Our Leadership

Jeff Lennberg¹ is a friendly and articulate guy who has the demeanor of your favorite and toughest schoolteacher, which is what he graduated from college to do in the first place. But he paid his way through college working for a general contractor, learning and enjoying all sorts of building trades—most notably painting and carpentry. This made him an easy mark for Genesis owner Brandon Vincent. Reports Jeff, "I talked to Brandon for about 20-minutes and I was convinced." That was more than 14 years ago. Jeff worked for a few weeks as a Genesis Painter, very quickly became a Supervisor, and then an Estimator/Project Manager. Asked about his work in general, Jeff exudes integrity, and you almost get the feeling he's challenging you to be as forthright. He says, "Every customer is taken care of. If I tell them it will happen, it will happen. It better happen. Follow-through is very important to me. I want my word to be golden." (We told you he has the demeanor of your favorite and toughest schoolteacher.) A family man, dad to three girls, and accomplished rock-n-roll guitarist and drummer, Jeff is also a pastor at his church and officer of the River Food Pantry. Ask him how he can help you with your painting project by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Bob Salzman¹ has been in the painting industry more than 20 years. He earned a degree in Police Science after leaving high school, gravitating to a job where he could "work directly with people and help them." But a "temporary" gig at Hallman Lindsay Paints had him doing just that: dispensing advice and service to commercial contractors, and he loved it. So as a "people person," it's probably no wonder that Bob moved into retail, managing a Menard's paint department before joining Genesis Painting as an Estimator/Product Manager. Asked what he likes about his career at Genesis, the first thing Bob said was, "It's like family here…" Then he added, "…the thrill of meeting different people every day who have different needs. Every customer has a different central concern. Some people know a lot about paint. Some people know nothing about it. So you never know what kinds of questions customers might ask…or what they might need to know." Bob says that the biggest change he has seen in the painting industry during the last 20 years has been the focus of eco-friendly products and processes. A family man, dad to two adult boys, recent grandpa, and self-described "sports nut," Bob is a supporter of the American Kidney Foundation and the American Diabetes Society. Ask him how he can help you with your painting project by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Sandy Mahlum¹ is the kind of person you would want on board if you needed to herd a large clutter of cats. She joined Genesis as General Manager more than 14 years ago after a career in sales, property management, and a short list of administrative positions, all of them requiring her to manage diverse people and processes. Sandy recruits, hires, and manages Genesis Painters. As well, she is in charge of scheduling projects, which is no small task. For example, although she says "everyone can do everything," Genesis crews are not ad hoc. Instead, each is a team with a particular expertise: residential, commercial, interiors, exteriors, Victorian precision-work, larger projects, smaller projects, prep teams, etc. Imagine a matrix of different jobs, different teams, different schedules, and the slings-and-arrows of outrageous fortune (like someone gets the flu), and you can appreciate her logistical challenges. She also does the payroll and otherwise manages the front office. Ask about her hobbies and Sandy doesn't miss a beat. She looks up, smiles, and says, "Grandchildren!" She has two, the son and daughter of Brandon Vincent. And if you think that makes her Brandon's mother…you'd be correct. Ask Sandy how she can help you with your painting project by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Brandon Vincent¹ is über busy with his business and community work. So you might think the guy who 18 years ago launched what has become the largest and fastest-growing painting company in Madison legitimately wouldn't have time for you. But look up the word "approachable" in Webster's and you'll find Brandon's picture there. (Okay, we're kidding.) Suffice to say, like the folks he tends to surround himself with, Brandon is an extremely "other-focused" individual, trying to treat people how he would like to be treated in the same situation, and which you might recognize as The Golden Rule. Brandon learned how to paint—carefully—under the tutelage of his dad, who was in the home improvement business. Brandon began Genesis concentrating on superior craftsmanship, and quickly realized that his customers equally valued commensurately superior customer service, as well as an ironclad guarantee against anything going wrong in an industry where things often do. It wasn't so much a marketing plan as a commitment to that Golden Rule. Brandon will tell you that he is a "big idea" person and that he depends on his Leadership team for execution—especially his General Manager Sandy Mahlum. A family man and father of two girls, he is extensively involved in community causes and charities, most notably the Damascus Road Church, the River Food Pantry, Pathway Home, and many others. Ask Brandon how he can help you with your painting project by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Laurie Lundgren¹
Professional Color Consultant and Decorator

It's difficult to imagine someone more qualified to be a professional color consultant than Laurie Lundgren1. First and foremost, she's a talented artist: a God-given gift she uses to create masterful murals and faux finishes for the interior walls of homes and businesses. And then there's her training and experience. Laurie earned her B.A. in communication with complementary emphases in printing, graphic arts, and business administration; and she's been a professional color consultant for more than 18 years. So she's not only trained to listen and hear what you desire in the way of decorating your home. She brings formal training and economic sense to the enterprise. Laurie likes to remind her clients that "paint is a design tool, not just a protective coating for your walls." She explains that she "loves to enter a home and take inspiration from what's already there," and that one of her chief design goals is to "create a unity of color that flows from room to room." But probably the most telling remark about Laurie and her approach to decorating is this one: "I want my client's to love their house more than they did before they met me!"

¹Individual interviews conducted by Stephen G. Barone, a Madison based freelance writer.