Staff

• Marc Frank Montoya
• Liko S. Smith
• Petey Marichalar
• Cristina Cole
• Dustin Amato
• Ben Bakke
• Nathan Owen
• Miriam Osorio
• Carlos Torres

Marc Frank Montoya

Co-Founder

Bio:

I'm just gonna start by tellin' people this:If you have an idea of what you wanna do with your life, get off your punk ass and take them steps to make it happen no matter what. Don't be lazy or be a half-asser in anything you do, even if it's sweepin' a floor or makin' some fries at a crappy job. People notice hard, thorough work, and a crappy job won't last long. Pretty soon, you'll come up - if you put the hard work and dedication in.

So uh, anyway....

There were at least a couple really good turning points in my life and they were all because of skateboarding and snowboarding. I'll try to break it down the shortest way I can. I grew up poor in the North Side of Denver. I don't think I was supposed to have a good life but I guess I made some right ass decisions to get where I am! My first and most important lucky ass move in life was getttin' into skateboarding! For some reason, all my lil' neighborhood homies got skateboards to get around on, so I had to get one too. That's when my whole life direction started it's course. A couple of us really started liking it and started gettin' all into it, learnin' different tricks and all that. I was just hooked. It was meant for me, no question. High school hit right after that and I already knew what I wanted to do forever. It kinda messed up my chances of bein' a soccer player but fuck it, I didn't care about anything else! I was a skater for life, without a doubt. It's what saved my life, 'cause pretty soon, one by one, almost all my homies were in different gangs and shit. We all pretty much split up for a while after that. Some homies were North siders, some West Side, some GKI's and the rest were Bloods. I just kept skatin' though, goin' downtown, and meeting a bunch of other skater heads and all that. I was all up in the streets, but always out of all the gang shit. I didn't like all that crazy nonsense, beatin' peoples' asses for no reason and all that! I was still down with all my true homies, but I kept skatin', and that's all I really cared about. I still had to hustle and do some illegal things here and there to get by, but still, I was a skater. Highschool was crazy easy for me so I graduated. All you have to do is basically just show up and halfway pay attention, and you graduate! Then a year or so after highschool I went to California to try to live out the true skate life, but after a little bit, I knew I didn't like Cali. I didn't have any friends there and my beat up little truck finally died so I just came home. Plus, nobody had my back over there so it was bunk. I came back and lived with my Mom for a while and tried to figure somethin' out, but a little bit later she got booted by the landlord, so I had to find a place to stay and get money somehow. I started slangin' and thievin' – basically whatever I had to do to make it. I went to jail a couple times for some little bullshit, and didn't have a good future at all. I even stopped skatin' for a minute and thing's were lookin' pretty grim. That's about when my skateboarder friend Kelly Flynn bailed me out of jail one day and started taking me up to the mountains with him to go snowboarding. Things changed up for me thanks to Kelly. Through him, I met these other people that were moving (up out of Denver) and up to Vail to snowboard, so I started talkin' to them and ended up moving up there with 'em. That's when the next turning point was. That's when I saw the good, different mountain life, away from the daily grind in the city. Somehow, I got enough money to get a pass, and I just rode every day and started gettin' good at snowboarding. I had to do "what I had to do" to come up with a little rent money and some food, and the rest was gravy! That only lasted the one season though and I ended up moving back to Denver for a while but now I had a vision at least. I wanted to be a snowboarder, so I started doin' everything I could to make that happen. I got a job delivering pizzas so I could work at night, and drive an hour and a half up to the mountains every day. I would jack a pizza and a six pack every night for food the next day. I would go every little chance I got, and started gettin' better and better every day. Soon I lost the pizza job but I still kept doin' whatever I had to, to keep gettin' up to the mountains. I'm not sayin' they were good things, but I'm just sayin' that I made it happen. I got up there as much as I possibly could. Then after a bit, people started noticing me and I started meeting people that had the hookups with different snowboard companies n stuff, so I started to get free product from people. Then I started to film with some people that made smaller snowboarding movies and actually got sponsored. As soon as I got my first check from a snowboard company, ooh, that was it! I knew what I was gonna do to get money! I loved it so much already anyway, there was no way I would ever go for anything else! Well really, there was no other choice anyway. I could'nt believe I was really startin' to get paid some legit checks in the mail just to snowboard! I was trippin' for real. I never knew how long it was gonna last so after I bought my turntables with my first couple checks, I just started savin' my money like crazy. I was alway scared somethin' that good would end at any time, so I was just steady stackin' my loot in the bank, always hustlin', thinkin' of other ways to make money. Shit, I'm still hustlin' every damn day! You never know when your luck is gonna change, so I'm lookin' out for the future, always. I work hard and don't sleep that much while I'm young just 'cause I can. Plus, shit's goin' crazy good for me and it's fun, so there ain't no stoppin' me now! I love it, we have all these cool ass Block Hotels goin' up everywhere, I have a snowboard manufacturing company called Biltrite Mfg, I own a skateboard company called Federal Skateboards, and I ride almost every day 'cause I love it and I make some good ass money doin' it! All this is because of my love and dedication to skateboarding and snowboarding and I'm gonna do it 'til I can't anymore. MFM

Liko S. Smith

President/Co-Founder

Accomplishments:

Joined the Army right out of high school, my counselor said college was out of the question for me. Spent 2 years humping a ruck, and then a year punching people in the head with the Army Boxing Team, (beating down soldiers is fun). Went to college right afterwards, stayed on the US Boxing Team and got Bronze at the US Olympic Festival, Bronze at the Pan Am Box Offs  and two national titles in Samoa. I was lucky to be able to travel to different countries and states and beat the shit out of people. Got 2 scholarships in college during that time and then went to work for MGM, Mandalay Hotels, Boyd Gaming, Great Western Hotels and Pacific Valley Investment Group almost general manager to vice president the whole time. By the time I met with Marco to start our own gig, I was over all the corporate bullshit but I don't hate corporate heads, they work 80 hrs. a week, never take time off, spend time away from home, die of stress early and deal with more shit than most people are willing to in jobs they hate; that takes balls and that's the kind of people that grow companies, I think THE BLOCK will get that way except the part that they hate their jobs and die early, people love to work for THE BLOCK, I think it "adds" 20 years to your life to work for a company like ours. No bullshit, no politics, and a lot of snowboarding and drinking; what could be better?

Why Tahoe & Big Bear:

Tahoe was the best place to start THE BLOCK. When Marc and I first got here Snowboarders were roaming around trying to find a place to stay and motels and inns were ridiculous with their prices and at the same time; looking for a reason to toss them out. We were able to open a hotel next to clubs, bars, great restaurants and a rocks throw from the lifts...who knew? It's the same situation in almost every mountain town, that's what gave birth to THE BLOCK, a place for snowboarders, by snowboarders. We started out with a small 28 room hotel called the Lampliter; and when it first opened, more customers walked out than walked in but over time, snowboarders realized what Marc and I were trying to do..the first year was hard but after we got through that; we've been packed almost every weekend. We then bought the crib next door and expanded to 50 rooms and six months after that,..I bought another 56 room hotel down the road, and 6 months after that we opened THE BLOCK at Big Bear. We took everything we learned, and started over in Big Bear and now that place is killin' it! We plan to do the same thing but better in Mammoth, Breckenridge, Canada, France and Switzerland over the next 5 years..it's going to take 100 hrs. a week of effort but that's what I promised Marc..every mountain town. I've been in 10 countries looking for BLOCK's ..now we're getting into creating bars, clubs, building terrain parks, and supporting pro snowboarders. In 10 years..there will be a BLOCK in every major mountain town. I'm the luckiest guy in the world.

Dislikes:

Negative, Predatory or Hateful People and especially people that are mean to kids..you can't get more chicken-shit than that. Also, I despise the lazy, cuz that also leads to stupidity, ignorance and a whole plethora of other shitbird traits that should be carved out of the human condition. Also, people that hate on Marco...I tend to jack those fools up nice and good. Marco is the American Dream, he should be an inspiration and he's the coolest and most down guy you'll ever meet...so when people are hating, my patience takes a bathroom break while paint the street with a bucket of hurt. I've got to stop that shit though, I'll catch a case soon.

Likes:

Anyone with a dream and a plan. We've hired college grads, to high school dropouts, to highway patrol captains to ex cons...we'll take anyone with a plan, some guts and an intense belief in hard work, fairness, honesty, self education and snowboarding. I also love children,..these little heads are the future, and if they can get as much love and understanding as possible; we could prevent wars, gangs, and desperation. Also, people that educate themselves should be treasured,..formally or otherwise, it's always a good day to learn. I try to learn as much as I can every day; that's one thing you can always keep for yourself. Oh yeah,..I love waking up in the morning..between boxing and the Army,..I've got 5 close friends that have died, I respect them everyday by putting my life to use and not wasting it.

Petey Marichalar

Front Desk Agent

Likes:

Haters, French toast, cheetos, counting money, kush, switch flips, pro hoes, cloths, Hennessy.

Dislikes:

Working a real job. When people are just waiting around for me to land a trick when filming, If you don't want to be there then Bounce.

Music:

I keep it real ganster from L.A. to the bay to the dirty dirty BIATCH.

Movies:

Hustle and Flow namean, Whoop that trick, Grandma's boy, Jereme Rogers' neighborhood, Paul Rodriguez's forecast and ice cream vol. 1

Accomplishments:

Ballin son! Waking up every mourning to a stack of cash

Why Lake Tahoe:

I honestly felt like if I came to South Lake that THE BLOCK would take me under their wing.  Sure enough I'm in the game playa!

Cristina Cole

Front Desk Agent

Likes:

Snow, Music, Making cookies and such, art and painting... Sarcasm in large amounts. Myspace is also a dirty pleasure. Snowboarding is a long going passion. Lazy days. Finally, always into meeting new and slightly interesting people

Dislikes:

Eggs. people who are just plain rude and get a thrill from complaining. Bad music

Music:

Aesop, Acid Reign, Sage Francis, Zion I, Miles Davis, Menomena, Disconnect, The Black keys, My Morning Jacket, Tool and any other off projects, Murder City Devils, The American Analog Set, DJ Shadow, Abstract Rude, 6.2, The Roots, and I'm a closet Death Cab Fan

Accomplishments:

Getting back on a board after scoliosis, developing a fine love of art, and pulling myself out of school a year early>

Why Lake Tahoe:

Born and raised. For some reason its like a disease, if you leave you'll always come back. Fresh snow, great people

Dustin Amato

Event Coordinator / Front Desk Agent

Name:

CPL Dustin Amato (The DA, Curly, D-$, Dirty D, Recruit 15)

Likes:

Plannin In Motion Properly, Clockin G's, collecting properties, travelin' the 7 Seas, comparing philosophies, providing opportunity, helping both you and me through mutual objectivity and collaborative energy.

Dislikes:

unwarranted scrutiny, missed opportunity, janitor duty, internal mutiny and all forms of negativity.

Music:

I love to throw parties and shows, some of my favorite live acts are; The Pyrx Band, 1up the acoustic DJ, Jah Sun, Dirt Merchants, Pot Luck, G-ThiZz, Tech N9ne, Del the Funkee Homosapien, Knowbody, Nocturnal Hustlers, Devin the Dude, Living Legends, Tacktikal, Lunch Money Hooligans, Jay-Z, Kanye, Young Jeezy, Cash Money, Scarface, Too Short, Mr. Doctor, X-Raided, Benefit, The Fizz, Beer Can, Fingerprints Lie, Expendables, Dirty Heads, Rebelution, Top Shelf, Barrington Levy, Sub Noize Soldiers, KMK, Bigg B, DJ Crime, Freq Nasty, Los Marijuanos and so many more! RIP: MAC DRE, ODB, 2pac, Notorious B.I.G., Easy-E, Big-L and Jam Master J.

Quotes:

"Whatever you want man I got what you need!"

"I Kick it California Style, like Sunny Delight"

"Summertime, wintertime, on the grind, getting mine, im the king , im the champ, im the genie of the lamp." -Mac Dre

"Im the best and NO I aint positive, im definite, i know the game like i'm reffing it." - Lil Wayne

B1 and the rest will follow - Blaze1
Snowboarding Saves Lives - Automaton Snowboards
Keep it Steazy - Steaz Energy Drink
The Bentley of Nutritional Drinks - Monavie
Hemp Hop Speakers - How may I Hemp you?

Acomplishments:

Owner of Diverse Autonomy - Management, Marketing and Business Consultation services, specializing in digital and print media. Graduated Chico State with a Double Major: Business Management & Spanish with a minor in International Business. Seasoned Traveler; over 17 countries, 4 continents, 10 States and numerous cities. 6th generation of John Sutter (the dude that discovered Gold). Chico Snow Club VP and Advisor, Blaze1 Executive Manager, B1 Records Manager, Jungle Shack Music consultant, Rep for Blaze1, Hemp Hop, Automaton, Monavie, Hustle Skateboards, Smoke Clear, Gravity Vortex, Mendo Mulcher, Stanky Danky and others.

THE BLOCK - taking hospitality to the top!

What I learned in Bootcamp:

Survival of the fittest, takes team work, intelligence and perseverance.

Ben Bakke

Maintenance Supervisor

Likes:

The bluebird days with the mad pow, pretty ladies, fast cars, livin and working the best job in the cosmos, Real people who keep shit legit.

Dislikes:

Stepping in dog shit, the perma funk inside my truck, bill collectors, private numbers, pranksters, ignorant people, lazy fucks, getting locked up, and not gettin none on a friday night!

Movies:

fight club, pulp fiction, reservoir dogs, goodfellas, scarface, Billy Madison... all sorts of shit.

Music:

Rock n Roll, ol skool hip-hop, reggae, and any genre with some genius to it

Accomplishments:

Living life to its fullest, and still surviving. Carpe Diem fo life!

Why THE BLOCK?

I was raised in Vegas and I've worked for THE BLOCK for four years off an on, after working other jobs that suck donkey balls in Vegas I decided its time fo sum change. Livin in Vegas is bunk as fuck, and was slowly killing my will to live, so I packed up ma shit, gave my ma a kiss, an split like Cali or bust muthafucka. Now I'm working at THE BLOCK as maintenance supervisor and workin the front desk, just doin the damn thing. I love this shit, working at THE BLOCK is like therapy.

Nathan Owen

Maintenance Specialist

Name:

My dad calls me "young-blood", but you can call me Nate or Nate-Dogg or Nate-deezy, Nasty, Nature N8, Nate-sta-cio, Nato-potato, 2thousand & N8, or just simply the ill-nana.

Miriam Osorio

Housekeeper

Gustos:

Me gusta dormir ,ver t.v, asolearme en la playa comprar cosmeticos y ropa me gusta corer,comer me gustan las golosinas y disfruto cuando voy a bailar.

Disgustosno:

me gustan  las personas flojas y mentirosas odio la traicion y no me gusta jugar videoguejos no me gusta la musica banda y el famoso pasito duranguense.

Musica:

me gusta el rock progresivo el pop .musica classica y ultimamente el hip hop bueno casi toda la musica.me gusta la musica que escucha mi peluches osea my domador.

Peliculas:

soy apasionada de las peliculas de terror y de las peliculas de ciencia ficcion y una que otra pelicula de drama y suspenso.

Metas:

my meta es sacar adelanta a mi hijo y hacerlo un hombre responsible y de bien otra de mis metas es tener mi casa y mantener mi familia como hasta ahora .me refiero a seguir com mi esposo e hijo unidos.

Por Que  te mudaste a Lake Tahoe?:

porque tengo mas oportunidad de trabajo y de vivir mejor con mi familia y ademas de que es un lugar bello y seguro.

Carlos Torres

Housekeeper

Gustos:

me gusta escuchar musica y ver videos musicales acompanado por amigos y ron Bacardi solera.

Disgustos:

creo que no tengo porque el que se enoja pierde.

Musica:

el rock progresivo, bandas desde frank zappa, hasta dream theater, pasando por rhus, pink floyd, genesis, e.l.p. etc. etc. otros generos musicales son hard rock, fusion, ska, reggae, blues, jazzy classical music.

Peliculas:

ciencia ficcion star wars por supuesto, es mi otro universo de escape.

Porque Lake Tahoe:

creo que es como vivir en el paraiso sin tener que haber muerto.