Dean Coley
Chief Designer & Owner

Dean Coley has been in business for over 45 years.  He started his career in New York working as an apprentice for John Harris, the famous artist, forming and creating Plexiglas furniture.  After his apprenticeship, Dean began his formal woodworking training under John Harrah, a traditional cabinetmaker and master craftsman.  Woodworking has been his trade and passion ever since.  Over the years, Dean would share his craft not only with clients and colleagues but also with his students.  He has taught traditional craftsmanship at the New York School of Research and at Hartnell College on the Central Coast.

Dean returned to his home state of California in 1974 and set up a small shop in Santa Cruz.  Since starting his business on the Central Coast, he has provided architectural millwork and design services for such famous clients as Jessica McClintock and Tracy Chapman.  Over the years his business has grown but his mission has remained tried and true: build high-quality custom cabinetry and architectural elements, and design creatively to match the client’s style and go beyond their expectations.

“AMD has been operating since the 90’s and most of its employees have been with the company for over 20 years. The equipment used in the workshop dates back to the early 1900’s, with a band mill dating all the way back to 1896. These machines allow AMD to create some of the the best quality millwork around. Due to the age of the equipment, replacement parts are no longer available. Dean and his employees are skilled in making the parts in-house to operate and maintain each piece of equipment. ⁠⠀
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The high-quality finished work that is produced by AMD is the result of Dean’s expansive knowledge and experience, highly trained employees with this particular type of equipment, and a true dedication to the craft. It has been a pleasure to work with Dean and his crew and we look forward to many more projects to come!⁠”

- Fuse Architects + Builders

Sandra Coley
Interior Designer

Sandra Coley has been an interior designer for 46 years and has maintained her own separate division of AMD for over 20 years.   She is comfortable and creative with all periods of interior design.  Style, form, functionality, and attention to detail, as well as respect for budget and time requirements, are at the heart of every client’s individual design scheme. 

Craig Buford
Foreman & Master Craftsman

Craig Buford is a foreman and a master craftsman; he supervises our staff, maintains our specialty machinery, and engineers all the products we provide.  Dean and Craig’s shared passion for woodworking has led to a 30-year business relationship and together they continue to serve their clients and develop their craft.      

Gamaliel Ascencio
Traditional Cabinetmaker & Master Carver

Gamaliel Ascencio is a traditional cabinetmaker and self-taught master carver. Gamaliel works on all phases of our projects; but specializes in wood carving.

Carrie Smith
Office Administrator &

Carrie Smith is awesome.