Chief Operating Officer
As Chief Operating Officer for Wangard Advisors, John is responsible for all aspects of strategic planning, operations, marketing, acquisitions and investments. With an extensive background in commercial real estate valuation, John maintains a vigilant focus on investment fundamentals and the optimization of value for each project. John's contributions are central to Wangard's mission: to offer our clients superior investments through acquisition, structural and marketing innovation. With over 18 years of commercial real estate finance, valuation, and acquisition experience, John brings a breadth of knowledge to the Wangard team that includes in excess of $1.5 billion in transactional volume.
Prior to co-founding Wangard Advisors in 2006, John held successive positions as Director of Sales and then Director of Acquisitions for DBSI Group, one of the nation's largest private real estate syndication companies. After working for over 12 years as a commercial real estate appraiser in markets throughout the Midwest, John was hired as Vice President of Commercial Real Estate for First National Bank and Trust, heading new business development and portfolio management for over $150 million of commercial real estate loans secured by multiple asset classes.
John earned his BA degree in Economics from Indiana University. He later completed the requisite educational MAI curriculum from the Appraisal Institute in Chicago. John is a licensed real estate broker and Certified General Appraiser (inactive) in the State of Indiana.
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John Thomsen
Vice President
As vice president of Wangard Advisors, John Thomsen has been involved with the acquisition, ownership structure, and marketing of over $125 million in institutional-grade commercial properties through Wangard's various syndication programs. John's primary responsibilities include managing the firm's overall sales efforts, expanding referral networks, and supervising independent field sales. John is continuously monitoring specific market trends to provide recommendations to adjust acquisition goals and to further educate clients.
Prior to co-founding Wanagard Advisors, John served as Vice President for Wangard Partners, Inc. for 6 years. During that time, John gained valuable experience in a diverse range of real estate functions, including property management, lease transaction management, acquisitions and dispositions, as well as real estate consulting. John has brokered in excess of $75,000,000 in investment real estate and has leased over 500,000 square feet of space for his clients.
John is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology and was a scholar athlete from 1994 to 1998. John is also a licensed commercial real estate broker and a member of The University of Wisconsin W-Club, Wisconsin Real Estate Alumni Association (WREAA), Commercial Association of Realtors (CARW), National Association of Realtors (NAR), NAIOP, and International Council of Shopping Center (ICSC).
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Mona Aponte
Director of Investor Relations
As Director of Investor Relations for Wangard Advisors, Mona Aponte has over 13 years of commercial real estate transaction experience. Prior to joining Wangard, Mona served as a Securities Broker and Operations Manager for Robert W. Baird in Milwaukee. She is knowledgeable in all facets of the real estate exchange and transfer process and has coordinated transactions totaling in excess of $240 million, with an emphasis on fractional ownership structures. Mona works hand-in-hand with investors, attorneys, lenders, CPA's and title companies to keep transactions on task and moving toward timely, successful closings. She is a licensed real estate salesperson in the state of Wisconsin.
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