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October 9, 2023
Welcome to People and Properties, the Cohen-Esrey newsletter where we celebrate the successes of our team members and keep you informed about what is happening in the Cohen-Esrey world. If you have something you would like to share or an achievement that you would like to celebrate, please send it to Lee Harris at lharris@cohenesrey.com. If you are on a property, please print and distribute this newsletter to each member of your property team. You can also find People and Properties on KnowledgeNet. Click here to view previous editions.
Repurposing an Office Building into Affordable Housing
What is it like to live in an historic office building? The residents at the Waverly Lofts in Waverly, IA, can tell you that it’s a unique experience. The Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG) converted the former CUNA Mutual Insurance Group Building in 2019, into 34 affordable apartment units. The $8.1 million development is leased to families and offers one-bedroom units ranging from 645 to 846 square feet, and renting for $430 to $725 per month. Two-bedroom units are 846 square feet and rent for $490 to $840 per month, and three-bedroom units are 1,342 square feet and rent for $870 per month. Amenities include a community room, elevator, restricted entry, storage units, wood-style flooring, and in-unit washers and dryers are provided. The Three Rivers Park, Waverly Municipal Golf Course, and various shopping centers are within a 10-minute drive.
Waverly, a community of 10,394 citizens, is located in northeast Iowa approximately 135 miles from Des Moines. Frederick Cretzmeyer is credited with being the first European settler in Waverly. Having purchased 160 acres in 1852, he built a log hut on the east side of the Cedar River (or what was once called the Red Cedar River). William Patterson Harmon came to Waverly in the spring of 1853 with the idea of establishing a town and a sawmill. He purchased most of what is now Waverly from the United States Government for $1.25 an acre. The area was incorporated as a town on April 25, 1859. Major employers in Waverly include the CUNA Mutual Group, Waverly Health Center, Wartburg College, Nestlé Beverage, Waverly-Shell Rock Community School District, Peoples Insurance Agency, and the GMT Corporation. The fictional biography of the Marvel Comics character Hawkeye, who is part of the Avengers superhero group, puts his birthplace in Waverly. The film Ice Castles and its 2010 remake use Waverly as a locale, including being the hometown of the protagonists. A.J. Hinch, former Major League Baseball catcher and former manager of the 2017 World Series champion Houston Astros, hails from Waverly.
Rebecca Grimm (2019), the Regional Manager, is working with the HR Department to recruit a new Property Manager. Leslie Whitney (2022), is the Property Accountant, Lana Frank (2022), is the Property Accounting Assistant, and Rodney Chmidling (2015), is the Accounts Payable Specialist.
We welcome the following new team members to Cohen-Esrey and the Nexus 5 Group.
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David Gunn – Oneida Mill Lofts, Graham, NC – Lead Maintenance Technician
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Sandra Baquero – Loretto at Creekside, Live Oak, TX – Custodian
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Lisa Ralston – Elmhurst Terrace – Elmhurst, IL – Property Manager (Rehire)
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Daisia Glover – Big Chair Lofts, Thomasville, NC – Assistant Property Manager
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Tacovi Tichenor – Champion at Bluegrass, Lexington, KY – Maintenance Technician
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Anne Henry – Lakes at North Port, North Port, FL – Assistant Property Manager
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Jake Fredette – Lakes at North Port, North Port, FL – Groundskeeper
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Amanda Rivera – Perry 81, Overland Park, KS – Property Manager
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Kurt Reinke – Park Edge, Lenexa, KS – Leasing Agent
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Blair Kendall – Tonganoxie-Sundance, Tonganoxie, KS – Property Manager
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Thomas Crawford – Park at Forest Hill, Memphis, TN – Maintenance Technician
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Leaman Wilson – Carlyle, Shawnee, KS – Maintenance Technician
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Laisha Morales – South Pointe, Dallas, TX – Leasing Agent
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Angie Franco – South Pointe, Dallas, TX – Leasing Agent
Meet the Old Orchard Estates Team
Meet our team at Old Orchard Estates in Carbon Cliff, IL. In the photo (L to R) are Kathy Cogdill (2004), Property Manager, Katlyn Lofgren-Jones (2023), Assistant Property Manager, Craig Oppendike (2009), Maintenance Technician, and Matt Wells (2023), Maintenance Technician. Old Orchard Estates is a 144-unit market-rate community owned by a Cohen-Esrey Apartment Investors (CEAI) partnership. This property team delivers stellar Customer Fulfillment with a solid lock on second place on the NPS Leaderboard with an incredible score of +75.17! What’s even more tremendous is the fact that Old Orchard has consistently been in this position for several years!!
Nexus 5 Loves Pizza!
The Nexus 5 Group is pleased to have assisted Summit Pizza with its newest location located approximately two miles north of I-70 on Highway 291 in Independence, MO. This project consisted of combining three existing spaces totaling 5,500 square feet to create the new Summit Pizza. This project required a full demolition and renovation of the existing space. Some of the scope of work included a new fire line to service the new fire sprinkler system, all new underground plumbing, new grease interceptor, all new partitions, ceilings, painting, bar, kitchen, etc. We completed the project in approximately four months of construction.
“Our experience with the Nexus 5 Group went above and beyond what we could have expected from a contractor. From start to finish, they were great at communication and ran our whole project efficiently and on schedule. This was our first time doing a complete buildout for a new restaurant, and once Nexus 5 was on board, we were able to let them handle all the technical details so we could focus on what we needed to do to get our equipment and staff ready. Their superintendent, Cory, was on site daily, and even went out of his way to help us put finishing touches on equipment and furniture. You can tell that the entire Nexus 5 Group team not only cares about doing a great job, but about providing personalized attention to the businesses they work with.” – Summit Pizza
The Nexus 5 team for this project included Tom Hoelting (2022), Project Manager, Emma Green (2018), Project Engineer, and Cory Modgling (2022), Superintendent.
Transformational Construction!
Construction continues at several Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG) future communities.
Electrical switchgear is the last item to install at Sinclair Flats in Mankato, MN.
Sitework continues at Lewis Lofts in Mankato, MN – the sister project to Sinclair Flats.
Slowly but surely the concrete pads are being finished at the Lofts at Creekview in San Antonio, TX.
The second building at the Loma Vista Lofts in San Antonio, TX, is ready for interior work.
The first building at the Loma Vista Lofts is about ready to go vertical.
Up we go at Panorama Heights in Colorado Springs, CO.
Melding Hard and Soft Skills for Elevated Customer Fulfillment
By Karen Crouch (2019), Director of Customer Fulfillment
Property teams stand at the crossroads where the tangible elements of property management intertwine with the intangible art of human management. Every detail of the property, every interaction with residents, is an orchestrated performance that demands a balance of hard and soft skills. This refined equilibrium ensures not just customer satisfaction but customer fulfillment—a metric that translates into resident and team member loyalty, higher NOI, effective and efficient operations, positive reviews, and all-around better property performance, just to name a few.
The Precision of Architecture - Hard Skills
The complexity of property management is grounded in a collection of hard skills. The absence of these skills weakens the prospect of achieving resident fulfillment. A robust foundation in areas such as property maintenance, legal compliance, financial management, and technology is indispensable.
Property Maintenance: A deep understanding and efficient execution of make-ready processes, timely and effective maintenance requests, and preventative maintenance are paramount. A lapse in these areas can swiftly lead to resident dissatisfaction.
Legal Compliance: Even a brief tenure in property management underscores the necessity of grounding in privacy laws, lease agreements, fair housing, and landlord/tenant laws, ensuring seamless and lawful interactions with residents.
Financial Management: Clarity in budgeting and reporting is crucial for informed decision-making concerning property needs, income, and expenses.
Technology Mastery: The efficiency in utilizing technologies such as RealPage, Outlook, Zoom, Teams, and KNET enhances operational precision and effectiveness.
The Elegance of Relations - Soft Skills
The soul of property management is stimulated by soft skills, the enablers of meaningful connections.
Communication: A consistent and clear communication strategy is vital. The intimate nature of home makes residents crave constant updates and feedback, necessitating enhanced communication efforts.
Conflict Resolution: Though no one relishes conflicts, they are invaluable opportunities for skill refinement. Embracing and learning from these situations is essential for evolving this crucial aspect of property management.
Empathy: The capacity to immerse oneself in the residents’ perspectives fosters enriched interactions and understanding, serving as a linchpin for effective communication.
Time Management: The bustling world of property management requires meticulous planning, prioritization, and the agility to adapt to emergent needs, ensuring that crucial tasks are accomplished in a timely manner.
Customer Focus: A dedicated emphasis on meeting and exceeding resident and applicant needs distinguishes superior property teams. Reflect on this focus, and if lacking, institute measures to engrain it into the team’s ethos.
The integration of hard and soft skills is paramount in sculpting a superior customer experience. As teams refine their technical expertise and nurture their interpersonal abilities, they carve out a sanctuary where residents find more than a home – they discover a community.
New Cyber Security Trainings
By Mark Fletcher (2008), Chief Technology Officer
Cyber security is becoming more of a concern as attacks on computer networks and individual computers increase at an alarming rate. A large general contractor we work with recently suffered a major ransomware attack that created havoc and considerable expense for that company over the course of several weeks. A new mandatory cyber security training course is being launched by our IT Department.
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This training course is only 15 minutes long, but it provides key instructions on how to protect yourself, our company, and our residents from the bad guys.
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Every team member is required to complete the training and pass the quiz.
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The training is due by October 31.
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This course has subtitles in Spanish.
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You can access the training in your training record.
A Healthy Tip
By Gina Long (2022), Human Resources Generalist
October 2023 Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Breast cancer is the most common cancer for women in the United States. Men can get breast cancer too, but it's about 100 times less common. Talk to your doctor if you believe you are high risk for breast cancer.
Mammogram Guidelines
Regular screening
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Women with average risk should undergo regular screening starting at age 45.
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Women who are 45 to 54 years old should be screened annually.
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Women 55+ should have screenings every 2 years or screen annually.
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The opportunity to begin screening should begin ages 40 to 44.
Screening tools for early detection
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High-quality mammography (2D or 3D).
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Clinical breast exam.
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Self-breast exam.
Breast Health Tips
Things to talk to your doctor about
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Family history of breast or other cancers.
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Any test results for abnormal genes linked to a high risk of breast cancer.
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Results of past breast biopsies, even if benign.
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Weight, if you’re overweight or obese.
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Level of physical activity.
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Any use of postmenopausal combined hormone replacement therapy.
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Alcohol consumption if you regularly drink more than 3 alcoholic beverages per week.
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The amount of processed food or trans fats you eat.
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Your smoking history.
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Whether or not you had a full-term pregnancy or breastfed.
Ways to lower risk
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Get to and stay at a healthy weight.
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Be physically active.
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Avoid or limit alcohol.
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Breastfeed after pregnancy.
For more information, visit the American Cancer Society’s website on Breast Cancer.
The Revenue Growth Champions!
By Michele Rollo-Burns (2018), Director of Revenue
Each month we recognize communities that have realized stellar year-over-year (YOY) revenue growth. For the month of September 2023, here are the standouts with growth of 5% or more. Congratulations to each team for the progress made! Eight properties are on the list this month. Rent growth has slowed nationwide but at Cohen-Esrey, we still have properties that are exceeding expectations. When we deliver excellent Customer Fulfillment, our residents are willing to stay longer and pay more!
Core Value of the Month
Commitment Awards
Alisha Brooks (2017), Regional Manager, was recognized at the Cohen-Esrey Leadership Conference as a 2022 Commitment Award winner. Here is what was said about her during the presentation ceremony:
This Commitment award goes to a team member that shows her Commitment every day; either to the properties, residents, owners, and team members. Her goal is always to leave you better than you were found. Whether she is assisting team members or working alone, she is committed to meeting the goal for the task and always finds more to improve upon when on assignment. She has adjusted her schedule to head to a deployment on a Sunday, so that progress can be made on day 1, giving more time for that assignment to be able to make more progress than expected. She gives great feedback from each assignment, what was accomplished and what was observed that may need attention or follow up. Even when she has moved on to the next assignment, she will reach out to a team for follow up or make herself available for questions or support. She is a problem solver by nature, there is no problem that she won’t take on and does so with a positive attitude and positive outcome. The Commitment award goes to Alisha Brooks.
Danielle Smith (2021), Property Manager from Lakes at North Port, was recognized at the Cohen-Esrey Leadership Conference as a 2022 Commitment Award winner. Here is what was said about her during the presentation ceremony:
This Team Member showed a whole new level of commitment when the day after hurricane Ian hit North Port Florida, she left her husband and 5 children in their home that had no power and no running water, so she could be at the property attending to the residents and ensuring that they were taken care of. At the time, she was the leasing agent, but was the only office personnel working on the property. Not once did she say “that’s not my job,” or argue about anything that she was asked to do. She wore multiple hats for over 90 days and showed up every day with a positive attitude. She has since been promoted to the APM, and continues to show the same level of commitment every single day. Danielle Smith is the recipient of this Commitment Award.
Lisa Moore (2021), Draw Specialist from Corporate, was recognized at the Cohen-Esrey Leadership Conference as a 2022 Commitment Award winner. Here is what was said about her during the presentation ceremony:
This individual’s Commitment to their work is unparalleled, and their efforts have not gone unnoticed.
Over the past year, she has submitted and received funding for an impressive $10,270,000 in draws. This achievement is a testament to her diligence, hard work, and exceptional attention to detail.
In addition to draws, she has also taken on a significant role in the CEAI renovations. She has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to her responsibilities and consistently strive to exceed expectations. Her collaboration with Matt Von Ende and Richard Williams to develop a Renovation tracker has provided critical analysis and insight into the progress of the renovations. This tracker has proven to be an invaluable tool that has helped identify areas of concern and allowed for early course correction to ensure that the renovations stay on track according to plan. Her constructive input and willingness to help the property staff understand how to use the tracker to manage their renovations have been an asset to our team and those contributions have made a significant difference in the success of the CEAI renovations. Her dedication, and commitment to Cohen-Esrey are greatly appreciated. We are proud to have her as part of our team, and we look forward to her continued success. It is with great pleasure that we present Lisa Moore with this Commitment Award.
A Promotion and a New Team Member
We are pleased to announce the well-deserved promotion of Levi Cook (2019), from his Help Desk Technician role to that of Programmer, a testament to his remarkable dedication over the last three years. In his new role, Levi will play a pivotal part in transitioning apps from our legacy KNET system to our updated platform. As Levi embarks on this exciting journey, we warmly welcome Danny Hager, our new IT Help Desk Technician, who will be stepping into Levi's previous role. Danny brings a lot of help desk experience with him and will be an incredible addition to our Cohen-Esrey team.
Levi Cook
Danny Hager
Another Empowerment Story
By Kathleen Williams (2022), Corporate Accounting Assistant
Kathleen Williams (2022), is a Corporate Accounting Assistant. Here is what she has to say about her Empowerment:
I started at Cohen-Esrey working part time on special projects for the Accounting Department. After doing this for a few months I started filling in for the Corporate Accounting side until they could hire an Accounting Assistant full time. This sparked a new fire in me as I had previously been a stay-at-home mom for several years. My days were filled with toddlers and babies, and I didn’t realize how much I missed really using my brain, not to mention the lack of adult conversations. Marcie Teenor (2013), Chief Financial Officer, and Eric Kirk (2011), Corporate Accounting Manager, really pushed for me to learn more and more about the Corporate Accounting Assistant role. With Megan Lierz (2022), Business Units Accountant, about to go on maternity leave, the three of them created a plan to get me ready to take over some of her responsibilities. Megan’s training, Eric’s compassion and Marcie’s encouragement really Empowered me to learn all I could. Once Megan returned from leave and with the arrival of Hayley Fisher (2023), Fund Accountant, our Corporate Accounting Department really started to thrive. Our team has created quite the bond and I can’t wait to see what we can do. I am excited to come to work and feel Empowered to continue to learn all I can.
Calling All Tipsters!
In our Calling All Tipsters series we offer a subject and ask all team members to give their advice, tips, or experiences that may prove helpful to other team members. Here is our final question.
What is the best demonstration of Commitment you’ve ever seen at Cohen-Esrey?
Please send me your response by the close of business on Monday, October 16 – lharris@cohenesrey.com. Remember that we award $25 gift cards for those Tips that are particularly unique.
Running in Place . . .
No progress was made during September to move our overall CEC Net Promoter Score from +39 back to +40 where it was earlier in the summer. Nexus 5 remained at +86. We’re simply not doing enough to consistently deliver Customer Fulfillment – especially with our maintenance service. There are 40 of our communities on a Leaderboard and 32 have an NPS of +39 or greater – congratulations to those property teams. But there are four large properties with negative scores – and those properties have been in negative positions for a long time – that are not adequately delivering Customer Fulfillment and it’s dragging down our overall score. We are going to further ramp-up our focus on Customer Fulfillment at those properties and help them succeed in this area which will move us closer to our Vision 2026 goal of +50.
We also want to recognize Orchard View at +92.59, Orchard View II at +95.12, and The Boulevard at +91.37 for their status as Number One atop their respective Leaderboards! And we want to recognize other properties with an NPS of +90 or better including Summit at Osage at +91.18 and Mills Crossing at +91.18. Thank you for your Commitment to Customer Fulfillment!!
