Peter Lohmann's Newsletter - Issue #192

NARPM Picks a New Management Partner -
OMG Out

Almost a year ago, I wrote about Gail Phillips stepping down as NARPM's CEO after ~20 years at the helm. Troy Garrett has been in the CEO seat since then.

Troy is technically an employee of OMG (Organizational Management Group), the association management company NARPM has contracted with for two consecutive 10-year terms (part of OMG's job is supplying NARPM with a CEO).

Well, that second 10-year term ends in December 2026, and NARPM just made a big decision:

After what I'm told was a four-month organizational assessment led by an independent consultant, NARPM's board voted not to renew with OMG. Starting January 2027, MCI will take over as NARPM's association management partner.

This is a much bigger deal than it sounds.

OMG has been running NARPM's day-to-day for 20 years (education, communications, publications, the national conferences, all of it). That's a deep operational footprint to swap out.

A few quick observations:

• The CEO question just got a lot more interesting. Troy was hired by OMG to serve NARPM. When the management contract transitions to MCI, the CEO seat is essentially up for grabs again, and whoever holds the role going forward will be accountable to MCI, not OMG. For that matter, does it even really make sense to have with the title of ‘NARPM CEO’ that doesn’t actually work for NARPM? To me, it just adds confusion.

• The timing tells you something. NARPM is in the middle of a major strategic shift (NARPM 2.0, new board selection methods, evolving advocacy posture, and an industry facing real regulatory pressure from the FTC and state legislatures). The board clearly decided they needed a different operational engine to deliver on all of that, so rather than renewing with OMG, they ran a 4-month assessment and switched to MCI.

• MCI is a bigger fish. OMG is a specialized association management company managing a handful of trade groups. MCI USA is the US arm of MCI Group, a global engagement and marketing agency that counts the National Association of Realtors (NAR) among its clients. Association management is one of several services they offer. Whether that breadth is a feature or a bug probably depends on what NARPM needs in this next chapter.

• Members shouldn't expect to see much for now. The official announcement (and the actual transition plan) will be unveiled at NARPM National in Las Vegas this October. Until then, it's business as usual.

Troy declined to comment for this story.

To be clear: this isn't a knock on OMG. They built NARPM into what it is today, and Gail's legacy deserves to be celebrated. Twenty years is a long time for any vendor relationship, and if NARPM 2.0 is really going to be a 2.0, the back-end may have needed an upgrade too.

I'll be watching this closely. If you're a NARPM member and you have thoughts (or intel), hit reply - I'd love to hear them.

-Peter

Webinar - Next Thursday @ 2pm ET:
Key Findings from the 2026 PM Trends Report

What do single-family rental owners actually want from a property manager?
And what's pushing them to skip us entirely and self-manage instead?

We asked 500 small landlords dozens of questions about what they expect from their PM: how much they'll pay, where they're finding us (spoiler: it’s AI), and where their trust starts to crack. The 2026 PM Trends Report (built on a Harris Poll survey of U.S. landlords) has the answers.

Some of you got a hard copy at NARPM Broker/Owner. Now, the digital version is ready to share, and we're walking through the biggest findings live next Thursday. I'll be joined by Jordan Muela, with Brad Johnson, Ray Hespen, and Vanessa Anderson.
(Every attendee gets free access to the full report.)

Property Management Companies For Sale This Week

• This established residential PM firm in Palm Beach County, FL is still available (asking $1.2M, ~278 units, $1.53M revenue)

• 90-unit residential PM portfolio near Philadelphia in Delaware County, PA (asking $125k)

• Established PM company in Hillsborough County, NH (asking $280k)

• Semi-absentee 3-unit income property in Miami-Dade County, FL (asking $715k)

Sponsored by Column, the bank built for property managers from the ground up. Whether you're acquiring a portfolio or prepping for an exit, clean trust accounting and real-time bank data make every M&A conversation easier (APIs and all). Check it out.

Industry News & Events

• Knoxville: I recommend checking out this PM Speakeasy + Poker night. Looks like a lot of fun. If you go, say hi to Bryan Waters - my old BDM!

• RHJ: Some Tenants Will Get ‘Junk Fees’ Settlement Funds

• RHJ: 11 Apartment Owners To Pay $218 Million To Settle Rent Price-Fixing Suit

• Denver property manager accused of stealing $55k.

Closing Thought

A few quick things before you go…

• Last week’s issue went to 21,478 readers (50% opened, 4.8% clicked)

• The most popular link was my blog about What I Saw Walking the NARPM Broker/Owner Expo Floor: AI, Hype, and Tools Worth Paying Attention To (136 clicks)

• Property managers: Your professional trade association is NARPM. You need to join if you’re not already a member.

• Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe here.

Software I’m using to scale my 700+ door property management company:

Note: These are affiliate links, but I’ve been recommending all these companies long before any financial arrangements came into place.

The content of this newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. I may have consulting agreements with, or financial interests in, companies mentioned in this newsletter. Additionally, some of the links included in this newsletter are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links. Always perform your own due diligence before making any financial or business decisions.