CHICAGO, IL – Full-service real estate firm Draper and Kramer, Incorporated, today announced that two employees from its Residential Management Group have been recognized by the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM). Colleen Needham, general manager of the Lake Meadows rental community in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood, has been named IREM Chicago Chapter 23 secretary for 2019. In addition, Timothy Kramer, property operations specialist across Draper and Kramer’s portfolio, was certified as an IREM instructor, the first Draper and Kramer employee to earn the designation.
“We are incredibly proud of Colleen and Tim and the commitment they show to being leaders at our company as well as in their field,” said Julie Stevlingson, senior vice president and director of management services at Draper and Kramer. “Their deep involvement with IREM, which is such an important professional organization in this industry, reflects the emphasis our firm places on encouraging employees to pursue professional development opportunities and become involved in groups where they can not only grow individually, but also share their knowledge with others.”
Needham was sworn in as IREM Chapter 23 secretary during an event in November. In this role, she will be a member of the chapter’s executive council and help guide education, membership and advocacy initiatives. The chapter has nearly 700 members, including professionals who manage office, industrial and multifamily properties throughout metropolitan Chicago.
A Certified Property Manager (CPM) and Accredited Resident Manager (ARM) through IREM and a licensed broker with the National Association of Realtors, Needham is general manager of Lake Meadows, a nine-building, 1,869-unit rental community that Draper and Kramer has managed for more than 60 years. An 18-year industry veteran who has been involved with IREM for eight years, Needham has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Roosevelt University in Chicago.
Kramer, the great-grandson of Draper and Kramer co-founder Adolph Kramer, assists with operations across Draper and Kramer’s 18-unit portfolio. In completing IREM’s instructor training, Kramer is certified to teach less-experienced, high-potential property management professionals who are obtaining their ARM certification. His first course will be RES201, a weeklong class that focuses on the basics of ethical property management practices from accounting and budgeting to creating a winning on-site team.
“Through my years of experience as a property manager of all types of residential real estate, I hope to bring the curriculum to life – adding my own observations and real-world solutions to the problems presented during the class,” Kramer said.