Executive Leadership

Marni Nygard ESQ.

Position: President
Email: mnygard@aeifunds.com
Categories: Executive Management

Marni J. Nygard, Esq., President and General Securities Principal, joined AEI in 2005. She is responsible for the implementation of AEI’s real estate acquisitions and its investment objectives and strategies, as well as the management of disposition processes for AEI.

Prior to joining AEI, Marni was employed as an attorney at CI Title in St. Paul, Minnesota for its residential and commercial property departments.

Marni J. Nygard, Esq., President and General Securities Principal, joined...

Marni Nygard ESQ.

President

Kevin Steele

Position: Chief Operating Officer
Email: ksteele@aeifunds.com
Categories: Executive Management

Kevin S. Steele serves as Chief Operating Officer for AEI Capital Corporation and has been with the company since 2012. As COO, Kevin’s core role is to lead the teams of Strategic Planning, Marketing, Technology, Human Resources, Investor Services, and Acquisitions Sourcing. Kevin was promoted to the position of COO following his role as Executive Vice President and Vice President Acquisitions. Kevin is responsible for creating the company’s strategic business plan and budgets, driving the company’s goals, designing, and implementing business processes, and establishing company policies that promote positive company culture and vision. As COO, Kevin helps maintain relationships with the company board of directors, bankers, and strategic partners.

Prior to joining AEI Capital, Kevin held commercial real estate leadership positions with Stan Johnson Company including Lead Broker focused on healthcare acquisitions, Director of Marketing & Research overseeing the firm’s marketing, research, and prospecting groups.

Kevin’s prior business and operational experience include owning and operating a retail grocery company in the Midwest and working for Sheraton Hotels and Resorts where he held leadership positions of increasing responsibility including Director of Sales and Marketing in San Francisco and London and Director of Partnerships and Strategic Alliances for Sheraton Hotels Worldwide at Sheraton World Headquarters in Boston.

Kevin is a past Vestry member of Grace Episcopal Church and is currently on the Grace Outreach Committee which provides support to impoverished adults and children throughout the world.

Kevin S. Steele serves as Chief Operating Officer for AEI...

Kevin Steele

Chief Operating Officer

Keith Petersen CPA (Inactive)

Position: Chief Financial Officer
Email: kpetersen@aeifunds.com
Categories: Executive Management

Keith Petersen, CPA, Chief Financial Officer, joined AEI in 2016. He is responsible for managing all AEI accounting and tax matters, including the preparation of SEC and investor reports.

Prior to joining AEI, Keith was employed with Pine River Capital Management as the Vice President of Tax compliance and with Deloitte Certified Public Accountants as a Senior Tax Manager.

Keith Petersen, CPA, Chief Financial Officer, joined AEI in 2016....

Keith Petersen CPA (Inactive)

Chief Financial Officer

Thomas Herstad

Position: Senior Vice President - Compliance
Email: therstad@aeifunds.com
Categories: Executive Management

Thomas D. Herstad is Senior Vice President of Compliance of AEI Fund Management, Inc. and is also a General Securities Principal of AEI Securities, Inc. He joined AEI Fund Management in 2023 and is responsible for managing the securities compliance requirements of affiliated companies and investment Funds.

Prior to joining AEI, he spent 15 years at The Oak Ridge Financial Services Group, Inc., a full-service wealth management firm and investment bank located in Golden Valley, Minnesota. He was hired as an investment banker, transitioned to finance, and then spent the last 10 years with the firm as the Chief Compliance Officer. He holds FINRA Series 7, 52, 79, 4, 14, 53, 66 and 24 licenses.

Thomas D. Herstad is Senior Vice President of Compliance of...

Thomas Herstad

Senior Vice President - Compliance

Paula R. Tillett

Position: Executive Vice President - Distribution Director
Email: ptillett@aeifunds.com
Categories: Executive Management

Paula R. Tillett, Executive Vice President – Distribution Director, joined AEI in 2002 and is responsible for overseeing all activity relating to the distribution of AEI’s Fund and 1031 offerings including oversight of the Fund and 1031 Sales Team, national broker-dealer and Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) relationship development and management, and coordinating the review and approval of AEI Fund and 1031 marketing.

Paula brings more than 25 years of Financial Industry experience to the AEI Team. Prior to joining AEI, Paula was employed with Piper Jaffray, Merrill Lynch, and Salomon Smith Barney (now Morgan Stanley). She holds FINRA Series 7, Series 66 and Series 31 licenses.

Paula is an avid animal lover and passionately supports The Humane Society of the United States, ASPCA, and other national and regional non-profit organizations focused on the rescue and well-being of animals.

Paula R. Tillett, Executive Vice President – Distribution Director, joined...

Paula R. Tillett

Executive Vice President - Distribution Director

Jon Stecher

Position: Senior Vice President – Capital Markets and Strategy
Email: jstecher@aeifunds.com
Categories: Executive Management

Jon Stecher, Senior Vice President – Capital Markets and Strategy, joined AEI in 2023. In his role, Jon is responsible for driving growth and sustained profitably through fundraising efforts, formation of institutional capital partnerships, new strategic business initiatives, and investment strategies.

Prior to joining AEI Capital, Jon was a Principal and CFO at MedCraft Investment Partners and MedCraft Healthcare Real Estate along with a Director of Finance at Welltower (“WELL”), a publicly traded REIT. During his 16-year career in commercial real estate, he has been focused on equity and debt procurement, real estate development, investor relations, and full-cycle acquisition management.

Jon Stecher, Senior Vice President – Capital Markets and Strategy,...

Jon Stecher

Senior Vice President – Capital Markets and Strategy

Stacy McMahon CCIM

Position: Senior Vice President - Asset Management
Email: smcmahon@aeifunds.com
Categories: Executive Management

Stacy McMahon, CCIM serves as the Senior Vice President of Asset Management for AEI Capital Corporation. In her role, Stacy is responsible for the financial and value enhancement of all AEI net lease properties under management, facilitating asset sales directly to property buyers or through real estate brokerage firms and serves as the lead professional responsible for tenant relations, lease renegotiation, and asset positioning.

Prior to joining AEI Capital, Stacy served as a Vice President of Asset Management overseeing a portfolio of homes for an affordable housing developer/owner. She was Director of Finance at a national, non-profit conservation organization where her focus was on the growth of urban parks and playgrounds programs in New York, Newark, Chicago and Philadelphia, including managing complex public-private funding joint ventures. During her career, Stacy has performed market and financial analysis for hotels, offices and residential developments, structured debt and equity financing packages for public and private entities and conducted negotiations and project evaluations on behalf of city agencies.

Stacy McMahon, CCIM serves as the Senior Vice President of...

Stacy McMahon CCIM

Senior Vice President - Asset Management

Stephanie Wallisch-Currier SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Position: Senior Vice President - Human Resources
Email: swallisch@aeifunds.com
Categories: Executive Management

Stephanie Wallisch-Currier, Senior Vice President – Human Resources, joined AEI in 2014 and is responsible for AEI’s overall human resource function, ensuring legal compliance and implementation of the organization’s HR strategy. This position works closely with AEI’s Executive team to implement and manage effective employee relations, performance management, benefits, compensation, and talent acquisition practices.

Stephanie has more than 20 years of human resource experience. Prior to joining AEI, she was employed by USI and SPIRE Credit Union in their corporate human resources departments. She is certified through the Human Resource Certification Institute as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and through the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) as Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).

Stephanie Wallisch-Currier, Senior Vice President – Human Resources, joined AEI...

Stephanie Wallisch-Currier SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Senior Vice President - Human Resources

Key Contacts

Heather Martin

Position: Investor Services Manager
Email: hmartin@aeifunds.com
Categories: Senior Management

Heather Martin, Investor Services Manager, joined AEI in 2018. Heather is responsible for managing the Investor Services team while providing superior quality service to investors, financial advisors, custodial accounts and additional entities. She works closely with AEI’s Marketing, Accounting, and Sales teams to provide support in communications and investment publications.

Heather has more than 20 years of management, banking, sales, and mortgage experience. Prior to joining AEI, she was employed by SPIRE Credit Union as a Branch Manager and Marketplace Home Mortgage as a Senior Mortgage Loan Officer.

Heather Martin, Investor Services Manager, joined AEI in 2018. Heather...

Heather Martin

Investor Services Manager

Marissa Lassaux

Position: Vice President – Acquisitions Due Diligence
Email: mlassaux@aeifunds.com
Categories: Senior Management

Marissa Lassaux, Vice President – Acquisitions Due Diligence, joined AEI in 2007. She is responsible for coordinating, monitoring, and disseminating due diligence documentation produced by commercial property acquisitions to ensure that due diligence documentation complies with AEI’s corporate policy. Additionally, she coordinates the creation of AEI’s 1031 product offering documents.

Marissa has more than 20 years of real estate title experience. Prior to joining AEI, she was employed as a Commercial Escrow officer at First American Title.

Marissa Lassaux, Vice President – Acquisitions Due Diligence, joined AEI in...

Marissa Lassaux

Vice President – Acquisitions Due Diligence

Brian Schulz

Position: Vice President Property Management
Email: bschulz@aeifunds.com
Categories: Senior Management

Brian Schulz, Vice President – Property Management, joined AEI in 1996 and is responsible for managing tenant lease compliance and property maintenance obligations.

Prior to joining AEI, Brian was responsible for risk management with Travelers Express Company, Inc. and Dun & Bradstreet, Inc.

Brian Schulz, Vice President – Property Management, joined AEI in...

Brian Schulz

Vice President Property Management

Mark Estlund

Position: Property Management Specialist
Email: mestlund@aeifunds.com
Categories: Senior Management

Mark Estlund, Property Management Specialist, joined AEI in 2015. He coordinates with the Lease Management, Acquisitions, 1031 and Fund Departments, along with prospective and existing lessees to ensure compliance on negotiated maintenance issues dictated under the lease. He also is responsible for all property inspections for maintenance and condition evaluations to ensure a top-class commercial condition is preserved throughout the duration of the investment period with a focus on minimizing risk to the investor.

Mark has an extensive background in construction with more than two decades of experience ranging from set building for film and advertising production, historical preservation and conservation, historic home restoration, home renovation and new home building. Prior to joining AEI, Mark was the president and owner of Modern Craftsman as an independent contractor in Jacksonville, FL and was a new home builder and warranty specialist with Mattamy Homes.

Mark Estlund, Property Management Specialist, joined AEI in 2015. He...

Mark Estlund

Property Management Specialist

Dan Kersey

Position: Property Management Specialist
Email: dkersey@aeifunds.com
Categories: Senior Management

Daniel Kersey, Property Management Specialist, joined AEI in 2012. He is responsible for ensuring tenant lease compliance, ensuring proper maintenance of properties through landlord and tenant maintenance and repairs and ensuring the accuracy and detail of AEI’s facilities database and records. As an Acquisition Property Inspector, Mr. Kersey reviews new property Phase One documentation, building plans, warranties and performs property inspections.  He also reviews local residential, retail/medical markets as well as local city and educational facilities near the planned acquisition.

Daniel Kersey has over 18 years or Property/Maintenance Management and 15 years of Manufacturing Leadership experience. Prior to joining AEI, Mr. Kersey served as the Property Manager for Billman Properties in New Brighton, MN which included 2 office buildings and 24 townhomes.

Daniel Kersey, Property Management Specialist, joined AEI in 2012. He...

Dan Kersey

Property Management Specialist