An unexpected choice

Editor’s note: In celebration of Women’s History Month, we’re recognizing a leader who helped shape IREM’s history, not only through her achievements, but through the paths she created for others.

Her story began with a very different plan, one that pointed to a prestigious career in law.

While attending law school at night, Beverly took a job managing a 72-unit apartment community. The role came with a part-time schedule and an apartment to live in for free. It was, by all accounts, the perfect setup: work part of the day, study the rest, and head to class in the evening.

Then came an unexpected turn.

Just a few months in, she was promoted to manage a new property. Suddenly the role was no longer part-time. It was full time, more demanding, and immersive. Not what she had planned, but she stayed with it.

She finished law school, passed the bar, and prepared to move into a legal career.

Instead, her boss offered her a choice: stay and step into a leadership role or leave and pursue law.

She chose to stay.

That decision shaped her career, as well as the future of the profession.

The power of IREM^®

Beverly’s boss was Bob Beal, a well-respected IREM leader known for his ability to recognize and cultivate leaders. Bob Beal served as the President of RPM Management, the property management company at Rector Phillips Morris. Bob quickly became Beverly’s lifelong mentor and sponsor.

Beverly worked at RPM for 37 years, building a career that grew steadily over time. She started on-site, managing a single property, and moved through the organization into roles with greater responsibility. She became the first woman to serve on RPM’s board of directors, and eventually the President of RPM Management, the role once held by her mentor.

Her path was not defined by quick moves. It was defined by consistency, growth, and trust. At the center of her leadership was a clear belief about what the work really meant. “I don’t manage property. I manage the people who manage the property.”

That perspective shaped how she built teams and led organizations. Success was not only about operations. It was about people. Hiring the right individuals, investing in their development, and creating an environment where they could succeed.

That same clarity extended to her involvement with IREM where she leveraged the network of professionals across the country. It became one of the most valuable resources in her career.

“I learned from the best,” she says.

She reached out, asked questions, and learned from others who were navigating similar challenges. That network helped her solve problems, see new opportunities, and bring new ideas back to her own company.

One of those ideas was condominium management. At the time, it was not widely practiced in her market. Through conversations with other IREM members, she learned what it would take and introduced the concept within her company.

New leadership

When Beverly entered property management she recalls “it was a job, it was not a career.” Women, in particular, were often “the doers, the worker bees… but not the executive positions.”

The work itself was also misunderstood. “They thought if you're in property management you collect rent or are a maintenance man to fix something… that’s about all you do.”

Beverly saw something different. She saw complexity, responsibility, and long-term impact. She believed it could be a true career, and she worked to make that a reality for others.

In 1994, Beverly stepped into a new kind of leadership when she became IREM’s first woman president.

“It was exciting… but also a little overwhelming,” she recalls. “I wasn’t planning to be President, and my first thought was ‘I have to ask my boss.’” As it turns out, Bob had been consulted and eagerly supported her appointment to the role. Still, she had concerns about how others would respond. “Would the male members be accepting of me? In fact, they were very supportive.”

That experience stayed with her. It reinforced that progress often comes through showing up, doing the work, and building trust. She believed that by stepping into that role, she was opening the door for others.

And she did.

Through her involvement with IREM, she supported efforts to elevate the profession. She helped reinforce education and credentials and worked to bring IREM curriculum into universities. Her goal was to create a clearer path for people to enter the field intentionally.

Over time, that vision took hold. Today, IREM works directly with more than 30 Academic Partners who offer degrees in property management or real estate.

Preparing the next generation of leaders

Beverly’s growth as a leader was shaped not only by her work, but by the people around her. Her mentor left a lasting impression: “I can open the door, but you have to walk through it.” Beverly carried that lesson forward, both in how she approached her own career and how she developed others. Opportunity matters, but so does follow-through. Today, Beverly tells others: “if you show up and you do a good job, you will be recognized.”

Today, women are not only part of the profession. They are leading it. They serve as executives, presidents, and business owners. The shift from operational roles to leadership positions is clear.

Even in her own company, Peak Properties, LLC that change is visible. Her team of five is entirely women. Not by design, but as a reflection of how the profession has evolved.

Beverly believes that she opened the door for other women to step into leadership roles. In 2023, IREM celebrated another historical milestone – an all-female leadership team. This milestone was celebrated and further recognized by the IREM Foundation with a special scholarship supporting nearly 100 scholarships to help women in real estate management careers earn and IREM certification.

What began as one woman stepping through an open door has become a pathway for many to follow.

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