Houston Construction News September 2015 by Construction News

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Volume 13

Number 9

SEPTEMBER 2015

Dream to reality

80 years moving forward

Richard Rhodes is hopeful for the future. Photo by Monique Castria

Employees at LAN’s Houston office participated in the cleanup along White Oak Bayou Hike and Bike Trail near downtown on Earth Day. Photo courtesy of Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc.

wner Richard Rhodes and his wife of 24 years, Jan, began operating ProTect Painters in July. The Rhodes’ live in Cypress and have been active in the community for more than 20 years. “I was born and raised on a farm,” Rhodes said. “I had to have building skills from an early age. Over the years, I have worked on painting and construction related projects because it is something I enjoy doing.” Rhodes opened ProTect Painting in the Houston market because it is where he and his wife plan to be long term. They love the area. “I feel blessed because the phone has been ringing left and right and we

have picked up lots of jobs since July,” he said. “I am really excited things are coming to fruition.” Rhodes wife Jan is a certified public accountant and she helps out with the financial side of the business. The couple has three children: Daniel, 9; Olivia, 13 and Hannah, 16. They enjoy watching their kids play soccer on the weekends. In addition, they have served in various leadership capacities in their church. Rhodes worked with both youth and adults as a leader, director, elder and teacher. “I was the teaching director for the teen community Bible study for seven

hat began as a small firm in Houston in 1935 is Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam (LAN) today. Now celebrating its 80th anniversary, LAN has more than 300 employees in offices across the U.S., including San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Corpus Christi, College Station, San Marcos, Waco and its corporate headquarters in Houston. Mason Graves Lockwood and William McIntosh Andrews started the firm and in 1946, Frank H. Newnam Jr., a civil engineer and classmate of William Andrews at Texas A&M, joined the firm as a partner. In 1956, the firm took on the name it is known by today. After incorpo-

continued on Page 12

rating in 1961, the firm grew rapidly and established offices in several Texas cities. In 1991, LEO A DALY, an international architecture and engineering firm, acquired LAN, and expanded LAN’s services and its horizons around the world. “Once I became the president in 1997, I diversified the firm into multiple markets of water, wastewater, transit and transportation,” comments Dennis Petersen, president. “The diversification was one of the key elements that I wanted to implement. As we expanded into these markets, it gave us a pretty broad base to operate from. continued on Page 13

Equipped for the job

oney Construction Services (TCS) was contracted to expand and renovate the ASCO Equipment Inc. South Houston location. Utilizing TCS cross-trained self-perform conference, restroom and retail showroom spaces that progressed quickly. This recently completed project includes new limestone-faced reception and retail counters, a rollup-security door, new lighting that emphasizes the high open ceiling, VCT flooring and an expanse of spiral ductwork, finished in the Case Equipment corporate color scheme, completes the transformation. The project team created a functional and modernindustrial retail environment. Kevin Beisert, TCS, was the senior project manager; Chad Jacobson, TCS, was the project superintendent and the architect was OwneRep Group. “Working with existing conditions of the building that had undergone multi-

The ASCO Equipment retail showroom

ple prior expansions was challenging, but not unusual,” Beisert said. “Matching CASE Equipment corporate color, orange, was also a challenge.” Beisert says the project is unique in that ASCO Equipment is also a construction industry professional. ASCO Equipment provides solutions for material handling, contractors, and for new or used heavy equipment. Aerial equipment, forklift equipment, concrete and various contractor supplies are available at this location. The construction team, architect and owner had weekly meetings to discuss progress and timelines. “Barrett Ingram, ASCO Equipment South Houston branch manager, was great to work with throughout the project,” Beisert said. “It was an advantage to have a client on-site full time to coordinate and be available to quickly work continued on Page 13

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Houston Construction News • Sep 2015

A Whirlwind trend

Construction News ON LOCATION

Inside track

Ready to help, Carl Carlton handles inside sales at BlueLine Rental S. Sam Houston Parkway E. store. –ab A Whirlwind Steel crewmember works on a pre-engineered metal building in Houston.

.O. Sturdivant founded Whirlwind Steel in Houston as a power fan and louver company in 1955. In the early 70s after he passed away, Jack Sturdivant, C.O.’s son, took over as president and successfully grew the company from a small single plant manufacturing company to a multi-plant company with a nationwide sales presence. In the early 2000s, Ty Sturdivant, Jack’s son, joined the company and is now president. Whirlwind remains 100% family owned and operated. In the 60s, Whirlwind began manufacturing metal building component parts when the fan business began to decline as air conditioning systems began to dominate the market. The company began engineering and manufacturing complete metal building system shortly thereafter. A new tool in Whirlwind Steel’s toolbox has Ty Sturdivant excited. “One thing that has excited the team

at Whirlwind Steel recently was the launch of our online quote designer, he says. “This powerful tool allows users to design their building and get an instant quote with a breakdown of cost.” He says the company’s culture adds to its success. “Treat your customer as a partner,” he says. “Having a strong supply chain is critical to supplying high quality products at a competitive price. We have dedicated employees and we practice frequent and consistent communication with customers and suppliers.” The company has frequent corporate events at each of its manufacturing plants, as well as lunches for employees and customers periodically and specifically on Thanksgiving and Christmas. “Whirlwind employees enjoy a wide range of hobbies outside of the office including golf, hunting, fishing, as well as many other activities,” Sturdivant says. –ab

Houston Construction News • Sep 2015

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Masons rock the Riverwalk

s part of its annual conference, the Texas Masonry Council (TMC) held its 2015 Golden Trowel Banquet Aug. 7 at the Westin on the San Antonio Riverwalk. –mh

Residential Single Family Texas Residence Contractor: W.W. Bartlett Architect: Curtis & Windham Architects Chapter: Central Texas Masonry Contractors Association (CTMCA)

Industrial Commercial - The Gates Building Contractor: Rick Stone Masonry Architect: Drewry Martin Suppliers: I-10 Stone Source Chapter: San Antonio Masonry Contractors Association (SAMCA)

Residential Multi Family - 3 Eleven Bowie Contractor: Brazos Masonry Architect: HKS Suppliers: Christopher Stuart Cast Stone, Continental Cut Stone, Blackson Brick Company, Featherlite, Hohmann & Barnard Chapter: Central Texas Masonry Contractors Association (CTMCA)

Governmental Institutional St. Peter Chancery – Our Lady Walsingham Contractor: W.W. Bartlett Architect: Jackson & Ryan Architects Suppliers: Amerimix/Oldcastle Architectural Texas, Mustang Metal & Supply Chapter: Associated Masonry Contractors of Houston (AMCH)

Hardscape Landscape - Centennial Gardens Contractor: Camarata Masonry Systems Architects: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, White Oak Studio Suppliers: Mezger Enterprises, Revels Block, Brick Co. Chapter: Associated Masonry Contractors of Houston (AMCH)

Block/CMU - The Robert M. Rogers Nursing and Health Sciences Center Contractor: Skinner Masonry; Architect: Smith Group JJR Suppliers: Acme Brick, Featherlite, Headwaters Construction Materials Chapter: United Masonry Contractor Association of DFW (UMCA)

Houston

Education (K-12 - Mohammedi Masjid Complex Contractor: Camarata Masonry Systems Suppliers: Mustang Metal & Supply, Upchurch Kimbrough, Siteworks, Headwaters Construction Materials, Hohmann & Barnard, Acme Brick

Education (College, University) - Texas A&M University San Antonio – Central Academic Building & Auditorium Contractor: Shadrock & Williams Masonry Architect: Munoz & Company Suppliers: Acme Brick, Featherlite, Siteworks, Kirby Stone Co. Chapter: San Antonio Masonry Contractors Association (SAMCA)

Correction In the August Houston Construction News on page 10 in an article about Newport Metal Recycling, it should have said that Newport Metal Recycling was purchased by Jamie Held, CEO, and a California investment group. Shane Leonard is COO and Jonathan Hansen is CFO of the company. –cw

Houston

CONSTRUCTION NEWS

Houston Editor — Abby BeMent — HoustonEditor@ConstructionNews.net — 832-595-0091 Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buddy Doebbler Editorial/Production . . . . . . Reesa Doebbler Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cyndi Wright Production Manager . . . . . . . . . Sue Johnson Sales Representative . . . . . . . . Kent Gerstner Construction News Ltd. Home Office P.O. Box 791290 • San Antonio, Tx 78279 210-308-5800 Fax 210-308-5960 www.ConstructionNews.net If you are a construction-related company in Harris, Galveston, Fort Bend or Montgomery counties and are not receiving a free copy of the Houston Construction News, please call for a Requester Form, or visit our website.

The Houston Construction News (ISSN 15477630) is published monthly by Construction News LTD., dba Houston Construction News, and distributed by mail to constructionrelated companies in Houston 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 Houston 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.

Restoration - City of Fort Worth Public Safety Training Center Contractor: J&E Masonry; Architect: Komatsu Architecture Suppliers: Acme Brick, Builders Equipment & Supply Co., Hohmann & Barnard, Quikrete, Texas Building Products Chapter: United Masonry Contractor Association of DFW (UMCA)

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Houston Construction News • Sep 2015

Transferring your construction business to family Michael Kuchar, CPA, Shareholder of Construction Group Doeren Mayhew Houston, TX

f you’re among the baby boomers marching toward retirement, it’s critical you develop a plan to transition out of your leadership role in your construction company. Succession planning in the construction industry should cover everything from naming a successor to choosing the right method for shifting ownership to that successor and perhaps other family members. Find the Best Candidate The most important question addressed in any succession plan is, who will lead the enterprise? If your construction business is family owned, finding a successor can be difficult. Family members may be qualified but have no interest in taking the reins. Or they may be interested but lack experience. To deal with such challenges, take time now to develop future leaders. Identify children or other key employees you believe hold leadership potential and expose them to all aspects of running the business. Give them a well-defined path to find out what they need to do to become leaders of the business. And design appropriate fringe benefit and deferred compensation plans, as well as incentive pay, to help retain them until you step down. Make It a Family Affair It’s important that you encourage the entire family, whether or not they’re active in the business, to participate in planning and understand the financial and personal consequences of an unsuccessful succession. A common issue is how to equitably divide assets among heirs when only some of them will receive ownership interests in the business. If there are sufficient liquid assets, consider purchasing life insurance to provide for any children who won’t be involved in the business, giving ownership interests to only those who will be involved. Or, establish a family trust so the entire family shares the risks and benefits. Transfer Ownership The simplest way to transferring ownership of your construction company is to sell it to family members, if they want to buy it and can afford it. You can also transfer ownership by gifting interests over time, but there are potential gift tax liabilities associated with this approach, and you won’t generate an income stream to carry you through retirement. A trust may be a better alternative for transferring ownership without creating harsh tax obligations. One option is a

grantor retained annuity trust (GRAT), which will provide you with income for a term of years and then distribute the remaining assets to your beneficiaries. The transfer of assets into the GRAT is a taxable gift, but the annuity you receive reduces the value of the gift. Interest rates also affect the value of the gift. Keep in mind that if you die before the end of the annuity period, the trust assets will be included in your estate and the tax advantages will be negated. Get Your Advisors Involved No matter whom you choose as your successor, get your construction CPA, lawyer, insurance advisor and a family business consultant involved to help assess your circumstances and create a succession plan. Along with selecting a vehicle to transfer your assets, the plan should state to what extent you’ll stay involved with the company after you leave. If you stay too involved, you may inadvertently inhibit your successors from succeeding. Your plan should create a management structure that will survive your departure and keep the business on sound financial footing while ensuring adequate liquidity to fund your retirement or a buyout. Include a buy-sell agreement in the succession plan. It allows you to restrict transfers of ownership interests, and can help minimize income and estate taxes. Start Now While everyone talks about the need for a succession plan, too few actually follow through with developing one. It’s critical that you start the process at least several years before you plan to retire, and ideally a decade or more in advance of that target date. Michael Kuchar, CPA, is a Shareholder and leader of Doeren Mayhew’s dedicated Construction Group in Houston. A top 100 U.S. firm, Doeren Mayhew’s CPAs and business advisors serve more than 500 suppliers and general and specialty contractors doing business domestically and abroad. For more information, visit www.doeren.com.

Non-owned automobiles company business

Mark Gaskamp, CSP, CRM, CIC, CPCU, ALCM Managing Director Wortham LLC Austin, TX

re you “financially safe” on the Texas roadways? According to the Insurance Information Institute you have better than a 1 in 10 chance of being involved in an accident with an uninsured motorist. And even if the other party does have insurance, in Texas the current minimum liability limits are $30,000 for each injured person, up to a total of $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident. This basic coverage is called 30/60/25. Is that enough to pay for your doctor bills, lost wages or your damaged vehicle? Why is this a topic for a construction newsletter? Well, most construction operations have what is referred to in the insurance world as “non-owned” auto exposure, that is, individuals who are driving their personal vehicles (i.e. not owned by the company) on company business. Any job superintendents, field staff, safety manager, etc… driving their own vehicle during the work day for business purposes other than the commute to and from work fall into this category. Should an individual be involved in an accident while in the scope of employment, their personal auto coverage is primary and the company’s insurance coverage is secondary. It is a good risk management practice to not only require a certificate of insurance for auto coverage from those driving on company business on a regular basis, but require minimum limits of coverage, so the company’s insurance does not become financially responsible. 100/300/100 or a $300,000 combined single limit are the generally accepted standard for most organizations and commercial insurance carriers. Why should the limits be increased beyond the state minimums? Well, probably half the vehicles on the road today cost more than $25,000, so if you hit one of those vehicles, the physical damage limit may not be enough to pay for the car. That means if you have state minimum limits and you cause an accident resulting in totaling a $75,000 Ford Raptor, the additional $50,000 comes out of your pocket. The same is true for a liability suit, which could far exceed the $30,000 minimum limit. The good news is the cost to increase

the limits is nominal. I had our personal lines staff provide an estimated premium change to increase limits from 30/60/25 to 50/100/50, the cost was about $50 per year. To increase up to 100/300/100, the cost was another $50. So for about $100 per year, you can get four times as much coverage. My experience has been that many drivers are not even aware of the risk or the minimal cost to increase their limits. This is an good topic of discussion with your drivers, to encourage them to increase their insurance limits from the state minimums to those outlined above, to not only benefit the organization by insulating your commercial auto policy, but as good “personal risk management” for those individuals driving on our busy Texas roadways. Mark Gaskamp is a managing director for Wortham Insurance & Risk Management in Austin. He is a part of the Wortham Construction Industry Practice Group where his responsibilities include partnering with clients to manage safety and risk management exposures to reduce their cost of risk. He previously served as a Risk Control regional supervisor and as a senior underwriter for St. Paul and Travelers organizations and as a national risk consultant for Corporate Systems. He is actively involved in the Association of Building Contractors and Association of General Contractors safety committees, and is a national faculty member of The National Alliance's Certified Risk Manager's (CRM) program. For more information contact Mark at (512) 532-1536 or mark.gaskamp@worthaminsurance. com or visit www.worthaminsurance.com.

Submitted to Construction News

Economic outlook

The Associated Builders and Contractors Houston Chapter (ABC) held a Membership Breakfast at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Houston Hobby Airport July 10. Guest speaker ABC’s Chief Economist Anirban Basu spoke about future trends in the economy on a local and national level. –ab

Houston Construction News • Sep 2015

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You missed the notice deadlines, but a sham may keep you from turning into a pumpkin! West W. Winter, Partner McNelis + Winter, PLLC San Antonio, TX

hen faced with non-payment for work performed or materials provided for the improvement of construction projects in Texas, the most powerful remedy available to contractors, subcontractors and suppliers is the mechanic’s and materialman’s lien. Statutory mechanic’s liens are governed by Chapter 53 of the Texas Property Code and, if timely and properly perfected, secure payment rights against the project. In addition, contractors having an agreement directly with the project’s owner may be able to avail themselves of constitutional lien rights that exist independently of any notice or recording requirements, pursuant to Article XVI, Section 37, of the Texas Constitution. While mechanic’s lien rights are well know and frequently asserted in the construction industry, some lesser known nuances in the law may apply to salvage mechanic’s lien rights in certain situations where a subcontractor or supplier has missed the required pre-lien notice deadlines. One such situation involves Sham Contracts where the purported owner and general contractor are essentially one in the same. Sham Contract Provision As set forth in Section 53.026 of the Texas Property Code, when a person contracts with another, and that other person controls or otherwise is controlled by the owner “through ownership of voting stock, interlocking directorships, or otherwise”, the person performing the labor or furnishing materials is deemed to be in a direct contractual relationship with the owner and has a lien as an original contractor. The same result occurs when the contract was made by the owner “without the good faith intention of the parties that the other person was to perform the contract.” When the Sham Contract provision applies, the unpaid subcontractor or supplier should be considered to be in a direct contractual relationship with the owner and gains original contractor status. Along with original contractor status, the unpaid subcontractor or supplier also has lien rights as if it were an original contractor. Accordingly, the mandatory notice requirements generally applicable to subcontractors and suppliers for perfecting statutory mechanic’s liens should not apply, and the unpaid subcontractors or suppliers may be able to perfect their lien rights as original contractors despite a failure to comply with the Property Code notice requirements. Another benefit derived from the Sham Contract statute is that a constitutional lien is available to a person performing work or supplying materials to a sham contractor if such work or materials

are covered by Article XVI, Section 37, of the Texas Constitution (i.e. buildings and articles). The recent appellate court decision of Trinity Drywall Systems, LLC v. Toka General Contractors, Ltd. confirmed this benefit in holding that the Sham Contract statute, by improving the subcontractor’s position in the construction contract chain, allows a subcontractor hired under a sham contract to assert and enforce a constitutional lien because he is deemed to have a direct contractual relationship with the owner. Other Considerations Even though a constitutional lien is self-executing, a lien affidavit should still be filed of record in the county where the property is located to protect the enforceability of the lien against subsequent good faith purchasers. Be aware that suit must also be filed to enforce/ foreclose a mechanic’s lien claim within the applicable limitations periods or the lien will be extinguished. Contractors, subcontractors and suppliers facing non-payment should closely scrutinize the specific parties, facts and circumstances involved as early as possible so they may be fully informed about the requirements for proper lien perfection and whether they may avail themselves of any applicable legal nuances to salvage their lien rights and effectuate payment. Whether or not a mechanic’s lien has been perfected, unpaid parties involved in construction projects will typically have other viable causes of action including breach of contract. West W. Winter is a partner at McNelis + Winter, PLLC. A LEED Green Associate, West serves on the board of the Construction Law Section of the San Antonio Bar Association and has been listed as one of the Best Lawyers in San Antonio for Construction Litigation. West can be reached via email: west@mcneliswinter.com.

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Houston Construction News • Sep 2015

Laramie Lacombe Owner Laramie Crane LLC

aramie Lacombe spent more than 10 years running cranes for other companies. With the help of his wife, Tracy, Lacombe started Laramie Crane LLC in 2007. “The early days of our company consisted of a lot of early mornings, sleepless nights and a whole lot of no’s,” Lacombe said. “My wife and I literally started Laramie Crane LLC in an upstairs hall closet in my home. “ The Lacombe’s eventually converted their closet into a very small office. “Next, we moved from the hall closet to another room in our home and eventually moved to our shop and current location in July 2012.” Laramie Crane is a family owned and operated full-service crane rental company servicing Southeast Texas. The company works with power, construction and petrochemical companies. In addition, the company has requests, from setting HVAC units and sign work to more specialized lifts such as tilt walls and cell tower erection. Where were you born and raised, Laramie? I was born and raised in La Porte in Harris County. It was a great place to grow up. Today, I run my company in my hometown. We plan to stay in La Porte for years to come. What did you like about growing up in La Porte? La Porte has always been a small country town to me. My family and I literally grew up

across the street from a motocross track that was built with lawnmowers, weed eaters and shovels. My whole childhood was based around that track where we could ride our three wheelers every day after school. Not every kid had the opportunity to grow up like that, and I think that has a lot to do with me chasing cranes all these years, as well as owning my own crane company. Cranes are just big three wheelers and four wheelers to me! What was your very first job as a teenager? My first job was working at Kroger’s as a sacker. I worked after school, on the weekends and during the summertime to make extra money. Where did you graduate high school? I attended and graduated from La Porte High School. What did you do after you graduated high school? I went into the U.S. Army and was stationed in Europe. Why did you decide to open Laramie Crane? It had always been my dream to start my own company. I was very determined to make my dream a reality. Did you have a mentor in the crane business when you opened your company? I didn’t have a mentor in the industry when I opened Laramie Crane. I have learned so much about the industry since I first got started. What types of changes have you seen in your industry? The biggest change that I have seen in the past five years in this industry is the need for higher safety standards. Many customers have stricter safety standards than in the past. There are a lot of crane companies in Houston that have lost the “good ole’ boy” way of doing business. Over here at Laramie Crane, I try to keep the “good ole’ boy” relationship going and I think that is a reason why we succeed like we do. What do you like most about running your own company? I love the freedom of running my business, meeting new people and help-

Laramie Lacombe goes fishing at the Texas coast.

ing customers complete their projects. I just love the crane industry in general. I’ve been in this business my entire adult life. It doesn’t get any better than this, I guarantee it. What are a few positive happenings at the company in 2015? A few positive things that have happened at Laramie Crane are that we have added to our office personnel and we added a 50-ton mobile crane to our fleet. In addition, we were just named one of the 2015 Houston Fast 100 companies. In your opinion, what are the keys to success in your industry? I think to be successful in this industry, it takes having good and well-maintained equipment, certified personnel and great customer service.

I think it is important to strive to achieve consistent and reliable service through honesty, integrity, excellence, and the treatment of others with dignity and respect. Make safety a number one priority too. Are you married today? Yes, I have been married to my wife Tracy for 17 years. Do you and Tracy have any children? Yes, we have three kids; Chasity, 20, Rayne, 13, and Cash, who is about to turn 4. What are a few hobbies you enjoy when you aren’t at work? In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my wife Tracy and our three kids. I also like working out after work, going fishing at the Texas coast and going hunting with my family and friends. I enjoy doing anything in the great outdoors. Have you and your family traveled anywhere lately? We travel as a family as often as we can. My family and I recently had a great time traveling to Breckinridge, CO for a skiing trip. It was nice to spend time in the mountains with my family. We always have fun together. What are your future goals for the company? My future goals for Laramie Crane involve leading a company that continues to learn as it grows and takes on new customers, while still providing my old customers with my on the job, shake your hand, do it right the first time, every time experience that got us to where we are today. I think 2015 is going to be our biggest year yet and push us through the door that we have been kicking on for the last couple of years. –ab

Houston Construction News • Sep 2015

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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

The new wave in fishing!

f you spend much time on the water you may have noticed something new happening in the fishing community. Kayak fishing is really taking off! You may have seen these guys slipping silently across the water at dawn in what look to be one man battleships. They have a strong looking sleek hull with all kinds of arms and appendages sticking out of them and some even look like floating UFOs outlined in bright colorful fish attracting LED lights. Most important they are able to quietly access the most remote and tricky fishing spots without any fear of damage to their boat or motor. They can be paddled, pedaled or have their own custom trolling motor. In short, kayak fishermen are often fishing where you want to be without fear and for a fraction of the money it may have cost you to get there! The financial upheaval that we went through a few years ago caused something of a revolution in the boating industry. It became difficult for anyone to get financing for a boat and an awful lot of us found ourselves less willing to pay as much for a new boat in our new economy as we used to. It was a hard wake up call. We all know what a resourceful lot fishermen are. It didn’t take long for people to start adapting recreational kayaks to be used for fishing! Look at the advantages. If you can walk down to the water, you can drop in your kayak. No more finding a boat ramp and waiting your turn. You can slip your rig into the back of your pick-up or just car-top it. No more maintaining and dragging a trailer – the money you save on gas can buy you a room! Best of all you can get a fully rigged, (fish finder, gps, baitwell, rod holders, lights and you name it) for a fraction of the cost of a conventional boat! All of these things make kayak fishing a very attractive option for beginning an-

Kayak fishing

glers just starting out and seasoned pros alike. It’s not a problem if your fishing buddy can’t go, and if he can go, he can have his own kayak and end the competition for who gets what part of the boat. Kayak fishing works for any kind of fishing you want to do. It is easy to learn about. You can go online and find fishing forums pertaining to whatever you want to learn. It doesn’t matter if you like crappie fishing along a quiet freshwater shoreline or you want to shark fish at the coast. It is being done! Go check any local kayak shop and you will see the latest in fishing innovations. There are even several good tournament trails with nice pay outs out there! Best of all, if you want to get started, this is a good time to do it. You know fishermen, there are always a better boats and better gear on the horizon, so people are always upgrading their equipment and selling what they have to trade up. The price is right, so you can often get top notch boats and accessories. Even if kayak fishing doesn’t turn out to be for you – bear in mind there are more kayaks sharing the water with you, so keep a watchful eye out while you are running across the water.

Half or Full Day Fishing Trips All Bait, Tackle & Equipment Furnished Your catch Filleted and Bagged for You Furnish your TPWD Fishing License & Refreshments, and WE DO THE REST!

Ken Milam Guide Service (325) 379-2051 www.striperfever.com Kayak fishing at the falls

Alaska awesome INSTALLER, DESIGNER, CONSULTANT

COMMERCIAL

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CITY OF HOUSTON GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT for their commitment in the growth and success of local small businesses.

A hungry humpback whale opens wide. Sue Johnson, Construction News, and her husband, Scott, went to Alaska in May. They are in front of Marjorie Glacier in Glacier Bay. “Pictures do not do justice to the beauty of nature up there,” said Sue. “I got to check Alaska and seeing humpback whales off my bucket list! It was a fabulous trip.” –sj

THANK YOU!!! Leticia Elias, cc-rrc

832-339-2865

www.ecroofsystems.com mbe / wbe / sbe / dbe / HUB / Section 3

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Houston Construction News • Sep 2015

In the mix

Topping it off

AGC members catch up with friends in the industry.

early 100 contractors gathered at Crisp Bistro in The Heights, filling the bar and back patio areas Aug. 6. The Associated General Contractors Houston Chapter (AGC) held the member mixer. Congrats to Todd Fisher, Pepper-Lawson Construction LLP, who won an iPad Mini at the event. –ab

Representatives sign a beam.

atterfield & Pontikes Construction (S&P) reached a milestone in the construction of Cypress-Fairbanks ISD’s new Cypress Park High School in northwest Houston. Representatives from S&P, Cy-Fair ISD, PBK Architects and construction crews gathered to celebrate completion of the first stage of the project with a topping-out ceremony at the site located

on FM 529 near Grand Parkway Aug. 19. The $127 million school will provide facilities for standard core curriculum subjects, fine arts, athletics, and career and technical education. The 179-acre site will also accommodate a future middle school and an elementary school. Established in 1989, S & P is a general contractor and construction manager. –ab

Joslin Construction The topping out crews assemble for a door prize drawing.

Steel workers prepare to install the signed beam.

Houston Construction News • Sep 2015

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Green Building Cleaner water through greener design Amanda Saldivar, Project Engineer Big Red Dog Engineering

Steve Lin, Senior Project Manager Big Red Dog Engineering

San Antonio, TX

n Texas, rain is precious. After the last several years of relentless drought, the spring brought record levels of precipitation across the Lone Star State. When we finally get rain, it can have its drawbacks, including some problems that can be reduced through green building – or green engineering. Every day, contaminants build up on the concrete and pavement, and then rainwater washes them all away. That storm runoff we see with an oily rainbow film floating on the surface gets washed into creeks and rivers. This is just one of the environmental issues Low Impact Design (LID) aims to address. “It’s what we refer to as best management practices (BMP),” says Steve Lin, senior project manager at Big Red Dog Engineering. “There are some municipalities that require LID as part of their projects, such as the City of Austin. It is currently optional in San Antonio, but we feel it’s going to be more prevalent here in the coming years.” Many LID features are associated with water quality and the treatment of stormwater. One technique uses bioswales, which capture stormwater runoff

and aid in filtration so that anything washing off the pavement of a parking lot, for example, can be filtered before the harvested rainwater is discharged into a nearby creek. With San Antonio sitting on top of the Edwards Aquifer zone, development above the aquifer has requirements to treat and filter the water, but Lin points out that the southern half of the city does not have a water code along those lines. Lin observes, “Most of the LID features are an option and above and beyond your standard developer’s intent, but we do find these LID features are more predominant in downtown San Antonio – projects that use rainwater harvesting and they’re integrated within an irrigation system, and a lot of bioswales.” Other features that LID uses towards water quality improvement include planter boxes and sand filtration. Diverting stormwater through a planter box allows the soil to act as a filter. The same is true of sand. And in particularly urban settings, putting a garden on the rooftop, or a “green roof,” where the garden acts as a filter and the underlying drainage system captures the water, the runoff

coming out of the gutter system will be relatively cleaner. These filtration methods actually clean the water, removing contaminants from standard litter to oil and coolant drippings. Also, when developing an untouched site, these LID features might be able to offset some of the tree mitigation or tree replacement. “The City of San Antonio has its specific tree requirements,” explains Amanda Saldivar, project engineer. “If we were developing on a completely green site – undeveloped with several trees – when trees are knocked down, the city requires that a certain ratio gets replanted [tree mitigation], or there is a fee that you can pay instead of having to plant those trees.” She notes that it is possible to incorporate some of the previously mentioned LID features as an option in lieu of mitigation, and having a LID feature would be considered eligible for LEED points, but since it’s not in the city’s code yet, these credits are determined on a case-by-case basis.

From promise to performance: the LEED Dynamic Plaque Gautami Palanki U.S. Green Building Council Washington, D.C.

ince its earliest days, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has pushed the boundaries of green building design, construction and operation with a committed team and expert volunteers from across the industry. Known for developing the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building rating system, USGBC’s mission of market transformation is alive and well. LEED is used by 65,000 projects worldwide. After 15 years of growth and evolution, the industry is ready to embrace performance measurement, adding to the promise of lower impact. The LEED Dynamic Plaque offers this dimension, measuring outcomes from sustainable strategies implemented in buildings. The LEED Dynamic Plaque helps properties gather building data to visualize a robust, yet simple, LEED Performance Score on scale of 1 to 100. The score updates as often as new data is provided and reflects the building’s energy use, water use, waste management, indoor air quality, occupant satisfaction, and carbon emissions. Any building or commercial interior space can receive a

performance score, by manually or automatically submitting measured data (e.g., kilowatt hours of energy, gallons of water, interior carbon dioxide levels, etc.), and any LEED-certified project can use it to recertify to LEED every 12 months. Recertification follows the familiar LEED certification levels, i.e., a score of 80+ reflects Platinum. Project teams using the LEED Dynamic Plaque give it high praise. The JBG Companies, Akridge, and the Tower Companies led the adoption of the LEED Dynamic Plaque in Washington, D.C. Together, they represent approximately 20 million square feet of LEED registered and certified space in the District. The companies use the platform in select properties to manage holistic building performance and collaborate with building users, demonstrating leadership and innovation. Jessica Long, sustainability manager with The JBG Companies, is a key player in the development and adoption of the JBG Commercial Sustainability Program. She sees sustainability as a growing concern for investors, a means to improve

the value of assets, and take responsibility as environmental stewards in a community they own and develop buildings in. The sustainability group continues to engage building users, the primary drivers of resource use, in lowering the environmental impact of the building. Long says, “The LEED Performance Score provides a succinct way to communicate information beyond energy and strategically identify areas for improvement.” At Akridge, corporate leadership, internal policies, and community involvement are the building blocks for goal achievement as they endeavor to lead the industry in innovative sustainability practices. Kaitlin Brokaw, senior property manager at the Homer Building, an outstanding combination of new development and historic preservation, describes a “commitment to a long-term vision that entails using new technology and conscientious planning to minimize negative environmental impacts on the city, the region and the planet.” The organization’s efforts to increase visibility and transparency are evident from the publicly available key performance indicators on their website. The LEED Dynamic Plaque proactively supplements these ongoing efforts, providing up-to-date scores for participating properties and annual recognition through LEED recertification. Communication and collaboration are as important as implementation when it comes to sustainability efforts and special projects, agrees Eugenia Gre-

Engineers are one of three primary parties involved in the LID process. Architects and, in many cases, the landscape architect, work together with the engineers to make these features part of the design. Lin notes that some of these features require what they call “engineered soils” because the soils have to meet some sort of permeability range, and in that case, the design team may also enlist the help of a geotechnical engineer to achieve the proper utilization of the LID feature. “I personally feel that LID is going to be introduced into code in the future, and I believe, the way development is headed, that you’d see more LID features being utilized and integrated in projects,” predicts Lin. Saldivar adds, “And in the long run, we’re helping ourselves, especially when it comes to [issues of] water contaminants and polluting of local streams and rivers.” Big Red Dog Engineering is a civil and MEP engineering firm based in Austin with offices in San Antonio, Houston and Dallas. –mh

gorio, director of Corporate Responsibility at Tower Companies. The LEED Performance Score provides a tangible metric that resonates with stakeholders and encourages action, while making it simple to aggregate data through automation and increasing visibility into the portfolio. Gregorio says, “When making business decisions, we always consider the triple bottom line—people, planet, profit—and find ways to make all three align to yield successful projects that have a positive impact on the environment, our stakeholders and the overall community, and make business sense with viable economics.” Tower believes sustainability is not only a responsibility but also an opportunity to improve building operations, reduce operating costs, train staff, and attract and retain like-minded clients who have their own corporate sustainability goals and values that align. JBG, Akridge, Tower, and other organizations worldwide are aligning operational metrics with strategic corporate goals and taking steps to improve ongoing building performance, lower costs, and enhance user experience in new and existing projects. Are you ready to take the next step and begin your performance story? Gautami Palanki is a Building Performance Consultant for the U.S. Green Building Council. She will discuss LEED: New Approaches for Building Performance at Greenbuild 2015 in Washington, D.C.

Page 12

Houston Construction News • Sep 2015

Stand out builds

he Texas Building Branch of Associated General Contractors traveled to beautiful Squaw Creek Resort in Lake Tahoe July 28-31 for the 2015 convention. Twenty-two projects were given Outstanding Construction Awards from the annual competition. –cw 2014 Outstanding Awards

RSF – Residential Single Family Malone Cliff Residence, Sebastian Construction Group (TEXO) SC – Specialty Construction Dock & Deck Additions on Lake Brazos, Barsh Company (Centex)

Construction

B1 Building ($0 - $2M) Nolan Creek Pedestrian and Bike Trail Extension, Barsh Company (Centex) B2 Building ($2 - $5M) Mary Couts Burnett Library West Façade, Linbeck Group LLC (TEXO) B3 Building ($5 - $10M) McGregor ISD New Primary School, Mazanec Construction Co. Inc. (Centex) B6 Building (Over $75M) Tobin Center for The Performing Arts, Linbeck Zachry Joint Venture (San Antonio) DB1 Design Build ($0 - $10M) KSAT12 Television News Station Headquarters Addition & Renovation, Bartlett Cocke General Contractors (San Antonio) DB3 Design Build (Over $30M) Parkland Logistics Center, Byrne Construction Services (TEXO) HC1 – Health Care ($0 - $10M) Parkway Surgical & Cardiovascular Hospital, Skiles Group Inc. (TEXO) HC2 – Health Care ($10 - $30M) Texas Healthcare Outpatient Center Willow Park, Ridgemont Commercial Construction (TEXO) HC3 – Health Care (Over $30M) Sky Tower at University Hospital, Zachry Vaughn Layton Joint Venture (San Antonio) IF1 – Interior Finish-Out ($0 - $500K) Texas Health Ben Hogan Sports Medicine Southwest Fort Worth, Skiles Group, Inc. (TEXO) IF2 – Interior Finish-Out ($500K - $2M) University of Texas, Active Learning Classrooms Renovation, McCombs School of Business, Sabre Commercial, Inc. (Austin) IF3 – Interior Finish-Out ($2 - $5M) Vogel Alcove, MAPP Construction (TEXO) IW1 – Industrial/Warehouse ($0 - $5M) VA Energy Center, Mazanec Construction Co. Inc. (Centex) RMF – Residential Multi-Family East Texas Baptist University Centennial Hall, JE Dunn Construction (TEXO)

B4 Building ($10 - $30M) Parc Binz One, Linbeck Group LLC (Houston)

DB2 Design Build ($10 - $30M) The Treehouse Memorial City, Anslow Bryant Construction LTD (Houston)

B5 Building ($30 - $75M) The University of Houston Student Center Redevelopment, Tellepsen (Houston)

Historical Renovation TAMU Jack K. Williams Administration Building Renovation, J. T. Vaughn Construction, LLC (Houston)

IF4 – Interior Finish-Out (Over $5M) Francis Hall Renovation, Satterfield & Pontikes Construction, Inc. (Houston)

continued from Page 1 — Dream to reality

IW2 – Industrial/Warehouse (Over $5M) Greens Crossing Tract A – HD Supply, Dyad Construction LP (Houston)

years, as well as an elder for more than two years,” he said. “Jan has served in various levels of leadership in women’s and children’s ministries.” As a professional, Rhodes says he has a desire to take his skills acquired over a lifetime and direct them to build the painting business. “I enjoy working with people and helping them achieve their goals of protecting and beautifying their homes and businesses,” he said. “I believe a well applied coat of paint can transform a room

and maximize the beauty of that room.” These days, Rhodes says his number one hobby is fishing. If time allows and the moon is right, he can be found on the bay trying to catch a large speckle trout or redfish with his kids. “In the future, I look forward to securing more jobs and working with customers in the field,” he said. “I want to perfect what I am doing now.” ProTect Painters is a painting contractor providing interior painting, exterior painting and accompanying services. –ab

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Houston Construction News • Sep 2015

Page 13

Safety first

Up and running

Contractors learn about safety at the safety stand-down demonstration.

The 18,000-sf facility three miles south of Magnolia.

ore than 80 contractor members recently alligned their safety stand-down demonstrations during a two-week period to support the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s National Fall Prevention StandDown. The Associated General Contractors Houston Chapter (AGC) held the event. AGC Houston Director of Safety Services Kim Mason estimates that more than 12,500 construction workers took part in safety demonstrations on fall protection over the course of two weeks despite massive rainfall and local flooding issues that affected construction jobsites. “This is a great way to expose construction workers to the common hazards of a jobsite, particularly related to falls,” Mason said. “Several of our members who are safety consultants volunteered to lead free demonstrations with fall protection gear, ladders, and even

test dummies on job sites across the city. “The dummies are strapped correctly and incorrectly with safety harnesses and dropped at various heights to show how the body of a worker reacts when falling. It’s a great visual aid tool that hits home the importance of securing properly the fall protection harnesses.” In addition to leading safety demonstrations in both English and Spanish, AGC Houston members also invited ER and Houston Fire Department representatives to talk about fall rescue procedures and trauma caused by jobsite accidents. “We are always very happy to see safety numbers trending in the right direction, but our members’ commitment to safety is not so much on the movement of rates, but simply that every individual on a job site goes home safely each day to his or her family,” AGC Houston President Jerry Nevlud said. –ab

continued from Page 1 — 80 years moving forward “Also, I wanted to ensure that when the bad times hit, and we all knew they would at some point, we would be able to keep moving forward. Since 1998, despite the recent economic recession, we have been profitable every year and have grown substantially.” In Houston, LAN has been working on the City of Houston’s Surface Water

Transmission Program since 1988, and the firm served as prime designer on the $270 million Hobby Airport Redevelopment project. LAN is a full-service consulting firm that offers planning, engineering and program management services. LAN is a division of LEO A DALY. –mh

continued from Page 1 — Equipped for the job through any unforeseen conditions or project details.” Ingram says for the three-month duration of the project, TCS did not miss or overshoot a single timeline and they completed the job for exactly what was bid. “It was an absolute joy for us to do business with TCS,” Ingram said.

Founded in 1994 by David and Linda Toney, TCS is a general contractor specializing in office build-outs, commercial remodels and new construction. The company has expanded from its Houston base into New Orleans, Covington, Baton Rouge and Lafayette, LA. Employing 48 people, TCS maintain offices in Cypress and in Covington, LA. –ab

The limestone-faced reception and retail counters

exas Timber Truss has opened an 18,000-sf facility on three acres three miles south of Magnolia. President Larry, his granddaughter Jodi and grandson Wade Margreiter have a combined 80-plus years construction experience and 40-plus years heavy timber truss experience. Larry Margreiter started Structural Wood Components in 1990, retired and sold the business in 2008. He decided he wanted to continue working in the industry. “We began to receive calls from a lot of people needing timber trusses,” Margereiter said. “Many were from contractors we had built for when we owned Structural Wood Components. “What really made up our minds was when Walt Disney World from Florida contacted us for trusses, which we have built and shipped two very large jobs.” Margereiter says Texas Timber Truss

has a large facility to accommodate multiple jobs at once, which includes a 30ton crane. “We manufacture our own steel connector plates in house with our automated plasma cutter and all trusses are built by hand,” he said. When asked why he enjoys working in his industry Margereiter says he and his grandchildren enjoy woodworking and seeing the outcome of the product. “In my free time, I like gardening, woodworking of any kind and just relaxing,” he said. “Wade likes spending quality time with his wife and son and watching sports. Jodi attends church and enjoys spending time with her nephews and nieces, kayaking and playing golf. All three of are Houston Texans fans.” Texas Timber Truss supplies heavy timber trusses for both interior and exterior installations. –ab

Page 14

Houston Construction News • Sep 2015

Association Calendar

Round-Up

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News FPA

ABC

Foundation Performance Assoc.

Associated Builders & Contractors

Sep. 3: BBQ Cook-Off and Expo Sep. 23: Mixer For more information call 713-523-6222

Sep. 9: Monthly meeting, 5pm For more information: www.foundationperformance.org

AGC

IEC

Associated General Contractors

Independent Electrical Contractors

Sep. 21: 5th Annual Construction Career Collaborative Golf Tournament For more information call 713-843-3700

Sep. 16: Monthly meeting For more information call 713-869-1976

AIA

NECA

American Institute of Architects

National Electrical Contractor Assn.

Sep. 3: AIA Houston Artisan of the Year Exhibit Sep. 10: Fall Tour Season Kick-Off at Market Square Park Sep. 11: Bowl-A-TAC For more information: www.aiahouston. org

Sep. 1: LU 527 Pension meeting Sep. 2: EMT meeting Sep. 3: Coastal Sabine Division meeting and CSLMCC meeting Sep. 22: Houston Division meeting w/Affiliates For more information call 713-977-2522

ASA

NAWIC

American Subcontractors Association

Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction

Sep. 10: General Lunch meeting, 11:30am “Adapting to the Ever Changing World of Safety in Construction” Sep. 29: Associate Member Happy Hour, 4pm, Kirby’s Lounge Sep. 30: Captain’s Party, 5pm For more information call 281- 679-187

Sep. 15: Dinner meeting, 5:30pm, HESS Club, 5430 Westheimer Rd. For more info: www.nawic-houston.org.

ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers

Sep. 30 – Oct. 2: Texas Civil Engineering Conference (CECON). For more information: www.texascecon.org

FEDOT Fire Equipment Distributors of TX

PHCC Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors

Sep. 9: Member Lunch, Saltgrass Steakhouse For more info: www.gulfcoastphcc.org

WCA Women Contractors Association

Sep. 3: Monthly Luncheon, 11am, Maggiano’s Little Italy, 2019 Post Oak Blvd. For more information: www.womencontractors.org

Oct. 9: 1st Benefit Golf Tournament for Children-Burn Care at Shriners Hospitals, Plum Creek Golf Course, 750 Kohler’s Crossing, Kyle, TX, 11:30am registration, 1pm shotgun start, raffles & contests, dinner/awards to follow, for more info: www. fedot.org

Submitted to Construction News

Byron Bevers, PE, has joined Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam Inc. (LAN) as a project manager. In this role, Bevers will be responsible for managing the firm’s infrastructure projects in Montgomery County. Bevers, who worked at LAN as a graduate engineer in 2006, has nearly 10 years of experience. Bevers received his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University.

Skanska USA announces the following: Tony Destefano is Cliff Haehl joins promoted to senior the company as director and human vice president of resources hub leadbusiness developer for the central ment for Texas. United States reWith more than 30 gion. With the comyears of experience pany since 2006, he in the construction will serve on the HR/ industry, he will be communications leadership team and will responsible for be responsible for HR in TX, IN, LA, NC, leading Skanska’s sales strategy. He OH, SC, TN and VA. He earned his bache- earned his bachelor’s degree in corpolor’s degree in mechanical engineering rate communications for the University from Marquette University and his mas- of Texas at Austin. ter’s degree in engineering management from Oklahoma State University. LJA Engineering Kristen Owen, PE, has joined Johnston LLC as the director of mechanical engineering and Larry Pennington, PE, has joined the company as director of electrical engineering. Owen has a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Kansas State University and brings more than 19 years of engineering and project management experience in healthcare and research design. Pennington has a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and brings more than 44 years of electrical engineering and project management experience.

Submissions

Round-Up

Shooting stars

Janis Brackett, AIA, LEED AP, has joined Kirksey as vice president and community team leader. Brackett brings 20 years of architectural experience. Her focus will be leading the community team on nonprofit, worship, recreation and multi-purpose projects, as well as business development. Brackett has a Master of Architecture and Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Kansas.

Inc. has hired Steven Boyd, PE, as a project manager in the firm’s Houston land division. Boyd has more than 10 years of civil engineering and construction management experience. He graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering. Raba Kistner Consultants Inc. has hired Erik Knudsen as building envelope consultant, serving the Houston and surrounding areas. He brings more than 27 years of experience to the Raba Kistner team as a project manager, building envelope professional and estimator.

This is a monthly section for brief company announcements of new or recently promoted personnel, free of charge, as space allows. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Email (w/digital photo, if available) by the 15th of any month, for the next month’s issue (published 1st of each month). Email info to appropriate city issue, with “Round-Up” in the subject line: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– San Antonio: saeditor@constructionnews.net Austin: austineditor@constructionnews.net Dallas/Ft. Worth: dfweditor@constructionnews.net Houston: houstoneditor@constructionnews.net South Texas: STeditor@constructionnews.net Submitted to Construction News

Ready, set, network The Associated Builders and Contractors Houston Chapter (ABC) held a Fall Clay Shoot at the Greater Houston Gun Club Aug. 17. –ab

(972) 202-5000

www.southernfastening.com

DFW 972-202-5000 Houston 713-688-3781 Austin 512-248-9005 San Antonio 210-481-1313 Valley 956-682-0402

The American Subcontractors Association Houston Chapter (ASA) held a Schmooze & Mingle event at The Refinery Aug. 5. Subcontractors visited with other ASA members as well as individuals from host E.E. Reed Construction LP. –ab

Houston Construction News • Sep 2015

Page 15

Construction News ON LOCATION

At your service

Stickwork art

Service technician Cesar Flores, Bill Spitzer & Associates and Vaughn Phillips, general service manager, look at equipment at Four Seasons Equipment Inc. in Houston. –ab

Construction News ON LOCATION

Making things happen

If you have visited Hermann Park, you may have seen Patrick Dougherty’s stickwork installation called Boogie Woogie. The installation, made of sticks and saplings, is a part of Hermann Park’s Art in the Park project. –ab

L-R: Andrew Perez, Danielle Ener, Angelica Baca and Jacob Graf have a productive morning at Lansdowne-Moody Co. in Conroe. –ab

Submitted to Construction News

Lift off

Alfredo Perez operates a forklift at JK Welding. He has worked at the company for seven years. –ab

Submitted to Construction News

Safety matters

President of Onshore, Engineering & Construction Americas David Zelinski, KBR, traveled from the corporate headquarters in Houston to Louisiana to congratulate employees for achieving a safety milestone at the Dyno Nobel construction site. KBR surpassed 3 million work hours without a Days Away from Work Incident. –ab

Page 16

Houston Construction News • Sep 2015

A roaring good time

Submitted to Construction News

From glass to class

Luke Lucas, Southwest Glass (right) and his wife Viveanne (left) are the proud parents of Caleb (center), the Houston Area Glass Association (HAGA) 2015 Scholarship winner. Lucas attended Kempner High School in Sugar Land and will attend Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry in California. –ab

IEC members and staff are all smiles.

lectrical contractors and suppliers attended the 12th annual Casino Night at the Houston office Aug. 14. The 1920’s speakeasy themed event was a success with 250 attendees raising funds for the association. The Independent Electrical Contractors Texas Gulf Coast Chapter (IEC) hosted the event. –ab

The “Nouveau Lounge” entrance to the party

Let the casino games begin!

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L-R: Elizabeth Burnham, JD Metals and Kandi Lankford, IEC Texas Gulf Coast Chapter