Darrenkamp Named General Manager Of Gr Mitchell

LANCASTER, Pa. - Nov. 18, 2019 - PRLog -- GR Mitchell announced today that Ryan Darrenkamp will be joining their staff as General Manager, effective December 4^th.

Darrenkamp, former VP of Operations at the family-owned Darrenkamp supermarket chain, brings an energetic focus on operations to GR Mitchell's Willow Street headquarters.

GR Mitchell has increased the size of its building material supply operation significantly over their 50-year history and the evolution of its turnkey construction services, via sister company Prime Builder Services, has further accelerated the business. Owner, Tom Keller, points out "The growth that GR Mitchell has experienced in recent years has created a need for a tested leader who can focus on refining processes, identifying opportunities for efficiencies, and leading our employees to ensure that we maintain our quality, level of service, and reputation as we grow."

The General Manager position will work directly with existing staff across all departments including the Willow Street lumberyard, Refton's architectural mill, Prime's turnkey programs, and the True Value retail hardware store. And despite the latter being where Darrenkamp has admitted he feels most comfortable to start because of his background, learning the lumber and building materials industry is a challenge he's eager to accept.

"I am a servant style leader that will get in and get dirty, I'll work side-by-side with the staff to show them I'm not afraid to do anything," says Darrenkamp. "While the product we're selling is obviously different from the grocery store a half mile down the road, management of the business is fundamentally the same: a focus on customer service, quality product, and good leadership."

Despite Giant's interest in retaining him after their acquisition of the 4-store supermarket chain, Darrenkamp took a year-long hiatus, being very selective about his next career move. "I found another family owned business, which is great," says Darrenkamp, who also indicated that this just feels like the right fit. With excitement to get back to work and develop a new routine, he plans to kick-off his time at GR Mitchell by familiarizing himself with the staff, both on a personal and professional level.

Keller expects full onboarding to take anywhere from 6 to 12 months, but is confident that this hiring decision is key to optimizing GR Mitchell's bottom line, long term.  The addition of a GM will also allow Keller to concentrate more on where he started within the organization 8 years ago; Sales.

About GR Mitchell: GR Mitchell (https://www.grmitchell.com/) has been a fixture in the Susquehanna Valley for the past 50 years, providing DIY'ers, remodelers, and builders the products that they need and the level of service they deserve.