Reginald Singleton Feb23

Reginald Singleton

Yardi’s global offices make essential contributions to property management and investors worldwide. Meet team member Reginald Singleton, an associate technical manager on the Breeze client success team in Atlanta, Georgia. Singleton will celebrate his second-year anniversary here at Yardi next month. He spends much of his time at work assisting clients in troubleshooting their issues with Breeze and Breeze Premier. He assists clients through a chat window, but some clients will call for help instead. He also helps his team when they are in need or have questions. Singleton is constantly introduced to new challenges and problems that he helps clients overcome. “When I can deliver a solution to my clients or even my teammates, it truly makes me happy,” expressed Singleton. Contagious Company Culture Singleton enjoys and appreciates how willing everyone in the office is there to help. Despite work being sometimes stressful, everyone in the office knows how to make the day fun, “The Yardi Culture is contagious, and I love it!” Singleton has always felt welcomed and appreciates how Yardi upholds its mission statement of taking care of clients, employees and the community. Before graduating college, Singleton was a manager at Taco Bell. Though he had experience in IT and accounting, he felt that he might not be a great fit at Yardi, but shortly after starting, he realized that Yardi provided employees with helpful tools and helped him grow, not to mention his colleagues who helped in that growth. “I felt so comfortable here when I first started. Yardi truly cares about your growth and success so that you will do fine regardless of your previous work background! Also, you can choose from many different career paths within the company as well,” explained Singleton. Yardi is hiring globally! Interested prospective...

Octavio Lizarraga Pescador Feb12

Octavio Lizarraga Pescador...

Yardi Employee Profile Yardi’s global offices make essential contributions to property management and investors worldwide. Meet Octavio Lizarraga Pescador, associate account manager for the Yardi Breeze CSD team, who hails from the Santa Ana office. Meet Octavio Lizarraga Pescador Octavio Lizarraga Pescador has been working at Yardi for almost two years. His work hours consist primarily of directly assisting clients with Breeze and Breeze Premier implementations. Pescador hosts about four one-hour Zoom meetings with clients daily, in which he assists them with setting up the software or provides training on how to use some of its functionalities. When he is not in meetings, he writes up recaps for clients to summarize what was covered on the previous call or is testing some client inquiries. Along with assisting clients, he also attends internal training, strengthening his understanding of Breeze and Breeze Premier providing better insights for his clients. “I believe the functionality Breeze brings to our clients in terms of being able to manage their properties more efficiently plays a very important aspect for everyone involved,” says Pescador. Pescador believes that the work everyone does at Yardi impacts many individuals. From the delivery of financial reports to critical real estate decision-makers to the urgency of response whenever a tenant submits a new maintenance request through the tenant portals, Yardi’s products provide a solution to many essential property management needs. “This is what I enjoy most about my work at Yardi. I enjoy assisting and playing a very important role in implementing Yardi’s solutions for our clients,” explained Pescador. Positive Vibes Only Ever since Pescador joined Yardi, he has felt a positive and assistive corporate culture from both leadership and colleagues. Everyone is so willing to help with any question needed. If there is a functionality...

Amol Jammu Jan30

Amol Jammu

Yardi’s global offices make essential contributions to property management and investors worldwide. Today, we introduce Amol Jammu, the West Residential Leasing Solutions 1’s assistant technical account manager. Meet Amol Jammu Amol Jammu has worked with Yardi for almost two years and looks forward to being promoted soon. Jammu spends his work hours talking and engaging with clients he oversees. Meeting with clients daily, Jammu discusses ongoing company initiatives, workflows and where they need help with their Yardi products. When Jammu is not in client meetings, he works in the Site Manager program and CRM, where he can fix clients’ issues or set up workflows to achieve their end goals. Jammu is constantly researching and reading into different Yardi products and testing in practice environments. Jammu enjoys connecting with clients face-to-face and helping them with any issues they might encounter. “It’s really rewarding when I can solve issues for clients and see the impact on their day-to-day operations,” said Jammu. Office Synergy Jammu appreciates Yardi’s commitment to providing employees with all the tools to do the job effectively. Everyone in the company is willing to lend a helping hand, which makes giving support to customers much more accessible. “The approach to teamwork is truly gratifying because I always feel reassured and supported when my workload gets heavy. I never feel like I’m alone with my problems or that I can’t ask for help,” Jammu explained. Jammu describes Yardi as the perfect place to start a career. “I’ve heard so many horror stories about how people’s first jobs were, and it really puts a smile on my face that I can’t relate to that. Yardi really feels like being a part of a family that cares about your work, your life outside of it, and most...

Mary LaForge Jan04

Mary LaForge

Yardi’s global offices make essential contributions to property management and investors worldwide. Today, meet Mary LaForge, director of programming for Public Housing Authorities (PHA), out of the Santa Barbara office. Meet Mary LaForge Mary LaForge has been with Yardi for 21 years. She oversees a team that includes programmers, quality assurance (QA) specialists and technical writers. She also works with the PHA team in Pune, which again consists of programmers, client-services (CSD) support staff, software conversion experts and QA specialists. “I collaborate with our team as we implement compliance changes in our current products and develop new products, such as Compliance Manager and Asset IQ, on the new Elevate platform. I work closely with HUD to understand policy changes that impact our software,” said LaForge. Subsidized housing is a challenging and complex market. Working on HUD compliance changes is not easy. Gathering the complex information needed to implement the required changes successfully can be difficult, and there is pressure to deliver on time. “I view these challenges as an opportunity to excel and grow for Yardi to be a standout vendor in the PHA market. I am fortunate to be working with the talented individuals on our team. I treasure and enjoy our team’s extensive collaboration, ” LaForge expressed. Working as a member of the PHA team gives LaForge pride and satisfaction because the software helps housing authorities provide housing for the underprivileged. “In an indirect but substantial way, I believe I am contributing to communities nationwide,” LaForge shared. In addition, LaForge works and helps the sales team with prospective client demonstrations and participates in client meetings. Longevity with Teamwork Yardi is a unique and welcoming company. Collaboration is intentionally and strongly encouraged. Everyone’s ideas and opinions are heard and respected. “In meetings with peers, vice presidents, or the CEO, everyone feels comfortable providing their thoughts and suggestions. We may intensely and passionately debate how to solve an issue at a meeting, but we can feel comfortable going to lunch with disagreeing people. When a solution does not go as we hoped or planned, we correct the issue, learn from it, and move forward,” explained LaForge. New hires are always astonished when they discover how long LaForge has been working with Yardi. “In one of the interviews, there were three of us on the panel, and the collective time spent with Yardi was fifty years! This number is incredible and sometimes unfathomable to these prospective employees,” said LaForge. Yardi’s corporate culture gives opportunities to work with incredibly talented individuals and hard-working teams to create, contribute to, grow, and develop exceptional products that help communities worldwide. Yardi is hiring globally! Interested prospective employees can explore opportunities on the Careers site. An Advocate for Education LaForge grew up in India and came to the U.S. for a master’s degree. While in India, LaForge was involved with a few organizations for children’s education. Lack of access to education is a significant challenge there. “I believe education is the only way to narrow this divide. Being a parent of a young child has taken away any extra time for doing this wonderful and satisfying work. But someday soon, I hope to become involved in childhood education again. I am especially interested in education at the elementary school level. My heart very much wants me to do this work in India, possibly starting a school in underprivileged communities there,” explained LaForge. LaForge’s daughter is nine years old and keeps her super busy. However, time is limited with her when LaForge is traveling for HUD and conferences nationwide and to Pune. Therefore, she tries to spend as much time with her daughter as possible when she is home in Santa Barbara. “We love to travel as a family. I believe traveling to other countries and learning about other cultures at a young age can nurture tolerance and develop deeper empathy for all human beings,” LaForge shared....

Biswakam Mishra Dec05

Biswakam Mishra

Yardi’s global offices make essential contributions to property management and investors worldwide. Meet Biswakam Mishra, a programming manager based in Dubai. Meet Biswakam Mishra Biswakam Mishra has been working at Yardi for 17 years. He worked in the Pune office for ten years, and for the last seven years, he’s been working in the Dubai office. Before starting his role with Yardi’s latest product, Voyager 8, Mishra was previously part of the technical service team for CSD and PSG. In addition to development tasks, Mishra assists the CSD and PSG teams in troubleshooting Elevate issues in the Middle East region. He also supports the CSD team in addressing performance or TA-related issues and organizing training programs for new hires. “I have a keen enthusiasm for learning and am always curious about my assigned tasks. I find great satisfaction in helping team members and fostering collaboration,” shared Mishra. After many years at Yardi, Mishra says Yardi has become like a family, “The culture is characterized by collaboration, innovation, friendliness, and fun, providing a healthy work-life balance.” Mishra advises new hires to bring fresh ideas, highlighting Yardi’s comprehensive training and easy onboarding processes, ensuring that team members feel comfortable and can contribute effectively. “Yardi’s strong motto sets a foundation for success, emphasizing employee well-being and teamwork,” said Mishra. Yardi is hiring globally! Interested prospective employees can explore opportunities on the Careers site. Taking Care of Our Community Mishra aligns with Yardi’s motto, inspiring him to join a nonprofit organization, Bandhu, in his native state in India. Bandhu works to support children in completing school education successfully. “We organize various activities for village kids, including outreach programs, career counseling, and yoga. I contribute to the group both technically and financially,” Mishra explained. Early Bird Gets the Worm Mishra...

Meet Grant Burnham Nov13

Meet Grant Burnham

The PHA industry is special. There’s a level of caring and personal commitment to helping others that rises a notch in comparison with other real estate verticals. Exhibit A: Grant Burnham. Grant joined Yardi a few years ago. He not only brought with him decades’ of PHA and affordable housing finance experience but also a positive attitude and a genuine appreciation for the work PHAs do for their communities Let’s find out more about Grant, Yardi’s PHA clients and the company’s solutions. Grant, where do you call home? GB: Hello! I am a Colorado native, and my home base is Yardi’s Denver office. What hobbies do you enjoy in your free time? GB: I am an avid pool player. I have been playing in leagues for almost 15 years and even got to participate in team world championship tournaments three separate times in Las Vegas. I’m always up for a game or two (or more) whenever I get a chance! How long have you been with Yardi? What is your current position? GB: I’ve been with Yardi since February 2020. My role is a team leader and solutions consultant. That means I work with a great group of sales professionals dedicated to helping housing agencies solve challenges and serve their residents, landlords and participants with innovative Yardi technology. How did you get started in the PHA/affordable housing industry? GB: My journey in the housing industry began in 2008 when I joined a local PHA in the Denver area. I was there for about three years before I accepted a position with the Colorado Housing and Finance Agency in 2011. I remained with CHFA until 2020 when I began working at Yardi. Throughout my career, my roles in the housing industry have included Occupancy Specialist,...

Sy Pham Nov07

Sy Pham

Yardi’s global offices make essential contributions to property management and investors worldwide. Today, meet Sy Pham, associate technical manager on the Voyager Client success team out of the Santa Ana office. Meet Sy Pham Sy Pham just marked his first anniversary at Yardi in August. He has a passion for problem-solving and working with clients, so he’s greatly enjoyed this role. Pham wanted to work for a company where he could tackle complex problems but work with clients using Yardi’s products so he could see the impact he was making. “The last year with Yardi has been everything I’ve been looking for in a company,” says Pham. Pham spends his hours on client calls and training. When not on calls, he is researching questions that came up or preparing for the next call. He also regularly meets with his team to strategize on problems or do team-building exercises, making his experience at Yardi remarkable. Problem-solving Skills Working with commercial clients has been a challenge for Pham yet rewarding. He enjoys the people at Yardi, both internally and client-facing. He finds Yardi as a workplace that challenges him with tough problems, but the people he has met along the way make it all worth it. “I have never experienced a work culture so dedicated to helping clients and each other. It’s been fun collaborating with individuals from different teams and being able to solve problems together. I love how I can introduce myself to anyone and ask if they can lend a second opinion on a difficult case. The overwhelming support I always receive is inspiring. I hope one day I can lend a hand to the new folks that join like others has done for me,” said Pham. In his personal and work life,...

John Napolitano Oct24

John Napolitano

Yardi’s global offices make essential contributions to property management and investors worldwide. Today, we introduce John Napolitano, a part of the Residential Practice Team 3 of the Long Island, NY office. Meet John Napolitano John Napolitano has worked as an associate technical account manager for just over a year. Napolitano spends his days assisting in client cases and helping teammates however much he can. “I love the atmosphere of being a Yardi employee. Everyone is always welcoming and helpful,” says Napolitano. “I have an amazing team!” Napolitano appreciates how Yardi does a great job incorporating teamwork into the day-to-day work. There are many resources and different individuals with different skill sets. Everyone is helpful and knowledgeable in their field. “We are encouraged to expand our Yardi Network and reach out to people from different teams. I love being able to reach out to people from all over the country and build those lasting relationships,” said Napolitano. In addition to teamwork, Napolitano describes Yardi as a second home after building lasting relationships with coworkers almost immediately. “Everyone wants to see you succeed and lend a helping hand when needed. I know how intimidating it can be for new hires, and I would like to be able to help however much I can in their transition with us,” shares Napolitano. Napolitano and his team recently volunteered and hosted a charity event for Yardi-supported nonprofit Island Harvest. They packed hundreds of boxes of food for people in need. “I love that we could organize an event like this and do our part for our community. It inspired me to do these events on my own time and more frequently,” says Napolitano. Yardi is hiring globally! Interested prospective employees can explore opportunities on the Careers site. Animal Enthusiast Outside...

Alondra Valenzuela Oct12

Alondra Valenzuela

Yardi’s global offices make essential contributions to property management and investors worldwide. Today, meet Alondra Valenzuela, Yardi technical analyst from the Dallas office. Meeting Alondra Valenzuela Alondra Valenzuela has been at Yardi for just over two years. While each day differs from the previous, every day brings an exciting new challenge that requires her to think outside the box. From utilizing data to digging into other applications to locate the cause of a client’s deteriorating performance, Valenzuela assists with getting many clients access back into the systems. “I love the challenge of learning something new every day and having the opportunity to utilize new tools that I can bring to my team. I also love the occasional rush of adrenaline when getting a critical item thrown my way and having the opportunity to relieve our clients,” says Valenzuela. Valenzuela enjoys the openness of everyone she works beside. In her two years of working at Yardi, she’s never felt alone, and the willingness of everyone who helps brings great relief, knowing she is not alone and someone is always there to help get a solution to our clients. “Yardi is a place that will allow you to grow in whichever direction you feel best. There is such a wide range of opportunities to explore at Yardi that you can always find something new to learn and do,” Valenzuela said. Yardi is hiring globally! Interested prospective employees can explore opportunities on the Careers site. Climbing Mountains When Valenzuela is not working, she enjoys spending time in nature. When she cannot get to the mountains in Colorado, she enjoys health and fitness in other areas. She cycles through either the gym, muay Thai or rock climbing. “I like adrenaline-packed adventures, which is why I love dealing with high-pressure...

Mary Beth Snyder Oct10

Mary Beth Snyder

Yardi’s affordable housing compliance expertise got a big boost this summer. Mary Beth Snyder joined the team in a new role of Verification Services Industry Principal, and her work history is sure to make an impact. Prior to joining Yardi, Mary Beth spent eight years at Equifax® working in the government segment on eligibility verification for government benefit programs. Her duties included managing Equifax’s The Work Number® product, which verifies employment and income of households applying for government benefit programs such as housing assistance, child support, workforce agencies and unemployment insurance. That experience is particularly valuable as Mary Beth transitions to her leadership role on the Yardi Verification Services product team. Yardi Verification Services is an affordable housing compliance solution that verifies the income and assets of households seeking to qualify for a unit. Let’s get to know more about Mary Beth. Mary Beth, where do you call home? I live in Cape Girardeau, Missouri which is approximately two hours south of St. Louis. Beyond your work with Equifax, what is your history in the affordable housing industry? I’ve worked in affordable housing for years promoting the benefits of automating eligibility verification. I’ve been a member of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), and have presented during conference sessions as well as writing posts for the NAHRO blog. I’m thrilled with my new opportunity here at Yardi and look forward to continuing my advocacy for those needing housing assistance and the community of housing assistance providers. What benefits do the affordable housing providers you support bring to their communities? Affordable housing providers are critical to the growth and development of the community they serve. A decent and affordable place to live helps families and those who are disadvantaged by freeing them from physical and mental hardships, placing them on a path to success and growth for themselves and future generations. A quote that resonates with my thoughts comes from a sociologist named Matthew Desmond who said, “Housing is absolutely essential to human flourishing. Without stable shelter, it all falls apart”. Have affordable housing resources affected the lives of you or your family? Yes. My brother and sister-in-law are both learning disabled and receive social security disability insurance and other government benefit programs to help them live independently. They currently live in market rate housing with the support of a roommate, but in the future may need to seek out an affordable housing unit. Filling out government forms and getting documentation ready to submit to qualify for government benefits is often frustrating for them. Luckily, they have me to step in and help – not everyone has that kind of support. And I totally understand and share their frustration. I have similar trouble sometimes understanding what the various forms are requesting. What do you think could help simplify the process for affordable housing and other program applicants? My philosophy has always been don’t require applicants or tenants to provide documentation that can be easily found with automated data. Instead, programs should take the burden off those who are disadvantaged and use automated data to complete forms required for eligibility. Automating verifications would save agencies time and money while improving customer support and assistance. That sounds like a big process improvement. Is there a Yardi product that can help achieve that level of simplicity? Yes. Yardi Verification Services automates the way affordable housing providers and public housing authorities verify the income and assets of their applicants. What are the benefits of Yardi Verification Services? Eliminating the stack of forms to fill out is a win-win for both applicants, compliance specialists and site staff, because there are no more back-and-forth requests for information. That type of work takes so much time away from affordable housing and PHA staff and frustrates the applicant or tenant, so Yardi Verification Services really helps streamline the process. Up to 90% of income and...

Ben Smith Oct09

Ben Smith

Yardi’s global offices make essential contributions to property management and investors worldwide. Meet Ben Smith, senior bill pay specialist with the Yardi Bill Pay Express team. Meet Ben Smith Ben Smith started his career at Yardi just after graduating from college a little over a year ago. Smith spends his days working payment exceptions and making payments online for utilities. He also researches to determine the eligibility of vendors to go live on the BPX service as well as bring vendors live to it. He collaborates with other teams to resolve payment issues they might discover and continues to build a stronger foundation for this service. “I enjoy that this service is something uncommon in the industry currently. It feels that we are doing our best to improve the overall flow of payment processing for both Yardi and clients. There is so much to learn about what Yardi does, and I love that it’s easy to reach out and learn about products and services totally unrelated to mine,” says Smith. Wealth of Knowledge Smith finds the work culture at Yardi to have a good balance between teamwork and independence. “Our team probably works more independently than most others in the division, but that doesn’t prevent us from collaborating with each other or other teams,” Smith shares. The work environment has always been opening and welcoming for Smith. Yardi is a company that continues to take care of its employees while being a leading force in the industry. “There are plenty of opportunities for all walks of life, and there is a wealth of knowledge to learn. I can feel at ease knowing I’ll be able to provide for my family and see myself spending a long time with the company,” shared Smith. Yardi is...

Zaria Lane Sep28

Zaria Lane

Yardi’s global offices make essential contributions to property management and investors worldwide. Today, we introduce Zaria Lane, technical account manager for Yardi Breeze Premier, out of the Dallas office. Meet Zaria Lane Zaria Lane marked her sixth anniversary with Yardi this past July. She started her career at Yardi in the call center, then moved to various departments before working with Breeze Premier in 2019, working from associate technical manager to implementation technical account manager. Lane ensures she is organized and prepared to accomplish her daily goals. “Organizing helps me stay on my toes and feel more confident when presenting information to my clients. I also love to prepare for every scenario before I meet with clients,” said Lane. Welcoming Work Environment Lane enjoys the inclusion of Yardi and having a welcoming feeling from all she has worked with. “I enjoy how the company creates events where employees from different teams and departments can join to socialize. To me, it creates an even more comfortable workspace as our workers don’t have to feel that they are working with strangers and allows us to be more willing to work with others,” shared Lane. Lane graduated from Texas A&M University with a BS in Psychology and never expected to work as a technical manager. Still, she learned the system quickly, making her feel more comfortable learning new information. Between the welcoming work environment and increased productivity, Lane thinks hard work pays off and is based on work efficiency, not tenure. “I am excited to see the company grow even more, and I love that I will be a part of that growth,” Lane shares. Yardi is hiring globally! Interested prospective employees can explore opportunities on the Careers site. Dallas Cowboys Fan Lane spends time outside the office...

Jonathan Gonzalez Sep12

Jonathan Gonzalez

Meet another sensational Yardi employee, Jonathan Gonzalez, team lead for the commercial Voyager Client Success TX 1 team who began his journey as an intern.   Yardi’s offices have many internship opportunities for those interested in learning about exciting and expansive world of real estate technology.  Meet Jonathan Gonzalez Jonathan Gonzalez has been at Yardi for nearly five years and became a team lead for commercial in July 2022. He works with clients to achieve success with the products they are licensed for and finds new ways to improve their work lives with Yardi’s complete product line. He also works with his team to ensure they succeed in providing an excellent customer service experience and developing their careers. “I put a heavy emphasis on being available for my team, especially since we have transitioned to a hybrid work structure. My goal is to be available as much as possible to build relationships with my team members while also providing them with the mentoring they need to grow,” says Gonzalez. In addition to his team, Gonzalez assists his clients in achieving the maximum results with their licensed products. He spends his days reaching out to perform health check calls with clients to review their system usage and assist with critical escalations to ensure they are well taken care of. Gonzalez takes pride in having satisfied clients with support and confidence within his team that is more willing to utilize Yardi’s full product load. “Helping my clients achieve success in all their Yardi products is what I most enjoy about working at Yardi. Seeing my clients fully functioning and happy with their software gives me a sense of purpose for my work,” shares Gonzalez. Confident Colleagues Gonzalez enjoys the welcoming environment of Yardi, where everyone is eager to see success...

Tamm Sharper Sep04

Tamm Sharper

Yardi staff make essential contributions to property management clients worldwide. Today, meet Tamm Sharper, a Voyager Client Success residential TX 2 team consultant for special projects in the Dallas office. Meet Tamm Sharper Tamm Sharper has been working for Yardi since December 2014. Sharper works on projects from the Voyager Client Success and RentCafe Client Success Texas teams for existing clients. From complex and sometimes expedited implementations to At-risk client specialty projects, she has a variety of opportunities to build relationships with clients during their Yardi journey. She works with clients to analyze pain points and devise a course of action, whether goal-based or time-specific, to alleviate the issues they experience daily. Sharper conducts on-site training sessions and business process reviews to optimize Voyager/CRM to give the client the most value. She also mentors colleagues and newer Yardi employees going through the N.E.S.T program by showcasing the culture of Yardi, conducting trainings and assisting with cases. Strategizing Stellar Results Sharper says, “I like to call myself ‘the fixer!’” Sharper enjoys having a client come to her at their breaking point and her being able to strategize and develop a plan to get them back on track. At the project’s close, she feels there’s nothing more satisfying than having a client smile and express gratitude for all the hard work they’ve accomplished. “There’s just something special about reviewing all the objectives we set out to accomplish and getting that confirmation of satisfaction from the client! Also, it’s heartwarming to know that I’ve made a difference in client retention when we see the numbers during corporate updates,” shares Sharper. Sharper appreciates Yardi’s transparency since the early days of the pandemic and that Yardi is always there to contribute when help is needed. “It’s amazing to hear...

Brody Masterson Aug29

Brody Masterson

Yardi’s offices have many internship opportunities for those interested in learning about the technology side of real estate. Today, meet Brody Masterson, who joined the company for an internship five years ago and has been thriving at Yardi since. Brody and his wife, Ashton. Meet Brody Masterson Brody Masterson completed an internship in the summer of 2018 with Yardi. He completed his degree from the University of Oklahoma and graduated with a bachelor’s in management information systems. He then started working at Yardi full-time out of the Dallas office, making last month his fourth anniversary. Masterson is a senior technical manager for the residential Texas Practice 6 Team. Masterson spends most of his work resolving data issues for clients he is solely responsible for. When he is not working and meeting with clients, he works with his colleagues and team members needing assistance. Since stepping into the senior role with more responsibility, he has taken over critical topics for his team. “I’m readily available to answer any questions that my teammates have, or if they prefer, I’ll hop on a quick call with them to give them guidance on a case or insight over a Voyager functionality,” said Masterson. Yardi is a comprehensive software that takes time to learn the ins and outs. However, Masterson enjoys using not only his technical skills but also his consulting skills for the job. “There are numerous software areas that require either cloud knowledge, accounting knowledge, marketing knowledge, etc. So, it has been very beneficial learning from all these different areas,” said Masterson. Knowledge is Power Masterson likes the comradery and collaboration at Yardi. Even working virtually, he still feels the same vibes from working daily in the office. “Yardi’s culture is also very collaborative. There has always...

Leeana Bari Aug21

Leeana Bari

Yardi’s global offices make essential contributions to property management and investors worldwide. Today, we introduce you to Leeana Bari, a senior technical account manager for RentCafé Resource out of the Dallas office, a part of the Texas Practice 6 team. Meet Leeana Bari Leeana Bari has been with Yardi for five years after graduating from the University of Oklahoma, her first job out of college. Bari spends her workdays keeping clients as happy as possible. Fulfilling the Yardi mission statement, taking care of clients and being dedicated to them, ensuring they are all responded to promptly. She also values positive reinforcement for her peers and colleagues. “I am a queue watcher because I love seeing the queue go down and sending a ‘good job team’ message from time to time in our team chat to shine a light on their hard work being seen because some weeks it gets tough,” says Bari. Working in the office has allowed Bari more human interactions since the pandemic made everything virtual. She enjoys walking around, joining conversations, and playing ping pong in the breakroom. She finds working from home can lead to burnout with minimal breaks, so when working at home, she is mindful of her time and does a quick 10–15-minute workout to get the blood flowing. “I believe it’s important to incorporate times to step away from the computer to refresh your mind, especially if you’re stuck on a case,” Bari shares. Cultivating Bonds Bari appreciates all the people she works with at Yardi. She has never felt that she couldn’t be herself, which makes the work environment enjoyable. The professionalism and involvement of managers and team leads in the Dallas office encourage success and growth within Yardi. “The environment is professional, but one thing I absolutely love about Yardi is that I always felt and continue to feel like I can be myself in and out of the office,” shared Bari. She wants new hires, especially those right out of college, to know that Yardi’s company culture makes a big difference. Knowledge is shared daily, which makes working with clients that much easier. Yardi encourages diversity, inclusion and growth, making it easy to connect with peers and enjoy work each day. “The recruiters at Yardi have done an amazing job at finding knowledgeable people with the awareness and soft skills to ensure the work culture meets all requirements of our motto,” said Bari. She continues, “I’ve absolutely loved working for Yardi! I’ve made life-long friendships and couldn’t have imagined or asked for a better first job!” Yardi is hiring globally! Interested prospective employees can explore opportunities on the Careers site. World traveler, dancer and pro wedding guest Bari spends her time outside of the office traveling with family and friends. Her parents immigrated to America from Bangladesh, so travel has been super important to them to connect with family. Bari was able to experience traveling to foreign countries and even within the States as a child, opening her eyes to what is out there in the world. She also has been swamped attending several weddings within the past few years. “In 2022, I attended nine weddings. I am on number three of six for 2023 and have six already on the calendar for 2024! Celebrating my friends brings the utmost joy to my life – however, if you’ve ever attended a Desi wedding, you know a gal is running out of outfits,” Bari exclaimed! When she is not attending weddings, Bari enjoys dancing. Dancing has always been a part of her life. She believes it soothes the soul. Some of her best years were on a dance team in college, and she cultivated strong friendships she still has to this day. “It is amazing to me to see how everyone brings their own personality and flow to the dance; however, we’re all able to mesh and flow in sync as...

Shaina Fite Apr18

Shaina Fite

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...

Tamar Kapner

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...

Tunisia Powell Mar14

Tunisia Powell

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...

Ralf de Graaf Mar07

Ralf de Graaf

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...

Nick James Mar04

Nick James

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 Feb22

Yolanda Poulson

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 Feb16

Marcus Rutherford

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...

Oksana Goliak Feb07

Oksana Goliak

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...

Angela Blair Feb02

Angela Blair

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...