Our Team

Providing the best investment experience and returns require a strong team of talented individuals committed to integrity, creativity, excellence, and success. We built our firm on this belief to become the values-driven organization we are today. Our team is equipped with decades of experience across diverse backgrounds to deliver investment and unique deal partnership solutions with you in mind.

Our Team

Managing Partner

Building Operations Manager

General Advisor

General Advisor

AIA, LEED AP

Financial Analyst

Property Management

Investor Relations

Operations

Divya Tandon

Divya Tandon

Managing Partner

Divya Tandon, the founder of SJI Properties, is a dynamic leader with over 20 years of experience in the real estate industry, specializing in Class B/C workforce housing. Her journey began as a Senior Systems Analyst at NASDAQ, where she honed her analytical skills before making her first real estate acquisition in Queens, New York, in 2004. Since then, she has successfully managed a diverse portfolio of both residential and commercial properties.

As a first-generation immigrant living in BuPalo, New York, since 2013, Divya embodies resilience and determination. Reflecting on her journey, she says, “Every challenge is an opportunity to grow. I want to inspire others to see the potential in their struggles.” Her passion for direct investment goes hand-in-hand with a strong commitment to giving back, particularly through youth financial education programs, which she believes are vital for empowering the next generation.

Divya’s leadership style is characterized by empathy and a strong sense of community. Balancing her roles as a mother, daughter, wife, and businesswoman, she draws inspiration from her father’s wisdom: “He taught me that if you put people first, business will follow.” This philosophy shapes her approach at SJI Properties, where she focuses on innovation and sustainable growth.

Under her leadership, SJI Properties has not only thrived but also positively impacted local communities. Testimonials from tenants highlight her commitment: “Divya genuinely cares about her properties and the people living in them. She’s more than just a landlord; she’s a community builder.”

Looking to the future, Divya aims to expand SJI Properties while continuing her community engagement. She envisions partnerships with local organizations to provide affordable housing and financial literacy workshops, ensuring her impact reaches beyond real estate. Divya Tandon’s story is one of professional success intertwined with compassion and dedication. She stands out as a go-getter who leads with integrity and empathy, making her a role model for aspiring businesswomen everywhere. As she encourages, “Let’s work together to uplift our communities and inspire the next generation.”

Francisco Torres

Francisco Torres

Building Operations Manager

Francisco has been with SJI for 10 years. He started before its inception as a contractor. Francisco is responsible for overseeing and coordinating all building operations. This includes work orders, unit turns, contractor estimates, and related day to day property requirements. Francisco worked as a Peace Officer for Border Control at Niagara County sheriff’s department. Francisco is a car enthusiast and enjoys being a DJ in his free time.

Joëlle Leclaire

General Advisor

Joëlle is Professor of Economics and Finance at the State University of New York, Buffalo State, where she teaches Macroeconomics, Economic Statistics, Money and Banking, and, supervises graduate students working on these topics. She has held this position, at various ranks since 2004. Joëlle serves on the Editorial Board of the Review of Political Economy, an international academic journal, and as member of the Progressive Economics Forum in Canada.

Keri Callocchia

General Advisor

Keri is expert in real estate law. Her experience includes landlord/tenant litigation, commercial and residential real estate closings, mortgage closings, zoning, business entity formation, real estate tax sales, title opinions, condominium conversions, easements, and real estate litigation.

Kimberly Brown

AIA, LEED AP

A registered architect with nearly thirty years of national and international experience, Ms. Brown brings sensitivity to the specific, thorough analysis, and technical expertise to every design collaboration. A native of Mississippi, Ms. Brown has lived, studied, and worked in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Italy, and the Netherlands. Prior to founding Kimberly Brown Architecture PLLC, Ms. Brown held leadership positions at SHoP Architects, Polshek Partnership Architects (now Ennead Architects), Leslie Gill Architect, and Perkins + Will in Chicago. Ms. Brown has been involved with a variety of institutional projects, including education facilities, cultural spaces such as theaters and museums, and public facilities. She also has extensive planning experience with communities ranging from small towns to campuses to cities.

In addition to her architectural practice, Ms. Brown is a dedicated scholar and teacher. For four years she served as Director of Mississippi State University’s Carl Small Town Center, which pairs teams of professionals and academics with local cities and towns to develop community-oriented design projects. While in that position, Ms. Brown was invited to participate in the Governor’s Design Charrette to rebuild the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina, served as a resource leader on the National Endowment for the Arts Mayor’s Institute for post-Katrina efforts, and directed the organization of three NEA “Your Town” conferences to help citizens understand the role of design in rebuilding efforts.

Whether working on an intimate scale or a global one, Ms. Brown believes that design should be used to empower, and that individual empowerment will, in turn, forge stronger communities.

Alec Ritzenthaler

Alec Ritzenthaler

Financial Analyst

Graduated from Canisius College with a bachelor’s in finance. Assists with tenant relations and leasing the apartments. As well as assists within the fund with the pitch and contacting the prospective building owners.

Deepankar Khullar

Deepankar Khullar

Property Management

Deepankar Khullar graduated from the University of Buffalo in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, with a concentration in finance. As a property manager, my role involves overseeing rent collection from both new and existing tenants. My duties include collecting rent and ensuring the properties are in good condition.

Alexei Heringer

Real Estate Investor

Alexei Heringer is a German citizen who was born in the former Soviet Union. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, his family moved back to their ancestral home of Trier, Germany. Throughout his teen years and early 20’s, he played soccer professionally for a German soccer team. Following his soccer career, he immigrated to the United States.

He completed his undergraduate degree in 22 months with Cum Laude from SUNY Buffalo with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, concentrating in International Business. He continued his studies in the Niagara University MBA Program where he graduated with Cum Laude in 16 months.

Alexei is a Seasoned Real Estate Investor with a track record of 15 years and an accomplished Financial Planner and Partner at Planned Futures Financial Group, a boutique financial planning firm in Western New York, focusing on Wealth Management, financial planning, Estate and Business Succession Planning for Real Estate investors, Business Owners, physicians, other medical professionals, and professional athletes. He has been in the industry for 16 years. He is also Business Consultant on Real Estate Investing, Crypto Investments and Sophisticated Funding Strategies for Businesses. He has a unique skill set and is Fluent in German, Russian, English, and Spanish.

He is our Public Relations strategist and consultant for our SJI Fund & Properties. He utilizes his skillset and network within the market. 

He is a member of the Buffalo Chapter of National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors of Buffalo, participates in recreational soccer and is active in fundraising and sits on the Board of the American Cancer Society and PUCCS – Program for Understanding Childhood Concussion and Stroke.

Shan Aggarwal

Accounting

Shan has a diverse business background spanning multiple industries, such as retail, industrial, and commercial real estate.
Shan has gained years of experience being active in commercial real estate specializing in multifamily properties. Shan has built a solid reputation as a trusted advisor to clients seeking to diversify their business portfolios.
Focusing on strategic acquisitions, identifying unique opportunities in growing markets, and providing tailored solutions, Shan’s expertise has delivered positive results to his partners.
Shan excels in fostering relationships built on respect & trust