ABOUT US
American Solar & Roofing began with a bold vision to radically change the way Arizonans thought about the energy they used. Founded in 2001, American Solar & Roofing was the first solar installer in our state and worked tirelessly to create the solar industry that exists today. The company expanded by adding roofing to its portfolio services in 2008, and is now the only local licensed solar and roofing installer. Led by President & CEO Joy Seitz, the company is entering a new and exciting phase, raising the bar in every aspect of the business. It’s upon these values which American Solar & Roofing is forging ahead into a future of endless possibilities.
OUR HISTORY
Founded in 2001, American Solar & Roofing has quite an incredible history. A company which began with two individuals and a passion to bring solar energy to fruition. Our company faced many obstacles, including working with electric companies and creating legislation and regulation for the solar industry. We were creating something no one else had before! You will find American Solar & Roofing remains unlike any other solar contractor and are active industry leaders.
American Solar Electric was born by the connection of two passionate entrepreneurs. Together they began their journey to pave the way for the solar industry in Arizona and states wide.
We installed the first APS-owned, customer sited, single axis tracking and grid tied solar plant at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the aeronautical college in Prescott. This plant fed the grid and was rated at 230 - kilowatts.
American installed 320 kW of solar energy on the Scottsdale Water Treatment plant, partnered with APS. This was another huge project and one of the first!
Sean Seitz worked with Ed Fox and the Environmental Portfolio Standard (EPS) under APS. Through this they were lobbying to get incentives for solar electric APS customers, which began at $4 a watt.
Voted and put into effect - REST had a 15% requirement for renewable energy, compared to EPS’s 1%. During a break, Commissioner Mayes and American Solar Founder, Sean Seitz, came up with 50% residential, 50% commercial distributed renewables for the DG carveout. And that was the beginning of the residential distributive programs and the boom of solar!
American Solar and AriSEA, under Sean Seitz’s leadership as President, worked with APS and MAG to adopt uniform permit standards, system design, and contracting for APS to utilize on all residential solar installs. Seitz also led the elimination of sales tax on solar and property tax exemption for owned solar. This organization led the creation of the SRP solar incentive program.
The Solar Alliance was a national organization, which is now merged with SEIA. As a company, we paid $25,000 per year for dues to the Alliance. American Solar also had paid staff members to manage all the solar policy and initiatives; this is something no other company was doing but we knew was important for policy work. This was also our current CEO, Joy Seitz’s, first job with the company as a lobbyist for The Solar Alliance.
We worked with Shea Homes for solar installations on new homes. Shea Homes was one of the first home builders in the country to offer solar as a standard feature. Because of this partnership, we got our roofing license to become experts in the combination of solar and roofing.
The Tile Roofing Institute came to American Solar to create a standard of solar and roofing. We worked with the Tile Roofing Institute to create an aesthetically pleasing tile-inset method to solar installation. This method is popular today and allows the panels to lay as flush as possible to the roof.
Joy Seitz joins American Solar & Roofing and worked as a company lobbyist. Joy Seitz increased the residential solar incentives to $40 million; this was the highest it ever reached. Joy Seitz works to improve the solar industry and became President of AriSEA in 2011.
The company undergoes a complete rebranding and the style of our logo updates. Our name remains American Solar at this point.
Joy Seitz leads American Solar & Roofing to become a founding member of the Arizona Solar Deployment alliance (ASDA), a group dedicated to consumer advocacy and information.
Joy Seitz is named CEO. Seitz put on a cloak of self-described armor and went to battle for a better and more sustainable Arizona. Coming from a family history of quality construction, Seitz is often copied but never duplicated. Seitz entered the company at a pivotal time and worked to save the solar industry and protect homeowners.
American undergoes a small name change with the addition of roofing. The company also stops offering solar leases, because it is dangerous for the consumer.
Joy Seitz collaborated with APS and created the APS Solar Partner Program which advocates, educates and allows APS to study the success of customers on solar. This model is one that is now duplicated in various utilities.
American Solar & Roofing expands their service department because of the need to serve orphaned solar customers. At this point, a lot of solar companies have gone out of business and their customers are in need of service.
American Solar & Roofing celebrates it's 20th year in business. Over these 20 years, the company created an industry, protected an industry and all Arizona solar homeowners.
Over the last 20 years in business, American Solar & Roofing’s logo has seen significant and subtle changes. You may have worked with us in the past and not realized it!
OUR PROCESS
Our process begins with educating our customers. Our goal is to equip you with the necessary knowledge to make the right financial decision for your family. You’ll find we are a solar and roofing company unlike any other and will be there with you every step of the way.
• Complete Guidance: We have a no pressure, consultative sales approach. Our team will take you on a journey and work with you to design the ideal solar or roofing project for your home. Our dedicated team will be with you throughout your entire project.
• Unmatched Expertise: To our knowledge, we are the only licensed, bonded and insured roofing and solar company in Arizona. With over 20 years of experience, we have the expertise to provide solutions for your solar and roofing needs. We work with the top vendors and use only the finest materials for maximum performance and reliability.
• In-House: American Solar & Roofing is locally owned and based in Arizona. We’ve invested in building a prosperous future for Arizona communities, and providing the power of investment to all Arizonans. Our employees are all W-2 and represent American Solar & Roofing.
OUR CORE VALUES
At the backbone and center of our company, we hold our values. These core values dictate every decision and we are confident you will see these values in each of our team members. If you align with our values, we are the contractor for you!
- Fearlessly Kind: We take pride in the truth that we demonstrate kindness to each other, to our customers, and to our community and planet. We genuinely care for one another, we are selfless, we show empathy, and we lift each other up. We are fierce, and we are kind. We work to provide greater good for all humanity.
- Positive Accountability: We consistently own our actions and demonstrate personal responsibility. We have a mindset of “this specific task/job begins and ends with me.” Team members, leaders, managers, supervisors, and employees use this value to reaffirm to others that they are showing up and delivering at or above their specific job description. We do not use this as a shaming tool or negative review tool.
- Hungry for Achievement: We are searching for achievement not just for ourselves, but within our teams, across teams, and for our customers. We know when this is achieved, we all win. We are tenacious, go – getters, highly driven and growth minded.
- Thirst for Knowledge: We are not afraid to ask each other questions, we desire to learn anything and everything. We are continuously growing and becoming stronger team members. At the same time, we understand “there are many ways to get up a mountain” and we seek to understand Why a process and/or procedure is completed in a certain way. We consistently “stay curious” and dig deeper to find the why, no matter what.
- Open to Vulnerability: Vulnerability and acceptance are at the backbone of our company. We have our egos in check, we accept and encourage constructive criticism, and we leverage the strength of others. We are constantly working on ourselves and our personal growth. We communicate to our team members and customers if an action made you feel unsafe.
OUR COMMITTMENT TO BELONGING
Our mission at American Solar & Roofing is to affect revolutionary change for our employees, customers and community. We do this through our commitment to create a more sustainable and cleaner environment by providing high quality roofing and solar installations, consistently putting our employees and customers first, expanding renewable energy across Arizona, and fighting for consumer rights within our industry at both the state and national levels.
We also do this through our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging within our company. We believe that success comes from promoting and maintaining a workforce that is diverse in race, ethnicity, cultural background, gender identification, sexual orientation, age, faith and more. It is by celebrating these differences, providing an inclusive safe space where all employees have a voice, and creating opportunities for under-represented individuals to have a seat at the table, from the field to the office, that we will continue to rise to the top as change leaders within our industry.
