TEAM

Crown’s integration of staff managers, financing experts, attorneys, marketing and development representatives coordinate all aspects of each development. The company is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota with satellite offices in Conneticut and Ohio.

Thomas LaSalle

Principal 

Mr. LaSalle has over 45 years of development, financing, consulting, and management experience. Tom and the Crown team have extensive experience in managing market rate and subsidized senior housing, assisted living and memory care facilities, rental apartments and commercial offices. Commercial management includes managing the 600,000-square foot BLN Office Park since 1980.

The company has also been headquartered at BLN during this period. Mr. LaSalle was formerly President of the University of Minnesota Alumni Club that consists of 60,000 U of M graduates. He has been on numerous banking boards. Mr. LaSalle’s companies have provided extensive project management services for the University of Minnesota.

Jack Brandt

President

Mr. Brandt has over forty years of development and management experience with an extensive focus in financial modeling and real estate development.  Areas of expertise include senior housing, multifamily housing, affordable housing, mixed-use land development and various commercial enterprises. He is extremely familiar with tax exempt bond and HUD financing. Mr. Brandt is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and attended William Mitchell College of Law.

Susan Veeder

Director of Finance 

As Crown’s Director of Finance, Susan coordinates the company’s investment analysis to include directing all efforts in investor relations, tax exempt bond financing, HUD, crowd funding and bridge financing. Susan’s expertise emanated from multiple corporate finance roles including audit, risk management, financial planning and analysis, and controllership with Cargill and Liberty Mutual Group. She has Finance MBA from Carlson School of Business and bachelor’s degree in accounting and mathematics. Susan received her Certified Public Accountant certification.

Richard Bienapfl

Chief Operations Officer & Development

Mr. Bienapfl has been in the real estate development and construction business for over 44 years. His experience includes project conceptualization, site selection, project management, project budget, cost tracking, project financing, and the oversight of construction including the logistics of purchasing and installation of all required furniture, fixtures and equipment. His activities have included senior housing, multifamily housing (6,000 plus units), hotels (4,000 plus keys), commercial real estate (office and retail).

Derek Brandt

Executive VP-Development Services-Principal

Derek has significant experience in the development of affordable housing using the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program. He also is experienced in senior and multifamily rental development with an emphasis on HUD and agency financing. Derek is a graduate of the University of Iowa.

Greg LaSalle

Vice President Construction Services

Greg LaSalle joined Crown in 2004 serving as a manager within the hospitality division. In 2005, Greg was transferred to Construction Services-Owner’s Representation and worked primarily with Lakes Entertainment on casino developments throughout the United States and the University Enterprise Laboratories (UEL). UEL is a bioscience incubator, located in St. Paul, MN. Under his supervision, the facility has been operating at capacity for the last several years, and is considered the premier biotech incubator in the state. Greg oversees the construction and renovation of the Crown senior housing facilities. He also has extensive interaction with all related third party vendors including the project architects. His involvement commences in working with third party builders in the initial budgets through the completion of renovation and construction.

Nicholas Brandt

Vice President-Management and Development-Principal

Nicholas is responsible for the identification and development of rental apartments and affordable housing. He has extensive experience in the management and development of subsidized and market rate properties with Polaris Properties, Common Bond and United Properties. Nicholas holds a real estate broker’s license in Minnesota and Colorado. He is graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Tim Trimble

Executive Vice President

Mr. Trimble has more than 30 years’ experience in senior housing marketing, management, development and ownership. He has excelled in bringing new communities from the initial pre-marketing through full stabilization. Mr. Trimble began his career in senior housing at Bor-Son Construction in 1983, where he assisted clients in the development of senior facilities.  In 1992, Tim became Executive Vice President, COO and co-owner of SilverCrest Properties. His duties included overseeing the operations of SilverCrest’s growing senior housing facilities. He was also an owner in numerous senior projects, which facilitated understanding of the operations from an owner’s perspective. At SilverCrest he was accountable for the P & L of all facilities. Mr. Trimble also developed and managed the company’s first senior campus working with a non-profit client. He guided the company’s first out of state management opportunity in San Antonio, Texas. Tim also initiated and cofounded SilverCrest’s food service company, GTC Dining Services.

William Lykken

President, Crown Property Holdings, LLC

Mr. Lykken has over 35 years of experience in large-scale real estate development, real estate brokerage and the structuring of complex real estate transactions including 1031 exchanges. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Bowling Green University. Following graduation, he served in the United States Air Force where he rose to the rank of Captain as a C130 pilot.

Tracy Popp

Director of Compliance

Tracy has worked in both property management and compliance with LaSalle. She has extensive experience related to governance of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program, HUD programs and tax-exempt bonds. Other responsibilities include HUD audits and insuring compliance with all federal/state regulations for Tapestry managed properties. Tracy also coordinating processes and procedures with property managers, regional property managers and accounting.

Anne Seaberg

Office Manager

Drawing on more than 30 years’ experience in administrative support, Anne deals with the many changes and challenges the full spectrum of management, development and ownership of properties. Anne joined the Crown corporate family more than 25 years ago.

Lisa Loge

Project Coordinator

Lisa schedules and coordinates monthly meetings with managers, site managers and regional property managers. She is extremely familiar with the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency and HUD regulations on matters such as rent increases, draws, and contract renewals. Lisa has been employed by Crown for over 12 years.

Contact Us

Crown Equities, LLC
2001 Killebrew Drive, Suite 100
Minneapolis, MN 55425