Lake Tahoe, CA Property Management Company

Evan Benjaminson, Chief Executive Officer

Evan Benjaminson founded Granite Peak Management with his retired business partner, Art Takaki. Evan worked his way up from bellman at Palisades Tahoe Lodge (formerly Sq**w Valley Lodge) in 1992 to owning the management company with Takaki in 1998, expanding Granite Peak Management to what it is today. No two days at Granite Peak Management are alike, and that's the way Evan likes it. The variety of challenges, from homeowner association works to budgeting and long-term planning; everyday proves to be interesting. Evan strives to make Granite Peak Management do more for the community. As a large employer of local residents, he sees opportunities to make a difference in the community that would positively impact his employees, their families and everyone else. Evan has volunteered for the Olympic Valley Municipal Advisory Committee, North Lake Tahoe Resort Association and other local groups. Evan and his wife Shawn have two daughters, enjoy skiing, boating, paddle boarding, mountain biking and hiking.

Rick Pendleton, Chief Operating Officer

Rick comes to Granite Peak Management with a diverse background in real estate, sales, software support and administration. Living in the Truckee-Tahoe area for the last 26 years with his wife and two children, Rick enjoys the people he gets to work with at the company, and collaborating to make things happen.

Living in Southern California, Missouri and Ohio, it was skiing at Palisades Tahoe that first drew Rick to the region, where he worked at Palisades Tahoe Lodge as the night auditor, Olympic Valley Village Inn in sales and as a ski instructor on the mountain. Elsewhere  Rick worked in systems and process analysis for a large real estate company in Southern California and was the Director of Sales and Marketing for Sierra Pacific Hotels.

Rick and his wife, Linda, who is from Scotland, are sending their two daughters off to school, freeing up more time to enjoy the mountain activities that drew them here in the first place - skiing, backpacking, and taking the dogs out for a walk.

Rick is a Certified Community Association Manager and a California Real Estate Broker #01227996.

Brian Doyle, VP of Operations + Asset Management

Brian is the Vice President of Operations at Granite Peak Management, overseeing the facilities and maintenance departments of the company. Working with the variety of clients and projects at Granite Peak Management, Brian enjoys taking on individual properties or entire communities to make them the best they can be and working with owners to meet their goals and stay within budgets. He enjoys building relationships between clients and Granite Peak Management by creating trust. Brian sees Granite Peak Management as a voice in the community and as a trusted partner for property owners, hospitality businesses and homeowner's associations.

With a bachelor's degree in science from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Brian brings a pragmatic approach to problem solving, and is a licensed General Building Contractor. Brian is a fifth generation Californian and a member of The Society of California Pioneers, with ancestry dating back in the Sierra Nevada to 1844. He's lived in Carnelian Bay since 1990 with his wife Joy and two children. Outside of work, he enjoys skiing - both on snow and on water, hiking and whitewater trips.

Dan Tester, VP of Rental Services

Dan is responsible for operations and sales & marketing of Granite Peak Management's rental brands; Palisades Tahoe Lodge and Tahoe Vacation Rentals.
 
To Dan, Granite Peak Management feels like a family, thanks to the long-term relationships developed with both employees and clients. He likes the deep roots Granite Peak Management employees have in the community, raising families, volunteering and being deeply involved in numerous causes.  Dan currently serves on the Board of the North Tahoe Community Alliance (formerly the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association).
 
Bringing 30+ years of hospitality experience to Granite Peak Management, Dan was hired as the Sales Manager at Palisades Tahoe Lodge in 1994, becoming General Manager in 1998. He then became a principal at Granite Peak Management in 2011.
 
Coming from Laguna Beach, CA to Tahoe in 1990 after graduating from the University of the Pacific, Dan and his wife, Julie, were drawn by their passion for outdoor adventures like skiing and mountain biking. They have two sons who compete in freeskiing and mountain bike racing.