2018 President’s Award - David Becker, Canterbury Green Apartments

Here is what was said about our winner at the 2018 Summit Celebration ...

A few, some years ago, a position came open for our Board of Directors.  Luckily, I had had the opportunity to work alongside a person who I knew held the characteristics needed to to serve our Board.  This person has an outstanding amount of integrity, respect for others, a vast array of experience in working for and with Presidents, CEO’s, Owners/Operators, our amazing Associates and Vendors, and above all else, has a deep caring for our Association and those in this community that everyone in this room represents.  I knew this person would take our Association and Board from “Where We Are” to “Where Can We Go?!” I knew all of this as I’ve had the great experience to have worked alongside this person for years.  ... This person takes a little more than their share of blame for the mistakes...and a little less than their fair share of credit for the good things.  2018 was a challenging year for us for a few reasons.  We had our fair share of struggles.  Some pretty heavy conversations were had and at times some tears were shed.  With that being said, there wasn’t one time over the past year that I picked up the phone to ask this person for some guidance and support ...in which I didn’t receive.  Any idea I said wasn’t too crazy.  This person would just listen and at times...listened long to my thoughts.  This person always responded with 100% honesty.  They never told me what I wanted to hear or advised to take the “easy” route.  Rather, they gave me perspectives from all possible angles.  Of course, there were those times I would call and I’d get a response like, “And WHYYYYY do you think this is a good idea” or “I’m  sorry...WHAT?!”.  But...this person would still take the time to give me the support a leader needs.  All the while I was receiving this support and guidance, this person was busy putting out fires (figuratively and metaphorically).  They were busy guiding a staff of over 25 employees in their department, teaching education classes for our Association, sitting on our Education Committee, coaching 7th grade soccer, putting up with his wife, raising 6 children (with one away serving in the military) AND 1 grandchild, along with maintaining over 2,000 apartments. To quote John Quincy Adams, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, YOU ARE A LEADER.”  This person is a true leader and the first ever Maintenance Service Director to hold the President seat on the Board of Directors. ...