About Us

“I started in hospitality at age 14, which means I have almost 55 years in the Minnesota hospitality business. I love it, know it, and would love to help you and your family find the right place to build a lifetime of memories.” - Mark Ronnei.

Mark has worked in the Minnesota resort industry for 45 years. He started at Grand View Lodge in 1978 and continued his career for 43 years serving as Director of Sales, Operations Manager, General Manager, and Managing Director. He is a visionary specializing in real estate, development, resort operations, and hospitality marketing.As of late, Mark joined the Quarterdeck Resort on Gull Lake development team and started Evolution Resort Real Estate and Abides Resort Development company. The goal is to create Minnesota’s most fun boutique resort. Fun is the name of the game. Mark and the team are creating opportunities to own Minnesota’s best resort vacation homes, including a robust rental program.Evolution Resort Real Estate aims to specialize in helping families find the perfect resort vacation home and represent Minnesota’s premier resort vacation home destinations. The team makes finding the right combination of price, amenities, and location easy.In Mark’s free time, he serves with habitat for humanity, the Nisswa enhanced reading foundation, Essentia health board of Directors, the Crow Wing Power Board of directors, and the Brainerd lakes Area community foundation. He was also inducted into the Minnesota Hospitality Hall of Fame. Mark’s family history and motto is to do all you can to leave your community better than you found it.

“I consider my career a blessing; my office is lakeside, golf side, and genuinely fun! It’s very rewarding to help connect vacation destinations and ownership that leads to memories for a lifetime.“ - Carrie Lee.

Carrie is a Brainerd Lakes Area local who has always been a go-getter. Her sales experience started at age 11, growing up in the farming industry. She knows people, and she knows business, which drives her client-centric approach to serve people well, earning her referrals.Carrie has a well-rounded 25+ year career consulting in sales, coaching, and recruiting nationwide. She has been in real estate since 2008, serving clients and building brokerages and real estate teams. She brings energy and compassion to real estate and is a voice of reason in what can be a highly emotional process.She is passionate about resort development and hospitality and continues to manage nine homeowners associations at Grand View Lodge. A few career highlights are design and execution of leadership development as the Quality Assurance and Training Manager for ETOC Corporation (Grand View Lodge, Tanque Verde Ranch, Camp Lincoln, and Camp Lake Hubert) and Fitler Club in Philadelphia.

“Destination ownership goes beyond finding the perfect home or piece of land. It encompasses everything a location offers - amenities, activities, culture, nature, and beyond. There is something super special about the land of 10,000 lakes. My passion is helping people find their perfect destination.” - Colette Huston.

Colette is a true Northern Minnesota native. Lake life has always been her preferred way of life since growing up on the shores of Woman Lake outside Longville, Minnesota. While she currently resides in the Leech Lake area, she is no stranger to the Brainerd Lakes Area market. With more than 11 years of hospitality, sales, and marketing experience, she brings a full toolkit for her clients.Best known for her warm and genuine personality, Colette naturally builds strong and meaningful relationships. She not only specializes in vacation home real estate but also resort operations and marketing strategies.When Colette is not collaborating with her real estate team and clients, you will find her exploring the great outdoors and experiencing all the “hidden gems” of the north country. Her favorite hobbies include anything with a motor—driving classic cars, snowmobiling, boating, and ATV rides. She also enjoys a fierce workout and recharging her batteries via saunas and sipping on a cold beverage.

“There was never a question of my life’s vocation; I always knew I was a builder. In 1984, I was hired as a Carpenter to help remodel and restore some old cabins at Grand View Lodge…and one thing led to another. From Carpenter to General Contractor to learning the process of developing the property and working with others to sell the opportunity. My passion for developing and expanding Minnesota resorts was a fortunate accident.” - Monte K. Mraz.

Monte is a Minnesota native with over 40 years of experience in the Minnesota Building Industry. He has done it all from an Independent Carpentry Contractor, Remodeler, Builder, Developer, and Real Estate Broker. He is an award-winning Project Manager/Developer responsible for designing, estimating, and managing residential and commercial projects.Monte is there every step of the way, from the initial contact, development, and financing through completion of the work, managing all project details, including interaction with the client, field personnel, designers, architects, subcontractors, and suppliers.Among many personal commitments to the building industry Monte has served as the president of the Mid-Minnesota Builders Association (MMBA), president of the Builders Association of Minnesota (BAM), is a Life Director of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), and currently sits on the board of The Builders Group (TBG) workman’s compensation insurance education foundation.In Monte’s free time, he performs music with his musician brother and friends. For over 30 years, it has been both a vocation and a passion that has given him many wonderful memories and a deep connection to the local community. He is a proud father of two children and two wonderful grandchildren. Monte and his wife, Chrissy, appreciate their time with family, traveling, and spending weekends at hockey tournaments. In the summer, he loves riding his motorcycle and enjoying the fantastic scenery throughout the American heartland.