Greater Charlotte Apartment Association

The Greater Charlotte Apartment Association staff includes four full-time and two part-time professionals who are eager to assist you with your operational endeavors and to provide you with all of the benefits of association membership.

Full Time Staff

Ken Szymanski, Executive Director, AICP
704-334-9511 x24
ken@greatercaa.org

Ken Szymanski has served as Executive Director for both the Greater Charlotte Apartment Association and the Apartment Association of North Carolina since 1986. He is the chief staff person responsible for directing the activities of the Association to serve the legislative, educational, and informational needs of the members. Ken represents and promotes the rental housing industry before the media, legislative bodies, other trade associations, and the membership. He is a Registered Lobbyist in the North Carolina General Assembly and has served on several committees of the North Carolina Building Code Council. He has twice been named “Association Executive of the Year” by the National Apartment Association, and served as President of the NAA’s AE Council in 1997.

Previously, he was the Education/Public Affairs Director with the San Antonio Apartment Association. Ken’s background also includes working as a city planner with a specialization in housing/community development in San Antonio, TX and Toledo, OH. He holds a B.A. degree in Urban Geography from the State University of New York at Albany (where he was a legislative aide in the New York State Senate) and a Master’s degree in City & Regional Planning from Western Kentucky University. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, the Urban Land Institute, and the Board of Directors of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing Partnership. Ken is also a recent graduate of Leadership North Carolina.

Irene Gammon, Communications Manager
704-334-9511 x23
irene@greatercaa.org

Irene joined the GCAA staff in August, 2002. Her prior work experience includes over ten years in the field of graphic communications and printing. In her present position, Irene handles the GCAA’s publications, marketing, and electronic communications projects. She authors, designs, and disseminates GCAA and AANC information via various media, specifically this web site and the Apartment Times magazine. She is the staff liaison to the Products & Services Council and organizes the annual Trade Show. Irene graduated Summa Cum Laude from James Madison University, where she majored in English.

Fran Petzold, Director of Operations
704-334-9511 x27
fran@greatercaa.org

Having initially served as the GCAA’s part-time administrative assistant, Fran was promoted to Membership Services Coordinator in September, 2005, and to Director of Operations in June, 2007. In her present role at the GCAA, Fran oversees all of the association’s accounting functions including invoicing, accounts receivable and payable, and more. She also provides senior member service support, serves as staff liaison to the Public Relations Committee, and manages accounting for the AANC. Fran’s previous experience includes a customer service and accounting position with Meineke Car Care Specialists.

Jennifer Galeazzi, Member Services Coordinator
704-334-9511 x21
jennifer@greatercaa.org

Jennifer joined the GCAA staff in November, 2008 from her former role as an apartment community manager. Her responsibilities in the full-time position of Member Services Coordinator include responding to the many & varied requests of Association members, supporting both the GCAA Executive Director and Board of Directors, organizing registration for all GCAA events, and processing forms orders. Jennifer handles inquiries from non-member firms and plays a key role in recruiting these companies into the GCAA. She also supports the Membership Committee, the Programs Committee, and the AANC.

JoAnna Dougan, Director of Education
704-334-9511 x22
joanna@greatercaa.org

JoAnna has worked for the GCAA in various full and part-time capacities for over 16 years; she has been Education Manager, Apartment Times editor, Operations Manager, and was named Deputy Executive Director in 2004. In 2009, JoAnna elected to serve the GCAA on a contractual basis as our Director of Education. In this role, she oversees the management of NAA Education Institute Designation Programs (NALP, CAM, CAMT, CAPS, and CAS), serves as liaison to GCAA’s Education Advisory Council, and is a member of the GCAA Education Foundation’s Board of Directors. JoAnna is a Licensed NC & SC Real Estate Broker, a CPCC honors graduate, a current student of East Carolina University, has received the Accredited Residential Manager Designation through IREM, and she’s a former apartment manager. She currently represents GCAA’s affiliate education interests as a member of the National Apartment Association Education Institute’s Curriculum Development Committee.

Pat Dorcy, Events Manager
704-334-9511 x26
pat@greatercaa.org

Pat joined the GCAA in October of 2005 as a part-time Administrative Assistant. Since then she has had an eclectic assortment of responsibilities. In her present position as Events Manager, Pat handles the many organizational details of the Association’s seminars and monthly membership meetings, supports the Operations and Programs Committees, and oversees the annual New Construction Tour and Golf Tournament. Pat came to the Association from a previous position as a Member Retention Specialist at the Harris YMCA. She holds a B.A. degree from the State University of New York at Geneseo.