Written By: Brian Birdy, MPM® RMP®
2018 is the Year to #GetINvolved
Wow! I cannot believe that I am writing this article as the 2018 NARPM® National President. What an amazing journey the past ten years have been. I want to thank everyone in NARPM® for entrusting me with this leadership position and personally want to thank those who have had an impact on my life through our relationship in NARPM®.
I started my property management career immediately after I separated from the United States Air Force after serving for 15 years. I found myself trying to grow my business all alone. As I look back to when I first joined NARPM®, I quickly realized that this organization has brought me a long way in both my personal and professional life.
The journey began when I took an education course at the San Antonio Board of REALTORS® taught by Joe Medinger, who told me at the end of the class that, “If you are going to be serious about doing property management you need to join NARPM®.” I found and joined my local Chapter and attended their very next meeting. It was at that meeting that I met Steve Foster, MPM® RMP®, who showed me what the true NARPM® spirit was. It was hard to believe how open to sharing the whole Chapter was, and I quickly learned that was one thing that makes NARPM® so special.
When I joined NARPM® I was an uneducated property manager, managing a few dozen doors and working out of an office connected to my parent’s house. Now I am an educated property manager, managing more than 1,500 doors, and I own my own office building. I have NARPM® to thank for all of it. I remember attending my first NARPM® National Convention in 2007 in Scottsdale, Arizona. This really opened my eyes up to what NARPM® had to offer. Upon returning from that Convention, I signed up as a candidate for my Residential Management Professional (RMP®) Designation, and was asked to serve in leadership for the San Antonio Metropolitan Area Chapter of NARPM®.
I know that my involvement in NARPM® through the pursuit of my designations and serving in leadership has molded me and my business. That is why I decided that my Presidential Theme for 2018 should simply be Get Involved. If every NARPM® member will truly Get Involved, in ways they haven’t before, NARPM® will grow to be a bigger and better organization than it has ever been.
Our members will grow to be better Property Managers, business owners, and leaders in our industry. How can you Get Involved? Attend local Chapter meetings. This is where you can start to grow your knowledge of the industry and your relationships with other NARPM® members.
Take a NARPM® Education class. These classes are offered at all National and State NARPM® events, and in 2017 we brought a NARPM® Education class to every Chapter. In 2018, we will continue to encourage our local Chapters to bring an education class to your local area. Step up and serve on the local Chapter Board or on a National Committee.
NARPM® does not exist without volunteer leaders. I want to encourage you to see if there is a need in your local Chapter or on a National Committee that you can fill. Start your own leadership journey with NARPM®. You can join a Committee at www.narpm.org/about/officers-and-board/committees/.
Attend the two powerhouse national events NARPM® holds annually. This is a great way to Get Involved, especially if you have never attended one. This year the NARPM® Broker/Owner Conference & Expo will be at the Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 9-11, 2018. The NARPM® National Convention and Trade Show will be held at Loews Coronado Bay Resort on Coronado Island, California (San Diego), October 16-19, 2018.
Sign up to earn a Professional Designation or Certification. The process of earning these will help you improve yourself and your business. Participate on the NARPM® Discussion Boards. It is easy to sign up and this continues to be the item that most members say is the best benefit of NARPM®.
Invite another person to join NARPM®. This is the most impactful way you can Get Involved. When we look at the NARPM® Annual Survey, we learn that over 80% of new members state they joined NARPM® because of another member. That includes me. Thank you, Joe Medinger. Can you imagine what our organization would be if every member invited one new member to join this year?
So, as I close my first President’s Message, I want to ask, “How are you going to Get Involved in NARPM® this year?”
Brian Birdy, MPM® RMP®
2018 NARPM® President
Current editions of the award-winning Residential Resources magazine is sent eleven times a year to members. Join NARPM to receive all of the benefits of membership and receive current editions.
Residential Resources: January 2018 Issue: Volume 29, Number 1
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