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Explore and read Venterra Realty's 6th edition of their WOW Book - WOW Matters, The Venterra Experience - for a look inside Venterra's culture and customer experience.
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WOW Matters The Venterra Experience
Sixth Edition
A Better Way of Living
http://www.VenterraLiving.com
Table of Contents
Preface by Richard Roos, Chief Operating Officer ii
Acknowledgements by Stephanie Gonzalez, Director of Marketing & Customer Experience iv
About Venterra 1
Part One: A Better Way of Living, The Venterra Experience 2
Why Choose Venterra? 5
The Most Underused Guarantee 12
18,571 Residents Say Yes 23
Keep It Working 33
We Renew More Than Just Customers 40
Infinite Referral Rewards 51
Table of Contents (cont.)
Part Two: A Fun Place to Live. A Fun Place to Work. The Venterra Experience. 58
Culture by Andrew Stewart, Chairman 60
Vision and Values 62
Growth and Opportunity 70
Leadership 74
Recognition 78
The Voices of Venterra 84
Better Living 92
Team First 96
Part Three: WOW Matters, The Venterra Experience. 100
Helping Families Beyond Our Borders 148
Resources 149
Index 150
i
Preface
Richard Roos, Chief Operating Officer
What does the Customer Experience mean to Venterra? After six years of passionate
commitment to improving our customer experience delivery, I recently found myself
contemplating where we started, how we have grown and where we are headed next.
We started our journey believing that being a customer experience leader and innovator was
an important aspect of being a world-class organization. If we could build a culture that was
ii
passionate about taking care of our customers, it would result in Venterra achieving
exceptional operating results for our investors, while allowing Venterra to pay it forward by
re-investing in our employees and customers. This re-generating cycle would be the key to
ensuring that the success we achieved would be built to last.
The stories contained in our 6th edition of the WOW Book help me to believe that we are well
on our way. It is emotional for me to read stories that demonstrate how much our employees
have embraced Venterra’s vision. The customer experience stories paint an incredible picture
of how employees are positively impacting customer lives through their compassion,
dedication and willingness to give back. The new section of the WOW Book dedicated to the
employee experience is very gratifying, as it shows that we have been able to simultaneously
improve the lives of our employees as we enhance the customer experience. Our customer
experience focus is not just a feel good story; it has been a big part of our ability to outperform
all public multi-family REITs on NOI growth for the past 3 years. It is great to know that we
have been able to achieve exceptional financial results while making a positive difference in
the environment we operate in.
It has always been important to me to be part of a company that stood for the right things,
pursued excellence and worked hard to build something that made a difference in the lives of
both its customers and employees. As I reflect on the past year and everything written in this
WOW Book, I realize how far we have come towards creating this environment. This success
has only been possible by having caring, dedicated and passionate employees who believe in
the Venterra vision and bring it to life every day. I feel incredibly privileged and thankful to
work with such an amazing group of employees who get up every day focused on making
Venterra a better place to live and work.
While we have accomplished a great deal, we are far from finished. Being a leader and
innovator comes with the challenge of continually raising the bar. Moving forward, we will
build on our customer experience commitment, but we will take it to a new level by becoming
a leader in customer engagement. We will increase our transparency, reinvent how we
communicate and invite our customers to help us build a better living experience. We will
look to engage our customers in a way that is not the standard today. I am excited about the
future, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead – onward and upward in 2015!
iii
Acknowledgements
Stephanie Gonzalez, Director of Marketing & Customer Experience
To Everyone at Venterra:
Your personal commitment to excellence inspires others. This impetus has empowered the
momentum for success and we’re a better company because of you. Each exchanged idea and
every shared opportunity magnifies the mutual respect we have for one another at Venterra
and is the foundation of our culture. Words just can’t describe how much you are appreciated,
however, maybe over 30,000 words of dedication is a good start—this book is dedicated to
you, the heart and soul of Venterra.
starts
iv
About Venterra
Venterra's mission is to acquire and manage multi-family real estate assets in the southern
United States that deliver a superior resident living experience. Our residents will experience
A Better Way of Living. We will achieve this while maintaining profitable operations, long
term appreciation and preservation of capital.
Venterra creates an enduring environment where honesty, integrity, respect, and humility
flourish in the never ending pursuit of excellence.
Venterra deploys proprietary technology and leading people management systems to pursue
our focus on people, customer service and operating excellence. Our culture of innovation
and access to our real-time information drives productivity, focus and a never-ending
pursuit of a “Better Way”. Venterra’s success is rooted in our Core Values—values that
define who we are and how we conduct ourselves. It is the bond that ties us together and
gives our organization strength.
1
A Better Way of Living, The Venterra Experience
Part 1 will take you on a journey shared in the words of our
residents and described by our employees of what it means
to experience A Better Way of Living.
“I’m often asked why we wouldn't want to promise the best living
experience instead of a better experience. The answer is simple. Everyone
says they’re the best. But quite frankly, what I think is the best may not be
the best for someone else. Being the best also sounds complete. We’re never
complete. ‘Better’ is infinite. We promise a better experience relative to the
current experience, and we keep improving it for our customers. Thank
you to the ]employees of Venterra for raising the bar at every customer
interaction. Success can never be achieved unless someone, like you, has
the vision and desire to initiate it.”
- Stephanie Gonzalez, Director of Marketing and Customer Experience
2
Enjoy learning about Venterra’s Vision by watching the above video.
3
4
Why Choose Venterra?
Residents aren't just looking for an apartment to rent.
They are looking for a home that meets or exceeds the
standards by which they live. We strive to create a
feeling of community from the first impression through
the entire living experience.
5
“The Leasing Experience is my opportunity to make them feel ‘at home’. I build a
rapport with the customer that makes them feel secure. I care about them and want
them to understand that while we are managing the property, we are not "lording" over
them. I love the Leasing Experience because first impressions are EVERYTHING!”
- Raquita McCollister, Leasing Consultant, The Pointe
Charity and Whitney made the application process a breeze. Their courtesy and overall professional-
ism sealed the deal in our choosing Amber Place as our new home! Charity made us feel as if we
were actually already part of the community. We haven't moved in yet but it a lready feels
like home!
- Ida Gary, toured Amber Place in September 2014
6
Patti has been amazing since day one. My roommate and I were apartment-hunting and came across
Cypress Pointe. We ended up being paired with Patti, who gave us a tour around the property and of
the apartment model we were going to be moving into. We fell in love IMMEDIATELY. She gave us a
run-through of what the monthly would be like, etc. Her customer service was awesome and she was
so accommodating to me, Nick , and Krysta . Thank you Patti, you're amazing!
- Cathrine Olaes, toured Cypress Pointe in March 2014
West End Lodge is a great community! We're glad we made the
decision to live here!
- Daniel Carpenter, toured West End Lodge in June 2014
Staff is helpful and customer-centered. Property is
community focused with services and social activities. Staff are
very informative and communicates effectively through email
and text announcements.
- Teresa Serrano, toured Amber Place in July 2013
Great place to live. It's clean and the staff is very courteous! Do
yourself a favor! - Tanya Farirayi, toured Villas of Bristol Heights in June 2014
I wanted to give a special compliment to Latedra Wall. This
young lady was not only helpful, but sincerely pleasant. The
apartment speaks for itself, but because of her I didn't look
anywhere else. She made me feel like I was already at
home before I even chose to move in. Having just lo st my
husband of 20 years, she had the bright smile that I needed to
help make this move easier. So please let her know that she is
making a difference in my life with her extraordinary customer service skills. Also know that I could
tell that she was very proud of her property and enjoyed working there. Very refreshing!
- Cherelynn Pratt, toured The Brownstone in August 2014
This place is the best!
- Ellick Renta Ruiz, toured Villa Lago in May 2014
5,424 residents said
“Management
is
Professional”
7
8
“The Leasing Experience is where our future residents learn all about the community and
where the we can paint the picture for the prospect. From the minute the prospect walks in
the door, I want them to feel the customer service and sense of community they will
receive from the community.”
- Andrea Poston, Assistant Property Manager, Villa Lago
The staff is friendly, helpful and straightforward. Everything is very clean and well kept. They were
very willing and helpful in helping me get settled in on semi short notice. Fantastic service!
- Abigail Smith, Toured Regency Park in July 2014
Excellent office and maintenance staff, friendly environment and beautiful scenery!
- Carlos Rivera, toured Carlyle Place in June 2014
9
Marcus is the reason I am a resident at Apex. He is amazing! The time and attention that he gave
me and my mother when we toured made me feel right at home. And yesterday when I had an issue
in the cyber cafe (even though he was not familiar with Apple computers), he did not stop until the
issue was resolved. Thanks aga in, Marcus. You're the best!
- LaTia Ford, toured Apex West Midtown in August 2014
“In the first 30 days, our new resident will experience Venterra as a whole, from
maintenance requests to rent payments to referral concessions. It’s a "full-circle" process
that takes a lot of work from all involved and demonstrates Venterra values of
Unparalleled Service Excellence and Team First! It’s important we get it right.”
- Stephen Burley, Business Support Analyst/Purchaser
10
My fiancé and I were moving to Atlanta from out of state and the staff and leasing office at West-
minster at Buckhead were extremely helpful, courteous, prompt, friendly, and made this process
stress free and very enjoyable! The gated community provides a safe an comfortable living environ-
ment and the apartment complex itself is beautiful and spacious! Pool, grilling area, dog park, and
it's close to a lot of restaurants and entertainment in Buckhead! Highly recommend!
- Anonymous Resident, Westminster Buckhead, ApartmentRatings.com
I could not ask for a better group of office staff....the second you step foot in the office you are
acknowledged. Everyone is outstanding and my concerns are taken care of asap. Thanks for making
my home feel like a home ! You guy's rock.........This is a safe place to call home.
- Theresa Bernal, toured The Vinings in June 2013
11
The Most Underused Guarantee
Live It. Love It. Guarantee. Only 2.4% of residents that move in execute our 30 Day Move
In Guarantee. Why is it so underused? Our Welcome Home Standard is differentiating
and memorable. Behind the scenes, our Total Quality Make Ready process and Service
Standards ensure that the first 30 days go as smoothly as possible. We want our new
residents to find their new home and their first 30 days with us to be welcoming, peaceful,
and perfect; just as expected. Anything less is considered a defect by our standards.
12
13
I want to start by saying thank you for your assistance in previous requests. This is by far above and
beyond the kind of response and service level that I expected when I moved in here. I
recommend this place to all my coworkers and so far I believe two have moved in. I will continue to
advocate Bradford Pointe as a great place to live. Thanks again!
- Sheldon, Bradford Pointe Resident since November 2013
I would like to express my gratitude to the management and team who made our move-in process
very enjoyable. From the time we inquired about an apartment until the move-in, everyone has been
very friendly and helpful. It has been some time since we have lived in an apartment, so we had lots of
questions. Each time, my questions were answered promptly and they were so understanding. I
appreciate the kindness of the staff and understanding with my changing move-in dates. I really look
forward to living at Estancia because of the friendliness of the staff. Thank you all so much!
- Wendy Wilson, Estancia at Morningstar Resident since January 2014
The office here at The Preserve at Old Dowlen made my move-in effortless, considering I was
moving from 100+ miles away. Everything was on schedule, and they even had the apartment accent
walls painted with very little notice. Great job you guys!
- Bobby Clay, The Preserve at Old Dowlen Resident since May 2014
“I believe that the success of TQMR (Total Quality Make
Ready) lies in its design. Each step is vital to the outcome
of a true, high-quality product that we are delivering to
new and returning residents. All good products require
great quality control standards. Having a system in place
that touches base on every facet of the make-ready process
will provide the best quality control. TQMR is the process,
but in order to truly provide the best quality control, we
must hold ourselves accountable to the process. Every
level of the process has an accountability and is expected to
be completed to the highest level of detail. Each set of
eyes, each walk, each process prepares our final product
to reflect our standard of excellence. We provide the best
homes in our industry."
- Nick Tyser, Maintenance Manager,
The Enclave at 1550
14
We recently moved from Chicago and fought traffic the whole way to get here before the office closed to
sign our lease and get our keys. We knew we were going to be late and Gianina came back after hours to
get us all settled in! Also the welcome package waiting for us was a nice touch! Everyone here has
been so friendly. We are excited to be a part of the Hampton's community!
- Jonelle Forshee, Hamptons at Woodland Pointe Resident since July 2014
Heidi, Erin and Kevin have been great during our entire move-in.
Heidi checked up on us the day we were moving in. Kevin has
been very quick to answer all maintenance requests. Erin present-
ed us with a gift basket today when one of our concerns could not
be resolved immediately. All in all, I am very happy that we
chose the Monticello Oaks community.
- Brigette Lepe, Monticello Oaks Resident since May 2014
Coming from a home that had many problems, my family is
extremely happy we moved to Calais Park. The staff from
the office and the maintenance team are very helpful and courte-
ous. Definitely are happy with the community we moved to!!
- Kristin Piotti, Calais Park Resident since July 2014
Cedar Springs is a lovely community with a great staff. It is one of
the most visually appealing complexes in Raleigh. It's 5 minutes
away from almost everything, and it's very affordable. My very
first apartment has been a great one.
- Christopher Rock, Cedar Springs Resident since July 2014
College View is a small complex but has plenty to offer. The com-
munity is quiet and pet friendly which was exactly what we were looking for. Another nice feature is the
swimming pool which is always clean and the BBQ grill next to it is an added bonus. Let me
not forget about the great office and maintenance staff. They are wonderful! Any concerns or work
orders were addressed quickly which cannot a lways be sa id when living in apartments. Over-
all, I am very pleased with the decision to move to College View and look forward to living here comfort-
ably for however long that may be.
- Monique Arellano, College View Resident since May 2014
2,364 residents
described
their new
home as
“clean”
15
“The first 30 days of a resident’s
experience are critical. How well I
can help them and resolve problems
during this time shows them they are
truly appreciated as a new resident.”
- Sally Flores,
Regional Leasing Manager
My move in experience was great. I didn't see anything that needed more attention from my point
of view. The staff was very kind as we viewed the apartment. I love the house warming trea ts -
what a wonderful thought to welcome the tenants to their new home! I feel safe and
comfortable here.
- Carolyn Coulter, St. Andrews Resident since August 2014
I've lived here for about a month and have loved it so far! The office staff is always professional and
helpful, and the application process and move-in was quick and smooth. I've a lways felt sa fe
here, which is especially important for someone living alone and far from home. I would definitely
recommend it to a friend!
- Leah Daniels, Signature Ridge Resident since June 2014
16
When I moved in, Damien showed me around the unit and checked all the lights and water to make sure
everything was working. It was grea t to have tha t service and know that the staff takes the
time to welcome new tenants and make sure the unit is ready for move-in. I have spent a week in
my new place and I absolutely love it.
- Michele Menard, Tuscany at Lindbergh Resident since August 2014
I have been living here for about two weeks now and am
happy with the living environment and area . If you lik e the
idea of living in a high-rise building, I would recommend the
Enclave.
- Stephen Dingler, The Enclave at 1550 Resident since May 2014
True happiness is said to be at home. The Enclave at 1550
certainly makes that statement a reality. I've lived in many
different apartment complexes in San Antonio , but none
have mirrored the customer service and friendly demeanor
of fellow residents. The moment I wa lked into The Enclave
several residents warmly introduced themselves, as if to welcome
me to the family. I have only been a resident here for one and a half
months, but I look forward to the remainder of my stay at this
lovely community.
- Emmanuel Nsien, The Enclave at 1550 Resident since July 2014
The Mandolin has many updates and is a great place to live. The
office staff is very friendly and responds to issues in a
timely manner. The loca tion is grea t!
- Stephanie Neidecker, The Mandolin Resident since June 2014
My move in experience at The Po inte was great. The property management had great customer
service, and the apartment provided to me was beyond what I expected.
- Carlos Losada, The Pointe Resident since June 2014
Great move in experience! Friendly staff and very helpful. Apartment was very clean upon
move in. Great community!
- Kelsey Guimarin, Villa Lago Resident since June 2014
7,312 residents
said,
“The Staff
is
Friendly”
17
“The Venterra TQMR standard is a very effective process that allows me to WOW our
residents on their first day with us. The TQMR covers every area of our apartment home
and is in place so that our residents are moving into a functional, clean and made-ready
home. Moving is stressful enough without worrying if the apartment is going to have
problems.”
- Scott Levesque , Maintenance Manager, Houston
So far the best apartment community I've lived in! Grea t loca tion! When I need something
fixed in my apartment, maintenance responds very quickly. Office staff is very friendly and helpful
anytime I have a question. Love, Love, love Bradford Pointe!
- Nancy Downing, Bradford Pointe Resident since July 2014
Our experience as a resident of Bristol Heights has been a pleasant one. The management has been
very accessible and friendly. We have only been here a month but so fa r we have had no
issues. I look forward to the rest of our time here!
- Vinnie James, Villas of Bristol Heights Resident since August 2014
18
It was a great move-in experience. The crew made it incredibly easy to fo llow, and everyone
was super nice. They have answered any and all questions we have had.
- Christopher Allen, Falcon Square Resident since June 2014
I've only lived here for a month, but I love it. The website keeps me
informed and everyone is friendly, helpful, and it feels like home. I
never hear any noise from neighbors, side or upper. All the
grounds and the pool are immaculate. Maintenance is quick
to fix things the right way. The staff is friendly from the first
day I looked to the present day. I love the quietness and take ad-
vantage of the screened in porch daily.
- Cynthia Evans, Huntcliff Resident since July 2014
After moving in a couple of weeks ago, I must give this property
huge props. I worked with Tai during the leasing process, and she
could not have been more helpful -- Thank You, Tai! I'm really
happy here. The property is well-maintained, quiet and peace-
ful, and it's nice to see kids playing outside (that's always a sign
of a safe, friendly environment, in my experience). Maintenance is
also great to work with. They went out of their way to help me
hook up my dryer. All in all, I give Huntcliff a huge thumbs-up,
and I look forward to living here a long time!
- Ellen Hendren, Huntcliff Resident since July 2014
The office staff at Legacy was very welcoming. I love my new
apartment. It is very spacious. The neighbors are friendly
and respectful. I would highly recommend this as a place to call
your new home.
- Marquesha Waters, Legacy at River Crossing Resident since July 2014
The Community is very welcoming. I love the events tha t happen to let everyone meet each
other. The staff a re very informative and makes the move in stream lined.
- Vincent McFarlin, Palm Club Resident since June 2014
2,824 residents
referred to
their new
apartment
as
“home”
19
Experience a move in so exceptional,
we guarantee it.
Any resident that is not completely satisfied with their
apartment, for any reason, has the option to move out
within their first 30 days, no penalties and no hassle.
20
Jonathon was working in the leasing office on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend when I
stopped by to find out about an apartment. He was very patient and explained the rental options
very thoroughly. I really valued the extra time that he spent. He was courteous and engaging,
and offered several options for me to choose from. I'm so glad that I chose Enclave and can't
wait to move in!
- Andy Trevathan Morto, toured The Enclave at 1550 in June 2014
This has been the best complex that I have lived in since moving to Georgia.
- Antoine Cooper, Champions Green Resident since July 2014
Apex has everything I have been looking for in a community! My apartment is stylish, the staff is
great, and West Midtown is the bomb!
- Gray Cannon, Apex West Midtown Resident since July 2014
We moved here from out of state, and we absolutely love our new home here at Riverstone
Apartments. From the moment we arrived here, we felt welcomed and we felt like we were home.
Thank You to the entire staff here that has given us such a warm welcome!
- David Velasco-Lobos, Riverstone Resident since June 2014
Estancia is a nice place to live. The workout room and pool area are great. Everyone I've met is really
nice. I have had a very good experience living at Estancia at Morningstar.
- Sean Michael Meier, Estancia at Morningstar Resident since May 2014
21
22
18,571 Residents Say “Yes”
Yes, our residents would recommend a Venterra community to their family and
friends. Why? Keep it Simple. Keep it Clean. Keep it Fun. Keep it Working, Make it
Exceptional - the formula for providing a great experience that people want to share
with others, and our Customer Service Promises. We appreciate our residents and want
to thank them for choosing Venterra by providing an environment where they are
surrounded by people who care for them and want to improve the quality of their
lives. While the following promises are made from the first interaction with Venterra
and while in pursuit of the perfect apartment home, they’re proven over and over again
during the resident’s stay.
23
I enjoy the professionalism of the staff. Management is very eager to assist the tenants with any
concerns we may have. I have lived in many communities, and this one is by far the best one I ever
lived in. Thank you for making this the best experience I ever had.
- Jacquelyn Lawrence, Stonecreek Ranch Resident since August 2014
The office staff is excellent. They are accommodating, friendly, and very responsive. All in all, they
show that they are genuinely concerned about providing the best service.
- Jae Park, The Enclave at 1550 Resident since June 2013
It's an excellent, friendly and clean environment to live in, and I could not be happier
with the Enclave Apartments and staff!
- Jacqueline Rodriguez, The Enclave at 1550 Resident since July 2014
“I love that everything with Venterra is about an experience. We want our employees and
residents to have great experiences while with Venterra. It’s a great company. The Leaders
truly care about me as an individual. I’m not just a number.”
- Candi Garland, Regional Leasing Manager
24
It's an excellent, friendly and clean environment to live in, and I could not be happier
with the Enclave Apartments and staff!
- Jacqueline Rodriguez, The Enclave at 1550 Resident since July 2014
We have been at The Landmark for one month and it has been so
great to us so far. Best, friendliest, professional staff. The
maintenance staff is outstanding and quick to respond. The
amenities such as the gym and indoor pool, as well as outdoor
pools, are so clean and a nice environment. Definitely
would recommend this community.
- Dale Purser, Landmark at Medical
Center Resident since July 2014
I appreciate the individual attention that I've received with any of
my concerns or issues, and the responsiveness of Venterra to those
issues. I'm finding that Venterra lives up to its promises and I
hope to see that continue. Thanks and keep up the good work!
- Jason Roth, Apex West Midtown Resident
since May 2013
Sarah and Kelly in the front office are simply incredible. Issues
are handled in a timely and professional manner, and if
something goes unresolved for any reason, they do everything
they can to remedy the situation. It's rare to have management
that goes above and beyond like they do. Thank you for a ll
you do!
- James Wils, Cedar Springs Resident since August 2014
The last year has been extremely difficult for me due to the death of my husband of 30 years. Your
staff has made this year more bearable even during this last month of unbelievable
change and financial hardship. Probating my husband’s estate, lawyer fees, court fees, a
compromise of my debit card, has left me in quite a bind. If it were not for the professionalism
of this staff, I would not have any options. Allison is a pleasure to talk to and Miranda has
been a blessing to me. I thank you for all you do. The Dominion has been home for me. It is
well maintained, comfortable and quiet.
- Loretta Wolsey, Dominion at Woodlands Resident since July 2013
3,327 residents
described
their
experience
as
“great”
25
Residents Were Asked,
“Would You Recommend
“I would recommend the apart-
ments to my family and friends.”
- Cassondra
“I would not hesitate to
recommend these apartments to
anyone.”
- Dorothy
“I sincerely will continue to
recommend new tenants to
reside in this apartment home
community.”
- Todd
“I would recommend this property to
anyone that is looking for a home and
not just an apartment.”
- Ronald
“I love the staff here, and I
will recommend this
community to anyone
who needs a new home.”
- Brandi
“I absolutely would and already have recommended the property
to others.”
- Christine
“I would recommend it to
everyone!”
- Paula
18,571
say Yes
26
“I would totally recommend anyone to move to this Apartment Community!” - Ruby
“Very Happy with the
community and outstanding
customer service. Veronica is
very professional and efficient.
Would highly recommend this
community!”
- Vinson
“We would highly recommend
these apartments for anyone
looking to move in the North
Dallas area.”
- Pedro
“I would most definitely
recommend this property to
everyone I know!”
- Myriam
“I would recommend this
property ANY day!”
- Kecia
“I recommend Reflections as
home because living here
can be called home, making
me feeling as a part of a
family, I been living here for
almost 9 years, yes definitely
I recommend reflections at
Sweetwater as a home.”
- Deysi
“I would recommend this property to family and friends
simply due to the wonderful customer service I have received
while living here.”
- Diane
Venterra to Your Friends and Family?”
27
Excellent community based complex. Very clean. Neighbors seems friendly and welcoming. Nice
overall community and staff very professional and customer service friendly.
- Racquel Warren, Silverbrooke Resident since June 2014
This is just my first week here and I must say I am loving it. This place is all I've asked for so
far. The staff is very professional and seems to really care, especially Tiffany. She has really made this
an easy transition for me. She listened and addressed all of my concerns, she has been prompt
in responding to my phone calls and emails, she stands on her word, and I really appreciate
her. Tiffany really makes me feel at home. So kudos to the whole team...thanks!
- Abuwi Coleman, Reflections on Sweetwater Resident since March 2014
“The customer experience is what it's all about - listening to the resident’s needs, wants,
concerns, ideas and ACTING on them, thus giving our residents a voice! Awesome!”
- Justin Callahan, Property Manager, Bradford Pointe
28
I have lived at the Estancia for about 4 months now. Overall I would have to say this is one of my
favorite apartment complexes that I have lived in. That is due mainly to the effi ciency and
overall friendliness of the office staff. They have gone above and beyond when it comes to trying to
ensure we are happy. I have even recommended the apartments to a friend o f mine in the
market for a place to live. My baby enjoys the slide and play area
and the fountain area has been a great place to take strolls with
him. Thank you for being awesome and making us feel at home and
welcome here!
- Misty LeBlanc, Estancia at Morningstar Resident since
August 2013
We would like to say thank you to Luis for all his hard work so
that we have a home now. We love everything here at Falcon
Square and all the staff is amazing and very friendly. The unit is
in excellent condition and very well maintained. The grounds are
beautiful and we got everything on our wish list: pool, fitness
center, washer and dryer, Dog Park, walk-in closet, shower, and
garden tub. We couldn't be happier. We plan on being here a long
time. Love it! Thank you. We ra te Fa lcon Square A+.
- Paul Carney, Falcon Square at Independence
Resident since November 2013
Thank you to Olga for everything she does to make this feel like
home for us. She has gone above and beyond for us on numerous
occasions and we are so thank ful fo r her and the rest o f the
office and maintenance staff. They are all very sympathetic and
responsive to the residents' needs. This is a place I feel happy to
call home.
- Christopher Jenkins, Falcon Square at Independence Resident since August 2013
It is a great community. The staff here is very professional and cares about what you care about in
your home. I would recommend this apartment to family and friends.
- Gennetta Johnson, Park 9 Resident since July 2014
They are great - the best staff I’ve ever come across.
- Scott Tebeau, Sandstone Resident since September 2013
another
2,346 residents
described
their
experience
as
“wonderful”
29
Underlying our service promise is commitment of caring. We
appreciate our residents and want to thank you for choosing
Venterra by providing an environment where you are
surrounded by people who care for you and want to improve
the quality of your life.
Customer Service Promises
30
I had a flat tire and I appreciate the maintenance staff helping me put air in my tire. I recognize that is
a service you all did not have to provide, but it saved me a lot of time and money. I really appreciate
the help.
- Arthur Thomas, Champions Green Resident since October 2011
Wow, I must say I have really enjoyed my experience at Westminster at Buckhead, beginning from the
search process up through living her for over 2 years. The staff is extremely nice and helpful and
always greet you with a smiling face. Westminster is in a great location too, and is within walking
distance to the new Shake Shack! I would highly recommend Westminster to any and all!
- Anonymous Resident, Westminster at Buckhead, ApartmentRatings.com
The current management team is professional and very personable...sometimes I just go in to say hello
and they always take time out to make sure my needs are met. Kudos!
- Meece Thorne, The Vinings Resident since March 2014
Having a great, caring and prompt office staff is not a question at BALA WOODS. From the manager
down to the maintenance crew, these team of professional are absolutely awesome. I feel safe and at
home in this place that I have lived and lived to call home. I would recommend and reference this
property to anyone looking for a quiet and peaceful neighborhood that is pet friendly and the manager
and staff strive daily to make residents comfortable and satisfied. Go Team Kim....and Katie!!
- Simon Ogolla, Bala Woods Resident since March 2014
31
32
Keep It Working
As an industry leader in reliable apartment features and amenities, we promise to “Keep
It Working”. This means that not only will service requests be repaired correctly, but
they will be addressed in a timely manner. Venterra’s 48 Hour Service
Guarantee ensures that we will address maintenance issues within 48 hours…
Guaranteed! Our maintenance teams are trained and willing to go the extra mile to take
care of our residents.
33
Throughout my stay with Estancia, I have really enjoyed my time. You all are very friendly,
supportive and professional. Thank you for responding to our request in a timely and speedy fashion.
I admire your commitment to making your residents feel at home and listened to. Thanks
again for all that you guys do!
- Larry Bell, Estancia at Morningstar Resident since October 2012
I am extremely impressed with the maintenance staff here. They completed everything to my
satisfaction and in a timely fashion. Thank you so much!
- Sonova Balli, Champions Green Resident since January 2014
“I think the biggest opportunity to have a positive impact on the resident experience is
during the maintenance experience because it impacts residents’ trust and overall experience
living with us.”
- Michael Casenave, Operations Analyst
34
The Maintenance staff at Foxborough is amazing! Every time we have had to deal with an issue in our
apartment, whether it is a burnt out light, broken drawer, or pests, it is resolved quickly. At one point
in time we had our toilet break and flood the apartment in the middle of the night; it could have been a
crisis, but maintenance reacted quickly and everything was resolved within hours. They are one of
the reasons we have stayed at Foxborough, because we know
there is reliable maintenance.
- Susan Aylor, Foxborough Resident since September 2012
All of the staff here have always done their best. They are
knowledgeable, polite and very helpful in anything that I ask about
or need. They were very considerate in helping us to plan the work
around my schedule. - Linda Christensen, Amber Place Resident
since April 2007
I am so thankful that the complete staff here at Calais Park has been
so helpful. Any requests have been taken care of in a very timely
and professional manner!
- Sherri Harrod, Calais Park Resident since May 2014
This is the best service staff I have ever had the privilege of
meeting. They know my name and ta lk to me lik e I'm a long-
time friend. This place has the best management and service
staff. Thanks!
- Ben Badeaux, Carlyle Place Resident since January 2014
I noticed my AC was not cooling at about 7 pm and entered a work
request with the expectation that the work might then be completed the next day. Much to my surprise
Jose came to my door 30 minutes later and had my AC working that evening!!! I was delighted and I
thought the responsiveness was above and beyond! To have Jose immedia tely respond was
phenomenal. I really did not mean to have to make Jose get called out so late in the evening!! He is a
lovely man and always, always friendly and helpful!
- Barbara Acker, College View Resident since March 2011
11,976 residents
said they
received the
“best
service
ever”
35
The staff members are all unbelievable. I have never lived anywhere like this or met anyone more
service oriented than this team. I just had my A/C go out Thursday a fter closing time. The
manager, Shana, came to look at my A/C and then said call emergency maintenance. Rudy the
maintenance man had just driven an hour to go home. I thought ‘oh no’ he just got home. But, he
drove that hour to come back and had a great attitude while working on my unit. AMAZING. I have
never had any apartment community do that. I was blown away. I had a grea t weekend
feeling comfortable and did not stress about the heat. There were other maintenance issues they took
care of also and they all had the best attitude about it. I also signed another year lease. No way will I
move from here now unless I were able to buy a house. This is the best apartment community
I have ever lived in. All the staff is on top of things and want you to be happy here. I am
VERY happy!
- Lucia Nell Wheat, Regency Park Resident since October 2012
The staff at Villa Lago is always friendly and helpful. They go the extra mile to listen to your concerns
and to complete any maintenance issues quickly and efficiently. It is a grea t place to live.
- Debi Mattocks, Villa Lago Resident since January 2008
“The maintenance experience is where we can show consistency and that we truly care
about the resident’s needs, comfort and satisfaction.”
- Jennifer McFadden, Regional Manager
36
You have the most professional people working in the office! I have lived in different areas and
apartments the past 20 something year, and this is the first apartment that has made my living so
comfortable. It feels like home and makes me feel important.
- Tersit Tessema, Estancia at Morningstar
Resident since December 2013
Somebody (tha t was driving up when I was tak ing my trash
out) asked me if I would recommend this as a place to live, and I
was able to say, “YES!”. Prior to the management switch I
would have said no. I can tell a major difference in the
communication, service and management compared to the prior
management company. Thanks!
- Kavon Simon, Fairways at South Shore
Harbor Resident since January 2014
Wow I can’t think of a bad thing to say! I love the staff here.
Everyone is awesome and does such a great job! I called about my
A/C Wednesday morning and Wednesday evening I received an
email stating the job was complete. I got home and had to cut the
A/C off it was so cold in there. Great job by Jose! Overall A+! I
never had a job completed in the same day in previous
apartments I've lived in. Grea t job to the who le Foxborough
team!
- Broderick Johnson, Foxborough Resident since March 2013
All of the maintenance staff members are friendly and efficient and
care about doing a good job!
- Donald Scott, The Landings of Brentwood Resident since March 2011
Thank you to the maintenance staff for responding to my requests so fast. I appreciate being updated
on the status of requests and for fixing them with great care.
- Ann Burton, Champions Woods Resident since March 2011
7,312 residents
said,
“the staff
is
friendly”
37
Enjoy peace of mind with our 48 Hour Service Response Guarantee
that ensures your maintenance needs are responded to within 48
hours of you notifying the office staff. Guaranteed.
38
Great customer service! When the problem was reported to the receptionist, she immediately contacted
maintenance staff and the problem was resolved the same day. The gentleman was kind,
quick, and efficient. Both the a ir conditioning and door were fixed. Thank you so much!
- Andrea Romero, Park 9 Resident since August 2014
What a great change from the previous management company! Very pleased.
- Elizabeth Muller, South Shore Lakes Resident since January 2014
The maintenance men at Villa Lago are very professional, friendly and fast at resolving the problem.
- Shelly Lawless, Villa Lago Resident since March 2013
I really appreciate the expediency with which the maintenance staff addresses requests. I
submitted a request yesterday evening for replacement of light bulbs, and they were fixed when I got
home today. When we had a water leak earlier this year, the maintenance staff was extremely quick to
respond and address the issue. They also followed up to make sure that we got everything relocated
back into the affected area. The excellent maintenance response is one of the reasons I've lived
at Chez Moi since 2006, and it's so great to see that the same commitment to this great level
of service is continuing.
- Linda Johnson, Chez Moi Resident since November 2006
Bala woods has been a great home over the past 4 months. Office staff are very nice and help-
ful. Maintenance requests always completed quickly. Beautiful interior and exterior. I highly
recommend the property.
- Candi Bowden, Bala Woods Resident since August 2014
39
We Renew More Than
Just Customers
From day one we work to earn our residents’ trust and exceed their expectations.
Renewing a lease with Venterra means more than just extending a contract. It means
renewing the home as well! We conduct an inspection of the resident’s home, similar to
the inspection that took place prior to moving in. This inspection includes but is not lim-
ited to mechanical, plumbing, electrical, heating and air conditioning, as well as ensuring
all equipment such as smoke detectors are functioning properly.
40
41
“I like going above and beyond at renewal time and really showing them that we still care
and appreciate them as our residents.”
- Kelly Levesque, Assistant Property Manager, St. Andrews
Friday January 24, 2014, there was a bad ice storm in our area. All windows on vehicles were frozen.
One of our maintenance men, I only know him by Wesley, came to my door and offered to scrape my car
windows for me. This was VERY much apprecia ted and unexpected. At the time it was 20
degrees outside. THANKS WESLEY!
- Connie Edwards, The Preserve at Old Dowlen Resident since February 2013
I just wanted to give a quick shout out to the amazing office staff. They really are the best apartment
staff I've ever seen. Everyone in the offi ce is a lways po lite and friendly and whenever I've had
issues they always take care of me. GREAT customer service. The team really cares about its residents.
- Joshua Anchan, Signature Ridge Resident since February 2013
I will absolutely renew. Grea t place to be and I haven't had a reason to leave. The offi ce staff
is always friendly and always remembers my name. That may be stating the obvious but with the
amount of people they see on a daily basis, it would seem difficult but they always greet me with a smile
and do the best they can on getting an answer to my question.
- Ben Devine, The Ravinia Resident since June 2014
42
I just want to thank Salado Springs for constantly staying on top of maintenance issues. Last week,
apparently our dishwasher was leaking into the downstairs neighbor's apartment (we had no idea).
Maintenance left us a note saying not to use the dishwasher that a new one had been ordered and
will be replaced ASAP. Within three days, we had a brand new dishwasher that works great. Just
one of the many reasons we agreed to re-sign our lease. Thank you for tak ing care o f us!
- Lauren Sokol, Salado Springs
Resident since July 2013
Calais Park is the nicest place I've ever lived! My 2
bedroom loft is spectacular. My friends are green with
envy! All of the staff are so friendly and
accommodating. Any questions are always greeted first
with a smile. They are more than just helpful, they
really seem to care. Here is an example: I came by the
office today and met with Angie. She remembered a few
weeks ago that I had mentioned my daughter was going to
New York to visit family. She asked how her trip went and
if she got to see snow! (My daughter had never seen it snow
before). I told Angie, Yes, the trip was wonderful, and yes
it snowed! I thought to myself, that’s awesome that she
remembered her. So very thoughtful. I'm so grateful that I
found this place! I feel like family here!
- Kenneth Mann, Calais Park
Resident since December 2013
I want to thank you for making the grounds around here so
nice. I have dogs so I walk around a lot and I love the
ponds, the fountain, and the ducks (and ducklings). After
moving here from owning my own home, I can
appreciate the work it requires to maintain. It goes a long way in how it makes me feel
about my home here.
- Kelli Borel, Calais Park Resident since February 2014
We love the staff. We had other options when choosing housing, and the staff hospitality was the
reason we chose Park Manor. They made a new place feel like home and their service is
world class, helpful, and rivals any five-star concierge. They are concerned about our well-
being, show understanding, and share in our joy and achievements. They have become part
of our family. Thank you for all you do.
- Philip Walker, Park Manor Resident since August 2013
2,032
residents
referred to
the staff as a
TEAM -
We’ll take
that!
43
“If the customer has a better day because I gave up a few minutes to spend with them,
then I’m doing my job.”
- Patty Martin, Assistant Property Manager, Timber Mill
I was on my way to take my trash out when one of the maintenance staff was coming by in a golf
cart. He stopped and took my trash from me - I didn’t even ask! That is AWESOME customer
service.
- Jacqueline Davila, Signature Ridge Resident since December 2013
I thank the office staff for always being so nice and courteous when my daughter comes through the
office after school. Last week she was over the moon to have received a Popsicle. I thank you for being a
welcoming face for her and my family.
- Maya Martin, Westover Oaks Resident since March 2014
I just want to take a moment and let management know how much I appreciate the time and effort you
invest in customer service. Service is one of the reasons I rent rather than own. The office and facilities
staff are affable and get service requests done efficiently. Please know I appreciate the community
you've built here at The Enclave.
- Luke Leppla, The Enclave at 1550 Resident since September 2013
44
The great customer service displayed by the ENTIRE team here at The Enclave is one of the reasons
I've lived here for almost 5 years. They epitomize the high level of service that a busy person
appreciates. Thanks again, to the entire team at The Enclave.
- Abby Gaber, The Enclave at 1550 Resident since May 2014
We had Gino come in and fix a few items in our unit. He was very
thorough and handled all the requests efficiently. I am very
appreciative of that, however, he went beyond and had Venterra
purchase us new cookware because one of our skillets was
bent. Thanks, Gino and Venterra staff! We really do appreciate it.
- Tonya Kilgore, Tuscany at Lindbergh
Resident since November 2013
Hello, I just would like to say that the maintenance staff in
general is really awesome. They are all very helpful and nice,
always in a good mood and ready to help. I had a flat tire early in
the morning when leaving for work, and even though this is
not a maintenance related to the building, they helped me
completely with it, thank you so much!
- Guilherme Zuaneti Tuscany at
Lindbergh Resident since June 2011
I really enjoy living here. The staff is hands down the best there is.
The maintenance staff responds quickly to any and all maintenance
requests. The office staff are always available to answer and address
any questions or concerns you may have they are always courteous
and respectful.
- Regina Terrell, Waters Edge Resident since March 2011
I recently went through a very difficult situation and had to find a place to live (with my dog!) in very
short notice. The staff at West End Lodge - especially Trish - bent over backwards to get me into my
new apartment as quickly as possible and always with a smile. She met with me outside her work
hours, gave me a number to reach her at all times and I was able to move in only four days
after first contacting West End Lodge. The night tha t I was able to be reunited with my dog
and in my safe, clean, cozy new apartment is one that I will always be grateful for. Thank you!
- Jessica Bodine, West End Lodge Resident since December 2013
Outstanding people, outstanding service, best place to live in Jacksonville.
- George Gharda-Ward, Village Walk Resident Since July 2013
1,912 residents
said they
are
“happy”
45
I would like to extend my gratitude to not only Sonya, Brandy and Bea who have all worked so
diligently with my lease renewal and the approval and scheduling of upgrades and repairs of my home,
but also the maintenance staff who respond so promptly and respectfully. Just please know that I truly
appreciate your patience and respectfulness. Your kindness has not gone unnoticed.
- Megan Hardin, Landmark at Medical Center Resident since August 2011
The office staff always greets me by name, and I like the way they treat my visitors. After my first year
of living here, renewing is a no-brainer (and they did the process so smoothly)!
- Manuel Gonzalez, The Ravinia Resident since August 2013
The administrative and maintenance staff members are always professional, friendly and courteous.
The home experience Westover Oaks continues to provide is beyond outstanding!
- Frank Musarra, Westover Resident since April 2013
“I love our service goals, promises, values,
and wow programs. They’re a great
reminder of how we want to do business
and how driven we are. We all strive to
make living at a Venterra community the
best experience in the industry.”
- Kara Wilkinson, Leasing
Consultant, The Landings of Brentwood
46
I just want to say how very blessed I was to come home from work on the eve of my birthday to find I
had been WOWed in a marvelous way. No other apartment community would have made
sure my birthday was special, lik e Willow Springs and Venterra . Thank you to a ll the staff
that helped make my day truly special!
- Cherry Tijerina, Willow Springs Resident since September 2013
I just wanted to thank all of the Willow Springs team for the very nice gift basket that was left for me
while I was in the hospital. I rea lly appreciate the k indness shown to me. Thanks.
- Paul Tollefsen, Willow Springs Resident since December 2013
I've lived at other large apartment complexes, and when I needed a member of maintenance to come fix
a non-emergency issue it was at least 2-3 business days. I submitted a request and it was fixed in less
than 24 hours. I just wanted to say thank you for the prompt service .
- Letitia Lee, Wilshire Place Resident since November 2013
We have been having hard times since moving to Texas. We have been paying for two households for
almost a year. Renovations to our house is making it difficult to get things done financially. We
couldn't afford a plane ticket to get me to PA so Ramon gave me two gift cards to help us
out. He is truly an amazing man, and he is very good to my two toddlers which are a handful.
Thanks Ramon.
- Dawnetta Navarre, Wilshire Place Resident since August 2013
I would like to take a moment to express the awesome and caring office and maintenance staff here at
Calais Park. My daughter just went in for emergency surgery, and had a three day stay at the hospital.
On my way back to the hospital, after stopping back here to let the dog out, Scotty from Maintenance
saw me and asked if everything was ok. I explained that Tori was in the hospital, and he just gave me
his number and offered to help. He and John came to the apartment and took our dog, Lily for
walks and to the office for love and treats! Micha, the manager, John, and Scotty stopped by
today with a picture of the staff with Lily, a beautiful card for Tori, and a gift certificate. I
can never express the gratitude and care that we felt during this hard time. They go above and
beyond!
- Elizabeth Heaton Calais Park Resident since October 2012
I was on my way to take my trash out when one of the maintenance staff was coming by in a golf
cart. He stopped and took my trash from me - I didn’t even ask! That is AWESOME customer
service.
- Jacqueline Davila, Signature Ridge Resident since December 2013
47
Amazing place, super friendly staff, nicest apartments I've seen by far! The apartment itself is
beautiful and maintenance handles everything from a broken refrigerator to a dead light bulb, they
even change out the air filters for you. Other than the apartment, you have access to a fishing pond,
computer center, gym, amazing pool, laundry center, coffee bar, movie rental, 24 hour maintenance,
covered picnic areas and two dog parks. The completely gated community creates a safe environment
for residents. I can’t ask for a better apartment at a better price.
- Phyllis Ensor, Villa Lago Resident Since June 2014
“We all know what the Venterra
Experience is even though it’s
difficult to articulate. The best part
is having the freedom and
encouragement to find a way to say
‘Yes’ to people and make them feel
comfortable and at home.”
- Barry Taylor Young, Leasing
Consultant, The Enclave at 1550
48
I'd like to personally thank Ms. Tammy for her outstanding customer service. No matter how big or
small an issue I may have she makes it a priority, and I've never walked in the office and not seen a
smile on her face. This type of customer service is comforting, pleasant, and extremely
professional. I've been a resident for over 4 years. Recently I contemplated moving, however
because of the outstanding customer service, I decided to renew my lease. The maintenance
staff has always done great- never has my work order gone unattended more than a day in my entire
stay here. Thank you, Legacy for making my stay easy.
- Felicia Zanders, Legacy at River Crossing Resident since September 2009
49
50
Infinite Referral Rewards
Even goodbye can be a good thing. Parting ways is necessary sometimes; people move for lots of reasons. We
recognize that if we capitalize on providing great service, attention, response time, efficiency and encourage-
ment at every interaction while they are with us, our residents will seek out a Venterra community if the
opportunity to rent comes their way again. For icing on the cake, we differentiate ourselves by offering referral
rewards to our residents indefinitely. Nobody else in our industry makes this offer.
51
“When the time comes for a resident to move on, I love being able to leave them with a good, last-ing impression. With our previous resident referral program, so many of our residents refer their
friends and family to us long after moving out”.
Johnna Bacak, Marketing Administrator
“When the time comes for a
resident to move on, I love being
able to leave them with a good,
lasting impression. With our
previous resident referral
program, so many of our
residents refer their friends and
family to us long after moving
out.”
- Johnna Bacak,
Marketing Administrator
I want to let you know that I appreciate how Kristen took care of my alarm when it went off. At the
time I was planning to move out, but her approach made me change my mind. I have been very
pleased with the Venterra team. Very friendly, and always taking care of the property. I recently left
my wallet in the gym and it was returned by a resident to the office. I was informed and picked up the
wallet intact. It is a pleasure to live here. Thanks.
- Rodolfo Licea, Tuscany at Lindbergh Resident since December 2013
I got a new job in New Jersey. Loved the apartment - wish it could have moved with us!
- Richard Ploof, Calais Park Resident from December 2013 to June 2014
52
I moved because my job relocated to a different place...I would love to live in this community all the
time.
- Venugopal Red Mukku, Chez Moi Resident from May 2012 to June 2014
I honestly had a great rental experience here, and the staff was
always pleasant to talk to. Everything was clean and well
kept.
- Jennifer Brown, Forest View Resident from May 2013 to
May 2014
I absolutely LOVED living at The Ravinia, and I will
recommend this community to anyone looking!
- Keely Williams, The Ravinia Resident from
September 2012 to July 2014
The community and management were outstanding. We loved
and enjoyed living at Salado Springs. But due to financia l
problems, we couldn't renew our lease.
- Monica Vellanueva, Salado Springs
Resident from May 2013 to June 2014
I am leaving Jacksonville after almost 5 years. The entire time
I've been in this city, I have lived at Village Walk. Your manage-
ment and maintenance staff are wonderful. I would especially like
to compliment Richard for his devotion to good work with a
friendly attitude. Thank you to all the staff.
- Betty Lustig, Village Walk Resident since August 2009
Best community I've lived in!
- Keely Williams, The Ravinia Resident from September 2012 to July 2014
We loved living at Calais Park.
- Daniel Jezeski, Calais Park Lofts Resident from January 2012 to June 2014
♥
1,749 residents
said they
us
53
“We want to be differentiating and remembered for the customer experience that we
provide. When we acquired The Fairways at South Shore, an unhappy resident
approached me. When I told her that I was with Venterra, the new management company,
she was ecstatic! She previously lived at one of our communities and knew of Venterra. It
felt great that someone knew who we are and knew that they could expect great things
going forward.”
- Shawnacee Coyle, Regional Leasing Manager
54
Of the many places at which I have rented in the past ten years, the overall experience at Providence
eclipses anywhere I've been. I've enjoyed the arbor by the pool, the manicured grounds and
the clean, colonial feel of the buildings. But the factors that most attracted me and so satisfied
me during my time here is the kindness, availability, and pleasantness of the staff. I tried to find a sin-
gle word to encapsula te the experience and to fully describe the people who work a t
Providence.
I finally decided upon the word: Responsiveness.
When I'm walking casually through the leasing office, Alisha and her staff respond to my presence
with a Hello or a wave and pleasant smile. On the few occasions that I've had a maintenance
issue or other minor problem, the staff have responded with promptitude, good performance, and clear
communications. When I've needed a document printed from the business center the minute the
office doors opened, the staff has responded to my need by stopping everything to help me and get me
quickly on my way. The quality o f Providence's staff really shines in their interactions
with people and I personally have always benefitted from their assistance and their pleas-
ant company. In a society tha t I believe is lo sing its sense o f community service, I'm glad to
know that there are a few consistent bastions out there like Providence. I believe that Providence fore-
most benefits from retaining people who are genuinely kind and who truly care about their interac-
tions with other people. But beyond innate kindness, Providence seems to inculcate a further
sense of consideration and community service systemically. Keep at it! Unfortunately, I
must terminate my lease for a job offer in Virginia. Whatever you are doing, please do not stop and
do not allow yourselves to forget that consideration and kindness tend to trump all other qualities of a
business.
- Michael Canestrari, Providence of Northlake Resident since August 2013
55
of Venterra Communities 98% are Top Rated
Only 7% of Apartment
Communities Across the US
Have Been Granted This Award
by ApartmentRatings.com.
WHY? Our people are the reason we consistently deliver the
Venterra Experience and why 98% of our communities
are Top Rated.
That consistent experience is the result of Highly
Engaged employees committed to delivering our vison.
56
ngagement Over points of
are highlighted in the next
section. Just look for the ‘s.
57
93%
Our vision is to create an endur-
ing environment where honesty,
integrity, respect and humility
flourish in the never ending pur-
suit of excellence.
A Fun Place to Live.
A Fun Place to Work. The Venterra Experience
If there’s one thing we earnestly protect in our organization, it’s our culture. At its roots,
it is defined by our Corporate Values, Service Values and our Employer Promises.
They define our work environment and provide the foundation from which the
organization is built.
A culture of transparent decision making and open communications drives engagement
by allowing employees to understand company decisions and giving them a voice in
shaping the organization’s future. This creates an incredible level of trust between
employees and management, which has helped facilitate our success.
Customer Service is a cornerstone of our operating culture. We believe that allowing
employees to treat customers right will not only make our customers happy, but also
result in happy, engaged employees. This focus is driven by our WOW Matters
initiative that encourages exceptional customer service moments and provides
storytelling moments that are celebrated throughout this book. In our annual survey,
100% of employees agree that “What I do makes a difference in the lives of my
customers.”
We go to great lengths to ensure that our culture is embedded and nurtured throughout
the organization. In turn, our focus on culture benefits us because our business
success is built on our reputation of delivering a consistent experience to our
customers. Consistency is key and is a result of Highly Engaged employees
committed to delivering our vision.
58
93%
Our vision is to create an endur-
ing environment where honesty,
integrity, respect and humility
flourish in the never ending pur-
suit of excellence.
Venterra outranks our competitors with an overall score of 4.9 out of 5 stars on
Glassdoor.com.
99% of our employees agree,
“What I do is important to the overall success of the Company.”
91% of our employees
“plan to be working here 5 years from now.”
59
Andrew Stewart, Chairman
I was heading off to University as an 18 year old. When it really mattered, my dad only
ever said the carefully chosen, necessary words. So he gave me a mere four words of
parting advice: “Remember who you are”. This stuck with me. Wherever I was, whatever
I was doing, it tied me back to who I wanted to be, and the values that were important to
me.
So, what does that have to do with Venterra Culture? At its core, culture is who we are as
a company. It’s a shared understanding of how we treat one another, residents, investors,
and all other stakeholders. It’s how we communicate and celebrate; it’s what we regard as
important and worthy of effort. The introduction above points to some visible features of
our culture, but because it is so much part of our daily existence, it’s difficult to give it a
comprehensive definition. It will however, always be rooted and consistent with our core
values.
60
So why is our culture so important? Every culture that we live in and work in heavily
influences us - more than we even realize. So a strong, consistent culture gives us daily
messages, reinforcing and refining who we are as a company and strengthening each of us as
individuals to be part of it. Whole nations and empires have risen and fallen on the strength
and consistency of their culture. In the same way, the success of our company will similarly
depend on it. And as the introduction above suggests, the success of a company is measured
not only in growth and financial results, but in the happiness of the people working in it. A
strong and healthy culture makes it possible for people to enjoy their work, because they are
surrounded daily by others who share with them the same vision of a good society/
workplace. Apart from making the organization strong, it has the power to make us better,
happier people.
At Venterra we have a great opportunity. We are a young, agile, learning organization. We
are well positioned not only to be influenced and shaped by our good culture, but also each to
be the ones that change, grow, improve, forge, and refine it. Everyone in the company has the
opportunity and responsibility to be part of shaping our culture. Our culture is built one
person, one interaction at a time. And every one counts in establishing who we are and who
we become.
The spread of our culture is not limited to the Venterra team alone. We already know of
several companies that are trying to emulate or copy our culture and processes (though this is
difficult - management experts agree that culture is the hardest part of an organization to
copy). In addition we currently provide a home to approximately 30,000 women, men and
children in our communities. Often they are in the midst of significant change and stress in
their lives (newly married, new job, newly single, young parents, changes in financial
circumstance etc.). We welcome them into a community marked by our culture, we make
their home the best it can be, and they live in our communities for a significant period of
time. Can you think of a more significant way to have a sustained impact on people’s
lives? Because of this “high touch” relationship with our residents, our culture naturally
spreads. And in this way, we have the opportunity to make a positive difference in many
lives, well beyond our own borders.
So our challenge is to continue to forge and refine this Venterra Culture. As a company we
have worked hard at establishing it. We want to strengthen it, and spread it. That’s where
this year’s edition of the WOW book comes in. I’ve often said that our WOW books are a very
important element of our cultural education, because the books tell us the stories of how we
do things, what we regard as important and ultimately, who we are.
61
VISION & VALUES
of employees agree,
“The Company values
its people.”
of employees agree, “I know
top management’s vision for
the future.”
94%
93%
Our vision is to create an endur-
ing environment where honesty,
integrity, respect and humility
flourish in the never ending pur-
suit of excellence.
VISION & VALUES
of employees agree,
“The Company values its
people.”
of employees agree, “I know top
management’s vision for the
future.”
94%
93%
Our
vision is to
create an enduring
environment where
honesty, integrity, respect
and humility flourish in the never
ending pursuit of excellence.
62
“It’s great to work in a place that makes taking care of
people such a big deal. Our core values are not
just for a company, but being a good person
encompasses all of those values as well.”
- Barry Taylor -Young, Leasing Consultant, The
Enclave at 1550 Apartments
“I love the values of Venterra and what
they stand for.” - Shawn Stout, Leasing
Consultant, The Villas of Bristol Heights
“The Never Ending Pursuit of Excellence core value has really
changed me in a positive way. Behind this core value, I have had
the confidence and little extra boost to really change my life over-
all, such as going back to school, taking an A/C class as an assistant
manager and learning all that I can! I always love to think how I
can help my team and make Venterra better by learning everything
I can to help my residents and my co-workers.” - Mollie
Witt, Property Manager, College View Apartments
“All the Core Values are wonderful, and I try to incorporate them
in my daily activities with residents and coworkers. Honesty and
Integrity coupled with Team First sums it up.” - Patty Martin,
Assistant Property Manager, Timber Mill
“We strive to be a company that improves the lives of our
residents and employees by providing an environment where
people want to come to live and work and become better
people because of it. As a result, our employees
out-care and out-hustle our competitors. We
consistently benchmark in the top 10% across
numerous metrics within our industry; which you
will see evidence of throughout this book.”
- Richard Roos, Chief Operating Officer
63
Venterra’s success is rooted in our Core Values—
values that define who we are and how we
conduct ourselves. It is the band that ties us
together and gives our organization strength.
CORE VALUES
The most vital document to realizing our vision is our Core
Values. These 7 values and the statements that accompany them,
define our organization and have done so from the day the
company was founded.
Our CEO, John Foresi, has often said, “If you don’t hold these
values that’s fine; but you can’t work for Venterra.”
64
65
As part of our pursuit of our Service Vision, we are
committed to our Service Values and realize that
achieving Customer Service Excellence depends on
our ability to consistently deliver these values in
every customer interaction.
SERVICE VALUES
Our Customer Service Values serve to guide us through
our resident interactions.
66
67
To give structure to our leadership tone, we created our
Employer Promise, which frames the work environment
that senior management is committed to delivering and
the standard to which our leaders are held accountable.
EMPLOYER / EMPLOYEE
PROMISE
We saw this effort validated when the employees’
spontaneous response to the Employer Promise was to create
the Employee Promise, which defines the employees’
responsibilities to create a positive work environment.
68
69
GROWTH & OPPORTUNITY
of employees agree that
Venterra promotes from
within.
of regional and corporate
positions are being held by
people who have been promoted
through the organization.
69%
95%
courses completed in 2014 3,184
70
Our commitment to professional and personal growth is rooted in our philosophy
of “striving to promote from within.” We love rewarding our people with the
opportunity to take the next step in their careers. To ensure they are ready we’ve
delivered over 15,000 hours of training over 2014.
Supporting our
internal training efforts,
we provide an educational
reimbursement program for
professional development. This
includes paid time off for certifica-
tions, attending conferences, taking
courses, or pursuing a post-secondary
education. Another key element of our
training is the “Mentor Program”, which pairs
experienced employees with new employees to
set them up for long-term success. Providing
ongoing, advanced training and education programs
and options to Venterra employees better equips them for
advancement, to represent the Venterra culture and offer a
top notch experience to our residents.
“Being a true testament of Venterra’s promise, ‘we
will strive to promote from within’, I can speak from
experience that Venterra is a company dedicated to
growth and providing opportunities for its
employees. I love that my position allows me to help
make an impact on our employees’ development so
they too have the opportunity to be promoted when a
position arises.” - Mary Green, Senior Training
Manager
71
“I am coming up on my two-year anniversary and
was approved for Venterra’s Education Reimburse-
ment so I can obtain my CAM (Certified Apartment
Manager) designation. In such short time, I have
been promoted from Leasing Agent to Assistant
Manager and now Venterra wants to invest in me
more so I may reach my career goals. I have
worked for companies much longer and didn’t ac-
complish half as much as I have so far here. I’m so
proud to be working for a company that will in-
vest so much into their employees. “
Amanda Franklin, Leasing Consultant,
West End Lodge
Luis Gutierrez, Assistant Property Manager, Falcon
Square at Independence
“I've been given the opportunity to
have different positions and move
up to become a property manager. I
love coming to work because we
have a great work environment. “
Ary Salas, Property Manager, Foxborough
“I believe that Venterra is an exception-
al company. For anyone that has drive
and willing to give their best effort,
Venterra offers so much opportunity to
grow professionally and personally.”
72
“Venterra’s Educational Reimbursement program
helped me achieve my Master’s Degree in Organi-
zational Leadership and Ethics, which then helped
me achieve a recent promotion! Education is typi-
cally a personal goal so it’s not hard to think it’s
something you’d have to do on your own. The fact
that Venterra recognizes the value of education
and helps pay for it is such a wonderful benefit of
working here. I definitely encourage everyone to
take advantage of it as soon and as often as they
can!”
“Venterra's focus is for us to be
successful in our role! We always
have a Mentor we can reach out
to. I’m a Mentor and love to help! I
love being the one with the honor
of welcoming our new Venterra
employees. I want them to relax,
have fun and learn in a safe
environment! It is so much fun to
see get excited and take it back to
their properties and become
successful!”
“I love my new position with the company. It was
such a pleasant surprise when they offered me the
Senior Leasing position, which I was totally ecstatic
about! I love the expanse of possibilities that this
company has opened for me. I am truly grateful, and I
strive every day to actively contribute to the advance-
ment of this company through my actions. “
Crystal Sanchez, Senior Property
Manager, Zang Triangle
Jeralyn Canares, Senior Leasing Consultant
Jessica Nofsinger, Training Manager
73
LEADERSHIP
of reviewing employees
approve of our CEO, John
Foresi. - Glassdoor.com.
of employees agreed, ”I have confidence in the
leadership of the organization.” 92%
100%
74
Our senior leaders are vital to the direction, tone, and values of our
organization. Recognizing this, we have cultivated an environment that
maximizes the opportunities for leaders of all levels to interact with and
understand the leadership expectations of our senior leadership team.
Investing in our people, inclusive decision-making approaches,
transparent communications, and commitment to having strong
leaders have been essential to creating an environment
where people love coming to work and producing
exceptional results. Our employees really believe in
the direction of the company, trust management,
and make exceptional sacrifices everyday.
“I am inspired to achieve my goals and lead my
team to success with great pride. I have the
utmost respect for our Leadership and their
dedication to Venterra and the
teams they lead. I am honored to
have been under their leader-
ship.” -Amy Pollak, Property
Manager, Raintree Apartments
“The benefit of being candid with each other about our ideas, needs and possible
improvements is priceless. I love that we change when we need to. Change is
never easy but important for growth.” -Patty Martin, Assistant Property Manager,
Timber Mill
“There is no other company I would
want to work for. I have been very
blessed to have learned from the best
and am thankful to Venterra for taking
a chance with me having had
no previous experience. “
-Sarah Arzola, Property
Manager, The Enclave at 1550
Apartments
75
Em
plo
yee
Pas
sions
“Venterra’s unique nametags give employees
the opportunity to express what we are most
passionate about.” -Violine P. Mares-Marc,
Leasing Consultant Falcon Square at Independence
76
77
RECOGNITION
of employees agree, “the
company celebrates
success.”
of employees agree, “I am recognized for
my contributions.” 89%
96%
78
The Florida Apartment
Association Golden Key
Award Winner—6
Times Running—for
Luxury Community of
the Year . - Falcon Square
at Independence
One of our Employer Promises is to “Make time to have fun and celebrate
success!”. All work and no play is…well, NO FUN! We work hard, but we
make time to have fun & celebrate Individual, Team, and Company success.
The biggest event on our calendar is our Annual Awards Celebration, “Kick
Off”. We close our properties for the day and gather together from across the
country to celebrate exceptional performance.
Without a doubt, the most impactful recognition takes place day-to-day and
in the trenches. Simple acts of acknowledgement and recognition that are
given in person, by phone or by email positively affect morale and encourage
employees to reach further and dig deeper not only for themselves but our
residents as well.
Outstanding customer experience stories are shared on our internal WOW
forum where peers can show their support by LIKEing their favorite acts of
WOW and contribute to monetary awards of up to $300 per story. A
sampling of this year’s stories are shared in Part III of this book. We hope
you enjoy reading them as much as we have.
“Recently I was thinking about whether I do enough to recognize people through-
out the organization for the great things they are doing in the trenches (my
conclusion was a quick “no”). I was fortunate to recently hear a couple of
examples of really cool things people did, and decided to take a few minutes to
call them and thank them for their contributions. The calls were rewarding for
me.” - Richard Roos, Chief Operating Officer
79
“What's astonishing to me is that
I've heard from John Foresi and
Richard Roos on several occasions.
There aren't many companies
where this would be possible at all
- to hear from a CEO or COO?
That's unheard of.”
Sheri Judy, Property Manager, Palm Club
Justin Callahan, Property Manager,
Bradford Pointe
“I'm glad Venterra gave me a chance to show
what I can do and I have received such positive
feedback from Richard Roos, residents, my Re-
gional Manager and other managers. Coming
from where I worked for 9 years, I might be the
happiest employee Venterra has.”
“Nearly every day I receive multiple emails from
fellow staff members at all levels, expressing their
appreciation for what I bring to Venterra. Just
knowing I'm able to make a difference is a WOW
moment in my eyes! “
Yvonne Monica Hondros, Acquisitions Coordinator
“Having fun at work leads to a great company
culture. It recharges our batteries and it allows us
to be human. We make it a point to have fun at our
annual Family Fun Day, our Team Building Events,
our Annual Kick Off Celebrations, at work creating
WOW Moments, outside of work showcasing our
Better Living Goals, etc. The list goes on and it has
continued to grow. “
Maitina Morrissey, Senior Regional Manager
80
“I made a 100 on my first shop. I'm
very new with the company. Once I
found out that I made a Top Shop,
my Regional Leasing Manager
Shawnacee treated me to lunch to
“I love that everything with Venterra is
about experience. We want our
employees to have a great experience as
well as our residents. It is great to work
for a company that you truly feel cares
about you as an individual and you
aren't just a number. One time the
company hit the Platinum Level with
our Benchmarking Results and my
direct boss sent me flowers for doing
such a great job training. “
“Joey, the Director of all Venterra Maintenance, just
called me this week to personally give
me a compliment. “
Candi Garland, Regional Leasing
Manager
Stephen Daalling, Maintenance Manager, St. Andrews
Diana Weaver, Leasing Consultant,
Raintree
81
82
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83
THE VOICES OF
VENTERRA
Over 800 ideas shared
over 2014.
of improvement submissions lead to
a process change. 33%
800
92% of reviewing employees said they would
recommend Venterra for employment to
friends and family. - Glassdoor.com 84
Strong communications are embedded in our Core Values. We want to be a
company in which our people have a voice in decisions and understand how
those decisions relate to organizational strategy.
Structured Team Huddles, our Good Stuff (COO blog) and Continuous
Improvement Committee all exist to ensure that communications reach every
person in the company. Our Why Do We Do That and Just Ask Maintenance
forums exist to answer any question within 3 days.
Our Better Way forum is our most coveted forum as it successfully gives our
employees of all levels a platform to voice their concerns and ideas on how to
make Venterra…… well, you know……. Better. The Better Way inspired the
vision for providing A Better Way of Living to our residents and soon after that,
Better Living for our residents emerged. This initiative enables our employees to
define ways of living better, setting and achieving their goals, and sharing them.
Gathering ideas and working together to continuously improve is what makes
Venterra one of the best companies in our industry and beyond as evidenced by
recently being named one of Achiever’s 50 Most Engaged Workplaces.
“It’s nice to know Venterra
is open to hearing better
ways on all items pertaining
to the industry. The fact
that we do have a voice is
something you don't find
often at other companies! “
-Erin Dobias, Property
Manager, Monticello Oaks
85
“While sharing experiences, trading tips,
and openly discussing the finer points of the
Make Ready process, I learned as much as
anyone in our meetings.”
“I love The Better Way because it gives
the employees that work onsite the
opportunity to submit their ideas on
how to improve a process, make
something easier, or change
procedures. I personally have
submitted about four Better Way ideas,
and I have been recognized for one of
them. Venterra actually listened to my
idea and compensated me for it when
they implemented it. That was amazing
to me.“
Crystal Bradford, Assistant Property
Manager, Raintree Apartments
“What can I say about the Better Way, except it
has been the best. I have seen so
many changes due to ideas from
employees. It is awesome that a
company will listen to their
employees and implement changes
based on their ideas. “
Brenda Grasha, Property Manager, Timber Mill
and Forest View
Richard Berkimer, Regional Maintenance
Manager
86
“I love the opportunity to have
members from different properties
and different positions discuss and
work through common issues and
ideas.”
“Venterra is a place where you can
be excited to come to work. You
have a voice, an opinion that
matters. Venterra creates a culture
where we feel like we are a part of
something bigger, a family who has
the same goal in mind—working to
make our industry a better one!“
“I love being able to voice my ideas to help better
the company. You really feel a sense of
accomplishment when your ideas are rolled out! “
Kristi Gillespie, Portfolio Collections
Manager
Stephanie Burns, Property Manager, Estancia at
Morningstar
Dexter Rendon, Property Manager,
Village Walk
87
“Venterra offers so many opportunities to make a sugges-
tion, give a recommendation and offer an opinion that I
feel like I have the ability to truly make a difference. This
is one of the reasons why I love working for Venterra.”
Sheri Judy, Property Manager, Palm Club
“I loved being rewarded this year for
TWO of my ideas. It impresses me that
we have a Voice in the company, and
that we can make a difference.“
“Everyone wants to know that they can impact the world around them, and for most
people their workplace is a big part of this world. The desire to work in an organization
where you have a voice is something that I’ve heard reiterated by candidate after
candidate interested in joining our team, so it’s no wonder that this is a big focus of ours.
From the Better Way program, to our Just Ask Maintenance initiative, to our core value of
‘candor and openness’ we’re always trying to find ways to help our employees open our
eyes to improved ways of operating. Getting real time feedback straight from our onsite
teams helps ensure that we’re hip to the latest and greatest so we can make appropriate
changes as quickly as possible.“
Eastin Isaac, Recruiting/Brand Specialist
Leigh Sublett, Online Marketing Manager
88
Mollie Witt, Property Manager,
College View Apartments
“I love being able to know that if I have an idea it
is really considered by upper management, and I
absolutely love the fact that it is celebrated. I have
never known another company to really care about
being the best for everyone (customers
and employees), and I am so proud to be
part of this Team!“
“I love working for Venterra because of the
atmosphere and the fact that we get a voice!
Having fun is part of our culture and that
makes this company amazing to work for.
We get to be creative and really share our
ideas, especially through Better Way. There
are so many companies out there that do not
even want to hear your ideas on improving
the company, and here we encourage that all
day long! I especially love that as a Regional
Leasing Manager I get to be one of the peo-
ple that really supports and encourages their
ideas.”
Shawnacee Coyle, Regional Leasing
Manager
89
90
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91
BETTER
Over 2000 encouraging comments and
status updates.
2000
400
LIVING
There were over 400 Better Living
commitments made over 2014.
92
We encourage our employees to live better and to make a
difference in their personal lives and/or the communities we
live in. We believe that being great at work is affected by how
we feel about ourselves, our health, and the overall balance we
have in life, whether it’s living healthier, investing more in our
families, achieving financial goals, or contributing more to the
community. We believe that being a world class employer
means taking a vested interest in our employees and
their long-term future. We want employees to work towards achieving
their full potential both professionally and personally so that
they may truly experience the benefits of Better Living.
Participating means defining our goals on our
Better Living forum where we track our progress
and support each other on the journey
to success, and celebrate mile-
stones along the way.
“Better Living is a platform we all can utilize
to commit to goals, mark our progress, and
receive support from peers. Getting to know
each other on a different level has been fun,
and sparked conversations about shared
interests that I may not have known about
otherwise.” - Lissa May, Senior Regional
Manager
“Our Better Living incentive based program was designed to
encourage Venterra employees to take steps in their personal
lives to live happier and healthier. Whether it’s through fitness,
spending more time with family, learning something new or
giving back to the community, our team members commit to
goals that improve their lives and receive financial rewards in
turn. Goals are supported by peers, progress is tracked and
landmarks are celebrated. It’s inspiring to see dreams and
aspirations become a reality!” - Bridget Sherrod, Director of
Training and Employee Development
93
“The Better Living initiative is making me think of
ways to better my life both at home and at work. It is
great that a company will support their employ-
ees in improvements that have nothing to do
with work. Happiness outside work only
seems to increase contentment on the job.“ -
Brenda Grasha, Property Manager, Timber Mill
and Forest View
Bett
er L
ivin
g
“The idea of Better Living was introduced at our
annual Leadership Conference in February 2014.
Since then I have quit smoking, lost 50lbs, and I am
8 months away from graduating from college with
my Bachelor’s Degree in Business. It’s important to
know that the people we work with care
about the way we feel and our overall
health.” - Adriana Galacia, Property
Manager, Shadowbrooke and Silver-
brooke
94
To date we’ve raised nearly
$160,000 towards the goal of
helping end breast
cancer forever!
Since 2008, we’ve
supported Susan
G. Komen for the
Cure through our
community events
and fundraisers
and through our
annual
participation in the
Race for the Cure.
95
TEAM
Residents referred to
management as a “Team”.
2032
643
FIRST
Employees and their families
attended Family Fun Day in 2014.
96
Team First is one of our Core Values and deeply embedded into our culture. We
make team success a priority. We will make personal sacrifices to ensure
the team succeeds. Team is at the very heart of our culture and
our customer experience. Being part of a team at Venterra
means much more than working together. Our teams
help one another and inspire each other to push
beyond their expectations. They are operat-
ing as a family. As such, we gather
annually to visit with each
other’s close friends and
family.
“I got to experience my first Family Fun Day not too
long ago. I thought it was great to get to know other
Venterra family members from different
communities. Also, it was very nice to introduce my
family to Venterra as well. “ - Diana
Weaver, Leasing Consultant, Raintree
Apartments
“I am always Wowed by my Team members.
Just two days ago I had my APM meeting at
Riverstone which is about an hour drive (all
highway) from Estancia. When I arrived, I
noticed my front tire was really low, almost
completely flat. I mentioned it to Erin and the
next thing I knew her husband Matt was
changing my tire. He didn't want me to drive
home and have a blowout. “ - Melanie
Thompson, Assistant Property Manager,
Estancia at Morningstar
"There is definitely a TEAM atmosphere that pervades throughout Venterra."
- Regional Maintenance Manager, Glassdoor.com
Family Fun Day at
Venterra is an opportunity for
all of us to truly understand the
life that exists beyond the faces of
our co-workers. And behind the
best WOW moment or act of
kindness for a resident or for a
peer is an entire team of people
working together to make it
happen and create memories
that will last a lifetime.
97
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98
We never forget to “Say Thanks”
to our employees who drive our
success. We show appreciation
with Family Fun Day!
643 Employees, friends and
family members attended one of
our 6 Family Fun Days in 2014.
99
Part of what makes our communities so great to live in is our management teams and
their dedication to serving our prospects and residents. In 2009 we began our WOW
Matters initiative to shine a light on all of the good acts of customer service that they were
doing for our customers. Since that time, they have not lost momentum or steam but
rather embraced this initiative and fueled it into being a culture that transforms the lives
of our customers. Part 3 of our book highlights some of these great WOW moments.
WOW Matters,
The Venterra Experience
100
100% of employees agree that,
“I make a difference in the lives of my customers.”
Since WOW Matters began in 2009, we have created more than
9,000 WOW moments for our residents.
101
“We are passionate about customer
experience. Empowering employ-
ees to treat customers right is great
for our customers, but also results
in happy, engaged employees.
Our WOW Matters initiative en-
courages exceptional customer ex-
perience stories that are celebrated
in our WOW Book annually.”
- Stephanie Gonzalez, Director of
Marketing & Customer Experience
“Venterra is the first company I have worked for
that allows us to really make a difference in our
residents' lives. We have the power to make
decisions on our own, and that in itself is a huge
factor. Add to that the WOW budget, and we can
really go above and beyond to let them know how
much we really do care.”
- Kelly Levesque, Assistant Property Manager, St.
Andrews 102
“To be able to help neighbors during a difficult time, or even just to brighten their day and let
them know someone cares has meant so much. I truly believe this is making a difference and
showing our neighbors that we care!
- Jessica Harrison, Assistant Property Manager, Bradford Pointe
“Reading the WOW stories written by our
employees is very rewarding and
humbling. Each act of service whether
great or small is performed with such great
fervor and empowers us to pay if forward.
I love reading the feedback from our
residents as evidence of these great WOW
moments.
- Robin Finney, Content Specialist 103
FEATURED WOW STORY Shawn Hunter, Tuscany at Lindbergh, Atlanta, GA
Maintenance Manager Who WOWs Our Resident and His Team After our region’s kickoff, Shawn and I stopped by the property to finish up a few tasks. Just after leaving, I
received a call that a fire alarm was going off. I let Shawn know, and we both turned around and went back
to the property, where we were met by the fire department. We were told that there had been a small kitchen
fire, so we hurried to check on the residents and assess the situation. Upon entering the apartment, we were
met by a shaken mother of two teenaged daughters. The mother had been working late, and while her
daughters were cooking their dinner, it caught fire. The damage was minimal, but the kitchen wouldn’t be
put back together until Monday, after the residents’ insurance had a chance to assess it. Shawn asked if the
family had gotten to eat yet, and, when he found out they didn’t, he told them he had something for them in
his truck when they were ready to leave. When we got outside, Shawn pulled out $100 worth of gift cards
that he had won just hours before at kickoff, our annual awards ceremony, and told the family to enjoy a
few meals on us until their kitchen was operational. The residents and I were amazed that Shawn did this
from his own pocket, not even using the WOW budget. I knew then that I was mentored by a wonderful
manager and human being.
Shawn pulled out $100 worth of gift cards that he had won just
hours before at Kickoff, our annual awards ceremony, and told
the family to enjoy a few meals on us.
104
Jessica Godinez, Kristi Roberts, College View Apartments, La Porte, TX
New Resident We have a new family here at College View. We noticed that the mom and little boy played outside all the time,
and found out that the dad works out of town a lot. We wanted to do something to help them out, so we
decided to WOW them with a kite, coloring books, toy cars, football, and bubbles. They were so happy when we
gave them the gift and thanked us over and over. The little boy flew his kite just a few minutes later!
Kristen Smarinsky, Estancia at Morningstar, The Colony, TX
No Language Barriers at Estancia! Kristen recently leased to a family who moved to Estancia
from out of the country. They spoke limited English, so they
had a friend help them through the application process.
When they received an electric balance from us shortly after
moving in, they were confused. We had received a
notification that their account had not been set up. As their
translator friend was out of the country, Kristen used
iTranslate to help explain what was going on. The electric
company had a problem with the Social Security number
provided. Over the next several days, Kristen called the
electric company multiple times on the residents’ behalf,
even setting up a Cantonese translator. She also helped them
get their questions answered with phone calls to the Social
Security office. Finally, the issue was resolved. Kristen gave
the residents a big thumbs up, letting them know that e
verything was set. Although many would have given up,
Kristen showed dedication in resolving the issue, and the
residents thanked her with a special dish from China.
Elvis Watson, The Mandolin, Houston, TX
Goals! A resident who moved in recently, Ms. Yolanda, had set
goals for herself to lose weight, but fell off track since our
fitness equipment was not working. Elvis decided to pur-
chase her a YMCA three-month membership, so that she
could continue to work toward her goals even before we
received our new equipment.
Wesley Carroll, Estancia at Morningstar, The Colony, TX
Wesley to the Rescue! This morning, many of our residents found that their cars were covered in ice, a rarity in southeast Texas. They
had to let their cars run for a long time to melt the ice, and still had to take time to scrape it off their windshields.
Wesley showed that he goes the extra mile for our residents, and spent his morning cleaning the ice off seventeen
vehicles so that our residents could get to work sooner.
I would like to give recognition and
appreciation to maintenance manager Mr.
Shawn Hunter for responding to a fire in our
unit in such a timely manner. Not only did
Mr. Hunter respond promptly, he also kindly
gave up gift cards he had received earlier that
day at a company award ceremony, so that
my daughters and I could have a nice dinner
after such a stressful day. In addition to his
kindness, he provided us with assurance that
everything would be taken care of and that
there would be no worries. I'm a single mother
and have been residing in the complex for three
years now. I have always had great experiences
with the staff, but Mr. Hunter went above and
beyond to ensure that we were comfortable and
worry-free, exceeding any other experience.
With kindest regards and thanks.
- Stephanie Meister, Tuscany at Lindbergh
Resident since April 2011
105
Rawlins Wiggins, Debra Anderson, Amber Place, Warner Robins, GA
Fresh-cut Flowers Ms. Gayle had always loved freshly cut flowers and made a point to have them all over her apartment. She
recently was admitted to the hospital with bronchitis, so we thought she would enjoy a beautiful arrangement
while she was there. We picked out the brightest flowers the florist offered and had them delivered to her
yesterday. We also planned to have another fresh bouquet ready and waiting in her apartment for her to enjoy
when she gets discharged.
Cristina Canales, The Mandolin Apartments, Houston, TX
Apartment Warming Gift Mrs. Vela thought that she had rented a first floor apartment, and didn’t realize she actually had a second floor
one until it was time to move in. Unfortunately, we didn’t have one available here or at one of our sister proper-
ties, so she had to find a home elsewhere. Cristina wanted Mrs. Vela to know that even though Venterra could not
accommodate her, we still wanted her to enjoy her new home. Cristina decided to give her a gift card to Pier 1
Imports to help furnish her apartment.
Tashina Page, Reflections on Sweetwater, Lawrenceville, GA
Expecting and Fully Prepared Miss Robinson moved to Atlanta from New Orleans for college. While in school, she found out that she was
pregnant, and moved into our property a few weeks before giving birth. We knew that since she was a full-time
student and single mom who lived far from family, she was having a hard time getting everything she needed.
We wanted to show her that we cared, so we went to Babies R Us and bought many of the new baby essentials:
diapers, wipes, towels, socks, towels, and more. She was elated to have the items she needed for her little princess
and told her family back in New Orleans all about her amazing staff here at Reflections on Sweetwater.
Zuly Lozano, Champions Green Apartments, Alpharetta, GA
Pardon our Progress! During a construction project that added a retaining wall around one of our buildings, the contractors accidental-
ly cut a telephone line, which then caused a service disruption for ten of our residents. Unfortunately, we were at
the mercy of AT&T to dispatch a repair technician, which meant that the residents didn’t have service until the
next day. Dietra, a resident who lost service, was especially upset, since she worked from home and couldn’t
make all of her hours. To make it up to her, we offered her a $100 gift card and to pay her Internet bill for the
month. When she expressed her concern that she wouldn’t be able to pay rent on time (due to the lost work
hours), Zuly gladly let her know that we waived her late fee for the inconvenience. When she found out, Dietra
actually teared up and gave Zuly a big hug!
Leslie Green, Kristina Shaw, Ashley Wheeler, Jason O’Brien, Michael Currie, Trish Thierry, Steve
Whitfield, Kathleen Cox, The Preserve at Old Dowlen, Beaumont, TX
Irreplaceable Linda moved to The Preserve after she retired, so that she could be closer to her father. We were surprised when
we didn’t see her at our omelet breakfast last weekend, since Linda usually would go to our events to chat with
friends and neighbors. Later, during the event, we received a call that Linda’s father had passed away. We were
all saddened to hear of this, and wanted to do something to comfort her. Linda could often be seen tending her
plants, so, to express how sorry we were for her loss, we bought her a lovely plant to add to her collection. Even
though she was still grieving, Linda was touched and pleased with the greenery.
106
Jessica Abney,
Rebecca Hale, Tammie
Wilder, Legacy at River
Crossing, Macon, GA
From Snail Mail to All is Well Mr. Bryson, who recently moved here, came into
the office this afternoon because he was upset that he
had not received any of his mail yet. He had confirmation of his
address change, but the mail had not caught up to him. This was a
big problem for him, since he had been waiting on his paycheck with his
forwarded mail. We explained the usual timeframe for a change of address
here, and let him know that he should receive his mail any day. He thanked me, but
was still disappointed, because today was also his birthday, and he didn’t have the funds to
celebrate without his paycheck. We didn’t want Mr. Bryson to have to sit at home on his birthday,
so we got him a gift card for a local restaurant so he could enjoy dinner out with his family. He was
very excited and credited us with making his birthday a happy one after all.
Celedonia Garcia, Juan Hernandez, Jose Razo, Mindy Blankenship, Stonecreek Ranch, Austin, TX
Help to Carry the Load Deborah, one of our residents, has loved to work on projects and go on adventures to find old things to take apart
and repair. Unfortunately, she had been having trouble with her knee, so she was having a hard time getting
around. This made getting her new finds difficult, especially if she had more than one load. We realized we had
the perfect solution for her! We purchased a collapsible wagon for her, so that it could be easily stored in her car
and apartment when not in use.
Cristina Canales, The Mandolin Apartments, Houston, TX
Schlitterbahn Birthday Katherine and Charles recently had their identities stolen around the same time that the school district in New
Mexico where they worked lowered everyone’s pay. They decided to get a fresh start with a move to Texas, but
their sons had birthdays during the move and they didn’t have time to celebrate them. As a welcome to Texas and
a birthday gift, Cristina though it would be fun for their family to celebrate at Schlitterbahn so they could enjoy
their belated birthdays.
Elvis Watson, The Mandolin Apartments, Houston, TX
World Cup 2014! The Mandolin had been upgrading the cable and internet connections and boxes, which caused Mr. Christopher’s
cable to have glitches and cut out. He was frustrated to miss out on the intense World Cup games, so Elvis
thoughtfully gave Mr. Christopher a gift card to go out and enjoy watching the games. He was glad that he
wouldn’t have to miss out anymore!
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The Staff at Tuscany at Lindbergh, Atlanta, GA
Home Cookin’ A wonderful, newly married couple, Josh and Karey, frequently stop in to speak to the office staff or to pick up the
many wedding gifts they were receiving. We had already planned to give them a wedding gift, but as we watched
package after package arrive from their gift registry, we wanted to do something more creative than a set of
dishes. Josh and Karey had told us of a wine tour in north Georgia where they had sampled and purchased
wine. They also mentioned that they had received a lot of great cookware and they loved to use it to cook gourmet
meals for each other. After a lot of thought and deliberation, we decided to give them a couples cooking class,
where they could learn some new recipes and find out what wines would complement their dishes. When we
gave them their surprise gift, they were surprised and overwhelmed at our generosity.
Ima Forgus, Taryne Godfrey, Regency Park Apartments, Longview, TX
Towed Her to Tears!
Ms. Hill, one of our newer residents, had a tough time financially since she moved into our community. One morn-
ing, when she stopped in the office, we chatted for a bit and she said that she had taken the day off from work to
get her truck fixed. The next day, she stopped in again to drop something off, and said that a friend had not kept
their promise to help her the day before. She was upset and at a loss of what to do since she had to miss another
day of work. She knew of a shop that wasn’t far away, but had no way to get her truck there to get it fixed. I called
our tow truck company and had her truck towed to the shop, and then the owner of the shop drove her back to
our community. Later that afternoon, Ms. Hill came back into the office and said that the owner of the shop had
called to let her know that the truck was ready and she didn’t have a balance–he fixed her truck for free! She still
needed a ride to the shop, so Ima “Jean” offered to take her. Tears began to roll down Ms. Hill’s face when I told
her we could help her out. It made our day to be able to help in such a big way!
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Ary Salas, Foxborough Apartments, Irving, TX
Working Out Daily Pays Off!
Bertha, one of our residents, had been working hard to lose
weight. She had been trying for over a year with little results, so
she decided to work even more diligently toward her goals. We
had seen a big difference in her, and noticed that she was in the
fitness center every day. Her hard work inspired me, and I
wanted to do something to encourage her. I noticed that
she liked to use the jump rope and punching bag,
so I thought I would purchase Bertha her own
set of pink punching gloves and a jump
rope. I also got her a gift card to Lady
Foot Locker so she could choose a
new pair of tennis shoes. Ber-
tha was very surprised and
thankful for the
gesture.
109
FEATURED WOW STORY Elvis Watson, The Mandolin, Houston, TX
Let the Professionals Handle This Move After five years at The Mandolin, Ms. Kuns had to move back to her hometown of El Paso
due to some unforeseen circumstances. She didn’t have any family or friends in
Houston that could help with the move, and Elvis noticed that she was struggling with
getting everything lined up and ready to go. She was unable to get the movers to pack
all of her belongings, and couldn’t afford to have them drive everything from Houston
to El Paso. Elvis felt that he needed to help her get back to her family as soon as
possible, so he took her to the airport so she could fly home while he drove her moving
truck from Houston to El Paso. He was very excited to help Ms. Kuns one last time and to
make her moving experience from The Mandolin much smoother.
Elvis noticed that she was struggling with getting everything
lined up and ready to go. She was unable to get the movers to
pack all of her belongings, and couldn’t afford to have them
drive everything from Houston to El Paso.
110
Jonathan Moreno, Sarah Arzola, The Enclave at 1550 Apartments, San Antonio, TX
Welcome Home! Rose recently moved into The Enclave after breaking up with her significant other of nine years. It was a good
change, but was hard for her, so we did our best to make her feel welcome when she toured the building.. We
decided to get Rose a $50 spa gift card so she could enjoy some much needed rest and relaxation during this
difficult transition. She was in tears as she hugged us, and said that she had never felt such warmth and
affection from someone she had only met a few hours earlier.
Lainey Holland, Stacey Shropshire, Melissa Gatheridge, Addra Chappell, The Landings of
Brentwood, Brentwood, TN
Work it Out! After a pair of residents had moved in to their apartment, they were very unhappy with several things about it.
We were able to find them a newly upgraded apartment, which was even in a better location for them, and we
transferred them over. They were pleased with the new apartment, but we still wanted to go above and beyond
for them. To thank them for the extra moving they had to do and for all of their patience with the situation, we
gave them a spa gift card for $200 so they could enjoy a little relaxation on us.
Charity Dowdy, Amber Place Apartments, Warner Robins, GA
Go Gamecocks! Recently, we pressure washed the buildings but accidentally overlooked a resident’s outdoor rug. The resident
brought her rug into the office, and stated that while her rug used to be a bright crimson, it was now a dull
orange. She was a huge South Carolina fan, and she was not happy with a rug in Clemson colors. Charity
decided to go out the next day and bought a new crimson rug. The resident was more than happy to accept!
Celedonia Garcia, Juan Hernandez, Mindy Blankenship, Stonecreek Ranch, Austin, TX
“Car” Scratch Fever Joshua, a resident at Stonecreek Ranch, stopped into the office and let Cele know that it looked like another
resident had made a number of scratches on his car, possibly from carrying bags which then rubbed against his
vehicle. Even though he was frustrated by the incident, he was understanding that these things happen when
parking in a parking lot. We felt awful about this happening, so we decided to brighten his day. We purchased
him a gift certificate to a local car detailing company for a complete detail to buff out the scratches. Joshua was
speechless when he received his gift, and we were excited that we could WOW him!
Ashley Johnston, Forest View, Spring, TX
Blooming Bright Eyes Ms. Mary had been living at Forest View for several years.. She was recently ill, and had been in and out of the
hospital several times. Ashley noticed that this was wearing on Ms. Mary, and wanted to do something to lift
her spirits. To celebrate Ms. Mary’s 90th birthday, Ashley ordered a beautiful bouquet of flowers in Ms. Mary’s
favorite colors, and gave her a card that told of how much she means to us all. Ms. Mary was overwhelmed by
the thoughtful gesture and the light returned to her eyes.
Michelle Meigs, Park Manor Apartments, Newnan, GA
Wedding Bells Here at Park Manor, we had certainly seen our share of June weddings this month. Two sweet young cou-
ples both got married, and since they live in the same building, we definitely didn’t want to leave one out if we
gave the other couple a wedding gift. We figured that we couldn’t go wrong with gift cards, so we bought each
couple a gift card to Target to help get anything left on their registries. We wished the newlyweds the best of
luck! 111
Michelle Meigs, Tansy Miller, Laura Scott, Donald Shelnutt, Park Manor Apartments, Newnan, GA
Goose What? One of our residents has talked about how wonderful it would be to have a gooseneck faucet since he moved in a
few months ago. He would always remind me how our standard kitchen faucet is too low to fit a large pot under
it, which made it inconvenient for his wife to cook. One day, I decided to surprise him, so I sent Terrell to Home
Depot to purchase a new gooseneck faucet, which we can simply uninstall if the resident were to move. I hoped
that the new faucet would make their lives easier, and that they would think of us with a smile every time they fill
up a stock pot with water.
Tracy Wall, Sally Flores, Carlyle Place Apartments, San Antonio, TX
Don’t Forget to Eat! We have had a law student, Michael, living here for over three years while he attended law school. Some of his
neighbors were in the office, and they mentioned that Michael was so stressed about his upcoming bar exam that
he rarely left his apartment, even to eat. Sally and I decided to have a pizza sent to him the day before his bar
exams began, with a note that wished him good luck. Michael came by after his exams to tell us that he loved the
gesture and couldn’t thank us enough.
Ashley Johnston, Forest View Apartments, The Woodlands, TX
Achoo! We noticed that when Ms. Sandra came in to put in a service request one day, she must have sneezed twenty
times. When we mentioned it to her, she told us that she would always wake up sneezing. Ashley empathized
with her, and said that something that helps her own allergies is an air purifier. Unfortunately, Ms. Sandra told us
she couldn’t afford one because her fixed income didn’t allow for it. Ashley decided to help her out, and searched
online to find the best-rated one. Sandra was so excited to receive it. She made sure to let us know that it made a
big difference for her.
Jesus Rico, Foxborough Apartments, Irving, TX
Sent Package Through UPS! Bret, one of our residents, called the office and asked Jesse if he had received a UPS package. When Jesse replied
that it had come, Bret explained that it had shipped to the wrong address, as he was away for a month. He also
said that it was his new Visa card, and that he really needed it. Jesse immediately thought to forward it, so he got
Bret’s current address, then sent it overnight through UPS. Bret received it the next day, and called to thank us.
He was amazed that we would take the time to do this for him!
Jennifer Battiest, Landmark at Medical Center, San Antonio, TX
Landmark’s Unofficial Mascot Andrew and Megan, along with their dog, Nick, became close to our maintenance team, since their apartment was
located close to the maintenance building. Nick especially was a favorite with everyone. When we found out that
they would have to move, we knew we would all miss them. We decided to WOW their family (they were also
expecting their first baby!) with a $100 Target gift card and doggie treats for Nick.
Kristi Roberts, The Park at Waterford Harbor, Kemah, TX
No Job One of our residents lost her job two months ago. She came into the office frequently to submit her résumé and to
fill out job applications. One day, she cried as she told me that she had to go to the food banks for food, and all
that they gave her was blueberries, milk, bread, and mango. I knew that it would brighten her day to have
something other than smoothies for every meal, so I helped her get some real food! She was thrilled and couldn’t
stop telling me how wonderful Venterra was to do this for a resident. 112
Beatrix Mueller,
The Landmark at Medical
Center, San Antonio, TX
So Fresh and So Clean! One day, when Angela came in to pay her rent, she
mentioned that she needed new towels since her
nephew had ruined her old ones with scissors. She showed us
photos and we could see that he did a thorough job! Bea decided to
get her some new Vera Wang towels and a fragrance stick diffuser to re-
place the old ones. Angela loved them and said she’ll be sure to put her new
towels in a safer place!
Ashley Johnston, Amarildo Latapie, Miguel Carballo, Forest View Apartments,
The Woodlands, TX
Welcome Home Cecilia moved to Forest View from Florida, but due to financial reasons, had to leave behind all of her
belongings, except for clothes and family photos. In spite of this, she was excited to be here and enthusiastic
about starting her two full-time jobs. Her positive attitude inspired everyone in the office, so Ashley asked if
we could do something to make her apartment feel more like home. We had two club chairs and a rug that had
been listed on Craigslist, so Amarildo and Miguel carried them up and arranged them in her living room. We
also bought her a patio table with chairs so she would have a place to relax after working both of her jobs. Cecilia
was overwhelmed by the gesture and said she would tell everyone about how great it was at Forest View.
Mindy Blankenship, Stonecreek Ranch, Austin, TX
That’s the Way the Cookie Crumbles Hermelinda, a sweet resident of ours, unexpectedly lost her job recently and was having a trouble finding a
reason to wake up and feel positive while on the job hunt. She came by the office and told us that knowing
that she could stop by and get a cup of coffee and a cookie was the only thing that motivated her to get up and
start her day. Luckily, Hermelinda found a great job as a hostess at a new restaurant down the street, which
allowed her to walk to work since she didn’t have a car. To congratulate her, I ordered Tiff’s Treats, a service that
delivers milk and freshly baked cookies to your door, since I knew how much she loved cookies. She called
the office in tears, and told us that she didn’t know we could be any better than she had already thought we
were! We were so happy to celebrate her new job with her!
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The Maintenance Team at Salado Springs, San Antonio, TX
Special Delivery! A young couple living here had been struggling financially after a car accident and medical bills set them back.
They had to sell most of their belongings to keep up with rent, and only had a TV and DVD player in their
living room, while they slept on the floor with pillows and blankets. After we saw their need, we decided to
surprise them with a TV stand, a couch that could be used as a bed, and an end table. The maintenance team
moved everything in when it arrived and put the furniture together. The residents were both overjoyed, and
tearfully thanked us for our thoughtfulness.
Kristen Earle, Tuscany at Lindbergh, Atlanta, GA
Overpaid My Rent! A resident called the office the other day, and frantically explained that he had accidentally overpaid his rent by
$200. He had recently fallen on hard times which left him struggling to make ends meet, and he needed the
money for gas and groceries to get him through the month. I assured him that I would find a solution. Our
support team agreed to refund the money by check, but it would probably take a week to get back to him. I
called the resident and explained the situation, and told him that in the meantime, I would get him a gift card
to help him make it through the week. He was very grateful, and when he came in to pick up his gift card, he
gave me a big hug and thanked me for my customer service.
Michelle Meigs, Laura Scott, Park Manor, Newnan, GA
My Carpet’s Clean! Neida recently renewed her lease with us, and for her renewal gift, selected a free carpet cleaning. Somehow,
there was some confusion about the date. Neida had already moved her furniture in preparation for the
cleaning, so it would have been understandable for her to be upset, but she was very nice about the whole
mix-up. In order to thank her for her understanding and to apologize, we treated her family to dinner and gave
her a pair of reading glasses, since she is always losing hers. She was very touched and appreciative of the
gesture.
114
Melissa Cordaway, Westover Oaks Apartments, San Antonio, TX
Deployed and Heartbroken
Our Air Force resident was serving overseas when he and his longtime
girlfriend went through a difficult breakup, and she moved out while he
was still deployed. Melissa, our leasing agent, was emailing and talking to
him through the ordeal. She could tell that he was upset and depressed,
and did her best to make the transition easier on him. She kept him in the
loop on his belongings, checked his apartment for damage, and took
photos of the furniture and items left behind so he knew that all of
his things were still there.
When the resident returned home, we had a package
waiting for him to pick up when he came for his mail.
We bought him a basket of snacks, military items,
and gift cards for his favorite restaurants. He
was shocked and at a loss for words to
express what he felt. We loved showing
him that we care and were there for
him during his difficult time.
115
FEATURED WOW STORY Cody Schumann, St. Andrews Apartments, Pearland, TX
Going Above and Beyond, Even on His Own Time! Cody grew frustrated at the fact that he had to rely on interpreters to relay everything he
needed to say to a couple of hearing impaired residents, and then for two different
hearing impaired prospects that came in for tours. He decided he should learn how to
sign, so he purchased a tutorial and practiced at home after work. He quickly made
progress, and the last time that someone came in, Cody was able to introduce himself and
have a short conversation in sign language. Our resident was blown away!
He decided he should learn how to sign, so he purchased a
tutorial and practiced at home after work.
116
Frances Yanez, German Neira, Ivan Koynarski, Kathi Price, Stephanie Fernandez, Inocencia
Gonzalez, Champions Green Apartments, Alpharetta, GA
We’re Honored to Help Stacey and her young daughter moved to Champions Green in 2011 to get away from North Dakota’s harsh
winters. In late June, the office received a call from Stacey’s brother, Chad, who told us that when Stacey went
back to North Dakota to help him settle their mother’s estate, Stacey passed away. Chad came to Georgia for a
few days to move Stacey’s and her daughter’s belongings out of their apartment. He came into the leasing office,
and we asked him if there was anything we could do for him. He mentioned that the electric wasn’t on, and
asked if we could turn it on for him, which we did immediately. He told us that some of Stacey’s friends would
be coming over the next couple of days to help load a truck with her things. When we asked where he was
staying, he said that a friend had offered an inflatable mattress for him to use in the apartment. This was painful
for us to consider, so we decided to offer to pay for a hotel room for Chad for the next two nights. He was
speechless when we made the offer, and nearly broke down as he repeated several times how thankful he was.
We were glad to have an opportunity to show him what Venterra is all about!
Lainey Holland, Scotty Haffner, Jason Lynch, The Landings of Brentwood, Brentwood, TN
Burnin’ Up! One of the couples living here was having trouble with their washer and dryer. The dryer’s high heat was
burning their clothes, and they had to throw away several pieces. They let us know what was happening, and
brought in a burnt item to show us. The man’s mother was visiting them, and some of her clothes had burned as
well. We replaced their washer and dryer, but wanted to do more for them. We found out where his mother and
his wife liked to shop, and bought them each a gift card to their favorite stores so they could replace the
damaged items. They were so grateful that we went above and beyond simply solving the issue for them.
Jessica Harrison, Bradford Pointe Apartments, Austin, TX
Leaky Sink When one of our residents was moving in over the weekend, her bathroom sink started leaking. The water
ruined her hair dryer and only roll of toilet paper. She wasn’t terribly upset, but commented that these things
always seemed to happen when moving somewhere. I immediately ran to our storage room and grabbed a roll
of toilet paper for her. On Monday morning, we went to Walmart and replaced her hair dryer and bought a new
package of toilet paper. She was blown away!
Bettie Lyerly, David Williams, The Ravinia Apartments, Spring, TX
New Baby Homecoming One of the couples living here recently had a baby. In order to have everything perfect for the homecoming, they
had their nursery decorated and cleaned their apartment from top to bottom, even the carpets. There were some
complications while they were still in the hospital, and the new parents felt like they were on an emotional roller
coaster waiting for the okay to bring their newborn home. When they finally got back to the apartment, they
found water everywhere. Their kitchen sink had backed up and flooded the kitchen, entry, and living room. The
office was already closed, but luckily when they called, Bettie was still on the property. She saw that the new
parents were exhausted, so she offered to put them up in a hotel for the night. While the family was sleeping in
their hotel room, Oscar came to the rescue and fixed the sink. We cleaned the carpet first thing the following
morning, and when the family arrived home, they found a gift bag full of new baby clothes that we had left for
them. This was the homecoming they had dreamed about!
117
Donald Shelnutt, Terrell Miller, Park Manor, Newnan, GA
Park Manor’s Bike Shop Boys When some of our bike-riding young residents need service on their bicycles, they know that they can call on
Terrell and Troy, our maintenance team, to fix chains, pump tires, and help with whatever else the kids need. Last
week, when one boy, Quincy, stopped by to say hello to “Mr. Tawell,” Terrell saw that he was riding on the rim.
Terrell was so excited to help! He went to Walmart to pick up the supplies to get Quincy rolling again, and
Quincy’s bike was quickly outfitted with a new tube and ready to go.
Scotty Haffner, The Landings of Brentwood, Brentwood, TN
Linda’s Bucket List While Scotty worked on a work order for a resident, they started chatting. The resident told him that ever since her
husband had died, she had been working hard to cross items off her bucket list. She mentioned that the next item
on the list was riding a motorcycle, and a friend had said she could ride on the back of his. Scotty was so moved by
her story that he came into the office and asked Lainey if we could give her a gift card to Harley Davidson for
some gear to enjoy her ride. He hand-delivered the gift card, and Ms. Linda was so excited that she called the
office many times to thank us.
LeAnn Cordes, Salado Springs, San Antonio, TX
Help is on Us! One of our residents had hoped to pick up her keys the evening before her move-in, so she could get an early start
on her unloading. We were unexpectedly short-staffed, so it did not work out for us to get her started early. She
was concerned about taking too much time off of work, and was sad to find out that she wouldn’t be able to start
the evening before. She also let us know that she had already scheduled a U-Haul to come out, and now would
have to rearrange her schedule. We apologized to her, and told her we would pick up the U-Haul tab after she
made her necessary adjustments. The resident was overjoyed!
118
Alison Cummings, Amber Place, Warner Robins, GA
Keurig for Kelly
Kelly, one of our residents, would come through the
office several times a day for her morning coffee and
afternoon Crossfit workouts–two of her favorite things!
We wanted to show her how happy we were for her
engagement and upcoming nuptials she had
spoken of, so we looked up her registries
online to see what gifts she needed. When
we saw that a Keurig was listed, we
knew that would be the perfect gift
for this coffee lover! When we
took it to her apartment, she
was surprised that we
got her favorite item
on the registry!
119
FEATURED WOW STORY Amber Porter, The Villas of Bristol Heights, Austin, TX
Kourageous Kamila Whenever Kamila came into the office, I’d always ask about what was going on in her life. I
noticed how selfless she was when she told me about the people she provided in-home healthcare
for, and then spent weeknights caring for her 95-year-old grandfather. I always felt inspired after
speaking with her. About a month ago, I noticed that Kamila was looking a little tired. When I
asked if everything was okay, she told me that her mother just found out that she had lung cancer
and needed to have a lung removed. I knew I wanted to WOW this amazing resident, but it was a
few weeks before I decided how. I asked a personal chef friend to help out, and he not only went
to Kamila’s family’s home to cook a gourmet meal for them, but also left healthy, prepackaged
meals for her parents to eat while her mom was recovering. Kamila was touched that I took the
time to really listen and wanted to do something to help. I could only hope that if I ever found
myself in a similar situation, I could be as brave as her!
I asked a personal chef friend to help out, and he not only
went to Kamila’s family’s home to cook a gourmet meal for
them, but also left healthy, prepackaged meals for her parents
to eat while her mom was recovering.
I asked a personal chef friend to help out, and he not only
went to Kamila’s family’s home to cook a gourmet meal for
them, but also left healthy, prepackaged meals for her parents
to eat while her mom was recovering.
120
Sonya Page, Cypress Pointe Apartments, Orange Park, FL
True Root of the Problem We had a recent move-in who was unhappy with the way we cleaned her windows prior to moving in. I sent
the cleaners back to re-do them, but she still called to complain. I sent the cleaners a third time, and instructed
them to use Q-tips in the hard to reach corners. Three weeks went by and I didn’t hear from the resident, when
finally she responded to one of my emails and said that she was still unhappy. I wondered if it could actually
be something other than the windows that was the problem, since hers were the cleanest on the property, so I
asked her about how she was doing and how her move went. I found out that her husband was still in
Washington, trying to sell her house, and she hadn’t seen him since she moved in. Her frustration with the
windows stemmed from the fact that she missed him a great deal and he wasn’t able to help her with these
things in person. She did say that he was moving down the following week, so I purchased gift cards for dinner
and a movie so they could enjoy a date night. They were so happy that we thought of them and cared about
how their personal life affected their move. It took some digging to get to the root of the problem, but we’re
glad it was solved!
Tammie Wilder, Legacy at River Crossing, Macon, GA
Résumé Extraordinaire Last week, we had a resident by the name of Theda come into our business center several times over two days.
After noticing that she looked frustrated, Tammie went to see if she could help her. Theda was upset because
she wasn’t very computer savvy, so she was having difficulty formatting her résumé properly for an upcoming
job fair. Tammie immediately pulled up a chair to assist her. She helped Theda correct the issues, to format it
herself, and even aided her with rearranging the layout and fixing grammatical errors. Thanks to Tammie’s
great help, Theda was able to attend the job fair with a flawless résumé and even landed a few interviews!
Nancy Hare, Waters Edge Apartments, Austin, TX
Stolen Weekend–NOT! Last night, I was taking trash to the dumpster when a resident stopped me. She was visibly upset, and she
explained that her weekend was ruined. She had been getting ready to go out of town for the Memorial Day
holiday weekend, and someone stole one of her shopping bags of new clothes that she had purchased for the
weekend as she was putting things in her car. After I spoke with her, I decided to go to Target and get her some
clothes for her trip, to replace the stolen ones. When I brought them back to her apartment, she was shocked.
She couldn’t believe that I would do that for her, and after a few tears and hugs, she happily left for her trip. I
was glad I could WOW her and make her weekend a good one after all!
De’Andrea Smith, Regency Park Apartments, Longview, TX
Happy Move In! De’Andrea leased and helped Mr. and Mrs. Ingles into their first home together. They stopped into the office
yesterday and asked if they could heat up some food in our microwave, since they didn’t have one. De thought
it would be great if we could WOW them with a new microwave, so we did! Mr. and Mrs. Ingles are now the
owners of a nice black microwave that matches the appliances in their kitchen. They were so happy!
Brandi Wilkes, Mayra De Hoyos, The Landmark at Medical Center, San Antonio, TX
Miss Fashionista! Sabriel, a young girl here, could usually be found with her family in our indoor pool. The little fashionista
would always wear cute swimsuits. When she and her family stopped in to the office after a swim, she showed
me a hole in her suit from wearing it so often. Mayra and I decided that it was time to go shopping! We bought
Sabriel two swimsuits, two pairs of flip flops, sunglasses, a beach towel, and a dress to go over her swimsuit.
She was so excited and we were glad to help her stay in style! 121
Frank Damian, Christina Gomola, Silverbrooke, Stafford, TX
A Genuine WOW One resident, a single mother of a three-year-old boy, recently came to us to ask if she could have her locks
changed. She cried hysterically as she told us that many items, including family jewelry, had been stolen from her
apartment by someone she had given a key to. We were very upset In order to ease her financial burden of
replacing the stolen items and changing her locks, we gave her a $150 gift card to Target. She was very grateful,
and immediately turned to give Frank and me an emotional hug.
Jessica Abney, Legacy at River Crossing, Macon, GA
A Delivery Dilemma One of our residents, Ashley, was anxiously awaiting the arrival of an expected package. She called the office so
frequently to check on the delivery status that I was eager for her package as well! One day, she called the leasing
office, and I could tell that she was upset. The sender had relayed to her that the package was returned, as the
carrier was told that she was no longer at her mailing address. I was surprised to hear this, since I had asked the
office staff to let me know as soon as her package arrived so I could call her with the good news. However the
miscommunication happened, I wanted to make it right with her, even if we weren’t at fault.
When we spoke, Ashley mentioned the store where her package was from and the dollar amount of her order.
After our conversation, I sent our leasing consultant, Dillon, to purchase a gift card for Ashley, to replace the one
that went missing. I also included a handwritten card that apologized for the delay. When Ashley came in to pick
up the gift card, she sheepishly apologized for her previous phone call. As it turned out, the package had been
delivered to the wrong address. She was stunned when we presented her with the gift card and initially refused
to accept it, since she had wrongly accused us of having her package returned. I told Ashley that I had suspected
it had been a different issue, but ultimately, we were glad for the opportunity to make her day and turn her
frustrating situation into a positive one. She was thrilled that her apartment community cared so much about her
returned package!
122
Ary Salas, Foxborough Apartments, Irving, TX
Trip to Sea World!
One of our residents, Luis, recently won a trip to San
Antonio from his work. The trip paid for a stay at the
Marriott at RiverCenter, but Luis was still unsure if he
could go, since it was a last minute trip and his family was
short on money. When he said that it was his kids’
biggest dream to see Shamu at Sea World, I offered
to pay for their entrance tickets. I wanted them
to take advantage of their trip since they
had never been out of Dallas. Luis was
thrilled and called his wife right
away to tell her. The family had
a great time, and they were
even able to meet Shamu!
It felt great to be able
to contribute to
their fun fami-
ly vacation.
123
FEATURED WOW STORY Aaron Jones, Champions Green, Alpharetta, GA
Got Heart? After some recent snow and ice shut down Atlanta, Aaron Jones proved he wouldn’t let it stop
him from coming to the rescue of several of our residents. First, a resident happened to stop and
chat with Aaron as she was leaving to pick up her child from school. She mentioned that she was
afraid, since she had never driven in snow, so, to her relief, Aaron offered to accompany her to
the school and back. When they got back, Aaron noticed several residents waiting outside for
their children to arrive by bus from local schools. He opened the clubhouse so they would have a
warm place to stay, and left it open until the last bus came at 8:30 p.m. When he finally closed the
clubhouse, Aaron then checked on a homebound resident. When he discovered the resident had
not eaten that day, he walked to the Subway to get the resident a sandwich. Aaron really
showed our residents that Venterra cares about their safety and well-being.
When he discovered the resident had not eaten that day, he
walked to the Subway to get the resident a sandwich.
124
Betsy Flores, Erica Clary, Crystal Sanchez, Riverstone Apartments, Fort Worth, TX
Birthday Wishes and a Happy Move-In Our newest resident, Tim, had a rough experience with his moving company when he moved into Riverstone.
They didn’t get all of his belongings here on time and many of the items were damaged. He came into the office
and talked with us about his high stress level, and said that he needed a margarita. Since his birthday was right
around the corner, we decided to buy him a $50 gift card to Chili’s so he can celebrate his birthday with that
margarita!
Olga Kosterina, Falcon Square at Independence Apartments, Orlando, FL
Save the Day! Due to some recent heavy rains, the landscape drains outside of our resident’s apartment clogged, which
caused the water levels to rise and enter her apartment. After we spent a couple of days extracting the water
from her unit, drying the carpet with blowers, and running dehumidifiers, the resident noticed that her dresser
had water damage. Although this is something that renter’s insurance would take care of, our manager, Olga,
decided to offer to replace it. The resident knew that the situation was out of the property’s control, and was
pleasantly surprised that we would make the first move and offer to make it right. What a great way to save
the day!
Whitney Ryan, Amber Place Apartments, Warner Robins, GA
Missing the Basics A lady and her son recently moved here on very short notice, before her military husband (stationed in Hawaii)
could join them. The only belongings they brought were the ones they could fly with, and the rest of their
things were being shipped. The more we talked, the more I could see what an inconvenience it was to be with-
out the basic home essentials. She didn’t have pots, pans, or a microwave, so she stopped by the office to heat
something up in ours. She mentioned that she hadn’t lived anywhere without a microwave, so I knew what I
could do to WOW her! Melinda and I went to Walmart and bought her a microwave, laundry basket, and a few
other necessities, since there was still a month to go before her belongings were scheduled to arrive. She was
surprised and said she was glad to have such good customer service. Feeding her son will be much easier now!
Hope Clark, Sherita Daniels, Apex West Midtown Apartments, Atlanta, GA
Food Soothes the Soul One of our residents had her car broken into, which was especially unfortunate timing, since she was already
well past her due date. She was very emotional and told us that she felt miserable and nothing seemed to be
going right for her. She then said that she just wanted to forget about everything and go eat the biggest,
greasiest burger she could find. Fortunately, we are right next door to a restaurant that had a new burger on the
menu that fit her description. I told her and her husband to go next door on us. They were in disbelief that I
meant it, so I walked them over and told the manager that lunch was on me. The residents have come in several
times and thanked us over and over again.
Sonya Page, Cypress Pointe Apartments, Orange Park, FL
Will You Help Me Get a Sponsor? Our resident, Jasmine, was a full-time student working toward her bachelor’s degree and also spent her free
time educating under-privileged children. She was planning on a trip to New York with some other college
students to volunteer at an elementary school and was trying to raise money for her expenses. Jasmine stopped
in to ask about places she could ask for donations, so I gave her some resources to check out. She came back in
a few days later to thank me for my help, and mentioned that she was still a little shy of her goal. Luckily, I had
a card already prepared with a gift card inside stating that we would also assist her for her New York trip. She
was thrilled! It felt great to know that we were contributing to a bigger picture. 125
Brandi Wilkes, Landmark at Medical Center, San Antonio, TX
Every Boy’s Dream
Gwen and her son, Tristain, would frequently stop in the office to say hi to the staff. One day, Gwen stopped in to
pick up packages and mentioned that Tristain’s birthday was coming up, so there would be more arriving soon.
Tristain has told me many times that he loved superheroes and wanted to be one when he grew up. I thought that
instead of waiting until he’s an adult, he should start now! I knew the perfect birthday gift for him. I bought him
some action figures, a Hulk mask and fists, and a Captain America mask and shield. He was so excited when he
came to get them that he started playing with it all right in the office!
Chrystal Strong, Waterford at Mandarin, Jacksonville, FL
Service, Sacrifice, Dinner, & a Movie
As a military wife, Chrystal paid special attention when she noticed a “Welcome Home” banner hanging from
one of our buildings and discovered that one of our residents, Nathan, was returning from overseas. To thank
him for his service and to celebrate his return, Chrystal purchased gift cards for dinner and a movie for Nathan
and his wife, Susan. They were surprised and thankful when Chrystal gave them the cards, and left the leasing
office with smiles on their faces!
Sally Flores, Carlyle Place, San Antonio, TX
Can I Make it Better?
One of our newest residents came was having a difficult time with her move. The furniture she had delivered was
too bulky for her apartment, her cable didn’t work out, and it seemed that there was one problem after another.
While she was in our office talking about these issues, we asked her about some of her favorite places back home
in Louisiana. She smiled as she told us of her love of shopping and Mexican food. This inspired us to give her gift
cards to her favorite store and a local Mexican restaurant, along with some fiesta gear. We hoped this will help
her to love San Antonio!
126
Carmen Waliudden, Frank Damian, Jennifer
Lubarsky, Silverbrooke Apartments, Stafford, TX
Let the Luck of the Irish be with Ye!
Here at Silverbrooke, we had a couple married over
thirty years that had never been able to go on their
honeymoon. After years of saving, they finally left
for the trip of their dreams, spending two
weeks in Ireland and Scotland. To show
our happiness for them, we bought
them a digital camera to capture all
their fun travel memories. They
were overjoyed! They even
promised to take
pictures while in
their Scottish
kilts!
127
Brandon Perkins, Lainey Holland, The Landings of Brentwood, Brentwood, TN
Backpack to School A single mother and her son moved into our community last month. Brandon saw how hard the mom worked
to provide for her son and wanted to do something nice for them. He found out what school the boy will be
attending, and decided to buy the school supplies for this year. Lainey got the back-to-school list for his grade,
bought the school supplies, and packed up everything in a new backpack. When Brandon delivered the back-
pack full of supplies and matching lunchbox to their door, they were completely
surprised!
The Team at Signature Ridge, San Antonio, TX
Take Me Out to the Ball Game Lisa and her son, Nicholas, recently came into the office to find out about renewing their lease. While chatting
with Lisa, we learned that Nicholas had just joined the St. Mary’s Rattlers as a freshman “walk on”. Lisa was so
proud of her son and his accomplishments, as were we. We decided to WOW Nicholas with $150 to put towards
all of his college back to school and baseball expenses. They were both so happy!
Lavona Thomas, Sandstone Apartments,
Pasadena, TX
Leaving for College Ms. Latarshe had been working very hard to
prepare for her 18 year old daughter's
departure for college. She came into the office
and explained that money was really tight and
that she was going to have to sell her son's
PlayStation in order to buy some college items
for her daughter. She was very sad about this
decision, but knew that it was the only option
she had. The Sandstone team decided to jump
in and help out. They replaced her son's
PlayStation and presented her daughter with a
$250 gift card to get the other things needed for
school.
128
Gloria Garza, Mayra Aviles, Nathalie Guillory, Ramon Gonzalez, Wilshire Place Apartments,
Houston, TX
Back to School Giveaway Wilshire Place wanted to WOW our young residents for the new school year. We knew that it can be
expensive to raise a child in America, and many of our residents have struggled to cover the essentials.
School supplies were a necessary part of a successful school year, and we wanted our students to do their
best. To take some financial weight off our parents, we made school supply bags, based on elementary,
middle, and high school levels. Our residents were lined up to receive the bags when we handed them out,
and truly appreciated the gesture. We were happy to provide assistance for the next school year!
Vanessa Aragon, French Place, San Antonio, TX
New Home, New School One of our prospects was renting her very first apartment. She was also starting her first year of college
and a little anxious about all of the changes happening as well as expenses she had. We decided to surprise
her with a gift card to Barnes & Nobles to use toward school books and accessories as well as a gift card to
Starbucks for all of the late nights of studying.
Ary Salas, Foxborough, Irving, TX
Kids Movie Night We recently had a back to school movie night in our
clubhouse. The kids watched Monsters University
and had lots of goodies -- popcorn, cookies, ice
cream, and drinks! We also had a raffle for gift cards
so that their parents could buy school supplies. The
kids and parents especially, were so excited.
129
FEATURED WOW STORY Sheri Judy, Palm Club Apartments, Brunswick, GA
Paying it Forward My husband and I went out to one of our favorite steakhouses for a glass of wine and an
appetizer, when I noticed one of my residents, Claire, was sitting across the bar from us.
She was with a colleague, both dressed in scrubs after a long day’s work in the emergen-
cy room. I gave her a wave and asked how she was doing. She responded that it had been
a very long day and she was trying to unwind. I quietly asked the bartender if Claire and
her friend had eaten dinner, and he told me that they had dinner, a few drinks, and des-
sert. I told him to let me pay the tab, but not to tell them. As soon as the bartender told
Claire her bill was taken care of, she immediately figured out that I had paid it. She kept
asking, “Did you really just do that?” I don’t know why her day was so stressful, but I
was glad to end her day on a happy note and told her to pay it forward someday.
I don’t know why her day was so stressful, but I was glad to
end her day on a happy note and told her to pay it forward
someday.
130
Mayra Aviles, Wilshire Place Apartments, Houston, TX
Happy Wife, Happy Life! A new move-in seemed to be facing roadblocks everywhere she turned, thanks to some miscommunication and
confusion with what bills were due when. She had been out of town when her husband leased the apartment,
and with things not going her way, she was getting very frustrated. We knew that her birthday was coming up,
and we thought that part of the issues may have come from the possibility that they would have to spend
money on the high cost of moving instead of celebrating her birthday. Of course, we definitely didn’t want to
make life harder for her, so we sat down and discussed her complaints. We were able to come up with
solutions together for what could be fixed immediately. We also didn’t want the couple to choose between the
things they needed for their home and celebrating her birthday, so we gave them a gift card to help them out
and sent them to dinner.
LeAnn Cordes, Salado Springs Apartments, San Antonio, TX
A Time to Chill One of our residents was struggling with her hypersensitivity to sound, especially since she heard her upstairs
neighbor’s footsteps and every move the dog made. We made multiple attempts to help the situation, and even
replaced the upstairs neighbor’s carpet and added thicker padding. We also determined that the culprit was the
upstairs neighbor’s boyfriend and spoke to him, which corrected the problem. In addition to solving the
difficult situation, we wanted to show that we truly empathized with her issue, so we purchased a night out for
the resident and her husband so they could relax and enjoy their new peace and quiet.
Araceli Hernandez, Sandstone Apartments, Pasadena, TX
Blu-Ray DVD Player! Our resident, Kimberlin, came in to ask if we rented out DVD players. We apologized as we told her that we
didn’t, but only rented out movies. She had hoped for a DVD player, since she didn’t have one of her own. I
knew this was a great opportunity to WOW her! I bought a brand new Blu-ray DVD player and HDMI cable, so
she could access movies online and take advantage of our free movie rentals.
Andrew Poston, Kimberly Knearem, Margarita Figueroa, Villa Lago Apartments, Fort Worth, TX
Welcome to Your New Home! A new resident, Teresa, recently moved to Texas from out-of-state. She had moved from a large home and did-
n't know many people in the area, so it was easy to see that she was anxious about the big changes in her life.
She told us that it would take some time before she was used to apartment living. We wanted to show our
Texan hospitality, so we gave her a gift bag that included a map of Fort Worth's hot spots, a gas card, a
restaurant gift card, and a movie theatre gift card for an evening of relaxing. She gratefully thanked us for
being so thoughtful of her and taking the time to put her gift together for her.
Bianca Randolph, Sandstone Apartments, Pasadena, TX
Let’s Drink a MONSTER! Leah, one of our residents, has loved Monster energy drinks, specifically the Absolutely Zero kind.
Unfortunately, she hasn't been able to find them at our local store, so she turned to shopping for them online.
Every month, she would place a large order for her drinks on Amazon, so that they would last her for several
weeks. I wanted to surprise Leah, and I knew the perfect way to do it: I told her that her order was on us this
month!
131
Crystal Sanchez, Erica Clary, Riverstone Apartments, Fort Worth, TX
Did Anyone Turn in My Nook? One of our residents came in and asked if someone had turned in her Nook e-reader. She had accidentally left it
in the fitness center after she worked out, and was hoping that someone had dropped it off. Unfortunately, no
one turned it in, so she said she would have to buy a new one. Erica and I knew right away that we would be the
ones to buy it! And we did!. The resident was so happy and thankful!
Vanessa Aragon, Salado Springs, San Antonio, TX
A Night Out on the Town An applicant who was moving from another city was a little bummed when he came in to apply, as he didn’t
know anyone in San Antonio. While we chatted, he mentioned that he loved listening to live music. I immedi-
ately thought of a way to WOW him! There is a Stoneworks just down the road from the property that has a live
band on weekends so people can hang out and listen to the music. When he moved in, I gave him a gift card to
Stoneworks, along with the specials on band night, so he could enjoy the band and make new friends. He was so
excited and said he couldn’t wait for the weekend!
Gracie Martinez, Latedra Wall, The Brownstone, Bedford, TX
Well-Deserved Pedicure One of our residents was recently in the office and complimented our leasing agent’s nails. She explained that
she had been living on a very tight budget, due to medical issues and debt, and couldn’t remember the last
time that she had extra money for a manicure or pedicure. We wanted to brighten her day, so we bought her a
gift card to a nail salon in the neighborhood. She was appreciative of the gesture and was touched that we
remembered the conversation.
132
Amy Pollak, Diana Weaver, Shannon Stokes, Raintree
Apartments, Baytown, TX
Welcome to Texas!
A family recently moved here (Texas) from Alabama for
a new job, and we thought it would be fun to give them
a big Texas welcome by creating a scavenger hunt
around town to familiarize them with the area.
We got the women cute wine glasses, beer
koozies for the men, and tumbler cups
with straws for the kids–all Texas-
themed, of course. We also got
them tickets to a local water
park. They loved the idea
and were thrilled with
their new Texas
gifts!
133
FEATURED WOW STORY Lavona Thomas, Sandstone Apartments, Pasadena, TX
Walkin' in Style When one of our residents, Monika, came into use our office phone, I noticed that she
was all dressed up. I told her she looked really nice, and I asked if she was headed out for
a special occasion. She told me that her boyfriend was going to meet her mother for the
first time and she was hoping that it would go well. I could tell that she was nervous. She
glanced at her shoes several times and then looked at me and said, “I know they look
bad; I wear them to work everyday.” Her shoes were worn so thin that there were holes
in the front. I knew that Monika was a hard worker so I wanted to do something to
make a difference. I decided that a new pair of shoes for her date was in order! We went
shopping with Monika so she could get some new shoes on us. Now she can walk in
style!
Her shoes were worn so thin that there were holes in the front.
I decided that a new pair of shoes for her date was in order! We
went shopping with Monika so she could get some new shoes on
us.
134
Bridget Proctor, Fabiola Celado, TaiRae Richey, Huntcliff Apartments, League City, TX
Home is Where the (Huntcliff) Heart is! Nicole, and her Labrador dog, Bud, moved here two years ago. They were loved by their neighbors, and we
were all sad to find out they were moving back home to Rhode Island. We knew it would be a long drive for
them, and we wanted them to have a little bit of their Texas home to take with them, so we did a little shopping
before they left. Nicole was always working out, so when we loaded up a tote bag with necessary road trip
items, we included healthy snacks with the bottles of Fiji water, Red Bull, a neck pillow, gift cards for gas and
food stops, a couple of Texas trinkets, and a few sweets as well. We also knew that she had lost her jump rope
at the gym recently, so we replaced that for her. Of course, we couldn’t forget about Bud, so we got him some
toys and three different bags of treats for him to snack on. Hopefully this made the drive back to Rhode Island
a little easier for them, and they knew how much we missed them!
Jessica Abney, Legacy at River Crossing, Macon, GA
A Move-In Touchdown! Stephen just moved here from Alabama to accept a head coach position at one of our high schools. He was very
excited, since this was his first head coaching job after college. While he reviewed his lease paperwork, he
mentioned he was on a tight budget, just living off his savings until his first paycheck came in. He joked that he
was glad we had a free DVD library, since he wouldn’t be able to afford cable or internet yet. He had already
called our cable company to inquire about service, and the upfront costs were just too much. I knew I didn’t
want him to have to go all summer without cable or internet, so I called the cable company and said that we
would pay the upfront costs. Stephen was stunned that we offered, and couldn’t believe we would do that for a
resident. He was also appreciative that he wouldn’t have to spend the summer in complete boredom.
Touchdown Legacy!
Shannon Lewis, The Villas of Bristol Heights, Austin, TX
Reserved Parking Woes I was excited when Bristol Heights began the reserved parking program and was sure that my residents would
love it. On the first day that I put out the announcement, I had a resident, Katie, call to reserve her spot. There’s
a prime space between two buildings that she wanted to grab before anyone else did, especially because she is
a single woman who frequently works late. She was happy to get a parking space reserved for her, even if she
had to pay $30 a month for it.
For the first couple of weeks, almost every time she came home, she found that someone was in her spot, even
though it was marked. I really wanted to show her our appreciation for her patience while we worked out the
kinks in this new program, so, after some investigating, I found out that she loved coffee. I went to Starbucks
and bought her a coffee mug that she could decorate herself, a large tumbler, a package of refreshers, and a gift
card. When I delivered them, she was thrilled! We talked for 30 minutes about how much she loves living here
and has recommended it to others as well. She was also thankful to Marvin for how he handled her call, even
though it wasn’t technically an emergency.
Beau Carroll, Forest View Apartments, The Woodlands, TX
Venture Out One of our residents had been having a tough year, so Wesley wanted to do something to lift his spirits. Wesley
picked him up and took him out to dinner, then dropped him off back at home. After he saw what the resident
needed at home, Wesley also shopped at the grocery store to ensure that the resident had what he needed to
get through the week.
135
Lauren Harris, Monica Coody, Alejandro Gutierrez, Kimberly Maxwell, Chez Moi, Austin, TX
A Bright Welcome to Chez Moi Kiran, a new resident at Chez Moi, was unpleasantly surprised to find that the living room in his new apartment
did not have an overhead light, especially because he spent a lot of time reading and watching television in this
room. Our property was built in the late 1990s, and the builders did not install overhead lights in any of the
living rooms, so switching to a different apartment wasn't an option. When I suggested opening the patio blinds
during the day and purchasing a lamp or two to help with light in the evenings, Kiran became disgruntled at the
thought of spending more money on a fixture that is necessary for daily activities. We understood and
sympathized with him, and our staff wanted to make his transition as smooth as possible, so we purchased a
standing lamp to help him. He was thrilled and relieved to have a light source in his living room!
Rie Gresham, The Park at Waterford Harbor, Kemah, TX
Time for Mom We have a resident named Roxanne who is a single mother to a spirited little girl, Gracie. Roxanne stopped in the
office one day, and chatted about how busy she was balancing work and her daughter. She wished that she could
have just five minutes to herself to just relax. As a mom myself, I could relate to that feeling, so I thought it would
be nice to provide a break for Roxanne. I called our onsite massage therapist, who created a special gift certificate
for Roxanne for “the works.” When I dropped the gift certificate off, I also offered to babysit Gracie for whenever
Roxanne could book her appointment. She was completely surprised and was thrilled by my offer.
Rudy Butterfield, Shana Jones, Regency Park Apartments, Longview, TX
Sometimes We Just Need a Little Help! A resident was working in our business center and went outside to find that her tire was flat. Rudy checked it out
for her and found that she had picked up a screw, probably because there had been a lot of construction going on
recently in our community. We could tell that she didn’t really know what to do, so Rudy offered to get enough
air in her tire for her to take the car to the tire center across the street. We knew that she had been living from
paycheck to paycheck, so we also bought her a $50 Visa card so that she could fix her flat tire and have dinner on
us, as well! 136
Mayra Aviles and Ramon Gonzalez, Wilshire Place
Apartments, Houston, TX
Flying Home for the Last Time
Ms. Navarro had been our resident for less than a year, after
she moved to Houston due to her husband’s job transfer.
They put their home on the market, but since it didn’t sell
right away, they had to make payments on rent and their
mortgage simultaneously. Their luck finally changed
when a buyer for the house came along, but Ms.
Navarro didn’t have the money to get back
home for the closing. Ramon came to the
rescue and gave her $200 for her plane
ticket. Ms. Navarro was shocked
and couldn’t believe our
generosity.
137
FEATURED WOW STORY Ramon Gonzalez, Wilshire Place Apartments, Houston, TX
Eyeglasses When one of our residents came in to pay her rent, she asked me to fill out the money
order for her. She said that she couldn’t see to do it herself since she had broken her
glasses, and she didn’t have money to replace them. It was more important for her to
pay for her child’s glasses than her own. When she left, Ramon decided to surprise her.
When she paid her rent the next month, Ramon handed her a gift card for $300 so she
could replace her glasses. She was so thankful, especially because she had already
gotten in trouble at work for having typos in her paperwork. I’m glad we could do
something to help!
She said that she couldn’t see to do it herself since she had
broken her glasses, and she didn’t have money to replace
them. Ramon handed her a gift card for $300 so she could
replace her glasses.
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Chad Roark, David Rojas, Arnold Garcia, Teresa Heeney, Signature Ridge Apartments, San Antonio, TX
Amazing! Daren stopped by the office to check his mail after he left a 23 hour shift at the hospital. He was so tired, he got
out of his car and, without thinking, locked his keys inside. He was very frustrated when he came inside and
asked for an extra key to his apartment. He also asked if he could use our phone to call a locksmith. Teresa had
made breakfast for the team that morning, so she heated up a plate for Daren, Arnold got him a drink, and
Teresa called Chad and David to see if they could recover the keys. Within minutes, he went from having a
terrible morning to enjoying breakfast, relaxing, and chatting while Chad and David got into his car. We were
all excited that we could pull together to save him time, money, and more frustration. Daren later left a
compliment on our portal, thanking us for our help in making his day brighter.
Alexander Roach, Angela Kohler, Gianina Bilan, John Hourigan, Samuel Skelley, Hamptons at
Woodland Pointe, Nashville, TN
Gone Fishing One of our residents has loved fishing and enjoyed taking his boat out on the lake located next to us.
Unfortunately, this month he was one victim of a series of break-ins, and among the things stolen from his
garage was his tackle box. e couldn’t help but see how disappointed and upset he was. We decided to get him a
$100 gift card to Bass Pro Shops to help him replace some of the items he lost. He was so excited! Even though
he kept telling us that we didn’t have to do that, we loved WOWing our residents, and the smile on his face
was priceless!
Sonya Page, Cypress Pointe Apartments, Orange Park, FL
Duo Down! One of our couples were scheduled to move into a three bedroom apartment when they moved in, but the
resident living there before them had to stay for an extra few months. The new couple graciously agreed to
move temporarily into a two bedroom apartment until a three bedroom one became available, at which time
they would move again. When the time came to switch apartments, the wife was seven months pregnant and
her husband had just undergone back surgery, so there was no way that they could move themselves. We
surprised them with flowers and a card that said we would move them at our cost to help them. They were so
thankful that we offered to pay for their move and couldn’t be happier!
Alison Cummings, Charity Dowdy, Amber Place, Warners Robins, GA
Comfort Food Linda stopped by our office and let us know that she would be having a lot of visitors, due to her mom coming
home with hospice. Linda was an only child, and we knew that she had a lot to deal with, so we wanted to do
something to make it easier. We decided to deliver a delicious meal to her so that she won’t have to do as much
cooking and can spend more time with her mom instead.
Crystal Sanchez, Riverstone Apartments, Fort Worth, TX
Just Moved in and Ready to Swim! A family moved in a few weeks ago, and whenever we saw the little girls, they were always wanting to swim.
We decided to make their swimming experiences even better, so we bought them an Aqua Rocker! They were
so excited and couldn’t wait to use it this summer!
139
Erin Dobias, Monticello Oaks, Fort Worth, TX
Tickets for Two! One day, I was chatting with one of our residents about her eleven-year-old daughter, She was telling me about
how they celebrated Harper’s recent birthday, and she mentioned that Harper was interested in theater and was
enrolled in acting school. I knew what the perfect gift was! I purchased them two tickets to see Peter Pan Live
on Mother’s Day weekend. I called them to the office to give them the tickets, and they were completely
shocked. They loved it and were so excited, and I was glad to encourage Harper and told her that it could be her
on stage one day!
Rie Gresham, The Park at Waterford Harbor, Kemah, TX
Big Oops A few days after we cleaned up and removed unused satellite dishes in our community, a resident casually
mentioned that she was waiting to hear back from DirectTV because she had lost service. She later called and let
me know that her satellite dish had been stolen and would have to be replaced. We came to find out that we had
accidentally marked her live dish as unused and had disposed of it. I felt terrible when I realized what had
happened, and apologized repeatedly. She was very understanding, and initially refused when I offered to pay
her current bill. I insisted, so she gratefully brought me the bill.
Jennifer Battiest, Landmark at Medical Center, San Antonio, TX
We Turn Frowns Upside Down Ms. Vines, one of our new residents, went through a very difficult divorce and moved to Landmark to start her
life over. Shortly after she moved in, she came to the office and told us that her upstairs neighbor is loud at all
hours of the night, which made it hard for her to get any sleep. I knew she had been through a lot, so I really
wanted to help her. I politely spoke to her upstairs neighbor about his noise, but I decided to do a little extra for
Ms. Vines, too. I knew that she could use some relaxation and pampering, so I gave her an $80 gift card to a local
spa for their “Spa Escape Package.” She was thrilled when I gave it to her and gave me a huge hug!
140
Mayra De Hoyos, Brooke Couch, Sally Flores and Richard
Collins, Landmark at Medical Center, San Antonio, TX
Who Needs a Purse?
Marlisa was in the office one day and was trying to fix the
broken strap on her purse. Mayra noticed it while they were
talking and Richard stapled the strap for her as a temporary
fix. Marlisa is a very stylish woman and always looks
fantastic when she comes in. Well Mayra wanted to get
her a new purse so she, Sally and Brooke went to
Nordstrom to pick out the perfect one. They got
her a Michael Kors purse and wallet. She
LOVED it! She left the office with smiles
and giggles.
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FEATURED WOW STORY Jennifer Battiest, Landmark at Medical Center, San Antonio, TX
Welcome Home! A new resident just moved here from Miami, and as I walked him to his new apartment, he
asked me to let him know if anyone was selling furniture cheaply, since all he had was clothes.
After a few days went by, he still was without furniture, so the wheels in my head got
turning. I knew how to WOW him! I found him a great dining table set, and thought it would
be fun to decorate it with new placemats and dishware. My team members helped me to assem-
ble it quickly so we could have everything in place when the resident got back from work. We
finished just in time, and greeted him as he got off the elevator. The look on his face when he
opened the door was priceless. It was fun for us to surprise him! He gave us all huge hugs, and I
loved that I was able to spoil our resident thanks to Venterra!
He still was without furniture, so the wheels in my head got
turning. I knew how to WOW him! I found him a great dining
table set.
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Aaron Wooldridge,
Amanda Franklin, Crysta Brooks,
Hannah Morris, Lisa Black
West End Lodge, Beaumont, TX
A Great Sacrifice! Mr. Doctor received a serious knee injury when he tried to break
up a fight at the school where he worked as a principal. He and his
family had a great attitude, even though he wasn’t able to work until school
started again.. He came in daily to the fitness center to rehabilitate his knee, so our
staff had the wonderful idea to give him a gift card for some new workout gear. His family
was shocked and excited by the gift!
Stephanie Burns, Melanie Thompson, Estancia at Morningstar, Dallas, TX
No Patio? No Problem! Recently, we had a couple choose Estancia as their new home. When they applied online, they thought that
they would be getting a floor plan with a patio (rather than a sunroom, as some apartments have). When they
moved in, they were disappointed to find that they didn’t have the hoped-for patio, where they had planned to
place a bistro table and chairs so they could be outdoors. We weren’t able to transfer them, since we didn’t have
any apartments with patios available, so the couple decided to try out the sunroom apartment for a few days.
They did end up staying here at Estancia, so to show our appreciation for them, we bought them a bistro set and
doormat for their breezeway. Now they could still have a spot to sit and enjoy the fresh air.
Khrystal Flores, St. Andrews Apartments, Pearland, TX
No Ants in Ms. Kitty’s Food! Unbeknownst to us, one of our residents, Josh, had been having issues with ants in his apartment. After
unsuccessfully trying to get rid of them himself, he came in and asked us to call pest control immediately. He was
very upset, since the ants had gotten into his dog’s food, and Ms. Kitty (the dog) refused to eat it. We got him
scheduled for pest control, but Khrystal didn’t want to stop there. She went to Petco and bought some new
squeaky toys, treats, and a gift card for dog food. When Khrystal gave Josh the gift basket for Ms. Kitty, he
was stunned! He thanked her and let her know that the ant situation was finally under control.
143
Amanda Ontiveros, Cody Schumann, St. Andrews Apartments, Pearland, TX
Turning Bad Luck into a WOW! One of our newest residents that Cody had leased came in to sign her lease and pick up her keys. While she was
there, she thanked Cody for helping to make her move stress free, as she had recently been through a divorce,
had no family nearby, and was not looking forward to the stress of moving. After living here for a month,
Christy called the office to put in a work request. When I finished helping her, I asked how her first month at St.
Andrews had been. Christy started to cry as she told me that she had been having a bad week, because her car
had been broken into and then towed. She was concerned about how she would come up with the money to
cover the needed fees and repairs, and said it was over $300 that she had not expected to spend. After we hung
up the phone, I went to Cody (since she was his lease) and told him about what she had said. We both agreed
that we wanted to do something for her, and Cody suggested a gift card. I thought it was a great idea, and
bought a $300 Visa gift card. When I called to let Christy know, she began to cry again. She thanked me and told
me that no one had ever done anything like this for her.
Tiffany Campbell, Miguel Garcia, Jose Torres, Julio Barrios, Reflections on Sweetwater, Duluth, GA
Strawberry on Top We were very excited to welcome Abuwi Coleman, our newest resident, to our community. Unfortunately, right
before he moved in, a few issues came up in his apartment that would have taken several days to rectify, and we
didn’t want him to have to adjust his scheduled move-in. Tiffany and Miguel were able to find an alternative
apartment for our new resident. Tiffany also took the initiative to engage Abuwi in conversation to find out some
things he liked. He happened to mention his love of strawberry ice cream, so as a way to thank him for his
patience and understanding with the apartment changes, we surprised him with some strawberry ice cream in
his freezer. He was thankful to our whole team for making his transition easier, and was especially grateful to
Tiffany for really making it feel like home.
Sonya Page, Patti Cassidy, Cypress Pointe Apartments, Orange Park, FL
Shower Time I had a prospect come in to view a two bedroom, and she immediately fell in love with it and wanted to move in.
During our conversations, I found out that she was a mother of two little girls and recently came home from an
overseas deployment. When she moved in, I noticed her daughters weren’t there, and the mom said that she
didn’t want to bring them until the apartment was perfectly decorated. She happened to mention that one thing
on her shopping list was a shower curtain for the girls’ bathroom. I knew what I could do to help! I went onto
Amazon.com and found the perfect purple shower curtain and accessories. When it arrived two days later, Patti
installed everything. The mom hadn’t had the time yet to start on that bathroom, but when she arrived, she
noticed what we had done. She ran into the office with tears in her eyes that we had thought of her, and later
brought her girls in to tell them what we did. They gave us big hugs, and their mom said that this was the best
place she had ever lived!
Cindy Combs, DeAudra Nash, Jose Mascorieto, Carrington at Park Lakes, Humble, TX
Front Door Key Fiasco Matthew, one of our residents, approached us on a Saturday with his son and stated that he was locked out of his
apartment. They had no way of getting in as his wife was out of town at a convention. We gave him the key we
had on the rack for his apartment, but the locks had been changed since the family moved in so our key wouldn’t
work. He had no way of contacting his wife, so he and his son were stuck in our social room for hours. We felt
terrible for them, so we provided them with a $50 gift card to Outback Steakhouse to help make up for their long
Saturday afternoon.
144
Andrea Poston,
Kimberly Knearem,
Margarita Figueroa Villa Lago
Apartments, Fort Worth, TX
Making a Difference! Zuhair came in recently to renew his lease, and while Kim
readied his paperwork, they chatted about his job. Zuhair had
retired, but decided to go back to work to do something to make a
difference. He talked of his work teaching children and teenagers who got into
trouble and kicked out of school. He acknowledged that it’s hard work, but said it
was also rewarding, because of all the kids who grow and learn through the process. We
wanted to give back to Zuhair since he gives so much, so we bought him a briefcase, new pen, a
teacher’s mug, and a $40 Staples gift card to help him with all of his teaching needs.
Alexander Roach, Angela Kohler, Gianina Bilan, John Hourigan, Samuel Skelley
Hamptons at Woodland Pointe, Nashville, TN
Paw Prints on our Hearts Krishna and Don had to unexpectedly put down their dog, Skye, after fourteen years. We all were sad to hear
the news, since they frequently brought her into the office for dog treats and lots of cuddles. When Krishna and
Don stopped in again, we hugged them and let them cry on our shoulders. We knew we wanted to do
something special for them, and, knowing how much they love their garden by their patio, we bought a garden
rock that had Skye’s name engraved on it. We also gave them a photo of her in a picture frame. Eventually, we
found out that Krishna and Don were getting a rescue dog, Diamond, so we thought we’d welcome Diamond
to the Hamptons with a card, doggy treats, and a dog bowl. They told us how touched they were by our
thoughtfulness and hugged us when we gave them their gifts.
Shannon Lewis, The Villas of Bristol Heights, Austin, TX
Welcome to Austin! A young couple moved to Austin from one of our sister properties in San Antonio. They loved the Venterra way
of living and wanted to stick with us when they came for a new job. They ended up having to transition quickly
which took a lot of coordination with LeAnn at Salado Springs and me, and they were pleasantly surprised at
how easy it was to work with both of us. After they were here for about a week, I called to see how the move
went and how they were settling in. She mentioned that they went outside of Austin for their grocery shopping,
since Austin requires shoppers to bring their own reusable bags and they didn’t have any. I knew just what
to do! I bought them some local Austin bags, including a Bristol Heights one and another one for their dog. I also
filled the bags with an Austin magazine, some locally-made barbecue sauce, an Austin Nuts gift package,
Venterra doggy bag supplies, and a gift card for a local restaurant. They were shocked and said that it was the
best welcome wagon reception ever!
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blank to do… whatever you want!
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Helping Families Beyond Our Borders
For the 2014 Holiday Season, Venterra purchased a kid goat through World Concern ® for
each of our investors, brokers, and lenders to help children in Bangladesh, Haiti, Kenya,
and Somalia. Each gift of a goat is life-changing for a child living in poverty. With income
earned from milk and the sale of offspring, families are able to pay for school, healthy
food, and other necessities.
148
The content used within this book was pulled from the following resources:
Customer surveys conducted in 2014 by Kingsley Associates
Employee surveys conducted in 2014 by NBRI
Customer Feedback submitted through Venterra’s Resident Portal, My Home Matters
WOW stories of great customer service written by Venterra employees
2014 statistics from Glassdoor.com
Resources
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Index
Amber Place 6, 7, 21, 35, 106, 111, 119, 125, 139
Apex West Midtown 10, 21, 25, 125
Bala Woods 31, 39
Bradford Pointe 14, 18, 28, 80, 103, 117
Calais Park Lofts 15, 35, 43, 47, 52, 53
Carlyle Place 9, 35, 112, 126
Carrington at Park Lakes 144
Cedar Springs 15, 25
Champions Green 31, 34, 106, 117, 124
Champions Woods 37
Chez Moi 39, 53, 136
College View 15, 35, 63, 89, 105
Cypress Pointe 7, 121, 125, 139, 144
Dominion at Woodlands 25
Estancia at Morningstar 14, 21, 29, 34, 37, 87, 97, 105, 143
Fairways at South Shore Harbor 37, 54
Falcon Square at Independence 19, 29, 72, 79, 125
Forest View 53, 86, 94, 111, 112, 113, 135
Foxborough 35, 37, 72, 109, 112, 123, 129
French Place 129
150
Index—continued
Hamptons at Woodland Pointe 15, 139, 145
Huntcliff 19, 135
Landings of Brentwood 37, 46, 111, 117, 118, 128
Landmark at Medical Center 25, 46, 112, 113, 121, 126, 140, 141, 142
Legacy at River Crossing 19, 49, 107,121, 122, 135
Monticello Oaks 15, 85, 140
Palm Club 19, 80, 88, 130
Park 9, 29, 39
Park at Waterford Harbor 112, 136, 140
Park Manor 43, 111, 112, 114, 118
Preserve at Old Dowlen 14, 42, 106
Providence of Northlake 55
Raintree 75, 81, 86, 97, 133
Reflections on Sweetwater 27, 28, 106, 144
Regency Park 36, 108, 121, 136
Riverstone 21, 125, 132, 139
Salado Springs 43, 53, 114, 118, 131, 132, 145
Sandstone 29, 128, 131, 134
Shadowbrooke 94
Signature Ridge 16, 42, 44, 47, 128, 139
151
Index—continued
Silverbrooke 28, 94, 122, 127
South Shore Lakes 39
St. Andrews 16, 42, 81, 102, 116, 143, 144
Stonecreek Ranch 24, 107, 111, 113
The Enclave at 1550 14 , 17, 21, 24, 25, 44, 45, 48, 63, 75, 111
The Mandolin 17, 105, 106, 107, 110
The Pointe 6, 17
The Ravinia 42, 46, 53, 117
The Villas of Bristol Heights 7, 18, 63, 120, 135, 145
The Vinings 11,31
Timber Mill 44, 63, 75, 94
Tuscany at Lindbergh 17, 45, 52, 104, 105, 108, 114
Villa Lago 7, 9, 17, 36, 39, 48, 131, 145
Village Walk 45, 53, 87
Waters Edge 45, 121
West End Lodge 7, 45, 72, 143
Westminster at Buckhead 11, 31
Westover Oaks 44, 46, 115
Willow Springs 47
Wilshire Place 47, 129, 131, 137, 138
Zang Triangle 73
152
