Our Team – Gainesville

Kent Franklin

Owner/Operator

Kent earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from GCSU in Milledgeville, Georgia in 2004. He has more than 15 years of residential construction, home warranty, residential/small commercial painting, and customer service experience.

Homeowners enjoy Kent’s positive attitude, dependability, and his very approachable personality. He and his wife, Jaime, along with Bailey, their Chocolate Goldendoodle, enjoy hanging out with their family on Lake Lanier and enjoying all that the North Georgia mountains have to offer.

Tim Durant

Customer Service Manager

Tim Durant highly values reliability and customer service. He has over 15 years of professional painting and paint management experience. Mr. Durant is a United States Army Veteran and, while serving as a Military Policeman, he achieved the rank of Sergeant. He studied at Ashford University and is currently working toward a bachelor’s degree in organizational management.

Customers appreciate that he brings integrity, energy, and hard work to every aspect of the projects in which he is involved. Mr. Durant is also a family man who has been married for 28 years. His wife, Dorine, is a pharmacy manager. They have two grown sons, Bill and Clayton, who are both married and working successfully in the healthcare industry. Mr. and Mrs. Durant are active in their church and involved in several charitable efforts that support children. In his spare time he enjoys fishing, reading, and spending time with his family.

Jacob Foster

Customer Service Manager

Jacob Foster is a born-and-raised local with a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of North Georgia. Before joining the Southern Painting team, Jacob spent nearly 10 years with Sherwin-Williams^®. As a manager with Sherwin-Williams^®, Jacob obtained years of paint and product knowledge while he built lifelong customer relationships.

Jacob has a natural passion for helping others. His goal is for each client to have a clear understanding and realistic expectation for the experience that Southern Painting will provide. Jacob enters each job as if it were his own home or business, considering attention to detail, safety, cleanliness, and clear communication.

Jacob is happily married to Sara Foster, an elementary physical education teacher. They reside in Hoschton, GA with their two dogs, Lucy and Stone. His hobbies include sports, donating time to his wife’s elementary school, and spending time with his family & loved ones.