About IRS demo

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

The story of Carlos Herrera & IRS Demolition stands as a perfect example of the American Dream. Carlos’s mother, motivated by the pursuit of a brighter future for her family, immigrated to the US and worked to instill strong morals and a robust work ethic in her children. The family, living by the principle that hard work yields rewards, earned money for rent through recycling newspapers and cans, learning early on that only though working together could they reach their goals.

Carlos eventually found work as an elevator operator on a construction site, and his journey became intertwined with Los Angeles’s construction and deconstruction narrative as Carlos delved into the intricacies of every aspect of high-rise operations. He acquainted himself with each security guard, janitor, and engineer, propelled by his profound belief in loyalty to people and to his craft, treating every building as if it were his own. It was during this period that he recognized the need for better demolition practices, witnessing untrained workers mistreating buildings by concentrating on haphazardly scrapping parts for extra profit rather on the quality of the work—behavior inconsistent with Carlos’s upbringing and values. And thus, IRS Demo was born.

The roots of IRS Demo trace back to humble beginnings, starting in a trailer in El Monte with a handful of employees 30 years ago. Through unwavering hard work, perseverance, and a willingness to bet on himself and his co-workers, Carlos nurtured IRS Demo into the thriving entity it is today. Currently situated on 14 acres with a workforce exceeding 200 employees, IRS Demo serves over 700 clients across the West Coast. Carlos has successfully instilled the values his mother taught him into his employees, furthering a culture rooted in integrity and hard work.

LEADERSHIP
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    Carlos Herrera
    CEO and Founder

    Carlos Herrera serves as the CEO and Founder of Interior Removal Specialist, Inc. Born in McFarland, CA and raised in Downtown Los Angeles, Carlos went to work for Westgroup Partners at the age of 18. After quickly rising through the ranks at Westgroup, Mr. Herrera was recognized as a valued manager before moving on to found Interior Removal Specialists in 1994 with only 20 laborers and a single dump truck. Since its inception, Carlos’ work at IRS Demo has been widely recognized as the benchmark upon which all other demolition contractors are measured. The often forgotten side of demolition is the debris it generates. Mr. Herrera has turned the IRS recycling yard into a state certified construction and demolition debris processing facility. It is the first demolition recycling facility to focus exclusively on interior materials, going against the long-held industry-standard of treating all debris the same. Constantly motivated to better his community and believing that recycling alone was not enough, Mr. Herrera and IRS Demo have provided hundreds of charities with thousands of tons of furniture and fixtures removed from job sites. Mr. Herrera’s deep belief in supporting his community has translated not only into supporting local organizations but also in building churches and schools in Mexico with materials salvaged from IRS job sites. He has been an active member in a number of organizations including Homeboy Industries, which named him employer of the year. He has been honored for his work by Jesuit Charities and is the 2020 recipient of the Cardinal’s Award which is the highest recognition of service in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Carlos spends his off hours with his family, enjoying time with his wife, three sons, and six grandchildren.

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    Charlie Herrera
    President

    Charlie Herrera is an accomplished professional with over a decade of experience at IRS Demo. As President of IRS Demo, Charlie Herrera is a results-driven professional responsible for overseeing the growth and development of the company, and maximizing business opportunities to ensure the company’s longevity. In his current role, Charlie works closely with the executive team to develop and implement strategic plans that promote ongoing development and growth across the company. He is also responsible for implementing policies and procedures that ensure effective and efficient operations, and for fostering internal growth and development within the company. Charlie is a skilled communicator and a natural leader, with a talent for building strong relationships both within the company and with external partners. He is passionate about driving growth and fostering innovation, and is always looking for new ways to push the boundaries and deliver exceptional results. Charlie has a wealth of experience and expertise in sales and office management, which he gained prior to joining IRS Demo. Overall, Charlie brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role as VP of Business Development, and is committed to driving the ongoing success and growth of the company which makes him a valuable asset to the company’s executive team.

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    Ernie Herrera
    Senior Vice President

    Ernie’s journey from sorting debris in the recycling yard to becoming the Senior Vice President at IRS Demo is a testament to his hard work, dedication, and commitment to achieving his goals. With over two decades of experience in the field, Ernie brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his role. As VP of Sales, Ernie has day-to-day oversight of the sales team and works closely with operations to ensure that projects are completed successfully. He is responsible for leading the sales department, maximizing business opportunities, and achieving targeted revenue. With his extensive background in project management, Ernie is well-equipped to manage all sales operations, including pipeline development, customer engagement, and contract negotiations. Ernie is a results-driven leader who is passionate about developing and growing the sales team. He is committed to fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement, and he takes a hands-on approach to coaching and mentoring his team.

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    Vicky Herrera
    VP of Business & Financial Affairs

    Vicky Herrera joined Interior Removal Specialist in 1998 and has been Vice President of Business and Financial Affairs since 2001. During her two-decade tenure at IRS Demo, Vicky has overseen a variety of company initiatives including oversight of the safety programs, human resources and the installation of training protocols. In piloting these initiatives, Vicky has brought all levels of training in-house resulting in improved safety and higher levels of staff satisfaction.

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    Manuel Mendez
    VP of Operations

    Manuel has been an integral part of IRS Demo since he first joined the company in 2002 as a member of the demolition crew. His strong work ethic and willingness to help out wherever needed soon caught the attention of the company’s leadership, and he was soon promoted to oversee both Project Management and Dispatch. Through his experiences working both in the field and in the office, Manuel gained a unique understanding of how different departments within the company work together. This knowledge, combined with his technical expertise, enabled him to deploy mission-critical software that increased productivity across the organization. After 20 years of dedicated service to the company, Manuel was recently promoted to Vice President of Operations. In this role, he is responsible for upholding the profitability and values of the organization by leading business operations. He manages and oversees operations across the company, including supervising staff, planning, organizing, and implementing administrative systems. Manuel’s ability to lead and work collaboratively with different departments has been instrumental in the success of IRS Demo. He continues to leverage his skills and experience to ensure that the company remains at the forefront of its industry.

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    Richard Ludt
    Director of Environmental Affairs

    Richard Ludt is the Director of Environmental Affairs at Interior Removal Specialist, Inc. Richard came to the construction industry after a long career in the entertainment industry and has become a recognized expert in the field of recycling construction and demolition debris. Richard is responsible for complying with California’s heavily regulated solid waste ordinances and coordinates the extensive efforts involved for the recycling of the various construction debris obtained from tenant improvement demolition projects, including E-Waste, Acoustic Ceiling Tiles, carpeting, and over 221,000,000 pounds of drywall. Richard oversaw the permitting of the IRS construction and demolition processing facility in the City of South Gate and continues to find new markets for the unique debris generated in the commercial interior construction and demolition industries. Richard has held the position of Corporate Director of Recycling and Material Recovery for the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) for the last 12 years, and sits on the Board of the Los Angeles Chapter of the US Green Building Council. When he is not working in the garage on a woodworking project or his new hobby of knife making, Richard and his wife and two children enjoy movies and travel.

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    Candi Suh
    Administrative Financial Operations Manager

    Сandi Suh has worked with Interior Removal Specialist, Inc. for the last 20 years and serves as our Administrative Financial Operations Manager. In this current role, she leads the Company’s Collections and Credit Risk Management Services. With nearly 30 years in the Construction Industry in both General Contracting as well as subcontracting, she possesses a clear understanding of the entire construction and business process. Her positive attitude and dedication to client service has made her a valuable asset for both Interior Removal Specialist, Inc., and its clients. Her management skills have been instrumental in taking on leadership roles to hire, train and mentor company administrative staff. Candi takes a vision and makes it reality through a sound “win-win” approach. She intuitively sees the threads of opportunity that wind throughout the Company and brings them together into a coherent whole. She inspires action, while at the same time is grounded in financial acumen. With an in-depth knowledge of operational accounting and cash flow management the result has contributed in the overall growth of the Company while bringing quality and consistency to the Company’s financial operations.

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    Roy Ludt
    Project Manager

    Roy works as a Project Manager at Interior Removal Specialist, Inc., a position he has earned in his nearly 10 years with the company. After leaving a glazing company where he had been Sales Manager Roy quickly took over the Orange County market for IRS Demo. Roy started at IRS as an estimator and handled existing relationships with property managers, engineers and contractors, as well as forging new relationships that have greatly benefited the company over the years. Roy and the other Project Managers oversee the estimating staff and track projects to completion. They work hand in hand with contactors, buildings, and subcontractors to ensure that projects are finished on time, on budget, and with the quality that people have come to expect from IRS Demo. Roy is an ardent soccer fan and enjoys taking his wife and 2 children to games whenever possible.

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    Tommy McAndrews
    Head of Sales

    Tommy McAndrews, our dynamic Sales & Marketing Representative comes on board with a diverse background in property management and global events marketing. Tommy brings a unique blend of real estate and marketing knowledge to the IRS Demo team. Prior to joining our team, Tommy managed warehouses and retail centers in some of Southern California’s most bustling areas, including Los Angeles, Inland Empire, and Orange County. His experience in property management honed his skills in communication, organization, and problem-solving – all essential qualities for success in sales and marketing. Tommy is excited to put his skills to work for the benefit of our clients.

     

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    Maria Vasquez
    Human Resources Manager

    Maria T. Vasquez is the Human Resources Manager at Interior Removal Specialist, Inc. Maria began her human resources career in 1991 and has worked in the manufacturing, distribution, and pharmaceutical industries. She has held progressively responsible positions in Human Resources management throughout her career. Working closely with the Vice President of Operations, Maria has implemented improved HR systems and practices throughout IRS Demo. Her work has translated directly to an improved company culture, marked improvement in the company benefit programs and continuously improving job site safety. Maria is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management and was awarded the Woman at Work Award for Safety.