Meet the 89-Paint Management Team
Ethan Wirt - Owner and President
Ethan was born and raised in the greater Richmond area. After graduating as valedictorian at Collegiate, he earned his Bachelor's Degree from UVA. Ethan has been an entrepreneur from a young age and has been channeling that energy in the painting industry since 2002. His goal is to empower his employees (many of whom are young entrepreneurs) to be creative and go for their dream. He created 89-Paint in 2006 to provide an elevated contractor experience to clients. While Ethan isn't working, he enjoys golf, travel, and having fun (anywhere!). He is happily married to his wife, Susanne, and they have three children together.
Susanne Wirt - Owner and Head of Administration
Susanne was born and raised in Midlothian, VA. She attended St. Edward-Epiphany School and Saint Gertrude High School. After earning her degree from Elon University, she spent 10+ years in the new construction / real estate arena. During this time, she gained experience in everything from contract negotiation to marketing. While not at work, Susanne is busy with her husband, three children, two bulldogs, two cats...did we mention the large (and fun!) extended family? As an added bonus, she was an exterior house painter as a teen, which is how she met her husband, Ethan Wirt.
Will - Vice President and Head of Sales
Will is a Virginia native, growing up in Roanoke, VA. He is a VCU graduate and has worked in internet marketing and account management. Will is now in sales as a Project Consultant for 89-Paint. Music is a long-time passion of Wills, and he is currently in a band (which is touring this summer!). In his spare time, he likes to play music, spend time with his girlfriend, travel, and hang out with his dog, Misha.
Cassidy - Project Manager
Cassidy was born and raised in Chesterfield County, Virginia and attended Clover Hill High School and then graduated from the University of Montana. After working in retail, she was in the education industry beforevjoining the 89-Paint Team. In Cassidy's free time, she enjoys walks and spending time at the River.
James - Project Manager
James was born and raised in the desert in southwest Arizona and is bilingual in English and Spanish. He attended the University of California at Berkeley where he earned a BA in Architecture. He brings a wealth of knowledge from his life experiences and work as a commercial property manager. He even taught English as a second language in South America. In his spare time, James enjoys competitive sailboat racing, writing, and working on home projects with his wife.
Sandy - Crew Leader
Sandy was born in a quiet town in Brazil. After graduating high school, he came to the United States and began his painting career. He has been painting professionally for over 25 years. Sandy has many hobbies, including cooking, running, and hiking. He is a longtime associate of 89-Paint and one of the best painters in the business!
Alex - Project Manager
Alex was born and raised in Colonial Heights, Virginia and attended Colonial Heights High School. He moved to Richmond and took classes at VCU until deciding to move into the booming RVA culinary scene. During his five years in the food industry, he gained knowledge as a chef and manager. He is excited to translate this experience to painting. In his spare time, he plays drums with different bands around Richmond - including a band with guitarist Will Wagstaff.
Zach - Project Manager
Zach was born and raised in Northern Virginia and attended NoVA Community College. After a year of working in the contracting industry, he made the move to Richmond to devote more time to music. He is joining the 89-Paint team as a painter to continue learning about the contracting world. In his spare time, Zach enjoys playing guitar and listening to records.
Taylor - Head of Production
Taylor was born and raised in Roanoke, Virginia and went to Radford University for her Bachelors in Interdisciplinary Studies and Masters of Education: General and Adapted Curriculum K-12. She has spent years as a special education teacher/case manager in Henrico County where she worked with students with Autism, Intellectual Disabilities, and Emotional Disabilities. In her spare time, Taylor enjoys exercising, cooking new recipes, spending time with her two 2 dogs, Irie and Heidi, and her cat, Henry. She and her husband are often spending time down by the river, exploring trails, trying out new restaurants, and going to music shows.