From Paperwork to Regional Leadership: How Tawana Brown Built a 33-Year Career in Property Management

Episode Summary: In this episode of Work Order Nation, Fred Tomlin Jr. and Sherrod Hunter sit down with Tawana Brown, Regional Property Manager with Apartment Management Consultants (AMC), to explore her 33-year journey through the multifamily industry and the experiences that shaped her leadership approach. Tawana shares how she entered property management after returning from the military, starting with paperwork and HUD recertifications before moving through roles including assistant manager, property manager, senior property manager, asset manager, internal auditor, regional manager, and district manager. Today, Tawana oversees 11 multifamily and mixed-use communities with more than 1,000 units across Illinois, including market-rate, affordable, HUD, senior, multifamily, and commercial properties. She discusses the unique operational challenges that come with managing different types of communities, from compliance and resident needs to maintenance, budgets, and team performance. Tawana also shares her leadership philosophy, emphasizing the importance of training, supporting your team, setting clear goals, and making sure employees have the tools they need to succeed. She offers advice for property management professionals dealing with burnout and explains why learning to leave work at work is an important part of a long career. The conversation wraps up with a memorable Work Order Wow involving a difficult maintenance situation, highlighting the unexpected challenges property management teams can face and the importance of patience, preparation, and teamwork. Key Takeaways How Tawana built a 33-year career in property management Moving from paperwork and HUD recertifications into leadership Managing more than 1,000 units across 11 communities The challenges of affordable and HUD housing compliance Building, training, and supporting strong property management teams Why clear goals and team accountability matter Managing burnout and maintaining a healthy work-life balance Lessons from a challenging Work Order Wow Golden Nugget “Supervisors like to be a tool for their teams. They like to make sure that they're trained. They like to make sure that they're set up for success.” Connect with Tawana Brown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawana-brown-cpm-candidate-arm-cos-bos-tcs-mor-fhs-60934441/ Listen Now & Subscribe: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts. Listen and subscribe here: https://work-order-nation.captivate.fm/listen Work Order Nation is the podcast for property managers who care, sharing real stories, leadership lessons, and on-the-ground insights from the industry.