April 23, 2013 — The National Apartment Association (NAA) is pleased to announce that David B. Watkins, Jr., CAPS, CPA, will be inducted into the NAA Hall of Fame.

Induction into the NAA Hall of Fame represents the highest honor that can be bestowed upon an apartment professional. Watkins is the 17th person inducted during the 74-year history of NAA and will be recognized at the 2013 NAA Education Conference & Exposition, June 19-22 in San Diego.

Prior to forming Watkins Realty Services, LCC — a full-time property management company of which he is the President — Watkins was the COO of a Florida-based property management company. He founded Watkins Realty Services, LLC, in 2010, to handle receivership assignments. Watkins was a Senior Vice President for Greystar Management Services in Tampa, when he was NAA’s Chairman of the Board.

Watkins began his association career as the Founding Member and first President of the Capitol City Apartment Association (1990-1991). He served as the Bay Area Apartment Association President in 2000, and the Florida Apartment Association President in 2002. 

In 2007, Watkins was named NAA Chairman of the Board — one year earlier than planned — and then served an additional year in 2009 on NAA’s Executive Committee as a Past Chairman of the Board. 

Watkins served tirelessly in a variety of NAA leadership positions and was a Chairman of five different committees, as well as a Region 9 Vice President. He served on the NAA Board of Directors from 2001 until 2011. He is also a registered NALP, CAM and CAPS instructor.

In December 2012, he formed an alliance with Marc Rosenwasser of Meadow Wood Property Company. Today, Meadow Wood Property Company and Watkins Realty Services, LLC, manage more than 3,500 units in Florida.

When Watkins isn’t working, he often spends time volunteering in his community. Every other Friday, he picks up and delivers bakery goods from a local supermarket to a homeless shelter.

With more than 40 years of experience in the apartment industry on the local, state and national levels, Watkins is considered a true advocate and supporter of the multifamily housing industry and the National Apartment Association.

About NAA: The National Apartment Association (NAA) is America’s leading advocate for quality rental housing. NAA’s mission is to serve the interests of multifamily housing owners, managers, developers and suppliers and maintain a high level of professionalism in the multifamily housing industry to better serve the rental housing needs of the public. 

NAA is a federation of 170 state and local affiliates, comprised of more than 63,000 multifamily housing companies representing more than 6.7 million apartment homes throughout the United States and Canada. Members in good standing of any affiliated association are automatically considered members of NAA and entitled to NAA benefits.