April 28, 2023

2022 WOW Matters Grand Prize Winner!

At Venterra, we aren’t in the apartment business, we’re in the people business. For us, maintaining a residential property is not just about collecting rent, fixing issues or making repairs, it is also about building lasting relationships with the residents who call a Venterra property “home.”  

Since the launch of the WOW Matters initiative, our teams have been empowered to make a difference in the lives of Venterra residents. By being equipped with a budget and passion, our teams are encouraged to meet the unspoken needs of our residents. Our goal is to create a true sense of community, where residents feel like they are heard and valued – and what better way to do that than by surprising them through personalized moments? This is what our WOW Matters Program is all about.

WOW-ing is part of Venterra’s caring culture and empowers us to do the right thing, help someone reach their goals, go above and beyond to make the experience exceptional, and stand out as a company that truly does care more. We have seen first-hand how WOW-ing increases levels of happiness and life satisfaction not just for our residents, but also for the Venterra employees who are part of making these experiences happen.  

At Venterra, the word community is not just about our property, it is about the human connections that are made between our staff and our residents.  Our company values center around the human experience, and we aim is to increase resident happiness. WOW-ing helps to achieve this goal. By WOW-ing, we can enhance levels of satisfaction and overall well-being and give our teams the full benefit of our WOW program not just our WOW. Kindness has two benefits, the excitement of the act of giving, and the surprise of the person receiving a personalized gift.   

Our teams produce WOWs on a daily basis, but some WOWs pull at our heartstrings more than others.  

The 2022 WOW Matters Grand Prize winner was Gustavo Gonzalez, an Assistant Maintenance Manager at Fairways at South Shore in League City, TX.  

Gustavo’s Award-Winning WOW: 

 The WOW Opportunity 

During a unit walk with a resident named Greg, a member of the leasing team learned that Greg was struggling with daily tasks following the recent amputation of his foot. With most of his family residing in Chicago, Greg spent a lot of time alone during his recovery, except for the time his caretakers were there throughout the day to help him.

During a discussion about repairs, Greg revealed that Assistant Maintenance Manager, Gustavo, had been stopping by his apartment every day to check on him, even on Gustavo’s day off. The leasing team was blown away when they heard about this act of kindness, especially since Gustavo had not mentioned anything about his kind gesture and new friendship with Greg. Gustavo’s act of kindness, which came from the kindness of his heart, truly is inspiring and what makes this moment so special. 

Gustavo continued to check on Greg, regardless of his work schedule. Through checking in on Greg, Gustavo gave the gift of time, care, and support when a Venterra resident needed it most. He even brought breakfast tacos for Greg and his wife during a visit on a previous Saturday. 

As Greg told the team about Gustavo and his wife visiting him, he became emotional. He stated that Gustavo shows up every day, while his own family won’t even do that. Gustavo was the only person that ever truly went out of his way to make sure he was okay. These consistent visits serve as a fantastic reminder that acts of kindness can be performed solely based on genuine care for people without seeking recognition from others. 

Have you experienced a WOWMatters experience at your property or did we WOW you in some way? Let us know by sharing a Google Review here! Who knows, you just may be featured on our blog one day!