ABOUT US

PHOTOS

COLLISION

AUTOMOTIVE

RENTAL

NEWS

LANCASTER - Dean DeRolph found himself getting choked up when he told his employees the company was chosen as the Large Business of the Year.

DeRolph, owner and president of Kumler Collision and Automotive, said he loves his job and the people he works with.

"You always hear business owners say, 'It's about the people,' when they win an award," DeRolph said. "It is about the people, but it's about having the right people."



He said the 33 employees at Kumler cheered when they heard the news of the company's award. Kumler Collision and Automotive was chosen as Business of the Year with more than 26 employees by the Lancaster Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce.

Some of the criteria for being chosen include: innovation of new product or service, record of service to the community and record of sound business ethics.

"When I read those criteria, they hit on every one of them," Chamber of Commerce President Travis Markwood said. "They have a great employee program and everyone is really happy to be working for Kumler."

DeRolph said his company, founded in 1928, rebounded from one of its worst years in 2008 to have one of its best years in 2009 - despite a difficult economy.

He credited the turn-around to increasing shop hours for customer convenience and teaching new technology to workers during slow periods.



"That is time to embrace new technology," DeRolph said. "what can we do smarter to put out a better product? We are always on the cutting edge and you have to have people that embrace that.

One of the changes was switching to a water-based paint.

The paint is more costly and takes longer to dry, but is better for the environment and gives the closest match after it dries.

DeRolph said good customer service is a message he stresses to all the employees.

"One of the big keys to our success is our longevity of service. We just don't lose (employees)," he said.

DeRolph said that is important when the average customer has a wreck only once every seven years.

"They can come in and say, 'Seven years ago Brian worked on my car. I'd like to have him work on it again,'" he said. "The cool thing is we can say he's still here."



Tony Gabriel is one of the long-tenured employees at Kumler. Gabriel, 40, has worked at Kumler for 21 years.

"It's really great here," Gabriel said. "Dean (DeRolph) really treats everyone with respect. I wouldn't want to work anywhere else."

Gabriel said he works about 50 hours per week in the paint shop and was glad to hear the company was picked as Business of the Year.

"It makes me feel really good that everyone respects us for what we do for them," he said.

He said he started working at Kumler after graduating high school and has no plans of leaving anytime soon.

"I'll be here another 21 years, if not longer, until I retire," he said.

article by Joe Giessler
photos by Abigail S. Fisher
The Eagle Gazette Staff
January 23, 2010