Our Team

Chris Hermanski, President and Owner of Mainlander, has been managing residential and commercial properties in and around Portland since coming to town in 1981. Chris was born and raised in Southern California and has a degree in Business Management from Brigham Young University.

As both an owner/investor and fee manager, Chris has held the Master Property Manager designation since 1997. He also holds an Oregon Brokers License, and is a founding member of the local chapter of the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM) and served as its president in 1997 and again from 2005 to 2008. In addition to his local leadership, Chris was National President of NARPM in 2003 and served on the national board from 1998 to 2004. Chris is also a nationally qualified and recognized speaker for the association and teaches various property management topics.

Chris and his wife Kathleen have two sons, two daughters, and two yellow labs. Check out his blog at www.activerain.com/chermanski.

Bette was born and raised in Washington DC. Bette attended the University of Maryland and met her husband while living in the D.C area. Employment changes have given Bette and her family opportunities to live in San Diego, CA, Northern Virginia and Atlanta, GA. While living in Virginia, Bette received her Real Estate license and sold homes for 4 years. The family later moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where Bette continued to sell homes. New opportunities brought the family to Portland, OR. Bette began her Property Management career at Mainlander Property Management. She started as a Leasing Agent, showing homes. Advancement in a career of property management was welcomed by Bette. Three years later Bette became the Broker. As the Principal Broker/ Operations Manager, Her responsibilities include overseeing the staff of Property Managers, Assistant Managers and Leasing Agents as well as insuring the daily functions and office procedures run smoothly. As a broker, she is qualified and trained to supervise licensees. Bette often talks and meets with new owners, which she believes is best part of her job.

Bette and her husband of almost 30 years reside in Lake Oswego, OR with their chocolate lab and golden retriever. Bette spends her time away from work gardening, cooking, and walking their dogs. The Pacific Northwest has provided Bette with wonderful experiences for both her career and her spirit.

Kathy began her career with Mainlander in the late 1990‘s before setting off to explore her passion working alongside children with special needs. Kathy returned to Mainlander in 2006 as the Assistant to the Broker and is an integral part of the marketing and administrative team. Kathy holds a BS in Social Science from Portland State University. She enjoys balancing a life of family, friends, the great outdoors, good food and local libations.

Alverna is a transplanted Hawaiian. However, having lived here in Oregon for 37 years makes her an “almost native” Oregonian. The cooler climate better suits her.

Alverna has 2 grown children, 2 grandchildren and Maxine. Maxine is 5 years old and also works here at Mainlander. Her job description includes greeting and screening prospective clients, cleaning children‘s faces and chasing sunbeams. Maxine is Mainlander‘s resident pug.

Alverna has been with Mainlander for 19 years as their client accountant. During her tenure, she has witnessed the amazing changes and growth of the company.

Shannon has been with Mainlander Property Management since 2006. She has grown up in the Pacific Northwest and is primarily a Portland Native. She has a BA degree in Communication from Oregon State University. Away from the office, Shannon enjoys spending time in Black Butte Resort with her family, spending time with friends and reading.

Susan moved from the mid-West to Oregon in 1972. After graduating from the University of Oregon with a BA in Journalism she began a career in non profit that spanned fourteen years. The shift to property management was made five years ago from a continued desire to help others. She enjoys music, long walks, playing with her two cats, and is enthralled with her three grandchildren.

Sue grew up in Klamath Falls, Oregon, attended Oregon Institute of Technology and Willamette University then transferred to International Christian University in Tokyo, Japan. She lived in Japan for four years in the early 1980s. Returning to Portland in 1984, Sue went to work for a small developer who managed the properties he was unable to sell. After about two years as an assistant property manager, she purchased the company and grew it to about 500 doors. In 1996 Sue sold her business to Mainlander and came to work here part-time on a temporary basis to help with the transition. Thirteen years later, it is obvious that the Sue enjoys the variety of the property management business, and just can‘t leave because there is never a dull moment!

She is very happily married to her college sweetheart for nearly 30 years. They raised two sons in Portland. Away from the office, she enjoys camping, playing with the family husky and supporting her family‘s sporting events. Sue volunteers with a local inner city track club and various political action groups.

Melissa Elstrom joined Mainlander first as an Assistant Property Manager. She comes to Property Management with a background in landscaping, account management, and office management. Melissa came to Oregon in 2001 from upstate New York where she worked in household management and equestrian arts. She graduated from Marylhurst University in 2005 with a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Science after spending 6 months abroad studying Portuguese and Conservation Biology. In her spare time Melissa enjoys the outdoors and reading cookbooks.

Robert has worked in Property Management for over seven years. Robert spent his childhood in Washington and moved to Oregon in his teen years with his father's military career. Robert attended Western Oregon University and received a BS in Communication along with a BA in Music. In Robert's spare time he enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, playing music, fishing and watching football. Go Ducks!

I'm a grandfather who is on his third career; all of them related to helping people. Basically that's what I do for Mainlander is help owners and tenants with everything from clogged drains to wasp nests. I look forward to helping you.

Bobby has been in the business of home repairs and remodeling since 1994. As an employee and as a sole proprietor Bobby has been part of projects that have ranged in value from $100 - $1,000,000. These projects have been in residential and commercial projects.The highlight of his remodeling adventures came when he remodeled a West Linn kitchen that was featured in Oregon Homes Green Living Magazine (2007 Summer Annual Edition). Bobby came to Mainlander Property Management in 02/08. His goal is 100% customer satisfaction. He understands that we all want to live in functional home.