FRED Newsletter - June 2024 - Volume 6, Issue 6

NEWSLETTER JUNE 2024

CONGRATS GRADS!

ENHANCING SAFETY IN CONSTRUCTION ESSENTIAL PROCESSES & PRACTICES

BY PETER TODD AND TIM WITTKOPP

Every year, FRED’s Construction Team has “yearly initiatives” and at the top of 2024’s list was the evaluation and updating of our construction jobsite safety manual. It’s not possible to describe every scenario to promote a safe culture and construction site, but our Safety Manual describes some of the most important aspects and processes that we follow Some of the highlights of this year long process to update our manual include:

Worker Training and Project Orientation: It is essential that new workers understand sitespecific hazards, safety measures, and their roles in maintaining a safe construction environment.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Subcontractors must provide adequate PPE and ensure that workers are trained in its proper use and maintenance This includes hard hats, safety glasses, gloves, fall protection gear, etc

Surprise OSHA Inspection Response Policy: There is a process that we follow to guide unannounced OSHA inspections in a respectful and productive manner.

Fire Protection Plan: We have a comprehensive strategy outlining measures to prevent and respond to fires on construction sites.

Fall Protection Policy: We safeguard workers from fall hazards by implementing measures such as guardrails, safety nets, and personal fall arrest systems

Heat Exposure Policy: We implement guidelines aimed at preventing heat-related illnesses including how to recognize symptoms and respond when they appear.

Safety in multifamily construction is an evolving journey for everyone involved. Conducting thorough evaluations, implementing corrective measures, and learning from past incidents is imperative. This is accomplished by fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

One of the worst days in your career could be knowing someone was injured, hurt, or even lost their life on your project In fact, one of the first times that Brett Miller and Peter Todd met each other was after the 1999 “Big Blue” crane collapse. Even though neither of them had a direct relationship or responsibility for that terrible accident, it was a very difficult experience.

Nevertheless, a positive safety culture takes discipline in learning from mistakes, proactively identifying hazards and prioritizing worker well-being and site safety We can collectively ensure all employees and visitors go home at the end of the day because it’s one of the most important things we do.

DEPARTMENT UPDATE LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT

BY KRISTIN JANOWSKI

Exciting things are happening with training and development at FRED! At the beginning of the year, we launched our new Maintenance Apprenticeship Program. This 12-week program is designed for individuals that want to work in property management maintenance, but don’t yet have the experience. The program builds foundational skills, allowing the individuals to step into an open Maintenance Tech I position at the completion of the program Training is a mixture of on-site learning with Maintenance Supervisors, and in-person, hands-on group learning with our Maintenance Leadership Team The topics of electrical, plumbing, HVAC, appliances, and minor carpentry are covered during the training sessions. Our next Maintenance Apprenticeship starts this month in June!

Also starting in June, we will welcome two interns from UW-Madison who will work with our Asset Management Team They will dive into the details of developing and managing properties, while gaining a holistic view of our business by working with Development, Construction, and Property Management.

In addition to the training programs, we launched a new training tool for managers: DiSC. DiSC is a personalized learning experience aimed at improving engagement, collaboration, and the overall quality of the workplace It teaches individuals about their own work preferences and priorities, and how to work more effectively with other team members DiSC will be utilized in future training sessions for managers for soft skills development.

Our employee development efforts this year included our annual Spring Employee Development Training which focused on Problem Solving with Other Work Styles The training explored the different approaches to problem solving and how we can utilize each other’s talents to get the best possible outcome. Managers also received refreshers on Interview Best Practices and The Corrective Process

Finally, this spring we focused on refreshing the onboarding experience of new hires. This included a training expectations guide across all locations for a systematic approach to onboarding, as well as updating our onboarding packets with the new FRED logo and design aesthetic

THE TEAM

As always, if you need support or have ideas for training and development, don’t hesitate to reach out!

TEAM FRED GOOD NEWS

HANNAH BURCH (FORMERLY HANNAH LASCO) ASSISTANT PROPERTY MANAGER, 50TWENTY APARTMENTS

Have Good News? Use the QR code to submit yours for a chance to be featured in an upcoming issue!

I married my best friend Eric on May 4th at Over The Vines surrounded by all our favorite people! From start to finish the day was an absolute dream, we danced the night away and are so incredibly grateful for all the loving and supportive people we have in our lives The Monday after the wedding we left for Playa Del Carmen and spent the next week relaxing pool side, eating our way through Mexico and even did a little parasailing!

JULIE LINCOLN ADMINISTRATIVE & PROGRAM SPECIALIST

My husband, Sean, and I welcomed our first baby, Henry James Lincoln, into the world on May 9th He has brought us so much joy over his first few weeks in the world, with all of his many little noises and facial expressions We are amazed at how time has flown by but what an exciting adventure it’s been! We love our little boy so much and feel so blessed

SARAH

HARRINGTON

REGIONAL PROPERTY MANAGER

My daughter, Madie married my new son-in law Sean on April 26th, 2024 at Margaritaville Resort in Hollywood, FL Her son, Hudson, gave her away It was a beautiful day!

SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT WORLD BOOK DAY

BY SHANNON MCINNIS

1505 recently opened a ‘Community Library Shelf’ for residents, making creative use of a small corner in their clubhouse. They used their social pages to build excitement, posting quotes about reading before its unveiling on ‘World Book Day’. The Grafton Area Chamber of Commerce even shared their announcement on Facebook! It reminds me of ‘TikTok favorites’ shelves showing up in bookstores and new ways social media can get people excited about reading

“The idea was near to my heart as reading is something that inspires creativity and passion for reality, and that's something that should be shared with everyone,” said Izabelle Torodake, Assistant Property Manager

1505 Apartments + Townhomes @1505apartments

BRATING FRED’S NE ANNIVERSARIES

APRIL-JUNE 2024

JAMES CHUDADA MAINTENANCE TECH MANCHESTER OAKS 5 YEARS

MADELYN JAEGER PROPERTY MANAGER WELLS/ARRABELLE 5 YEARS

THOMAS GARRETT MAINTENANCE TECH VALLEY VIEW 5 YEARS

TRISTAN SCHMIDT CLEANER THE 85 5 YEARS

CRYSTAL GIBSON MAINTENANCE TECH RIDGE VIEW 5 YEARS

CHAD SCHWENK GROUNDSKEEPER 22 SLATE 5 YEARS

JON ZIEGELE PUNCH/WARRANTY COORDINATOR 5YEARS

JOHN CALDERONE IT OPERATIONS SPECIALIST 5 YEARS

SHERRY COENS PROPERTY MANAGER LIBERTY SQUARE 10 YEARS

NATALIE LARSEN CLEANER THE LANDMARK 10 YEARS

CORTEZ KILLEN LEASING PROFESSIONAL THE WOODLANDS 10 YEARS

DANIELLE DAHL SENIOR ACCOUNTING MANAGER 10 YEARS

TIM WITTKOPP DIRECTOR OF CONSTRUCTION 20 YEARS

GRADUATES FRED

Assessment this May It was a great experience and I'm excited to start the next chapter of my life!

JACK WINKLER OPERATIONS AND

SYSTEMS

ASSISTANT

My niece, Mira, graduated from high school and has committed to her DREAM SCHOOL - Brown University! She will be studying Biochemistry & Molecular Biology.

RACHEL WAGABAZA DIRECTOR OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

My son, Max, graduated from the University of Kansas School of Business in December. He started his new position at CH Robinson right after graduation, which is the company he interned for while in school

ANDY KIENER SR. DIRECTOR OF NEW DEVELOPMENT

GRADUATES

Congratulations to my daughter, Lily, on her Confirmation and 8th Grade Graduation!

KARLA SCHULTZ INTERIOR DESIGNER

My daughter, Grace, graduated from UW-Madison She majored in Business Administration - Real Estate & Urban Land Economics, Management & HR, and Environmental Sociology. She will be doing a 2-Year Internship at Northwestern University, starting in September.

AUSTIN MAUTZ CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

My son, Michael, graduated from Purdue University in May with an Electrical Engineering degree and a minor in Mathematics.

KRISTI PEIRCE VP OF CORPORATE FINANCE

This year, 3 of the 4 grandchildren I have custody of are graduating I couldn't be prouder of their hard work and accomplishments Exciting times are ahead Havanah is graduating from 8th grade and preparing for high school

Haley (also a Leasing Agent at Riverwood!) graduated and enrolled at University of Wisconsin - Parkside to earn her Bachelors degree

Hayden is graduating from high school and pursuing a career in the HVAC industry

TAMMY CONKLIN PROPERTY MANAGER

OUR GROWING COMPANY

OUR GROWING COMPANY

APRIL 1, 2024 - JUNE 1, 2024

JAMIE SORENSON GROUNDSKEEPER HIGH BLUFF

JOSEPH ALDRICH MAINTENANCE TECH I 22 SLATE

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!

PRESTON TATUM GROUNDSKEEPER STATE STREET STATION

STACY MACKOWIAK LEASING PROFESSIONAL SEASONS ORCHARD HILLS

SEASONAL RECIPE GOLDEN BAKED MAC & CHEESE

BY ANDY LIKWARZ

My wife, Lisa, LOVES this receipe! It is her favorite and is actually the first meal she ever made for me It is hers from a box of Creamette macaroni We change up the cheese, but my personal favorite is when we use pepperjack

1/2 package (2LB) Creamette elbow macaroni, uncooked

1/2 cup margarine or butter

1/3 cup unsifted flour

2 tsp dry mustard

1 1/2 tsp salt

5 cups milk

HALA HAMAM LEASING PROFESSIONAL SADDLE BROOK

JEREMY STATZ MAINTENANCE TECH I THE 85

4 cups (1LB) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook macaroni as package directs, drain

2. Preheat oven to 375

3. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt margarine, stir in flour, mustard, and salt

4. Gradually stir in milk

FUN FACT!

Andy has been at Liberty Square for more than 8 years and the residents love him so much that they invite him to their Pot Lucks that aren't even hosted by the Team as an event.

5. Cook and stir until mixture thickens slightly and bubbles, remove from heat

6. Add 2 cups cheese, stir until melted

7. In a large bowl, combine sauce with macaroni

8. Spoon into a greased 13x9 in. baking dish

9. Top with remaining 2 cups of cheese

10. Bake for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly

11. Let stand for 10 minutes

12. Enjoy!