A FEW WORDS ABOUT US
Our story
ACRC’s founder, Eric Smause, began his career as a crew member for a commercial roofer while putting himself through college. As he earned promotions over the years to foreman, then supervisor, and project manager, he recognized the difficulty property owners and managers faced in making informed decisions about very costly roof systems. As a project manager and estimator, he wondered how someone who didn’t have his level of experience in commercial roofing could possibly know how to choose the right roof from so many available choices.
When evaluating bids from multiple contractors, often times, the bids were for different systems using different materials, which made comparisons impossible. There were gaps between how codes were written and how their users understood and applied them. Misunderstandings like these were common, even inspectors disagreed on the interpretation of codes affected by new products, applications, and catastrophic environmental influences.
This experience inspired Eric to shift his career focus to consulting. He witnessed first-hand a need within the roofing community for experts who were unbiased and uninfluenced; experts who could help clients make a very complicated, seemingly impossible task, more understandable. His methods included standardizing bid specifications which enabled clients to evaluate comparable roof systems and products from multiple contractors. His recommendations were not influenced by low bids for roof systems that were not compatible with his client’s building type. Eric’s resolve to keep his client’s best interest in mind was uncompromised.
He did not stop there, his ability to identify needs within the industry led to developing improved standards in not only the way the industry compares different roofing systems but also the standards in which those products and materials are tested. Eric’s mission to provide uncompromised expertise supported with state of the art testing data and code compliance, along with over 30 years of experience in the commercial roofing industry, enabled him to attract talent with like minds and values.
ACRC was founded in 2001 because of one man’s commitment to help building owners and managers have access to truly unbiased evaluations of their roofing needs. ACRC ultimately helped improve standards for testing products, systems, and code applications for the entire commercial roofing community.
MISSION
ACRC’s mission is to provide building owners, property managers, contractors, design professionals, and manufacturers with an unbiased, uncompromised expert evaluation of their roofing products and needs, supported by certified testing data and building code requirements.
VISION
Our vision is to become the preferred resource for uncompromised expertise in the roofing industry by developing strong relationships and providing superior, accurate, reliable, and responsive service.
VALUES
Accuracy, Integrity, Personal & Professional Development, Service Excellence and Teamwork.
Our Team
ERIC SMAUSE
PRESIDENT &
SENIOR ROOF CONSULTANT, RRO
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Eric Smause founded Atlantic & Caribbean Roof Consulting, LLC (ACRC) in 2001. What began as one man’s mission to provide building owners, contractors, property managers and design professionals, an unbiased, expert evaluation of their roofing needs, has grown into a nationally recognized consulting, testing and engineering firm. Eric started working in commercial roofing as a crew member over 40 years ago. As his experience and responsibilities grew, he recognized the difficulty people had in making truly informed decisions with so many complicated and expensive choices for roof systems and products. He was inspired to offer uncompromised expertise supported by certified testing data and building code requirements. Eric has dedicated over 20 years of his career to roof consulting and has attracted a talented team of experts who share those same uncompromising values.
SHIRAD ALI
PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT & OPERATIONS MANAGER,
RRO, BSC, ENG
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Shirad’s career in roofing began over 25 years ago, but his lifelong love of education began well before. As a young man in Trinidad, he earned his first degree in drafting & design and from there, went on to the prestigious University of Cambridge, to earned his Bachelor of Science in Architectural and Civil Engineering. As Shirad gained experience, he took on more responsibilities, some of which was training others in roof technology and code compliance. Even after he became Vice President of Engineering and Operations at one of the top commercial roofing companies in the US, he continued to educate himself, earning his State of FL Contractors License and IIBEC Registered Roof Observer Certification. Shirad’s experience as a leader and trainer motivated him to educate others within the industry. He recognized that his experience and education gave him the unique skills to problem solve within the roofing community, and fit well with ACRC’s mission and values. Shirad joined ACRC in 2011. The wide range of interests that inspired him to amass expertise in so many areas when he began his roofing career in 1989, led him to become one of the most recognized commercial roofing experts within the industry.
RICHARD ESPINOZA
VICE PRESIDENT
OF ENGINEERING,
PE
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Richard holds a State of Florida Professional Engineer and General Contractor licenses, as well a Professional Engineer license in Puerto Rico. Richard holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and a Master’s degree of Science in Construction Management. Prior to joining ACRC, he was a Senior Civil Engineer with Bechtel Power Corporation. He also has many years of experience working with General Contractors, Consultants and Developers throughout the United States, South America and Western Asia.
