Gray Manufacturing Office Manager Showcasing Impressive Versatility & Longevity
DENVER, NC – February 11, 2025 – It isn’t often that the longest tenured employee at a top notch CNC machine shop is its office manager. But then, Gray Manufacturing isn’t a typical machine shop.
Donna Campbell isn’t a typical office manager either.
The longest consecutively tenured employee at the Compass Precision operating company, Donna has witnessed the machine shop transform from a mostly motorsports provider to a leading 5-axis machining supplier in the aerospace & defense, space and medical markets.
Not that Donna has just been a passenger along for the ride. She’s played an intricate role as Gray’s office manager while taking on increasing responsibility the past 12 years.
”Donna is our rock,” explained Evan Grose, Gray’s VP & General Manager. “She was a major stabilizing force in the early years, some of which were really difficult. She is just as important now, as Gray sets new all-time records for sales.”
In addition to the typical office manager duties, which include accounting and payroll, Donna purchases all of Gray’s raw materials. She also serves as Gray’s account manager, the company’s term for the inside sales function, by following the status of orders and providing customers with communication and updates.
She assumed the account manager duties at the operating company last fall after a couple other new hires were not fully grasping the role.
Donna possesses about three decades of accounting experience. She actually began working for Gray’s previous owner, Johnny Gray, at Gray Motorsports in 2011. At that time, she was returning to the workforce after having three children.
Two years into her part-time role at Gray Motorsports, Donna seized the opportunity to work at the company’s new CNC machining business – Gray Manufacturing Technologies.
Donna has been at Gray as office manager since its founding in 2013. Evan is the only other employee still at the company who was working at Gray when it opened. But he briefly left for another position in 2016 before returning.
She sees a tremendously different company at Gray today than when it started 12 years ago.
“Initially our biggest customer was Curtiss Wright, and we made parts for NASCAR and other motorsports teams as well,” Donna said. “It’s been exciting to see Gray advance to more sophisticated parts in the aerospace industry.
“It’s great to work for a company for almost 12 years. You make good connections with your peers. Our work relationships have grown to help us communicate better and become a successful team. Evan and Luke have been very help with my transition to add on the account manager duties.”
Gray has placed an even greater emphasis on its family atmosphere since Evan became the company’s general manager. Donna raved about her working relationship with Evan, Quality Manager Luke Honbarger and Shop Floor Lead Chris Adkins.
“Everyone here gets along so well, and I enjoy working with all of them,” Donna said. “We help each other out and work together, which makes a great working environment.”
“I totally agree with Donna that Gray has a great working environment,” stated Gary Holcomb, Compass CEO. “Evan, Luke, Chris and the guys on the floor get to totally focus on quoting, making, and shipping parts because Donna has their backs. She takes care of practically everything else, and does it beautifully.”
With Donna supporting Evan, who was in his first year as general manager during 2024, and the Gray shop floor, the Compass operating company set new monthly and yearly sales and shipping records last year. Gray accomplished those milestones with fewer employees and no overtime shifts.
Evan explained in January 2025 that Gray is aiming high again to potentially surpass those marks this year. And once again, Donna will be the rock, supporting that growth in so many ways and playing a vital role in meeting those goals.