Fortified Property Solutions is proud to share that Summer Hazen, Director of Operations for Fortified Property Solutions, was formally sworn in as President of the Idaho Apartment Association during the 2025 Tribute Awards Ceremony.

The Tribute Awards Ceremony is one of the multifamily housing industry’s most meaningful annual events in Idaho — a night dedicated to recognizing excellence, leadership, and service across the rental housing community. The evening brings together onsite teams, industry partners, and association leaders to celebrate the people who keep communities running every day.

Summer’s installation as President reflects her long-standing commitment to operational excellence, people-first leadership, and advancing the apartment industry through service, mentorship, and collaboration.

A Leader Who Grew Through the Industry

Summer’s career path is one that resonates with many in multifamily housing. She didn’t begin with a polished roadmap — she began with determination, hard work, and a willingness to say yes to opportunity. Over the years, that mindset carried her from onsite roles to regional leadership and ultimately into executive operations.

Her story is rooted in resilience, growth, and service — values that mirror the mission of both Fortified Property Solutions and the Idaho Apartment Association.

President Summer Hazen’s Inaugural Address

Shared in full from the Idaho Apartment Association Tribute Awards Ceremony

"Good evening, everyone!

Can I tell you how surreal this moment is? Not on a stage surrounded by extremely talented individuals. Because let me be clear—this journey didn’t start polished.

It started managing Subways. As a single mom. Unsure of what came next.

Just willing to work hard, learn fast, and say yes to opportunity.

And so —

Tonight is a good night.

It’s a night to pause. To breathe. And to celebrate the people who keep this industry moving forward—often quietly, often behind the scenes, and almost always without enough recognition.

Because let’s be honest—this work isn’t easy.

It’s long days and late nights. Hard conversations. Impossible budgets. Staffing challenges. Resident concerns. Ownership expectations. Floods, fire and blood – sometimes all at once.

And yet—here we are. Dressed up. Out of the office. And finally celebrating wins.

So first—welcome, and congratulations to all of tonight’s nominees and award finalists. These awards matter because the work behind them matters. Tonight is about you.

Thank you to Kaylynn, Tyler, Alex, and the many volunteers who make this evening possible. This event exists because of your time, your heart, and your commitment to our industry—and we don’t say thank you nearly enough.

As I was preparing for tonight, I kept thinking about this room.

About the energy in it. About the pride at each table. About the stories sitting in these seats.

And about the leaders who have stood on this stage before me—the ones who raised their hand to serve, who volunteered their time, who chose leadership when it would have been easier to stay comfortable.

Because leadership in this industry isn’t about a title.

It’s about showing up and sometimes working late. Being present. Being willing to learn, to mentor, to be mentored—and sometimes… to get it wrong and grow anyway.

Many of those leaders are sitting in this room tonight. Some I’ve worked with directly. Some I’ve served alongside through committees and volunteer work. Every one of you has left fingerprints on my career—and on the leader I’ve become. I am truly honored to follow in your footsteps.

Like many of us, I didn’t grow up dreaming of property management. This is an industry we often fall into.

And yet—once you’re in, it gets in your blood.

Twenty years later, I wake up every day excited to do this work. And that didn’t happen by accident. It happened because of people—mentors, peers, coworkers, friends—and especially my husband.

To my husband—thank you. For being my steady place. For believing in me when I doubted myself. For giving me the space to grow, the encouragement to keep going, and the grace to chase the life and career I love. I could not stand here without you.

When I look around this room, I see faces that shaped me. People who listened when I needed advice. Who challenged me when I needed accountability. Who trusted me before I fully trusted myself.

Thank you for calling me out when I was wrong—and standing beside me while I figured out how to make it right.

If you look at the screen tonight, you’ll see a photo from the very first Idaho Apartment Association Awards—when I was honored as Property Manager of the Year.

That woman was excited. Passionate. Determined.

She held herself to a higher standard than anyone else ever asked of her.

She was also the same property manager who walked into a corporate office one day and said, “I’m going to be up here someday.”

That dream turned into becoming a Regional Manager. Then into wanting to make a bigger impact. To grow Idaho. To grow people. To strengthen this industry.

That woman became a Director of Operations.

And tonight—seven years later—I stand before you as President of the Idaho Apartment Association.

I am incredibly grateful to Greystoke Capital and Fortified Property Solutions for trusting me, supporting me, and allowing me to grow into the Director of Operations role. Your belief in me has given me the platform to continue building teams, systems, and leaders—and I don’t take that trust lightly.

The Idaho Apartment Association is more than an organization.

It is education. Training. Collaboration. Friendship.

It’s where we learn from each other, challenge each other, and move our industry forward—together.

And tonight—tonight is one of our favorite parts of that journey.

Because tonight, we celebrate excellence. We celebrate dedication. We celebrate growth.

We celebrate the leasing professionals who turn traffic into trust. The maintenance teams who keep communities running—often without anyone noticing until something breaks. The managers who hold it all together. The partners who support us. The leaders who lift others up.

So if you’re sitting at your table tonight and you love what you do… If you feel proud of the work you and your team have done… If you’re ready to cheer a little louder than usual—

You’re in the right place.

This year, we have a strong board, a committed executive team, and an incredible group of professionals in this room. The opportunity ahead of us is significant—and so is our responsibility.

If you want to make an impact beyond your role—volunteer. Join a committee. Raise your hand. This association is only as strong as the people who show up.

Thank you for trusting me with this role. Thank you for the honor of serving as your President. And thank you—for the work you do every single day to make our industry stronger.

Now—let’s do what we came here to do.

Let’s celebrate excellence. Let’s celebrate leadership. Let’s celebrate each other."

What This Means for Idaho’s Multifamily Industry

Summer’s presidency represents a continued investment in people, professionalism, and progress within Idaho’s rental housing industry. Her leadership reflects the collaborative spirit and commitment to growth that define this community.

Fortified Property Solutions Celebrates

We are incredibly proud to support Summer as she steps into this role. Her passion for developing people, strengthening operations, and giving back to the industry aligns deeply with who we are at Fortified Property Solutions.

Congratulations, Summer — we can’t wait to see the impact you’ll make this year and beyond.

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