In recognition of her immense contributions to the apartment industry and its advocacy efforts, Bonnie Smetzer, CPM, HCCP, partner and executive vice president of JMG Realty Inc., has been selected as the National Apartment Association's (NAA) 2020 Advocacy365 Advocate of the Year.

"No one better exemplifies a commitment to the spirit of volunteer industry advocacy than Bonnie Smetzer," said Bob Pinnegar, NAA president and CEO. "Bonnie has tirelessly advocated for the interests of the apartment industry across government at the federal, state, and local levels. NAA is honored and privileged to name Bonnie as our 2020 Advocacy365 Advocate of the Year – an award truly earned and deserved."

Each fall, NAA recognizes the U.S. apartment industry's top grassroots advocate. This award, the Advocacy365 Advocate of the Year, is one of NAA's most prestigious and recognizes outstanding voluntary contributions to industry advocacy at the local, state and national levels. Nominations are open to volunteer members and leaders of NAA and its affiliates, and applications are closely reviewed to determine a winner.

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and the 2020 presidential election, this year produced some of the most comprehensive and effective grassroots efforts in NAA history. The Florida Apartment Association (FAA), along with the Apartment Association of Greater Orlando (AAGO) and the Space Coast Apartment Association (SCAA), was honored to nominate Bonnie Smetzer for this special award. As a former president of FAA and SCAA, Smetzer has played a meaningful role in the apartment industry's efforts to influence policy decisions for many years.

In 2020, Smetzer volunteered her time to serve as the industry's voice on the State of Florida's Eviction Mitigation Task Force. In this role, she participated in weekly meetings with state officials, renter advocacy groups, and community partners to identify solutions to housing challenges posed by COVID-19. Smetzer also played a critical role by serving on FAA's 2020 Government Affairs Council, which was responsible for guiding the association's overall advocacy strategy throughout the ongoing pandemic. In addition, she serves on the NAA board of directors as a regional vice president, having been elected by her peers in NAA's Region IX (Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana), a position she has held for six years.

"Bonnie has always gone above and beyond to support the apartment industry, but she took her dedication to advocacy to another level this year," said Josh Gold, executive vice president of the Florida Apartment Association. "From day one, she was in the trenches working with the association to respond to the challenges posed by the pandemic. Bonnie's dedication to the apartment industry is unmatched and our advocacy efforts would simply not have been successful without her involvement."

ABOUT THE FLORIDA APARTMENT ASSOCIATION

The Florida Apartment Association is a federation of 10 local associations representing and advocating the interests of the Florida multifamily rental housing industry. FAA and each local association also belong to the National Apartment Association.