Joe Ricciardi has been with Gino’s Panel & Paint since he was 15 years old when he started out in a work experience role.
Joe Ricciardi was appointed to the role as general manager of Gino’s Panel and Paint in December 2022. He has worked his way to the top from starting as a 15-year-old in a work experience role.
Joe has enterprise-wide responsibility for every aspect of the running of Gino’s Panel and Paint. This is one of the largest single site collision shops in Western Australia. His expert leadership has freed up owner Aaron Scagliotta to build his new facility Reneew, which has taken out the Best New Shop award.
Since taking up his current position, he has helped the business be better, cleaner, more organised, safer, more compliant and more profitable.
Joe’s responsibilities include working collaboratively with the financial controller to prepare budgets and to monitor operational and capital expenses as well as income, to ensure a healthy bottom line.
Joe has a strong commitment to workplace health and safety. He works with the compliance officer setting standards, particularly on the shop floor as well as overseeing production, customer service and implementing policy and procedures.
Joe also understands the importance of maintaining a great workplace culture especially in the current restricted labour market. He was originally a product of the in-house training – mentoring staff program: “The Gino’s Way”, built to develop staff and keep them engaged, productive and moving upwards within the organisation. He is now putting his staff through the program.
Gino’s currently has a team of 55 including eight apprentices and 11 overseas workers who he supports, helping to develop their skill sets. For the migrating staff he helps them through the process of new beginning in Australia.
He ensures quality and control systems are effective within the business and monitors standards are executed at has required by his team for the customer, working in conjunction insurance companies.
Importantly, Joe, as general manager, is a leader. He sets the example and expectations and helps the staff achieve those expectations for the business and for the safety and careers of the staff.
Joe has a strong work ethic that radiates through the business. He deals with this pressure consistently and reliably – all with the right attitude and a smile on his face. Gino’s puts out on average 80 cars per week. The pressure of production, monitoring staff and end of month reporting can be intense. Joe’s attitude is to work through things and to persevere.
He diligently monitors and benchmarks financial performance of the business. Metrics such as labour cost versus income, materials/consumable expenses versus materials/consumable and sales and captures of business overheads into pricing, ensuring the business gross profit projections are met.
One mark of a successful manager is the ability to find ways to do things better, more efficiently and at a lower cost without sacrificing quality. Joe will often have a matter that will come to hand on the spot. He will assess, remedy, and often implement new procedures to remedy these issues moving forward.
Aaron says that Joe has a unique ability to take roles on with a positive demeanour, ensures great customer service and is an inspiring leader.
“The directors and shareholders and staff at Gino’s could not be better off with Joe in charge of this site.”
"He deals with this pressure consistently and reliably – all with the right attitude and a smile on his face.”