Associate Spotlight: Chance Ratliff

At CASTO, we take pride in highlighting the associates whose dedication, adaptability, and heart shape the communities we serve. This month’s Associate Spotlight features Chance Ratliff, who has held multiple roles across CASTO’s commercial and residential leasing teams.

From day one, Chance has embraced every opportunity to grow, leaning into new challenges while building meaningful relationships across various teams. His career path has been defined by curiosity, a desire to learn, and a genuine passion for helping people – qualities that continue to make a lasting impact on the associates and tenants he supports.

Whether planning community events that spark laughter and connection, navigating the fast-paced world of collections, or adapting to new technologies shaping the industry, Chance brings a sense of community and enthusiasm to everything he touches. CASTO’s culture of support, collaboration, and belonging has played a key role in his growth, and in return, Chance brings those same values to the people around him every day.

Read on to learn more about Chance’s career journey, the moments that shaped his experience, and his perspective on how the industry continues to evolve.

Tell us about your background with CASTO:

I’ve been with CASTO for a little over 6 years now, beginning in residential as a leasing agent and eventually growing into an assistant manager role at our historic Barrett and Julian communities located in downtown Columbus. After a few great years, I transitioned to our collections team where I continued to work alongside the residential team and then moved to the commercial side of the business. Throughout my journey, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside many incredible colleagues at CASTO who have supported my growth and shaped me into the associate I am today. Even in working with smaller teams, I’ve learned that dedication, collaboration, and the right people make all the difference. I’m grateful for every step that brought me here and excited for what comes next. 

What do you like best about CASTO? What makes CASTO different:

What I like best about CASTO is the constant opportunity for growth. There is always room to improve, learn, and acquire new skills, and I appreciate being a part of a company that actively supports that. What truly sets CASTO apart is the way it bridges the gap between work and home. CASTO makes a genuine effort to ensure associates feel connected, not just as coworkers, but as people with families, lives, and stories. That sense of community, and the feeling that your life outside of work is welcomed and valued, is what makes CASTO different. I always appreciate the many holiday parties and family gatherings CASTO works hard creating for their associates to enjoy and feel seen.  

What service or project have you liked working on the most while at CASTO:

Although I’m currently in collections, I’ve always had a soft spot for residential. Some of my most meaningful moments at CASTO came from residential events I was able to organize for some of our communities. I studied PR & Event Planning in technical school, so getting a chance to plan those events felt like tapping back into a piece of myself I’ve always loved. One of my favorite memories will always be our infamous ‘Beagles for Breakfast’. Yes, Beagles, as in dogs. A simple typo in a community wide email turned into a running joke that had residents coming down just to laugh with me about it. It was chaotic, hilarious, and somehow perfectly reflected the sense of community we built there.

Share a little bit about your expertise in the industry:

My path into this industry has been anything but traditional. I originally went to a technical school for PR & Event Planning. These skills translated beautifully into residential work, but not exactly into collections. So, when I first stepped into this role, it was definitely a bumpy start. What made all the difference was the team behind me. I’ve had the chance to learn, grow, and evolve alongside people who were patient, supportive, and genuinely invested in my success. Before CASTO, I was a server, so stepping into both residential and collections was a completely new world that I have very much enjoyed being a part of.

What changes or trends do you see happening in your area of expertise:

One of the biggest changes I’ve noticed is how much technology, especially AI, has streamlined overall processes. Online portals and automatic systems have made it easier for our tenants to make payments quickly and conveniently. Although collections is still very much a hands-on role where we’re constantly contacting and calling tenants directly, these new tools have most certainly improved efficiency. It’s exciting to see how technology is evolving our field while still allowing us to maintain that human connection with our tenants.