Rick’s Story: Why Businesses Choose Endureed | Endureed
At Endureed, we’ve had the honor of working with big-name corporations and resorts to provide custom, engineered thatch roofing solutions to meet their needs. From theme parks like SeaWorld and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge to hotels like the Marriott and Embassy Suites, businesses choose Endureed products time and time again.
Today, we’ll explore the journey of one man and how he discovered why Endureed is truly the best solution to thatch roofing.
Excellence from the Start
Sitting in the office of Rick Schwartz, President of the Nashville Zoo, one begins to understand his passion for his work. Hundreds of books and journals line the shelves and describe thousands of animal species, chronicle their behaviors, and explore the survival skills needed for the wild to thrive. Scale models of animals and zoo habitats adorn the office, as do a myriad of animal skulls of various sizes.
Rick Schwartz, now in his 27th year at the Nashville Zoo, has made the care and preservation of these great natural resources his life’s work.
Rick embraces the concept of everything matters, and, as a result, a zoo that attracted approximately 70,000 visitors annually when it opened in 1997 will soon approach one million visitors per year—a staggering 14% annual growth rate.
The zoo has introduced white rhinoceroses, installed the Soaring Eagle zip line, and completed construction on a new multi-building entrance. Additionally, new exhibits for spider monkeys, Sumatran tigers, and Andean bears have also opened for guests’ enjoyment. The zoo’s future plans also include a state-of-the-art veterinary hospital, allowing them to help animals even more.
Clearly, the Nashville Zoo—already one of Music City’s top attractions—plans to maintain its aggressive growth rate.
Authenticity First, Always
When asked about the projects and the most important elements of design, Rick responded with a simple answer: “Authenticity.” When people are at his zoo, they should be transported to the worlds the animals come from. So, he knew that the new wildlife exhibits had to present a realistic view of animals in the wild.
To ensure this level of realism, Rick routinely walks from one new exhibit to the next, studying every detail of their design and construction—a painstaking approach that resulted in recognition in his field. The Greater Tennessee Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors granted its Construction of Excellence Award to the Nashville Zoo for its new entrance.
From a visitor’s perspective, the exhibit roof represents a critical aspect of design. Visitors often see the roof well before reaching the exhibit, and thus the roof has the ability to pique their interest and draw them near.
Once again, authenticity proves paramount.
When considering options for the new exhibits, he knew he needed something that represented the animals’ authentic habitat. South American thatch roofs would protect the spider monkeys, while the Sumatran tigers would shelter under Southeast Asian thatch; and for the other recent project, the new multi-building entrance, African thatch would invite guests into the zoo’s sanctuaries. But what thatching solution was the right one for both authenticity and longevity?
A Fork in the Road
Initially, Rick looked for sources of natural thatch to create the desired look for each environment. Natural thatch, though unmatched for authenticity, presented a series of challenges.
For example, would it satisfy Nashville codes for fire and wind resistance? Would it prove durable, or would it wither and fade? Would it protect against heavy rains and provide dry shelter? What kind of maintenance would it require?
Rick began to think that he needed a better solution and, despite his hesitations about man-made products, turned his attention to synthetic thatch.
Discovering the Solution
Rick explored several parks and resorts to find a thatch solution. But it was after a visit to Disney World in Orlando, where he experienced Endureed’s engineered thatch, that Rick decided on synthetic thatch and the Endureed brand.
Endureed’s products are known worldwide for their authentic appearance, durability, and fire/wind resistance. Our 20-year warranty reinforced his decision. His next challenge, finding the right color and look, proved easier than anticipated. According to Rick, “The Endureed team listened and went to work customizing colors and creating the desired aesthetic. They couldn’t have been easier to work with or more professional.”
Ultimately, the Nashville Zoo selected a modified version of the Regions Kilimanjaro thatch for the entrance, Regions Kona thatch for the Sumatran tiger exhibit, and VIVA Palm for the spider monkey exhibit. “At first,” Rick said, “The Endureed products seemed expensive, but then I realized that we wouldn’t be replacing the roofs every six or seven years and that the ongoing maintenance cost of the Endureed products over their 20+ year life would most likely prove negligible; their installations bear this out. In the end, we clearly made the right decision, and, from my perspective, I can’t imagine using anyone else.”
See for Yourself Why Businesses Choose Endureed
Like Rick discovered, you can enjoy all the benefits of our engineered thatch roofing. The three reasons businesses tell us they come back to us time and time again are:
- Endureed provides authentic, natural-looking thatch roofing you can be proud of!
- Endureed products offer a 20-year guarantee, fire/wind resistance, and long-lasting durability, protecting you and your investment.
- Our team will listen and do all the work, so you can just focus on what matters most to you and enjoy a thatched roof you can be proud of.
Whether you have a zoo project, vacation home, resort palapa, or any other major thatch roofing project, our team is here to help. Call us today at 1 (866) 229-9008 or get a quick quote online to get your next project started!
