The Value of Membership

By Kay Gilson Sachs, CAS

I was fortunate to stumble into this industry in the early ‘90s when I joined the staff of the Austin Apartment Association (AAA). I spent two exciting years learning how important the apartment association is to its members, and I have a great appreciation for this industry.

I still love being a member of the association and continue to volunteer and try to give back more than I receive.

I learned early on that you must put effort into your membership to get the most out of it. You can’t just write a check and expect business to fall at your feet. If you get involved, serve on committees, attend events and work together for the benefit of the group, you will reap many benefits.

I am honored to have received several honors that were a direct result of my participation in industry activities. I have built a great network over the years, which is how I was able to join the great company I am with now that allows me to provide for my family. I have made many wonderful friends along the way. I love this industry. I have found that loving what you do is contagious. My middle daughter has seen it and recently joined our apartment family as a leasing consultant.

I also am proud to be part of an industry that gives back to the community. In Austin, we have the Doc and Gayle Young Food Drive, which started 25 years ago. This year we raised more than $50,000 and provided 1,250 families with food packs for Thanksgiving meals.

I am passionate about legislative issues and support industry political action committees (PACs) at the local, state and national levels. PACs are critical for fighting unnecessary legislation as well as keeping our industry healthy. Every other year, we make visits to our legislators at the Capitol in Austin, and everyone in the association is invited to join us.

Education is a key benefit offered by our membership and it is vital to our industry. We have education opportunities at our local associations as well as from TAA and NAA. For example, the TAA REDBOOK seminars are conducted every other year after the REDBOOK is updated to reflect new legislation. This is an excellent benefit for our members. Many educational opportunities are also presented each year at the TAA and NAA Education Conferences. NAA also offers several designations to educate members and make our industry more professional. I completed the first designation class offered for vendors and received my CAS certificate in 1999.

Whatever your interest, there is a place for you at your local association. Over the years, I have been active with AAA’s Membership Committee, recruiting around 80 members. Find your passion, join a committee, and you will never regret it. I have participated in almost every committee at AAA and served on the Board of Directors, chaired the Product Service Council for Austin and TAA, and served as a delegate to TAA and NAA.

The bottom line is be active, get involved, and you will get results. You will have fun along the way!