About ACR
Everything we do is tied closely to our fundamental business promise—helping our clients maintain operational continuity.
ACR isn’t merely a “disaster cleanup company.”
While the financial effects of most emergency events can be overwhelming, the far more difficult foe is the process of finding the right-fit partner to lead you through to the other side to a successful outcome.
We are a collective of professional problem solvers who truly feel the magnitude of your loss.
We have spent 38 years listening to our clients in order to speak directly to their unique challenges in the vertical markets we serve in order to provide customized project solutions. But our approach to tackling these losses is always the same—maintaining operational continuity. We mitigate risk, while reducing expense and loss of use to you and your business.
Transparency IS THE CORE
OF WHO WE ARE
Our operations team utilizes a software platform for all detail management during your project.
From inspection to to completion, our clients can access all documentation including, accounting, notes, telephone communications and photos.
ADVOCACY ON BEHaLF
OF OUR CLIENTS
ACR is highly skilled in the documentation process that the insurance carrier requires to get the appropriate approvals and to keep your project moving forward.
Building strategic partnerships
IS WHAT WE DO
Thoroughly vetting trade partners such as structural engineers, architects, plumbing contractors, and roofing specialists is paramount to creating trust with our clients.
Communication is where
we excel
Superior documentation, transparency and frequent communication with our clients helps to build trust and eliminates redundancies and wasteful spending.
now operating in the southeast region
In 2023, ACR expanded to the Southeast Region, bringing a new team and resources the territory.
About OUR FOUNDERS
Mike Pohl’s dream was to start his own business. When he met Jim O’Callaghan in 1986, he convinced him to join forces and try their hand at cleaning carpets. Since Mike owned his own truck, it seemed like a good place to start. But when they were referred to their first big job with Chicago Health Clubs (now Bally Health Clubs), they got more than they anticipated with a request to clean over 30 locations in a week. Mike and Jim knew they needed help, each with young families and full-time jobs. The two partners hired more staff and began to secure contracts with even more national retailers such as Pizza Hut and Old Country Buffet. Their true grit and dedication to customer service paid off. ACR was recognized by their customers, which provided an opportunity for additional service offerings.
As the cleaning industry evolved in the early 1990’s, property restoration was in high demand. Jim and Mike saw the need to pivot from carpet cleaning; they began educating themselves and seeking out industry affiliations. That insight opened doors to partnerships in the residential property management and education markets and led to their first commercial procurement contracts with Chicago Public Schools and Associa Property Management.
By the late 90’s Jim and Mike obtained their own offices and car fleet and hired a Director of Operations to manage the job production. They thrived by providing honest and painless solutions for customers and affiliates in a way that propelled them into being a widely known and reputable resource in a competitive industry. By the 2010’s, Mike and Jim introduced Construction and Insurance Repair to their list of growing services and won their first Restoration Industry Association (RIA) Phoenix Award for Excellence in Innovation.
After years of growing roots in education, property management and insurance, Jim met Connie Polke, the Executive Director of CHUG (Collaborative Healthcare Urgency Group), a national healthcare organization who shared ACR’s vision to provide consistency in business operations. After the pandemic, CHUG had a growing need for strategic partners to complement the services to support sheltering in place. Jim, Mike and Connie joined forces to address the evolving emergency needs of the healthcare and skilled nursing industry. From there the sister company of ACR was formed to enhance the continuum of care needed in healthcare. ACR serves as the restoration arm and CHUG serves as the education, compliance and training arm for our mutual healthcare clients and members. Jim and Mike had the foresight to educate and address the increasing risks of infection control by further developing the skills of the restoration team. In 2020, with three ICRA Certified Remediator Supervisors on staff, the ACR team was able to serve a new segment of clients.
In the fall of 2023, ACR expanded operations into the Southeastern Region and remains dedicated to projects damaged by water, wind, fire, biohazard, pandemic, and other disasters throughout the U.S. It’s that focus on that same level of customer care that created ACR and can be found in the teams and culture they’ve built. And is what truly separates ACR from the typical restorer.
ACR is proud to be recognized as a leader in the restoration industry with two RIA & IICRC Certified Restorers and three RIA & IICRC Water Loss Specialists on staff. Jim and Mike have created a team that is second-to-none in dedication to quality property restoration, compassion, empathy, and deep industry experience. Today, the company remains one of the few privately owned and operated commercial and residential restoration companies in the industry.
Awards & Certifications
Since the company’s founding in 1986, ACR has been certified through industry governing bodies such as the IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification), the RIA (Restoration Industry Association), EPA and OSHA. Not only is ACR certified as a firm, but our Senior Project Management staff are among the most deeply certified restoration teams in the nation.
Experience matters. Looking across the entire nation, there are very few firms that have the type of talent ACR does. ACR boasts:
Two “Certified Restorers,” (RIA: CR), the highest advanced designation for restoration professionals.
Three “Water Loss Specialists” (RIA: WLS) and “Master Water Restorers” (IICRC: MWR)
Two “Master Fire and Smoke Restorers” (IICRC: MSR).
Three “ICRA Remediator Supervisors” (CICTI).
Two RIA Phoenix Awards for Excellence and Innovation in Restoration in 2014 and 2023
