Talk to Me Like a Kindergartner, Translating Multifamily Advocacy - Jon Lowder, Executive Director, Apartment Association of North Carolina (AANC)

Why Advocacy Is No Longer Optional in Rental Housing | Featuring Bob Pinnegar, NAA President & CEO

Advocacy in the rental housing industry has changed dramatically and according to Bob Pinnegar, the spotlight on housing policy is only getting brighter. Recorded live during Advocate in Washington, D.C., this episode of The Associated features an in-depth conversation with the President and CEO of the National Apartment Association about the evolution of the industry, the future of apartment associations, and why engagement at every level matters more than ever. Bob shares how NAA transformed its organizational structure, modernized its communications and technology strategy, and scaled industry influence through advocacy, research, and member engagement. The conversation also explores the growing complexity of federal housing policy, the importance of local association involvement, and how the industry must adapt to support the next generation of professionals. From Apartmentalize growth to the Housing Solutions Coalition, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at how industry leadership is navigating one of the most scrutinized and rapidly evolving sectors in the country. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: * How the National Apartment Association restructured and modernized its operations * Why communications, technology, and research became central to NAA’s strategic plan * How Apartmentalize evolved into one of the industry’s premier conferences * Why advocacy has become essential for rental housing professionals * The challenges facing volunteer-led trade organizations * How associations must evolve to engage younger professionals and future leaders * Why supplier engagement and networking remain critical growth drivers * How the Housing Solutions Coalition is influencing national housing conversations * The long-term impact of COVID-era housing policy on the industry GUEST BIO Bob Pinnegar serves as President and CEO of the National Apartment Association, bringing more than 20 years of experience in association leadership, public policy, and campaign strategy. Since joining NAA in 2011, Bob has helped lead a major organizational transformation focused on strengthening communications, technology, research, advocacy, and member engagement. In 2017, he oversaw a strategic reorganization of the association’s headquarters staff and the development of a long-term strategic plan designed to better serve the evolving needs of the rental housing industry. Throughout the episode, Bob emphasizes the importance of industry involvement, advocacy participation, and building professional networks that strengthen both careers and communities. CONNECT WITH BOB ON LINKEDIN: ROBERT PINNEGAR LINKEDIN [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-pinnegar-08458512/] Learn more about the National Apartment Association: National Apartment Association [https://naahq.org?utm_source=chatgpt.com] CONNECT WITH US! Hit subscribe and get ready for a fresh take on the apartment association world! Bryan Holladay on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-holladay-10003219/ Todd Whitlow on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-whitlow-b7800529/ CLTPR Management on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/cltpr-management/ Brownlee Whitlow & Praet on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brownleewhitlowpraet/ CLTPR Website:https://www.cltprmanagement.com/ Brownlee Whitlow & Praet Website: https://bwpf-law.com/

Dream Bigger, Do Less, Grow Faster with The Science of BUDs – Marvelless Mark Kamp, CEO, Turn It Up Culture

What if the breakthrough your business needs starts with dreaming bigger… and doing less? On this episode of The Associated Podcast, Bryan and Todd sit down with bestselling author, keynote headliner, and CEO of Turn It Up Culture, Marvelless Mark Kamp [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marvellessmark/], for a conversation packed with energy, strategy, and rockstar-level perspective. Known for turning meetings into rock concerts, Mark breaks down the science behind BUDs (Big Unreasonable Dreams), goals so bold they haven’t been invented yet… and may have your inner circle calling you crazy. In this episode, you’ll learn: * The 3-part science behind a true BUD * How thinking 3 years ahead can reshape today’s decisions * Why 80% of your “noise” may be blocking growth * How to identify the bottleneck holding back your business * Why failure can act as your GPS to 10X results * How energy becomes contagious and why excitement drives performance From “Einstein Time” to finding whether you may be the bottleneck, this episode is loaded with practical ideas leaders can use immediately. And a preview: Marvelless Mark Kamp [https://marvellessmark.com/] will close out the AANC Connected Conference [https://www.aanconline.org/2026-aanc-connected-conference] as the final keynote speaker. Stay and you’ll walk away with at least three strategies that could change the trajectory of your business, leadership, or sales. Turn it up. Dream bigger. Find the bottleneck. Rock the results. Guest Bio: “Marvelless” Mark Kamp is a best-selling author, award-winning entrepreneur, and dynamic keynote speaker known for turning meetings into rock concert-style experiences. As CEO of Turn It Up Culture and a Las Vegas headliner, Mark blends music, motivation, and business mastery to help teams achieve peak performance. His high-energy keynotes are rooted in the belief that success should be bold, collaborative, and celebrated. One client described him as “Tony Robbins fronting a rock band”—packed with music metaphors, audience interaction, actionable takeaways, and lots of hype. In his book Opportunity Rocks, he shares backstage secrets from rock stars and applies them to leadership, teamwork, and innovation. Mark’s message has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, HBO Max, and TEDx. If you’re ready to energize your event and rock your results, Marvelless Mark is your ultimate headliner. Connect with Mark on LinkedIn HERE [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marvellessmark/]. CONNECT WITH US! Hit subscribe and get ready for a fresh take on the apartment association world! Bryan Holladay on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-holladay-10003219 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-holladay-10003219] Todd Whitlow on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/todd-whitlow-b7800529 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-whitlow-b7800529] CLTPR Management on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/cltpr-management [https://www.linkedin.com/company/cltpr-management] CLTPR Management Website: www.cltprmanagement.com [https://www.cltprmanagement.com/] The Associated Podcast: www.cltprmanagement.com/pod [https://www.cltprmanagement.com/pod] Brownlee, Whitlow, & Praet on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brownleewhitlowpraet [https://www.linkedin.com/company/brownleewhitlowpraet]

Talk to Me Like a Kindergartner, Translating Multifamily Advocacy - Jon Lowder, Executive Director, Apartment Association of North Carolina (AANC)

Advocacy in the multifamily industry isn’t optional, it’s essential. But lawmakers don’t work in the multifamily world, which means someone has to translate how policy decisions actually impact housing and operations. In this episode of The Associated, Bryan and Todd sit down with Jon Lowder [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonlowder], Executive Director of the Apartment Association of North Carolina [https://www.aanconline.org/], to break down what advocacy really means for owners, operators, suppliers, and association members. With leadership experience spanning the Piedmont Triad Apartment Association (PTAA) and Triad Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition (TREBIC), Jon explains how associations help translate complicated regulations from building codes to environmental standards into real-world impacts legislators can understand. In this episode, we unpack: • Why advocacy directly impacts housing supply and development costs • How associations serve as translators between lawmakers and the industry • Why frontline property teams often deliver the most impactful advocacy stories • What surprises people most when they attend Lobby Day • The role associations play in connecting local, state, and national advocacy efforts Jon also shares a preview of the Rental Housing Developers Day [https://www.aanconline.org/2026-rental-housing-developers-day] launching at the AANC CONNECTed Conference [https://www.aanconline.org/2026-aanc-connected-conference], designed to bring more development voices into the association conversation. Jon offers a practical, eye-opening perspective on why advocacy is critical to the future of housing. Guest Bio: Jon Lowder has been the Executive Director of the Apartment Association of North Carolina since 2023. Before that he was the President of TREBIC (Triad Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition) in Greensboro, NC for two years, and before that he was Executive Director of the Piedmont Triad Apartment Association for 12 years. Earlier in his career Jon had a consulting business that provided communication and tradeshow management services for nonprofits. He lives in Winston-Salem, NC and when not working he enjoys family time with his wife, three adult children and one grandchild. He's also an avid tennis player and likes to travel when the opportunity arises, as long as not too many people are involved. Connect with Jon on LinkedIn HERE [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonlowder]. CONNECT WITH US! Hit subscribe and get ready for a fresh take on the apartment association world! Bryan Holladay on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-holladay-10003219 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-holladay-10003219] Todd Whitlow on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/todd-whitlow-b7800529 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-whitlow-b7800529] CLTPR Management on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/cltpr-management [https://www.linkedin.com/company/cltpr-management] CLTPR Management Website: www.cltprmanagement.com [https://www.cltprmanagement.com/] The Associated Podcast: www.cltprmanagement.com/pod [https://www.cltprmanagement.com/pod] Brownlee, Whitlow, & Praet on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brownleewhitlowpraet [https://www.linkedin.com/company/brownleewhitlowpraet]

Making Your Voice Heard in Multifamily – Betsy Cunningham, VP of Strategic Engagement, BG Staffing

Legislative advocacy can feel intimidating, but according to Betsy Cunningham, it’s not rocket science. With more than 16 years in multifamily and a deep passion for association engagement, Betsy shares why advocacy is far simpler (and more personal) than people think. You don’t need to know everything about everything. You just need to know one or two things about one or two things and be willing to tell your story. In this episode, we unpack: 1. Why advocacy isn’t scary and why lawmakers actually want to hear from you 2. How associations make engagement easier than you think 3. The power of mentorship: having a mentor, mentoring someone else, and running the race alongside your peers 4. Why people shouldn’t confuse purpose with career 5. How local, state, and national involvement build on one another Betsy reminds us that advocacy isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being present. And when you show up as yourself, that’s when real influence begins. Guest Bio: Betsy Cunningham has 16+ years’ experience as a multifamily professional. Prior to becoming the Vice President of Strategic Engagement for BG Staffing, Betsy served as a Director of Sales in the Charlotte area, a Regional Sales Manager for multiple markets nationwide with BG and Managing Director of Strategic Accounts. Betsy is passionate about the multifamily industry, loves participating in apartment industry associations, and she works to advocate for the industry and recruit new talent to Multifamily daily. Connect with Betsy on LinkedIn HERE [https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsykirkpatrick]. CONNECT WITH US! Hit subscribe and get ready for a fresh take on the apartment association world! Todd Whitlow on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/todd-whitlow-b7800529 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-whitlow-b7800529] Bryan Holladay on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-holladay-10003219 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-holladay-10003219] The Associated Podcast: https://bwpf-law.com/podcasts/ [https://bwpf-law.com/podcasts/] Brownlee, Whitlow, & Praet on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brownleewhitlowpraet [https://www.linkedin.com/company/brownleewhitlowpraet] Brownlee, Whitlow, & Praet Website: https://bwpf-law.com [https://bwpf-law.com/] CLTPR Management on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/cltpr-management [https://www.linkedin.com/company/cltpr-management] CLTPR Management Website: www.cltprmanagement.com [https://www.cltprmanagement.com/]

Reflections on Year One of The Associated

What happens when you look at the multifamily industry, not through operations, suppliers, development, or investment, but through the prism of the associations that support it? You get The Associated. In this special Year One recap episode, executive producer, Julie Zhang, interviews Bryan Holladay and Todd Whitlow about the origin story of the podcast and the surprising realizations that emerged from their first seven episodes. This conversation dives into: 1. Why they felt compelled to create a platform specifically focused on association leaders and members 2. The shared themes that kept appearing across conversations 3. The reality that associations aren’t often seen as hubs of innovation and how that must shift 4. The responsibility to modernize alongside technology instead of letting members fall behind 5. The isolation board members sometimes feel outside of conferences and their own boards One defining moment? When a respected industry leader admitted that appearing on The Associated was his very first podcast opportunity, despite years of experience and impact. That realization underscored the gap this show was built to fill. Associations are made up of volunteers who deeply care about the industry. They advocate. They mentor. They lead. But they also need new platforms to share ideas, challenge norms, and move forward together. This episode celebrates what’s been built and lays the foundation for what’s next. Year Two is coming, and it’s bigger and focused on supporting all members of apartment associations. Thank you for listening, for sharing, and for helping this community grow. Send us your guest and topic ideas as we want to build this with you. *** CONNECT WITH US! Hit subscribe and get ready for a fresh take on the apartment association world! Bryan Holladay on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-holladay-10003219 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-holladay-10003219] Todd Whitlow on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/todd-whitlow-b7800529 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-whitlow-b7800529] CLTPR Management on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/cltpr-management [https://www.linkedin.com/company/cltpr-management] CLTPR Management Website: www.cltprmanagement.com [https://www.cltprmanagement.com/] The Associated Podcast: www.cltprmanagement.com/pod [https://www.cltprmanagement.com/pod] Brownlee, Whitlow, & Praet on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brownleewhitlowpraet [https://www.linkedin.com/company/brownleewhitlowpraet] Brownlee, Whitlow, & Praet Website: https://bwpf-law.com [https://bwpf-law.com/]