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Volume 13
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Number 12
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DECEMBER 2015
Problem solver
Esprit de door
MEP Consulting Engineers’ (MEPCE) Sheila Nemati
Patrick Duffy at Wayne Dalton’s Lewisville corporate office.
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rowing up, Sheila Nemati never met a math problem she didn’t like. “As a young teenager, I was fascinated with mathematics and performed very well in the subject,” she remembers. “I went above and beyond my schoolwork requirements and would seek out complex math problems to solve from textbooks ahead of my grade.” By the time she started earning her Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering at the University of Missouri, Columbia, aced all of her calculus classes. As a licensed professional engineer in the state of Texas and many other states, Nemati served as a lead electrical engi-
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lthough Old Parkland Campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, its recent addition of 334,000sf of master-planned, Class A office space doesn’t betray that distinction. While the site is deeply bound to its Dallas roots, the four new buildings, rich in architectural elements and a 30-piece exterior art installation, pay tribute to national history throughout the campus. Completed in October by The Beck Group for client Crow Holdings, The Old Parkland West Campus addition includes four landmark buildings: Commonwealth Hall, the copper-domed Parkland Hall, Oak Lawn Hall, and the Monticelloinspired Pavilion. Although each is grand in scale, the four buildings are in close proximity to each other to promote tenant interaction. “From a design standpoint, we went through several iterations of what the buildings could look like,” Ed McGonigle, Beck Group’s principal in charge,
neer and project manager for engineering firms in the Metroplex. But there was one problem she really wanted to tackle: Owning an MEP consulting firm. “My husband thought I was crazy crazy at first; I was drawing a good salary and benefits, he was an engineer working for other firms and we had two kids,” Nemati says, laughing. “So I told him to keep his job, just in case!” There was no need to worry. Within one year of Nemati founding MEP Consulting Engineers (MEPCE) in 1999, she was able to hire her first employees. “As a young female in a male dominated profession, I knew from the begincontinued on Page 17
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ixty-one years ago, Emanuel Mullet bought a small Mt. Eaton, OH garage door business and moved it to Mt. Hope, a nearby Amish community populated with craftspeople. The company, then called Wayne Door, has since evolved from its humble wood and manufacturing origins to embrace modern materials and wholesale. More change came when a Dalton International merger renamed the company and several acquisitions (including one by Overhead Door in 2009) established the company’s national presence. Through every transition, however, one thing stayed the same: Wayne Dalton would continue to emulate the
Amish community’s tight-knit nature. Wayne Dalton’s Lewisville, TX corporate office, which shares resources with Overhead Door, is the touchstone for the kind of unity Mullet appreciated in the Amish and envisioned for his company. “Wayne Dalton functions both through distribution centers and dealer direct business – we have over 60 sales centers and over 3,000 customers so it’s a pretty large operation,” Patrick Duffy, vice president of dealer sales for Wayne Dalton, explains. “[The corporate office] is a resource base for us, so we use this office to help drive a lot of the messaging that is going out to each and every facility continued on Page 18
History in the making
Parkland Hall’s Portugese marble column capitols of the Corinthian order and enormous cast stone elements made it the project’s most challenging building.
says. “Obviously, the campus being of a historic nature was very important to the owners. With a local architect here in Dallas, we started studying campuses on the east coast, particularly the University of Virginia. We studied a lot of Thomas Jefferson’s architectural works, including Monticello and Poplar Forest, which was his summer retreat. Our goal was not to mimic the historic architecture, but it was to derive inspiration from it and to apply it to this campus.” The new buildings’ materials and style have been carefully crafted to match that of the original hospital. Simply selecting and approving the brick color and manufacturer, as well as the rake of the mortar joints, required time. A North Carolina brick company that hand makes and sand-sets bricks in a wood-mold box accomplished the look the team wanted. “There is a desire for this building not to look like it’s a brand new building, that continued on Page 17
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Dec 2015
Survey says …
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ane Gorman Trubitt PLLC (LGT) conducted the fourth annual Texas American General Contractors’ (AGC) Confidential Salary and Benefits Survey again this year. With the support of three Texas construction associations, the certified public accounting firm has annually conducted the survey since 2011. With the insight the compilation gives to local construction industries, companies can make educated decisions on salary and benefit compensation. “Talent and experience are key to the success of any company,” Lance Tram-
mell, principal of the construction niche at LGT, explains. “Contractors need the right people and qualifications to remain competitive in the market. In order to retain top talent, contractors have to be competitive in their retention resources. The Confidential Salary and Benefits Survey that we conducted on behalf of the industry helps give some insight into those resources.” The survey collects data from the AGC chapters of Austin, Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth (TEXO) and provides reports on each position’s pay and benefit
Lance Trammell
Meloni McDaniel
package. This information provides construction companies with the analytics they need in order to remain competitive in retaining staff and recruiting highly-
skilled workers. “Our partnership with LGT for the Confidential Salary and Benefits Survey has allowed TEXO member companies to maintain competitive salaries in an increasingly active market here in DFW,” TEXO president Meloni McDaniel says. “Construction companies are focusing more on employee engagement and compensation packages to hold onto employees. Working with LGT has been highly beneficial to our member companies by providing tangible data that can help with daily business decisions.” Lane Gorman Trubitt PLLC is a certified public accounting firm headquartered in Dallas. –mjm
Correction
Mike White
An incorrect photo of Mike White, Texas Construction Association, appeared with his Focus column in October 2015. Construction News regrets the error. –cw
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Dec 2015
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Neverending stories
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hree days didn’t seem like nearly enough time. But somehow it was, and hundreds crammed their social calendars full of parties, tours, educational sessions, a 200-exhibit design expo, an awards ceremony and even a TEXOsponsored after party. “STORIES,” the Texas Society of Architects’ (TSA) Convention & Design Expo, was held at Dallas’ Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center (and at various landmarks throughout the city) Nov. 5-7. Design professionals from the Lone Star State and beyond came to network and stay current on the latest in architectural products and services. Attendees were also treated to delights only the BIG D could deliver. TSA arranged for tours of several prominent landmarks, including the Sixth Floor Museum and Old Courthouse, the Nasher Sculpture Center and Reunion Tower. -mjm
L.A. Fuess Pratners Inc.
SpawGlass
Texas Masonry Council
Blackson Brick
American Gypsum
VIVA Railings
Boulder Designs of DFW
Bury, Inc.
L-R: Adam’s Supply’s John Burton and Trinity Drywall & Plastering’s Atanacio “Nacho” Cerda, Mario Vasquez and Todd Hunt took first at Trinity Drywall & Plastering Systems’ Nov. 10 clay date. The event, held in honor of foreman and lead men, hosted 90 participants shooting at 13 stations at Dallas’ Elm Fork Shotgun Sports. –mjm
CONSTRUCTION NEWS
Melissa Jones-Meyer . . . . . Dallas/Fort Worth Editor DFWeditor@ConstructionNews.net 817-731-4823
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The Dallas Fort Worth Construction News (ISSN 1547-7657) is published monthly by Construction News Ltd., dba Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News, and distributed by mail to construction related companies in the Dallas/ Fort Worth metropolitan area. 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 Dallas Fort Worth Construction News, will not be liable for errors in copy or in advertisements beyond the actual cost of space occupied by the error. Publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement at any time.
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Dec 2015
tion to that. You don’t really go broke because you’re not making money; you go broke because you don’t have any money. We’ve always been very, very conscious of the kind of growth that we can sustain and how we can do that without risking too much.
Randy F. Boyd President AC Supply Co. Fort Worth
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s the second generation in a threegeneration family business, AC Supply Co. president Randy Boyd not only continues his dad’s legacy of work, but also enjoys encouraging the next generation coming up in the business – and the industry – to be the best they can be. Boyd also just might recruit the fourth generation of family to work in the business. How were you introduced to the AC materials supply business? My dad, Bill Boyd, started AC Supply in 1959. I have always been involved with the company and started my career by helping out in the warehouse. From the age of 10, I knew that I wanted to play a major role in my family’s company. Other than scooping ice cream at Ashburn’s Ice Cream for one summer, I have worked at AC Supply. How would you describe working for your dad in the family business? It was a challenge sometimes, but we had a great relationship. He wasn’t only my dad; because we worked together for about 20 years before he passed away, he became my best friend. Did you work for the AC Supply after high school? I had a stint in college; I went to North Texas in Denton as a business administration major. I was the territory manager in that area while I was going to school. I called on the school districts there and some of the contractors up in Denton, and that’s how I got introduced into the sales side of the business. I stayed there until my junior year and then I came to work full-time as the office and credit manager at AC in 1976. I knew very little about the business itself, but my dad told me not to worry, that he would teach me everything that I needed to know. We talked a lot about how businesses are run and I learned a lot at different seminars. I was an audiocassette junkie at one time in my life, then CDs, then online. I’m a firm believer in life-long learning. If I can instill in anybody how to be a success, it’s that you never can stop trying to learn something new. When did you start finding your niche in the company? I started learning about operations and then the financial side, and that was really the part of it that I enjoyed, seeing how things move and how the company can evolve without risking itself financially. Too many businesses don’t pay atten-
Is there any wisdom you would pass on to others coming up in the industry, based on the lessons you’ve learned over the years? Anyone who listens to me or knows me knows that I abide by old clichés. I find that those old clichés are true most of the time, like “A penny saved is a penny earned.” If I could, I would teach people that there is a big difference between “nothing being wrong with it” and “being right.” If I can get them to understand that, life is a lot easier. Being in wholesale distribution, we buy boxes, then we put them on the shelf, and then we sell boxes. I’m a purist; I really don’t care what’s in the box, my job is to have the right box when the customer walks in the door. I want someone in the process to look at the shelf and say, “Is that right?” not “Is there anything wrong with it?” If you look at it that way, you will see a lot of things you wouldn’t normally see. So you’re known for living and dying by the cliché? Oh, if you asked my kids, they’d say, “Yeah!” Do any of your family members work for the company? I have two sisters; my parents passed on the company to the three of us. One of them, Peggy Osburn, works in our business in institutional sales and government sales; we have a GSA contract and sell stuff all over the world. She’s been with us probably 12 years. My younger sister, Holly Kiehn, is not active in the business; she’s the treasurer for our board of directors. My son, Bryan Boyd, works here as vice president and general manager. My daughter, Kristin Jordan, is our marketing manager. What is it like to work with your family every day? It’s a joy. We’ve learned over the years to separate family and business. There are times that I have to be president and get things done and times we are a family having a lot of fun. Everybody has the same goal: to maintain our position in the market, continue our growth, take care of our employees and take care of the things we can do. What fun things does AC Supply do as a company? We do lots of fun stuff. Every year, we have a day at the ballpark, a customer appreciation event where we take over 300 customers to a Rangers game in the spring. We also coordinate a customer appreciation golf tournament in the fall. We have quarterly marketing events throughout our locations. This December, we are hosting a chili cook-off at our Westside [Fort Worth] location. For our AC Supply employees, we invite their families for annual summer kick-off picnics, and we have quite the dance off at our annual Christmas party. There’s always something going on around here, and I attribute that to the younger group, not me. Once Kristin came to work as the marketing manager, all of that started happening. I think that’s one of the real reasons we’ve been
Randy F. Boyd displays his music box collection at work for his V.I.P. clients – his granddaughters.
able to grow and continue to be prosperous; we’re always looking for a new way to engage customers and build upon our AC Supply family. Does your company participate in charity work? I think the best philosophy I learned from my dad is to not try to accumulate, just try to contribute. Right now, we’re doing a “Kick the Can” program for the Tarrant Area Food Bank. We’re collecting funds and food for the Tarrant Area Food Bank; they had the kickoff in Sundance Square where Tarrant area companies competed in can kicking relays. Our Cheeseburger in Paradise team won our heat. It was a lot of fun. We try to give back to the community in that way. Do you belong to any industry-related associations? We’re a member of HARDI, which stands for Heating and Air Conditioning Refrigeration Distributors International. They’re the voice for the Heating and Air Conditioning Industries for distribution. I’ve been involved with HARDI for 35, maybe 40 years, and was president in 2008. I’m a firm believer in education, and as the HARDI president, I really wanted the association to provide a quality continuing education program. In 2011, HARDI introduced HEAT.U, an interactive online continuing education program to help wholesale distribution employees grow within the industry. AC Supply employees are rewarded for completing and passing courses within the HEAT.U education program. The payout has been a successful enticement for continuing education and the growth of our employees. I don’t limit employees too much on what they are learning. As long as they learn something, they’re going to be better employees. We have a great industry with a lot of good people and a lot of great families in it. What other activities do you enjoy in your free time? I play golf. I’m not [a good player], but I have fun doing it. I’m a golf member of Shady Valley in Arlington, and Horseshoe Bay in Marble Falls. I like coming [to work] though, so I don’t get out to the golf course that often. My wife Kitty and I love to travel. We’ve been blessed to be able to travel the world. We enjoy visiting Europe every
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few years. Next summer, we are traveling to Tahiti for the first time. We’re also blessed to have a couple of vacation homes that we visit pretty regularly that we inherited from my parents and my wife’s parents. Our newest hobby is playing with our grandkids; I have four granddaughters, from age 7 to 1 year. I don’t have to [spoil them]; my wife does a pretty good job of it, and so do their parents! I’m just the fun guy. What do your grandkids call you? My grandpa name is “GerDaddy.” We were trying to teach the oldest granddaughter to call me “Granddaddy” and she couldn’t get it and it just came out “GerDaddy.” It’s kind of cool when they call me that now. Do you collect anything? I collect music boxes. We travel a lot, and I enjoy music, and I’m always looking for something unique. One day in Sorrento, Italy, I saw this box and thought it was really pretty. When I opened it up, music started playing. They’re hard to find. You can look a long time before you find a music box. It becomes kind of a quest when we do get to travel. My collection includes boxes from Italy, Switzerland and Korea. When the grandkids come to the office, they love to play with the music boxes. Do you think your granddaughters might become the fourth generation to work in the family business? Have you been whispering in their ears about the idea? We were hoping one of [my children] might have a grandson, but my daughter was very quick to tell me that we already have four very intelligent young women growing up in our family and they are likely to learn the joy and satisfaction you get by working for a family business. Do you have plans for retirement? I’m pretty blessed to be where I am; I get to do pretty much whatever I want whenever I want to do it. People ask me all of the time when I am going to retire, and I say, ”I love every day! Why would I retire?” Wholesale distributor AC Supply Co. has four warehouses in Tarrant County, each providing a full-service source for air conditioning, industrial, mechanical, ventilation and refrigeration materials. –mjm
Texas Style
San Antonio Austin Dallas/Fort Worth Houston South Texas
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Dec 2015
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Engineers up!
L-R: Joe Alvarez, Naismith Engineering, Corpus Christi; Anthony Luce, Brown & Gay Engineers, Frisco; Crespin Guzman, executive director at Texas Section ASCE, Austin; and Fabian Herrera, Brown & Gay, Dallas/Ft. Worth
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ivil engineers from across Texas gathered Sept. 30-Oct. 2 in San Marcos for the 2015 Texas Civil Engineering Conference (CECON). –cw Award winners were: Award of Recognition and Honor Region 6 Governor: Nancy S. Cline, PE Honors Awards John N. Furlong, PE (Dallas) Donald E. Willhouse PE (Austin) Government Civil Engineer Award Michael D. Talbott, PE (Houston) Professional Service Award Lawrence D. Goldberg, PE (Houston) Henry C. Leighton, PE (Bastrop) Professional Service to Students Award Alexis A. Clark (Austin) Sean P. Merrell, PE (Dallas) Service to People Award Joe R. Zimmerman, PE (Houston) John A. Focht Jr. Citizen Engineer Award William Todd Thurber, PE (Houston)
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In Memoriam
rent McFarlin, vice president of field operations and production for KPost Roofing & Waterproofing in Fort Worth, passed away in an auto accident Oct. 29, 2015. Funeral services were held Nov. 21 at North Davis Church of Christ in Arlington. McFarland, who was born Nov. 18, 1965, was a graduate of Abilene Christian University with a Bachelors degree in Marketing. During his career at KPost Company, McFarlin also served as director of project management/estimating for six years. Survivors include wife Melanie (Mel) and daughters Avery and Marlee. Memorial donations may be made in McFarlin’s name to Hearts and Hands of Arlington, Live Beyond Haiti and Christian Homes and Family Services of Abilene. –mjm
Photos by Annemarie Glasser and Ramon Mejia Submitted to Construction News
Signing bonus
Bud Beene, Parsons Corporation, Dallas/Ft. Worth, visits before dinner.
Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award West 7th Street Bridge City of Fort Worth – TxDOT 2015 Award of Merit Manor Expressway Toll Road Phase II Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority
It was signing day for apprentices ready for apprenticeship program registration. Partnering with the U.S. Department of Labor, the Independent Electrical Contractors Association (IEC)’s Fort Worth/Tarrant County chapter hosted an Apprenticeship Open House at its Fort Worth office. As part of the first annual National Apprenticeship Week, the Nov. 4 event featured a presentation about the apprenticeship program and a facility tour. –mjm
Tales from the Tailgate
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Did you know?
EXO’s Tailgate, held Nov. 14 at Grapevine’s Silverlake Marina, was the 2015 TEXO Challenge Cup’s tailend event. For the first time, the association combined the YCC Washer Tournament and the TEXO Chili Cook-Off into one main event, and added a BBQ CookOff consisting of three new categories: chicken, ribs and brisket.
Polk Mechanical was the YCC Washer Tournament champ.
Buyers Barricades’ Steve Buyers stirs his chili creation.
Because the original competition had been washed out by rain, 25 chili teams and 16 BBQ teams had an extra two weeks to perfect their recipes and 48 washer teams could practice their playing, with Humphrey & Associates being the team to beat. In the end, EyeSite Surveillance captured awards for every cook-off category and Polk Mechanical won the YCC Washer Tournament. –mjm
EyeSite Surveillance won every cook-off category: BBQ chicken, ribs, brisket and chili.
Past editions can be downloaded at www.ConstructionNews.net
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Dec 2015
Year-end tax planning includes keeping fingers crossed for Extenders Bill William M. Gerhardt III, J.D., LL.M. Padgett, Stratemann & Co., L.L.P. San Antonio, TX
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usinesses and their tax advisors are once again gazing into a crystal ball and pondering whether to make certain year-end business decisions based on their tax consequence. Congress has hampered tax planning for individuals and businesses since 2010 when it began extending expiring tax cuts and deductions for one or two-year periods, sometimes even retroactively. This year is no different as many tax provisions are currently expired, but there has been some progress in Congress on an Extenders Bill for 2015. If passed, popular business deductions such as 50% bonus depreciation (currently expired) and Section 179 expensing limits of $500,000 (currently at $25,000) with a $2 million overall investment limit would be extended to the 2015 taxable year. Although nothing is certain, an Extenders Bill is expected, so keep your fingers crossed. In any event, traditional tax planning practices continue and start with looking at the big picture. How is 2015 going to end up and what kind of growth or revenue is expected in 2016? Your answer will determine whether to accelerate income or deductions before year-end or defer the same into next year. If a high tax bill is expected for 2015, accelerate deductible expenses, purchase supplies, and consider repairing equipment and vehicles before year-end. To lower current taxable income and shift it into 2016, delay billing notices so that payment won’t be received until early next year (cash method businesses), or delay product shipments or providing services until next year (accrual method businesses). Alternatively, if a higher tax bill in 2016 is anticipated, a business should consider strategies to accelerate income and defer its deductible expenses. Fixed asset strategies should be reviewed to estimate how year-end purchases may increase deductions. Generally, a full half-year’s depreciation is available on depreciable property purchased and placed into service during the tax year. However, if more than 40% of the year’s purchases are placed into service in the last three months of the year, the mid-year convention is triggered and less depreciation deductions can be taken on these end of the year purchases. A de minimus safe harbor exists for expensing small purchases that cost no more than $500 or $5,000 per item or invoice, with the higher threshold only available to businesses that have certified audited financial statements.
Of particular interest to property construction companies and engineering or architecture firms performing services for real property projects is the Section 199 deduction for production activities. The deduction equals 9% of the lower of qualified production activities income or taxable income without regard to the deduction. The deduction is capped at 50% of W-2 wages allocable to the domestic production gross receipts. Businesses and their owners have also learned that the additional 3.8% net investment income tax applies not only to personal investment income or gain, but also to income from a business in which the tax payer is a passive participant, i.e. members of a LLC or shareholders of a S corporation who do materially participate in the business activities. Looking into the future, there appears to be little appetite for wholesale changes to the Internal Revenue Code prior to the presidential election. However, some legislation in 2015 did impact future tax preparation and compliance. The Surface Transportation Act of 2015 will move up the deadline to file partnership returns to March 15 and move back the deadline to file C corporation returns to April 15 starting for 2016 taxable year returns that are due in the spring of 2017. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 contained a couple of important tax provisions. The most far-reaching tax change eliminates the TEFRA unified partnership audit rules and the electing large partnership rules effective for returns filed for partnership tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2017 (but generally electable earlier) and replaces them with streamlined partnership audit rules. Businesses should consult with their tax advisors early and often to make sure tax strategy is part of their year-end planning. William M. Gerhardt III, J.D., LL.M. Taxation, is a tax consultant at Padgett Stratemann & Co., L.L.P. He can be reached at 210-253-1670 or at william.gerhardt@ padgett-cpa.com.
Smart-money use of non-business time Kirk Quaschnick, President Mogul Wealth Strategies LLC McKinney, TX
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uccess in the construction industry often depends on the ability to manage our time well. Whether scheduling meetings, doing the books, or training new people, successful business owners know that every day is a calculated race against the clock.
But what about non-business time? That has a dollar value, too. How you use your free time is a determining factor in the quality of life you enjoy. That’s why some people can work 70 or 80 hours a week, yet still manage to participate in a highly rewarding home life. Meanwhile, others see leisure time as an opportunity to channel surf the television and fall asleep on the couch. We spend time, just like we spend money We can waste time, just like we can waste money. Ask yourself, “How can you get the best value from your nonworking time?” Evaluate how to best use time from the following: • The pleasure factor. This can override all other considerations. If you enjoy planting shrubs or building a new kennel for the dog, go ahead. If not, you might be better off hiring someone to do the work for you, and instead put in a few extra hours in the business or spend more time with your family. • The dollar-value-of your-time factor. This is a hard-cash tangible based on how much your time is worth. If your work time is worth $120 an hour, your leisure time is worth the same. So, if you don’t really enjoy the task of cutting the lawn, hire the neighbor kid to do it for $25, and go to a ball game or take the dog for a walk in the park. • The convenience factor. In spite of the cost, it is sometimes better to hand over the receipt shoe box to a CPA rather than do your own taxes; to call the plumber rather than fix that leaky faucet yourself; or to tote home carry-out rather than spend an hour making dinner. • The guilt factor. This is perhaps the most powerful reason we end up doing things we’d really rather not do. Since you are in this industry, you are talented enough to do most tasks by yourself. The tendency to feel guilty because someone is mowing your lawn while you are out playing ball is natural. Prioritize what’s most important to you and be a good steward of your time - let others help you with that.
Beyond dollars We are often so caught up in what we do that it consumes us. If we don’t learn how to break away, we risk never fully enjoying the fruits of our labors. So: • Learn how to relax. Many in the construction industry don’t feel comfortable out of “business mode.” So we try to do work at home. Try learning to be more than just a businessperson; it will be fun and will make you fresher and more focused at work. • Plan your leisure activities, just as you do with business. Map out your day off to include a little yard work, watching your daughter’s softball game, and an hour pure relaxation. • Don’t bring work home or on vacations. Leave the briefcase in the car. Encourage customers not to contact you at home. If you force yourself to get all your work done before you leave, you’ll get more done on business time, like getting ice cream if you finish your veggies. One of Zig Ziglar’s most famous quotes is, “Treat every day like it’s the day before vacation…” I believe this quote, if taken to heart, can make you more productive than ever before. If you’re like most business owners in the construction world today, you work hard putting in long hours each day doing what you do best. One of the rewards should be a comfortable lifestyle; make sure you take the time to enjoy it. 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.
Submitted to Construction News
Submitted to Construction News
Come on in!
Chip off the ol’ Block
L-R: Regional Black Contractors Association’s Monica Bailey Jackson, Leon Gilbert III, Tennell Atkinson and John Proctor are ready to greet guests at the association’s open house, held Nov. 17 at its Dallas office. –mjm
L-R: NAWIC Dallas president Jennifer VanBreda of SimplexGrinell celebrates girl power with Block Kids winner Amaris Burleson, chair Kelly Braddy Van Winkle and co-chair Debbie Parker, both of King of Texas Roofing. Burleson beat out 12 young female constructors with her rock-and-gargoyle Museum of Art piece at NAWIC’s building competition, held Nov. 9 at Dallas’ Girls Inc. –mjm
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Dec 2015
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Can a GC sue an architect for bad plans?
Protect yourself during flu season
Kyle Zunker, Associate Cokinos, Bosien & Young San Antonio, TX
Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX
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general contractor wins a bid and starts on a project only to find that the architect or engineer’s plans and specifications contain numerous errors. The plans require 50, 60, or 70% revision and the general contractor’s costs skyrocket. Can the general contractor recover from the architect? Last summer the Texas Supreme Court said no. After this summer, it is not so clear. In Martin K. Eby Construction Co. v. CCE sued PBS & J for negligent The trial court LAN/STV (350 S.W.3d 675), Dallas Area misrepresentation. awarded judgment in favor of PBS & J. Rapid Transit (“DART”) awarded Eby CCE appealed. Construction Co. (“Eby”) a contract to construct a portion of a light rail. LAN/ The Houston Court of Appeals held STV, a joint venture, prepared the plans that CCE’s costs in hiring a subcontractor and specifications for the bid documents. to complete the road were out-of-pocket not benefit-of-the-bargain After encountering delays and increased costs, costs, Eby sued LAN/STV for negligence damages. Therefore, CCE’s costs were and negligent misrepresentation. The not precluded by the economic loss rule. jury and court awarded Eby $2.25 million. As such, the court reversed the trial court’s judgment. LAN/STV appealed. LAN/STV argued the economic loss The facts of CCE and Eby appear rule prevented Eby from recovering similar. Given that the Texas Supreme against LAN/STV. LAN/STV’s argument Court overturned Eby, one would think was that Eby’s damages were benefit-of- the Court would overturn CCE. However, the-bargain damages (i.e. lost profits on the Court did not. Instead, the Court its construction contract), instead of out- withheld judgment. The Court first of-pocket costs (which are not precluded explained the Eby holding: “the economic by the economic loss rule). The Dallas loss rule barred a general contractor from Court of Appeals rejected LAN/STV’s recovering delay damages from a project argument, and held that Eby’s delay architect with which it did not contract.” damages were out-of-pocket costs. The Then the Court said that the arguments economic loss rule does not prevent in CCE are “best addressed by the trial recovery of out-of-pocket costs, so Eby court on remand.” It is unclear why the Texas Supreme could recover against LAN/STV. The Texas Supreme Court took up Court handled the CCE case differently the case and said the true issue was than the Eby case. One interpretation is “whether the [economic loss] rule that CCE shows contractors can still have permits a general contractor to recover claims against architects for negligent the increased costs of performing its misrepresentation, if the damages are construction contract with the owner in a out-of-pocket expenses. Eby makes it tort action against the project architect clear that delay damages are not for negligent misrepresentations― considered out-of-pocket expenses and cannot be recovered. However, following errors―in the plans and specifications.” The Court held the economic loss rule CCE, it is not clear which costs would be prevented Eby’s recovery and the Court considered out-of-pocket costs that a reversed. The Court noted that on contractor could recover from an construction projects there are many architect under a negligent misrepresparties involved, and that the parties entation cause of action. Stay tuned for should rely only on their contracts and clarification from the courts as to which insurance to recover their economic losses. costs, if any, a contractor can recover Meanwhile, there was a similar case from an architect for negligent in the Texas courts. In CCE, Inc. v. PBS & J misrepresentation―i.e. errors―in plans Construction Services, Inc. (461 S.W.3d and specifications. Kyle Zunker is an associate of Cokinos, 542), the Texas Department of Transportation (“TxDot”) hired PBS & J Bosien &Young, a full service law firm with Construction Services, Inc. (“PBS & J”) to offices in Houston, San Antonio, Dallas and draft engineering plans and specifications Austin. For more information on our for a new road. TxDot awarded the services, please visit www.cbylaw.com\ general contractor work to CCE, Inc. 1____________________________ Special thanks to G. Stewart Whitehead, (“CCE”). After an erosion problem arose William R. Allensworth, Matthew J. due to alleged defects in the plans and Sullivan and Will W. Allensworth for their specifications, TxDot placed CCE in presentation and paper on this topic at default and CCE incurred costs in hiring a the Basic Course in Construction Law, subcontractor to complete the project. Nov. 12-13, 2015, Austin, Texas.
Submitted to Construction News
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andemic flu remains a concern for workers and employers. A pandemic can occur at any time and can be mild, moderate, or severe. The pandemic in 2009 was considered by CDC to be mild but it still created challenges for employers and showed that many workplaces were not prepared. The precautions identified in this guidance provide a baseline for workplace precautions during a seasonal flu outbreak, but they may not be enough to protect you during a pandemic. Your employer’s pandemic flu plan should be based on a “worst-case” scenario – one in which the virus causes severe illness and death in larger numbers of people. Planning for the worst-case ensures that employers will have the right type of equipment and enough of it on hand to protect you. It also ensures that employers have planned for additional control options so that they can pick the right combination for the specific pandemic flu virus. You may have additional planning considerations too. For example, you may need to think about what you’ll do if schools and daycare facilities are closed. Ways to prevent flu transmission are: Get vaccinated! Vaccination is the most important way to prevent the spread of the flu. For additional information about seasonal flu vaccine priorities, Stay at home if you are sick. The CDC recommends that workers who have a fever and respiratory symptoms stay at home until 24 hours after their fever ends (100 degrees Fahrenheit [37.8 degrees Celsius] or lower), without the use of medication. Not everyone who has the flu will have a fever. Other symptoms could include a runny nose, body aches, headache, tiredness, diarrhea, or vomiting. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds; use an alcohol-based hand rub if soap and water are not available. Avoid touching your nose, mouth, and eyes. Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, or cough and sneeze into your upper sleeve(s). Throw tissues into a “no-touch” wastebasket.
Clean your hands after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose. Keep frequently touched common surfaces (e.g., telephones, computer equipment, etc.) clean. Try not to use a coworker’s phone, desk, office, computer, or other work tools and equipment. If you must use a coworker’s equipment, consider cleaning it first with a disinfectant. Avoid shaking hands or coming in close contact with coworkers and others who may be ill. Stay in shape. Eat a healthy diet. Get plenty of rest, exercise, and relaxation. Speak with your doctor and find out if you are in a high risk category for seasonal flu (e.g., elderly, pregnant women, small children, persons with asthma, etc.). natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232
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Call or Email us! There is no charge for stories or photos.
DFWeditor@ConstructionNews.net (817) 731-4823 Submitted to Construction News
Four for fore
Fair trade
It was the biggest turnout to date for Construction Education Foundation (CEF)’s Career Day on Oct. 28. The event, which required the efforts of 154 volunteers, offered 1,300 students from 38 schools the chance to meet with 51 exhibitors to learn about possible industry careers. –mjm
The KLP Commercial team finished in first place at the National Utility Contractors Association’s (NUCA) golf tournament at Euless’ Texas Star Golf Course on Oct. 26. Buyers Barricades’ Garrett White won longest drive and KLP Commercial’s Ryan Pryor was closest to pin. –mjm Photo credit: Gary Bihary
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Dec 2015
The spark of something big
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his year’s 58th annual Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) National Convention got a spark of new life, rebranded as the IEC Con 2015. The convention and expo was held Oct. 21-24 in Tampa, FL. Other changes, which included streamlining the educational sessions and focusing on more interactive and peer-to-peer programs, drew significantly more guests to this year’s convention. Joseph Cephas, vice president of public affairs for IEC National, notes that one of the biggest sessions was the Great Idea Swap, where attendees came in with one great idea, wrote them down, shared them and voted on the best ones. He says, “With that, there are just so many different ideas floating around the room that it would be difficult for somebody not to have an idea that impacts their business.” Overall attendance was 1,572, a 23 percent increase from the previous year. The number of registrants from electrical contracting companies who took advantage of the entire convention, signing up for every event, was 285, a 32 percent increase in their primary target market from the previous year. The expo also grew with more than 100 exhibitors from a wide variety of industry vendors. The 2016 IEC Con will be held in San Antonio. –mh
Thinking pink
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everal women in construction were celebrated as women of the hour Oct. 30. The Regional Hispanic Contractors Association (RHCA) selected winners to be honored at an event the association heralded as “a celebration of the achievements of women in construction, women-owned business advocates who demonstrate a vision that encourages, promotes and develops women at
all levels in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industries.” Hosted at Omni Dallas Hotel, the 9th annual LUNA Awards & RHCA Women’s Business Conference featured keynote speaker and Corporate Coaching International president/author Dr. Lois Frankel Ph.D., a pretty-in-pink awards ceremony and exhibits from area businesses. –mjm
Milestone Electric won the IEC National Community Service Award, which was accepted by Jerry Thomas, IEC Dallas, on behalf of Milestone Electric.
Outstanding Administrative Professional of the Year: Ayumi Anderson, Archer Western
Benjamin Williamson, IEC Fort Worth/Tarrant County, won 3rd Place for Apprentice of the Year.
Outstanding Professional of the Year: Lisa Alonzo, City of Dallas
JMEG received an IEC-CNA Safety Award.
Milestone Electric also won the IEC National Service Contractor Award, which was accepted by Joe Chandler, IEC Dallas, on behalf of Milestone Electric.
Outstanding Executive of the Year: Daphne Johnson, Hayden Consultants Inc.
Chip, chip hooray!
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un was in the cards for D/FW Drywall & Acoustical Contractors Association (DACA), which hosted a Casino Night at Grapevine’s Courtyard Marriott Townplace Suites on Nov. 18. Before taking to the tables, guests enjoyed a cocktail reception, an association meeting and elections, a banquet, a Santa’s Helpers presentation and an appearance by “Blazing Saddles” actor Burton Gilliam. –mjm
Advocate of the Year: Adrienne Williams, Pegasus Link Constructors LLC
“Blazing Saddles” actor Burton Gilliam (in hat) entertained guests.
Luna Rising Star Firm of the Year: KLP Commercial, Nathali Parker
MEMCO’s Kyle Hamlin and Cynthia Gamez place their bets.
L-R: Construction Education Foundation’s Lori Purviance and Beth Reynolds
Established Service Firm of the Year: All Janitorial Professional Services Inc., Evelyn Molina
L-R: J.E. Dunn’s Chris Peck, DACA’s Eddie McCormick, American Subcontractors Association’s Beverly Reynal and Construction Education Foundation’s Jane Hanna
Established Construction Firm of the Year: Manning Concrete, Joanna Manning
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Dec 2015
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larger shad and mullet as they prepare to survive the winter months. Pay attention to your surroundings and adjust your game plan to what presents itself on any given day. One other precaution to consider when fishing this time of the year is the presence of duck hunters on the water. These guys are very early risers and will definitely be on the water way before any angler has his first cup of coffee. Watch running to close to duck blinds and shorelines with decoy spreads. These guys don’t take discourtesy lightly and they deserve to be there as much as you do.
Winter shows promise for sow trout
Before closing, I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. If you are searching for the perfect gift for the outdoors person in your family, I offer gift certificates for your convenience. Give me a call and I can set one up on a moments notice.
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.
I have already started to fill the calendar for the upcoming 2016 season. Don’t wait until all the good dates are gone! 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.
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s I sit here reflecting on the awesome fishing season that we had in 2015, I can’t help but be excited for the upcoming year. This year we were blessed with substantial rainfall that’s going to payoff in big ways. I haven’t seen our bay system in this good of shape in many years and am confident that next season will surpass the accomplishments that we achieved the year. While we are just entering the second year of the new trout regulations, I can honestly say that I have already seen some improvements in the quality of our fish. Numbers have stayed strong throughout our bay system, even through the fall season when we usually see a drop in the action. I presume it will only get better!! Entering the month of December I will continue to fish limited days in between hunting trips. These trips will primarily be wade fish days using artificial lures. However, I will still accommodate clients that prefer to stay in the boat. Wading
Les Hogan holds up his 30”redfish as Carl Deaver looks on. Both men are from the DFW area and were fishing with Steve Schultz Outdoors.
trips should continue to produce good numbers of trout and scattered reds with some trophies as the water gets cooler. Soft plastics like gambler FlappNShads and Down South Lures will be the norm while water temperatures stay relatively high. As soon as we see those water temperatures start to really fall, we will make the transition to a larger, slower moving target such as a MirrOLure or Corky. Speckled Trout will change their diet to
STEVE SCHULTZ OUTDOORS, LLC BAFFIN BAY –– LAGUNA MADRE –– LAND CUT SPECKLED TROUT –– REDFISH –– FLOUNDER FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS
(361) 949-7359
www.baffinbaycharters.com steveschultzoutdoors@gmail.com U.S. Coast Guard & Texas Parks and Wildlife Licensed
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Dec 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
Merry Catfish! fish season this time of year that nobody seems to notice. Any angler that can tear himself away (or escape) from the holiday rush to go catfishing will usually be well rewarded.
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can hardly believe it’s almost Christmas time. Summer took so long to end this year I think it messed with my internal calendar! It just seemed kind of cool to slide straight from striper fishing into the deer blind. At least I’m finally not having a heat stroke trying to stand wearing my camo hunting clothes!
Catfish love to move around and feed this time of year. You can bait you up a catfish hole with some old smelly soured maize, or just chunk them some cattle cubes to get them interested and coming in to check on what’s for lunch. Then all you need is a hook with something stinky on it or some good worms to serve up the blue plate special and start reeling them in.
If you have talked to any hunters or been hunting you then you know that we are having a really good deer season. We have plenty of nice healthy deer to hunt and there are some truly amazing antlers on the bucks this year. We are seeing racks on some of our low fence deer to rival their high fence cousins. They can definitely get your blood pumping! Don’t forget to consider donating any surplus venison you may have to Hunters for the Hungry so we can make this season a little better for someone else too.
If that sounds like too much trouble, just call your favorite fishing guide and let him do the dirty work and clean your catch for you when you are done. That way you can pick yourself up a nice barbeque supper and see some Christmas lights on the way home with your catfish. After all man doesn’t live on turkey and ham alone this time of year, and maybe a fish fry would be a welcome addition to your holiday party. You might just load up the whole crew and bring them fishing with you and start a whole new holiday tradition.
The recent rains have brought the countryside into a welcome time of renewal after all the old dusty remains of summer. Where there was bare dirt and crispy vegetation now there is plenty of tender green stuff growing. Trees that were just barely staying alive are even putting on new growth and regaining health before winter sets in. Sometimes it almost looks like a false spring! Another thing that I love about these cooler months is CATFISH. I know, fa-lala-la-la and Happy Holidays and all that stuff is this time of year, but it is a wellkept secret that we have a heck of a cat-
On blue cat, on yeller cat and on humpback blue! Merry Catfish to all and to all a fish fry!
McPherson catfish
Thank you to everyone who turned out to vote to pass Proposition 6 and protect our right to hunt and fish in Texas for ours and future generations! It is a privilege we can continue to cherish thanks to you.
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Dec 2015
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Blue Beauty
or all of you (car) lovers out there, Texas AirSystems’ Rusty Vaughn shares one of his great loves: His 1939 Chevy Deluxe Sedan. When Vaughn recently winnowed down his car collection, this was one of the few that made the cut.
Vaughn says the Chevy, despite its age has “all of the comforts of home” and is outfitted with cool air, heating and tunes. He’s only owned it for 18 months, but has already had a vintage 1970s Shasta camper trailer painted to match it. –mjm
Looks good coming …
…and going.
The girls like it too (including Vaughn’s granddaughter).
Submitted to Construction News
Opening pheasants
L-R: At South Dakota’s Pheasant Opening Day, City Wide Mechanical’s Doug Cook, IBTX Risk Services’ Michael D. Hendrickson and City Wide Mechanical’s John Ivey enjoyed warm temperatures, breezes and a toast to their hunting prowess of wild ringnecks. –mjm
Submitted to Construction News
‘Atta Bay!
L-R: Site Barricades’ Ben Wallace and his 8-year-old son Bay proudly show off the 10 pt. whitetail buck Bay recently shot on a father/son hunting trip in Comanche County. –mjm
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Dec 2015
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Decadent do
elebrating three decades with decadence was Cadence McShane’s plan for the company’s 30th anniversary party. Held Oct. 22 at Plano’s Glen Eagles Country Club, guests enjoyed appetizers, cocktails, a custom cake and a prop-erly outfitted photo booth. –mjm
Photo booth fun!
The McShane Companies’ Jim McShane and CSDZ’s Sue Richie
L-R: Cadence McShane’s Will Hodges and LandPlan Development Corp.’s David Ransom
Cadence McShane’s Jessica Smith, CEO Institute’s Lane Kramer, The McShane Companies’ Jennifer Werneke and Bisnow’s Karen Pierre
Cadence McShane’s Craig Morris and Wade Wimbash, Plano ISD’s Johnny Pechacek and PBK’s Ryan Pechacek
Thanks a bunch!
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CL Contract Bonding Agency had much to be thankful for in 2015: Another successful year, a sleek new Irving office and, of course, industry friends! To celebrate, PCL hosted a “Thank You Party” on Nov. 19 as a way to show their gratitude to their industry profes-
sionals. Food, drinks and the mechanical Tom the Turkey (a PCL tradition!) were on hand for guests to enjoy, as well as frozen turkeys and boxes of Godiva to enjoy post-party. –mjm
L-R: Thomas, Feldman & Wilshusen LLP’s Jason Kennedy and PCL’s Clem Lesch
Pauline Lesch and Lane Gorman Trubitt PLLC’s Brad Gross
L-R: PCL’s Eric and Melissa Lesch, Independent Insurance Group’s Ricky Locke, Milbern Ray’s Jason Ray and Frost Bank’s Ty Mayo
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Dec 2015
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Meanwhile, back at the ranch …
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ore than 700 attendees lined up at Dallas’ Eddie Deen’s Ranch Nov. 12 to discuss possible projects, drink a few and dole out business cards to potential customers. The American Subcontractors Association (ASA)’s North Texas chapter hosted the annual “GC Night” event, which featured booths from more than 20 North Texas general contractors. –mjm W.B. Kibler Construction
FCL Builders
Lee Lewis Construction Inc.
ASA’s Beverly Reynal visits with TDIndustries’ Scott Roan MEDCO Construction
Maxwell Builders Joe Funk Construction
Austin Industries
MYCON General Contractors
King of safety
L-R: Raymond Risk, president and CEO of the TCA Safety Group; Gina O’Hara, vice president of Anco Insurance and master agent of the TCA Safety Group; Rick Segura (holding award), senior safety manager at D.E. Harvey Builders; Jason Beers, director, D.E. Harvey Builders and Brian Chester, executive vice president of United Mechanical and TCA chairman.
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magine you are a painting subcontractor arriving at a job site to find that a drywall subcontractor left a mess the previous day. This could be dangerous for your crew that must now, for example, set up ladders on top of drywall dust, but you don’t have the authority to order the drywall subcontractor to clean up the site. Only the general contractor can do that. If this were you, you might be appreciative of a general contractor that strives to keep construction sites safe and clean to avoid incidents like this one. When 2,400 subcontractors in Texas were asked by the Texas Construction Association (TCA) Safety Group which general contractor does the most to keep job sites safe, they chose D.E. Harvey, a division of Harvey-Cleary. As a result, the company was honored with the first-ever General Contractor Job Site Safety Award, which was awarded at a meeting of the TCA Board of Directors on Oct. 28. “I’m honored that we received this award from our contractors, but I’m not
surprised because our safety program is second to none,” says Jason Beers, director of Harvey Builders. “We want every individual worker to go home safe to their families so they can come back the next day and provide for them.” The TCA Safety Group is a workers’ compensation insurance safety group written by Texas Mutual Insurance Company. This is the first General Contractor Job Site Safety Award ever presented by the group. Gina O’Hara, a vice president at Anco Insurance and master agent of the TCA Safety Group, said she wants to see it become a coveted annual award. “We want to bring focus to messy worksites because subcontractors were having lots of trips, slips and falls stemming from poor cleanup of job sites,” she said. “It falls back on the general contractors to monitor their own work sites and the subcontractors who voted to honor Harvey with this award felt that they do it better than most.” –cw
Cadence McShane Construction
Rogers –O’Brien Construction
McCarthy Building Companies
L-R: Skillforce’s Dale Murphy and Big D Metalworks’ Kevin Hoppman
Skiles Group
Manhattan Construction Group
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Dec 2015
Construction Equipment Equipment dealers association evolves to better serve its members
Rick Lawhun, President/CEO Equipment Dealers Association St. Louis, MO
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ver the past several months, the Equipment Dealers Association (EDA), formerly known as the North American Equipment Dealers Association, has undergone significant change in an effort to better serve its members. The association’s evolution has included development of a new brand, which includes a new name, logo, vision, and mission, as well as a new governance model and membership model. The new brand was created to communicate that the association is evolving and engage positive perceptions, while drawing attention to the renewed focus of the organization – government relations, manufacturer relations, and regulatory compliance. After careful consideration, the 2014-15 board of directors determined
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that dropping the geographic descriptor better aligned the organization with the regional equipment dealers associations and strengthened the organization’s position as the largest international organization for equipment dealers. Throughout its 115-year history, the association has had a few different names, but its purpose has remained unchanged – to help dealers succeed. The new name and brand will continue that purpose by raising the association’s visibility and making it more effective in pursuing its primary focus areas. As of Oct. 1 of this year, the association’s governance model changed from a 17-person appointed board to a 9-person elected board. The 2014-15 board felt a need to create a leaner structure that can
Link Belt
he TCC-1100 110-ton has been well received and is the third in a growing lineup of Link-Belt telescopic crawlers, cementing the company’s presence in the market. Its design focuses on robustness, simplicity and reliability for the general contractor or bare rental fleet owner. It offers an impressive capacity chart at radius that rivals even lattice crawler cranes with a similar base rating. Its full power boom, fabricated from ultrahigh-strength steel and formed in Link-Belt’s own facility, makes it fast and east to operate. The main boom is 150 feet (45.7 m) long and incorporates Teflon wear pucks to eliminate boom grease.
For more information on the TCC1100, contact HOLT Crane & Equipment at 877-714-0978.
react more quickly in addressing industry issues and influences. The new model also allows dealer members to directly determine the board member who will represent their interests and speak on their behalf at the national level. The August 2015 election of board members was the first such event in the history of the organization and members responded by returning more than 1,000 ballots. Also as of Oct. 1 of this year, the association’s membership model changed from a federation structure, where the regional associations were the members of the national organization, to a direct membership model, where the dealers are the national members. In approving the new model, the 2014-15 board determined that the new structure facilitates direct communication with dealer members and positions the organization as the unified voice representing the interests and needs of the dealer. Not only have the dealer members positively embraced the change, but industry entities as well, including manufacturers, vendors, and other associations having similar missions and goals. As president and CEO of the Equip-
ment Dealers Association, I am fortunate to have played a small part in implementing these significant changes. The 201415 board of directors had the wisdom, foresight, and courage to implement change when status quo would have been acceptable. They can be proud of their accomplishments knowing that the future of the Equipment Dealers Association is bright. About Us Founded in 1900, the Equipment Dealers Association (EDA), formerly known as the North American Equipment Dealers Association, is a non-profit trade organization representing 4,500 retail dealers extensively engaged in the sale and service of agricultural, construction, industrial, forestry, outdoor power, lawn and garden, and/or turf equipment. EDA provides essential value to its members by enhancing the dealer-manufacturer relationship and advocating for a positive legislative and regulatory environment. EDA is headquartered in St. Louis, MO and is affiliated with regional associations located throughout the United States and Canada. For additional information, visit www.naeda.com.
Bobcat
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obcat® compact excavators are your smart choice for general excavation and site preparation projects. Bobcat excavators offer more exclusive features to help you be more productive and maximize your uptime. At Bobcat of Dallas, find the industry's largest excavator lineup and find your ideal combination of dig depth, arm configuration and tail swing style. Smart options – such as the only clamp-ready extendable arm, the unique Pro Clamp system or Hydraulic XChange – solve your unique jobsite challenges. With more than a dozen approved compact excavator attachments, Bobcat can maximize your versatility and limit the need for multiple machines. For more information, contact Bobcat of Dallas at 866-981-0905.
PARTNERS IN CONSTRUCTION. BONDED BY TRUST.
Building surety relationships for 30 years
(972) 459-4749 www.pclbonds.com
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Dec 2015
Page 15
Construction Equipment Snorkel
Case
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he new Snorkel S3219E provides 19feet of platform height from a 32-inch wide chassis and can lift 550 lbs. Nonmarking tires and saloon-style entry gates are fitted as standard. It is part of the new Snorkel hydraulic drive electric slab scissor lift family that was launched earlier this year. The family includes four models: S3219E, S3226E, S4726E, and S4732E. Designed for the rental industry, the S3219E is packed with innovative features that benefit both the rental company and the operator. The new dual shear design scissor stack features oversized pins to increase stack rigidity and increase the life of the machine. The platform is made from 12-gauge diamond plate, eliminating the need for grip tape. The S3219E’s 36-inch roll-out deck extension has telescopic rails meaning that the operator can utilize the maximum floor space of the platform whether stowed or extended. Upper controls are hard mounted to reduce theft and the lower controls are positioned in the rear of the chassis, allowing easy access when machines are parked side-by-side. A control panel for loading is located on the external toe board of the machine, allowing the operator to ‘walk’ the machine onto a truck without needing to be inside the platform. The lifts have a gravity-actuated, over-center active pothole protection system that does not rely on springs or hydraulics. The kingpins have been enhanced by a factor of eight, to eliminate breakage, especially from forklifts when moving the machines. The S3219E has a 90° steering design. Efficient maintenance is an important factor for rental companies, and the Snorkel scissor lifts feature an ‘inside-out’ twin door tray design which makes servicing the equipment light work. The
smaller door trays also carry less weight, meaning less strain on the door hinges. The tray is housed in heavy-duty ¼ steel that provides additional protection to the machine’s electrics. The chassis features a solid plate underneath it to protect the undercarriage and a flat top to ensure that any debris falls onto the ground during power washing and does not remain within the machine. With 25% gradeability and a long duty cycle per charge, the new Snorkel series of electric slab scissor lifts are designed to deliver a long working life with minimal downtime and low maintenance costs. The lifts are now in production and are available to order. To find out more about the Snorkel S3219E, contact Ahern Rentals on 800400-1610 or visit www.ahern.com.
Deere
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ntroducing the new D Series excavators, built inside and out to provide what you wanted – more power, more durability, more comfort and more control. They offer a new boom and arm design, enhanced hydraulics, a redesigned cab, a stronger undercarriage and more standard features, including a control pattern selector, free swing, additional handrails and a heated air-ride seat. All of it together helps you get more done every hour of every day. PRODUCTIVITY In addition to the already-impressive controllability of our CASE Intelligent Hydraulic System, D Series excavators have a new electronically controlled hydraulic pump, a larger control valve and a new solenoid valves. These upgrades help boost breakout force, increase lifting strength and improve responsiveness, which enables the machine to work faster throughout the work cycle. In fact, cycle times are up to 8% faster than our C Series excavators.
FUEL EFFICIENCY D Series excavators use an SCR Tier 4 Final solution that’s cleaner burning and provides up to 12% increased fuel efficiency without sacrificing power. As an after treatment system, SCR lets the engine run at peak performance to provide full throttle response throughout the work cycle. And best yet, SCR is simple. No DPF regeneration. No new maintenance. No downtime. Just pour and go. SERVICEABILITY When you invest in CASE equipment, you need it to last. We make it easy. D Series excavators are no exception. A Standard oil sample ports allows for quick sampling of engine oil and hydraulic oil while grouped service points, tilt-out coolers and auto-locking side panels that stay open make it easy to perform routine maintenance. We even added new handrails to make it easier to get around the machine. For more info or to schedule your demo, call ASCO at 800-687-008
Takeuchi
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he John Deere 1050K was designed and built with state-of-the art tools and techniques. Boasting more power and weight than the J-Series model it replaces, the 1050K Dozer delivers the performance you need for mining, quarrying, road building, and other large-scale applications. When you compare it to other crawlers in its class, the John Deere 1050K is the obvious choice. From the ground up, the completely redesigned 1050K features a John Deere PowerTechTM engine with the superior power-to-weight ratio to provide the traction needed to push more material. Dualpath hydrostatic transmission allows you to push a full load through turns without losing material, unlike torque-converter transmissions on competitor machines. Other enhancements include an EPA Final Tier 4 (FT4)/EU Stage IV diesel engine for
work in nonattainment areas. And a new EcoMode that regulates engine rpm to burn up to 25-percent less fuel. Plus the unsurpassed visibility, operating ease, responsiveness, and reliability you've come to expect from our crawlers. This dozer is loaded with all the fatigue-beating amenities an operator needs to get “in the zone” and become more productive. Maintaining big iron doesn’t have to be a big deal. Backed by the RDO Promise – Uptime GuaranteedTM, you get a level of guarantee that no other John Deere or competitive brand dealer offers – a commitment to providing the ultimate in service and care when you purchase your equipment from RDO Equipment Co. Stack the deck in your favor — learn more by contacting your local RDO Equipment Co. store today.
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akeuchi, designed and engineered with superior power, strength, and maneuverability, has set the standard for Compact Track Loaders. Three sizes, the TL8, TL10, and TL12, all with optional High Flow capability, feature a radical boom design that provides the lift height and reach you would expect from a vertical lift boom as well as all the performance benefits of a radial lift boom. Compare the power, compare the structural design, enjoy the true Pilot operated joystick controls. TL10 - Horsepower: 92 hp. Lift Height: 10’2”. Breakout Force: 7,400 lbf. Tipping Load: 6,867 lb. For more information, contact Landmark Equipment at 972-579-9999.
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Dec 2015
Construction Equipment Xtreme
Caterpillar
T
he Cat® 415F2 Backhoe Loader delivers performance, increased fuel efficiency, superior hydraulic system and an all new operator station. • Ergonomic Operator Station – Ample legroom inside the cab makes rotating the seat simple. The air suspension seat provides operator comfort. • Load Sensing Hydraulics – The Cat Backhoe Loader’s load sensing piston pump provides full hydraulic lifting and digging forces at any engine speed. Variable flow pump matches hydraulic power to work demands.
• Machine Performance – The proven Cat C3.4B engine delivers solid performance, meets Tier 4 Final/Stage IV emission standards, and requires no diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). • Machine Versatility – A broad range of performance matched Cat Work Tools make the Cat Backhoe Loader the most versatile machine on the job site. All backhoe loaders have standard thumb ready sticks. For more information, contact HOLT CAT at 877-714-0978 or visit HoltCat. com/BHL
New Holland
X
treme Manufacturing’s XR4030 heavy-duty rough terrain telehandler can lift up to 40,000 lbs. Designed for lifting large loads, the XR4030 also boasts up to 30 ft. of lift height and a forward reach of up to 16 ft. 4 in., maximizing its use for many applications across the jobsite. Built to last, Xtreme Manufacturing telehandlers’ feature a solid steel plate chassis, high quality components and a reliable Perkins engine, making them ideal for working in tough conditions, such as large construction sites, as well as oil and gas, utilities and mining applications. The XR4030, like all Xtreme telehandlers, is designed to get the job done safely and efficiently. Innovative standard features, such as 360° operator visibility from the cab, and an integrated boom lift point to support suspended loads, help to minimize the risk of acci-
dents. Long life boom rollers are maintenance free, and reduce boom chatter for smoother operation when positioning a load. Xtreme operator boom controls are specially designed to permit the operator to keep one hand on the steering wheel at all times. The Xtreme XR4030 is designed to be the ‘swiss army knife’ of the jobsite, with its lift capacity and reach providing a solution for most jobsite lifting applications. The XR4030 can further be customized with a range of attachments, which now includes a new pipe & pole grapple attachment that can lift pipes and poles up to 7 ft. diameter, with a lift capacity of up to 35,000 lbs. The Xtreme XR4030 is available to order. To find out more about the Xtreme XR4030, contact Ahern Rentals at 800400-1610 or visit www.ahern.com.
Sany
B95C - You remember this tractor from its Ford heritage. After stumbling out of the gate, New Holland has come on strong with power and performance that will get you to the finish line. Choose pilot or standard controls, choose PowerShift or Power Shuttle transmission, and enjoy superior serviceability. When your operator can spend the day digging, comfort can keep him going so you will
find premier seating and ergonomically designed access to controls. Whether Cab or ROPS, night or day the B95C is ready to work. Horsepower: 97 hp. Loader Lift Height: 11’5”. Dig Depth: 14’6”. Weight: approx. 16,500 lb. For more information, contact Landmark Equipment at 972-579-9999.
Sany America is your newest best choice when you have some serious digging. For example, the SY135C, which gives you everything you need at lower capital expense. Powered by an Isuzu AJ-4JJ1X Tier 3, the new design increases efficiency while reducing fuel consumption. There are four standard work modes to handle differing job-site conditions and standard features include two-way hydraulics, backfill blade, and a pattern-control change valve. Net Power: 97.9 hp. Dig Depth: 18’. Operating weight: 30,424 lb. Bucket Breakout: 20,682 lbf. For more information, contact Landmark Equipment at 972-579-9999.
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Dec 2015
Page 17
Association Calendar
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News AIA - Dallas American Institute of Architects
Dec. 3: Holiday Party
Steakhouse
NAWIC - Fort Worth Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
AIA - Fort Worth American Institute of Architects
Dec. 9: Annual holiday party, Fort Worth Community Arts, 1300 Gendy St., Fort Worth, 5:30pm
ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers
Dec. 14: Dallas branch meeting, 11am
ASA North Texas American Subcontractors Association
Dec. 10: Holiday Open House and Blanket/Coat Drive
ASSE – Southwest American Society of Safety Engineers
Dec. 14: Chapter meeting, Boy Scouts National Office, 1325 W. Walnut Hill Ln., Irving, 11:30am
CSI – Dallas Construction Specifications Institute
Dec. 17: Holiday party, Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, 5:30 p.m
Dec. 17: Meeting, 5:30pm
NTRCA N. Tx Roofing Contractors Assn.
Dec. 9: Holiday party, Champps Kitchen & Bar, 855 West John W. Carpenter Frwy., Irving, 5:30pm. Cost is $20 donation to NTRCA Community Projects Fund or toy donation to Toys for Tots.
PDCA Painting & Decorating Contractors of Amer.
Dec. 10: Happy hour Dec. 16: Christmas event
PMI – Dallas Project Management Institute
Dec. 10: Dinner meeting, Crowne Plaza North Dallas/Addison, 14315 Midway Rd., Addison, 6:30pm
RHCA
Dec. 9: Fort Worth Festivus, Fort Worth Community Art Center, 1300 Gendy Street, Fort Worth, 5:30pm
IEC - Fort Worth Independent Electrical Contractors
Dec. 3: Annual Christmas Party & Casino Night, Stockyard’s Station, Stockman’s Club, Fort Worth, 6:30pm
Dec. 15: Holiday Reception and Toy, Food & Coat Drive, Latino Cultural Center, 2600 Live Oak St., Dallas, 5:30pm
SFPE Society of Fire Protection Engineers
Dec. 7: Meeting, Double Tree Hotel, 4099 Valley View Ln., Farmers Branch, 11:30am
TEXO The Contractors Association
Dec. 10: ASA Open House, ASA office/ Conference Center, 4-7pm
TGA-NTD Tx. Glass Assn./N. Tx. Division
NARI Nat’l Assn. of the Remodeling Industry
Dec. 8: Monthly meeting, The Kitchen Source, 1544 Slocum St., Dallas, 6pm
NAWIC - Dallas Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
Dec. 17: Holiday party, Dunston’s Prime
Dec. 4: Christmas Party/Casino Night Elegante Hotel, 2330 W. Northwest Hwy., Dallas, 6:30pm
UMCA United Masonry Contractors Assn.
Dec. 5: Christmas Party, Fort Worth
Round-Up International planning, architecture, engineering and interior design firm LEO A DALY announces the following additions to its Dallas office: Ryan D. Martin joins the firm as design director for hospitality architecture. Martin’s experience includes domestic and international projects as well as large-scale projects, including Secrets Puerto Los Cabos, Mexico and Dreams Las Mareas, Costa Rica.
Submissions
Round-Up
Gregory Daiker has joined the firm as design director for hospitality interiors. Daiker is a 37year veteran in high-end luxury and international hospitality design of classic and exotic hotels.
ning of my career that I’d have to go the extra mile in order to prove myself. Working hard, having dedication and passion for the field of engineering are some of the key attributes that helped me become a successful engineer in this industry,” she says. Now, with numerous employees and notable projects including the new Parkland Hospital, terminal renovations at D/ FW Airport and City of Dallas McDermott Bridge, Nemati intends for MEPCE to stay a top-ranked engineering firm. “The goal for the company is to become the standard for engineering services by catering to clients’ needs, designing unique solutions and providing owners with the information needed to make informed decisions.” Although she considers all of her employees to be family, two MEPCE members really are her relations – her husband Matt and son Adam are both electrical engineers at the firm. And even though all of her team holds engineering degrees, she is especially pleased to help
young women coming up in the engineering field. “When I started my career, there weren’t many female engineers in the industry,” she says. “Now, I see more and more; I always get so happy. When I see a young female engineer, I see myself many years ago. I admire that; it’s not an easy field for females. The current generation of up0and-coming engineers makes me very optimnistic about the future.” One young lady who might be encouraged to take that road is Nemati’s granddaughter. “She’s just a 1-year-old, so we don’t know that yet, but,” she admits, “the first book I bought for her was a numbers book.” Las Colinas-based MEPCE offers mechanical, engineering, plumbing, fire protection, information technology and facility/equipment assessment for K-12 and higher educational facilities, healthcare, aviation, municipalities, transits, government, commercial and industrial clients. –mjm
continued from Page 1 — History in the making
Regional Hispanic Contractors Assn.
CSI – Fort Worth Construction Specification Institute
continued from Page 1 — Problem solver
National Roofing Partners in Coppell appointed Tim Veigel to the position of senior estimator. Veigel joins NRP with 19 years of experience with firms including KPOST Company, Lydick-Hooks Roofing, Benco Roofing and Metal Systems Inc.
it’s been here, that it has been aged,” McGonigle explains. “We like that feeling to the architecture.” The emphasis on history is continued through the array of art and sculpture, collectively referred to as “The American Experiment,” that accents the campus’ exterior. Designed to inspire reflection upon the nation’s heritage, “The American Experiment” includes approximately 30 elements, sculptures and quotes inscribed into walls and building edifices. The centerpiece is a 45-ft. bronze column topped with Eos, the Winged Goddess of Dawn and features quotes and depictions from James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, John Locke and Adam Smith. Other features include the 14 ft. tall Chas Fagan sculpture “Freedom’s Charge,” iron entry gates with bronze U.S. seals and a limestone cartouche, granite keystones featuring symbols of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and bronze medallions illustrating the Fugio Cent coin. The campus walkway also features a Book Garden of granite-carved stepping stones with title pages of important books. “Some were actually incorporated into the façade of the building while construction was ongoing,” senior project manager Kevin Newton explains. “There was a frieze from the 18th century that was incorporated into the exterior of Commonwealth Hall for instance. A number of the sculptures came immediately as the buildings were finished and were installed in the final weeks while going through inspections and certificates of occupancy.” Constructing four buildings while incorporating art would be enough of a challenge, but this endeavor had chal-
lenges at every turn, Newton says. Constructing in a tight urban environment with tenants working only a few feet away meant little space to lay out materials, including the large cast stone pieces (some 7 ft. tall) commissioned from Advanced Architectural Products and installed by DMG Masonry. The unique shape of each building with every side possessing a different elevation also presented new sets of conditions. Ornate and complex interiors called for luxury foreign materials, including Bianco Bello marble from China, Cotswold Cream limestone from Israel and Crema Marfil marble from Spain. Because Europe practically shuts down in August, the selection of some materials meant resequencing work on parts of the building to accommodate the shipping schedule. Orders for foreign materials also needed to be accurate. For example, copper for Parkland Hall’s dome was shipped from Germany; by project’s end, the German craftsman who performed the installation only had seven copper shingles left over. Despite the project’s many challenges, McGonigle and Newton, who oversaw the 15-person team that designed the project, say the client was very pleased with the result. “We just received a great letter of compliments from the client in supporting Beck as the backbone of the project,” McGonigle says. “There were lots of different people involved – the artisans, the subcontractors, the consultants that really relied on Beck and our team to pull together all of the unique aspects of this project.” - mjm
Thomas Burr has joined Raba Kistner as chief operating officer and senior vice president of Raba Kistner Environmental (RKE). Burr has 21 years of experience in the environmental field, including most recently with Chicago Bridge & Iron (CB&I), where he was office director and environmental and infrastructure operations manager. Burr received his MS in Environmental Science from Baylor University in 1994 and his BS in Biology from the University of Oregon in 1992.
This is a monthly section for brief company announcements of new or recently promoted personnel, free of charge, as space allows. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Email (w/digital photo, if available) by the 15th of any month, for the next month’s issue (published 1st of each month). Email info to appropriate city issue, with “Round-Up” in the subject line: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– San Antonio: saeditor@constructionnews.net Austin: austineditor@constructionnews.net Dallas/Ft. Worth: dfweditor@constructionnews.net Houston: houstoneditor@constructionnews.net South Texas: STeditor@constructionnews.net
L-R: Construction had to accommodate and incorporate the 30-piece exterior art installation “The American Experience.” Parkland Hall features marble tabletop representations of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, supported by bronze cannonballs. The Eos Column, located in the center drive of the four buildings, features 4-ft. tall depictions of founding fathers.
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Dec 2015
Team effort
D
allas and Fort Worth industry lead- Oct. 28 at the Empire Room in Dallas, was ers united to recognize and honor dedicated to the collective accomplish12 teams that excelled in the de- ments contributing to each project’s sucvelopment, architecture and construction cess. Proceeds from the event benefitted of the Metroplex’s most impressive proj- the University of Texas at Arlington School ects. The 12th annual Topping Out Net- of Architecture Alumni Association scholworking Event & Awards Program, held arship program. –mjm Photo credit: Ryan A Miller Photography
Old Parkland – West Campus: The Beck Group
Top Project: New Parkland Hospital, Corgan and HDR
First Baptist Church of Dallas: Manhattan Construction Company
Dallas Arboretun Parking Garage B-1 &UW: Rogers-O’Brien Construction Company
William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital at UT Southwestern: RTKL Associates
McLane Stadium: Austin Commercial and Flintco
Texas Horse Park: BRW Architects
Parkland Hospital Women and Infants Specialty Hospital (WISH): Rogers-O’Brien and JE Dunn Construction KPMG Plaza at Hall Arts: HKS Inc.
AT&T Performing Arts Center Box Office Pavilion and Marquees: McCarthy Building Visionary Award: KDC
continued from Page 1 — Esprit de door we have.” In addition to ensuring employees share the same company vision, Wayne Dalton ensures they’ll also share moments that will connect them to each other. Every year, employees bond over snow cones in the summer months and celebrate birthdays and holiday events. To add to the fun, they sometimes create movies or skits of themselves spoofing their roles at the organization. “Last year, my role was “The Most Interesting Man in the World,” Duffy says. “That was my contribution, my skit, so I actually traveled throughout one of the facilities and posed in a variety of different aspects of the business. We do things like that because it lends humor to those roles that we each have, but it also has part of the message that rings true to what we’re trying to do.” Charity is another way employees
stay tight-knit. The Lewisville crew help the Boys and Girls Club of America, and many of the local dealers are involved with Habitat for Humanity, the Wounded Warrior project, or building St. Jude Children’s Homes. With employees spread throughout the country, Duffy says technology plays a big part in keeping everyone connected, but “it’s also management at each facility,” he insists. “The core managers, their belief in the product, their belief in the company is what really helps keep everyone grounded and believing in the same thing. Even though the company continues to grow, focusing on that core value of what got us here, that’s really what keeps everyone together. If we didn’t have that, we wouldn’t have anywhere near the success that we have.” Wayne Dalton offers a complete line of commercial door systems. –mjm
M/WBE Community Impact Award: New Parkland Hospital: Corgan and HDR
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Dec 2015
W
Page 19
Costumes worth a second spook
ith Halloween falling on a Friday this year, the workplace dress code turned to “coffin casual” and members of the construction industry dressed to distress! –mjm
MHBT PCL Contract Bonding Agency
CMC Construction Services (Rebar Fab)
Page 20
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Dec 2015
Ringing Singing Tree coming to Austin
The Ringing Singing Tree
H
ouston-based JK Welding is constructing the Western Hemisphere's first Ringing Singing Tree. The company serves clients throughout Houston, San Antonio, Austin and Dallas. "We are thrilled to be a part of this art project, which will be installed in Austin," said owner John King, JK Welding. "Our staff considers it a great honor to be a part of the project.” King says JK Welding became involved with the project when an attorney from Austin contacted the company to build this for him based off some prints provided by Tonkin Liu from the United Kingdom. According to King, the Ringing Singing Tree is estimated to stand nearly 17 feet tall and weighs 20 tons, incorporating 22 levels of precision piping. “This is a wind-powered musical sculpture that takes its cue from two likedesigned sculptures in Britain and Saudi Arabia,” King said. “Its galvanized steel
pipes are arranged in a stacked swirl formation mimicking a tree bent as it's blown by the wind.” As the wind whispers through these pipes, a haunting and melodious hum covering several octaves ushers out. Every time a guest sits underneath this fantastic art and music-based sculpture, they will hear a different song. King added that the steel pipes are fabricated both for aesthetical qualities and toning. Specific narrow slits are added on the underside of certain, expertly placed pipes to produce their desired sound. The Austin Ringing Singing Tree will be on public display at 18433 FM 529 in Cypress for six months to a year before its moved to Austin. “This project is so unique what fabrication welding shop wouldn’t want to be a part of it,” King said. “JK Welding wants to be a part of making history as this giant wind chime becomes a part of history here in Texas and the rest of the world.”
The JK Welding team
JK Welding provides welding, custom fabrication, design and installation for jobs and projects of all sizes and scope. –ab