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MARSHALL - Since he was 10 years old, Derek Rignell painted with his father, Tom, around the Tracy area.

Now he's using that experience for a new business venture.

Rignell recently became a local franchise owner of College Pro Painters, which hires college students to gain hands-on experience in business management and customer service through painting houses.

College Pro started in 1971 and has become the most successful student painting company in the country, said the company's Web site.

Rignell said he also painted his way through college. He's been in business for the past three years with the Schwan Food Co. and then with the corporate side of Culligan in Milwaukee, Wis.

Then he and his wife Raftyn moved back to the area to be near family and friends. Rignell transferred within Culligan to the franchise side.

A friend of his, Jason Campana, has been involved with College Pro Painters for six years, Rignell said.

"He is now the vice president of the central region," Rignell said. "He's been wanting to expand here for three years."

So Rignell decided to become a franchise owner and keep his job at Culligan as well.

Rignell said he's taking the skills he's learned from Schwan's and Culligan and painting with his dad to gather business for College Pro.

"I go out and hire some college kids to market the business as well," Rignell said.

The marketing for College Pro Painting includes direct marketing and going door-to-door, Rignell said.

"All they're promoting is a free estimate on someone's house," Rignell said. College Pro paints the house's exterior, he said.

Then Rignell goes and does the estimates and books the work for the summer.

"By the end of spring the schedule is done," Rignell said.

Rignell is hiring a crew of six to nine college students from schools around the area to work for the summer. All are experienced painters, he said.

"It's going to be difficult to decide who I want to bring aboard," Rignell said.

Besides the painting, the students will continue to promote the business into August and September and getting more jobs for the coming years.

"We'll constantly have a marketing team to drum up business," Rignell said.

Rignell said College Pro Painters takes what the students learn in the classroom and gives them a real-life experience.

The crew will start work at the end of the month and jobs are already lined up, Rignell said.

College Pro Painters also offers competitive pricing because its labor rates are lower, Rignell said.

"We offer a complete satisfaction on the job and a two-year written warranty," Rignell said. "We're also fully insured."

Some of College Pro's values, Rignell said, include that it delivers what it promises, it respects every individual, the employees have pride in what they do, and the company is open-minded to new possibilities.

"At the end of every job, we have a sign off and we expect to earn a five out of five satisfaction rating," Rignell said.