A. C. Associates

After attending Westchester Community College, Mr. Robert A. Samela began his career in the construction industry, working for a general contractor and real estate developer. In 1966, Mr. Samela became involved in the siding and decking industry, while working with one of the major siding and decking manufacturers in the United States. For the next few years, he worked for several other major decking and siding manufacturer, and finally came to rest at AC Associates in 1978. In 1985, Mr. Samela became Vice President, and in 1989 become President. In 2008, Mr. Robert A. Samela became the sole owner of AC Associates.
As an active member of the construction community, Mr. Samela is a past President of the Subcontractors Trade Association (STA), Past-Chairman of the Building Trades Employers Association (BTEA), and Past-President of the Allied Building Metal Industries. He is also a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Steel Institute of New York, served as a non-member advisor of the American Society of Civil Engineers on the Steel Deck with Concrete Standards Committee, and is the Co-Chair Employer Trustee on six different funds for the Iron Worker Local 40, 361 & 417 Union Security Funds. Mr. Robert A. Samela has been listed in Who’s Who in US Executives, and Who’s Who in US Business.

James Samela has been working for AC Associates in a part time capacity since 2001, in parallel operating a busy photography studio. In 2016, James sold the majority of his business, and joined AC Associates full time. James is a key member of the AC Associates team, developing and evolving new sales initiatives and strategies to capture our key demographics.

James has a firm knowledge of the stud welding process, equipment and consumable parts. He regularly consults our customers on their equipment needs, application specifics and delivery schedules. He serves as contact point to the customers offering equipment operation support, troubleshooting equipment and process issues and training crews.  James is frequently “in the field” guiding manpower in the proper methods of completing the task at hand, accounting for material, weather conditions, and budget restrictions.  

Leslie Samela has worked in the construction industry, including a scaffold company, a concrete company, and window treatment company, since the 1970’s. Leslie is a graduate of Montclair State University, possessing a BS in Family and Consumer Sciences Education. She has worked at AC Associates on and off since the mid 1980’s, performing various functions including payroll, accounts payable, and taxes, insurances, and governmental paperwork. 

Currently Leslie acts as AC’s “pinch hitter”, taking over for others as vacations interrupt their workflow. A well-rounded individual, Leslie is “always happy to help out and keep things running, no matter what it entails”.