Your Bi-monthly News & Updates
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Theresa Leatherbury, CPM®
President, IREM Maryland Chapter
Happy Holiday Season to my IREM Family. This is a magical time of the year – the glitter, the lights and decorations and the excitement of preparing for holiday celebrations with family and friends. This is a great time to reflect on the many blessings we all have, including the blessing of our IREM family.
We had a wonderful evening celebrating some truly outstanding members of our Chapter at the Annual Awards Ceremony. Congratulations to our winners and thank you too all IREM Maryland volunteers for all your hard work and dedication to our Chapter.
Our Chapter continues to focus on our Strategic Plan so we can advance our mission of promoting superior management practices. We are working together to grow our membership and to increase member engagement.
We are also working on a long-term goal of partnering with a local college (an HBCU) to develop a program encouraging Property Management as a career choice. IREM is working with MMHA to help advance this goal.
Our 2023 Chapter leadership will continue to focus on these initiatives. Consider volunteering on a committee and help the Chapter advance the strategic plan.
We are closing out the year with our fabulous Holiday Party on Thursday December 15. This year’s theme is Best of Maryland. Come dressed in your favorite “Maryland-themed” clothing (Sports teams; Famous Icons; Preakness attire, etc.). Don’t miss the best event of the year.
We will start our 2023 events with the CPM Candidates lunch. If you are a CPM Candidate, this is a very important lunch for you. Details will be on the website soon.
Our Chapter is blessed with so many talented members and a very dedicated and hard-working staff. Together, we advance our mission and enhance the lives of those who live and work in the properties we manage.
Theresa Leatherbury
IREM MD, President
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Member Spotlight: Welcome to the 2023 Officers & Board of Directors!
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Ginger Catherman
CPM®, RPA
Rochelle Jackson
CPM®, RPA
Trevor Ankeny
CPM Candidate
Tikia Neblett
CPM®, ARM®, CAM, CAPS
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Amy Natoli
CPM®, RPA
Richard Henneberry
CPM®, RPA
Melissa Gambuto
CPM®
Stephen Margerum
CPM®, ARM®
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In October, Chapter leadership attended the 2022 IREM Global Summit in Dallas. The purpose of the summit is to expand knowledge about the industry; hear about resources and standards of excellence; and understand IREM governance best practices. Leadership also had an opportunity to connect with peers and industry professionals. Our Chapter will benefit from their experience.
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2022 IREM MD Holiday Party
Thursday, December 15th, 2022
6pm – 10pm
1840's Plaza
Join IREM MD for a memorable evening featuring networking, dancing, food, drinks, photos, our IREM Buck$ Auction & more!
Featuring the installation of the 2023 Chapter President
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IREM MD Annual Awards Ceremony & Dinner
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2022 Awards Ceremony & Dinner at the Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Museum! We want to congratulate everyone who received an award, we are proud of your hard work and dedication to the IREM Maryland Chapter!
Industry Partner of the Year
Dani Bressler
Toepfer Construction, Co.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award
Sharón Turner, CPM®
Enterprise Community Investment, Inc.
Volunteer of the Year
Beverly Willis, CPM®
AHC, Inc.
Rising Star of the Year
Tikia Neblett, CPM®, ARM®
Atlantic Realty Group
ARM® of the Year
Jennifer Coco, ARM
Bay Senior Management Services
CPM® Candidate of the Year
Trevor Ankeny
Kimco Realty Corporation
CPM® of the Year
Amy Natoli, CPM®, RPA
The Brick Companies
IREM Leadership Award
Cove Property Management
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Featured Article: Landscape Operational Excellence
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Finding a landscape vendor that has every cylinder firing is getting harder and harder to obtain these days. With so many more contractors to choose from now than ever before, there is a higher possibility of choosing the wrong one. Every now and again you will find a vendor that seems to be performing at the top of their level. Those are the ones you will do anything to keep. Throughout my career I have noticed most of these top performers have one major thing in common: operational excellence.
Is the vendor professional in the most basic forms? As in, do they have a clean, presentable service vehicle and uniform? Something so simple, almost petty, is extremely important. If your landscaper pulls up to your jobsite every week in a dirty, unmarked vehicle with no formal uniform, how can you safely determine if those are the people you think they are? Not only does it not look professional, not knowing who or what those workers belong to could intimidate some of your residents or tenants. Your renters have better things to focus on. Do not allow your vendor to draw negative attention to themselves, because eventually it will become a reflection on you.
Organization is key with any successful vendor. Let us start with scheduling. Does the contractor show up as agreed upon in the contract, consistently at the same intervals each service? Or do they seem to be showing up when they can and having to perform make up services or “IOU” favors for lack of consistent service? A lot of this erratic behavior is stemmed from a poor organization or structure at their company. A great vendor will have a consistent schedule for the season, always having the correct equipment and people to perform the job. Of course, there will be times where something will go wrong even with a “perfect” vendor. Maybe a few folks called in sick or they had a breakdown on the highway which caused them to stray off schedule. What makes them a great vendor is that they let you know, and they communicated that to you and let you know the new plan. That brings me to the next point: communication.
Do you hear from your vendor once a month, once a quarter or every week? Depending on the type of work performed and how often they are contractually required to visit your property, you may need to hear from one vendor more than another. Are they being proactive in communicating: schedule changes, pricing for enhancements, hazardous items, general cost saving measures, or general notes of the property each week? Or are you having to reach out to them for every item? A well-oiled contractor will always have their communication down and you will know their every move.
These points discussed are some of the common trends or habits I have noticed that can separate a great vendor from a poor one. A vendor with operational excellence will be your eyes and ears for your property and will be a true partner. One should desire a company that makes your life easier, not harder. Make sure you choose one that fits your mold and takes your property to the next level with excellent operational fluidity. You won’t regret it.
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Contribute Content to our Newsletter
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We are offering an opportunity to all Industry Partners to provide content for our bi-monthly newsletter. You may submit an article that contains relevant information for our Members. The topic could be tips for dealing with issues during a certain time of year or general helpful tips. It should NOT be a sales pitch for your product or service. If you are interested, please submit your articles to Gio Medoro. We will review all submitted articles to determine which one(s) are appropriate for the newsletter. If you have any additional questions don't hesitate to reach out!
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DID YOU KNOW?
There are numerous ways IREM can help you advance your career, both at the chapter and regional level! Our chapter offers two scholarships to help you progress your education. Click the links below for information on each scholarship:
In addition, IREM HQ offers 6 scholarships through the IREM Foundation to help you pursue your career goals and complete your certifications:
Donald M. Furbush, CPM® Scholarship
Bette Fears, ARM® Scholarship
Paul H. Rittle, Sr., Memorial Scholarship
New England Past President’s Scholarship
Robert K. and Gladys M. Beal Legacy Scholarship
Eugene Burger Scholarship for Affordable Housing
*For more information on each of these scholarships, Click below:
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Volunteering for a Committee
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We need YOU to join a committee!
IREM MD Chapter Committees are the driving force at the heart of our organization. They help develop policies and provide guidance for all IREM MD programs, events, and daily operations. Serving on a committee provides the opportunity to play a key role in the success of the organization, and enables you to network with other members and gain the knowledge and confidence required to be more successful leaders.
IREM MD Committees:
Programs & Communications
Membership
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Community Outreach
Professional Outreach
Education
Legislative
Income & Expense
Golf
Industry Partners
REStart®
IREM Buck$
If you are interested in joining a committee or would like more information, click below, or contact Theresa Leatherbury at [email protected]
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