or Claudette Boelter, property management very often involves being a road warrior. Claudette serves as a regional manager for LaSalle Group’s properties in Georgia, Tennessee and Missouri. All the properties in her portfolio are owned by GEAC (Governmental Educational and Assistance Corporation), a non profit organization created to fill the critical need for affordable housing for struggling seniors and families. The property in Columbus, GA serves seniors and those with disabilities, while other properties in St. Louis and Nashville serve low-income families.

Managing the Challenge—The greatest challenge in long-distance management, Claudette believes, is making sure her managers feel they are getting enough support from the corporate office and from her. “These managers handle challenging properties and so they need to know we care and are behind them,” says Claudette. Having been an on-site manager for 18 years plus another year as a property troubleshooter, Claudette relates well to the rigors of the site’s day-to-day management tasks. Her approach is to lead by example, while also making her experience and knowledge available to her front line team.

Staying on Course— Sometimes this may mean reminding a manager to pay attention to basics, like keeping the property impeccably clean. When a community is meticulously maintained, the residents take better care of the property overall. It is this circle of caring that Claudette finds satisfying. “Whenever I can make a positive impact on a property and improve the residents’ quality of life,” says Claudette, “then I get rewarded.”