Professionalism On-the-Job and In the Saddle: Sheryl Frick, RPA

Nearly every property manager can identify with the image of a hero riding in to save the day as they “rescue” tenants from everyday property issues large and small. Tampa area Property Manager, Sheryl Frick with Ryan Companies US, literally rides a horse as a volunteer of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse. She joined the Posse when her son left for college, combining her passion for horses with a desire to give more time to community service.

The Posse’s two main priorities are participating in search and rescue activities and community outreach events. In order to perform these tasks, volunteers must commit to ongoing training with the Posse — Sheryl logged 150+ hours in 2018. She especially enjoys participating in community events and outreach, helping to strengthen the connection between area law enforcement and its citizens.

“Everybody loves the horses and will come up to the horse and talk to the deputy and posse members. Our goal is to help people feel more comfortable with law enforcement officers by interacting with them in a relaxed environment.”

The connections between Sheryl’s volunteer role and her “day” job as a property manager are pretty strong. Property managers require ongoing training to maintain certifications such as Sheryl’s RPA and must build strong relationships with their tenants to boost satisfaction and retention. We asked Sheryl to share some of her experience as a property manager.

1. How long have you been a property manager and how did you get started in this line of work? 

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 28 years since I graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in anthropology! I gravitated towards real estate because it seemed interesting, and have had a number of jobs with great companies.

2. What skills are most important to somebody considering a career in property management?

You have be able to multi-task — to manage dozens of different projects at the same time, creatively find solutions to problems, and be comfortable with a varied day which could change substantially from your plans as tenant/property needs arise. You must be a people person and able to operate with flexibility between the lease and practice.

3. Working with A1 Orange, can you tell us about how you solved a very unique pressure cleaning challenge?

One of our properties in beautifully situated on a small pond, but the water-facing side had access issues. A1 Orange was the only company willing to provide service from a boat in the pond, and it has worked out beautifully.

4. Being a property manager is a pretty intense job — how do you relax?

Caring for my horses is a great stress reliever and very calming. Combining community service with my love of horses has been awesome!

5. Speaking of community service, Ryan Companies is pretty big on giving back — can you share a few recent projects you’ve participated in?

We cook dinners for the Ronald McDonald House quarterly, work on Habitat for Humanity projects, and volunteer with Feeding Tampa Bay.

Sheryl is currently a Real Estate Manager with Ryan Companies US, Inc., and previously was with Healthcare Trust of America, Inc., USAA/ABM/Transwestern, and Songy Partners. She has extensive experience with hi-rise and construction management and has won six BOMA TOBY Awards.