MIKE

As a child, Mike thought he’d be an actor or a race car driver when he grew up. After receiving his degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1992, though, he found that his passion for housing-related causes was what he wanted to pursue as a career. Mike began his career in real estate in the early 1990s in property management, and by the late 1990s he was developing and acquiring his own properties. In 1999 Mike met Joe McKinney, Jr., and the two began working together. In 2004, along with Joe, he formed a company to manage the rental properties developed and constructed by the team. 2004 also marked the beginning of Mike’s time as a County Commissioner for Guilford County, where he ultimately served several terms (2004-2012). Mike and his team formed Evolve Companies around 2010 for the purpose of branding the portfolio. Since Evolve’s formation, Mike has been inspired by the people he works with and his personal goal to help them be successful. The most interesting part of working with the team at Evolve for Mike is the process of putting deals together and creating new communities, which have been clear points in his career. Throughout his career, he has partnered in the development and construction of thousands of multifamily units, both conventional and student housing properties. He is a licensed NC Real Estate Broker and holds a contractor’s license in NC, SC, Tennessee, WV, Georgia, and Florida. Outside of work, Mike enjoys spending time with his wife, Torri; his daughter, Morgan; and their three dogs (who he calls “the best doggies ever”), Mylo, Malibu, and Twister. He also dedicates his free time to his favorite hobby: Padel (check out @evolve_padel on Instagram for updates)! Mike is a hard-working person with many goals, but a major bucket-list item he has is to travel Europe.

Mike Winstead | Founder