Did you know that Spiffy is a veteran-owned company? It’s true! The military-inspired leadership of our President, COO, and Co-founder (and Veteran of Influence!), Karl Murphy, extends throughout our entire operation. Without it, we wouldn’t have such a strong dedication to consistent five-star service, every time.
This Veteran’s Day, we’re honored to talk with two Army vets from our Dallas team about their military experience, transitioning into civilian life, and working here at Spiffy.
Chris Shalosky - US Army, 25th Infantry Division
Chris is our General Manager in Dallas, a position he’s held since joining Spiffy back in April 2021. With years of automotive and military experience, he helps to lead a tight-knit crew in one of our largest markets.
Tell us about your experience in the military.
It was a positive experience, I loved it. I was stationed in Hawaii from 1999 until 2002. I would have stayed in for 20 years if my ankle had held up.
What did you learn during your military service that integrates with your time at Spiffy?
A cornerstone of the military is leadership. One of the things that I learned was that you should always learn the job of the two people ahead of you. Because if things go south and suddenly you're the next in line, you've got to know their jobs. I feel like that's the undertone of my leadership over the years. I've been in automotive for 20 years now, and my legacy is developing people behind me. That's what I take pride in, bringing that next generation of leaders into the fold and showing them the ropes.
What did you do before Spiffy?
During the last two years before Spiffy, I was the Director of Sales for a company here in the Dallas area. Before that, I was Regional Sales Manager for ITW ProAP, which makes products like RainX. Then prior to that, I was the Operations Manager for the largest Jiffy Lube franchise, which is where I met [Mike] Tolzman [Spiffy VP of Operations and Training].
What’s your favorite part about working at Spiffy?
The pace at which we move. I'm not somebody who likes to sit still. I just constantly like to be on the move. One of the things that I did when I was at Jiffy Lube is I traveled almost the entire time. Although I'm not in that role yet, that's starting to develop here. My favorite thing about what we've done so far is showing what we're capable of.
Jaden Tabera - 101st Infantry Division
Jaden is a technician, working under Chris in Dallas. He’s been with us since September 2021 and brings a passion for detailing cars that our customers can’t stop raving about.
Tell us about your experience in the military.
I was in the Army for three years; got in back in 2018 and got out this past August. During that time, I was stationed at Fort Campbell in Kentucky.
What did you learn during your military service that integrates with your time at Spiffy?
I learned a lot about discipline, especially when it came to my work ethic. The Army definitely built that up, character-wise, which helped me mature in some ways. I joined when I was 18 and still figuring things out, so it helped me to define my character and gain skills that I was able to apply when I came to work in the civilian sector.
What’s your favorite part about working at Spiffy?
I really enjoy detailing cars, so it would probably be whenever I get to work on a high-end model. The coolest one has to be this Ferrari F8 Tributo I washed a few weeks ago. Just turning the car on blew me away. Obviously, I love cars, so the second I turned on that engine, I got mad excited. (For the record, Jaden received a 5-star rating for that service.)
A huge thank you to Chris and Jaden for taking the time out of their busy schedules to chat with us! If you’re interested in joining our Spiffy team, check out our Careers page.
Posted in Business, Technician
