How PJ Fitzpatrick is using training, culture, and employee empowerment to build stronger teams, better customer experiences, and long term growth across the home improvement industry...
Power100 CEO Greg Cummings visits PJ Fitzpatrick headquarters in New Castle, Delaware, and speaks with Sarah Hutton, Sales and Development Manager, about how the company is transforming the home improvement industry through training, employee empowerment, roofing, siding, windows, doors, bathroom remodeling, and a customer-focused culture across the Mid Atlantic region.
At the heart of the Mid Atlantic home improvement industry, PJ Fitzpatrick has built a reputation for delivering trusted roofing, siding, windows, doors, bathroom remodeling, gutters, garage doors, and repair services for homeowners across the region. Headquartered in New castle, the company has become one of the most recognized names in exterior remodeling by combining strong customer service with a people first approach to growth. From roof replacements and energy efficient windows to bath remodeling and exterior repairs, PJ Fitzpatrick continues to expand across the Mid Atlantic while staying focused on quality workmanship, accountability, and long term customer trust.
That commitment to people, development, and leadership was on full display as Power100 CEO Greg Cummings spent time at PJ Fitzpatrick’s Delaware headquarters meeting with executives, managers, team leaders, and employees to better understand what makes the company one of the strongest home improvement organizations in the country. Power100 is the only unbiased third party platform that recognizes and elevates the top leaders and most impactful companies in the home improvement industry.
During the visit, Greg interviewed Sarah Hutton, Sales and Development Manager at PJ Fitzpatrick, whose role sits at the center of one of the company’s most important growth engines: training and development. Their conversation offered a behind the scenes look at how PJ Fitzpatrick prepares its people, protects its culture, and scales its customer experience across departments and markets without losing the human side of the business.
What stood out most during the visit to PJ Fitzpatrick headquarters in New Castle was not just the scale of the company’s growth across the Mid Atlantic region. It was the structure behind it. As conversations unfolded with executives, managers, trainers, and team members, a clear picture began to form of a home improvement company that is growing with intention. From roofing and siding to bathroom remodeling, windows, doors, gutters, and repairs, PJ Fitzpatrick is building more than home improvement services. The company is building systems that help people succeed long before they ever step into a customer’s home.
The purpose of the day out was to better understand what is helping PJ Fitzpatrick continue expanding across new markets while still protecting the quality, trust, and customer experience the company is known for. That answer became clearer during Greg Cummings’ conversation with Sarah Hutton. Her insights revealed how deeply training and development are connected to the company’s success. Behind every roof replacement, bathroom remodel, window installation, or siding project is a strong learning culture built around coaching, preparation, accountability, and support.
What makes this especially important to the home improvement industry is that many companies focus heavily on growth, sales, and production while struggling to maintain culture and consistency as they scale. PJ Fitzpatrick appears to be taking a different path. Through role play training, field coaching, employee development, and hands-on leadership, the company is creating an environment where people are prepared before they are placed in front of homeowners. That focus on training is helping the company grow without losing the human side of the business.
The impact of that approach can already be seen across the organization. Sarah shared that when she joined the company four years ago, PJ Fitzpatrick had just over 200 employees. Today, the company is approaching nearly 800 employees while continuing to expand its home improvement services throughout the Mid Atlantic. Yet even with that growth, the company continues investing heavily in learning, culture, and employee empowerment. That commitment is helping shape a team that can deliver trusted roofing, windows, doors, bath remodeling, siding replacement, and exterior home improvement services with consistency across every market they enter.
More importantly, the visit showed that PJ Fitzpatrick is not simply training employees how to perform tasks. The company is teaching people how to lead, communicate, adapt, and grow together. In an industry where customer trust matters deeply, that kind of investment in people may be one of the biggest reasons why PJ Fitzpatrick continues to stand out as one of the most respected home improvement companies serving Delaware and the Mid Atlantic region.
As conversations continued throughout the day at PJ Fitzpatrick headquarters, one thing became clear very quickly. The company’s success across roofing, siding, windows, doors, bathroom remodeling, gutters, garage doors, and exterior home improvement services is not being driven by luck or fast growth alone. Behind the scenes is a strong system built around training, accountability, leadership, and people development.
That deeper story came into focus during Greg Cummings’ conversation with Sarah Hutton. Through her experience leading training across multiple departments, Sarah offered a rare look into how the company is preparing employees, protecting culture, and building a team that can continue serving homeowners across Delaware and the Mid Atlantic region with consistency and care.
One of the strongest ideas shared during the interview was that training is not treated like a small part of the business. It is part of the foundation the company is built on.
Sarah explained that learning and development touches nearly every part of the organization, from sales and technical teams to call center operations and employee development programs. That structure helps create consistency across the customer journey, whether a homeowner is getting a roof replacement, new siding, replacement windows, bathroom remodeling services, or exterior repairs.
“More than anything, our organization is a training organization. We’re really committed to training.” Sarah Hutton, Sales and Development Manager, PJ Fitzpatrick
Sarah also explained that training is directly tied to customer experience. If employees are not properly prepared, mistakes happen, projects suffer, and customers feel the impact. That is why the company continues investing heavily in coaching, learning systems, field support, and employee development as it grows across the Mid Atlantic home improvement market.
The conversation revealed something important about the company’s approach. PJ Fitzpatrick is not simply teaching employees how to do tasks. It is building people who can confidently represent the company inside customers’ homes every single day.
As the conversation moved deeper into company culture, Sarah shared that one of the biggest differences at PJ Fitzpatrick is that the culture is lived daily instead of simply talked about during meetings or company events.
Having worked at large organizations before joining PJ Fitzpatrick, Sarah explained that many companies try to create culture through messaging alone. But what stood out to her at PJ Fitzpatrick was how leaders and teams actively support one another through accountability, training, communication, and daily interaction.
“I would say PJ Fitzpatrick is by far the best culture out of any of the companies that I’ve worked large or small.” Sarah Hutton, Sales and Development Manager, PJ Fitzpatrick
That culture has become even more important as the company continues growing throughout Delaware and the Mid Atlantic region. Rapid growth can often create distance between teams and leadership, but Sarah’s perspective showed a company working hard to keep its people first environment intact while expanding its roofing, bath remodeling, window replacement, and exterior home improvement services into new markets.
The conversations throughout the day made it clear that culture at PJ Fitzpatrick is not a slogan. It is something employees experience through trust, support, and shared responsibility.
Another major theme from the discussion was empowerment. Sarah explained that the goal of training is not only to teach information. The goal is to help employees leave feeling confident, prepared, and ready to succeed.
That approach matters deeply in the home improvement industry because every customer interaction carries weight. Whether employees are helping homeowners with roofing repairs, replacement windows, siding installation, bath remodeling, or gutter services, homeowners want to feel they are working with people who know what they are doing and genuinely care.
“That is our job is to empower our people. We want to make sure that our folks come out of training and they feel prepared and ready and confident.” Sarah Hutton, Sales and Development Manager, PJ Fitzpatrick
Sarah explained that training can sometimes feel uncomfortable because employees are challenged to grow, practice, and improve. But those moments help prepare people for real situations before they ever step into a customer’s home.
That investment in employee confidence is helping create stronger customer experiences across the company’s growing footprint in the Mid Atlantic region. Instead of rushing people through onboarding, PJ Fitzpatrick appears focused on helping employees truly develop before they carry the company’s reputation into the field.
As Sarah described how training works inside the company, another important difference became clear. PJ Fitzpatrick does not rely on surface level teaching. The company uses hands-on coaching methods designed to help employees improve through practice and feedback.
Sarah spoke about self assessments, role playing, field training, reporting systems, and learning management tools that help employees continue growing over time. Instead of expecting perfection immediately, the company creates space for people to learn, make mistakes, improve, and build confidence.
“We always tell everyone get comfortable with being uncomfortable.” Sarah Hutton, Sales and Development Manager, PJ Fitzpatrick
That mindset is helping shape a culture where learning never fully stops. Sarah also pointed out that trainers themselves must remain coachable and humble. The company is not building a top down environment where only leaders teach. It is building an organization where everyone continues learning together.
That focus on daily improvement is especially important in today’s home improvement industry, where homeowners expect better communication, stronger service, and higher trust from contractors handling roofing, siding, bathroom remodeling, and exterior home improvement projects.
One of the most powerful moments in the interview came when Sarah reflected on the company’s growth over the last several years. When she joined PJ Fitzpatrick, the company had just over 200 employees. Today, the organization is approaching nearly 800 employees while continuing to grow throughout the Mid Atlantic.
That kind of expansion can place pressure on operations, communication, customer service, and company culture. But Sarah’s perspective showed that PJ Fitzpatrick has worked intentionally to build systems that support growth without lowering standards.
The company’s focus on training, leadership development, and accountability is helping maintain consistency as new employees join the organization and new markets open. Instead of treating growth as only a numbers game, the company appears focused on protecting the customer experience while scaling its services.
“I’m excited about the growth. We continue to grow into new markets. Getting new folks onboard and watching them succeed is the best part for us.” Sarah Hutton, Sales and Development Manager, PJ Fitzpatrick
That mindset reflects a company preparing for long term success rather than short term expansion. It also shows how training has become one of the systems helping PJ Fitzpatrick continue standing out in the competitive home improvement industry.
As the conversation came to a close, one final theme stood above the rest. The real strength behind PJ Fitzpatrick’s growth is its people.
Sarah’s own journey reflects that story clearly. She joined the company as a sales trainer and eventually grew into a leadership role overseeing training and development across departments. Her experience shows that the company is willing to invest in people who want to grow, lead, and help others succeed.
She also shared that one of the biggest reasons she continues showing up every day is the support she feels from the people around her. That sense of teamwork and shared responsibility appears deeply connected to the company’s culture.
“We rely on each other so much. I know I can rely on my folks just as much as they can rely on me.” Sarah Hutton, Sales and Development Manager, PJ Fitzpatrick
Throughout the visit, the conversations revealed a company that understands something many businesses overlook. Strong teams create strong customer experiences. And strong customer experiences create long term trust.
That may be one of the biggest reasons why PJ Fitzpatrick continues growing as one of the most respected names in roofing, siding, replacement windows, bathroom remodeling, gutters, repairs, and exterior home improvement services across Delaware and the Mid Atlantic region.
As the conversations throughout the day revealed the systems, culture, and leadership driving PJ Fitzpatrick forward, another important story became impossible to ignore. The company’s impact is not only being felt inside its walls. It is being recognized across the home improvement industry and throughout the communities it serves.
That recognition matters because it reflects something deeper than awards alone. It reflects trust. It reflects consistency. And it reflects a company that continues finding ways to grow while staying connected to both homeowners and employees across the Mid Atlantic region.
One of the clearest examples of that momentum came with the recent announcement that CEO James Freeman was named a 2026 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® Greater Philadelphia Finalist. The recognition celebrates leaders who are driving growth, innovation, and meaningful impact in their industries. But what makes the honor especially important is what it says about the direction of PJ Fitzpatrick as a company.
The recognition highlights leadership built around doing business the right way, investing in people, and continuing to improve the homeowner experience across roofing, siding, replacement windows, bathroom remodeling, doors, gutters, and exterior home improvement services. In many ways, it reflects the same themes that surfaced throughout Greg Cummings’ conversation with Sarah Hutton: long term thinking, people development, accountability, and culture driven growth.
The company’s commitment to excellence can also be seen through the major industry awards it continues earning across the home improvement space. PJ Fitzpatrick received the Guildmaster Award, a recognition given to home builders, remodelers, and service professionals who consistently deliver outstanding customer satisfaction. That award carries weight because it is based directly on homeowner feedback and customer experience.
The company was also recognized by The Philadelphia Inquirer with three major 2025 Philly Favorites awards, including Best Bath Company, Best Window Company, and Best Roofing Company. Those recognitions reinforce the company’s growing reputation as one of the most trusted home improvement companies serving homeowners throughout Delaware and the Mid Atlantic region.
Adding to that momentum is the CertainTeed Triple Crown Award, one of the roofing industry’s highest national honors for customer service excellence and adherence to CertainTeed’s standards of care. The award is only presented to roofers who meet elite performance standards while maintaining exceptional customer experiences over time. That achievement further supports what became clear throughout the visit: PJ Fitzpatrick is not chasing growth at the expense of quality. The company is working to scale while protecting the trust it has built with homeowners.
But perhaps one of the strongest reflections of the company’s values can be found outside the world of awards and business recognition altogether.
Through PJ’s Giving Hammer, the company continues investing directly into the communities where its employees and customers live and work. As a family owned and operated business, PJ Fitzpatrick has built community involvement into its identity through charitable giving, volunteer work, nonprofit partnerships, and local support initiatives designed to improve the lives of neighbors across the region.
That effort connects naturally to the larger story behind the company’s growth. Throughout the visit, one theme continued showing up again and again: people matter here. Whether through employee development, customer care, leadership, or community support, PJ Fitzpatrick appears focused on building a company that creates impact both inside and outside the homes it serves.
In an industry where many companies compete only on price or production volume, PJ Fitzpatrick is building something that feels increasingly rare. A home improvement company that is growing through trust, investing in people, supporting communities, and proving that culture and customer care can still be powerful drivers of long term success.
As the day at PJ Fitzpatrick came to a close, the visit revealed something far more meaningful than the growth of a successful home improvement company. It revealed the systems, leadership, and people centered mindset helping shape the future of the industry itself.
What stood out throughout Greg Cummings’ conversations with executives, managers, trainers, and team members was that PJ Fitzpatrick is building from the inside out. Behind the company’s continued expansion across roofing, siding, replacement windows, doors, bathroom remodeling, gutters, and exterior home improvement services is a deep commitment to helping people grow together.
Through Sarah Hutton’s perspective, the larger story became clear. The company’s progress is not being driven by production numbers alone. It is being driven by people who are being developed, supported, coached, and trusted to carry the company’s standards into every homeowner interaction. That investment in training and culture is helping create a stronger customer experience while also building future leaders inside the organization.
The visit also showed that growth does not have to come at the expense of culture. As PJ Fitzpatrick continues expanding across Delaware and the Mid Atlantic region, the company appears focused on protecting the values, accountability, and sense of teamwork that helped build its reputation in the first place. That balance between growth and people development may be one of the company’s greatest strengths moving forward.
More importantly, the conversations throughout the day reinforced an important truth about the home improvement industry. The companies that create lasting trust are often the ones investing deeply behind the scenes long before a project ever begins. They are the companies building systems that prepare employees well, support homeowners consistently, and create environments where people feel empowered to succeed.
That is what made this visit meaningful.
This was not simply a tour through a growing exterior remodeling company in New Castle. It was a closer look at how one of the Mid Atlantic region’s most respected home improvement companies is continuing to raise the standard through leadership, development, and long term investment in people.
And as PJ Fitzpatrick continues growing into new markets and serving more homeowners across the region, the message behind the visit remains clear: when a company invests in its people first, growth becomes more than expansion. It becomes sustainable, trusted, and built to last.
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