We’re excited to introduce you to the newest member of Team 30 Lines, Kristi Fickert!

Kristi is our Vice President of Marketing & Training. In her role, she drives all sales, marketing and training initiatives, and acts as 30 Lines’ brand ambassador, connecting clients and companies with effective and meaningful solutions to build their online presence.

Read on to get to know Kristi a bit better— in her own words.

How did you get into the multifamily industry?

I attended Ohio University, where I was a pre-law major studying political science & public administration. As is the case with most college students, I was broke and desperate to land a job. A friend recommended the multifamily industry to me, thinking my personality was a good fit. I thought touring people through model apartments sounded fun, so I applied for a leasing consultant position and, to my surprise, was hired on the spot.

I only intended to stay in the industry for a year or two until I found a “real” job, but I quickly learned that this industry was the perfect fit for the things I’m the most passionate about. And so nearly 18 years later, here I am.

I learned early on that hard work and grit will always get you where you want to go, so I dug in and was fortunate enough to earn several other promotions and titles along the way, including Sales Manager, Corporate Recruiter, and Senior Regional Sales & Marketing Director.

Tell us a little about your last job.

For the past 15 years, I held the position of Senior Regional Sales and Marketing Director with Village Green, one of the nation’s oldest and largest privately held real estate and development firms in the Midwest. I was responsible for overseeing all marketing and sales efforts for a portfolio of 25+ sites nationwide, which included launching new construction/ lease up communities and working to reposition and re-brand numerous assets going through a renovation program.

In addition, I had the privilege of working directly on corporate marketing projects, including social media, advertising, corporate branding, reputation management, public relations, acquisitions, recruitment, and launching various training classes and programs.

It was a wonderful experience with a great company and I credit Village Green with much of my success today. They truly develop their associates into well-rounded professionals, and I’m fortunate to have been able to work alongside some of the best and brightest people in the industry.

Why do you enjoy the marketing field so much?

Because it’s so fast-paced and ever changing. You’ve always got to be a step ahead of your competition in order to win. And it requires so much creativity and innovation. It pushes you to think in different ways. My mind never stops thinking about marketing. Everything I watch, read, see. No matter where I am, I am constantly trying to figure out, “How can we make that work for our industry? How can I take that idea or concept and make it better for us?”

What’s your proudest professional accomplishment to date?

I was recently nominated for the Top Hat Prestige Award with the Greater Cincinnati Northern Kentucky Apartment Association. It’s been ten years since the last award was presented and I’ve been named one of three finalists for 2015. Nominees are judged on professionalism, work ethic, philosophy and contributions to both the community and the industry. Our industry is full of fiercely talented people, so being named a finalist was a big deal for me. Very humbling!

Tell us about some of your other experiences in marketing and training.

I’ve been heavily involved with numerous apartment associations over the years. I’m an instructor for the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Columbus and Dayton, Ohio Area Apartment Associations, including being a part of their education committees.

I’ve been a panelist on a variety of both local and national marketing panels and have presented for Proctor and Gamble’s MBA Marketing Program. In addition, I’ve been a featured speaker for the Cincinnati Reds, Urban Land Institute, the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber HYPE Program and Commercial Real Estate Women.

Who do you think is doing innovative marketing outside the multifamily industry?

I’m a brand fanatic! A few of the brands I love to watch right now are Amazon, Apple, Starbucks, Whole Foods, Blue Apron, Virgin, Zappos and Ipsy.

Whether they’re doing cool stuff with live events and customer interactions, leveraging brand ambassadors in fun new ways, implementing creative campaigns via social channels, or just always improving their products, services and customer experiences, it’s really fun to dig into these brands and watch how they launch and manage their campaigns.

What are you most excited to do here at 30 Lines?

30 Lines is doing some pretty amazing things. It’s so exciting to be a part of an organization that is so innovative and that is truly changing the way we sell and market apartments to renters.

I’m thrilled that I get to help shape the future of the 30 Lines brand and I’m really looking forward to sharing what we do and what we stand for to others in the industry. There are still so many untapped resources available to marketers today and I can’t wait to help them fill their arsenal with good stuff that will help them build their brands into something extraordinary.

What do you like to do in your free time?

Most people are surprised to learn that I’m a very outdoorsy kind of gal. I’ve got two boys, so our family enjoys anything that can be done outdoors. Our boat is my second home in the summer. We spend every minute we can at the lake.

When we aren’t boating, we are usually camping somewhere in our travel trailer and riding the trails on our Polaris RZR ATVs. It makes for great family time, where we can disconnect from everything digital for a bit. I also enjoy thrift shopping. I think it’s so fun to refinish and repurpose old furniture, and many of my favorite wardrobe pieces have come from Goodwill.

What would you sing at karaoke night?

Unfortunately, I can’t sing. But I’d do something upbeat and fun, like “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves or “Happy” by Pharrell. Because sometimes I feel like I really do walk around on sunshine. I’m a pretty happy person!

You can order anything at the bar. What are you drinking?

Junior Johnson’s Midnight Moon Moonshine and Sweet Tea. But most of the time I’ll settle for a Corona Light.

Keep up with Kristi on Twitter and connect with her on LinkedIn!