Melanie French

CEO at RR Living

Speaker

Melanie French is the Chief Executive Officer of RR Living and a nationally recognized leader in multifamily operations, talent strategy, and executive leadership. A 2026 GlobeSt. Women of Influence recipient, Melanie brings more than 30 years of experience driving operational excellence, organizational growth, and financial performance across all asset classes within the multifamily & BTR industry.

As the first CEO of RR Living, she leads all strategic and operational functions, ensuring each owner’s business plan is successfully executed while fostering sustainable growth through talent development and strong culture. Throughout her career, Melanie has overseen portfolios of up to 50,000 units, managed more than $200 million in renovations, and led organizations supporting over 200,000 apartment homes nationwide — impacting the lives of hundreds-of-thousands residents by creating communities where people truly feel at home.

Melanie has held senior executive roles with industry-leading firms including Cortland, AIMCO, and DLP Capital. As Managing Principal and President at DLP Capital, she led operations across 12,000+ units. At Cortland, she was instrumental in scaling the management platform from 9,000 to more than 50,000 units while overseeing significant capital improvements. During her 13-year tenure at AIMCO, she advanced from Regional Vice President to Senior Vice President of Learning and Organizational Development, where she played a key role in shaping talent strategy across a national portfolio.

A respected industry voice and thought leader, Melanie is an active member of the Forbes Business Council, serves on the Multifamily Innovation® Council, and is Treasurer of the National Board of Entryway™, supporting workforce development and housing accessibility initiatives. She is also a recipient of the Bisnow® DFW Women Leading Real Estate award.

Melanie is a sought-after keynote speaker, regularly presenting at premier industry events including the Multifamily Women® Summit, Smart Spaces Conference, IMN, NMHC, NAA, MFE, and Bisnow®. Known for her gritty yet approachable leadership style, she is deeply committed to mentoring future leaders, building high-performing teams, and elevating the multifamily industry through innovation and people-first leadership.

She holds professional designations as an IREM® Certified Property Manager (CPM), Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), and DDI® Master Trainer & Facilitator.

Melanie began her career as a leasing consultant, where she discovered her passion for turning apartments into long-term homes — a mission that continues to guide her leadership today.

Outside of work, she enjoys reading, boating, and traveling, and cherishes time with her grandchildren alongside her husband, with whom she is nearing 40 years of marriage.