Charles J. Toeniskoetter

Chuck co-founded Toeniskoetter Construction and Toeniskoetter Development in 1983 after serving as Vice President and a member of the Board of Directors of the Carl N. Swenson Co., a leading San Jose construction/development company. From inception, the business philosophy was to provide high-quality construction and to develop and hold for its portfolio buildings of enduring design, materials and value. Over the years, Toeniskoetter has received more than 30 awards for excellence. It has developed more than 3 million square feet of commercial space and has retained a portfolio in excess of 2 million square feet. Professional achievements range from the restoration of San Jose’s St. Joseph Cathedral to the renovation of Hewlett Packard’s World Headquarters.

Chuck and co-founder Dan also accomplished another remarkable achievement. They provided a second generation of leadership while still remaining active in the business. They did this by selling the construction business in January 2003 to Tony Mirenda, a professional engineer and long-time Toeniskoetter employee, and by turning over day-to-day operations of the development company to Brad Krouskup, who joined the development company at its founding in 1983. Additionally, three Toeniskoetter children have joined the company. Erin Toeniskoetter runs property management, whose growth is fueled by development and acquisitions of Silicon Valley properties and third-party management contracts. Leah Toeniskoetter’s responsibilities include securing entitlements for a major residential and resort development at Bear Valley in California’s Alpine County. Adam Toeniskoetter, the youngest, is a Project Manager for the newest company addition, Toeniskoetter Construction, Inc.
          
In 1987 Chuck and partners Dan Breeding and Steve Hallgrimson began acquiring holdings in the High Sierra resort of Bear Valley, which ultimately included Bear Valley Lodge, retail center, cross-country and downhill skiing, water company and approximately 12 acres of developable land in the heart of the Village of Bear Valley. The current village development proposal consists of 365 condominium and condo-hotel units, 47,000 square feet of retail and support amenities and a high-speed chairlift connecting the village with the Bear Valley Mountain Resort.     

Toeniskoetter has long been associated with community service, and Chuck has held leadership positions in numerous civic, charitable and professional organizations. Current volunteer work includes the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture Advisory Council, Downtown San Jose Rotary Club and the Stroke Awareness Foundation, of which he was a co-founder. Community recognition includes Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame, Boy Scouts Distinguished Citizen Award, San Jose Chamber of Commerce Community Leadership Award, 100 Fastest Growing Companies in Silicon Valley and Silicon Valley Business Journal’s Entrepreneur of the Year with Dan Breeding. Chuck is a member of the Board of Directors of three publicly traded companies, SJW Corp. (San Jose Water Co.) and Redwood Trust, Inc., both New York Stock Exchange companies, and Heritage Commerce Corp., a NASDAQ company.  

Chuck received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame in 1967 and an M.B.A. from Stanford University in 1973. He served as an officer in the Marine Corps from1967 to 1970, including a tour in Vietnam, and completed his service as a Captain and Company Commander at Camp Pendleton, California. From 1973 to 1975, he was a management consultant for McKinsey & Company in the San Francisco office.

Riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles ranks high among his personal pursuits. On them he has traveled widely throughout the West, often in company with other Silicon Valley business and professional leaders.