Celebrating Excellence: Meet the 2025 ACE Winners

Celebrating Excellence: Meet the 2025 ACE Award Winners

Each year, the Apartment Community Excellence (ACE) Awards honor the individuals and communities whose work elevates the multifamily housing industry across Oregon. These professionals set the standard for leadership, service, innovation, and resident care. Their stories reflect resilience, creativity, and a deep commitment to building stronger communities.

This year’s winners embody excellence across every role, from property operations to maintenance, portfolio leadership, community support, and large-scale renovations. Below is a full look at the 2025 ACE Award honorees, grouped by category.

Corporate & Support Excellence

Corporate Support Person of the Year

Amanda Erickson, Prime Residential

Amanda supports nearly 6,000 units across the Pacific Northwest and is known for her people-first leadership style. She meets every new hire within their first 30 days, fosters portfolio-wide retention, and provides consistent mentorship, structure, and authenticity that lift every team she supports.

Property Support Person of the Year

Mani Chanthouniamxay, Security Properties Residential – The Ardea

As concierge for a large high-rise community, Mani is the steady presence residents rely on. She knows 95 percent of residents by name, manages amenities, packages, reservations, and front-of-house operations, and bridges communication across leasing and maintenance. Despite now being the sole concierge, she continues to deliver impeccable service with a calm and solutions-oriented approach.

Leasing & Rookie Achievement

Leasing Associate of the Year

Sarah Rodriguez, Greenbridge Properties

Sarah is celebrated for her human-centered approach to leasing. She builds meaningful connections with prospects and residents, especially those experiencing hardship, offering dignity, empathy, and unwavering follow-through.

Rookie of the Year

Emily Wickman, Sequoia – Eddyline at Bridgeport

Emily’s first year in property management has been remarkable. She helped maintain 95 percent occupancy at a 377-unit community, generated over $1 million in sales volume, earned twelve consecutive 5-star reviews, and led standout resident events. Her lived experience with housing instability fuels her compassion and advocacy for residents, setting her apart as an emerging leader.

Maintenance Excellence

Maintenance Manager of the Year

Casady Spealman, CTL Management

Casady is a mentor and problem solver who trains his team to think critically and operate with efficiency. His systems, including a detailed turnover checklist, have improved both speed and quality across his portfolio.

Jeremy Perin, Avenue5 Residential

With a construction and masonry background, Jeremy excels at major improvements, LED conversions, HVAC efficiency, and collaborative planning with his management team. He is known for consistent communication and high resident satisfaction results.

Ronald Osborne, Holland Residential

Ron is a hands-on leader who prioritizes integrity, preventative maintenance, and clear communication. His focus on training and structured team huddles creates smooth operations and strong resident trust.

Maintenance Technician of the Year

Evgeney “Eugene” Chernyaev, IDM – Cascade View

With nearly 15 years at IDM and exceptional reliability, Eugene is valued for his deep technical skill, resourcefulness, and ability to independently complete high-quality renovations and repairs.

Jonathan Miranda, Sleep Sound Property Management

Jonathan brings a rare combination of technical talent and emotional intelligence. Known as both the “owner whisperer” and the “tenant whisperer,” he is skilled at preserving historic buildings and de-escalating difficult situations with empathy.

Steven Owens, Guardian – Champion Park Apartments

Steven draws from his construction background and competitive athletic drive to deliver high-quality, efficient work. His leadership has improved maintenance scores and transformed resident experience at Champion Park.

Property Management & Community Leadership

Property Manager of the Year

Kelly Chaney, FPI/Asset Living – Township Eastside

Kelly leads with balance and resilience. Despite facing three fires in a single year, she maintained 97 percent occupancy while improving communication, compliance, and maintenance response times.

Lauren Brzycki, Cushman & Wakefield – Westline

Lauren inherited a long-unstaffed community and rebuilt operations from the foundation up. She restored resident trust through communication, safety improvements, and responsive team leadership.

Madison Enos, Sequoia Equities – Waterhouse Place

Madison transformed Waterhouse Place from a struggling property into a thriving, high-performing community. She rebuilt systems, strengthened vendor partnerships, improved ORA scores, and trained teams across the region.

Portfolio Leadership

Portfolio Manager of the Year

Andy Rockstead, FPI Management

Andy is known for hands-on coaching and consistent on-site presence. His ability to walk units, guide leasing strategy, strengthen maintenance operations, and support staff development has transformed performance at every community he oversees.

Christopher Braddock, Sleep Sound Property Management

Christopher focuses on developing people and building efficient systems. His operational innovations, including workflow automation and platform transitions, have strengthened accuracy, communication, and resident satisfaction.

Property & Renovation Excellence

Property of the Year

Freewell Apartments – Prometheus Real Estate Group

Freewell blends creativity, art, and community activation through thoughtfully designed amenities like a Makers Lab, coworking floors, and rooftop lounge. A 5.0 Google rating with 45 reviews reflects its strong service and vibrant resident culture.

Heirloom Apartments – Avenue5 Residential

Despite its challenging location on 82nd Avenue, Heirloom increased its Google rating from 3.3 to 4.0 in two months while maintaining 96 percent occupancy. The team’s daily presence, communication, and commitment to resident well-being shine through in every interaction.

Renovated Property of the Year

Rowen – Thrive Communities

Rowen’s renovation delivered luxury interiors, refreshed exteriors, a redesigned clubhouse, fitness center upgrades, new pool amenities, native landscaping, and a Bark Park. The community saw rent growth, higher occupancy, and a surge in 5-star reviews after the transformation.

Westbury Apartments – WPL Associates

Westbury’s renovation improved energy efficiency, moisture protection, curb appeal, and safety through Hardie plank siding, new windows, upgraded insulation, and modernized railings. Operations stabilized, maintenance needs dropped, and residents immediately felt the impact.

Best Curb Appeal of the Year

The Farmstead at Delta Ridge – Avenue5 Residential

The Farmstead delivers a modern farmhouse aesthetic complemented by lush seasonal landscaping, curated planters, glowing fire pits, and a strong resident event culture. Despite tight construction timelines for a brand-new development, the team launched a polished, welcoming environment that has quickly become a standout in its market.

Honoring Excellence Across Our Industry

The 2025 ACE Award winners reflect the best of multifamily housing. They are innovators, teachers, problem solvers, and community builders. Their work strengthens teams, supports residents, and raises the bar for our entire industry.

Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees. Your leadership and dedication inspire us all.