Tailwind Group recently brought team members from across the country together for their first annual Leadership Summit, an event designed to strengthen leadership, align vision, and celebrate people who make Tailwind Group what it is today. For the first time, our site team managers and corporate team members came together for four days of collaboration and connection.

Day One: A Shared Purpose
We kicked off the week by unveiling our updated mission statement and core values, which form the foundation that will steer Tailwind Group’s future.

Our Mission
“Our Mission is to fight for the highest possible good of the people that matter the most: our team members, residents, investors and partners, and the communities we serve.”

Our Core Values
We Prioritize People
• By fostering care and respect for everyone.
• By having an environment of high support and high challenge.
• By placing trust, well-being, and growth at the heart of every decision we make.

We Embrace an Innovative Spirit
• By refusing to be outhustled.
• By our commitment to being solution-focused and responsive.
• By pushing the boundaries of industry “norms.”

We Have Unwavering Integrity
• By taking full ownership of our decisions.
• By cultivating a culture of full transparency and accountability.
• By doing what’s right, even when it’s hard.

Day Two: Vision 2030 and Connection
Day two focused on Tailwind Group’s Vision 2030, presenting our future direction as a company and outlining the strategic steps we plan to take to achieve it. Department leaders also shared updates, initiatives, and goals throughout the day.

That afternoon, our teams took collaboration to the next level during our team-building event, where we partnered with Outback Team Building and built bikes for the Boys and Girls Club of Minnesota. This was a highlight of our week. Seeing our team collaborate, laugh, and give back was a powerful reminder of what leadership truly is.

Day Three: Leadership
Day Three focused on leadership and how we show up for our teams, communicate effectively, connect with others, and inspire. We were honored to hear from guest leadership speakers Ryan Jenkins and Virginia Love, as well as our own Chief People Officer, Lane Gravley, who challenged us to continue developing as leaders.

That evening, we gathered for our Leadership Summit Awards Dinner, a chance to celebrate excellence throughout our organization. We were pleased to honor this year’s award winners, who continue to raise the bar in their roles. This year’s honorees included:

Department Awards:
• Operations Team Member of the Year: Logan Suko
• Leasing and Marketing Team Member of the Year: Zach Bishop
• Investment Management Team Member of the Year: Brody Nielsen
• Finance and Accounting Team Member of the Year: Samantha Nordlie
• Corporate Team Member of the Year: Zach Rubosky

Onsite Awards
• Resident Services Manager of the Year: Sydney Dray & Taylor LeGrande
• Leasing Manager of the Year: Baylor Webb
• Maintenance Manager of the Year: Joshua Schultz
• Property Manager of the Year: Shantai McDaniel
• Community of the Year: LivRed

It was an evening filled with connection, gratitude, and well-deserved celebration.

Day Four: Building Relationships
On our final day, we connected with vendors and partners through our vendor trade show, an opportunity to strengthen relationships and explore new collaborations that will support the continued success of Tailwind Group. We concluded the summit with a company-wide reflection on the week’s key takeaways, shared experiences, and collective goals for the future.

This event was both a reflection on our progress and a launchpad for the goals and vision that will drive Tailwind Group forward. We are excited about what is ahead and grateful for the people who make it possible!

At Tailwind Group, we believe that who we are is just as important as what we do. Over the course of the past year, we have focused on better defining who we are by creating a new mission statement and refining our core values.

Our mission defines why we exist as an organization, and our core values are the guiding set of principles and beliefs that help guide every decision we make so that we can live out our mission.

This process is a true team effort. We gather direct and indirect feedback from employees across Tailwind Group; host workshops, conduct surveys, and engage in meaningful conversations. Our goal is to take the mission and values that have always guided us and put them into words, formalizing what was once unspoken. Below are some of the insights shared by our on-site and corporate team members:

“Tailwind is a people-first company.”
“… as a resident or a community assistant, I always feel like my opinion is valued.”
“… no one’s voice ever gets lost, everyone’s voice matters, and you never feel alone.”
“… every day I am surrounded by people who support me, challenge me, and inspire me to be the best version of myself… It’s about creating a culture of trust and belonging, where everyone can grow and be their true self.”

Our Senior Leadership Team leads this process, which began in the Fall of 2024 and continues through the Spring of 2025. It is then passed along to our Employee Leadership Team for their refinement in the Spring of 2025, and we finalize the mission statement and core values in the Summer of 2025. We proudly roll out the finished product at our Leadership Summit to our entire management team on September 9th, with resounding positive feedback.