Alvin L. Sussman Award Acceptance Speech

By Scott Jones

PMA's Past President's Dinner

November 16, 2017

When Tom Rucker received this award in 2015, he so wisely said, "I know that I am only thing left between you and the bar, so I will be brief." I am going to follow in Tom's footsteps and make the same promise.

I want to thank the nominating committee and the Board of Directors for allowing me to share this award with those who have received it in the past. As I look at the list of past awardees, it is truly the who's who of our industry andit is an honor to be in their company.

Please let me take a moment to thank a few special people.I want to thank my brother Clint and his significant other, Becky, as well as my best friends Ed & Liz Urban who have all traveled a long distance to share this special night with me. And of course, a very special thank-you to my partner, Ron, for his support and for generally putting up with me over the last twenty years. Trust me, that has not been an easy task.

I also want to thank my fellow team members at The Donaldson Group. You are an incredible group of people and you make it fun to come to work each day.

As I get closer to full retirement, I find that I am thinking more and more about the future than I used to. Not my future so much, but the future of my company and of our industry.

When I started in this business, the most sophisticated technology most properties had were calculators and copiers. We didn't even have fax machines at that point. The first portable computer I used was the size of anairline carry-on bag and weighed at least 50 pounds. The screen was only about the size of a smartphone. Now your smartphone is a computer. I have watched in awe the explosion of technology over the last 40 years and the way it has dramatically changed the way we do business. The amount of data and resources that are available to today's property management professional is mind boggling. It will be exciting to see what will happen in the next 5 to 10 years.

So in looking towards the future, how do we prepare the next generation of leaders? With your kind indulgence, I would like to take a few minutes to talk to the next generation and, hopefully, give them a few words of advice.

Regardless of what continues to evolve with technology, I believe there a few constants that will always be there. Careers will continue to have several phases. For many there may be three, for some, four. The first phase is that of exploration. In this phase, you are asking yourself whether this is the right career for me. Do I have a passion for helping people? If this is not your passion, then you should find something that better aligns with your passion, whatever that may be. Your career should be one that is fulfilling and one where you look forward to going to work each day. Life is too short to be in a job you don't like.

The second phase is where you become a student, and hopefully, a part of you will always remain a student. As long as I have been doing this, I am still learning every day. When you are in the student phase, if you are smart, this is the time to ask a lot of questions. No one expects you to know it all. You will make mistakes and that is okay, as long as you learn from them. In my opinion, the only dumb question is the one unasked.

The thirdcareer phase is that of the practitioner. This is when you get to hone your craft, build your experiences, and grow in your career. A piece of advice if you want to grow in your career and climb the corporate ladder, volunteer for extra work, find something you can do to add value to your company. This is what gets you noticed. Promotions are not given solelybecause you are good at what you do.Let's face it, most of your peers are good at what they do or they wouldn't be your peer. Adding additional value to your company is often the determining factor.

In addition to providing extra value, there are two things that will always be needed if you want to advance in your career. You have to be able to write coherently and with correct grammar. What you write and how well it is written is representation of not only you but your company as well. If you struggle in this area, then take classes at your local community college or perhaps even attend one of those $99 Fred Pryor writing seminars.

The second thing you will need to advance is the ability to speak in public. As you climb the corporate ladder, you will need to address larger and larger groups of people. Public speaking is the number one fear of people. If this is your fear, my advice is to join PMA's Toastmasters Club. This is a great way to learn to speak in public and to conquer your fear.

If you are lucky, you may have the opportunity for a fourth phase in your career, that of a mentor/teacher. I am very fortunate that Walt Donaldson and Carl Einsel, the owners of The Donaldson Group, aregiving me the opportunity to have this fourth phase.I am truly blessed that I am able to help train, mold and prepare the next leaders of not only my company but our industry as well. Thank you Walt and Carl for giving me this great opportunity.

Regardless of where you are in your career, being a part of PMA adds tremendous value. As John Dunne wrote, "No man is an island, entire unto himself". You can't and won't be successful without the help of others. Developing relationships with your peers and industry partners is vital to your success. As I look out in this room, there are so many people that I know I can turn to in a time of need and they will be there to help me. These relationships have been formed and strenghtened largely due to the networking opportunities offered by PMA. We are in the people business. While Facebook and Linkedin are great ways to connect with people, rolling up your shirt sleeves and working side by side with your peers and industry partners is how lasting relationships are formed. You get out of PMA what you put into it.

My last thought is that how lucky I have been and how lucky we all are to be a part of this business. People need protection from the elements and predators in order to survive and thrive. That is what we provide, either directly as a property management professional or by providing a service to the property management industry. What we do matters. We provide homes. I am truly thankful that I have had a career that has allowed me to positively affect the lives of so many people for the last 40 years. All and all, it really has been a hell of a ride!

Again, thank-you for this tremendous honor and I wish you safe travels.Good night everyone.