Tampa’s own Ruiz wins MAINTENANCE LEGENDSTM grand prize
Arlington, Va. | June 27, 2024 – Harry Ruiz was named the inaugural MAINTENANCE LEGENDSTM grand prize winner. The recognition honored his heroic efforts at Vista Grande apartment community in Tampa Palms, Florida, where Ruiz saved the lives of 17 people after a carbon monoxide leak.
“Harry proved himself to be a literal lifesaver when he awoke early in his apartment on his site in Tampa, Fla. to a funny smell,” wrote Ruiz’s nominator for the award. “When he realized he had all the classic early signs of [carbon monoxide] inhalation, he sprang into action, calling first responders and quickly evacuating as many residents as he could from the building. He went above and beyond by re-entering the building while they waited for emergency services and carrying out several residents who had already started feeling too sick to walk. In total he directly saved 17 peoples' lives that day, and who knows how many more by reacting as quickly as he did.”
Ruiz was presented with the first-ever MAINTENANCE LEGENDSTM grand prize – the keys to a brand-new F-150 and a check for $10,000 – at Apartmentalize, NAA’s annual conference and exposition held in Philadelphia June 19 – 21. Founded in 2023 in partnership with HD Supply, MAINTENANCE LEGENDSTM honors rental housing industry maintenance professionals that go above and beyond in service to their communities. Monthly winners are honored throughout the year with cash prizes and scholarships to earn professional credentials. Throughout its inaugural year, over 1,500 stories were shared and 27 maintenance professionals were awarded with a prize package valued at $5,000 each.
“Throughout communities nationwide, maintenance professionals are the unsung heroes of rental housing – time and time again going above and beyond to serve their residents,” said NAA President and CEO Bob Pinnegar. “Harry Ruiz’s story is heroic, and we couldn’t be more honored to recognize him with the first-ever grand prize. Like Harry’s, the stories shared through the first year of MAINTENANCE LEGENDSTM have been nothing short of inspirational, and we look forward to continued opportunities to spotlight maintenance professionals in the months to come.”
"The whole purpose behind MAINTENANCE LEGENDS is to shine a spotlight on the maintenance heroes in our Multifamily properties,” said Raymond van Beveren, vice president, multifamily sales, HD Supply. “Harry’s story is the perfect example of the many heroes out there each day serving the community. We’re continuing to invest in and support our industry so that we can celebrate more maintenance pros in the future.”
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About NAA
The National Apartment Association (NAA) serves as the leading voice and preeminent resource through advocacy, education, and collaboration on behalf of the rental housing industry. As a federation of 141 state, local and global affiliates, NAA encompasses nearly 97,000 members representing more than 12 million apartment homes globally. NAA believes that rental housing is a valuable partner in every community that emphasizes integrity, accountability, collaboration, community responsibility, inclusivity, and innovation. To learn more, visit www.naahq.org. NAA thanks its Strategic Partners AppFolio, The Home Depot Pro, Lowe’s Pro Supply and Yardi.
About HD Supply
HD Supply, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Home Depot, is a leading wholesale distribution company serving customers and their communities across the Multifamily, Institutional, Hospitality, Trades, Government Housing, Healthcare, Building Services and Education industries through an expansive network of over 100 distribution centers across the U.S. & Canada. HD Supply offers customers a vast assortment of over 100,000 MRO, full-line janitorial and OS&E products from high-quality, national and private brands, all at competitive prices. Combined with our industry-leading services and solutions – including localized jobsite delivery, renovation programs, direct-ship options and innovative digital tools and capabilities, as well as dedicated sales and customer care teams – you can see why our more than 250,000 customers continue to trust HD Supply as their supplier of choice for serving their communities where people live, learn, work and play.