Melanie French
Chief Executive Officer
RREAF Residential

Melanie is a seasoned and well recognized expert in multi-family management, strategic planning, human capital, organizational development, and executive leadership. Her diverse and impressive background includes having held executive level positions for more than 16 years with leading public and privately owned industry gamechangers including Cortland, AIMCO and DLP Capital.

Stepping into the role as RREAF Residential’s first Chief Executive Officer, she is responsible for all operational aspects of the organization. Focused on scaling and substantially growing the size of the business, Melanie understands that the desired growth is only possible by hiring and developing top talent to ensure the more than 30,000 residents living on RREAF managed communities are happily nesting and enjoying their rental homes each day.

Prior to joining RREAF Residential, Melanie held the position of Managing Principal and President for DLP Capital’s real estate management arm where she was a member of the investment committee in addition to having full responsibility for building and leading property management, asset management, construction redevelopment, sales, marketing, and due diligence for more than 20,000 units.

Melanie is proud of the growth and property management platform that she helped to build during her almost 6 years at Cortland where she was the Executive Vice President responsible for all aspects of property management and performance where she grew the management platform from 9,000 units to more than 50,000 units while also overseeing the completion of more than 45,000 interior and exterior unit renovations on billions of dollars in real estate.

AIMCO was Melanie’s work home for more than 13 years where she began as an RVP responsible for more than 18,000 units in 5 states, before being promoted to EVP of Learning & Organization for the entire organization of several thousand employees and more than 200,000 apartment homes spanning the nation.

For more than 15 years, Melanie has held designations and certifications as an IREM CPM (Certified Property Manager), SPHR (Senior Professional of Human Resources and a Master Trainer & Facilitator certified by DDI. She has regularly participated as a speaker, panelist and contributor to numerous industry events, articles, and conferences.

Melanie developed her passion for operating communities, learning the intimate importance and details of ensuring that apartments become true long term “homes” to residents from her early years of working as a leasing consultant. She is known and appreciated by all who have worked for her or with her as a partner who develops future all-star leaders, by offering guidance and leadership as a passionate, detail oriented, gritty but approachable leader.

Melanie understands that the key to success is hiring dynamic team members and she enjoys celebrating the teams that make success possible. Melanie and her husband of more than 35 years enjoy spending time boating, fishing, and playing with their grandchildren.