Influential Woman · Multifamily Property Management

Jennifer Ramos

Senior Regional Supervisor, Vidalta Residential

Houston, TX

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Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Le Cordon Bleu Cert CAM (Certified Apartment Manager) Member Apartment Association

Her Story

About Jennifer

I started my professional journey in the Air Force, where I served and was stationed at Al-Mubarak Air Base in Kuwait as part of the 623rd AMSS. After leaving the military, I decided to pursue a completely different path and attended Le Cordon Bleu culinary school, where I graduated magna cum laude. Like many others, I fell into the multifamily property management industry in May 2008, and as we say, this industry is like the Mafia - once you're in, you're in. I started as a leasing agent and worked my way up through all the roles over the past 16 years. Now, as a Senior Regional Property Supervisor for the past year, I focus on what I do best: building strong teams and making properties better than when I got them. I specialize in lease-up and cleanup projects, coming in to bring harmony and help bring owners back into financial health. I'm passionate about ensuring that the properties investors have put their nest eggs into are financially healthy and providing the dividends they're looking for. I've been honored to receive Regional of the Year through our apartment association and Top Leader recognition from my company. I love getting certifications to hone my career, including my CAM (Certified Apartment Manager), CAPS (Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor), and CAS (Certified Apartment Supplier) when I briefly went to the vendor side before returning to multifamily because I missed my teams. Currently, I'm working on an HR certification as I look to make that career shift.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Jennifer

01What do you attribute your success to?

I attribute my success 100% to my teams. They're everything. Without strong, productive teams, none of what I've accomplished would be possible. My focus has always been on building solid teams and ensuring they have what they need to be as productive as possible, because at the end of the day, it's the people who make the difference.

02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

Have drive and be motivated, because in this industry you don't have to have a lot of schooling or a whole background to start in it, and it's so fruitful. If you really want to make a go of it, this can be an amazing career for people, especially young ones starting off. You can start off doing it part-time while you're in school or right out of high school, as long as you're 18. You can do this job and it can be really, honestly, very fruitful. This is one of those careers where you can really do well - they give you apartments and you can build up your career in it and make really good moves.

03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

The biggest challenge in multifamily property management is people management, hands down. Everyone in this field will tell you the hardest part of this job is people management. You can teach people to do reports, formulas, how to calculate information, sales, and things like that, but teaching people to be able to lead other people can be extremely challenging because you're dealing with so many different personality types and trying to connect with each one of them on a level of understanding is not the easiest. Honestly, property management is like that show 'The Office' - they should have done it about this industry instead of a paper company, because the stuff that happens on a daily basis, you cannot make this stuff up.

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