About Us
Our Mission
The Mill Shop is a team of experts dedicated to designing, crafting, and installing the finest commercial millwork and casework, quickly, at a reasonable price. We are in the business of building more than carpentry elements for interiors; we want to be your building partner for life.
At the Mill Shop, we focus on making our customers successful by staying connected to why we’re in business in the first place. We know that our primary job is helping you create interior space(s) that your customers, clients or members want to be in and feel at home in. We love what we do, and we feel that it shows.
As a family run company, The Mill Shop is guided by strong ideals. We cultivate solid partnerships by cooperatively working with and across all stakeholders and disciplines: clients, designers, architects and contractors. We understand that these relationships and the quality of our workmanship are the heart of our business. We work hard every day to keep these two facets at the forefront of everything we do.
Our Senior Team
Rick Backus, President
Rick Backus started working in construction at fifteen years old as a carpenter and then a supervisor at Desert Coast Construction in Arizona. At eighteen, he moved to San Diego and became a Project Manager for Colorado Pacific Contractors. In 1983, Rick founded Eleven Western Builders, Inc. with his father, Wayne.
During the early formative years of the company, he served as Vice President and Chief of Estimating along with any other responsibilities. In 1988, Rick assumed the responsibility of President and Chief Executive Officer. As of 2019, Rick Backus holds the titles of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Eleven Western Builders, Inc. and President of The Mill Shop, Inc.
Outside of the office, Rick enjoys off-road racing and traveling with his family. He and his wife Tammy have raised four amazing children and recently celebrated their 32nd anniversary together.
Richard Huey, Chief Financial Officer
Richard has over thirty years of financial management and accounting experience including fourteen years in commercial and residential construction. Prior to working in construction, he gained eight years of public accounting experience with the international accounting firm KPMG. Richard is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CSCPA).
Richard is responsible for all financial matters including internal and external financial reporting, tax planning and compliance, cash management, forecasting and banking relationships, legal, insurance and bonding relationships and requirements, employee compensation and benefits, and owner/client and subcontractor contract review and approval.
He is an avid sports fan and aspiring golfer. Richard and his wife, Maribeth, have raised four outstanding children together.
James DeCremer, Vice President of Operations
James DeCremer has over 30 years working in the construction industry. His very first job was working in a cabinet shop as a Shop Laborer/Cabinetmaker in 1989. Since then, working in the Millwork industry has been a such a big part of his life that he has become an avowed expert at it.
James joined The Mill Shop in 2018 as Vice President of Operations. He manages daily operations; monitoring and analyzing inventory, seeking cost-effective strategies, overseeing projects and exceeding customer expectations. His favorite aspect of his job is embracing modern day woodworking technology, while still maintaining the custom aspects of the craft. His greatest strength is being able to bring his extensive knowledge of woodworking from antiques to modern day.
Outside of the office, James enjoys fishing, hiking, camping and spending time with his two kids, Ashley and Joshua, and wife Dawn. If they are not doing outdoor activities, you can find the family working on their horses and miniature donkeys. James enjoys all the time he can spend with his family and considers it precious.
Karlo Munoz, Field Manger
Karlo Munoz has been working in the construction industry for more than 20 years. He first joined Eleven Western Builders in 2001. Karlo left for a short period of time and returned to the company in 2008. When he returned to Eleven Western Builders, he soon became The Mill Shop’s Field Manager. His favorite aspect of his job is seeing the results of projects from start to finish.
Karlo is responsible for overseeing multiple projects at a time by supervising the staff at each site, ensuring all projects are completed on schedule and that the standards of quality are met.
When Karlo is not in the office he enjoys spending time with his wife and three boys. The favorite thing they do as a family is to take their motorhome and off-road vehicles to the desert and the mountains. When his family is not in the mountains or desert you can find them enjoying a game of paintball or playing sports.