For a company that specializes in excellent customer service, CertaPro Painters only hires the best of the best. Dan Tirpak, Residential Sales Associate, is one of the company’s newest team members. With his wealth of knowledge and experience, Tirpak will continue to deliver quality results to the residents of Northwest Indiana.
Tirpak began working with CertaPro at the beginning of May 2018, but his experience in the paint and finishing industry began long before then. After growing up in Cleveland, Ohio and graduating from Cleveland State University with a degree in Marketing, Tirpak immediately started to gain experience through a Sherwin Williams management training program. After trainingUpon completion of the training, he served as a manager at Sherwin Williams for a few years.
Around this time, Tirpak met his future wife while on vacation. They got married in Cleveland and moved to Northwest Indiana shortly after. In 2007, Tirpak began working at Pittsburgh Paints (PPG) in downtown Griffith, where (PPG). During this time he played an integral role in the acquisition process in which PPG bought out ICI Glidden in Hammond. During the acquisitionmerger, Tirpak accepted took on the challenge of managing two stores simultaneously, before closing the Griffith location and creating a region-wide commercial store in Hammond.
“I actually closed the store in downtown Griffith and merged it with the Glidden store up in Hammond. So I was tasked with running two stores for a month and a half while shutting one down and transferring inventory over,” he said. “That acquisition created a commercial store in the Region.”
This month, Tirpak joined the CertaPro team. Having gone through specialized training and having played an important role in the acquisition, Tirpak knew he was ready to fully contribute to CertaPro.
“Based on my experience, I thought that it was a good fit for me, a good opportunity for my family,” he said. “It seemed like a close-knit group, a very ‘family’ atmosphere. That definitely helped me make the decision.”
A father of three young kids, Tirpak is a proud family man who enjoys taking family trips every chance they get. The family has been to Gatlinburg, Myrtle Beach, Dallas, Upstate New York, and Cleveland, just to name a few. His involvement at CertaPro gives him the incredible opportunity to not only provide for his family, and, but also be an excellent role model for his children.
“My biggest motivation is just trying to be a role model for my kids at home,” said Tirpak said. “Me and my wife, everything we do revolves around our kids. We’re always trying to give them more experiences, take them new places, ...but without having a hard work ethic and being able to accomplish things, it doesn't matter.”
His new role at CertaPro allows him to put his best foot forward. An average day is filled with phone calls, setting up and confirming appointments, and travelling across Northwest Indiana to meet new customers. Because of his in-depth knowledge and experience, and as well as his friendly demeanor, Tirpak can offer top-notch service.
“My main focus now is product knowledge. When I’m out there talking with the customer, I’m not just talking what color, what sheen, or how many gallons of paint; I’m actually trying to help them out and determine what’s the situation,” he said. “I'm familiar with the product, the application processes, the specifics of where to use certain products in certain situations.”
Having worked with three separate paint and finish providers over the years allows Tirpak to truly understand the products and fully convey options to his customers. His determination will mean future success for his company, his customers, and his family.
To learn more about CertaPro Painters, please visit their website.
