YES Magazine Issue 7

Teamwork makes the dream work

Hello YES Team Members!

Can you believe we are almost through 2022? Where did the time go? We still have a few months left in 2022, let’s finish it strong! Our Team Members make the difference and with your hard work and dedication, we have created a place that thousands of residents call home.

We have dedicated hundreds of thousands of dollars and thousands of hours as a company to give back. With our YES We Care program, we continue to assist our team members, residents, communities and the broader community. This year YES is striving to attain as close to 10,000 YES We Care PTO donated hours of volunteering. So what does this mean? We need you to help us get there because we want to live our mission: Helping People Live Rich, Meaningful Lives One Person, One Family, One Home, and One Community at a Time.

Let’s make a push to the 10,000 volunteer hours! GO YES TEAM!

Steve Schaub CEO YES Communities

Telling Our YES Story

Push to 10,000 YES we care PTO hours!

PATRICE MITCHELL, CULTURE AMBASSADOR

As a full-time YES team member, you are given eight hours each year to give back to the community you live and work in. In 2021, YES team members volunteered for a total of 1,866 hours. As a company we have over 10,000 hours that could be used. Think of all the lives that YES could touch if we used all 10,000 hours in 2022.

Why does YES give us time to volunteer? The answer is simple: YES cares about you as a team member and it cares about the community you live and work in. Volunteering has been proven to build self-confidence. It gives a sense of pride and purpose and gives each of us the chance to help build community.

The first step in volunteering is asking yourself, “what are you passionate about?”

• Is it hunger? You can collect food in your community to donate to a local food bank.

• Is it homelessness? We are in the affordable housing industry and this is an issue that is important to many of us. You could spend your volunteer day working at a local homeless shelter.

• Do you hear the call of nature and/or care deeply about sustainability? If so, you could volunteer your time at a local park. The YES Marketing team just used some of their YWBC PTO hours cleaning up a Denver Park.

• Have you ever had a family member in a nursing home? So many nursing home residents never get visitors. Why not spend a few hours just talking to the elderly.

• Are you the person that wants to take every stray cat or dog home? Check with your local animal shelter. They are always in need of a few extra hands.

If you want to know how many hours YES employees have volunteered, all you have to do is log into Dayforce and check out the dancing lady. And if you want to see that lady dance LIVE at the next big meeting, use your WBC PTO hours! When we hit 5,000 hours, I will do my happy dance for all to see.

I (accidentally) volunteered our COO, Karen Hamilton, to dance for all to see when we hit 10,000 hours. How that happened is an incredibly funny story and, if you want to hear how it happened, help get YES to 10,000 hours and I will share that at the next big meeting as well. Get out and volunteer!

What are you passionate about?

Giving back is part of our YES Culture.

ANDREW CARVER AND RACHEL ELIZONDO

I recently had a new Community Manager call me up asking how she could use her YWBC PTO. My reply was simple: Pay close attention to organizations that provide food, rental, or utility assistance to your residents. Do you have any church buses that drop people off on the weekends? Ask your residents if they know of any organizations around that could use some volunteer time.

Over the years, I’ve learned that there is a plethora of things you can do to give back to your local community. I cannot tell you how fortunate we all are to be part of an organization that encourages us to do that. Giving back is part of our YES Culture. It is intertwined in the fabric of helping, building community, adding value, and teamwork!

These hours are also a great way to spend some time with your individual community teams, sister communities or the whole region! Most of these hours are commonly spent during the holiday season, but there are plenty of opportunities to use these hours all year long!

Volunteering at: Local schools

Food kitchens

Area clean ups like parks or roads

Assisted Living

Local Libraries

There are many organizations and communities can use help at any point of the year. To ensure we hit our 10,000 goal, we must start now!!

Walk A Mile In Our Shoes

BY DAWN STEELE

Inspired by the Field Explorer experience, this is a series of articles that will focus on various departments, their roles and responsibilities, and how they impact YES as a whole. Using the YES Culture as our model (I Can Help, We Are a Team, We Add Value, We Build Community) we will walk a mile in one another’s shoes and discover that together, WE ARE YES STRONG!

PATRICE MITCHELL

YES friends, I am so excited to share the amazing-ness that is Patrice Mitchell with all of you! She is embarking on a new role for the company and is shining a spotlight on our YES Culture and the incredible opportunities and programs that are available to us.

Patrice, like a lot of us, never planned on joining the manufactured housing industry. When her position with the State she lived in was eliminated 16 years ago, she took a job picking 6 buckets of peanuts each day for $6 per bucket to support her family. She took that strong work ethic with her into the apartment industry, managing 30 properties with primarily low income and HUD housing requirements. From there, she discovered YES through a recruiting opportunity. She was placed at The Gables, located in South Carolina, in February of 2017. By the end of December that same year, she took a NEGATIVE $120k NOI to a POSITIVE $6k NOI by reducing the number of vacant homes and increasing rents up to current market rates.

By her 4th year as a Community Manager, Patrice and her team were conquering NOISE competitions and earning

rewards along with recognition. She told me the greatest part of this experience was seeing the impact this had for her team. One of her team members was able to purchase a car and no longer had to ride the bus to work. The community they created together helped them all succeed in achieving their goals. From there, Patrice moved to the Field Manager role and extended her impact with YES.

When you meet Patrice, it is no surprise that the Culture Ambassador role was the next natural step for her at YES. When I asked her what the role meant to her, she said that she sees this as a service role.

It’s about more than just talking up programs and training. It’s about connecting people with their passion and engaging people to change lives through programs like Yes We Care and YWBCPTO.

YES cares enough about building community – from the field to home office and everyone in between – that they created a role to make sure we stay connected. No matter how big we grow, we are intentional about keeping the “small company” feel. This is what makes YES special.

I asked Patrice to define the Yes Culture Statements in her own words. Following is what she shared with me and

YES I CAN HELP

Yes I can help means being available. Help is not defined by a job description. Help means being solutions oriented; educating the field on the programs that are available to residents so EVERYONE is empowered to make a difference; creating awareness of what is possible and how to think about ways we can make life better (for example: stopping to help a child put a chain on their bike).

I can help also means sometimes we have to get creative. If we can’t directly assist someone, we can Find A Way to connect people with resources or alternatives to getting what they need.

YES WE ARE A TEAM

When I think of a Team, I think of football. When you’re part of a team, even if you sit on the bench the entire time, you still come to practice every day and play like you’re going to be on the field. You do what the team does, how the team does it. Being part of a team means participating, regardless of the role you have to play. Whether you are Steve Schaub or a pool monitor, every player is important. Every person matters.

As a team member, we also step into any position needed. We look beyond our job descriptions to have the willingness to do what it takes to do the right thing and achieve company goals and objectives.

YES WE ADD VALUE

From a field perspective, adding value is financial. The focus is on NOI, collections, controlling expenses, being mindful of budgets and maximizing profits. From a home office perspective, adding value means supporting the people each department serves. It means working alongside others and showing up to be the best version of themselves every single day.

Adding value also means we participate in personal and professional development. From boot camps to EDGE programs, we utilize the resources YES provides to grow and strive for excellence.

YES WE BUILD COMMUNITY

Building community means that we recognize all of YES as a whole. I believe that it takes a village to raise a child and it takes all of us at YES to build our community. We are here to support one another but we’re also here to provide accountability. Being a community means we recognize our strengths and weaknesses while combining our efforts to provide better and stronger resources to everyone. It also means we are open to helping others AND we are open to asking for help when we need it.

When we come out from behind department and community lines, we might just find we can have a block party and celebrate one another. Learning together makes us stronger and makes sure no one gets left behind!

YES CULTURE AMBASSADOR:

Community Manager Experience is now… FIELD EXPLORER!

BY MARIA METZELAAR

Complete with a new name, new logo, new materials, and most importantly… new swag!

Field Explorer is more descriptive of the whole experience - from assisting residents in the community office to performing a work order with maintenance. We want you to share what it means to work in our communities so our Home Office Team can come back with a greater understanding of how to support the field.

Scan to watch two recent explorers tell their story!

“I realized over the course of the week that CMs, SLAs, and Maintenance are the backbone of the company and without them, there is no YES Communities”

- JASON DANIELS, QUALITY COMPLIANCE AGENT, MIDWEST OFFICE. EXPLORING PRESTON ON THE LAKE

- JASON WITH PRESTON ON THE LAKE TEAM

“At Stonegate during my Field Explorer, I was surprised at how “not weird” it was! I sort of expected to be the new kid on the block, rookie, or even “stuffy home office person.” I could not have been more wrong. My friends at Stonegate made it abundantly clear that they were there to help me laugh and grow. My favorite part was that every single one of them was enthusiastic about it. From coordinating when I should be with what team member... to taking pictures of me trying new things! I truly felt taken care of. I miss you all!”

- REBECCA HULSE, STONEGATE

LEFT - MICHELE BERRY, DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS INNOVATION, HOME OFFICE.

RIGHT - REBECCA HULSE, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COACH, HOME OFFICE

Wow 2022

BY ANDREW CARVER

According to YES Net, “Wow is an event to determine which community in the region has the most WOW Factor when it comes to curb appeal. YES Communities is dedicated to exceptional customer service. One of the best ways to provide customer service is in the manner we maintain the appearance of our communities. ‘We Build Community’ must be more than just words on the wall. When our customers, new or existing, drive through our communities we want each of them to say ‘WOW!’ in regard to the appearance.”

Then it goes on to say, “we all know that first impressions are lasting. Our best prospects will only stop in the office, or call, if their first impression of our community is positive. Curb appeal is a daily task for all YES! Team Members. Be sure to express gratitude to your team for all they do to keep our communities looking their best day in and day out.”

When people live in a community they are proud of, it brings about a sense of being and value. It is a place they are proud to invite their loved ones, coworkers, and friends. The wonderful people that choose to make our communities home, they work hard so they can live here. Community appearance is the simplest thing we can do to express our Yes! Attitude statements.

As a Community Manager, one of the best compliments we can receive is when someone comes in from off the street and says, “wow, this place looks amazing.”

Ryan Lopez, who is a member of the Culture Committee and CM in TXFW said, “it’s important to remember that we are always in a state of improvement. Always ask yourself ‘what can I improve today? As far as our residents, it’s not just about the rules but the message and culture behind it. A place that adds value and pride of homeownership. It’s important to set the example starting with the office staff, maintenance and beyond. When we as a team do better, they want to also.”

Here are a few tips and tricks I learned in preparing for Wow

1.

PAINT IT

Speed bumps and parking lines/bumpers painted. Jeff Redinger from South Arlington Estates advises using a quality, oil-based paint for these areas rather than latex. Otherwise, you will have to repaint almost every week. He also said to give it a full day to cure and set.

2. DELIVERY

Your mailboxes need to be free of tape and adhesive. Clean them periodically with a product like GOO GONE and a scrub pad.

3. WELCOME

To make your entrance signs stand out, use vibrant colors in the landscaping and surrounding the signs. Pink is always a great choice.

4. BALLIN

Stripe your basketball courts. The stencils are fairly inexpensive from Amazon. Take it from me, if a CM can paint one, anyone can! Use chains rather than nylon nets. To help line up the striping, use a plumb bob.

5. SIGNS

Make sure parking lots and amenity signs are fresh.

6.

Organize safety boards so they are really useful, not just a reminder to be safe.

What does Wow factor mean to you?

I want you to really think about that for a moment.

7.

ONE ROAD AT A TIME

Asset Manager Shonery Crook said to start curb appeal today, one road at a time and move to the next, one corner at a time and move on to the next. Setting these small goals keeps you and your staff from getting overwhelmed.

8.

SAFETY FIRST

Always check for safety concerns and address them immediately.

9. BEYOND EXPECTATIONS

“Work on site violations throughout the year,” said April Andrade of TXFW. She also said to take the time to have conversations and be detailed in your expectations.

10.

MAKING IMPRESSIONS

Keeping your trucks and golf carts clean sets an example for your community. When residents see things that are clean, it lets them know what we expect. When prospects see clean vehicles, it makes for a great and lasting first impression. I think the truck show that TXMQ put on was a phenomenal idea.

11.

NEW PERSPECTIVE

Have another community come look at your property – you see yours every day and it is always good to get someone else’s perspective.

“If we treat every day like a Wow Day there is less stress preparing for Wow Tours.” “Also you see your community every day and it’s always helpful to have someone else’s fresh perspective.”

-SEAN JARBOE, RM OF TXFW

“Most importantly, have fun with your WOW Tours by spicing it up with some fun themes the entire team can participate in.”

-MISTY RANGEL, RM OF TXSA

Why YES Awards!

FATOSH UCAR

At YES our Team Members make the difference and every year we celebrate individuals who go above and beyond the call of duty. In 2022, we celebrated awards at both YES Connect and again at the Recharge Meeting this summer. We identified individuals who contribute to our company in exceptional ways. Take a look at each of our winners in 2022 and see how they impacted not only our business, but our team members and residents!

1.

REGIONAL OF THE YEAR

This prestigious award is presented to one Regional each year for their outstanding performance in all areas of the business.

3.

YES YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE – REGIONAL OR DISTRICT MANAGER

This award is presented to one Regional or District Manager each year for their demonstration of the YES attitude while achieving strong performance during the prior year.

5.

YES ACHIEVE – FIELD

This YES Achieve recipient is a leader who exhibits the YES Attitude throughout their day whether interacting with their own team, vendors, residents, or other YES team members.

2.

PEMA ELITE – HOME OFFICE

This award is presented to one Home Office team member each year for their many valuable, consistent contributions during their tenure at YES. Requiring one year or more of service, these award winners are diligent and focused on continuous business and metric improvement and provide strong stability to the many teams they support.

4.

YES YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE – HOME OFFICE

This award is presented to a Home Office team member, with one year of service or more, that makes a significant impact on YES in the prior year while demonstrating the YES attitude.

YESmakeyou a Difference!

6.

YES ACHIEVE – HOME OFFICE

This YES Achieve recipient is a Home Office team member who exhibits the YES Attitude throughout their day whether interacting with their own team, both field and Home Office YES team members or vendors.

Getting to Know the 2022 YES Connect Winners

2021 ACHIEVE

MISTY RANGEL

Regional Manager, TXSA

WHAT IS YOUR TITLE AND WHAT DO YOU DO HERE AT YES?

MISTY: Misty Rangel, TXSA Regional Manager

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO OUTSIDE OF WORK?

MISTY: Shopping, spending time with family, barbeques, travelling.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT YES CONNECT?

MISTY: Seeing everyone again! Building those relationships!

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE A YES ACHIEVE AWARD WINNER?

MISTY: I was shocked! And so thankful! Grateful to be recognized!

2021 YES YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE DANNY DOIG

Senior Regional Vice President, MI7

WHAT IS YOUR TITLE AND WHAT DO YOU DO HERE AT YES?

DANNY: My title is Senior Regional Vice President and I am the Regional of MI7.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO OUTSIDE OF WORK?

DANNY: Outside of work I enjoy spending my free time with my family. My wife and I have three young boys and we spend most of our time outside playing sports and games. We are avid Detroit sports fans and we are hoping that one day one of our local pro teams will actually be good again.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT YES CONNECT?

DANNY: My favorite part about YES Connect is getting to build relationships with Home Office and regional team members that we do not get to see often. Hearing others’ ideas and methods of obtaining success make YES Connect a valuable experience.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE A YES YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE AWARD WINNER?

DANNY: I am very proud to be a YES Achieve award winner. We have an incredible group of Community Managers in MI7 and I feel very fortunate to work together with them. It is not lost on me that any success that our region has is a direct result of their efforts.

2021 PEMA ELITE

GRANT SLADE Senior Developer

WHAT IS YOUR TITLE AND WHAT DO YOU DO HERE AT YES?

GRANT: My title is Sr. Developer, and I work with the website, backend databases and related systems. I’ve played a role in many of the systems, from the data warehouse to yescommunities.com and there always seems to be something new on the horizon. I’m looking forward to getting more involved with YES 360 (the system formerly known as Hubspot) as that gets rolling.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO OUTSIDE OF WORK?

GRANT: We have 4 poorly socialized mini Australian shepherds (dogs), all rescues, in various stages of life. When we are not catering to their every demand, I sometimes head to Vegas with friends to hit the craps tables. I grew up passionate about the Washington Redskins (sorry, Commanders) before Dr. Evil bought the team, so I try and catch their games while simultaneously hoping that they get sold to someone less of a <insert derogatory term here>. Other than that, studying for professional certifications is consuming most of my time right now. Someday soon I hope to be able to do some more leisurely reading, because I kind of miss reading for fun.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT YES CONNECT?

GRANT: Meeting new people and getting to know people that I sometimes don’t have an opportunity to interact with here in the office.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE A PEMA ELITE AWARD WINNER?

GRANT: I was totally not expecting it or I would have sat maybe not the farthest seat (it seemed like) from the stage. I was honored because I know that there were a bunch of deserving super candidates. I appreciated it and thanks!

2021 YES YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE TROY MURPHY

FP&A

Manager

WHAT IS YOUR TITLE AND WHAT DO YOU DO HERE AT YES?

TROY: FP&A Manager; Budget process, reporting & business processes, acquisitions/ development/ expansions, investor requests, and anything else the field or home office needs

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO OUTSIDE OF WORK?

TROY: Travel, spend time with family & friends, hike, & cook

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT YES CONNECT?

TROY: To connect with everyone in person & have a chance to meet new people I might not encounter on a day-to-day basis

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE A YES YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE AWARD WINNER?

TROY: To me, it proves how much how our team has been able to accomplish in a short period of time.

2021 YES ACHIEVE RACHEL TRUJILLO Learning Specialist

WHAT IS YOUR TITLE AND WHAT DO YOU DO HERE AT YES?

RACHEL: I am a Learning Specialist here on the EDGE team. At YES I am responsible for helping to facilitate and teach our CMs during CM Bootcamp, helping to onboard and train new home office employees, and working on loads of other really cool training opportunities.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO OUTSIDE OF WORK?

RACHEL: Outside of work I love to hang out with my family and friends, travel to new and exciting places, camping, swimming, and also love to DANCE! If you see me at any kind of YES event, there is a good chance you’ll be able to find me out on the dance floor. I take my ‘Life of the Party’ award very seriously!

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT YES CONNECT?

RACHEL: My favorite part about YES Connect was building new relationships with people who I don’t normally get to interact with on a day-to-day basis. Cassie and I walked around introducing each other to new people and it helped me to connect with so many new people who I am excited to see again hopefully soon!

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE A YES ACHIEVE AWARD WINNER?

RACHEL: It is such an honor to be considered, let alone, win one of these awards. I’m so thankful for my team and coworkers who have helped me so much along the way. I look forward to continuing to grow and develop here at YES!

2021 REGIONAL OF THE YEAR

CHELSEY BANNISTER Regional Vice President, INDY Region

WHAT IS YOUR TITLE AND WHAT DO YOU DO HERE AT YES?

CHELSEY: Regional Vice President Region Indy

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO OUTSIDE OF WORK?

CHELSEY: Outside of work I like spending time with my wife and kids dining out, shopping and traveling. I recently purchased a motorcycle and really enjoy hitting the open road. I consider myself a “foodie” so I am always in search of a new restaurant, preferably locally owned.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT YES CONNECT?

CHELSEY: I absolutely enjoyed networking with my peers, learning and sharing tips and tricks and best practices to move the business forward. It was difficult to narrow down my favorite take aways, so here’s one from each course. From New Move Ins, Expectations & Standards course I took away, it’s about having a “shared vision”. My team should share my vision and to accomplish that I need to “show, tell & do” because “what you allow will continue”. I believe all quotes are from David Whitworth. From the Pricing and Business course I loved Shawn Harpin’s line “Increase pricing until it impacts traffic”. And last but not certainly not least my take away from the Expense Control course is to be diligent about catching duplicate invoices and making “small tweaks” that across the company add up to BIG savings.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE A YES REGIONAL OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNER?

CHELSEY: It means a great deal to me to be recognized by Senior leadership for my team’s efforts. The award was given to an individual but it is definitely a team accomplishment. I am honored and grateful for the recognition and look forward to continued success.

YES Recharge Meeting Achieve Winners

MIE - LINDA SOWELL, CM VALLEYBROOK (IN)

EASTERN - OMAR FOSTER, DSS EASTERN

WESTERN N - ASHLEY LEE, CM WOODLAKE ESTATES

MIW - JACK SCHWENT, REGIONAL MAINTENANCE, MI2

S CENTRAL - DEBBIE HOUSTON, CM THE WAVERLY

WESTERN S - LISA IBARRA, CM THE CROSSING

Later that day, Amy Ortiz (Vice President of Sales and Finance) hosted a Q&A with all of us DSS’s and MVP’s. During the session we had the opportunity to answer any questions from our MVPs. You can only imagine what was going through our minds. Kerrie Chavat (DSS MIW) says “I was nervous, excited, and with anticipation all at the same time”. We all felt the same way. However, this was a great experience for us all. One of the questions that was asked was by Cedric McCloud who calls himself the CO-DSS for Eastern Division “what do we need to do to get your position”. This let us know that our MVP’s are not only looking to change lives and offer the gift of ownership, but they have a passion to grow with the company and help SLAs to become future MVP’s as well.

going to do to assist them, what is your most memorial sale and why. One of the that stood out was Name something that’s valuable that you were able to pay for.

Lauiell Baker (1st Time MVP) along with others said that she was able to purchase a home. Others have said that they were able to purchase a car cash, shopping, vacation, help their families and loved ones. A highlight moment during this particular segment, while asked (Name something that’s valuable that you were able to pay for, Yolanda Manning (SLA for Birch Hollow) said that she was able to pay for her cancer treatments. This was a moment that will

SALES MVP Experienece

The second portion of the Q&A class was fantastic in it’s on right, being that DSS’s had the opportunity to ask the MVP’s a question by throwing a ball to an SLA and whatever color it lands it, they will have to ask the question that is assigned to that color. Questions such as, Name one person did not make MVP and what are you

ANTONIO BOONE, SALES AND LEASING AGENT, SHILOH PINES

2021, what a year to reminisce and reflect on the many accomplishments that our Sales Team especially MVPS have accomplished.

During YES Connect we had a chance to not only spend time with our MVP’s, but also had a chance to recognize and award their awesome achievements. As a company, we had a total of 66 MVP’s. Not only did we have a record-breaking number of MVPs, but we also had a record-breaking number in Sales Altogether. Well done Sales Team!!!!

On April 19th, we had the opportunity during Yes Connect to spend time with our MVPS’s by having them to be a part of classes, Team Building events, and Award night. During the general sessions, the MVP’s had the opportunity to spend time with Jen Pyle and our HO Sales Team which was hosted by them and got a chance to ask questions and share ideas. Michelle Holmes and Martina Stones both agree that this was an incredible experience for both. Martina says that she was able to not only know the names of the MVPs, but she was able to know their faces being that these are the SLA’s who are hustling and are always contacting her to get those deals across the finishing line. Michelle and Martina both says that “we can feel their passion, and if we’re able to feel their passion we can only imagine the YES EXPERIENCE that the customers are feeling. This is the reason why they are successful”.

go down in the books. Brenda Roblez (DSS South Texas Division) says that “The answer’s given speaks volume about our Yes Culture and Teamwork. After the questions started, I felt more comfortable and was excited to hear from the MVP team on what motivates them and to hear them saying how they were able to help their families with their commission and how they’re now debt free”. Brenda furthers says “This helped me to feel more comfortable in my role and gave me the sense that all 6 of us (DSS’s) are doing the right thing”.

Austin Gothier (1st time MVP) says that Being a part of the Yes Connect was interesting and it’s so much hype to

“The answer’s given speaks volume about our YES Culture and Teamwork.when asked what motivates them some said how they were able to help their families with their commission and how they’re now debt free.”

-BRENDA ROBLEZ, DSS SOUTH TEXAS DIVISION

an SLA who passed away Summer of last year. Rachael Nelson has already reached MVP status before her passing who worked in the Altana Region. Trina says, “she was one of the kindest people that you could ever meet.”

Each MVP vowed to help and mentor to bring another MVP, so there is no telling the number of MVP’s that we’re geared for this year. To the Sales Team, let this be an inspiration to not only make money, but to walk that stage next year. MVP’s, Let’s walk that stage again and bring along another SLA with you.

get there. Knowing that there’s hundreds of SLA’s that are in the company and only a select few get to that point. This to me is a yearly Motivation goal. It was cool that they acknowledged our achievements”. Austin also says that it was nice to gather with people that have the high drive and put a face with the those that we email on a constant basis and get personal insight with them. Austin goes on more saying “This makes you feel that you are bigger the community that you work in because how far you can reach out.

Eleida Romero (1st time MVP) says “It was great spending time with other MVP’s which have brought even more the competitive side in me. It was also great to hear different approaches on sealing deals. Iron Sharpens Iron.”

Now, let’s get to the Awards Night. During Awards night we had a chance to acknowledge all 66 of our MVP’s. Not trying to be biased, but this was the highlight of the night. And it’s not because this was the year that I received my last MVP award, since I stepped in the Role of DSS, but it was great seeing those who worked hard being acknowledged and recognized. Those who had 23-39 sales were presented with a white stole along with an award.

And those who have sold 40+ homes received a yellow stole plus and award (Erick Chavez 3x Time MVP)

Along with the stole and awards, all of the MVP’s received cash afterwards as well. Trina Spindle (DSS for South Central) was able to present an honorary MVP award to

FIELD TO HOME OFFICE

BY RACHEL ELIZONDO

One of my personal favorite times of the year is a meeting called YES Connect. This gathering takes place in Denver where Field Leadership and Home office to get together. This meeting gives us the opportunity to put names to faces, which is great since most of our communication with one another is over email and phone. Having this time to see another perspective of our business helps with communication between us, and the YES Culture overall.

This is why our new Field to the Home Office trainings are a hit!

Beginning this year, our awesome EDGE and Ops teams gave our new CM’s, FM’s, DM’s, and RM’s a new place to do some training. Some of these new hires now head over to our beautiful Denver Home Office to complete their trainings, whether it be CM Bootcamp or FM, DM, RM Onboarding. The feedback from the participants has been great! The ability to get away from the usual, busy day to day routine and train with others as well as meet new people is showing to be a success! During the week visit, participants have the chance to meet with the different departments at Home Office as well as hear straight from subject matter experts. It is a great environment to learn, mingle and get a different perspective from the Field to Home Office.

EXPANSION UPDATE

The Estates – Princeton, TX

BY SHANNON ZOHN

The expansion project at The Estates has brought the addition of 162 new sites. New homes are now being scheduled for delivery.

In addition to the expansion, a new amenity center has been constructed. This includes a clubhouse, playground, pool, picnic pavilion and walking trails. Full completion of these amenities was completed at the end of August.

Take A Tour at The Estates

Building New Horizons

BY MISTY RANGEL

In a rural town, as you drive over beautiful Lavon Lake just Northeast of Dallas, and at a population of just over 17,000 people, Princeton Texas holds one of YES Communities’ newest expansions! With an upcoming and brand new, state of the art Office and Community Center, beautifully designed pool and a pier that walks out onto the over-sized pond, this community will inevitably hold up to its name, The Estates!

It’s interesting to me to know the history of a small town such as Princeton where I found some very fascinating statistics! Princeton was originally named “Wilson’s Switch”, but with the government extending lines right through the middle of the town, they eventually renamed the area in honor of Prince Dowlin, who was a landowner and promoter of the town where its post office was established in 1888. In 1940, however, a camp of 7 cabins was built to house 400 migrant workers who came to work during the onion and cotton seasons. And, in 1945, the area became the site of a Prisoners of War Encampment during the Second World War where farmers paid the POWs to work their farms. Although this only lasted for 8 months, the German prisoners were then contracted to work on the City Park where a living memorial and shrine was erected to those who served and died during the War.

Today, and although Princeton is small, the surrounding areas are, well…not so much. A 25-minute drive will get you to downtown Dallas and several other, well populated areas offering tasty cuisine, fabulous shopping and even more rural areas and farmlands. This property elevates the “Country Living” lifestyle while having the comforts of the City just minutes away.

The Community started out as 101 Revenue Producing Sites, but with the company’s largest expansion, they will be adding 162 new homes to this community! Our very own Claudia Garcia is the Community Manager and has been with us for 8 years and started out as the SLA at Southfork Wylie. God and family are the most important things to her, she has 6 kids, and she loves coaching their soccer teams. Richard Erickson, our maintenance guru there, was also transferred from Southfork Wylie, has 4 dogs, 2 cats, 21 chickens, 3 ducks, 2 quails and 30 fish!!! He also loves cruising around and has been with us for 15 years!!!

While the community is in the throws of their expansion and erecting the new clubhouse, playground, BBQ areas and so much more, it’s still in its construction phase. So, stay tuned for amazing photos to come of it’s completed project!!!

Daily Jobs

BY JEREMY MCKENNA

#WhereIsKarenNow ??? Have you seen Daily Jobs yet? If not, simply scan the QR Code to see the YES YouTube Playlist featuring all the episodes so far! From power washing YES homes to fixing broken deadbolts, Karen is not shy about any Daily Job we throw at her! This ongoing series gets to the heart of what our amazing team members do every day to keep our residents happy and to push our company forward. Keep your eyes peeled... Karen may be coming to a community near you some day! Thanks for watching!

Make a Plan. Make a Difference

YES EDITORIAL TEAM

VANESSA JASINSKI, VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING AND MEDIA RELATIONS (DENVER HOME OFFICE)

CLARE JOYCE, SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER (DENVER HOME OFFICE)

MARIA METZELAAR, MARKETING MANAGER (DENVER HOME OFFICE)

ANTONIO BOONE, SALES & LEASING AGENT (ROLLING HILLS/MESQUITE GREENS)

ANDREW CARVER, COMMUNITY MANAGER (SOUTH ARLINGTON ESTATES)

RACHEL ELIZONDO, REGIONAL MANAGER (TXDAL REGION)

MISTY RANGEL, REGIONAL MANAGER (TXSA REGION)

SHANNON ZOHN, DEVELOPMENT PROJECT COORDINATOR (DENVER HOME OFFICE)

BAILEY AUSTIN, TITLING COORDINATOR (DENVER HOME OFFICE)

NICHOLE PHILLIPS, REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT (MICHIGAN HOME OFFICE)

DAWN STEELE, INVENTORY DIRECTOR (MICHIGAN HOME OFFICE)

MARTINA STONE, SALES AND FINANCING COORDINATOR (MICHIGAN HOME OFFICE)