At Global Finishing Solutions® (GFS), we pride ourselves on being experts in the finishing industry. Our greatest strength — and the reason we have evolved into industry leaders — is due to the contributions of our employees. This is especially true for a company of our culture and size. Although a large, growing business — with more than 400 employees — our heart remains rooted in small-town, homegrown values.
At the forefront of the finishing technology industry, GFS is continuously improving its product lines and developing new products that improve paint finish quality, increase throughput and exceed performance requirements. This dedication to longevity and forward-thinking has made us committed to the health and safety of our customers and employees, as well as the communities around us, which is why we work to produce the most ecologically conscientious environments on the market.
GFS believes that every employee makes their mark on a company and should be empowered to make decisions and have an impact on our business. Our commitment to continuous improvement and growth translates into career opportunities for employees who seek additional opportunity.
Owned by the Curran Group, a family-owned and operated holding company based in Illinois that provides stability, resources and added financial strength, GFS continues to run our business independently in Osseo, Wisconsin.
Our core values define our company culture and guide every aspect of our business, including our employees. A low turnover rate — with many of our employees staying with us through retirement — is a testament to the culture we have built and live by.
We are focused on our family of exceptional employees. With a people-first approach and limitless opportunities, our people have every chance to flourish.
Never forgetting that business decisions impact people's lives, we infuse fairness and prefiessionalism into all that we do.
Side by side, striving for shared goals, we align with people who share our core values and exceed our expertise.
We abide by unwavering standards of ethics and walk-the-talk principals. Our corporate culture is so steeped in character, it holds up even when the lights are off.
With keen eyes and vast resources, we constantly think ahead to be better and go farther for long-term success.
Dana Kensmoe works as a welder for GFS. When she first started at the company, it was only 12 minutes from where she lived. Now, she gladly drives 45 minutes each way because “the benefits and the people are great.”
“You don’t stay at a job for almost 30 years if you don’t like the people you work with — I love them like family!”
“Working at GFS has allowed — and encouraged — me the flexibility of having a life outside of work, coach my kids in multiple sports, as well as being able to grow as a leader and a person.”
I started working on the paint line at DeVilbiss while I went to school. When they merged with Blowtherm, I was hired as an engineer. Since the Team Blowtherm merger with JBI that created Global Finishing Solutions, I am now the primary mechanical engineer for our refinish product line. I work from our Barrie office in Ontario, so I communicate daily with our design, engineering and refinish sales departments. Communication is key, and the other big factor is trust. Although there have been many changes and mergers through the years, what has kept me with GFS is that it is a company that practices what it preaches in terms of their core values. Leadership means what they say, and I have seen them be flexible with people’s hours. They’re there for people when they’re sick or have children who are sick; that’s the big difference.
You can go just about anywhere to find a job that is mentally stimulating, but the other side of that is knowing the company will be there for you when you need it.
“Improvement is understanding that failure is often an integral part of advancement and success when implementing process. changes. Failure leads us to a deeper understanding of what’s going to work and what’s not going to work. Setting lofty goals that are hard to achieve can generate unexpected outcomes. If you’re not failing sometimes, you’re not pushing yourself hard enough to succeed and find those improvements.
“It’s human nature to have aversion to change. We all get comfortable in the day-to-day luxury of our thought process and the repetition of it. To get everyone to think outside of that comfort box, they need to be involved in the improvement process. Everyone needs to have a voice and be heard, and to feel like they’re not being spurned by the changes that are being made. Their thoughts and ideas for improvement are welcomed with open arms.
“Improvement means going above and beyond your typical workload. It is going to take extra hours, but that extra effort should eventually pay off, as the short-term sacrifices are going to be worth those long-term improvements and gains. And improvement must be a team effort. Wherever we want to go and whatever we want to do, we need each other to make it happen.
“When you have a heavy focus on improvement, you start to realize that it’s a never-ending process. Sometimes, you get caught up in, ‘What’s the next improvement we need to make? What’s the next step we have to take?’ But you also need to take the time to celebrate your wins and accomplishments.”
I started at JBI Spray Booths as a metal fabricator in 1999. When we were acquired by Curran Group, we started looking at advancements in the machines we were using. We purchased a turret machine, and I ran it before I started programming the turrets in the CNC programming department.
An opportunity arose for an industrial sales estimator, and I applied. I got the job in the industrial department and eventually became the Canadian sales manager. That job led me to selling automotive refinish truck paint booths in Canada as well, and I eventually became the truck sales manager in the refinish department. Today, I manage auto refinish national accounts, Canadian sales, East Coast distribution and major truck accounts, such as Penske.
GFS has given me a gift in the ability to grow. If I didn’t know something, the company would let me learn it and give me time to learn it. GFS gave me confidence and helped me grow as a person. Working here has made me a better person and made me believe in what I can do
A big part of accounting is ensuring the integrity of our processes and systems. Making sure we’re compliant with accounting principles and covering our customers, all while seeing the big picture for the company. I’m always open and honest, and I try to be professional about it. It’s not always the answer you want to hear, but I’m always honest.
Another part is giving credit where credit is due. I play a role, but it is our team as a whole that does amazing work. When you make a mistake, you own it and put steps in place to make sure it doesn’t happen again. We hold each other accountable and follow through on commitments.
