Multi-family Investments With Purpose

Jason’s early inspiration to pursue a career in investments came from his grandparents. Having been through the Great Depression they knew and communicated the value of a dollar. While never achieving “accredited status,” when they eventually passed it was discovered that on a single income of no more than 17k a year that supported a family of six, they were able to pass on a meaningful financial legacy through a disciplined spending and investing approach.

Jason attended Bethel University in St. Paul, MN and majored in Economics and Finance. He now resides in the westside neighborhood of St. Paul with his wife and children.

During college Jason’s passion for investing grew.

Having heard about the Great Depression, and directly experiencing the booms and busts of the late 1980’s, the Dot Com bust of early 2001 and the Great Recession of 2008, Jason recognized how markets and financial events have a profound impact on each and every one of us, for better or worse, and made it his life’s mission to uncover the workings of the economy and markets.

After discovering the tried-and-true performance of alternative investments on this mission, Jason launched Gratūs Capital in the fall of 2008 to share the unique benefits of alternatives with others.

From its first real estate fund Gratūs has grown to now offer investments in private equity and other high yield loan products.

“Our vision is to share the benefits of direct real estate and private equity ownership to everyday families like the ones we grew up with.”

Since joining Gratus Capital in 2016, Bob has been a driving force in building the firm’s existing funds and infrastructure. After transitioning to a full-time partner in 2020, he has overseen critical functions, including audits, SEC filings, fundraising, fund administration, and investor relations. Bob’s leadership has been pivotal in expanding the firm’s offerings and ensuring that Gratus Capital operates with efficiency and transparency.

Bob leads the operations of the firm’s current Reg D and Reg A funds, while advancing Gratus Capital’s mission to serve investors by providing access to a diverse range of alternative investments. His focus is on both maintaining the quality of existing funds and executing plans for future growth.

Before joining Gratus full-time, Bob spent a decade at Aerotek, where he earned multiple performance awards and rose to a leadership position, directing a high-performing team that became the largest market segment in his division.

Allen LeMay joined Gratus Funds after a successful career in tech sales, holding roles at industry leaders like Oracle, Workday, and ServiceNow.  His journey into real estate began in 2018, actively managing a portfolio of duplexes in Minneapolis.  But his mindset shifted dramatically the day his wife, Kim, gave birth to their daughter—and they received four separate calls from tenants with four different issues.  That moment of chaos sparked a new path.

Shortly after, Allen and Kim sold their properties and pivoted to passive real estate investing. That strategy became the foundation for Allen’s accelerated exit from corporate America and his full-time focus on investing with purpose.

Today, Allen lives in Hudson, WI with Kim, their daughter Astrid (Audie), and their two French Bulldogs (Mini Pearl and Templeton).  Together, they own and operate Audie’s Acres, a regenerative farm in nearby Roberts, WI, focused on healthy food, responsible farming, and building community.

MaryRose Barr serves as Chief of Staff at Gratūs, where she turns big ideas into bold action. As a strategic integrator and activator, she leads cross-functional execution across fund families, internal operations, and investor engagement—building the structure, clarity, and relational trust that fuel lasting impact.

A business and marketing executive with 15+ years of experience, MaryRose has built and implemented innovative strategies that drive growth, engagement, and results. She began her career at 3M, where she helped lead global campaigns and enterprise-wide initiatives. She later launched her own consulting firm and served as a professor of entrepreneurship and business development—equipping mission-driven leaders to scale with strategy, creativity, and practical application.

A fearless problem solver, creative trailblazer, and unstoppable connector of people and ideas, MaryRose brings both structure and heart to everything she builds. Whether rallying teams or aligning vision across stakeholders, she’s passionate about unity, growth, and purpose-driven performance.

She lives in Minnesota with her husband and adventure-partner, Joshua. Together, they’re embarking on their wildest journey yet: welcoming their firstborn child in fall 2025.

He later received a BA degree from Trinity International University of Deerfield, IL in 1985. Jack spent 36 years in various technical and leadership roles at Eagle Test Systems, an international leader in automated electronic test equipment, where he ultimately served as Chief Technical Officer helping build the company to more than $120 MM in revenue by the time the company went public on the New York exchange in 2006.

Having had the responsibility of managing his own retirement funds, Jack had the unique opportunity to watch and compare the various investment options offered to him and others his age. Despite having access to some of the most sophisticated investment products Wall Street had to offer and the associated volatility, he was less than impressed with the overall performance.

After years of mediocre results and multiple heart-dropping crashes, Jack became a founding investor in GC’s first real estate fund. In his 20 years of investing, of all his various investments, the most consistent performer was his rental real estate.

In 2016, Jack left his 36-year career and became a partner at Gratūs Capital. Jack has a passion for helping others avoid many of the investment mistakes and headaches he’s had along the way, providing tried and true alternatives for folks desiring good quality investment options. At GC Jack supports capital development, compliance and general operations.

Skip was an investor in an early Gratūs Fund and joined the Gratūs team to help further the mission to democratize access to high-quality alternative investments and to help investors take their mountain.

As a partner and operational manager of an advisory firm, he brings that knowledge of scale, structure, and strategy to Gratūs in ways to support the ever-changing demands of our clients.

Early in college at the University of Northwestern, his belief that business is the most powerful vehicle of change in this world was established. His mission to help people better their lives, focus on what is important to them and explore their impact on this world aligned with Gratūs’ story to spread our services across the country.

Austin’s love for his wife and two kids drives everything he does. To not only meet their physical needs but to create memories, see them flourish, and spread that love and joy to the people around them.