Quality. Service. Excellence.
All One Safe Team
WE TELL IT STRAIGHT
ZERO PUNCH
WE SET THE STANDARD
PASSIONATE FOR WHAT WE DO
Elevating Together: Our Promise Beyond Construction
We’re more than construction; we’re partners in progress. Through the unity of “one team”, we blend talents and purpose seamlessly, creating not just buildings but lasting relationships built on trust, transparency, and shared achievement
Five Trades, One Team
Our commitment is demonstrated through our expertise in five key disciplines: drywall, specialties, plaster, acoustical ceilings, and painting and wallcoverings. Through each of these trades, we are dedicated to creating spaces that expertly blend precision, character, authenticity, functionality, and elegance.
Built Your Way to Your Schedule
Magnum stands as a testament to the synergy of its five divisions, perfectly unified within one organization, balanced to effectively engineer custom solutions based on our clients’ preferred timeframes. This fusion resonates with our central values of timeliness and unwavering dedication to customer satisfaction.
All One Safe Team
Safety First. Team Respect & Collaboration. Family Outlook. Flexibility to Fit the Need.
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.”
Zero Punch
“We do it right.” On Time. Without Complaint.
We Set The Standard
We Complete the Seemingly Impossible. Earn It Daily. Overcome Roadblocks. Empowered Employees.
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
DAVID KIRST
CFO
EDDIE VARGAS
PRESIDENT
JEFF LAWRENCE
VICE PRESIDENT
REKA YOUNG
CONTROLLER / HR / OFFICE MANAGER
ANABELA DA SILVA
PROJECT ASSISTANT MANAGER /
BID COORDINATOR
JANN MAXWELL
VICE PRESIDENT PAINTING AND WALLCOVERING DIVISION
BRIAN DIESBURG
DRYWALL/ PLASTER/ WOOD FRAMING DIVISION MANAGER
BRET CHANDLER
ACOUSTICAL CEILING DIVISION MANAGER
SEAN NYSVEN
SPECIALTIES DIVISION MANAGER
David joined Magnum in 2012 as the Chief Financial Officer, where he serves as a key member of the executive management team. Prior to joining Magnum, David held the position of Chief Financial Officer at various privately controlled companies for many years. He also has a seven-year tenure in public accounting, culminating in his role as Senior Tax Manager at Grant Thornton. With over thirty years of experience in financial management, David brings a wealth of expertise to his current position.
David holds a Master’s degree in taxation and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business with a concentration in Accounting, both earned from San Jose State University. He is also a certified public accountant in the state of California.
Brian’s construction career began in high school building custom furniture, repairing fences, and assisting with home repairs for friends, family, and neighbors. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to work at a local lumberyard while continuing his side repair projects. Eventually, he joined a construction jobsite clean-up crew, where his hard work and dedication propelled him into a diverse range of construction disciplines under a local general contractor.
Within two years, Brian’s exceptional work ethic earned him a promotion to the position of Estimator/Foreman. In this role, he bid on projects and led a crew in completing various construction tasks, ranging from landscaping to roofing and everything in between. This experience provided Brian with a comprehensive background and extensive knowledge in different areas of construction. In the late 1990s, Brian established his own residential and commercial construction company before transitioning to manage a design and construction firm specializing in residential and commercial projects in the Oakland Hills.
In 2014, Brian joined Magnum as a Drywall Project Manager and has since risen through the ranks to his current position as the Division Head for Drywall, Plaster, and Wood Framing. Apart from his work at Magnum, Brian loves spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren. He also enjoys pursuing outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing, as well as watching baseball, football, and various motorsports.
Within five years of joining Magnum, Jeff was invited to become one of the company’s shareholders. Soon after, he became Magnum’s first Vice President. Over the following two decades, Jeff played a crucial role in overseeing numerous large-scale projects in the field, contributing significantly to Magnum’s reputation and success as a company known for handling challenging projects with tight schedules. Jeff demonstrated excellent customer relations skills while also mentoring many of Magnum’s top field workers.
As Magnum expanded, Jeff’s expertise was increasingly required for mentoring and management responsibilities. From 2013 to 2018, he supervised Magnum’s Southern California office, regularly traveling between Southern and Northern California. Today, Jeff continues to train, oversee, and manage field personnel while also taking on special leadership projects. Outside of work, Jeff enjoys spending time with his wife Teresa, their children, and grandchildren.
Reka Young, born in Hungary, embarked on her American adventure at the age of five when she relocated to the SF Bay Area, just before the occurrence of the Loma Prieta Earthquake. Initially pursuing a nursing major at San Jose State University, she shifted her focus to pursue a Bachelor’s of Science in Accounting after gaining experience in the accounting department of a construction company while working with her mother-in-law. Utilizing her accumulated nursing credits, Reka graduated in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in business, specializing in accounting, with a minor in science.
In 2009, Reka joined Magnum as an intern in the accounting department. However, when an opportunity arose due to a vacancy in accounts payable, she eagerly stepped into that role. Later, when the economy faced further recession and Magnum’s CFO position became vacant, Reka stepped up to fill the position and provide assistance. Despite her limited experience, she compensated with a strong work ethic and exceptional ability to quickly grasp new concepts, helping Magnum navigate through that challenging period. Today, she serves as Magnum’s Controller reporting to David Kirst, the company’s CFO. Reka proves to be an invaluable asset in various areas within Magnum.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Reka loves spending quality time with her husband and two children.
Jann Maxwell grew up on a horse ranch in the Mohave Desert, where his first job involved changing lines in alfalfa fields. In high school, he demonstrated his talent for drafting and architecture, which he further pursued at Victor Valley College. In 1977, he earned his Architecture degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. For several years following graduation, Jann taught drafting, architecture, and engineering at Lick Wilmerding High School in San Francisco
In 1979, Jann embarked on his career as a painting & wallcovering estimator at a commercial firm in San Jose. Over the next three decades, he held positions as Chief or Head Estimator at several prominent finishing contractors in the Bay Area. Since 2010, he has served as the head of the Painting & Wallcovering Division at Magnum, commuting weekly from his residence in Phoenix, Arizona. Throughout his 43 years in the industry, Jann has successfully managed some of the largest and most notable projects in the Bay Area. At Magnum, he takes on the responsibilities of training and mentoring the estimating staff while overseeing the division. Jann and his wife Kathy split their time between Phoenix, Arizona, and Florida, where one of their daughters and grandchildren reside.
Gary began his working career in 1978 as an apprentice drywall/carpenter. His cousin, Don Bowen, allowed him to work 3 days a week so that he could attend San Jose State University 2 days week. Gary completed his BA in Mathematics and made the decision to continue in the construction industry. After working for a few union drywall companies in the South Bay Area, Gary secured a fulltime position as an instructor for the apprenticeship program. His desire to continue to grow in the industry lead him to accept a position as an estimator. After building a good reputation in the Bay Area Commercial Construction arena, Gary decided the only future advancement available was to start his own company and one month after his daughter Devin was born, Magnum Drywall was born. Started with very meager means and a lot of can do attitude, Magnum not only survived the turmoil and challenges of a people based competitive industry, Magnum has grown to become a large respected contractor providing services including: Metal Stud Framing, Drywall, Acoustical Ceilings, Painting, Wall Coverings, Wood Framing, Plastering and Specialties for some of the best General Contractors who service the demanding and challenging building needs of some of the largest companies in the world.
At the ripe age of 20, Gary was given the opportunity for his first flight in a small two passenger aerobatic plane. He didn’t have much fun, but he realized that if he could learn to fly, “what couldn’t he do?”. With not much thought or sense and a $2,000 loan at 19 percent interest from Household Finance, he learned to Fly. Gary used his pilot’s license to further his career and education. He enrolled in Pepperdine University’s Executive MBA program to further his ability to manage Magnum’s success and continue its growth, flying there for classes. As the growth continued, Gary found opportunities in many forms and places including opening the Eagle Lake Lodge, The Saddle Rack and Magnum Aviation. He also earned a 3rd degree black belt in Mixed Marial Arts from West Coast Karate.
Currently, Gary continues to lead Magnum while prioritizing his family, including his wife, TJ, his daughter, his stepchildren and 8 grandchildren. Throughout his career, Gary has earned tremendous respect from the industry, employees, and customers. This is evident by the loyalty he has earned from Magnum’s employees and the quality of customers that have remained loyal for over 30 years.
Eddie began his career working alongside his father at Magnum while still in high school, during the summers of 1992-1993. After completing his high school education, Eddie continued to gain experience by leading taping crews for several years. In 2002, he was promoted to the position of Superintendent, a role he attributed to both his fluency in three languages (English, Portuguese, and Spanish) and his straightforward nature.
In the midst of the dot-com slowdown in 2001, Eddie found himself compelled to learn the skill of estimating drywall on commercial projects out of necessity. Then, in 2006, at the request of some of Magnum’s clients, he established Magnum’s Painting and Wallcovering Division. Once again, driven by necessity, Eddie taught himself how to estimate painting. His responsibilities grew as Magnum continued to expand its services, incorporating ceilings, painting & wallcoverings, specialties, and plaster. He successfully managed a workforce of over 700 union field personnel and currently works in collaboration with division heads to oversee a thriving company that has remained true to its original roots and core values.
Outside of his professional life, Eddie finds joy in raising cattle, farming, hunting, and spending quality time with his wife Suzie and their two sons.
Sean has been worked in the construction industry since the age of 16. He made the decision to leave high school early and took on various jobs that provided him with diverse experiences. These roles included working on a commercial paving crew, serving as a union apprentice carpenter for home construction, and running his own fencing business on weekends and after work. Sean also gained knowledge in repairing silicon wafer etching machines, which eventually led to him becoming a service technician covering the western US. Sean earned his GED all while gaining valuable on-the-job experience.
In 1992, Sean worked with a family member doing installations for their school equipment company during evenings and weekends. In 1995,he obtained his general contractor’s license and became a partner in the family business, which expanded into commercial construction. In 2006, Sean took a significant step in his career by establishing his own commercial subcontracting company specializing in “Division 10” services. This allowed him to serve clients across California, with offices located in the Bay Area and on the Central Coast.
Since joining Magnum in 2014, Sean has taken on a leadership role as the Division Head of the Specialties Division. Through his efforts, Magnum has established itself as a major Division 10 subcontractor and expanded its collaborative finishing capabilities. Sean resides on the Central Coast while also working in San Jose.. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, traveling, and spending quality time with his wife of 25 years, two children, and their two French Bulldogs.
Anabela began her career in the high-tech industry in 1995 at Adobe Systems, as a phone operator. She steadily climbed the ranks at Adobe, eventually attaining the position of Media Project Manager Lead. In this role, she managed three global sites and oversaw the creation of initial images for 25 Adobe project releases, spanning 12 different languages. Anabela spearheaded the implementation of new automation tools to facilitate the maintenance of media content for all 25 products across multiple languages.
In 2010, Anabela transitioned to IBM, where she took on the responsibility of managing equipment across 32 centers worldwide, specifically within IBM IIC (IBM Innovation Centers). Her work focused on enhancing the performance of both existing and unreleased equipment. At the same time, Anabela continued her education, earning an Associate’s Degree in Accounting and a Bachelor’s Degree in Project Management.
Anabela joined Magnum in 2013, filling many roles and responsibilities, including managing the front desk, processing payroll, coordinating bids, and managing project assistants across all divisions. Currently, she plays a collaborative role on the Leadership Team, with a primary focus on bid coordination, evolving technology, and process innovation. She continues to serve as the Bid Coordinator and Manager for Project Assistants. During her free time, Anabela loves raising cattle with her husband, and spending time on the ranch with her husband, children, four grandchildren and extended family.
Bret, a native of Livermore, California, has dedicated the past 40 years of his career to the Bay Area Construction industry. His journey in construction began immediately after graduating from Granada High School in 1983, when he joined the Carpenter’s Union as an Acoustical Ceiling Installer. Through hard work and determination, Bret steadily advanced in his career, progressing to the position of Foreman. In 1995, enrolled in classes focused on estimating and project management, which paved the way for his transition to office-based roles.
In 2016, Bret joined Magnum as an Estimator/Project Manager. Over time, he assumed the role of Ceiling Division Head, overseeing a team and providing valuable mentorship and training. Bret’s contributions extend beyond his division, actively participating in Magnum’s Leadership Team. While Bret dedicates himself to his work at Magnum, his primary focus is spending quality time with his wife, children, and two small grandsons. They enjoy fishing, boating, and spending time at their mountain cabin.
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.