Driven By Innovation

Mike Altman

Chief Investment Officer of Cortland

A love of innovation and a constant quest for the next opportunity drives Mike Altman and the team at Cortland. Within the past decade, Cortland has grown into a national powerhouse that is revolutionizing property management.

From a young age, Mike always saw opportunity where others didn’t. As a child, he’d see construction sites from the back of his parent’s car and get excited about what could be. Now, he’s taking his ability to envision potential and is helping Cortland lead the way into a new frontier. His energy and creativity are improving the lives of managers, residents, and everyone involved in Cortland’s communities.

When Mike joined Cortland in 2007, there was a way property management was done and had been done for years. At that time, Cortland was a merchant builder working on new multifamily construction projects, and they owned roughly 1,600 units. Now, they are an integrated investment, management, and development apartment company that owns over 60,000 units, putting them in the top 20 of overall ownership representing 17 markets in the U.S. and the U.K.

This growth can be attributed to Cortland’s innovation and taking steps to be the leader in modernizing how management is done. One cutting-edge example is Cortland’s Mobile Training Unit (MTU). The MTU is a classroom on wheels that can travel to any property across the country.

The MTU houses everything needed to train Cortland’s service associates. From plumbing to door locks, it’s all there to provide a streamlined, hands-on learning experience that meets associates where they are – and ultimately leads to a better living experience for Cortland’s residents.

This focus on innovation is one way Cortland is seeking to lead the industry and elevate the apartment living experience. Mike and Cortland’s drive is an example that there’s always room for improvement and that we should never stop seeking a better way.