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Julia Wine takes over management position at Central Living Apartments

Huntington resident Julia Wine is the new property manager for Central Living Senior Apartments. Having worked most of her life as an administrative assistant, she now feels ready for a leadership position.
Huntington resident Julia Wine is the new property manager for Central Living Senior Apartments. Having worked most of her life as an administrative assistant, she now feels ready for a leadership position. Photo by Ehren Wynder.

Julia Wine is the new property manager at Central Living Senior Apartments as of March 20. Wine was born and raised in Huntington, but has lived and worked in many other places before settling back down in her hometown.

Wine graduated from Ivy Tech Community College with a degree in office administration.

“I’ve never done property management before,” Wine says. “So all of this is new to me. I have a degree in office administration, not building administration, but I’m learning.”

Wine has previously worked as an administrative assistant at Indiana Tech, a sales assistant at Summit City Radio and an administrative assistant at the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne, which she considers a downsizing from her previous jobs. She then decided to continue her education.

“That’s when my husband said ‘OK, you’ve always talked about going to school – getting a degree. Go sign up,’” Wine says. “And the first year or so, I concentrated on my classes.”

Now as property manager for Central Living, Wine is responsible for renting, filling apartments and orchestrating programs and activities for residents.

Wine says she appreciates her new job, although the differences in responsibilities between property management and office management can be challenging.

“As an administrative assistant, I supported the boss. Now I am the boss.”

The biggest challenge for her is handling government administration, which comes with working for a Section 42 low-income housing unit.

“Any time you deal with the government, it has to be a certain way. It’s different. It just takes time to learn the processes. Most databases are basically the same. But again, with government stuff in there it’s a little difficult to figure out.”

Even with these challenges, Wine says she feels prepared, after working so long as an assistant, to take on a lead role.

“I’ve been at the supporting role for many years, so it’s time for me to move up and take on the responsibilities,” she says.
Wine adds that she enjoys the residents of Central Living.

“It’s fun to talk to them,” she says. “They’re almost all older. Sometimes they have good stories, the old ‘back in my day’ kind of thing.”