Resident Experience & Operational Excellence

Tailwind Group, a leading owner and operator of student housing communities nationwide, has once again been recognized among the Top 10 Student Housing Companies in the 2025 ORA® Power Ranking by J Turner Research, marking more than five consecutive years of Top 10 performance.

The ORA® (Online Reputation Assessment) score is derived from resident reviews across major platforms and online listing services. It evaluates over 3,200 off-campus student housing communities nationwide. Tailwind Group’s continued ranking in the Top 10 demonstrates sustained performance and consistency in providing a high-quality resident experience at scale.

“This recognition is a direct reflection of our commitment to people,” said Kadi Mancuso Rice, Vice President of Leasing and Marketing at Tailwind Group. “At Tailwind, we are committed to fighting for the highest possible good of the people who matter most, and this recognition is a direct reflection of that standard in action. It comes to life through our teams, especially our onsite leasing and maintenance teams, who deliver the resident experience every day. What makes this especially meaningful is that we are doing this while growing our portfolio through complex, value-add investments, proving that when you prioritize people, performance follows.”

Tailwind Group’s achievements are reaffirmed by its recognition in all five categories of the 2025 Einstein Best of Awards: Customer Service, Communication, Cleanliness, Maintenance, and Security. These rankings highlight the company’s operational excellence in areas most important to residents and demonstrate that our focus on fundamentals continues to set us apart.

A key difference in Tailwind Group’s performance is its portfolio strategy. The company continues to grow through value-added acquisitions, often taking on communities with challenging reputations. Maintaining Top 10 ORA® performance with this model demonstrates the strength of Tailwind’s platform and the team’s ability to improve both asset performance and the resident experience.

At the property level, the Quarters Ames ranked #26 among the Top 100 properties nationwide, earning an ORA® score of 93. This recognition highlights top-tier performance in a fully stabilized and optimized community.

For a complete list of rankings, please view the full report here: The 2025 Student Housing Company ORA® Power Ranking

Value-Add Renovations

Tailwind Group also received two awards at the Student Housing Business Innovator Awards held at the InterFace Student Housing Conference held in Austin, TX:

• Best Property Turnaround – The Landing CoMo (Columbia, MO – University of Missouri), a complete transformation from a distressed asset acquired at roughly 44% occupancy to a fully stabilized, 100% occupied community with substantial rent and NOI growth.

• Best Property Renovation/Value-Add Project – The Landing Lawrence (Lawrence, KS – University of Kansas), a multimillion-dollar renovation completed ahead of schedule and under budget, transforming a 26-year-old asset into a competitive, modern community.

Both projects were completed with long-term partners RC Contractors (Lansing, MI) and HPA Design Group (Dallas, TX). This powerful trio has completed 10+ value-add student housing renovations in the past five years and continues to raise the bar and set new standards.

“We have become almost solely focused on our value-add acquisition strategy over the past several years,” said Brandon Smith, President & CEO of Tailwind Group. “We are hyper-focused on entering great college markets at an attractive cost basis. From there, we work with incredible partners like RC Contractors and HPA Design Group to build and optimize our value-add scope. Both projects that we were rewarded for checked all our boxes, and we could not be prouder of the results we achieved for our team members, residents, investors, and the local communities in which the real estate was transformed.”

Nick Sheak has been promoted from Director of Investments to Vice President of Investments.  Nick has been with Tailwind Group for five years and has played a significant role in building and expanding the company’s investment platform while fostering strong collaboration across departments.

In his new role as VP of Investments, Nick will oversee the full investment lifecycle, provide strategic leadership on new investment opportunities, and continue to serve as a key partner in advancing Tailwind Group’s long-term growth strategy.  He will maintain oversight of the Acquisitions and Asset Management teams. Together, the investment leadership team will work closely to ensure a seamless and integrated investment process.

“Nick’s leadership and contributions have been instrumental to our success,” said Michael Sather, Partner and Chief Investment Officer. “This promotion reflects both his impact and the confidence we have in his continued leadership as we grow our platform.”

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.

(Mankato, MN) Tailwind Group is excited to announce the promotion of three team members to key leadership roles within the organization. These internal promotions highlight our commitment to Tailwind Group’s growth strategy by investing in our people.

Krystal Pierce Promoted to Chief Relationship Officer

Krystal Pierce has served as Vice President of Investor Relations and General Counsel for the past five years at Tailwind Group. In this role, Pierce has spearheaded the formation of our investor relations team and expanded the legal team. In her new position as Chief Relationship Officer, she will focus on building long-term trust with investors, improving the investor experience, and driving business growth through strategic relationship management. As General Counsel, Pierce will continue to oversee Tailwind Group’s legal department. “Krystal has been a foundational piece of Tailwind’s growth over the past five years,” said Brandon Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer. “She has led the formation of both our investor relations and legal departments and has been an integral part of our leadership team. This promotion cements her as our go-forward leader for all investor-related activities.”

Jon Fahning Promoted to Vice President of Investor Relations

Over the past four years, Jon Fahning has led our Commercial and Real Estate Development team as the Director of Development. Fahning is passionate about building relationships, fostering collaboration, and being an innovative leader. In his new role as Vice President of Investor Relations, Fahning will be responsible for establishing and maintaining strong relationships with current and prospective investors to support capital raises and develop long-term partnerships, all while driving innovation to shape the Tailwind Group Investor strategy. Krystal Pierce, Chief Relationship Officer, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Jon into the investor Relations department.  As Vice President, Jon is sure to excel by utilizing his strong background in development and the extensive network of relationships he has built over his years in the industry.  His passion for people and alignment with our relationship-first culture make him an invaluable addition.”

Kelly Mayo Promoted to Director of Commercial Real Estate

Kelly Mayo has overseen the property management of Tailwind’s commercial real estate portfolio for the past ten years at Tailwind Group. In his most recent role as Senior Commercial Property Manager, Mayo has built and streamlined a complete management team to oversee the portfolio. As Director of Commercial Real Estate, Mayo will continue leading the team, focusing on managing all aspects of our commercial real estate portfolio, including leasing, property management, acquisitions, and asset management. “I am thrilled to have Kelly move into this expanded role overseeing our growing commercial portfolio. We are excited to continue growing and delivering value for our investors in our commercial assets. Kelly will provide exceptional leadership to the team,” stated Casey Petersen, Chief Operating Officer.

(Mankato, MN) Tailwind Group is pleased to announce Kadi Mancuso, who will serve as Tailwind Group’s Vice President of Leasing and Marketing.

An accomplished multifamily executive with experience in leading marketing, sales, and customer experience within the real estate industry, Mancuso brings extensive knowledge in all aspects of leasing and marketing leadership. Prior to joining Tailwind Group, she most recently served as Vice President of Marketing and Sales at JVM Realty, where she developed strategies that influenced leasing velocity, revenue growth, and resident experience.

Kadi will lead and manage the leasing and marketing teams, utilizing her skillset and experience to drive performance and strategies to drive lead generation, lead-to-lease conversion, brand and customer acquisition, and marketing analytics. “The culture at Tailwind is what drew me in. It is people-first, purpose-driven, and grounded in values that closely align with how I lead. I’m excited to join a team that cares deeply about performance and building something meaningful. There’s a rare energy here, and I feel lucky to be a part of it,” commented Mancuso.

Tailwind Group’s Chief Operating Officer, Casey Petersen, commented, “I’m thrilled to welcome Kadi to the Tailwind leadership team. Leasing and Marketing are so incredibly important in our business, and as we continue to scale up our platform for more growth, bringing someone with Kadi’s experience and leadership approach was critical. We’re so excited for what is to come.

Tailwind Group has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2025 honor by Minnesota Top Workplaces. This list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC. The confidential survey uniquely measures the employee experience and its component themes, including employees feeling Respected & Supported, Enabled to Grow, and Empowered to Execute, to name a few.

“Earning a Top Workplaces award is a badge of honor for companies, especially because it comes authentically from their employees,” said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. “That’s something to be proud of. In today’s market, leaders must ensure they’re allowing employees to have a voice and be heard. That’s paramount. Top Workplaces do this, and it pays dividends.”

ABOUT ENERGAGE
Making the world a better place to work together.™

Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. Built on 18 years of culture research and the results from 27 million employees surveyed across more than 70,000 organizations, Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available. With access to a unique combination of patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit energage.com or topworkplaces.com.

Tailwind Group is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 Tailwind Group Scholarship Program, which was launched earlier this year to support and empower employees pursuing higher education. Designed to recognize exceptional team members who embody our organizational values, the program offers financial assistance to help ease the burden of educational costs.

“At Tailwind Group, we’re committed to fighting for the highest possible good of our team members,” said Lane Gravley, Chief People Officer. “This program is a meaningful way to invest in the future of our people while celebrating their hard work!”

In partnership with the Mankato Area Foundation, Tailwind Group conducted a thorough review process to identify individuals who excel in their roles and demonstrate leadership, innovation, and community impact. We are excited to announce this year’s inaugural recipients:

First Class Scholarship

The First-Class Scholarship is our premier scholarship, awarded annually to one employee who goes above and beyond for their community and peers while embodying our core values every day. We are excited to announce that the $5,000 scholarship recipient is Yeeshai Valdivia.

Yeeshai is a Security Officer at The Quarters Iowa City and attends the University of Iowa, where he studies Industrial Engineering. His goal is to work in automotive manufacturing and eventually become a Plant Manager.

When asked about Yeeshai and the impact he has made on the property, Katie Lippincott, Property Manager, said, “Yeeshai goes above and beyond his duties by volunteering to help with trash pickup, providing extra ‘manpower’ during evictions or turnovers, and always does it with a positive attitude. His balance of full-time school, military duties, and a full-time job impresses me as his manager, and I’m proud of his development and commitment this last year!”

Entrepreneurial Spirit Scholarship

The Entrepreneurial Spirit Scholarship is awarded annually to two employees who demonstrate excellence in their work and consistently bring new ideas. We are excited to announce that the following employees are recipients of these $2,500 scholarships:

• Naqib Ahmed is a corporate Graphic Design Specialist. He is pursuing a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing at the University of the Cumberlands.

• Emily Lorius is a Marketing Assistant at LivRed/The Quarters Lincoln and is pursuing a Master of Architecture and a Master of Business at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Innovator Scholarship 

The Innovator Scholarship is awarded yearly to five employees who refuse to be outhustled and consistently bring their best to their job. We are excited to announce that the following employees are recipients of these $1,000 scholarships:

• Olivia Cahoon is a Community Assistant at The Quarters Manhattan. She is pursuing a degree in Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology with a minor in Gerontology at Kansas State University.

• Brooke Gappa serves as a Community Assistant at The Quarters Vermillion. She is pursuing a Marketing and Business Management degree at the University of South Dakota.

• Colby Miller is a Maintenance Technician at College Town Mankato. He is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Professional Flight with a minor in Geography at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

• Neely Nordstrom serves as a Community Assistant at The Quarters Ames. She is pursuing a degree in Psychology and minoring in Philosophy, Human Development, and Family Studies.

• Brianna Pfeifer is a Community Assistant at Altitude Wichita. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering at Wichita State University.

The Senior Leadership Team congratulates all the scholarship recipients and is honored to support their growth and academic endeavors.