Our Team

Lander Group works with a core team and extended partners with whom we’ve had long, successful relationships (many at least a decade+) delivering award-winning projects across the Midwest.

Like many enterprises in the modern economy, Lander Group works repeatedly with a stellar team of professionals fitted for the particular project or endeavor. We believe our team represents the very best in our industry. Like Lander Group, many are themselves individuals or small companies operating in the same nimble fashion. Working together over many years allows us to learn from our experiences together and build on past successes.

Michael Lander

Founded Lander Group: 1983

Michael Lander is a real estate developer and broker, urban planner, speaker, new urbanism advocate, and expert on Smart Growth and transportation policy. As founder and president of Lander Group, he leads the planning, design, and development of commercial, residential, and mixed-use developments. Lander’s work is known for creating thriving urban spaces incorporating new urbanist principles, high-quality design and construction, and a commitment to the public realm.

For Lander Group and as partner in urban planning firm Town Planning Collaborative, Lander has held lead planning roles for many major new urban developments over the last two decades. In the Twin Cities, he helped create the award-winning plan for Excelsior & Grand, St. Louis Park’s new town center, the Sears redevelopment, and led an acclaimed design charrette for Minneapolis’ Uptown district. Lander’s commitment to high-quality urban development include active roles as a member of Urban Land Institute (ULI), Congress of the New Urbanism (CNU), the Minnesota chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and the Steering Committee of LOCUS, a national Smart Growth real estate group working to reform federal and state transportation policy. He has served on the jury and Advisory Services panels for ULI, and on jury panels for Minneapolis AIA and CNU. He speaks regularly to local, state, and national industry groups and is a guest lecturer to University of Minnesota, St. Thomas University, Macalester College, University of Miami, and Harvard University.

Tony Kriha  

Worked with Lander Group since: 2003

Tony oversees the operations of new construction multi-housing and mixed- use developments and other company assets. As Chief Operations Officer, he manages the critical coordination between engineering, construction, finance, and marketing. Tony joined Lander Group in 2003 to found the company’s in-house sales department. The role evolved to that of oversight in all facets of the company’s performance. Prior to joining Lander Group, Tony gained 13 years of professional experience working in commercial real estate sales and leasing, as well as in the business management arena including sales and marketing.

Tony is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas (1990) with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Business Administration.

Wren Aigaki-Lander 

Worked with Lander Group since: 5+ years

Wren built Lander Group’s in-house marketing department in 2003 and served as its Marketing Director for 3 years before leaving the company to get her MBA from ESADE, a Financial Times top-20 business school. She now brings the best from her learnings in the world’s leading PR, advertising, comms and mission-based marketing agencies to support Lander Group’s purpose and vision, helping it to create connection and build great urban places. She was named a National Association of Homebuilders Outstanding Green Marketing Award Finalist for her work on Lander Group’s sustainability vision and programme, LanderGreen.

Darren Leet

Worked with Lander Group since: 2005

Darren Leet is the owner of Darren Leet, Inc. and has provided design and marketing services to Lander Group since 2005. For over thirteen years, Darren Leet, Inc has supported companies of all sizes build better brands and products. A core team partner in over 20 startup companies and an equal number of product launches, Darren Leet, Inc. builds strong identities for mission-focused businesses.

Prior to starting the company, Darren Leet worked at a Saint Paul advertising agency for eight years and rose to the level of Creative Director.