What a Year It Has Been!
by Kevin Pellegrino
What an incredible year this has been! AATC continues its success year after year in its efforts to service its members. We are so proud of the work our chairs and directors have done over the past 12 months. The output has been phenomenal. Look at the results of a landmark year for AATC; we hope you will continue to support AATC in the future.
Financial Outlook
This past year, AATC’s total income was $2,491,715. Of that income, $1,522,132 was from membership dues, $307,180 from sponsorships, $54,375 from advertising, $400,107 from events, and $201,360 from educational programs.
In all, it was a very productive year for AATC members. We certainly couldn’t do the things we do without your support.
Advocacy Initiatives
In 2023, AATC members and staff engaged in more than 50 discussions with elected officials, including Texas Senator Ted Cruz (R); staff from Texas Senator John Cornyn’s (R) office; and AATC-area members of Congress: Jake Ellzey, Kay Granger, Beth Van Duyne, Marc Veasey, and Roger Williams. On your behalf, this group will aggressively advocate for changes in federal laws and regulations that impact your business, including ending the CARES Act Notice to Vacate, Renters’ Bill of Rights, and barriers to housing affordability. The AATC advocacy team met with Congressman Kay Granger (R – TX 12) in August at her Fort Worth office to ask for her assistance to end the federal CARES Act 30-day Notice-To-Vacate mandate.
In February, after nine months of discussion, the Fort Worth City Council unanimously approved a short-term rental ordinance that requires registration, registration fees, local management, and payment of hotel tax. This action was a massive win for AATC members. We’re also happy to report that all AATC PAC-endorsed municipal candidates won in May, including AATC member Malissa Minucci, who won re-election to Watauga City Council.
This year, AATC members donated more than $100,000 to AATC PAC, a record amount, and contributed more than $96,000 to NAA PAC.
Leadership Lyceum
Our Lyceum returned in 2023 with an all-new slate of candidates. We have seven new Lyceum grads: Amber Diebold, Willow Bridge Property Company; Cara Glover, Hillwood; Dandi Breese, Luma Residential; Kate Skaggs, Olympus; Kyle Gambrell, Valet Living; Rachael Anderson, Madera; and Stacie Parrish, RPM Living.
AATC Business Exchange
The AATC Business Exchange once again became known to the Fort Worth multifamily community. This year, 239 owner/operator executives from 54 owner/operator companies and 283 suppliers participated. The 2023 AATC Business Exchange raised a record amount of $96,650 for NAA PAC. We hope you join us again next year for this incredible networking event.
Golf Tournaments
Our member-favorite golf tournaments returned to our favorite Fort Worth golf courses to raise money for our AATC PAC. In April, our Spring Tournament occurred at Texas Star Golf Course in Euless, raising $41,800 in PAC dollars. Our Fall Tournament was at Bear Creek Golf Course in Euless, and it raised $40,700 in PAC dollars. It is an amazing combination of events to help keep our PAC dollars in the coffers so we can meet our annual needs.
PAC Events
AATC hosted a pickleball tournament for the first time ever—a new event held at Chicken and Pickle in Grapevine late in the summer. AATC raised $14,800 for the AATC PAC.
Membership
The AATC Membership Committee has been more active than ever, especially since AATC acquired Coni Leal, AATC’s Association Account Specialist, who is in charge of membership. AATC has been able to build more business relationships for both member recruitment and retention.
As of December 1, 2023 – AATC maintains 1,870 members that includes 245,607 units in nine counties for a year over year increase of 5%. We added 185 new members that included: 16 IRO’s (213 units), 21 Owner-Managers (215 units), 51 Properties (9,584 units), and 97 Supplier Partners! These new member accounts brought with them 9,706 additional units.
Products & Services Council
PSC hosted seven meetings this past year—six robust programs and, for the first time, a meet-and-greet mixer.
2023 Meeting Dates and Topics:
- Jan 17 – “Who Moved my Cheese.”
- Feb 23 – Mixer at Mesa Mexican Cuisine.
- May 16 – Budgets
- June 13th – Leadership and the NFL
- Aug 1st – Business Exchange
- Aug 31 – Education Conference and Trade Show
- Oct 10 – AATC Community Services efforts. AATC PSC members raised over $3,000 for CEC.
AATC Trade Show
The AATC Trade Show took place on Oct 19. There were 214 Booths comprising 167 Companies showcasing their products and services. Approximately 750 registered Owner-Manager attendees were in attendance for this event. The 2024 Trade Show at the Fort Worth Convention Center is scheduled for Nov 14, 2024.
Maintenance Legends
We are monitoring Maintenance Legends monthly for nominees from our association. If we get a nominee from AATC on the legends board – Coni emails the entire company the nominee works for and committee members and encourages them to all go vote for our legend. Watch our social media channels for information regarding Maintenance Legends.
Congratulations to the following AATC nominees in 2023. All three of them are qualified to be selected as one of 25 random winners to receive a chance to win a brand-new truck and other incredible prizes.
- Linda Norman – Providence at Marine Creek, Highmark Residential
- Joshua Hayden – Cottages at Bedford, Apartment Service Management Company (ASMC)
- Manolito Cruz – Avenue 5 Residential
AATC Education
AATC education programs are vital to the AATC business and operation model. Not only does the education department oversee the design and execution of top-notch curricula for the multifamily industry, but they also offered NAAEI Credential courses: CALP, CAMT, CAPS, CAM, CAS, and Supplier Success multiple times this year with high success. We saw over 70 members go through our credential certification courses in 2023. Over 203 members became certified in either the CPO/Certified Pool Operator course or EPA 608 HVAC Certified.
The annual education conference, GAME ON, saw over 270 members attend. It was our first year hosting the conference at the Fort Worth Convention Center, where we could utilize multiple training rooms and the ballroom. We had two incredible keynote speakers: 1) NFL Wide Receiver Trent Shelton and 2) Multifamily Legend and International Speaker Toni Blake. In addition to these fantastic keynotes, we had over 16+ speakers who facilitated topics on human resources, sales, maintenance, leadership, onboarding, marketing, diversity equity and inclusion, retention and renewals, motivation, leasing, customer service, and Emotional Support Animals. Also new to our conference was adding a dedicated service team/maintenance track.
In addition to the education breakout sessions, we also had a panel during lunch called: State of the Industry in Fort Worth and Surrounding Areas. We could not have had such a wonderful conference without our outstanding speaker members.
The AATC Education Conference will return in 2024 on Nov 14 at the Fort Worth Convention Center. Stay tuned to aatcnet.org for news and updates on this event.
Education Foundation
The AATC Education Foundation has been successfully launched and is ready to award scholarships in 2024. The 2024 AATCEF Board of Directors is in place, and the Foundation is set to kick off in January of 2024 at the Lone Star Awards and Installation Celebration, where the president will award each Lone Star Award winner with a monetary scholarship for professional development.
Lone Star Awards Leadership Celebration
As of this year, the LSA nomination and judging process is being completed entirely online through a newly outsourced software application to aid in the project management of this one-of-a-kind event. Nominations opened Oct 15 and remained open through Nov 20; we are projected to have nearly 200 final nominees for this highly prestigious program.
The next Lone Star Leadership Celebration is scheduled for Friday, Jan 26, 2024, at the Hurst Conference Center.
Community Service
Once again, the generosity of AATC’s Community Service committee was awe-inspiring, and we had a standout year. Check out all our members’ incredible contributions to our community in 2023. What an extremely successful year we had helping our communities.
- UGM Charity Bowling – raised $39,741.00 for the Union Gospel Mission.
- CEC Food Pantry Day – over 25 volunteers attended, stocking shelves, preparing baskets for food, and breaking down boxes.
- Special Olympics volunteers assisted with registration and lanes for their bowling event.
- Raised $1,000 for Saving for Hope. Provided beds, blankets, food, kennels, and toys.
- Red Cross Blood Drive. We met our goal: Four Power Red Products and 17 Whole Blood Products. A single donation can save up to three lives. With this drive, we were able to help up to 63 people.
- AATC + CEC = HOPE Christmas Gala and Toy Drive
- Raised over $4,000+ in cash donations at the event.
- We received over eight pallets of toys for CEC.
Military Veterans Initiatives
The AATC Board of Directors approved the creation of a golf tournament to raise money for veterans with PTSD in 2024. The Golf tournament will be held at Texas Star Golf Course and Conference Center on May 7.
We desperately need sponsors for this event, so get signed up at aatcnet.org!
Marketing and Communications
The Marketing Committee recommended a new Branding Policy, which was approved to be added to the AATC Policy Manual by the Board of Directors. See the policy below.
AATC Branding and Logo Guideline Policy
AATC has designated staff ready to assist members with any marketing efforts they need; however, AATC will provide approved branding and marketing elements for the use of our members in support of their efforts to help promote AATC’s events and programs.
All marketing efforts produced and distributed by members must:
- be approved by the AATC Communications and/or Marketing Director, CEO, or other designated appointee;
- not be created or distributed in conjunction with any copyrighted material or another person’s or company’s intellectual property without written permission;
- be used in accordance with AATC’s mission statement.
Contact AATC’s Director of Communications & Marketing or CEO for additional information.
AATC NextGen
Our NextGen group met four times throughout the year, presenting programs such as getting out of your comfort zone, finding your passion, and avoiding burnout, planning a holiday blood drive, and a Christmas Gala happy hour reception. Find your passion in the AATC NextGen Committee.
