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About Us
 
Gary Grosjean
President
Twenty-four years in the music and entertainment industry has given Gary Grosjean a world of experience in dealing with management, customer relations and quality service. Grosjean has served as a tour and production manager for such notables as The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, The Steve Miller Band, The Pointer Sisters and many more. He has handled everything from the complicated logistics of flying a crew of 200 people around the world for a Rolling Stones concert tour to renting out an entire raceway to put on a thank you party for Aerosmith's concert production crew. Grosjean got out of the music business six years ago and built a new career in high-end construction management. He is now putting his combined expertise in customer service, logistics and construction to work at A Step Above, Inc. |  Jeff Klaven
Director of Operations
After enjoying a successful career in the music industry as a recording artist and composer, Jeff is now utilizing his skills in creativity, communication and leadership as co-owner and Director of Operations at A Step Above, Inc. Originally from the Midwest, Jeff lived in Los Angeles for 15 years where he started and ran a successful company called Custom Carpentry. He was living in Nashville when he reconnected with his close friend of 22 years, Gary Grosjean. After several phone calls, e-mails and a trip to Tahoe, Jeff decided to join forces with Gary in his new and rapidly growing property management company. “My experience in music and business has given me a deep appreciation for having a great team, sharing a vision and seeing it through.” Jeff Klaven.  Ursula Riina
Director of Administration
Ursula brings a diverse skill set to A Step Above including four-star hospitality training, sales & marketing and business administration.
She built her customer service foundation right from the start by working for five years in the hospitality industry including Four Seasons Newport Beach and Four Seasons New York City. Her positions included front desk, night audit and front office coordination. With a taste of accounting and business, she attended University of Nevada, Reno for a Journalism degree with an emphasis on advertising and marketing. She re-entered the workforce as an administrator for a non-profit and built her experience for five years working directly under an Executive Director. Strategic planning and business management, including bookkeeping, marketing and administration were a priority and she graduated to Director of Administration and Finance. She challenged herself to a career move in 2007 and developed an independent consulting business. Her three clients include a Beverly Hills-based lifestyle management company, a former employer and A Step Above, Inc. She assisted companies with financial organization, strategies, customer service policies and overall business operations. She accepted a position with A Step Above, Inc. earlier this year because she enjoys working with an extremely talented team and enjoys the dual responsibility of business administration coupled with hospitality management.
Ursula has lived in Truckee since 1996 with a brief stint in Seattle in 2001 working for a production company in sales and marketing. She is married to Residential Project Manager, John, and together they have three children. | Kim Torri
Office Manager As the Office Manager, Kim demonstrates her background and knowledge in the fields of administration and bookeeping. Born and raised in Truckee, and later moving to Sierra Valley, Kim has performed bookkeeping and administrative work for general contractors, paving contractors, geotechnical engineers, membership resorts, the U.S. Forest Service and local retail shops.
Kim handles the daily accounting operations including accounts receivables and payables. She also manages the office with general administrative and human resources duties and provides excellent customer services to our clients, staff and vendors. Kim is the recycle coordinator for A Step Above and means it when she says, "This bin is NOT for paper but plastic."
Kim has served in the past as a 4-H Advisor, Calpine Volunteer Fire Department Secretary, Sierra Valley Roping Club member, PTA officer, District Water Board Secretary, and EMT. A mother of three now "grown" children, Kim is looking forward to enjoying her free time outdoors (near water), camping, traveling and "seeing the sights." |  John Riina
Residential Project Manager
John Riina is originally from Yonkers, New York. As the son of a successful contractor, John has grown up in the construction trades all his life. He has built many large homes in the Tahoe area and, having lived in Truckee for the past fifteen years, has a great understanding of how the weather affects the properties in this area. He is very knowledgeable on the mechanics of Tahoe properties from hydronics to snow loads and everything in between. Prior to A Step Above, Inc., John Riina was a construction manager for a local contractor in Truckee and has also run construction crews from foundations to finish carpentry in the Tahoe area. John was also a fly fishing guide in Alaska for three summers at Mission Lodge which caters to clients from all over the world. As Project Manager, John has a great understanding of what it takes to deliver a quality job in a timely fashion.  Brent Oerther
Commercial Manager
Brent Orether was born and raised in Kentucky, Brent moved to the west to attend Northern Arizona University to pursue a degree in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Management. After graduating, he moved to Lake Tahoe for the snow and the sun. He now uses this degree and his collegiate experiences as one of A Step Above’s Project Managers. He enjoys snowboarding in the winter and golfing and fishing during the summer.
|  Ryan Healey
Project Coordinator
Originally from upstate New York, Ryan moved to Lake Tahoe in the fall of 1997 to pursue a career in teaching. While attending Sierra Nevada College, he was involved in competitive snowboarding as well as being active in local children's programs. Upon graduation, Ryan was hired by Incline Village General Improvement District at the recreation center. After several years, Ryan moved in a different direction from teaching and into the management side of the recreation business. He became a key figure in managing and running the Incline Village Parks & Recreation Department. After accepting the opportunity to work with ASA, Ryan is looking forward to a new, exciting career in the management field with a growing company. Ryan feels strongly that being the Tahoe area creates the perfect balance for hard work and play. Denise Bremer
Operations - Risk Manager Denise moved to the Tahoe area from Door County, Wisconsin, a popular vacation and second home destination. She has a Business Administration Degree with an emphasis in Management and Marketing from St. Norbert College, DePere, Wisconsin. Denise spent ten years as a property/estate manager for one family with multiple homes in different states. She coordinated all aspects of the estate from cleaning, gardening, scheduling, and everything else to make sure the entire operation ran smoothly and efficiently. She also managed ten other properties with weekly checks, warm-ups, close downs, snow removal, and scheduling contractors. Denise is enthusiastic about working for A Step Above, Inc. as the Quality Control Agent. This allows her to utilize many of her past experiences with property management and in making sure everything is in working order for the clients. Jenacee Torri
Project Supervisor - Northstar Office Jenacee was born in Truckee and raised in the Sierra Valley. She recently graduated from Sonoma State University where she worked with the NCAA Men's Soccer Team as an Office Manager for over five years. Jenacee received her degree in Women's Studies and Sociology and uses her education to better understand the individuals she works with as well as serves. Upon returning to Tahoe, Jenacee found her niche in the hospitality industry and uses her thorough administrative background as one of A Step Above's Commercial Project Supervisors. Jenacee enjoys the summers at Tahoe and spending time with her family, friends and pets. |
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