Ep 125: The Fog of War and Humanity with Richard Acritelli and guest Jeff Brett P3 on hmTv

Episode 125 — The Fog of War and Humanity

Guest: Jeff Brett, President & Founder, King Quality
Host: Richard “Rich” Acritelli
Series: hmTv Originals

From the weight of 9/11 to the weight of a 50-year roof, service is the common thread.

In Part 3 of Rich Acritelli’s deep-dive with Long Island entrepreneur Jeff Brett, we trace a through-line that starts with Jeff’s nephews enlisting the morning after the Twin Towers fell and ends with King Quality’s goal of operating in all 50 states while giving every customer a half-century peace-of-mind warranty. Along the way:

• Family & Country: How Jason and Shane Spence turned a Port Jeff football scholarship and childhood asphalt jobs into decorated Army and Marine careers—guided by a grandfather who preached duty over fear.
• Service-First Leadership: Jeff explains why small businesses flourish only when “How can I serve?” replaces “What’s in it for me?”—a lesson lifted straight from military culture.
• Scaling with Purpose: 24 states down, 26 to go. Hear the strategy behind Vertex partnerships, purple underlayment, and the vision of protecting VFW roofs for generations to come.
• Heroes on Repeat: Patton’s Battle of the Bulge weather speech, MacArthur’s iron nerve, and the bagpipes of post-9/11 Long Island—Rich and Jeff swap the leadership moments that keep them pushing forward.
• King Quality Cares: From AHRC and Angels of Long Island to Feeding Westchester, Jeff’s philanthropy blueprint proves growth and giving can—and should—happen side by side.

Whether you’re a veteran, a business owner, or someone who still feels the echo of 9/11, this episode is a masterclass in turning hardship into higher purpose.

🔊 Listen now on hmTv, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.

Transcript

Episode 125 – The Fog of War and Humanity
Host: Richard “Rich” Acritelli
Guest: Jeff Brett, President & Founder, King Quality
Part 3

[Intro music]

Rich: Welcome back to hmTv! I’m your host, Rich Acritelli, and this is our third conversation with Jeff Brett on The Fog of War and Humanity. Last time we dug into his business goals, background, and the military values that shape King Quality. Jeff, your own family answered the call right after 9/11…

Jeff: Absolutely. I remember it like yesterday—I was at Gold’s Gym in Port Jefferson when the first plane hit. Everyone thought it was an accident—until the second plane. Everything went silent. My nephew, Jason Spence, was at Wagner College, watched the second tower fall, quit school, and enlisted the next day.

Rich: And that decision kept your family’s tradition of service alive.

Jeff: It did. Jason’s brother joined the Marines a few years later. Both are heroes. 9/11 felt like the longest day in American history—the bagpipes never stopped. Around here, funeral processions ran for months.

Rich: What roles did your nephews take on?

Jeff: Jason started as an MP, kept deploying, and worked his way up by sheer effort. Today he’s a Chief Warrant Officer 4 at the Pentagon, driving and providing security for the Secretary of Defense. That work ethic came straight from family: my dad ran an HVAC business; their grandfather ran Hawkins & Spence Paving. The lesson was always “Be of service when duty calls.”

Rich: Your dad even convinced your sister that Jason’s enlistment was the right thing to do.

Jeff: Exactly. He told us there’s nothing more important than serving your country. Jason went overseas repeatedly, then to Guantánamo for interrogations, and he’s still serving. Shane put in seven years with the Marines before an injury. I couldn’t be prouder.

Rich: That spirit of service also defines your leadership: it’s never “What’s in it for me?”—it’s “How can I serve?”

Jeff: One hundred percent. Small businesses thrive only when they put customers and communities first. That’s straight from the military.

Rich: You log a lot of miles on the road. Who inspires you?

Jeff: I read MacArthur, and Patton’s Battle of the Bulge weather speech still gives me goosebumps. It’s pure service-before-self.

Rich: Visionary leaders built America—and you’re scaling King Quality with the same forward-looking mindset. What’s next?

Jeff: We want to be in all 50 states. We’re in 24 now. Our roofs carry a 50-year warranty—think what that means for a VFW post: generations of veterans protected. We scour the world for the best materials so customers don’t have to.

Rich: Which states are on deck?

Jeff: New Mexico is close, along with several others out west. We partner with top regional roofers and fold them into the Vertex family—Action Roofing in California, for example. I’ll be there in August.

Rich: And you keep giving back—AHRC, Angels of Long Island, Feeding Westchester, plus that VFW roof donation we covered.

Jeff: King Quality Cares drives me. Being America’s best roofer matters, but so does lifting every community we serve.

Rich: Jeff, thanks for sharing your story and your family’s commitment to service. We’ll be watching as King Quality reaches every corner of the country.

Jeff: Thank you, Rich. It’s been an honor.

[Outro music]