At Royal American, we are fortunate to have employees with tenure extending 20 years and beyond. Their knowledge and expertise are pivotal in the success and growth of our company all the while staying tied to the deep roots it was founded on. It is our honor to interview these amazing employees and hear their stories.
Celebrating Your Milestones Questionnaire
What position did you start out in at Royal American?
Assistant Manager
Tell us a little bit about your career journey with Royal American.
My current position is Operations Specialist. I began as an Assistant Manager, then Community Manager, Area Manager, and now Operations Specialist.
Share a favorite memory from your time with Royal American.
As a manager for my property, the most exciting achievement was getting Property Manager of the year 2007, in Panama City. I was totally surprised. Another highlight was when Mr. Frank would visit and send notes to the regional, “College Arms was stated as being seen as the best it ever looked”. I still have the note in his hand writing.
Share some of your interests and hobbies outside of Royal American.
I love camping, hobbies – wood crafting, sewing, etc. and the best is spending time with family, especially great grandkids. I also enjoy traveling on our Harley 3 wheel.
What advice would you give to someone just getting started?
Don’t let the job overwhelm you. You work the job, the job doesn’t work you. Be kind and patient, understanding you can’t control everything. And sometimes you just let it go! Pick your battles.
Thank you, Brenda, for your commitment and hard work over the past 35 years. Help us congratulate Brenda in the comments!
Don’t forget — all Royal American employees with at least one year of service are eligible for 8 hours of paid Volunteer Time Off (VTO) each year!
VTO is a great way to give back to your local community while still being supported on the clock. Whether you’re passionate about helping kids, animals, seniors, or families in need, this benefit is designed to empower you to serve causes that matter to you.
Need inspiration?
The team at Beverlye Crossings recently used their VTO to volunteer at the Heart of Alabama Food Bank, and their impact was incredible!
“As volunteers, we had the opportunity to contribute to various essential tasks, such as packing desperately needed boxes of food for those living in our community and organizing food donations for distribution,” they shared.
Alongside the other volunteers, they packed 227 boxes — providing 3,783 meals!
We’re proud of the Beverlye Crossings team for stepping up and serving their community.
If you haven’t used your VTO yet this year, there’s still time! Just remember to submit your request for approval to HR before scheduling your hours. Let’s continue making a difference — one act of service at a time.
Royal American is excited to invite all Community Managers and Operations Specialists to an important financial workshop presented by PetScreening!
Join multifamily expert Victoria Cowart, CPM, NAAEI Faculty, on Wednesday, July 9th at 9:00 am CT/ 10:00 am ET for a session designed to sharpen your financial knowledge and help you understand the true value of occupancy at our communities.
Training Topic: Magical Math
Key areas we’ll cover:
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Occupancy-related terms and calculations
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Core financial terms, statements, and calculations
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Investment terms and calculations
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The real cost of vacancy and how to calculate value loss
Meet Your Instructor
We’re thrilled to welcome Victoria Cowart as your instructor for this session! Victoria is an industry icon in advocacy and education, and she continues to inspire so many of us across the multifamily industry.
Victoria Cowart, CPM, NAAEI Faculty, currently serves as the Senior Director of Education and Enterprise Sales for PetScreening. Before joining PetScreening, she had an extensive career in direct property management, overseeing a diverse portfolio that included apartment communities, manufactured housing communities, and HOAs.
Victoria played a key role in launching the Charleston Apartment Association, later serving as its President. She also led the South Carolina Apartment Association as President and served as an NAA Regional Vice President. Additionally, she has chaired four NAA committees, most recently the 2021 Legislative Committee. In recognition of her industry contributions, she was inducted into the South Carolina Apartment Association Hall of Fame.
Beyond her leadership roles, Victoria is a passionate advocate for industry education, pets, and assistance animals. She holds a degree in Human Resources Management and is certified as an Adult Mental Health First Aid Instructor by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
We are honored to host Victoria’s Magical Math workshop and know this will be a valuable and engaging session for all attendees!
This training is mandatory for all Community Managers, Operations Specialists, Regional Managers, Regional Directors, and Regional Vice Presidents.
We look forward to seeing you there!
