The Minnesota Multi Housing Association (MHA), the state's largest association for rental property owners, has a new chairperson: Angelina French, a portfolio and manager with Mid Continent Management.

French has been a member of Minnesota Multi Housing Association for more than 18 years, has been active on several committees and has served on the organization's board of directors. She also takes her experience in the industry into the classroom, where as a member of the MHA's speakers bureau, she spreads the word about vocational opportunities within the industry. French got her start as an apartment caretaker in rural Minnesota but quickly rose through the management ranks at various companies. She's been with Mid Continent since 2004 and succeeds Jon Segner, president and chief operating officer of Dominium as MHA chair. Also on the executive committee: Jon Hornig of Hornig Companies, Inc., Becky Yonts of Timberland Partners, Inc., Tom Backstrom of Pinnacle and Brad Kittleson of CSM Corporation.

French told Just Listed today that one of her top priorities in her new role will to reinforce that "renting is a (smart) (viable) (economical) (fulfilling) (satisfying) lifestyle choice.

"One of our goals," she said. "is to promote this reality to our current and potential residents with the tag line "Rent Your Home, Own Your Life.'"