Business Broker / Commercial Real Estate Staff

Our People

Gary D. Johnson, CBI

Prior to joining Calhoun Companies in 1980, Mr. Johnson was with American Hospital Supply Corporation for seven years in various sales and management positions in California and Texas and three years of investment and commercial property sales in the Minneapolis/St. Paul region. He has been president of Calhoun Companies since 1983 and is a co-owner of the company. Established in 1908 Calhoun has been a leader in the sale of businesses in the Upper Midwest for nearly 50 years. Mr. Johnson is experienced in all aspects of the sale of businesses from valuation through closing of the transaction.

Credentials and Education
Mr. Johnson graduated from the University of North Dakota with a BS. in Business Administration and a minor in accounting. Also, he has taken graduate courses in economics and accounting from the University of Santa Clara. He holds the designation of Certified Business Intermediary (CBI) from the IBBA; member of the Institute of Business Appraisers, the M & A Source, Charter member of Nationlist, a Real Estate Broker in Minnesota, North and South Dakota, and Iowa and has attended numerous tax and valuation courses in the past 20+ years dealing with real estate and businesses.

Bob Cardinal

Mr.Cardinal joined Calhoun in 1992, and was Top Sales Producer in 1996. He specializes in mail order and catalog sales. Also, works with medical and school service industries; and manufacturing companies, primarily motor vehicle and aircraft parts and accessories, commercial printing and publishing, electronic computer components, and plastic products. Prior to entering real estate, Mr. Cardinal was a licensed insurance agent with Prudential in Minneapolis.

Credentials and Education
He is a graduate of the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota with a B.A. Degree. Member of the Minneapolis Board of Board of Realtors, Organization of Commercial Realtors (OCR). He is a licensed Notary Public and appointed member of the Ramsey County Charter Commission, and Business Review Council for the city of St. Paul, and the Archdiocesan Finance Committee. Member of the ESOP Association, National Center for Employee Ownership & Strategic Leadership Forum.

Ben Fugate

Mr. Fugate has been involved in retail, service companies, franchise sales and many other general business transactions. His industry concentration is primarily in the hospitality industry where he has over 150 sales of motels, hotels, food and beverage operations.

Stanley J. Gibbs

Stan Gibbs joined Calhoun Companies in 1991. He brings 30 years of business ownership, management, and brokerage to each transaction. Stan specializes in national and Regional Transportation/Courier companies, Manufacturing of all types and various other types of businesses. He utilizes his website, www.stangibbs.com to foster and develop a Nationwide network of ongoing relationships with Strategic and Financial buyers. This creates the best possible match for the buyer and seller. Stan is actively involved in business transactions up to $100 million.

Recognitions:
Stan Gibbs has been Calhoun Companies Top Producer of successfully completed transactions over the last nine years.

Bruce W. Halverson

Mr. Halverson was a co-owner of a mid-size department store. He has over 35 years experience in business ownership and Business Brokerage.

Credentials and Education
He has a Bachelors degree in Economics from St. Olaf College in Northfield and has done advanced work towards his MBA.

Jodee J. Leininger

Ms. Leininger has been closing properties for over 20 years. She previously closed residential properties for 10 years and began closing businesses in 1985. She handles the transaction after the purchase agreement is signed until the final documents are recorded. She is the Director of Administration at Calhoun, handling all of the administrative needs and office staff.

Credentials and Education
She has a B.S. degree in Business from Mankato State University. She has taken many real estate courses updating her field and is also an Instructor for the Minneapolis Board of Realtors/Organization of Commercial Realtors, teaching a class on "How to Close Businesses."

Glenn Olson

Glenn joined Calhoun Companies in 1991; he was an associate with Lingate Financial Group for six years and then returned to Calhoun Companies.
Prior to 1991 Glenn was the president of Olson Associates, a management consulting firm where he provided to a wide variety of private and non-profit companies and banks consultation on strategic and increased profitability planning, reorganization and marketing. He has also performed similar functions as an associate for Willson Associates, a management consulting firm which had an office in Minneapolis.

Credentials and Education
Glenn graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.A. He also holds a Masters of Science Degree in planning and organization from Columbia University in New York City. He has taken several advanced courses with the Institute of Business Brokers.

J.P. Nicholas ("Nick") Strandberg

Since 1979, "Nick" has worked with the sale of manufacturing, distribution, service (including print and machine shops), and retail businesses ranging from under $100,000 into the millions of dollars. He also works with the sale and leasing of commercial and industrial real estate and commercial land.

Credentials and Education
He has a B.A. degree in Psychology and Business from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, He has a Masters degree in Business from the University of Minnesota. His previous experience includes over eight years in radio time sales and sales management and over four years of newspaper advertising sales and sales management.

Lowell R. Webster

Mr. Webster has 39 years of professional business experience, including daily and weekly advertising sales, national advertising sales, advertising manager, and owner of a large metropolitan weekly group. Mr. Webster has 20 years of business brokerage sales with more than 150 sales of publications and printing plants. In addition, he has sold banks, golf courses, distribution firms, retail and manufacturing companies.

Credentials and Education
Mr. Webster has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Gustavus Adolphus College at St. Peter, Minnesota.

Ray Yung, CCIM

Mr. Yung has been a commercial real estate broker for more than 20 years, and has held the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation since 1984. A CCIM is an invaluable resource to the commercial real estate owner, investor and user and is recognized professional in the disciplines of commercial and investment real estate. His brokerage covers the marketing of corporate and commercial properties nationwide. He works with developers and owners, brokers, individual and corporate/institutional investors in the marketing of retail, office and industrial properties...both single-tenant and multi-tenant. The sale price of properties range from a minimum of $3 million and up.

Credentials and Education
He is a graduate of the Collage of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota with a BA degree and a minor in Accounting; self-employed in the Casualty Insurance business for 15 years; numerous CCIM and other courses as they relate to Commercial Investment Real Estate and Taxation. He is a charter member of The Real Estate Cyberspace Society (RECS) that brings national Cyberspace networking support to the marketing of commercial properties.

Steve Curley

Steve has been successful in sales and sales management with companies both large and small. He actively works with companies of all sizes, to help Sellers get the maximum amount for their business. Steve is creative, resourceful and knows how to get deals to the closing table. He enjoys working with Buyers of businesses to help them define their focus and assemble a plan to help them purchase a business.

Credentials and Education
Mr. Curley graduated from Bemidji State University with a BS degree in Business Administration. He is always striving to keep current in the business world and how it relates to business Sellers and Buyers and is currently enrolled in a class at St. Thomas College for Entrepreneurs.

Bob Conyers

In 1982, after working for five years in the finance and leasing department of a Minnesota based Company, Mr. Conyers joined Calhoun Companies and established the Fargo office, providing the Firm with representation in Western Minnesota and Eastern North and South Dakota. Over the past 15 years he has been involved in numerous transactions varying in size from $25,000 to $2,000,000+ within a wide variety of industries.

Credentials and Education
Mr. Conyers graduated from North Dakota State University in 1970 with a B.S. in Economics and minors in Business Management and History. He also attended Moorhead State University taking graduate courses in business administration and finance. He holds Real Estate licenses for the States of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota and during the last 15 years has been enrolled in a number of classes dealing with business brokerage, business valuation, finance and taxation.

Steve Bragg

Steve Bragg has over 23 years experience in business ownership and business brokerage. He is a North shore resident for over 14 years and operates the Arrowhead Office providing confidential comprehensive services to northern Minnesota from Duluth to Ontario and west to International Falls. Mr. Bragg was awarded "Rookie of the Year" for 1998 and in June 2000 he received the Certified Business Intermediary (CBI) designation from the International Business Brokers Association. Steve considers himself fortunate to receive this prestigious designation, as there are approximately 200 business brokers in the country that have accomplished this. In addition to Steve's aggressive marketing, he works closely with over twenty agents to select ideal prospects from a large network of appropriate buyers.
Calhoun Companies, Arrowhead Office, 158 Evergreen Road, Lutsen, MN 55612
(218) 663-7682, Fax (218) 663-7091.

The Bizdealer Team

Wally Kocemba, Manoj Moorjani, & Andy Kocemba

The BizDealer Team specializes in the sale of small to medium size manufacturing, distribution, and service-oriented businesses with sales between $400,000 and $50 Million. Their consultative approach to selling is appreciated by both their clients and customers alike.

The BizDealer Team has been named Calhoun Companies’ annual Top Producer for the past three years running, and they look to continue that trend into the future. Give them a call at 952-831-3300 or visit their website, www.bizdealer.net, today to learn more about how you can put their experience to work for you.

Joanne Olson

Joanne joined Calhoun Companies in 1999, bringing with her over 20 years of professional business experience. As the co-owner of a manufacturing company and founder of a specialty retail store, she has had the unique opportunity to own and operate a business, as well as personal experience as both a buyer and a seller. She understands the complexities of buying and selling a business first hand.

Credentials and Education
While attending the University of Minnesota, she majored in business. Joanne has been a member of Minnesota Association of Realtors since 1991 and continues her continuing education courses specializing in business brokerage.

Don Orke, CCIM

Don has been a commercial real estate and business broker since 1981. He has been active in leasing commercial space and representing business investors in the sale or purchase of commercial real estate. He has also assisted buyers and sellers in achieving their respective goals with tax-deferred exchanges. His mission is to initiate the networking necessary for a successful business transaction between buyers and sellers.

Credentials and Education
Don has a BS and MS from the University of Minnesota. He has also earned the distinguished CCIM, (Certified Commercial Investment Member), designation from the National Association of Realtors. He has been active in community leadership roles in the business sector and service organizations. He has served President of the Rochester Area Board of Realtors and President of the Rochester Area Economic Development Association. As past chairman of the education committee for Minneosta Association of Realtors he served on the state assocation Board of Directors.

Gary C Baker

Mr. Baker has 40 years of experience in domestic and international business management, with concentration in sales and marketing. Since the mid-eighties he has been involved in small to mid-sized businesses, as chief executive, owner-operator, consultant and business broker. He has had extensive experience in retail, manufacturing, and also specializes in the sale of I T related companies.

Credentials and Education
He has a Bachelor of Science in Business Degree from the University of Minnesota and has done graduate work at The University of Minnesota, New York University and Monash and Sydney Universities in Australia. He also has studied P C support, network administration and programming.

Duane Johnson

Duane has 13 years of combined professional experience in Business Brokerage and Business Ownership. Since joining the Midwest's largest Business Brokerage firm, Calhoun Companies, in 1997, Mr. Johnson has successful involvement in over 100 transactions. He has represented various Retail, Food/Beverage, Fran-chise, Manufacturing, Wholesale/Distribution, and Service businesses ranging from $250,000 to $30,000,000. With a strong support staff, Mr. Johnson provides a national network to facilitate Sellers and Buyers to achieve financial goals.

Bill Laing

Bill joined Calhoun Companies in 2004 following a long career with the Minnesota based Marquette Banking Organizational. His broad experience in commercial banking includes 25 years in Senior Management as President of banks in three suburban communities. He is a veteran of numerous financial transactions and has received recognition for his expertise in business consulting and strategic planning.

Credentials and Education

Bachelor of Arts Degree from Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Alumnus of the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin.
Active community involvement as Board Member on profit and non profit boards.
Member of Minnesota Commercial Association of Realtors.
Licensed Real Estate Broker in the State of Minnesota.

Rollie Reis-Mather

Prior to joining Calhoun Companies, Rollie spent 15 years as president of a local manufacturing business. From inception to a nationwide market presence, she directed all sales distribution networks and business operations. Rollie also worked with a local nonprofit organization, WomenVenture, as a business consultant which included loan packaging and business plan development. She has a passion for working with entrepreneurs and helping them achieve their goals.

Credentials and Education

Ms. Reis-Mather graduated Summa Cum Laude from Concordia University with a BA in Organizational Management and Communications. She has also taken classes through the Minnesota Banking Association (MBA) and volunteers with various organizations to help disadvantaged individuals achieve their goals of self-employment and subsequent economic self-sufficiency.

Evon Haarklau

Evon is a licensed Minnesota Real Estate Broker who holds a M.B.A. and Ph.D. (ABD) from the University of Minnesota and a B.S. in Finance and M.S. in Education from Bemidji State University.

For several years she helped hundreds of small business owners plan, finance, operate and harvest their business as director of a SBA Small Business Development Center in Northeast Minnesota and advocated for small businesses as a member of the SBA Minneapolis District Advisory Council.

At the University of Minnesota, Evon developed and directed B.A.S. degrees in Construction Management, Manufacturing Technology, Applied Business and Information Technology.

She teaches management part-time at the U of M, Carlson School of Management and B.A.S. Other business experience includes customer satisfaction measurement consulting, small business tax preparation, real estate sales, banking and retail.