South Texas Construction News September 2015

Covering the Industry’s News

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Volume 3

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Number 9

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SEPTEMBER 2015

From the heart

Instrumental rentals

L-R: Erasmo Casas, Ebrahim W. Morales and George Kellard

Front, left to right: Dale Lawrence, Ben Fanning and Austin Cox; back, left to right, Robert Martinez, Jonathon Villarreal and David Herbel.

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AE Construction in Edinburg started life in 2009 as the non-profit agency, One Hand Una Mano – a construction company that donated its talents to helping the poor.

“There is a terrible need down here,” says owner Ebrahim Walter Morales.

“There are a lot of colonias in need of assistance.”

Morales and others spent three years renovating and rebuilding 45 homes, including insulation, carpentry, roofing, caulking, painting, electrical, wheelchair ramps and more.

“For the most part it was just securing and weatherizing their home to make it safe,” he says.

The charity ran on donated labor

and private funding from citizens of Pharr, Donna and other local areas.

When Morales’ daughter graduated from college, he realized he was going to need to make some changes to pay back the education and EAE Construction was born.

EAE stands for Ebrahim, Alyssa (daughter) and Elma Cardona, his mother.

“My mom inspired me to start the nonprofit,” Morales says. “She has always given back to the community. My daughter is a complete inspiration: one, for being who she is and two, for what we are doing together now.” continued on Page 14

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hern Rentals, started in 1953 by John P. Ahern, is a nationwide company with 78 locations. One of those locations opened eight years ago in Corpus Christi off of Leopard Street.

Dale Lawrence is the manager there, and although he has only been there since Apr. 1, 2015, he’s been with the company for 14 years, starting in Las Vegas.

“We are a family,” Lawrence says.

“This is a team. Nothing gets done without everybody’s cooperation.”

There are 14 employees at the Corpus Christi branch and Lawrence says the guys get together and barbecue a minimum of once a month.

“These guys like to eat! We spend more time together than we do with our families,” Lawrence says. “It is truly a group effort. We are all invested.”

Lawrence says Ahern, the largest independently owned equipment rental company in the U.S., is a great place to work.

“There is a lot of longevity with Ahern,” he says. “As long as I work in the rental industry, I won’t work for anybody else.”

Today, John Ahern’s son, Don F. Ahern, runs the company with his brother, Paul and his son, Evan.

“We promote from within,” Lawrence continued on Page 14

Pasture raised

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hen people think about 60 acres in the Victoria area, they might picture pastures and cows. They probably wouldn’t think about 60 acres of 6” thick concrete paving – but that’s exactly what made a recent project by Weaver & Jacobs Constructors Inc. so unique.

The project is a Pioneer Natural Resources Pumping Services operations facility for fracking crews and the support of those crews – the latest one the company has built in the Eagle Ford Shale play.

The $32 million project took 20 months to complete, with all new construction consisting of 150,000 sf of offices and shops, 60 acres of 6” thick Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) paving, fueling stations, truck washes, ice buildings and more.

“This is the first time RCC has been utilized in the South Texas market,” says

Mike Weaver, a founder of Weaver & Jacobs and also the project manager. “The project is unique in its use of that quantity of concrete paving.”

John Miller of Weaver & Jacobs was the project supervisor.

This isn’t the first project Weaver & Jacobs has done for Pioneer.

“We also built similar facilities in Pawnee and Cuero, bringing our total work with them to about $80 million over a 3-year span,” he said.

The Design Build Fast Track Construction was the most challenging aspect of the job, since the information flow as the various phases were constructed was essential, Weaver said.

Other aspects of the project included Pre-Engineered Metal Buildings (Ceco) with drywall interior construction.

The Pioneer Natural Resources Pumping Services operations facility in Victoria.

continued on Page 15

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South Texas Construction News • Sep 2015

New addition to CAT family in Victoria

80 years moving forward

Employees at LAN’s Corpus Christi office celebrated Earth Day 2015 by participating in Adopt-a-Beach/Beach Cleanup at Cole Park along Corpus Christi Bay. Photo courtesy of Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. The CT660 dump truck will now be manufactured at the plant in Victoria.

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aterpillar Inc. recently announced it will begin independently designing and manufacturing its vocational truck product family at its plant in Victoria – a move that is expected to add 200 new jobs at the facility. The plant, which opened in 2012, currently produces hydraulic excavators.

The transition process will begin immediately, with production expected to begin in the first half of next year.

“The on-highway vocational truck product family is important to our product line; customers like our trucks and want to include them in their fleets in a variety of heavy duty applications, such as dump trucks, mixers, haulers or one of the other configurations we offer,” said Chris Chadwick, Caterpillar’s director of the Global On-Highway Truck Group. “To continue to provide the best solution for our customers, we will bring the design and manufacturing of this product into

Caterpillar, and the production specifically to Victoria.”

Caterpillar launched its first vocational truck, the CT660, in the North American market in 2011. Two more models have since been added to the lineup, the CT680 and CT681.

“Caterpillar Victoria is proud to be a part of this opportunity,” commented Ed O’Neil, general manager for Operations for the Excavation Division. “The Victoria facility was selected because of our team’s proven record of building highquality Cat® products, our commitment to safety, our successful implementation of the Caterpillar Production System and Lean manufacturing. In addition, support from the community and its excellent skilled workforce, as well as the proximity to suppliers, also contributed to the sourcing decision.”

Caterpillar dealers will continue to sell and support Cat vocational trucks. –cw

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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 incorporating 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.

“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.”

Petersen explains that the goal is to grow the LAN brand nationwide, while continuing to serve its clients in Texas.

LAN has broken into California, Florida and the Midwest markets and is working on several major infrastructure projects.

LAN is a full-service consulting firm that offers planning, engineering and program management services. LAN is a division of LEO A DALY. –mh

Industry FOLKS Ilene Trevino-Hebert Office manager

South Texas Building Partners Corpus Christi

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eneral contractor South Texas Building Partners in Corpus Christi found a gem when owner Matt Ezell hired Ilene Trevino-Hebert.

Ezell doesn’t like titles, as such, since everyone wears many different hats, but Trevino-Hebert says office manager kind of describes what she does. She handles the books, does accounting and assists with project management when necessary.

“If he needs help, I’ll pitch in,” she says. “To be successful, we all pitch in and help.”

Trevino-Hebert’s path to the company was a diverse one. She started in Sept. 2013, but before that did hospitality management and had a brief foray in to medical billing and bookkeeping.

She was born and raised in Corpus Christi and found South Texas Building Partners through an employment agency.

“I didn’t want to be a stay-at-home mom and the staffing agency thought Matt and I would be a good fit,” she says.

Two days after she started, Ezell’s wife went into labor.

“Matt’s motivation was to get someone in here before the baby came,” she laughed.

Trevino-Hebert had been continuously attending college since high school, but was motivated to finish when she welcomed home her first child, Benjamin, now four.

Working in the evenings and on weekends, she recently received her Bachelor of Science in accounting through Western Governors University Texas.

“I didn’t want to do traditional and it was a perfect fit for me,” she says.

“Matt has been very flexible when I needed extra time.”

She and husband Ben, an inventory clerk at Doctors Regional Medical Center, have recently welcomed Ethan, 4 months, as well as Benjamin’s son, Nicholas, 10. Trevino-Hebert says she loves her job.

“It’s a great place to work,” she says. “I’m very happy here. I tell people I have the most amount of responsibility I’ve ever had in a job and the least amount of stress. Your input matters and gives you a sense of ownership.”

Besides earning her BS, TrevinoHebert also became a certified project manager. She is active in WGU’s alumni opportunities. Her future plans include going back for her master’s degree in accounting with an eventual goal of becoming a certified internal auditor.

“For now though, I’m taking some time off from school to be a mommy,” she says. –cw

South Texas Construction News • Sep 2015

Page 3

Submitted to Construction News

New firm launches

School cool

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NAWIC Corpus Christi teamed up with member Patricia Livas and Turner Industries to collect school supplies for local area students during the Stuff the Bus event. –cw

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nternational Design Group is located in McAllen, but, as the name suggests, the firm’s clients come from the United States, as well as Mexico and other South American countries.

Owners Cesar Flores, vice president, and Cesar Alanis, president, were born in Mexico and came to the United States as children.

Flores says the two met after he spent a year studying at Cornell University in New York and came back to the Valley to continue his studies at South Texas College, where Alanis was also a student.

“I ended up meeting my business partner in class,” Flores says.

After leaving STC, Flores moved to San Antonio to take architecture classes at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

“We went our separate ways, but we stayed in contact,” Flores said. “We both were working at different firms, but we got to the point where we decided to go out on our own and make the most of it.”

The planning took three years and the last year was intense.

“Most of the time I was the one bringing it up,” Flores says. “He was the best drafter at STC. I was already working in architecture. I brought the expertise of architecture and he brought the expertise of construction.”

The firm does mostly private work, with most of it residential.

“Our strong side is residential,” Flores explains. “Our homes are upscale, with a minimum of 14,000 sf.

“Most of our clients come from Mexico and other South American countries.

Some of the homes are vacation homes, some are for retirement.”

Recently, however, the firm built a recreation center for a company to be

Cesar Flores

Jesus Cuevas

used by the children of the employees.

In addition to Flores and Alanis, the firm uses Jesus Cuevas, an architect that specializes in 3D design. –cw

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South Texas Construction News • Sep 2015

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

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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.

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Non-owned automobiles company business

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

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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.

South Texas Construction News • Sep 2015

Page 5

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

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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 subcon-

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tractor’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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South Texas Construction News • Sep 2015

Dave and Elaine Hoffman Owners, Barcom Commercial Construction Corpus Christi

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laine and Dave Hoffman started life in the small city of Byron, MN. – a place where the highest average temperature is 81 degrees (in July) and the lowest average temperatures rarely make it out of the 50’s and are more often in the 20s and 30s.

Both came from large, staunchly Catholic families, where hard work and the ability to provide for a large family with little means runs in their blood.

Their story illustrates the possibilities that exist for Americans willing to dream and then do what it takes to make those dreams come true.

With just $500 (loaned to the couple

by Dave’s parents), the two left the cold clime of Minnesota and embarked on a journey that led them to sunny Corpus Christi, where they now own Barcom Commercial Construction, a company with an annual revenue of $20 million.

Tell me about growing up in Byron.

Elaine: My dad, Ray Younger, was a road contractor and my mom, Loris, owned a furniture store. My dad had a sixth-grade education and my mom had an 11th-grade education. Both were workaholics. Both my parents worked sunup to sundown.

Dave: They are about as old-school people as you’d ever meet.

Elaine: My mom gardened and canned. She got up in the morning to fix my dad breakfast before he left for work and always packed his lunch. Every evening we had a home cooked meal and ate once my dad got home from work.

We were not poor, but we were far from being well off. My parents had four kids in 3-½ years, so they had a lot of debt to pay off to the hospital. Christmas’ and the other holidays were always celebrated with other family members. There was always plenty of good food to eat and lots of love from the grandparents. When

I was 5 years old, my parents bought a piece of land and constructed my dad’s shop for him to store his road grader. The house was in the first stages of a basement for 10 years, before they had enough money to build the rest of the home. My summer days were filled with playing outside with my siblings and, occasionally on a Sunday, we would walk about two miles to the roller rink and skate for the afternoon before walking back home. Life was simple.

Dave: My dad, Wayne, had a 160-acre farm and he also worked for IBM. My mom, Margaret, was a librarian at Byron Elementary School. We all grew up on the farm and we all worked on the farm. Our life was get up early, do chores, go to school, come home and do chores.

As we got older, we had summer jobs and chores that included running fence, mowing, baling hay and planting.

My grandfather had an adjoining farm and sometimes after a summer of working, he would give me $100 at the end. That was a lot of money!

When I was 16 and got a car, I was working at night, too. At one point in my life I had counted at least 40 different places I worked.

Dave, it doesn’t sound like you left much time for school!

Dave: I never cared for school at all. I went to college just because my older siblings had. All I ever wanted was to work. Having money was the motivation!

What are some of the things you learned from your parents?

Dave: I’m super tight and super patient – just like my dad.

When I was in my teens, I liked to go out at night with my friends. The later I stayed out, the earlier my dad would get me up to work!

He showed us life’s lessons – he didn’t talk about them!

My mom is very religious. She taught me how to say my prayers, which I still do to this very day.

Elaine: My parents taught me about hard work and to never give up. They have been married for 54 years and that is what I call dedication. My parents may have not had the formal education but they instilled in me to be an honest and trustworthy person. How to be frugal and not worry about what other people have, just take care of yourself and provide for your family.

Dave: My dad taught me how to be a skinflint. That is responsible for what you see today. People get very frustrated with us because we scrutinize a $5 invoice.

That mindset has carried over to how we continue to run our business today.

Elaine: It’s a lot easier saving a dollar than earning a dollar!

Did you know each other growing up?

Dave: We knew each other in high school, but she was a couple of years behind me.

Elaine: He was in college and came

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Dave and Elaine with their family at daughter Chrissy’s wedding.

home for a break and I invited him to my senior prom. We sat at a table where one of his ex-girlfriends was sitting. That was awkward!

Dave: I wasn’t married!

But you soon were, right?

Dave: Yes, we got married on May 15, 1982 in Byron, MN. After our honeymoon to Florida, we resided in Oklahoma City, OK for one year. I worked odd jobs, having been laid off from the oil field on our wedding day. This year we celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary. Can you believe how lucky she is to have me?

What happened next?

Dave: Having vacationed in Corpus Christi when I was a child, I decided to take a trip down here and see if I could find employment. Elaine stayed in Oklahoma with my brother while I found employment and an apartment for us.

Elaine: We moved to Corpus Christi in May 1983. I in my Chevette, along with my pit bull, followed Dave in his truck.

Ironically, neither one of our vehicles had air conditioning,

Elaine: I started working for the drywall company where Dave was also employed. After graduating from Del Mar college, I continued my education at TAMUCC. I graduated with a BBA and received my CPA license in May 1993. It was during these years that we were starting our family as well as Barcom.

Barcom was started when both of us become unemployed when the business we were working for shut their doors.

We were sitting in our living room having just come home from the hospital with our first child, and wondering what our next action would be. New baby, no income, no formal degree yet, and wanted to stay in Corpus Christi. We formed Barcom and started doing small tenant finish out jobs. We worked out of our home for several years, which allowed me the flexibility to take care of the kids and do the accounting whenever I could fit it in. The first job we did was at the Holiday Inn, Emerald Beach. The rest is history!

Tell me about your family.

Elaine: We have six children: Amanda, 28, who is married and lives in San Antonio; Chrissy, who is 26, married and lives in Corpus Christi; David, 24, single and works at Barcom as an assistant project manager; Patrick, 22, single and an estimator assistant here at Barcom; Nicholas, 16, who works here in the summer and plays baseball; and Annie, 13, who plays volleyball.

Nicholas and Annie are still at Incarnate Word Academy, where all of our children have gone. Amanda, Chrissy and David are all college graduates.

And some of the family has moved here as well, right?

Elaine: Dave’s mom and dad moved here several years ago when I was going to college. Grandma wanted to be near the grandkids and we welcomed the free babysitting!

Dave: My dad started The Hearing Aid Company of Texas. He’s retired now, but two of my brothers and a sister-inlaw still run the business. There are eight branches. It’s still going strong.

What do you like to do to relax?

Elaine: We love to travel. Just recently Dave and I, along with my father-inlaw, brother-in-law and our two older boys, went to Rapid City, SD to ride in the 75th Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis. We also love to go to Las Vegas. That’s our place to go and unwind. We have traveled around the United States as well as Costa Rica. Hawaii was one of our favorite places. Our next big vacation will be to Rome.

Dave: We also have a ranch in Goliad on the San Antonio River. It is a great place to go relax with family, friends, coworkers and clients. There is a lot of wildlife to see and a great way to enjoy nature. I’m a huge Minnesota Twins fan, as well as Minnesota Vikings fan.

Your Catholic faith plays a large part in your life.

Elaine: We belong to Most Precious Blood Catholic Church. I’m currently serving on the finance committee. I’ve also served and was the director for the retreats at our parish. Our children are also involved with the parish and Most Precious Blood is an extended family to us.

Tell me a little about Barcom.

Dave: We couldn’t do what we do without Albert Saenz, operations director; Mike Douglas, general manager; and Justin McCombs, project manager.

There are approximately 45 employees, depending on our workload. We do hospitals, banks, schools, electrical and, currently, FEMA domes. The type of projects we are currently doing include hospitals, banks, schools, and two FEMA domes.

In the past couple of years, we also started Alman Utilities and Construction Inc., which is a concrete and utilities company.

What’s in the future?

Dave: We’d like to retire once Annie is in college. Other than retiring and traveling, I could see us getting into some land development. –cw

South Texas Construction News • Sep 2015

Page 7

When wading for reds I like using a 1/8 oz. Johnson Gold Weedless Spoon attached with a 20# shock leader and a swivel. This spoon is small enough to work slow in shallow water and won’t spook the fish like some of the bigger baits will. If the wind is up and stalking quietly isn’t a factor try using a topwater plug like a Top Dog Jr. or a Super Spook.

These baits will more than likely trigger some larger redfish as they imitate a mullet in distress. When working topwater lures for reds, remember to work them slow and don’t jerk too soon when you get a blow-up. Redfish mouths are on the bottom of their heads and they must turn sideways or attack from the top to inhale the surface bait.

Fall into Redfish Action

by Capt. Steve Schultz Sponsored by: Premier Yamaha Boating Center, Majek Boats, E-Z Bel Construction, Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor, Aggregate Haulers, ForEverlast ­­­ Hunting and Fishing Products and Columbia Sportswear.

A

s September rolls around, most sportsmen are starting to get the itch for shooting something. The first of the month kicks off opening day for dove season in the north and central zones across the state and while a lot of folks will be lining up their sights on dove, we will be sighting in on redfish.

This is the best time of the year for herding schooling reds in the Laguna Madre.

Live bait is another effective technique for producing big boxes of redfish.

Local marinas have gone to great lengths to catch and keep bait alive for guides and sport fishermen. Croakers and Piggy Perch are the main live baits during this time of the year. Shrimp will be making their way back into the bay system as the waters get cooler.

Dan McCarty of San Antonio still getting it done with this 31-inch redfish caught along the shoreline of the King Ranch. Great to see him on the water.

Photo by Steve Schultz Outdoors.

Typically starting in mid-to late August, schools of bull reds and drums can be found frequently along the banks of the King ranch shorelines chasing bait as they make their way to the Gulf of Mexico. These schools (some ranging from 20 to 300 fish), can make for a full day of rod bending, muscle aching action you only read about in magazines and on the internet. After Labor day weekend, most of the vacationers are headed back north and this relieves a lot of pressure on our bays.

Catching redfish can sometimes be very challenging due to their very picky eating habits. I’ve seen reds follow a gold spoon for yards only to turn and swim away at the last minute. There are several different strategies when fishing for reds. Wading the shallow flats around shell reefs and grass beds is one of the most enjoying techniques and also my favorite. These areas can also be worked with a shallow draft boat rigged with a good trolling motor or a push pole.

Fall marks the start of a new fishing season with fewer boats on the water and less pressure in your favorite fish spots. Come down and enjoy the cooler weather and some of the best fishing Texas has to offer.

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.

Big sky country

T

he Parra family, GP7 Construction in Brownsville, took a family vacation June 12-16, and spent the time fly-fishing in the beautiful Montana countryside. –cw

Steve and Mary Parra

Tim Garza shows off a beautiful speckled trout.

STEVE SCHULTZ OUTDOORS, LLC BAFFIN BAY –– LAGUNA MADRE –– LAND CUT SPECKLED TROUT –– REDFISH –– FLOUNDER FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS

(361) 949-7359

www.baffinbaycharters.com steveschultzoutdoors@gmail.com The water was wild and the raft trips were, too.

U.S. Coast Guard & Texas Parks and Wildlife Licensed

Page 8

South Texas Construction News • Sep 2015

All onboard for fun!

Submitted to Construction News

In memory

Tracy Hefley and family

T

Matt Ezell of South Texas Building Partners in Corpus Christi recently attended a memorial service on a spoil island at Hap’s Cut in Nine Mile Hole honoring fallen friend and angler Randy Charba of Corpus Christi. About 40 people and 15 shallow water boats were in attendance to honor Charba, who was killed in the Memorial Day floods in Wimberley. The group erected a large PVC cross wrapped in rope, and have encouraged others to stop by when they are in the area to “hang a fly” for Randy. –cw

Submitted to Construction News

he Testengeer-Taurus Employee Recreation Association (TERA) took a summer trip to Schlitterbahn on South Padre Island Aug. 1. –cw

On the right: Karley Rasmussen and family

On the line

Camie Rasmussen and Stormy Reyna and their children

Submitted to Construction News

Gone to Milan SpawGlass South Texas Division had a team of ladies representing SpawGlass in the Ladies Kingfish Tournament (LKT) on Aug. 8. The LKT is sponsored by the South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce. The tournament drew around 300 fisherwomen and is one of the largest tournaments each year.

Pictured, Veronica Gutierrez, Daisy Bennett and Margie Lopez. –cw

SHARE YOUR PHOTOS . . . fishing, hunting, skiing, biking, racing, or any outdoor activity or sport.

Email to: STeditor@constructionnews.net or call 210-308-5800(home office)

Philip Ramirez, an architect with Turner Ramirez & Associates in Corpus Christi, took a summer trip to Milan and Genoa.

Pictured is the Duomo of Milan. –cw

South Texas Construction News • Sep 2015

Page 9

PBK is A-Okay

F

ounded in 1981 by Dan Boggio, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, PBK Architects Inc. is a multi-discipline architecture and engineering firm with six locations in Texas. The office in McAllen was opened in March 2006 and has eight employees led by Erasmo Eli Alvarado III, associate principal.

“PBK feels that our success comes from our ability to consistently exceed the expectations of our clients, and our growth is simply a by-product of that success,” Alvarado says.

Alvarado sums up the company’s business philosophy with capital letters for emphasis: OBSESSIVE CLIENT SERVICE.

“Our team operates on a diehard ‘can do’ business philosophy that emphasizes PBK’s ‘soul’ personality. We go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure our clients get the best possible service in the industry,” he says.

But it’s not all work and no play at the McAllen office. According to Alvarado, employees take part in several outside activities, including intramurals like soccer, bowling and softball, as well as having a Fantasy Football League and other events like IIDA Product Runway, AIA Sandcastles, Canstruction and Barkitecture.

Administrative assistant Sara Martinez cannot say enough about working for PBK. She has been with the firm for three years.

“I think PBK is an exceptional company to work for because not only do they exceed expectations in great customer service, but they also take good care of the employees,” she says. “For example, two years ago, Mr. Dan Boggio (the CEO) flew our office to Houston (as well as provided transportation for all the other PBK offices) for a PBK Holiday Party.

Construction News ON LOCATION

A matter of the Hart

Rolando Barrera, store manager, and Richard Davila, sales, were busy helping customers at Hart Acoustical & Drywall Supply in La Feria. –cw Like all PBK offices, the McAllen staff gives back to the community in various ways – like collecting for the food bank. L-R: Tammy Tijerina, Mario Cantu and Sara Martinez

Construction News ON LOCATION

Brick solid

They went all out in providing the best for all the employees. Everyone had such a fun time! It was great to meet all the other employees from the other PBK offices.

“PBK is committed to providing the best for all their clients and they best for their employees, and that’s what I really like about working at PBK … their culture, vision and their strategic plan in incomparable service. The list can just go on … it’s been a great! PBK has been hiring so many new employees and it just goes to show we continue to grow.” –cw David Chacon and Leo Palacios at Claymex Brick & Tile in Pharr will be happy to explain how the company’s products are manufactured and what makes them superior. –cw

Turning the Page for your Growth, Strength & Profits Construction News Advertising

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Page 10

South Texas Construction News • Sep 2015

Fastened in place

Construction News ON LOCATION

Ring the Bell

Some of Fastenal’s team members are, L-R: Megan Bull, Josh Ramirez, Steve O’Neil and Michael Chamberlain.

Lee Renteria, manager, and Armando Villasana of Bell Fence Supply in La Feria stopped from their busy day for a photo. –cw

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Art works

J

oshua Ramirez, general manager, has been with Fastenal since 2002 and at the location at 9434 Leopard St. in Corpus Christi since 2008, when the company remodeled the building.

He grew up north of Dallas and moved to the Corpus Christi area in 2004.

He started part-time with Fastenal as a delivery driver, then moved into parttime in inventory, then was made assistant manager and in 2005, made general manager. It illustrates the opportunities available with the company, he says.

“The company offers you the opportunity to chart your own course,” he says.

“The opportunity is there if you want to grow. We promote from within almost exclusively. The opportunities are unlimited.”

At this location, there are five employees and the store mostly caters to commercial and industrial clients.

Ramirez says the company is built on customer service and problem solving.

SpawGlass South Texas Division is currently building the McAllen Performing Arts Center for the City of McAllen. The facility will have a 1,800-seat theatre spanning 93,471 square feet. –cw

“We are growth oriented,” he says.

“We listen to the customer and adjust as needed. Our core values are integrity, ambition, teamwork and innovation. I knew I could get on board with that. It’s not just plaques on the wall.”

Ramirez is the father of three growing boys, ages 6, 4 and 20 months, but he still finds time to get together with the employees for some down time.

“Every once in awhile we will get together and go to the beach,” he says. “I’ll have them over for dinner. We are a big organization, but it’s us who determines if it succeeds. We have to stick together as a team.

“I’ve had a really positive experience with Fastenal. I can balance life and work as a general manager. Compensation is available for how well you perform. It’s like our founder says: People are capable of so much more than they realize given the challenge and opportunity.” –cw

Captain action

T

he Aug. 13 annual Associated General Contractors Rio Grande Valley (AGC-RGV) Captain’s Party kicked off the 30th annual fishing tournament. Everyone was invited to come party and get ready to cast the lines on Aug. 15. –cw

Construction News ON LOCATION

Smile Headline power

The GP7 Construction crew is ready to have a great time.

Yasmin Gonzalez provides customer service with a smile at Matt’s Building Materials in Pharr. –cw

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Attendees were able to spend time catching up and visiting.

South Texas Construction News • Sep 2015

Page 11

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

S

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-

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.

ence experts who are at the leading edge of a high-performance building renaissance. Being able to contribute to the conversation around what truly makes buildings perform across a variety of climates and uses is very satisfying to me personally.

design and construction to materials and building systems. All of these things ultimately drive performance and make sustainable development successful.

No signs of slowing down Paul S. Brown, Co-Founder and President Bautex Systems LLC San Marcos, TX

I

n your opinion, what is the current state of the local construction industry?

The commercial construction industry is booming all across the state of Texas right now, and we don’t see any signs of a slow down yet. We work across the entire state – from Houston to El Paso and Brownsville to Amarillo - and have seen very steady work for contractors and suppliers throughout the summer.

What sparked your interest to get involved in your industry?

In 2007, we saw a clear opportunity to bring to market a completely integrated wall system solution that was capable of meeting the more stringent building and energy codes that are being adopted across the state, and also provide a high-

er level of fire and windstorm safety as compared to traditional building systems.

What are a few trends you see in green building in recent years?

The push for higher building performance is a key priority in the architecture, engineering and construction market, and will be for decades to come. Energy efficiency and life safety building codes are the main drivers, but owners are increasingly looking for cost-effective ways to improve the efficiency, safety and indoor environmental quality of their buildings.

What are the rewards of the industry?

We enjoy working with architects, engineers, contractors and building sci-

What are the keys to being successful in the industry?

Selling solutions to challenges and opportunities rather than simply selling products. A building is only as strong as its weakest link, so a systems-approach to building design and construction is vitally important. As product vendors, we must understand how our products work in tandem with other building systems to provide the desired levels of performance.

In your opinion, what is the most significant challenge the green building industry faces?

Designers, builders, and suppliers must keep building performance and measurement central to sustainable development initiatives. We think energy efficiency, life safety, indoor environmental quality, durability and longevity appeal to owners for different reasons. Innovation is happening in all areas from

What advice would you give to a young person interested in working in your industry?

Be curious. Don’t just ask what to do, also ask why you are doing it. Find out what the building science is behind the way we design and construct buildings.

With the science and technology available today, the opportunity to be innovative and push the performance envelope has never been better.

Building codes continue to be key drivers for the adoption of high performance building materials and systems.

Many cities have already adopted the more stringent 2012 building codes, and several cities, including San Antonio and Amarillo, are among the first to adopt the new 2015 building codes that will require even higher levels of performance. As a company focused on building science and innovative technologies, we are excited to be working with architects, engineers, contractors and owners to respond to these challenges in a pragmatic and cost effective manner. –ab

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South Texas Construction News • Sep 2015

Masons rock the Riverwalk

A

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)

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

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)

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)

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)

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Under the dome

Oscar, Adolfo and Jeremy with Zitro Electric out of Palmview, TX. are working on one of the new dome-shaped storm shelters currently under construction in La Feria. The shelters are constructed to withstand 120-mph winds and will hold 600-800 people.

The GC is Texas Descon LLP out of McAllen. –cw

www.constructionnews.net publishing the industry’s news

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South Texas Construction News • Sep 2015

Page 13

Association Calendar

Stand out builds

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News AIA - Corpus Christi American Institute of Architects

Sept. 15: Chapter meeting with TXA president-elect visit, call 361-887-2124 for more information.

rant, 5:30pm networking, 6pm meeting.

Program - Instillation of 2015-2016 board of directors, $20. Contact Vickie Thompson 361-299-6278 or 361-438-0593 for more information or check nawic.org or nawiccorpuschristi.org.

AIA-Lower Rio Grande Valley American Institute of Architects

Sept. 25-26: The 2015 Building Communities Conference at South Padre Island Convention Center. Contact Carmen Perez Garcia at 956-903-4255 or info@ lrgvaia.org for more information.

ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers

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

RCAT Roofing Contractors Assn. of Texas

Sep. 16-18: 40th Annual Conference & Trade Show; Fort Worth Convention Center and Omni Hotel in downtown Fort Worth; two-day trade show featuring 80plus exhibitors, live demos, door prizes, educational seminars, golf tournament and welcome to North Texas reception; WinR luncheon and annual awards banquet followed by a celebration for the 40th featuring Preston Scott Band.

SCTMC

FEDOT Fire Equipment Distributors of TX

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

NAWIC - Corpus Christi Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction

Safety Council of the Texas Mid-Coast

Sept. 7: Closed for Labor Day Sept. 9: New Basic Orientation Plus Draft Program presentation, available via live stream or in the classroom.

Sept. 15-17: DR 660 – Incident Management Training (24 hours).

For more information on these items, contact Betty Birdwell at 361-552-7823 x1207 or by email at bbirdwell@cscportlavaca.org

Sept 15: Dinner and business meeting, public welcome, The BBQ Man Restau-

Round-Up LJA Engineering Inc. has announced that Oscar Martinez has been hired as the Coastal Bend region manager of the firm’s Corpus Christi office.

Martinez has 38 years of experience. He will be responsible for managing staff and projects relating to civil engineering, public works, transportation, public utilities, and surveying with municipalities and private businesses. Additionally, he will be responsible for expanding LJA services such as midstream infrastructure, land development, coastal engineering, rail services, and special financing districts to clients in the Coastal Bend. Martinez is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/ Business Administration, and earned his Master of Public Administration from St. Mary’s University.

Round-Up Submissions

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

Construction News ON LOCATION

Security assuredly

T

he Texas Building Branch of Associated General Contractors traveled to beautiful Squaw Creek Resort in Lake Tahoe July 28-31 for the 2015 convention. Twentytwo projects were given Outstanding Construction Awards from the annual competition. –cw 2014 Outstanding Construction Awards 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) B4 Building ($10 - $30M) Parc Binz One, Linbeck Group LLC (Houston) B5 Building ($30 - $75 M) The University of Houston Student Center Redevelopment, Tellepsen (Houston) 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) DB2 Design Build ($10 - $30M) The Treehouse Memorial City, Anslow Bryant Construction LTD (Houston) 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)

Fishing fever

T

he 30th annual Associated General Contractors Rio Grande Valley Chapter (AGC) Captain’s Party and Fishing Tournament took place Aug. 13 and 15 in Harlingen and at South Padre Island.

Anglers young and old celebrated summer drawing to a close with some great fishing. Congrats to the winners! –cw Sweepstakes 1st place boat: Green Thumb Landscaping 2nd place boat: K+ Architect 3rd place boat: J-III Concrete Tournament Grand Champion Adult: Carmen Knowles, K+ Architect Grand Champion Youth: Kepano Nagel, K+ Architect Men’s Division 1st place redfish: Victor Nieto 1st place trout: George Davis 1st place flounder: Rolando Limon Women’s Division 1st place redfish: Ruth Ramos 1st place trout: Ruth Ramos 1st place flounder: Carmen Knowles Youth Division 1st place redfish: Kepano Nagel 1st place trout: Caitlan Gonzalez 1st place flounder: Kepano Nagel

Matt Jones, outside sales and security tech support, from VCS Companies in Victoria handles Klein Companies security and loss prevention. –cw

Historical Renovation TAMU Jack K. Williams Administration Building Renovation, J. T. Vaughn Construction, LLC (Houston) 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) IF4 – Interior Finish-Out (Over $5M) Francis Hall Renovation, Satterfield & Pontikes Construction, Inc. (Houston) IW1 – Industrial/Warehouse ($0 - $5M) VA Energy Center, Mazanec Construction Co. Inc. (Centex) IW2 – Industrial/Warehouse (Over $5M) Greens Crossing Tract A – HD Supply, Dyad Construction LP (Houston) RMF – Residential Multi-Family East Texas Baptist University Centennial Hall, JE Dunn Construction (TEXO) RSF – Residential Single Family Malone Cliff Residence, Sebastian Construction Group (TEXO) SC – Specialty Construction Dock & Deck Additions on Lake Brazos, Barsh Company (Centex)

Grand Champion Youth: Kepano Nagel, K+ Architect and AGC-RGV executive director Perry Vaughn

Grand Champion Adult: Carmen Knowles, K+ Architect and AGC-RGV executive director Perry Vaughn

Page 14

South Texas Construction News • Sep 2015

continued from Page 1 — From the heart

What’s the story behind your name?

One summer in college I worked at McDonalds so I could make extra money to buy a stereo system. Remember those?

Anyway, there already was a Joan, which is my given name, at that establishment.

The owner called me Joni and it stuck.

Joni Brown, Safety Council of the Texas Mid-Coast, Inc., Port Lavaca

Elma D. Cardona, Alyssa R. Morales and Ebrahim W. Morales

The company now is a general contractor. Some of its recent jobs include an apartment complex, a remodel of a juvenile drug rehabilitation facility and a paper recycling warehouse.

Morales’ partner is George Kellard and Erasmo Casas is project manager.

“George is ex-military and my right hand. He is regimented, organized and most of all, has earned my complete trust,” he says. “Erasmo has built more than 2,000 homes from the ground up.

He experience is indispensable.”

The rest of the workers are subcontractors, but Morales is picky when it comes to hiring.

“I have a core group of subcontractors,” he says. “They are maestros. Masters of what they do. I don’t have to walk behind them. They take pride in their work.”

Morales and Kellard will spend part of August traveling to China and the Netherlands to research new technology.

“In my opinion, this new technology is the most energy efficient and low cost way to build,” he said. “We’ve been researching it for two years. In my eyes, it’s going to revolutionize construction. We are trying to stay ahead of the game and take the lead in this area.”

Even so, Morales’ heart has not strayed far from the charity work he loves. Recently, the Faith, Family and Friends charity organization reached out to EAE Construction for help in re-roofing a home occupied by a young man with leukemia.

When the team got there, they realized much more than a new roof was needed and they proceeded to repair and renovate the electrical, some flooring and more.

“We are more than willing to help out on jobs that are beneficial to the community,” Morales said. “We try to do that once a month, cost free, somewhere in local colonias.” –cw

continued from Page 1 — Instrumental rentals says. “We take care of those who take care of us.”

He says customer service is number one.

“The customer always comes first,” he says. “We do what it takes to make them happy.”

The company looks for bright, smiling faces when it comes to new employees.

“As long as they have a good attitude and are willing to learn,” Lawrence said.

“Someone with a smile on their face can be taught anything. They should have a desire to learn and grow.” –cw

MUSTANG COLT SERVICES Serving Customers Honestly Electrical Contracting • Commercial/Industrial Special Projects San Antonio, TX Weslaco, TX

210 494 7100 956 969 5703

A little back story. I am the younger of two girls to my parents. Both of whom grew up in the 70s…free love and all that other hippy logic! Upon learning of the first pregnancy with my sister, they wanted something natural, organic and yet intangible. They named my sister Sunshine! So when they learned of the pregnancy with me, they wanted something to compliment her unorthodox name.

Something that said she would guide me, something that would symbolize me needing her to help me grow up…like a flower…like a daisy. So sadly, I am not named after anyone in my family but now my sister has named her daughter Daisy, just like me. And she loves that she is named after me!

Daisy R. Bennett, SpawGlass, Harlingen I was named Ilene because my grandfather’s name started with an I, he gave all of his children names that start with an I, and my father followed the tradition, naming all of his children with letter I names. I was the third girl and Irene and Isabel were already taken, so I was blessed with name Ilene.

Ilene Trevino-Hebert, South Texas Building Partners, Corpus Christi Was named after my father Joe or Jose.

Joe Solis Jr., ABC Painting & Drywall, Corpus Christi Lol. My full name is Patricia Ann Livas Patricia - my mother fell in love with the name when she heard it so much the year I was born 1974, which was the year that Patricia Campbell Hearst was abducted.

Ann - she claims that it just sounded well next to Patricia Livas - My father’s last name which is a Spanish surname. Growing up kids would tease me, my brother and sister by telling us “Livas Alone”…it’s no big deal at times they would pronounce it Levi’s…

Patricia A. Livas, Turner Industries Group, LLC, Corpus Christi Actually, I do have a good story with my name.

When my parents were expecting me, they were strongly hoping for a boy. So much so, that they had no name for a girl prepared when I arrived. After much deliberation, and a few suggestions from both sides, my dad came up with Consuelo. My mother liked it and so I was named. A few months later she found out from his sisters that Consuelo was the name of one of his high school girlfriends.

She then no longer called me Consuelo and I have been called Connie ever since.

Connie G. Rivera, WKMC Architects, Inc., Corpus Christi There are several different variations on my last name and most I have encountered in Texas are spelled differently.

Our Ezell's are mostly from Western Kentucky and Tennessee.

Slaughter Ezell was the earliest relative I have found that moved to Christian County, Kentucky - in the late 1700s.

My grandfather came from that area to Texas with the army during WWII and eventually settled down in Wharton, Texas after the war.

Matt Ezell, South Texas Building Partners, Corpus Christi

My parents have told me that my name was a suggestion from my uncle. He had a female colleague while attending Texas Tech who was named Gyoti. It is a unisex Indian name (from India) and it means "light" "flame." In India they spell it Jyoti, but my mom decided to change it up a bit and replaced the "j" with a "g." I've had fun with the name, but I usually have to spell it, then spell it again, repeat the pronunciation, then repeat it again, etc. lol Gyoti Gonzales, Richter Architects, Corpus Christi My first name is Austin, because its the capital of the greatest state on the planet. Then Connor because of the Terminator, I think.

Connor Friedrichs, REFCO, Pharr My father wanted to name me Felipe, which would have made me the third, as he is Jr. My mother protested and instead named me Philip John after the two disciples (the Philip in the Bible only has one “L”).

Philip Ramirez, Turner, Ramirez & Associates, Inc., Corpus Christi Named after Daniel Boultinghouse. He was my great-great-grandfather, came to Texas around 1852 from Arkansas, settled in Burnet County near the Smithwick Community. Boultinghouse Mountain near Smithwick carries the name to this day due to his alleged reputation for hunting bears in that area. Also, in December 1773, two brothers, named Boultinghouse, were on one of the vessels from England involved in the Boston Tea Party.

Danny Boultinghouse, Boultinghouse, Simpson, Gates Architects, McAllen Story goes: My father served in WW II, his tour was in Europe (France, Germany, etc) never Italy. The first story I got was that during the war he heard the name "Carlo," which is the Italian version of Karl in German, Carlos in Spanish and so forth. My father claimed that ever since he heard it, he liked it so much he would name a son "Carlo" when he returned from the war.

Well, my father’s name is Carlos, with my mother always adding in the truth (her version) about anyone else's story, told me that when I was born (the good old days), she sent my father to register my birth at the city/county records department. When my father was filling out the paperwork, he asked the clerk how the fees were set up. The clerk responded that they charged by the letter in the name. My father at that time not having much money started counting his change.

He was a nickel short of him naming me "Carlos,” since he could not leave any letters off my last name he just decided to not include the "s" in my first name. That is how, according to argument, my name came from(my father still claiming a war victory and my mom calling him ??????).

The memories of my parents telling me this story and many others still come to me regularly. May they RIP. Carlo G. Hernandez, AC-I Service Air Conditioning & Heating Brownsville I’m named after my grandmother.

Alma Galvan, Halff Associates, McAllen

Next month’s question:

What was your first car?

South Texas Construction News • Sep 2015

Page 15

Doubling up

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Smooth moves

Diamond Eight Industries LLC pours the driveway and parking lot for the new Walmart in Hildago. –cw

continued from Page 1 — Pasture raised

Jason Herin and Wayne Gill stand by the sign announcing the company’s planned new location in Corpus Christi.

J

The “shop” is comfortable and well lit

Project architect Water Pate, AIA, of Pate & Associates Architects out of Midland, has also worked on many jobs with Pioneer in various areas of Texas and Colorado.

“We’ve done five of these in the last five years,” Pate says. “Although they all have many of the same functions, they are all unique, both in terms of the buildings and the footprint. In Victoria, they wanted a good-sized site for vehicles and traffic circulation.”

Pate says building this type of facility for this type of client has aspects not normally considered when designing a typical business and office project.

“Pioneer needed something that will take the wear and tear these types of buildings get,” Pate explained. “People will be coming in muddy and dirty from well sites. They may be out in the field for six to eight hours, then come to the office for one to two hours. It needs to be able to take a lot of wear and tear that you don’t find in a standard office building.

Their buildings need to take the abuse that comes with the business they are in.”

Aside from muddy boots, the facility also needs to be able to deal with a lot of large vehicles with drivers coming in at all hours of the day and night.

“We worked through the traffic patterns,” Pate said. “Trying to keep these big vehicles from crossing traffic. They need plenty of room to maneuver and park.”

They also need maintenance and that led to what Pate modestly calls a shop.

“The vehicle maintenance building is a nice shop,” he says. “When you are competing for good employees, you want to offer them a nice environment. The mechanics and technicians who are working there will enjoy it and they will be proud of where they work.”

He pointed out that Pioneer’s philosophy towards its employees is pro-active.

“Pioneer’s interest is in providing good facilities for their employees,” he said. “They realize their employees are key to getting their work accomplished.

We try to make it look like more than a big, metal building. They want functional and attractive.”

In addition to the aesthetics of the

project, Pate says that extends to amenities such as a fitness center.

“It’s twofold: It provides an employee benefit, as well as leads to healthier employees which means they are going to be there and on the job,” he says.

Both Weaver and Pate agree that working for Pioneer is a great experience.

Weaver says a major positive aspect of working with the owner was the pay history.

“Not anything like the oilfield nightmares you hear about,” he said. “All bills paid within 30-40 days of invoice. Very good and professional relationship with an owner that appreciates their contractors.”

Mike Weaver and Brant Jacobs founded Weaver & Jacobs Constructors Inc. in Jan. 2002. The commercial construction firm is located in Cuero and has 38 employees. Projects include schools, office buildings, banks, warehouses, oilfield maintenance facilities, hospitals, and more. –cw

ason Herin, owner of CBS Rental and Supply (formerly Contractors Building Supply & Equipment Company) in Corpus Christi, says big plans are in the making for the store – a new location with double the size of their current location.

“We see a lot of growth coming to South Texas and Corpus Christi is a huge investment for us,” Herin says. “Our great customer relationships are too big for our current facility.”

CBS was started in Corpus Christi by Herin’s grandfather, Jimmy Lanphier, in 1965. Before that, Lanphier was a coowner of Lanphier Construction Company, one of the largest general contractors in South Texas during the 1950s and 60s.

He co-founded CBS as a construction supply company and, in 1979, Jason’s father, Buddy Herin, purchased CBS, added the equipment rental side of the business and grew CBS to a five location equipment rental and construction supply company.

The new facility will be at 7219 IH-37 and is six acres in size. Wayne Gill has been the general manager at the flagship Corpus Christi location for 35 years.

“The folks here do a phenomenal job,” says Herin, who joined the company when his father retired.

Currently, there are 25 employees, but that number will increase when the new landmark location opens in 2016 – and customers can expect to see some

changes.

“There will be a lot more focus on technology in terms of customer service,” Herin says. “This includes a seamless checkout process and the inclusion of electronics. It will be a lot more sophisticated than what we have now.”

Herin says customer service revolves around the company’s values: integrity, service, innovation and performance.

“We have great, long-term employees and our number one goal is to provide legendary customer service,” he explains. “We want to take care of our employees and they will take care of us. We grow from within. A positive culture and values are our focus. You need existing employees to put the culture into the community.”

Getting more involved in the community is a major focus as the company grows in size.

“One of our big pushes for next year is philanthropy and humanitarian opportunities for our employees,” Herin said.

“We want to be more proactive about it in the communities we serve in.”

Herin said two more locations are planned for 2016. David Baer will be managing the construction of CBS’ Corpus Christi facility and construction of a new site in Houston.

CBS has seven locations in Texas: Tyler, Longview, Conroe, Houston, Deer Park, San Antonio and Corpus Christi. –cw

Page 16

South Texas Construction News • Sep 2015

Nothing to lose, all to gain

Industry FOLKS

I

Lori Tijerina Master Plumber Atlas Electrical, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Plumbing Services Inc. McAllen

L

ori Tijerina is unique and uniquely qualified to head up the new plumbing department at Atlas. She is a third generation Master Plumber, following in the footsteps of her grandfather, Enedelio Deleon, and father, Jose A. Tijerina.

Tijerina says she has always felt that getting an education was important and she received degrees in both business and criminal justice.

“As my father’s business grew, I became increasingly involved in the business and he became reliant upon my contributions,” she explains. “I went into it as a family obligation. It came really natural to me. While helping in the family business, I found a newfound sense of responsibility and completely put all my efforts into learning the trade and earning my Master License and it proved to have a profound impact in my personal development and success.”

Tijerina says plumbing has enabled her to develop the ability to see a goal from start to finish.

“For example, every job requires a concise estimate of how long it will take to complete - teaching me the value of professionalism and flexibility,” she says. “Working in this particular field has also taught me the value of hard work and that is exactly what it

will take to get the job done. This work ethic, I believe, has contributed to some of my personal success in triathlon events.”

That’s right – she said triathlon events!

“I recently competed in an Ironman Triathlon, which consisted of a 2.4mile swim, 112-mile bike and a 26.2mile run and also competed in the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships,” she explained.

Tijerina met up with Sarah Sagredo Hammond, president and co-owner of Atlas, one day and she mentioned wanting to add a plumbing department to her business.

“The timing was perfect and ever since it’s been a great match,” she says.

“We have the same goal and purpose and Atlas is known as a community company that serves people. We were glad to bring that plumbing service over to a 34-year-old company with a great reputation. The growth and response has been amazing. Customers were excited to have us onboard in the list of services. I am overwhelmed with the blessings I’ve had in family and friends and look forward to my future with Atlas.” –cw

n my quest to find and write stories about companies in the construction industry, I often run into suspicion.

Many of you have been solicited for stories about your companies from publications who want something in return.

But we are different!

We do not charge anything for articles and photos printed in Construction News. It’s such a win-win situation for your company that I’m surprised each month how difficult it can be to get a short business profile, or a photo of some recent activity by you and your employees.

Again, we do not charge anything.

We are not going to ask you for a list of your subcontractors. We aren’t going to circle back at a later date and send you an invoice. We don’t want anything from you except a few minutes of your time.

In return, you get your company’s name in our monthly newspaper – free!

Doing a business profile is really simple. I’ll email you a few questions, you answer them to the best of your ability and I write the story! It can be done through email, on the phone or in person.

Each month we feature a project on our front page. All projects are eligible -from a small renovation to a multi-million dollar project. The only catch is your company can only be featured in a project story once every five years – that way everybody gets a chance to show off the good work they are doing.

Business profiles and project stories

are only the tip of the iceberg. There’s room in our papers to highlight your employees. I especially like to find ones who have something unique to talk about – like an outside hobby or craft, or a recent milestone.

Photos in our newspapers run the gamut: Have a new baby? Send a pic!

Went fishing? Send a pic! Took a vacation, went to a concert, visited a family reunion? Send pics! Did you have a child start school this year? Send me a picture of that special first day! Got some good photos of your employees on a job site?

Send a pic!

Have you recently worked with a subcontractor who did a good job? Let me know so I can call them for a story.

The South Texas Construction News covers a large area – from Victoria to Laredo and everywhere south of San Antonio. We know you are busy – that’s a good thing! Help us spread the good news about the construction industry in Texas.

Don’t be shy! Just take a look at our website: www.constructionnews.net to see how easy it is to get your name out there.

When you appear in our newspapers, you also appear online on our website and possibly on our Facebook page. Each time, it’s a free opportunity to spread some positive, feel-good name recognition!

Email me at cyndi@constructionnews.net or give me a call: 210-308-5800 x148. –cw

Submitted to Construction News

Off to a good start

Alamo Crane is equipped to handle any petroleum related work in the Eagle Ford Shale.

Continuing wire line work in Eagle Ford.

We are keeping our line tight.

National Association of Women in Construction Corpus Christi (NAWIC) member Darlene Lee Omana, center, Gill Roofing, shows back packs for the Loving Spoonful children.

They have 82 children that are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. –cw

36 Years of Service to Texas

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Neighborly feeling

From El Paso to Beaumont, Amarillo to Brownsville

www.alamocrane.com San Antonio (210) 344-7370 Austin (512) 282-6866 Toll Free (800) 880-0134

Edmund Almenderez of Metro Electric in Harlingen digs trenches for the electrical work on a Neighbors Emergency Center & ER job in Harlingen.

The GC is Burton Construction out of Houston. –cw