Painter Kenny Ebright holds two unique positions at H.J. Holtz & Son: He’s currently the only team member who is certified to use Fine Paints of Europe, and he’s second in longevity to only company president Rick Holtz. Ebright was hired 30 years ago, just nine months after Rick Holtz joined the company founded by his grandfather.
“Rick and I have been through everything together, done everything together; we’ve bonded,” Ebright says with a chuckle.
Ebright says his education at the hands of the “old-timers” was essential in learning how to do a job the Holtz way. “I was taught very well by the people here,” he says, pointing to the leadership provided by founder Herman J. Holtz and his son and successor Richard L. Holtz, Sr.
Part of what he learned, Ebright says, is how to focus on the task at hand. “I look at my work differently than some other folks,” he says. “I think about what’s the fastest and best way to get the job done. If they give me two weeks to do a job, I work to get it done sooner, so we have a couple of days to go back and double check – then you don’t have to go back to fix.”
Last year, Rick Holtz asked Ebright to speak to a group of contractors who were visiting the shop to learn about effective business strategies. “Rick called me into the conference room, introduced me to all these people, then said, ‘You can ask him questions; I’m out of here.’ And he walked out the door.”
Ebright says the contractors wanted to know about the Holtz culture, organization, work flow, how he runs his painting team. “I told them, the goal is always to work toward the time goal. You can’t let time catch your feet, you’ve got to stay ahead on your feet. That’s how you make money.”
After three decades with H.J. Holtz & Son, Ebright knows what’s expected of him and delivers. “People here know and respect me,” he says, “because I give them respect, too.”