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The HERO Program is a residential PACE provider issued by the San Diego-based clean technology financial services company Renovate America. The program uses property taxes to upgrade homes to energy efficient products.

History
Renovate America was founded in 2008 by JP McNeill and Nick Fergis. The company was initially concepted as a solution to speed residential and commercial retrofits. At the time PACE financing was generally opposed by banks and enterprises such as Freddie Mac. The company created a network of contractors who were still suffering from the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008. The company marketed to homeowners with regular home repairs rather than those with high-utility bills. Forbes described the company's marketing to be based on 15 to 20% of 135 million homeowners annually needing retrofits involving repairs, and 12 to 20% of the repairs involving gas, electricity, and water.

In 2011, the company started funding the HERO Program, through a partnership with the Western Riverside Council of Governments, a public agency representing 15 areas within in the Riverside County area of California.

After California governor Jerry Brown led water conservation projects due to the California drought, the company provided water reduction projects. The company's efforts in water reduction were recognized by Barack Obama and the White House.

In 2014, previously an assistant to the President and manager of private sector engagement at the White Houser, Ari Matusiak left the position to become the company's Senior Vice President for Corporate Development and Head of New Markets.

The company bought Portland software firm CakeSystems in 2016.

In 2015, the company raised approximately $500 million dollars for its HERO Program through several investors. The company was considered one of the

In 2016, the company partnered with the Missouri Clean Energy District to expand their PACE provider to the state of Missouri. Missouri executives Joe Suggs and John Maslowski were put in charge of the branch.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/renovate-america-welcomes-us-department-of-energys-best-practices-for-property-assessed-clean-energy-pace-financing-300366113.html

https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-38710921.html

https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-40074204.html

https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-40091710.html

https://thebossmagazine.com/magazine/may16/#106

http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=115027916

http://breakingenergy.com/2016/11/21/pace-securitizations-top-400m-in-november/

http://www.politico.com/tipsheets/playbook/2014/12/politico-goes-global-europe-edition-launches-this-spring-with-team-of-70-budoff-brown-to-brussels-interview-reid-blames-obamacare-rollout-for-costing-dems-the-majority-212543

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-solar-renovate-america-20151113-story.html

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/sbo/2016/08/portland-building-nonprofit-sells-tech-armto-san.html

http://cleantechies.com/2014/05/08/interview-jp-mcneill-ceo-and-co-founder-of-renovate-america/

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/industry-leaders-renovate-america-and-the-electric--gas-industries-association-partner-to-accelerate-energy-efficiency-home-renovation-300239831.html

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/renovate-america-welcomes-us-department-of-energys-best-practices-for-property-assessed-clean-energy-pace-financing-300366113.html

http://www.ncsl.org/research/energy/pace-financing.aspx#residential

NEG: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/sd-me-renovate-america-20161117-story.html

http://www.courthousenews.com/2015/09/24/racketeering-claimed-in-home-solar-systems.htm

http://www.pe.com/articles/hero-758344-program-home.html

http://www.pe.com/articles/program-768927-hero-ramirez.html

http://www.courthousenews.com/2016/11/04/class-says-eco-loans-overcharge-borrowers.htm

HERO Program
The HERO Program (an acronym for Home Energy Renovation Opportunity), which utilizes the PACE system of financing. The PACE financial system is characterized by borrowing money from local government property taxes in order to fund energy efficiency products for their homes. The HERO Program is considered a cloud-based service which allows its viewers to observe and select products which adhere to energy efficient industry standards. The financing provided by the HERO Program is repaid through annual property tax payments, which are collected by the County and in some cases may be passed on to a new property owner if the property is sold.

The company developed a certification program for contractors working with the company's HERO Program. Renovate America had also partnered with home improvement retailers Lowe's and Home Depot.

Anlin Window Systems
Anlin Industries, known by its trademark Anlin Window Systems is a window manufacturer based out of Clovis, California. The company was founded in 1991 by Tom Vidmar, with his sons Eric and Greg Vidmar. The company is known for its introduction of vinyl replacement windows to the state of California and the West Coast of the United States.

History
In 1951, Tom Vidmar had established the Moore Insulation Service company with an emphasis on residential energy efficiency products. The company narrowed its focus down to windows which led to the foundation of Anlin Industries. The company was founded in 1990 by Tom Vidmar in Fresno, California, with his sons Eric and Greg Vidmar. Vidmar's wife Linda conceptualized the name "Anlin" as a combination of Tom's middle name Anton and the beginning of her first name. Anlin Industries was later incorporated in February 1991 by Johnathan R Chessum. The company saw an open market for vinyl replacement windows in California, based on flourishing East Coast counterparts. The company initially looked for a market within Fresno, but to no success.

In 1999, Anlin Window Systems moved into its 200,000-square foot Clovis facility, and the company was awarded the "Industrial Business of the Year" by the U.S. House of Representatives. The Anlin company initially manufactured windows for the CertainTeed company, a company which produced vinyl replacement windows for the East Coast markets. Seeing a market for vinyl replacement windows in the West Coast, Anlin initially attempted to market the windows in Fresno but were unsuccessful. The company then started selling vinyl windows to a dealer in Sacramento would remain one of the companies main dealers. Anlin began to develop their first name brand windows in 2001. During the California electricity crisis, a spike in energy efficiency became a new found focus of the residential industry which resulted in Anlin producing extra energy efficient products. In 2003, it was reported that the company grew 156 percent from its name brand expansion. 2004 expansion of the Clovis facility resulted in the company's factory becoming more automated to reduce human contact. New automated machinery was used to produce the company's double-layer, silver-coated and argon-gas filled window products to increase energy efficiency within the window market of the time, which demanded less human contact. In 2005, Arnold Schwarzenegger had announced his 2006 re-election for Governor of California at a press conference held at the Clovis facility.

During the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis, the company had laid off many employees as a result, however the company rehired many of these employees in the years after.

In 2014, Tom Vidmar died of cancer, and was succeeded by John Maloney as CEO, his son Greg Vidmar as vice-president, and his other son Eric Vidmar as executive vice-president.

Corporate affairs and culture
Founder Tom Vidmar's conservative Christian belief system has been deemed to have coalesced into a company culture centered around faith-motivated business practices. The company's Clovis facility is reportedly known for its sign quoting Ronald Reagan's 1981 Inaugural Address which represents "Vidmar's philosophy of business". The company's ties to philanthropy include volunteer work for the Ronald McDonald House, Make-A-Wish Foundation and Community Food Bank, as well as other charity events.

American Vision Windows
American Vision Windows, Inc. (AVW) is a privately-held home improvement company based in Simi Valley, California. Founded in 1999 by husband and wife William "Bill" Herren and Kathleen Herren, the company specializes in window installation and replacement, although it has expanded into other home improvement markets. American Vision Windows has opened locations in Orange County, Santa Clara County, and San Diego County, California as well as Maricopa County, Arizona. These sites house the company's warehouse showrooms which advertise the company's products. The company previously had several divisions which focused on other areas of the home improvement market - these included American Vision Solar, American Vision Garages, and American Vision Kitchens & Baths. These divisions were the company's response to the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008; the company's main currently standing division, American Vision Window Coverings, deals in shutters, shades, and blinds. The company's founders are Christians and ground the company's culture in their religious values. The company markets itself through radio, social media, and print ads, some of which is faith-based.

History
American Vision Windows began in 1999 by husband and wife William R. (Bill) Herren and Kathleen Herren in Simi Valley, California. New homeowners at the time, the Herrens contacted local window contractors to replace their old windows with energy efficient ones. The Herrens reportedly researched dual-pane windows to minimize a draft approaching their infant's crib. Kathleen wanted Bill Herren would leave his previous industry. Bill developed an interest in the window installation field and had thought about applying his own religious ideas. The idea of running a window installation company on Christian ideas was something seen as unadopted to the Herrens, and would eventually become the basis of the company's culture. Borrowing money, mortgaging their home, and invested their life savings, the Herrens used their resources to found American Vision Windows.

The company was founded by William (Bill) Herren and Kathleen Herren; and the company was incorporated in 2000 by the company's executive vice president Monica Estrada. In 2003, the company reportedly increased 30%, and opened offices in Orange County. The Orange County offices were initially located in Anaheim - but later moved to Orange, California in late 2004. American Vision Kitchens became a division in 2004, which later became American Vision Kitchens & Baths in 2010, and dissolved in 2011. Generating a revenue of 2.3 million from approximately 350 installations, the company opened a branch in the Santa Clara County region in Sunnyvale, California. That year, the Herrens' company supplied windows and doors to a family in South Central, Los Angeles, filmed for an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Expansion, subprime mortgage crisis, and reorganization (2006-onward)
In 2006, the company relocated its headquarters to a 35,000-square foot Simi Valley warehouse location, and all three branches had 125 employees collectively. American Vision Windows held a grand opening ceremony for the Orange County branch's warehouse on July 2007. In 2007, the Herrens invested into two divisions: a mortgage division American Vision Lending and a real estate development division American Vision Development. Both incorporated by Kathleen's brother Howard Herron, and are currently dissolved. In 2008, the Santa Clara County location moved from Sunnyvale to Santa Clara, California. This location moved to the currently occupied 400 Mathew Street address in Santa Clara, California mid 2011.

During the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis, the company experienced an economic downturn in the home improvement industry and had laid off many employees. At the time Bill Herren stated, "We knew the home improvement business would take a hit, but I don’t think any could have predicted a bottom like we have seen. The housing industry is fundamentally in a depression." The company explored product diversification in the areas of solar energy, window coverings, and garages. The company marketed these divisions to homeowners affected by the economy crisis to improve energy efficiency and resale value of their home. The division American Vision Garages, Inc. was incorporated February 8, 2004 by Howard Herron. Due to unknown reasons the company reincarnated as Oasis Garages Purchasing Company, Inc. in 2008 and dissolved around late 2013. American Vision Solar, Inc. became its own division in 2009 and was incorporated by Bill Herren, May 11 of that year.

During the company's diversification of the housing crisis, the company strived to maintain a balance between windows and its numerous divisions. "We are not a window treatment company. We are not a solar company. American Vision is still a window company," Bill Herren stated, "If you get caught up being all things for all people, your window sales will go down." American Vision Window Coverings (previously known as American Vision Interiors) became a division in 2010. In late 2010, the company opened offices outside of California in Mesa, Arizona. American Vision Windows held the grand opening for their San Diego office and showroom on May 9, 2015.

Company culture and analysis
American Vision Windows' working environment stems from a combination of the founders' Christian principles and a caring mentality stemming from Bill Herren's previous struggles. Bill Herren who was formerly homeless struggled with a need for guidance. This need for help was what caused the development of Bill's own caring habits which were eventually directed towards American Vision Windows' employees and those he comes into contact with. Sheldone Simola cited scholar S.K. Dhimon as an explanation of these "caring habits", stating, “His personal experiences of pain and the responses of those around him not only led to the development of his own caring knowledge and caring imagination, but also to his use of caring habits relative to the health and social needs of individuals with whom he comes into contact, including his own employees." Bill Herren reportedly also found that the company's employees demonstrate a goodwill in return, which Simola further stated keeps within scholar Maurice Hamington's asserted idea that, “individuals learn from being cared for themselves about how to care for others” which reflects the integration of many individual acts of care as indicated by the scholars K.S. Cameron, Arran Caza, B.S. Fredrickson, M. Hamington, and M. Kanov.

This resulted in a company culture "focused on the individual". A manager of a 12 million dollar portion of the Orange County offices, initially came to Herren in drug addiction and homelessness. Bill Herren seeked out rehabilitation for the man and mentored him on doing the trade. Bill Herren also sought help for a receptionist who needed proper housing due to health issues and personally turned his garage into a one-bedroom apartment. Founder Bill Herren stated that he considers everything aside from how the company treats employees and customers as "filler" and that he doesn't know how to run a company without staying loyal to his religion.

Advertising
American Vision Windows gets 27% of its potential leads from radio advertising. American Vision Windows advertises through radio stations such as KFI - where it gets spots on the program "John and Ken" with John Kobyit. Through these spots, the company advertises its early history narrative "The Bill and Kathleen Story". Bill Herren said that "The Bill and Kathleen Story" is the "main selling point of the company," rather than windows themselves. Bill Herren is an advertising partner of Christian radio station KKLA-FM, and has shared his religious testimony in KKLA press events.

Financial information
Data from Qualified Remodeler and Remodeling magazine, technically ranks American Vision Windows among the largest replacement contractors and the largest window-specific contractor in the United States. American Vision Windows has also been ranked by Qualified Remodeler in their Top 500 Remodelers list since 2006 and their Exterior Top 200 list since 2007. Based on the data from Top 500 Remodelers, American Vision Windows is currently the highest grossing window contractor in California, and the 25th highest grossing replacement contractor in the United States. Remodeling magazine listed American Vision in their Remodeling 550 since 2013. Based on the data from Remodeling 550, the company is the 12th highest grossing replacement contractor, and the highest grossing window contractor in California. The magazine Window & Door created a list of "top specialist" window contractors and included American Vision Windows in the estimated $20 million to $30 million dollar category.