Influential Woman · Hospitality and Multifamily Property Management

Lanika White

Director of Operations, Property Manager, True Management

Towson, MD 21204

1Award received

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree High School Graduate Degree IT Certification Degree Marriott Training Programs Cert IT Certification

Her Story

About Lanika

I'm a military brat, and when we moved to Maryland, I knew I didn't want to stay there after high school. I moved to Virginia and started my career in hospitality at a Best Western, where I worked at both properties for about 9 months. Then I upgraded to Marriott, where I spent about 10 years working my way up from night audit to front desk to supervisor to assistant general manager to GM, working between the Fairfield and Residence Inn brands. After I moved back to Maryland, I joined True Management and took on what I thought was just a hotel renovation project, but they actually converted it into an apartment community. So I took my hospitality background and put it into multifamily. Now I work the property alone, handling budgeting, forecasting, revenue management, and resident retention. Most of my residents have been with me since we started this project 5 years ago, between 4 to 5 years depending on when their building was done. I do events for them, probably 4 or 5 big ones a year and 10 to 12 little ones throughout the year. I also help with the maintenance side and do a lot of training and leadership, helping other managers come online from hotels to multifamily as the company has expanded to 7 or 8 more properties in different states.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Lanika

01What do you attribute your success to?

My parents served about 85 years total in the military, and the values they instilled in me - the morals, the discipline, the respect of authority and leaders, people in uniform - kind of moved me into where I'm at now. I also had a GM named Tim Fitzgerald from the first Marriott I was at who paved the way to where I'm at now. I try to look at things with the glass full, and I kind of turn anything that's a negative into a positive. Sometimes people tell me that's not the right way to look at things, but I do, and that positive mindset has really helped me succeed.

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

I would say grasp all the knowledge that you can from anyone you can get it from - positive knowledge. Keep going, don't ever stop. Stay motivated, stay determined. Just keep going, cause you'll get there.

03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

The values my parents instilled in me from their combined 85 years of military service are most important - the morals, the discipline, the respect of authority and leaders, people in uniform. Those values kind of moved me into where I'm at now. I'm also a big person on work, life, and mom balance, so I try to balance everything equally as much as I can. As a mom of 4 and a grandmother, I pour into my kids so that I'm creating leaders in this world, because they're the future. For myself, I work out every day and I meditate to maintain that balance.

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