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Anthony Murphy

Founder/Principal

From the hills of San Francisco and Hollywood to the valleys of Sonoma and the UK, Anthony has been pursuing perfection in craft and high-end construction for nearly three decades.

As a young man growing up in Ireland, he had a natural and instant love of carpentry and architecture.  He obtained prestigious degrees in advanced carpentry and joinery from Bolton Street College in Dublin, where he also completed numerous courses in engineering.  An old-world craftsman who has a penchant for modern design, Anthony talks frequently with his team about delivering to the client “what the project deserves.” Skilled hands, carefully selected materials and ideas that coalesce to create a perfect piece of art.

The freedom to deliver at this level is why Anthony started Bay Area-based, boutique-sized MurphyMcKenna.  He does not just oversee all projects at the firm, he immerses himself in them, bringing his extensive experience, straight talk and exacting standards to bear.  As well as leading and working alongside a team of like-minded, honest professionals, he has built lasting relationships with repeat clients, renowned architects, talented designers, quality subcontractors and other collaborators throughout Northern California.

A byproduct of these successful collaborations has been public recognition.  Anthony’s work has received multiple awards and a number of his projects have been featured in publications and on TV.  Outside of work, he can be found sailing his boat with his two kids on San Francisco Bay.  He also spends time supporting housing and educational causes, such as Habitat for Humanity and Haiti Partners, to name a few.


Sean McKenna

Principal

In his more than three decades of professional work, Sean has accumulated an impressive portfolio of projects, from London to Los Angeles, as a result of his unshakable commitment to construction integrity and the finest craftsmanship.  Since he was a young boy, Sean has been fixing, improving and building, from tractors on his family’s farm growing up in Ireland to large-scale commercial buildings and custom, luxury homes in London’s tony Chelsea district and throughout Southern and Northern California.

On MurphyMcKenna sites, Sean leads day-to-day operations and construction in the field, taking ownership of the quality of work.  An elite carpenter who executes impeccable finishes, clients can be confident that anything Sean touches will turn out to be exceptional; his work mirrors his keen knowledge of materials and scale.

Where others might see construction headaches, Sean creates hope with his MacGyver-like ingenuity, which leads him to unearth creative solutions.  Sean is respected for his patient and encouraging manner. Specifically, how he teaches and mentors other craftsmen and collaborators through challenging projects, fostering exceptional teamwork.  He is the ultimate go-to person on every site. Sean earned his doctorate from the school of hard knocks the old-fashioned way: through diligent hard work.  He subscribes to an old Irish proverb that states, “A trade not properly learned is an enemy.”


Scott D. Wilson

Marketing Director

As marketing director for MurphyMcKenna, Scott spearheads the majority of the firm’s public relations and communications activities.  With a strong focus on growth, development, and digital marketing, Scott is the liaison through which new relationships are fostered and fueled.

Having spent years in the tech industry as a designer, both in Seattle and Silicon Valley, his appreciation for branding/identity further developed.  Scott previously held creative roles at Microsoft, Infoseek/GO.com, and Excite@Home Network.

A bona fide ‘Okie from Muskogee’, Scott has called the West Coast home since 1992.  Initially relocating to Seattle from Oklahoma, he currently resides in Point Richmond, California. Scott is a fine artist.  Outside of the office, he spends the majority of his time working on excruciatingly detailed drawings, collecting art and hanging out with his beloved retired Greyhound Yona.


Cynthia Salvisberg-Haeuser

Accountant/Office Manager

As a dedicated and extremely detail oriented professional, Cynthia is MurphyMcKenna’s Office Manager and Accountant extraordinaire. Getting her start in corporate accounting working for Victoria Station Restaurants and Fiorello’s Artisan Gelato, she eventually migrated to residential construction accounting. With a lifetime of different accounting positions in the North Bay ranging from ‘working out of the garage’ accounts, to non-profit corporations related to local conservation, she honed her skill set to bolster a variety of accounting practices, systems and procedures.

Most of her days are spent in Marin where she was born and raised. Having the pleasure of working in Pt. Richmond some years ago, she is ecstatic to return, still enjoying the ride over the bridge and escaping when she can to the sands.

Her favorite quote, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” – Maya Angelou



Robert Ashley

Operations Manager

Robert Ashley received his B.A. from UCLA and a Professional Studies Diploma from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He is a classical double bassist by training and is currently a faculty member of the UC Santa Cruz Department of Music, as well as the Principal Bassist of the Marin Symphony.  He performs with the San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Atlanta Symphony.

It was always a dream of his to build instruments, and after learning advanced composite techniques from plug and mold making to vacuum resin infusion, he decided to start building carbon fiber basses.

Now with MurphyMcKenna as Operations Manager, he oversees the coordination and fluidity of a multitude of projects and daily operations.


Jen Jensen

Team Director

With over 20 years’ experience in residential and commercial development, Jen brings a broad range of skills to MurphyMcKenna. Having worked on a multitude of both new construction projects and home remodels, Jen continually strives to build on her strong foundation of project coordination. In the office she focuses on budget management, pre-construction, operating policies, forensic accounting and team building.

She is driven to pursue excellence in her work, and takes great pride in providing the most accurate and precise guidance for her projects. Jen is a California native with a background in design. Her eye for detail and ongoing commitment to excellence has served her well, believing accountability is everything.

When she’s not in the office, you can find her in the garden, enjoying wine county, riding horses or taking a road trip with friends and family.



Chris Hyder

Senior Project Manager

Chris brings nearly 30 years of high-end construction experience to MurphyMcKenna. Early in his career as an assistant Project Manager/Estimator, he provided detailed estimates for a variety of complex projects. In a full-time PM position, he oversaw numerous historic San Francisco mansions.

After several successful years as a Project Manager, Chris then moved to executive management, where he oversaw entire Bay Area Peninsula divisions for a high-end construction firm. At that time, Chris’s division was top performer with 30 million under construction or in contract.

Chris eventually opened his own firm, and over the next decade built many successful projects from Marin to Pebble Beach.  Chris’s focus over the years has been on high performance homes with both Passive House principles as well as LEED certifications. He maintains a continued commitment to efficiency and ultra-low energy building principles.

Outside of work Chris is an avid sailor and enjoys travelling. While not on the bay or crossing an ocean, Chris also enjoys hiking, free diving, golfing and just about any activity that puts him in touch with nature.


James Pennington-Kent

Project Manager

James hails from Iowa and Colorado, where he studied fine art and sculpture at University of Colorado, Boulder. His passion for arts and making led him to develop diverse skills, among them, mold-making, photography, art bronze foundry work, stained glass, and welding. Work in special effects brought him to the Bay Area in the 1990s. James worked in Marin as a machinist creating mechanical special effects for movies including Arachnophobia, Naked Lunch, Hot Shots Part Deux, and Look Who’s Talking, Too!

James has been building since his teens, initially teaching himself many aspects of home remodeling, including interior trim and cabinet making. As a contractor he enjoyed reviving Victorian homes in Denver’s Capitol Hill area. At the height of his time in the field, James did high-end finish carpentry for companies such as Ryan Associates and McCutcheon Construction. Since he moved into management, he has held the roles of Site Supervisor, Project Manager, and project development.

He received his BFA in Industrial Design from California College of the Arts, winning numerous Gold IDEA awards over his decade designing trade shows, medical equipment, toys, and consumer electronics.

In his spare time, James enjoys spending time in his studio, where he produces art and sculpture, and restores mid-century modern furniture.



Jeff Shaddock

Project Manager

Originally from southern California, Jeff Shaddock brings a breadth of knowledge to his role as a Project Manager with Murphy McKenna Construction from a career spanning several disciplines.

He gained his Architecture degree from the California College of the Arts, and has worked in Architecture firms in the Bay Area and Connecticut on residential, commercial, institutional and cultural projects. He has also worked for multifamily and mixed-use developers on notable projects with many of the Bay Area’s most celebrated Architects, including Jim Jennings Architecture, Butler Armsden Architects, and Arquitectonica International.

In his spare time he enjoys camping in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and teenage son, cycling in the Berkeley hills, and helping his son with his environmental work reducing the prevalence of single-use plastics.

He relies on his wife to correct his numerous and frequent gardening mistakes.


Dale Mossberger

Senior Estimator

With more than 20 years of experience in high end residential construction, Dale brings a multitude of estimating and project management skills to MurphyMcKenna Construction. Learning the trades as part of a family-owned business, he started as an apprentice carpenter, and continued honing his skills and has become quite the finish carpenter!

Eventually moving from field to office, he quickly learned the fundamentals of running a construction firm. In his final retail management position, prior to moving into the construction industry, Dale was fortunate enough to work with the Seattle Supersonics as the Team Shop Manager.

Dale enjoys spending time with his family and together they love taking part in Civil War Living History events throughout the Bay Area. He is an active part of the 20th Maine Company G with the American Civil War Association. Whenever possible the family visits their son in Austin Texas where he is currently attending St. Edwards University.



Colin Chavoor

Project Coordinator

A California native, Colin grew up in the heart of Napa Valley. After earning his B.A. studying Literatures at UC San Diego, he spent a great deal of time traveling through Madrid and Andalusia in Spain’s southern coast.

Having initially worked for years as an apprentice carpenter, his experience ranges from framing, concrete, interior finishes to a multitude of ground-up to finish projects. He is a firm believer in clear communication, quick adaptive thinking, and the power of collaborative efforts.

Outside the office, Colin enjoys traveling, obscure skill sets, kayaking, riding his motorcycle, and of course, wine tasting!


German Reyes

Site Superintendent

German Reyes grew up in Nevado Toluca, a stratovolcano and the fourth highest peak in central Mexico. Over the past 20 years, while working directly with Anthony & Sean, he continually cultivated his finish carpentry skills. He has developed a gift for precision and leaves nothing to chance, constantly keeping his eye on the finer details.

German has always seen life as a true gift and laughs his way through many of the problems we all face. This attitude is imbued and reflected in his leadership, both on site and while working with crewmembers. He moved to the U.S. in 1999 and currently lives in Hayward with his beautiful wife Marlen.

When not focused on construction, he spends his time hiking, camping, and snowboarding…all the while still thinking about work!



Francisco Reyes

Finish Carpenter

Francisco also grew up in Nevado Toluca with his brother German. He moved to San Francisco in 2006 and began working and learning the trade from his brother. Francisco is a dedicated and hard-working tradesman, always positive and always beaming with positive advise and the biggest smile.

In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer, going to the gym, and honing his cooking skills. His chilaquiles and carne asada are famous among his friends and family.


Omar Martinez Segundo

Finish Carpenter

Omar has been working in construction for over 14 years, doing both foundation work as well as finish carpentry. His daily perspective on the job site is to always be improving himself, finding every opportunity to further hone his various carpentry skills.

After work he enjoys playing soccer, going to the gym, and most importantly keeping fit and staying healthy.



Jesus Estrada

Finish Carpenter

Born in Mexico, Jesus took a liking to construction at a very early age. He has been working in the trades since moving to the US in 2000. Joining MurphyMcKenna as a finish carpenter, he prides himself on always being on time and is always having a friendly and happy-go-lucky attitude!

On his free time he loves spending time with his family.


Abel Alvarado

Carpenter

Abel is from Guanajuato Mexico and has been working as an apprentice carpenter for 3 years. On the jobsite he says listening is the best tool in his belt!

When not working, he enjoys spending time with family and friends.



Doug Stone

Apprentice Carpenter

A Bay Area native, Doug has worked in construction since age 18, both on Residential and Commercial projects.

When not on the job site, he can be found at the gym, or reading and learning about historical events.


Muiris Griffin

Apprentice Carpenter

Growing up in Sonoma County, Muiris started working in the wine industry at an early age. Relocating to France some years later, he spent 6 years learning the craft of winemaking, eventually earning his Enology degree in Bordeaux.

Upon his return to California he worked at Opus One, Ridge Vineyards, and was head Winemaker at Round Pond Estate in Rutherford. After over two decades of harvests, requiring seven days a week for about 4 months a year, he found it difficult to find the balance between wine industry work and family life.

Muiris still enjoys making wine, but now dedicates his time to developing another passion, finish carpentry! After remodeling several homes, he has developed a multitude of carpentry skills and is eager to learn from the masters around him.

In his spare time, he enjoys coaching and all other dad related joys!



Matthew Murphy

Apprentice Carpenter

Having finished high school last year, Matthew is very interested in making his race car go faster and is intent on expanding his studies through Industrial Design. He currently works part-time between classes, developing and refining his finish carpentry skills.

When not studying or working, he can be found at the Solano Racetrack.


Alan Harris

IT Technician/Office Administration

Part technologist, part project professional, Alan oversees MurphyMcKenna’s IT infrastructure and coordinates an array of projects.

Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, his interest in configuring machinery began when he put together an ion rocket when he was six. For 30+ years, Alan has used his skills for IT and project management. He ensures the firm both employs the cutting edge of cloud-based construction services and most effectively utilizes unmanned aerial vehicles for project documentation.

An Air Force veteran, Alan hails from a family with a tradition of service. He also holds the titles of Head Barista and Chief Dog Walker at MurphyMcKenna. Alan has called Berkeley home for the last 27 years.



C. Brooks

Accounting Associate

A Bay Area native, Cindy has worked in accounting since age 18, and has a Bachelor’s of Science from the Dominican University, CA. As a bookkeeper for Moore’s Office Supply in Marin then on to the wine industry where she worked as a staff accountant for Oakland’s distributor Maison’s Marques & Domaines.  With another 14 years in private wealth management she joins the MurphyMcKenna Crew with a broad background of financial knowledge.

Outside the office Cindy loves traveling and spending quality time with her family.

 


Grace Murphy

Administration Assistant

Grace is currently completing coursework at the College of Marin with an interest in pursuing a professional career in Nursing. Having strong family values and a sincere interest in ramping up her skills, she is proud to take part in the family business, alongside her brother Matthew. Learning the basics, as well as the complexities of Excel and Sage, she is a much needed asset to MurphyMcKenna’s administrative team.

When not studying, in class, or at the office, she loves to spend time cooking with family and friends.



Saoirse, MS, LMHC

Branch Manager

Completing her doctorate with honors at John Hopkins University in 2018, Saoirse feels that nobody knows her humans better than themselves. Her approach to traditional psychotherapy consists of allowing her humans to talk freely with little to no interjections (what a concept).

This allows her humans to openly explore their emotions and feelings, while simultaneously creating a safe and positive dialogue.

With a rigorous and extremely structured work ethic, Saoirse also keeps her humans physically active with frequent ‘time-outs’ and walks to encourage reflection.