As HappyCo pushes toward the future of centralized operations, optimizing efficiencies through centralized maintenance rooted in the individual needs of each operator’s strategy remains core to each new solution. We lean heavily on the sharp minds of our CAB members who have already implemented, innovated, and initiated new maintenance approaches in their own businesses.
The Key Ingredient to Multifamily Success
We're finally seeing the days of manual processes, antiquated software, and disjointed resident communication in the rearview mirror – all thanks to a simple concept leading to big results: centralization. But if you tune into conversations with multifamily experts, you’ll find that this approach resonates differently based on who you ask.
CEO of Anchor NW Property Group and HappyCo CAB member Mylisa Giroski says, "To me, centralization means specializing, standardizing, distributing labor, being more proactive than reactive, being more efficient, knowing where your labor costs are going and how they are being distributed, and spending more time understanding what maintenance techs are doing with their time. It's a holistic approach."
Exciting advancements are undoubtedly on the horizon, yet one key component is essential to making centralization work: people. "AI is a force multiplier, but at the end of the day, nothing beats human intelligence," said HappyCo Chief Product Officer Ben Nowacky in a recent webinar.
At HappyCo, we're not just backed by our advanced software; we're fueled by some of the best minds in multifamily. Our technology might be the engine driving us to new heights, but our people are the motor that keeps us going. That’s why we're thrilled to welcome our 2024 Customer Advisory Board. This group brings together the brightest multifamily experts to explore the next frontier of PropTech and imagine the future of property operations.
The People Behind the Future of Centralized Maintenance
With continued advancements in multifamily, centralization has become a significant topic of discussion among professionals in the industry. According to an article in Multifamily Executive, "Centralizing operations and aligning staff roles with their strengths can lead to more effective and satisfied teams. This approach not only helps your organization accomplish more with less but also fosters a more engaged and competent workforce.”
As HappyCo pushes toward the future of centralized operations, optimizing efficiencies through centralized maintenance rooted in the individual needs of each operator’s strategy remains core to each new solution. We lean heavily on the sharp minds of our CAB members who have already implemented, innovated, and initiated new maintenance approaches in their own businesses. Their perspectives inform everything we do, including our platform's next big release.
Meet Our CAB Members
Scott Alter,
Co-Founder & Principal,
Standard Communities
Scott leads investments, operations, asset management, and corporate strategy. Standard is a top U.S. affordable housing owner and developer, a B Corp and a California Benefit Corporation. Founded in 2008, Standard manages more than $4 billion in assets and close to 20,000 units. Over two decades, he's participated in over $6 billion in real estate transactions, covering acquisition, development, management, disposal, and financing.
“Systems are a big focus for Standard in 2024 — we want to make sure we have the right systems in place to get the right data so we can make the best decisions for our communities, the people that work at them, and the residents that live there. Currently, we spend so much time aggregating data across properties and questioning the data — we want to focus on investing in systems and software that can provide transparency across our portfolio.” - Scott on the HappyCo blog
Mel Barks,
Chief Performance Officer,
Avenue5 Residential
Mel oversees management systems and property integrations, along with performance and analytics at Avenue5 Residential, ensuring the company's property portfolio performs optimally. She has a proven track record of successfully delivering results in accordance with contractual requirements and internal/external regulatory requirements.
“At Avenue5 Residential, we’re constantly looking for ways to grow by implementing tools and technology that will positively impact current operations and best practices. I’ve always believed that great leaders stand up and support their people, especially during challenging times. Leveraging the right technology is the best way to do that.”
Mariana Estrada,
Chief Strategy Officer,
RPM Living
With over a decade in multifamily operations, Mariana now spearheads strategic planning, project management, and centralized services at RPM Living, prioritizing technology-driven solutions for improved performance. Her leadership focuses on developing strategic programs that enhance clients’ asset value and RPM’s management services.
"It's definitely an exciting time to be in this industry. We've entered the modern age and even become one of those leading industries because of this explosion of PropTech solutions in our space. So, it's really important to know what's out there and to be well-versed, especially because these solutions are multiplying at such an exciting rate. We have to be on that leading edge so that we can best advise our clients." - Mariana on the NMHC podcast
Owen Fleming,
Director of Capital Projects,
HNN Communities
With 27 years in multifamily housing, Owen offers expertise in projects ranging from new constructions to major rehabilitations. As Maintenance & Capital Projects Director at HNN Communities, he excels in construction management, environmental oversight, and technology integration. He emphasizes quality assurance, preventive maintenance, and environmental stewardship, showcasing his leadership in residential and commercial buildings.
"[During the pandemic], technology allowed us to stay in the game and on top of everything when we couldn't physically be onsite or go in the units. Now, it's not going anywhere. It's here to stay. The big challenge is to figure out how we're going to keep implementing this technology into our daily work style while being onsite." - Owen on the HappyCo Podcast
Sherry Freitas,
Multifamily Advisor,
Former Executive Managing Director at RangeWater
With 20+ years in multifamily, Sherry brings extensive experience in global markets and specialized housing, advising industry leaders on new opportunities to enhance operational efficiencies. As the former Executive Managing Director at RangeWater, overseeing 100,000 units, her expertise is in business intelligence, strategic growth, and operational scaling.
"Our renters have changed. They're sensitive to rent increases, and they're narrowing their searches way before they ever step into our properties. Our online presence will make or break us. As a result, we're leveraging technology and making more data-driven decisions. We're also elevating our teams and teaching them to recognize trends and execute on basics." - Sherry at the Interface Multifamily Southeast Conference
Kenneth Funk,
SVP Property Operations,
The Scion Group
Kenny is passionate about optimizing products, people, and processes – identifying areas that need optimizing and building strategic and tactical approaches to solve problems. With his extensive background in the attractions and resort industry, Kenny has in-depth knowledge of building the consumer journey, operations, implementations, retail development, attractions, entertainment, food & beverage, strategic planning, and execution.
“The essence of leadership is taking time to make a difference for that one… that single person or employee. If you don't think of your employees as individual entities, you are far less likely to be successful as a leader.” - Kenny on the Attraction Pros podcast
Mylisa Giroski,
CEO,
Anchor NW Property Group
Mylisa is known as the first pioneer to bring a fully centralized solution to multifamily management. With 14 years of diverse experience and hands-on involvement in every aspect of the business, her leadership guides a team of 50+ employees overseeing 32 properties, with an additional focus on constructing four new multifamily properties.
"For the first couple of years, centralization was not a thing for us. I remember thinking, 'There has to be a better way to do this.' When we first started, we were different from the typical onsite because we were building buildings too small to have maintenance and leasing agents. It made sense to pull a lot of that stuff in-house. Then, probably about six years into it, we realized, 'Hey, we're centralizing; we're specializing in every area.'" - Mylisa on HappyCo's Exploring Maintenance Centralization Webinar
Bhavnesh Jaraim,
CIO,
Boardwalk Rental Communities
Bhav is a dynamic leader with over two decades of diverse experience in the realms of real estate, oil and gas, finance, telecommunications, and logistics. His proficiency lies in technical operations, IT governance, security, business intelligence, and software development, where he excels in driving innovation and efficiency through strategic engagement and adept team leadership.
“Our company prioritizes balancing centralization benefits with team optimization. This necessitates a flexible approach, allowing members to support diverse communities effectively. To optimize their time, we collaboratively address key questions: How do we strategically plan work assignments? What's the estimated workload for new initiatives? What's each individual's capacity for additional tasks? How many tasks can be effectively managed currently?
By actively addressing these questions, we ensure our team remains productive and well-positioned to stay ahead.”
Nathan McAuley,
CTO,
Avenue Living Asset Management
Nathan is a forward-thinking Chief Technology Officer (CTO) with a strategic focus on leveraging technology to enhance experiences for residents, employees, and investors alike. At the helm of cybersecurity, data analytics, and the delivery of strategic initiatives, he is committed to driving innovation and excellence through technology. With an impressive 20-year tenure in Information Technology, Nathan has amassed extensive expertise across construction, retail, manufacturing, and transportation industries, leveraging his proficiency in application lifecycle management, project management, and innovation to optimize operations and foster collaboration.
"We are always looking for ways to stabilize and standardize to become more efficient in everything we do. From a technology perspective, centralized operations is key, as it allows us to speak more intelligently with our business partners, understand their problems, and support them on what they're working on.”
Heidi Turner,
Principal & Cofounder,
Blanton Turner
Heidi brings two decades of property management experience, specializing in mixed-use, multifamily, and student housing. Dedicated to mentorship, fostering a vibrant company culture, and prioritizing environmental sustainability, Heidi focuses on matching personnel to each property's unique needs and environment.
"The more we spend time on our physical assets and the analysis of what the buildings need and the residents want, the more profitable our projects are and the better off our residents' experiences are. Centralized maintenance plays a critical role in this."
Centralization will continue to be at the forefront of PropTech in the multifamily industry, transforming the operational experience for property managers, maintenance teams, and residents. HappyCo is excited to continue to lead the way toward a more centralized future with our CAB members as our guide.
Stay Tuned for More
🗓 In January, we kicked off our monthly webinar series Exploring Maintenance Centralization delving into how multifamily operators and owners currently address centralizing operations in their business. To stay updated and sign up for future episodes, follow us on LinkedIn.
🗓 HappyCo has a big release on centralized maintenance coming in March. Get ready to radically optimize your maintenance operations by signing up for early access here.
Meet Our CAB Members
Scott Alter,
Co-Founder & Principal,
Standard Communities
Scott leads investments, asset management, and strategy, making it a top U.S. affordable housing owner and California Benefit Corporation. Since 2008, he's managed $4 billion in assets and 18,600 units. Over two decades, he's facilitated over $6 billion in real estate transactions, covering acquisition, management, disposal, and financing.
“Systems are a big focus for Standard in 2024 — we want to make sure we have the right systems in place to get the right data so we can make the best decisions for our communities, the people that work at them, and the residents that live there. Currently, we spend so much time aggregating data across properties and questioning the data — we want to focus on investing in systems and software that can provide transparency across our portfolio.” - Scott on the HappyCo blog
Mel Barks,
Chief Performance Officer,
Avenue5 Residential
Mel oversees performance and analytics, ensuring the company's property portfolio performs optimally. She has a proven track record of successfully delivering results in accordance with contractual requirements and internal/external regulatory requirements.
“At Avenue5 Residential, we’re constantly looking for ways to grow by implementing tools and technology that will positively impact current operations and best practices. I’ve always believed that great leaders stand up and support their people, especially during challenging times. Leveraging the right technology is the best way to do that.” (ghostwritten for approval)
Mariana Estrada,
Chief Strategy Officer,
RPM Living
With a decade in multifamily operations, Mariana spearheads strategic planning, project management, and revenue optimization at RPM Living, prioritizing technology-driven solutions for improved performance. Her leadership focuses on enhancing asset value and management services through strategic programs.
"It's definitely an exciting time to be in this industry. We've entered the modern age and even become one of those leading industries because of this explosion of PropTech solutions in our marketplace. So, it's really important to know what's out there and to be well-versed, especially because these solutions are multiplying at such an exciting rate. But we have to be on that leading edge so that we can best advise our clients." - Mariana on the NMHC podcast
Owen Fleming,
Director of Capital Projects,
HNN Communities
With 27 years in multifamily housing, Owen offers expertise in projects ranging from new constructions to major rehabilitations. As Maintenance & Capital Projects Director at HNN Communities, he excels in construction management, environmental oversight, and technology integration. He emphasizes quality assurance, preventive maintenance, and environmental stewardship, showcasing his leadership in residential and commercial buildings.
"[During the pandemic], technology allowed us to stay in the game and on top of everything when we couldn't physically be onsite or go in the units. Now, it's not going anywhere. It's here to stay. The big challenge is to figure out how we're going to keep implementing this technology into our daily work style while being onsite." - Owen on the HappyCo Podcast
Sherry Freitas,
Multifamily Advisor,
Former Executive Managing Director at RangeWater
With 20+ years in multifamily, Sherry brings extensive experience in global markets and specialized housing, advising industry leaders on new opportunities to enhance operational efficiencies. As the former Executive Managing Director at RangeWater, overseeing 100,000 units, her expertise is in business intelligence, strategic growth, and operational scaling.
"Our renters have changed. They're sensitive to rent increases, and they're narrowing their searches way before they ever step into our properties. Our online presence will make or break us. As a result, we're leveraging technology and making more data-driven decisions. We're also elevating our teams and teaching them to recognize trends and execute on basics." - Sherry at the Interface Multifamily Southeast Conference
Kenneth Funk,
SVP Property Operations,
The Scion Group
Kenny is passionate about optimizing products, people, and processes – identifying areas that need optimizing and building strategic and tactical approaches to solve problems. With his extensive background in the attractions and resort industry, Kenny has in-depth knowledge of building the consumer journey, operations, implementations, retail development, attractions, entertainment, food & beverage, strategic planning, and execution.
“The essence of leadership is taking time to make a difference for that one… that single person or employee. If you don't think of your employees as individual entities, you are far less likely to be successful as a leader.” - Kenny on the Attraction Pros podcast
Mylisa Giroski,
CEO,
Anchor NW Property Group
Mylisa is known as the first pioneer to bring a fully centralized solution to multifamily management. With 14 years of diverse experience and hands-on involvement in every aspect of the business, her leadership guides a team of 50+ employees overseeing 32 properties, with an additional focus on constructing four new multifamily properties.
"For the first couple of years, centralization was not a thing for us. I remember thinking, 'There has to be a better way to do this.' When we first started, we were different from the typical onsite because we were building buildings too small to have maintenance and leasing agents. It made sense to pull a lot of that stuff in-house. Then, probably about six years into it, we realized, 'Hey, we're centralizing; we're specializing in every area.'" - Mylisa on HappyCo's Exploring Maintenance Centralization Webinar
Bhavnesh Jaraim,
CIO,
Boardwalk Rental Communities
Bhav is a versatile leader with 20+ years of experience in real estate, oil and gas, finance, telecom, and logistics. His expertise is in technical operations, IT governance, security, business intelligence, and software development, driving innovation and efficiency through strategic engagement and team leadership.
“At our company, we look at centralization results and optimization with the team, meaning they need to be in multiple places, supporting multiple communities. How do we identify plans for their time effectively? Do we have an estimate in terms of what that job is going to take? How much capacity do they have? How many jobs can it take? Asking these questions are key to staying ahead.” (ghostwritten via HappyCo CAB meeting)
Nathan McAuley,
CTO,
Avenue Living Asset Management
Nathan drives technology vision, enhancing resident, employee and investor experiences. He leads cybersecurity, data science, agile transformation, and strategic initiatives. With 20 years in IT across diverse sectors, including construction, retail, manufacturing, and transportation, Nathan excels in software development, project management, and innovation.
"We are always looking for ways to stabilize and standardize to become more efficient in everything we do. From a technology perspective, centralized operations is key, as it allows us to speak more intelligently with our business partners, understand their problems, and support them on what they're working on.” (ghostwritten)
Heidi Turner,
Principal & Cofounder,
Blanton Turner
Heidi brings two decades of property management experience, specializing in mixed-use, multifamily, and student housing. Dedicated to mentorship, fostering a vibrant company culture, and prioritizing environmental sustainability, Heidi focuses on matching personnel to each property's unique needs and environment.
"The more we spend time on our physical assets and the analysis of what the buildings need and the residents want, the more profitable our projects are and the better off our residents' experiences are. Centralized maintenance plays a critical role in this." (ghostwritten via case study interview)
Jindou Lee is the CEO and Cofounder of HappyCo, a PropTech company that develops software and services to enable real-time property operations and asset management. Prior to his current role, Jindou also founded and exited two previous tech companies. Jindou spent most of his adult life growing up in Australia and graduated from the University of South Australia with a Bachelor of Visual Communications (Design). Following graduation, he worked at Midway Games where he led the User Interface team to work on classic titles such as Mortal Kombat, Gauntlet, and Dukes of Hazzard. Besides his love for technology, Jindou is also an avid real estate investor, ex-semi pro soccer player, and enjoys spending time with his family.
