Your Team

For more than 30 years Robert Ryan, President/Owner of Odyssey Development and Odyssey Resorts, has been involved in the creation of many of the finest vacation home developments and private resident communities in Minnesota.

Ryan founded Odyssey Development, Inc. in 1997 and has grown the company to include several North Shore vacation home and private home properties.

North Shore properties designed and developed by Ryan include Caribou Highlands Lodge (in Lutsen, Minnesota), Grand Superior Lodge (in Castle Danger, Minnesota), Crow Creek Homes near Gooseberry Falls State Park and Larsmont Cottages on Lake Superior (in Larsmont, Minnesota). Trapper’s Landing Lodge on Leech Lake (in Walker, Minnesota) is the most recent development.

Odyssey Development, Inc. is a vertically integrated firm that provides design, development, building and/or general contracting, real estate brokerage and property management services.

Prior to founding Odyssey Development, Ryan was a partner and owner in Ryan Development and was instrumental in developing Izaty’s Lodge on Lake Mille Lacs and Sugar Lake Lodge near Grand Rapids, Minnesota. He also was involved in the creation and development of Caribou Highlands Lodge, Lutsen, Minnesota and continues to manage that property.

Mr. Ryan is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and lives in Duluth, Minnesota with his wife and four children. Mr. Ryan currently serves as a trustee for the College of St. Scholastica and is a board chair for Northspan, an economic development agency serving northern Minnesota.

Greg Schendel was introduced to Odyssey Development when he served as Lead Architect for Larsmont Cottages, and he subsequently joined the company during the property’s construction phase in 2004.  As Development Director/Construction Manager, Schendel has overseen projects including Lake Homes North at Grand Superior Lodge, Trapper’s Landing Resort, the completion of Crow Creek Homes, and a Caribou Highlands Lodge Townhome reconstruction and a $2.5 lodge renovation.

Mr. Schendel is a registered Architect. Prior to joining Odyssey Development, he was architect/project manager in Northern Minnesota and Northern Wisconsin for over twenty two years. His architectural career began at Thomas and Vecchi Architects in 1983, followed by a move to Stanius Johnson Architects in 1988. Immediately preceding Odyssey Development, he was with DSGW Architects in Duluth, MN.

Over the course of his 22 year architectural career, his project list includes over 30 private homes, varying from small homes up to sizable, multi-million dollar private residences. A sample of commercial buildings he has worked on include: Chris Jensen Nursing Home, Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center (DECC), Mount Royal Pines I & II, Super One Grocery Stores, Barkers Island Condominiums, Black Bear Casino and Hotel, multi St. Luke’s and SMDC facilities and several area schools.

Mr. Schendel Graduated from Lake Superior Collage (DAVTI) in 1983 with an Architectural Drafting Degree and passed his Architectural License Exam in 1993.

He lives just up the North Shore here in Duluth. He is married and has three children. Greg’s interests are youth sports, the outdoors and construction – he has personally built 6 homes.

It is possible that Lavonne Christensen knows the North Shore of Lake Superior better than any other real estate broker in the area. Having lived on the North Shore her entire life and partaking in all the outdoor adventures available, she is perfectly suited to find you the perfect new location. Whether you are looking for land, lakeshore property, a lake cabin or vacation home, or your new address to call home, Lavonne is your answer.

As Director of Sales for Odyssey Real Estate Group, Lavonne has lead the growth and development of the company. Having worked up to the position of Assistant General Manager at Caribou Highlands Lodge, the largest Odyssey Resort, she was no stranger to the wishes of vacation home owners. In fact, she herself owns more than one vacation home property so knows from personal experience the ins and outs of buying and selling.

Her experience in real estate began in 1999 and includes owning and managing, as agent and broker, her own company. Christensen officially joined Odyssey Real Estate Group (OREG) in 2009. She has expanded the sales efforts from vacation properties to include a large portfolio of residential home sales and raw land/lakeshore properties.

What is most unique about working with Lavonne?  Drive, energy and availability, matched with an authentic enthusiasm for the North Shore of Lake Superior.

She offers special expertise in the following with the ability to walk clients through the process for a successful closing:

• fractional vacation homes
• resort vacation homes
• land development/valuation
• country zoning laws
• site designs