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Centinel Public Partnerships’ Cavalry Family Housing Named Military Community of the Year

Privatized military housing community recognized by National Apartment Association’s 2026 Excellence Awards

FORT HOOD, Texas – Centinel Public Partnerships (Centinel)’s Cavalry Family Housing has been recognized as Military Community of the Year at the National Apartment Association (NAA)’s 2026 Excellence Awards. The community, owner and operator Centinel, and management partner WinnResidential Military Housing Services were recognized for customer service, financial performance and dedication to military residents.

NAA’s annual Excellence Awards program recognizes outstanding performance and leadership across rental housing—celebrating apartment communities, industry professionals and affiliated apartment associations that make unique contributions to the industry. Cavalry Family Housing and other award winners were formally recognized during a ceremony at Apartmentalize, NAA’s annual conference and exposition held in New Orleans.

“This award is an incredible honor that reflects the deep dedication of our entire team at Cavalry Family Housing,” said Jason Wesbrock, project director of Cavalry Family Housing. “Creating a community where military members and their families can live, work and thrive requires an unwavering commitment at every single step of the resident journey. We are proud to stand alongside our military families every day, knowing that, by supporting them, we help strengthen readiness and make it easier for our service members to focus on the mission.”

Cavalry Family Housing was created through a partnership between the Department of Defense and Centinel to provide privatized housing to military families at Fort Hood. The community maintains 5,600 single-family homes, duplexes and townhomes, a 96% occupancy rate, and a multi-year community development plan including 580 new homes underway.

The community received this recognition from NAA for their commitment to supporting military families, top-tier privatized housing, exceptional service and positive community impact. Cavalry Family Housing also has a resident satisfaction score above 4.25 out of 5 based on surveys distributed during leasing, move-in and maintenance, earning them the SatisFacts Award for resident satisfaction for a consecutive decade.

“Our number one priority is to make Cavalry Family Housing feel like home while our service members and their families dedicate themselves to serving our country,” said Valerie Sprague, director of Operations, Cavalry Family Housing.  “This award is a testament to the strong sense of community, resilience and family that defines life at Fort Hood. Together, we have built more than a neighborhood—we have built a home.”

Centinel’s Hickam Communities, a five-neighborhood community located at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and Bellows Air Force Station in Hawaii, was also named a finalist for the Military Community of the Year award.

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About Centinel Public Partnerships
Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Centinel Public Partnerships is dedicated to enhancing the lives of U.S. military members and their families through its high-quality housing and lodging communities. Centinel’s leadership team brings nearly 25 years of experience to one of the largest military housing and lodging privatization portfolios in the United States, serving nearly 3.8 million military personnel, families and guests annually. Through its established partnerships with WinnResidential Military Housing Services and IHG® Hotels & Resorts, hotel operator and manager of IHG Army Hotels, Centinel provides exceptional communities and lodging experiences for service members and their families. For more information, visit CentinelUS.com.

About WinnCompanies

WinnCompanies is an award-winning owner, developer and manager of high-impact, quality apartment homes. Winn is known as a leading manager of multifamily apartment communities, operating the nation’s largest portfolio of affordable housing with a groundbreaking resident services platform. Its community development work focuses on creating and revitalizing mixed-income properties through environmentally sustainable new construction and pioneering adaptive reuse techniques. The company has also been a top manager of privatized housing for members of the U.S. armed forces and their families since 2001.

About NAA
The National Apartment Association (NAA) serves as the leading voice and preeminent resource through advocacy, education and collaboration on behalf of the rental housing industry. As a federation of 139 state and local affiliates, NAA encompasses over 113,000 members representing more than 13.7 million apartment homes. NAA believes that rental housing is a valuable partner in every community that emphasizes integrity, accountability, collaboration, responsibility, inclusivity and innovation. To learn more, visit  www.naahq.org. NAA thanks its Strategic Partners AppFolio, The Home Depot Pro, Lowe’s Pro Supply and Yardi.  

Chief Commercial Officer Kevin Davis is responsible for Centinel’s commercial services, including transactions, operations and government relations. He also oversees risk and compliance, along with leadership of Environment, Health and Safety, and Marketing and Public Affairs. Kevin spent 18 years with Lendlease in senior business development, commercial and legal roles, following earlier experience in private law practice and service in the U.S. Air Force.

With nearly two decades of experience in marketing and communications, Meryl Exley leads Centinel’s brand, communications and public affairs strategy as Executive Vice President, Marketing and Public Affairs. She oversees corporate communications, client and customer engagement, public relations, media, and crisis management, strengthening the company’s reputation and community connections. Before Centinel, Meryl held senior marketing leadership roles at Lendlease, where she advanced growth and visibility for its military housing and lodging platform.

Matthew Garrett is Executive Vice President responsible for Centinel’s Air Force Housing and Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) portfolios. He directs operations and strategic initiatives across both programs. Before joining Centinel, Matt held senior leadership roles at Lendlease, where he expanded its student housing platform and managed a military housing portfolio of more than 40,000 homes. He also led federal lobbying and outreach efforts, engaging with congressional and Department of Defense stakeholders. Earlier in his career, Matt served as a U.S. Army officer, earning a Bronze Star for Valor during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Leading Centinel’s legal, compliance and governance functions, Heather Niemeyer provides strategic counsel to support growth and manage risk across the portfolio. She brings more than 15 years of experience advising global organizations, including senior legal roles at Lendlease and earlier practice with two international law firms.

As Centinel’s Chief Financial Officer, Jeremy Martin is responsible for financial strategy, operations and reporting, guiding the company’s long-term growth and performance. He has more than 20 years of experience in corporate and real estate finance, with expertise in financial planning, compliance and risk management. Jeremy served as CFO for Lendlease (US) Public Partnerships Holdings LLC prior to the company’s acquisition by Centinel, where he directed financial operations for Lendlease Communities.

Gretchen Turpen serves as Executive Vice President, Asset Management, where she directs operations and asset, property and development management for Centinel’s Army housing portfolio of more than 25,000 homes. In this role, she leads corporate strategy, financial performance, and client and customer relationships. Previously, Gretchen was Head of Lodging, where she delivered the Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) program including the renovation of over 12,000 hotel rooms across 40 military installations nationwide.

In his role as President, Phillip Carpenter guides operations for Centinel’s Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI) and Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) portfolios. He is responsible for property management, asset management, development, construction, and environmental health and safety. With more than 40 years of experience supporting the Department of Defense, Phillip has held senior leadership positions with Lendlease and J&J Worldwide Services, bringing expertise in real estate, development and facilities management. 

Justin Kern, Chief Executive Officer of Centinel, sets the company’s strategic direction with a focus on long-term sustainment and outcomes for customers, partners and employees. He has more than 20 years of leadership in real estate finance, construction and operations. Prior to Centinel, Justin served as President and CEO of Lendlease (US) Public Partnerships Holdings LLC, where he oversaw asset management, property management and development for military housing and lodging communities.