AQC Founder and 

Senior Advisor – Environmental Engineering Consultancy

Edwin (Ed) Laird, who founded AQC in 1984, has over 40 years of experience in the emissions industry as a chemist, coatings manufacturer, and providing environmental services. In addition to being the CEO of AQC Environmental Engineers (AQC) since its inception in 1984, he is also the founder and CEO of Laird Coatings Corporation (formerly Coatings Resource Corporation – founded in 1976) and was a founder/CEO of two other manufacturing/spray coatings companies, all of which are highly specialized custom coatings companies serving a variety of industrial clients including those in aerospace, automotive, and television sectors. He served as in several advisory positions to industry and government regulatory agencies in the formulation and assessment of environmental impacts from various solvent, paint, and coating formulations. He also served on the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD)’s VOC RECLAIM Advisory Task Force in the early 1990’s; formed Small Business Coalition in the late 1990‘s and for several years represented their interests in the SCAQMD’s regulatory system. Ed Laird has been a great technical and business resource person to not only AQC and its clients but also to several industries and government agencies in California. Since its acquisition by Protech Engineering Resources (PROTECH) in 2021, AQC has been operating as a division of PROTECH.