Our Team
We love the challenge of turning ideas into reality.
We’re proud of the team we’ve built. From lead carpenters to labourers, our crew is experienced, skilled, and committed to quality. Most have been with us for years, and all bring care, insight, and energy to every build. You’ll get to know them as your project takes shape — the kind of people you’ll be glad to see around town long after the job is done.
Founded by brothers with shared values
Lower Sunshine Coast General Manager
As a co-founder of HLS and our General Manager on the lower Sunshine Coast, Marlin is involved in every part of the process. Born and raised locally, he knows what it takes to build here — the materials, the trades, the community, and the finish. He’s known for pulling together high-performing teams, keeping logistics humming, and making complex projects feel smooth. His eye for detail, love of native materials, and dedication to clean, timeless craftsmanship help define the HLS style.
tel:604.989.1728
email:marlin@hansonlandandsea.com
Marlin Hanson Founding Partner
Powell River-qathet General Manager
Ryan is a third-generation builder with deep roots on the Sunshine Coast. Raised on Gambier Island in a timber frame home his father Lex built, he grew up around sawmills, marine construction, and the heavy timber work that continues to shape the HL&S approach. Ryan worked alongside his father for many years, and beyond the trade skills passed down, it’s Lex’s influence and aesthetic that still drive the design sensibility at HL&S today — though refined through years of independent practice and evolution.
After building alongside his brother Marlin on the Lower Sunshine Coast, Ryan established the qathet division in 2020, drawn to Powell River’s small-town community, its landscape, and the pace of life it offers his family.
Ryan and his wife Catherine make a natural team when it comes to building and design, having worked on over ten personal builds and renovations together. Their collaboration on the Airstream renovation featured in Dwell magazine is one example. Catherine’s creative pursuits include gardening, sewing, sourcing repurposed building materials, and beeswax candle making — interests that often find their way into HL&S projects. Along with their two children, Maeve and Ash, they recently completed Bluff House, their own home, a four-year collaboration that captures everything they love about coastal living.
tel:604.413.7170
email: ryan@hansonlandandsea.com
Ryan Hanson Founding Partner
Lower Sunshine Coast
Howard Leung Design/Coordination/Budget Manager
Howard provides technical expertise with a flair for creative solutions. He has a Masters in Architecture from UBC and a Bachelor in Biochemistry from McGill University.
As a past member of the Canada Green Building Council Education member of the Canada Green Building Council Education green solutions to his projects. He has taught estimating, been a development manager for multifamily, subdivision housing, and complex commercial projects and provided general contracting services for new homes and renovations. With his broad experience, Howard brings design intelligence, practical budgeting, scheduling and project management to each project.
Howard has been in the industry 20 years and run his own building design business for 16 years.
Michelle Smith Admin/Business Operations Manager
Michelle Smith has been a key part of Hanson Land & Sea since 2013, supporting the company from its early days. She oversees human resources, client billing, and accounts payable, ensuring the business runs smoothly day to day.
She values strong working relationships and plays an important role in maintaining the positive, hardworking culture of the company.
Outside of work, Michelle enjoys time in the garden, at the hockey rink, and out on the water exploring the Sunshine Coast.
Kevin has over 25 years of experience in construction, starting at a young age working alongside his father, a general contractor in Fort Frances, Ontario.
After moving to Whistler in the early 2000s, he built his career on large custom homes and estate projects, developing a strong foundation across all aspects of the trade. Kevin is known for his leadership on site and his ability to bring crews together to deliver high-quality work. He takes pride in mentoring apprentices and has supported several through to becoming ticketed carpenters.
Now based on the Sunshine Coast, Kevin is focused on delivering thoughtful, well-built projects while continuing to grow with the Hanson Land & Sea team.
Kevin Sieders Project Manager
Brent has lived and worked on the Sunshine Coast for over 25 years, and during that time has been involved in building some of the coast’s finest homes. Having grown up on a farm in Saskatchewan, he was taught the value of an honest day’s work, and he approaches his work with ingenuity and a collaborative spirit. Good communication is the key to a successful project, along with a steady hand at the wheel. Brent plays a key role in our operations and works closely with clients and crews to ensure each project is built with care, clarity, and attention to detail.
Brent Kachman Operations Manager
Powell River - qathet
Fabian developed his craft in Germany as a finishing carpenter and brings more than 20 years of experience in construction. Before relocating to Powell River in 2021 to join HL&S, he managed a high-end cabinet shop in Calgary and later owned and operated a custom home building company, gaining extensive experience in project management and business leadership.
Guided by his family’s love for the ocean and coastal living, Fabian enjoys life on the coast with his wife Magdalena, a Powell River realtor with roots on the Lower Sunshine Coast, and their two children, Harrison and Delilah.
Fabian Deininger Partner
Dan Foster Head of Design & Pre-Construction Development
Dan is a trained architectural technologist with nearly twenty years of experience delivering custom and architectural projects, from the shop floor to the drafting table to the job site. Before joining HLS, he managed custom millwork projects for high-end homes, ran his own design practice producing 3D models, renderings, and construction drawings, and worked as a timber designer coordinating complex timber, steel, and architectural components.
He moved to Powell River drawn to the lifestyle and work HLS focuses on; local materials, thoughtful design, and homes built to last. Outside of work, Dan enjoys mountain biking, photography, woodworking, and restoration projects.
Erik brings over 30 years of construction experience to HL&S, spanning custom homes, large-scale commercial projects, and everything in between. A journeyman carpenter since 1994, he’s led crews of all sizes — including running his own high-end custom home building company in Calgary. His career has taken him from the Lower Mainland to Puerto Rico, where he managed the construction of two transit stations and implemented a safety program that earned an industry award.
Erik is known for his positive attitude, calm under pressure demeanour, and belief in leading by example. He lives in Powell River with his wife and four children, and when he’s not on site, you’ll find him chasing the kids around or working on the family boat.
Erik Reid Project Manager
Jeff is a Powell River local with deep roots in the community and decades of construction experience. He ran his own contracting company for over ten years, building and managing residential and commercial projects across the region. Before that, he spent years with established builders in the area, working on custom homes from Lund to Hernando Island.
Jeff brings a calm, hands-on approach to project management, strong relationships with local trades and inspectors, and the kind of local knowledge that only comes from building in this community for years.
Jeff Bolland Project Manager
Ruth brings over a decade of office administration and bookkeeping experience to HL&S. She has worked across industries — from the ski industry to managing a log procurement office to running an art gallery — and brings a steady, organized approach to keeping the financial side of the operation running smoothly.
Based in Powell River, Ruth is someone the team counts on for accuracy, reliability, and a willingness to pitch in wherever needed. When she’s not at her desk, she’s windsurfing, sailing Desolation Sound, or on the ski hill.
Ruth Kjorven Finanace
Barbara brings years of HR and administrative experience to HL&S, with a background that includes recruitment, onboarding, staff development, and policy management across organizations of varying sizes. She’s passionate about supporting teams as they grow — building the systems and culture that help people do their best work.
Based in Powell River, Barbara is focused on ensuring HL&S attracts, develops, and retains the kind of people who care about what they build and the community they build in.
Barbara Simmonds HR
Tom Wojtusik General Manager, Property Care
Tom’s career as a software and industrial process engineer started in the heady days of semiconductor technology, wound through enterprise software and cloud platforms, and played a part in digital transformations across higher education and the public sector. Along the way—in large corporations and scrappy start-ups alike—he built deep expertise in program leadership, business process architecture, and technology commercialization.
He has led large-scale initiatives such as multi-year enterprise modernization programs and complex platform deployments, always mindful of how these projects affect the people who must make them work day to day.
Three years ago, Tom and his wife settled in the qathet region, and it quickly felt like home. They spend their free time hiking local trails, paddling coastal waters, and soaking in the natural beauty and wildlife that make this corner of BC so special.
As founder of Land & Sea Property Care, Tom brings that same blend of discipline and care to property stewardship: peace of mind for owners and operators, well-defined systems, clear documentation, reliable coordination, and steady continuous improvement. He’s known for turning scattered information into usable records, building partner networks grounded in respect and collaboration, and designing service processes that are right-sized for the job.
Field Crew
Our qathet field team includes over 20 skilled carpenters, site leads, and tradespeople — many of whom have been with us for years. They’re the hands behind every HL&S build.
Let’s build something extraordinary
Ready to bring your vision to life? Let’s create something extraordinary, together. Contact us today, and let’s get started on your custom home, renovation, or outdoor project.