The Edge of Innovation at NMHC OpTech

The multifamily housing industry, traditionally a step or two away from the cutting edge, is learning to embrace innovation at a time when the globe isn’t sitting still. Today, world leaders and innovators are asking “why not?” and willing to push advancement to the brink, sometimes for the unimaginable and often with risk. Many are beginning to look far down the road and into the next cycle. Nurturing a breakthrough mentality through collaboration and singular achievement, no matter where, was on the minds of leaders at November’s National Multifamily Housing Council OpTech Conference & Exposition in Orlando. From the opening keynote, where New York University scholar and innovation expert Melissa A. Schilling dissected the minds of the world’s greatest innovators, to marketplace chats and breakout sessions, the message was strong: The only way to get better is defy potential – and sometimes inevitable – failure and aspire to improve. “We should nurture breakthrough innovation in the people around us,” said Schilling, who has intensely studied the likes of Albert Einstein, Nicola Tesla, Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Marie Curie and Dean Kamen and authored “Strategic Management of Technological Innovation” (now in its fifth edition), the top innovation strategy textbook in the world. Creating innovation by talking about it Apartment leaders are creating innovation programs and teams to establish strategies for future success, motivated to not only positioning their companies to avoid disruption, but to ride the next wave of innovation. Moderator  Kristy Simonette, CIO & SVP/Strategic Services at Camden Property Trust and speakers Jeffrey Brodsky, Vice Chairman, Related Companies; Stephanie Fuhrman, Managing Director, Global Innovation, Greystar; and Joanna Zabriskie, President, BH Management provided insights into their thinking and how trends in other industries, no matter how far-fetche...