Shaker Painting, like many other companies, has a set of guiding goals and philosophies. We want to be known for our principles, commitment to customers, commitment to education, and relentless focus on service.
Peel back a layer and you’ll uncover the structure of policies, procedures, and standards that give shape to our company.
Look even closer and you’ll see the incredible people who make what we do possible. These are the dedicated professionals at every level and in every role who act as the arms and hands of our aspirations.
Today, we’d like to introduce you to Edward Gonzales, our Production Manager, who plays an integral role in every job we take on. He is a person worth celebrating for so many reasons, not the least of which is his depth of experience, skill, and the positive attitude he brings to his role every day.
An Extraordinary Manager and Troubleshooter
Ed joined us a couple of years ago after seeing our ad on LinkedIn, and a positive introduction/interview with Brent. He says he “liked that Shaker Painting was a small company with a lot of opportunity…”
Not only does Ed have direct experience in the painting industry, but he also is from a family of painters. This unique perspective allows him to see solutions that aren’t always evident to our crew leaders on-site, making him an ideal Production Manager.
In short, his role includes:
- Reviewing proposals with estimators to ensure that the estimated processes and production/spread rates are achievable and realistic
- Assigns crews to upcoming projects
- Works closely with estimators to establish labor budgets
- Creates subcontractor agreements, when necessary
- Collaborates closely with our admin department and marketing team
- Oversees weekly production/job status meetings
- Established our quality assurance procedures and helped create our certified safety training program
Shaping a Company and Skyline
As we mentioned above, Ed liked the idea of working with a smaller company where every voice is heard and valued. At the same time, he says that he enjoys that Shaker Painting is “large enough to be involved in projects that change our city’s skyline.” We love that too!
Ed’s strengths include experience, patience, and a commitment to personal and professional growth. On a professional level, he invested time in coaching for a year, holding himself accountable for his learning and development. He says that one of his biggest takeaways was the importance of providing feedback as he coaches his own team.
Along a similar vein, Ed says that he makes it a priority to teach to fish, rather than give a fish, both at home and work. This is part of his growth mindset which he says he really observed and learned from his 10-year-old daughter. Children can definitely be some of our wisest teachers, if we have the humility to learn from them.
We also appreciate that Ed enjoys shaping the next generation of employees, taking every opportunity to enrich and educate. As he says, “It’s important to me to teach what I’ve learned to the next ones in line.”
A Husband, Father, and Grandfather
When he isn’t contributing to our day-to-day operations, Ed loves nothing more than spending time with his kids and grandkids. He also tells us that he admires his wife Phyllis: “She gives 100% of herself to our family each & every day without expecting anything in return. She loves us like Jesus does!”
We’re so grateful for Ed and all that he contributes, and we know our clients appreciate him and his guidance too. What a privilege to have an exceptional team, made up of exceptional people!
