Best wishes to Dennis Metcalf for his retirement!

Written by Kyle Richardson, President Royal Talens North America

Dennis Metcalf has left an indelible fingerprint on Royal Talens North America. As he prepares for his retirement, I’d like to reflect back on his contributions and friendship as part of the initial team at RTNA.

I’ll never forget the conversations we had, before we had a warehouse or an office - about this new thing we were going to do, and how it was going to change everything. We talked at length about his experiences opening up the Chicago warehouse for MacPherson’s, and hiring the sales team there as well. I knew him from reputation only, as someone who was known as tenacious as well as very ethical. He was the perfect fit for our team and would also lend some experience and support to our new team in setting up our warehouse.

It was easy to quickly become friends with Dennis. He cares so much about the industry, the company and the people around him. Whether it was helping to advise our warehouse manager, or looking after an ambassador he was working a show with, he took care of them like they were part of his family - that’s how it is to be in Dennis’ world.

Along with his tenacity and integrity, he also has a great sense of humor. Sometimes he felt the brunt of my practical jokes - like when I came back from Verizon with our first company phones and told him that I got a great deal on flip-phones for everyone...he barely let his emotions show - and after a few minutes, when I told him I was kidding, his eyes popped right back in his head and we had a great laugh!

Dennis brought a lot in history and knowledge with him to our team. He helped build our brands and helped our retail partners, particularly on the west coast. We thank Dennis for his contributions to the team and for brightening all of our days.

Kyle: Dennis, you've had a fascinating history in this industry, and as you look towards a well deserved retirement, I'd like to ask you some questions about your experiences.

How did you get your start in the Art Material industry?

Dennis: I was first introduced to the Art Materials Industry when I was hired as a buyer with California-based Standard Brands Paint Company / The Art Stores, back in 1980. At that time, we had 131 home decorating stores, all with significant art departments. One of my first projects was to assist in opening a new small chain of pure art stores which were know as "The Art Stores". Some of these stores are still in existence and are now owned by the Dick Blick Company.

Kyle: What drew you to it and what kept you (like many) active in such a niche industry for so long?

​Dennis: Initially, being hired as the art buyer was just the luck of the draw, but I soon fell in love with both the job and the industry, which kept me active in the Art Supply Industry for 40 years.

Kyle: What accomplishment has made you most proud over the years?

Dennis: I have had many high points over the years, but I would have to say that my work with MacPherson's in Chicago would rank very high on my list. I hired on with MacPherson's in 1987. My agreement with Frank Stapleton was that I would move to Chicago as general manager in order to expand our business and make MacPherson's a nationwide distributor. It was tough, inching along one account at a time, but we were ultimately greatly successful and it was very satisfying to be a big part of that monumental growth.

Kyle: What was something that you learned the hard way?

Dennis: The difficulty of breaking into long standing relationships, and the value of maintaining them after you do.

Kyle: You started with Royal Talens North America as one of the first employees back in 2015. What will you remember most about being part of the founding team of RTNA?

Dennis: I've always enjoyed start up projects that involved growing relatively small companies into something larger. This was the case with Royal Talens North America. We knew we had great products to market, manufactured by a great, traditional fine art Dutch company, and we needed a very lean, but motivated team to make it happen. It was that initial team that I will remember most as we endeavored together to grow this fine business. I consider them, as well as many others that have since joined the company as friends, and hope to stay in touch with them in the coming years.

Kyle: What types of things will you be doing in your retirement? ​

Dennis: This is an easy question for me. I will enjoy living my faith, my family, my friends, this great country, the beautiful northwest outdoors, and my own artwork, all of which I love so much!

Kyle: What advice would you give to those just starting their careers here in the industry?

Dennis: Our industry is small and continues to change and consolidate. You can very quickly gain a good or bad reputation, so treat all people as you would like to be treated, and do what you say you will do. Those who can be firm and aggressive while being kind in their ways, will enjoy success both in this business and life!