About Grassi & Associates
At Grassi & Associates, we have been privileged to work with world-class architects and the most discerning of clients. Each of our projects has been a story to itself because there is no formula for what we do. We approach every project with open minds and this approach to building custom homes, estates, and select commercial projects keeps us engaged and innovative.
We are craftsmen and builders who are also artists shunning the formulaic in favor of the innovative. We have an eye and a passion for fine work, and we have the skills to bring it to bear. We are interpreters and eternal optimists, taking an architect’s vision and a client’s dream and giving it a physical reality. We are relentless in our desire to take on new challenges, and we are hungry to learn more about the art we have chosen: building.
But there is also an experienced practicality to our team at Grassi, and the foundation of that practicality is a commitment to “value.” Each of our employees at Grassi, some of whom have been with us since the beginning, understand that the key to a successful project is a healthy interplay between helping clients realize their dreams while ensuring that our clients get exceptional value for every dollar spent.
Our team at Grassi & Associates has been building custom estates and select commercial projects in the Napa and Sonoma valleys for over three decades. We recently expanded, opening an office in Park City, Utah. Whether we work in the Golden State, a Silver Rush city, or the Mountain West, the building process should be as custom as the home our clients entrust us to build.
The Grassi Approach
The Grassi approach is, in one word, collaborative. From our relationships with subcontractors to our relationships with clients and architects, we work as a team. We approach every job with an understanding that when we all work together with one objective, the best final product possible, the client wins.
When Mark Grassi founded the company in 1989, he understood the importance of having a good team to work with him. He made sure to create an environment where every team member is valued for his or her contributions. Some members of the Grassi team have been with Mark since the beginning of the venture, and he is the first to recognize their hand in helping to create that environment. But the team that matters to each project is not just the team of builders. We understand that the relationship between client, architect, and builder is crucial to the project, and we are committed to helping each client realize their dream and honoring each architect’s vision of that dream.
The Grassi team understands that good relationships are built on trust. Grassi & Associates is an open-book company, and our clients have access to all of the documentation, subcontractor, and vendor information involved with their project. This transparency helps foster a trust-based relationship with our customers.
The Grassi team approaches every job with an unrivaled commitment to excellence, integrity, distinction, and innovation.
The Grassi Team
Mark Grassi, Founder
Mark began in the construction trades while still in school. Working in Chico and Napa, he honed his skills opening his firm in 1989. The attention he put into carpentry transferred to the business side of creating a company. Mark says, “Grassi & Associates is distinctive because our team is comprised of people who came up through the trades. They know construction from the inside out, and that experience is invaluable.” While the company initially specialized in bespoke residences, he and his team found they could use their building expertise on select commercial projects like boutique wineries. “The focus is on quality craftsmanship and design. That’s our native tongue,” he explains.
A husband and father of two, Mark laughs when he says that his wife and daughters, “are cursed with the eye of a builder. They can walk into a place and see the signs of good craftsmanship. And they can see the signs of bad work.” When Mark is not in the office or on a job site, you might find him riding his bike, often with others from Grassi & Associates. He also enjoys catching fish to pair with the perfect glass of Grassi Ribolla Gialla, a vineyard he started with his wife, Jami.
Paul Niles, Partner
Paul has been with Grassi & Associates since 2000 and he, like everyone at Grassi, brings a passion for custom building to each project.”At Grassi, everything we do is purely custom, one-of-a-kind and never duplicated,” he says. For one of these unique projects, an agrarian compound located on Howell Mountain, Paul collaborated with Field Architecture. The three buildings, grounded on subterranean rock, feature reclaimed old-growth Douglas Fir siding supported by a timber and steel frame. “I’m proud of the way our work reflects the clients’ vision they develop with their architect,” Paul says. Having worked as a superintendent and project manager at other firms, he knows that working at Grassi is different. How? “The team approach runs through everything we do. From the way we work with our subcontractors to our engagement with the architects and clients, it’s a team.”
Like Mark, Paul and his wife also have two daughters who keep them on their toes. When he takes off his hard hat and leaves the job site or the office for the day, you might find him fishing or beating Mark up the hills on a road bike ride.
Laurie Daw, Partner & Controller
Laurie has worked with Grassi since the beginning, and Mark admits, “Laurie is the real boss around here. She runs the show and makes the rest of us look good!” Laurie takes great pride in her work and the company. “I was there in the early stages when we had three or four employees – over 30 years ago – I am so proud of what we’ve done.” As the office manager, Laurie sees every aspect of the business. She readily points out that the client’s enthusiasm becomes our inspiration for excellence.
Laurie praises the top-notch craftsmen and managers who approach each job with passion and a real ‘commitment to excellence.’ “Most of our employees have been with us for five years or more. They know our culture, and they appreciate that they each have a significant role in our success. Our team of skilled craftsmen takes enormous pride in what we accomplish, and the ‘custom’ aspect of every project to heart. We make sure that every client understands that what we do for them is one-of-a-kind.”
Laurie says, “Grassi & Associates is a ‘family’ business. We’ve watched each other’s kids grow up alongside our business, and have been a part of each other’s lives – that’s part of what makes a great team.”
Ralph Dahllof, Partner & Project Manager
Growing up in the Bay Area, Ralph headed to the mountains whenever he could. The call of the wilderness was so strong he chose to follow his dreams in the mountains. He later sought adventures in unlikely places. He says, “I spent some time racing bikes in Philadelphia and lived in L.A. for a couple of minutes.” After returning Northern California, he built custom estates around Lake Tahoe for a decade or so. Soon after coming down from the Sierras he met Mark Grassi. The team approach at Grassi & Associates was appealing to Ralph along with the firm’s unwavering commitment to excellence: “At Grassi, we build pretty epic projects. Everything we do, we do it to the highest possible standards. The entire team buys into that. We all trust each other and try every day to live up to those marks.”
Ralph does his best to balance work with his love for adventure and the outdoors. Don’t expect to find him sitting still for long. He bikes, fishes, skis, paddles, golfs and hangs out at the lake with his wife Jodi as much as he possibly can.
Mike McSweeney, Partner & Project Manager
Mike grew up in the construction industry with his father, who built bridges and hydroelectric dams. While his father's career took the family to Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, the 4th generation Californian spent most of his youth in the Golden State. After doing odd jobs on building sites as a kid, Mike studied biology in college. The degree led to seasonal employment with the US Forest Service as a Fisheries Biologist. As construction filled the balance of his time, he ultimately decided that it was a better career path. He returned to graduate school to earn a Master of Engineering and an MBA.
As a biologist, he learned a vital lesson that translates to construction management: the importance of collaboration: "Grassi prides itself on being a team player and collaborating with all of a project's stakeholders. We put forth a lot of effort to try to make other people's jobs easier and the project as a whole more enjoyable," he explains. Mike finds satisfaction in the quality and attention to detail of his company's output.
When not on job sites, his energies revolve around his young twin girls. He elaborates, "My wife and I have a running joke when we talk to people about our personal lives and refer to most of our hobbies as BC, before children!"
Jenn McKinnon, Partner & Office Manager
Jenn joined Grassi & Associates in 2013, bringing with her experience from different aspects of the wine industry. Previously, she worked for an Oak Barrel Alternatives company as an international import specialist and finished goods warehouse manager. She is known for her incredible work ethic and her love of building relationships with people, characteristics she attributes to her father. As a child, Jenn accompanied her father to various plumbing jobs, developing a fascination with how things worked and functioned, and a love for tools and gadgets.
Of her job, she says, "I'm proud of the culture and commitment we've built within this community, especially amongst the Grassi family. We are invested in each other's growth and success; it's a special environment when you truly enjoy the people you work with." When Jenn is not working, she is happiest when surrounded by woodlands. If she is not exploring new hiking trails with her husband, Wayne, and dog, Wrangler, she is most likely at the local CrossFit gym or crafting.
Michell Eads, Project Manager
Michell's educational background is in art and the humanities, but her career choice stems from a passion for building. She credits her need to "understand how things work" with the adaptability that has allowed her to succeed as a project manager in diverse trades throughout the construction industry.
During her career, she had the pleasure of working with Grassi as a subcontractor, admiring their reputation for bespoke craftsmanship and their intimate approach to design. When a job description for a project manager at Grassi crossed her desk, Michell knew her dedication to "identifying and serving the spirit of a project" would be a winning combination with the company's philosophy. Since joining the Grassi team, she has finally found her element.
As a child, Michell would dismantle all things mechanical, build wooden shapes and boxes, and attempt to make jewelry while her father tinkered in his shop. Later, she would become the fourth generation to live on her family's property in Sonoma County, where she learned from her grandfather how to employ ingenuity and "farm-tech" to innovate and keep things running. If there is such a thing as free time, she devotes it to the love and care of what she calls her "hobby farm," where she works to honor those who came before her on the land.
Alex Huntsinger, Assistant Project Manager
Born and raised in Napa, Alex grew up around construction, watching his grandfather work in the trades. He developed a love for all the outdoor activities Northern California has to offer, which led him to attend Chico State, where he could pursue his degree in construction management, while still making time to be outdoors.
After graduating, Alex launched his career in the heavy civil industry in the Bay Area. Eventually, he returned to Napa, the city he loves, and joined the Grassi team, where he discovered a culture of true building excellence. What drew him in was the team’s attention to detail, thoughtfulness, and spirit of collaboration—values that align with his belief that the best work turns vision into reality.
Giving back is essential to Alex, and since 2020, he has volunteered at the Associated Schools of Construction, where he teaches students. When he’s not on-site or mentoring, you’ll likely find him fishing at Lake Berryessa, usually with his black lab, Chester, by his side.
Nancy Montez, Assistant Project Manager
Nancy’s path into construction started early. Raised in a family of builders and restaurateurs, she grew up learning the value of hard work. Her uncles and cousins taught her how to build things from the ground up, while her mother and grandmother—both seasoned restaurateurs—showed her what it means to keep organized, stay calm under pressure, and take care of people. That combination stuck.
After nearly two years of solo travel through Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji—chasing architecture, culture, and a bit of adventure—she came home with a clear direction: she wanted to be part of building things that last. Nancy has since built a versatile career spanning residential architecture and design firms, general contracting, and owner's representation, with a stretch in event production and catering. She's always had a strong focus on operations, and Grassi's high standards, its team-first culture, and its commitment to doing things the right way drew her. "It's rare to find a group of people so aligned in values and driven by quality," she says. "Everyone here takes pride in the work—and it shows."
Outside of the office, Nancy and her husband, Miguel, are fixing up their home in Napa. When she's not on site, you'll likely find her in the kitchen baking or cooking —carrying on the traditions she grew up with.
Joseph Dillon, Client Billing Specialist
A lifelong Napan, Joseph’s interest in the construction business began early. As a student at New Technology High School, Joseph interned at a local architectural firm. While enrolled at the University of California, Merced, he worked construction jobs in the summer to help pay for college. A 2023 college graduate with a degree in Management and Business Economics, Joseph feels proud to work for a local company that values teamwork, quality, and collaboration. During his time off, Joseph often travels. His most recent trip to Japan reinforced his appreciation for the beauty that lies in the fine details. Included in his other pursuits are outings with his family (including their Husky, Sasha) and perfecting his famous barbecue rib recipe.
