About Kerry W. Kirby
Entrepreneurship
Kerry W. Kirby is a global entrepreneur, technology innovator, and philanthropist. He is the founder and CEO of 365 Connect, a company that specializes in automated marketing, leasing, and resident engagement platforms for multifamily communities worldwide. Executing on a progressive vision of creating leading-edge products and services, Kerry has won more technology awards than any other company in his home state of Louisiana, as well as the industry he serves. Prior to founding 365 Connect, Kerry worked in the multifamily housing industry developing communities across the Southeastern United States. Kerry’s eye for finding buildable sites with incredible locations was his formula to creating an array of successful ventures.
Philanthropy
Kerry and his wife Melinda are actively involved in supporting communities and causes, with an unwavering dedication to humanitarian, educational, healthcare, and equality programs. Through their Kerry & Melinda Kirby Charitable Foundation, they provide resources to nonprofit organizations that accelerate progress by championing causes that give a voice to those that are often not heard. They have been highly recognized for their philanthropic commitment, being honored with a Communitas International Award for their significant impact in making a difference in people’s lives.
Leadership
Kerry serves on the Board of Advisors of Rainbow, a national nonprofit organization that provides service-enriched housing programs for over 32,000 affordable housing units across the country, and is general-partner to an additional 12,300 units. He is Chair of Technology Initiatives for the Multifamily Innovation Advisory Council, an executive membership level organization with over three million multifamily units represented, focused on assisting owners and operators of multifamily communities identify pain points and explore innovative solutions that will drive change across the industry.
Awards & Recognition
Kerry’s profound impact and success have earned him widespread acclaim and numerous prestigious accolades. He has been honored with the Louisiana Governor’s Technology Award and the Titan Entrepreneur Award, both recognizing his extraordinary contributions to the tech industry. For nine consecutive years, he has been featured on the Silicon Bayou 100 list, as one of the most influential entrepreneurs in the State of Louisiana. Most notably, Kerry is the first in the multifamily housing sector to receive the Bootstrapper Award, a powerful testament to his exceptional journey of transforming a scrappy startup into a formidable proptech powerhouse, all accomplished without external funding.
Media Appearances
As an acclaimed speaker and award-winning podcaster, Kerry has reached millions of listeners having appeared across various media outlets, streaming services, and event stages to discuss the convergence of technology in our digitally dependent world. He has appeared on the BBC Digital Planet, BBC Podcast Network, NPR News, CBS’s Digital Gumbo Segment, and an array of global media publications. Kerry is co-host of the longest running podcast in the multifamily housing industry, the award-winning MultifamilyBiz + PowerHour Webcast Series, as well as the popular tech-talk series Multifamily Tech Gurus Podcast.
Personal Life
Kerry and his wife Melinda were married on 10-10-10 in City Park’s Historic Conservatory, a date they view as iconic, as the number ten symbolizes perfection and completeness. They have a passion for timeless designs, historic structures, and recognizable style, which is evident in their personally designed and custom built French inspired residence, affectionately named Chateau de Reve. With Kerry’s love of rock-n-roll, their home features a media room with a tasteful collection of memorabilia, which Kerry accumulated by living out his childhood dream of meeting some of the biggest rockstars in the world from bands such as Aerosmith, Kiss, Alice Cooper, Cheap Trick, Foreigner, and numerous others. Kerry and Melinda reside in an affluent New Orleans suburb with their two daughters and family dogs.