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Associate Spotlight: Rachel Gargano, Community Manager

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As an apartment professional, Rachel Gargano is the entire package. Lease-ups, budget building, community tours, event management, credit screens, background checks – you name it and she has done in it, and done it extremely well in a relatively short time in the multifamily industry.

The Arizona State graduate, who went on to earn a second degree, a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Management from Western Governors University (Salt Lake City), joined LMC in Feb. 2017. Her first assignment was opening Octave, in Nashville, Tenn. In Nov. 2018, Rachel was promoted to community manager at fellow Nashville community The Morris to complete the lease up. Rachel currently manages Novel at Stonewall Station in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Rachel has also participated in two LMC panels and was even awarded LMC’s “Extra Mile” award in 2018. Rachel has been a valuable contributor to LMC’s cultural ambassadors program, a program “near and dear to my heart.”

As she recently surpassed her one-year mark as community manager at The Morris, Rachel took the time to answer a few quick questions:

What is your official title and job description?
I’m the community manager of The Morris, which is located along Music Row in Nashville, Tenn. I am a founding member of the Cultural Ambassadors, as well.

What is your favorite part of the job you do?
The enjoyment that comes from my job has many different facets. On one hand, I have been able to test and grow my leadership skills by managing the team at The Morris. I love the team engagement and being able to take in not only good times but also the hard times. On the other hand, what has turned out to be one of my favorite aspects of the job is the financials. I thoroughly enjoy understanding all items in the budget and being able to speak on the financials at the end of the month—so weird, I know!

What has been one of your biggest challenges in the community manager role?
The hardest part for me has been my subtle inability not to take things so personally. I am a people pleaser down to my heart and when you sit in a leadership role sometimes it is your job not to be able to always say yes. I have been able to grow from this and also find value in finding alternate solutions for our residents and associates. Just because it’s not a “yes” doesn’t mean it has to be “no”!

What's your favorite LMC Core Value?
We’re good people, let’s be good people together. I believe that the reason I have always clung to this Core Value is just due to the mere fact that it is so simple. Truly, if you are a good person at the root of you, then your work and the end result will be successful. Especially in a business where we give people their homes!

If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?
If given the choice of a superpower, I would love to be able to hear dogs' thoughts. I may never leave the house after work if I can just chat with my buddy all day.

What is the coolest place you’ve traveled and why?
The coolest place that I have traveled so far has to be Jamaica. I was completely taken by their love for life with whatever they have. The people that live in Jamaica were so full of life and completely happy. I felt stress-free the entire time I was there and it was hard to leave. I will say, however, I have been aching plans to visit Asia. I can’t wait to eat everything in sight.

LMC is a very special place to work, largely because of the special people who work here. Our company culture is infused with spirit, enthusiasm, passion, and vitality. Thank you for being an amazing example of that, Rachel!

Above all else, we are committed to quality, communication, and integrity. This applies to the communities we build and lease, and to the relationships we have with our residents and each other. Are you looking for amazing opportunities for career growth at one of America’s leading apartment developers? We are always growing and looking to add amazing people to our LMC teams!