Bios

Mark Allen | Chief Executive Officer
Mark began his career in real estate at the age of 12, being paid a penny a sheet to keep his dad's MLS three-ring binder up to date. The competitive fire was lit and a passion was born. Mark has stoked this passion and broadened his experience over the past 40 years in a variety of housing-related work, including construction, property management and real estate brokerage, before advancing to the position of Chief Executive Officer at a large REALTOR® association ten years ago. He respects the history of real estate, deftly maneuvers through the current landscape, and laser points an energetic eye toward the future of the industry. Mark's passions also include his family, sports, reading, boating and exploring all points on the planet.

Jeff Allen | Director of Research Services
Jeff has turned real estate research into magic for a lot of big players in the industry. He intuitively understands how to communicate complex trends in a simple style. His friendly demeanor and impeccable customer service are atypical of a spreadsheet herder. Possible reason? Jeff combines an economist's brain with the heart and showmanship of a former touring musician that once garnered an 8.5 Pitchfork ranking. He is a 2010 MBA graduate from the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management; he lives in South Minneapolis with his wife and young son; and he is a fan of independent music, basketball and beer.

Greg Sax | Director of Communications
G. Sax is newish to real estate, but his research and marketing chops are choice. Before landing in the housing sector, he cut his teeth in the medical, travel and advertising industries. He is lickety-split on the creative angles that busy executives and research directors covet, turning kernels into starbursts. Language can always be brighter, software can always be sharper. Greg has accumulated a wealth of writing, editing, development, management, graphics, marketing and research experience in a potpourri of North American cities. Yet he stays grounded with a weekly gig at the St. Paul Real Estate Blog. Big ups for the hometown. He holds a BA in English from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and he's run a few marathons.

Chelsie Lopez | Director of Video Services
Chelsie makes the rest of us look stupid and old with her know-how with them fancy moving pictures and social media whippets. If you want to impress your members, local media and consuming public with who you are and what you do in a manner that screams "this is the now!" call on Chelsie. C-Pez holds a BA in Communications from the University of Kansas. Rock Chalk, Jayhawk!

David Arbit | Market Analyst
David is a relatively new member of the 10K team. Trained as a geographer and political scientist at Macalester College, he holds a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning with a focus on Housing and Economic Development from the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota. Having spent some time in the public and nonprofit sectors, David brings fresh perspectives in a time of acute industry challenges. With an overwhelming fondness for modern econometric and statistical modeling techniques as well as geographic information systems, the rest of us honestly can't understand half of what this guy says. His hobbies include cycling, alpine skiing, cartography and cooking. Originally from Milwaukee, David lives near Lake Harriet in Southwest Minneapolis.

Breanna Vanstrom | Client Manager
After seven years as the Director of Marketing for two different REALTOR® associations, Breanna knows something about the needs of real estate organizations. If that done don't convince you, she tried her hand as a REALTOR® after holding those posts and actually earned some money during one of the toughest times in history to be a new REALTOR®. Oh, and she earned her MBA from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota while doing so. In addition, she is a REALTOR® Certified Executive (RCE) has been a client manager for Disney on Ice and the Food Lion grocery store chain (big in the South) and a marketing rep for the Rubbermaid NASCAR / Kurt Busch team (slightly bigger in the South than Food Lion). She drives a MINI Cooper S Convertible that has six speeds, a supercharger and vanity plates. Hellz yeah.