Local Investor Panel
Real Talk from Real Investors – Learn, Connect, and Level Up Your Game!
Want to know what’s actually happening in your local real estate market? Then you won’t want to miss this powerhouse panel of experienced investors who are making moves right here in our community. Whether you’re just getting started or scaling up, this is your chance to learn from the wins, losses, and lessons of those who are in the trenches every day.
Agenda:
6:30pm - Networking
7:00pm - Start Meeting with Intro's from Joe/Jennie - then Sponsors
7:20pm - Panel begins
8:30pm to 9:00pm - Networking
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear straight from the source: people who are walking the walk right in your own backyard.
Come with questions, leave with clarity, confidence, and connections.
✅Bring your notebook and a friend — this one’s going to be packed with gold.
Panelists: Deanna VanThiel, Ryan Cotic, Dalton Ruesch
**Deanna bought her first foreclosure at the age of 18. She spent her next year's flipping the houses she lived in before starting a full-time real estate business in 2018. From there she started building a rental portfolio alongside flipping houses while also raising 4 kids. She now owns commercial, short-term rentals, duplexes and single-family homes. Real estate has become a true passion in her life, and she recently got her real estate license to help others after experiencing how much investing has helped her build wealth. While not working she enjoys being a mom and attributes all she does in the business to her kids and building a future for them. She also enjoys traveling and going on adventures.
**I am Ryan Cotic. I grew up in the Milwaukee area in Southeast Wisconsin and have always had an entrepreneurial mindset including when I was a young child and can remember selling New Kids on the Block pins to my classmates in elementary school. My journey took me to the University of Wisconsin Madison where I studied History and Economics. This gave me an excellent background to be prepared to work with all types of people in this world. I achieved a greater understanding of how large our world is and the dedication to hard work and knowledge my peers had as well. I bought my first several duplexes while in college and was forced to quickly learn how to manage the properties effectively. In the summers I started doing landscape work for several local companies where I gained a passion for making peoples yards and properties look beautiful. With this knowledge and passion, I started Great Lakes landscape in the spring of 2009 with one truck and a lawn mower working 14 hours days 6 days per week. Presently we have approximately 40 employees and contractors working with us and more than 3600 customers in Southeastern Wisconsin. Great Lakes Landscape is one of the largest snow and ice management companies in Southeastern Wisconsin where we service both residential and Commercial properties.
In addition to owning the landscape company I have also grown a substantial real estate business that currently includes approximately 20 properties which consist of single family, industrial and small multi-family buildings. I am looking to continue to grow this portfolio organically over time while looking to scale into larger buildings if the opportunity presents itself. I have the same Passion for Real Estate as I have for landscape and there are many synergies between the two companies. In my free time I enjoy speaking events to teach others, boating, golfing and networking to learn from others in several real estate and landscape organizations. I currently live with my beautiful wife Carolina and our 2-year-old son Ryan Jr in Menomonee Falls. We enjoy spending time outside and relaxing at home on our back deck while grilling.
**Dalton Ruesch has been in real estate since he was 20 years old, and over the last 14 years, he’s built a name for himself as both a savvy investor and a hands-on operator. Today, he’s the owner of Ruesch Management, a full-service property management company overseeing more than $150 million in assets—including residential and commercial rentals, storage units, and short-term rentals.
Dalton personally owns around 500 apartments and recently expanded into property development and construction, which he sees as a major part of his future plans. What sets his company apart is its white-glove approach to property management—designed to deliver real results for owners while providing top-tier service for tenants.
Whether he and his team are turning around underperforming properties or breaking ground on a new build, Dalton brings a practical, results-driven mindset to everything he does. His story is one of growth, grit, and constantly pushing the bar higher in real estate.
**Zach Morgan is a full-time real estate investor who transitioned from his 9-5 job in 2023 to pursue real estate full-time. Since making that leap, he has built a portfolio of 60+ rental units, with over 50 doors acquired in less than 2 years.
In 2019 he began his journey in real estate through wholesaling, which led to flipping properties and building a growing portfolio of long-term rentals. Zach is known for his strength in sales and off-market negotiations, he has a proven track record of structuring creative deals and consistently getting them across the finish line.
Passionate about building community and sharing knowledge, he founded Caffeine and Cashflow—a networking group now active in 5 cities, hosting monthly meetups for full time investors, entrepreneurs, and real estate professionals looking to learn, share, and grow together.
WiscoREIA’s Green Bay Meeting Always Meets on the 1st Tuesday of the Month from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm!
Make sure to bring tons of business cards as you will be meeting with people that you want to get to know!
Meeting Location:
The Lyric Room at Stage 1
231 N Broadway
Green Bay, WI 54303
Please enjoy food, drinks, and TIP YOUR SERVERS!
6:30 pm - 7:00 pm - Doors open early for Networking
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm - Speaker Presentation
You can stay after the meeting as well to network! Remember to bring your deals!
Members are always FREE! Your first meeting with WiscoREIA is FREE!
After your first meeting, Non-Members are $30.00.
***Make sure to pre-register - We are now Cashless***
Hosts: Joe Gracyalny & Jennifer "Jennie" Buah
You may also like the following events from WiscoREIA:
- Next Monday, 19th May, 06:30 pm, WiscoREIA Wausau: Scaling Up Unexpectedly: How a Few Rentals Turned Into 50 (and Changed Our Lives) in Appleton
- Next Thursday, 22nd May, 04:30 pm, WiscoREIA: Virtual Lunch & Learn in Appleton, Wisconsin
- This month, 27th May, 11:30 am, WiscoREIA Eau Claire: Coffee & Lunch! in Eau Claire
Also check out other
Meetups in Green Bay,
Kids events & activities in Green Bay,
Business events in Green Bay.
