Meet Julius Aubid, Red Willow Estates Property Manager

By LISA NOLAN, COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA SPECIALIST, MILLE LACS CORPORATE VENTURES

Humble and proud. Those are the two words that Band member Julius Aubid uses to describe how he feels about being selected as the Property Manager for the forthcoming workforce housing development, Red Willow Estates, in Onamia. At just 24 years old, Julius is well prepared to excel in his role.

In 2016, Julius moved to Hinckley with the dream of creating a better life for his family. This is when he started his career as a table games attendant at Grand Casino Hinckley. His drive and work ethic were already on full display as he was quickly offered a supervisory position. Julius continued his career with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe as the Program Administrator for District III. The role required Julius to become a jack-of-all-trades. There was never a task he was unwilling to tackle.

During his tenure as Program Administrator, Julius earned an associate degree. “Working full-time and going to school full-time was difficult. It was hard to find the balance between work, school, and family,” he says.

Julius credits his wife, Shana, for her support and encouragement during those times. Her belief in him helped him succeed and has motivated him to want to continue his education. His next goal is to earn a four-year degree from the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Armed with the communication, speech, and critical-thinking tools that college provided Julius, he was ready to take on a new challenge in his career. So, he applied for the role of Property Manager at Red Willow Estates. The Circle Sage hiring managers saw something special in Julius.

“When we started reviewing candidates for the property manager role, it was clear the competition was fierce,” says Dustin Goslin, Vice President of Business and Economic Development for MLCV and Chief Executive Officer for Circle Sage Property Management. “Even though Julius was not as qualified as the others…he was powered by things the others weren’t, including community leadership, capacity to learn, and being a role model outside of work. We all immediately knew he aligned with our core values.”

While Red Willow Estates is under construction, Julius is working at Lady Luck Estates in Hinckley and going through extensive training. “I have been training for this role for almost a year. At first, the training was intense. I had to earn three accreditations through the state to become a property manager,” Julius explains.

The company is excited to see Julius’ growth — both personally and professionally. “We invested heavily in his technical development. It is beautiful to see him grow as a leader and tackle this important new project.”

As the tactical training is ending, he’s excited to hit the ground running. “Honestly, I’m looking forward to building relationships with the tenants and creating a community that everyone can enjoy at Red Willow Estates,” says Julius.

With a new job and the purchase of his first home, it is clear that Julius is making his dreams come true. Through hard work, tenacity, and determination, he has been able to create a great life for his young family