President's Pen, Fall 2026

September 30, 2026

Posted By: Heather Crowley in the ApartMentor,

Celebrating Progress, Preparing for What's Next

Dear Membership,

I can't believe we are already three quarters of the way through 2026! This is an exciting and busy time of year. As I mentioned in my first President's Pen earlier this year, turning member feedback into action through our strategic plan is my personal goal as your 2026 President. I am looking forward to all the ways our members and volunteers will help me see that through to the end of the year.

The board is gearing up for a two-day retreat in October to write our next strategic plan. Of course, charting what is to come requires reflecting on what has already been accomplished. Behind the scenes, volunteer leaders have been dedicated to reviewing and measuring the success of our committees. Did you know that every committee co-chair has an annual plan of work, and they measure success against that plan
each year? Those plans of work are vital to the strategic plan because they are the vehicles through which committees bring our goals to life. If you currently serve on a committee, THANK YOU! It is your effort and input that continues to drive us forward. On top of that, your co-chairs meet quarterly with one another to share successes and challenges they face as leaders. I love what comes from those meetings. Co-chairs collaborate and share advice across committees to replicate successes and carry forward lessons learned. It is amazing to see both brand new and seasoned volunteer leaders come together with ideas and support for one another, their committee members, and the association as a whole.

The board also has dedicated task forces that help gather feedback and shape what ends up in the next strategic plan. This year, I am especially excited about the task force dedicated to reviewing last year’s membership survey, with the goal of putting those insights into action starting in 2027. They are a temporary group of owner/operators and suppliers devoted to diving into the detailed survey responses and making recommendations to the full board and TAA staff on what we should prioritize over the next three years.

If you ever want to know more about how your committee is performing or what is being considered for our strategic plan, please know that you can ask a staff member, co-chair, board member, or me directly. We are here to serve our members.

Speaking of hearing from our members, I want to thank everyone who participated in and attended our inaugural Supplier Appreciation Month. Our supplier partners are a vibrant part of our membership, and I look forward to continuing to celebrate them and the partnerships built between our supplier and operator members.

Our celebrations for the year are not over! One of my personal favorite events, TOPS, is coming up on Nov. 18. TOPS stands for “Triangle Outstanding Performance Stars,” and I cannot wait to see this year’s winners! Nominations are open through Oct. 11, so please take a moment to nominate and help us celebrate our local talent in style.

Thank you all for a wonderful year so far. I know, personally, I have so much to be grateful for this year, and I look forward to closing it out by celebrating this membership and helping chart the years ahead for our members.