About
Our Mission
RE@L seeks to create the highest-quality, most educationally-sound supplemental digital learning apps and tools—tools that help K-12 students soar in their academic pursuits.
Our Solution
RE@L creates the highest-quality, educationally-sound, STEM-based products that support teachers and students.
We support teachers in making effective uses of the technology tools in the schools across the country.Our unique solution, the RE@L Portal™, incorporates, STEM classroom learning materials, field-based experiences using our RE@L GIS™ and connections to RE@L world practitioners via two-way interaction: “RE@L View™”.
Our Team
RE@L was founded by former executives of Minnesota Education Computing Corporation (MECC), the pioneering educational technology company that created Oregon Trail.
This executive team is complemented by state-of-the-art experts in curriculum design, application development, and digital marketing. They are a team that provides Innovation with Experience.
Dale La Frenz
Co-Founder
Chairman of the Board
Dale is responsible for setting the vision of the company, working with outside advisors and assuring that the company has adequate financial resources for growth. Dale brings RE@L more than five decades of wide-ranging expertise in the educational technology marketplace. A serial entrepreneur, Dale has founded many innovative ventures that have led the growth of the educational technology industry from its infancy in the 1960s to today.
Paul Gullickson
Co-Founder
President & CEO
Paul is responsible for the overall management and growth of the company. Paul brings to RE@L over 30 years of executive leadership experience in educational marketplaces including in-depth understanding of technology-based products, multiple-channel marketing and sales, a proven track record of starting, managing and growing businesses that create a positive Return On Investment (ROI) for shareholders.
Sarah Bass
Co-Founder
Learning Innovator/RE@L STEM
Sarah brings to RE@L more than 15 years of experience as a classroom teacher and developer of Family and Consumer Sciences curricula. Her perspective on learning styles and her extensive collection of product plans representing current and future user trends as both an educator and parent provides the RE@L team with invaluable real world insights.
Don Rawitsch, PhD
Executive Vice President, Product Development
RE@L STEM Investigations
Don is responsible for creating and developing the RE@L STEM Investigations curricula products. Don brings RE@L more than 30 years of leadership as a learning innovator in educational computing, as highlighted by his work as a co-inventor of the original version of the iconic educational simulation game, Oregon Trail. Don’s broad-based experience includes staff and managerial positions in product development, project management, and customer training. He has excelled in a variety of corporate environments ranging from startup to long established companies representing the solid foundation of U.S. companies that have anchored the education industry.
Randy Nelson
Director of Education
Randy is a recently-retired educator of 38 years. He was a classroom teacher for the first twelve years of his career, serving students as a high school speech, theater, and English teacher. He served education colleagues as a director of curriculum and instruction in several Minnesota school districts, including the Rochester Public Schools. Most recently, he served the La Crosse, WI school district as its superintendent of schools. Having served at several levels in K-12 education, Randy is well-versed in the needs of school districts. He is well-networked in Minnesota and Wisconsin school districts — especially in the workings of state and regional service agencies. Randy currently serves RE@L, Inc. as its Director of Education.
Tony Van Hoof
Chief Technology Officer
Tony is responsible for managing RE@L’s technology needs. Tony brings RE@L a 20-year history of implementing leading-edge technologies in K-12 educational institutions. Thousands of teachers/kids/parents have benefited from his wide-ranging expertise and patience when implementing fast changing technology hardware and software. An entrepreneur, Tony has operated his own school technology consulting company for the past decade.