Quality. Service. Excellence.

All One Safe Team

WE TELL IT STRAIGHT

ZERO PUNCH

WE SET THE STANDARD

PASSIONATE FOR WHAT WE DO

All One Safe Team

Safety First. Team Respect & Collaboration. Family Outlook. Flexibility to Fit the Need.

Our team is our strongest and most important asset. When you are part of the Magnum “team,” you are family. We all win together and support each other. At Magnum, we understand that achieving the best safety practices is not only necessary for the longevity of our business but for our employees, too. We are proud of our low MOD rate and we’ve worked hard to consistently keep it there.

We hope that each team member has a long, rewarding career with us. Magnum supports a strong and balanced personal family life. Our team promotes a healthy work-life balance and performs at the highest level possible through team support, respect, and collaboration.

We Tell It Straight

Honesty. Transparency. Own It! “You can count on me.”

Integrity is the driving force for Magnum’s employees, whether we’re communicating internally or with our clients. Understanding that every project is on a time crunch, when a problem arises we know the best solution is to tell it straight. The quicker we communicate, the faster we reach a solution. When we tell it straight, we can count on each other, and our customers can count on us.

Zero Punch

“We do it right.” On Time. Without Complaint.

Magnum has a reputation for quality. We strive to have a “Zero Punch List” on every job. Whether in the field or the office, we strive to complete every task correctly, on time, and without complaint. To “do it right,” we tailor our plan to match the needs of our customers and team members. We build long-lasting relationships when we understand the task at hand, treat people with respect, and maximize our efforts. Completing each job on time is non-negotiable. We do what it takes to meet each project’s deadline without complaint.

We Set The Standard

We Complete the Seemingly Impossible. Earn It Daily. Overcome Roadblocks. Empowered Employees.

Since day one, our mission has been raising the bar regarding service and craftsmanship. When a mistake is made or a schedule changes, we respond quickly, perform under pressure, and execute on the near impossible. Our key employees are empowered to make the decisions necessary to keep the project moving forward. At Magnum, we see problems as opportunities to demonstrate our value with customers. There are no problems, only solutions.

Passionate For What We Do

Welcoming Opportunities. Positive & Upbeat. Proactive Problem Solvers. Pursuit of Knowledge.

Our passion is rooted in our efforts at flawless executions of our work and the appreciation expressed by our customers. We approach every project and relationship with a positive attitude and eagerness to exceed all expectations. Our obsession with staying current on industry trends, materials, technology, and training fuels our creative problem-solving. With great success comes the extraordinary ability to share the rewards of our success by providing personal and professional growth opportunities to all our team members.

Our Leadership Team

GARY ROBINSON
CEO

BIO

DAVID KIRST
CFO

BIO

EDDIE VARGAS
PRESIDENT

BIO

JEFF LAWRENCE
VICE PRESIDENT

BIO

REKA YOUNG
CONTROLLER / HR / OFFICE MANAGER

BIO

ANABELA DA SILVA
PROJECT ASSISTANT MANAGER /
BID COORDINATOR

BIO

JANN MAXWELL
VICE PRESIDENT PAINTING AND WALLCOVERING DIVISION

BIO

BRIAN DIESBURG
DRYWALL/ PLASTER/ WOOD FRAMING DIVISION MANAGER

BIO

BRET CHANDLER
ACOUSTICAL CEILING DIVISION MANAGER

BIO

SEAN NYSVEN
SPECIALTIES DIVISION MANAGER

BIO
David joined Magnum in 2012 as Chief Financial Officer and is a key member of the executive management team. Prior to joining Magnum, David spent many years as the Chief Financial Officer of various other privately controlled companies. David spent seven years of his career in public accounting, last serving as Senior Tax Manager at Grant Thornton. In total, David has over thirty years of financial management experience. David holds a Master’s in taxation and a BS in Business with a concentration in Accounting from San Jose State University, and he is a California certified public accountant.

Brian’s construction career began in high school – building custom furniture, repairing fences, and addressing various home repairs for friends, family and neighbors. Entrepreneurial by nature, Brian also began working at a local lumberyard while at the same time continuing on with side repair work. Eventually, this led to becoming part of a construction jobsite clean-up crew. Brian’s driven work ethic self-propelled him into the role of addressing construction work across a wide range of construction disciplines for a local general contractor. Within two years Brian was promoted into an Estimator / Foreman position with this firm, bidding projects and running a crew to complete work that ranged from landscaping to roofing and all trades in between, giving Brian a wide range of construction background and experience. Brian eventually started his own residential and commercial construction company in the late 1990’s, then continued on to manage a residential and commercial design and construction firm in the Oakland Hills. Brian began working for Magnum in 2014 as a Drywall Project Manager and has since been promoted within Magnum to his role today as the Drywall / Plaster / Wood Framing Division Head. When not in his Magnum role, Brian enjoys spending time with his wife, kids and grandkids – pursuing hunting, fishing, watching baseball and football as well as various motorsports.

Jeff Lawrence started in the Drywall trade right out of high school in 1981. After completing his Apprenticeship in 1985, he quickly transitioned from Drywall Journeyman to Foreman that same year for one of the larger subcontracting companies in the Bay Area and continued with this company until 1991, when he moved to a small start-up called Magnum Drywall, Inc in their first year of business. Jeff excelled at everything given to him, rising quickly through Magnum’s ranks to become the best at what he did. Within five years of starting, Jeff was asked to become one of Magnum’s shareholders, and then soon thereafter, Magnum’s first Vice President. During the ensuing two decades, Jeff has overseen many of Magnum’s largest projects in the field and has been instrumental in the evolution of Magnum’s reputation and success – the company with the toughest projects and the tightest schedules. Jeff has always been able to work well with our customers while at the same time mentoring many of Magnum’s best field workers. As Magnum grew larger, Jeff was needed more in the office to continue mentoring and in addition managing. From 2013 through 2018 he oversaw Magnum’s Southern California office, traveling between SoCal and NorCal weekly. Jeff continues to train, oversee, and manage field personnel while also taking on special Leadership projects. He also enjoys spending time with Teresa, his children and grandchildren.
Reka Young, Hungarian by birth, began her American adventure when she was five years old, moving to the SF Bay Area right before the Loma Prieta Earthquake. Beginning her San Jose State University stint with a nursing major, she changed that to the pursuit of a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting after working with her Mother-in-Law at a construction company in their Accounting Department. With her accumulated San Jose State nursing credits, she was also able to graduate in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in business with a concentration in accounting along with a minor in science. Reka began with Magnum in 2009 as an intern in the Accounting Department, however, when the opportunity arose due to a vacancy in Accounts Payable, Reka stepped into that role. Shortly after when the economy went further into a recession and Magnum’s CFO position was vacated, Reka stepped into this position to help out. Her lack of experience was offset by her work ethic and astute fast learning skills, and she enabled Magnum to get through that rough period. Today, she is Magnum’s Controller, reporting to David Kirst, Magnum’s CFO. In addition, Reka is an invaluable asset in many areas of Magnum. Outside of Magnum Reka enjoys spending her time with her husband and two kids.
Jann Maxwell grew up on a Mohave Desert horse ranch, where his first job was changing line in alfalfa fields. He excelled in high school drafting and architecture, continued at Victor Valley College and then received his Architecture degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, in 1977. Upon graduating he taught drafting architecture and engineering for several years at Lick Wilmerding High School in San Francisco. In 1979 he began as a Painting & Wallcovering estimator at a commercial firm in San Jose, and over the next three decades worked for several of the largest Bay Area finishing contractors, mostly in the position of Chief or Head Estimator. Since 2010 he has headed up the Painting & Wallcovering Division at Magnum, commuting each week from Phoenix, Arizona where he lives. He has handled some of the largest and most prominent Bay Area projects over his 43 years in the business and today trains and mentors an estimating staff at Magnum while managing the division. He and his wife Kathy spend part of their time in Phoenix and part of their time in Florida, where one of his daughters and grandchildren reside.

Gary Robinson has field and estimating background in drywall from his younger years, received a bachelor’s in mathematics from San Jose State University and then founded Magnum Drywall, Inc. in 1991. During Magnum’s early years, Gary received his pilot’s license and then used that to fly to Southern California for classes in Pepperdine, where he received his master’s degree. As Magnum grew and added more divisions (Ceiling, Painting, Specialties & Plaster), Gary expanded his varied interests, purchasing the San Martin Airport and founding Magnum Aviation, as well as acquiring the largest western bar in the western U.S.—the Saddle Rack. He oversaw Magnum Aviation and The Saddle Rack venture all while successfully leading Magnum Drywall for many years until only recently diveating himself of the airport and western bar. Continuing to lead Magnum now while focusing on his wife, TJ, his daughter and four grandchildren, Gary is greatly respected by our industry, his employees and our customers… evidenced by the fact that many of his employees and the customers associated with Magnum have been such for over 30 years!

Eddie Vargas began his career working as a teenager with his father and in 1992-1993 joined Magnum in high school during summers as a taper. Continuing on after high school and gaining experience running taping crews for a few years, in 2002 Eddie was promoted to Superintendent… for two reasons (according to Eddie): 1). Eddie spoke three languages (English, Portuguese, and Spanish), and 2). Eddie was an “honest asshole.” During the dot-com slowdown in 2001, out of necessity, Eddie taught himself how to estimate Drywall on commercial projects, and then in 2006, at the request of some of Magnum’s customers. Eddie started Magnum’s Painting and Wallcovering Division and again, out of necessity, taught himself how to estimate Painting. As Magnum grew, adding Ceilings, Painting & Wallcoverings, Specialties, and Plaster, Eddie grew to manage a workforce of over 700 union field personnel and is today working collaboratively with Division Heads to orchestrate what can only be considered as a thriving company which has retained its original roots and Core Value. Eddie enjoys raising cattle, farming, hunting, and spending time with his wife Suzie and his two sons. 
Sean has been in construction since he was 16, leaving high school early and working various jobs — from working on a commercial paving crew, as a union apprentice carpenter building homes while concurrently having a fencing business going on weekends and after work, to building crates for a silicon wafer etching machine rebuilder. This trained Sean on how to repair these machines in his spare time, which turned into becoming a western US service technician, while at the same time completing his GED. In 1992 he helped a family member on nights and weekends performing installations for their new School Equipment Company and in 1995, Sean acquired his General Contractors license and became a partner in this family venture, which expanded into commercial construction. In 2006 he founded his own commercial “Division 10” subcontracting company to serve all of California with offices in the Bay Area and on the Central Coast. Joining Magnum in 2014, Sean has since led our Specialties Division as Division Head, establishing Magnum as a major Division 10 subcontractor and expanding Magnum’s collaborative finishing capabilities. Sean makes his home still on the Central Coast while also working in San Jose with the flexibility Magnum offers our senior staff to just ‘make it work’. He enjoys golfing, travel, and family time with his wife of 25 years, two children and their two French Bulldogs.
Anabela began her working career in high tech in 1995 at Adobe Systems as a phone operator, then worked her way up at Adobe to a Media Project Manager Lead. Managing 3 sites worldwide, her team created the initial images for 25 Adobe project releases sent to production spanning 12 languages. In order to accomplish this, she led and implemented the creation of new automation tools for the team to maintain the media content for all 25 products in all 12 languages. In 2010, Anabela moved to IBM to manage equipment in 32 centers worldwide (called IBM IIC — IBM Innovation Centers) and worked on existing as well as new unreleased equipment to improve performance. Concurrently, Anabela completed her associate degree in accounting and then a bachelor’s in project management. Anabela joined Magnum in 2013 with a succession of ever-increasing roles and responsibilities: front desk, Payroll Processor, Bid Coordinator and Manager for all Project Assistants — all divisions. Currently, she works collaboratively on the Leadership Team, focusing on bid coordination, evolving technology, and process innovation – while still maintaining her role as Bid Coordinator and PA Manager. In her free time, Anabela enjoys raising cattle with her husband, time on the ranch with her kids and four grandkids, and spending time with her husband and extended family.
Bret is a native of Livermore, California and has spent the past 40 years in the Bay Area Construction industry. His construction career began directly after he graduated from Granada High School in 1983 when he joined the Carpenter’s Union as an Acoustical Ceiling Installer. Bret worked his way up to Foreman and then beginning in 1995 he took classes in estimating and project management and began in the office in those capacities. He began at Magnum in 2016 as an Estimator / Project Manager, then became the Ceiling Division Head, mentoring and training a staff and contributing to Magnum’s Leadership Team. In addition to Magnum, Bret’s focus in life is spending time with his wife, kids, and two small grandsons, enjoying their mountain cabin, fishing, and boating.

We Are Family

At Magnum, you aren’t just on the team; you’re family, and family comes first. We strive for our employees to enjoy long and healthy careers. Through our “can-do” culture and staying on top of the latest trends and technologies, we supply our employees with the tools necessary to build a lasting, rewarding career. Each employee is empowered to make an impact on every project.