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Jay R. Lerner

Company President

Jay R. Lerner is the President of The Lerner Company, located in Omaha, Nebraska, a commercial development, brokerage, leasing and management company, specializing in retail and shopping centers.

Lerner graduated from Michigan State University, after which he began a career in the supermarket industry. He later served as Director of Real Estate and Market Research for Supermarkets Interstate, a supermarket chain with stores located throughout the country which was acquired by JC Penney.

Lerner’s involvement with shopping centers has spanned a period of over 40 years. During this period of time, he has been involved with the development, leasing and management of over 70 shopping centers, and mixed-use development projects covering a six-state area.

The Lerner Company’s first project opened in 1986. The Company has now developed nearly three and three-quarter million square feet and its portfolio includes shopping centers in Nebraska, Iowa and Wisconsin. The Company’s projects in Omaha include West Village Pointe, a 145-acre mixed-used development; Shadow Lake Town Center, a 870,000 square foot regional center; Settler’s Creek, a 250,000 square foot retail project; and Eagle Run, a 412,000 square foot regional shopping center.

Brokerage Services represent in excess of five million square feet of retail space and provide Tenant representation services for over 50 prominent national retail chains, including Top Golf, Dick’s Sporting Goods, PetSmart, Five Below, Verizon, Chick Fil A, Chipotle and Panda Express.

Professional Affiliations and Achievements

  • Principle Member, ChainLinks
  • Served on ChainLinks Executive Committee
  • Member, International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
  • Former ICSC Nebraska/Iowa State Director
  • CREW Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame
  • Former Board President, Jewish Community Center – Omaha
  • Former Board Chairman, Jewish Federation of Omaha
  • Former President, Nebraska Humane Society
  • Member, Nebraska Humane Society Foundation Board
  • Treasurer, Omaha Sports Commission Board of Directors
  • B&B Sports Academy Board of Directors
  • Vice President, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Board of Directors

Salvadore Carta

Company Vice President

Sal Carta is a Principal and Vice President of The Lerner Company. His responsibilities include the legal, financial, and administrative functions of the company.

Prior to his association with The Lerner Company, Carta was a partner for many years in the law firm of Gaines, Otis, Mullen & Carta specializing in real estate and corporate law.

Carta has a Juris Doctor Degree and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Creighton University and is admitted to practice law in the States of Nebraska and Iowa and before the United States Supreme Court and the United States Tax Court. Carta has served as a Member of the House of Delegates and various committees of the Nebraska Bar Association, having chaired and lectured at Nebraska Bar Association sponsored continuing legal education seminars and having guest lectured at meetings of various real estate professional associations.

Carta has served and continues to serve as a member of the Board of Directors of various nonprofit and profit corporations.

Professional Affiliations and Achievements

  • Listed in the first edition of “The Best Lawyers in America: 1987”
  • Inducted as member of the Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame

DEE  L. MUESSEL

Vice President, Accounting & Administration

Dee Muessel is the Vice President of Accounting and Administration for The Lerner Company. She is responsible for overseeing the accounting practices, including financial reporting, lease administration, budgeting and tax reporting. In addition, Dee is responsible for human resource and office administrative functions for the company.

Prior to joining The Lerner Company in 2002, Dee worked as a certified public accountant for Seim Johnson, a leading, locally owned accounting and consulting firm in Omaha. Her role as manager primarily involved providing auditing and tax services to the private client sector.

Dee graduated with Honors from Wayne State College where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with emphasis in Accounting and Finance. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Nebraska Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Professional Affiliations & Achievements

  • Member, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
  • Member, Nebraska Society of Certified Public Accountants
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