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(210) 308-5800
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Volume 15
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Number 5
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MAY 2015
Hull lotta love
Adventures in architecture
L-R: Dan Snyder, vice president; Rick Hull, president and owner and Philip Cooke, general manager
A college friend Paige Wilburn and Rick Price go fishing in the Bahamas.
ick Hull, president and owner of Hull Supply Co., has a fierce work ethic, love of family and a zest for the outdoors and that passion has led to his company’s 30th anniversary. “I’m surrounded by really good people,” Hull said. “I’ve built this business because I hired good people and I’ve taken care of them. “I’ve had people that have been here since the beginning. It goes back to karma: You treat people right and they stick around.” Hull Supply is marking the 30th anniversary with a bigger version of its annual customer appreciation event in May. “I enjoy getting our customers to-
gether and showing them how much we appreciate their business,” Hull said. “In honor of our 30th year, our entire staff will be at the event. We’ll close our regular operations for the day (May 7) so that we can celebrate our customers. We’ll have lunch and an afternoon mixer. “ Throughout the day, Hull Supply will offer continuing education classes and will have a showcase and mobile showrooms with all the latest technological advances in doors, frames, hardware and access controls. Over the years, Hull Supply has expanded to meet the full complement of materials for Divisions 8 and 28. “Improving efficiency and customer
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ick Price, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, didn’t grow up knowing he’d be an architect, but after a school assessment test determined that it might be something for him to consider, he took the career suggestion and ran with it. Today he is the owner of Red Arc One. Price opened his firm in 2003. In the early days, he shared an office with a good friend. “My friend, his business partner and I shared an open room,” he said. “All the desks were facing one another. We had our own projects, but we also collaborated together. “If they had work that they couldn’t take on and I could, then I’d pick up a project there, and it was the same for
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them.” 2015 has been very exciting for Red Arc One as three commercial clients have opened their doors this year to the greater Austin area. Price says he especially likes working with clients who enjoy the collaborative process. “I am inspired by every book I have ever read, every building and place I’ve ever been,” he said. “If there is an opportunity to expand upon what I have seen, I try to improve upon the experience.” He enjoyed visiting and exploring the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth with a friend. continued on Page 17
Special delivery
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eneral contractor Hoar Construction completed the Lakeway Regional Medical Center in 22 months. The 271,000-sf, 145-bed acute care facility is part of a 54-acre development. According to superintendent Paul Griggs, the hospital has 58 private patient beds, an 18-bed adult intensive care unit, four pediatric intensive care beds, 15 private patient beds for pediatrics, 11 neonatal intensive care beds and shell space for an additional 40 beds. The hospital has a 23-treatment room emergency department. Diagnostic imaging includes MRI, a CT scanner, and all other major imaging services. Surgery services, for both inpatients and outpatients, include six operating rooms. The hospital provides cardiology services, obstetrical and women’s services, and pediatric services. The project also included a parking garage and surface
parking lot. “Early in design, the Lakeway Regional Medical Center team elected to prefabricate the curtainwall,” Griggs said. “Shop drawings were detailed specifically to allow panelization, and they were done early so they could be provided to the other trades associated with the exterior skin.” Griggs says an important consideration for any offsite premanufactured panelized system is to make it the core of the skin design—to build around the panelized system and push the flexibility of the products that adjoin it. In the case of Lakeway Regional Medical Center, the other elements included precast and metal panels. The curtainwall manufacturer provided the embeds for the other skin system suppliers to enable material connection points.
Lakeway Regional Medical Center
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Austin Construction News • May 2015
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Austin Construction News • May 2015
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Where would you take a road trip?
Boil it up
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he Austin Hilti Center hosted a Crawfish Boil for customers Apr. 10. Folks came out and tried new tools, watched demonstrations, networked and ate crawfish for lunch. Greg Scales, South Central Hilti Center regional manager, says the event had a great turnout. Hilti is a manufacturer and supplier of tools and fastening systems construction professionals. –ab
I’d like to take my family to the Kemah Boardwalk in Kemah. The kids love all the rides over there. Jud Stringer, Building Abatement Demolition Co. I’d go to Elgin. Andy Spellings, Lone Star Tool and Fastener
Folks enjoy a plate of crawfish.
I would love to ride my motorcycle to Colorado. Rick Davis, Davis Electric I’d take a drive to a ranch in South Texas with some of my friends. That sounds fun! Don Putzier, Don Putzier Handyman Services
A Hilti TE 1000-AVR demonstration at the Hilti booth.
My husband and I love to road trip, especially to the Grand Canyon. Allie Perez, Texas Women in Trades I’d take a road trip to Bastrop. I love to go to Lake Bastrop whenever I get the chance. Rey Villasana, A Better View Glass Anywhere in the Hill Country! Chuck Paxon, ICON Mechanical I’d drive to Marble Falls. It is a beautiful place. Doug Moore, General Sheet Metals Port Aransas or Port O’Conner. Richard “Sonny” Horton, BCS Structures
I would go on a road trip to Lake Buchanan with my family. We love it there. Troy Brandenburg, Brandenburg Plumbing
I love taking a drive in Jonestown. The scenery is gorgeous. Diane Seagrest, Diane’s Dirt & Excavation
I am originally from Illinois and I still have roots in the state. My wife and I have six grandchildren who live up north. That is where I’d take a road trip! Ron Torrey, Captain Hook Rolloffs
I’d take my two sons to Lexington to go dove hunting. Kevin Bayer, Austin Glass & Mirror
I’d take Highway 290 all the way to Elgin. That is a nice drive. Armando, Estrada, San Jose Materials & Supply The Hill Country. Michael Moreno, Farmers Copper Ltd. Brenham! Derrick McFarland, Centex Cabinets I’d stay in Texas. Ron Schweirking, Custom Sheet Metal
I’d love to take a driving trip with my wife, Liz. We love to go in the spring season. We have always wanted to take a road trip to South Carolina and see that part of the country. Tom Roland, Phoenix Electric I think I’d take a road trip to Marble Falls, I know I would want to stay in the Texas Hill Country. Mike Owen, Owen Construction The Texas Coast. Jennifer Hobbs, J & H Granite
Austin Hilti Center employees interact with customers at the event.
Submitted to Construction News
Go Horns!
The National Association of Women in Construction Austin Chapter (NAWIC) members cheered on the Texas Longhorns women’s basketball team at a recent recruiting event at the Erwin Center. L-R: Priscilla Norosky, Hensel Phelps; Amanda Trevino, Hilti and Vanessa Maryott, Siemens
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The Austin Construction News (ISSN 15477649) is published monthly, by Construction News Ltd., dba Austin Construction News, and distributed by mail to selected constructionrelated companies in Austin and surrounding counties. All submissions should be mailed to our editorial offices. We reserve the right to edit any materials submitted. No fees for materials, copy or photographs submitted will be due unless agreed upon in advance in writing. Submissions will be published at our discretion on a space-available basis. Construction News, Ltd., dba Austin Construction News, will not be liable for errors in copy or in advertisements beyond the actual cost of space occupied by the error. Publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement at any time.
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Team players
L-R: Joy Rouches from Journeyman Construction’s Austin office had the opportunity to work with Shawnee Carter from the company’s Fort Worth office when the pair hosted a booth at the Blue Book Building & Construction Network Showcase and Educational Events. The event was Apr. 8 at Globe Life Park in Arlington. –mjm
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Austin Construction News • May 2015
What was your very first job? I grew up in the shop working with my hands and repairing tractors. I assembled tractors out of the crates, pushed a broom and emptied trashcans for the family business.
Lee Lanford Owner Heart of Texas Metalworks Manor, TX
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ee Lanford is serious about metal working. Not only was he the first person to graduate from Austin Community College’s (ACC) art metal work program, he also traveled the country as a traditional journeyman for five years to perfect his craft. “I discovered so many processes and techniques over the years,” he said. “I learned different ways people were doing things in the industry. I especially enjoyed learning about ornamental work.” Landford established his company in 2002. In 2008, he relocated to a new shop in Manor and purchased a waterjet cutting system. Heart of Texas Metalworks provides metalsmithing and fabrication services, ranging from traditional forging, metal cutting and to welding, custom production layout and assembly and installation. Where were you born and raised, Lee? I am a native Austinite. Today, my family and I live in Pflugerville, just north of Austin. Where did you go to high school? I attended and graduated from Austin High School. During high school, I built sets for the theater program and I took drafting and technical classes. I liked working on my truck after school. What did your parents do for a living? My family had a farm and industrial equipment business in Austin for 66 years. My grandfather started the business and my dad took it over and sold the business this past year. My mom worked as a teacher. Do you have any siblings? Yes, I have a sister and a brother. My sister manages a boutique in Marble Falls. My brother works as a general manager at an equipment business in Marble Falls.
What did you do after you graduated high school? I studied biology and genetic engineering at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches. My plan was to transfer to Texas A&M University in College Station. One morning I woke up and decided it was not what I wanted to do. What sparked your interest to get into your industry? I ended up taking a sculpture class at ACC and really enjoyed it. I found out the college offered a metalsmithing program, so I ended up earning my degree in art metal work. After college, I got a job with TAM International in Houston as a quality control inspector. In 1999, I worked at New Castle Iron Inc. in Fort Lauderdale, FL. I worked with Bo Davis and Sharon Blondet designing, forging, and fabricating custom commissioned metal work. In 2001, I worked with Toby Hickman at Waylan Smithy in Petaluma, CA. We designed and forged custom lighting and architectural metal work. Next, I moved to Salado to work with Joe Pehoski, Pehoski Metalsmiths, forging and fabricating commissioned pieces. How would you describe forging? Forging is the process of shaping metal by brute force. It is one of the oldest known metalworking processes. We can do cold and hot forging, open-die power hammer and traditional handwork. These processes can produce shapes and forms unobtainable by any other method. Why do you enjoy what you do today? I love what I do today. I have been doing this type of work for 22 years. There is a high level of artistry and craftsmanship involved in metalsmithing and fabrication. It is fun for me to see the different projects people are working on around town. I have been able to go places and see things that most folks wouldn’t ever see, even though it is right there in from of them. What advice would you give a young person who wants to do what you do for a living? College is not critical, but it is helpful. I would tell a young person to investigate a community college or trade school for opportunities to learn.
Lee Lanford does metalsmithing in his shop in Manor.
I am currently on the ACC advisory council now for the welding department. I tell kids all the time to get his or her basic courses out of the way at a community college. It is a whole lot easier and less expensive to find out what you want to do and what you don’t want to do. Are you married? Yes, I am married to my wife Stephanie. We met in Salado. We have a daughter named Anna, 9, and a son named Trey, 6. What kind of activities do your children do these days? They are both involved in sports. Anna plays volleyball and Trey plays soccer. I am trying to get them interested in doing metalworking projects at the shop. I want them to be comfortable around all the equipment at the shop. Occasionally they will come to the shop with me on Saturdays. I try to get them involved when I can. Have you and your family traveled anywhere lately? My family and I took a cruise around the Caribbean and over to Cozumel last year. My wife is originally from North Carolina so we plan to go there this summer for her nephew’s graduation. We all look forward to spending time relaxing at North Carolina Beach for a week. Have you traveled for work? Yes, I went to a fabrication convention in Atlanta to look at new equipment this past November.
I enjoy working on my own creative projects, too. I have more time to do more blacksmithing and gunsmithing lately. In addition, I like restoring vintage vehicles on the weekends. In your opinion, what are the keys to success in your industry? One of the main things is to do what you say you are going to do. Always deliver on time. Offer a fair and reasonable price. There are times we have equipment go down here at the shop and we have to pick up the slack on a Saturday or Sunday to get people what they need when they need it. You have to go the extra mile! What is the best part about living in the Austin area? My family and I enjoy living in Pflugerville. My shop is out in the country in Manor. I am able to take the back roads on my way to and from work and I don’t have to sit in traffic. Pflugerville is nice because it still seems like a small town. The kids have lots of areas to run around. The park system is great. What are your plans for the future? I plan to stay in business as long as I can. I am hoping to keep expanding our capabilities and offer more services in the future. Hopefully, this will diversify us enough that we can weather the next economic downturn. We want to keep plugging away! –ab
What do you like to do when you are not at the shop? I love spending time with my family.
Lee Lanford and his family have a great time on a cruise to Cozumel.
Austin Construction News • May 2015
Page 5
Movin’ and shakin’
The third-generation Alpha
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eady to network, local contractors put their game faces on and played Blackjack and other games at Casino Night at Abel’s on the Lake in late March. The Associated Builders and Contractors Central Texas Chapter (ABC) held the event. –ab
L-R: Lyndsay Woods, Harvey Cleary and Denise Jones, Action Mobile, welcome attendees. Kathy Acock has taken on a new position as CEO of Alpha Building Corporation, and Jonathan Rogero is now the third generation president.
L-R: Darren Clayton, Lasco and Robert Brannon and Scott Weston, Greater Metroplex Interiors
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Corrina and Gllbert Valle, United Rentals L-R: Sharon Mims, CLP Resources, Scott Edwards, McKinney Drilling and Marcell Ellison, Recon
L-R: Josh Tomkins, ABC Central Texas and Dan Shackleton, Harvey Cleary
L-R: Brad Bookout, Spider Wall Systems, Trish Broz, Southern Demolition and Barry and Robin Wurzel, Wurzel Builders
Demo days
he board of directors at Alpha Building Corporation elected Jonathan Rogero the San Antoniobased general contractor’s third generation president. Kathy Acock, after serving 25 years as president of the company her father, Gordon Kovich, started 45 years ago, stepped up to the role of CEO. The transition became effective Apr. 1. As Acock’s son, Rogero, takes on his new position and responsibilities, he is instituting a multi-faceted rebranding throughout the company, including its offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Corpus Christi, Harlingen, Edinburg, College Station, Lubbock, El Paso, Conroe and Stephenville in Texas; Memphis and Murfreesboro in Tennessee; and Fayetteville, AR. In 1993, Rogero started at Alpha as a laborer, and worked his way up the ranks through many roles, including carpenter, crew foreman, project manager and estimator. He earned his associate’s degree in construction project management and bachelor’s degree in business administration by going to school nights and weekends, and he joined the corporate office.
Rogero has unveiled a new corporate logo and says, “Our primary focus for many years had been Job Order Contracting. Over the last two or three years, we saw the need to go into the CSP, design-build and CM at-risk projects. That is a big change for us.” He adds that they are switching to an enterprise software system to streamline internal communication and operations. As part of the succession changes, Rogero also named his new executive leadership team: Andy Hicks, vice president of construction operations; Dan Perry, vice president of accounting and finance; and Rob Crow, vice president of business development. Acock has watched her son rise through the leadership of the company, and remarks, “He and I have worked together since 1993. He started in the field. He had a lot of room to grow, and he did. I feel like the company now has transitioned to its third generation, and I know my parents would be very proud of that, very proud of Jonathan and probably a little bit amazed at what their small firm had grown into.” –mh
Submitted to Construction News
Electrical collaboration
L-R: The Conquest Demolition staff
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usband and wife team Collins Johnson, president, and Janna Johnson, established Conquest Demolition Inc. in early February. Stephen Coffee is the operations manager. The Johnson’s sold all of their shares of Southern Demolition at the first of the year. They previously owned 50 percent of the company. “We currently have several projects going on around town,” Collins Johnson said. “Our experienced staff is growing fast. We opened Conquest Demolition so we could continue to service the demand for our services in the marketplace.” Johnson says it is important to him and Janna that the company has a good safety record. “This year Janna and I are purchasing and moving our headquarters to a 17,315sf facility in Buda,” he said.
The Johnson’s chose to purchase a building in Buda because it was where they could find a facility large enough to meet the company’s needs. Buda centralizes Conquest Demolition to be able to service the Austin, San Marcos and San Antonio markets. “Hays County is one of the fastest growing counties in the nation right now,” Johnson said. When the couple has free time, they stay active and enjoy spending time in the great outdoors with their children. “Our goal right now is to grow our business aggressively through the rest of 2015,” he said. Conquest Demolition provides concrete scanning, coring and saw cutting and selective, interior and total building demolition services. –ab
L-R: Apprentices Todd Wingler and Nathan Waldock and their classmates learned how to wire up a panel, a transformer and a sub-panel properly at the Austin Electrical JATC Training Center in March. Their instructor is Darrin Wernli. –ab
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Austin Construction News • May 2015
Scary IRS letter Kathleen Dvorak, CPA, Shareholder RidoutBarrett San Antonio, TX
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ow about that sinking feeling you get when you find an IRS envelope in your mailbox and you know it’s not a refund check? With anxiety you slit open the envelope knowing it’s going to be bad news. “The IRS says I owe how much?”
Well I may have some good news for you. There’s a possibility you may qualify for penalty abatement. So, if a significant portion of what the IRS says you owe is penalty, and interest on that penalty, it may be worthwhile to work with the IRS in an effort to have the penalty abated. If penalties are successfully abated, interest related to those abated penalties should also vanish. Some helpful IRS agents will actually work with you or your appointed representative to maximize the abatement of penalties and related interest. When working with the IRS in an effort to have penalties abated for clients, some tax practitioners may even occasionally speak with very helpful agents who provide guidance on how to get a bigger abatement. The IRS has programs in place to allow taxpayers, who are not habitually charged with the same type of penalty, to receive a First-Time Abatement Waiver. Before using this get-outof-jail-free card however, taxpayers assessed with penalties should first consider whether or not they may have the penalty removed “for cause” and save the first-time penalty abatement request for a possible future need. The IRS grants penalty abatements when the taxpayer can show just cause for the deviation from the rules or regulations. Unfortunately, being unaware of the rules and regulations is not just cause for abatement. The IRS often grants First-Time Penalty Abatements to qualifying taxpayers. Certain types of penalty assessments can be abated if the taxpayer has not been assessed the same type of penalty within the prior three-year period and if the taxpayer is otherwise in compliance with that same type of issue for subsequent and current periods. If a taxpayer has had, or does have, an installment agreement in place and he or she has been making timely payments according to the plan, the taxpayer is still considered to be compliant and may still qualify for the abatement.
Tax practitioners have available to them an IRS Tax Practitioner’s Hotline which allows practitioners to work on behalf of their clients with agents who are generally very knowledgeable, helpful and frequently authorized to correct issues and grant certain penalty abatements over the phone at the time of the call from the tax practitioner. Unfortunately, because of budget cuts and a reduced staff of IRS agents, the tax practitioner is often on hold for great lengths of time, sometimes between one and two hours before the tax practitioner is able to speak to an agent. However, patience is not only a virtue, but in these instances it can also be fiscally beneficial, resulting in the savings of significant dollars in penalties and related interest. Other options available to qualifying taxpayers are Installment Agreements and Offers-In- Compromise. If a taxpayer finds he is unable to fully pay a tax debt by the due date, he may be able to obtain an Installment Agreement and make monthly payments over time. Penalties and interest continue to accrue however, so the best option is to pay it off as quickly as possible. For those who may find themselves unable to full pay a tax debt over a 72-month Installment Agreement, the taxpayer may be eligible for an OfferIn-Compromise to have part of the tax liability removed. There are many issues involved with Installment Agreements and Offers-In- Compromise for which another article would be required. But know that these are possible solutions to consider when a taxpayer cannot immediately full pay a federal tax liability. If you find the dreaded IRS envelope in your mailbox, know that you may have options for some relief. Kathleen Dvorak obtained her CPA license in 1988 while working in private industry. Kathleen went into public accounting in 2001 and joined RidoutBarrett as a department manager in 2005. She became a shareholder of the firm in 2011.
Compliance quick check: Top common group health plan issues Terrell Taylor, Partner Christ Taylor Insurance Houston, TX Affordability under healthcare reform: Wellness credits and surcharges cannot be taken into consideration when determining affordability under the employer mandate, unless they are tobacco-related. Additionally, small employers must determine affordability for purposes of the Marketplace Notice. Finally, individuals should be informed as to the affordability of coverage for purposes of the premium tax credit subsidies available in the federal marketplace. Payment of individual policy premiums: Some employers have begun to explore the possibility of providing contributions toward health coverage purchased in the individual market, including coverage and employee purchases through either a private or public exchange. In Sep. 2013, the IRS published Notice 2013-54, essentially prohibiting the payment, subsidy or reimbursement of the cost of individual policy premiums by an employer. The IRS requires that a participant in an employer-sponsored arrangement that is designed to pay for health coverage on a tax free basis also be enrolled in a group health plan. Nondiscrimination: Corrections to any failed nondiscrimination test are not permitted after year end. This means that the status of the plan should be monitored during the year so that any adjustments can be made prior to year end. As a best practice, testing should be performed several times during the plan year to help a plan sponsor facilitate corrections and show, upon audit, that the plan passes the appropriate tests. Failure to offer COBRA: If an employer offers benefits that satisfy the definition of a group health plan, the employer should also offer COBRA in connection with the plan. Commonly overlooked group health plans include flexible spending arrangements, health savings accounts, employee assistance programs and wellness programs. Failure to offer COBRA may subject the employer to penalties under ERISA, an excise tax under the tax code, and penalties and remedies by the court. Mixing up HIPPA and COBRA notices: The HIPAA Special Enrollment Rights Notice and the COBRA Initial Notice are commonly confused, but the application and audience are different. Employers should ensure that the HIPAA document is provided to all employees (not just those covered under the plan) who are offered the opportunity to enroll. Conversely, the COBRA document is only provided to employees and spouses who are actually covered under the plan within 90 days of the beginning date.
Medicare/Tricare prohibition: An employer with 20 or more employees may not offer to pay, subsidize or otherwise reimburse the cost of TRICARE or Medicare coverage for employees or their spouses, as this could be seen as taking such coverage into account and incentivizing the individual to drop group health coverage. FMLA: Final regulations released in February 2013 expanded the federal Family and Medical Leave Act to include leave for family members who are on or have been called to active duty. Extended leave is available for an employee to care for a family member with a serious illness or injury. Advance notice of midyear plan changes required: Health care reform introduced the summary of benefits and coverage requirement. Under SBC distribution rules, if a plan changes information or design midyear, an updated SBC must be provided 60 days in advance of the effective date of the change. A summary of material modification (SMM) may also be required on an expedited basis when a plan change is made. Charging employees different premiums: In general, an employer is free to design their plan to charge employees different premiums as long as it is based on bona fide employment classifications or participation in a wellness program. However such plans must ensure they will pass nondiscrimination rules under both IRS code Section 125 and 105(h). Assessing premium differentials based on the satisfaction of a health standard (such as not smoking) is only permitted when it is part of a wellness program that satisfies the five criteria of the federal regulations. Christ Taylor Insurance is an Employee Benefits and Insurance Brokerage firm doing business for over 50 years in southeast Texas, and long-time ABC member. The firm provides solutions to small and medium size companies for healthcare and benefit programs, as well as life insurance and Retirement Plans. Contact the Christ Taylor team at 713-850-7747 or www.christtaylor.com
Submitted to Construction News
Reaching out Over 100 years of building relationships
Since 1913, Fisk has been one of the nation’s leading providers for the design, installation and maintenance of electrical systems, structured cabling applications, integrated electronic security systems, and building technology solutions.
Houston, TX (1913) 713.868.6111 Dallas, TX (1956) 972.466.0900 San Antonio, TX (1968) 210.828.3325 New Orleans, LA (1969) 504.889.0811 Las Vegas, NV (1989) 702-435-5053 Miami, FL (1997) 305.884.5311 Los Angeles, CA (2011) 818.884.1166
Customer Support Center
713.868.6111
On Apr. 2, 34 state agencies and 12 universities hosted the 3rd annual HUB Vendor Fair in Austin providing outreach for women, service-disabled veterans and minority-owned businesses with an opportunity to learn about vendor opportunities, state business needs and networking with state government purchasers. Photo courtesy of David Little, Texas General Land Office –ab
Austin Construction News • May 2015
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Are you ready for new union rules?
Your rights as a whistleblower Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX
Sewell C. “Spike” Cutler, Principal Cutler-Smith PC Dallas, TX
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ew union-representation election rules are effective as of April 14, 2015; are you ready?
You may recall earlier efforts by the current administration's National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to enact substantial changes to union-representation election policies and procedures, changes to substantially expedite union elections and eliminate procedural protections employers had when faced with union election petitions. The new rules, sometimes called "Rocket Election" or "Quickie Election" rules, were set aside after a determination that the board adopting the rules at the time included improperly- appointed members. The prior reprieve has turned out to be temporary; a properly-constituted NLRB adopted a final rule in December, effective April 14, 2015, which implements accelerated election rules. Not only does the new rule accelerate the union election process, it also has some real gems to assist unions in organizing workgroups. The Final Rule, as published in the Federal Register, is 182 pages long, but its most important impacts can be summarized as follows: 1. Union representation election petitions may now be submitted electronically, including petitions, voter lists and statutorily-required notices; in the past, these had to be submitted by mail, inperson or by facsimile. 2. Regional directors for the NLRB are now expected to set a "pre-election hearing" within eight days after hearing notice issues, and conduct a post-election hearing 14 days after the filing of any objections; importantly, and critically, elections will not be stayed (delayed) pending resolution of most issues, whereas in the past, elections were not held until pre-election issues, including the validity of voter lists and potential bargaining units, were resolved. 3. Employers must submit a position statement setting out issues with the prospective election at least one business day before the hearing, or waive such issues; previously, all relevant issues could be considered. 4. Employers will now be required to give the union a list of possible voters, their locations, the job classifications, and will have to include personal phone numbers and email addresses for all such employees, and this list has to be provided within two days after the regional director directs that election be held. So, em-
ployers are required to actively assist organizers in their efforts to line-up employees against them. Bottom line, the process of going from the collection of expressions of interest (election cards) to actually conducting the election is vastly faster, and the employer is required to help the union get in touch with its people. While the new rules are couched in terms of "fairness," most press favoring the new rules is written with the assumption that all employers are large, well financed, and have only the worst interests of their workers at heart, something most small business owners know to be false. Small businesses are required, as a matter of practical reality, to hire counsel to challenge elections, and they have to do it quickly – while unions already have full-time, trained professional organizers and counsel on staff. Congress passed a bill blocking the new rules, but President Obama immediately vetoed the legislation. Challenges have been filed, including one filed by the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the Associated General Contractors (AGC) and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), in Federal District Court for the Western District of Texas. Employers must ensure that they know the rules governing representation elections. Most importantly, employers must maintain a clear line of communications between the employees and company management. Employees who know their employer has their best interests at heart are less likely to call for a union election. If you learn of strangers hanging around jobsites or contacting your employees, find out about what's going on so you can ensure that any decisions made are made with factual information in hand. Union organizers rely upon poor communication and misinformation and they are pros at doing this. At the first sign of difficulty, be sure you consult with counsel about what you can - and cannot - do in responding to a union organizing campaign. Cutler-Smith PC focuses on representation of construction trade contractors and the commercial construction industry. For more information on the firm and its industry advocacy, call 214-219-0800 or see the web site www.TexasConstructionLaw.com
Submitted to Construction News
Gather’ round
Y
ou may file a complaint with OSHA if your employer retaliates against you by taking unfavorable personnel action because you engaged in protected activity relating to workplace safety or health, asbestos in schools, cargo containers, airline, commercial motor carrier, consumer product, environmental, financial reform, food safety, health insurance reform, motor vehicle safety, nuclear, pipeline, public transportation agency, railroad, maritime, motor vehicle safety, and securities laws. factor in its decision to take unfavorable Whistleblower Laws Enforced by OSHA Each law requires that complaints be personnel action against you. filed within a certain number of days af- Such actions may include: • Applying or issuing a policy which proter the alleged retaliation. • Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act vides for an unfavorable personnel action due to activity (90 days) protected by a whistleblower law en• Clean Air Act (30 days) forced by OSHA • Comprehensive Environmental Response, • Blacklisting Compensation and Liability Act (30 days) • Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 • Demoting • Denying overtime or promotion (180 days) • Consumer Product Safety Improvement • Disciplining • Denying benefits Act (180 days) • Failing to hire or rehire • Energy Reorganization Act (180 days) • Firing or laying off • Federal Railroad Safety Act (180 days) • Federal Water Pollution Control Act (30 days) • Intimidation • International Safe Container Act (60 days) • Making threats • Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Cen- • Reassignment to a less desirable position, including one adversely affecting tury Act (motor vehicle safety) (180 days) • National Transit Systems Security Act (180 prospects for promotion • Reducing pay or hours days) • Occupational Safety and Health Act (30 • Suspension days) If you believe that your employer retali• Pipeline Safety Improvement Act (180 days) ated against you because you exercised • Safe Drinking Water Act (30 days) your legal rights as an employee, contact • Sarbanes-Oxley Act (180 days) OSHA as soon as possible because you • Seaman’s Protection Act (180 days) • Section 402 of the FDA Food Safety Mod- must file your complaint within the legal time limits. An employee can file a comernization Act (180 days) • Section 1558 of the Affordable Care Act plaint with OSHA by visiting or calling the local OSHA office or sending a written (180 days) complaint to the closest OSHA regional • Solid Waste Disposal Act (30 days) • Surface Transportation Assistance Act or area office. Written complaints may be filed by facsimile, electronic communica(180 days) tion, hand delivery during business • Toxic Substances Control Act (30 days) • Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and hours, U.S. mail (confirmation services recommended), or other third-party Reform Act for the 21st Century (90 days) commercial carrier. natarajan.joann@dol.gov Your employer may be found to have re512-374-0271 x232 taliated against you if your protected activity was a contributing or motivating
Journey to success
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ourneyman Construction Inc. hosted a Subcontractor Appreciation Party at the Austin location Mar. 26. Every year, the company has the party to recognize and show appreciation to their subcontractors who work hard all year. The Austin-based general contracting company has regional offices in San Antonio, Dallas, Corpus Christi, Diana and McAllen. –ab L-R: Michael Kiehnau presents the award for Subcontractor of the Year to Michael Riley, Phoenix Electric
The Associated General Contractors (AGC) Texas Building Branch (TBB) members met at the AGC Austin office to discuss legislative issues impacting the commercial construction industry in Texas in April. –ab
Subcontractors and Journeyman Construction employees network at the party.
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Austin Construction News • May 2015
A stellar day
Region 7’s farewell forum
L-R: Rip Case and Tate Schwartz, Permian Basin Materials and Mike Ward, Solomon Colors, won 1st Place at the golf tournament.
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eady to network, the Texas Aggregates & Concrete Association (TACA) members gathered for the 2015 Short Course at the Hilton Hotel and Conference Center in College Station Mar. 24-25. A golf tournament and a sporting clays shoot took place during the event. –ab Congrats to the winners! On the right: The sporting Clay Shoot winner was John Williams, Alamo Cement
L-R: 2nd Place at the golf tournament went to Mike Bess, Vulcan Materials; Jason Kuhns, McNeilus; Bryan Gay, Trinity Materials Inc.; and Stephen Schuh, Vulcan Materials (not pictured)
NAWIC Austin Chapter members
T
he National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) held its Region 7 Forum Apr. 17-18 at the Hilton Hill Country Hotel & Spa in San Antonio. This is the final Region 7 Forum before Region 7 merges with Region 5 to form the South Central Region, which will include Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi. Region 7’s last hurrah coincided with San Antonio’s Fiesta celebration, and Friday evening allowed guests to join the festivities with a hospitality suite and party bus to the Fiesta Oyster Bake and Riverwalk. On Saturday morning, San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor gave the opening “Welcome to San Antonio” remarks at the breakfast reception where the keynote speaker was Heloise. That evening, Region 7 closed its final forum with the awards banquet featuring DJ Ray and fun with lipstick/palm reading, caricatures, psychometry and Urial the Magician. Many Region 7 members took home awards that make this forum even more special to them. ESC Safety Consultants won first place for Safety Excellence in the Regional Safety category. Regional
editions can be Did you Pastdownloaded at know? www.ConstructionNews.net L-R: Terri Underhill, Luci Roberts and Laura Cullin
Regional Safety Awards went to Hensel Phelps and Vanguard Fire Systems.
Safety Awards also went to Austin’s Hensel Phelps and Vanguard Fire Systems. The DFW ladies cleaned up at the Women In Construction (WIC) Week Awards with Fort Worth taking the WOW Award, and the Dallas Chapter taking the Spread the Word Award. The Dallas and Fort Worth Chapters also took the PR & Marketing Regional Awards. Houston took the PR & Marketing Most Improved Award and the WIC Week Award for Most New Members. The Corpus Christi Chapter won the Membership Consistency Award. The San Antonio Chapter took home the Professional Development & Education Award. Dana Calonge, Vision Construction, received a 25-Year Longevity Pin. The forum also hosted several workshops with guest speakers, including “What to Do If OSHA Shows Up/Top OSHA Citations” by Ted Dunnam, ESC Safety Consultants; “2015 Human Resources Update” by Cynthia Mergele, Padgett Stratemann; “Work It Out! Demystifying the Male Female Workplace Dynamic” by Marny Lifshen; and “The Dos and Don’ts of Social Media” by Summer Salazar. –mh Photos by Mary C. Haskin Photography
The last leaders of Region 7 L-R: (standing) Sandy Field, national president; Judy DeWeese, past national president; (seated) Riki Lovejoy, national president-elect; Jennifer Swinney, regional director
Austin Construction News • May 2015
Pre-summer patterns and tactics by Capt. Steve Schultz Sponsored by: Premier Yamaha Boating Center, Majek Boats, E-Z Bel Construction, Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor, Aggregate ForEverlast Hunting and Fishing Products and Columbia Sportswear.
H
igh winds and an abundance of rainfall in April made fishing a little more difficult for most of last month. There was also one storm where severe weather moved through and winds were clocked at 60 mph, catching some anglers by surprise and far from home. Despite some harsh weather and terrible water conditions in the upper lagoon, our bay system should prosper from the rains and recover for the upcoming summer months. With May approaching, you should start seeing those croaker flag starting to appear at the local marinas. Fishing strategies will change as we make the transition from shrimp to croakers. Rock structures, reefs, grass beds and potholes are areas which need to be keyed on. It is very important when approaching these areas to use a trolling motor or push pole. Anchoring up on the outside edges of these areas can be very productive on spawning trout. Setting up on these lo-
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cations is the key to catching fish. Always approach the intended area with the wind at your back, carefully estimating the length of your anchor rope and the distance of your cast. Once you have drifted over the area, you intend to fish because your anchor didn’t hold or you misjudged the wind. You might as well find a new area to fish and try that spot later in the day. During the summer months here in the Coastal Bend, anglers can find some of the best fishing along the entire coast. Our bays are loaded with resident fish and tide runners, which constantly are arriving from the Gulf. With school being out for summer and the weather getting better everyday, that can only mean one thing . . . boating and fishing pressure will be one of the most important factors for not being able to find large quantity of fish or stay on those fish once you have a bite going. That is why I emphasize so much that the best fishing is usually during the week instead of on a weekend. Another alternative to getting away from the heat and crowded bays is late evening and night fishing. Fishing late into the evening and into the night during the full moon can get you out of everyday crowds and into some of the more popular fishing areas without being hassled by novice boat operators and inpatient anglers. I have experienced all aspects of these people trying to move-in on a set of rocks or a sand pocket you are catching fish from and scare all the fish away. It has reached a point where you have to do some homework and really think about how you will go about catching fish on any given day. My tech-tip for the month keys on using braided line when fishing either live bait or artificial lures. Power Pro Slick 8 is this captain’s line of choice. It’s smooth as silk feel gives you extra long cast and is sensitive enough to feel every bite. To schedule your next bay fishing trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361813-3716 or 361-334-3105 or e-mail him at SteveSchultzOutdoors @ gmail.com. Good luck and Good Fishing.
Submitted to Construction News
Horsin’ around
Owners Kerry and Julie Morris and their daughter and son-in-law, Krista and Brad Fowles, Morris Glass Co., have a new addition to the family – a horse named Saint. –ab
Davin Cox of George West shows his catch before getting back in the boat with Steve Schultz Outdoors.
STEVE SCHULTZ OUTDOORS, LLC BAFFIN BAY –– LAGUNA MADRE –– LAND CUT SPECKLED TROUT –– REDFISH –– FLOUNDER FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS
(361) 813-3716 (361) 334-3105 www.baffinbaycharters.com steveschultzoutdoors@gmail.com U.S. Coast Guard & Texas Parks and Wildlife Licensed
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Austin Construction News • May 2015
Ken Milam’s Fishing Line Since 1981, Ken Milam has been guiding fishing trips for striped bass on Lake Buchanan in the Texas Hill Country,. You can hear Ken on radio on Saturday and Sunday mornings, 6-8 AM on AM 1300, The Zone – Austin, or http://www.am1300the zone.com
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h, springtime in Texas! The Hill Country wildflowers are winding down, school is wrapping up and the fishing action is heating up! We are off to a good start this year on Lake Buchanan. The old lake hasn’t caught much water over the winter months, but we have learned to fish the low lake and know how to cope with it. So far we are seeing lots of good healthy fish trending larger as fewer people seem to want to mess with a low lake. As with any other game animal, the secret to getting bigger trophies is letting them have more time to grow. I know I’m always on my soapbox trying to get people to realize the importance of getting out and taking their kids hunting and fishing. I firmly believe the old adage, “Take your kid hunting and you won’t be hunting for your kid.” I once had an old judge on my boat who told me he never had a kid in his courtroom that had a hunting or fishing license in their pocket. I think it is the combination of time spent with our kids and letting them have a chance to learn the lessons nature can teach that can help them become more balanced and confident people. With that in mind, try to take a little time as school lets out for the summer to look at your summer plans and go ahead and make your reservations for family travel and events. Try to book your hunting or fishing trips through vacation time instead of having to settle for just doing anything you can still do at the last few
days of vacation. Our schedule and I’m sure that of most other recreational services looks like spring break all over again during the month of August because of the end of vacation panic. We do appreciate the business, but we really hate to turn families away because they all want to go at once. During early summer we see nice weather before summer heat really gets settled in and that makes outdoor trips more comfortable. As far as fishing is concerned the earlier trips will usually
Submitted to Construction News
Stepping up
have better fishing and larger fish because they are just ending their spawning season. The fish will continue to bite well through the summer months, but sometimes if we have a really hot summer they will start to slow down around mid-August. That is why trips earlier in the season are so good for bringing the kids along. You want to get them hooked on fishing with a good strong “catching” trip so they will want to continue fishing. As we get into the months of the year when we can see more rainfall we are all
hoping that the El Nino pattern we are moving into will bring the much needed rains to begin restoring our lakes and rivers to more normal levels. If that doesn’t actually happen, at least it should bring in some water to freshen up out water bodies and keep fishing good. At any rate its prime time fishing now and I hope you can find the time to join us – on the water!
Full speed ahead
Plumbing Heating and Cooling Contractors of Texas (PHCC) members traveled to the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC to discuss issues in the plumbing industry with legislators in April. –ab
Dean Deville gets ready for the race.
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tacey and Dean Deville, Deville Custom Homes, participated in the Driveway Bike Race Series in Austin in April. When Dean isn’t building projects around the city, he loves spending time outdoors with Stacey and their baby boy Cade. He is an avid bicyclist in his free time. –ab
Half or Full Day Fishing Trips All Bait, Tackle & Equipment Furnished Your catch Filleted and Bagged for You
Ken Milam Guide Service (325) 379-2051 www.striperfever.com
Furnish your TPWD Fishing License & Refreshments, and WE DO THE REST! Stacey, Dean and Cade Deville at a bike event.
Austin Construction News • May 2015
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Submitted to Construction News
Run Sabre run
15 to 500 Ton Capacities The Sabre Commercial Inc. running team participated in the 39th annual Statesman Capitol 10,000 Apr. 10. –ab
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The search for Big Tom
ust before Easter weekend, Phillip Morris, Morris Construction, went on a successful turkey hunt with his friend Alan Gallagher. He shared his experience with Construction News.
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By Phillip Morris My friend Alan and I left my house at 4:15am to go to his lease. We arrived and situated in the blind. I smelled pigs twice, Alan heard pigs as well but we did not see them. As soon as the sun rose, we used a slate and box call to try entice the birds to come in. Soon we saw five hens and three jakes. We watched the jakes fighting each other. We waited until about 10:30am before we headed out to different spot. We called them in but had no luck. We decided to take a break and go have lunch. When we came back, I went to a different blind while Alan sat in other one. Alan texted me the birds were gobbling and gobbling, about 200-300 yds. out. I kept on using both slate and box call and nothing was happening. Then all of sudden I saw three jakes about 50 yds. to my right. They walked across from left to right, behind the dirt road but on other side of fence. I tried to call them in but it did not faze them. Alan texted me that the Big Tom the turkey was on his way to my spot! I lit up! I kept an eye out, kept looking and sure enough, he walked across from left to right front of me about 80 yds. out.
from El Paso to Beaumont Amarillo to Brownsville
Phillip Morris and his first turkey
I contemplated whether to get out and do a run and gun on him, but saw that he walked towards to me at the last minute on a dirt road. I fixated my camera in that direction where I would expect him to come in. He was about 35-40 yds. away and few steps away from the fence line. Soon I grabbed my Rem 870 shotty and BOOM!” I can't thank my friend Alan enough for an amazing day that day. I finally got Big Tom!
in
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Austin Construction News • May 2015
Making history
Construction News JOB SIGHT
Roadies
Road work is on the agenda for this Jay-Reese Contractors crew at W. 3rd Street in downtown Austin. –ab
Submitted to Construction News
Making the rounds
The concrete pour at the 500 W. 2nd Street project.
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Based in Rhome, Diversified Pure Chem (DPC) has expanded to open an Austin facility. DPC collects small refrigerant recovery cylinders directly from HVAC businesses. L-R: Territory manager Marcus Tackett and driver Blake Marken –ab
he 500 W. 2nd Street project, a 29-story, 500,000sf office tower located at San Antonio and 2nd Street in Austin reached a construction milestone in late April. Trammell Crow Company and Principal Real Estate Investors owns and is developing the project, along with its first phase. Gensler is the project architect, The Beck Group is the construction manager and Lauren Concrete poured the concrete. “To lay the foundation for 500 W. 2nd Street, The Beck Group coordinated downtown Austin’s largest-ever continuous concrete foundation pour, placing more than 10,680 cubic yds. of concrete in just over 24 hours,” said Project Executive Tom Woods, The Beck Group. “The foundation slab is more than nine ft. deep and holds more than 1,200 tons of rebar support.” –ab
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The Norris Conference Center 2525 West Anderson Lane Austin, Texas 78757 Thursday, May 28, 2015 1PM to 7PM
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Photos courtesy of The Beck Group
The crews at work.
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Marking a milestone
he Terracon Austin office celebrated the company’s 50th anniversary in late April. Founded on Apr. 22, 1965, Terracon traces its roots to a small engineering firm in Iowa. The firm has James Bierschwale expanded into a nationwide operation with more than 150 offices and 3,400 employees. Terracon’s Austin office was originally established as HBC Engineering in 1994 and then acquired by Terracon in 1998. Over the years, the office has grown to include 74 engineers, geologists, scientists and technicians. “We celebrate our employees this year,” said James Bierschwale, Austin office manager. “We are also thankful to our clients that have trusted us with their business over these many years.” Bierschwale says anniversary activities will take place throughout the year. “We are planning to host a client appreciation event soon,” he said. According to Bierschwale, the Austin office has contributed to a number of projects in the area including the Formula One Race Track, the new J.W. Marriott Hotel and the State Highway 45 and State Highway 130 toll roads. In addition, the Austin office was recently listed as one of the Top 20 Largest Engineering Firms, and Top 10 Largest Environmental Firms by the Austin Business Journal. Terracon is an engineering consulting firm providing environmental, facilities, geotechnical, and materials services. –ab
Austin Construction News • May 2015
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Submitted to Construction News
Pulling for a good cause
Finding focus
First Place Team L-R: Caleb McCarty, Jorge Hinojosa Jr., Harry Williams, Jorge Hinojosa Sr., Mario Cantu, Colton Haun
L-R: Landon Odom and Walker Santiago, Big Red Dog Engineering, work together in the Austin office to make sure that construction plans are complete and accurate. –ab
Florida bound
T
he Precast Concrete Manufacturers Association (PCMA) of Texas hosted the fifth annual Pull for Pompe Apr. 18 at the National Shooting Complex. Proceeds from the event benefit research into Pompe Disease, also known as acid maltase deficiency and glycogen storage disease type II, a rare neuromuscular disease that affects approximately 1 in 40,000 people in the world. Approximately 400 construction industry professionals from across the state brought in an early estimate of $100,000 for the 2015 fundraiser. PCMA of Texas has raised more than $600,000 for the Acid Maltese Deficiency Association (AMDA) since the event’s inception in 2011. –mh Winners: Team 1st: Summit Engineering – Jorge Hinojosa Jr., Caleb McCarty, Mario Cantu, Harry Williams, Colton Haun 2nd: E-Z Bel – Ish Garcia, Ryan Garcia, Travis Benke, Bruce Benke, Mike Oliver 3rd: Frost Bank – Raul Barberena, Mark Maloney, Stephen Ethridge, Brandon Carpenter, Chris Wray
L-R: Jeff Bullard, Avenue B; Kayvon Leath, Austin NARI executive director; Bert Bell, Kitchens by Bell; Dolores Davis, CG&S Design Build; David Davison, Realty Restoration and Christy Bowen, Twelve Stones Designs
T
he National Association of Remodeling Industry Austin Chapter (NARI) members traveled to Fort Lauderdale for the NARI Evening Of Excellence Reception at the Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty Six in April. NARI Austin hosted a seminar called “The One Thing” presented by Don Hobbs. –ab
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Austin Construction News • May 2015
Austin Construction News • May 2015
Page 15
Concrete Industry Paying attention to the details Kimberly Acosta, Owner KDA Custom Floor Co. Katy, TX
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hat sparked your interest in stained concrete flooring? In 1949, my grandfather and his brothers came to Dallas and opened a company installing all types of flooring, including stained concrete and hardwood floors. They were one of the first people to introduce concrete staining to the United States. I learned all about stained concrete from my family over the years. I asked my family members questions about stained concrete at family reunions and when we got together for the holidays. I opened KDA Custom Floor Co in 2005.
A KDA Custom Floor Co. crew member does a stained concrete project.
In your opinion, what is the state of the construction industry? There is plenty of work right now. We got really busy last year in April and we didn’t slow down. Normally there is a slow down in December and January. We just kept on going this year. We have stayed very busy with commercial projects in 2015.
What types of changes have you seen in your industry since you opened your company 10 years ago? We still do things the old school way, but I have noticed nowadays more people prefer a sealer for protection. Polished concrete and overlays are more popular these days. How do you stay up-to-date with new trends? It is my goal to attend the World of Concrete in Las Vegas next year to learn about new technologies and products in the industry. I get so busy it is hard to leave for a few days. I want to go though! We recently took part in a polished concrete class to freshen up our skills. I went to a flooring convention this past year to gather new information about products and services as well. In your opinion, what are the keys to success in your industry? First of all, you have to know exactly how to do stained concrete. It is important to do it correctly.
In addition, I think you have to pay attention to details, be professional and provide excellent customer service. If a young person wants to do what you do today, what advice would you give him or her? I think it would be a good idea to become an apprentice and learn from a more experienced person in the industry. If you are just starting out, you can educate yourself by watching how-to videos online provided by a reputable manufacturer. What is on the horizon for your industry? I think polished concrete will continue to become popular in the future for both residential and commercial jobs. KDA Custom Floor Co. specializes in the installation of stained concrete flooring, epoxy flooring and prefinished hardwood flooring for commercial, residential, interior and exterior projects. –ab
Concrete industry strong William J. Sandbrook, President and CEO U.S. Concrete Inc. Euless, TX
H
ow would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms? The industry is strong around the country, but it is exceptional in Texas. Our great state is very business friendly, which not only attracts big businesses to move here but generates population growth as well. Have you experienced an increase in business? Slowdown? We have experienced increases in each of the markets we serve. The markets we have chosen to participate in are not only dynamic, high growth areas, but we are also actively acquiring additional “bolt on” businesses to better position ourselves to serve these markets. What factors are driving this increase? The economic recovery has released a lot of backlogged growth in all areas of construction. There is also a much-needed push for infrastructure improvement and replacement. How has this increase affected your company and how you conduct business? The increase has affected us positively and made it much easier for us to fulfill our strategic plan. More volume is always a positive for companies but it also requires companies to stay focused on how they conduct business. We try to limit how the increase affects the way we conduct business by focusing on our core products, our strategic plan, and lessons learned during the downturn. We know that the increase will not last forever so it is important that we focus on efficient operational procedures. What are the major changes in the concrete industry in recent years? Innovation in concrete mix designs and admixtures have propelled the performance of our products in ways we
never thought possible before. Our national research laboratory is very busy developing their own innovative products, mix designs and testing of the many admixtures available through our vendor partners. We are no longer expected to only provide only high-strength concrete, but products that are sustainable and solve specific engineering challenges for our customers. Our customer interaction has also had major changes over recent years as well. Transparency through GPS tracking of our vehicles and the products being delivered to job sites has helped us and our partners improve efficiencies. Other tracking systems also help us monitor materials costs and volumes on a real-time basis, improving costs and processes. Have there been any recent changes in legislation affecting the concrete industry relating to transportation or the environment? Environmental legislation and potential legislation has propelled our industry to improve our sustainability and create products that reduce the carbon footprint of projects where they are used. Due to environmental regulation, our national research laboratory developed a low-CO2 concrete, through our proprietary EF® Technology. We have been at the forefront of sustainability in our industry. U.S. Concrete was the first company in the industry to produce Environment Product Declarations (EPDs) at the individual product level. EPDs include information on the environmental impact of the product
throughout its lifecycle. This enables developers to select the right products for their environment needs. What is the most significant challenge your industry faces? Limited raw materials and availability of mixer trucker operators have been the biggest issues affecting our industry, not only here in Texas but throughout the concrete industry. In many markets some raw materials may be available but others are scarce or are difficult to come by due to transportation challenges. How are you dealing with these challenges? We have aggressively acquired or greenfielded plants and aggregate facilities to help us supply our operations with the raw materials needed to produce high-quality products. Not all materials are made equal so we work very diligently to ensure that we have the right products to produce only the best concrete. As for the mixer operators, our human resource teams have been exploring new ways of attracting skilled workers. The ways of promoting and recruiting employees in the past just is not viable in today’s world. What are the cost increases relating to your industry? The scarcity of raw materials will continue to drive up the costs in our industry. Fuel costs may seem low now but it continues to be a major expense and will certainly increase in the future. We take pride in compensating our employees, and as a result we will continue to see increases in wages.
What is on the horizon for your industry? Technology and innovation will continue to improve our operations and products. We have seen great strides in both and it is becoming a major competitive factor for many of the ready-mixed concrete companies. Our partners push us for ways to make them more competitive as well. These advances will greatly enhance our business, our relationships, and will ultimately enhance the sustainability of our infrastructure. What are the rewards of the industry? The ready-mixed concrete industry is rewarded by its irreplaceability for most of its applications. For the applications that it can be substituted, concrete still has superior performance. Also, it is a product that will always be locally made. U.S. Concrete takes great pride in being an American, publicly traded company that employs skilled local union and nonunion professionals who daily supply innovative products to build this great country. What are the keys to being successful? We believe that our success stems from a continuous improvement model. Additionally, we have a relentless focus on our long-term strategic plan of both organic and acquisitive growth while simultaneously positioning our company to successfully operate through the economic cycle. U.S. Concrete Inc. offers ready mixed concrete, aggregate products and additional building materials.
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Austin Construction News • May 2015
Have cements changed? Dave Suchorski, Senior Technical Services Manager/ Sales Manager Ash Grove Cement Company, Ankeny, IA
C
ement is one of the world's most popular building materials and has been used for over 2,000 years. Structures such as the Roman Coliseum were constructed using a form of cement. Some are still standing today. Cements changed very little until 1824 when an Englishman, Joseph Aspdin, received a patent for his new method of proportioning and blending raw material based upon chemistry. He named his product Portland cement because mortar made with his product had a color similar to a natural building stone that was quarried from the Isle of Portland off the coast of England. Improvements by Aspdin and others have led to the cement we are currently using. Portland cement has not changed significantly in the last 100 years. In 2004, the Portland Cement Association surveyed all 123 cement plants in the U.S. and Canada (P. Tennis, J. Bhatty, 2005). This survey collected and compared cement data in three different areas: chemical and phase composition, fineness, and strength. This data was then compared to survey data from 1994 and the early 1950s. These surveys proved there have been very few chemical changes. While cement is still made up primarily of calcium, silica, alumina and iron, there has been a slight change in the phase composition. Tri-calcium silicate (C3S), the compound primarily responsible for early strengths, has increased, while dicalcium silicate (C2S), the compound responsible for later age strength, has decreased. These phase composition changes, as well as an increase in fineness (Blaine) result in modern cements that have higher early strengths. There has been a demand in construction to increase early strengths to speed up construction processes, allowing wall forms to be stripped earlier and pavements and slabs to be opened to traffic sooner. Although cube compressive strengths between the cements from the 1950s and the 1990s are not directly comparable due to a change in the water content used to make the strength samples, the table shows an approximation of the strengths and how they have gone up since the 1950's. (See table.) Blended cements One of the bigger changes in the cement industry is the increase in the amount and types of blended cements being manufactured. Blended cements combine Portland cement with Supplemental Cementitious Materials (SCMs) and other minerals to produce cements with specific enhanced properties. SCMs are materials
such as fly ash, ground granulated blast furnace slag, silica fume, calcined clay and volcanic ash. These materials are either blended with ground cement or interground with cement clinker at the finish mills in tightly controlled proportions. The SCMs chemically combine with the hydration products of the Portland cement to reduce the permeability of concrete and increase concrete durability. Blended cements can be formulated to mitigate Alkali Silica Reaction (ASR) in concrete containing reactive aggregates. Blended cements can also be formulated to increase sulfate resistance in concrete exposed to high sulfate soils and water. Certain blended cements can be used to lower the heat of hydration in mass concrete, such as dams and large foundations. Blended cements can also have gypsum contents optimized for the blend of the cement and SCMs. Gypsum is used to control the setting of cement to prevent false and flash sets in concrete. The gypsum does this by controlling the alumina portion of cements. Some SCMs also have alumina compounds that can compete with the alumina compounds in the Portland cement for the gypsum. This can lead to rapid slump loss and setting problems in concrete. Blended cements can have increased gypsum to optimize the SCMs. Blended cements are manufactured to comply with ASTM C 595, Standard Specification for Blended Cements. The blended cements are designated as Type IP(X) for pozzolan blended cements containing fly ash, or natural pozzolan SCMs, such as calcined clay or volcanic ash or Type IS(X) slag blended cements, where (X) is the percent of SCM in the blend. For example, Type IS(25) is a blended cement with 25% slag. In recent years, another type of blended cement has been gaining popularity in North America, Type IL. This is a Portland cement type that contains interground limestone. Cements blended with up to 35% ground limestone have been used for many years in other parts of the world and are often the predominate cement used. By intergrinding limestone, the clinker content of the cement can be lowered. Lowering the clinker content helps to reduce the CO2 emissions per ton of cement and thereby per cubic yard of concrete. Concrete is a green building material. Durable concrete has a long service life that expends very little energy, giving it a long, sustainable life cycle. Reducing the CO2 emissions during manufactur-
ing helps concrete be an even more sustainable building material. Research has shown that controlling the fineness and the particle size distribution during intergrinding results in a cement that produces similar properties as concrete made with other types of cements. The cement industry faces increasing regulatory issues and is constantly striving to reduce energy consumption. As the industry responds to these challenges, changes in the manufacturing process may result in slight changes in the cements produced. The cement industry will be working with the chemical and admix industry, concrete producers, researchers and specifiers to provide cements that will produce durable and sustainable concrete that can last for centuries. Suchorski is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and a registered professional engineer in Kansas and Wisconsin. Dave has over 30 years experience in the cement and concrete industry. He is a Fellow of the American Concrete Institute, a member of the Board of Directors and serves as the chairman of the Curing Concrete Committee. Dave is also a member of the Parking Lot, Pervious Concrete and Hydraulic Cements Certification Program and Chapter Activities Committees. –cw References: For more information on cements go to The Portland Cement Association website: http://www.cement.org. Bhatty, J.I., Tennis, P.D., “Portland Cement Characteristics-2004,” Concrete Technology Today, Vol. 26, No. 3, CT053, Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Illinois, December, 2005, pages 1-3. http://www.cement.org/tech/pdfs/CT053_cement.pdf Tennis, P. D., “Portland Cement Characteristics -1998,” Concrete Technology Today, Vol. 2, No. 2, PL992, Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Illinois, August 1999, pages 1–4. www.cement.org/tech/pdfs/pl992.pdf “Portland Cement: Past and Present Characteristics,” Concrete Technology Today, Vol. 17, No. 2, PL962, Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Illinois, July 1996, pages 1–3. http://www.cement.org/pdf_files/pl962.pdf
Making the cut Patrick Harris, President Concrete Renovation, Inc. San Antonio, TX
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hen cutting into concrete, Patrick Harris, president of Concrete Renovation, Inc., counts his 32 years of experience as one of his most valuable and important tools.
“Experience makes a big difference in cutting concrete,” says Harris. “A good operator can make it look really easy, and a poor operator can get the job done but it would take a lot more time than somebody that had the knowledge. Being trained to cut concrete and learning the profession really is a lifelong process as with any other construction trade that the longer you work at it, the more you learn, and the better you become.” Harris notes that the aggregate within the concrete has an effect on the diamond-tipped blades, and depending on the aggregate, that can cause costs to increase or decrease. And project costs keep going up as he observes that the cost of concrete alone continues to climb at about 6 to 7 percent each year. For the most part, all concrete saws are diamond-tipped. There are different
mixes and hybrids of metals that bind the diamond tips to the blade. “You have to have the proper mix of metals and diamonds and diamond sizes to get the desired cut that you want,” he explains. “In the Houston area, where they have river rock aggregate, you get 4,000 to 5,000 feet of cutting out of a blade where, in other places that have limestone, you’ll get 10,000 to 20,000 feet of cutting. So, your blade costs in the Houston area are probably three times more than they are in a place that has limestone.” He emphasizes that while San Antonio has some limestone, there’s also some river rock since the area contains a mix of different rock. Since the rock in the San Antonio area can vary, the key to getting a longer life out of a blade is knowing what you’re cutting, which means
knowing about the aggregate within the concrete. That information isn’t always known or available, making the process more intuitive based on a cutter’s expertise. “Usually, a cutting company has the knowledge of what they’ve cut in the past and where those lines are, and most contractors do not know what kind of aggregate is in their concrete,” he says. “If you had a larger job, you’d want to search that information out. On a smaller job, you’d probably use past experience for the concrete in that area. “There are maps of the different type of aggregates, but I have seen house slabs that had two different types of aggregates in the same slab, so it’s more of an experience of where the concrete is coming from and what aggregate the plant is using.” There are also proper speeds for different blades. The ideal speed is not calculated in RPMs, but at 10,000 feet per minute. The smaller the blade, the faster you would turn its RPM, the bigger the blade, the slower it turns. As for the actual cutting, like anything else in construction, you have to have the right tool for the right job. There are three main categories of concrete saw types: a core drill, a slab saw and a wall saw. There are also curb saws, made
specifically for cutting curbs. The core drill cuts round holes and leaves the center part intact, which is called a core. This is used for pipes, plumbing, and sometimes, even windows. These cuts can range from 5/8 of an inch to around 60 or 72 inches. The slab saw or pavement saw is for flat surfaces, cutting down into the concrete, typically for utilities, such as the trench drain Harris is doing right now at SAMC so they can run electrical conduit through the driveway. This cut can vary from .110 to 1/4 of an inch, which is .250 in width. The wall saw is bolted on and trackmounted, usually for making window or door openings through an existing wall. Having been in the field for three decades, owning his own concrete cutting company for almost 30 years now, and being an active member of related associations, such as the Concrete Sawing and Drilling Association and the American Society of Concrete Contractors, Harris has accumulated a wealth of knowledge he uses every day in the field. “I’m always available to talk to people about concrete cutting,” he adds. “It’s a passion of mine and the more people know, the better educated they are. And we need more young people to learn, and to want to learn, the profession.” –mh
Austin Construction News • May 2015
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Texas leaders take the reins
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he Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America held its 96th annual convention, 360 Degrees of Construction, Mar. 18-20 in San Juan, Puerto Rico at the Puerto Rico Convention Center. At the convention’s officer installation dinner, Texas found representation at the national level of the association in two of its three highest offices. Chuck Greco, chairman of Linbeck Group LLC, was installed as the president of AGC of America for 2015. “Thirty-six years ago when I started my career with Linbeck, I never imagined that one day I would be serving as president of the Association General Contractors of America,” stated Greco. “During the course of my career, I had countless opportunities to observe just what a positive impact the association had on our business and our industry. And more often than not, those benefits were the product of years of work by involved contractors and association staff. Clearly, AGC was the place where people were fighting to improve the industry’s future. That is why the theme for my tenure as your president will be ‘AGC today for a
Chuck Greco (right) accepts the position of president of AGC of America for 2015 at the convention’s officer installation dinner.
better industry tomorrow.’” In addition to a Willis/AGC Construction Safety Excellence Awards Breakfast, other events included a prayer breakfast, student chapters annual meeting and luncheon, the Education and Research Foundation Board of Directors luncheon, a luncheon for spouses and guests, Celebrate Construction Night, a board of governors luncheon and several educational sessions. –mh/ab
continued from Page 1 — Hull lotta love service were foremost priorities when we decided to take an “under one roof” approach,” Hull said. Hull Supply has on-site fabrication shops for wood, laminates, hollow metal, aluminum and pre-finished steel, enabling Hull to get exactly what is needed in very short time. “Customers only need to go to one location to pick up all materials,” Hull said. “We aligned all of our processes internally, saving us time in transporting raw materials in the warehouse and we are able to organize production schedules more easily.” Hull says a great deal of coordination has to happen to ensure that preps on the frames are exactly aligned with the preps on the door, which must be exactly
right for the piece of hardware. “We do everything we can to ensure the material can be installed quickly, without making adjustments in the field,” he says. Hull says his dad has been his biggest mentor in business and life. “My dad taught me, when you find good people that take care of you, then you take care of them,” he said. “I was one to always listen. If somebody wanted to help and somebody wanted to lead, I’d follow and learn. “My dad had a saying, “Son, clean living, clean living: that’ll get you through life.” I try for clean living. But just in case, I try to do the right thing by practicing good karma!“ –ab
Round-Up IE² Construction has hired Philip Postins as project manager. Postins will to help with multi-family projects. His expertise includes customer relations, site inspection, contract negotiations/writing, value engineering, budgets, subcontractor/procurement scheduling, subcontractor buyout, submittals, change orders and all facets of project management.
The McKim & Creed Inc. Austin office has hired Jorge Fernandez, RPLS, PSM, PLS, as a geomatics project manager. Fernandez will be responsible for managing projects and new client development. He has more than 35 years experience managing survey services for transportation and gas and oil pipeline projects.
Hill & Wilkinson has promoted two of the firm’s key personnel to leadership positions in its Central Texas office in Austin. Kristy Attaway has been named vice president-regional manager and Ryan Shipley has been named group manager. Attaway will oversee sales, estimating and staff operations of the Central Texas office, while Shipley will be responsible for field operations.
Raba Kistner Infrastructure Inc. (RKI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Raba Kistner Inc., has promoted Steven W. Funderburg, PE, to vice president. Funderburg has more than 30 years of environmental engineering and compliance experience, and has been a constant with Raba Kistner for more than 20 of those. He holds a master’s degree in engineering, a MA degree in botany, and a BS degree in zoology, all from the University of Texas at Austin.
Submissions This is a section for brief company announcements of new or recently promoted personnel, free of charge as space allows. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Email with “Round-Up” in the subject line (w/digital photo, if available) by the 15th of any month, for the next month’s issue to: Ausineditor@constructionnews.net
continued from Page 1 — Special delivery “Water intrusion was a key consideration,” Griggs said. “Waterproofing measures were also installed in the shop increasing speed, quality and safety on the jobsite. The connections between panels were the only tasks performed in the field.” The hospital opened eight weeks early by implementing a number of acceleration techniques. Key subcontractors were selected well before CDs were complete and their design-assist support pushed planning further up into pre-construction. Priority walls were framed and hung early; completion of these key structure milestones opened up the jobsite for other trades to go to work as soon as possible, which improved flow and productivity. “Lean techniques were critical,” Griggs said. “Major piping installations (such as entire patient bathroom walls)
and large groups of fixtures were prefabricated and lavatory banks were pre-assembled and pre-plumbed, all of which improved both schedule and quality. “ Griggs says the team also used Building Information Modeling (BIM) extensively to drive efficiency; the high level of detail in the project BIM model proved invaluable for trade coordination. “The final project was delivered well within the target project budget,” he said. F.R. Hoar established Hoar Construction in Birmingham, AL in 1940. Since its incorporation, Hoar Construction has steadily grown to become a full-service, nationwide general contractor with offices in Austin, Birmingham, Houston, Nashville, Orlando and Washington, D.C. –ab Key Professional Team: Architect: Page Southerland Page
The lobby
DeWayne Krawl was promoted to vice president of business development at the MLAW Engineers Austin office. He joined the firm in 2005 in its warranty department. Bringing years of real estate and business experience to the table, he created and managed the additions and remodeling department from 2006 to 2010. From 2011 to 2015 he served as district manager and continued to expand MLAW’s presence statewide. Based in Austin, he will travel and work in all MLAW markets in Dallas, San Antonio, Houston and the Texas Coast.
continued from Page 1 — Adventures in architecture “I found myself walking through, looking at all the details of the building itself, even more so than its contents,” he said. “My friend came to the realization that my real mission was to look at the building. “For people who are around me – I look at those things and I try to open their eyes to what I see. It is the greatest thing to introduce to someone how to actively recognize what it is they are seeing and determine if they like a space.” Price says to him quality of life is the biggest and most important thing, and
work is second. He and his friends Paige Wilburn and her husband recently had a great time going fishing in the Bahamas. Price and the Wilburns both studied architecture at Texas Tech University. “I love what I do, and am happy where I am,” he said. “I’m excited for continuing the projects that I have and those that are in front of me, to bring that same drive and energy to each project.” Red Arc One is a multiple disciplinary design firm that creates solutions for commercial and residential projects. –ab
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Austin Construction News • May 2015
Foundations of a successful conference
30 years and counting
L-R: Orlando, Joe, Tom, Eddie, Sandy and Don have a great day at Longhorn Roofing.
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The 25th Annual NFRA Conference brought a major league legend to podium. L-R: Joe McCullough, executive director; Nolan Ryan; Paul Wolf, national president
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he National Foundation Repair As- the building of the Tower of the Amerisociation (NFRA) hosted its 25th an- cas, the Guinness World Record move of nual conference Apr. 16-17 at the the Fairmount Hotel and the raising of historic Menger Hotel in San Antonio. the former Liberty Bar house off its founMore than 220 members and guests dation by member Dodson House MovOther events included the board came from across Texas and the country ing. meeting and educational programs. to attend the milestone event. With chapters based in Dallas-Fort Crediting his team with organizing Worth, Houston and San Antonio/Austin, the conference, Paul Wolf, NFRA nationNFRA recently added the national desig- al president and owner of Perma Jack nation to its association name as there Foundation in San Antonio, comments, are now members in 18 states with more “Everything went really well. We had rave reviews. Half of the classes were changed chapters being established. As celebrity spokesman for Olshan, a from last year to new subjects, and we foundation repair company with loca- had a lot of good comments about the tions in many states and several in Texas, new subjects and new speakers. It’s a lot legendary pitcher Nolan Ryan was the of work, but it sure came out good and it special guest speaker at Friday’s lun- showed.” –mh cheon. Ryan answered pre-selected Photos by Kyle Wolf, questions from his audience and shared a Wolfman Performance Productions few stories from his long and successful career in major league baseball. One lucky guest at each table won an autograph and got to have their photo taken with the Hall of Famer. The night before, Barney Fife provided entertainment – and character – at the dinner, which included mariachis and a silent auction. On Thursday, during a construction tour of San Antonio with guide Ken Erfurth, Pete Falletta, PE, Terracon, who was a speaker at one of this members learned about year’s sessions; and comedian Barney Fife.
oofing specialist Longhorn Roofing has served Central Texas since 1985. Tom Green is the owner. Green grew up in the construction industry building houses with his father. He took the reins at Longhorn Roofing in 2008 from founder Eddie Latham. Green says good customer service, quality craftsmanship and lots of hard work are the keys to staying in business for 30 years. “We have had lots of referrals mostly through word of mouth,” Green said. “Always do the job right the first time and people will call you back. “We value the positive local relationships we have established over the past three decades.” According to Green, Longhorn Roofing started out just doing shingles and reroofs and expanded to handle more metal roofing and commercial roofing
projects. Green says the company is a member of the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas (RCAT) and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). He enjoys participating in RCAT golf tournaments with friends in the industry when he gets the chance. “I also like playing golf on the weekends,” Green said. “I mostly play at golf courses around town. In the warmer months, I make sure to arrive at the golf course in the morning because it gets hot in the afternoons.” Looking ahead, Green says company goals are to move towards more of a presence in the commercial roofing industry. Longhorn Roofing provides commercial and residential roofing in Austin and the surrounding areas. –ab
Association Calendar
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News
ABC Central Texas
ASCE
Associated Builders & Contractors
American Society of Civil Engineers
May 14: Meet the GC’s For more information call 512-719-5263
AGC
May 17–21: EWRI Congress In Austin, JW Marriot For more information call 512-472-8905
Associated General Contractors
CTSA
May 1: OSHA 10/30 Hour Class May 4: Safety Committee meeting May 5-8: TEEX OSH 500 – Construction Train the Trainer May 7-8: OSHA 10/30 Hour Class May 11: 2015 Spring Golf Tournament May 12-15: TEEX OSH 204 – Machinery & Machine Guarding May 14-15: OSHA 10/30 Hour Class May 18-20: TEEX OSH 502 – Update Construction Outreach May 21-22: TEEX OSH 503 – Update General Industry May 27-29: TEEX OSH 311 – Fall Arrest Systems For more information call 512-442-7887
Central Texas Subcontractors Assn.
AIA American Institute of Architects
May 4: Design Awards Committee meeting May 7: Awards Celebration May 8: 2015 BEC/RCI Regional Air Barrier Conference May 11: COTE meeting May 12: ASLA-CTX CodeNEXT Committee meeting May 13: Emerging Professionals meeting May 15: AAH Committee meeting May 19: DesignVoice Committee meeting May 21: Small Firms Roundtable & LAC meeting May 25: Commercial Advocacy Roundtable May 27: Urban Design Committee meeting May 28: Activities Committee meeting For more information call 512-767-7436
May 12: Monthly meeting, 5:30pm-6pm Social Hour, 6pm-8pm Dinner and Presentation – Kevin Lashus: Immigration Issues, Embassy Suites, 5901 N. IH-35 For more info visit www.ctsaon- line.org
IEC Independent Electrical Contractors
May 1: IEC of Texas meeting, Austin May 4-6: IEC National Policy Conference, Washington DC May 28: Electrical Trade Show & Wire-Off Competition, Norris Conference Center For more information call 512-832-1883
NARI Nat’l Assn. of the Remodeling Industry
May 13: Bowling/Social 2015 May 21: General Membership meeting For more info visit www.austin- nari.org
NAWIC Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
May 6: Chapter meeting – Construction Panel, Big Daddy’s Burgers, North Austin May 14: Construction Technology Graduation Ceremony for Crockett/Lanier High School seniors, 6-8pm, Crockett High School cafeteria, 5601 Manchaca Road May 15: Networking Luncheon, 11:30am, BJ’s (Arbor Walk), 10515 N. Mopac Expwy May 27: Blue Book Showcase, 3-7pm, Embassy Suites, 1001 E. McCarty Ln, San Marcos For more info visit www. austinnawic.org
USGBC U.S. Green Building Council
May 14: Chapter Luncheon - Changing the PACE of Energy Building Upgrades in Texas For more info: www.usgbc-centraltexas.org
Austin Construction News • May 2015
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Doors of opportunity
ver the past few years, Cothron’s Security Professionals has focused on branching into the construction industry. Olen Cothron founded the company in 1948. Today, Steve Cothron is the owner and Daniel Powers is the operations manager. “Our goal is to be a one-stop shop for all residential and commercial security needs,” Powers said. Conthron’s Security Professional expanded its door and frame division Owner Steve Cochran and Jackie Garcia enjoy a softball game. and is able to install, service and repair glass and aluminum, steel, wood and hollow metal doors. “As operations manager, I am constantly talking with Steve about the direction we want to take the company in the future and what areas we want to focus on,” Powers said. “Our door crew has really taken off in 2015. We have two full crews now. We have many new projects lined up for the rest of the year.” Powers says employees look forward to the annual Christmas party, barTechnician Todd Crooks heads out to a job. becues and potluck lunches. They also have fun cheering for and playing on the company softball team. Looking ahead, Powers says the company plans to continue to grow the door division. –ab
World of plumbing
Construction News JOB SIGHT
Can you dig it?
The Bailey Elliott Construction Inc. crew digs a pond at the Homestead Oaks, a four-story apartment building project on W. Slaughter Lane. –ab
Construction News JOB SIGHT
Raise the roof
Ja-Mar Roofing & Sheet Metal recently fabricated the metal work and replaced the roof at the Hill Country Science Mill in Johnson City. –ab
Stucco & EIFS Products • Custom Color Matching Cement, Lath & Trim Products
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S & D Commercial Services, Milwaukee Tool, Ram Truck, Bobcat, Ferguson Supply representatives and the students
& D Commercial Services held a 1st annual Field Day at its plumbing shop in Taylor Mar. 31. “We partnered with our local school districts in efforts of recruiting high school graduates in entering the trades,” said Liz Dowdy, process management/ marketing. “Students from the local high schools came out to tour the shop and got a sneak peek inside the world of plumbing.” Dowdy says S & D Commercial Services partnered with Milwaukee Tool, Ram Truck, Bobcat, Ferguson Supply, and the Associated Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors (PHCC) to showcase the plumbing trade. –ab Photos by Brent Humphreys
Sam Dowdy, president, speaks to high school students about the plumbing trade.
Liz Dowdy hands out T-shirts at the event.
High school students work on a pipe cutting project.
conveniently located to service Austin and San Antonio 23703 IH-35, #101B Kyle, TX 78640 512.268.5600
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Austin Construction News • May 2015