employees.” Growth naturally follows. Her team of nearly 90 PSG consultants, account managers and technical resources are responsible for supporting clients across Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Each interaction, she said, gives her a better opportunity to understand client needs and how to meet them. “My role helps me to be in touch with clients in the Asia Pacific region,” Aarty told us. “This gives me better insight of how the product is used and how we can actually partner the clients in their growth. Making the same product work for different clients across different countries is both fun and challenging.” “Managing teams also helps me interact with different people on daily basis, study their reactions and understand them,” she added. The human-centric approach has served her well in more than 13 years with the company. That isn’t to say that she has always enjoyed smooth sailing. Aarty has encountered her fair share of challenges. “A major challenge is being able to multi-task and handle multiple projects at the same time,” she said. “I am getting a better hand over it by improving my time management techniques.” Mastering time and task management are lessons that can never be learned too soon, and they can always be improved upon. “My advice to my 20-year-old self would be ‘First thing first.’ This helps one to prioritize things according to importance. It improves focus and brings in the virtue of systematization,” said Aarty. Nourished by Creativity For Aarty, balancing her technical work with creative expression is key...
Employee Appreciation
Yardi Atlanta Marks Special Day
In honor of Employee Appreciation Day, Yardi Atlanta set up Appreciation Stations throughout the office. Employees were encouraged to take a few moments to think about someone they’d like to acknowledge for doing a great job or helping their team. “The person you acknowledge could be someone on your team, someone you went through training with that made it just a little bit easier, or even someone who may have given you a few words of encouragement over a cup of coffee,” Catrina Ishman, human resources generalist at Yardi Atlanta wrote in an office-wide email explaining the event. “Whoever it might be, please stop by one of the Appreciation Stations and write a few kind words letting them know why you appreciate them.” Employees were given one week to plan, write, and drop off their letters at the Appreciation Stations. There were no limits on how many appreciation letters employees could create. Since it was the first year for such an activity, the planning committee was not sure how it would turn out. They were pleasantly surprised to distribute over 300 appreciation letters at the end of the week! After the planning committee distributed the appreciation letters, Yardi team members excitedly read their letters. Many posted the cards of gratitude and encouragement in their cubicles. Some team members were gracious enough to share their letters: “I would like to express my gratitude for those employees that take action when there is work to be done. Whether it’s emptying the dishwasher, volunteering for a Yardi event, or calling a client, it’s easy to overlook the importance of those that ‘keep the trains running on time.’ But your commitment to excellence has not gone unnoticed. Thank you, Yardi Employees!” – Adam “Chris, Thank you so much for always helping me with all of my questions and never making me feel like a burden. You were one of the first ones to make me feel like I was a part of this crazy PHA family. Thanks for being a great co-worker and awesome friend. You da best.” -Alyssa “Marilyn, Thank you for always having the answers 😊 You are a fountain of knowledge, and not just about all things Yardi. I hope you know how much you’re appreciated!” – Jill “Dear Kim, Thank you for all the help and guidance that you constantly provide me with. As a fledgling sparrow in the vast skies of Yardi, you have helped me learn to fly.”—Zeen 😊 At the end of the week, Yardi Atlanta celebrated all of its hardworking employees. As a thank you for ensuring that things run smoothly in the office, leadership purchased Tropical Café Smoothies for the group. It was a sweet way to end Employee Appreciation Day in Atlanta! Christine Kelly and Johnathan Atkins create appreciation cards A small portion of the 300 appreciation cards sent among peers Laura Perez, Chenetta Watson and Rakin Ahmed celebrate Staff Appreciation Day with smoothies Keisha Flen and Christi Duffey enjoy smoothies provided by Tropical Smoothie...
Exploring Your Potential
Vaijayanti Deshpande
Vaijayanti Deshpande, head of HR, finance and administration at Yardi, leads human resources, recruitment, finance and facilities at Yardi Pune. Though she has embraced the responsibilities like a fish to water, it didn’t start out that way. Deshpande had to explore unknown paths to unlock her capabilities as a leader. The Big Switch Deshpande did not begin her career in human resources. For 14 years, she worked as a financial controller with a software services company. “I am a chartered accountant by qualification, and I had always worked in the finance domain before joining Yardi,” said Deshpande. “On being offered a role in HR at Yardi Pune, I was skeptical initially.” Despite her uncertainty, she accepted the role. Seven years later, she loves that she made the switch. The challenges of the transition encouraged her to expand her skillsets. “Sometimes in life, you realize your potential only when you take the unexplored paths,” reflected Deshpande. “From accepting this role, to handling the employee sensitivity part of it, to actually enjoying it today—it’s been a wonderful journey!” With the support of her team, Deshpande emerged as an even stronger and more capable leader. “I received a lot of support from my manager and the people reporting to me. I feel working at Yardi has made me a kinder person. Today, I have a different flavor to my personality. It has broadened my horizons, and I look forward to coming to work every day.” She added with a smile, “The fact that the office is a mere 2.5 km from my residence also makes it easy.” Staying Balanced Deshpande’s day-to-day goals at Yardi center upon compliance and providing timely support for employees. It’s a continual balancing act between building rapport and trust with employees while adhering to and enforcing protocols. “We strive to make life at Yardi better by staying true to our corporate motto: ‘Take care of our clients, take care of our employees, take care of our communities, stay focused, and grow,’” said Deshpande. While she enjoys the diversity of her role and the environment, the work-life balance at Yardi has made it possible to feel success professionally and personally. She works smart in the office and can then savor her personal time. “I enjoy spending time at home and with my family,” said Deshpande. “I read a lot, do the crossword and Sudoku and take an active interest in the affairs of the Housing Society where I stay,” explained Deshpande. Though math puzzles may be frustrating for some, Deshpande’s Sudoku hobby is a nod to her roots in finance. Math is familiar and comforting. “It’s something I have always enjoyed. It is a good exercise for the brain. I also enjoy doing the crossword. In fact, I am a crossword addict.” Looking back on her career, Deshpande tries to summarize the lessons that have helped her to grow. “If I offered advice to my 20-year-old self, it would be this: work hard, work smart. Keep learning. Focus on enjoying your job and not just the monetary benefits. Be a good worker and the rewards will follow naturally. Above all, maintain good relations with your...
Leading by Example
Medha Deshpande
Meet Medha Deshpande, a director of CSD in Yardi’s Pune office. Her team of 450 employees assists Yardi Energy, P2P, Matrix, Utility Billing, Utility Expense Management, and Invoice Processing clients. Deshpande’s department covers a lot of ground. She manages the broad range of responsibilities by focusing on strategic team building rather than tasks. “My role is to mainly ensure that I have the right people at the right place doing the right job,” smiles Deshpande. As her teams develop, maintaining clear, unified objectives keeps the department operating coherently. “I like our company’s vision, growth, culture, values, and philanthropy. It is very important for all of us to maintain this culture and inculcate the same value system within our new employees as we continue to grow at a good speed,” said Deshpande. She is also mindful to maintain her personal growth. During her 14-year career with the company, Deshpande has encountered and overcome numerous challenges. Each posed an opportunity for her to hone her skills and emerge as a stronger leader. Deshpande reflects, “I have learnt and can say I am still learning to have patience. I tell myself that things may not move always the way you want and at the speed you may be expecting.” She continues, “Always be optimistic, demanding, and have perseverance for sustainable growth.” Pursuing Excellence in the Community When she isn’t working at Yardi, Deshpande and her husband operate a weekend school for about 50 disadvantaged youth in grades three through 10. The school allows her to help kids pursue excellence. “We run the school at our farmhouse which is about 15 miles from Pune. We teach the children mathematics, English and value education,” says Deshpande. “This school runs throughout the year with no vacation. Children enjoy the school since our focus is not just education but also personal development through some activities which kids love. There is a library arranged for them with some very good books and educational toys.” The support of Yardi teammates and loved ones has helped the weekend school flourish. “Many friends and colleagues not only from India but from the United States donated books, school stationary, toys and other resources,” she explains. “Our family members and friends also support us on some weekends as visiting teachers. One of our Yardi employees, Chandrakant Manekar, has been a dedicated teacher for about one year, which has been a big help.” “We have been fortunate as we get immense satisfaction and pleasure from spending time with these kids. It has been like a booster to our life!” says Deshpande. To learn more about Yardi’s outstanding team members, visit the People page. Director Medha Deshpande Deshpande with school children Guest teachers with school children Local school children Roll call at school Study session with teachers Students of the weekend school Students welcome guests to school...
A Seat at the Table
TABLE Chapel Hill
Food is essential. For children, it can make the difference between growing strong and capable or struggling much of their lives. TABLE is a nonprofit organization that provides healthy emergency food aid each week to children in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, NC. Their work changes lives, and Yardi is proud to help. Addressing the Problem Food insecurity hits hard in North Carolina. It is ranked among the top eight states that have statistically higher food insecurity rates than the US national average. In the state, 80 percent of households with kids that are receiving food assistance don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Families make tough choices to survive. About 35 percent of families in need must choose between paying for food and housing costs. More than 40 percent must decide between buying food and heating their homes. Children are among the most vulnerable populations. In North Carolina, 30 percent of people receiving emergency food aid are under the age of 18. Nearly 25 percent of those kids are under the age of five. It’s a lot of data to swallow. The repercussions on hunger linger under the data. As children repeatedly lack access to nutritious food, their physical and mental well-being suffer. The consequences of hunger include an inability to focus, low academic performance, and chronic headaches and belly aches. TABLE steps in to fill the voids. Thoughtful and effective programming helps kids feel their best and fulfill their potential. Education at Work Providing nourishment is only a part of TABLE programming. The organization offers educational classes and activities to help kids sustain a healthy lifestyle. The Weekend Meal Backpack and Summer TABLE programs provide food for kids when they are not in school to receive free or reduced meals. Kids...
Yardi Bill Pay
How it can help
We recently caught up with Jesse Dowler, Client Services Division manager for residential clients of Yardi Bill Pay. He started his support career as a technical account manager at Yardi in 2009. What is Yardi Bill Pay and what does it do for property managers? Yardi Bill Pay is an optional element of the Yardi Procure to Pay Suite or the Yardi Payment Processing service, which outsources to Yardi the process of paying vendors. The Bill Pay team at Yardi pulls invoices from the client’s Yardi Voyager database, routes them through the client’s approval workflow, and pays the vendor by the client’s preferred method—ACH, electronic funds transfer, credit card or paper check. Why do clients want to adopt Yardi Bill Pay? Processing invoices and going through all the steps to complete payments take a lot of time and labor. Check printers are expensive too. When you’re going through thousands of invoices a month, those expenses add up fast. It’s easier to let Yardi do it all. Not only does Yardi relieve the manual labor, but our check printing is less expensive as well, for clients choosing that option. About 40% of Bill Pay clients prefer checks so that’s still a popular payment method. What point do you and the Bill Pay team emphasize when discussing Bill Pay with clients and prospects? A major proposition for Bill Pay is its integration with Voyager and the workflows established there. Clients continue to use the Commit Payment and Process Payment screens as they are accustomed to, and once payments are processed in Voyager, Yardi Bill Pay steps in and handles the movement of the actual cash, including check printing and sending ACH instructions to banking institutions. How did Yardi Bill Pay evolve? A small team at Yardi...
Meet Delicia Miller
VendorCafe Support Team
Our first Yardi employee profile for 2019 highlights Delicia Miller. Delicia works in the Atlanta area and is a senior technical account manager on the VENDORCafé support team. She’s got a down-to-earth look on life and a lot of history with VENDORCafé. How long have you been at Yardi? I have been with Yardi since January of 2017, but I worked in the apartment management industry for 17 years prior to coming on board. In fact, I was on a client team that went live with VENDORCafé on day one in May of 2014. As an early adopter, I was quick to appreciate the value of VENDORCafé and was thrilled to join such a great team when I got my job with Yardi. What hobbies do you enjoy? I absolutely love reading. I have always gotten lost in books. I just started using a Kindle, which I’m beginning to appreciate. I don’t deny the convenience of digital books, but I admit I sometimes miss the feel of the real book pages. I also enjoy spending any free time with my husband, son and our friends. How long have you been supporting VENDORCafé clients? Since my very first day at Yardi! My first client went live three months after I started, which felt like a nice accomplishment. When I joined Yardi, VENDORCafé was growing quickly. Our team worked very well together both in support of current clients and also in implementing the fast-growing list of new clients. It was an exciting time. What are the biggest vendor management challenges? The top challenges I see are document collection and workflow automation. Property managers are required to collect a lot of documentation from vendors. Centralizing those documents with automated, paperless processes makes vendor onboarding and management infinitely...
That’s a Wrap!
Wrap Battle Results
Getting an email from the human resources often means forms to fill out or documents to sign. The creative minds in Yardi Atlanta HR decided to spice things up. It has become their tradition to encourage holiday cheer by hosting a fun and engaging activity for the office. This year, they sent out an email initiating the first ever Yardi Wrap Battle. No, it wasn’t a present wrapping contest. This battle challenged teams to create a holiday-inspired rap song. Catrina Ishman, human resources generalist with Yardi, shared the inspiration behind the event. “One of our employees writes a daily positive message on her white board,” said Ishman. “As I was reading Monday’s message, I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun if we could do a poetry contest but with a twist?’ and the wheels started turning from there. We decided on a Wrap Battle that’s a play on wrapping gifts and wrapping up the year 2018.” For the Wrap Battle, teammates collaborated to write, perform, and record a 60-second rap. They were challenged to include the words: wrap, jingle, bells, snow, and Yardi. A committee of peers judged the submissions and announced the winners based on overall creativity. The winners of the 2018 Wrap Battle represent RentCafe Affordable team! The grand prize is a catered lunch of their choice. In the spirit of the holidays, HR decided to create a snack basket for other participating teams. In addition to showing the friendly side of HR, the annual holiday events support Yardi corporate culture. “Some of the characteristics that make up Yardi’s unique culture are fun, collaboration and team work,” said Ishman. “I think activities like these allow employees to showcase their creative sides while still embodying who we are as a company. Our culture is...
Sharing the Bounty
Ventura County Food Share
Food strengthens the body and propels the mind. Yet one in six residents of Ventura County struggle with food insecurity. Seniors are among the vulnerable population. The local food bank and volunteers work together to end hunger, helping seniors thrive in their golden years. Ventura County Food Insecurity An inability to access healthy food impacts multiple areas of a person’s life. Hardworking people must make daily sacrifices that affect their health and wellbeing. Of the food insecure in Ventura County, 69 percent must choose between food and utilities. More than 65 percent must choose between food and medical care Among the food insecure that must make those tough calls, roughly 46,650 are seniors. Ventura County’s Agency on Aging reports that “approximately 39 percent of all elders aged 65 and older do not have enough income to meet their most basic needs.” The inaccessibility of fresh, nutritious food leads to a reliance on more affordable but less healthy options. As a result of this and other factors, 58 percent of households have a member with high blood pressure with 77 percent occurring in senior homes. About 33 percent of households in the county have a member with diabetes with 47 percent in senior households. Volunteering with Food Share Food Share of Ventura County aims to improve seniors’ quality of life. Each year, Food Share stores and distributes nearly 11 million pounds of food to those in need. The Food Share program serves nutritious meals to 74,500 people every month, about 3,100 of which are seniors. Senior programming prepares boxes of food including items such as canned fruits, vegetables, salmon, cereal, milk, peanut butter, fruit juice, and spaghetti. The nonprofit organization relies on the help of 190 pantry partners as well as volunteers. Ten Yardi Santa...
From Despair to Hope
ShelterBox + Yardi
More than 85 million people worldwide have been made homeless by natural disaster and conflict. That’s more than every resident of California, Texas, South Carolina and North Carolina combined. ShelterBox offers survival tools for displaced families in their time of need. ShelterBox: Transforming Despair into Hope ShelterBox specializes in mobile shelters and supplies for emergency relief efforts. The UK-based organization has provided vital aid in 21 countries. In 2017, more than 162,000 people received ShelterBox assistance. Each aid experience is customized for the needs of the recipients. Emergency packages may include tents, building supplies, fresh water, solar lights, mosquito nets, and blankets. School kits help to mend the learning gap caused when access to education is interrupted. ShelterBox supplies empower recipients in a variety of ways: • 82% of surveyed beneficiaries said that they felt safer in the shelter they repaired or rebuilt using aid provided by ShelterBox. • 85% of surveyed beneficiaries agreed that receiving aid from ShelterBox meant they were warmer at night. • 88% of surveyed beneficiaries said that they had more privacy for themselves and their family after they had received aid from ShelterBox. Yardi + ShelterBox ShelterBox USA recently hosted a Lunch & Learn session with corporate sponsor, Yardi. The Yardi Santa Barbara office broke the Lunch & Learn attendance record with 45 attendees. Lunch and Learn featured a presentation by ShelterBox President Kerri Murray. Attendees received an overview of one of the organization’s popular innovations, The Standard Relief Tent. This waterproof tent protects its inhabitants from UV rays, winds up to 100kmh, and heavy rainfall. Inhabitants stay dry, even when exterior standing water levels reach up to six inches. While keeping the elements out, the tent maintains comfortable conditions inside. A unique ventilation system creates a 10-degree temperature...
Spreading Compassion
Yardi Scottsdale Charitable Giving
Yardi Scottsdale Charity Committee recently hosted a ceremony honoring the recipients of its 2018 charitable grants. The contributions demonstrate Yardi’s mission to “take care of our communities” in action. Each recipient is a nonprofit nominated and approved by Yardi Scottsdale employees. Arizona Burn Foundation The Arizona Burn Foundation mission is to “improve the quality of life of burn survivors and their families while promoting burn prevention education in Arizona.” The organization provides child burn survivors with physical, psychological, emotional and social support. Services include reconstructive treatment, family assistance, survivor and family camps, counseling, and prevention and education programs in the community. Upon nominating the Arizona Burn Foundation, a Scottsdale employee wrote, “My step son is a burn victim. He suffered third degree burns over his entire body when he was just 1 year old. The Arizona Burn Foundation has been a part of our lives for many years. My family volunteers and provides support for other families that are just starting the recovery process.” Eve’s Place Eve’s Place specializes in “supporting any victim of domestic, sexual and teen dating abuse by increasing access to services through mobile advocacy.” The organization has helped victims to restart their lives outside of the circle of abuse. Participants receive assistance with safety planning, goal setting, and obtaining shelter. Personal advocates and support groups help victims of abuse to rebuild their esteem and sense of purpose. To help victims attain justice, Eve’s Place also offers support and information on various legal topics within the civil and criminal justice systems. Heart Encouragement Heart Encouragement assists individuals suffering from cancer and provides support and encouragement for them and their loved ones during their cancer journey. The broad spectrum of care services empowers cancer patients and their families in a variety of...
Sharing Literacy
Yardi Colorado Springs + TutorMate
Students third grade academic performance can foreshadow setbacks that they may face in adulthood. Students who cannot proficiently read by the third grade are more likely to struggle in class, drop out of school and face incarceration. TutorMate, an Innovations for Learning program, helps to prepare students for success in school and in adulthood. The program uses technology to pair students with volunteers for remote tutoring sessions. During each 30-minute session, they read stories and play games together that build comprehension and fluency. The program has achieved replicable results, such as an 18-point reading score improvement in Chicago and 14-point reading score gain in Washington, DC. Volunteers from 27 cities representing more than 200 corporations, universities and governmental agencies participate in the program. Nearly 10,000 students benefit from their volunteerism. Amy Thomas, a customer service representative in Yardi’s Colorado Springs office, introduced the program to her colleagues in the summer of 2018. Ten volunteers were needed to kick off the effort – within a day, she had filled the signup roster. The team is working with a school in the Denver area. From their desks, Yardi employees give a half hour of their time once a week to connect with their students. “Reading is essential for success in the future, so this really makes a difference,” said Thomas, who became familiar with the program at a previous job. “Knowing that we’re making a difference in our community, and seeing the progress with your students each week – that’s great for both the employee and the student.” Connections with the first graders are easy and natural, she said. Stephanie Eide, associate technical account manager in Colorado Springs, is among the volunteers. “I have a daughter who is also learning to read so I wanted to help,” said Eide. “I loved reading as a kid, so I love that I can help other kids love it as well. Some kids need more practice and I love that I can offer that to them.” Eide knew that she was paired with the right student when she found out that they shared Halloween birthdays. “I don’t meet very many people that share my birthday. So you also get to be somewhat of a mentor to them as well!” During a typical session, Eide and her student buddy begin with flashcards. They then read a few short stories and complete comprehension questions. “There are also games we play,” said Eide. “Her favorite is tic tac toe. If you can read the word in the box you get an X or O. She usually beats me. It is so much fun. She is very smart and is gets better at reading every week!” Thomas is hoping to introduce other Yardi offices around the country to the nationwide program. For more information about how to participate, you can email her at [email protected] Yardi is Energized for Good – and you can join in! TutorMate is accepting new volunteers. Groups can register to participate in upcoming...
Our Big Kitchen
Yardi APAC Volunteers
Earlier this month, Team Yardi Australia headed to Bondi in Sydney. Switching out their laptops and phones for kitchen knives and potato peelers, the team spent the afternoons volunteering at Our Big Kitchen (OBK). OBK is about more than food, it’s a community kitchen with a soul. Created in 2000, its designed to help those in need; whether they’re going through a hard time, need a hand getting started, or are just looking for a place that provides a warm and nurturing environment. It aims not just to provide a community to its volunteers, but to help look after the millions of Australians going hungry every day. Despite being “the lucky country,” 2.2 million people in Australia go without food every year. Of those, tens of thousands come from New South Wales. OBK is on a mission to help those people, working closely with organisations such as SecondBite and Foodbank to minimize food waste and turn fresh produce into a home cooked meal. These meals are then distributed to the homeless and to regional shelters, including refuges for women and children, domestic violence shelters, asylum seekers, and more. Last year, OBK distributed over 80,000 meals to those in need. “The experience gave all the people involved a sense of reality of how good a lot of us have it in life. Giving a little bit of our time helped 200 people that day. I recommend everyone gives a little to people in need, just like we did. It was a truly uplifting experience,” said Brook Baker, regional director, Australia and New Zealand sales. For the Yardi team, the afternoons represented an opportunity to give back, whilst learning more about the darker side of the city they live in. George Karounis, founder of OBK, shared...
Walk for Hope
Yardi Raleigh
The Yardi Raleigh TKO group recently participated in a notable local event to raise awareness and research funds for mental illness: the 30th annual Thad and Alice Eure Walk for Hope. Team members who walked for the cause were Blair Kramer, Sean Bryant, Pam Davison, Karen Gibson, Jim Hill, Mimi Hill, Trevor Hyde, Chuck Justice, Kimberly Wood, Victoria Parsons, Travis Taliaferro and Rich Stevenson. The group raised $2,583 to contribute to the Walk for Hope Foundation. Founded by a well-known Raleigh family after their son was diagnosed bipolar disorder, The Walk for Hope Foundation has awarded 139 scientific research grants totaling more than $5.7 million. These funds have leveraged an additional $145 million from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH) and other federal agencies. The TKO team’s participation in the walk has a personal and professional connection. “We lost a co-worker to suicide and the office was stunned. No one knew there was a mental health issue. Since that time, we have worked hard to support one another and have found that supporting causes like the Walk for Hope and the Foundation of Hope is a great way to support our community and help reduce the stigma that is unfortunately still attached to mental illness,” explained Kimberly Wood, a P2P Consultant on the team. “We reach out to one another when we sense someone is struggling. The Walk for Hope is a fun event, but it is rooted in very strong memories of Tim Owens, who we still miss to this day.” Learn more about the Walk for Hope Foundation and their year round events to fundraise for mental illness research. Yard is Energized for Good! Learn more about the company’s philanthropic and volunteer efforts around the U.S. and the world...
Food for Thought
Yardi Boise Gives Back
Yardi’s corporate culture includes a focus on community service. In the Yardi Boise office, a team of employees focused professionally on the senior living product suite decided to bring that value to life by participating in two local efforts aimed at combating hunger. First, staff partnered with Metro Meals on Wheels to serve 80 seniors in the community. Since many of the elders that benefit from Meals on Wheels are homebound and unable to prepare their own food, they rely on meal delivery as their primary source of nutrition. The Boise office team was happy to help with distributing food, cleaning, and socializing with seniors. Metro Meals on Wheels serves meals to nearly 1,000 Boise senior citizens each weekday and over 700 each weekend. Inspired by their work with Meals on Wheels, the team sought a new philanthropic challenge, this time joining with the Idaho Foodbank. The independent non-profit organization is entirely donor supported and is the largest food bank and distributor of free food assistance in Idaho. One in seven Idahoans are in need, and the food bank is making strides to not only provide meals but to promote healthy, locally-sourced foods. In fact, three quarters of the food distributed by the Idaho Foodbank is fresh or fresh frozen versus shelf stable, up from just fifty percent six years ago. So when the organization was hosting a food drive, the Yardi staff was excited to participate. This time, they volunteered to put together meals for the federally sponsored Seniors’ program and gathered donations of juice, cereal, milk and eggs into individual meal boxes. In all, the 60 employees assembled 15 palettes of meals, estimated to contain an amazing 14,000 pounds of food, to be distributed to local seniors. That’s more than enough to...
Food Bank Fridays
Yardi UK Fights Hunger
Staff at the Yardi Milton Keynes office are cleaning out their home pantries. But they’re not checking for expiration dates—they’re collecting items for the Milton Keynes Food Bank. Located in Buckinghamshire, about an hour northwest of London, the Yardi UK office employs over sixty team members, and they hope to make a big impact. As part of Yardi’s philanthropy program, the UK team started a charity committee. They sent out a survey to gather feedback and decide which charities to support as a team. The group wanted to keep things local and at first chose a handful of organizations to contribute to. But after the initial charity drive, members of the team had a desire to get involved with something a bit more hands-on. Hannah Holmes and Martin Gedny from the marketing team took a trip to the local food bank. Both learned a great deal about the types of people who benefit from the organization. “It was such an insightful experience that we decided to get involved, and at the very least, set up a donation box,” said Hannah Holmes, marketing associate. “The collection has been a massive hit, and it’s just a start. We want to also encourage team members to get down there and volunteer as well,” said Martin Gedny, senior manager, EMEA marketing. The Milton Keynes Food Bank, recipient of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, aims to educate locals about the realities of hunger in the area. Long believed to be an issue only in developing countries, hunger is a very real threat; even in prosperous communities, many families live on the edge of poverty. And since the food bank relies entirely on contributions from local schools, churches and businesses, every donation counts. Each week, the team checks the...
Lynn Topp
Yardi Canada Spotlight
Lynn Topp, director of residential client services, has been key to the growth of Yardi Canada — and she started out as a Yardi client. A View from the Client Side While she initially thought it would be “just a temporary thing” before completing her CPA, Lynn’s career in the real estate industry began in property management 27 years ago. Lynn worked for a mid-sized company that managed residential, condo, commercial and non-profit assets. During that time, Lynn used Yardi software as a client, and learned firsthand how the right software can transform daily tasks and also businesswide operations. “When I came to Yardi in 2005, I had 14 years of property management experience, working in financial roles including property accountant and controller. I used Yardi software back then and implemented Yardi Voyager to manage 95 properties,” recalls Lynn. When Lynn joined Yardi’s Toronto office, it was a small group of 50 employees. Now she’s part of a thriving team of 200. “I’ve loved watching small teams at Yardi grow, and seeing clients embrace technology,” Lynn said. Known for her magnetic personality and sense of humor, along with being an awesome advocate for clients, Lynn also knows the importance of innovative technology to improve real estate operations. Game-Changing Tech “It’s really satisfying to see our more conservative clients — and Canadians tend to be a bit more conservative in general — become open to technology, to adopt it and develop their businesses with it and actually really like it,” says Lynn. In her role as director of residential client services, Lynn is dedicated to making sure Yardi’s clients enjoy every advantage that technology has to offer. Embracing the daily challenges that come with an evolving industry, Lynn is an expert on positive technology disruption...
Supporting Foster Kids
Yardi Marketing Department Volunteers
The Yardi Marketing Department recently gathered for its second annual summer conference in Goleta, Calif, and the event concluded with a community service activity that was especially meaningful to two members of the team. Marketing Department Members used their creativity and empathy to decorate duffel bags for Santa Barbara County children in the process of being removed from their current homes and taken to foster care by social workers or law enforcement. The bags were filled with items like stuffed toys, a blanket, hygiene supplies, coloring books and more and picked up that afternoon by the non-profit organization Together We Rise, a national effort to support foster youth. Included were supportive cards made by the marketing team with positive and inspiring messages. Transitioning to foster care is a stressful process that can be traumatic for the kids. Foster dad Nick Koonce, manager of web services for marketing, knows this due to the experience of his foster daughter, who is now a successful college student. “Her parents were unable to care for her, due to their substance abuse, mental health issues and frequent incarceration. She had been raised by her elderly grandparents, who passed away and she was left with no one able to be responsible for her. She came to us wanting for nothing of material value. All she needed was a stable foundation, encouragement, understanding and love,” Koonce recalled. But as part of the experience of leaving her former home, the belongings she needed to take with her were tossed into a garbage bag. “A suitcase or duffle bag would have spared our daughter some psychological damage during a very traumatic transition. Placing her possessions in a garbage bag sent her the message that she and her belongings were disposable,” noted Koonce. He did some research and learned more about the realities such programs face. “California’s Department of Social Services and their Child Protective Services wing, is a very challenged bureaucracy that lacks the funding to provide such luxuries as a duffle bag. Luckily, the foster youth they serve, receive a lot of support from local non-profit organizations. As an aside, I’ve been inspired to form a supporting non-profit and you can learn more on the website Ruff-start.org.” The volunteer activity was organized by Lexi Beausoleil, a marketing campaigns specialist in Santa Barbara who volunteers in her free time as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children in foster care. “In Santa Barbara County alone, we have about 50 abused or neglected children that enter foster care every month. The removal can be very traumatic as little ones don’t always understand what’s happening. Children of any age can feel like they are the ones being punished and like they and their feelings don’t matter,” Beausoleil said. “And in most cases when a child is removed they are given just a garbage bag to quickly gather a few clothes and personal items. That’s why I am so pleased that organizations like Together We Rise have recognized this opportunity to do more to support these kids by providing the duffel bags that we decorated with cheerful images and messages and filled with items designed to bring comfort and reassurance. The blanket that’s included is even wrapped with the message, ‘You matter.’” Given her own experiences with the CASA program, Beausoleil knows that a duffle bag might seem like a small gift, but it is likely to make a big difference. And those homemade cards might provide words of comfort when they are needed most. “Thinking back on the kids I’ve worked with and how hard those first few weeks were for them, it makes me so happy to know that now there will be some kids who have a little bit better experience, whose day is just a little less hard because of the gift of these bags that we made for them here at Yardi. I also hope...
Louise Steeves
Team Yardi Canada
Yardi Canada introduces Louise Steeves, product manager for Canadian development (and the residential modules in the Canadian market). Louise was Yardi Canada’s first Voyager account manager and has been key to the company’s success — and it all started with an unusual interview. Jumping In Adaptable by nature with a desire to keep learning, Steeves has an intimate understanding of the needs of the social housing market. “In my past role over 16 years ago, I helped implement software for a large social housing provider in Toronto. I quickly became a subject matter expert, which led to a project management role,” says Steeves. Software, however, was an entirely new realm for Steeves. “When I was working with the social housing provider, I recall one meeting that I had with Peter, where he mentioned that they had just signed a large deal which would mean that they would be implementing 40 clients all at once.” That exciting news led her to make the impulsive decision to apply for a position at Yardi. Her interview with Peter Altobelli, vice president and general manager for Yardi Canada and Tom Kearns, senior director for global solutions, was not at all what she expected. “When I arrived at Yardi to meet Peter for my interview it was really early in the morning, around 7:00 a.m., and I was the first one there. Peter came rushing in. He had just gotten off a red eye flight. He grabbed some coffee and we sat down to start talking. I hadn’t had an interview in about 17 years at that point, and I thought to myself, I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Steeves recalls with a big laugh. “Peter asked me some accounting questions, which I stumbled through and then he...
Oak City Soccer
Yardi Raleigh Supports Kids
Established in 2016, Oak City Soccer provides active, hands-on programming to help children with autism, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, and anxiety. Through activities, particularly soccer, youth improve motor functions, establish social skills, and experience fun and acceptance in a team setting. The program has changed the lives of hundreds of children living in Cary and Wake Forest, North Carolina. Yardi Raleigh recently formed a relationship with Oak City Soccer that has been inspiring and uplifting Answering the Call The relationship began during the Yardi Cares Committee’s annual request for grant nominations. Each year, Yardi offices around the world receive a sum of funds to allocate the local non-profit organizations. “When the Yardi Cares Committee asked for suggestions for organizations to support, I immediately thought of Oak City Soccer,” says Thomas Duncan, Technical Account Manager, Residential NC – Consulting Practice 2 at Yardi. “They are also local to our Yardi Raleigh office and I really wanted to help out some local charities in addition to larger, state-wide charities.” After reviewing the nomination and researching the organization, the committee casted its votes. Oak City Soccer joined the league of grant recipients for the year! Yardi’s donation supported the expansion of Oak City Soccer to a second location, expanding from Cary to Wake Forest. Additionally, the funds provided scholarships to low-income families, as well as the replacement of worn out supplies such as soccer balls, new therapeutic tools, and visual cues. Roxy Shelley, Executive Director of Oak City Soccer, received the donation on behalf of Oak City Soccer. “Thanks so much to Thomas for the nomination, and Yardi for the amazing support this past year. We are truly grateful!” More than a Game Shelley has witnessed the way that the Oak City Soccer impacts kids on a...
Rob Podlesnik
Yardi Canada Spotlight
Yardi Canada celebrates 20 years with a spotlight on leaders who have helped the company grow. Today, we introduce Rob Podlesnik, director of Global Solutions and PSG for Yardi Canada. Podlesnik has been integral to the development of Yardi Canada—and it all started over a cardboard box. Humble Beginnings Podlesnik, a York University graduate, began his career in property management. He joined Yardi Canada in 1998. At that time, Yardi Canada consisted of eight people in a brand new office space with absolutely no furniture. “When I went in for the interview, it was literally an empty office with a cardboard box for a desk,” recalls Podlesnik with a laugh. “They positioned it well, like ‘Yardi Canada is expanding. This is going to be the first office.’ I decided to give it a year. It sounded very entrepreneurial and the atmosphere was completely foreign to me but I loved the startup culture.” He contributed to that culture, helping to form a tight-knit group that operated as a family. Everyone wore multiple hats, helped one another, and maintained close relationships. They worked together to fulfill a grand vision, one where Yardi led the Canadian property management software industry. Podlesnik began as an implementation specialist, where he worked on training and consulting, which suited him since he once considered becoming a teacher. The opportunity to visit clients, share his knowledge, and learn ways to improve the products through client feedback excited Podlesnik. But it wasn’t always easy. As a young road warrior, Podlesnik found it difficult to maintain personal relationships but his passion for the work he did and the growth kept him going. He soon assumed a role on the client services team, which allowed him to put down roots personally and professionally. He was...
CAPSA Cares
Utah non-profit saves lives
When James Boyd joined the staff of CAPSA (Citizens Against Physical & Sexual Abuse) in Utah’s Cache Valley and began wearing a nametag that publicly declared his affiliation with the organization, he learned a distressing truth: far more people than he could ever imagined had suffered rape, sexual abuse or domestic violence. People he knew as friends, neighbors, even members of his own family suddenly felt safe to share their experiences with him. “It happens way more than we realize. Statistics say one in four women and one in seven men will experience a violent or abusive relationship in their lifetimes. The incident rates are that high, and no one ever talks about it,” said Boyd, who serves as development director for the organization. Founded in the 1970s and based in Logan, Utah, CAPSA has a long history of acting as a support and advocacy network for abuse victims. The organization originated with a focus helping those who had been victims of rape. Today, awareness and assistance is most frequently needed for those suffering domestic violence. “Each year we help almost 1,500 individuals, shelter as many as 400 children, men and women. Our services include things like emergency shelter to get out of a dangerous situation, or short-term housing while they find a job and a new place to live. We have therapists who specialize in healing from the trauma associated with domestic violence and abuse. Our advocates who go to court with our clients. Our goal as an organization is to help people get out of dangerous situations and start the healing process,” Boyd said. The organization is very proud to be the first shelter in Utah to never turn away victims seeking a place to stay due to violence at home. If...
Fit4Life
Yardi Pune
Let’s face it: it’s hard to stay active in a corporate setting. Encouraging employees to live a healthy lifestyle while also expecting eight hours of productivity—often in front of a computer—can be a challenging directive. But what if an event was fun, healthful, and allowed employees to bond by overcoming adversity and encouraging one another? That event is the Fit4Life Corporate Challenge Program. Hosted by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Fit4Life is a 10k race that promotes physical fitness and unity amongst teams of at least four participants. Race participants are encouraged to train together, motivate each other, and reach new personal goals by race day. Yardi Pune represented well this year with 291 employees. There were 69 women in the group, a spectacular turnout. Rushabh Mutha, Associate Client Account Executive, CSD at Yardi was one of the proud participants. He recalls, “Race day was very pleasant. In the morning, the weather was a bit chilly. In spite of the cold, I was very excited. Everyone was so full of enthusiasm.” Mutha adds, “The arrangements made by TCS were very nice. There were large, festive markers for the start and finish line. There was also a place where you can take a picture that says, ‘I am a finisher.’ I felt very proud to participate.” Undoubtedly, Mutha’s favorite part of the event was finishing. “The most fun part was completing the race and holding the Yardi trophy!” he smiles. The event was particularly special for Mutha because it was not only his first race, but it is also his first year with the company. Fit4Life encouraged him to meet new coworkers and develop stronger relationships with familiar faces, all while getting fit. “As I just joined the company, it was fun meeting other Yardi employees,...
