NEWSLETTER JUNE 2025
EVENT RECAP FRED GAME DAY
BY THE MARKETING TEAM
On May 21, 2025, 185 FRED employees came together for FRED Game Day, a company-wide event at American Family Field filled with baseball, connection, and community. It was a chance to step away from the office, spend time with other FRED team members, and enjoy a great day at the ballpark
We took over the Johnsonville Party Deck, which offered amazing views and plenty of room to relax and catch up. Each guest got to choose between a clear crossbody bag or a Fiduciary hat, and both were a hit FRED Reds were out in full force, and anyone wearing them, along with their name badge, earned a FRED sticker for their card
The Brewers faced the Orioles in an exciting game that went into extra innings. The Orioles pulled ahead in the 11th to win eight to four, but the crowd energy stayed strong all afternoon
We also took time to give back As part of the event, employees voted on which local organization should receive a donation, and Hunger Task Force received the most support Thanks to your votes, FRED donated $5,000 to help their mission. On top of that, we collected over 200 pounds of food during our team food drive. Properties competed to see who could bring the most, and Seasons at River View came out on top, earning a sweet treat as a thank-you.
Even with a little rain, the day was a huge success Thank you to everyone who joined in, donated, and helped make it happen We’re already looking forward to next year (and hoping for sunshine)!
DEPARTMENT UPDATE
TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
BY KRISTIN JANOWSKI
The start of 2025 marked a full year since we launched our Maintenance Apprenticeship Program, which focuses on building the foundational maintenance skills needed for property management So far, we have permanently placed eleven Apprentices as full-time Maintenance Tech I’s, including the class that just completed this March. You can check out our Maintenance team member growth track on the right-hand side!
To continue building skill bridges between roles, the Maintenance Prep Programs are in full swing, occurring in April and October each year. The goal of the six-week program is to prepare Tech I’s for a Tech II position and Tech II’s for a Maintenance Supervisor position.
In addition to the training programs, we continued our employee development efforts Our annual Spring Employee Development Training topic this year was Understanding Your Team Culture. The training explored the different elements that create a team dynamic and what that can mean for individuals and the team as a whole Managers received Managing Your Team Culture Using DiSC As a refresher, DiSC is the training tool we are using for managers It teaches individuals about their own work preferences and priorities and how to work more effectively with other team members. We held another live, in-person DiSC session for all new people-managers.
We also continue to provide additional training support for the property management teams for the Funnel integration Best practices training sessions were held on-site for each region to help answer open questions and reinforce the FRED standard.
As we head into summer, we are preparing for both another Maintenance Apprenticeship Program, along with our Corporate Real Estate Interns and Construction Interns In both internship experiences, employees will gain insight into day-to-day functions and have the opportunity to see a holistic view of our business.
As always, if you need support or have ideas for training and development, don’t hesitate to reach out!
GROW WITH US
GRADUATES FRED
MATHIAS OLMSTEAD JEFF CYBELA, DOMAIN
My son, Mathias Olmstead, is graduating from Wisconsin Virtual Academy High School this June.
TANNER ROGOWSKI
KIRSTIN ROGOWSKI, HIGH BLUFF CC / THE WOODLANDS
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My son, Tanner, graduated from WCTC on May 17 with a degree in Welding and Metal Fabrication.
MADDIE SCHMITTER
PAUL SCHMITTER, CORPORATE
My daughter, Maddie, graduated from UW- LaCrosse on May 17 with a degree in Personal Financial Planning and Professional Communications She has accepted a job with Associated Bank starting June 9 as part of their Wealth Management Development Program
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AVERY BERSELL
STEVE BERSELL, CORPORATE
My daughter, Avery, recently graduated from the University of Minnesota Very proud to report that Avery graduated with degrees in Human Resources and Psychology and will be starting an HR job with Amazon in Boston in August
ELLA MAUTZ AUSTIN MAUTZ, CORPORATE
SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT SOCIAL BUTTERFLIES
BY SHANNON MCINNIS
The team at Seasons at River View is one of the most active in our portfolio on social media They utilize the unique ways social can grow their online community with online contests (Prettiest Patio, March Madness) and adding fun questions to property photos. They even pulled an April Fool’s prank by advertising new “Pet Spa Services” like Kitty Pawdicures and Pet Tail Extensions They’re constantly bringing new ideas to the table and inspire other properties to do the same.
“We’ve been dedicated to being active on social media,” said Amanda Vogel, Property Manager “Early in my career, I was taught that great properties always have a strong social presence and it’s something I’ve carried with me ever since Social media helps us build community, showcase what makes us special, and keep residents engaged and informed”
Seasons at River View
CELEBRATING FRED’S TONE ANNIVERSARIES
APRIL-JUNE 2025
JEFF LEAMY DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE 25 YEARS
ELISABETH SCHMIDLKOFER OJECT ENGINEER 10 YEARS
CHAEL BINGHAM CE PRESIDENT OF ERTY MANAGEMENT 15 YEARS
GRANT FISCHER SENIOR ROJECT MANAGER 10 YEARS
ADRIANA PEREZ PROPERTY MANAGER STATE / WELLS STREET 5 YEARS
JESSE STOTT ASST PROPERTY MANAGER THE 85 10 YEARS
ANGELA HOFFMAN CLEANER CREEKWOOD 5 YEARS
SEAN KEAN MAINT. SUPERVISOR THE 85 5 YEARS
OUR GROWING COMPANY
TRACY HYDE MAINTENANCE TECH RIDGE VIEW
DESTINY VENEGAS
LEASING PROFESSIONAL SEASONS AT ELGIN
STEVEN GRIFFITHS PAINTER MANCHESTER OAKS
JOSE ROJO JR MAINTENANCE TECH VALLEY VIEW
KATIE RAMIREZ LEASING PROFESSIONAL SEASONS AT ORCHARD HILLS
ALICIA DUMAS
LEASING PROFESSIONAL SEASONS AT ELGIN
RICHARD ARMSTRONG MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR HIGH BLUFF AT CC
ROSE RULAND RESIDENT EVENT COORDINATOR LIBERTY SQUARE
JERRY EASLAND MAINTENANCE TECH ARBOR LAKES
SPECIAL FEATURE CAREER & COLLEGE MONTH
BY RACHEL WAGABAZA
PETER NALEPA MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR SEASONS AT HOFFMAN ESTATES
NATHALY TORRES ASST PROPERTY MANAGER SEASONS AT NORTH AURORA
KYLE HERRIGES MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR DREXEL RIDGE / ORCHARD HILLS
For the past few years, I've had the privilege of presenting at Central Heights Middle School in Sun Prairie for Career & College Month This year, I was joined by Jaquay Willis (Maintenance Technician at 50Twenty) and Emily Benson (Leasing Professional at Echelon at Charlotte) for a panel presentation Students asked thoughtful questions about our careers, education, and professional paths. Their enthusiasm and curiosity were truly inspiring.
“On Career Day, middle school students learned about the diverse career paths within property management and how each role contributes to building and maintaining welcoming communities. They also saw the importance of representation in the industry, as all three speakers were people of color and the students were truly inspired by them ” - Elizabeth Hardy, Restorative Practices Coach
“Career Day was really cool because I got to learn about all the different jobs in property management I want to be a real estate agent when I’m older, and now I understand more about how buildings are taken care of and how people work together to help others find homes. It showed me that there’s a lot more to real estate than just selling houses, and it makes me want to learn even more so I can be really good at it one day.” - Leena K., 7 grade student th
JAMESBYCZEK