In November, the National Apartment Association (NAA) presented two of the association’s most prestigious honors, the NAA Lifetime Achievement Award and the Malcolm N. Bennett Advocate of the Year Award. Presented at the Assembly of Delegates (AOD) held in Buckhead, Atlanta, these honors recognize the impressive accomplishments and contributions of key industry leaders.
Industry Leaders Honored with NAA Lifetime Achievement, Advocacy Awards
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Meet the 2024 recipients.
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The 2024 NAA Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to former Washtenaw Area Apartment Association Executive Alice Ehn and NAA National Suppliers Council (NSC) Past Chair Angi Pusateri-Downey with CORT. This prestigious award is one of the association’s highest honors and is given to association and supplier community leaders who have gone above and beyond in their leadership and service.
An industry veteran dedicated to professional development, Alice Ehn’s commitment to rental housing has delivered key advocacy victories and guided countless colleagues toward success over the years. “Alice has dedicated 30 years of her life to the association, its members and the rental housing industry,” remarked 2023 NAA Chair Ronda Puryear. “Her unwavering commitment and exceptional leadership have left an incredible mark on the industry, fostering growth, advocacy and professional development.”
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A trailblazer in the rental housing industry for over 30 years, Angi Pusateri-Downey’s impressive career is underscored by her service as Chair of NAA’s NSC, as a driver of the Residential Property Management (RPM) Careers Committee, and leadership on countless other association committees and endeavors. “A prominent advocate for industry issues and in promoting the industry giving back, Angi never shies away from a challenge and does it all with professionalism and class,” Puryear said. “She is an inclusive leader who as a passion for the rental housing industry and shows it at every turn.”
Malcolm N. Bennett Advocate of the Year Award
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The 2024 Malcolm N. Bennett Advocate of the Year Award was presented to Phil Neuman with Couzens Lansky in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Presented each fall, this honor recognizes the rental housing industry’s top grassroots advocate. The award – named after former recipient and tireless advocate Malcolm N. Bennett – honors outstanding voluntary contributions to industry advocacy at the local, state and national levels.
“Phil has been a relentless advocate for the apartment industry for over three decades,” noted 2024 NAA Chair Rick Snyder as he presented Neuman with the award. Neuman’s impressive and longstanding involvement with NAA began when he joined the Legislative Committee in 2013. At the national level, Neuman’s contributions led a subcommittee on emotional support animals. In Michigan, he has led the Detroit Metropolitan Apartment Association’s legislative committee since its inception in 2002 and continues to be an effective and accomplished advocate for local communities, presenting to city councils on complex policy issues several times.