Fernandez, president of Roof Decks of Puerto Rico Inc., San Juan, with his family. Pictured from left to right: son Alberto; Fernandez; son Luis; daughter Mariana; wife Ana; and son Andres.
Professional Roofing: What is the most unusual roofing project you've performed? Fernandez: The waterproofing and refurbishing of the Minillas Tunnel located on a section of highway PR-22 in the center of the San Juan metropolitan area. The $5 million project consisted of waterproofing the inside and outside of the tunnel structure, installing a cathodic protection system to control the corrosion of the rebar, manufacturing and installing skylights, and installing a porcelain enamel-composite panel cladding system for the tunnel's interior walls. The work was performed from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. without altering the traffic patterns of one of the most transited highways in Puerto Rico.
Why did you become a roofing contractor? Our family has been involved in the roofing business since 1971 when my father founded Roof Decks of Puerto Rico. When my brother Matias and I graduated from college, my father was ready to sell the company. Matias and I decided we should continue to expand the services provided by Roof Decks of Puerto Rico and bought the company.
What was your first roofing experience? The first time I was on a roofing job was with my father when I was about 9 years old. I thought it was the greatest thing in the world! I got to ride on trucks, climb tall ladders and be around hazardous conditions; in other words, I could do all the things my mother wouldn't...