Evocative Group Logo

Creating deep emotions and memories in places and spaces.

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Mission Statement

Be gracious, present, humble and honest.

Only work on projects and with people that promote spiritual fulfillment, health & wellness, and monetary freedom.

Always create projects that are compelling, authentic, unique, respectful, educational, romantic, and, most of all, interesting.

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We Are

Creators
Collaborators
Placemakers

We are global thought leaders in wellness lifestyle real estate development

Wellness lifestyle real estate will be one of the most important new trends in the marketplace over the next 10 years as people want their environments to enhance and reinforce their health and wellbeing. This entails applying “evidence based” science and technologies in the design and construction of a property . Our goal is to use wellness protocols across seven main categories that define and benefit human wellness: air quality, water quality, light and lighting quality, nourishment and nutrition, fitness, personal comfort and mental serenity.


Our team members are experts in architectural design, master planning, branding, theming, marketing & sales and have an innate understanding of the art and science of placemaking. 

Over the last several decades, our team members have collaborated on dozens of successful projects worldwide, having a combined commercial value in excess of three billion dollars. 

Our focus is on unique wellness-based development opportunities including: mixed-use, hotel/resort, retirement, medical, and Master Planned communities. We are presently engaged in the development of multiple master planned wellness villages and resorts across North America totalling over 10,000 acres in seven locations across Mexico and Western Canada.

Our company's continuing goal is to create places and spaces that improve the wellness of people and the planet, while also delivering exceptional returns to our investors.
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BIG IDEAS

Our belief is that every project requires a hook that will be the catalyst for creating a truly distinct, desirable and experiential product that maximizes the potentiality of the property and location. In our opinion, this big idea should always be based around four key principles:

  • Strong branding, product positioning, theming and marketing programs
  • Superior architecture, design and site master planning
  • Unique amenities and programming concepts
  • Dedicated principles of sustainability
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Expertise

The Evocative Team has expertise and counsel in:
  • Development and project management
  • Wellness Tourism
  • Hotel & resort real estate design and development
  • Hotel & resort management
  • Commercial & mixed-use Development
  • Retirement community development & management
  • Health and wellness facility creation & management
  • Sustainable design & planning
  • Master planning and site programming
  • Construction
  • Architecture
  • Landscape & interior design
  • Branding, theming, storytelling
  • Sales and Marketing
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WARD BROWN
President & Founder - Over 25 years in Community, Hotel & Resort development.

Ward has worked in real estate development, property management and hotel/resort development for well over 20 years. From the Fairmont to Holiday Inn chains and many family owned operations across North America, Ward's background in hospitality covers a wide spectrum of industry experiences and knowledge.

Since 2001, Ward has mainly focused on buying, selling and developing recreational and resort properties, while also completing a 65 acre, 250 home, Master Planned community in Airdrie, AB, and Silver Creek Lodge in Canmore, AB- an acclaimed 84 unit luxury vacation retreat. During his career, Ward has collaborated on five master planned community developments in Canada and the United States, and over eight Hotel and Condominium projects totaling more than 1,500 doors and over two hundred and fifty million dollars of development activity. He was also instrumental in the successful launching of two publicly traded companies on the A.S.E. (TSX Venture Exchange). Presently, Ward is working on a multitude of resort, retirement, wellness and master planned community developments across North America and Central America.

Ward is best known for creating distinctive properties that leave lasting impressions. He continually assembles talented teams in all disciplines of real estate development and pushes them and his partners to generate "out of the box" experiences that are designed to exceed expectations. Ward is a creative visionary committed to the development of unique retirement, hotel, resort, mixed use, and master planned communities, that focus on people living longer, happier healthier lives!

Inspired by a fusion of Asian influences, Ward constantly strives to instill deep emotions and memories in the places and spaces he develops. His associates describe him as tireless, tenacious, pragmatic and creative. Colleagues and partners alike appreciate him for his "can do" attitude, as well as his unquestionable integrity, and balanced sensibility in all areas of design and development.
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MARK GRENOBLE
Chief Operating Officer
Previously, Mark Grenoble was the President and founder of Enchantment Group, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, and also, the Chief Operating Officer of Dundee | 360 Real Estate Corporation, a substantial Montreal-based real estate development company which oversaw the largest portfolio of Fairmont Hotels in the world and completed over $400M US in renovations to the properties during his tenure. The company was known for developing and managing all aspects of hotels, resorts, spas and destination resort villages. Award-winning properties managed by Enchantment Group include Mii amo destination spa, Enchantment Resort, and Seven Canyons Golf Club and Residences - all in Sedona, Arizona; the Tides Inn and Golden Eagle Golf Club in Irvington, Virginia; and The Cove on Eleuthera in the Bahamas.
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Marks unique collections of skills encompass every facet of hotel and spa operations, from creating concepts, pre-opening strategies and systems for all departments to managing effective recruitment, training and retention programs which is known for developing highly profitable retail and merchandise programs. Enchantment Group pioneered a number of destination spa industry firsts, including common guest arrival and departure days that maximize occupancy and revenue, full 60- and 90-minute treatment sessions, and an organic and bio-dynamic wine list as part of the “intelligent cuisine” dining experience. He has complete understanding of every process of a development project, from inception to staffing to asset management.
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Mark served as chairman of the Arizona Hotel & Lodging Association in 2009, and was honored in the same year by the Governor as the state’s Tourism Champion of the Year. In 2010 he was honored during the Arizona Governor’s Conference on Tourism, with the prestigious Hotel Hall of Fame Award, the highest honor for his active involvement and lifetime contributions to the betterment of the tourism industry in Arizona.
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One of his notable achievements was the creation, development and opening of Mii amo, consistently one of the top rated destination spas in the world, as well as one of the most profitable. Mark also turned Enchantment Resort from an RTC asset with negative cash flow to a positive operation in one year and then on to become one of the top resorts in North America. He also took Seven Canyons out of bankruptcy to a profitable operation in only 18 months.
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Prior to joining Enchantment Resort in 1993 and creating Enchantment Group in 2007, Mark served as Vice-President and General Manager of a major real estate development and management company based in Baltimore.
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EGON VON FOIDL
Executive Vice President - 35 years as a top international Hotelier and Resort asset manager.
With decades of experience, Egon has left his mark on multiple resorts, hotel operations and destinations around the world. From his previous role as Managing Director of Ritz Carleton Hotels in New York and Washington to overseeing the master plan of the award-winning Taboo Resort in Muskoka, Ontario, Egon's expertise is indelible and impressive. 

As a young man in Austria, Egon enrolled in the prestigious Hotel & Catering School in Innsbruck, which jump-started his career becoming the youngest executive chef in Austria's history, after that he became an hotelier traveling around the globe to Africa, England, China, North America and the Caribbean. With his extraordinary hospitality finesse and finely tuned relationships, both international developers and governments have sought his advice and expertise, including the Cuban Ministry of Tourism, and the Islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. As President of Sutton Place Hotel from 1981-86, Egon led a $47M renovation and repositioning project, establishing Sutton Place as the home away from home for the entertainment industry. Many "firsts" followed including hiring Canada's first Master Sommelier, Hector Vargas from Hotel Crillon in Paris and making Sutton Place the first hotel in Canada to feature 24-hour butler service. Instrumental and supportive, Egon also helped establish and host the Toronto Film Festival, Genie, Juno and Gemini awards. 

With an unwavering commitment to the work he's done, he's often been known to visit previous projects to see what else he can learn. Having worked with developers, celebrities, Presidents and Fortune 500 companies through the years, Egon has learned that anything can be accomplished as long as two things exist: "Chemistry and respect," he says. "When those are present I know we can do anything."

Despite his extensive roster of projects, one of the achievements Egon is most proud of is his Hotelier of the Year award for mentoring. Being a mentor is integral to his values of learning, loyalty, integrity, reliability, and kindness. Colleagues describe him as the consummate professional with a strong pedigree earned hands-on in the trenches. In between projects, Egon fuels his joie de vivre through his love of travel, architecture, culture, fine food, and looking for that next wonderful piece to add to his African art collection. 
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AMY MCDONALD
Managing Director - over 25 years as an international Health & Wellness facility creator and manager.
A 30-year veteran of the spa and hospitality industries, Amy McDonald is widely recognized and sought after as an innovator in transformational health and wellness programming and an expert in merging the best of resort hospitality and urban healthcare into integrated models.
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After years of managing several award-winning properties, including the renowned Miraval destination spa in Tucson, Arizona, Amy followed her passion to create authentic health and wellness experiences from the ground up through her own company, Under a Tree Consulting. Over the last 13 years, working with a diverse blend of seasoned industry experts, Amy leads teams through concept development and execution on an array of projects with global brands such as Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Starwood Capital Group, Cirque du Soleil, Bliss to ensure that relevant health and wellness services and facilities are designed to support innovative programming and services. Her most recent work with Mii amo in Sedona, Arizona has resulted in the Travel & Leisure award of #1 Domestic Destination Spa in their 2018 Reader’s Choice Awards. Collectively her team identifies the goals of the business and designs the facility and or programs to ensure; offerings fit the health and wellness needs of the target guest, the fiscal goals and are
in alignment with the standards and regulations of each location.
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Her accomplishments have received acclaim in such publications as Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveller, while her personal expertise has been cited in O, The Oprah Magazine, Harper Bazaar, and Real Simple among others. Amy has been named the Spa Consultant award winner of American Spa's 2018 Women in Wellness Awards (link to article), and is Co-Chair of the Healthy Aging Initiative for Global wellness institute. She is also a frequent guest speaker on health and wellness trends, sustainability and merging healthcare with hospitality.
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TOMASZ SZTUK
Architect - over 25 years as a top Design Architect.
Tomasz believes that any architectural creation is never arbitrary as it continually impacts the geographic setting and the visual and physical experience of everyone who is exposed to the ultimate structure. "Architecture should intrigue our perceptions and emotions." As a result, Tomasz continually challenges the status quo by designing unique and inspiring places and spaces, creating forms that are original and resonant in their geographic context. 

After graduating with a Masters in Architecture from, Krakow, Poland in 1987, he worked for architectural firms in both his home country and Germany until he moved to Canada. Since moving to Canada in 1991, Tomasz has worked for the practices of Carruthers Marshall and Associates, Manu Chugh Architect, Gibbs Gage Architects and Zeidler Partnership Architects in capacities ranging from Design Architect to Design Director and Principal. 

With a profound attention to detail, Tomasz holds sustainable design, urbanism, master planning and community enhancements as his consistent priorities. His experience on large scale and high profile master planned projects such as Victoria, BC's 1400 acre, Bear Mountain Golf and Spa Resort, and the 700 acre, Rise Golf Community in Vernon, BC, plus more than 12 other master-planned communities, has resulted in a deep understanding and respect for the environmental obligations of unique projects and the importance of creating engaging, and memorable public spaces. 

Tomasz's most recent master planning experiences include: the Golden Laurel Point Spa and Resort, Xian Ning, China; the Bantian Urban Redevelopment Plan, Shenzhen, China; the Baotou Central Business District, Baotou, China; and the Jinyu Mixed-use Urban Development, Qingdao, China.
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ELIZABETH PIZZANATO
Brand Director
Elizabeth is a global marketing executive and world traveller with more than 25 years of strategic brand building experience and expertise in creating experiential marketing programs for luxury product and service businesses. She brings her knowledge to bear on strategic challenges including luxury brand consulting for Evocative Wellness Resort and Hotel projects, product marketing, brand communications, digital marketing and change management initiatives. Elizabeth has a multi-faceted understanding of how to leverage all marketing channels effectively to reach consumers.

Elizabeth is the founding partner of InsideOut International, a unique partnership collective built on a customer-first mindset. InsideOut focuses on brand differentiation and the integration of relevant market data, new market opportunities, and creating service-led employee cultures, all cornerstones to building a strategic roadmap to grow a brand’s leadership position.

Previously, Elizabeth led global brand marketing, communications and consumer experience for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, in 36 countries over a 17-year award-winning career with the company. Notable accomplishments included the development of industry-first digital marketing programs, the launch of the company’s first app and the award-winning redesign of www.fourseasons.com. She also conceived, created and led the implementation of the industry-leading and pioneering Extraordinary Experiences program, a customer experience program that created brand loyalty and advocacy across the portfolio.

In her spare time, Elizabeth is a part-time food blogger, adventuresome globetrotter and collector of cultural happenings and local curios from Bangkok to Buenos Aires, Moscow to Milan, Dublin to Damascus. She spent 10 weeks in Sicily attending a culinary farm-to-table program, exploring the intersection between food, culture, community and sustainability. Elizabeth is a trusted source for travel recommendations and unique experiences, and is always ready for her next adventure.‍
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LISA KELLEHER
Branding & Design - over 20 years as an expert in tourism, wellness & Hospitality branding, Marketing and PR Strategy
Lisa is a communications specialist and brand consultant in a broad spectrum of industries from travel, food and wine to healthcare and hospitality. 

As the former creative director of communications at one of Canada's leading retail design companies, Lisa worked with multidisciplinary teams to create seamless brand experiences throughout every consumer touch point - from branding and package design to merchandising, store design, print, broadcast and online media. Her diverse experience and a sharp eye for detail bring creative, innovative and relevant ideas to every project. 

A strong believer of integrating talent, Lisa has always gravitated towards projects with dynamic teams working alongside graphic, environmental designers and architects. Her team-oriented style and lust for innovative ideas have contributed to many projects for clients including the Aerie Resort, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Spa at Baccarat, 1 Hotels, Foothills Health Consultants, Tawse Vineyards, Chateau des Charmes, Ontario Tourism and Prince Edward Island Tourism to name a few.

Lisa's passion for design began with a paintbrush and a camera and is refueled by graphic design, art and local culture wherever she travels. Today she is an avid supporter of the integrated design process, environmentally conscious materials and practices and a healthy approach to programs and services. Using her creative skills she integrates these into the consumer lifestyle building awareness, creating new experiences, new habits and loyalty. 

Closely collaborating with clients, Lisa believes in getting the foundation right by crafting distinct positioning statements that align with business visions for clear, concise and powerful platforms to build upon. Over the past few years she has also helped review, refine and create online and print experiences for the luxury hotel and spa market, bringing insight, inspiration and new opportunities. "When we make real emotional connections throughout a brand experience, that's the magic people remember. Everything is connected." 

Over the last year Lisa has been serving as a local community design team consultant working with the Toronto Board of Education, Architects from the Toronto Lands Corporation and the City of Toronto Ward 22 Councillor.
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OUR TEAM

Our development, design, and operations team members have many decades of proven experience in the Hotel/Resort and Health & Wellness industries. We have been involved in dozens of successful national & international projects that, combined, have a commercial value well in excess of 3 billion dollars. Our team members have worked closely with top tier hospitality brands, including:  Four Seasons, Fairmont, Aman, and Starwood.

What unites us is our shared philosophy and goals. Together we have a passion for creating distinctive projects that are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.

Our core team is also supported by a diverse array of industry experts with considerable local and regional experience.

View Biography
Ward Brown
President & Founder
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