STIRLING PAINTING - Key Persons
"We are a different kind of painting contractor. I hear that a lot. And I'm proud of it. I think what people mean by that is that they aren't used to working with contractors they feel so comfortable with.
If nothing else, my job is to constantly make sure that, as a company, we are putting the client first. I've lived in the Valley all my life. Went to Moravian College. Studied at Lehigh. Have lived in Historic Bethlehem for over two decades. I get genuine satisfaction from our company making the Valley a more beautiful place… one house at a time.
I learned the trade while working for the previous owner while I was in school, and I was extremely lucky to grow up with a group of friends with an incredible amount of energy and entrepreneurial spirit, even at a young age. There isn't a chance I'd be where I am today without them and without having such an incredible business partner.
When I'm not working, I'm very likely with my wife Katie trying to tire out Winnie, our chocolate lab. In the rare cases Winnie is tuckered out I'll work on my very mediocre guitar skills, read what Katie would consider very boring historical biographies (if you haven't read David McCullough's early books you don't know what you're missing) or enjoy a couple of appetizers at the Apollo Grill.
What I'm most proud of when it comes to Stirling is the team. What an amazing group of people to be able to work with. I honestly can't wait to see what the next few years bring."
"I started working for contractors when I was 15. I worked summers during high school and college for local remodelers and painters. My grandfather and father were drywall contractors. My brother is a contractor. So I come from a family of tradesmen and contractors and was surrounded by it growing up.
While working towards a business degree from Penn State, I was a server during the school year. Through this work, and helpful advice from my father (who also owned a restaurant) and my professors, I learned the art of customer service, how to be a leader, and how to be effective and balanced in an ever-changing environment.
After graduation, I worked in Human Resources for a large corporation in Connecticut where I did recruiting, onboarding, performance evaluations, and leadership development. I was mentored by some amazing people and had the opportunity to travel abroad for an early-career leadership development program. During a self-assessment study I took on the trip, I scored high marks in Entrepreneurship and Self-Motivation. That's when I decided to move back to the Lehigh Valley and take Matt Stirling's offer to purchase the company with Andy.