Legacy Staff Stories

Anita Jain 

Executive VP and General Manager 

20 Years with Deacon 

Anita Jain joined Deacon in 2006 as a project manager, beginning a career that would take her across divisions, cities, and levels of leadership. In 2012 she was promoted to division manager of Remco Deacon, the company's repair and restoration group, and in 2015 she relocated to the Seattle office, where she now serves as Executive Vice President and General Manager. Over her two decades with the company, Anita has watched Deacon expand into new markets and embrace new technology, but what has kept her here has stayed constant: the people and the culture. She points to Deacon as a place where promoting from within is real, where those who work hard and get results find genuine opportunities to grow, exactly the path her own career has followed. When she looks back on the lighter moments, it's the Deacon videos from the Survivors Dinner and the charitable events that stand out. And when she looks ahead, she's most excited about what growth means for both the company and the people in it. 

Brian Smith 

Superintendent 

28 Years with Deacon 

Brian Smith got his start with Deacon 28 years ago as a carpenter at the Aldrich Market job in Port Townsend, back when the work ran on paper and a pencil. Since then he's watched the trade go increasingly digital, one of the biggest shifts he's seen over nearly three decades on the job. Now a superintendent, Brian says what has kept him at Deacon is the family atmosphere and the sense that he can voice his opinion and actually be heard. It's a company, he notes, where there's room to grow and where that growth is genuinely encouraged. Ask him for a favorite bit of Deacon lore and he'll grin: "It's not a Deacon job unless you drive by a Deacon job to get to your job." Looking ahead, what excites him most is watching the new generation grow into the company the way he once did.

Jeff Scott  

QAQC | Warranty Manager

36 Years with Deacon  

Jeff Scott joined Deacon in November 1989 as a laborer, back when the company operated in just two markets: Portland and Sacramento. Over the following decades he worked his way up through the carpentry trade, driven early on by a simple goal—to be the foreman every superintendent wanted on their job. Later, that goal evolved into something simpler still: be the best he could be and help the people around him do the same. Jeff eventually became a general superintendent with Deacon’s R&R division, where he built deep expertise in the building envelope. Along the way, he tackled projects most people would call unforgettable for the wrong reasons—none more so than Lower Umpqua Hospital in Reedsport, where a 95 mph windstorm tore through a four-story, shrink-wrapped scaffold system, forcing a full rebuild and costing four days on an already tight schedule. Through it all, Jeff says the people are what have kept him at Deacon for over 35 years. He’s especially proud of the company’s Charitable Foundation, and hopes to be remembered simply as an honest, hardworking, dedicated employee who helped guide others.  

Terry Hamilton  

Foreman

14 Years with Deacon  

Before joining Deacon, Terry Hamilton worked as a subcontractor, cutting his teeth as a carpenter helping superintendents on Safeway Pharmacy remodels. That hands-on, figure-it-out-yourself experience shaped how he approaches work today. He’s tackled plenty of out-of-the-box projects over the years and says solving those puzzles is part of what makes the job fun. Terry has been on so many jobsites around town and takes pride pointing them out to his kids whenever they drive by. What he values most about Deacon is its mission and vision, and the way people treat one another on and off the job. One memory stands out above the rest: while removing RTU curbs on a rooftop with coworker Rodil Petilo, a tornado touched down just 200 yards from the building. Security cleared them off the roof within a minute. Known for getting along with just about everyone he works with, Terry says what he’s most grateful for is simple—the great people he’s met and everything he’s continued to learn along the way.

Bash Mumuni

Safety Manager

21 years with Deacon

Bash Mumuni joined Deacon 21 years ago through a temporary agency before earning a full-time position as a carpenter apprentice. Completing the company's four-year apprenticeship program proved to be a defining step in his career, giving him the foundation to grow into new responsibilities. One of the biggest turning points came when he stepped outside his comfort zone to meet with Steve Deacon about his career path—a conversation that opened the door to new opportunities, including helping lead safety on a fast-paced, $80 million project and eventually contributing to Deacon's award-winning safety culture.

Along the way, Bash has worked on projects across the region, but says the Hazel Dell Town Center project in Vancouver was the moment he knew Deacon was where he belonged because of the team he worked alongside. He's proud to point out every project he's helped build when driving around town, knowing each one represents the hard work of countless people.

What has kept Bash at Deacon is simple: the people. He credits mentors like Roger Dale-Moore, Jeff Scott, and Frank King and countless others for helping shape his career and believes success comes from working hard, building relationships, and never shying away from difficult conversations. He's especially proud of Deacon's commitment to giving back to the community and hopes his own legacy is to leave everything better than he found it. After 21 years, Bash says the time has flown by because he's been fortunate enough to spend it doing meaningful work alongside great people.

Nikki Nussbaum 

Controller 

22 Years with Deacon 

Nikki Nussbaum joined Deacon 22 years ago, originally hired to handle Special Projects sub payables and nothing more. In the two decades since, she's watched nearly everything about the company change, from leadership to structure to the way work gets done, but she's come to see that constant reinvention as Deacon's greatest strength. "We always adapt," she says. "Through the highs and lows, we come out stronger and with a renewed focus." Now serving as Controller, Nikki credits her longevity to the work itself and the people beside her, describing a supportive, collaborative environment that has given her real opportunities to grow and develop her skills over the years. What still surprises her is the scale: Deacon is the largest company she's ever worked for, yet it manages to feel small, like a work family, and she's proud that it consistently looks to promote from within before hiring from the outside. Looking ahead, Nikki is energized by the progress the company is making, from new programs to well-aligned promotions, changes she believes are making Deacon more efficient while giving staff across every department more support than ever.

Rob Whitcomb 

Superintendent 

26 Years with Deacon 

Rob Whitcomb has spent 26 years with Deacon, starting out as a carpenter and foreman and working his way to superintendent. He's seen countless changes over that time, big and small, but the one he calls most impactful is the shift in culture and mindset: a sharpened focus on building teams that can take on any challenge and inspiring others to be the best they can be. What keeps him here is the people alongside him and the constant opportunity to tackle something new. No matter the role you hold, he says, there's always a chance to cross train, advance your knowledge, and grow. For Rob, the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Deacon lets its people take charge of their roles while providing the support they need to get the job done. He's found that the more you dedicate yourself to the company and its culture, the more it gives back, in the relationships built along the way and the assurance that the rest of the team always has your back. Looking ahead, he's excited to watch the team keep developing, a group of great people at every stage of their careers, all making strides to learn more and take on new roles. 

Brian Bentley

Project Assistant

13 Years with Deacon 

Brian Bentley's Deacon journey began in August 2012 as a temporary employee in the Marketing Department, filling in for the Sacramento marketing coordinator. Three months later he was hired on full time as a Project Assistant for Multi-Family, and he's been part of the company ever since. The biggest change he's watched is the handoff from Deacon's original founders to today's leadership team, and how the company has grown while still holding onto the values that make Deacon feel like Deacon. He's proudest of two things: training Multi-Family Project Assistants and watching them grow, and being part of high-caliber teams that delivered some genuinely challenging projects. What he most admires now is the way Deacon treats its people, with a real effort to support them, recognize their contributions, and help them feel valued. He credits Deborah Dean and Dave Marchant, the first people he worked with, for setting the tone on doing things the right way. On his desk sits a wooden plaque that reads "Everything is Figureoutable," a gift from one of the first assistants he trained; it came from something he always told them, that no matter what you think you've broken, we could fix it together. That mindset steadied plenty of nerves over large-dollar owner billings and became a reminder that confidence grows one solved problem at a time. Looking ahead, he's excited to see Deacon keep expanding into new markets and new corners of the country.

Dave Kreske 

Vice President

15 Years with Deacon 

Dave Kreske started right out of college at Deacon as an estimator in the Citrus Heights office,  After a couple of years as an estimator the company threw him into the deep end; at twenty-five, he was relocated to Orange County to be the onsite Project Engineer on two projects at the same time: The Irvine Community Center and the Orange Coast College IT Building.  

More than two decades on, now a Vice President and Division Manager for the Multifamily Division, he finds the most reward in remembering the challenges that all the jobsite teams overcame for each of his project to get to completion. And now driving past any of those buildings years later he is reminded of the people and the good times.  

One of his favorite memories is occasionally flying a private plane with the Precon Team and company Executives from Cameron Park down to the Orange County office on bid days as a twenty-four-year-old estimator, the kind of story that captures the work-hard, play-hard spirit he says has never left the culture (Beer:30 included). Looking ahead, he's excited to see each division continue to grow and developing Deacon's next generation of leaders. 

Jeremy Dietz 

Vice President

21 Years with Deacon 

Jeremy Dietz joined Deacon as a project engineer and, twenty-one years later, sits as a Vice President and Division Manager. If you ask him which opportunity shaped him most, he doesn't hesitate: his time in Repair and Restoration, working construction defect projects. It changed the way he sees the quality of every job, especially the building envelope and water intrusion, and he's convinced every Deacon employee would benefit from the same eye-opening experience. What he finds most rewarding is standing back at a finished project and getting to tell himself he helped build it. The culture, he says, has held steady in the ways that matter: doing what's best for the project, and knowing you can walk up to anyone in the company for help and actually get it. His favorite tradition is the Christmas party, where he gets to see nearly everyone and know them a little deeper, families and all. And yes, there's a red Swingline stapler that lives on his desk. Looking forward, he's energized by Deacon's growth across new industries and locations, and the doors that keeps opening for its people. 

Veronica Wences 

Project Assistant 

21 Years with Deacon 

Veronica Wences began at Deacon as a project assistant, and over twenty-plus years she's worn just about every hat imaginable, from safety to operations to a helping hand for marketing and IT, before coming full circle back to project assistant, now alongside her role as Executive Director of the Deacon Charitable Foundation. Leading the Foundation, she says, has shaped her more than anything: it's connected her with employees across every office, with nonprofit partners, and with the values she grew up on in an immigrant family, namely hard work, compassion, and helping others. Whether on the construction side or through the Foundation, what rewards her most is knowing she played a part in someone else's success. The culture she fell for has held steady: people who work hard and genuinely enjoy doing it together. One memory she treasures is earning her forklift certification and operating a Telehandler while a crew of superintendents cheered her on, exactly the kind of unexpected opportunity Deacon keeps handing her. Coffee and pan dulce are daily non-negotiables; they feed, as she puts it, both her brain and her corazón. Looking ahead, she's excited by new technology, new states, a more diverse workforce, and watching her coworkers grow. 

Andy Van Veldhuizen 

Operations Manager

20 Years with Deacon 

Andy Van Veldhuizen came to Deacon as a project manager, cutting his teeth on the ground-up Kohl's in Riverbank and the Cool Holiday Market buildings. Drive around town with him today and he'll point proudly to Rocklin Crossings and the neighboring Rocklin Commons Target, projects he helped bring to life. Two decades in, what he finds most rewarding is the wonder on the faces of the people who actually use what Deacon builds, from the client to the everyday public. He's especially proud of how the company shows up for its community, through charity efforts like Rebuilding Together and its In-Kind projects. As for favorite memories, it's hard to top that first Deacon Sacramento winery bus tour. And what might surprise people about spending twenty years at one company? For Andy, the connections quietly become something more, as professional acquaintances turn into lifelong friendships, with coworkers and clients alike. Construction, he'll remind you, is a relationship business, and lasting relationships start with a stable base. 

Chris Helbock 

Operations Manager

20 Years with Deacon 

Chris Helbock was hired as a project manager for SPD by John Clouse, and one early assignment ended up defining much of his career: about twelve years ago, Sutter asked Deacon to take on a single project. That one job grew into a steady stream of work over the years that followed. Building on the medical side means something to Chris. He finds real reward in seeing patients receive care in facilities his teams built, and there's a particular satisfaction when his own family uses them too. What's stayed constant across two decades, he says, is that the company genuinely cares about its people; when something goes wrong, Deacon shows up to help, and employees do the same for one another. His favorite memory is a spur-of-the-moment Hawaiian celebration on the third-floor deck before a trip, with John Clouse mixing his famous drinks, an inflatable pool in the parking lot, and hot dogs roasted over a fire. A Bob Ross bobblehead keeps watch over his desk; when the pressure's on, he just thinks about the happy little trees. Ahead, he's most excited about Deacon's expansion into new markets and regions. 

Drew Sense 

Executive Vice President 

19 Years with Deacon 

Drew Sense got his start with Deacon as a summer laborer at Mather Air Force Base, digging holes and setting water meters between semesters of college. Degree in hand, he came on full time as a project engineer in the Repair and Restoration Division. Nearly two decades later, he still loves the moment a project is completed and the sense of accomplishment shared across the team. He'll tell you it's always an event worth celebrating, and Deacon is pretty good at celebrating. On his desk you'll always find pictures of his family. Ask him what he's most excited about looking ahead, and the answer is simple and immediate: the people. Watching so many talented teammates pursue their goals while pushing the company forward is, in his words, what keeps the work motivating and exciting after all these years. 

Brandon Nelson 

Executive Vice President 

18 Years with Deacon

 Brandon Nelson got his start at Deacon as a project engineer on the Streets of Brentwood, a job that put him in the middle of a busy retail environment early and taught him how much of the work is coordination. He moved up through project management, estimating, and division leadership, and today serves as Executive Vice President and General Manager, with a portfolio that runs from tenant improvements and renovations in Sacramento and the Bay Area to remodels as far out as Idaho—hundreds of projects, many of them fast-moving, occupied-space work where there's no margin for a bad plan. Ask him what makes finishing a project worth it and he doesn't start with the building: it's the owner's excitement, and the team's, and everything the group had to pull together to get there. What's always with him is unglamorous and non-negotiable: water. Looking ahead, Brandon is most excited about the opportunities opening up for Deacon's people and about the self-perform teams the company is building, a capability he sees as central to where the business is headed. 

Kellen Wilson 

Project Manager

18 Years with Deacon 

Kellen Wilson started at Deacon as an intern, and promptly made it count, bidding his first solo project and winning the job: a Fitness 19 in Woodland. From there the projects only grew. Drive through Livermore and he'll point out the San Francisco Premium Outlets, a 600,000-square-foot mall on a 43-acre site where he practically lived, and where he grew the most as an engineer. For Kellen, nothing beats seeing a project completed when you've been part of it start to finish: that final snapshot of all the hard work, coordination, and communication coming full circle, with lessons ready to carry into the next one. What he's proudest of is Deacon's culture, which he describes as one big family; it respects work-life balance enough that he can coach his daughter's soccer team, all while living the work-hard, play-hard ethos. Cinco de Mayo parties, cornhole tournaments, and the early Christmas parties top his list of favorites. Eighteen years in, he figures the longevity says something simple: loyalty runs both ways between him and the company, even as the people, the software, and the projects keep changing around them. 

John Hamilton 

Regional Manager 

10 Years with Deacon 

John Hamilton's connection to Deacon runs deep, and it started at sixteen, working as a laborer in the warehouse, with his father, the man who first brought him into construction, pointing the way. Over the years he's left and returned more than once, and each homecoming has only strengthened the bond; across three separate chapters with the company his time adds up to roughly nine years. He came up through the field learning the trade from Deacon's superintendents, and today he's helped lead one of the company's boldest moves: launching the Boise office and assembling a team he describes as amazing people with deep construction backgrounds. The biggest change he's seen over the years is the company knitting together as one, rather than a set of separate offices. What makes him proudest is simple: Deacon takes care of its people, choosing what's right for them over profit, a philosophy he credits for the company reaching forty-five years with, as he puts it, hundreds more to go. A tape measure and a notebook are always within reach. And what excites him about the road ahead is Deacon's willingness to take smart risks, growing in size, in volume, geographically, and as a team. 

Maggie Kunkel 

Compliance Manager 

21 Years with Deacon 

Maggie Kunkel joined Deacon as a Senior Project Assistant and hasn't stopped moving since; she's now five roles in, a testament to something she says would surprise most people about staying at one company: just how much you can grow without ever leaving. Up in Idaho, the project she's most excited to point out is the Gem 73 Winery. What she finds most rewarding is exceeding a client's expectations, watching an owner take real satisfaction in the partnership and in a result that went beyond what they originally asked for. She's especially proud of how Deacon invests in its staff and backs the Deacon Charitable Foundation. As for favorite memories, nothing quite beats watching Morgan Lucas slide across the dance floor at a Christmas party, with Drew Sense immediately asking for an encore, which, of course, everyone wanted. For Maggie, the through-line is clear: this is a company that genuinely wants its people in roles they love and thrive in, and makes that kind of movement possible. 

Jeff Wentz 

Project Superintendent

31 Years with Deacon 

Jeff Wentz walked onto his first Deacon jobsite back in 1995 as an assistant superintendent, and thirty-one years later he's still at it. He's watched the work itself transform over that span; projects have grown far more complex, both structurally and architecturally, with ever more ambitious design and finishes. Among all of them, he's proudest of two: The Dean and the Walnut Creek Transit Village. Jeff is quick to credit the people who shaped him, from Mike Vinks in those first few years to Dave Marchant across the last twenty-five or so. There's also a well-worn Magic 8-Ball on his desk that, he'll admit with a laugh, has helped him settle more tough calls than he'd care to confess. What he loves about Deacon hasn't changed: great projects, built by great people. And looking ahead, he's genuinely excited that the company opened an office in Boise, which he jokes might just be his retirement destination.

Carlos Padilla 

Foreman

28 Years with Deacon 

Carlos Padilla has been part of Deacon for nearly three decades, and he started at the ground level, literally, as a concrete laborer. In the years since, he's had a hand in projects he's proud to point out around the region, from the Archer Hotel in Napa to RC Willey in Roseville, to multiple Targets. What he finds most rewarding is straightforward: the pride that comes with being part of a successful Deacon job. He's especially proud of the company's commitment to charity, and when it comes to company traditions, the Christmas parties are his favorite. Ask him what's kept him at one company for twenty-eight years and there's no complicated answer. He simply enjoys the work, and he enjoys the people he's gotten to work alongside all this time. Sometimes loyalty really is that plain, and that genuine.