Multifamily Developer The NRP Group Names Company's First Female Principals

Two female executives at multifamily development firm The NRP Group have been promoted to principal, the first time in the 28-year-old company’s history that women have landed the title.

Jennifer Baus, executive vice president of design and entitlements, and Rachel Johnson, chief information officer, have worked at the Cleveland-based company for 17 years and 12 years, respectively. They will continue in their current roles while also assuming the responsibilities of principals.

“Not only have these two A+ players shown continuous professional growth and individual success, but their vision and passion for innovation, collaboration and team development have helped us achieve success as a company,” J. David Heller, president and CEO of NRP, said in a statement. “We could not be more excited to welcome them as principals of The NRP Group.”

NRP Group is one of the most prolific multifamily developers in the U.S. It manages 25,000 units, 16,000 of which are affordable, and has more than 1,000 employees, according to its website. 

Both Baus and Johnson are working mothers passionate about creating pathways for career development and advancing the company’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, according to the company. Baus founded the Women’s Inclusion Network in 2018, which seeks to hire, develop and promote more female employees at NRP.

“This is a testament to parents who tell their daughters ‘if you want it badly enough, we will always find a way’ and to ‘know no boundaries,’” Baus said in an email. “This is a testament to pushing your family and girlfriends to travel and explore beyond their comfort zones. This is a testament to looking beyond the teachers or coaches who told their female students ‘no, you can’t’ or ‘no, you won’t.’ This is a testament to putting in the work and not always expecting in return. I welcome the challenge to one day be able to say that this truly is inconsequential because we all have had equal paths, but until that day, listen only to the voices that propel you forward! And I look forward to the opportunity to represent those who do not yet have their seat.”

NRP has invested resources in diversifying its workforce in recent years. More than 40% of its executive and senior leadership is made up of either females or people of color, according to its 2020-21 Environmental, Social, Governance report. As of October 2021, 40% of its employees and 58% of its managers were female. 

Johnson said working as a woman in a predominantly male industry has compelled her to defy expectations and create opportunities to succeed where they might not have previously existed.

“Success is defined for us all differently, but I think there is often a larger difference in how women measure success,” she said in an email. “This promotion proves that consistently creating value in the workplace while also maintaining a balance of family and personal priorities generates a positive impact that is rewarded with recognition.”