CEO | Owner

Casey Conrad

Casey has been in the optical business ever since he could walk and talk. He is a master at adjusting glasses and can pick up a conversation with anyone. Casey loves movies; some day he will direct one! Casey has a passion for the continued growth of North 27th Street. He is the President of the North 27th Street Business and Civic Association.

President | Owner

Tom Conrad

Tom earned his law degree from the University of Nebraska College of Law. During college, he spent a semester abroad at Oxford College in England. Shortly after college, the family business beckoned him back and it’s been his home ever since. Tom is our go-to-guy, problem solver, and master negotiator. Don’t let his tough exterior fool you, in addition to being a CenterPointe board member, he has a generous heart.

Optometrist - Lincoln

Dr. Jennifer Wemhoff

Dr. Wemhoff was born and raised in Columbus, Nebraska. She received her Doctorate in Optometry from Indiana University School of Optometry. She is a member of the American Optometric Association and Nebraska Optometric Association. She likes being active with soccer being her favorite sport to play. She enjoys spending her free time with friends and family, as well as traveling.

Optometrist - Lincoln

Dr. Jennifer Yager

Dr. Yager was raised in Thedford, Nebraska and received her Doctorate in Optometry from Indiana University School of Optometry. She started practicing optometry in 2001 and loves the excitement her patients experience when they can see better. In her free time, Dr. Yager loves attending her kids’ sporting events (there are six girls in her family!), going for walks, reading and an occasional Big Mac from McDonald’s.

Optometrist - Lincoln

Dr. Dennis Kappenman

Optometrist - Grand Island

Dr. Paul Lackore

Dr. Lackore has lived in Aurora, Nebraska since 1992. He received his Doctorate in Optometry from Indiana University School of Optometry. Prior to attending Indiana University, he earned his Bachelor’s degree in biology from Nebraska Wesleyan University. Dr. Lackore has been a member of the Nebraska Optometric Association and the American Optometric Association for nearly 30 years. He serves on the city council, is active within his church and enjoys being with family and staying active.

Bilingual Optician - Lincoln

Erica A.

Erica loves staying busy at Heartland; there’s always something to do or someone to help. Erica fluently speaks both Spanish and English. She enjoys styling, coloring and cutting hair. She is very close with her family and spends as much time together as possible.

Optician & Contact Lens Expert - Lincoln

Morgan B.

Morgan’s favorite part of working at Heartland, are the laughs; the jokes are pretty okay too. She feels comfortable with the team and can be her true self. Interestingly, Morgan hates wearing shoes. Even in the winter, you’ll see her wearing sandals inside. She also drinks more milk than any adult human. Morgan loves her pup and other animals and knows that a room full of puppies would be heaven.

Safety Account Manager

Jana B.

Team camaraderie amongst the team is Jana’s favorite part of working at Heartland. She never encounters a dull moment and she laughs the most at work. Interestingly, Jana dislikes both horses and hugs, but also loves Metallica. Jana is addicted to skydiving and enjoys spending her free time playing with her little (BIG) pups.

Bilingual Optician - Grand Island

Michelle B.

If you call our office or stop by, chances are you’ll be greeted by Michelle. Michelle was born and raised In San Francisco, CA and loves music and dancing. She speaks both English and Spanish and loves that she learns something new about the optical industry every day!

Practice Administrator

Cara D.

Cara’s favorite aspect of the Heartland team is the amount of experience, knowledge and teamwork found throughout the office. She’s also a fan of the jokes. Cara’s sister is her best friend – their families are very close and so, Cara’s family moved to Waverly in 2018 to live a few houses away. In her spare time, Cara loves being on the move and staying busy – you can often find her trying new restaurants, wineries and breweries.

Office Support Coordinator - Lincoln

Alyssa F.

Alyssa is our “do just about anything” gal. You’ll see her throughout the office helping with exams, answering phones and fixing or adjusting glasses. She loves that at Heartland, the team supports each other both personally and professionally. She just may be the most clumsy person in our office; but she can still do a cartwheel! In her free time, she loves spending time with her son, being outdoors and drawing or painting.

Lab Manager

Joel F.

If Joel had to pick his favorite part of working at Heartland, he would choose the variety within the team. Similarly, he also loves the variety of burritos found at gas stations and has found great success with the potato diet. In his spare time, Joel enjoys caring for his lawn and being handy in general – this guy can fix just about anything.

Billing Specialist - Lincoln

Kelli H.

Kelli loves working at Heartland and shared that the people are the best she’s ever worked with. Interestingly, she refuses to wear a coat, even in the winter. In her spare time, Kelli enjoys neighborhood bars and spending time with her family.

Certified Optician - Lincoln

Mike H.

When asked what he likes most about working at Heartland Optical, Mike replied with “everything!” He loves the patients, the equipment, the trust, the knowledge and talent of every other team member. Mike is ABO Certified and has served as the President of the Nebraska Optometric Association’s Optician Division. His goal is to be recognized as the best Optician in the United States. In his free time, you’ll find Mike training for his next Iron Man race or spending time with his family.

Optician - Lincoln

Jean J.

Jean loves everything about being an optician…. talking with patients, picking out glasses, adjustments and repairs; you name it, she loves it all! In years past, Jean and her husband owned one of the most iconic bars in downtown Lincoln, P.O. Pears. Now that she has free time, she loves to travel!

Optician - Lincoln

Lori J.

Lori was destined to be an Optician. She loves catching up with patients that she’s helped for many years. She has an insanely great memory. From the patient’s name to what they like; she remembers it all! She loves working out and spending time with her grandkids…. her kids are okay too 🙂

Front Office Support - Lincoln

Jennifer K.

Jennifer loves working with her teammates; especially Karen. Not everyone knows that Jennifer sang opera in college. In her spare time, she likes doing laundry. Lots of laundry. And, spending time with her family.

Optician - Grand Island

Maranda K.

Maranda loves working with kids and learning about each unique personality. She enjoys seeing patient’s excitement when putting on their glasses for the first time. Maranda likes DIY projects. She always thinks she can make it herself for less money!

Ophthalmic Technician- Lincoln

Bre L.

Do you have an appointment scheduled with one of our docs? Chances are, Bre is the gal preparing you for your visit. She loves being part of team and helping people every day. Bre loves to clean! In a previous life, she owned her own cleaning business. On the weekend, you’ll find her spending time with her family and watching medical or crime shows.

Optician - Lincoln

Paulie L.

There are so many things that Paulie loves about being an Optician. Besides helping others, she loves the mechanical aspect of a pair of glasses. Being an Optician allows her to think outside the box for solutions. In her free time, she loves learning about and fixing cars. She was also born and raised in Guam.

Optician/Technician - Lincoln

BJ M.

BJ loves helping our patients to see better. Whether it be caring for patients alongside our doctors or fixing, adjusting or picking out frames; he simply loves helping. Because of BJ’s extensive experience in our industry, you’ll find him in several areas of our office. In his free time, he likes to sing with a Barbershop Quartet, help at the Lincoln Community Playhouse, and go camping with his wife.

Front Office Support - Lincoln

Karen P.

Karen loves being around people and noise which we have plenty of! Fun fact – Karen won a scholarship to college for winning a couple of typing contests. At her best, she could type 131 words per minute. When she’s not at Heartland HQ or typing rigorously, Karen enjoys quiet evenings with her husband, Bill, and playing the card game, canasta, with her sisters.

Lab Technician

Brian S.

Brian’s favorite part of working at Heartland is his continuous growth opportunities – he loves the challenge. Even though he’s been in the industry for over 20 years, there’s always something new. A true people person, he can make friends with anyone. Be cautious if you find yourself needing to out-jump Brian. For the last 27 years, he has held the high jump record at Lincoln Pius X. In his spare time, Brian fantasizes about spare time. Brian has six kids, chickens, two great danes, and two cats #sleepWhenYourDead

Bilingual Office Support - Grand Island

Roxana T.

If you call or stop by, chances are you’ve been greeted by Roxana. She speaks both English and Spanish. Roxana loves helping people and will do anything possible to do so; often times learning something new in the meantime! In her free time, she enjoys cooking for her family.

Lab Technician

Jan “Squirrel” W.

Squirrel loves getting daily hugs from Brian, Mike and Casey. Her nickname is the best and she’s fully embraced it. In her free time, she likes gardening, bird watching and, of course, squirrels.