As National Volunteer Month continues, meet Shaina Fite, who recently organized a Yardi Atlanta team to participate in the Atlanta Community Food Bank Hunger Walk/Run, raising over $2,500 for the organization. Shaina Fite is a CSD manager for Rent Relief powered by Yardi. More than 28 states, counties and cities use Rent Relief to manage more than $1.5 billion in funding. Rent Relief is a complete software and service solution that’s fast to set up and scales to meet agency needs. Fite has been working at Yardi for almost eight years. Projects have included directly supporting the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs in deploying the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP), including technical support, vendor onboarding, call center, and marketing ancillaries. “I love working on products that directly impact people,” said Fite. “The Relief Suite has assisted with millions of dollars in payments for rent, mortgage, utility bills and small business assistance to those who need it most. It doesn’t get much better than knowing our work keeps people in their homes and their lights on!” Solution-driven and focused Fite appreciates the Yardi culture of inclusivity and acceptance, a recipe for employees to feel valued, respected and secure in their daily work lives. “When mistakes are made, we assess, adjust, and move forward together,” shared Fite. Fite describes Yardi as an innovative organization with solid values and appreciation for its employees and communities. “It’s a place where you can grow both as a professional and as a person,” enthused Fite. Yardi is hiring globally! Interested prospective employees can explore opportunities on the Careers site. Licensed to sell In her free time, Fite works as a real estate agent in Georgia. She also enjoys volunteering at local community nonprofit organizations. In addition, she has a...

April is National Volunteer Month, so we’re pleased to highlight a few Yardi employees who make a difference in their local communities. (Know a standout volunteer you’d like to see featured? Email us.) Meet Tamar Kapner Tamar Kapner is an associate technical account manager for the Yardi Breeze Premier setup team in Atlanta, Georgia. Kapner spends most of her time in the office onboarding new clients with Breeze Premier products for their first two to three months. In addition, she supports colleagues on her team with their clients and assists other account managers in different offices across the country. She also teaches classes internally for Breeze Premier. “I love the community we create within our teams. I enjoy working closely with clients, getting to know them and their companies, and helping them learn and use our software. Then, when the software clicks with a client, and they can use it to manage and grow their business, I get so much satisfaction,” said Kapner. A company that cares Kapner is a part of the Atlanta Office holiday planning committee and assists in planning holiday gatherings. She is also the Atlanta Breeze Premier volunteer committee coordinator and sets up opportunities for the team to volunteer at the Atlanta Community Food Bank. “Yardi feels like family. The Yardi motto can be felt in every aspect of the job. This is a company that cares. Cares not only for our clients but for each other and our communities. I love working for Yardi. This company values everyone for what they bring to the table,” Kapner shared. Kapner describes Yardi as a place where input and contribution matter. “No one here is just a number that meets metrics.” She continued, “Yardi cares about each employee and works hard to...

Meet Tunisia Powell, a consultant with residential consulting practices on the RentCafe team in Yardi’s Raleigh office. Greg Smith, vice president of CSD, says Powell “is positive, eager, and fearless, and never backs down from a new challenge.” Powell has been with Yardi off and on for over twelve years. When she decided to return to the company in 2014, one reason was because she missed the Yardi culture. “I believe the Yardi family vibe is in every office, which makes this company a unique and special place to work for,” Powell said. RentCaffeine websites, marketing, ILS, troubleshooting issues, third-party websites, CRM, and Voyager are some of the many projects Powell works to assist Yardi clients with. Her typical day tends to verify, which keeps it interesting with frequent new challenges. “I have several strategic clients with different workflows, ideas, and demanding needs. I have built relationships with these clients, so the first daily task is how to provide each of them with the same amount of time and support,” Powell said. Working from home for the past three years, Powell finds that keeping a list helps her to maintain a healthy work-life balance. “I start my mornings by looking at my scheduled meetings, reading emails, reviewing cases and notes from meetings, and creating a list of prioritized tasks to complete during the day,” Powell shared. Global synergy Powell enjoys the work relationships she has built with Yardi over the years. “I have worked with so many people in different offices around the United States, India, and Australia.” She continued, “To work with people that care speaks volumes.” While working in the Atlanta office, Powell was nicknamed “Tuni,” which even carried over to clients. Her infectious smile and laugh filled the office, and that energy...

From the Yardi Amsterdam office, meet Ralf de Graaf, senior manager for European Yardi services. His primary role is managing services teams during the implementation process and providing ongoing support for the European residential sector. Yardi’s EU product focus includes clients in both the Build to Rent (BTR) and student housing. He has spent over 25 years in finance, working with top financial companies such as Ernst & Young and Deloitte. de Graaf’s experience includes roles in finance management, outsourcing, platform management and operational leadership. With extensive knowledge in finance, de Graaf’s second hat at Yardi is overseeing Yardi’s international standards and compliance efforts. “In this role, I work with a small team based out of our Amsterdam office in close partnership with our programming teams and the various client service teams to help our clients meet local compliance in many European countries. The structured approach we have established towards the topic really helps to respond to rapidly changing laws and regulations across the European continent,” de Graaf said. He also works with the European translation team on initiatives to improve and deliver language capabilities across many products. “With the clear connection of the topic to the value we bring with our consumer-facing products, such as RentCafe in the residential segment, working on this topic is strategic to us,” de Graaf shared. Amsterdam YASC In 2017, de Graaf decided to pursue a career change and talk to key industry contacts. “I visited YASC in Amsterdam. This was a good moment to talk to some of the Yardi people I had the pleasure of working with for a long time, some of them already since 2004 when Deloitte became one of the first clients of Yardi in Europe,” he recalled. That was the start of...

Let’s go to the frozen tundra of Saskatoon, Canada for our latest Team Yardi profile and introduce Nick James, senior analyst in cloud services. Meet Nick James Nick James has been with Yardi since 2010, when he was part of the Point2 acquisition. James is at one of the coldest Yardi offices in Saskatoon, where temperatures can get to the low -40s in the winter. James’ work revolves around keeping malicious emails out of Yardi’s IT system and ensuring that the outbound emails sent from Yardi employees and platforms have the best possible chance of being delivered to the receiver’s inboxes, not to junk folders. Both areas involve hands-on technical work and communication with various teams to develop processes and procedures. “When I am not working on those things, I am working on security awareness initiatives with some other security team members. That includes everything from sending our regular security training to broader initiatives like Cybersecurity Awareness Month activities every October,” said James. Leading-edge betterment James appreciates that Yardi is an organization that cares about employees and clients. “That focus on people is one of the things I love most about working at Yardi.” James continued, “I get to work on things that interest me where I can see a tangible impact. Yardi has also allowed me to grow and learn in my role, so I always feel like I am moving forward.” He wants new hires in Canada and globally to know that Yardi is an employer that cares about employees and has a lot of internal growth and development opportunities. Yardi is hiring globally! Interested prospective employees can explore opportunities on the Careers site. Train displays Beyond hobbies such as video games (Dungeons and Dragons) and reading, James volunteers with a local group...

Yolanda Poulson is an account manager on the RentCafe implementation team in the Yardi Raleigh, North Carolina office. Poulson has been working at Yardi since 2016. Prior to joining Yardi, she worked as a project manager for a Yardi client for 11 years. Training clients on how to use and support their newly implemented RentCafe platform is critical during the implementation. “As an account manager, I can build relationships with our clients and assist them with setting up their projects. In addition, I enjoy getting to know each of my clients and forming a bond that reassures them of being in great hands,” Poulson said. All hands on deck Going above and beyond, Poulson services Yardi clients and assists colleagues in other departments, such as onboarding new employees, which has opened new challenges for her. “These transitions have allowed me to learn new products and enhance my knowledge base, my knowledge of Yardi products, and my network across the company,” Poulson shared. Poulson is also a part of the Yardi Cares committee in the Raleigh office. The team finds outreach opportunities for the Yardi staff to participate in throughout the Triangle region. The saying “there is no I in TEAM” is a motto Poulson holds dearly and admires most about the team she works with. Collaboration and flexibility are two key components she enjoys the most about her work. “My advice to all new hires is to be a sponge and soak up all the knowledge around you and ask questions. Do not be afraid to submerge yourself into your work and research issues using the tools provided. Remember always to trust the process and your leadership team to have your best interest at heart,” Poulson said. Yardi is hiring globally! Interested prospective employees...

Marcus Rutherford, a senior corporate trainer in the Yardi Raleigh office, has worked at Yardi for eight years. He started as a technical account manager, then transitioned to his current role as a senior corporate trainer. “Most of my days are spent introducing new employees to our company, culture, and products. As a corporate trainer, I train new employees on Breeze, accounting, residential, commercial, and system administration training on Yardi’s flagship program Voyager,” said Rutherford. When Rutherford is not training new employees, he is training himself on topics, working on various candidate certification programs, and reviewing Aspire courses as a subject matter expert before they are released. Foundation development Rutherford enjoys being one of the first people new employees meet during new employee training. “I pride myself in being a model employee and strive to give every new employee a great foundation to grow from within their new job role at Yardi,” shared Rutherford. Teamwork collaboration is something that Rutherford appreciates that Yardi strongly promotes. The corporate training team achieves so much working as a team rather than individually. “As Gestalt would say, ‘The sum of the whole is greater than its individual parts,’” he quoted. Rutherford also enjoys being invited to present at industry conferences. “My last presentation was for the IRO Summit, where I presented basic accounting for property managers. The recording made it to Yardi’s YouTube channel and has 13,000 views and counting!” See his presentation here. For a new hire seeking employment at Yardi, Rutherford describes Yardi as a great organization to join. “Yardi is a place where you are rewarded for sharing your knowledge with others around you. When in need, a coworker is one call or message away to assist. If you’re a person who thrives on learning something...

Yardi’s global offices help property managers, owners and investors succeed worldwide. Journey with us to the Middle East and meet Oksana Goliak, office manager of the Yardi Dubai office. Meet Oksana Goliak Goliak has been working at Yardi for eight years. As the office manager, she ensures that the office operates smoothly with over 65 employees. In addition, she is involved with human resources responsibilities, works closely with senior directors, and retains employee happiness and engagement. “My workday routine varies daily. I am involved in many roles such as office management, supplier relations, Human Resources, the IT department, purchasing, employee engagement and team building, to name a few,” said Goliak. Goliak enjoys Yardi’s corporate culture, work environment, colleagues, and Yardi inspirational leaders in how they encourage employees. “We follow our corporate mission and vision. It helps us achieve the goals we set, and spreads the word that Yardi is a reputable organization where people enjoy working,” shared Goliak. Teambuilding confidence Goliak likes that Yardi appreciates employees’ hard work, acknowledges performance, values contribution, and understands challenges while keeping a happy culture. Even during the pandemic and lockdown, Goliak could engage with her team via online platforms and still have regular team-building activities. Employee activities are encouraged with corporate and management support. “I am proud to say, our Dubai team has virtually climbed the highest mountain peak, Everest, we run through the Amazon Forest, and have explored The Great Wall of China. And now we’ve launched monthly sports challenges called Yardi Sports League, where employees can participate and play in the teams. So far, we have had a football tournament, badminton, volleyball, and cricket, and in February, we are preparing for a basketball game,” enthused Goliak. Since working for HR, Goliak has received much feedback during...

Yardi’s global offices help property managers, owners, and investors succeed worldwide. Let’s travel to the land down under for this profile and get to know Angela Blair, Manager of the Professional Services Group (PSG) for Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). Meet Angela Blair Blair approaches a decade of working with Yardi in July, but has been part of the Yardi network since 2001. “From client user to consultant to project manager, to now, Yardi has been a big part of my professional life,” she said. Blair spends her days at Yardi managing five consultants, ensuring they have the tools to achieve productivity goals and contribute to client success. In addition, she oversees the rollout of Yardi’s residential suite for build-to-rent asset classes in ANZ, which entails attending conferences and seminars to learn about industry requirements for the region. She also is the project manager for both commercial and residential implementations, working closely with the presales team, assisting with requests for proposals (RFPs) and demonstrations, and creating PSG proposals. “Managing ad-hoc client requests and resource allocations across projects can be a bit of a juggling act sometimes,” says Blair. After leaving the accounting life, which was sometimes mundane and repetitive, Blair loves that work feels almost like a new job each time she implements a new client. “Although the work itself might be basically the same from project to project, each client varies in team size and expertise; each has their own business practices and processes that we need to understand fully to provide them the best system solutions possible – and sometimes that requires us to think outside the box which keeps it feeling very new and challenging, but in a good way,” she said. Embracing fresh perspectives Yardi’s corporate culture lends itself to...

Yardi’s growth as a top employer is thanks in part to staff members who assist with recruiting around the globe. Meet Ana-Raluca Iliescu, team leader for recruitment in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Meet Ana-Raluca Iliescu Iliescu has been working for Yardi for nine years. She started with the company as a call center agent and transferred to the Human Resources department after two years. Currently, she coordinates the recruitment team and participates in recruitment processes. “My experience at the call center was one of the most valuable that I have ever had and played an important role in preparing me for the recruiter position. I had already acquired most of the skills needed for the job, so transitioning into the new role went smoothly,” shared Iliescu. Her day-to-day work includes close collaboration with the recruitment team and other departments in the Yardi Romania office. She oversees all processes, stays on top of changes, and proposes and applies solutions to improve practices and candidate experiences. “Having been in a recruiter role at Yardi for over six years, I got the chance to work with almost all our teams, thus getting an excellent grasp of the business needs and processes and gaining much diverse experience as a recruiter,” said Iliescu. Growing business The people at Yardi’s worldwide offices are a big part of the effort to create and foster a distinctly welcoming corporate culture. “One of the things I like most about my job is that what our team does helps the people and the business grow. I also enjoy passing on my experience to help others succeed in this field. At the same time, I like the fact that it’s a challenging role, and you never get the chance to get bored – you can learn new...

Meet Lynn Topp of Yardi Canada, who plays a critical role in implementing software and hiring top-tier talent from the Yardi Toronto office. She has watched Yardi grow and thrive in Canada during nearly 18 years at the company. Meet Lynn Topp Topp is the Director of Client Services for Residential in the Toronto office. Even approaching 20 years of service, she is in awe at what she has watched Yardi achieve. “I enjoy the variety and the challenges each day brings. Working at Yardi is never boring, and every day brings something new, even after all my years here,” shared Topp. “Over the years, as the company has grown, it has been amazing to see all the changes and maturity in how it has evolved and improved since I was an account manager. I enjoy seeing others progress in their roles and seeing the results of our implementations, when clients benefit and streamline their businesses, and turning unhappy clients around,” she said. Topp worked for a Yardi client before starting at Yardi. In that role, she used Yardi Voyager to manage 95 properties, and was one of the first clients in Canada to adopt Voyager. “I spent 14 years in the property management industry as a controller before joining Yardi and chose Voyager to support our growth. While it was trying at times, it was also a great experience, eventually leading me to Yardi. Understanding the industry has helped me understand our client’s challenges and allows me to be empathetic and advocate for our clients,” Topp shared. Topp’s day-to-day is involved in some large full-service implementations, which absorbs most of her time serving as project manager. “I am involved with multiple teams and clients, and much of my time is spent dealing with escalated issues and...

Yardi’s global offices make important contributions to property managers and investors worldwide. Meet Megi Cara, who plays a vital role in that process for clients in the UK and Europe. Meet Megi Cara A Solutions Consultant based out of Yardi’s Waterloo office in London, Cara serves prospects and clients across the UK, as well as in Ireland and the European Union. “I am responsible for giving product demonstrations across our residential and coworking solutions,” Cara said. These are two rapidly growing areas of service for Yardi UK. Cara will celebrate her third anniversary at Yardi in February and can hardly believe how fast time has flown by. “I love to learn, and at Yardi I learn something new on a regular basis and the products I demonstrate are accelerating at such a fast pace. It is really exciting to watch them evolve,” she shared. Cara spends her days at Yardi in a role that features much variety. She prepares for demonstrations, including setting up proof-of-concept scenarios, breaking down complex concepts, and making it easier for her audience to understand. She also sets up and tests new functionality within the residential or coworking product stack to ensure it performs as expected and is ready to go live on demonstration environments. “I also work closely with our sales team to deliver webinars or product snapshots to our existing clients, so they get the most out of the solutions they have,” Cara said. She also enjoys attending conferences that feature emerging trends and technologies in real estate and highlight the needs and challenges of regional real estate professionals. “The most recent event I attended was the Student Accommodation conference which touched on some very relevant topics such as the cost-of-living impact on the consumer,” Cara said. Evolving...

In eight years at Yardi, Herbie Germain has built a successful career helping the company’s investment management clients and nurturing new talent on his team. The Long Island resident is the Consulting Practices Manager for the Investment Management (IM) suite, a platform that delivers users investment accounting, performance measurement and financial reporting capabilities. Herbie Germain “Yardi’s IM system is extremely capable and presents many opportunities to automate complex processes,” Germain noted. “I love being able to show clients how at the click of a button they can eliminate a huge amount of manual work. Seeing their eyes glow and hearing them say ‘Oh wow. This is great,’ is always a wonderful moment.” Read on to learn more about Germain’s Yardi journey and his favorite parts of his role. A journey of growth and expansion Germain holds a master’s degree in information technology from Capella University and a bachelor’s degree in physics (as well as a minor in mathematics) from Syracuse University. He started his Yardi career in 2014 as a member of the commercial implementation team based in New York. Previously, he worked as an analyst for a small financial services software company. “Yardi is the type of company where you’ll get as far as you want if you’re willing to put in the effort,” Germain noted. “The corporate culture of the company is that we’re all in this together.” Three years after he joined the company, IM expanded its support efforts to an East Coast-based team, which Germain joined as an account manager and then was promoted to consultant. The team continued to evolve, starting as a practice group, and then adding an IM client success team. When founding manager Marina Samothrakis relocated to Yardi’s Toronto office, Germain had the opportunity to step into...

Meet Blake Cole, a team lead for RightSource auditors in Yardi’s Minneapolis office. Blake started at Yardi in November 2020 as an auditor and was promoted to team lead within six months. Blake Cole Recently, he had the opportunity to be part of longtime Yardi affordable housing client ALCO’s very first internal podcast. We caught up with Blake to learn more about how he proactively tackles client challenges. Read on to learn more. TBS: How do you spend your work hours? BC: As Team Lead, I oversee the compliance and review of certifications for numerous affordable housing programs (e.g. HUD, LIHTC, HOME) across 11 states. My work hours are spent developing and cultivating strong relationships with our clients, responding to compliance questions and inquiries, supporting auditors in their review of complex certifications, as well as problem solving and troubleshooting software issues that may arise. I began my career in affordable housing 14 years ago as a Leasing Consultant for a 175-unit elderly property in Atlantic City, NJ where I utilized Yardi Affordable software daily to process rental payments and complete certifications on site. This experience of overcoming the day-to-day challenges of compliance in affordable housing ironically are some of the same challenges that my clients presently endure. Having walked in their shoes for more than a decade of my career has unquestionably positioned me to better meet their needs today. TBS: What do you most enjoy about your work at Yardi? BC: I enjoy being able to pursue my passion of problem solving and providing exceptional customer service all while working remotely. I enjoy having easy access to continued education and online training. I believe Yardi attracts the best of the best; and doing so gives me the opportunity to learn from professionals who...

Did you know that companies in the top 25% for gender diversity are 15% more likely to have financial returns above their industry medians? Or that innovation is six times higher at companies with the most equal workplace cultures? Commercial real estate is among the many industries making gains towards equity, and it’s not coincidental. Heather Brady is one of thousands of women actively promoting change from within. Meet Heather Brady As the regional director of sales for Yardi Canada, Heather is accountable for the success of both the Voyager and the Breeze Premier sales teams. In total, there are 13 sales executives in Canada engaging with clients from coast to coast.   That’s a lot of terrain to cover. “There is never enough time in the day,” she laughs. “We have a large market share so that’s a lot of clients and still lots of opportunities. Teamwork and prioritization are key.” Heather handles each day in stride, guiding her team to foster relationships with existing and new clients while achieving corporate performance targets. “At Yardi, we bring a lot of new products to market every year and all products are developed with clients’ input or their benefit in mind,” says Heather. “It’s a key to our success.” She continues, “I love getting feedback from clients about how much our products have helped their organizations. During COVID, our products allowed clients to automate their AR, AP and leasing functions. That is so valuable, and we received such great feedback. It feels wonderful to know we’re valuable to their organizations, and of course it makes us feel energized to get more clients using these products!” Foundations for success Game-changing products are only part of the reason that Heather has forged a career with Yardi. She...

Marketing, motorcycles and robotics all find a home within Melissa Zavas. The California native has creatively blended her interests in a way that empowers teens and builds community. The road to Yardi Zavas is a marketing specialist with RentCafe REACH. She and her team provide search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media marketing and reputation management services to Yardi clients. Learn how SEO and PPC can increase leads by 160%. The most challenging aspect of her job is staying on top of digital marketing trends and Yardi’s quickly developing software. “Yardi is incredibly growth-oriented. We are consistently growing our current software and expanding into new areas,” says Zavas. “But it’s worth it,” she smiles. “I find developing relationships with my clients and across teams very rewarding. I’m also accustomed to the changing demands of digital marketing.” Zavas began her marketing career shortly after college. Her family is heavily involved in the automotive industry, and her father helped found the Baja 500, a Mexican off-road motorcycle race on the Baja California Peninsula. She soon began a mail-order motorcycle parts division as an extension of her family’s wholesale company. “Quickly, I developed a loyal customer base by giving technical advice to match people’s riding styles with the performance parts we sold,” says Zavas. “Mail order was quickly turned into an eCommerce business as internet shopping took off. I created our first website and developed the eCommerce portion. It grew over 12 years. Through those years, I gained experienced in both business and in digital marketing.” Her technological insights and marketing savvy paid off. Zavas was named a Who’s Who Female Owner in the Automotive Industry by Cambridge Who’s Who in 2007-2008. Though Zavas sold her motorcycle parts business, she is still an avid motorcyclist....

Like many engineering students, Neharika Jha wasn’t completely sure about her concentration. At the time, she chose computer science engineering. “Not paying too much attention to computer courses taught in school didn’t help initially,” she laughs. But with time, Neharika realized how computer science solved a variety of real-life consumer and business problems. “I realized the positive impact I could have with my learned skills,” she says. “A smartphone today is a million times faster and more efficient than the computers used for the Apollo 11 mission, enabling our first step onto the surface of the moon. This thought of connecting present with past and wondering where it would take us in the future keeps me very excited about the path ahead.” Her knowledge of the computer sciences helped her land a job, but her leadership skills have helped her forge a career and create a legacy at Yardi. Helping clients prepare for the future Neharika joined Yardi immediately after receiving her degree from Pune University. It was 2008, the peak of the financial crisis, and she considered herself fortunate to secure employment. A software company that hired during a recession bode well for her and the organization. “I believed that the company must have very sound fundamentals to be recruiting in those times,” she recalls. “And 11 years later, I can’t thank Yardi enough for the opportunity to join this wonderful organization and be a part of its growth both as a contributor and a beneficiary.” Neharika is currently a manager for an International Practice Global Solutions team. The unit builds, manages and strengthens Yardi’s relationship with some of its biggest clients including Cushman & Wakefield, CBRE and Prologis to name a few. “As a team, we promote the continuity of the clients’...

When you think of a knight, do you imagine him perched atop an ergonomic office chair? Does he don a headset, wield a mouse and fry fish dinners for those in need? If not, you’ve got a lot to learn about modern knights. Larnoe Dungca is a knight who embodies versatility, strength and compassion in unexpected ways. Starting a career at Yardi Dungca’s career with Yardi humbly began 13 years ago. After his previous company closed, he attended a job fair in Ventura and submitted his resume for a web developer position. Fast-forward and Dungca is now a RentCafe technical analyst. He assists RentCafe account managers in CPG Practice Group SB5 as well as other teams. Basically, he helps those who help others. “I really enjoy the satisfaction I get when issues are resolved,” says Dungca.  “I love to imagine the smiling faces of RentCafe account managers when they say ‘thank you so much!’” Through his work, account managers receive the troubleshooting and guidance needed to solve the toughest software problems that clients face. A knight in a techie’s clothing Dungca is a bit of a hero to our account managers and the clients that they serve. He’s also a hero to his local community—he’s a knight, actually. For a decade, Dungca has volunteered with the Knights of Columbus Council 9969 Holy Cross Catholic Church in Moorpark. The group consists of about 150 men who host regular fundraising and outreach events for the community. One of his most memorable events was the Special Olympics Softball Tournament. “This was my favorite event,” says Dungca. “We made sandwiches for all players, umpires and staff that day at the park. It was great to see all of their cheer while they enjoyed the sport that they loved.”...

Many of us have done it. In conversation with a small child, we casually ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” But how often do we make sure that child has what they need to succeed? When Samuel J. Ashe II looked around his community, he saw a deficit in educational resources specifically in the areas of math, fine arts and the sciences. As an active mentor, he wanted to support the big dreams of the neighborhood kids, but he couldn’t do it alone. Fortunately, his family and the community stepped in to help. Bringing people to the forefront of business After graduating with his MBA, Ashe joined Yardi as a marketing specialist with the RentCafe Reach Team. “I have clients all over the country. I manage their digital marketing needs including but not limited to SEO, PPC, and social media management,” he says. Ashe joined Yardi because its corporate culture didn’t feel corporate at all. “Yardi is very people-focused and collaborative,” he says. “We have so many departments, yet I still feel like one big team as we all collaborate to provide superior customer services.” “From day one, I noticed this was a nurturing environment,” adds Ashe. “There was a great deal of energy put into the development of employees, as many of my first days were spent training online in Aspire. That was a breath of fresh air compared to a past of ‘figure it out’ job trainings. Over time, there have been more opportunities to improve upon my already solidified strengths and certifications coursework.” The Ashe Arts & STEM Academy: Representation matters Yardi’s focus on employee development resonated with Ashe, who is the Executive Director of The Ashe Arts & STEM Academy. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit supports the...