Meet Our Remodeling OC Team

Brad Burgin, President

In 1989, Brad made the decision to enter the world of entrepreneurship and open his own business. With a backround in carpentry, he began offering custom woodworking services including shelves, boxes, storage chests, and more. Over the years as his expertise and experience grew, he began adding more and more services for the home and now, nearly 30 years later, Burgin Construction is Orange County’s premiere Design-Build firm specializing in Additions, Kitchen, Bath, Custom Cabinetry and Full Service Home Remodeling.

When he’s not overseeing the day-to-day workings of the business (which honestly, is rare) he loves to be active, travel and spend time with his wife, Rhonda, sons, Sean and Aaron, mom, Wendy and extended friends and family.

Rhonda Burgin, Vice President

Just a few short years after Brad began his business, his partner in life (and some might say, crime), Rhonda joined him not only in marriage but also in the business. Now, nearly 30 years later, she has no regrets as she has been the Boss Lady behind the scenes (and when necessary on-site) who keeps Burgin Construction running like a well-oiled machine.

Rhonda is a Mom of 2 with her oldest son in the US Army and her youngest a senior in high school. She’s also Mom to several furkids (we can’t give you a count on those because it seems to always be going up) and she enjoys Nascar and traveling, especially with her family.

Aaron Burgin, Rockstar

Aaron is our resident Jack-of-All-Trades. If anyone needs a helping hand, you can be sure he’s there to pitch in. His most important work is in helping Elizabeth in the office with shredding, filing, scanning, and more. He’s also very into technology and can tell you anything you need to know about the latest and greatest in must-have gadgets.

When he’s not helping out in the office, Aaron loves doing crafts and watching movies. He’s also a big fan of plays and musicals and, word has it, he’s by far the best singer on the Burgin team!

Wendy Roppa, Accounting (and baker extraordinaire)

After 28 years in the banking industry and 16 years in the insurance field, Wendy thought about retiring, but decided it would be a lot more fun to join the Burgin team and help her son and daughter-in-law with the accounting part of the business (translation: we begged her and she gave in). She is an integral part of the team and keeps us on track every day.

Wendy’s work with numbers is great and all, but let’s be honest, where she excels is baking. Her skills at whipping up delicious treats and creating amazing crafts would make Martha Stewart jealous. She’s the mastermind behind birthday cakes for all the staff, cake pops for Aaron’s school events, and chocolates and candies for special occassions. She certainly makes the office a “sweeter” place to be!

Matt Hales, Project Manager

Matt’s background was in real estate before he came aboard at Burgin Construction but with a family that had years of expertise in architecture and design, it was a given that he would hear the call of creating rather than selling. The knowledge he gained through the years from both his past work and his family’s interests has been perfect preparation for his current role in managing home remodeling projects with Burgin.

When he’s not on the jobsite, Matt enjoys playing music, spending time with his family and eating sushi (we hear he’s also partial to Wendy’s homemade cookies when there’s no raw fish around).

Joni Owen, Designer

Joni never had a doubt what she was meant to do. In 1972 she graduated from San Francisco State withe a major in Interior Design and Industrial Design and then began a career that for more than 40 years has centered around creating beautiful and functional Kitchen, Bath and Office designs. As a member of the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) she earned her Certified Kitchen Designer (CKD) and Certified Bathroom Designer (CBD) designations. She is also a Certified Interior Designer (CID) since 1994 and teaches Kitchen and Bath Design at Saddleback College.

Having been featured on several of the local Orange County area HGTV Home View episodes, Joni is our on-staff celebrity. When it’s hard to find a parking space at the design center due to all the paparazzi, we know Joni must be in the office – we still think she’s more than worth the inconvenience!

Tamara Stratton, Designer

Tamara’s background includes rich and diverse education and experiences. She holds an Interior Design Degree and credentials from Saddleback College and is a LEED AP (Accredited Professional). After working as a designer for a leading women’s sportsear company specializing in color and fabrics, she chose to make the transition to Interior Design. Her love of all things visual has been a constent throughout her life, as has her passion for design.

One of Tamara’s favorite things is to utilize the exposure she’s had to different cultures through extensive travel and living abroad as inspiration for her work. We agree that this knowledge and experience is an asset, but we’re still not sure about her request to work full-time poolside in Bali…

Elizabeth Cruz, Business Coordinator

Anyone who has ever worked with our company knows that one of the most important elements is organization. All those client names, addresses, subcontractors, vendors, employees, contracts, details…It never ends! Elizabeth is our saving grace when it comes to all that. With more than 20 years of experience, she keeps everything ship-shape and ensures all our t’s are dotted and i’s are crossed i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed.

Elizabeth is also an animal lover, definitely a prerequisite to working here and absolutely adores her three kids. She is currently awaiting her official “Crazy Cat Lady” certification but if you ask us, she’s more than qualified!

Eddy Valencia, Lead Carpenter

Eddy joined the Burgin Construction team in 2003. Over the years he has grown in experience and knowledge and is now a Finish Carpenter. A customer favorite, Eddy is just as important to our customer service department as he is on-site and in the shop. His leadership skills and enthusiasm for the work are a stellar example of what we look for in an employee and we are lucky to have him.

When he isn’t working super hard on the jobsite or charming customers, Eddy is a father, husband and family man. Weekends will often find him enjoying a movie and/or cooking up a batch of Birria (Mexican Stew) for his family – seriously delicious. Don’t tell him, but we’ve already submitted a Throwdown Challenge on his behalf with Bobby Flay. We’re pretty sure Bobby’s going down!

Diego Siliezar, Lead Carpenter

Nearly ten years ago Diego joined the Burgin team as a young, unseasoned carpentry worker. His skill and willingness to learn quickly elevated him to Finish Carpenter status. His attention to detail makes him the ideal person for the job and his great personality makes him instantly likeable to team members and customers alike.

Married just 3 years, he and his wife are currently expecting their first child. When he’s not hard at work, Diego claims to enjoy sports and hanging out with family and friends; but we know the real truth is, if he’s not on the job, he’s hiding out with a stash of Wendy’s baked treats!

Aaron Selvaggi, Lead Carpenter

Aaron found a love for carpentry and entrepreneurship early in life after years of watching his uncle build amazing things. In middle school he made skatboards and sold them for $25 each and just kept going from there. Now, he feels that carpentry is just a part of him and even enjoy woodwork as a hobby in his spare time.

Aaron and his wife love loving in Orange County and welcomed their first son, Addison in December of 2017. They look forward to watching him grow and follow in his dad’s footsteps as soon as he’s walking and able to hold a hammer!

David Soria, Finish Carpenter

David is a true team player. He loves working as a Finish Carpenter and for more than 5 years has been an integral part of the Burgin team. Through previous experience and being a fast learner, he has gained extensive knowledge and skill.

David says he loves his job for many different reasons but we all know the truth. With five kids at home, even a site with hammers and saws is peaceful! When he’s not seeking refuge in a quiet (er than home) work environment, you’ll find him enjoying a soccer game or his favorite dish, red mole.

Greg Garcia, Journeyman

For more than 20 years, construction has been Greg’s passion. He began at an early age working in the industry with his father and his brother where he learned as much as he could and worked his way up to carpentry. Now he is excited to be a part of the Burgin team helping to bring our customers’ dreams to life.

When he isn’t working, Greg loves fishing, playing softball, and spending time with his wife Noemi, his children and his church family. We are currently looking into ways of bottling his seemingly endless energy to sell. Stay tuned!

Hector Hernandez, Assistant Finish Carpenter

Having played percussion in a band back in the day, Hector decided to hit things with a hammer instead of drumsticks and joined the Burgin team as an Assistant Finish Carpenter. He loves working with the tools of the trade and turning something plain into a beautiful piece of someone’s home.

Note – If you’re on one of our job sites and the hammering sounds a bit like a song you know, you can be fairly sure that Hector is there working away!

Henry Siliezar, Assistant Finish Carpenter

When Henry followed in his big brother’s footsteps and joined the Burgin team we thought it was because Diego had told him what a great place it was to work. Now, we’re pretty sure it was just so that he wouldn’t be the youngest guy on the jobsites! But, being the youngest hasn’t stopped Henry from making his own mark as an invaluable member of the crew. His work ethic and willingness to jump in wherever needed are a testament to his commitment to the company.

Being the only bachelor on the team has its perks as Henry gets to spend his free time doing whatever he wants. He enjoys working out and loves all things cars. He doesn’t even mind being the youngest as he’s pretty sure the other guys are just jealous of his “freedom”.