Senator Ray Vandeveer is truly a "citizen legislator", his main occupation being that of owner and President of Associate Appraisers, appraising real estate since 1981. Graduating from St. Cloud State University in 1975 with a B.S. in marketing, Ray worked a brief period as a painter in new home construction before beginning to buy and renovate older homes in Minneapolis. This soon led to the establishment of a general contracting company which he turned over to his partner a few years later. Obtaining his real estate license in 1978, he also trained for and received certification as an energy auditor and truth in sale of housing evaluator for the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Associate Appraisers now has five professional appraisers, including his son Philip and serves the Twin Cities and surrounding suburbs.

Ray has served in numerous offices for the National Association of Independent Fee Appraisers Metropolitan Chapter, including the honor of serving as President (1987) and selection to Chair the Admissions Committee for 1988 and 1989. He was also selected by his peers to chair the Society of Real Estate Appraisers Professional Practice, Ethics and Standards Committee in each of the years 1988, 1989 and 1990). Ray was certified as a State of Minnesota Approved Instructor of Real Estate and Appraisal Education in 1991 and has taught numerous real estate appraisal classes.

Ray’s community service includes volunteering as a youth probation officer for Anoka County, serving as his church’s treasurer and trustee, a City of Mounds View Charter Commissioner and a City of Forest Lake Planning Commissioner. In 1998 he was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives. While serving in the Minnesota House, he was Vice-Chair of the Transportation Committee for four years and Chair of the Property and Local Tax Division for two years. In 2006, he was elected to the Minnesota State Senate for District 52, representing northern Anoka and Washington Counties.

Ray’s initiatives to successfully pass legislature include: protecting the Disabled Veterans Rest Camp on Big Marine from eminent domain, the county’s efforts to prevent it’s operation, legislation requiring the Governor to fly the flags on Capital grounds at half staff for public safety officers (police and firefighters) and Minnesota military personnel killed in the line of duty, a law prohibiting state or local government from preventing employees from wearing a pin or emblem of the flag of the United States on their uniform, legislation requiring MNDOT post signs memorializing Interstate 35 as the Shawn Silvera Memorial Highway between Anoka County 23 in Lino Lakes and Washington County 2 (Broadway Street) in Forest Lake and a bill requiring new elections in certain annexations. Drafted and played major role in the Lyme’s bill, working with the Medical Board on the issue; the way it should be, limited government.