Our Team

Benjamin C. “Ben” Mahrle, ABI, AM&AA
Founder & Managing Broker
Ben has been an active business broker since 1994 and is the founder & managing broker of Northern Colorado’s largest and most successful business brokerage & middle market M&A advisory firm.
+1-970-221-9950
[email protected]
Click here to learn more about Ben Mahrle
In 1994 Ben started his career as a business intermediary in Fort Collins, establishing his own business brokerage firm in March, 1997. He was affiliated with the Sunbelt Business Brokers franchise from 1998 to 2006. During his business brokerage career he has been responsible for over 200 successful business ownership transfers.
Ben has earned industry designations as an Accredited Business Intermediary (ABI) from the American Business Brokers Association, an Accredited Merger & Acquisition Advisor (AM&AA) from the Association of Professional Merger & Acquisition Advisors and is a former Certified Business Intermediary (CBI) from the International Business Brokers Association. He is a member of the Board of Directors and past Secretary of the Colorado Association of Business Intermediaries (CABI) and a long time member of the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB), having served on their Leadership Council. Ben has also been active in state and local politics as well as many local business and civic organizations including an appointment to the Larimer County Rural Land Use Advisory Board. Ben is active in his church, enjoys hunting, hiking and snowshoeing in the mountain backcountry. He is happily married to Nancy Foreman-Mahrle and has one son, Matt, who lives in Las Vegas.

John F. Ingell
Founder & Managing Broker
John is an experienced business broker and advisor (17 years) bringing over 40 years of entrepreneurial and global corporate business leadership and merger and acquisitions experience and expertise to Mountain States Business Brokers & Advisors.
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He is a member of theInternational Business Brokers Association (IBBA)Denver Chamber of Commerce Gold memberAdvisor on two Advisory Boards associated with engineering and manufacturing for the State of Colorado.Additionally, he has held the designation of Certified Business Intermediary (CBI) through the IBBA.
Experiences and Education include advanced degrees in Physics and Engineering as well as extensive coursework in business and technology and experiences in:
- Consulting Engineering (Energy sectors)
- Sales Leadership, Business Development, Marketing and Project Management experience in
- heavy equipment (locomotive and mining)
- high tech (fiber optic, data and internet of things)
- global manufacturing
- venture capital, Merger & Acquisition, and global joint venture programs
- Project Management Experience
- global manufacturing
- venture capital, Merger & Acquisition, and global joint venture programs
- Professor of Engineering with a focus on the intersection of technology and business
- engineering economics,
- innovation, product design and manufacturing
- teaching & training
- Leadership Experiences as a Vice President at multiple global companies (including managing P&Ls in excess of a $430M)
John’s experience in business, technology, education and as a business owner and a business broker enable him to provide clients with a unique perspective as they work through the process of planning, exit planning and successfully transferring business ownership.
When not assisting clients, John enjoys his family, interests at the intersection of technology and business, education, biking, hiking, skiing, diving and teaching sailing.

Leonard Abels
Founder & Managing Broker
My wife, Jane, and I moved to Fort Collins in 2004. Prior to that, I operated a distribution business in New York City for 25 years. Having hands-on experience, I’m very familiar with the rewards and challenges that come with owning your own business. After moving to Fort Collins, I first concentrated on residential real estate. Soon, though, business brokerage and commercial real estate became my primary areas of interest. I find it very satisfying to assist in the sale of a business: to help business owners exit a business in which invested years of effort; and to help buyers through the unfamiliar process of buying a business and getting started on their American Dream.
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Memberships:
- Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce
- Fort Collins Board of Realtors
- No. Colorado Assoc. of Commercial Realtors
- Colorado Assoc. of Business Intermediaries
- Colorado Assoc. of Realtors
- International Business Brokers Assoc.

Gina Y Kramer
Associate Broker
Gina, Associate Broker of Mountain States Business Brokers & Advisors and Ledingham, Kramer Associates LLC has been a great addition to our team. In the past year and a half, she has sold over 20 businesses and properties. She has been employed in the business world since High School. With 30 years’ experience in the accounting field she has demonstrated spectacular attention to detail and knowledge of Financial Statements, Income Tax Returns and Contracts.
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Curtis Wray
Business Broker
Born and raised in Arkansas, Curtis attended the University of Arkansas and majored in general business. His education was interrupted when he joined the National Guard for active duty. After returning from basic training, Curtis and his future wife, Becky, were approached to purchase a business. By the time he was 22, Curtis owned his first business. The couple purchased and sold additional businesses, experiencing many of the same things buyers and sellers go through today.
For more than 25 years, Curtis has worked in real estate—from selling residential properties to managing more than 3,000,000 square feet of commercial property. While working in commercial real estate, he was involved in all phases of operations from purchasing and selling shopping centers, development and building, leasing, maintenance and promotion.
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Memberships:
- Rotary Club of Summit County
- Summit County Chamber of Commerce
- Colorado Association of Business Intermediaries
- International Business Brokers Association

Terrie Aul
Buyer Coordinator
Born and raised in Chicago, Terrie first moved to Colorado in 1981. After years of growth and advancement in the administrative field, she became Mountain State’s office manager in 2005. Following the growth of the company while becoming familiar with the field of business brokerage, led to her current position as Buyer Coordinator. She has an ability to relate to the client in a personable yet professional manner, guiding them to the source they need. In addition to attention to detail, Terrie has a true compassion for the well being of others, which is a great combination for a team. She oversees the broker/buyer/seller relationship, assisting in making this as efficient and effective as possible.