Living the Difference

COMPANY NEWSLETTER

APRIL 2020

Volume 2, Issue 3 Volume 2, Issue 3

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April April2020 2020

DEPARTMENT UPDATE

PG 3 FRED FAMILY UPDATE

PG 4 PROPERTY SPOTLIGHT

PG 4 EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHTS

PG 5 FEATURED NEWS

PG 6 FRED EVENTS

PG 7 EMPLOYEE ANNOUNCEMENTS

LETTER FROM HEIDI In an uncertain time, one thing that we can be certain of is that our FRED team will band together. Despite unusual and unforeseen obstacles, our teams have managed to do things without losing sight of “The FRED Way” at every turn. We’ve seen our cleaners commitment to maintaining a clean and sanitized community. We’ve seen our maintenance and utility teams going above and beyond. We’ve seen our office teams commitment to creative salesmanship and a residentfocused approach to all that they do. We’ve seen our corporate office team adapt to major changes on short-notice. We’ve seen our leaders and executive team’s commitment to “visionary leadership”. This is excellence at its peak; going above and beyond to ensure that we are keeping our prospects, residents, and team members at the center of all we do. As leaders in the property management industry, it is our responsibility to make decisions with the greater community in mind. Deciding to commit to “flattening the curve” of the COVID-19 outbreak has forced us to be creative; we’ve rolled out virtual tours for our prospects, encouraged virtual resident events, and have even seen an increase in our Microsoft Teams usage internally. Moving forward, we will continue to ensure that the safety of our residents, prospects, and employees are our top priority. Your efforts in that commitment and your positive approach as we work through this together have been fantastic. We cannot thank you enough.

Sincerely,

PG 7 FRED FUN

PG 8

Heidi Kivi

Heidi Kivi Director of Property Management Operations

COVER PHOTO: 2020 Leasing Seminar: The Wizard of FRED | "There's no place like home."

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April 2020

DEPARTMENT UPDATE What’s new in a department near you?

HR DEPARTMENT

THE HUMANS BEHIND THE RESOURCES By Jackie Forecki, Director of Human Resources I joined FRED in October, 2019. When I was job searching I was looking for a place where I could put names to faces, handle each situation based on the given circumstances, and work with leadership where the person behind the business mattered. I found that at FRED. To top it all off, I work with a team that exudes collaboration and teamwork. Our recruiters, Kevin and Sarah, work hard to find candidates to hire so your teams can be complete. We’ve been diligently working to update our recruiting tools. We have expanded our marketing tools so we are now visible on 100+ job boards, candidates can “text to apply,” we host hiring events and instant interviews. We’ve updated our interview guides, found new ways to do local outreach at nearby schools and universities and post on our social media sites to drive traffic. FRED is a great place to work because of all of you. Our job is to find great talent to add to your teams. Another team member of ours is Shannon, HR Generalist. Shannon is always there to talk with anyone about anything. She is a great listener and excellent at problem solving. She’ll take the time to work with you to figure out what’s best for you given any circumstance. What’s “Our mission as a important to me is that department is to all employees know that support a culture that HR is here to support them. Our mission as a enables everyone to department is to support come to work as their a culture that enables everyone to come to whole selves.” work as their whole selves. We want FRED to be a place where everyone can do their best work. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our department with a question, concern, or simply to brainstorm an approach. We’re all stronger together. Thanks for the warm welcome and collaboration I’ve already witnessed!

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From Left to Right: Kevin Schwer, Jackie Forecki, Sarah Snyder, Shannon Hutson

TEXTING ON THE JOB FRED has an exciting new tool in the recruiting world. Candidates can now send their interest and basic information quickly via text! This streamlines initial contacts before they fill out an application and interview. Look for promotional signage at all our FRED properties!

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April 2020

FRED FAMILY UPDATE RACHEL WAGABAZA'S UGANDAN FAMILY STORY Fleeing with Her Family, New Life in America FRED Regional Supervisor, Rachel Wagabaza, has an amazing family history and it all began in 1967. Rachel’s Dad, a Ugandan native, attended UW-Stevens Point on a US and Ugandan sponsored scholarship, and met her Mom on campus. In 1972, after her Dad earned his degree in art education, they married and moved to Uganda where her Dad taught art at a boys secondary (high) school in Jinja (the city located at the 'Source of the Nile'). Her Mom worked in Jinja as an executive secretary at a sugar refinery.

Unfortunately, the year of their arrival was also the start of a new Ugandan President, Idi Amin, known for his corrupt and inhumane leadership. Amin was in power from 1971-79 and his multitude of human rights abuses, such as ethnic persecution and murder by military forces, forced Rachel's family to flee the country. On April 9, 1979, her family took a train from Uganda to Kenya, with assistance from the US Embassy in Kenya and a few trusted friends. "Two adults, seven kids, and just one suitcase!" said Rachel. "The train had to stop at the border just

PROPERTY SPOTLIGHT FRED communities doing amazing things.

Volume 2, Issue 3

as it was getting dark and remain on the Uganda side until daylight because of the fighting going on. So there we were, all 9 of us, in a small train compartment all night long, waiting for morning."

They spent 10 days in Kenya working with the Embassy to make arrangements to return to the USA. When they arrived, their family was split among family members in Wisconsin, including aunts and uncles in Stevens Point and Madison. "I was 3 years old so I don’t remember any of this, and they were scary times so it may be okay that I don’t," said Rachel. "Fortunately, my parents were both able to find jobs which made it possible for us to settle into our new life in America." Rachel's April trip to Uganda with her parents had to be cancelled due to coronavirus concerns. Although fun fact, their planned US return date, April 9, was exactly 41 years since they left Uganda!

WHAT MAKES THEM SHINE State Street Station is located in the heart of the Village of Tosa and opened up the summer of 2017. Fast forward and they are currently leased at 99.38% with only one unit currently vacant. State Street Station prides itself on the community atmosphere it has created for the residents. The property holds monthly events that have had tremendous turn outs. Some of their events included a Hawaiian Luau and Trivia! State Street Station also has created a resident community Facebook page that residents use for recommendations and more! In addition to their Facebook presence, you can now follow State Street Station on Instagram as well (@stationstatestreet)! Their team is striving to get as connected as possible to residents, prospects and the community.

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April 2020

EDELMA MENDEZ

Cleaner, Forté at 84 South

Q: What do you enjoy most about Spring? ¿Que es lo que más disfrutas de la primavera? I love the birds. I also love the weather because there's no more snow. Me encantan los pajaritos. También me encante el clima porque ya no hay nieve. Q: If you could choose your forever age, what age would you choose and why? ¿Si pudieras elegir tu edad para siempre, que edad elegirías y porque? I would choose 30. At that age one already has enough knowledge and a lot more experience with people. That would be a perfect age!

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT Meet some of our fantastic team members!

Yo escogería 30. As esa edad uno ya tiene más conocimiento de la vida y más experiencia con las personas. Sería la perfecta edad. Q: What's one thing you would add and one thing you would eliminate from your daily routine and for what reasons? ¿Que agregarías y eliminarías de tu rutina diaria y por qué? I would love to add some time during my day to watch TV so that I can relax. I would eliminate laundry! Dirty clothes pile up so fast and there’s always something to wash. Si pudiera agregar algo seria ver televisión para poder descansar. Eliminaría la lavandería. La ropa se acumula mucha y siempre hay algo de lavar.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT Meet some of our fantastic team members!

DARRYL WOLLIN

Maintenance Tech, Arbor Lakes

Q: What do you enjoy most about Spring? I enjoy Spring as time changes and more daylight hours. Warmer weather means getting rid of layers of clothes and visiting my oldest daughter in North Carolina. Q: If you could choose your forever age, what age would you choose and why? 40 was a good age as I did a lot of traveling and did a lot of items on my bucket list. Q: What's one thing you would add and one thing you would eliminate from your daily routine and for what reasons? What I would add to my daily routine is to relax more and enjoy time as it goes by fast. I would eliminate having to get more Mountain Dew Kickstart. My reason is I go through 12 plus a day.

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April 2020

FEATURED FRED NEWS THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE FRED! Here's a photo re-cap from the 2020 Leasing Seminar: The Wizard of FRED at the Ingleside Hotel!

WHAT’S NEW WITH YOU?

Coming together

is a beginning; keeping together

Want to contribute to the FRED

is progress;

Company Newsletter? Send

working together

announcements, news, etc. to

is success.

jlincoln@fred-inc.com to be

-Henry Ford

featured in a future issue!

Near or far, the FRED team is in this together.

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April 2020

EVENTS CALENDAR Check out what’s on the way for FRED Properties.

APRIL 2020

EVENTS SUN

April Fool's Day | April 1st

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

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31

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FRED Brewer’s Outing | May 28th | Miller Park

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BIRTHDAYS

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LOOKING FORWARD Memorial Day | May 25th

KAYCEE WARNKE

SHERRY COENS

KATRINA TAULMAN

CODY HALE

GREG THELEN

MADELYN JAEGER

MARRIAH DETTMAN

CAROLYN CARLSON

BLAIR WENDELL

MICHAEL BINGHAM

GEORGETTE STAMM

PAUL SCHMITTER

JON SCHUMACHER

TIFFANY SCHMIDT

THOMAS MORAN

RICHARD LICHNER

STEVE CIESIELSKI

DAN JENNINGS

ERIN NETTESHEIM

BRITTANY LEITING

CONSTANCE MCCORKLE

BRITNEY BODDEN

The Junction | April 2nd

Jade at North Hills | April 2nd

Corporate | April 2nd

ALLISON ROHDE Creekwood | April 3rd

CHUCK EGGERT

Drexel Ridge | April 3rd

CONNOR TANEL Corporate | April 3rd

KATHY NETTESHEIM Corporate | April 4th

ARIANA KREMER Creekwood | April 9th

Liberty Square | April 9th

Creekwood | April 9th

State Street Station | April 11th

Forté | April 11th

Corporate | April 11th

Stone Point | April 13th

Jade at North Hills | April 14th

The Enclave | April 15th

Seasons at Orchard Hills | April 19th

Corporate | April 21st

50Twenty | April 22nd

The Junction | April 24th

Synergy | April 25th

Liberty Square | April 26th

Manchester Oaks | April 27th

Valley View | April 27th

Corporate | April 28th

Creekwood | April 30th

Forté | April 25th

Welcome to the Team! Feb/March 2020

Promotions March 2020 MADELYN JAEGER

CLAUDIA TORREZ-BOSTILLO

KELSEY FITTS

22 Slate | Cleaner

Seasons at Randall Road | Property Manager in Training

State Street Station | Property Manager

SANDRA BEADLE

NEWTON WHEAT

ANNE LALLY

Barrington Place | Cleaner

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Synergy | Maintenance

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Seasons at Orchard Hills | Assistant Property Manager

April 2020

FRED FUN FRED PROPERTY Makeovers! RECENT RE-MODEL PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

RIDGE VIEW

Computer Room and Leasing Offices (pictured), Entrance, Model Unit

MANCHESTER OAKS Clubroom (pictured), Model Unit

BEFORE

BEFORE

AFTER

THE ENCLAVE Clubroom (pictured), Lobby, Model Unit

BEFORE

AFTER

AFTER

789 N WATER STREET STE 200 | MILWAUKEE, WI 53202 | PHONE: 414-226-4535 | FRED-INC.COM