Leadership

Gary Hegenes

Founder - Hegenes Properties, Inc.

When Gary founded Hegenes Properties in 1973, he had no idea what would happen. In the 50 years following when he bought his first property, the company now manages over 30 properties and is continuing to expand.

The most important thing to Gary has never been the ‘brick and mortar’ of his buildings, but rather the people who live, rent or work inside of them. Gary instilled an ethos of people serving people into every member of his company. It’s a philosophy that has served the company very well over five decades of an ever-changing industry.

To compliment his people serving people spirit, Gary has poured his heart into helping children in the Minneapolis area however he can. He has co-founded or helped start three charter/private schools in the Minneapolis area. The first is Breakaway Academy, which is a private school for K-8th grade students that provides aspiring student-athletes with direction and focus on reaching their full potential as superior students, elite athletes, and exceptional people of character. He is also heavily involved in Hope Farm School and Hope Academy, both academic schools for challenged youth in the inner city. In addition to the schools, Gary has served on, or directed several boards of many nonprofit organizations that focus on youth development and adult rehabilitation. Organizations include: The Boys and Girls Club (clubs for inner city youth), CCTP (helping felons reenter the work force), Student Venture (developing student leaders), and Big Brothers Big Sisters (pairing youths with adult mentors – 40 years of involvement).

Gary not only has a heart for youth but also has a passion for sports. He was a past sailboat and downhill/ nordic ski racer. He loves to coach sports and play hockey, racquetball, pickleball, golf, and go biking, boating, and walking. If that is not enough, Gary is a mountain climber, scaling such heights as Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa and Machu Picchu in Peru. Gary is a veteran of the US Army, and was a NCO serving over Battalion Training.

He is a golden retriever lover and you will rarely see him without his dog, Augustus, by his side. Gary is known for his heart, his smile, and his humor. The most important people in his life are his wife, Teresa, whom he married in 2021 and his son, Evan.

Ryan Sather

President

Ryan is a highly skilled Chief Operating Officer with a passion for pursuing excellence. He currently serves as President of Hegenes Properties, where he focuses on managing and developing multi-family and commercial real estate. As a leader, Ryan is known for his innovative personality, strong relationships, and attention to detail.

Ryan graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Communications from Augustana University and a Master's Degree in Leadership from Mars Hill. Prior to joining Hegenes Properties in 2019, he spent 15 years as the COO of Cru Inner City. Ryan strongly believes that a healthy internal culture within any organization is essential for success, so he is dedicated to cultivating a healthy team that, in turn, generates a vibrant company.

Ryan says, "I am thrilled to witness the significant growth we are achieving at Hegenes Properties through the development of a robust and healthy culture that impacts every aspect of our organization. Our mission of people serving people is a source of inspiration for me, and my faith shapes my life. I am competitive by nature, but I believe that true greatness comes from being a servant. At every level of our company, I have the privilege of working with a group of individuals who are achieving greatness by serving and caring for other people. It's truly incredible!"

Outside of work, Ryan enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife, Ashley, and their four children, and being involved in his church and community. As a former collegiate athlete, he loves to volunteer and give back to his community by coaching youth sports that his kids are involved in. 

Ryan also enjoys teasing fans of the Green Bay Packers and might even share a story about his mischievous activities with Gary Hegenes on the grass at Lambeau Field, if you ask him.

Jordan LaMotte

Vice President

Jordan is a highly-motivated, honest, hardworking and passionate leader who manages all of our Minnesota properties. In addition, his job entails reducing costs, increasing revenues and improving overall company performance through training and development of people and business systems.

Jordan comes to us as an accomplished senior account manager and small business executive with over thirteen years of experience in business development, building relationships, sales management, sales training and client services. He was hired by his father’s display company right after graduating from Augustana University as the Director of Operations, and he has gained a wealth of experience and leadership ever since.

“Through our work at Hegenes Properties, Inc., we get to see firsthand the fruits of our labor as we serve our residents, employees and owners.” For Jordan, serving others brings joy and fulfilment knowing that he is making a difference in the life of someone else. He is convinced that there is no greater calling. This mindset is evident by how Jordan leads and by his passion for maximizing relationships and opportunities. Along with his excellent relational and communication skills, he is a focused team player with effective problem-solving and decision making ability.

When Jordan is outside of the office, he enjoys long family walks and a great movie.

Bill Ask

Real Estate Broker

Bill is the primary licensed real estate broker for Hegenes Properties providing in-house services along with serving clientele on acquisitions and dispositions. Areas of focus are apartments, commercial and residential properties throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Bill's chief ideals are Honesty, Credibility and Ethical practices. With these platforms and Bill’s experience and knowledge of real estate brokerage, ownership, management, and development, he has the ability to uniquely relate and serve both buyers and sellers of real estate.

Bill transitioned into his career after successfully developing, growing, and operating multiple sales-oriented businesses in Minnesota. He brings his learned business skills, experience, and fierce commitment to help aid clients and others capitalize on their dreams and best interests.

In 1996, Bill graduated from Augsburg College in Minneapolis and holds a BA in Business Management and Finance. He is an active member of the Minnesota Multi-Housing Association and participates in many other housing and real estate groups.

After work hours Bill prefers to be outdoors recreating, exploring, and enjoying new experiences. He resides in Excelsior, Minnesota with his wife Penny. His young adult stepsons Wyatt & Luke are out of the house pursuing their dreams.

Augustus

Everyone's Supervisor

Watching over all of Hegenes' operations is Augustus. He is a pawsome guy who goes out of his way to say hello to everyone. He might not be able to say your name, but he will always remember you if you pet his ears (and he probably won't ever let you stop).

"All play and no work," is Augustus' motto. One might think that would clash with the hard work that the rest of the team puts in, but they all love Augustus too much to haggle over philosophical differences.

In his spare time when he's not at work (and sometimes when he is), Augustus likes to sleep or make sure that he is getting Gary's undivided attention. Augustus always has a pawsitive look on life, and he's willing to help anyone who is having a bad day.

Augustus is the best.