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Volume 17
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Number 10
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OCTOBER 2015
From father to son
A captain of industrial
At JV Electric, Jesse Villarreal Jr. is carrying on the legacy his father started building almost half-a-century ago.
Robert Ober found his niche in the industrial market when he formed EPC contracting company, Robert Ober & Associates.
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ith 45 years of history surging through JV Electric, Jesse Villarreal Jr. is working to make sure the company that his father started has a bright future. Jesse Villarreal Sr. was the president and general manager of Jesse & Chandler Electrical Contractors. He was also one of the owners who started the business in 1952. In 1970, he went out on his own and established Jesse Villarreal Electrical & HVAC Contractors. “In high school, I worked for my dad during the summers,” recalls Jesse Villarreal Jr. “I got my journeyman’s license soon after graduating from college in 1983, and after that I went to work for my dad full-time, mostly as an estimator. Af-
ter my dad retired from the electric business in ’91, I got my master’s license.” With his master’s license and his bachelor’s degree in business administration from UTSA, Villarreal took over his father’s business Jan. 1, 1992. In 2002, he decided the company would no longer do air conditioning and focus strictly on electrical, and then he changed the name to JV Electric. “When my dad split from Chandler, he didn’t miss a beat,” he says. “The business kept growing, and I’m just carrying on what he started. I don’t claim to be near the businessman that he was. He had a lot of other business interests. When he retired in ’91, he had plenty of continued on Page 24
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nsure whether he was consulting or selling as a manufacturers rep, Robert Ober found himself struggling for years with what he believed to be a conflict of interests. He realized his goal of resolving that predicament when he formed Robert Ober & Associates in 2006. “I said to myself: someday, I’ll have the opportunity to have a firm that doesn’t represent any manufacturers but yet we know just as much as anybody about what these manufacturers manufacture,” recalls Ober. “We’ll continue to stay on top of what it is they do, and we’ll consult our clients and become real design build, or engineer procure construct [EPC] contractors for our niche markets.
We’ll be able to get on the same side of the table as these clients when it comes to selecting machinery and equipment.” To fill the niche as a full-service industrial contractor, Ober established his EPC provider company with two divisions, Plant Architects to do the design side and Plant Outfitters to do the build side. His team includes industrial and commercial architects and industrial, mechanical, civil and structural engineers working for the build purpose, typically an industrial facility. They also do terminals for intermediate storage of silica sand, cement and ceramic proppant. continued on Page 24
Delivering a clean slate
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s the Windcrest area revitalization draws new businesses to the neighborhood, Rhino Design Build did a building renovation for the new UPS Store that moved into 5003 Walzem Road across the street from Rackspace. E. Daniel Garcia, owner of Rhino Design Build and the project manager/ superintendent on the job, began work on the project in April and finished in September. The UPS Store shares space with a Boost Mobile in a small, free-standing building that is a total of roughly 3,500sf. The project scope included renovating the entire exterior of the building and the interior on the UPS side of the building. Previously, the location was an Al’s Formal Wear tuxedo rental shop, which meant that the layout had to be reconfigured for UPS. Rhino gutted the space and
made it “a white box” for UPS to come in after completion to do its own tenant finish out. “We started with the demolition of the interior space,” recalls Garcia. “We took out all the interior walls, ceiling grid, the two-by-fours on the walls, sheetrock and flooring. All the plumbing and electrical was demoed. “We sprayed foam insulation on the roof decking to give it better energy efficiency, and then we basically rebuilt the inside. We came back with metal studs, batt insulation on the exterior walls, new electrical, new HVAC and new plumbing. “On the exterior, there was an existing canopy that just didn’t work. So, we demoed the entire front of the canopy and rebuilt everything. We came in with steel, new parapet wall, and painted the exterior of the entire building.” Garcia adds that they increased the Rhino Design Build updated the exterior and completely renovated the interior of this space for the new UPS Store (left) in Windcrest.
continued on Page 24
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San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
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Cooking up something special
he Peanuts gang is hard at work building a barbecue trailer to make this the best and biggest Construct A Kid’s Christmas (CAKC) yet. This year’s Construct A Kid’s Christmas Gala at the Freeman Coliseum Expo Hall will host Snoopy’s Cook Shack Raffle for the custom-made 16-foot enclosed barbecue trailer that will make all gala guests declare, “It’s a Construct A Kid’s Christmas, Charlie Brown.” Buddy Doebbler, publisher of Construction News and member of the gala committee, says, “Snoopy’s Cook Shack is really taking shape. The number of companies donating materials, labor and money to build the trailer is overwhelming to say the least. Of course, this is the San Antonio construction industry where good causes are always welcomed with generosity.” Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy and the gang pulled out all the stops. The trailer has metallic ruby red paint with diamond plate skin on the outside, and on the inside, the trailer features all the comforts a grill master could ask for, including builtin cabinets, a custom pit and firebox, sound system and television with Direct TV antenna and more. See the ad on page 30 for a juicy sneak peek. Doebbler adds, “I think everyone will really be surprised to see the finished product.” At its 15th anniversary, this year’s gala, which will be held Dec. 3 from 5:30-11pm, promises to be the biggest in its history, moving to Exhibit Hall C, which is approximately 67,500sf, because last year’s gala barely contained all the guests – not to mention the live band. Texas Unlimited will be returning to perform at this year’s gala. Early registration/payment pricing for sponsorship is: Corporate $1,650, Gold $550, Program $275, Table for 10 $700, Individual Tickets $65. Early registration prices are only available before 10/31/15. After that date, pricing changes to: Corporate $1,850, Gold $650, Program $325, Table for 10 $775, Individual Tickets $75. Guests are encouraged to bring an unwrapped toy that will be added to the annual Construct A Kid’s Christmas Toy Drive, held the next day, Dec. 4 from 10am-2pm at the Construction News office,
San Antonio
CONSTRUCTION NEWS San Antonio Editor . . . . . . . . Mary Hazlett SAeditor@ConstructionNews.net
210-308-5800 Construction News Ltd. Home Office P.O. Box 791290 • San Antonio, Tx 78279 210-308-5800 Fax 210-308-5960 www.constructionnews.net
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Buddy Doebbler Reesa Doebbler Cyndi Wright Sue Johnson Kent Gerstner
If you are a construction-related company in Bexar, Bandera, Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall, Medina or Wilson counties and are not receiving a free copy of the San Antonio Construction News, please call for a Requester Form, or visit our website. The San Antonio Construction News (ISSN 1547-7630) is published monthly by Construction News LTD., dba San Antonio Construction News, and distributed by mail to construction-related companies of record in Bexar and 7 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 San Antonio 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.
© 2015 Construction News, Ltd.
4047 Naco-Perrin Blvd. The unwrapped gifts and gift cards collected are donated to Bexar County Child Protective Services for Bexar County foster children. Associations participating in the 2015 gala include the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), Associated General Contractors (AGC), American Subcontractors Association (ASA), Builders Exchange of Texas (BXTX) Education Council, Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA), Construction News Ltd., Hispanic Contractors Association (HCA), Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC), Mechanical and Sheet Metal Contractors Association (MCA-SMACNA), National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors (PHCC), Surety Association of South Texas (SAST) and Texas Air Conditioning Contractors of America (TACCA). –mh
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San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
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Industry FOLKS Tim Blazi Project Manager Drash Contracting
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t 28 years old, Tim Blazi is proud to have been promoted to the position of project manager at Drash Contracting in December. He joined the firm in March of last year as a superintendent. For a few months, he was assisting Andy Drash, and now he is running several projects on his own from start to completion. A few of the projects he recently finished include the state comptroller’s office and a 7to7 Dental. He’s also working on jobs for the San Antonio Orthopedic Group (SAOG) and some small medical office buildings in the Stone Oak area. Blazi has been working in the industry since he graduated high school 10 years ago. He started out working for a friend’s father at an architecture firm for four years while earning his associate’s degree from San Antonio College and then his bachelor’s in architecture from UTSA. After that, he worked as an estimator and project manager at South Texas Interiors, and then as a design coordinator and project manager for BRAVI Design/Build. Having known Andy Drash for six years, Blazi gave him a call and joined Drash Contracting while finishing his master’s degree in project management from Texas A&M University, which he completed in December. Outside of work, Blazi stays busy with his wife, Heather, and their three furry children – two dogs and a cat. They met when he was working at his first architecture firm. His wife, 26, is a Kansas State graduate with her master’s
in architecture, and she works at Pfluger. They are both members of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) San Antonio. They are also involved in a couple of community organizations. They belong to the First Edition Society, a group of young professionals supporting the San Antonio Public Library Foundation. They also belong to the Witte Society, a group of young professionals supporting the Witte Museum. Both organizations host fundraisers and offer networking opportunities for their members. Heather is also vice chair for communication for the Junior League of San Antonio, which is a women’s organization that promotes volunteering and improvement efforts within the community. With his wife very active in her position, Blazi is brought into some of those fundraising and career fair efforts, too. When they are not at work or participating in one of those organizations, Blazi and his wife spend their time with their families, who live in the area. Blazi’s father, Joey, works for an electrical contractor, and his mother, Susie, is the coordinator of special education for Clark High School. –mh
It’s Construct A Kid’s Christmas, Charlie Brown Thursday, December 3, 2015 5:30 to 11 pm
The Expo Hall at Freeman Coliseum A Peanuts Themed Event benefiting the Bexar County Foster Children
Register Early Before 10/31/15 and Pay: Corporate Sponsor Gold Sponsor Program Table for 10 Individual Tickets
$1,650 $550 $275 $700 $65
Register After 10/31/15 and Pay: Corporate Sponsor Gold Sponsor Program Table for 10 Individual Tickets
$1,850 $650 $325 $775 $75
Other Sponsorship Levels Beverage Sponsors $1,000 Casino Sponsors $1,000 Diamond Sponsor $2,500 Only 2 Available ONLY 1 LEFT!
Tickets include Full Buffet, Beer & Wine • Cash Bar will be available Music by Texas Unlimited Band • Dancing • Casino Games
A 501(C)3 non-profit organization
For Registration, Sponsorship Opportunities or to donate Auction Items, please contact Gala Co-Chairs: Sandee Morgan sandee@mca-smacna.org OR Karen Ridout kridout@ridoutbarrett.com
www.CAKC-SA.org
Everyone attending is requested to bring an unwrapped gift or toy for the kids.
San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
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Power to the employees
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s Alterman Inc. celebrates the 30th anniversary of its employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), the company’s employees are reaping the benefits, literally, of being part of the employee-owned company. Employees can breathe even easier knowing that Alterman was recently named one of the Principal 10 Best Companies for Employee Financial Security, a national award given by the Principal Financial Group. “Being employee-owned, the money stays within the company,” explains John Wright, president and CEO. “And there’s two things that you do with it: you reinvest it in the company to contin-
ue to grow, which we do, and you provide benefits to the employees. “By having such a robust benefits plan, our employees also take home more money in their check to have a better lifestyle now. We don’t take out for matching contributions to healthcare. It’s 100-percent employer paid. That gives them more money in their checks. So, their quality of life today is better along with their quality of life down the road, because of our robust retirement plan.” With approximately 900 employees now, Alterman continues to grow and carries a 98-percent employee retention rate. Also, the electrical contractor did not layoff a single person during the eco-
A national award received by Alterman Inc. included a $2,500 donation to charity, and Alterman chose Respite Care of San Antonio as the recipient. L-R: Charlie Gonzalez, board member of Respite Care of San Antonio; John Wright, Alterman; Bert Pfiester, president and CEO of Respite Care of San Antonio
nomic downturn. “Over the last five years, we’ve had seven people retire early,” says Wright. “When you look at the U.S. overall and the news, people are working longer because they can’t afford to retire, and yet, we’re still having as many retire early as we are on time, and nobody is staying because they don’t have the financial ability to leave. The people who are sticking around love to work and they want to stay here and work.” Celebrating more than 90 years in the industry, Alterman is an employee-owned electrical contractor based in San Antonio with an office in Austin. –mh John Wright accepted an award from Principal Financial Group recognizing Alterman Inc. for providing an outstanding level of financial security to its employees.
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San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
Patty Taylor President Taylor Made Hose
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n the eve of the 35th anniversary of Taylor Made Hose, Patty Taylor has been keeping her husband’s company running since he passed away eight years ago. At 66, she is grateful to her team and family at Taylor Made Hose for helping her after the loss of Don Taylor, who founded the company with his father. Today, Don and Patty’s son, Jeff, and her brother, Gerald, have joined her in the business. “I do not know how to make a hose,� says Patty, explaining that she and her brother handle the paperwork and the business side of operations. “I can bake a cake at the drop of a hat, but not a hose.� Where did you grow up? I was born and raised here in San Antonio. I’m the oldest of five children. I have three brothers, Tom, Gerald and Mark, and a sister, Karen. I grew up on Texas Avenue and went to Little Flower School and Our Lady of the Lake. I was very lucky to have a magical childhood. I didn’t have a lot growing up, but you wouldn’t know it, because my life was so full of love. My mother was a very crafty lady and a fantastic cook. This truly is the reason I got into the bakery business and used some of her recipes. She had traditions from her mom that were special. These have been handed down to my children and grandchildren. My dad was a plumber by trade and could fix anything. He was such a gentle man with a big sense of humor. Tell me about your time in the bakery business. I worked as a claims representative for Motors Insurance for 12 years. It was a great job, but a tough one. I had to know parts of a car and went to Detroit for training. It paid way better than working for the bakery business. I decided I would go to San Antonio College and take a couple of courses on how to do cakes, because my mom was so good at it and always made ours for special occasions. I took three courses and loved baking cakes. I was working at Motors Insurance during the day and baking cakes all night long. My husband said, “One of these has to go.� So, I gave up Motors Insurance. I had two children by then. It was neat to be able to stay home with them. My husband always knew I wanted a bakery, and he made that dream come true. My husband started Taylor Made Hose
about this time, and we moved to a new location. It had an upstairs. That is where Patty’s Cakes began. I carried cakes and supplies up and down the stairs. It helped keep me skinny then. It was a strange combination, hose company downstairs and bakery upstairs. My homemade cakes and word of mouth gained me lots of wonderful clients. I was fortunate to bake for David Robinson and Avery Johnson, and to make the Top 5 for Food Network. I appeared several times a year on The Living show for over 10 years. My husband moved the company across the street and built me a brand new bakery location next door to his company. He was a jewel. He helped me deliver cakes on the weekend, along with being chief of police in Grey Forest and running Taylor Made Hose. After his death in 2007, I gave up the bakery to help run our present company. Do you still make cakes? My grandkids get a special cake for their birthdays each year. They have handed me some real challenges. I hope to continue this tradition, but my daughter, Leslie, does a great job of baking, too. I do bake for special friends and family from time to time. I love cooking and baking. My husband would stay up all night finding me recipes. I would sort through them in the morning and find good ones. I didn’t realize that I was working every weekend, because I was with my best friend, my husband. I enjoyed meeting the people and setting up their weddings and making sure I did everything just right. I worried and prayed that all would go great. I wanted their events to be perfect and, knock on wood, I never had an unhappy bride. I treated each wedding as if it were my own daughter’s. Could you tell me about your husband? Don was my best friend and the love of my life. After 37 years, I still smiled every time I saw him walk into a room. We met working at Bruner’s department store. You weren’t supposed to date the employees. He asked me to a dance, and we got caught – the boss ended up going to the dance, but it worked out. I was wishing for a lifetime more with him, but Lou Gehrig’s Disease, or ALS [Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis], took him away. He fought this disease with all he had. We have a local ALS association, and we have an annual walk and Battle ALS with Flowers each year. I’m very active with the association, and I hope they find a cure for this disease. I have lost many friends to it. We lived with the disease the best we could. Don still walked his daughter down the aisle at her wedding. We made trips on his bucket list to Alaska and Italy. He was making plans for Ireland, but it didn’t happen. I just went there for a wedding two weeks ago in his honor. I’m sure he was there with you in spirit. He was. There was a full moon – our icon of him is the full moon. He was a character, and he used to moon people [laughs]. Everybody knows him – he did it here at Taylor Made Hose. He passed away on Christmas Eve, and when I walked out of the hospital, there was a full moon. Anytime the family is on a trip,
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there’s usually a full moon. So, yes, he is with us. That’s our God’s wink, as they say. What are your kids doing now? My son, Jeff, is vice president at Taylor Made Hose. He was a plumber before we got him involved in the business. He is an avid fisherman and barbecue cook-off participant. He is married to Paige and has two children, Dalton, 8, and Leslie Dawn, 5. My daughter, Leslie, a beautiful redhead, works at Capital Group with the sales team. She is married to Conner Austin, who has had three kidney transplants and is our miracle man, and has twin boys, Carson and Lyndon, age 6. She is a great cook and bakes cakes better than I do. My husband’s name was Leslie Don, so she’s named after him. His mom’s name was Dawn, my beloved mother-inlaw. Don’s grandfather was Leslie Warren and now my granddaughter is Leslie Dawn. Tradition continues. I have been so blessed with my four grandchildren. Since the loss of Don, they have helped me live a happy life. They keep me busy. I can see Don in all of these children. When did you come into the business? Don passed away in 2007, and I had not had an active role in the business, except putting in my two cents once in a while. I was busy with the bakery, but stopped baking in August before he died in December. I started taking an interest in 2008. It took about two years to get on track with the help of all our wonderful employees. We had two of our older employees retire last year after 22 years of service. We have our right-hand man, Rene Guerrero, who has trained everyone. He’s been with us for about 25 years. His knowledge is priceless. How did Don get into the business? He had worked for a company and got interested in selling hydraulic hose. He wanted to start a business with his dad, George Taylor, who retired from Hormel. When people heard we had a hose company, they thought we sold pantyhose. Don was a salesman. He could sell an Eskimo an ice cube. He worked hard. Don had a personality that you loved the minute you met him. He had such ambition, and he was successful. I named the company for him, and he named my bakery. The company start-
ed out small, and we have moved our location three times. Don’s dad had a great sense for bookkeeping, and Don knew all about hose. It takes a long time to know all about it. We have over 40,000 parts in the warehouse. It takes over a year or so to get a person trained and acquainted with everything we have. I believe that we give the best service in town – you can come by and have a bag of popcorn while you have a short wait. What do you like to do in your spare time? Everything! I am a huge quilter. I have a fantastic quilt group with Stephanie, Barb, Terry, Bev and Ginny. We have quilt class once a month and try to get together more often for other projects. I have two sewing machines going all the time. I was up until midnight making items for the grandkids going back to school. I love baking and cooking and reading recipes and cookbooks. I have quite the collection and over 5,000 cookie cutters. I love traveling, gardening, photography and all crafts. I tell my grandkids that you are never too old to learn. I am getting depressed that I won’t finish every project or recipe in my lifetime. I wake up early running to get it all done in a day. Anyone who knows me knows I love my church. It’s Our Lady of Guadalupe in Helotes, where I live, and we have a wonderful community with ACTS retreats. I have really good friends, and we call ourselves the “Traveling Gs� – G is for grandmas. I have a place at Lake LBJ, where we fish and ski and visit with our Aunt Nel. My best friends, Sandy and Bubba, just moved to Tennessee, so I’m traveling to see them a lot. I support 4-H in Helotes, and Taylor Made Hose is a member of the Clover Club. I support the ALS association and help with their activities, and St. Jude’s and AARC. I love paying it forward in honor of my husband. He always bought lunch and dinner for people without them knowing about it. Spending time with my grandchildren and family is a big priority. This is my number one obsession. I love playing with them and escorting them to activities. They are the biggest gift in my life. I am hoping for more time to watch them grow and leave them my legacy. –mh
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Patty Taylor (right) has been carrying on her husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legacy as president of Taylor Made Hose. L-R: Gerald Potter, business operations; Jeff Taylor, vice president; and Patty
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San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
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In tune for six decades
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usic City was the setting for women in construction to hit all of the right networking notes Sept. 2-5. The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) hosted its 60th annual Meeting and Education Conference in Nashville, TN, bringing together South Central Region chapters to celebrate the harmony of their unique sisterhood. Highlights of the “Sounds of Success” event, held at the Omni Hotels and Resorts, included a mini trade show, an installation luncheon, meetings, seminars and workshops and an awards gala. Some members also took part in some sightseeing in Tennessee’s capital, including catching a Dwight Yoakam concert at Ryman Auditorium and visiting Nashville’s famed eateries. “NAWIC AMEC 2015 in Nashville, TN was a smash!” declared Michelle Urbanczyk, San Antonio Chapter president. “There were over 400 in attendance and we had over a quarter of the attendees as first timers. “We had a long day of business: 2015-2016 national officers were installed (the national treasurer, Jennifer Swinney, ASA, San Antonio, and the national president, Riki Love Joy, RFL Consulting, St. Hedwig), many workshops on how NAWIC did and where it’s projected for next year, along with some insight on business success or how to achieve it, plus how to understand the importance of safety and the risks involved with not following procedure. “All in all, it was a huge success, and I am so looking forward to next year as AMEC comes to San Antonio in August 2016.” –mjm/mh
L-R: NAWIC San Antonio chapter board: Director Jan Meuth, director Elizabeth Connally, director Lynne Grix, vice president Patty Wylie, director Delia Miranda, president Michelle Urbanczyck, treasurer Kari Wirth, director Gretel Lott, parliamentarian Dawn Holmes, Crystal Campos, secretary Melissa Flathers (Rebecca Rodriguez not pictured)
Jennifer Swinney, Region 7 director, earned the national recognition of “Red Rose Recruiter,” awarded to members who recruit 18 members within a 3-year period. A gold star is awarded to a Red Rose Recruiter who recruits an additional 18 members within a 3-year period. Swinney was awarded her second gold star at the annual Meeting and Educational Conference in Nashville. She has earned her Red Rose Recruiter Jacket and both gold stars since 2010. L-R: Sandy Field, 2014-2015 NAWIC national president; Jennifer Swinney; Vickie Nickel, national membership chair
Members of NAWIC’s South Central Region at the convention in Nashville
L-R: NAWIC South Central Region director Jennifer M. Swinney and executive vice president Dede Hughes
Partnered for the future
Mark Marlow and Todd Thomas already shared the responsibilities of running MK Marlow Company. Now, they share the ownership of the business, too.
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o ensure the longevity of MK Marlow Company beyond the day in the distant future when founder Mark Marlow decides to retire, Marlow has brought his vice president, Todd Thomas, into a partnership. Now a co-owner of the business, Thomas came on board a little over three years ago. He and Marlow clicked right away. Soon, they were talking about a potential partnership, and two years ago, they began building up to a buyout. Now, Marlow explains that they are on a 10-year program that is part of his longterm exit strategy. “[I had] a commitment to all the people we brought in to keep the company going, to have continuity when I started to slowly back out of the company,” explains Marlow, who is 53. “We needed a next generation to take over, and since I don’t have any family as such that would take over the business and Todd and I work so well together like partners any-
way, it was a natural progression of things.” Thomas, 46, feels part of his new position and responsibility encompasses “due diligence to take the company and make it better than it’s ever been.” He notes that, currently, they’re aiming to pick up work in the Austin area, and one of his goals is to open an office in Houston within the next year or two. When Thomas graduated high school, he joined the Army bringing him into airborne infantry. After five years, he got out of the military and went into construction, starting as a laborer sweeping floors. He worked his way up to operations through the field, spending 20 years with a company in Central Florida until the economic downturn brought him to San Antonio – and subsequently MK Marlow – three years ago. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, MK Marlow Company is a drywall and acoustical contractor that is based in San Antonio. –mh
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San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
Smoking pits and barrels
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he San Antonio Masonry Contractors Association (SAMCA) hosted its 15th annual BBQ Cook-Off and 20th annual Sporting Clay Tournament Sep. 11 at the San Antonio Gun Club. –mh Sporting Clay Winners Class A 1st: Stephen Ethridge, Frost Bank 2nd: Wade Mayfield, Joeris General Contractors 3rd: Matthew Haddox, Joeris General Contractors Class B 1st: Hector Gomez, I-10 Building Materials/Stone Source 2nd: Sid Smith Jr., SS Smith & Sons Masonry 3rd: Pat Langlinais, I-10 Building Materials/Stone Source Class C 1st: Mike Moilanen, Joeris General Contractors 2nd: Ryan Stone, Rick Stone Masonry 3rd: Trey Rabke, Guido Construction
Road Kill Katering L-R: Curtis Hunt, Custis Hunt Restorations; Jade Hunt; Buster Talley; Travis Crow
Best Pork Spare Ribs: Acme Brick/Featherlite L-R: Troy Palmer, Willie Durazo III, Willie Durazo Jr.
Best Chicken and Best Brisket: Borracho BBQ (I-10 Building Materials/Stone Source) L-R: Hector Gomez, Emanuel Delgado, Bobby Wolfshohl, Michael Hunt
L-R: Pedro Cardenas; Jeff Windham, Alamo Cement; Andy Cordova, Blackson Brick; Pat Kidder, Alamo Cement
Chef’s Choice and Best Dessert: Prosoco L-R: David Frink and Bob Holmes (not pictured: Zak Wilske and Weston Sherrill)
L-R: Matt Bowman, BCO Design; Art Nahera, SK&A Architects; Chris Moore, RVK Architects; David Garza, Bartlett Cocke; Tracie Martin, ACME Brick; Alejandro Luna, BCO Design
Joeris L-R: Justin Sinclair, David Shea, Wade Mayfield, Hubert McBride, Mike Malone, Matthew Haddox
San Antonio Masonry & Tool Supply L-R: Robbin Bostick, Pearl Ozuna and Ben Morales
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L-R: Mark Koski, Veneer Stone, and Danny Bryant, Acme Brick
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San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
Page 9
Fountain of roof
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he networking flowed for Texas’ roofing industry Sep. 16-18. The Roofing Contractors Association of Texas (RCAT) hosted its 40th annual conference and trade show, a three-day getto-know-you extravaganza featuring fun-for-all events. It all kicked off Wednesday morning with a foreman-only class and an RCAT board of directors meeting at the Omni Hotel. However, business quickly turned to pleasure at RCAT’s golf tournament at Fort Worth’s Waterchase Golf Club Pavilion. The North Texas Roofing Contractors Association (NTRCA) then made everyone feel at home with a “Welcome to North Texas!” reception and awards dinner. While exhibitors prepared their booths Thursday morning at the Fort Worth Convention Center, seminars and educational programs were held for attendees. A ribbon cutting started off the RCAT trade show, which featured more than 80 roofing industry exhibitors. That evening, attendees walked the red carpet at the “BIG 4-0 Celebration” and awards ceremony and kicked their heels up to the tunes of the Preston Scott Band. Some attendees may have retired early from the festivities due to Friday morning’s RCAT license exam, but for those not testing, more seminars, educational programs and the trade show
West End Roofing Siding & Windows
awaited. Finally, it was back to business for the RCAT board, which held a final meeting before saying “Happy Trails” to their good time in Cowtown. –mjm
Southern Shingles
SPEC Building Materials Corp.
Hunter Panels
ABC Supply Co. inc.
The Fairway family celebrated the 74th birthday of its patriarch (third left) on Apr. 21. L-R: Richard Perez, Adela P. Gonzales, Jose H. Perez, Manuela P. Perez, Jose M. Perez, Estela Garcia-Perez and Esteban Perez
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DOT Metal Products
Ross Manufacturing LLC
A nursery for the family trees
n just over 46 years, Fairway Landscape & Nursery has come a long way from its roots. In 1969, Jose H. Perez started out with a nursery. Today, at 74, he is the president of the business that many members of his family have joined and expanded into a wide range of services. “I always liked plants. When we started in the nursery, if you wanted to buy a plant, you had to go to a nursery,” he explains, adding that after Home Depot and other major stores started selling plants and trees in the mid-‘70s, Fairway had two options: close the doors or expand into landscaping and other areas. When they expanded, their income became steadier, but Perez believes his biggest accomplishment is having his children involved in the family business. Adela P. Gonzales is the secretary/ treasurer and office manager. Estela Perez-Garcia, who is in her second term as president of the Hispanic Contractors Association (HCA) de San Antonio, is the
Equipment Depot
vice president of business development. Estela’s twin brother, Steve Perez, is Fairway’s licensed irrigator and vice president of production. The other children, Joe M. Perez and Richard Perez, both previously worked at Fairway for years. Also, Perez’s wife, Manuela P. Perez, has been involved since the beginning, helping with the plants and selling at the nursery while raising their five children. Several members of the third generation have worked at Fairway, too, mostly during the summers. Estela’s son, Oscar, is a project supervisor, having joined the family business in December 2011. Both Perez and his wife are still very active. They live on 36 acres in Atascosa where they grow their own trees for use on their projects. Fairway Landscape & Nursery offers services including general landscaping, landscape lighting, hardscape, aquatic scapes, erosion control, and irrigation design and build. –mh
A.C.T. Metal Deck Supply
National Roofing Contractors Association
CertainTeed
MBCI
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San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
The HR to-do list just keeps getting longer Cyndi Mergele,, SPHR, SHRM-SCP Padgett Stratemann & Co. San Antonio, TX
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t’s been a busy summer for employment law changes and there are more changes to come. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court issued two significant rulings. The first confirmed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was finally (or at least for now) the law of the land. The second ruling recognized same sex marriages. ACA Compliance. Employers who issue 250 or more W-2s are required to report the cost of employees’ healthcare insurance on the W-2. “Applicable large employers” (employers with 50 or more FTEs) will be required to complete, provide to employees, and file Forms 1094 and 1095. Information must be reported for 2015 in early 2016. FLSA. In July, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a proposed change to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The proposed change would require employers to pay overtime to any employee who earns a salary of less than $50,440 per year. This could have significant impact on the construction industry, as it means, regardless of the work performed, an employee who is paid $24.24 per hour or less must be paid overtime. On July 15, 2015, the DOL issued Administrator’s Interpretation 2015-1 providing further guidance (and strong warning) regarding the challenge of employers continuing to misclassify employees as independent contractors. It is important to note this interpretation specifically cites the construction industry in providing an example: “Example: A highly-skilled carpenter provides carpentry services for a construction firm; however, such skills are not exercised in an independent manner. For example, the carpenter does not make any independent judgments at the job site beyond the work that he is doing for that job; he does not determine the sequence of work, order additional materials, or think about bidding the next job, but rather is told what work to perform and where to perform it. In this scenario, the carpenter, although highly-skilled technically, is not demonstrating the skill and initiative of an independent contractor (such as managerial and business skills). He is simply providing his skilled labor. In contrast, a highly-skilled carpenter who provides a specialized service for a variety of area construction companies, for example, custom, handcrafted cabinets that are made-to-order, may be demonstrating the skill and initiative of an independent contractor if the carpenter markets his services, determines when to order materials and the quantity of mate-
rials to order, and determines which orders to fill.” The interpretation also states that the DOL has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and a number of states (including Texas) to share information obtained in audits to insure compliance with DOL regulations. Companies need to carefully examine their independent contractor relationships to ensure compliance with IRS, DOL, and Texas Workforce Regulations. Misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor can cost an employer back wages for unpaid overtime and unpaid federal and state taxes. And, on Monday, Sept. 7, 2015, President Obama issued an Executive Order Establishing Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractors that will require federal contractors and subcontractors to provide seven days of paid sick leave per year to all employees. The Order states that affected employees must be permitted to earn no less than 56 hours of sick leave per year and can carry over any unused balance into the following year. The Secretary of Labor will issue regulations related to this Order no later than September 30, 2016. It will become effective for government contracts in 2017. As the HR to-do list continues to grow, it is important for construction companies to invest time and resources to ensure proactive compliance. While there is cost to proactive compliance (hiring a human resources professional, a human resources consultant, or an employment attorney), it is far less costly in terms of reputation, legal cost, back wages, taxes, and penalties. Cyndi Mergele is the Senior Manager of Human Resources Consulting for Padgett Stratemann & Co., one of Texas largest, locally-owned CPA and business advisory firms, with offices in San Antonio, Austin, and Houston. Cyndi assists clients with human resources strategy, staffing and recruiting, policy and program development, merger and acquisition strategy, and solving their most complex work force issues. For more information, please contact Cyndi at 210-828-6281 or Cyndi.Mergele@ Padgett-CPA.com.
Key employee protection: Preserving your business Kirk Quaschnick, President Mogul Wealth Strategies, LLC McKinney, TX
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s a construction company owner, you recognize the importance of insuring your building, inventory, and equipment. These assets are vital to the success of your company. But have you considered what would happen if a key employee died unexpectedly or became disabled? Key employees are the foundation of a successful business. They are business owners, supervisors, project managers, CFOs, or any other individuals who are sources of leadership and profitability, and who would be extremely difficult to replace. Unless the proper steps are taken, the death or disability of a key employee can be devastating to the financial well-being of your company.
option include: • A potential slowdown in business growth due to additional loan repayments. • A reduction in future profits may occur because of the loan repayment. • The business owner(s) will pay dollar for dollar plus interest. • The company’s credit may be adversely affected due to greater debt.
The Solution: Key Employee Protection Funding a plan to protect key employees may give your business the additional funds it needs to: • Hire and train replacements. • Replace an employee’s contribution to profits. • Maintain the confidence of clients and creditors. • Meet possible loan obligations if the key employee was also a guarantor on business loans. There are three basic options for funding the costs associated with the sudden loss of a key employee: cash accumulation or a sinking fund, borrowing from a bank, or life insurance.
Option 3 – Insurance Purchasing life and/or disability insurance on your key employees can be a cost-effective way to safe guard your business and minimize the impact of a key employee’s death or disability. Life insurance and/or disability insurance can provide your business with the following advantages: • Funding with insurance is easy to administer. • Funds are available even if death or disability occurs the day after coverage begins. • Although the premiums are not deductible, the life insurance proceeds at death are generally received income tax-free to the business.
Option 1 - Cash or Sinking Fund In this option, a business establishes a savings plan, much like a bank account, to protect itself from the death or disability of its key employees. At death, the cash in the savings plan is used as a source of funding. Unfortunately, this method has several drawbacks: • A savings plan accumulates funds over time. What if funds are needed tomorrow? • Accumulated cash could cause an accumulated earnings problem. • Any growth on the accumulated funds may be income taxable. • A savings plan may be depleted to pay for other expenses. • The business owner(s) will pay dollar for dollar, thus depleting the amount of cash that could be used elsewhere.
Funding the Future Plan The business applies for a life insurance policy on the life of a key employee. The business is the owner and beneficiary of the policy. As policyholder, the business pays premiums to an insurance company for the policy as long as the key employee is alive and an employee. Should an insured key employee die, the death benefit proceeds from the insurance policy would pass generally income tax-free to the business, providing an immediate cash source for debt repayment, liquidity, or other related concerns. Kirk G. Quaschnick, CLU, ChFC, ARPC, is the president and co-founder of Mogul Wealth Strategies, LLC in McKinney, TX. Since 1992, Kirk has helped his clients in financial, business, and estate planning, as well as financial advising, investment advisory and wealth management services to business owner executives and individuals. For additional information on the information or topic discussed, please contact Kirk at 214-420-7152, or email him at kirk@mogulwealth.com.
Option 2- Borrowing Funds In this option, funds are borrowed, usually through a bank loan, to replace the financial loss caused by a key employee’s death or disability. Drawbacks of this
San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
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The competent person in confined space operations
You’re insured against the bigticket rip and tear damages, right?
Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX
Stephanie O’Rourke, Principal Cokinos, Bosien & Young San Antonio, TX
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here is no question that the installation and subsequent removal of defective work or product will leave a mark. Such damage might be reasonably thought of as “physical injury” or “impaired.” However, if you are considering whether such damage might by covered by your insurance policy, the meaning of phrases such as “physical injury” and “impaired property” may not be so clear. In fact, the Fifth Circuit has recently determined those phrases to be so ambiguous in the context of GCL policies as to require interpretation by the Supreme Court of Texas. In U.S. Metals v. Liberty Mutual Group, 589 Fed. Appx. 659 (5th Cir. 2014), U.S. Metals supplied flanges to be used in non-road diesel facilities in Exxon refineries. After the flanges were irreversibly welded into place, testing revealed the flanges were defective and did not meet the applicable industry standards. Exxon removed all 350 flanges and eventually settled with U.S. Metals for approximately $6 million. Metals submitted the claim to Liberty Mutual Group, but Liberty denied the claim, arguing that the rip and tear damages were excluded by the policy by the following standard exclusions: m. Damage to Impaired Property or Property Not Physically Injured; “Property damage” to “impaired property” or property that has not been physically injured, arising out of: A defect, deficiency, inadequacy, or dangerous condition in “your product” or “your work”; or A delay or failure by your or anyone acting on your behalf to perform a contract or agreement in accordance with its terms. This exclusion does not apply to the loss of use of other property arising out of sudden and accidental physical injury to “your product” or “your work” after it has been put to its intended use. The policy defined the term “impaired property” as: 8. “Impaired property” means tangible property, other than “your product” or “your work”, that cannot be used or is less useful because: It incorporates “your product” or “your work” that is known or thought to be defective, deficient, inadequate or dangerous; or You have failed to fulfill the terms of a contract or agreement; if such property can be restored to use by the repair, replacement, adjustment or removal of “your product” or “your work” or your fulfilling the terms of the contract or agree-
ment. However, the policy did not define the terms "physical injury" or “replacement.” Noting the lack of controlling authority on the interpretation of these terms, the Fifth Circuit asked the Supreme Court of Texas whether “physical injury” and “replacement” in the context of the “your product” and “impaired property” exclusions are ambiguous. Among other things, the Fifth Circuit asked “[D]oes ‘replacement’ of the insured’s defective product irreversibly attached to a third party’s product include the removal or destruction of the third party’s product?” In the past, injured insureds have attempted to avoid the exclusion by arguing that contrary to the requirements of the definition of “impaired property,” the property could not be restored to use by repair or replacement of the named insured’s product or work if it required considerable destruction of other property. Under the certified questions, the “rip and tear” associated with repair and replacement of an integrated part will simply be regarded as part of the excluded property damage to impaired property, rather than third party property, and may be excluded. Oral argument was heard by the Court on Sept. 9, 2015. Not surprisingly, numerous Amicus briefs have been filed to assist the court with its interpretation of these common exclusion terms. As recognized by the Fifth Circuit, “The Texas Supreme Court’s interpretation of these terms will have far-reaching implications due to the commonality of these exclusions within CGL policies.” Stephanie O’Rourke is a principal of Cokinos, Bosien &Young, a full service law firm with offices in Houston, San Antonio, Dallas and Austin. For more information on our services, please visit www.cbylaw.com
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nder the new confined space in construction, OSHA defines a competent person to means one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has the authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them. The competent person has a number of duties under the new confined space in construction. The competent person must determine what confined spaces exist on the jobsite, which spaces are permit spaces, and evaluate the potential and actual hazards in the spaces that workers will enter. Final §1926.1203(a) requires each employer that has employees who may work in a confined space to ensure that a competent person identifies all confined spaces on the site, and to determine, through initial testing as necessary, which of these spaces are permit spaces, and to consider and evaluate other elements of the confined space. Therefore, under §1926.1203(f) of this final rule, the entry employer must also ensure that a competent person compile the information necessary to determine whether a reevaluation is necessary, and conduct the reevaluation when necessary. The employer must ensure that a competent person performs a full reevaluation of the permit space before reclassifying the space. The competent person is require to be trained on their duties. The employer
must provide training to each employee whose work is regulated by this law, at no cost to the employee, and ensure that the employee possesses the understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary for the safe performance of the duties assigned under this standard. This training must result in an understanding of the hazards in the permit space and the methods used to isolate, control or in other ways protect employees from these hazards, and for those employees not authorized to perform entry rescues, in the dangers of attempting such rescues. Training required must be provided to each employee in both a language and vocabulary that the employee can understand, before the employee is first assigned duties under this standard, before there is a change in assigned duties, whenever there is a change in permit space entry operations that presents a hazard about which an employee has not previously been trained; and whenever there is any evidence of a deviation from the permit space entry procedures required by §1926.1204(c) or there are inadequacies in the employee’s knowledge or use of these procedures. The training must establish employee proficiency in the duties required by this standard and must introduce new or revised procedures, as necessary, for compliance with this standard. natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232
Falling for golf
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ith 182 golfers, the American Builders and Contractors (ABC) South Texas Chapter took to the green Sep. 14 at Fair Oaks Ranch Golf & Country Club for its annual fall golf tournament. –mh Blackjack Course 1st Low Gross: Catto & Catto 1st Low Net: Gardner Law Firm 2nd Low Net: Red Hawk Contracting Closest to the Hole: #7: Bruce Culver #17: Pete Hansen Longest Drive: Men’s: Jaime Amoretti Women’s: Melissa Kidd
Live Oak Course 1st Low Gross: Koontz Corporation 1st Low Net: Bartlett Cocke General Contractors 2nd Low Net: Hart Acoustical & Drywall Closest to the Hole: #7: Mike Merritt #11: Bryan Ehrlich Longest Drive: Men’s: Greg Sims Women’s: Amanda Moguel
Construction News ON LOCATION
Staying power
1st Place Low Gross, Live Oak Course
1st Place Low Gross, Blackjack Course
The day we stopped by Rexel was the day Nancy Sanchez, operations manager, marked her 34th anniversary with the electrical supplier. L-R: John Luis, Nancy Sanchez, Judson Entrekin, Oscar Macias and Daniel Rios –mh
1st Place Low Net, Blackjack Course 1st Place Low Net, Live Oak Course
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San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
Construction News ON LOCATION
They can hold their own
Workingmen’s warehouse
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espite pouring rain that initially held up some participants, the American Subcontractors Association (ASA) San Antonio Chapter packed in the fun and flavor for its annual PourOff, Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament and Salsa Taste-Off Sep. 10 at Aggie Park. –mh
Best Frozen Drink: KCM Cabinets L-R: Audrey Perez, Ray Fehner, Jose Del Bosque, Roxana Sanchez Photo by Mary C. Haskin Photography Left: Best Bar Set Up: Vision Construction L-R: Stacey Graham and Sunny Bailey Photo by Mary C. Haskin Photography L-R: Jacob Fultz, Baltazar Lopez, Erik Villarreal, Trent Willoughby, Efrain Figueroa and Steven Troutman were working hard in the warehouse at Summit Electric Supply, preparing orders for customers and staying on the move to make on-time deliveries. –mh
Best Non-Frozen Drink & Best Salsa: Ridout Barrett L-R: Valerie Kopecki, Sheri Krueger, Sherry Rodriguez, Lisa Good and Cece Colon, Vanessa Ruiz
What’s your biggest pet peeve? The way people drive around San Antonio, especially during the times when it’s raining. Jesus Chavero, Helotes Pits I spend a lot of time in traffic during the day traveling from job to job, and I would say the traffic and the road conditions here in town. Steven Stanush, S&S Plumbing When people fail to use their vehicle turn signal. It’s a way to communicate with other drivers, people. Use your blinkers BEFORE you start turning. Sherill Stanush, S&S Plumbing I have a lot of them. I hate bad grammar. I hate bad spelling. I hate slow people driving in the fast lane on the highway. My biggest pet peeve is probably people who drive too slow in the left-hand lane. Jeff Vexler, Toucan Recycling I guess when something isn’t perfect. Robert Bowen, Texas Tables I’d say the biggest pet peeve within the business today is contracts. Other than that, life is rosy. Robert Cauble, R.R. Cauble Lath & Plaster My biggest pet peeve is the lack of accountability of our government organization. Mark Neville, Villa Park Architects Right now, what’s kind of driving me nuts is the politics that are going on with the primaries fixing to start, but I’m not sure that’s a pet peeve. Jesse Villarreal Jr., JV Electric Tardiness. It’s a lack of respect. Rebecca Rowell, Advanced Door Control
Paperwork. Without paperwork, you don’t get paid. Every week, we bill and then we get the invoices in, and then we get our schedule value sheets done, and it just goes on and on. For any company to function correctly, you need to have your paperwork done. Vinnie Gonzales, VP&R Construction It’s people not saying thank you or smiling. That means a lot, and that’s what I’ve tried to teach my grandchildren. When a car lets you in, you just give them that little wave – my grandson asked me the other day, “Why do you do that?” And I said, “To thank that person.” I will go above and beyond doing anything for anybody, and I need no payment in return, but just the kindness and appreciation. Patty Taylor, Taylor Made Hose It’s seeing a completed home with the stickers still on the windows. I’ve seen homes where people have lived for several years and stickers are still on the windows. It means that the job was not completed – or cleaned properly or something. Bill Krupa, Jim Filipowicz & Associates Horses that buck. I’ve been nursing a shoulder injury going on two months since I was thrown. Curt Lundberg, Lundberg Masonry America would be a much better place if when Americans came into work, they just simply put in eight hours honest work. Karl Keene, Alamo City Soda Blast Right now, it’s the fact that we’re all split. It’s hard communicating with our staff over at the Schertz office. I’m glad we’re growing this quickly, but being split sometimes has its difficulties, especially being so far away. Monica Simpson, Texas Utility Engineering
San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
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Firm on the rise
Along with Dan Leyendecker and Robert Viera, Derek Naiser is a founding principal of LNV, Inc. and the principal-in-charge of the firm’s San Antonio office.
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ince LNV, Inc.’s San Antonio office was established in 2004, it has predominantly provided civil engineering services to public clients, but with its collective resources, the office can support a broad spectrum of services extending from multiple engineering disciplines to surveying, architecture and construction. Derek Naiser, who is the “N” in LNV, is a principal and senior vice president of the firm and is principal-in-charge for the San Antonio and Dallas offices. He is a licensed professional engineer and a certified floodplain manager. Prior to LNV’s inception in 2000, Naiser spent 11 years working for TxDOT. “LNV established its San Antonio office because the firm’s leadership believed the ‘City on the Rise’ was the most attractive environment for business in the country,” says Naiser. “The expansion was supported by the wealth of opportunities throughout the area, including an educated workforce and a businessfriendly climate. The citizens of San Anto-
nio care about their investments in infrastructure, and by opening an office, LNV knew it could help improve the community in which its family too would live.“ Naiser is passionate about his family, his company and his Aggies. He played football at Texas A&M University under head coach Jackie Sherrill and was a member of the renowned “12th Man” kickoff team. LNV’s San Antonio office has 32 employees: 20 civil engineers, one mechanical engineer and five surveyors supported by marketing, business development and administrative staff. The branch is currently working on a new water well project for the San Antonio Zoo, along with several other projects for the City of San Antonio, SAWS, Bexar County and other entities in the surrounding areas. LNV, Inc. is a multi-disciplined firm with 140 employees and seven Texas locations: Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Corpus Christi, Harlingen, Laredo, McAllen and San Antonio. –mh
15 to 500 Ton Capacities Available for your Toughest Projects
Setting trusses on new Bill Miller BBQ. Getting ready for AGC cook off? from El Paso to Beaumont Amarillo to Brownsville
www.alamocrane.com 36 Years of Service to Texas San Antonio (210) 344-7370 Austin (512) 282-6866 Toll Free (800) 880-0134
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San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
In memoriam
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ndrew “Sonny” Belz, vice president of Alamo Interiors, passed away Aug. 21. He served more than 40 years in the construction industry, 35 of which were with Alamo Interiors. Friends recall that people always knew they were in with Sonny when they were given one of his famous nick-
names, some of which were Stick, Cheetah, Mama Dog, Jack, Puppy, Spec, Slim, Woman and any other moniker he would choose for those he knew well. In his youth, he enjoyed hotrods and racing. He was a Vietnam veteran, earning six medals, including the bronze star, in the year and seven months he spent in the Army after being drafted. He loved his family, taking pictures and his work. He will be remembered for making others smile and laugh, and for constantly helping others, especially his neighbors and co-workers. He loved the outdoors and his dog, Texas, a dear companion for over 10 years. Survivors include his wife of 41 years, Kathy; his sons, Gregory and Justin; his brother, Edmond; his nephews, Jason and Jeffrey, and their children, Jake and Wyatt. –mh
San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
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In search of winter sows 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.
Michael Rodriguez of San Antonio hooked up on the 28-inch redfish last week on a fishing outing with Steve Schultz Outdoors.
Typically, wade fishing is the norm when searching for trophy specks along the shallow shorelines of our uman nature seems to require most fishermen to bay system. However there are areas that are not featry and make something happen before it’s really sible for wading and must be accessed from the boat. the ideal time. Getting a jump on post-fall and There are also many of my clients that simply will not get pre-winter sow trout seems to be a popular topic out of the boat under any circumstances for any fish, around the marinas and on the boat lately. Speckled and I’m fine with that. I like fishing out of a boat as much trout, especially the larger trophy sized ones that popu- as anybody, but if you really want to have a good chance late the waters of the Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay, be- at catching the fish of a lifetime, wading is one of the come one of the most sought after fish for lure chunking best ways to do it. Even though one of the biggest trout I’ve ever caught came out of the boat this year in the gurus in the area during the cooler months of the year. Landcut. Preparation is key when Submitted to Construction News wade fishing. I will start with what I think is one of the most important aspects
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Vigil-antes
of your trip. Wading apparel is very important when fishing out of the boat and I don’t cut corners when selecting it. A good set of waders and wading jacket is a must when bailing over the side of your boat. After all, how can you concentrate on your fishing if you’re cold, wet and not confortable. I prefer Simms wading gear simply because they are the best. Staying dry is key to staying warm so avoid the bargain bins for these items. A good working rod and reel is just as important as your apparel. Having problem with your reel early in the morning can sure be frustrating when your buddies are hooked up beside you. I recommend spooling your reels with 30# braid and using a 30# fluorocarbon leader for fishing the rocks in Baffin Bay. A good pair of polarized sunglasses is a must for seeing on the water. Most anglers have these already, but if you don’t, invest in a quality pair instead of the Bill Dance economy ones. And finally, don’t forget about your feet. There is a wide selection of wading boots available on the market. Make sure you size them accordingly to fit over waders or neoprene socks. As I prepare my wade box for the day, I make sure I have all the bases covered. Winter fishing requires a slower presentation and a smaller offering. Top Pups and Spook Jr’s are at the top of the list. Your favorite soft plastic should be readily available with either a 1/16 oz or 1/8 oz jig head. Another bait that I always carry and is the one that gets the most press is the original Corky and Corky Fat Boy. These hard to come by baits are top producers of trophy trout during winter months. Other lures I add to the arsenal are the Mirr-O-lure Pro-MirrOdine. These are proven favorites of mine and I seldom leave the boat with out them. 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 361-813-3716 or 361-334-3105 or e-mail him at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.com. Good luck and Good Fishing.
SpawGlass team members participated in Pro-Vigil’s seventh annual Customer Appreciation Dove Hunt Sep. 9 at its dove lease, Loop 410 and I-35 S. L-R: Jason Hennesey, Justin Calvin, Garrett Fox, Clint Ullman, Robert Hernandez –mh
STEVE SCHULTZ OUTDOORS, LLC BAFFIN BAY LAGUNA MADRE LAND CUT SPECKLED TROUT REDFISH FLOUNDER FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS
(361) 813-3716 (361) 334-3105 www.baffinbaycharters.com steveschultzoutdoors@ gmail.com U.S. Coast Guard & Texas Parks and Wildlife Licensed
2014 RAM Promaster 1500/2500/3500 Cargo Vans, 3.6L Gas or 3.0 Diesel
Paul Zini Fleet Manager 866-490-3195 ANCIRACJD.COM THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS JUST WENT DOWN
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San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
Ken Milam’s Fishing Line Since 1981, Ken Milam has been guiding fishing trips for striped bass on Lake Buchanan in the Texas Hill Country,. You can hear Ken on radio on Saturday and Sunday mornings, 6-8 AM on AM 1300, The Zone – Austin, or http://www.am1300the zone.com
Protect our right to hunt and fish in Texas! Vote “yes” for Proposition 6 on November 3
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know you are awfully busy with work and family and now it’s getting to be hunting season, but you need to pay attention to this proposed amendment to the Texas Constitution. We need to protect our right to hunt and fish in Texas from outside pressure from the Federal government or anyone else to restrict or remove our current privileges. Don’t just take my word for it. Check it out for yourself. A good place to start for just the facts is: http://ballotpedia. org/Texas_Right_to_Hunt,_Fish_and_ Harvest_Amendment,_Proposition_6_ (2015) I always encourage people to get outside and bring their kids out to hunt or fish or camp and hike. We have an obligation to pass our love for the outdoors down to our young people. Already we have seen a decrease in people enjoying our state and national park resources. Fewer and fewer hunting and fishing licenses are being sold to people under the age of 40. Without the revenue generated by our participation, access to the great outdoors will dwindle. Outdoor
‘40s fishing family
equipment retailers are concerned with this trend too. The worst part of this is the decline in the number of people who
understand the importance of outdoor life to our own health, happiness and well-being. That is why this state constitutional amendment is so important. We have finally come to a time when the people who are coming to power in our
society and our government may not have enough of a connection to the outdoors to understand the impact of the changes they want to implement. Our existence and the very heritage of our county have been built upon our ability to procure food for our families and pass the knowledge of hunting and fishing down to the next generation. In more recent times it has been the effort and money spent by sportsmen that have paved the way for research and conservation of the fish, animals and habitat we so cherish. We understand important role we must play to preserve the bounty we have been given, and harvesting game is an important and necessary tool to prevent overpopulation and disease in animals as well as providing our families with a safe, healthy alternative to processed meats, (and it tastes better too). When you get right down to it, I hate to think what would happen to our people if the lights go out a couple of generations down the line from losing our right and opportunity to hunt and fish. If for no other reason, the knowledge of how to sustain ourselves and the right to do it should be protected. Please make the effort to go and vote on this very important issue! So often we tend to overlook things like amendments in the grand scheme of things. Then further down the line we find where something has become law that we don’t approve of – simply because we didn’t take the time to vote and a bunch of busy bodies did vote it in. Vote for Proposition 6 in the Nov. 3, 2015 election and let your voice be heard!
Riding to new heights
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his summer, Mark Neville, principal of Villa Park Architecture, took a motorcycle trip through Colorado on the Colorado Backroads Discovery Route (COBDR). He and riding partner, Chris Christofferson, SMS (Safety Management Systems), went over nine mountain passes and did some camping and fishing along their journey. –mh
San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
Page 17
Quail comes back into town
One wild summer
Hill Country Bridge L-R: Butch Leist, Bill Alexander, Jerry Godwin, Boyd Mulkey, Tim Lucas
McGinnis and his boys, L-R: Tyler, Ryder, Wyatt and Dylan, in front of the Sapphire Pool at Yellowstone National Park
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ike McGinnis, controller and director of purchasing and inventory control for Allen & Allen Company, took his family on quite an adventure this summer. McGinnis, his wife, Lisa, and their sons, Wyatt, 14; Dylan, 12; Tyler, 9; and Ryder, 6, went to Yellowstone National Park, Big Sky and Jackson Hole. Along the way, they saw Old Faithful, the famous geyser in Yellowstone, and lots of wildlife, including bear cubs and elk. –mh
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he Quail Coalition San Antonio Chapter hosted its annual conservation banquet Aug. 27 at Alzafar Shrine. With approximately 450 guests, the event moved to the Alzafar Shrine from the Leon Springs Dance Hall, where it has been held the last several years but was outgrowing the space. This year, they were able to welcome about 100 more attendees at the new location. –mh
L-R: John Sandstrom and Sean Murray, Future Concrete Structures; Robbin Bostick, San Antonio Masonry & Tool Supply
The McGinnis family, front and center, conquered these white water rapids in Jackson Hole, WY
L-R: Josh Aljoe, Urban Concrete; Tom Lindell, Jason Harmon and Joseph Daniel, Metropolitan Contracting
Sunset at the Big EZ Lodge in Big Sky, MT L-R: Tyler, Lisa, Ryder, Dylan, Wyatt and Mike McGinnis Ella S.A. Contracting L-R: Bobby Flores, Hector Casarez, Robert Mason, Julian Garcia, Juan Aguero
Submitted to Construction News
On the hunt in Hondo Serving San Antonio & South Texas since 1984
Specializing in Machine Laid Curb
Craig Noto (not pictured) and Bruce Johnston (left), president and vice president respectively, Quality Fence & Welding, took Billy Mayes (right), owner of Drive-In Truck Salvage, on a dove hunt at Paloma Pachanga in Hondo. –mh
23306 Blanco Road San Antonio, Tx 78260 Email: dougniznik@gmail.com 210-497-8121
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San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
Success to call his own
Submitted to Construction News
Where the wind blows
The Villa Park team at the office on West Bitters Road
L-R Tino Longoria, president of Tino's Welding & Fabrication; Bexar County Commissioner S. “Chico” Rodriguez, Pct. 1, congratulating the team on the Speed Loading Shoot-Out portion of the day; Kristi Villanueva, deputy program manager at HJD Capital Electric; and Terry Page operations manager for South Texas/Louisiana for Jacobs Engineering, and colleagues gathered for a fun and relaxing day of skeet and trap in preparation for the start of dove season. –mh
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tarting his own firm was always a goal for architect Mark Neville. Last year, his firm, Villa Park Architects, celebrated its 15th anniversary, and the dream has proven to be as positive and rewarding an experience as he had hoped. “I graduated from UT at Arlington during a time of rather bleak economic growth,” recalls Neville. “We were doing a lot of interior finish outs, and so I began to realize that when economic growth comes to a slow down, more interior finish out work is done.” He kept this in mind when building Villa Park, dedicating a portion of the firm to interior finish out. Today, Ashley Voss, who does architectural interiors and is an interior designer, runs a majority of the firm’s interior finish outs. “In the economic slowdown of 2007, ’08 and ‘09, it was very much a benefit for our firm,” he notes. “It kept us busy, kept
us still growing and strong. We are glad that we have ventured into the interior architecture and interior design arena to complement our architectural experience.” Before starting Villa Park, Neville worked for a firm in Dallas doing warehouses and retail centers. Then, a firm gave him the opportunity to return to San Antonio, where he was born and raised. Eventually, he decided the way to achieve his goals in life was to be selfemployed. With his own firm, Neville has done warehouses, shopping centers, office buildings and interior finish outs for those buildings for a variety of tenants. Villa Park also does master planning for large, multi-tenant mixed-use facilities. This summer, Neville took his first two-week vacation since starting the firm. At 55, he has three grown children, Taylor, Kassidy and James. His wife, Kimberly, is a science teacher for NEISD. Villa Park Architects is a full-service professional design firm that is exclusively commercial and does architecture, planning and interiors. –mh
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San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
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The design man can
ho can make a structure out of cans of food that will be donated to the San Antonio Food Bank? The answer is participants in the American Institute of Architects (AIA) San Antonio Chapter’s Canstruction event, which kicked off with a Can Opener reception Sep. 14. The 13 structures were on display at North Star Mall through Sep. 26. –mh
Juror’s Favorite: “JAWS Takes a Bite out of Hunger” Mdn Architects - 6,000 cans
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San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
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Primed to take their shot
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Construction News JOB SIGHT
Top of the hills
1st Place Winning Team
he Hispanic Contractors Association (HCA) de San Antonio hosted its first ever shoot event, the Paloma Primer, Aug. 21 at the San Antonio Gun Club. The inaugural event drew 65 registered shooters, and Matthew Waltersdorf, CMC Construction, won the shot gun raffle. –mh Winners: 1st: All-Tex – Pito Garcia, Bob Walsh, Brent Tomes, Justin Garcia, Allen Odell 2nd: SpawGlass – Dustin Cox, Rex Cody, Ross Wood, Rod Dzierzanoski, Clint Ullman, Boddy Miller. Most Room for Improvement: Jonathan Dietzel, DES
L-R: Chris Camacho, apprentice for JRO Electrical Services, and Homer Gonzales, project manager for general contractor CS&S Construction, were renovating a building along NW Military Highway in Castle Hills. It is the site of the new SuperTop Convenience Store, an Asian convenience store. –mh
Tom Quintero and Erika Yates, IBTX
Lynwood Building Materials L-R: Jason Emerson, Kevin Brown, Carl Schumann, Chris Christians, Ben Noriega
L-R: Erika Yates, IBTX; Patty Cardenas and Miriam Urrabazo, HCA; Edward Pape, Vaquero Group; Nathan Estrada, The Cromeens Law Firm; Jesse Torres, CPS; Estela Garcia-Perez, Fairway Landscape & Nursery; Rafael Llera, Shorm Consulting; Dave Sanchez, executive director of HCA de SA; Shelly Woitena, Padgett Stratemann
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Greetings at the door
L-R: Ralph Betancourt and Gary Penshorn work counter sales at Architectural Division 8, where they have access controls, hardware and hardware finishes displayed. –mh
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San Antonio Construction News â&#x20AC;˘ Oct 2015
San Antonio Construction News â&#x20AC;˘ Oct 2015
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An evolutionary journey
L-R: Scot Rower, Liz Janowski and Vinnie Gonzales, along with Raymond Reyna (not pictured), are key to the operational success of VP&R Construction.
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he 20th anniversary of VP&R Construction marks two decades of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s continuous evolution and growth, having come a long way from where it originally started. Established in 1995 by Vinnie Gonzales as Vinnieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Painting & Remodeling, the owner started out doing repairs and remodeling work after serving four years in the Navy on the construction side. He started with drywall and painting. Soon, he got into insurance work. When his company ventured into construction, Gonzales rebranded under VP&R Construction. He remembers the crossover into commercial about 10 years ago as a struggle, but a necessary transition as residential work became nearly nonexistent. Today, as a smaller general contractor, VP&R is in the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mentor-protĂŠgĂŠ program with Davila Construction. Gonzales estimates that 20 percent of his
commercial work is with Davila, including projects such as the Central Library and several of the other libraries in town, and painting all of the police substations. VP&R has also done work with Guido Construction, including the restorations of Mission Concepcion and Mission San Jose. One project Gonzales is particularly proud of is painting the ceiling of the Alamo. The VP&R team consists of around 18 to 20 full-time employees. A few key team members are Raymond Reyna, superintendent; Liz Janowski, who does all the clerical; and Scot Rower, who does all the project management. At 47, Gonzales works out in the field and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have time to do much of anything outside of work, except the occasional fishing trip to the coast. VP&R is a general contractor and subcontractor. The company is focused on commercial work with residential accounting for about 10 percent of its total workload. â&#x20AC;&#x201C;mh
Subs aim for success
Submitted to Construction News
Two chapters mix
The Associated General Contractors (AGC) and American Institute of Architects (AIA) San Antonio chapters hosted their Joint Membership Luncheon at the Bright Shawl Aug. 24 with 192 attendees. L-R: Steven Jones; Nicki Marrone, AIA chapter president; Clark Davis; and Kristian Pearson, AGC chapter president â&#x20AC;&#x201C;mh Photo by Mary C. Haskin Photography
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Top Team
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he American Subcontractors Association (ASA) San Antonio Chapter hosted its Sporting Clay Shoot Aug. 20 at the National Shooting Complex with 161 shooters participating. â&#x20AC;&#x201C;mh Photos by Mary C. Haskin Photography AA Division 1st: Doug Mercer 2nd: Bryan Boehme 3rd: Marty Adams A Division 1st: Chris Eyhorn 2nd: Chip Goode 3rd: Kane Wells B Division: 1st: Wes Hayes 2nd: Chris Delgado 3rd: Tom Wright C Division: 1st: Jeremy Jones 2nd: Barry Moltz 3rd: Greg Beal Leading Lady: Michelle Seward Davis Top Team: RC Page â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Rug Ferguson, Perry George, Steven Mafridge, Jody Johnson, Marty Adams The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Clays Got Awayâ&#x20AC;? Award: Celeste Estep, Keller Martin GC
1st Place, B Division
Leading Lady
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San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
Submitted to Construction News
Securing the future for kids
continued from Page 1 — From father to son other things to do. He didn’t retire from business; he just retired from the electrical business.” Today, Villarreal runs things differently than when his father ran the business. His father built a strong reputation in the multi-family industry, doing electrical and air conditioning for a lot of large apartment projects in town. Toward the mid-‘80s, the company started shifting more toward commercial work, and the younger Villarreal gravitated toward it, too. His first big project was a perfume factory in Pleasanton. Early projects included grocery store renovations, and then grew more on the retail side with shopping centers, retail stores, shell
buildings, and medical offices. There are two areas Villarreal aims to increase going forward. Though JV hasn’t done multi-family in years, he thinks the company may reconnect with that market in the future. Mostly, he hopes to expand into the service business, which his father moved away from for project work when starting his own company. Outside of the business, Villarreal enjoys winemaking. This season, he is excited to have found some Texas grapes, typically bought up by Texas wineries, for the first time in years. JV Electric does commercial electrical projects with the majority of its work in retail, dental and medical. –mh
continued from Page 1 — A captain of industrial The Sundt Foundation, the charitable arm of Sundt Construction, donated more than $5,000 to two local nonprofit organizations, ChildSafe and Junior Achievement of South Texas. Employee donations were matched dollar for dollar by Sundt. L-R: Alexis Marshall, Sundt; Kim Abernethy, ChildSafe president and CEO; Maliha Imami, ChildSafe director of development; Todd Calder, Sundt –mh
editions can be Did you Pastdownloaded at know? www.ConstructionNews.net
A unique example of their work is the Suncor Dover facility in Alberta, Canada. They were hired to demobilize and stabilize the underground mine. Properly taking it down entailed re-commissioning it after 15 years of disuse, and then filling it in with concrete, all the while dealing with underground conditions and temperatures near 70 below Fahrenheit. With two of the original founders of Haven for Hope encouraging him, Ober embarked on a charitable enterprise earlier this year, starting the De Novo Foundation of San Antonio. The foundation helps people coming out of Haven for Hope’s programs transition into self-sustainment by adopting their cause and helping them financially.
“They need a lot more help than graduating from a program that got them stabilized,” he says. “We sometimes can fill in those gaps.” Also an avid car collector, Ober gives financial support to and is involved with Ferrari Kid, a group of Ferrari owners that give kids with cancer and other illnesses a ride in a Ferrari that will make them feel like a celebrity, offering a special memory during a difficult time. Headquartered in San Antonio with an office in Monterrey, Mexico, Robert Ober & Associates does industrial design build projects across North America and has approximately 200 employees. –mh
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height of the parapet wall, making it look a lot taller from the street. Adding to the front canopy gave it more visibility and better coverage from the elements. They tried to keep the sun out as much as possible to increase the energy efficiency since the space has a lot of storefront glass. They also tinted the glass on the UPS side to help keep the interior a little cooler. The exterior appeared dingy and dated, but the changes and exterior renovation gave the building a more modern look. The team painted the brick, and on the new canopy, they used EIFS, exterior insulation finishing system. The stucco-like material gave it a clean, fresh look and was also painted. On the building exterior, they used a light beige, a darker beige and a red border to make everything pop. Other work included resurfacing and restriping the parking lot, and to meet ADA compliance and current code, they installed a handicap ramp and railing. They also did the service on the electrical side with CPS Energy, since, Garcia says, anytime service is moved from one spot to another, work has to be scheduled with CPS. The weather presented the greatest challenge to the build, creating significant rain delays. They couldn’t start the demolition of the canopy when thunderstorms were rolling in, and even though most of the work was on the inside, the threat of water getting in and causing complications was still a big concern. Garcia notes that owner, Casa Bunch LLC, was very easy to work with, making the process very seamless and staying open to making changes here and there as needed. This was Rhino’s first time working with the City of Windcrest. Garcia observes that the process is very similar to other municipalities he has worked with
The interior demolition of the space allowed Rhino to create a white box for UPS to do the tenant finish out for its new store on Walzem.
before and that it was a positive experience. The architect on the job was Norman Cates, and Garcia credits him with helping to take this old building and give it new life. Subcontractors included Approved Electric, Airtech for the HVAC, Miranda Plumbing, TNC Services for the framing and Rick the Roofer. Founded in 2004, Rhino Design Build is a full-service general contractor that does commercial work including retail, tenant finish out and interior remodeling. Commercial accounts for approximately 30 percent of its workload. –mh
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San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
Page 25
Specialty Contractors The pre-school-year crunch
Mark Eichelbaum, Vice President and COO Cram Roofing San Antonio, TX
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uring the summer, school work keeps the construction industry busy. As soon as kids get out for the summer in early June, contractors move in, and as soon as kids go back in late August, contractors have to finish and clear out. Mark Eichelbaum, Cram Roofing, says that it takes coordination and the efforts of the team to get jobs done before the kids come back for the new academic year. He adds that parents and teachers, and sometimes even owners, might not realize what goes into making the school beautiful for when they get back. If there is still minor work to be done, some only see that the roof isn’t done and the impression can be that the contractors had all summer to do it. “A lot of the time, we’ll be substantially complete – in other words, the roof is on and there may be some details still to be done or punch list items to be done,” explains Eichelbaum. “Those we can still do after the kids are back, but we have to work around the school schedule. So, we may not be able to start until 4 o’clock in the afternoon after kids have
gone home for the day. It requires a lot more coordination.” He also points out that there is a lot of steps and juggling that goes on during the summer reroofing season. The summertime construction period is generally about 10 weeks. On the small side, some projects in that period might be repair projects around $5,000 to $10,000, or they are hired to do the flashing for a new AC unit. Such a project might require a crew of two to three guys for two to three days. On the larger end of the scale, they might be reroofing an entire wing of a school, which might be 300,000sf of roofing. Those projects might require a crew of about eight guys working six days a week for nine weeks. The various projects over the course of just 10 weeks can run everywhere in between those two extremes. On average, Eichelbaum says their reroofing projects have a crew of six to eight guys, depending on the job, and it might be 15,000 to 20,000sf of roofing surface that is being re-covered. Those projects might take about
four to five weeks, but they might also begin the project with the idea that it will be done by the end of June and then they will move on to the next one. However, if it rains – which it did to an unusual degree this June – that can push the entire schedule back. Sometimes, the general contractor might not be ready for the roofers to come in and do their work. In that case, they might not be ready on one building and have the roofer work on another building first, but that other building might require a different crew. “It’s a lot of moving pieces, and the general public may not necessarily realize that,” he says. “There are all types of different roofing systems, and we internally have different crews for the different kinds of roofs that specialize in those areas. The general public may just say, ‘I just need a roof.’ But it’s a metal roof, and we want to send you our metal roofer. If it’s a singly-ply roof, we want to send you our single-ply roofer. “If it’s through a general contractor and you throw in all the other specialty trades – well, we can’t flash an AC unit until the AC unit has been put in place by the HVAC contractor, and if the HVAC contractor gets pushed because of weather or one of their other projects or the materials haven’t been approved yet – they go through the same process [with submittals] that we do – that can affect our piece of the puzzle.” Delays can also happen regardless of months of advanced planning. When Cram is working directly for the school district, they bid on those projects in January or February, even though they can’t
start until June. Knowing the job is coming up, they do all their preparatory work in the springtime. A lot of times, the clients specify what type of roof they want, and Cram finds out what color the principal or district representative wants and other minor details. The submittal package goes to a consultant or the clients’ architect or design professional for approval. Once approved, Cram can order the materials. Sometimes, however, Eichelbaum notes that June comes and they cannot begin, despite being ahead of the game. As examples of reasons why, he says they might not be able to start fabricating the metal because the client hasn’t chosen a color, or they haven’t received their approved submittals so they do not know what to order. With all of these issues factoring into a two-and-a-half month work schedule, Cram might only have two or three projects in a summer, but this summer, Eichelbaum explains it was triple that many projects. With a very wet June to contend with, the trademark South Texas heat, and all of the aforementioned problems that may arise, Eichelbaum says their answer is to put in that much more overtime or manpower to meet the deadlines for completion. Cram Roofing was established in 1986 by Gary Cram, who is still owner and president of the company today. Having recently celebrated his 13th year with the company, Mark Eichelbaum is vice president and COO. The roofing contractor does commercial and governmental work. –mh
association at a regular, annual or special meeting. This law became effective Sept. 1, 2015.
alone or in combination with another person, as the construction manager-atrisk. The new law is intended to eliminate conflicts of interest in certain governmental construction contracting. This law became effective Sept. 1, 2015. Mike White, vice president of governmental affairs, is a graduate of Texas A&M University and received a law degree from the University of Houston. White came to TCA in 2010 with thirty years of diversified responsibilities in governmental and public affairs arenas for two major multi-national corporations, a public agency, and a business organization. –cw
Regular session of the 84th Texas Legislature Mike White Texas Construction Association Austin, TX
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he 84th Texas Legislature completed its Regular Session on June 1, 2015. The Texas construction industry will benefit from the passage of the following bills: Consolidated Insurance Programs (CIPs) – SB 1081 Effective Jan. 1, 2016, principals of a CIP will be required to provide certain information about the CIP to a contractor who is to be enrolled in the CIP not later than 10 days before the date the contractor enters into a construction contract. This information will allow the contractor to compare the coverage provided by the CIP to the contractor’s own insurance and will allow the contractor to make an informed decision on whether to enter into the construction contract. In addition, a contractor may request in writing from the principal a complete copy of the insurance policy that provides coverage under the CIP. State Budget - HB 1 The state budget for the biennium beginning Sept. 1, 2015 appropriated just under $1 billion for construction of new state buildings. In addition, approxi-
mately $630 million was appropriated for deferred maintenance projects at state facilities. This became effective Sept. 1, 2015. Higher Education Revenue Bonds - HB 100 This bill authorizes certain higher education institutions across the state to issue $3.1 billion in revenue bonds to fund 64 construction projects over the next two years. This became effective Sept. 1, 2015. Pre-Litigation Requirements for Condo Owners’ Associations in Defect Cases- HB 1455 This new law restricts condominium unit owners’ associations in condominiums that have eight or more units from filing lawsuits or initiating arbitration proceedings to resolve a claim relating to the construction or design of a unit on behalf of all of the owners unless they first obtain an inspection and written independent, third-party report that identifies and describes the condition of the specific units or common elements that are subject to the claim and obtain approval from unit owners holding more than 50 percent of the total votes in the
Public-Private Partnerships - HB 2475 In 2011, legislation was passed that established a process for governmental entities to contract with private entities to construct, finance, and operate a variety of facilities, including ports, pipelines, parking garages, hospitals, schools, and other public works projects. State highways were not included. Performance and payment bonds are required to be in place before the start of any public-private partnership project. The new law establishes a center for alternative finance and procurement within the Texas Facilities Commission to consult with governmental entities regarding best practices for procurement and financing of qualifying public-private partnership projects and to assist governmental entities in the receipt of proposals, negotiation of interim and comprehensive agreements, and management of qualifying public-private partnership projects. The creation of the center is intended to increase the use of public-private partnerships by Texas governmental entities. This law became effective Sept. 1, 2015. Construction Manager-At-Risk Used by a Governmental Entity - HB 2634 This measure amends the Government Code to remove the exception to a prohibition against a governmental entity’s project architect or engineer serving,
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San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
Specialty Contractors Wage hikes, start-ups affect business Jared Moala, Partner Pacific Environmental Group LLC
ed to work with each other in sharing the labor pools. I’ve been doing this for 12 years, and actually have gotten to know competitors much better this year than ever before. We had to share the labor pool back and forth and also subcontract with other companies when things got so heavy over the summer. Summer is the time when all of the kids get out of school and all of the school districts do their abatement. You have millions of dollars of abatement over the summer going on in D/FW just for the school districts, and they really don’t do any abatement at all during the school year. It was a tight time because we had that summer rush which happens every year but we had it on top of the population boom that we’re experiencing that’s causing all of the construction in the area.
but there is concern that abatement supervisors are leaving companies and starting their own companies, but the quality of work is just not there. There has been an explosion in abatement companies in D/FW. There were maybe a handful of companies that everyone knew about a few years ago, but now there are so many start-up companies. The most frustrating part is when they are called out to a bid; they really low-ball it in their hunger to get work. The funny thing is, there is still the same core group of companies that are doing all of the reputable work – the school districts, the city work, the general contractors – and then you have 30 new abatement companies that no one has heard of. We have been getting a lot of calls to come in and “clean up” these new companies’ messes; it’s very common now, whereas 10 years ago you just didn’t see that. I’ve been doing this for 12 years, my brother John has been doing it for 16 and our Dad, William Moala, was one of the pioneers in abatement 30 years ago. This has been the biggest change I’ve seen lately.
Are there any major changes in your industry related to what you do? There haven’t been any recent major changes related to my industry in D/FW,
Have you noticed any cost increases related to what you do? Yes, the cost in labor has significantly increased because of simple supply and
Dallas, TX
H
as your company experienced an increase in business or a slowdown? We’ve definitely experienced an increase, especially in asbestos abatement. We’ve been getting a lot more calls from general contractors that are working on municipal projects that need abatement. To be honest, we’ve had to hire more office and field personnel to handle the increase in the workload. I don’t know that we’ve done anything different; we’ve just expanded, hiring more people to handle more projects. Many companies in the industry are challenged by a shortage of qualified labor. Has that been true for your company as well? Yes, especially this past summer. The biggest abatement project to ever go on in D/FW is D/FW Airport, which they’ve been doing for the past few years. There were about 300 abatement workers out there. There is a huge shortage of abatement workers, so companies have start-
demand. Because the labor pool is so tight, these guys demand a premium. For the past decade, abatement workers have made about $12 an hour, which was the standard. I’d say the standard now is about $15 an hour, but that just jumped in the last year or two. In the summertime, that goes up to about $20 an hour. It’s significant when you have 20 guys working a job for a month; it’s a huge cost increase not just for us but for the client as well. How have you been meeting this challenge? Profit margins have definitely become smaller across the board, which is common in any industry following an increase in competition. Some of the increased labor cost is absorbed by the contractor because they have to stay as competitive as possible on bids. But ultimately, when everyone has to pay that upcharge in labor costs, it has to be factored into bids and the buyer ends up paying for it as well. Pacific Environmental offers asbestos abatement and testing, mold remediation and testing, lead-based paint (LPB) abatement, flood response and demolition services. –mjm
Safety first priority at Lasco
Juan Mendoza, Safety Director Lasco Acoustics & Drywall Inc. Austin, TX
What do you do on a daily basis at Lasco Acoustics & Drywall? I am the safety director at the Austin office but I also travel to work in Dallas and San Antonio. I train our guys on how to work safe on a daily basis and I provide bilingual training because I can speak both English and Spanish. I oversee projects and I make sure the crew have what they need to complete the job. What is your perspective about the local construction industry? I think things are still booming. There are lots of construction projects going up in Austin and around the state. The economy is still doing well this year.
What are a few challenges you have seen in your industry lately? The biggest challenge I have seen is finding qualified workers to get the job done. The wages for construction workers have increased because there is not a lot of man power. We have very competitive wages. It is not just us, other companies in the area do, too. Laborers have various backgrounds and have experience working in landscaping, cleaning companies and other construction related businesses. We have programs where we teach our employees how to install drywall correctly. Training is essential.
Most of the training we do is inhouse; however, sometimes when we are required to have a specific training on specific equipment, we call the providers and have them do the training for us.
workers are going home the same way they left in the morning, it is rewarding to know that they are going to go back to their families and see their children. That is my biggest joy.
In your opinion, what are ways to attract new laborers into the construction industry? We have placed ads in newspapers and we announce job openings within our company. We also have employees refer us to their friends and family members who may want to work at the company. What is rewarding about your job? I have worked in this industry for almost 20 years. This is what I know. I started out working in the field with my tools. I worked my way up over the past 15 years I have worked at Lasco Acoustics & Drywall. My favorite part of the job is training new employees and keeping our employees safe. At the end of the day, when I see the
What do you think is on the horizon for your industry? I think things will keep booming for a few more years. The construction industry is cyclical, so eventually in about three or four years we won’t have as much work as we do right now. I think things may be steady for a while and things might go down a little bit. We might be building enough homes and buildings right now but eventually the rise in the population will demand us to build more. Lasco Acoustics & Drywall Inc. provides drywall, acoustics and plastering in the commercial construction industry. The company has a corporate office in Dallas and also has offices in Austin and San Antonio. –ab
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San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
Submitted to Construction News
Construction News ON LOCATION
Putting a roof over a habitat
They saw everything!
A team of Stantec’s San Antonio employees joined Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio to help build roofs for two new homes for needy families. The volunteer effort was part of the design firm’s third annual day of companywide community service. –mh
Correction In last month’s issue, Zach Hayes Baker, an installer for Solar Electric Texas, was mistakenly identified as Zach Hayes Taylor. –mh
H Location H Location H Location H Location H Location Dallas/Fort Worth Austin San Antonio
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Houston South Texas
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Well, not everything – granite, really – but they could probably saw anything with this behemoth! L-R: Jimmy Stanton, Paul Waterhouse and Ernest Marcelle were working in the shop at Bellezza Granite Co. where large industrial saws are part of the everyday work environment. –mh
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San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
Round-Up Edward J. Sanchez has joined Project Control as senior project manager. He is managing the Santikos Casa Blanca Theatre project at Alamo Ranch. He was previously with ABM Government Services at Lackland Air Force Base where he served as a special projects manager and performed medical and health care construction facilities management. He studied civil engineering at UTSA and earned his bachelor’s degree from Excelsior College.
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Association Calendar
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ABC Associated Builders & Contractors
Oct. 9-10th: 3rd Annual Fishing Tournament, Rockport; for more information, email Ruby Trejo at ruby@ abcsouthtexas.org
AGC Associated General Contractors
All events are held at the IEC office unless otherwise stated. Oct. 1: Mandatory Cook’s meeting, Helotes Fairgrounds, 1pm Oct. 6: STP Unit 2: Oral & Written Communication, Class 2; 1-5:30pm Oct. 10: Safety Fair and Barbecue CookOff XXII; Helotes Fairgrounds, 12210 Leslie Rd.; 10am-4pm; fun for the family with face painting, petting zoo, magician, caricature artist, and clowns; $9 per ticket in advance, $200 for a picnic pack of 25 tickets, $10 per ticket at the gate, free for kids 12 and under; for more information or tickets, call 210-349-4921 Oct. 13: STP Unit 2: Oral & Written Communication, Class 3; 1-5:30pm Oct. 16: Technology Expo Oct. 20: STP Unit 2: Oral & Written Communication, Class 4; 1-5:30pm Oct. 22-23: PMDP Module 4: Risk Management, 7:30am-5pm Oct. 27: STP Unit 2: Oral & Written Communication, Class 5; 1-5:30pm
AIA American Institute of Architects
Oct. 8: Committee on the Environment Cinema; outdoor theater event for the public; Travis Park, 301 E. Travis St. Oct. 14: Andres Jaque Lecture, UTSA Downtown, a Latinos in Architecture Hispanic Heritage Month event Oct. 16: Closing Reception for LiA Nexo Exhibit, Center for Architecture Oct. 17: Annual Homes Tour Oct. 23: Leadership Institute Regional Program Oct. 29: Design Awards Juror Lecture, Center for Architecture Oct. 30: Awards Banquet Info, The Doseum For more information on these events, visit www.aiasa.org
ASA American Subcontractors Association
Oct. 15: Annual Golf Tournament, Silverhorn Golf Course, 8am Oct. 20: Membership Mixer, ASA Office Parking Lot, 5:30pm
CFMA Construction Financial Mgmt. Assn.
Oct. 27: Chapter Luncheon; Petroleum Club, 8620 N. New Braunfels; 11:30am1pm; to RSVP, contact Stephanie at 210828-6281, ext. 1575, or stephanie.harms@ padgett-cpa.com
ECAT Earth Moving Contractors of Texas
Oct. 10: Fall Board of Directors meeting; Hilton Garden Inn meeting room, 4449 Ridgemont Dr., Abilene; 3:30pm; all members are welcome to attend; anyone having business with the board can contact the executive secretary at 830-6291620 or through www.earthmovingcontractors.com
Gasoline – On Road Diesel – Off Road Diesel On Site Fueling – Wet Hosing – Temporary Loaner Tanks We Loan City Approved UL-2085 Vaulted Tanks
210-666-6002 Brent & Mark Marshall
de SA and the Alamo College Scholarship; for more information or to participate/sponsor, contact Patty at 210-4441100 or admin@hcadesa.org, or visit hcadesa.org
IEC Independent Electrical Contractors
All events are held at the IEC office unless otherwise stated. Oct. 12: Continuing Education Class, 5-9pm Oct. 17: Electrical Maintenance Technician Class, 8am-5pm; Foreman Training Class, 8am-5pm Oct. 20-24: IEC National Con 2015, Tampa, FL Oct. 28: Journeyman/Master Prep Class begins, 5:30-9:30pm For more info call 210-431-9861 or visit www.iecsanantonio.com
MCA–SMACNA Mechanical Contractors Association Sheet Metal & A/C Nat’l Assn.
Oct. 7: Regular and Associates meeting; Oak Hills Country Club; 11:30am; speaker is Bethany Thompson, Gardner Law Firm Oct. 14: Joint Labor/Management Meeting Plumbers, Pipefitters and Sheet Metal; MCA-SMACNA office; 11am Oct. 21: Joint Industry Fund meeting, Oak Hills Country Club, 11:30am
PHCC Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors
All events are held at the PHCC office unless otherwise stated. Oct. 3: 22nd Annual Fishing Tournament; Rockport; registration form at www. phcc-sanantonio.org Oct. 6: Training Session; 7-10am; speaker is Hugh Cunningham, AO Smith Commercial Water Heaters; to RSVP, email rhurst@hughcunningham.com Oct. 8: Monthly meeting; SAWS, 2800 US Hwy 281 North; 11am-1pm; speaker is Mark Peterson; members $25, non-members $30, includes lunch; for more information, call Heidi Trimble at 210-8247422 Oct. 16: Training Session; 8am-5pm speaker is Ron Collier, flat-rate pricing class with TACCA; TACCA and PHCC members $275, non-members $325; for more information, call 210-901-4222 or email dawn@accasa.org Oct. 22-23: Training Session; 8am-5pm; speaker is Kirk Alter, “Super Foreman Class”; members $450 for the first attendee, $395 for the second and each additional attendee; non-members $550 per person; to register, call Alicia Dover at 800-992-7422
SAABE SA Assn. of Building Engineers
Oct. 28: Luncheon; Embassy Suites, I-10 and Callaghan; 11:30am; cost for guests is $25 per person and they must RSVP to saabetx@gmail.com no later than Oct. 26
SDA Society for Design Administration
Oct. 22: Monthly Chapter Luncheon; The Barn Door, 8400 North New Braunfels Ave.; noon-1pm; topic is Employee Medical Benefits 2016/ACA Wizard; for more info email cdelgado@lehmanneng.com
GSABA
TACCA
Greater San Antonio Builders Assn.
Tx Air Conditioning Contractors Assn.
Oct. 10-18: Parade of Homes at the Bluffs; preview party Oct. 9, 6-11pm, $85 per person; Parade of Homes tickets $13 per adult at the gate (cash only), $11 presale at local Home Depot locations, $9 children ages 5-12 (no presale discount); for more info, call 210-696-3800, email sgutierrez@sabuilder.com, or visit sabuilders.com
Oct. 16: Workshop: Master Your Service Department: Managing Your Company’s Most Profitable Department with Ron Collier; Collier Consulting, PHCC San Antonio 10103 Broadway; 8am-5pm; $275 for TACCA GSA and PHCC San Antonio members, $325 for non-members; for more info, contact Dawn Thompson at dawn@TACCAGreaterSanAntonio.org or 210-901-4222, or visit TACCAGreaterSanantonio.org
HCA de San Antonio Hispanic Contractors Association
Oct. 16: 16th Annual Golf Tournament; The Quarry Golf Club; benefits the HCA
San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
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Texas Tables go everywhere
“The Floater” with a Texas party picnic table, has wheels for towing and can be driven into the water. - no trailer necessary.
W
hile some people have dynasties that revolve around ducks, Robert Bowen jokes that the dynasty he has now at 62 is gathered around tables, Texas Tables. After three decades doing a wide variety of work in construction, including framing, foundations and steel work, Bowen started his company about three years ago. He started designing picnic table frames as a hobby, making them out of steel, then turning to wood to be more cost effective. When he realized he wanted to spend more time home with his family, he set out to make his living making tables out of his shop at home in Medina Lake. As clients found him through his website and word of mouth, his business has picked up to the point where he has a couple of carpenters helping him. On aspects of the work such as sanding and sealing, he also gets help from his family, including daughters, Casey, Jessica and Raylynn and his son, Robert Bowen IV. He uses southern yellow pine and SPF (spruce, pine and fir) white wood to
make A-frame tables in adult, children and toddler sizes as well as slide-through wood-frame picnic tables among other types of tables. On finishing, he also uses a mildewcide additive in every coat on his tables. Bowen estimates that he can produce a typical A-frame table in four or five hours. He has sold tables to the public as well as commercial restaurants, including Blanco BBQ, Over Bar & Grill and Baby Acapulco in Austin. His largest order to date was for the Jungle Queen Riverboat Company in Fort Lauderdale, FL. “That was the only order outside of Texas,” recalls Bowen. “The client found me, flew out and came to my shop, and he ordered 55 ranch-style tables. It took about 30 days to make them. A lot of it was because of finishing. Then, we loaded them up, drove them to Florida and put them together for him.” Texas Tables does made-to-order wood tables, including picnic tables, patio tables, ranch-style tables, benches and chairs. –mh
Construction News JOB SIGHT
Delivering to China (Sun)
On his fourth drop of the day, Montana Locklear, an 18-wheel operator for ABC Supply Co., dropped off materials for a roofing project that Bravo Roofing is working on at the China Sun on Naco-Perrin Boulevard. –mh
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San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
LOOK WHAT’S HAPPENING!
SNOOPY’S COOK SHACK RAFFLE THIS YEAR WE’RE BUILDING A VERY SPECIAL 16-FOOT ENCLOSED BBQ TRAILER WITH LOTS OF GOODIES. WE EVEN NAMED IT IN HONOR OF THE GALA THEME THIS YEAR.
“It’s Construct a Kid’s Christmas, Charlie Brown” F E A T U R E S
Bright Diamond tread plate exterior with ruby red paint accents Stainless steel interior walls Laminate cabinets Custom pit and firebox Chrome wheels Honda EU3000is inverter generator
Winegard Sat TV antenna roof mounted 32-inch television Kenwood DVD touchscreen receiver JL Audio amp JL Audio exterior marine speakers Yamaha speakers inside LED lighting
We want to thank our donors for helping with this vision Affordable Trailers Alamo City Hydraulics Alamo Crane Service Inc. Alamo Stamp & Engraving Allen & Allen Co. Alterman Inc. Anthony’s Planet Pickup Beth and John Felder Comfort Air Engineering, Inc. Delta Steel, Inc. Don Young Company Dumas Hardware Co. Fire Alarm Control Systems, Inc. James Doebbler, CPA JW Dielmann, Inc. KCM Cabinets Inc. Lynwood Building Materials
M & M Metals M. Jacks Fire & Safety Equip. Co. One Day Signs Padgett Stratemann Primo Plumbing Quality Fence & Welding Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co River City Steel & Recycling Sheet Metal Workers Local 67 Sherwin-Williams Paint Southern American Insurance Agency Texas Sheet Metal & S/S Fabricators Traugott Inc Painting & Decorating Triple-S Steel United Tool & Fastener Inc. Western States Fire Protection Co. Wilborn Steel, Ltd.
The winning raffle ticket will be drawn at the Construct A Kid’s Christmas Gala, December 3, 2015 Raffle Tickets $100.00 each or 5 for $400.00 To purchase raffle tickets contact: Karen Ridout: kridout@ridoutbarrett.com Sandee Morgan: sandee@mca-smacna.org Buddy Doebbler: buddy@constructionnews.net or your participating association or committee member MCA-SMACNA Raffle for Construct A Kid’s Christmas
3 fold down butcher block bar tops Hot water on demand Fire extinguishers 110 @ 12 volt systems Toot your own air horn and more . . . .
You do not have to be present to win
“Get-It-Done” Committee Members Buddy Doebbler Mike McGinnis Jon Marek Tom Hewitt Sandee Morgan Bruce Johnston Design Team: Carlos Salazar Marvin Ohlenbusch
San Antonio Construction News • Oct 2015
T
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South for fishing season
he South Texas Division of SpawGlass hosted the general contractor’s 11th annual fishing tournament Sep. 11-12 on South Padre Island. – mh
Call or Email us! There is no charge for stories or photos.
Redfish 1st: Vance Sherrod, SpawGlass (7.40 lbs., 27-3/4") 2nd: Roy Botard 3rd: Ernie Ortiz Trout 1st: Alan Simon, Omnitrax (3.75 lbs., 241/4”) 2nd: Chris Daniels 3rd: Roger Mendoza
Want to be included in Construction News?
SAeditor@ConstructionNews.net (210) 308-5800 1st Place Redfish
Flounder 1st: Jeff Vermillion, United Rentals (3.10 lbs., 20-1/4") 2nd: Joe Mendyk 3rd: Joe Sanchez
1st Place Flounder
1st Place Trout
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San Antonio Construction News â&#x20AC;˘ Oct 2015