michaels - The Michaels Organization

spring 2013
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Developments
Together We Build Communities
@michaels
Fish Tales & Other Stories for Employees of The Michaels Organization
Forty years ago,
Michael J. Levitt
founded MDC
and IRM
with one
simple idea:
“Build Trust.”
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From John’s Desk
With Thanks to our Winning Team
ebrated more than just our professional
achievements together, but also our
personal ones. Over the years, we’ve
shared each other’s happiness—marriages, births, graduations, grandkids—
and comforted each other through hard
times, just like all families do. In fact,
it’s the support during the most difficult
times that makes you realize just how
important our team is to one another
on a personal level.
“Do you play softball?”
It wasn’t exactly a question I was
expecting during my job interview but
that is the question Jim Bleiler asked.
Luckily, I could answer yes. I got the
position of shortstop on Michael’s
softball team and the job that went
along with it —Regional Accounting
Manager (RAM) for Interstate Realty
Management.
That was 25 years ago.
I look back now and I can hardly
believe that so much time has passed.
There are many of us, not just me,
who have literally “grown” up with The
Michaels Organization. We have cel-
Mike Levitt says all the time that this
organization is about the team and that
we’re “family.” That is the atmosphere
he set out to create when he started
his companies, and that is the atmosphere that we still encourage here
today. It’s who we are and it’s what
makes us unique in today’s environment.
Now that Mike has entrusted me with
leading The Michaels Organization, I
feel that it is my core responsibility to
provide opportunity for personal and
professional growth to all the teammates in our Michaels family. Opportunity just like I had—to take on new
challenges, to discover new aspects of
the business, to innovate, and perhaps,
most importantly, to learn lessons from
those times when things don’t necessarily work out.
The amazing growth that we’ve
achieved can be attributed to our
team—to the talent we’ve been able to
recruit and nurture—and to the support
we’ve given each other through good
times and bad. This growth is a great
source of pride for all of us, and it also
means that our team today has more
opportunity than ever for promotions
and increased responsibilities.
I am grateful for all the opportunities
that Mike Levitt has given me through
the years and I am grateful to each and
every one of you for your hard work,
dedication, and commitment to The
Michaels Organization.
I think back to those softball games
and I remember what Babe Ruth used
to say about teams. “The way a team
plays together as a team determines
its success. You may have the greatest
bunch of individual stars in the world,
but if they don’t play well together the
club won’t be worth a dime.”
Thanks for being a great bunch of
individuals and the best team in the
business. Here’s to the next 25 years!
John O’Donnell
President
The Michaels Organization
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F r o m Ava ’ s D e s k
What’s Development Got in Common with Hollywood Movies?
Some Lessons Learned
Let’s set the scene­—it was the Annual Holiday
Party of 2012. John O’Donnell, The Michaels
Organization’s President and Chief Operating
Officer, had graciously just introduced me as
the next President of The Michaels Development Company. I used the occasion to describe
the role of an affordable housing developer. “It’s
just like being a Hollywood movie producer—
pulling together the financing, hiring the creative
talent—without the glamour!”
How true that is. A couple of decades ago,
while employed by a housing finance agency
in Atlantic City, NJ, I spent an afternoon with
a California developer at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia (hmm, I suspect playing
hooky from work!). Up on the top floor of this
renowned science museum was an interactive
display on 18th Century commerce. Sitting at
a desktop computer, we were invited to pretend to be transatlantic merchants, sending
raw materials to England for processing into
consumer products to be resold to the colonies.
The question: would we buy ships, sailors, and
goods (A) solely using our own funds; (B) using
only the funds of colonial investors; or (C) using
a combination of our own funds and those of
the investors. My developer friend guessed (B),
I guessed (C). What was the right answer? Why,
(B), of course, those 18th century entrepreneurs
who solely used the pounds sterling of their
banker friends were the most successful.
The same lesson seems to apply to movie
producers and affordable housing developers.
Did the producer of “Iron Man 3” use Wall Street
money or his own to finance those special
effects? Wall Street funds, I suspect. Do the
most financially successful affordable housing
developers invest their own equity or rely on
banks and insurance companies? As we know
from our own experience, financial risk is best
absorbed by “other people’s money”.
By the way, top grossing doesn’t equal most
financially successful. The films with the highest
gross revenues in 2012 were “Marvel Avengers”
($623 million), “The Dark Knight Rises”, and
the “Hunger Games”. Yet, the only 2012 movie
to make the all-time Top 20 list of most profitable movies was “The Devil Inside”. The return
on investment on its $1 million price tag was
$99.6 million. The plot of this box office smash
by the way is described as, “In Italy, a woman
becomes involved in a series of unauthorized
exorcisms during her mission to discover what
happened to her mother who allegedly murdered three people during her own exorcism.”
Can’t say that I’m sorry that I missed seeing
that one!
Which leads to my last point. Of course,
financial success doesn’t equal quality. Many
a movie producer has poured his or her life
savings into a deeply satisfying, hidden gem of
a film that hardly anyone saw and didn’t earn a
dime. On the other hand, movies such as “Lincoln”, “Argo” and “Silver Linings Playbook” (12,
22, and 23, respectively on Box Office Mojo’s
list of 2012 top grossers), were both critically
acclaimed and, I assume, earned profits for
their producers.
Lessons learned? As an affordable housing
developer, it’s good to make money, especially
with other people’s money, smaller communities
can be more financially successful than larger
ones, and quality counts. Quality, of course, relies on the creative team, which will be the topic
of my next column.
Ava Goldman
President
Michaels Development Company
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Human Resources
Live Well Work Well
company’s medical plan, you are eligible to participate in the
Thank you for your attention and cooperation during this
“Passport to Health”.
year’s open enrollment. As you know, we have new insurance carriers for our medical plan (Aetna) and prescription
This year’s “Passport to Health” program will operate very
drug plan (Express Scripts) effective June 1. If you particisimilar to last year. If you reach 100 points, you save towards
pate in these plans, you should have by now received your
your medical plan contribution and if you reach 150 points,
new insurance identification cards at your home address.
you will also earn 4 hours personal time off.
If by chance you did not receive your cards, or if you have
continues on next page
any benefits related
PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
questions, now or in the
future, please contact our
COMPLETE ANY COMBINATION OF ACTIVITIES BELOW TO EARN YOUR REWARDS.
Benefit Services Team at
ACTIVITY
POINTS
COST
MILESTONE
DATE(S) COMPLETED
800-563-9929.
Now that open enrollment is behind us, it
is now time to turn our
attention to our Building
Better Lives Wellness
Program for the new
plan year. Our leadership team at Michaels is
very committed to this
program. We are happy
to report that the Building
Better Lives program has
been quite successful
and is having a positive
impact on the health and
lives of many employees,
as well as the company
as a whole…literally: lives
have been saved through
preventative screenings
and coaching sessions!
As we did last benefits
plan year, we will have
a “Passport to Health”
program that is managed for us by Attentive Health. During the
month of June, you will
receive your “Passport
to Health” materials from
your manager so you
may become familiar with
this program. Even if you
do not participate in the
Goal-Setting Meeting
50
$0
a 20-minute call
with health coach
Non-Tobacco Affidavit
OR Complete “Quit for Life” Program
25
$0
complete affidavit or
program for credit
Biometric Screening
25
$0
(blood pressure, BMI, cholesterol, etc.)
get a screening done
at work or a lab in
SEPTEMBER
DUE BY: DEC 31, 2013

(receipt required)
DUE BY: SEPT 30, 2013
COMPLETE *BOTH* OF THESE ITEMS & ALSO EARN A $50 GIFT CARD FROM AETNA!
Aetna Personal Health Survey
25
$0
confidential survey
on Aetna website

Aetna Online Wellness Program
25
$0
complete a program
on (**topics**)

Attentive Health Coaching
10 each
$0
20-minute meetings
scheduled by phone



Attentive Health Fitness Log
1 pt each
$0
1 Passport point
per Fitness Log point

(receipt required)
Gym Visits & Fitness Classes
1 pt each
varies
1 point per gym visit
or fitness class

(receipt required)
Michaels Wellness Challenge
25
$0
participate for all
6 weeks - FALL 2013

Other Approved Program
25
varies
pre-approval
required

(Weight Watchers, ABC Diabetes, etc.)
(up to 30)
(up to 30)
(up to 50)
(receipt required)
PREVENTIVE CARE
* GET CREDIT FOR ALL SCREENINGS SINCE 4/15/2013 *
ACTIVITY
Annual Physical / Well-Visit
POINTS
COST
25
$0
(or copay if treated for illness)
Dental Hygiene Exam*
10 each
(varies by dentist & insurance)
(since 1/1/2013)
(up to 20)
DATE(S) COMPLETED

(receipt required)

(receipt required)

(receipt required)
Eye Exam*
15
(varies by doctor & insurance)

(receipt required)
Flu Shot*
15
$0

(receipt required)
Pap Smear (females)*
15
$0

(receipt required)
Mammogram (females, age 40+)*
15
$0

(receipt required)
Prostate Screening (males, age 50+)*
15
$0

(receipt required)
Colorectal Cancer Screening (age 50+)*
15
$0

(receipt required)
Other Preventive Care Screening*
15
$0

(receipt required)
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21
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Human Resources
However, this year’s program will have
a few very positive changes. If you
complete the Aetna Health Survey online and complete one Aetna on-line
wellness program, you will receive a
$50 gift card from Aetna. Your covered
spouse may also participate and another $50 gift card may be earned.
Also, for those of you who smoke or
have covered spouses who are smokers, you can still earn passport points
to qualify for the medical contribution
discount for the next plan year, as well
at the personal time off hours and the
gift cards. This provides the opportunity for our smokers to participate in
our healthy rewards activities.
Again, be on the lookout for your
“Passport to Health” materials from
your manager during the month of
June. My best wishes for a happy and
healthy year ahead!
Be sure to see the print and
save employee resources
information at the end of this
newsletter!
Ea r ly O u t f o r S u m m e r 2 0 1 3
Once again, employees may work flexible hours to allow departure as early as
3:00 pm on Fridays over the summer.
This will give everyone the chance to
start some of the weekends in the summer a littler earlier. The flexible hours
began May 31 and end August 30. Those
leaving early on Friday must work a full
schedule. The method for accomplishing
this is at the discretion of immediate supervisor/management and may include
starting early, taking no lunch, etc.
All departments or properties must
maintain 50% staff coverage through
5:00 p.m. every Friday, so employees
should work with their direct supervisors if they’d like to take advantage of
this benefit this summer.
The Michaels Organization wishes all
of our employees a happy and safe
summer!
401K Open Enrollment
It is currently open enrollment time for The
Michaels Organization’s 401K retirement
plan. The deadline to enroll for the quarter
ending July 1 is June 27. The next open
enrollment will be in September for the October 1 deadline. The Michaels Organization
encourages all of our eligible employees
to take advantage of this plan, which is designed as an added incentive for our valued
employees to save toward their retirement.
As well as your own savings, The Michaels
Organization provides a contribution.
To be eligible to participate, you must have
one year of service, be at least 21 years old,
and work a minimum of 1,000 hours a year.
Employees may join the plan on January
1, April 1, July 1, and October 1 of each
year upon meeting these age and service
requirements. You can apply online through
the Great West Retirement Services website
(www.gwrs.com) after receiving a letter of
eligibility from Great West at your home
address that includes your pin.
For more information, contact Kristine
Dunn at 856-355-2538 or [email protected] or call Great West Financial
Services Customer Service at 1-800-3384015.
Bob Witkoski is new Director of Human Resources
Bob Witkoski has joined The Michaels Organization as Director of Human Resources.
Bob is working closely with Donna Jack in the
delivery of human resources programs in a
variety of areas with emphasis on employee
relations, management training, compliance,
performance, recruitment and compensation
management. Bob will also act as an information source for managers and employees,
handling workplace concerns and employee
relations matters. Bob comes to Michaels with
a very strong background in Human Resources.
He previously held senior level HR positions at
large and diverse companies such as M*Model
and Inrange Technologies Corporation. He
holds a BS in Business Management from
Widener University and is a Senior Certified
Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).
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Kudos
Hawaii’s Kuhio Park Wins National Award for
Excellence in Multifamily Housing Development
The National Affordable Housing Management Association, a leading trade group for the affordable housing
industry, has bestowed its national “Vanguard Award,”
to Michaels Development Company and partners, The
Hawaii Public Housing Authority and The Vitus Group,
for the substantial rehabilitation of The Towers at Kuhio
Park, Hawaii’s largest public housing community.
Kuhio Park, Baxter Park Honored with
Tax Credit of Excellence Awards
Baxter Park, a new mixed-income development in Newark, NJ,
received an Honorable Mention Tax Credit of Excellence Award
in the Metropolitan/Urban category. Morris Warner, development director for the Newark Housing Authority, was presented
the award at the luncheon. Newark Housing Authority selected
Michaels Development Company as its private sector partner
for Baxter Park, which is considered a milestone in the continuing revitalization of Newark.
The Vanguard Awards recognize excellence in newly developed or significantly rehabbed affordable multifamily
housing communities that showcase quality design and
financing and that demonstrate exceptional creative and
innovative solutions to affordable housing challenges.
The Towers at Kuhio Park took top honors in the
category for Major Rehabilitation of an Existing Rental
Housing Community. The $135 million revitalization of
Hawaii’s largest public housing community was particularly praised for the comprehensiveness and efficiency of
the rehabilitation, and for its creative handling of in-place
relocation for its residents. The Vanguard Awards will
be presented at an awards luncheon June 19 in San
Francisco.
The Vanguard is just the latest in a series of Awards
already won for the Towers of Kuhio Park. Earlier this
year, NAIOP-Hawaii named it a “Project of the Year.” The
awards program recognizes excellence in Hawaii’s commercial real estate industry. And, Build Hawaii, an awards
program that showcases the best of the best construction projects in the state, recognized the revitalization of
The Towers with an Award of Merit.
Bob Greer
Honored for
Lifetime
Achievement
(again!)
MDC President Ava Goldman (far right), along with MDC
President Emeritus Bob Greer. Jack Casey from Meridian
Investments, Inc. and Joe Purcell, The Michaels Organization’s
CFO, accepts a Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Award of Excellence (Honorable Mention) on behalf of Hawaii’s Kuhio Park,
which was recognized for its superior achievement in Public
Housing revitalization at an awards ceremony on Capitol Hill
on May 22. A Legislative assistant to Hawaii Congresswoman
Hanabusa presented the award to our group. The national
awards program, sponsored by the Affordable Housing Tax
Credit Coalition, celebrates the best in affordable rental housing development.
Bob Greer, now President Emeritus of Michaels Development Company after
retiring in December 2012, continues to receive recognition for his contributions
to the affordable housing industry. His latest honor is a Lifetime Achievement
Award bestowed by the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition, one of the
affordable housing industry’s leading advocacy groups. Bob was recognized on
May 22 at a Luncheon Awards Ceremony on Capitol Hill.
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Special Notice
From
Kudos
Employee Resources
The IRM’s Tamaqua District
(affectionately known as
the “Lean on Me” or LOM
District) in PA started a
grass roots safety program.
Throughout the last six
months site staff have been
instructed on various safety
techniques and procedures.
The LOM District’s following
sites have been awarded for
their safe practices.
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $
Payroll
Goes Green
Beginning August 9, all employees
of The Michaels Organization who
currently receive their paychecks
through direct deposit will be able
to access their paycheck stubs on
line through a new system called
Ipay. The 24/7 access to your pay
statements as well as your W-2
form, will eliminate the need for
hard copy pay information to be
distributed every two weeks.
Right now, almost 90 percent of
our employees participate in direct
deposit. If you are one of the 10
percent still receiving an actual
paycheck, now is a good time to
consider switching to direct deposit so that you can participate in the
new Ipay system and have immediate access to your money every
payday by 9 a.m. Employees who
choose not to participate in direct
deposit will have their paychecks
mailed to their home address—
they will no longer be distributed
at the work site—so please be
sure your current home address is
on file with Human Resources and
the payroll department.
Over the next few weeks the Payroll department will be providing
more information and detailed instructions on how to enroll for this
new iPay benefit. The forms for
direct deposit enrollment can be
accessed now from The Michaels
Institute forms section or from your
payroll administrator.
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $
outstanding newS
Coal Township Elderly
Lansford Townhouses
Lehighton Elderly
Mahanoy Elderly
Wood’s Edge Earns Community
of Quality Award
Woods Edge Apartments has
been named a 2013 Community of
Quality by the National Affordable
Housing Management Association.
Congratulations to all our Woods
Edge teammates for this great
accomplishment and national
recognition of their excellence.
Mallard Run Apartments
Meadowood Apartments
Milton Village
Orchard Apartments
Shirley Futch Apartments
Village Park Apartments
Wyndcliffe House
Apartments
Savoy Square in the Spotlight—Again!
Savoy Square at Legends South had the honor of being the host site of a
Mayor’s Roundtable on April 20, when a new “Plan Forward” was announced by The Chicago Housing Authority. The new strategy is a followup to the city’s historic “Plan for Transformation,” which was the impetus
for revitalizing public housing throughout Chicago. Michaels Development
Company and Interstate Realty Management have been proud partners
with the CHA in that effort over the past 10 years. This is the second time
that a Mayor has selected Savoy Square as a venue for a major event. Last
year, former Mayor Daley stopped at Savoy Square as part of his Farewell
Tour to the city.
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C o v e r S t o ry
Celebrating 40 years of Housing Excellence
introducing a resident scholarship program. The
organization has also continued to look for ways to
grow and prosper and to offer even more services;
for example, syndicating our own tax credits or
starting our own construction company, or buying
the portfolios of other owners. Now we are expanding our expertise in new sectors of the housing industry such as on campus and off-campus
student housing communities. We are also looking
at mixed-income and mixed-use development and
management deals that would allow all of our
companies to work together on complicated,
sweeping developments.
In 1973, Michael J. Levitt created two companies,
Michaels Development Company and Interstate
Realty Management, with one simple idea: “Build
Trust.” Forty years later, the organization that bears
his name remains committed to “doing what we
say we’re going to do.”
We are proud of the culture that Michael gave us,
one that embraces innovation, financial stewardship, and the entrepreneurial spirit. We are proud
of the relationships we’ve built with our partners,
our investors, our residents, and the communities
where we own and manage residential communities.
We are proud of our current generation of leaders
who are committed to Michael’s core values, and
most especially we are proud of all of our team
mates—who work every day on our sites across
the country and within our corporate office, to create great housing communities that are managed
to stand the test of time and to enrich the lives of
our residents.
All of the growth and success that has marked
the history of The Michaels Organization can be
credited to the trust placed in us by our partners,
our investors, and our residents. We’ve earned that
trust because of our integrity, our commitment,
and our passion for “doing well by doing good.”
Most all of, we’ve earned it because of the excellent work our team—our Michaels family—has
accomplished over the past 40 years.
Over the past four decades, the companies of
The Michaels Organization has led innovation—
whether it was in resident supportive services or
It’s an exciting time for The Michaels Organization,
and we look forward to the next 40 years!
TMO52413B_TMO52413B 5/24/13 11:56 AM Page 1
Together We Build Communities
The reason we're so successful is the
people, the relationships, and because
we do what we say we're going to do.
--John J. O’Donnell, President,
The Michaels Organization
THE
1973
Michaels
Development
Company and
Interstate
Realty
Management
are founded
MICHAELS
ORGAN I Z AT I O N :
4 0
Y E A R S
1974
O F
H O U S I N G
1996
Continental
Mortgage is
launched, an
FHA-approved
mortgage
finance
company
1999
Michaels is first
affordable housing
company to offer
scholarships to
residents
1989
Interstate Realty
Management establishes
resident social services
2010
2004
Michaels
wins its first
HOPE VI
1991
E X C E L L E N C E
Michaels is named
NAHB Multifamily
Development Firm
of the Year
Michaels Military
Housing is
launched with first
assignment: Fort
Leavenworth,
Kansas
Michaels begins
developing
Student Housing
Michaels
begins
syndicating its
own tax credits
2012
University Student
Living is launched
IRM is named NAHB Property
Management Co. of the Year
Michael J. Levitt is named
to the Affordable Housing
Hall of Fame
2013
2006
Michaels
starts fullservice
construction
company
Michaels forms strategic
partnership with Better
Tomorrows, a non-profit first
incubated as IRM's social
services department
Michaels: 8 companies,
100,000 residents
8
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The Mike in Michaels
“Our Whole Business is Our Team”
—Michael J. Levitt, Founder and Chief Executive Officer
of The Michaels Organization
After college graduation, Michael J.
Levitt planned to go to law school,
but a part-time job with his Dad’s real
estate company sent him in a different direction. By 1961, the young entrepreneur was in business, owning
a construction company with a dear
family friend that was so successful,
10 years later it was purchased by
one of the largest public home building companies in the country.
In 1973, Michael founded the first
two of the eight companies that
would become “The Michaels Organization,” now a family of integrated
but independent operating companies. Over those 40 years since
Michaels Development Company
and Interstate Realty Management
were established, the companies
of The Michaels Organization have
created thousands of quality homes
and offered meaningful services to
more than 100,000 people, and have
enriched communities across the
country.
What does Michael consider
the secret to his success?
“Our whole business is our team,”
says Michael, whose talent for
assembling the best team in the
industry has led to sustained growth
for all of our companies, through the
ups and downs of the economy and
the housing market over the past 40
years.
What else is in Michael’s “secret
sauce?” Hard work. “You have got
to work hard, and you’ve got to love
what you do.”
Levitts: The Next Generation
Michael and Pat Levitt welcomed their newest
beautiful granddaughter, Irie Parker Bocchino, to
the world on April 24. She’s the first child of proud
parents, AJ and Phoebe Bocchino. The family is doing
well and enjoying time with their new baby girl.
Like Father,
Like Son
Michael Levitt’s son, Denny,
a history buff and long-time
trustee for The Battleship New
Jersey Museum and Memorial,
has recently been appointed as
the Board’s chairman.
As Chairman, one of Denny’s
first initiatives was to establish an annual scholarship
awards program available to
high school students residing
in Camden, NJ. The scholarship program will distribute ten
$1,000 college scholarships annually over the next ten years,
totaling $100,000.
The Michaels Organization’s
independent educational
consultant, Dr. Bruce Johnson,
assisted the Museum in setting
up its scholarship program.
Denny said he was interested
in creating the scholarship
program as a way to give back
to the City of Camden, home
to the Battleship, which first
launched from the Philadelphia
Naval yard in December 1942.
Now fully restored, the Battleship New Jersey has been
operated as a Museum since
2001.
9
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m i l i ta ry m at t e r s
First Delivery of the
Last Phase of
Ft. Leavenworth Homes
Gets Under Way
Fort Leavenworth Frontier Heritage
Communities is taking delivery of the
first group of new homes in the last
new neighborhood being developed
by Michaels Development Company
as part of its initial privatization plan
with the Army. These beautiful new
single family homes are being constructed by one of the leading builders in Kansas, Hearthside Homes,
under the supervision of Prestige
Building Company.
Using a local homebuilder to construct the homes for our military
residents was a strategy first em-
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3-bedroom home designed for senior
NCOs, company and field grade officers.
ployed at Ft. Huachuca’s Mountain
Vista Communities. Michaels Military
Housing President Ron Hansen saw
this strategy as a way to create local
jobs.
Just like at Mountain Vista Communities, Ft. Leavenworth families just
love these new homes. Hearthside
Homes has been thrilled with the
work and have delivered beautiful
homes that are customized for military families, including extra storage
space.
Meanwhile, our own Prestige Building Company has been managing
the construction process and helping
the local builder navigate compliance
with all Army and federal regulations.
Prestige is also serving as the general contractor for home renovations
on Ft. Leavenworth. It’s been a winwin for all involved and Ft. Leavenworth is keeping its reputation as the
“Best Hometown in the Army.”
Construction Site
Prestige Building Company is busy
at Ft. Leavenworth supervising the
construction of the last new homes
to be built on the post as part of the
From Left to Right: Brett Smith; Project Manager, Jody Jans; Administrative
Assistant / BOM Coordinator, Shawn Rose; Superintendent, Richard Garner;
Superintendent, Dave Ketchum; Carpenter, Paul Meese; Carpenter, Terry
Lyle; Carpenter, Brian Hinson; Carpenter, Kevin Williams; Carpenter, Johnnie
Burford; Painter
Initial Development Plan for Privatization. Our crew took a breather
recently to pose for this photo.
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Developing Stories
New Haven Celebrates
Rockview Groundbreaking
On April 9 in New Haven, Connecticut, The
Housing Authority of the City of Haven
(HANH) and The Michaels Development
Company, held a groundbreaking ceremony
to celebrate the long-awaited start of the
second phase of the West Rock Redevelopment, Rockview Terrace.
The new $33 million, 77-unit mixed income
development, with all new roads and
infrastructure will replace the old Rockview
which consisted of 195 units of low income
public housing. In 2003, the units were
demolished and families were relocated.
Its a Great Day in Charm City with
the start of O’Donnell Heights
Redevelopment
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake was the guest of honor at the ceremonial
groundbreaking for the first phase of redevelopment at O’Donnell Heights in
Baltimore, Maryland on April 9. Once complete, the 62-acre site will be a dynamic community with over 900 new affordable and market rate townhomes
and apartment flats and over six acres of new parks and green space.
Phase I includes 76 residential units as well as new roads and public infrastructure.
Shirley Banks, a long-time resident of
Rockview addressed the crowd saying, “I
am so very happy to know that this has
finally happened. I have been waiting since
2002 to move back to Rockview and didn’t
believe it ever would.” Ms. Banks and her
family moved to Rockview in 1990 and were
among the families that relocated in 2003.
Ten years later she is looking forward to
being able to call it home once again.
MDC Vice President Peter Wood hosted
the New Haven groundbreaking.
The Transformation of Cypress Landing Marked by Ground
Breaking Celebration
On February 26, Parish and federal officials gathered to mark the transformation of
deteriorating multifamily housing formerly known as University Oaks into a modern, sustainable affordable housing community reborn for the 21st Century.
Located near the Southern University of Shreveport, the buildings were first constructed in the 1970s. Developed by MDC in partnership with the Housing Authority
of Shreveport, Prestige Building Company is serving as the general contractor.
Prestige Affordable Housing Equity Partners, LLC, syndicated the tax credits for the
$11.5 million rehabilitation effort.
With the renovations almost complete, IRM are already busy taking applications,
and a grand opening celebration will take place sometime this summer.
11
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Grand Opening
Mayor Cory Booker
Headlines Grand Opening
Celebration for Newark’s
Baxter Park
“We are so proud to stand here today and debut this beautiful housing community and the wonderful
amenities that will make such a
significant difference in the lives of
our Newark residents,” said Mayor
Cory Booker, who was among
the dignitaries participating in the
official ribbon-cutting ceremony
for Baxter Park this past February.
“We are confident that this new
modern housing, which will appeal to families with a broad range
Children from a neighborhood preschool
helped celebrate the grand opening by
doing a song about James Baxter, a famed
Newark Educator for whom the community
is named.
of housing needs and incomes, as
well as significant new retail opportunities, will be a continuing catalyst for the rebirth of this entire neighborhood,” Booker said.
Developed by the Newark Housing Authority, in partnership with
Michaels Development Company, the Baxter Park development offers
90 rental apartments in two, four-story elevator buildings along Wellington Way in the historic University Heights neighborhood, connecting the University communities to the Downtown University Cultural
District and the Broad Street Station District. Amenities include a
community room and a computer lab, as well as 3,000-square feet of
street-level retail space.
Mayor Cory Booker
12
{
Ma n ag e m e n t R e p o rt S
Community Building Major Focus for Legends South Team
The Management team at Chicago’s Legends South along with
Resident Services hosts quarterly Resident Community meetings.
We regularly collaborate with community leaders, educational
institutions and local organizations to bring an expansive array
of resources to our residents. These meetings are facilitated to
address the issues and concerns of our residents. These regular
gatherings have proven to be an excellent opportunity to bridge the
different program types (i.e. Tax-Credit, Market-Rate and Public
Housing). Each meeting averages 30-50 residents, and It serves
as an excellent opportunity for residents to exchanges ideas and to
learn from each other.
Recently, Legends hosted its first Resident Community meeting
for the 2013 year. There were 40 residents who participated. The
residents received a wealth of information and resources about
Summer Youth Employment, Renters’ Insurance, Basics of Forming a Block Club, Employment Related Opportunities, Community
Gardening, Zumba Exercise Class and Self-Defense Class for older
adults. Presenters included Alderman Pat Dowell, the Community
Liaison form the 2nd District Police Department, representatives
from the Chicago Botanic Garden and representatives from Centers
for New Horizons. Centers for New Horizon is our designated community provider contracted through the Chicago Housing Authority.
These community meetings with our residents are an excellent
opportunity to showcase the various resources and amenities of
the property. Our focus is to provide invaluable information that is
applicable to any program type and reinforces our goal to build and
sustain viable mixed-income communities.
IRM’s Marketing and Management Teams are Keeping Busy!
Interstate Realty Management is taking
delivery of more than 700 new units between
now and the end of summer, so our management and marketing teams are busy from
one end of the country to the other leasing
up beautiful new affordable homes to eligible
residents.
Lincoln Towers • Wilmington, DE
McIntosh Homes • Leakesville, MS
Plaza at Centennial Hill • Montgomery, AL
Our own Darrell Williams, IRM
Property Manager, is serving
as the new President of IREM’s
Southern New Jersey Chapter. He
and the Presidents of the Delaware
Valley and New Jersey chapters
have joined forces to launch a
new regional magazine serving all
three IREM Chapters, called “TriState Times.” All three presidents,
including Darrell (far right) are
featured on the cover of the magazine’s premier issue. The magazine features news and upcoming
events within IREM and the real
estate management industry.
Cypress Landing • Shreveport, LA
City Gardens • Chicago, IL
Germantown Village • Dayton, OH
Palmdale Transit Village • Palmdale, CA
Sr. Residence at Reddick • Franklin, TN
The Plaza at Centennial Hill in
Montgomery Alabama recently
welcomed its first residents.
Sharswood II Helps Resident Apply for Scholarship Opportunity
Sharswood II resident Najiyyah Murphy received a $1200 scholarship from the Bartko
Foundation to assist in her pursuit of a Nursing Career. The Bartko scholarship is
available for women across the country. Applicants must be a single, minority mother
(head of household) with a least one dependent child living with her. Sharswood II is
a sponsoring agency of this scholarship (verifying agency of candidate information)
applications are available online at: www.bartkofoundation.com.
13
{
campus corner
USL to
Deliver First
Two Student
Housing
Communities
This August
Interior of a living room in one of the units at The Vue in Fayetteville, AK.
This August, University Student Living will have its first
two student living communities completed, operational,
and leased for the 2013/2014 academic year. The Vue in
Fayetteville, Arkansas and The Edge in Mobile, Alabama
are state-of-the art off-campus housing designed for
upper class students. The Edge is strategically located
across the street from The University of South Alabama; it is a five-story mid-rise apartment community
featuring a 156 units/556 beds. The Vue in Fayetteville
is located less than 1/10th of a mile from the University
of Southern Alabama campus and provides a choice of
flats, villas and townhomes with a hilltop location that
offers a spectacular view of the stadium. All apartments
come fully furnished, feature full kitchens, washer
and dryers, and every bedroom has a private in suite
bathroom. When students need a break from studying,
they can take advantage of the resort-style clubhouse
and recreational areas that include a swimming pool, hot
tub, barbecue areas and fire pits, fitness center, tanning
rooms, flat screen TV lounges and gaming areas.
USL Welcomes
University Student Living is also underway with two
more projects that will open in 2014; one will be a market rate apartment community called 159 FIRST in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Although not “purpose-built” for
student housing, University Student Living is pleased
to have acquired this high demand, prime location near
the water that will attract students and faculty from
nearby MIT and Harvard, as well as professionals from
the Boston and Cambridge area. This community will
also have an affordable component and is an example of
how The Michaels Organizations’ family of companies
can work together to create viable housing options. In
Waco Texas, USL has started making way for a The View
on 10th Street, on off-campus community which will
serve the undergraduate students of Baylor University.
This will be “purpose-built” student housing with our
signature apartments and clubhouse amenities.
Anthony Simeone joined University Student Living as proposal writer/
manager. He has 15 years of experience as a marketing and business
development manager, writer and editor. The last 10 have been focused on
proposals. He most recently worked at Hill International, and before that at
Wallace Roberts & Todd (architectural/design firm) in Philadelphia.
14
{
s taff d e v e l o p m e n t s
News Faces at the Water Cooler
Tela Royston
Arlene Yeagle
Alex “Bud” Kravchuck Chanese Dupont
Arlene Yeagle joined Michaels
this past March and works with Joe
Purcell’s team on Cost Certifications,
Construction Draws, and Tax Returns. Prior to joining Michaels she
spent 10 years at Community Realty
Management (CRM) in the position
of Controller/CFO. Additionally she
has worked in public accounting as
a CPA for 10 years.
Congratulations to IRM’s Brandi
Schank who has been promoted
from Accounts Receivable Specialist
to Administrative Assistant in the
Accounting department. She reports
directly to Melanie Gilbert and assists Bill Geddes and Mike Pilla.
Alex “Bud” Kravchuck
has joined Prestige Building Co.
as a Project Manager for the newly
awarded Walnut Street Apartments
in Wilmington, Delaware.
Congratulations to Chanese
Dupont, who is celebrating her
first year anniversary at Michaels
this June by earning her CPO designation. Ms. Dupont is the Assistant
Site Manager at Atlantic Marina.
Kristina Vagen has joined
University Student Living and is
working with Nick Zaferes on the
development and implementation
of student and market-rate housing.
Kristina Vagen
She is currently working on two
deals in Minneapolis. Kristina was
formerly a development officer with
Michaels Development Company
working on major affordable housing deals in New Jersey.
Maggie Sullivan Osman
joined Interstate Realty Management as AP Specialist. Prior to
joining IRM, Maggie was working in
the Finance Department at a small
property management company
in Northfield, NJ. Originally from
northern Minnesota, Maggie has
lived in New Jersey for the past 12
years and has an 11-year-old son.
Tela Royston joined the team at
Liberty Park at Andrews as a Resident Services Specialist. With an
extensive background in marketing
and event coordinator and previous
employment as a leasing representative at Bolling AFB, Tela will be a
great addition to the staff at Liberty
Park.
Timothy Ryan joined Michaels
Management Services as Staff
Accountant. His primary duties
involve working on the Liberty Park
at Andrews project and overseeing the day to day transactions of
invoice approvals, tenant refunds,
etc. Tim is finishing up his senior
Maggie S. Osman
Timothy Ryan
year at Rutgers-Camden and will be
graduating this May with a B.S. in
Accounting. He and his wife are expecting their first child in early July.
Alexa DeLisi joined University
Student Living as Development
Administrator. She is working with
Nick Zaferes in the preparation
of construction contracts for the
projects. She also monitors the
Accounts Payable and incoming
documents.
Silvia Caldera was promoted
from Assistant Site Manager to
Site Manager of Lorena Heights
Apartments. She has been with the
property for just over a year and
has showed her commitment to the
company and to the community of
Lorena Heights. Congratulations
Silvia!
Kristine Dunn has been
promoted to Jr. Corporate Accountant of IRM after completing her
Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting at
Rutgers University.
Alexa DeLisi
Silvia Caldera
Kristine Dunn
Jessica D’Alessandro works
at our corporate office as Accounts
Receivable Specialist. She works
directly with the folks on site by assisting with the tenant payments.
Jessica D’Alessandro
15
{
s taff d e v e l o p m e n t s
Congrats on Your Promotion!
Cindy Carpenter – Promoted from Assistant to
Manager at Belleville I, II, III
Patricia Minter was promoted from Assistant
manager at Cricket Court to Manager at Cypress
Landing.
Angie Hernandez was promoted from Assistant
Manager to Manager at Chaparral Apartments.
Welcome New Teammates!
Madera Apartments in California welcomes Coral
and Mark Small to the IRM team. Coral joined
as the Site Rental Manager and Mark as the Site
Maintenance Manager.
Naomi Friedrichsen – Manager at Hidden
Ponds and Hunters Run
Lucas Lafontaine, Site Manager, Evergreen
Tahoe and Tahoe Pines
Taneisha Pruitt – New Assistant Manager at
Belleville I, II, III
Michelle Middleton, Site Manager at Barbara
Place, Lafayette and Glennview
Barry Edwards – New Maintenance Technician at
Hidden Ponds
Tracey Raysor, Site Manager for Ocean Pointe
Elderly, Ocean Towers and 450 Ocean Ave
Trishawna Momon – Assistant Manager at Kings
Row Apartments
Rafael Bernal, Superintendent at Pacific Court
and Woodward Terrace
Shalena Reed - Assitant Manager - Cricket Court
Vee Ortiz, Site Manager at Roosevelt IX
and X
Melvin Banks - Maintenance at Cricket Court
Steve White - Leasing Consultant at Time Square
on the Hill
Jon Koeninger - Lead Maintenance - Country
Park
Linda Mosca, Site Manager, Mt. Senior Center
2013 Achievers
Summit
Nominations
Being Accepted
Through June 21.
Wanda Lopez, Site Manager at MiCasa Village
Rose Holland, Site Manager at Roosevelt V/
Morgan Village
Tracy Tucker-Askew, Site Manager at Wister
Townhouse
The third annual Achievers Summit will be held
October 16 and 17 at The Westin Hotel in Mt.
Laurel, NJ. The Achiever’s Summit is a gathering
of 30 select employees from all of our 8 companies who have been nominated as among “the
best of the best.” The Summit is designed as
both recognition for your hard work as well as a
unique training opportunity. This year’s theme is
“You Are The Story” and it is designed to include
the latest topical information available. The twoday Summit is packed with sequences and training exercises designed to offer participants a
Newburgh Seniors
and Liberty Square
welcome new Site
Manager Andrea
Babcock.
Please send news
of new staff
and promotions to
[email protected]
deeper understanding of how to best reach their
goals, both personally and professionally. Maximum participant involvement ensures a lively,
high-energy event. You may nominate a peer or
a direct report. Bruce Johnson, our independent
educational consultant, will then work with a
selection committee to review all nominations
received. Nominations will be accepted between
June 3 to June 21 and chosen candidates will be
notified on August 10 so don’t delay submitting
your nominations.
16
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Site-ings
A special celebration
for Mother’s Day
Staff and residents at
Cypress Shadows in
Lafayette, Louisiana had a
special celebration for
Mother’s Day! There were
flowers and cupcakes for
all the moms.
Filbern Manor hosted a 90+
birthday party for residents
Filbern Manor hosted a 90+ birthday
party for residents. There are 13 residents
over 90! Mayor Popovich wrote a proclamation honoring the 13 seniors on their
special day. State Senator Tim Murphy
also attended and gave congressional
citations to the residents.
“Whereas, these individuals have contributed
to the betterment of our world with their age,
wisdom and longevity, and uplift and transform
our community; through their experiences and
perspectives.”
Lauderhill Point Hosts Resource Fair
Lauderhill Point in Florida hosted a health and resource
fair to educate children and families on resources
available in their community to promote a more healthy
environment. The Lauderhill Police were on-site to
answer any questions from residents.
Cooking Up Healthy Meals
Janie’s Garden’s program, “Cooking
Matters” teaches residents to prepare
fresh, healthy meals. Recently they held a
graduation ceremony for all of the chefs
who graduated from the cooking class. It
has been a very successful program and the
kids have learned so much!
17
{
Site-ings
All Smiles at Brookside Estates
in New Haven
The staff at Brookside Estates in New Haven,
CT posed for a photo after the Groundbreaking ceremony at the neighboring future site of
Rockview Terrace.
Easter Bunny Visits Belmont Estates
Belmont Heights Estates partnered with Tampa National Panhellenic Council, an organization of fraternities and sororities in
the Tampa Bay area, to host a fun filled Easter egg hunt event
for the children in the BHE community. The activity included not
only an exciting egg hunt, but a variety of games, face painting
and storytelling for the little ones. The child that was able to
find the largest amount of eggs received a large Easter basket
filled with all sorts of goodies.
L to R: Omar Ursini; Maint Super, Mario A. Molano; Site Manager, Maribeth Scheidig; Property
Manager; Latoya Arnold, Leasing Agent, Nathalie
Werst; Assistant Property Manager, Jenishah
Johnson; Leasing Agent, Brenda Ward; Receptionist, Maurice Peters; Maintenance Tech.
Getting Healthy in Chicago’s West Side
At Westhaven Park, “Journey to Healthy Living” is a program
designed to give women living in the community access to free
fitness classes, nutrition classes and other wellness information. It
was developed by The Junior League of Chicago and the Near West
Side Community Development Corporation. (NWSCDC) “Journey to
Healthy Living” sprang from the need identified by the Westhaven
community for consistent programming focused on health and
wellness. The program has a comprehensive approach. Each of the
events enhances and builds on the others in the series. As a result,
the knowledge and experiences gained by the residents have a had a
cumulative effect.
Women in the Westhaven community participated in the pilates
class offered as part of the Journey To Healthy Living program.
18
{
Site-ings
Local Girl Scout
Organizes Library for Mallard Run Apartments
The new library shelves have been in place since November,
but plenty of work has been going on behind the scenes! Local
Girl Scout, Sarah Markel, has a passion for literacy and community. She selected Mallard Run Apartments library for her
Gold Award Project.
Sarah’s focus was organization, updating and expansion of the
existing library. Her project included planning with residents,
Hopping Good time at Orchard Apartments
On March 16th, Orchard Apartments held an Easter egg hunt
with the children in the community. After a two-part egg hunt,
the kids got photos with the Easter bunny and enjoyed snacks
and face painting!
construction of uniform library shelves, developing a shelving
system, cataloging library materials, addition of library materials, and starting a newsletter reading service for residents.
The Library’s Grand Opening occurred earlier this Spring.
Health Partnership with Sinai Health System
Great for Park Douglas Residents
On March 9th,Sinai Community Institute held
an open house that was designed specifically
for Park Douglas residents. Michaels Development Company and Sinai Health System
formed a collaborative partnership in which
Sinai and MDC developed a hospital and
ambulatory care center among the 137-unit
mixed-income housing development. The
overwhelming hit of the day was the “Ask a
Doctor” forum. Physicians spoke on several
health topics that affect the community—
asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure and
high cholesterol were the main areas of discussion. Residents were able to ask as many
questions as they wanted to, and a lively
discussion ensued. Residents learned about
each other, a little about disease management, and a lot about Sinai as a caring health
care institution: their partner and neighbor in
the community. Sinai staff also manned tables at the open house representing the Gads
Hill Child Development Center, WIC, Family
Services, Senior Services, and Employment
Services. There were healthy snacks, games
for children, and beautiful children’s books
given to each family. Sinai sponsored a raffle
for Park Douglas residents. The grand prize
was $ 100 gift card. Four other Park Douglas
families won $25 gift cards to Target which
they immediately put to good use.
19
{
Site-ings
WOW!!!
The first harvest from Mallard Run Apartments’
accessible community garden was gleaned
on Wednesday, May 29, 2013. Crisp leaf lettuce, radishes, and
spring onions were available for residents to purchase at the
community’s micro-farmers market!
Kelly Woods of Better Tomorrows, who serves as the Social
Services Coordinator at Mallard Run says the sugar snap peas
are climbing the trellises and strawberries, tomatoes and peppers
have blossomed and tiny fruits and vegetables are forming. Residents are welcome to visit the accessible organic garden tables
anytime. She sent these photos of the first harvest, which looks
absolutely delicious!
Meet Michelle Holmes:
A Michaels Scholarship
Success Story!
Michelle Holmes, a resident of Jackie’s
Garden in Philadelphia, and a multi-year
recipient of a Michaels Organization Education Scholarship, celebrated her graduation
from LaSalle University with a B.S. Degree
in Nursing. Michelle was a speaker at the
Jackie’s Garden re-naming ceremony in October where she spoke about the excellent
supportive services programs that Jackie
worked so hard to bring to residents.
Honoring Friends Lost
at Reading Elderly
Reading Elderly held a memorial service to honor residents who have recently
passed away. With over 50
people in attendance, the
memorial gave residents
a chance to reflect on the
lives of their friends. Local
Clergy led the ceremony which opened
with a prayer and scripture reading, followed by music. Residents were invited
to share memories of the 6 residents
who were being memorialized.
20
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m i l i ta ry S i t e - i n g s
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Michaels Management Services
Keep Our Military Residents Happy and Busy
Spring Cleaning at Benning!
On Saturday March 2, Wilson Elementary’s 5th grade
girls and boys came out to the Indianhead community
center at Ft. Benning to help beautify the neighborhood. Alamae Beltran, student at Wilson, put together
a clean-up of the neighborhood as her community
service project. Wilson’s 5th grade students must do a
total of 5 community service hours.
Congrats
Congratulations to
Aurora H. for winning the
Frontier Heritage Communities St. Patrick Day
Coloring Contest with
this winning masterpiece!
A Daddy Daughter “Date” at Ft. Belvoir
Andrews AFB
Liberty Park at Andrews’ playground was captured in full bloom this past April thanks to
Resident Services Specialist, Tela Royston who
snapped this shot. Our residents at Andrews
participated in the 5th annual Liberty Park Spring
Clean Up on April 20th.
Dads and daughters from
the Belvoir community
turned out for a special evening at Ft. Belvoir’s Father
Daughter Ball. Little girls
in fancy dresses and their
fathers in uniform enjoyed
dining and dancing the night
away.
21
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Resident Scholars
Recipient of Multiple
Resident Scholarships Enjoys
Success as Published Author
John Anyang, a former resident of Village Park
Apartments in Scranton, PA has much to be
proud of as he continues to promote his books
“Growing Up in Africa” and “Our Dying Churches and The Missing Link”, two of his books that
have been published in the past two years.
On April 11, he and his family participated in a
book signing hosted by Barnes and Noble in
Wilkes-Barre, PA where Village Park’s Support
Services Coordinator, Nicole Barasse, had a
chance to meet with Mr. Anyang and his family.
Mr. Anyang wrote his first book in 2011 and is
currently in the process of outlining his third
piece. John writes about his childhood and
education in Ghana, where he lived before he
and his family moved to America in 1999. Mr.
and Mrs. Anyang first lived in New York City for
a short time before moving to Village Park in
February 2000. Though he was well-educated
in Ghana, he quickly realized that he must
further his education in America in order to get
a career that would support him and his family.
Mr. Anyang took advantage of The Michaels
Organization Educational Foundation’s scholarship program, which is available for residents
of all properties managed by Interstate Realty
Management who are currently enrolled or
are seeking enrollment in some form of higher
education. Mr. Anyang received an academic
scholarship through the program every year. In
January 2005 he graduated from Penn State
University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. Still struggling to find
sufficient work, he went back for a Master’s
Degree from Marywood University in an ac-
celerated one year program. In December 2006
he completed his Master’s program with a GPA
of 3.76.
In the midst of maintaining a full-time job,
writing and promoting his books, and raising a
family, Mr. Anyang was invited to be the keynote
speaker at the University of Scranton’s annual
Martin Luther King Day celebration this past
February. He addressed the guests about the
themes that are found throughout both his work
and Dr. King’s legacy: opportunity & education.
Currently Mr. Anyang and his wife live in a
home in Scranton which they bought in April
2010. He still stays in touch with Robin Goman,
Senior Social Services Coordinator, at Village
Park and part of the Better Tomorrows Leadership Team.
22
{
good works
Lois Lawrence Spearheads Easter
Basket Drive for Local Food Pantry
Special thanks to Lois Lawrence, Michaels’
paymaster who collected the donations and
delivered them to the Wiley Church Food
Pantry.
PM Rob Butler Raising Funds
for Autism
Property Manager Robert Butler will be participating in a martial arts event this summer in
West Chester, Pennsylvania to raise money for
Autism Speaks. The July 27 regional tournament, which is part of the American Taekwondo
Association’s national circuit, is expected to
draw between 600-1,000 competitors and the
organization is hoping to raise at least $3000
for Autism research. If you would like to support Rob in this very worthy effort—and have
a chance to win some really nice prizes—you
can purchase a raffle ticket for just $5. Contact
Rob at [email protected] for more
information and to get your raffle ticket.
Are you on Linked-In?
The Michaels Organization has a
A Special Thank you
Hi Lois,
Please thank everyone in your office so much for the amazing Easter baskets that they put together and donated for
the children at the pantry. I wish they all could have seen
how happy the children were when they saw them tonight
and the one little girl saying “ OH, a chocolate bunny!”. She
was so cute holding up the basket and just staring into it!
The mom’s were so excited about the baskets, too. It really
meant a lot to the families that someone made Easter baskets for them. It was so nice to be able to give them something special for the children.
You work with a great bunch of people!!
Thanks, again.
Lynne
Director of The Wiley Church
Food Pantry
Gail Young Organizes
Donation Drive
Michaels Corporate office partnered with The Red
Cross again for our third blood drive. The May 6 drive
resulted in the donation of 24 units, which will help
over 70 hospital patients. To date, the corporate office
has collected over 76 units of blood between the three
drives we have hosted, which has benefited close to
225 individuals. Special thanks to Gail Young, Development Assistant, who has organized all of the drives
with The Red Cross.
Linked-in Group. You can access
all Michaels’ social media accounts,
Twitter, Facebook, and Linked-In,
from www.TheMichaelsOrg.com
23
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good works
Indian Hills Apartments Mobilize
to Help their Neighbors
The massive tornado that hit Moore Oklahoma
in May 2013 affected the whole state. The
wonderful staff and residents of Indian Hills
Apartments, which is located in Catoosa, OK,
have set out to help.
Indian Hills Apartments residents have found
amazing ways to contribute to their neighbors.
Instead of buying items to send, the first idea
was to start a coin drive. This was accomplished by setting a decorated jar in the community room asking for pocket change. The
children also wanted to help so they decorated
“sandwich boards” and went door to door on
5/29/13 asking for change. Our wonderful Indian Hills Resident Association will have a bake
sale, scheduled for June 22. The relief efforts
continue, due to the generosity of Indian Hills
community. All of the money will be donated to
the tornado relief fund of Red Cross.
24
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live, work, play, michaels
Support Team Jackie Jones and the American
Cancer Society
Team Jackie Jones is participating in the annual American
Cancer Society Bike-a-thon on Sunday, July 14, 2013.
If you plan on doing this year’s ride (there are various starting
points in Philadelphia and New Jersey and distances from 11
miles to 100 miles) or want to volunteer to help out to make
the event safe and enjoyable for the riders, please register as
a Team Jackie Jones member online.
The annual Bike-a-thon is the single largest biking fundraising event for the American Cancer Society and an anticipated
4,500 riders will participate in this year’s ride.
Bob, Back for a Visit
Our Michaels Development Company
President Emeritus, Bob Greer, poses
with his many industry awards in his
office before taking them home to
display as he enjoys his retirement.
He’s So Cute!
Love Jackson, Developer’s
Assistant in New Haven, is
now the proud mother of this
adorable little boy Hunter
Jason Jackson!
No EZ Pass Needed
Milt Pratt, Mark Morgan, Joe
Purcell, and John O’Donnell
look like celebrities as they
arrive on land after a quick trip
to Harrisburg for a meeting.
Follow Us on
FACEBOOK
For more news from
our sites around the country
25
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live, work, play, michaels
Fish Tales
World famous fisherman Mike Levitt (also
known as The Michaels Organization’s
CEO) hosted a Fishing Tournament
for friends, family and some of our
Michaels Teammates, this past February
in Guatemala.
As far as we know, no world records
were broken, but Mike told us the bill
fishing was “spectacular.” All Mike’s
fishing is “catch and release,” so they
may be able to catch the same fish—only
even bigger—if they go back next year.
Top Male Angler for the
Week: Tony Adams
Top Female Angler for
the Week: Tie between
Ava Goldman & Whitney
Weller
Catch of the Week: Mike
Levitt
2nd Best Catch of the
Week: Tie among Dan
Tillotson, Joe Coyle and
Andy Davenport
Winning Team of the Week: Joe Coyle, Nick Zaferes, Jim Miller and
Jed Henderson
Second Place: John O’Donnell, Joe Purcell, Ava Goldman, Whitney
Weller and Russ Maynard
Third Place: Joe Lynch, Pancho, Greg Carroll and Brandon Healy
Team with most points for single day: Joe Lynch, Pancho, Greg
Carroll and Brandon Healy
26
{
live, work, play, michaels
Young entrepreneurs take over Michaels Headquarters
for “Take Your Child to Work Day.”
Josie, daughter of Joel Silver (MDC)
may or not be ready to fill out a tax
credit application now, but she had a
blast in the office with dad.
The kids were all smiles at
the end of a very successful
lemonade sale
Sue Langley, Michael Levitt’s Executive Assistant,
led the kids on a tour throughout the office.
The kids took turns giving lemonade
to the Michaels employees
Prea McNeil (MMS) and her three little
girls posed for a photo that they later
put in frames that the kids made.
Tara Mancuso’s daughter, Meadow,
was happy to be a customer at the
Michaels Lemonade Stand!
It takes a lot
of people to
control 40 kids
in a big office!
Thanks to our
volunteers who
played a major
role in making
it a successful
day
The Michaels Organization was happy to welcome the children of
our staff on April 25 for Take Your Child to Work Day. The day was
filled with fun activities, a tour of the office, a special lunch, and
time to be with their parents. They were even able to help Mom or
Dad out with their work! The best part of the day was teaching the
The kids collected $300.05 and donated it to
our strategic partner, Better Tomorrows
children about raising money and helping others. All 40 kids took
turns working our Michaels lemonade stand—selling lemonade to
employees at the home office. All of the money raised was donated
to our supportive services strategic partner, Better Tomorrows. The
kids managed to raise $300.05!
27
{
better tomorrows
Meet The New President of Better Tomorrows
The non-profit organization, Better
Tomorrows, is up and running and
is now The Michaels Organization’s
strategic partner for Supportive
Services delivery to our residents
and sites. The Board of Directors
welcomed experienced non-profit
executive, Rebecca Tone, as Better
Tomorrows President and CEO.
Working closely with her new Vice
President of Development, Andy
Kucer, as well as Senior Vice President Olivette Beaton and the rest of
the leadership team—all former IRM
employees—Rebecca is busy setting
priorities, establishing an infrastructure, and pursuing private funding to
expand their supportive services offerings to affordable housing owners
and developers.
The Better Tomorrows team is
already working on a logo and a
website for the organization. Rebecca and Andy have also been visiting
IRM properties across the country
to meet social services staff and get
firsthand look at the wide variety
of services and local partnerships
already in place at 100 sites across
IRM’s portfolio.
The Better Tomorrows national
office is located at 3 East Stow Road,
Suite 200.
Up Close with Rebecca
Tone
Q: What’s been the most exciting part of launching a new
nonprofit organization?
Hands down, it’s been the process of
getting to know my team. In addition to
bringing in a few wonderful new recruits,
I’ve also had the pleasure of meeting
and learning from a whole new group of
people—the social service coordinators in
the field, who clearly have so much to give.
Whether you’re talking about a start-up or a
well-rooted organization, success depends
first and foremost on the people you’ve got
on board.
Q: What is your favorite thing
about the work that you do?
My role as I see it is to be a steward, not
only to the people we serve, but to the staff
as well. I’m here to support those in the
field, helping them carry out what I consider the really important work. What I love
about this role is that it makes me a part of
the day-to-day, hands-on effort. It gives me
a front row seat to the ways in which this
organization changes lives for the better.
Q: What are some of the partnerships you’re looking to create with other non-profits?
What I’ve come to learn is that many of our
sites already have working partnerships.
In the coming months, we’ll be assessing
these partnerships, expanding some and
replicating the best of them at other sites.
As for national alliances, we are looking for
partners that can enhance our work, those
that can bring the kind of help we need in
increased services. For now, we’re still in
the process of determining exactly what
that help looks like.
Q: What
is your
hometown?
I am a true
South Jersey
native. I was
born in Riverside, grew up
in Tabernacle,
and now live
with my family in Moorestown.
Q: What is your favorite movie?
At the risk of sounding hokey, my all-time
favorite since first seeing it at the age of
seven is The Sound of Music. I think I’ve
watched it every year since then as well. It
may be the hopeless romantic in me, but
really, besides having the best music, who
can resist that fairytale ending?
Q: What is the last book you
read?
Lust for Life, a biographical novel by Irving
Stone, which recounts the life of the Dutch
artist, Vincent Van Gogh. Based on the
volumes of letters that he wrote during
his lifetime, the book is a window into the
fascinating mind of the artist. As someone
who’s always been intrigued by the creative
process, I’m a big fan of all artists.
Q: What is your favorite inspirational quote?
Fall seven times; stand up eight.—Japanese
Proverb
28
{
better tomorrows
Andrew Kucer joins Better Tomorrows
as Vice President of External Affairs
Up Close with Andrew
Q: What’s been the most exciting part of launching a new
nonprofit organization?
The most exciting part of launching Better
Tomorrows has been thinking through
the unlimited potential we can have. The
organization already is doing great work,
from years of IRM management of social
services, and the opportunity to build upon
these successes towards collective and
measurable impact is truly motivating. On
day one, Better Tomorrows had access to
the individuals who are facing some of the
greatest adversity across our country. Most
non-profit organizations struggle with their
access to reach these highest risk individuals with their programs. To start off with a
broad reach and community driven access
to these individuals and communities is an
amazing asset that often takes most nonprofits years to build. The opportunity to
affect positive change and improve the lives
of these residents is something I am very
proud to be a part of and excited to work
towards.
Q: What is your favorite thing
about the work that you do?
I enjoy planning, building, and executing
Better Tomorrows strategy to become an
organization where it is “selling” itself.
Using data and evidence-based programs
to demonstrate the impact an organization
can create is something that is core to my
philosophy of how to impart social change
and raise the resources to do so. Raising
money, at its simplest, is the solicitation for
social investment. Asking for an investment
becomes much more effective when you
can say “X dollars will create Y change.”
Bringing Better Tomorrows to a place where
we can articulate the impact we are having
on every dollar spent will not only make
fundraising easier but it will enable us as an
organization to bring substantial projects
to scale and ultimately affect large scale
change. It is this work that is very rewarding and something I truly enjoy.
Q: What are some of the partnerships that you’re looking to
create with other non-profits?
Right now partnerships are focused on the
local level. Without the local relationships a
great deal of the programming that is being
implemented would be impossible. We
want to help sites and social services coordinators continue to cultivate these local
partnerships. Concurrently, we will begin
working on National Partnerships that will
allow us to roll out uniform programming
across all of the sites. I am looking forward
to finding other organizations committed
to using evidence-based programming to
impact the resident participants. While we
are looking at a wide array of potential part-
Andy Kucer and Olivette Beaton with new colleagues, Marie Piquion and Sarina
Charnock, in the new National Office of Better Tomorrows located in Marlton, NJ.
ners focused on
everything from
health to education to employment, there are
two areas that
I am particularly excited to
pursue.
The first is opening the number
of opportunities that exist. When you talk
to some youth residents in Philadelphia, its
very eye opening to learn that many of the
kids who live 20 blocks from the high rises
of center city have never left the neighborhood to see these buildings. This is
indicative of how a lack of exposure limits
the potential of people- if you do not know
something exists outside of your immediate
community, you might not find opportunities that you would like to pursue. I hope to
find partnerships that will expose individuals the world outside of their immediate
communities—through trips, mentorships,
and programming this is one obstacle to
opportunity that can easily be achieved.
The second is that I am also very passionate about giving individuals an opportunity
for a second chance. So many of our residents make a mistake at one point in their
life and then spend the rest of their lives
paying for that mistake. Finding programs
that will allow individuals to pursue education, training, or support to overcome the
obstacles they face, is critical to helping
communities thrive and break the cycle
of generational poverty. I am excited to
explore partnerships in this area as well.
Q: What is your favorite inspirational quote?
“The ones that are crazy enough to think
that they can change the world, are the
ones who do.”—Steve Jobs
29
{
better tomorrows
Making Better Tomorrows Possible ...
Ms. Idella Mitchell is 95 years old is the eldest resident
of Oakhaven Apartment in Yazoo City, MS. With her age,
she’s been experiencing health issues that interfere with
her ability to maintain her household and other personal
matters. After notifying social services of her illness, she
stated she was interested in seeking help because she
lacks family support. Better Tomorrows was able to make
a positive change in her life so that she could continue to
live independently. They referred her to Senior Life Solution
Outpatient Program, which she attends Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9am - 2pm. This program offers
resources to restore health and happiness. On Tuesday
and Thursday, she has a homemaker to assist her around
the apartment with chores and errands. Better Tomorrows
also assisted her with transportation through Yazoo County
Human Resource for all her medical, vision, and dental
services. Now Ms. Mitchell can remain at home with all the
care she deserves.
Children of Better Tomorrows Employees Eligible for New Scholarship Program
The Levitt Family Charitable Foundation, chaired by
Patricia Levitt, has announced that it will receive and
fund applications for its new 2013 Better Tomorrows
Employee Scholarship Program. The scholarships
may be used to fund higher education at any college,
university, or accredited vocational program in the
country. To be eligible, the applicant’s parent must be
a full-time employee of Better Tomorrows, and he or
she must be a high school graduate.
The application is being sent via e-mail to all Better
Tomorrows staff and must be completed and returned by June 17.
The applications should be mailed to independent
educational consultant, Dr. Bruce Johnson, at P.O.
Box 740, Washington Crossing, PA 18977.
For more information, Dr. Johnson can be reached at
[email protected] or 215-262-4230.
30
{
better tomorrows
A White House Visit for Young
Residents of Regency Park
On March 26, 25 Soccer for Success participants between
the ages of 8 -12 who live at Regency Park Apartments
in Coatesville, Pennsylvania participated in a special day
of Let’s Move activities at the White House with President
Obama. Soccer for Success is the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s free soccer-based afterschool program that uses
soccer as a tool to combat childhood obesity and promote
healthy lifestyles for children in under-resourced communities. The program in Coatesville is run by the JT Dorsey
Foundation, whose founder is a retired pro soccer player
and a former resident of Regency Park. JT Dorsey worked
with Crystal Lowery and Ed Rodriquez of Better Tomorrows
to bring this exciting program to our apartment community
Coatesville. The kids – and their chaperones—had a great
visit to D.C. You can watch a video of “Regency Park Kids
Visit the White House” on The Michaels Organization’s You
Tube channel.
All smiles
on the bus
ride to DC
Our Regency Park
kids looked on as
President Obama
accepted a jersey
from the National
Soccer Champs,
the LA Galaxy.
Ultimate “Soccer Mom”
Crystal Lowery, Better Tomorrow’s Social Services
Coordinator for Regency
Park,” looks serious as
she watches over her
young charges on their
way to the White House.
The team
awaiting
entrance into
The White
House where
they participated in a
Let’s Move!
special
event.
31
{
better tomorrows
Better Tomorrows Team Meets in Philadelphia for
Training, Networking, and Employee Recognition
Rebecca Tone
welcomes her Team
Tia Wilkinson, Yale Village Apartments
Janet Williams, Terry Apartments
Rebecca Tone accepted on behalf of Kelly
Woods, Mallard Run Apartments
Better Tomorrows hosted a training conference and
meeting for its team on April 25, 2013 in Philadelphia. The coordinators, who are now employed by
our strategic partner Better Tomorrows, came from
all across the country to attend. During the meeting, employees were acknowledge for their dedication to powerful social services programs at their
sites. George Riley, Tia Wilkinson, Kelly Woods,
and Janet Williams all received recognition and
plaques in appreciation of their devotion to their
residents and community.
George Riley, West Poplar Apartments
32
{
Employee Resources
Employee Resources – Effective June 1, 2013 The resources to access in the event additional information is required on a variety of topics are listed below. Please keep this list in an easily accessible place for your reference. Topic Contact Employees based in Hawaii: HSMA (Hawaii Medical Service Association): 808-­‐948-­‐6376 HMSA Group #18236-­‐1-­‐6 HSMA Vision Plan included with medical plan www.hmsa.com For FSA, contact Aetna Payment of a MEDICAL or
VISION claim or plan
coverage inquires and
Flexible Spending Account
(FSA) inquiries
Aetna Member Services: 1-­‐800-­‐962-­‐6842 -­‐-­‐OR-­‐-­‐ log into Aetna.com Payment of a DENTAL claim
or plan coverage inquires
MetLife Member Services: 800-­‐244-­‐6224 www.metlife.com MetLife Group # 151439 Employees based in Hawaii: HSMA (Hawaii Medical Service Association): 808-­‐948-­‐6376 Express Scripts Member Services: 800-­‐351-­‐0628 –OR-­‐-­‐
log in to Express-­‐Scripts.com Employees based in Hawaii: HSMA (Hawaii Medical Service Association): 808-­‐948-­‐6376 Aetna Group # 837204 Payment of a
PRESCRIPTION claim or
plan coverage inquires
Express Scripts Group # UMB36447 For medical, dental, vision, life
or long term disability:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
benefit enrollment questions,
information on pay deductions
for benefits,
life event changes,
issues that employee cannot
resolve regarding the payment
of a claim or plan coverage with
Aetna or HSMA and
to file a Life Insurance Claim
For medical, dental, vision, life
or long term disability:
1.
2.
3.
4.
to view your benefit coverage
selections
to view or change your
beneficiary,
view your and dependent life
insurance benefit amounts,
find links to carrier websites
If you have a question about your benefits or a claim payment, your first point of contact should always be
the insurance company. However, if you cannot resolve your concerns or require special assistance, please
contact a specially trained and licensed Client Service Associate to intercede on your behalf:
Connor Strong and Buckelew: Member Advocacy
Phone: 800-563-9929
Fax: 856-685-2253
Email: [email protected]
Conner Strong: Enrollments and QLE (Qualifying Live Event) documentation
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 856-685-2254 Go to
https://www.benefitsconnect.net/themichaelsorg
Enter your username: (your user name is up the first 6 letters of your last name, followed by the first letter
of your first name, followed by the month and date of your birth in mm/dd format.
Enter the password: Your initial password is your Social Security Number
For example, Jane Dovebar (Social Security Number 123-45-6789 and date of birth 12/10/1969) would enter
the following:
Username:
Password:
dovebaj1210
123456789 33
{
Employee Resources
Employee Resources – Effective June 1, 2013 The resources to access in the event additional information is required on a variety of topics are listed below. Please keep this list in an easily accessible place for your reference. Topic
Contact To apply or ask questions
regarding a leave of absence:
Please note: Employees should apply for
leave at least 15 days prior to the
commencement of leave to see if they
qualify for a leave under the Family
Medical Leave Act. If it is impossible to
contact the company within the specified
time period, the employee must provide
notice as soon as practicable.
1.
Employee should contact their manager if a leave of absence is required.
2.
The employee’s manager will then contact Bob Witkoski in Human Resources at 856-3554512 or [email protected]. Bob should be provided, in writing, the employee’s
name, reason for leave, and the date the leave will commence.
3.
Bob will generate the Family Medical Leave forms and send to employee’s home for
completion by the employee and the employee’s Health Care Provider.
If hurt on the job:
1.
Employee must immediately contact their manager.
2.
Your manager is aware of the instructions to be followed for reporting the claim.
3.
If the employee receives any invoices for medical services received in relation to the work related
injury/illness, those invoices should be forwarded to [email protected] or faxed to
856-797-8959.
If it is a payroll question your manager cannot answer, contact the respective Payroll
Administrator who supports your assigned cost center:
Lois Lawrence
[email protected]
(856) 810-5358 – Direct Tel
1000’s, 9900’s, 9451, Ft. Belvoir, 9500 Michaels Management Services (MMS) Corporate, 9501MMS Ft.
Leavenworth, 9520 Ft. Leavenworth FHC, 9542 Ft. Benning Payroll Questions
Diana Bernardini
[email protected]
856-988-5830 – Direct Tel
7000’s, 8000’s, 9536 Andrews AFB, 9537 MacDill AFB, 9538 Ft. Huachuca, 9539 Yuma Proving Grounds
Debbie Braddock
[email protected]
856-355-2533 – Direct Tel
2000’s, 3000’s, 4000s, 5000’s, 6000’s
Address for all Payroll Administrators:
The Michaels Organization
3 E. Stow Road
P.O. Box 994
Marlton, NJ 08053
Payroll FAX: 856-797-8959
34
{
Employee Resources
Employee Resources – Effective June 1, 2013 The resources to access in the event additional information is required on a variety of topics are listed below. Please keep this list in an easily accessible place for your reference. Contact Topic
Employment Verification
•
W-4 Changes
Should be referred to the employee’s respective Payroll Administrator.
•
The W-4 Form may be obtained on The Michaels Institute. If you do not have access to
The Michael’s Institute, request the form through your manager.
•
Completed W-4 forms should be sent to your Payroll Administrator via email, fax, US mail.
You may also ask your manager to submit this form to Payroll for you.
o
•
Change of Address,
Home Phone Number,
Emergency Contact
Information
Complete the Payroll Change Notice Available on The Michaels Institute, or send an email
to your Payroll Administrator with the changed information. If you do not have access to
The Michaels Institute or email, please contact your manager for assistance.
o
The Direct Deposit Form may be obtained on The Michaels Institute. If you do not have access to
The Michael’s Institute, request the form through your manager or Payroll.
•
Completed Direct Deposit forms should be sent to your Payroll Administrator via email, fax, US
mail. You may also ask your manager to submit this form to Payroll for you.
o
Military Sites: Request Change Form from your manager
•
Direct Deposit Changes
Vacation, Sick, Personal Day
questions
Military Sites: Request W-4 Form from your manager
•
Military Sites: Request Change Form from your manager
Questions regarding the Vacation, Sick or Personal Day policy may be directed to your
manager or your respective Payroll Administrator.
401(k) Enrollment, Loans &
Distributions
Melanie Gilbert
[email protected]
856-988-5980 – Direct Tel
856-355-1543 – Direct Fax
401(k) Changes to
Contributions, Investments
Log into your Great West Account:
www.Gwrs.com
1-800-338-4015 – Participant Services Toll Free Number
John Cipollone
Wells Fargo Advisors. LLC
856-590-0888 – Tel
856-988-8709 – Fax
1-800-866-8808 – Toll Free Number
[email protected]
401(k) Investment Advice
Kristine Dunn
[email protected]
856-355-2538 – Direct Tel
856-355-1543 – Direct Fax
•
For issues pertaining to IT (Information Technology) a ticketing system is in place to
support our personnel within the Michaels Organization. It is an extremely helpful tool
that adds structure and expediency to our entire help desk process.
Technical or Systems Problems
•
Send the issue or request via email [email protected]. This will autogenerate a ticket which all support staff have access to. From there, one of our support
personnel will be assigned that ticket/task and act upon it. It will remain open till that
particular problem or request has been resolved. If internet access is down, and email
is not functioning, contact the help desk by phone (856.797.8961).
•
Military Sites – Report issues to your manager who will submit help desk tickets
to Nancy Thomas [email protected]
35
June 4, 2012 Page 3 of 3 {
La s t W o r d
SHARE
YOUR
MICHAELS
STORIES
Thank
You!
Whether you’ve been with
The Michaels Organization
since the beginning or
joined just recently,
we’d love to hear
your favorite Michaels memory.
Send us yours and
we’ll send you
a 40th anniversary keychain
Together We Build Communities
and will publish them
in upcoming issues of
Developments@Michaels.
Send your memory to
[email protected]
Before he had the corner office,
John O’Donnell enjoyed the “cubicle” life…
but his desk looks much the same!
Here he is chatting with Linda Flink,
now in charge of Investor Relations.
N CE
2010
Michaels is named
2012
University Student
36