NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2024
A LETTER FROM OUR VP OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
As 2024 comes to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on and celebrate the incredible achievements of our team this year. Together, we’ve proven time and again that our people are the foundation of everything we accomplish. We welcomed many talented new team members to the team this year, whose fresh perspectives and energy have seamlessly complemented the experience and dedication of our seasoned team members It’s this unique combination of new ideas and deep expertise that continues to drive our success.
Even in a challenging industry environment with slower traffic, our team delivered remarkable results: 96 5% occupancy, an average of 200 tours per week, and 297 approved leases per month These achievements reflect not only the dedication of our on-site teams but also the incredible support from our corporate staff From marketing and accounting to training and IT, your behindthe-scenes efforts have been instrumental in empowering our teams to succeed.
We also embraced growth and transformation this year with the rollout of Funnel. While every big change comes with its challenges, the progress we’ve made so far is inspiring Our team approached it with determination, a solutions-focused mindset, and a commitment to open communication and constructive feedback Your willingness to engage, adapt, and grow together has been instrumental in turning challenges into opportunities and sets the stage for continued success.
Of course, our success is built not just on what we do, but on who we are From cheering on the Brewers at FRED Game Day to surpassing our United Way campaign goal of $40,000 by more than $8,000, we’ve strengthened our connections with one another and cultivated a culture of community that sets us apart.
As we look ahead to 2025, our goal remains clear: to foster a collaborative, supportive environment where everyone has the tools, resources, and encouragement to thrive I’m excited to see what we can accomplish together in the year ahead Thank you for making 2024 a truly memorable year Here’s to an even brighter and more successful 2025!
Sincerely,
Michael Bingham VP of Property Management
DEPARTMENT UPDATE TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
BY KRISTIN JANOWSKI
It’s been busy in training and development! At the beginning of June, we had multiple programs launch. Our second Maintenance Apprenticeship Program launched focusing on building the foundational maintenance skills needed After the program, four apprentices became Maintenance Tech I’s with FRED
Also in June, our Corporate Real Estate Summer Internship kicked off, offering students a comprehensive experience of our business by spending time with various departments throughout our organization. Building on this momentum, in November, we hosted two groups from the UW-Madison’s Real Estate Club for tours of our new construction communities These visits gave students a behind-the-scenes look at the complexities of our properties and demonstrated the real-world application of their classroom learning. Together, these initiatives reflect our dedication to cultivating future industry leaders while fostering meaningful engagement with academic institutions to attract and inspire top talent
Behind the scenes, we have also been working on creating Maintenance Prep Programs. The goal of the 6-week programs is to prepare Tech I’s for a Tech II position and Tech II’s for a Maintenance Supervisor position The programs give the opportunity to have hands-on training, building knowledge and skills, with our Maintenance Leadership Team Both of the Maintenance Prep Programs launched in October The next program will begin in April 2025
In addition to the training programs, we continued our employee development efforts. Our annual Fall Employee Development Training topic this year was Communicating with Your Manager. The training explored the best practices for working with different communication styles Managers received Giving Feedback Using DiSC DiSC is the training tool we are using for managers that teaches individuals about their own work preferences and priorities and how to work more effectively with other team members. With our Maintenance Tech II’s gaining email, Microsoft Office, and Entrata access, they also received training on functionality and best practices.
Finally, as Property Management integrates Funnel into their processes, additional training support is being provided As always, if you need support or have ideas for training and development, don’t hesitate to reach out!
UW-MADISON’S WOMEN IN REAL ESTATE TOUR OF SEASONS AT GRAFTON
TEAM FRED GOOD NEWS
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JASON STREIT DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY, CORP
SARAH HARRINGTON REGIONAL PROPERTY MANAGER
In September, we celebrated my daughter Madie’s Badgerthemed baby shower. I’m thrilled to share that her baby boy has finally arrived! Denver John Erickson was born on November 27, 2024, making him my fifth grandson. It’s so special to have had three daughters and now be blessed with all grandsons!
I’m proud to share that my son, Timothy Streit, recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest achievement in Boy Scouts. For his Eagle project, he partnered with the Milwaukee Zoo to rebuild two gardens in the Family Farm area Timmy began his Scouting journey in first grade as a Cub Scout and has since held numerous leadership roles, earned Order of the Arrow honors, completed a nine-day trek at Philmont Scout Ranch, and is planning to attend Sea Base with me in the summer of 2025
ADRIANA PEREZ PROPERTY MANAGER, STATE STREET STATION & WELLS STREET STATION
I got engaged! It's been a month of new beginnings, with starting to plan a wedding, moving to a new FRED property, and starting a Multi-Site Property Manager position! We plan on eloping in the Smoky Mountains next year and we couldn't be more excited!
IZABELLE TORODAKE
ASSISTANT PROPERTY MANAGER, THE WOODLANDS & HIGH BLUFF CREEKWOOD CROSSING
On October 13th at one of my best friends' weddings, I got engaged to my wonderful boyfriend, Thomas! He and Meagan (the bride) arranged for the proposal to happen during the bouquet toss, where instead of letting it fly, she walked it directly to me and I was able to say yes to my favorite person! He also arranged for our kids, my sisters, and our parents to be there for the surprise to make the moment even more special and memorable I'm so happy and excited and can't wait to go through the wedding planning process with him and our family!
SHANNON MCINNIS CREATIVE MARKETING COORDINATOR, CORP
My mom went to Mexico with her sister every year from 2010-2020 In college, I visited my roommate's rented room in Cancun and got to see the city from the other side of the resorts All of this inspired my husband, Grant, and I to take our Honeymoon there Needless to say, my mom and I were happy to go back for a Mother-Daughter trip! My mom is also volunteering tutoring English in her retirement and got to practice her Spanish with some friendly locals because she's awesome like that
TEAM FRED GIVES BACK
BY ERIN BALL
Community Minded? We want to know! Tell us how you give back or how you used your FRED volunteer day to be featured in a future article!
November 6th marked five years since my brother TJ passed away from an accidental overdose. He was just 23 years old Like so many who struggle with addiction, TJ’s battles started with anxiety, depression, and trauma Knowing this, I’ve spent the past five years working to shift the narrative from “addict” to “human” by raising funds and awareness for mental health advocacy
This year, I wanted the anniversary to be about more than loss. Instead of sitting in sadness, I used my FRED volunteer day to spend time with NAMI Southeastern Wisconsin, an organization whose mission is deeply aligned with what I believe TJ needed most: unwavering advocacy and normalization of what it means to be human Inspired by their incredible work advocating for mental health reform, awareness, and resource accessibility, my dad and I chose NAMI as the recipient of our fundraiser this year. Together, we donated over $6,000 in TJ’s name to help them continue their life-changing efforts.
Looking ahead to 2025, I’m deepening my commitment by volunteering with NAMI’s “Ending the Silence” program, which goes into schools in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties to talk directly with students about mental health The program focuses on helping young people recognize warning signs, understand the importance of seeking help, and know how to support their peers who may be struggling.
TJ lost his battle, but his story didn’t begin with addiction and didn’t end with his overdose. He was my baby brother a good, kind human who spent too many years feeling alone in his pain. My mission is to honor him by humanizing pain He was a son, a baseball player, a best friend, the “favorite uncle,” and so much more first.
If you’d like to join us in shifting the narrative, our fundraiser runs through the end of the year Your support not only helps us honor TJ but also empowers NAMI to continue their incredible work, letting others know they don’t have to struggle in silence. Together, we can make a difference: https://e.givesmart.com/events/FKS/
You can learn more about NAMI here.
SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT MAKING IT A HOME
BY SHANNON MCINNIS
You may assume townhomes feel more ‘homey’ because of the amenities and unit style, but with private entrances and a larger footprint, building community is important to prevent residents from feeling isolated. High Bluff Townhomes’ social media stands out in this area They use a mix of scheduled content like ‘Pet of the Month’, capturing spontaneous fun with photos and videos, themed giveaways, and making posts into games like ‘Count the closets’. They post things people can connect with and it shows what it’s like to live there in a way that glossy marketing photos can’t.
“My goal for our socials is to show ‘why you should live here’ and ‘how we will take care of you,’” said Karina Langen, Assistant Property Manager. “Things like amenities, resident events, and community outings can highlight to a prospect or resident the effort and care we are willing to put in for them.”
High Bluff Townhomes @highblufftownhomes
BRATING FRED’S ONE ANNIVERSARIES
OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2024
OUR GROWING COMPANY
OCTOBER 16, 2024 - NOVEMBER 15, 2024
ZACK RIZZI MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR THE LANDMARK
JACOB MORENO GROUNDSKEEPER MANCHESTER OAKS
Whether promoting from within or bringing new team members on board, we are always excited to see the ways FRED is growing Help us in congratulating the individuals below on their new roles!
SAM DAY LEASING PROFESSIONAL THE 85
ROBERT GOSSELIN ASST. PROPERTY MANAGER VALLEY VIEW
KELLY SCOTT PROPERTY MANAGER SEASONS AT GRAFTON
JUAN ALMARAZ REMODELER ARBOR LAKES
HENRY RUPNICK MAINTENANCE TECH HIGH BLUFF
RICK JAHN REG MAINT MANAGER MILWAUKEE
SEASONAL RECIPE WINNING CHILI
A chili cookoff was held at the corporate office in October There were 10 participants and lots of hungry judges! In the end, the winning chili was made by Shannon Hutson, with a tie for second place between Jack Winkler and Sam Elliot Try Shannon’s award-winning chili recipe and stay warm and cozy this winter!
INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs ground chuck
1 lb ground Italian sausage
2 cans chili beans, drained (15oz)
2 cans chili beans in spicy sauce (15oz)
2 cans diced tomatoes (28oz)
1 can tomato paste (6oz)
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chili powder
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp bacon bits
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp dried basil
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 cubes beef bouillon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Heat a large crockpot on medium/high
2. Brown meat in saucepan and drain grease
3. Add all ingredients into crockpot and stir
4. Cover and simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally
5. Add additional chili powder, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper as desired
6. Enjoy!