Our Team

After more than 30 years of domestic and global real estate development and investment experience, Stephen Ellis founded Ellis Developments Group, a leading real estate development company delivering vibrant residential and mixed-use communities in the Carolinas and southeast United States. As CEO, Stephen has led the company to thousands of residential lots under control, rapidly expanding into new markets throughout the southeastern United States. Stephen is a specialist in forecasting the next wave of development in and around cities with large growth, working with stakeholders to design thoughtful, dynamic neighborhoods that contribute to the beauty, economic vitality and future vision of the surrounding community.

Prior to founding Ellis Developments Group, Stephen has had a life-long career dedicated to commercial and residential property investment, renovation and land development. He has established and led several successful companies internationally, including Ellis Developments QLD, an award-winning development and building company in Queensland, Australia.

Stephen started his career in residential development in the United Kingdom where he quickly climbed the ranks to a management position at Slater Hogg & Howison, one of Scotland’s largest Real Estate Groups. From there, Stephen established his first company, Ellis Property Valuing, which became the largest valuing company on the west coast of Scotland.

Stephen now lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with his wife, Pam. You’ll find Stephen at the gym most mornings, and when he gets any time off work, he loves to travel and explore new cultures, food and wine.

Bret has over 35 years of experience in the Home Building and Land Development industry. He began his career right out of college as a custom homebuilder, building a business from the ground up and into a successful operation responsible for over 400 homes in the Triangle market and surrounding counties. When making a transition into land development, he worked for more than a decade as Vice President and Chief Operations Officer for a multi-state developer who primarily focused on large master-planned communities. Most recently, he assumed the role of Director of Land Development and Acquisitions for a regional builder/developer and he managed development projects over five states along the east coast. Most of this experience was working in conjunction with at least 8 national builders on approximately 8000 lots. In his current role with Ellis Developments Group, Bret is responsible for the entire development process of delivering finished lots to our extensive list of builder clientele. His ability to understand the builders perspective is essential in providing a quality product, done right the first time.

Shawn has over 15 years of experience in construction, mostly specifying in land development.  He has worked with some of the nation’s largest home builders to help deliver some of the area’s top performing neighborhoods.  Throughout his career, he has been responsible for producing almost 5000 lots to allow families to call the area home.  In his role as Director of Development, Shawn is responsible for coordinating, overseeing and constructing finished lots to give our clients a high-quality product.

With over 13 years of experience in the construction industry, Ginger Stephens brings a wealth of expertise in vendor management, contract negotiation, and job profitability. As Operations Manager at Ellis Developments, Ginger is dedicated to driving operational efficiency and optimizing project revenue. Known for a results-driven approach, Ginger has a proven track record of implementing innovative solutions that enhance project workflows, streamline vendor relations, and improve financial performance. Her leadership and strategic vision ensure the delivery of exceptional results for both internal teams and clients.