Will Sheils:
Owner and Paint Project Manager
Will is an Annapolis native. He grew up sailing and continued the sport while on the off-shore sailing team at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. After graduating from St. Mary’s Will started a small residential paint company in 2007. He saw a need for a small dependable painter to service Annapolis, and that is when Blue Star was born. In 2011, Will went back to get his MBA at University of Maryland Global Campus. While Will was getting his MBA, Blue Star was still starting to grow. He was able to better understand ways to help Blue Star grow more, ways better serve clients, and was able to grow individually both personally and professionally. Will still lives in Annapolis with his wife Carolyn and their son and daughter. Will still loves to sail and watch sail boat races from his powerboat.
Darden Pickall:
Owner and Carpentry Project Manager
With strong family roots in Annapolis, Darden joins the Blue Star team from Easton. Darden attended St. Mary’s College of Maryland. During his time at St. Mary’s, Darden was a member of the rugby team and sailed on the off-shore sailing team, where he met Will. Darden’s addition to the company helped Blue Star expand their service offerings and allows Blue Star to be the company you know it as today. Darden’s love and skill for woodworking came from his father. He has a passion for carpentry and problem-solving which you can see in his final work. He prides himself in incorporating client wants and needs into the plans and final design of a project. Darden now lives in Wye Mills with his partner Charlotte where they foster dogs.
Rebecca Ramsay:
Business Operations Manager and Bath & Kitchens Project Manager
Coming all the way from New Jersey, Becca made her way to Maryland for college. She studied Business at Towson University and decided to stick around Maryland and joined the Blue Star team in 2018. Becca handles business operations at Blue Star as well as being a project manager for many of our bath and kitchen renovation projects. While on the job Becca has developed an eye for the small details a client can add to their kitchens and bathrooms to make each project the best it can be. Becca’s favorite part about working at Blue Star is pulling in ideas from personal experiences. Becca now lives in Annapolis and enjoys visiting family back in New Jersey and getting together with friends all across Maryland.
Sebastian Franco:
Paint Project Manager
Sebastian resides in Crofton, MD, but is originally from Cali, Colombia. He made his way here for his success in racquetball. As an avid racquetball player, Sebastian has great energy and focus which he also brings to his job here at Blue Star. Sebastian is now a project manager for the paint side of Blue Star, but has had project management experience in the past. His background was in multi-unit construction. His energy and smile always brightens up the day whenever he is in the office or on a job site. Sebastian loves spending time with his wife Sam and their son and daughter. When Sebastian is not at Blue Star or spending time with his family, he still plays racquetball.
John Emrick:
Carpentry Project Manager
Another asset to the Blue Star team is John. He has lived in Annapolis all his life and knows the area well. John has gained previous experience in commercial renovations and residential kitchen and bathroom renovations before starting at Blue Star. John’s extensive experience, knowledge of materials, and calm approach makes him an essential part of Blue Star. He is a project manager and handles many of our carpentry projects. In John’s freetime, you may see him bartending at the local American Legion or spending time with friends and family outdoors.
Shawn Blakely:
Paint Project Manager
The newest addition to the Blue Star team is Shawn. For years, Shawn has run his own business Blakely Painting on the Eastern Shore. Shawn has joined the Blue Star team after wanting a change of scenery from running his own business. Shawn’s greatest strength at Blue Star so far is his hard work to help us grow. All of his previous clients know his craftsmanship and quality of work and he is bringing all of that trust over to this side of the bay. When Shawn isn’t in Annapolis with the team he is spending time with his family running from different activities for his kids to relaxing at home with his dogs.
Jenna Wiley:
Office Manager
Jenna’s voice may be quite familiar to you as she is often the first point of contact when reaching out to Blue Star. On top of answering the phone when you may call, Jenna keeps the office well organized and well fed. She also handles scheduling, billing, keeping estimates on track, and everything else in between. Jenna has family in the construction and hospitality industries making her a perfect fit here at Blue Star. When Jenna is not keeping everything together at Blue Star, she enjoys watching true crime documentaries and spending time with her son and three dogs.
Ellen Hagerty:
Marketing & Development Coordinator
Ellen joins the Blue Star team from Columbia, MD. Ellen graduated from Towson University in 2023 and started working for us full time after her graduation. That was not the start of Ellen’s work at Blue Star. During her time at Towson, Ellen worked part time here at Blue Star handling our social media accounts and other marketing efforts. Now, Ellen handles everything from the Instagram stories to coordinating with features in magazines. When Ellen is not getting pictures to post on @bluestarpaintproperty, she enjoys watching comedy specials and attending concerts with friends and family.
To Our Clients and Potential Clients,
Our work can be seen throughout Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, parts of DC and Baltimore City. We may have painted your "favorite" house in the Historic District or renovated your neighbor's kitchen. A beautiful product is achieved due to the investment of experience and thought. We know that strong product knowledge and open communication are the most important parts in achieving a beautiful finished product.
We believe in transparent communication with our clients and conveying
our extensive knowledge of material choice, installation, coatings, and vendors to our clients.
Each property is different and each job required a tailored scope of work
that combines client expectation, budget, preparation, application and
end purpose.
Our business is hinged on customer service, problem solving and design. From commercial to residential, new build to historic properties, from rentals to forever homes, we look forward to showing you what we can do.
- Will, Darden, & the rest of the Blue Star team