Leadership

Gary Hegenes

Founder - Hegenes Properties, Inc.

When Gary founded Hegenes Properties in 1973, he had no idea what would happen. In the 50 years following when he bought his first property, the company now manages over 30 properties and is continuing to expand.

The most important thing to Gary has never been the ‘brick and mortar’ of his buildings, but rather the people who live, rent or work inside of them. Gary instilled an ethos of people serving people into every member of his company. It’s a philosophy that has served the company very well over five decades of an ever-changing industry.

To compliment his people serving people spirit, Gary has poured his heart into helping children in the Minneapolis area however he can. He has co-founded or helped start three charter/private schools in the Minneapolis area. The first is Breakaway Academy, which is a private school for K-8th grade students that provides aspiring student-athletes with direction and focus on reaching their full potential as superior students, elite athletes, and exceptional people of character. He is also heavily involved in Hope Farm School and Hope Academy, both academic schools for challenged youth in the inner city. In addition to the schools, Gary has served on, or directed several boards of many nonprofit organizations that focus on youth development and adult rehabilitation. Organizations include: The Boys and Girls Club (clubs for inner city youth), CCTP (helping felons reenter the work force), Student Venture (developing student leaders), and Big Brothers Big Sisters (pairing youths with adult mentors – 40 years of involvement).

Gary not only has a heart for youth but also has a passion for sports. He was a past sailboat and downhill/ nordic ski racer. He loves to coach sports and play hockey, racquetball, pickleball, golf, and go biking, boating, and walking. If that is not enough, Gary is a mountain climber, scaling such heights as Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa and Machu Picchu in Peru. Gary is a veteran of the US Army, and was a NCO serving over Battalion Training.

He is a golden retriever lover and you will rarely see him without his dog, Augustus, by his side. Gary is known for his heart, his smile, and his humor. The most important people in his life are his wife, Teresa, whom he married in 2021 and his son, Evan.

Ryan Sather

President

Ryan is a highly skilled Chief Operating Officer with a passion for pursuing excellence. He currently serves as President of Hegenes Properties, where he focuses on managing and developing multi-family and commercial real estate. As a leader, Ryan is known for his innovative personality, strong relationships, and attention to detail.

Ryan graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Communications from Augustana University and a Master's Degree in Leadership from Mars Hill. Prior to joining Hegenes Properties in 2019, he spent 15 years as the COO of Cru Inner City. Ryan strongly believes that a healthy internal culture within any organization is essential for success, so he is dedicated to cultivating a healthy team that, in turn, generates a vibrant company.

Ryan says, "I am thrilled to witness the significant growth we are achieving at Hegenes Properties through the development of a robust and healthy culture that impacts every aspect of our organization. Our mission of people serving people is a source of inspiration for me, and my faith shapes my life. I am competitive by nature, but I believe that true greatness comes from being a servant. At every level of our company, I have the privilege of working with a group of individuals who are achieving greatness by serving and caring for other people. It's truly incredible!"

Outside of work, Ryan enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife, Ashley, and their four children, and being involved in his church and community. As a former collegiate athlete, he loves to volunteer and give back to his community by coaching youth sports that his kids are involved in. 

Ryan also enjoys teasing fans of the Green Bay Packers and might even share a story about his mischievous activities with Gary Hegenes on the grass at Lambeau Field, if you ask him.

Kim Robb

Director of Human Resources

Kim is an invaluable part of our team and has several years of experience in employee management and strategic planning. She joined the Hegenes family in 2009 in Accounts Payable and was promoted to the Human Resources/Payroll position in 2014. She loves all aspects of Human Resources, especially Employee Relations and Benefits and Compensation. 

Kim loves learning and regularly attends national training seminars that showcase HR trends, such as self-service technology, wellness, and HRIS tools.

As a strong believer in our mission, “People Serving People”, one of Kim’s accomplishments was building a bridge of communication and relationships between North Dakota and Minnesota employees. She excels in team building, has a committed work ethic, and is an exceptional team player herself.

Kim enjoys weekly game night with her family, volunteering in the community, and trips to the beach. If you are looking for a good laugh, just sneak up behind Kim when she is focused on a project and watch her leap out of her chair, as she is easily startled!

Sam Jirik

Director of Finance

Sam brings  leadership abilities and financial acumen to help us continue Hegenes Properties' trajectory of growth. He has a wealth of experience in finance, having served as an Accounting Manager at CBRE for six years and an Assistant Controller at Finch & Daisy consulting for three years.

Beyond his professional achievements, Sam embodies our Hegenes mission of people serving people. He has passion for seeing others happy and striving for better, which aligns perfectly with our company values.

Outside of work, Sam enjoys spending time with his wife, Kate, and their two daughters, Elana (7) and June (5), catching Twins games and baking treats. A little-known fact about Sam is that he once dislocated his hip while skiing in college.

When asked to describe himself in three words, Sam chose "subtle, kind, thoughtful," qualities that everyone who interacts with him are sure to notice.

Grant Sather

Director of Operations - Minnesota

There are few employees at Hegenes who exemplify our motto, “People Serving People,” more than Grant. He has dedicated much of his life to serving people because, to him, serving people brings with it more joy and contentment than any accolades or wealth the world could ever provide.

Part of Grant’s skillset includes an entrepreneurial attitude. Out of college, he started a non-profit before going down to Texas to start a church, both of which are still thriving! A quote that defines his mindset at work is from Lewis Caralla - “Lazy people do a little work, and think that they should be winning. But winners work as hard as possible and still worry about being lazy.”

His hard-working and decisive personality while also cultivating creativity and hospitality led to an opportunity at Hegenes in 2021 where Grant helped to launch a 411-unit addition to Hegenes’ portfolio in Northfield, Minnesota. After leading a great crew in this successful operation, Grant was promoted in February 2023 to Regional Manager of all Minnesota properties and then again in August 2024 to Director of Operations.

But the promotion won’t distract him from the other hobbies in life that he cares about, like watching sports or the southern-style smoking of brisket, ribs, pork & chicken. And there is still nothing he’d rather do than spend time serving his family – his wife Alissa and three boys, Henry, Harrison and Jack.

Bill Ask

Real Estate Broker

Bill is the primary licensed real estate broker for Hegenes Properties providing in-house services along with serving clientele on acquisitions and dispositions. Areas of focus are apartments, commercial and residential properties throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Bill's chief ideals are Honesty, Credibility and Ethical practices. With these platforms and Bill’s experience and knowledge of real estate brokerage, ownership, management, and development, he has the ability to uniquely relate and serve both buyers and sellers of real estate.

Bill transitioned into his career after successfully developing, growing, and operating multiple sales-oriented businesses in Minnesota. He brings his learned business skills, experience, and fierce commitment to help aid clients and others capitalize on their dreams and best interests.

In 1996, Bill graduated from Augsburg College in Minneapolis and holds a BA in Business Management and Finance. He is an active member of the Minnesota Multi-Housing Association and participates in many other housing and real estate groups.

After work hours Bill prefers to be outdoors recreating, exploring, and enjoying new experiences. He resides in Excelsior, Minnesota with his wife Penny. His young adult stepsons Wyatt & Luke are out of the house pursuing their dreams.

Augustus

Everyone's Supervisor

Watching over all of Hegenes' operations is Augustus. He is a pawsome guy who goes out of his way to say hello to everyone. He might not be able to say your name, but he will always remember you if you pet his ears (and he probably won't ever let you stop).

"All play and no work," is Augustus' motto. One might think that would clash with the hard work that the rest of the team puts in, but they all love Augustus too much to haggle over philosophical differences.

In his spare time when he's not at work (and sometimes when he is), Augustus likes to sleep or make sure that he is getting Gary's undivided attention. Augustus always has a pawsitive look on life, and he's willing to help anyone who is having a bad day.

Augustus is the best.