Our Team

Adele Talmadge

Co-Founder

Adele and Jeff Talmadge founded Talmadge Construction nearly 40 years ago. From a small business to the thriving premium design-build company Talmadge is today, Adele has been an integral part of the Talmadge Construction story.

Now Adele is mentoring a new group of employees including her son Andrew who will be taking over the company. Balancing time with her granddaughter and continuing to usher in the new era at Talmadge, Adele finds it fulfilling to see the passing of the torch to her son and his team.

“It has been satisfying to see the company grow in size and reputation over the years. I am proud of the quality of work and attention to detail we provide, and consider myself lucky to work with our great staff. Most gratifying, however, is our long history of satisfied clients, many of whom I now count among my good friends.”

Danielle Grenier, CGBP

Registered Architect
Certified Green Building Professional

A California State Registered Architect with over 22 years in the local architecture and construction industry, Danielle is a graduate of California Polytechnic State University with a Bachelor of Architecture degree with Honors. Before joining Talmadge Construction, Danielle worked with Fiorovich Group, Russell J. Short Architects, Santa Cruz Kitchen and Bath, and for herself designing a multitude of custom residential homes and remodels. She utilizes state-of-the-art CAD programs to produce accurate descriptive drawings and specifications. Danielle worked on several projects as an outside contractor for Talmadge Construction before coming on board full time in 2004.

“Design/Build is the right idea at the right time. I can’t say enough about Talmadge Construction’s hassle-free one stop shopping. You become part of our family in the design phase and we deliver right through construction and beyond. It’s very gratifying to be able to give people what they want, in their budget, on time, with a smile on everyone’s face.”

Visit her website at www.daniellegrenierarchitect.com

John Anderson

Production Manager
Certified Green Building Professional
EPA Renovators Certification (Lead safe practices)

John Anderson joined Talmadge Construction in April 1999, and brings more than 29 years of management and construction experience in custom residential remodeling and new construction markets. His responsibilities include coordinating production schedules, supervising project managers, preparing estimates, and job cost tracking. He provides support to crews in the field by coordinating in-house crew schedules, leading on-site walkthroughs, processing change orders and other administrative details. John earned the designation of the NARI Certified Green Building Professional in May 2004. He holds a B.S. in Marine Biology from Southampton College of Long Island University.

“Through his friendly, caring personality, honesty and fairness, Jeff Talmadge has created a wonderful “family” environment in which to work. My efforts are consistently rewarded with a feeling of sincere appreciation. The company focus on quality workmanship and customer satisfaction makes me proud to be a member of the Talmadge Team.”

Carin D. Anderson

Finance Manager/Production Coordinator

Carin started with the Talmadge Team in 2009 as a part-time bookkeeper while continuing her 30-year career as Office/Finance Manager for a local dentist. In 2018 we were fortunate to have Carin join us full time as Finance Manager/Production Coordinator. With a BA from UC Irvine, MBA from Santa Clara University, and tax experience with ADP, Carin is responsible for tracking and reporting financial transactions, payroll, and Human Resources. She loves numbers, organizing, and problem solving. Generating proposals, managing contracts and documentation for our projects from Design through Post-Production, Carin is a perfect fit working in a team-oriented environment.

“Working in the construction industry has given me my ‘next challenge.’ I particularly enjoy the opportunity to work with the dedicated, talented people at Talmadge Construction.”

Aaron Anderson

Senior Project Manager

Aaron joined our crew in February of 2014. He has lived in Santa Cruz most of his life and has been in construction for over 30 years. Aaron started working in the tile and marble trade and in 1999 started working in building and remodeling. He started as a framing contractor building large custom homes, obtained a general contractors license in 2004 and started his own remodeling business, which he managed for 10 years. After needing a break from construction, Aaron worked in the farming for a year and then came to work with us after missing the construction world. His attention to detail and desire to please make Aaron a great project manager.

“I enjoy working with all the Talmadge crew in the field and in the office. They are very skilled and easy to get along with. I also like working with Talmadge clients. It feels good when a job is completed successfully, and they are happy.”

Jason Anderson

Senior Project Manager

Jason was raised in Santa Cruz and graduated from Soquel High. An avid surfer whose home break is 26th Avenue, Jason worked at O’Neill Surf Shop for 15 years. He transitioned from retail management to construction in 2000, and is now a journeyman carpenter with over 20 years of experience. We were fortunate to bring Jason on board in July of 2015 who has proven to be a creative problem solver – a great asset in the remodeling business where surprises do happen!

“I enjoy working with a group of professionals who take pride in their work. Talmadge Construction takes excellent care of their clients and employees.”

Jeff Menna

Project Manager

Jeff re-joined our crew in 2016 after 14 years running his own business. He is a third generation, full scope contractor and designer.  He has been in construction for over 30 years.  Jeff has the knowledge and hands on experience building, remodeling and designing homes from the ground up.  Jeff’s organizational skills and attention to detail make him efficient in his work and customer service. We are so happy that Jeff has returned to our team!

“Talmadge Construction is like working for family.  They support me 110% and it’s a very upstanding company in our community.  I want to give Talmadge my knowledge and continue to see the company grow and continue to teach my colleagues.”

Carlos Gomez Lopez

Carpenter

Carlos Gomez Lopez has been assistant carpenter with Talmadge Construction since October 1998, with an additional five years experience in residential construction and 12 years in service industries. He works at several project sites during a typical workweek, interacting with project managers and clients.

“I always try to do my best, and TalmadgeConstruction is like that too. I like to see the happy faces when we finish a job.

Andrew Talmadge

Sales and Design Manager

Andrew joined the Talmadge crew in 2013 after a lifetime of being in a “construction family.” While obtaining his AA in Anthropology at Santa Barbara City College, Andrew took construction technology, green building and blueprint reading classes and decided to join the construction industry because it was interesting and varied. Six years as a “crew member” at Trader Joe’s taught Andrew the value of promptness, customer service and working with a team.
Joining the management team as Estimator in 2020 and now as Sales and Design Manager in 2022, Andrew draws from his Field and Estimating experience. He has proven himself to be a valuable leader working with the Design and Production departments.

“I enjoy the sense of achievement and gratification in the progress we make each day. The field crew was very helpful with training and encouraging me to learn the industry. My parents set the example of running a successful company with integrity and establishing long-term relationships with clients.”

Quinn Pearlberg

Estimator

Quinn joined our team in July, 2016 having worked in customer service for years. When Quinn found us, he was looking for a life change and a career that would allow him to be creative. Right away, we saw that he was uniquely gifted with the ability to communicate and interact with others effectively. Quinn quickly became a valuable addition to our team – working hard, listening, and learning many essential technical project management skills and carpentry techniques. As a result, Quinn has developed into a fine trim carpenter, and as a Project Manager, his customer service skills assure our clients that our team is on top of every detail. He was promoted to the role of Estimator in June 2022.

“The Talmadge Construction team is like family to me. They have truly supported and encouraged me from the very beginning. I enjoy going to work every single day. There is always a new problem to solve and there is always something new to learn.”

Connor Whiting

Carpenter

You might see Connor around his hometown of Santa Cruz at the disc golf courses, surfing or fishing. He joined our team at the beginning of 2020 when our Project Manager, Jason Anderson, realized that Connor would be a great fit for our company, blending well with the carpentry crew. He was exactly right!

A Harbor High graduate, Connor spent time in San Luis Obispo attending college. He realized his home turf was the best fit and soon returned working as a carpenter for a local contractor and then an architectural iron fabricator. Since joining Talmadge Construction, Connor has not only proven to be a great team member, he has excelled in his craft. While Connor enjoys the people he works with the most, the feeling is mutual! We are happy to have his calm demeanor and collaborative spirit getting the job done each and every day.

“I love working with the awesome crew we have here. Some days don’t feel like work at all.”

Dan Grant

Project Manager

Dan joined our crew early in 2021 with 15 years of experience in the building trades. Although a native of Santa Cruz, he has worked in Atherton, Woodside, Pebble Beach and Carmel Valley on complex projects for much of his career. Working closer to home and with a team that he characterizes as “always raising their standard of work making sure clients are taken care of and happy with the end result” suited Dan’s long-term goals. He enjoys making sure every project is done properly, safely and on schedule. He welcomes challenges and looks forward to overcoming obstacles, ensuring continuous growth. We are thrilled to add such a valuable resource to our team.

“I look forward to being part of the Talmadge Team so I can use my experience to help build in the community that I call my hometown.”

Jacob Hinrichs

Carpenter

A proud Santa Cruz native, Jacob has been an asset to our team since joining Talmadge in 2020. Educated locally and in San Luis Obispo, he worked in welding fabrication before coming to general construction. Looking for the opportunity to grow his skills as a carpenter, Jacob found that he was a good fit with Talmadge Construction. He loves seeing a home built from foundation to finish. Every step is interesting and he’s always eager to learn more. We are fortunate to have Jacob as a steady member of our crew.

“Working for Talmadge has been an awesome experience. I look forward to work every day with a group of people that help each other to learn and succeed.”

Jeremiah Trask

Project Manager/Tile Expert

Jeremiah has a long history in the trades with 20 years of experience in construction and a focused expertise in tile. He began apprenticing under a master tile craftsman in 2000. Since then, he has worked on many award-winning projects throughout Pebble Beach, Carmel and, Big Sur. He had his contractor’s license and ran his own tile company in Tacoma, WA for several years before joining Talmadge Construction in 2016 as a tile setter and is a Project Manager on our kitchen and bath projects. His skills in the trades and his calm, reassuring manner are a comfort to clients and a great asset to our team.

“Practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. It’s not the finish work that makes a job successful, it’s about making each piece of the project as good as possible along the way. Green building is doing it right the first time.”

Jesse Flores

Carpenter

Jesse came on board in August 2020 with a recommendation from his friend, Quinn Pearlberg. Jesse enjoyed doing DIY projects at his home and had the tools and a desire to learn the construction industry. We are thrilled with the progress that he is making. He works closely with the carpentry team on projects from start to finish. A great attitude and team ethic assure that Jesse will be a long-term member of our great crew. Jesse always has a smile ready to greet you!

“Every day I look forward to working with the crew, and every day I come out with a little bit more knowledge.”

Ari Lessin

Office Manager

Ari joined Talmadge Construction in May 2022. She brings 21 years of experience in the residential interior design industry. Previously, Ari had her own business as an interior designer here in Santa Cruz. She has also worked for many other interior design firms, from San Francisco to Southern California as an “associate for hire”. Along with interior design, Ari has 20 years of staging experience as well. Ari wears many hats here at Talmadge. Her responsibilities include office administration, design support, sales and production support, customer service and marketing.

“When I learned there was an opening at Talmadge Construction, I jumped at the opportunity to work here. Talmadge has such a great reputation in our community, as a wonderful place to work and as a first-class design build firm. It is an honor to be part of the Talmadge team.”

Dave Neighoff

Designer

Dave joined the Talmadge team in November of 2021. He holds a degree from
University of Hartford (Connecticut) in Architectural Engineering Technology.
After working in architectural firms in Connecticut, he took a “time-out” to
pursue a passion for skiing. During this time, Dave discovered the importance
and the skill of great customer service while working at a local ski shop.
Trading in the ski life for the beach life, Dave resumed his architectural/design
career here in Santa Cruz in 2018. Dave’s passion for design combined with
his knowledge and respect for customer service and strong technical skills;
make him a great asset to Talmadge Construction, Inc.

“Joining Talmadge has been such a fulfilling experience. The design build
systems that are in place allow the process to be efficient and fun for our clients
and our team. It is my mission to “wow “our clients with our streamlined design
procedure, our technology and our attention to detail.”

Wilhelm Venter

Designer

Will was born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa. He earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree at the University of Cape Town and has worked at several influential South African architecture firms. Will and his American wife, Rachel made the move to the US in 2017. They decided to make Santa Cruz their home due to the lifestyle it affords… and the great surf, of course! On weekends Will likes to scout out waves, trail run in Nisene Marks with his Mexican rescue dog Gerry and shoot film photography.

Will joined the Talmadge team in September of 2022 as a designer. He believes that design-build is the future of the industry and is glad to be part of an innovative team that delivers a client-centered experience and high-quality product from concept to completion.