South Carolina’s Donald Wood Honored with 2026 NAA Lifetime Achievement Award

ARLINGTON, Va. | September 23, 2026 – The National Apartment Association (NAA) has announced Donald Wood, Executive Director of both the Apartment Association of Greater Columbia (AAGC) and the South Carolina Apartment Association (SCAA), as the 2026 NAA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient in the association affiliate staff category. Awarded annually, this prestigious honor recognizes long-term exemplary national service and accomplishments to the association and industry. Wood will be formally recognized at NAA’s annual Assembly of Delegates, held in Kansas City in November.

“Donald’s impact throughout the rental housing industry has been nothing short of extraordinary, and our affiliate partners across South Carolina are stronger because of his many years of exceptional leadership,” said NAA President and CEO Bob Pinnegar. “His commitment to servant leadership, mentorship and expanding educational opportunities truly highlights his passion and legacy in an ever-changing industry. It is a great honor to recognize Donald and NAA is excited to formally awarding him in Kansas City.”

For more than two decades, Wood’s career in rental housing—as an affiliate leader—has been defined by tangible results and service to others. At home in South Carolina, his work managing NAA’s Click & Lease program for the state’s affiliate partners, increasing member recruitment and engagement and more than doubling conference attendance for SCAA’s annual Education & Advocacy conference has streamlined operations and expanded opportunities to education for industry professionals. At the national level, Wood has served on over 40 individual NAA volunteer opportunities and is a trusted advisor for many local affiliate partners across the country.

At SCAA, Wood partnered with the SCAA’s Suppliers Council to develop the innovative Supplier’s Edge Program which seeks to creates a pathway for supplier partners to better understand the rental housing industry and become stronger partners. As said by one of his nominators, “Donald has a genuine investment in people…He doesn’t just provide support and solutions – he builds relationships, anticipates needs and truly understands the challenges and opportunities our industry faces at every level.”

For Wood, personal accomplishments are not what measures success. Rather, it is the success of the people and organizations that are built that truly matters.