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The Best of the Best Suppliers
The HAA Honors Awards recognizes members for their commitment to their communities and the apartment industry. Here are the 2023 Houston Apartment Association Honors Award recipients for supplier service.
Supplier of the Year
Marivel Bownds, CAS, Valet Living
What is your job title and what do you do?
I am regional sales manager for Valet Living, and I oversee a sales team of 13 that encompasses the Houston, Austin and San Antonio markets.
How did you get your first job in the apartment industry?
I was a few months out of college and looking for a full-time job. My cousin, who was a leasing agent at the time, suggested that I apply to work at For Rent Magazine. Her former manager had just left being a property manager to go work there, and she knew they were hiring for other positions. I sent my cousin my resume to forward over and then the rest is history! I ended up getting the product manager position overseeing For Rent’s Spanish publication Para Rentar. I stayed at For Rent for eight years before moving over to Valet Living.
How did you get to where you are now in your career?
By being persistent and always trying to find ways to learn and grow as both a colleague and leader. If I didn’t know how or why things had to be done a certain way, then I wanted to learn so I could understand and/or try to find ways to improve things. I also had to be okay with change and learned to welcome it.
What are you working on right now?
Balancing! Creating a healthy balance between my career and my family.
What is an important quality or skill for people to work in your job position?
Flexibility! You must be flexible and adaptable to change. Company initiatives can quickly change based on the economy, market or a global pandemic.
What do you like the most about working in the apartment industry?
All the relationships I have made over the last 17 years! It’s a large but small community, and I have made some incredible friendships.
What is the biggest lesson you have learned in your career so far?
To pause! When things get hard or just overwhelming, it’s okay to pause and reflect. Sometimes, you even must walk away from it and come back to it the next day to tackle. I also have learned to look at every situation with a positive intent.
What do you consider your greatest professional success?
When I was able to promote one of my team members to a senior sales position. A year prior to this promotion, I was not sure she was ready to be moved into a higher role, then COVID happened, and it caused a hiring freeze. Which was the best thing that could have happened because she grew leaps and bounds. She became a leader within our team and started to display the additional characteristics that the role needed aside from being a top sales performer. When the role was reopened, I had no doubts she was ready, and it was an honor to promote her knowing she was the best person for the position!
What have you been involved with for HAA?
The first committee I ever joined was the Ambassador ONE Society and I continue to be a part of the committee. I think it is important for supplier partners to network together and help each other grow in our industry. I was also a co-captain for an Ambassador team for about five years and then co-chaired the committee from 2019-2021.
I am involved in the Community Outreach Committee and previously co-chaired the Sports Challenge for three years. I’ve been part of the Careers Committee, which I think is a valuable committee that works to bring more people into our industry. I have also been a member of the Product Service Council since 2011.
What do you think set you apart from being chosen for the award?
What sets me apart would be the additional volunteer roles I have taken on outside of HAA. Over the last six years, I have been an active board member for my kid’s school PTO. Currently, I serve as the president for my daughter’s elementary PTO and as secretary for my son’s middle school PTO. When I became a mom, I knew it was important to me to be involved with their schools and sport activities. As a woman in a leadership role, I think it is important to be a role model for young girls and teach them to be independent and strong. Which is why I have been a co-troop leader for my daughters’ Girl Scout troop for the past five years.
What are your plans for your future?
My plans are to continue growing as a person and to continue to have a willingness to learn. I truly believe when you stop learning, you stop growing. I want to continue my involvement in both multifamily and my community.
What advice do you have for someone who is considering a career in multifamily?
If coming into multifamily as a supplier partner, I would say show up and keep showing up to all industry events. Keep meeting people and don’t get discouraged. It’s a rewarding industry if you get involved and keep putting yourself out there to network. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is your career. You will get out of it as much as you put into it.
Rising Star Supplier of the Year
Xochitl Flores, CAS, Church Pool Services and Church Foundation repair
What is your job title and what do you do?
Business development for Church Pool Services and Church Foundation Repair. I help expand the business, find new ways to help the business grow, develop and retain partnerships with our clients – anything to make the business better and, of course, brighten peoples day. ��
How did you get your first job in the apartment industry?
A friend who was already working for an apartment community asked me to work with her as a leasing agent.
How did you get to where you are now in your career?
By believing in myself, exceeding goals, taking risks, listening to my mentors, helping others and loving what I do.
What are you working on right now?
Working on expanding my career, whether that be obtaining my CAS, hopefully joining the PSC one day, Leadership Lyceum and also learning more about the business.
What is an important quality or skill for people to work in your job position?
To be a good listener, business partner and a trusted advisor.
What do you like the most about working in the apartment industry?
That we have the ability to all come and work together and make it a good positive experience for our multifamily community.
What is the biggest lesson you have learned in your career so far?
To continue to challenge, push yourself to learn more about your industry and inspire others to do the same.
What do you consider your greatest professional success?
When I successfully switched over from working onsite to the supplier side and having the opportunity to build long term relationships and partnerships within the industy.
What have you been involved with for HAA?
Ambassador One Society Bee Happy Captain for two years
Next Committee Education Captain
Expo Committee
Soon to be part of the Chili Committee for this year
HAA Food Drive
Apartments Day
What do you think set you apart to be chosen for the award?
Ummm, this is a hard one. If I was to guess, perhaps it is maybe people noticing that I truly love what I do, which is giving my time to this industry whether it be through HAA or my actual work at building relationships. I have so much fun doing it and love helping others.
What are your plans for your future?
To continue to expand my education within the industry and personal life. Create a great future for my two little boys and hopefully inspire them to also love what they do and leave their leave their mark in the world.
What advice do you have for someone who is considering a career in multifamily?
I personally believe working for the multifamily industry gives you a variety of opportunities to expand your career and meet your personal goals. The industry is always changing, and it requires for you to always give back and help others in may different ways that will create a positive and impactful experience in someone’s life. It is their home, whether it be temporary or permanent, they will always remember and I think its great how we, as a community, can come together and make that happen for someone’s life.
Congratulations Marivel and Xochitl!
