Meet Our Team
We offer services from a highly technical and experienced team of paint experts.
Galen Harris
Galen started as a local painting contractor right out of High School in 1987 at the age of 17. Within a few short years, he quickly excelled to lead foreman. He attributes his fast start to the knowledge he gained from his high school woodshop and industrial arts teachers. Galen married his high school sweetheart Krista at the age of 19 and continued working for Jim William’s Painting until 1997. It was then that he decided to get his contractor’s license and go into business for himself. For a man with his expertise, the business grew quickly, and he was in the midst of employing 10 painters. During that time, he had 2 sons: Blake and Logan. In 2013, he decided to get his General Contractor’s License and start doing remodeling and tenant improvements along with his painting business. He continued his business until the opportunity came along to purchase the longtime established Sequoia Paint in Bakersfield in Jan of 2021. His 34 years of industry knowledge has helped him direct the customers of Sequoia Paint to complete successful projects.
Samantha Jones
Samantha purchased Sequoia Paint along with her business partner Galen Harris in January of 2021. Samantha serves as Managing Partner, managing the day-to-day accounting and overall operations. Samantha has previously held accounting and management positions in the construction and oil industry. She earned her accounting degree from Bakersfield College and graduated in 2017.
Bruce Barta
Bruce started his career in the paint industry right out of high school in 1975 at locally owned Diefel’s Paint. In 1976, he moved to another locally owned paint shop, Pioneer Paint, where he worked under Don Bennet until moving on to Sequoia Paint in 1982, where he is now the lead paint chemist. He honed his craft to perfection by working closely with the longtime owner, Jim Elder, and has been instrumental in the success of Sequoia Paint due to his deep knowledge of the industry. There has never been a challenge too big that Bruce couldn’t handle. From small batches to 5,000 gallons, he has been able to fill them. In the ever-changing world of raw materials, Bruce has been able to navigate the challenges and keep the quality of Sequoia Paint at its highest. Also, He has been very instrumental in the transition of the new owner’s success. He has earned the nickname Santa with his big white beard, his Jolly laugh, and his love of doing his annual Santa appearances. Bruce’s 40 plus years in the industry have been an encyclopedia of knowledge for Sequoia’s customers. He always stands ready for the next challenge in the paint industry!