Partnership at The Connor Group can be earned by any associate in any job description. These outstanding achievers have an ownership stake not just in one of the country’s top real estate investment firms, but in all its assets as well.
Out of the 65 partners across our organization, our Partner Leadership Team recently assessed and evaluated who among this elite group stood out in 2022. They identified six associates as this year’s Partner of the Year nominees.
Our Partner of the Year nominees are:
- Dustin Tritle, Technology Operations
- Aaron Helfferich, Marketing & Communications
- Krista Henehan, LSC Department
- Jen Moreno, Training Department
- Jennie Juran, Training Department
- Michelle Murphy, Minneapolis
“They’re the game-changers of the year. Partners are called to make the biggest impact year in and year out, and this group made the biggest difference in 2022,” partner and senior regional manager and service trainer Rob Murray said.
In our Central Support Office, Dustin Tritle has done a phenomenal job leading our Technology Operations team this year. He implemented a new level of accountability on our help desk, improving customer service and response times. In addition to leading new initiatives, Dustin kept our cyber security top of mind, leading preventative initiatives to keep our organization’s information safe. And when it comes to integrity, Dustin is the gold standard and lives our core values.
“He’s truly selfless. It’s never about him,” partner Ryan Ernst said. “It’s always about the organization, and I believe he’s done that more this year than ever.”
Partner Aaron Helfferich’s impact on our associates, residents and job candidates was impressive. Thanks to his hard work, our associates have a robust training video library and elite broadcasts to keep them informed and in the know. He revamped the Careers website, developed tools for recruiting social media campaigns and developed SEO specialist Ross Johnson. Last year, he also helped bring CapEx property designs in-house and delivered recruiting videos for The Greater Dayton School.
“Aaron is humble and has an incredible impact on our organization through the work he’s delivered,” partner and director of communications Amanda Brown said. “No matter how much he has going on, Aaron makes it happen. And he does everything at an elite level. His commitment to excellence and relentless pursuit of excellence is unmatched.”
Chief of Staff Krista Henehan led the LSC Department through a year unlike any other in the organization’s history. She oversaw Larry Connor’s Axiom-1 mission to the International Space Station. The 17-day mission in outer space required more than 1,000 hours of training and coordination across multiple continents. Not only did she handle Connor Group business, she managed relationships and research projects with partners at the Mayo and Cleveland Clinics.
“I don’t think people realize the kind of latitude she has in her job and the things she handles. They’re huge ticket items,” Ryan said. “She doesn’t just have a great deal of pressure, but responsibility. Krista handles it with tremendous positivity and grace. And she’s also a ton of fun to work with.”
Senior regional manager and sales trainer Jen Moreno trained and developed 20 associates this year, helping us complete $116.2 million in capital events. She’s supported the Tampa, Denver and San Antonio markets. Her incredible impact earned her recognition as our National Top Manager and Sales Trainer for the second year in a row.
Also in our Training Department is nominee Jennie Juran. Over her 15-year Connor Group career, she’s proven there are no glass ceilings. In 2022, Jennie led our culture training at the Central Support Office while teaching and developing every new manager hire across our organization. She’s developed multiple senior directors and managers in her markets. And just last month, she won the National Core Value award.
“Training is super impactful. It’s probably one of the most important things we do. Both Jennie and Jen have developed tools to train the associates through bootcamps and our career paths. And you’re seeing their impact across our entire company. It’s game-changing. We’re seeing 8.25 level operations at our properties because of the work they’ve done,” Rob said.
Last but not least is Michelle Murphy, who positioned two properties for sale, delivering $228 million in capital events. Before moving to Minneapolis, she also helped position Wheaton 121 and set general manager Jenein Sous up for success. Michelle developed multiple associates over the last year, including Jenein, Mike Parker, Abby Romano, Tanja Carter and Montel Morgan, who moved from Chicago to help.
“When I think about someone creating a legacy for themselves, her reach continues to expand to impact other markets,” said partner and regional head Brad Dykes.
“As an owner, Michelle moved to Minneapolis because that’s where we needed her. She’s not only helping us hit goals, she’s living and breathing our culture. She’s building our foundation and holding our people highly accountable.”
Congratulations to our six nominees. Our 2023 Partner of the Year will be announced at Partner Day on April 6.