Meet our team!
Management
North Carolina
Colorado
California
Texas
Estimating
Colorado
Texas
Colorado
Washington
Washington
California
North Carolina
Project Management
California
Colorado
Colorado
Texas
Washington
Colorado
Washington
Washington
Field Operations
Colorado
California
Texas
Washington
Washington
Accounting
Administration
Jason Gordon
I was born in Kansas and moved around the state as a kid before graduating from Kansas State University with a degree in Construction Science & Management. I grew up around construction since my dad was in the acoustical ceiling business since before I was born. He was a great teacher and mentor for me and I ended up working for him in San Diego for about five years before moving to Denver to start Heartland Acoustics & Interiors in 1998. I’ve been married to my amazing wife, Christi, for almost thirty years and have two awesome kids – Courtney and Jett! I love spending time with family and hanging out at home but also find time to tinker in my garage, ride motorcycles, and explore the Rocky Mountains.
Geoff Johnson
I was born in Ft. Stewart, Georgia, and moved around a lot as my father was in the Army. I graduated High School in Virginia and immediately joined the Army myself. After four years as an Army Mechanic, I decided to go to college. I graduated from The University of Colorado at Boulder with a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering with an emphasis in Construction Engineering Management in 2008. I love anything outdoors, especially camping and fishing in the summer and skiing/snowboarding in the winter.
Jon Hoyle
I was born in Greensboro, NC and grew up in and around Durham, NC. I went to high school at McCallie school in Chattanooga, TN where I competed in swimming and went on to swim as a varsity letter winner and graduate at UNC Chapel Hill. After meeting my wife on a missions trip to China and serving there for a short time I got into construction working at Duke University. I went on to get my MBA at NC State and worked my way up from sales/estimating to Managing Partner of the Raleigh, NC division and Director at Bonitz, Inc. for more than 7 years. He loves to watch and participate in almost any sport and enjoys time with his wife Laura and their 4 kids ages 5, 8, 10, and 12.
Danny Romero
I was born and raised in Denver. I love everything it has to offer but mainly the outdoor lifestyle which includes fishing and exploring our beautiful mountains. When the temperature drops, that’s when the real fun begins! Snowboarding and hockey consume my life in the winter. I live and breathe hockey and I play as often as I can. Other hobbies I have consist of watching the Broncos every Sunday with all of my friends, and also enjoying the vast music scene Denver has to offer. I have been with Heartland since 2010, starting in a field position and now working in the office. I look forward to learning the ins and outs of our company and the industry.
Ryan Drawe
I was born and raised in Michigan and at eighteen years old I joined the U.S. Navy for a two year term. During that time I was able to travel to a number of different countries. I also served a tour in Desert Storm. The last year in the Navy I was stationed in San Diego, San Diego, where I met my wife, Norma. We have three children: one in college and two in high school. I spend a lot of time at my children’s hockey games, and basketball games. During the winter my family enjoys snowboarding. I began working in the acoustical ceiling business in 1993 and I have been with Heartland Acoustics since 1998.
Dan VandenBurg
I am a Denver native, and have lived in the SE area of Denver my entire life. I have been in the construction industry since 1983, with my work ranging from residential custom homes to commercial buildings. My beautiful bride, Debby, and I have been married for over twenty-five years and we have two great daughters, Megan and Talli. All three of them work at our Plato’s Closet store in SE Aurora. I love to play golf, go to Mexico with my family, work on cars, and do projects around the house. Motorcycle riding has been a passion of mine and I recently started riding again.
Jon Holye
I was born in Greensboro, NC and grew up in and around the Durham, NC area. I competed in swimming at McCallie High School in Chattanooga, TN and went on to swim as a varsity letter winner and graduate at UNC Chapel Hill. After meeting my wife, Laura, on a missions trip to China I began working in the construction industry at Duke University. I went on to get my MBA at NC State and worked my way up from sales and estimating to a managing partner and director at the Raleigh, NC division of Bonitz where I worked for seven years before joining Heartland Acoustics. I love to watch and participate in almost any sport and enjoy time with my wife, Laura, and our four kids.
Kathy Scott
I am a native of Denver, and really appreciate what this “colorful” state has to offer. I enjoy most anything that is outdoors and spending as much time with my family and 5 grandkids. My one son and his wife both graduated from the School of Mines, and both practiced their majors for many years until their calling into the ministry. My daughter-in-law is a Major in the Air Force and a Chaplin and my son is a minister for the Presbytery Church. They have two small children, ages 6 and 3. My youngest son is a Chef and has 3 children, ages 16, 15, and soon to be 14. I have a “dachi” dog (half dachshund, half Chihuahua) named Hershey. He is one fun-loving little dog.
Jamie Klein
I graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in Psychology. I have lived in Colorado since January 2008 and now enthusiastically call Denver my home. In 2012, I found my way to the construction industry and have worked in estimating and project management for specialty contractors ever since. In my free time, you will usually find me in the mountains. I hike, camp, cycle, and ski whenever I get a chance.
Maggie Buckley
I was born and raised just north of Chicago and all seven siblings traveled with our parents to San Diego by way of Route 66 in “66”. After living in Chico, CA for the last 20 years, I’ve returned to SD to be closer to my dad. My past positions as Office Manager, Legal Assistant and Executive Assistant defines the support person I am today. My three children are grown and live in NY and CA and there are two who call me Grandma, although not often enough! As Office Assistant, I keep the office running smooth and I’m very happy to be a part of the San Diego team. It looks like I found my last place of employment!
Dave Ronzio
I am enthusiastic about life and excited to step up and handle any challenge the day may bring. I’ve been in the ceiling business for 16 years and love to build new projects and help aid through the building processes from start to finish. I also studied business and construction management at Front Range Community College. I’ve been living in Northern Colorado for most of my life and now live with my beautiful fiancé, Heather, and our lovely little lady, Maddison, along with our two dogs Tank and Moxi. We absolutely love living in Colorado, love being in the mountains, and take our pups to explore Colorado’s rivers and lakes as often as possible.
Sherry Wilson
I was born and raised in Redwood City/Woodside, California where I attended school and played team sports such as basketball and softball. I grew up riding horses and participating in competitive horse shows, which is a past time that I still enjoy today. I started my career in the construction industry in 1999 as a lead receptionist for a door and millwork company in San Jose, California. I have been working within the construction and business administration industries ever since. I took time off to raise a family after our daughter Zoey was born in 2011. In 2012 my husband, Chris, and I moved to the Denver area, buying a home in Parker. I love spending time with my family whether that be lounging on the couch after a long week, or traveling to see family members in California or New York. In the summertime you will find me at the pool, the lake, on a boat, or at a concert. In the winter you will find me inside making stew or gumbo in between sledding runs. I love to read, cook, travel, swim, spend time with friends and family, and laugh til it hurts.
Brook Simmons
Texas born and raised, I Graduated from Texas State Technical College in 2016 with an Associates Degree in Architectural Drafting and Design. I have been around construction from a young age being my parents own a concrete plant. Many summers running errands to job sites and cleaning concrete dust off everything. I am the proud mother of 2 boys, Dakoda and Parker. We love camping, fishing and hiking. I always have a project going whether it be an art project or off the ole Honey Do List.
Coleman Crouch
I was born, raised, and went to school in Auburn. While at Highline Community and the University of Washington, I studied business and history. Throughout my career, I have had many roles in the construction industry from starting as a shop helper, an installer, and eventually a project manager position doing estimates for homeowners and builders. In my free time I like to barbecue and host parties for my friends and family. When the weather permits, I enjoy spending time on the golf course. My unusually large miniature schnauzer, Bentley and I are always working on the lawn as well.
Damani Alexcee
I was born in Louisiana, but was raised in the great state of Texas. I was fortunate enough to attend Texas State University on a football scholarship. There I was able to graduate early and begin my Master’s degree. I enjoy spending time with my friends and family in the great outdoors, hiking, fishing, and of course floating the river.
Jessie Goodwin
I was born in Baltimore MD and have spent most of my life either in Glen Arm or Ocean City MD. After graduating from high school and upon my return from my honeymoon I started a commercial building business with minimal cash and over the next 30 years completed 325 Million dollars of building projects and grew into one of the larger GC’s in the Baltimore area. We self-performed carpentry work on our projects. Based on some bad business decisions made before the 2008 great recession I had to close the business in 2012. Divorced I have 2 fine young men as sons. I relocated to the Denver area in 2014. I love the beach, saltwater fishing, reading, movies, dancing, karaoke, racquet sports, bike riding, the mountains and football (Go Ravens). I look forward to lending my considerable construction experience to Heartland and I am excited to experience the family culture here.
Ivan Tsougas
I was born and raised in Carlsbad, NM. I met my astonishing wife, Bren while we were in High School so you could say we are HS sweethearts. We have 2 amazing children, Tucker and Sloane. We enjoy doing anything outdoors as a family and spending time together. I particularly love Hunting and off-roading. Being from an oilfield town meant that summers were full of work and instilled in me, a great work-ethic that I am excited to share here at Heartland Acoustics. I attended Eastern New Mexico University for 3 years and upon returning home, I began working as an OSR on the Equipment-Rental side of the oilfield for multiple years prior to making a move to the Austin metroplex and finding a passion for Interiors as an OSR for a Construction Materials Distributor. Through this job I was able to meet Jason Gordon and the rest of the crew at Heartland Acoustics in Texas. After handling their account for 2 years as a supplier, I was fortunate enough to be offered a job to work for Heartland Acoustics. I am ecstatic about the opportunity and look forward to continuing the growth here in Texas and providing top-notch customer service to any and all customers of Heartland Acoustics.
Jon Burkhart
I grew up in Oceanside, California, and attended Rancho Buena Vista High School. Following high school, I attended East Texas Baptist University on a scholarship where I played college baseball for 3 years as a utility in-fielder. I graduated from East Texas Baptist University with a degree in Criminal Justice in December 2013. After college, I moved back to San Diego where I worked for Ionis Pharmaceuticals as a document clerk for 2 years, and also worked at LandscapesUSA as a production manager for 1 Year. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, coaching baseball, golfing, and playing slow-pitch softball.
Dionne Koehler
Andrew DeFrancesco
I am from Wixom, MI. I moved to Colorado in 2012. I have been involved in trades my whole life. Mainly welding and carpentry. Carpentry and home renovation has always been a passion of mine. After moving to Colorado, I spent a few years building custom millwork until moving into project management. I am currently pursuing a mathematics degree with Southern New Hampshire University which takes up most of my time outside of work. When I do get some free time, I enjoy playing volleyball, taking my dog on hikes, or just relaxing around the house.
Elysia Martinez
I am a Native Coloradoan, and I have lived and worked all over in several states, but Colorado is where my family and my heart is. My family is very large and very close so we do a lot of outdoor activities such as camping, swimming, boating, rafting and jet skiing. Yes, we are water people and the more the better! I am happily married to my husband Gabriel and we have five beautiful and creative children Andrew, Chardaney, Annaelysia, Jesse and Gabriel, (Only 2 are still at home). We enjoy coming together for cooking, eating and family whenever possible. I love to read, travel and experience new and exciting things all the time. My family says I am an adrenalin addict; and I am! We also have two amazing dogs that we share our lives and home with. Uno is a 4 year old German Shepard and Que is a 4 year old, 5lb Pug Terrier. Funny how opposites attract! Loving and living life.
Holly Holt
I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. At a young age, I went to Disneyland California and my first ride was Space Mountain; as I buckled into the ride my father whispered, “Don’t raise your hands too high you’ll mess up my ceilings.” My professional history starts with my father. He went from working in the field to starting his own acoustical company in Garden Grove, CA. This cultivated my interest in construction. After a few years of acoustical estimating, I received an opportunity to lead the Acoustical Division at a local specialty drywall company. I am now delighted to be a member of Heartland Acoustics & Interiors. On my free time, I seek out any activities involving adrenaline and training in mixed martial arts.
Jenn Park
I am originally from Northern California and moved to Colorado in 1992. My entire career has evolved to being the backbone of a business or charitable/community organization. I love being the administrative spearhead; or “Girl Friday”; always utilizing my numerous methodical talents. I dedicate my life towards creating intentional connections and leading by example. I thrive to advocate towards radical self-awareness, possessing positive intention and paying it forward. I am enamored by my amazingly talented teen daughter, who is driven by music and is an aspiring culinary artist. Our muses in life are creating art/culture/food, live music, outdoor everything, poetry/creative writing and existentialism. My motto is: “Without the sense of urgency; desire loses its value.”
Scott Barnett
I was born and raised in the great state of Michigan. I started my career in construction while in high school roofing and framing houses. After graduating high school, I joined the United States Navy with the intent of becoming a part of the Construction Battalion (CB). During boot camp, I was told that the CB rate was closed and decided on following the course of Machinist Mate. After 4 years in the Navy, I spent the next 22 years in the telecommunications industry. I believe that my background in telecom will mesh well with the construction world I intended to get into in the first place. Married to my wife of almost 15 years, we have two amazing 8 and 9 year old boys that are heavily into inline hockey. We spend much of our spare time camping and shuffling our boys around to their games and practices. I’m also an avid home brewer and part-time distiller for a local distillery.
Dominic Liberato
I was born and raised in Colorado. My passion for motorcycles started at the young age of 4 years old. I started riding dirt bikes, and as I got older I moved on to Harleys. Since then I’ve added to my collection and now own five bikes. As much as I love my Harleys, my pride and joy is my 12 year old daughter, Ava. She is my best friend and greatest gift. We do everything together, including riding motorcycles, 4-wheelers, movies, and just hanging on the couch. I love getting up each day and contributing to Heartland. Not only do I enjoy my work, but I enjoy the people I get to work with every day. Each day is a new challenge to be solved.
Kim Nance
I’m a native Denverite, and I have worked in Accounting, Human Resources and Administration my entire career. My husband and I have two daughters. One works for a non-profit soccer foundation, and our other daughter is a teacher. We spend a lot of time with family and friends. We love to visit those who are out of state as often as possible. I love being outside and do a lot of hiking and walking. In the summer I enjoy gardening.
Brian Ganges
I was born and raised in Trenton, New Jersey, and moved to Texas in 2002. I have over two decades of commercial construction experience, starting out as a laborer/helper, and later becoming a Drywall and Acoustical Ceiling Foreman, and eventually becoming an Estimator/Project Manager. At Heartland, I plan to use my skillset, experience, team attitude, and desire to grow to help the Austin/San Antonio office become the standard by which subcontractors in our industry are judged. In my spare time, I am an avid reader, lifelong learner, and I enjoy mentoring/inspiring the youth and men to reach their full potential.
My wife, Sheryl, and I are blessed to have two great adult children, Brianna and Demetrius; and we currently enjoy our new freedom of being empty nesters. We enjoy traveling, cruising, trying new restaurants, making new friends, and enjoying life.
Eddie Maher
I Moved to Berthoud, Colorado from Seattle, Washington in 1985. I started in the construction industry by helping my cousin-in-law with framing and trimming out custom homes during the housing boom in the late 90’s. As the housing market slowed, I made the switch to commercial construction. I started with Heartland Acoustics & Interiors in February of 2009. I am father to two sons and husband to my wife Samantha. My oldest son, Cody, is 15 years old and my youngest son, Eli, is 4 years old. We love to enjoy our beautiful state of Colorado through camping, fishing, motocross, four wheeling and exploring the mountains with our dog, Kiana. I have always loved audio/home theater equipment and environment so naturally I have a deep passion for our products and the acoustical industry as a whole.
Ricky Garcia
I was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. I graduated from Edgewood high School in 1988, then went on to earn an Associate’s Degree in Electronic Engineering. Being the son of a contractor I learned at a young age the value of hard work and try to incorporate the same values into my work ethic. I have worked in the commercial industry for over 25 years. I started with Heartland in July of 2018, and look forward to working in this growing industry.
Val Leach
I was born at an Air force base in Tucson, Arizona but my family soon moved to San Diego. After high school, I went to college in Los Angeles for a few years and returned to San Diego where I found the Office Manager opportunity for Heartland Acoustics. I spent 8 years working for the California branch until I ventured off to another opportunity working for a General Contractor in 2016. In early 2019, my family moved to Southern Maryland on military orders (husband is active duty marines) and I was welcomed back by Heartland with the opportunity to work remote as an Accounting Assistant. I am happily married to my husband Dan and we have a blended family of three children, Jodie (14), Riley (12) and our youngest, Payton (3). In our free time, we enjoy exploring restaurants in the DC area, working on home improvement projects, maintaining our farm and raising our Thoroughbreds that we breed for the race track.
Rusty Benoit
I was born in Pasadena California and started my career in acoustical ceilings in 1982. I have always enjoyed the challenge of installing systems beyond standard. I have worked for both specialty contractors and general contractors and have learned a lot about the commercial construction industry. My family and I moved to Colorado in 1993 and we enjoy fishing, camping, working on cars and bikes, and whatever else we can find to do together.
Nathan Johnston
I was born in Pennsylvania, however, I have spent most of my life in Colorado .While I was attending University of Colorado, Colorado Springs for Accounting, I also worked full-time for a contractor in the government and military sector. This last year, I have helped launch two small companies one in metal fabrication and another which makes bespoke performance auto parts. I hope to bring my unique technical knowledge and experience to the Heartland accounting team. I am an avid fisherman, auto- enthusiast and hiker but love all the outdoors activities the state has to offer. My fiancée Mindy and I are getting married September of 2019 and look forward to the next steps in life.
Patricia Linsenmann
Human Resources Manager, Colorado
I was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas where I received my undergraduate from University of North Texas and my graduate degree in HR Management from Tarleton State University. As a seasoned Human Resources Professional and business partner, I have used my strong human resources background and a blend of experience in various positions within private and public sectors to affect positive change in the organizations that I have had the privilege of partnering with. In my free time, I enjoy all things dealing with music including singing, dancing, and just enjoying the vibrational tones of life. I am also a avid reader with over 300 books in my personal library!
Scott Parish
I am a results-driven construction business executive with 25 years of broad-based construction experience who has earned a reputation for consistently meeting and exceeding corporate objectives. I am originally from St. Joseph MI with a wife and 3 children. I enjoy CrossFit, football, and spending as much time outside as possible. I dislike anything and everything Detroit. And support all the Chicago sports teams.
Brittany Zarie
I was born in Ft. McClellan, Alabama; raised in LaMesa, California; and grew up in Aurora, Colorado! My husband and I are high school sweethearts – we love spending as much time as possible together, and travel up to Estes Park as often as we can. In my spare time, I love writing novels, baking, and reading anything I can get my hands on!
Ramon Ibarra, Jr.
I’m a born and raised, native San Diegan. I started my career within the industry as an acoustical ceiling installer in 2003. While working full time in the ceiling industry and also doing work on my own I was able to obtain my contractor’s license in 2016. I started working for Heartland in 2021. I’m extremely excited to see what the future brings. I enjoy spending time with my wife and two young boys. I teach my children the benefit of hard work ethics while coaching them in their sporting activities, along with my niece who enjoys wrestling. My boys enjoy wrestling, riding dirt bikes, snowboarding, swimming and playing various sports which keep our schedule busy year-round. My family’s favorite activities are to spend time as a family camping, taking weekend trips to the desert or catching waves at the beach. I pride myself with the relationship I have amongst my family members.
Jarrod LaFon
Being the son of an Air Force Captain, I was born overseas in Madrid, Spain. We traveled around the United States and England before my father retired in North Carolina. I studied Business Management at NC State University and began my career in Specialty Construction in 2002. I spent a majority of my career in Multi-Craft Construction serving industrial and commercial clients across the United States and Canada. Most recently working in Mechanical Construction.
My wife and I recently moved to Colorado, as we wanted a new adventure full of hiking trails and outdoor activities. I enjoy spending my free time with my amazing wife traveling and exploring all that Colorado has to offer. I’m so excited to be a part of the Heartland Acoustics and Interiors Team and look forward to a long career with amazing people!
Thad Maynard
I was born and raised in Northern Virginia, graduating from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA with plans to pursue a career in law enforcement. My career interest changed when my wife and I moved to San Diego in 1997 and I started working in residential construction. For the past 24 years, I have learned both the residential and commercial construction markets, while holding positions in project management, business development and operations. On a personal level, my wife, Jennifer and I have 2 daughters – Malea and Kylie. I treasure my family time and love the beach, deer hunting, camping, time spent at the shooting range and sitting around a poker table with friends. You can often find me on the pickle ball courts a few times during the week!
Micheal Swift
I am originally from Long Beach, CA and have two beautiful daughters, Lauren and Danielle. We relocated to the High Desert when they were young so we could have our own little farm of 3 horses and 5 dogs. There I worked for a general contractor for 10 years. I relocated to San Antonio from there and worked for the City of Johnson City, before moving to Denver 3 years ago. I absolutely love it here! In my spare time I love going to the lake, seeing live music, and trying out new restaurants. I am very excited for the opportunity to work for Heartland Acoustics!
Marnie Bachman
I was born and raised in North Dakota but moved to Colorado when I was 16, so I definitely feel like a native! I have been in the accounting industry for almost 20 years and have worked specifically in construction accounting for more than 10 years. I am happily married to my husband Andrew, and we have two kids, Sydney and Zac, both will be in college this year, so we will be empty nesters! I love to cook and I’m constantly making up new recipes and testing them on my family. In my spare time I enjoy traveling, golfing and reading everything I can get my hands on. We also have two amazing dogs, Charley and Willow, that keep us extremely busy!
Sarah Phillips
I was born and raised in a small town in Michigan called Williamston, earning a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and a MBA from Wayne State University. While my Dad did residential construction on the side, my first job out of school was my introduction to commercial contracting where I started my construction accounting career 25+ years ago. My husband, Scott, and I met in college and have created a wonderful family, consisting of our two adult children, Tyler and Allyson. Our journey has taken us from Michigan, to Gilbert, Arizona, to Frisco, Texas and now to Aurora, Colorado. I enjoy traveling, home improvements, kayaking, cooking, crafting and spending time walking our two small dogs… Clover and Lucky. You are more likely to find me outside on a warm day than a cold one!
Bea Judge
Originally from Texas, I was born in Corpus Christi, but grew up in Houston. In 1999, I transferred to Denver with Continental Airlines/(United Airlines now) with my wonderful husband, David and 5 children Jessica, Julian, Jennifer Juliette and Jonathon. Additionally, I enjoy being a grandmother to 4 grandchildren! I am blessed to still be working part time with the airlines, having over 35 years in the industry; and concurrently work part time in Accounting for Heartland utilizing my nearly 40 years’ experience in the accounting industry. The many years in the airline industry have allowed my family and I to travel around the world, which is our passion. I love traveling to see our family located in multiple places around the country, as well as seeing parts of the world that we haven’t seen yet, as there are so many great places to visit! We are also very involved and active within our church community. Our motto: work hard, play hard!
Michael Hansen
I was Born and raised San Diego, CA. I’ve been in the ceiling industry for over 20 years, working my way up as an installer, foreman, superintendent, project manager, estimator and eventually owner getting my California contractor’s license. My amazing girlfriend, Michelle and I enjoy traveling, taking our boat out and cooking. I am excited to join the great Heartland team and seeing part of the future and growth of the company.
Trent Morrow
I was born and raised in South Carolina. I got my degree in Visual Arts as I was interested in graphic design at that time. Moved to North Carolina shortly after graduating and started my career in the printing industry specializing in online plan rooms and document management for the building community. After spending several years with architects and contractors I knew that I wanted to move over and be on the project side of the business, so I joined a subcontractor and started estimating and selling acoustical ceilings, exterior cladding and other specialty products. I am married to my high school sweetheart and have one kid that is highly active in sports so most of my free time involves being a taxi to and from practices and games. When I do find any other spare time I enjoy kayak fishing and relaxing with the family.
Christopher Comery
I was born, raised, and went to school in Auburn. While at Highline Community and the University of Washington, I studied business and history. Throughout my career, I have had many roles in the construction industry from starting as a shop helper, an installer, and eventually a project manager position doing estimates for homeowners and builders. In my free time I like to barbecue and host parties for my friends and family. When the weather permits, I enjoy spending time on the golf course. My unusually large miniature schnauzer, Bentley and I are always working on the lawn as well.
Jack Suter
Born and raised in Washington State, I have lived in 8 cities from Bellingham to Washougal & Everett to Wenatchee. My first job in high school was waiting tables & cooking at the family diner my grandma always took me to. After high school I was the Assistant Chef at a fine dining Italian restaurant in Everett, Assistant Chef at the Lake Wenatchee YMCA Summer Camp for 2 consecutive seasons (the best two summers of my teen years) & in my early 20’s Assistant Kitchen Manager at a French Bakery & Creperie in Bellingham.
In my mid 20’s I fell in love with working on cars. I was an expert at taking everything apart in my dads tool shed as a kid, so turning wrenches came naturally to me. I worked as a Tire & Lube Technician for Good Year Tire & Rubber in downtown Seattle to start. Once I got the experience I needed, I found a very small and extremely busy auto shop on Queen Anne Hill, and got a free college education in automotive repair. After two years I wound up working for a bus dealership in Mukilteo, E.K. Coaches, who sold and serviced exclusively Handicap Access Busses for Snohomish and King Counties. Was sent to Arizona for Braun Mfr. training twice & was in charge of all jobs that required transmission replacement or cylinder head gasket replacements for gas engines & pre-delivery inspections for new fleets. After years of practice and hard work I was able to remove, tear down & reassemble a Ford 6.8l V10 naturally aspirated gasoline engine from the short block, including test drive and paperwork turned into the service manager, in an 8hr shift.
Eventually the company was sold and I moved on to a few other specialty auto shops before I realized I needed something different. I felt satisfied with my knowledge and experience as a mechanic. After some careful planning and a painful exit interview with my manager at the transmission shop in Issaquah, I took a few weeks off and started looking at my options. Speaking and working with a friend and mentor, I found an interest in drafting and design. I started taking classes at North Seattle College in Shoreline in 2017 and landed a job as a laborer with a small construction company in Seattle, Synapse Construction. I received a certificate from NSC in CAD for Construction Drafting and Design the following year in 2018. After a year and a half of full time work and school, I was offered a part-time position to assist with estimating.
I had originally envisioned myself as, and set out to be, a draftsman. While I didn’t end up as a draftsman creating floor plans and elevations, I was able to gain invaluable experience estimating and I used my skills with AutoCAD to learn how to model with SketchUp and SketchUp Layout. Eventually I was Estimator and took on a role as an Assistant Designer. I would handle a large scope of work including site photos & measurements, creating an as-built 3D model, working on design options with the client, pricing and value engineering, and create a truncated set of construction documents for the field crew with SketchUp Layout.
Outside of work I enjoy hiking, camping, fishing, off-roading, and river rafting. I have floated the Wenatchee river countless times. I volunteer at my church, helping with grounds maintenance and security. Saturday is best driving through the muddy mountain roads laughing about nonsense (Just make sure the tree across the road provides enough clearance).
I still turn wrenches for fun, for necessity and to help out friends and family. I like to buy vehicles with bad motors or head gaskets and flip them.
A new ratchet makes me smile.
The two best things I have learned in the last 10 years is patience, and (my) family always pays the least for physical labor.
Brandon Moore
I grew up just outside of Atlanta. After graduating College, I moved to Las Vegas with my wife while my parents moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. After spending many years working in Las Vegas, we decided to move to Denver to be closer to our family. I was fortunate enough to find a job in the commercial construction industry as a project manager and superintendent. We spend as much time as we can at home in Steamboat Springs, where we enjoyed playing in the snow, riding horses and exploring with four wheelers on our family’s ranch. We relocated to Austin when my wife received a great employment opportunity. We have since settled into the culture that Austin provides, and love the slower pace of life in a small town just south of Austin Texas.
Brody Philips
I was born and raised in the small, hardworking town of Tuscarawas, Ohio. Growing up, my family and I would tackle a wide range of residential projects ranging from carpentry, roofing, electrical, and finish trades. Eventually, In 2016 my wife and I moved to the beautiful state of Colorado and bought our first home together in Parker, CO which is where I started my career in commercial construction. When I’m not busy with work I spend my free time playing guitar, watching live music, wrenching on vehicles, and getting outside as much as possible whether that’s in the form of fishing, hiking with my dogs, or riding motorcycles.
Ryan Miller
I’m Washington born and raised and have lived in Seattle since 2004. I started working in construction many years ago and worked my way up to a Journeyman. In 2021 I was offered the opportunity to learn a different side of construction and became a Project Manager. I love the PNW for its mountains and coast and all the outdoor activities easily available. However, I do love to travel to just about anywhere in the world to experience different cultures. I’m in to being disappointed so I love Seattle sports. Outside of work I play a lot of soccer, snowboard too much, and kayak when Seattle weather allows it.
Beth Olsen
I was raised in a small town in Washington called Sultan. It is right off the Skykomish river and 45 minutes from the mountain. I worked in a high-end spa as the Retail Manager and Front Desk lead for 4 years. I joined the construction industry in 2019 and haven’t looked back. Mornings are my favorite, so you will find me weightlifting in the gym, to start the morning right. I love to challenge myself and continue to grow. I have been volunteering as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) since January 2021. As a CASA, we advocate in court for the best interests of children in foster care who have experienced abuse or neglect. I also love to bake, horseback ride, spend time with my family and friends playing board games. I escape to Southern California as much as possible to visit family and sit on the beach, enjoying the sunshine and this beautiful life.
Steph Buchheit
I’m from Redmond, WA and grew up living in the Seattle area for most of my life. I attended Bellevue University in Nebraska and graduated in 2004 with a degree in Business Management. I absolutely loved college and wanted to further my education, so I achieved my MBA in 2014. I’ve been in construction management for more than 15 years and have been with the company for 6 years. I enjoy playing & coaching soccer, traveling, fitness, scuba diving, and whitewater rafting. I was an exchange student living in Germany in 1997 and I absolutely loved the culture, language, and I had the opportunity to tour around Europe for a month. One of the coolest things I’ve ever done is skydiving, it is such a fun and liberating experience! I went with some coworkers in 2019 & 2021 and I look forward to future opportunities. My husband Chris and I have been married since March 2010. We have two sweet boys named Jason & Carter, and an adorable Siamese cat named Emmy.
Steph Buchheit
I’m from Redmond, WA and grew up living in the Seattle area for most of my life. I attended Bellevue University in Nebraska and graduated in 2004 with a degree in Business Management. I absolutely loved college and wanted to further my education, so I achieved my MBA in 2014. I’ve been in construction management for more than 15 years and have been with the company for 6 years. I enjoy playing & coaching soccer, traveling, fitness, scuba diving, and whitewater rafting. I was an exchange student living in Germany in 1997 and I absolutely loved the culture, language, and I had the opportunity to tour around Europe for a month. One of the coolest things I’ve ever done is skydiving, it is such a fun and liberating experience! I went with some coworkers in 2019 & 2021 and I look forward to future opportunities. My husband Chris and I have been married since March 2010. We have two sweet boys named Jason & Carter, and an adorable Siamese cat named Emmy.
Dena Baldwin
I was proudly raised a Colorado native, where I found my passion for serving people through Human Resources. For over 26 years I have served in the industry, and in 2003, became the prideful proprietor of Dena Baldwin, HR Consulting. Throughout the duration of the proprietorship, I have served a multitude of small to mid-sized companies in the industries of Healthcare, Research and Disease Cessation, Legal and Estate Planning, Hospitality Services and Construction. In 2019, our family relocated to Iowa to experience living life on our family farm and to focus more intently on serving others. I am the proud mom of four girls, ages 12-25, with which I enjoy spending every available moment outdoors, where we hike, ride bikes, spend time with the animals and take relaxing rides through the rolling hills, either on the back of a horse or on the seat of my husband, Brad’s, Harley Davidson Motorcycle. Both are glorious!
Brandon Hansen
I was born and raised in Washington. I have a daughter, who is my world. Everything I do, I do it for her. We spend a lot of time outside going on new adventures, and spending time with friends and family. I joined the Local 41 Carpenters Union in 2014 and Journeyed out in 2019. In September 2019 I started my new role as a Superintendent. I enjoy working close with our field crew, helping them come up with solutions, and pushing them and myself to be the best we can be. I am excited to grow with the Heartland team and learn from them as well.
Daniel Magallon
I was born and raised in Washington. I have a daughter, who is my world. Everything I do, I do it for her. We spend a lot of time outside going on new adventures, and spending time with friends and family. I joined the Local 41 Carpenters Union in 2014 and Journeyed out in 2019. In September 2019 I started my new role as a Superintendent. I enjoy working close with our field crew, helping them come up with solutions, and pushing them and myself to be the best we can be. I am excited to grow with the Heartland team and learn from them as well.
