Our main goal is simply to be the defining benchmark of our craft. We thrive on challenges, are passionate about design, relentlessly progressive we look to surpass the limits seen by our contemporaries and strive to produce finished projects of exquisite, enduring beauty. Never being satisfied with the status quo, we decisively search out the most productive way to give our clientele the finest woodwork their money can buy.
We have learned to balance cost effectiveness and quality work by being both attentive communicators and earnestly productive team players. When embarking on the design, fabrication and installation of quality woodwork we want to be a central part of your next project. When that time comes it will be evident that everyone at Chad Reitan Fine Woodworking wants you to love what we build for you as much as we love building it.
Our Facilities
At our Santa Cruz California production facilities every effort is made to productively design, engineer and fabricate the things dreams are made of. From our extremely well maintained modern workspace with technically advanced equipment and highly skilled and classically trained master craftsmen to our well trained engineers using the most advanced Computer Aided Design (CAD) software, we can ensure precision from original design to product installation.
Our Bios
Fine work and craftsmanship is not only a result of years of training and subsequent practice but an innate desire of each of our team members. We have diligently searched to find and employ the talents of people who have the attitude and aptitude to take personally the task at hand considering the global aspects of the project they are part of. We utilize people who not only love the art of woodworking and enjoy life but bring humor, color and diversity to our daily operations where free thinking, communication, personal interaction and fresh ideas are the norm.
Management
Chad Reitan Owner/Designer
Never one to side step a challenge Chad has made it his goal to accept and accomplish tasks others simply can't conceptually understand. Relentlessly motivated, and driven to push the limits, his desire to innovate translates into consistent efforts to surpass the norm, going above and beyond to develop and produce forward thinking and timeless projects. From his enigmatic youth building and riding skate ramps, Chad found great pleasure drawing and sketching the reality he saw and creating functional forms in every shape and size. Unable to constrain his desire within a system that only showed him limits he jumped headlong into developing his own designs and started Chad Reitan FIne Woodworking in 1993 at the age of 22. From small beginnings he has built a well respected and professional design firm and architectural fabrication business with a reputation for the highest quality work and superior customer service. An avid snowboarder Chad has spent the last 20 years riding and exploring snow covered mountains from Southern California to British Columbia Canada. He enjoys mountain biking, BMX park and has recently completed the design and installation of a complete automated Bio Diesel processing system, converting waste vegetable oil into true reactive, 100% green alternative fuel. He resides in the Soquel foothills of Santa Cruz California with his wife of 21 years Pam and their 10 year old son Jackson.
Gene Crouch Production Manager
A long time family friend of Chad Reitan, Gene brings a unique blend of humor, structure and precision to the production demographic at Chad Reitan Fine Woodworking. From an exciting upbringing here in California skating streets and parks across the state and snowboarding thru out the west coast, Gene has made efficiency and productivity his namesake and prides himself on his excellent organizational and manufacturing processing skills. Having apprenticed early on with Chad, Gene went on to hone his skills and develop his leadership working for some of the largest Architectural millwork and woodwork firms in the Bay Area. His hands on skill and effective use of resources and time moving him quickly through the ranks to prominent positions of responsibility and oversight. After marriage and with the desire to start a family in his home town Gene returned to Santa Cruz in 2004 with his wife Erin to fill a needed spot within Chad Reitan Fine Woodworking as Production Manager. A talented golfer, basketball player and snowboarder, Gene is comfortable in nearly any athletic endevour he puts his mind to and enjoys traveling with his wife of 7 years, having toured through Europe 3 times to date. He and his wife have also recently welcomed the newest addition to the family in December 2008 with the arrival of their son, Koa.
Alex Crouch Senior Project Manger
Also a life long friend of Chad Reitan, Alex has recently returned to to work with the staff here at Chad Reitan Fine Woodworking. With a background as an EMT and finish carpenter Alex worked with Chad in the companies infancy bringing with him a standard of speed, productivity and precision. After meeting and marrying his wife Micqaela, Alex took a position with a large Architectural Woodworking firm in St. George Utah, where he quickly worked his his way up to foreman managing numerous departments and 40 employees. After a number of years working in St. George's burgeoning luxury market, outfitting some of its finest homes, Alex and Micqaela moved to Cabo San Lucas Mexico where Micqalea continued to develop her ever expanding career as a recognized Native American artist. Setting up shop Alex worked on the beautiful vacation homes of the elite that dotted the southern Baja landscape and traveled extensively with Micqaela as she showed her art nationwide. Having worked on an extensive installation in the Hawaiian Islands with our crews in 2007, Chad was happy to welcome Alex back to the team in 2008 as shop foreman when he and his family returned to Santa Cruz, where he would now once again be working shoulder to shoulder with all of us and his brother Gene. Alex, a long time surfer and skater has also enjoyed many miles of road on his motorcycles and finds time to play in a local basketball league with his brother Gene. He enjoys his time at the beach with his wife and 4 sons and looks forward to getting them all up and riding waves in the next couple of years.
