GCAA Honors Legacy Leaders

On November 21, 2024, the Greater Charlotte Apartment Association (GCAA) celebrated the tremendous achievements of three legacy members - Charley Watts, Marcie Williams, and Mary Beth Woodard - during a garden party at Providence Row - Phase II, a Northwood Ravin community. 

For the first time, the GCAA hosted its Presidents' Circle Honors Brunch, a new annual event to install its incoming Board of Directors across three separate entities and acknowledge the contributions made by industry giants. 

Charley Watts, co-founder of Watts Leaf Architects, was honored as an "Innovator in Multifamily Housing" for his three decades of design influence in multifamily development. He skillfully balanced principles of affordability and safety within the framework of national building codes and architectural requirements for apartment communities.

Marcie Williams, founder of RKW Residential, was honored as a "Visionary in Multifamily" for building an idea into a property management empire worthy of acquisition by a publicly traded Fortune 500 tech firm. She led the highly successful Legacy for Learning Campaign for the GCAA’s career development center and was a founding member of the GCAA Education Foundation.

Mary Beth Woodard was honored as a "Trailblazer in Multifamily" for becoming the first woman to Chair the National Apartment Association Board of Directors in 1999. She has been in the multifamily industry for over four decades working for large firms like Lincoln Property Company, Summit Properties, Colonial Properties Trust, and Balfour Beatty. Mary Beth opened the Carolinas office for Highmark Residential in 2016. She continues to be a pioneering spirit in the GCAA and a guidepost for other women who hope to follow in her footsteps.