At Realty & Mortgage Co., we have assembled a team of accomplished, superbly trained professionals who work tirelessly to ensure the complete satisfaction of every client who walks in our door. Through collaboration and persistence, our staff knows how to find creative and innovative solutions other real estate firms simply can’t match.
Harold D. Rider, Jr.
Co-President
Prior to joining Realty & Mortgage Co. in 1991, Harold was a property manager for JMB Properties Co. His current duties include overseeing the management of Realty & Mortgage Co’s apartment and retail portfolio, identifying new investment opportunities, and supervising various large rehabilitation projects. Harold has served on the Executive Committee of the Chicago Chapter of the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM®) and is a Past President (and currently Treasurer) of the Lincoln Park Builders of Chicago.
Harold holds a BA in Economics from Colby College as well as the Real Property Administrator (RPA®) and Certified Property Manager (CPM®) designations. He is also a licensed managing broker and Community Association Manager (CAM).
Hugh G. Rider
Co-President/Managing Broker
Prior to joining Realty & Mortgage Co. in 1994, Hugh worked in the Human Resources department at Spraying Systems, Inc. Hugh is particularly well-versed in the special management requirements presented by HUD, IHDA, and CHA financed projects. He is a Past President of the Chicago Association of REALTORS® and serves on their Government Affairs and Property Management Committees.
Hugh holds a BA in Political Economy from Hillsdale College and is both a licensed managing broker and community association manager. He has served on the Board of Trustees at Elgin Academy, a K-12 college preparatory school.
Harold D. Rider
Chairman Emeritus
Harold joined Realty & Mortgage Co. in 1967. His experience is extremely diverse and includes the management of all types of real estate, lease negotiation, and property rehabilitation and syndication. He is an expert in the financing and management of properties financed through governmental entities. Harold is a Past President of the Chicago Association of REALTORS® (CAR) and the Chicago Chapter of the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM®). His redevelopment projects are valued well in excess of $200,000,000 and have won several Good Neighbor Awards as well as the coveted Richard H. Driehaus Award for Outstanding Leadership in Preservation.
Harold holds a BS in Chemistry from Colorado College and has earned the Certified Property Manager (CPM®) and Counselor of Real Estate (CRE®) designations. Harold also serves on the Board of Trustees at Elgin Academy, a K-12 college preparatory school. In 2018, he was presented with the Seymour Preston Award by the Council of Advancement and Support for Education for exceptional commitment and leadership in developing voluntary support for the Academy.
Anna Cebulak
Vice President and Comptroller
Anna was previously the accounting manager for Realty & Mortgage Co. and has been with the firm since 1983. She currently maintains the financial records for Realty & Mortgage Co. and supervises the payment process for all mortgages and real estate taxes.
Anna speaks fluent Polish and volunteers with the American Red Cross.
Mary Francissen
Vice President Financial Services
Prior to joining the Realty & Mortgage Co. team, Mary served as Vice President and Controller at ML Realty Partners where she oversaw accounting and financial reporting functions. Leveraging her 18 years in the property management accounting field, Mary brings a strong understanding and focus to implementing and maintaining consistently reliable accounting procedures throughout the organization. Additionally, she oversees reporting operations and communicates directly with clients regarding their specific requirements.
Mary holds a BS in Accounting from the University of Illinois and is a member of CREW Chicago.
Aggie Jaworski
Area Manager
Aggie joined Realty & Mortgage Co. in 1995. Prior to obtaining her current position, Ms. Jaworski worked in the accounting department at Realty & Mortgage Co. and later became an assistant property manager. She currently supervises the management of several market rate properties throughout Chicago.
Aggie speaks fluent Polish.
Sonya Ivory
Area Manager
Prior to joining Realty & Mortgage Co. in 2004, Sonya worked as a manager for AT&T/Ameritech beginning in 1994. She obtained her real estate sales license in 2001 and worked with Prestige Partners Realty. Sonya currently supervises an affordable housing portfolio of family and senior communities throughout the Chicago area that includes Tax Credit, Market, Section 8, Public Housing, and Housing Choice Vouchers.
Sonya continues her studies at Chicago State University in Business Management and is a licensed real estate broker. She also holds Certified Occupancy Specialist (COS), Tax Credit Specialist (TCS), and Blended Occupancy Specialist (BOS) designations.
Tashena Johnson
Area Manager
Tashena began working for Realty & Mortgage Co. in 2011 as an office assistant at a large cooperative. In a short period of time, she was promoted to assistant manager and then to site manager of a 252-unit development. In addition, she oversaw an extensive rehabilitation and initial lease-up of a new LIHTC development. Tashena now oversees the operations of more than 1,200 units in the Chicago area which include tax credit, cooperative, and condominium properties.
Tashena earned her bachelor’s at Northeastern Illinois University and has several real estate designations, including Tax Credit Specialist (TCS), Certified Occupancy Specialist (COS), Community Association Manager (CAM), Registered Cooperative Manager (RCM), and Certified Cooperative Manager (CCM). Tashena is also an Illinois licensed leasing agent and Notary Public.
Fred Velasquez
Area Manager
Fred came to Realty & Mortgage Co. in 2012 from IRMCO Properties, where he was an operations manager. At IRMCO, he was responsible for the day-to-day operations at a high-rise property, including maintenance, leasing, and hotel services. Fred also has experience with subsidized properties, having managed an 1,100-unit portfolio updated with procurement contracts developed by CHA and HUD. He currently manages a portfolio of market rate apartments and retail spaces in Lincoln Park, Lakeview, and Hyde Park.
Fred holds Accredited Residential Manager (ARM®) designation and is certified through the National Center of Housing Management as a Site-Based Budgeting Specialist (SBS) and Certified Manager of Maintenance (CMM).
Fred speaks fluent Spanish.
Mickey Nikezic
Condominium Director
Mickey came to Realty & Mortgage Co. in 2016 with our purchase of Private Holding Group’s management portfolio. Mickey started there as a portfolio manager and was promoted to a supervisory position in a short period of time. He recently served there as a director. He currently manages a portfolio of mid to large sized associations throughout the Chicago area and provides support to other managers in the department.
Mickey is a Chicago native. He holds a BS from DePaul University and is a Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA). He is also a licensed Community Association Manager (CAM) in the State of Illinois.
Mickey is fluent in Serbo-Croatian.
Jennifer Pasko
CAM Area Manager
Jennifer has over 12 years of association management experience and several years in real estate sales. Additionally, she has leased and managed residential facilities for individuals with developmental disabilities. As an Illinois licensed Community Association Manager (CAM), she is currently responsible for the day-to-day management of several properties, including newly developed and converted lofts, mid to high-rises, and townhome associations. Jennifer is proficient in capital planning and project management and has an excellent working knowledge of various building trades, including MEP and HVAC, which commonly affect condominium properties.
Jennifer is a graduate of DePaul University with a BA in Psychology.
Margarita Guzman
Condominium Services Coordinator
Prior to joining Realty & Mortgage Co., Margarita was the director of Resident Services at Private Holding Group, LLC. She joined PHG in 2006 as a leasing agent, and, through a series of promotions, became director of Resident Services. She prepares Information Disclosure Statements for condominium sales and refinances and arranges moves for over 20 homeowner associations. She also provides support to our area managers in the day-to-day operations of our condominium portfolio.
Margarita speaks fluent Spanish.
Patrick Schaffer
Retail Manager
Patrick came to Realty and Mortgage Co. in 2008 when the management operations of Vranas & Chioros were purchased by Realty & Mortgage Co. He worked at Vranas & Chioros for 21 years, where he was responsible for managing and leasing their retail portfolio. Patrick continues to manage and lease several retail locations throughout Chicago as well as the suburbs.
Patrick holds the Certified Property Manager (CPM®) designation and is a licensed real estate broker in Illinois.
Licia Cuello-Girard
Director of Computer Services
Prior to joining Realty & Mortgage Co. in 2019, Licia was a staff accountant at Sidley Austin LLP, where she handled day-to-day accounting and financial reporting. She also worked on annual forecasting and the budgeting process for the firm. Licia currently supervises all bookkeeping activities, including the generation of monthly accounting statements.
Licia holds a BS in Business Administration with a focus in Accounting from Columbia College Missouri.
Licia speaks fluent Spanish.
