December 2014 Campus Advocate

CAMPUS ADVOCATE

|

DECEMBE R

2 0 1 4

C AMPU S A D V A N T A G E

CA MPUS A DVOCA TE DECEMB ER 2 0 1 4

A YEAR IN REVIEW

A

s this year comes to a close and we begin to look ahead to 2015, I am proud to reflect on and share the accomplishments we have made as a team in 2014. From our time in Russia to being the largest acquirer of student housing assets, we have made great strides across all areas of the company and I look forward to seeing even more progress in the coming year.

August of this year marked the end of our four-year engagement with Russia and we welcomed home our team who were working on the ground in Vladivostok. Our in-country team spent six months consulting with the Far Eastern Federal University and local officials to establish a world-class higher education institution. Our time there allowed us to expand our consulting experience and has opened doors for future international engagements.

Additionally, this year we welcomed several new key staff members who assist in the company’s future growth and goals. We welcome Jon Anderson, Chief Financial Officer to our executive team.

He brings 18 years of service leading global organizations where he directed, led and drove the strategy behind an IPO, key business acquisitions and business integrations. Erin Ford, Director of Training and Employee Development, oversees our diverse training programs and recently held the first Annual Regional Manager Training in Austin, TX. We also welcome Christy Shorter as Vice President of Special Operations. Christy is spearheading many new initiatives to be implemented in 2015 that will further our goal of setting students up for success.

Our acquisition of Hannah Lofts in East Lansing, Michigan in October made Campus Advantage the largest acquirer of student housing assets since January of 2013. The property has only been open since August of this year and we expect great success in this new market. We have also initiated a development project in Knoxville, Tennessee named The Bradford. This is a very exciting project for Campus Advantage and the students of “The Original UT.” Looking ahead into the New Year we have several new development deals in the pipeline and plans to purchase five additional properties. As always, we will continue to refine programming for the Students FirstTM program to promote workplace skills and preparation among our residents.

Residence Life continues to play a critical role in the operations of our communities and is frequently cited by students as one of the top reasons they choose to live with us. At the end of the day, our continued mission is to provide residents with great communities that excel in providing rewarding living experiences.

Mike Peter President and CEO

C A MPU S A D V A N T A G E

Proper ty Spotlight:

T he Marq

I

n August of this year The Marq was formally introduced to the Milwaukee, Wisconsin market after going through a complete brand overhaul. Campus Advantage acquired the property, formerly known as 2040 Lofts, in March of 2014. Working closely with student housing marketing company Catalyst, Campus Advantage changed the name, began renovations, and reintroduced the property to the marketplace.

The property was previously struggling in the competitive marketplace, where it faced challenges that included a reputation as an older property. Once a new brand identity had been established, Catalyst’s team of experts worked collaboratively with Campus Advantage and property staff to develop a marketing and communications plan to drive awareness, interest, and attendance at a VIP reveal party.

CA MPUS A DVOCA TE DECEMB ER 2 0 1 4

C A MPU S A D V A N T A G E

Campus Advantage break s pre-leasing records with unveiling of Milwaukee’s The Marq By slowly teasing the new brand to the market audience through direct mail invitations, email invitations, social media marketing, and more, Catalyst was able to drive approximately 250 people to the property for the event. Of those 250 people who attended, the property staff was able to sign 51 leases and an additional 87 leases were pending guarantor paperwork at the end of the evening.

The positive response from the market was overwhelming and The Marq is well on its way to ďŹ lling up early this year. As of November the property was 40.5% preleased, a huge improvement over the same time last year when it was only 13.06% preleased.

C A MP U S A D V A N T A G E

CA MPUS A DVOCA TE DECEMB ER 2 0 1 4

I nte r nat i o na l N ew s : C a m p us Ad va nt a g e - Rus sia

T

his past quarter marked the end of our four-year engagement with Russia and Far Eastern Federal University. Over the course of our time there we consulted in four main areas of focus — residence life, on-campus housing management, international marketing, and summer camps and conferences.

Our time in Vladivostok was successful despite the geopolitical situation in Russia. Campus Advantage-Russia was able to host the largest event of its kind at the university with our end-of-semester open-air concert. Additionally, we introduced the ďŹ rst ever resident assistant program in Russia, which included recruiting, selecting, interviewing, and training resident assistants at FEFU.

Consulting efforts for on-campus housing management included roommate placement programs and advising of increased access for students with disabilities, as well as a complete set of policies and procedures.

Working closely with our sister company, Catalyst, we were able to present FEFU with world-class campus mascot options and a business plan for on-campus merchandising. Furthermore, our consulting will help FEFU expand summer camps and conferences.

In all, our work in Russia was very well received and we look forward to watching FEFU become the world-class institution that it can be. We are conďŹ dent that the university is set up for extended success.

C A MPU S A D V A N T A G E

Nationwide Resident A ppreciation Week Campus Advantage properties across the country participated in Resident Appreciation Week from October 13 through 18. This coordinated effort delivered over 200 events across more than 40 properties to coincide with the rollout of the 2015 – 2016 renewal campaign. Events included large clubhouse socials with a casino theme, fall festivals, tailgating events, bowling and laser tag trips, valet trash pick-up, breakfast on the go, gift bags for residents, and more.

Resident Appreciation Week is a way that Campus Advantage shows residents we appreciate their choice to live in a Campus Advantage community. Furthermore, this interaction with residents is an important step in creating the communities that we build across all of our properties.

To view more photos and updates from this year ’s National Resident Appreciation Week, search for the hashtag #forourSUPERresidents on social media.

DIS T R I C T O N L U THER

N O R T H G A T E L AK ES

HA WK’ S RI DG E

4 050 L O F T S

DO M AI N AT C O LUM B I A

5025

CA MPUS A DVOCA TE DECEMB ER 2 0 1 4

I t ’ s On Us

C

ampus Advantage has partnered with the It’s On Us campaign in a commitment to raise awareness about sexual assault on college campuses. Members of the Campus Advantage team participated with other organizations in a November 17 meeting at the White House to brainstorm ways to extend the reach of the campaign. Campus Advantage joins other partners, such as the Catalyst marketing firm, Association of College and University Housing Officers – International, NCAA, Microsoft and many other nationally recognized brands, in encouraging others to take action to prevent sexual assault and take the pledge to not be a bystander at www.itsonus.org/#pledge.

Res ponse Abilit y

O

n November 5 Campus Advantage conducted a national live-streaming student success event, featuring speaker, trainer, award-winning video/film producer, social entrepreneur, and revolutionary leader Mike Dilbeck of Response Ability. This live event was streamed in common areas at each property and promoted students’ success — a core part of the Campus Advantage mission of creating rewarding living, learning, and career experiences. We are excited to provide this opportunity for our residents to enhance their leadership development as we share a valuable message. The virtual seminar focused on what it means to have “courageous leadership” and the importance of being an active leader in the community.

C A MPU S A D V A N T A G E

N ewes t M embe r s of the F amily : Campus Advantage Enters Four New Markets

T

his past quarter Campus Advantage has taken on projects in four new markets around the United States, including management opportunities in Jacksonville, Florida and Charlotte, North Carolina.

Our acquisition of Hannah Lofts in East Lansing, Michigan put us over the top for a company record and secured our spot as the largest student housing acquirer for the period beginning January 2013.

Additionally, we will be breaking ground on The Bradford, a new development in Knoxville, Tennessee over the next few weeks and look forward to the success of each of these new communities.

Arcadia Student Living (www.arcadiastudentliving.com) The owner of Arcadia Student Living believes in building a premier residence to provide students with an unmatched living experience. By combining their expertise with Campus Advantage's Students FirstTM experience, we expect to build life-long experiences that residents will cherish forever. · Caters to the University of North Carolina - Charlotte · 765 beds Frassati Newman Hall (www.frassatihall.com) Frassati Newman Hall, a faith-based community, represents the second opportunity for Campus Advantage to partner with the same client and will begin serving students in the fall of 2015. · Caters to the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, FL · 204 beds Hannah Lofts (www.liveathannah.com) The acquisition of Hannah Lofts, a property introduced to the market in August of 2014, makes Campus Advantage the largest acquirer of student housing assets for the period of January 2013 through 2014 and is the largest acquisition Campus Advantage has taken on to date. · Caters to Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan · 702 beds The Bradford The Bradford is the newest and largest development project for Campus Advantage and will begin serving students in August of 2016 with first-class amenities and customer service, including the Students FirstTM experience. · Caters to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN · 382 beds

CA CAMPUS MPUS A ADVOCA DVOCATE TE N DECEMB OV EMBER 2 0 1 4

H A N N A H L O FTS

A R C A DIA

T HE B R ADF O R D

FR A SSA TI N EW MA N H A LL

C AMPU S A D V A N T A G E

New Additions to the CA Team Jon Anderson,

CFO

This quarter Campus Advantage welcomed to the team Jon Anderson as Chief Financial Officer for the company. This key new hire is an important addition as the company grows in 2015. Jon’s record of accomplishment as a senior finance executive responsible for running the global accounting, treasury, and regulatory reporting function of a large, publicly traded financial services technology company places him among the leaders in his field.

Jon most recently served as the Senior Vice President & Corporate Controller of NetSpend where he directed, led, and drove the strategy behind an initial public offering, a $1.4B acquisition, and an ultimate integration of two large organizations within the last seven years.

Christy Shor ter,

Vice President – Special Operations

Christy is Vice President - Special Operations, directing those groups that are critical to Campus Advantage’s success. She oversees the Residence Life department, as well as the Leasing and Marketing, Management Information Systems, Training and Recruiting, and Facilities groups, along with focusing on the implementation of portfolio-wide initiatives.

Christy has 15 years of real-estate experience, working in demanding markets such as New York City, Miami, and Los Angeles. Her experience includes multi-family property and asset management, capital placement, marketing, controlling all financial matters for a multi-family developer, and investment sales. Prior to joining Campus Advantage, Christy led the Apartment Division at LBPM, an L.A.-based property management company, where she managed client relationships and was responsible for 100 properties, 10 regional managers, and 50 property managers.

Erin Ford,

Direc tor of Training and Employee Development

Erin is the new Director of Training and Employee Development at Campus Advantage. She oversees the company’s diverse training program in conjunction with multiple departments that specialize in key areas of operational performance.

Erin also coordinates the Talent Management program that identifies high-potential candidates within and outside of the organization for key positions, including management of the LEAD UTM program, which is a specialized training and fast-track promotion program for internal candidates.

Erin previously served as Director of Training for American Campus Communities. In her role at ACC she created and implemented a variety of training programs and worked with a team to deliver multi-modal training throughout the company’s portfolio of 200,000 beds. Prior to her six years in a corporate position at ACC Erin served as a General Manager for four years on-site at ACC properties in Tallahassee.

CA MPUS A DVOCA TE DECEMB ER 2 0 1 4

Employee Spotlight: Trevor Scott

CO N G R AT U L AT I O NS TO O U R EM P LOY EE S The following people celebrated anniversaries with the company this past quarter and we’re proud to have them as part of the C a m p u s A d v a n t a g e f a m i l y. T h a n k you to all of you for your service.

F i v e Ye a r s Thanh-Huong Nguyen Lisa Monroe Angela Nevins Phillip Goff John Owen L i s a Pi e r s o n

Over the four years Trevor Scott has been at Campus Advantage he has distinguished himself as a leader with his ability to balance professionalism and a personal connection with residents and staff. In 2010 Trevor began his career at Shadowood Apartments as a community assistant and later transitioned into the role of resident director.

Trevor’s creativity and thorough understanding of company policies allow him to solve problems quickly and effectively, characteristics that led to his promotion to leasing manager in 2013. Trevor brought Shadowood into its fifth year of 100% occupancy and increased the renewal retention rate to 45%, a 4% growth rate.

The community assistants, maintenance staff, and other managers respect Trevor for the dedication he displays daily, commenting on how he keeps the property running smoothly. He rarely takes time off, but when he does his absence is much noticed by all. Trevor’s leadership has propelled Shadowood into a superb leasing season and he regularly inspires his coworkers by going above and beyond the call of duty.

Tw o Ye a r s David Gregory Garry Stephen D ’A n g e l o H a r r i s R i c a r d o Ly o n s David Solski Bradley Larmie E a r l Wa l l a c e Emilea Belaire Ta m e s h a Wa l k e r Aleah Habig R e b e c c a Pa t r i c k J a m e s Pr i t c h e t t Michael Sanderson

Fo r t h e s e c o n d y e a r in a row CA has been awarded the h o n o r o f To p Wo r k p l a c e s b y t h e Austin American S t a t e s m a n . We a r e proud that our employees "feel [their] work adds value to the company" and look forward to continue growing together as a team.

Read more online at bit.ly/CATopWkplce

110 Wild Basin Rd #365 Austin, TX 78746 (512) 472-6222 w w w. c a m p u s a d v. c o m