In efforts to deploy capital and better its operating platform, real estate investment trust Mid-America Apartment Communities Inc. has announced it will be conducting business as MAA.

Over the last 17 years as a publicly owned company, MAA has grown from a portfolio of 6,000 apartments focused on the Mid-South area to a portfolio of 47,000 high-quality apartment homes, mostly in the southeastern U.S.

“Our updated brand identity is designed to better reflect the larger footprint and dynamic growth capabilities that we now have in place,” MAA chairman and chief executive officer Eric Bolton said in a statement. “We're excited about our updated brand as we move forward, well-positioned to deliver higher value in the emerging recovery cycle for the apartment business."

MAA’s new name has been its ticker on the New York Stock Exchange since the company went public in 1994.

The company's new website, www.maac.com, went live today with the new brand identity and increased functionality for current and future residents and for investors. The site features enhanced apartment search functions and information on MAA's Brighter Living and Greener Living, which highlight the lifestyle options available to residents and the company’s commitment to the environment.

“Our new logo, consisting of a community of individual apartment homes, reflects the colors and focus we have on the Sunbelt area of the U.S.,” said Melintha Ogle, vice president and director of marketing, in a statement. “The individual apartment homes are supported in the center by a sunburst, representing the distinctive qualities of MAA, such as our superior operating platform and the talented people who work at each of our communities."

The new branding is a result of extensive research conducted with MAA employees, investors and other stakeholders, and was developed by Memphis advertising and marketing firm archer>malmo. It was unveiled to the company's 1,300 employees on Feb. 16 at their annual leadership conference.