Lincoln Messenger issue 13 • july 2016
Don’t forget RED Shirt Fridays! page 4
Mission Moments: The Vogels page 5
inspiration
A Letter from Philip “…you were right, and I was wrong.” – Abraham Lincoln, in a letter to Ulysses S. Grant after the capture of Vicksburg, Mississippi, on July 4, 1863. Lincoln differed with Grant about how to handle the campaign, though Grant had made his decision based on what he saw on the ground, and that ultimately proved successful, Lincoln wrote to acknowledge that success. For me, and for all of those in a leadership position at LMH, there is a clear lesson in Lincoln’s acknowledgment, specifically, that the best answers are often found by those closest to the problem. As a company, we must constantly balance what we see “on the ground” with our obligations to meet partnership obligations, and with our responsibility to manage the company resources in the most effective way possible. Those realities can be in conflict, and it is critical that we have OPEN communication that provides the leadership at Lincoln Military Housing with the proper perspective to make the right decisions. In June, the Regional Property Managers from all five Regions of LMH met in San Francisco with the Regional Vice Presidents, Jarl
Team Development: CTAs page 6
and me to have just that, an open dialogue about the status of the company, the challenges that are being faced on the ground, and how we can all work better, together, to solve the issues facing each of you on a daily basis. It was a productive meeting, at the same time, the value of the RPM input is based on what they hear from YOU. I would encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to share with your leadership the challenges you face, it is likely others have faced similar challenges and the answer is available – if not, we will find one together. Too often, like with General Grant, the best answer to a problem is known by the people facing it – but unlike General Grant – it is kept to ourselves out of a fear of speaking up. Please know that I am not encouraging everyone to make decisions that go against the instructions of your supervisor, what I am saying is ASK WHY, and if you have a BETTER solution, SHARE IT!! I hope everyone has a great summer and finds time for some BALANCE with friends and family. – Philip Rizzo, Vice President of Operations Philip Rizzo is the Vice President of Operations for LMH and is responsible for the overall management and daily operations. As a former soldier and son of an officer, Philip is committed to serving the men, women and families LMH is privileged enough to call our residents.
1
department updates
in this issue
inspiration
page 1
A Letter from Philip: Communication pages 2, 4 & 7
department updates
PPV Lead Share Program Technology & Innovation Call Center RECP Team Development lincoln news
pages 3, 4, 6 & 7
Lincoln Employee Milestones RED Shirt Fridays Star-Spangled Babies LMH Mission Statement and Core Values services and charities Lincoln Charaities Community Service Mission Moments
Success through Collaboration
pages 3 &5
PPV Lead Share Program Through the dedication and collaboration of our teams and other like-minded military housing providers, we officially launched the PPV Lead Share Program on May 3, 2016. We now share and receive leads with other military housing providers on a weekly basis.
In less than two months since launching the program, we have received over 420 leads nationwide! Our reporting accuracy has improved significantly, and we are now setting our sites on improving our program opt-in percentage. Our counterparts at WinnMilitary and Corvias Military Living report one to two program optouts on a monthly basis, we typically see above 60 percent program optouts on a weekly basis. To combat this, we plan to retrain the teams on
processing Notice of Intent to Vacates. Moving forward, reporting sent to our regional program managers will include a reporting accuracy percentage, a new benchmark goal for program opt-in, and soon we hope to report on a closing ratio that can be reported by site, region, and nationwide. Since the program has launched, we have implemented many changes and suggestions based on the feedback we have received from you. Please continue to share ideas that can improve and grow this program. Our team is also committed to growing the program externally through securing participation of all military housing providers. Before year end, we anticipate Hunt Companies will begin participating, which will supply a significant number of leads for our Navy portfolio. Happy Sharing, LMH!
Technology & Innovation Yardi 7S Targeted Release in Fall IT is currently in the process of doing preliminary testing on a new release of 7S. It will be released to our business partners on the 7S testing team in the next few weeks. The current target for releasing 7s is September/October 2016. The release date is dependent on successful testing. 2
lincoln news
Lincoln Employee Milestones We are proud to have such dedicated, highly skilled, and caring team members who always seek to improve the quality of life for our military families. Please join us in congratulating the members of the Lincoln Military Housing team listed below who are celebrating a milestone anniversary.
Brown Region:
Scott Region:
10 years
5 years
Shanin Zmija
Browne Region: 5 years
Camp Lejeune
Ciro Ruiz Alonzo James Brooks Jose Uribe Barron Justin Russell Richard Mosqueda
Crennan Region:
Lincoln Charities Just this year, Lincoln Charities has been able to assist 15 Lincoln Employees and their families, with a total assistance amount of over $90K. We have had some heartbreaking things happen to our Lincoln family; we will continue to keep them in our thoughts and Lincoln Charities will continue to be here to support our team members in difficult times. Remember the best way of helping Lincoln Charities is to help by donating just $1 out of your paycheck, or making a donation online at LincolnCharities.com. Everything, including our Lincoln Charities Ambassador program, can be found on the Lincoln Charities area of the Claromentis Knowledge Center. Have an event going on? Remember to send those pics and videos to Lauren Gummelt at lgummelt@lpsi.com so she can post for everyone to see!
5 years Chris Isner Terrell Carmouche Timothy Ferner
10 years Tomdallaya Boyd
McKay: 5 years Gary Patrick Jessica Huber
10 years Carla Mays Denise Spencer Victor Maldonado
Adrian Mendoza-Curiel Ashley Gordert Enrique Curiel Enrique Martinez Felipe Reynoso Lynn Murphy Pamela Johnson
10 years Alvin Lamb Amanullah Dost Edward Chua Francisco Deleon Janiell Garabito Joel Hernandez Jose Reyes Juan Martinez Juan Naranjo Julia Earhart Leonardo Laborin Chairez Patricio Bermoy Randall Ratcliff Reynaldo Chua Sandra Barnes Santiago Hernandez Tony Eames Velma Hunt
3
department updates
Call Center For this second quarter, the call center team discovered new and different ways to keep our service FRESH! With the addition of Lewis-McChord Communities, our call center team was introduced to 5,148 new residents, 40 new properties, five new district teams, five new maintenance area teams and a handful of new procedures.
The Call Center Celebrates Red Nose Day
Our call volume reached new territory with just over 60,000 calls coming into our maintenance hotline. Not to mention, we celebrated 13 years of serving our military families! While it’s been a busy second quarter, it’s been a quarter where our team achieved record-breaking quality assurance scores, higher than we’ve ever reached before! And in between, we did find some time to have a little FUN too! Thank you, everyone, for your meaningful support and amazing teamwork!
The Call Center Team
RED Shirt Fridays Remember Everyone Deployed Fridays. LMH teams are wearing RED on Friday to support the sacrifice of the servicemen and servicewomen overseas. Thank you LMH for showing your support and keeping our troops in your thoughts. If your installation participates, please send photos to LincolnMilitary@lpsi.com. RED Shirt Fridays in Ft. Sam
4
department updates was able to offer their family the ability to attend many events outside the city, from Beach Trips to the various Kids Crew Events, the Vogel Family was better able to explore! “The Vogel Family is just one of many families who make working for LMH an absolute joy! We continue our dedication to improving the quality of life of our residents we know we make a difference at each and every event!” said Community Service Director, Amy Ward.
The Vogel Family
Community Service Mission Moments The Brown Region recently had the pleasure of interviewing one of their amazing families, The Vogel Family, in an attempt to gain information on how Lincoln Military Housing could improve on their Community Services Programs. What started as a simple Q&A turned into valuable feedback that can be utilized in the future, not just for Community Services but, LMH as a whole. This sensational family recently spent their last event with LMH Lemoore at a Family Day Event at the Fresno Zoo. When talking about why LMH stood out above the rest, Mrs. Vogal shared a story. During one of her husband’s deployments while in Lemoore, her car broke down and one of the Maintenance Tech’s, Ken Sollars, stopped to help.
“Mr. Ken made sure our car made it from the stop sign to a community center parking lot, gave me the information for a repair shop, and ensured that I wasn’t stranded, and we were okay. I will never forget his kindness during such a stressful time especially while my husband was deployed.” said, Mrs. Vogel. We wanted to dive into why she attended so many of our events; her answer was simple. “We attended so many events because they are fun! I can spend time with my family and friends, and we always have a good time!”. While she had a hard time narrowing down her favorite event, she did share she loved the Cooking Class she was able to attend with other ladies from the community. “The chance to spend time with other military ladies has been a huge benefit for me by giving me the ability to meet our community.” Our Community Service events gave this family the opportunity to build relationships within their community that they may not have otherwise had. She also stated that they enjoyed the events that helped showcase what the surrounding areas of NAS Lemoore had to offer. The City of Lemoore may not have a lot to do, but LMH 5
RECP Lewis-McChord Communities (LMC) joined Lincoln Military Housing as part of Brown Region on 1 April 2016; with this great addition to the team, Lincoln’s participation in the Army’s Residential Communities Initiative (RCI) Energy Conservation Program (RECP) took on a new emphasis.
LMC’s 5,161 homes at Joint Base LewisMcChord (JBLM), Washington add to McKay Region’s 925 homes at Fort Sam Houston, in RECP since 2008. LMC was one of the first Army privatized family housing projects to enter RECP, having done so in 2005. In the ensuing eleven years, the LMC team has been highly successful in administering this important program that benefits our military families through lower utility costs. Shortly after LMC joined the Lincoln team, Lincoln representatives participated in the Army RECP Workshop held in Logan, Utah from 1 - 3 June 2016. Private partners from all Army Public-Private Venture (PPV) military family housing partnerships were represented, as were the third-party utility billing companies that support RECP. Ivan Bolden, Chief, Public Private Initiatives Division, and Pressley Carr, RCI Program Manager represented the Army and led the conference. Mr. Bolden set the stage for the workshop discussing the following; the current state of Army RECP and the need to further refine the program, the larger RECP role being assumed by Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM), and the need to keep policy- and decision-makers informed, conversant and on point with RECP in an era of change. The private partners each gave presentations, speaking to respective PPV projects and RECP administration regarding experiences and lessons learned. These background briefs set the stage for discussion on RECP policy and methodologies that were largely the focus of the workshop. Brian Collins represented Navy Installations Command at the conference and gave a very good Navy program update that enlightened participants to the similarities between the Army and Navy / Marine Corps programs. The Department of the Navy RECP program was largely modeled on the Army’s program. Thus the three Services face many of the same experiences and should be able to use the best aspects of each program to make them all stronger.
department updates
Community Service This quarter Lincoln Military Housing Community Services in San Diego, CA and Hampton Roads, VA teamed up with Operation Homefront to host the Operation Homefront Star-Spangled Babies Shower events on their respective coasts. In San Diego, the event was co-sponsored by Lincoln Military Housing and USO San Diego, marking their second year partnering for this event. Hampton Roads enjoyed their inaugural as the title sponsor of the event. The Star-Spangled Babies program provides baby showers to support service members and their growing families. Roughly 42 percent of active-duty military children are five years old or younger. Due to deployments and frequent relocation, new and expecting military parents often live far from their extended families and support systems. The Star-Spangled Babies showers provide new and expecting parents with early childhood education tips and a support system, especially when loved ones are far away. Each event was attended by 100 new and expecting moms where they were given access to local resources and organizations that provided much-needed supplies and educational tips for their growing military families. In San Diego, attendees received a bag and diaper bag stocked with diapers and much-needed supplies to care for their bundle of joy. They also enjoyed door prizes such as strollers, car seats, and cribs, much of which were donated by Lincoln Military Housing vendors. The success of these events wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work of our teams and the donations from Lincoln Military Housing vendors, including; 3 in 1 Bathtub & Kitchen Refinishing, Inc., Air Temperature Specialists, Lemon Grove Glass, Music As You Like It, Raphael’s Party Rentals, Sunset Mobile Music, Ohana Catering & Events, and Jana Harris Painting. In Hampton Roads, every attendee received a basket of donations and supplies as well as a new car seat! The success of these events wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our Community Services teams. “A significant part of our mission is to support organizations that create opportunities for togetherness and improve the quality of life for service members and their families. The Star Spangled Babies shower event is the perfect opportunity for us to support our mission and show this support to our military community. It was an honor for our Hampton Roads team to be a part of this event.” Brooke Scarbrough, Community Services Director, Mid-Atlantic Region Lincoln Military Housing.
Hampton Roads
San Diego
San Diego
Hampton Roads
6
lincoln news
Team Development We would like to congratulate the following employees on becoming Certified Training Associates (CTAs) in 2016. These team members will be instrumental in facilitating training classes as well as supporting training initiatives and projects. Although this list only represents our newly recruited trainers, we want to send special thanks to ALL of our CTAs for your passion and dedication! We recognize that this responsibility is in addition to your current job responsibilities and that you all go above and beyond to make training great. On behalf of the entire Training Team, WE APPRECIATE YOU! Remember that we are always accepting applications for CTAs. If you’re interested in applying, please contact your Regional Training Director today so you can learn more!
LMH Mission Statement At Lincoln Military Housing, our mission is to provide military families with exemplary service in a quality home environment, employees with unparalleled opportunities for personal and professional development, and military partners with quality homes and vibrant neighborhoods.
LMH Core Values
Enrique Curiel, Lead Service Technician, Chesterton District Heidi Smith, Service Manager, Orleck / Aero District
Balance: We all take responsibility for creating and maintaining a healthy work-life balance for ourselves and each other.
Juan Islas, Maintenance Supervisor, Miramar District Pam Johnson, Regional Benefits Coordinator, GMO Matt Spates, Maintenance Supervisor, Camp LeJeune
Commitment: We passionately strive each day to deliver on our mission to serve our residents, our partners and each other.
Stephanie Dominguez, Allotment Coordinator, GMO Tiffany Comrie, Assistant Manager, Monterey District Lisa Barbuto, Community Services Coordinator, Point Mugu
Scott Region
Integrity: We are honest
Candice Lewis, Customer Service Representative, Yuma
and truthful, we do what is right– ALWAYS.
Samantha Samano, Multi-Site Specialist, Camp Pendleton Antonio Quinene, Service Coordinator, Serra Mesa
Respect: We strive to treat others as we would like to be treated.
Krystina Hayes, Housing Associate, Camp Pendleton Bonni Hoang, Customer Service Representative, Stuart Mesa
Empowerment: Each of us
Camp Pendleton
is encouraged to take initiative, ownership and make good business decisions in the best interest of those we serve.
Richard Tanguay, Service Technician, Stuart Mesa Nicole Torres, Housing Coordinator, Camp Pendleton Chelsea Levin, Customer Service Representative, Serra Mesa
Communication: Our
Matt Spates
join the conversation Connect with Lincoln Military Housing through social media! We would love to hear your thoughts and opinions about the content covered in this newsletter! Please visit LMHFeedback.com to share your comments or suggestions on what you would like to see featured in the next issue.
7
interactions with each other are respectful, we listen with an open mind, provide honest feedback and we are receptive to new ideas.