Farrah Falcone, Author at Tailwind Group

Episode 6: Culture, Collaboration, and Growth

Tailwind Group is excited to announce the sixth episode of Tailwind Talks! Hosted by Devan Schaly-Brumbaugh, Director of Leasing and Marketing, this episode with Lane Gravley, Chief People Officer, dives into Lane’s leadership philosophy and the unique vision he brings to Tailwind Group.

In this episode, Lane shares personal stories, including some about his family, his active lifestyle, and his early career. He also reflects on his leadership principles, emphasizing servant leadership, team collaboration, and fostering a culture of empowerment and engagement. He talks about memorable site visits, overcoming challenges, and his passion for helping teams succeed. Lane’s philosophy of “work yourself out of a job” has shaped Tailwind’s leadership structure and growth, including mentoring Brandon into his current role as CEO. Additionally, Carli Davis, Social Media Manager, and Dylan Gregory, Outreach Marketing Specialist, join us for a special segment where they recap the last Leasing and Marketing Summit, fall lease launch, and the rebrand parties at multiple sites.

This podcast is available on all major platforms, making it easy for you to listen whenever you want! The marketing team would love your feedback to help us shape future episodes and enhance our content. Please complete this short survey. Thank you for listening!

Chapters:
00:45 Getting to Know Lane Gravley
01:15 Lane’s Personal Life and Hobbies
04:39 Professional Journey to Tailwind
10:52 Reflecting on Four Years at Tailwind
13:48 Holiday Music Trivia Game
20:04 Surprise Messages for Lane
26:57 Reflecting on Leadership Transition
31:04 The Importance of Leadership Development
34:13 Mentorship and Personal Growth
38:34 Defining Company Culture
43:21 Celebrating Achievements: Leasing Belt and Social Icon Awards
51:43 Looking Ahead: Reflections and Future Plans

Whether you’re an experienced investor, an ambitious professional, or simply intrigued about the world of real estate, our episodes promise to inform, inspire, and keep you eagerly anticipating what’s next for Tailwind Group.

Farrah Falcone2024-12-19T11:33:05-06:00December 19th, 2024|

Episode 5: Building More Than Spaces – Jon Fahning on Commercial Real Estate & Tailwind Group’s Vision

Tailwind Group’s Corporate Marketing Team is thrilled to release the fifth episode of Tailwind Talks, featuring an insightful conversation with Jon Fahning, Director of Development and Commercial Real Estate. Hosted by Brandon Smith, CEO, this episode dives into Jon’s journey, his team, and his expertise in managing Tailwind Group’s commercial real estate portfolio.

In this episode, Jon shares his career experiences, starting with a landscape architecture degree at Iowa State University to working in land development, golf course design, and leading large-scale international projects. He and Brandon also discuss Jon’s path to Tailwind and his eventual move to Minnesota.

Jon details his daily responsibilities managing over 700,000 square feet of commercial space and provides insights into his team’s work on planning, tenant acquisition, and key partnerships. He also touches on current challenges in the real estate industry, including COVID’s impact on supply chains, inflation, and shifting market trends.

You’ll also hear a special segment from David Hughes, Director of Information Technology, and Zach Kaufenberg, Senior Property Accountant. Zach shares his career journey, his role in accounting at Tailwind, and some fun stories from his first commercial flight!

Whether you’re an experienced investor, an ambitious professional, or simply intrigued about the world of real estate, our episodes promise to inform, inspire, and keep you eagerly anticipating what’s next for Tailwind Group.

This podcast is available on all major platforms, making it easy for you to listen whenever you want! The marketing team values your feedback and suggestions. Share your thoughts, questions, and ideas to help shape future episodes. You can send your feedback by emailing us.

Farrah Falcone2024-11-07T10:10:58-06:00November 7th, 2024|

Tailwind Group Rebrands Three Properties to Align with Core Brands

(Mankato, MN) Tailwind Group is excited to announce that three of their acquisitions have recently rebranded to each align with one of the company’s four core property brands. The rebrand launches were each meticulously planned and executed in alignment with preleasing kick offs and larger scale property improvements. Each rebrand launch was met with strong attendance that resulted in significant increases in preleasing velocity for Fall 2025. Tailwind Group’s rebrand strategy aims to provide residents and local community members an experience that highlights exciting changes at the property and showcases their resident experience-driven management philosophy.

The Landing Ames | Ames, Iowa

South Duff was acquired by Tailwind Group in 2022. After two years of being managed by Tailwind Group, it was time to transition South Duff into a core brand, The Landing. The Landing Ames launched renewal leasing for their residents during the rebrand celebration, which resulted in an outstanding kickoff to leasing. The rebrand celebration was a collaboration of giveaways, free food, exclusive merchandise, games, and more. The celebration highlighted the vibrant lifestyle and community of The Landing Ames, setting the tone for what it means to call The Landing home.

The Quarters Manhattan | Manhattan, Kansas

Tailwind Group acquired The Gramercy in June 2024, and quickly rebranded the property to The Quarters Manhattan in October. Residents and prospective residents were filled with enthusiasm as they embraced The Quarters identity. The rebrand celebration laid the foundation for an exhilarating community atmosphere that Tailwind Group strives to provide for residents. The Quarters Manhattan set a record for the most leases signed during a rebrand party in Tailwind Group history with 30 executed leases, an outstanding start to 2025-26 preleasing. Residents were left with excitement as they await the upcoming clubhouse renovations.

The Landing Lawrence | Lawrence, Kansas

The Reserve on West 31st was also acquired by Tailwind Group in June 2024. In October, The Reserve was rebranded to The Landing Lawrence. In addition to preleasing kickoff, The Landing hosted an incredible rebrand celebration for residents and prospective residents featuring mascot, Baby Jay! Another Tailwind Group record was set this month, The Landing Lawrence had the highest attended rebrand celebration with an incredible number of 238 attendees. The residents and site staff are looking forward to unveiling the renovations that embody the same spirit and community focus that The Landing brand fosters.

As Tailwind Group continues to grow and evolve, we’re excited to see how these celebrations inspire creativity and innovation within our teams, ultimately enhancing the experience for our residents. Together, we’re paving the way for student housing, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for Tailwind Group!

Tailwind Group is a vertically integrated real estate company. Its core focus is off-campus student housing, in which it is a top twenty owner and manager in the country. Its current real estate portfolio consists of approximately $1.3B in assets under management, 17,000 student housing bedrooms, and nearly 700,000 square feet of commercial real estate. Its reach spans 15 different states and 21 different college communities.

Farrah Falcone2024-10-24T16:21:19-05:00October 24th, 2024|

Tailwind Group Announces Leadership Transition to Drive Continued Growth and Innovation

Brandon Smith Appointed President & Chief Executive Officer

(Mankato, MN) In a recent all-company meeting, Tailwind Group’s Managing Principals announced and appointed Brandon Smith as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Brandon’s duties as CEO will begin effective immediately. Lane Gravley will continue his role as president over the next several months and will transition responsibilities to Brandon over that same period.

Smith has served in various roles for the past ten years at Tailwind Group, starting as a Leasing Agent in 2014. In his most recent role as Vice President of Operations and Development, he has successfully pioneered the growth and development of Tailwind Group’s student housing portfolio, which now contains nearly 17,000 bedrooms across 36 unique properties. He has also played a crucial role in the organization’s acquisition strategy, with an intent focus on value-added renovations. “Brandon is the best person to lead the next phase of Tailwind Group’s growth and transformation. He has demonstrated excellent leadership, vision, and an innovative mindset ideal for propelling Tailwind Group forward”, said Michael Sather, one of Tailwind Group’s founders and Managing Principals.

“I am beyond excited and honored to serve in this new role,” said Smith. “I have countless people to thank for trusting and believing in me. I especially want to recognize the founders of Tailwind Group and Lane for investing so much in me over the years; I certainly would not have had this opportunity without them. I also must thank the hundreds of Tailwind Group team members who work so hard daily to make all this possible.”

Lane Gravley Transitioning to Chief People Officer

Lane Gravley has served as Tailwind Group’s President for the past four years and has overseen tremendous growth, the formation of the company structure, and the implementation of leadership principles. Upon the successful transition of responsibilities as President to Smith, Gravley will transition full-time into the newly created role of Chief People Officer.

In this new role, Gravley will exclusively focus on Tailwind Group’s most important asset: its people. His day-to-day will involve working with company leaders to optimize the team member experience, coaching principles of leadership development, and maintaining and enhancing Tailwind Group’s workplace culture. “Brandon is the perfect fit to lead Tailwind Group into the next phase. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with him over the past four years and am excited to continue to work with him and other company leaders on my true passion, which is people and culture”, said Gravley.

“I have learned so much from Lane over the past years,” said Smith. “His passion for people and their personal and professional development is unrivaled, so we are extremely excited to see him take on and embrace this new role. I hope all our team members see this as a major commitment to ensure that even as our company grows, we will never let it be at the expense of our people and culture.”

Tailwind Group is a vertically integrated real estate company. Its core focus is off-campus student housing, in which it is a top twenty owner and manager in the country. Its current real estate portfolio consists of approximately $1.3B in assets under management, 17,000 student housing bedrooms, and nearly 700,000 square feet of commercial real estate. Its reach spans 15 different states and 21 different college communities.

Farrah Falcone2024-10-18T15:33:37-05:00October 18th, 2024|

Episode 4: From Strategy to Execution – The Role of Corporate Operations

Tailwind Group’s Corporate Marketing team is excited to announce the fourth episode of Tailwind Talks and our first on-the-road episode, recorded in Dublin, Ohio! This episode, hosted by Devan Schaly-Brumbaugh, Director of Leasing and Marketing, and featuring Colleen Lewter, Director of Corporate Operations, provides a closer look into Tailwind Group’s Corporate Operations Team and discusses the struggles and successes that shaped her journey with Tailwind Group.

Learn more about Colleen’s background, dive into how Devan and Colleen met, and learn about the challenges and rewards Colleen and Devan faced transitioning from a regional to a director-level position. Listeners can also enjoy watching Devan and Colleen compete in a fun college basketball knowledge game.

Additionally, David Hughes, Director of Information Technology and Natalie Stubbs, Associate Counsel, make a guest appearance discussing Natalie’s role within the legal team, what a typical day looks like, her onboarding process, and more.

Whether you’re an experienced investor, an ambitious professional, or simply intrigued about the world of real estate, our episodes promise to inform, inspire, and keep you eagerly anticipating what’s next for Tailwind Group.

This podcast is available on all major platforms, making it easy for you to listen whenever you want! The marketing team values your feedback and suggestions. Share your thoughts, questions, and ideas to help shape future episodes. You can send your feedback by emailing us.

Farrah Falcone2024-09-06T11:13:32-05:00September 6th, 2024|

Flight Fundraiser: Elevate Your Impact, Elevate Your Experience

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Prepare for liftoff at the Flight Fundraiser, an extraordinary event that combines luxury, entertainment, and philanthropy under one expansive hangar at the prestigious Mankato Airport, happening on Wednesday, October 9, 2024 beginning at 5:30 p.m. As you step into this unique venue, you’ll be transported into a world where aviation history meets contemporary celebration, all set against the backdrop of beautifully displayed aircraft, luxury cars, and fine jewelry.

Created by Exclusively Diamonds and Tailwind Group, this event benefits the work of Greater Mankato Area United Way.

The highlight of the night is a live auction, featuring unique items and experiences that you won’t find anywhere else. Every bid helps to elevate the impact of United Way, as all proceeds from the event go directly to supporting their initiatives. Auction items will be announced soon.

Throughout the night, you’ll have the opportunity to explore an exclusive one-of-a-kind aircraft, luxury automobiles, and fine jewelry each telling its own story of design and innovation. There will also be LIVE music, craft cocktails, and culinary delights.

Come as you are! No need to dress up to enjoy this impactful event.

WHY?

By joining us at the Flight Fundraiser, you are making a tangible difference in our region. Greater Mankato Area United Way’s programs and initiatives serve more than 65,000 people annually through basic needs, health, and education. In addition to supporting 60+ essential programs, United Way is improving lives through literacy, substance use disorder advocacy, suicide prevention, youth mental health, and other important topics.

HOW?

Tickets are $200 per individual; $800 for a table of four; $1,200 for a half-table of six; and $2,400 for a table of twelve.

Each ticket includes full access to the event’s activities, dining and beverage options, and all entertainment for the evening.

Presented by Exclusively Diamonds and Tailwind Group

Purchase Tickets

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Farrah Falcone2024-09-03T15:26:32-05:00September 3rd, 2024|

Tailwind Group’s Fourth Student Housing Acquisition in 2024

Tailwind Group and its partners are pleased to announce the recent acquisition of Campus Trails, a 156-unit, 480-bedroom property in Starkville, MS. The property is located right across the street from Mississippi State University’s campus. The asset consists of 2-bedroom and 4-bedroom units. The asset was purchased from an undisclosed seller and the deal was brokered by William Vonderfecht and his team at CBRE.

Over the next 12 months, the property will undergo renovations which will include strategic unit upgrades, repurposing of the interior and exterior amenity spaces, and general property enhancements. The property will also be re-branded in the fall of 2024.

“We are excited to add another property in an SEC market, which have proven to be very strong for us in recent years” said Brandon Smith, Tailwind Group’s Vice President of Operations & Development. “The premiere location to campus and ability to add-value to both residents and the property through strategic property renovations cement our belief in this asset and our business plan.”

Tailwind Group is a top-20 owner and manager of off-campus student housing in the country, with 36 different communities comprising approximately 16,500 bedrooms in their portfolio. Their reach spans across 15 states and 20 universities.

Inquiries:
Brandon Smith, VP of Operations & Development
Krystal Pierce, VP of Investments & General Counsel

Farrah Falcone2024-07-25T11:50:09-05:00August 1st, 2024|

Episode 3: Growth, Vision, and Opportunities

Tailwind Group is thrilled to announce the third episode of Tailwind Talks!

In this episode, Brandon Smith, Vice President of Operations and Development, and our special guest, Michael Sather, one of the four founding partners of Tailwind, cover a range of topics, including Michael’s background, the formation and growth of Tailwind Group, as well as his current focus and future plans within the company. Additionally, listeners get a quick segment from Dave Hughes, Director of Information Technology, and Zach Rubosky, Talent Acquisition Specialist, about the hiring process at Tailwind and what potential job seekers can expect when applying to Tailwind Group.

Whether you’re an experienced investor, an ambitious professional, or simply intrigued about the world of real estate, our episodes promise to inform, inspire, and keep you eagerly anticipating what’s next for Tailwind Group.

Farrah Falcone2024-07-30T09:48:49-05:00July 30th, 2024|

Tailwind Group Acquires The Gramercy in Manhattan, Kansas

Tailwind Group and its partners are pleased to announce the recent acquisition of The Gramercy, a 228-unit, 700-bedroom property in Manhattan, KS. The property is located right across the street from historic Bill Synder Family Stadium near Kansas State University’s campus. The asset consists of 2-bedroom and 4-bedroom units. The asset was purchased from an undisclosed seller.

Over the next 13 months, the property will undergo renovations which will include strategic unit upgrades, repurposing of the interior and exterior amenity spaces, and general property enhancements. The property will also be re-branded in the fall of 2024.

“We have kept our eye on the Manhattan market for the past several years, and felt like the timing was right to enter,” said Brandon Smith, Tailwind Group’s Vice President of Operations & Development. “This purchase reinforces Tailwind Group’s commitment to pursue value-add opportunities in the student housing sector. Our team is extremely excited to launch our re-brand and implement our capital improvement plan over the next year.”

Tailwind Group is a top-20 owner and manager of off-campus student housing in the country, with 35 different communities comprising approximately 16,200 bedrooms in their portfolio. Their reach spans across 15 states and 19 universities.

Inquiries:
Brandon Smith, VP of Operations & Development
Krystal Pierce, VP of Investments & General Counsel

Farrah Falcone2024-07-25T11:29:35-05:00July 25th, 2024|

Tailwind Group Acquires Second Property in Lawrence, Kansas

Tailwind Group and its partners are pleased to announce the recent acquisition of The Reserve on West 31st, a 192-unit, 720-bedroom property in Lawrence, KS. The property is located near the University of Kansas and consists of 3-bedroom and 4-bedroom units. The asset was purchased from an undisclosed seller and was brokered by Teddy Leatherman and her team at JLL.

Over the next 14 months, the property will undergo extensive renovations which include full unit upgrades, conversion of 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom units to 4-bedroom, 4-bathroom units, a complete redesign and repurposing of the interior and exterior amenity spaces, and general property enhancements. The property will also be re-branded in the fall of 2024.

“We see great upside in this opportunity upon execution of our capital improvement plan combined with the strong fundamentals in the Lawrence market,” said Brandon Smith, Tailwind Group’s Vice President of Operations & Development. “The University of Kansas has seen tremendous enrollment growth over the past few years and the need for high-quality, off-campus student housing is at a premium. This deal lined up perfectly with our opportunistic, value-add strategy.”

Tailwind Group is a top-20 owner and manager of off-campus student housing in the country, with 34 different communities comprising nearly 15,500 bedrooms in their portfolio. Their reach spans across 15 states and 18 universities.

Inquiries:
Brandon Smith, VP of Operations & Development
Krystal Pierce, VP of Investments & General Counsel

Farrah Falcone2024-07-25T11:29:45-05:00June 27th, 2024|

About Farrah Falcone

The Landing Ames | Ames, Iowa

The Quarters Manhattan | Manhattan, Kansas

The Landing Lawrence | Lawrence, Kansas

Brandon Smith Appointed President & Chief Executive Officer

Lane Gravley Transitioning to Chief People Officer

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

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