NAI HEARTLAND - Key Persons
Brandon is a principal at NAI Heartland specializing exclusively in office leasing and sales throughout the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. Specifically, Brandon has extensive experience in tenant/buyer representation within the office industry.
Upon graduation from Rockhurst University Carl was commissioned as an officer in the US Navy and became a Navy pilot. Following his active duty period, he remained in the Navy Reserves and retired after 21 years as a Commander. Following Carl's Navy experience, he held a number of management positions at Hallmark Cards and Crown Center Redevelopment Company. After 8 years at Hallmark and Crown Center Carl moved to Kroh Brothers Development Company where he gained more experience in leasing and developing commercial properties. Along with Ray Sonnenberg, Carl co-founded LaSala-Sonnenberg Commercial Realty Company in 1987. They developed, leased and sold several hundred properties for customers in Missouri, Kansas and a number of adjacent states.
Education
Rockhurst High School
Rockhurst University, BSIR Degree
Job Titles:
- Director of Marketing
- Marketing Director
Caroline is the Director of Marketing for NAI Heartland. In this role, her responsibilities include managing the company's marketing efforts, designing electronic and print materials, formulating marketing plans and strategies and managing the company website and media relations.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Principal With NAI Heartland and Has Been
Chad LaSala is a Principal with NAI Heartland and has been with the firm since 1999. Chad has worked in multiple facets of brokerage specializing in tenant/buyer representation for both retail and office clients. He focuses primarily on the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, but also works for clients throughout the state of Kansas and most of Missouri. His proactive approach with his clients includes in-depth market planning, site selection and strong negotiation skills.
Job Titles:
- Associate - Specialty Properties
Darren Griffith joined NAI Heartland in February 2024 as Associate - Specialty Properties. Darren focuses on church buildings and other specialty properties throughout the Kansas City Metro area and beyond. He identifies buildings which fit into his client's mission and orchestrates growth opportunities for communities who use these buildings to prosper. Darren is the foremost expert for church and specialty real estate in the region and is passionate about helping his clients find the perfect property to grow their ministry or business.
Darren also currently serves as the COO of Narthex Properties, a Kansas City based company that helps find real estate solutions for church groups throughout the area. Since 2018 Darren has forged countless relationships with church groups looking for assistance in buying, selling, leasing, or renovating church property.
Prior to Darren's move into real estate, Darren served as the Sales Director for the Kansas Leadership Center. At the Kansas Leadership Center, Darren helped businesses, state agencies, and non-profit organizations develop their employees. Before Darren's time at the Kansas Leadership Center, Darren worked with the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL. Darren also spent one season with the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe and one season with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Education
University of Kansas, Bachelor Degree in Education
Job Titles:
- Commercial Real Estate Advisor
- Office Specialist
As a Commercial Real Estate Advisor for NAI Heartland, Jim specializes in landlord and tenant representation in the Kansas City metro area. With over 40 years of commercial real estate experience Jim has spent the majority of his career representing Landlords and Tenants. His expertise includes over 15 years of managing high rise and suburban office properties and 25 years in office brokerage. During his career he has also been involved with asset disposition, tenant construction management, and project management.
Job Titles:
- Real Estate Broker and Was the 2016 President
Job Titles:
- Partner - Industrial Properties
Since 1997 Mike Sonnenberg has served as a commercial realtor in the Kansas City Metro and surrounding markets, specializing in leasing and sales of commercial properties. He has transaction experience as both a property and tenant representative. Some of his clients have included Boyer Development, HCP Healthcare REIT, Welltower and Realty Income Corporation. Mike holds the coveted CCIM designation from the Commercial Investment Real Estate Institute and served as an officer in the local chapter from 2004-2010. Mike enjoys volunteering as a Brookside Soccer and Lacrosse youth coach. He also participates in fundraising efforts with Rockhurst High School and Visitation Parish.
Education
Mike Sonnenberg is an honors graduate from the University of Missouri-Columbia Business School.
Raymond Sonnenberg is a thirty-seven year commercial real estate veteran who has an outstanding reputation for tenant prospecting, cultivation, lease negotiations and property acquisition/disposition.
Ray is a retired Naval Reserve Captain and has served as a youth coach and director of a number of educational and charitable organizations including United Way, Catholic Charities and Boy Scouts. Ray has served as Chairman of the Rockhurst University Regents and Chairman of the Rockhurst High School Capital Campaign. He is the past Midwest Regional Vice-President for CORE Commercial Real Estate Network and a designated member of the Commercial Investment Real Estate Institute (CCIM).
After a successful 15-year career as a commercial real estate agent helping clients acquire, dispossess, lease, and develop industrial and investment properties, Russell has shifted his focus from brokerage towards structuring personal development and acquisition ventures. His development activities will range from the renovation and re-lease of existing buildings to the purchase of raw land and the sale of developed land or parcels. Russell maintains an active salesperson license with NAI Heartland and still provides brokerage services for certain key clients, but is otherwise considered a referral agent and an independent developer structuring deals outside the NAI Heartland umbrella of companies.
Job Titles:
- Retail & Office Specialist
Stephanie Baldwin is a Retail & Office Specialist with NAI Heartland. Her primary areas of focus are landlord and tenant representation with regard to leasing, sales, property acquisition, and disposition of retail and office properties in the Kansas City metro area and surrounding states. Stephanie plans to utilize her background in brokerage, construction and real estate analysis to provide best-in-class service for her clients and all their commercial real estate needs.
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- Vice President - Industrial
Tom Kennedy joined NAI Heartland in October 2023 as Vice President. Tom focuses on industrial property throughout the Midwest region and serves clients throughout the country. He provides expertise in terminal facilities (low coverage), distribution, manufacturing, and warehousing properties in the Kansas City metro. Tom is passionate about helping his clients find solutions for their real estate needs and is committed to helping them reach their goals.
Prior to his current role, Tom co-founded the Kansas City SVN | Albatross Group. In 2019, he worked at AREA Real Estate Advisors as a Vice President in the Industrial Group. He started his career in commercial real estate in 2016 at Colliers International, where he represented both Tenant/Buyer and Landlord/Seller.
Before Tom moved into the commercial real estate industry, he was a CPA and auditor for KPMG from 2013 to 2015. Tom worked with both small private businesses as well as large public companies, and he continues to utilize his accounting background today.
Education
University of Kansas, Bachelor of Science - Accounting
University of Kansas, Masters of Accountancy