Executive Profiles

Gary Holmes

President and Chief Executive Officer

As President and CEO of CSM Corporation, Gary led his company from its basic beginnings as a property management company through prosperous times as a real estate powerhouse. His attitude, ethics, focus, uncanny business sense and risk taking have helped him create a company recognized nationally for unique approaches to design and development, quality management, and superb customer service.

Gary raises, renovates and restores residential, commercial, industrial, and hotel properties all across the U.S.  His philanthropic contributions to various causes and volunteer efforts are indicative of his dedication to the communities where he does business.

Holmes has been the recipient of the University of Minnesota's highest alumni honor – the Outstanding Achievement Award, University of Saint Thomas's John Cade award for entrepreneurialship and inducted into the Twin Cities Business Hall of Fame. These honors recognize his work in business and in the community - further proving that Holmes and CSM have not lost sight of the original vision or the entrepreneurial spirit needed to develop real estate for people, businesses, and communities. 

Peter Michielutti

Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Peter Michielutti serves as the vice president and chief financial officer for CSM Corporation. Michielutti's primary objectives include overseeing the company's financial operations, developing new processes and aligning systems that will allow CSM to expand and to grow exponentially with new ventures.

Prior to joining CSM in 2009, Michielutti gained over 25 years of managerial experience in a variety of finance-related roles. Most recently, Michielutti held executive positions with Fingerhut, US Bancorp, Wilsons Leather, and Whitehall Jewelers. Over the course of his career, he has had the opportunity to work around the country with a variety of diverse organizations. Additionally, Michielutti has experience working with companies who have experienced rapid growth and with those who have experienced financial challenges. His broad base of knowledge will be integral to CSM's strategic growth.

Chris Fodor

Vice President, Controller

As a vice president and controller at CSM, Chris Fodor directs and manages the commercial and lodging accounting departments where she is responsible for operations management of financial systems, major systems implementations and upgrades, and financial reporting, analysis and decision support. Fodor's financial background and experience include audit, financial budgeting and reporting, analysis, and project management at American Express Financial Advisors where Fodor served as the vice president of corporate audit, director of accounting operations, a project manager, and a financial analyst. In addition to financial planning director positions at a food and beverage company, Fodor was a principal consultant with Entero (formerly TouchPointe) where she evaluated business performance and developed successful alternatives for financially struggling companies.

Mary Weber

Vice President of Human Resources

In her role as Vice President, Human Resources, Mary Weber is a driving force in developing and implementing strategies and programs to support the human capital needs of the diverse and ever changing business needs of CSM. Under her leadership, CSM has implemented a comprehensive talent management program; executed a competitive but cost effective approach to health care benefits; and customized compensation programs to drive desired outcomes, and reward performance. Weber has helped to lead CSM's focus on community giving and volunteerism, and has been the driving force behind a successful continuous process improvement effort Mary has over 25 years of human resources management and consulting experience in a broad range of industries. She has a long history of developing and executing successful, pragmatic human capital solutions to business challenges; and has held leadership roles with Hearth & Home Technologies (an HNI subsidiary), Fredrickson Human Resources Consulting, Prisym Group, and the Higher Education Assistance Foundation.

Michelle Culligan

General Counsel

Michelle Culligan currently serves as General Counsel for CSM Corporation representing the company in various commercial real estate matters, financings, general commercial and corporate matters, as well as mitigation of issues for CSM’s diverse portfolio of commercial, residential and hotel properties. Her 23 plus years of legal experience includes representing clients in negotiating and documenting various complex commercial and real estate financing transactions, structuring workouts for struggling real estate loans,  real estate acquisitions, development, leasing, and sales, as well as counseling clients on a wide range of real estate, financing, and general corporate matters.

Prior to joining CSM, Michelle was a principal and general counsel at Manchester Companies in Minneapolis, MN, and has also provided corporate real estate advisory services to clients as a commercial real estate broker at AREA, LLC.   Michelle practiced for over 13 years at Briggs and Morgan, P.A. where she was a partner in the Financial Services/Real Estate department, and 5 years as a partner at the law firm of Dunkley and Bennett, PA.  She received her J.D. from the University of Minnesota, after graduating summa cum laude from Drake University, and also obtained a mini master in Real Estate Development from the University of St. Thomas.

Bill Franke

Special Counsel

Bill Franke has been with CSM since 1993 first serving as general counsel and most recently moving into a special counsel role. He serves on the foundation, the Gary Holmes family office and is a trustee. Early in his CSM career, Bill was instrumental in growing CSM's diverse portfolio of hotel properties, from inception through successful completion. Bill's legal expertise was integral in acquiring, developing, and renovating 38 hotels, including The Milwaukee Road Depot, Residence Inn, and TownePlace Suites. These downtown Minneapolis hotels required extensive legal work prior to acquisition, construction, and renovation. After the sites were finished, CSM was required to submit further documentation to comply with state, city, and local historical society regulations. In addition, Bill worked with various community organizations, local, regional, and state governments across the country to mitigate issues from construction and financing to human resources and hotel development.

Before joining CSM, Bill worked in private practice and was president of The Everest Group

Joel Carver

Vice President of Sales and Marketing

Vice President of Sales and Marketing for CSM Lodging Joel Carver is responsible for sales, marketing, revenue management and public relations. He brings more than 25 years of hospitality sales management experience for both franchise and Fortune 500 companies including: Westin, Hilton, Omni, Wyndham Hotel Group, Marriott and InterContinental Hotels Group. Joel’s strong background in sales and marketing better positions CSM for growth and a strong presence in the national hotel market.

Prior to joining CSM, Joel was senior vice president of sales and marketing for Vizergy, a hospitality focused Internet marketing company based in Jacksonville, Florida. He also served as assistant vice president of sales and marketing for B.F. Saul Company, a hotel development and management firm in Bethesda, Maryland. Recognized by his peers as a strategic and dynamic leader, Joel was named one of Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International’s “Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales & Marketing” for 2007 and most recently as a “Diversity in Business” honoree by the Minneapolis St.Paul Business Journal. Joel was also voted to the board of directors for HSMAI-Americas in 2012.

Ron Schiferl

Vice President of Portfolio Management

CSM vice president of portfolio management Ron Schiferl provides leadership for managing the commercial real estate portfolio including analyzing and developing strategic business plans that maximize the return of our assets and directing finance and research activities. Ron plays a key role in driving the lease renewal and approval process, ensuring strong long-term portfolio decisions and creating synergies between leasing, architecture and construction management teams.

Ron has a proven background as a finance executive with experience as CFO, COO and a "big 4" audit and consulting partner. Before joining CSM he was CFO for the Community Preservation Corporation in New York, NY. Additional highlights of his career include positions with Minnesota companies Naterra Land, Inc., Opus Corporation and KPMG, LLP.

Ron earned a bachelor's in business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. His professional and community leadership extends to the American Institute of CPAs, Urban Land Institute, and prior board of director positions with Progress Valley and Catholic Charities of Minneapolis & St. Paul.

Tom Palmquist

Vice President of Commercial Development

In his career of retail development, leasing, financing and asset management spanning more than 20 years, Tom has earned a reputation for optimizing projects. As vice president of Retail Development, he has played a key role in developing and or leasing of more than 100 shopping centers totaling over 9.5 million square feet. By listening to customers and communities, he blends the correct retail mix with the right financial solutions to generate the greatest success. From selecting sites and obtaining government approvals to coordinating construction, finance, customer leases and purchase agreements, Tom is involved in all components of retail, industrial, office and mixed-use ventures for CSM.

Tom has developed marketing plans and executed the sale of shopping center assets valued at more than $125 million and coordinated more than $75 million in shopping center financing and re-financing.

Paul Sevenich, CCIM

Vice President of Commercial Leasing

Paul Sevenich serves as CSM's vice president of commercial leasing overseeing the leasing and marketing of its 11 million square foot portfolio of retail, office and industrial real estate. Paul is responsible for creating and executing short and long term plans to maximize the commercial portfolio revenue, minimize leasing expenses and keep vacancies to a minimum. Additionally, he oversees the leasing teams, as well as nurtures and develops long term tenant and broker relationships. Paul currently serves his third term as the MN/ND/SD State Director for the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and is also active in the University of St. Thomas MBA mentoring program.

New to CSM in 2011, Paul brings more than 28 years of experience in the commercial property leasing, management and redevelopment industry. Most recently he was the Vice President of Leasing and Marketing for Kraus-Anderson Realty Company. His past experience also includes leasing and managing several upscale retails centers in DC, Chicago and Utah. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree in Finance from the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) Degree in Finance from the University of St. Thomas.

Brad Kittleson

Vice President of Property Management

With 30 years of property management experience, Brad Kittleson has been a driving force in the success of CSM since joining the company in 1988. As vice president of Property Management, his knowledge, leadership, and work ethic have contributed to the company's award-winning results. Brad oversees CSM's Residential department consisting of more than 3,100 residential units in nine states, housing more than 10,000 residents. He also leads the Commercial Property Management department responsible for more than 11 million square feet and 110 properties in five states. Brad manages the CSM in-house maintenance team, ProTech, which provides full-service maintenance and tenant improvement services.

Prior to joining CSM, Brad worked for the Milwaukee-based Decade Companies where he was responsible for daily property management, renovations and repositioning of properties.

Dan Peterson

Regional Vice President of Operations

As a regional vice president of operations, Dan Peterson manages the operations of hotels in the northwestern United States as well as the Minneapolis and Milwaukee areas. The hotels that Peterson oversees include full service Marriott, Courtyard, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites, TownePlace Suites, Country Inns by Carlson and Hilton Garden Inn brands. Since joining CSM, Peterson has worked to improve financial accountability systems and to enhance regional sales efforts. Peterson also sits on the Franchise Advisory Board of Country Inn and Suites by Carlson.

Steve Schlundt

Regional Vice President of Operations

As a regional vice president of operations, Steve Schlundt focuses on CSM's extended stay and select service properties in the Midwest as well as select service properties in Boston, MA, and Phoenix, AZ. As a member of the CSM team for over ten years, Steve Schlundt has been instrumental in the development and opening of all of CSM's hotel properties. Schlundt's region includes Renaissance, Courtyard, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites, TownePlace Suites, Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites by Hilton brands. Schlundt also serves as the chairperson for the Marriott Sales and Marketing Franchise Advisory Committee for TownePlace Suites and also serves on the Franchise Advisory Council.