South Texas Construction News February 2016

Covering the Industry’s News

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Volume 3

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Number 2

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FEBRUARY 2016

Positive change

It’s all under control

L-R: Mary Lopez, Meg Jorn, John Pearcy, Benito Lozano and Dillon Redding

L-R: Adrian Garza, ME and estimator; S. A. Mercer, PE, president; and Steve Gabrysch, general manager, stand in front of one of the company’s control panels.

egamorphosis Architecture and Interior Design in Harlingen is flush off winning the highest honor, the Honor Award, at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Lower Rio Grande Valley Chapter’s 2015 Design Awards on Dec. 16. The award was for the Harlingen CISD Performing Arts Center.

“Now is a great time to be doing what we do in the Valley,” says Principal John Pearcy, AIA LEED. “All of the architecture in the Valley should be making an effort to invest in the community.”

Principal Meg Jorn, AIA LEED, founded the firm in 1995. Pearcy, a Harlingen native, joined with Jorn in 2006, after

graduating from Texas A&M University in College Station with a degree in environmental design in 2000.

The name Megamorphosis, Pearcy says, is from “mega” – the highest order, and “morphosis” – change.

“Positive change is the idea behind the name,” he says. “Our hope is that we create a brand that keeps attracting new, young talent and leadership. It allows the firm to go on beyond us.”

Creativity, collaboration and integrity is a motto of sorts for the firm.

“It’s key to everything,” Pearcy says.

“We see all of that through a regional lens. We love the Valley, we are from here. continued on Page 10

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ercer Controls Inc. specializes in answering the call when there are two problems – not just one, says Sherrel A. Mercer, PE, president.

“We get a large share of our business where there are two problems to be solved, not just one,” he says. “Our experience and expertise are required to find solutions to both problems at the same time.”

The business began in 1992, as a division of Mercer Construction Co. Mercer describes the construction company as the premier underground utility contractor on the Texas coast for 40-50 years.

The Controls Company naturally complements the Construction Company by providing motor control systems of the

highest quality and dependability. The knowledge of pumps and piping along with knowledge of electricity and electronics provides an excellent combination of experience.

Steve Gabrysch is general manager, and Adrian Garza is engineer and estimator. Mercer is also a director on the Board and CFO for Mercer Construction.

“Our claim to fame in our line of business includes highly dependable control panels for pumps in the water and wastewater business,” Mercer says. “In addition, we do calibration of flow meters. We service and install remote data acquisition systems (SCADA). We rent and service continued on Page 10

Highlighting your project

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Tuercas Sports Bar & Grill by Stallion Construction

Sagrado Corazon de Jesus Mission by Summit Building and Design

ach month we reserve this premium space in our publication to feature a recently completed project by a South Texas general contractor.

Our goal is to vary the project and contractor size to afford everyone the opportunity to participate. We feel a small- or medium-sized project constructed by a smallor medium-sized contractor is just as important as the high profile projects that seem to receive all the attention by other media.

Finding those small to medium projects can be difficult at times. Some contractors might think we would not be interested in their project because it may be a modest one. Some may think because they are not a huge company with a full-time marketing staff they don’t have a chance to make the front page of our paper.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Since we began our first paper, the San Antonio Construction News in October 1998, we have always reached out to everyone big and small.

In this tough economy we want to highlight our Texas-based general contractors who are in the game and competing with the out-of-state contractors who have come to our great state. continued on Page 11

National Butterfly Center by Van de Graaff Ilumina Designs

North Bayfront Park by Fulton/Coastcon and Haas–Anderson Construction

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South Texas Construction News • Feb 2016

Keeping the season bright

John Deanda, pipe fabrication safety; Lori Garza, pipe fabrication office manager; Patricia Livas, corporate procurement; Red Muniz, construction yard pipefitter; Mike Barnett, fabrication engineering project lead; Louis McDowell, construction yard superintendent; Joel Guajardo, construction yard FM; David Blakely (TSS area manager; Janet Briones, receptionist; Victor Garcia, fabrication QC manager; Mayra Romero Garcia, QC data tech; and Wendy Peña, accounting-billing clerk

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n Dec. 7, Team Turner Industries Group L.L.C. began their toy drive for Driscoll Children’s Hospital, located in Corpus Christi. This will be the fourth year that Turner Industries Group LLC collects and donates toys to the children at the hospital.

With the help of all employees, of areas and divisions that are in the Corpus Christi facility, the group was able to col-

lect about $3,000 in toys this year.

Participating divisions included Turner Industries Group Construction Division at Lyondell Equistar, Turner Specialty Services, Turner Industries Pipe Fabrication Division, Turner Industries Group L.L.C. Corpus Christi Construction Yard, personnel, administration, vendors and clients. –cw

Submitted to Construction News

Giving back

The Pharr Terracon office delivered gifts (mostly clothing and blankets as requested) to a needy family in La Joya, TX. through Proyecto Desarrollo Humano (Human Development Project). –cw

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Beneath the wreath

n Dec. 18, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Rio Grande Valley Chapter members took their design skills to fun new levels with a wreath-designing contest. As expected, the creations were beautiful, thoughtful and fun! –cw

First prize: Marty Hinojosa

Dropping off the presents at Driscoll Children’s Hospital, L-R: Remegio Herrera, construction mechanic A; Joel Martinez, fabrication maintenance; Eliseo Herrera, construction yard foreman; John Deanda, fabrication div. safety; Jessica Viar, Driscoll Children’s Hospital volunteer coordinator; and Patricia Livas, corporate procurement.

John Gates, BSG Architects

www.constructionnews.net

Gignac Architects

publishing the industry’s news

Diana Bravo, Broaddus & Associates

Milnet Architects

South Texas Construction News • Feb 2016

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Tax break now permanent

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ohn McClelland, vice president of government affairs and chief economist for the American Rental Association, says the passage of the Section 179 deduction as a permanent tax deduction in December is great news.

The deduction will make it more affordable for small companies to buy up to $500,000 per year in equipment, including machinery and vehicles.

“Since 2003, ARA has been a strong advocate for expanding the Section 179 expensing limit – now set at $500,000,” McClelland says. “We’ve been strong proponents of making the $500,000 limit permanent. We think it is something that small businesses can use and they are a huge agent for job creation.”

Before the law passed, the dollar limit on Section 179 fluctuated, creating uncertainty for businesses that spend a large portion of their budgets on equipment, McClelland says.

“An important piece of this is the permanence,” he said. “We’ve had times where we didn’t know what the limit would be until towards the end of December. Sometimes, the new limit set would be for the year just past, but not the year coming up. This law creates certainty so we can rationally decide what our equipment purchases are going to be now and in the future.”

Section 179 allows qualifying capital items to be written off immediately on a business’ taxes, instead of being depreciated over a number of years. The deduction is essentially limited to small and midsize companies - those that spend less than $2 million a year on qualifying purchases.

“This is important especially for rental companies who have a large capital

Knowing the difference between an invalid and a fraudulent lien Tina Snelling, Of Counsel The Cromeens Law Firm Houston, TX

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f you have performed work on a construction project, and filed a lien on the property, you could find yourself facing penalties as well as criminal charges. Texas has specific laws governing the filing of fraudulent liens and the refusal to release a fraudulent lien.

John McClelland

outlay and may still be a small company,” McClelland said. “Annual expenses of $1 million are not out of the ordinary. A very high percentage of our members would be eligible to use Section 179.”

McClelland cautions, however, that every business owner must study his or her own situation before making a decision to increase inventory based on Section 179.

“Your tax situation is unique to you,” he says. “Before you implement any kind of acquisition program, talk to your tax professional and figure out what is best for you.

“If you are in a mode where you really need to expand your fleet, taking advantage of these rules is an important part of your strategy and is certainly worth looking at.” –cw

Submitted to Construction News

Dust flies

There is a difference between an invalid, as opposed to a fraudulent, lien.

Texas law entitles the person to claim a lien against an owner’s property to secure a debt. However, the steps to “perfect” a lien can be complex, if not outright costly. Failure to comply can operate to render the lien invalid. Five relevant examples of an invalid lien are: (1) failing to provide notice of the claim to the owner or original contractor, (2) the filing of a faulty affidavit, (3) failing to give notice of the filed affidavit to the owner or original contractor, (4) the filing of a lien after expired deadlines, (5) the filing of a lien on homestead property. If an invalid lien is filed and the owner proves it in court, a lien claimant can be ordered to pay court costs and attorneys’ fees. However, there is a difference between an invalid lien and a fraudulent lien. If an owner proves the lien claimant knew when he filed his lien that it was invalid, the claimant could be subject to further penalties under the Fraudulent Lien Act. The Fraudulent Lien Act, found in Chapter 12 of the Texas Civil Practices and Remedies Code, provides that a person may not make, present, or use a document or other record with:

1. knowledge that the document is a fraudulent; 2. intent that the fraudulent document be given the same legal effect as a valid document;

3. intent to cause another cause another financial injury, physical injury or mental anguish; and

4. intent to defraud.

Under section 12.002(b) of the Act, when a person files a fraudulent lien, the injured party can receive: (1) the greater of $10,000.00 or actual damages; (2) court costs; (3) attorney’s fees; and (4) exemplary damages. Moreover, there is the potential for criminal sanctions for failing or refusing to promptly remove a known fraudulent lien. The offense is a Class A misdemeanor, with a fine of up to $4,000, and incarceration for a period up to one

A Bautex Systems LLC employee is cutting block for construction of a dormitory on Galveston Island. –cw

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If you are a construction-related company in Aransas, Atascosa, Bee, Calhoun, Cameron, DeWitt, Dimmit, Frio, Goliad, Hidalgo, Karnes, Kenedy, Kleberg, LaSalle, Live Oak, Maverick, McMullen, Nueces, San Patricio, Starr, Victoria, Webb, Willacy or Zavala county and are not receiving a free copy of the South Texas Construction News, visit our website.

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year, or both.

One case which addresses the elements of knowledge the lien is fraudulent and of the intent to cause financial injury is Taylor Electrical Services, Inc. v.

Armstrong Electrical Supply Co., 167 S.W.3d 522 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth, 2005, no pet.), which involved work done for the same owner on two different churches.

Subcontractor, Taylor, claimed material supplier, Armstrong, falsely promised and failed to deliver materials on a guaranteed date, which caused Taylor to fall behind schedule. Taylor paid Armstrong $7,732.99 but withheld $6,110 due to Armstrong’s delay. Armstrong held Taylor’s check and filed a mechanic’s lien on the properties. Then, after filing the sworn lien for the sum for the full balance owed, Armstrong cashed the check. Armstrong’s lien was challenged and, at trial, the jury was asked if it found that Armstrong presented a document to the county clerk with knowledge it would create a fraudulent lien or claim against the property with the intent that the document be treated as a valid lien against the property. The jury answered “yes” and the court found sufficient evidence of a fraudulent lien because Armstrong failed to credit the sworn-to lien amount by the amount of the later cashed check.

Additionally, the evidence revealed Armstrong was previously warned to make timely deliveries because of Taylor’s potential financial losses of falling behind schedule and that Armstrong’s notice of lien notice letter stated “[w]e do not wish you any harm in your business.” The court found this evidence sufficient to establish the element of intent to cause harm.

In sum, there is a difference between an invalid lien and a fraudulent lien. If you are unsure of the validity of a lien you filed or wish to file, it is advisable to consult with counsel experienced in mechanic’s and materialmen’s’ lien law.

For more information on our services, please visit www.thecromeenslawfirm.com or call (713) 715-7334.

Correction In the January 2016 legal column, “Texas Mechanic’s and Materialman’s Liens on private projects in Texas,” it should have said the author, Janet Townsley, and the firm, The Cromeens Law Firm, are based in Houston. Construction News regrets the error.

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South Texas Construction News • Feb 2016

Business is a game! Play to win!

Part 2 of a 3 part series

Work on Hand Reports – a key tool for underwriting

Carrie D. Bradshaw, C.P.A. Brown, Graham & Company P.C. Georgetown, TX

Clark Fresher, IBTX San Antonio, TX

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now your cost: Variable versus fixed cost and how to utilize the break even analysis tool In part one; we discussed the importance of knowing your score to be able to win the game. This included understanding the story your financial statements tell about your company through ratio analysis, industry benchmarking and internal trend analysis.

This month, we will discuss evaluating your cost and how to use a break even analysis tool to gain a more thorough understanding of your company’s current position.

Before we get into the five steps that make up this break-even analysis tool, there are a few definitions that we should review.

• Break-Even: The point at which revenue exactly covers costs.

• Variable Costs (VC): Costs that are incurred only if a sale happens.

• Fixed Costs (FC): Costs that are not directly related to sales.

• Contribution Margin (CM): The amount of revenue remaining after variable costs are paid.

• Target Profit: The profit the owner plans to achieve for the year.

As we stated above; engaging in the exercise of using this break-even analysis tools is a five-step process, which involves the following steps: Step one: Classify expenses into fixed or variable costs. In order to perform this step you will need a detailed income statement for your most recent annual financials. Identify each cost as fixed (FC) or variable (VC). This is not to be confused with the definition of direct costs, indirect costs or selling, or general and administrative costs used by the accountants. If you incur the costs regardless of whether you have any sales, it is fixed (i.e. rent or telephone). If you incur the costs because you made a sale, it is variable (i.e. job materials or tools).

Step two: Determine the variable cost percentage (VC%). Add up all of the cost you determined were variable and divide that number by your total sales. For example, if your variable costs are $75,000 and your sales are $100,000, your variable cost percentage is 75 percent.

Step three: Determine the contribution margin (CM). The contribution margin is the amount of revenue from the sale remaining after the variable costs are paid.

In the previous example, the contribution margin is $25,000. ($100,000-$75,000(VC)=$25,000(CM)).

In other words, $25,000 remains to pay for fixed costs.

Step four: Calculate your total fixed costs. Return to the identification process your performed in step one, and add up all the costs you determined were fixed costs.

Step five: Calculate your break-even. Begin with the calculation of fixed costs.

Let’s assume the fixed costs in step four are $100,000. Next, using the contribution margin calculated in step three (25%), calculate the needed sales. In order to pay for the $100,000 in fixed costs, your company would have to generate $400,000 in sales. ($100,000(FC)/25%(CM)=$400,000 sales) To look at this from a different perspective, consider this equation: $400,000(sales) - $300,000(75%(VC%)) = $100,000(FC) This calculation is well and good, however none of us are in business to break-even. We are in business to win!

Let’s determine how much revenue from sales you need to generate profit. In order to do this, we need to make the assumption that you can achieve the next level of sales with the same capacity, and therefore not needing to increase fixed cost. (We will discuss the evaluation of funding growth in the final installment of this series.) For the purpose of this example, let’s assume your target profit is $50,000. How much do sales need to go up to generate an additional profit of $50,000? Most of us would immediately answer $50,000. However, we need to remember that for every dollar of sales we generate, we are also generating 75 cents in costs. In order to create $50,000 in profit we would need $200,000 in additional sales. ($200,000(sales) - $150,000(VC at 75VC%) = $50,000 profit.)

By truly understanding the costs of your business, you can develop the strategy to coach your team to greater success!

Carrie D. Bradshaw, CPA and CCIFP with over 20 years of construction contractor coaching experience, is the Managing Shareholder of the Brown, Graham & Company, P.C.’s Georgetown office. You can contact Carrie at cbradshaw@bgc-cpa.com or call 512-930-4090.

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urety underwriters carefully review work on hand reports for several important reasons:

1. Backlog- Most contractors have bond lines which require that the agent know what the aggregate backlog is being carried by the contractor. The term "backlog" refers to "estimated cost to complete". Any new bids must fit into this aggregate backlog maximum.

2. Profit Fade- Since an important feature of contractor accounting is the percentage of completion method for income calculations, the jobs in progress are estimates of what the project will earn at completion. This is necessarily an uncertain way to calculate the financial health of an income statement, but it's the best we have. Surety companies use the work on hand reports, both at yearend and interim periods, to see how well estimated profits are holding up versus the original estimates.

Clearly, a contractor showing significant and widespread profit fade will experience a net loss and will face questions from the surety. All contractors will experience profit fade on various jobs from time to time and this would not be a cause for alarm as long as it is not a habit.

Contractor's inability to maintain estimated profits on projects as they proceed is a serious concern for all surety underwriters.

3. Closed Jobs- Comparing final gross profit on a completed job to the original estimated gross profit sheds light on just how effective is the jobsite supervision and project management functions of the contractor. The closed job schedule can also be used to close bonded jobs and generate the bond dividend, if one is available.

Finally, one quick word of warning with regards to change orders. It is not unusual, though not ideal, that work will begin on a change order before the actual signed change order is generated and received by the contractor. The problem here is that the costs incurred in completing the change order will appear on the work on hand report but, conversely, the increase in contract price and resulting revenue will not be picked up on the report until the order is signed and received by the contractor. It's pretty clear that the results of this process will negatively impact that report specifically and the financials in general.

Clark Fresher joined the IBTX team twelve years ago. He currently has more than 35 years of insurance experience and came to IBTX from Guarantee Insurance Services. Clark’s areas of expertise include Surety, Property and Casualty and Risk Management Services Plans. Contact us at 800-8806689 or visit us at www.ib-tx.com for more information or to setup your policy today.

Submitted to Construction News

In style

NAWIC Corpus Christi had a Membership Scarf Exchange Luncheon at Cafe Nuevo on Jan. 8. The group was excited to welcome one new member and two prospective members –cw

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Set it down gently

The Atlas Electrical, Air Conditioning and Plumbing crew is hard at work at a dental office installation in McAllen. –cw

South Texas Construction News • Feb 2016

Page 5

Our day started with a cold north breeze and temperatures in the low 50s, but we knew clear skies would warm us up quickly. After a short ride to Baffin Bay, we eased over the side on the Majek Illusion and began our wade. Fishing was rather slow at the start but we managed to string several specks in the first half hour. After a brief lull in the action I set the hook on what I thought was a trophy trout that about ripped the rod out of my cold hands. After realizing that I had a redfish instead of the trophy trout we were seeking, the excitement went away until the fish emerged in front of me.

OMG I shouted, It’s a huge red. Granted I have caught many big redfish before, (up to 48 in.) but all out of the boat. This was by far the largest red I have caught wade fishing. The redfish measured over 44” and weighed over 40 lbs. and after a short photo session it was revived and released back into it’s environment.

Expect the unexpected!!

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

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can’t believe that I am saying this, but I’m glad to see deer season come to a close. It’s been a busy couple of months on the road from South Texas to West Texas and back with a few spots in between. Lots of memories made throughout the way with friends, clients and of course my two boys. Both of my boys killed awesome management bucks this year and I must say they are becoming great outdoorsmen. I can’t wait to get

Capt. Steve Schultz holds up his 44in. redfish caught in Baffin Bay on a gambler flappin shad last month. Fish was released after photo by Malek Afram.

them back on the water this spring and summer for some saltwater action.

February starts one of the most challenging times of the year to be on the water. Weather can be so unpredictable it is very hard to plan outings in advance. It’s one of those times of the year that you literally have to be ready to go on a moments notice, or perhaps already be here when the weather allows you to fish.

That was the case last month when I visited Modern Pawn and Guns Shop and my good friends Malek and Mark Afram, which by the way run one of the best

Shaking things up!

guns shops in South Texas. I got to talking about fishing and how I haven’t been in several months because of guiding hunts all winter and how I had the urge to wet a line. Unfortunately I was boatless at the time after selling mine, and the new one still not rigged. They also were having some withdrawals after a long holiday season, working long hours at the shop and happen to mention that their boat was ready to go. I checked our schedules and glanced at the upcoming weather and a plan was quickly established.

Whether you’re fishing for trophy trout, or just wanting to catch a few fish for dinner or the freezer, always expect the unexpected. You never know what’s going to be on the end of that line.

I have already started to fill the calendar for the upcoming 2016 season.

Don’t wait till all the good dates are gone!

To schedule your next bay fishing trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-8133716 or 361-334-3105 or e-mail him at SteveSchultzOutdoors @ gmail.com.

Good luck and Good Fishing.

Submitted to Construction News

Meanwhile in the sunny south

Rike – Ogden – Figueroa – Allex Architects Inc. (ROFA) in McAllen chose to celebrate the sunny weather in the Valley for the company’s 2015 Christmas lunch. –cw

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bove, Atlas Electrical, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration & Plumbing Services Inc., in Alton, sponsored a team at a recent community event supporting breast cancer awareness. The team won first place for "BEST CHEER"!

Right, Monica Leal Clark shows the team’s logo, a milkshake, with the words “Shaking our way to the cure." –cw

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

(361) 813-3716 www.baffinbaycharters.com steveschultzoutdoors@gmail.com U.S. Coast Guard & Texas Parks and Wildlife Licensed

Page 6

South Texas Construction News • Feb 2016

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

C’mon Spring!

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know, spring hasn’t sprung yet but I can feel it coming and I’m just all kinds of excited about it!

This will be the first time in five years we have had water in our part of Lake Buchanan! Yes, Buchanan has been low before and came back up before; this certainly isn’t my first rodeo on the back of that nasty bronc.

What makes this time special is that our water was gone so long this time.

Years of no flooding rains covering up the Colorado River bottom land that our grandfathers once farmed and Native Americans once roamed had begun the process of erasing the fact that a lake had ever been here. The river itself had wavered itself all over the mud flat and chosen a course again and tall willow, cottonwood and sycamore trees had established themselves on the new river banks.

Now the flooding of last summer and fall that caused so much hurt and damage for some finally spilled enough water upstream to restore our river and lake to normal levels and return life to our part of the watershed. Everyone up here from the parched ranchers to the anemic tourism industry is breathing a sigh of relief. Even though our rains seem to have already stopped for now, we remain hopeful for more.

The exciting part for a fisherman on Lake Buchanan and on Lake Travis too, I expect we have vegetation now covered by water like we have never

Lakebed Oct. 2015

Same lakebed after the lake came back up

Submitted to Construction News

A treat for the crew

EAE Construction owner Ebrahim Walter Morales believes in treating employees well.

“They are the backbone of your business,” he says. The company, located in Edinburg, recently treated everyone to a yummy barbecue. –cw

Half or Full Day Fishing Trips All Bait, Tackle & Equipment Furnished Your catch Filleted and Bagged for You

Ken Milam Guide Service (325) 379-2051 www.striperfever.com

Furnish your TPWD Fishing License & Refreshments, and WE DO THE REST!

seen before. Even when the lakes were brand new and flooded for the first time there was a whole lot of farm land, little settlements and homesteads that were covered up. Even the wilder parts of the new lake bottom had been put to the ax to clear the way for the lakes. They downed everything from scrub cedar to gigantic oaks and pecan trees while the dams were being built. This time the no man’s land that the lake bottom became was allowed to grow in its own wild way.

In addition to the impenetrable willow thickets were all kinds of wild scrub brush and wildflowers growing so thick in the rich silt, it often was taller than a man’s head and so thick and tangled that you couldn’t walk through it. Now imagine what a bunch of fish could do with that!

As that vegetation decays and enriches the water the whole food chain on the lakes and river from alga on up to shad and all the game fish that feed on them thrive. Plenty to eat and a chance to get back to all the old spawning places mean that there will be all kinds of little fish with plenty of cover to hide and feed and grow. The most exciting part is the larger fish that have been able to grow during the drought because they haven’t been fished and caught as heavily are experiencing good growth and are looking for their next meal. I plan on being there looking for those guys!

We are even going to be booking some catfish charters too this year in addition to stripers and hybrids.

Spring Break is coming, so grab a kid and your fishing hat and let’s go!

Submitted to Construction News

Good neighbors

Stephanie Rendon, Terracon, Pharr, and a member of the West Brownsville Lions Club, Louie Medina, volunteer at the Good Neighbor Settlement House in Brownsville Jan. 15.

The club volunteers the third Friday of each month. –cw

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

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

South Texas Construction News • Feb 2016

Steven Kocurek Owner Kocurek Land Improvement Inc. Banquete, TX

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oming from a family with longstanding ties to large scale farming in the South Texas area, Steven Kocurek thought after he graduated from Tarleton State University with a degree in agriculture mechanics, that he was going to come home and be a farmer.

But it didn’t quite work out that way and now, Steven, along with his father, Tom and mother, Susie, own and operate Kocurek Land Improvement Inc. Tell me about your family.

My great-grandfather was a farmer, rancher, dairyman. My grandfather farmed a little bit and also worked for the county.

When dad moved back from college the farm started growing, grandpa was able to quit the county.

When my uncles graduated college and moved home, they all went to work for the family business.

My dad was a farmer for 34 years. We had lease land that we farmed corn, cotton and milo on from Corpus Christi to Orange Grove. There was 6,000-7,000 acres.

My uncle ran the cow side of the business. He had 500 head of mother cows.

Midway through college, one of the bigger landowners we leased from sold 9-12,000 acres my dad and uncles were operating on. Redefined, it wasn’t enough of a farm to sustain the three brothers and the four other families that worked on the farm.

Did you also work for the family business?

Absolutely! I worked on spring break, Christmas and holidays all the way from grade school and then the first two to three years of college.

In my senior year, I decided I was going to be a college student and actually went snow skiing for spring break. I put it on a credit card just like a college kid should!

Tell me about your parents.

My dad is very active. He and I are vice presidents of the company and my mom, Susie, is president. My dad won’t retire until we put him a pine box. He’ll work everyday for the rest of his life. He enjoys what we do.

It’s fed the family and multiple families for years. It’s easy to go to work when you like what you are doing. Even if I won

Do you want to be in Construction News?

Page 7

the lottery, I really think I would continue to do this – maybe not so much, maybe from a more removed position, but we would continue.

My mom stays busy chasing grandkids. She was a stay-at-home mom until we were out of the house. About that time, my older sister married and had children.

Our parents were very adamant that we have good work ethics. They’ve always taught us if you work hard for it, then you can always attain what you really want. We learned to set goals and work hard to achieve them. I was raised believing that a man’s word is his bond and a handshake is as good as a signature. Dad’s not only my business partner, he’s also my mentor.

I think mom and dad did a good job.

What was your first job?

I had a lawn service when I was 12. I told dad I wanted a dirt bike and he told me I needed to get a job.

Dad took me to the bank and I met the president. He loaned me $658.37.

My sisters joined the business and we mowed anywhere form five to 25 yards on the weekends and after school.

Once my older sister saw I had a little jingle in my pocket, she joined in and bought a lawn mower.

The next sister wanted jingle in the pocket, too, so she bought some equipment we needed and joined in.

My youngest brother, Seth, he’s 12 years younger than me, he mowed a few lawns, too.

By the time I left, the lawn service had shrunk some because we had different interests. It was easier for a guy to talk other guys into hard labor on the weekends than it was for my sisters to talk cheerleaders into it!

Tell me about your siblings.

I have three sisters, Susan, Shelly and Sarah and a brother, Seth.

Seth works with dad and I. He is an equipment operator. Shelly is a small equipment salesperson. Sarah has three kids and works for Haven for Hope in San Antonio. She’s very good at fundraising.

Susan is an office manager and her husband is a project engineer. They travel the southern U.S. from job to job building pipelines.

How did Kocurek Land Improvement start?

Dad had always done a little dirt work on the side. I bought 10 percent of Kocurek Land Improvement from him the day we opened the doors Jan. 1, 2007.

We have 22 employees. We’re a small family-owned dirt contractor providing site dirt work. Our primary focus from the beginning and still our backbone is the farm and ranch industry: roads, stock ponds, etc.

We shifted in the last two to three years to doing a lot more commercial and industrial dirt work.

While still in college I was introduced to the commercial market. I decided it was something I wasn’t afraid of. It keeps me closer to home and I can see my kids at night versus five nights in a hotel.

The coastal bend area is 75 percent of our work, but basically all of South Texas.

What is the culture at Kocurek Land Improvement like?

Everybody is a big family. If someone has an emergency or major family event, as far as we are concerned, we want to make sure the guys know we can be flex-

Kocurek Land Improvement is a family business with, from left: Tom and Susie Kocurek; and Bailey, Liam, Steven and Amanda Kocurek

ible if the occasion calls for it.

Our Christmas party in mid-December was at our house. My wife and I did all the cooking. My parents were also there helping.

It’s important employees know they are validated and they know you are willing to jump in the trenches right beside them.

Most of the guys on the payroll are new - we’ve seen a tremendous amount of growth in the last six months. We are fortunate to be very busy.

How’s business for you these days?

We are busy right now. We fight the weather like every other dirt contractor.

The business has grown tremendously in the last couple of years.

I hope our reputation is what gets us our work. The perception of the company in the public is very important to us.

Tell me about your wife and family.

My wife, Amanda, is from Mission. I met her at the kickoff weekend for the Nueces County Junior Livestock Show.

The following weekend, she was there sitting with our bookkeeper and her husband.

Amanda graduated in 2004 from Texas A&M with a degree in horticulture with a business minor.

We got married Nov. 10, 2007 – the best day of our lives - and we have two children. Our daughter Bailey is 3 and our son Liam is 5.

Have you traveled or gone anywhere fun on vacation?

We’ve been to Italy and to Maine and up and down the northeast coast with my mother-in-law. She took everybody to Italy and then a couple of years later, she took everybody to Maine, New York City and Niagara Falls.

New York City is really cool when you are older and don’t have a 3- and 5-yearolds running around. That was pretty nerve wracking!

Every summer we go to Leakey with all the siblings and their children and have a blast with unorganized chaos!

What do you do on your time off?

We work most of the time. Amanda is our insurance agent.

The kids have helped us renovate our rent house.

STeditor@

Call or Email us!

ConstructionNews.net

There is no charge for stories or photos.

(210) 308-5800 (home office) Ask for Cyndi

We take the kids fishing, hunting - as much as you can hunt with 3- and 5-yearolds!

My wife is an Aggie - if the Aggie game is on, it’s gonna be on the TV! I’d rather tinker around in the garage or outside.

Dad was active in the community for a long time and then I was for several years – active on boards, civic opportunities, etc. When my kids get a little older, I’ll get back in the 4-H, and livestock show.

I didn’t want to dedicate that time to being on a board or a committee – it’s typically after work hours and I’d rather spend it at home with the kids or doing something with the kids. Right now I’m gong to try to enjoy this stage. –cw

Page 8

South Texas Construction News • Feb 2016

The victors in Victoria

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hursday, Jan. 21 was the big night for the members of Associated Builders and Contractors MidCoast Chapter (ABC).

A great turnout for the 33nd annual Installation of Officers and Awards Banquet was seen at Victoria Country Club, where guests dined on medallions of beef, shrimp and had fun socializing.

Congrats to the winners! Winners not present included: Don Krueger Construction Co. (Silver Level STEP); M K Marlow Company LLC (Gold Level STEP); Mirage Industrial Group LLC (Platinum Level STEP); Weaver & Jacobs Constructors Inc. (Platinum Level STEP; ISC Constructors LLC (Diamond Level STEP); Repcon Inc. (Diamond Level STEP); and Mike Weaver, Weaver & Jacobs Constructors Inc. (2015 Chapter Champion Award). –cw

Chapter Commemorative Award: Jim and Jennifer Hartman, VCS Companies, pictured with Kristi Stevenson, president and CEO of ABC Texas Mid Coast Chapter

2016 CEO Challenge Award: VCS Companies for having the most number of attendees at the banquet, L-R: Kristi Stevenson, ABC, and Lynda Parma, VCS

2015 ABC Chapter Star Recruiter of the Year Award: Jared Tomanek, K&T Construction Co. Inc.

Platinum Level STEP Award: Turner Industries Group LLC

Diamond Level STEP Award: Lauger Companies LLC

Regional Steel with Jared Tomanek, far right

Gold Level STEP Award: K&T Construction Co. Inc., Jared Tomanek

Diamond Level STEP Award: MMR Constructors Inc.

2016 Board of Directors, L-R: Jared Tomanek, K&T Construction, past and incoming chair; Stephen Turek, Hall Lighting & Design, vice chairman; Corbin Lauger, Lauger Companies; Ken Lester, Lester Contracting; Tom Stocker, Newfirst National Bank, treasurer; Jim Johnson, American Bank; J.R. Hartman Jr., VCS Companies; Scott Lewis, MMR Constructors; Bill Johnston, Lauger Companies; Steve Seekamp, Sherwin-Williams Co; and Randall Ruiz, Miken Specialties Ltd.

Wendt Electric Brock Services LLC

2015 ABC Chapter Ambassador Award Scott Lewis, MMR Constructors Inc.

Jim and Georgean Harmon, H & V Equipment Services Inc.

South Texas Construction News • Feb 2016

Page 9

Construction Safety Effective safety training strategies Anna Pelletier, CSM National Association of Safety, Board member, Shelby, NC Liberty Construction, Boston, MA

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ithin the construction industry, shout-outs like “be safe,” “safety first,” “zero tolerance” and so on are ever plentiful. Marketing endeavors to share the message include catchy phrases, slogans, stickers, and gifts to reward, promote and highlight any and all safetysuccess moments. While there is merit to spreading the news, it is equally important to ensure that, along with a campaign, education is a key component in promoting safe practices. Such education can stem from in-house training programs and on-site refresher courses conducted by safety managers, or by outsourcing with consultants for observation, analysis, and recommendations.

Recent statistics reveal a disturbing fact – over half of all construction injuries and fatalities are due to lack of or improper training. Therefore, an effective training program must be your top priority.

There are a variety of training programs that range from an introduction

and overview of a topic (i.e. tool box meetings) to more in-depth content where one receives a certification. Training programs are available in electronic form, for those who are working and find it challenging to attend classes in person. For example, project administrators can take on-line courses in construction terminology and HR personnel might be interested in current behavior-based safety studies. It’s common for construction companies to require that employees complete their OSHA 10 Outreach training; this hazard awareness training is available on-site by safety trainers, on-line and offered through many schools of higher education. A company must ensure that the instructors are certified to teach and that the methodology used is appropriate and adheres to current standards.

When considering the options of safety training programs, you must know your audience. Will the training be for craft workers at a large hospital-remodel-

Keepers of their brothers and sisters Mike Gunter, Vice President of Safety Yates Construction San Antonio, TX

Randy Powell, Senior Vice President Texas Division Yates Construction San Antonio, TX

I

n 2014, Yates Construction began formalizing its safety processes and programs. Unsatisfied with an incident rate of .41 – which Mike Gunter, vice president of safety, notes is many times below the national average – Yates implemented fully documented processes through three programs that reduced that rate to .27 by early 2015.

“By design, safety is Yates Construction’s number one core value and an integral part of our day-to-day operations,” explains Randy Powell, senior vice president of the Texas Division. “This culture of safety has been recognized many times, most recently as one of only nine recipients in the country to be selected for the prestigious 2015 ABC National Safety Pinnacle Award as a result of our continued commitment to jobsite safety, exemplary safety performance and programs.”

The construction safety culture that earned Yates this honor is comprised of the Blue Vest Monitoring, Family Pledge and Brother’s Keeper (and Sister’s Keeper) programs. All of the above focus on behavior rather than punitive action.

While punitive action is sometimes necessary, Yates uses it as a last resort.

Preferring to focus on areas of higher risk, Yates has found that the company needs to spend the majority of its time and safety education on new employees.

The Blue Vest Monitoring Program is aimed at acclimating new people to Yates’ safety culture, specifically those with less than one year at Yates, and more so, those with the company for less than six months.

One key step to emphasizing and encouraging safety on the job is to make sure new hires are identifiable on the job site. As the name of the program suggests, Yates’ new employees wear a blue vest on site. If a client asks that all crewmembers wear the standard yellow vests, then Yates will use a different identifier for the new hires, such as colored stripes on their hard hats.

When the employees are on the job, they see a new hire in the blue vest and know that they need to be their brother’s (or sister’s) keeper and pay special attention to that person. New employees also

ing project that involves working near sterile environments or catered to office personnel with the focus on active shooter and hostile situations? Upon completion of the training will participants earn CEU’s, or will refresher courses be led by in-house safety trainers and attendance entered into a company database? Specialized training can include First Aid and CPR, Confined Space Entry, Material Handling Equipment, Rigging and Signaling, Scaffolding, HAZCOM, OSHA Recordkeeping, Silica Safety, Emergency Response, PPE and ANSI standards to name a few. Be certain that the training is specific to the hazard, the process, and equipment. For example, if a sub-contractor brings a scissor lift onto your site, individuals must be trained on that particular scissor lift. Training must include the practical operation of the lift by someone who is familiar with the equipment along with the proper documentation.

Take into consideration the following: • Which type of training would be most beneficial, in-house, on-line or outsourced to professionals with experience in the subject matter?

• Is the training affordable and does the investment make economic sense for yourself and your company?

• If the decision is to use in-house safety trainers, are they familiar with the content and will they present in a way that captures the attention of attendees?

• Is the subject matter relevant?

• Is the material current and viewer friendly, (it can be extremely disappointing to pay for thrown together binders, copied pages laden with typos and boring power point presentations)?

• Are the tools and equipment being used clean and in good condition?

Social media can prove valuable when opting for networking opportunities to learn about safety training programs.

However, be cautious of selecting offers that sound too good to be true and take the time to vet the program or the instructor. Endorsements from safety professionals within your network are significant, read reviews and ask questions. Inquire about associations that are recognized and in good standing. Membership with them can work in your favor as one can take advantage of webinars, conferences, and continuing education programs.

Assistant Department of Labor Secretary David Michaels recently said, “We are seeing untrained workers – many of them temporary workers – killed very soon after starting a new job. This must stop. Employers must train all employees, including temporary workers, on the hazards specific to that workplace – before they start working.

The bottom line is this: training is arguably the most important element of an effective safety program. It’s not an area

go through an additional orientation that addresses new hires, expectations of them and the Blue Vest Monitoring Program.

After a couple of weeks, as the new employee becomes acclimated to Yates’ policies on safety and health, the superintendent can take them in to re-test them on their grasp of this culture. This is also reinforced by a second orientation. After several months, the supervisor can allow the employee to attempt to test out of the blue vest. If they are still struggling with their grasp on the procedures, the employee will continue to wear their blue vest or stripe. Additionally, Yates has what it calls a safety task assessment process.

“The safety task assessment process is a document that’s filled out in real time before work to address the known anticipated risk of the job that the employees are going to be performing for the day,” explains Mike Gunter, vice president of safety. “It’s also opened up for the employees to ask questions or to provide input. In addition to identifying those potential at-risk situations that may be encountered, the supervisor also offers up the ways that we will manage or mitigate those anticipated risks. Meaning that we all get on the same page before we begin work in the mornings. We know what our expectations are. We know what we anticipate as a risk. We identify how we’re going to be able to either mitigate it or through another means manage it, and the employees then sign off, stating that they understand that.

“To make sure of that, we assign a mentor to each new hire employee on that safety task assessment process so that during the day, if any one of the new hires has a question, they can go to Mary, their supervisor, and say, ‘I know we talked about this this morning, but I’m not really clear, and I want to make sure I do this right.’ So, they’re allowed to freely ask questions and allow us to coach them through the process.”

Another program is Brother’s Keeper, which also has a version for the ladies, Sister’s Keeper. In this program, employees commit to be their brother’s keeper.

This means that if they see any employee, new or not, in the field doing something they consider at-risk, those employees are willing to intervene, identify the potential risk, and work with the employee to find a safer way to do it. Part of this commitment includes the employees’ willingness to accept comments about making their job safer. Yates gives program-themed T-shirts to those that commit to this program.

While fellow employees try to look out for each other and make sure everyone goes home to their family after a safe workday, the Family Pledge Program extends the promise to be safe to the family at home. Yates asks employees to voluntarily commit in a one-page document to work safely every day so that they can go home to their spouses, significant others, children or parents and other loved ones.

Then, the employees take the pledge home for their family and loved ones to sign as a commitment to ask them every day if they worked safely that day. This also gives the people at home ideas about what to ask, such as “Did you wear your hard hat and your safety glasses?” and helps them keep the employee accountable and responsible for working safely. Yates sends themed T-shirts to the employees and each family member at home for this program as well.

All of these safety measures led to the .14 decrease in the company’s incident rate, as Gunter points out, “There was a marked improvement to year ending ’15. We were significantly lower on our number of near hits. That’s an event that’s occurred where there could have been property damage or personal injury but there was not. We saw our incidents with injury drop. And on our lost time rate, we’ve always been right at or around zero.”

Celebrating its 52nd anniversary, Yates Construction is a commercial general contractor with offices in San Antonio, Houston and Fort Worth. Based in Mississippi, the company also has locations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Mexico. –mh

continued on Page 10

Page 10

South Texas Construction News • Feb 2016

How to get the paper

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t Construction News, we receive several questions from our readers each month, and often readers inquire as to how to get the paper. We are very happy to say that our website, www. constructionnews.net, makes it easy to get copies and subscriptions. Here are a couple of those frequently asked questions and their answers.

How do I subscribe to the paper?

On our website, go to the menu bar and click “Subscribe.” Fill out the subscription form. The subscription is free upon approval. You can only get a free subscription if your office is located in the area of the paper for which you are requesting a subscription. Please check the county listings for your city/paper to make sure you are in that coverage area.

If you are approved, you will receive the next month’s issue in the mail. If you apply after the 20th of the month, you will receive the issue following the next month’s paper. Free subscriptions are given to company decision makers, such as presidents, CEOs, vice presidents and branch managers. Only one free subscription is allowed per location.

Free subscriptions are not approved for companies that are outside the construction industry or for employees, other than decision makers, of a company.

Free subscriptions for residential contractors are only given in San Antonio. If you are not approved for a subscription, you can request a paid subscription for

$35 for the year per city, payable by PayPal, or you can choose one of the following options. Read on for details.

How do I get copies of the paper?

People who would like copies of the paper have a few choices.

For starters, you can pick up free copies at any of our rack locations. On our website, go to the menu bar and click “Rack Locations.” Select your city. The map will display all of the rack locations in your surrounding area. There are many racks in each city in offices, shops and other supplier and vendor locations.

Those locations only carry the paper for that area.

Also, you can download a free PDF copy of the paper. On our website, go to the top right corner and click “Paper Archives.” Digital versions of each paper for each city going back to 2001 are available for download from our online archives.

Furthermore, you can request a digital reprint of an article, often used for framing. These are digital versions of the complete article, full size and full color, with the masthead from the issue in which the article appeared. On our website, go to the top right corner and click “Digital Reprints.” To order a digital reprint, fill out the reprint form. The charge for a digital reprint is $42 plus tax, and the form will redirect to PayPal. Upon payment, you will receive a PayPal receipt. Your digital reprint will be delivered by email soon after. –mh

Association Calendar

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ABC- Coastal Bend

NAWIC - Corpus Christi

Associated Builders & Contractors

Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction

Feb. 3: First Wednesday Mixer, 5:307:30pm, Katz21 Steak & Spirits, Sponsor MMR Constructors, Inc. Feb. 24: General Membership Luncheon, 11:30am-1pm, Solomon P. Ortiz Center.

Mar. 2: First Wednesday Mixer, 5:307:30pm, Location TBD, Sponsor Pro-Vigil.

For more information on these events, contact Venessa Spencer at 361-289-5311.

Feb16: Dinner & Business Meeting, public welcome, at The BBQ Man Restaurant, 5:30pm networking, 6pm meeting, Program-TBA, $20. For more information, contact Vickie Thompson 361-299-6278 or 361-438-0593 or check out nawic.org or nawiccorpuschristi.org.

AIA - Corpus Christi

Send your association calendar events to cyndi@constructionnews.net

American Institute of Architects

Feb. 16: Chapter meeting at Water Street Seafood Company, 6pm

continued from Page 9 — Focus - Effective safety training strategies to cut corners or take lightly. Take the time to qualify yourself to provide the training in-house or choose an outside vendor whose training is quality, reputable and cost-effective.”

Anna Pelletier, a native of Prescott, AZ holds the position of National Corporate Environmental Health and Safety Coordinator at Liberty Construction (a division of Suffolk Construction). Anna graduated Summa Cum Laude at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT and is furthering her studies in Occupational Safety and Health at Columbia Southern University. She currently sits as a member on the National Association of Safety Professionals (NASP) Board of Advisors.

NASP is a non-profit membership organization providing training, consultative services, and third-party certifications that validate knowledge, skills and abilities in the area of workplace safety. The primary mission of NASP is to provide safety professionals with innovative training opportunities and professional certification to assist them in carrying out their safety related functions with confidence and proven competence. NASP offers workplace safety and environmental safety courses and certifications for general industry, the construction industry, and the petroleum industry. For more information, visit them at www. naspweb.com.

H Location Dallas/Fort. Worth H Location H Location Austin Houston H Location San Antonio South Texas H Location Publishing the Industry’s News . . .

TEXAS Style

Home Office (210) 308-5800 www.constructionnews.net

Guidance on safe rope sling use Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX

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atural and synthetic fiber rope slings are used primarily for temporary work, such as construction and painting jobs, and in marine operations.

Designate a qualified person to inspect slings and all fastenings and attachments each day before use for damage or defects. Make periodic inspections of natural and synthetic fiber rope slings at intervals no greater than 12 months.

Make a thorough inspection of slings and attachments. Items to look for include: • Missing or illegible sling identifications, • Cuts, gouges, areas of extensive fiber breakage along the length and abraded areas on the rope, • Damage of 10 percent or more of the ropes diameter, • Uniform fiber breakage along the major part of the length of the rope in the sling such that the entire rope appears covered with fuzz or whiskers, • Fiber breakage or melted fiber inside the rope that appears along the length at the same relative position and involves damage estimated at 10 percent of the fiber in the strand at that point, • Discoloration and brittle or stiff areas on any part of the sling, Excessive dirt and grit in the interior of the rope structure, • Foreign matter that has permeated the rope and attracts and holds grit, • Kinks, distortion, or other damage in the rope structure, • Melted or charred areas that affect

more than 10 percent of the diameter of the rope or affect several adjacent strands along the length to more than 10 percent of their individual diameters.

• Poor condition of thimbles or other fittings manifested by corrosion, cracks, distortion, or localized wear, and • Other conditions that cause doubt as to continued use of the sling.

Where any such defect or deterioration is present, remove the sling or attachment from service immediately.

Do not use worn or damaged slings or attachments. Do not use repaired or reconditioned fiber rope slings. Do not use old or used rope to make up a fiber rope sling. Modifications or alterations to end attachments or fittings are considered a repair.

Do not allow natural and synthetic fiber rope slings to be used in contact with objects or at temperatures in excess of 194 degrees F (90 degrees C), or below minus 40 degrees F (minus 40 degrees C).

Some synthetic yarns do not retain their breaking strength during long-term exposure above 140 degrees (60 degrees C).

Long-term exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet radiation can affect the strength of natural, nylon and polyester rope slings. Consult the sling manufacturer for proper retirement criteria for nylon and polyester ropes subjected to long-term storage or use in sunlight, long term heat exposure, or chemical environments. natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232

continued from Page 1 — Positive change We are adamant we should be part of developing regional architecture.”

The firm handles about 10-20 percent residential work, along with medical, civic and cultural, hospitality, educational, as well as offices and retail.

Besides Jorn and Pearcy, the firm includes Benito C. Lozano III and Dillon Redding, project managers; Mary Lopez, office manager; Doug Junkin, technician; and Davis Eubanks, intern.

“We try to create an empowering environment for everybody,” Pearcy says.

“We think they should be involved in all aspects, not pigeon-holed in one role.

We expose them to every aspect of the projects the firm takes on.”

Pearcy says the firm also believes the other members of a project are part of the team.

“We always consider the general contractor as teammates,” he says. “We make ourselves available – to them it’s a collaboration. We pride ourselves on construction administration.” –cw

continued from Page 1 — It’s all under control variable frequency drives and we service control panels from all manufacturers.”

One of the niche businesses the firm has is providing water at normal pressure when a town has only one pressure tank or water tower and it has to be taken out of service for inspection or repairs.

“We get calls from all over Texas and other states to come provide a way to operate the water system without a tank,” he says. “We have three of those temporary systems in service right now.”

Mercer graduated from Rice University with a physics degree and worked in Houston for five years before his father asked him to come home to Edna, TX in 1971 and help.

“My father came to me and said he needed help,” Mercer says. “He passed away in a construction accident 15 years ago, but he was doing what he loved. He was in the construction business since the mid-1940s. People used to come in

the office asking him how he built a house 40 years ago that was still in good shape.

“His philosophy was that he would never work anywhere where he would not be welcomed back. That is still our philosophy today at both companies. We still believe in giving the customer more in value that the customer thought he was paying for.”

Mercer has a sign in his office that explains the company’s work and personal ethics.

“Our philosophy is this: the highest form of greatness is to possess the genius and the generosity to multiply the effectiveness of others. Along with that, we will not under any circumstances compromise our integrity or the integrity of our customers,” he said. “I attribute our success to repeat business that comes from our philosophy to our customers and our company.” –cw

South Texas Construction News • Feb 2016

Page 11

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Submitted to Construction News

Digging deep

Artist at work

The Diamond 8 Industries LLC crew is hard at work on a new Golden Corral coming to Harlingen. –cw

Manuel Hinojosa, FAIA, partner at Rike Ogden Figueroa Allex Architects in McAllen, is hard at work on a new project. –cw

continued from Page 1 — Highlighting your project

Construction News JOB SIGHT

If it looks like a duct…

Do you have a recently completed project you would be proud to see on our cover?

Give me a call or send me an email and let’s get you covered.

Cyndi Wright, Editor STeditor@constructionnews.net 210-308-5800

Don’t foget!

Valentine’s Day is Sunday, February 14th!

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

Sarah Sagredo-Hammond, of Atlas Electrical, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration & Plumbing Services Inc., in Alton, submitted this photo of one of the company’s employees creating ductwork inside a remodeled location. –cw

Construction News ON LOCATION

Friday smiles

Setting storage tanks at quarry site. Getting ready for the big highway boom.

Mari Ortega and Amy SoRelle are ready to show customers the beautiful displays at Wood Works and Granite in Victoria on a Friday morning. –cw

editions can be Did you Pastdownloaded at know? www.ConstructionNews.net

From El Paso to Beaumont, Amarillo to Brownsville

36 Years of Service to Texas

www.alamocrane.com

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

Page 12

South Texas Construction News • Feb 2016

Texas just got greener

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USGBC’s Texas Merger Taskforce L-R: Joe Riccillo, Sundt Construction, El Paso; David Matiella, UTSA, San Antonio; Pam Carpenter, 7th Generation Design, San Antonio; Brad Garner, W2 Real Estate Partners, Austin; Sergio Grado, Mitsubishi, The Woodlands; Jane Baxter-Lynn, JBL Strategies, Austin; Tim Murray, EYP Architects & Engineers, Houston; David MacLean, Sebesta, Houston; Michelle McEuen, USGBC chapter staff, Dallas; Eloisa Portillo-Morales, City of San Antonio; Heather Holdridge, Lake Flato Architects, San Antonio; Keith Lindemulder, Nucor, Denton; Brian Uhlrich, DBR, San Antonio; Kirk Johnson, Corgan, Dallas; Thom Powell, GFF, Dallas; Jonathan Kraatz, USGBC Texas executive director; Scott Gerhardt, Interceramic, Austin

he U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) strives toward efficiency and sustainability for buildings and their construction, and now the 501c3 has restructured to become more efficient and sustainable in the State of Texas.

As of Jan. 1, all of Texas’ previous USGBC chapters were consolidated into the USGBC Texas Chapter with five regional councils to continue representation and association activity across the Lone Star State. The five regions are Gulf Coast, based in Houston; South Texas, based in San Antonio; Central Texas, based in Austin; West Texas, based in El Paso; and North Texas, based in Dallas, the new statewide chapter’s headquarters.

“The biggest point of our restructuring here in Texas is being able to be a more efficient and effective organization,” says Jonathan Kraatz, the Texas Chapter executive director, who is based in Dallas. “It allows us the opportunity to centralize our administrative costs and our administra-

tive duties and really gets our volunteers back to working in their communities as their primary focus instead of on administration of the organization.”

A LEED Green Associate, Kraatz had been on staff with the USGBC North Texas Chapter since 2010, previously serving as executive director of North Texas before taking on the role of the first executive director of USGBC Texas. He notes that he will be visiting as well as video conferencing regularly with the regional councils.

Under the new structure, one of the biggest changes is San Antonio and Austin being separated into their own regions. Previously, they were both covered under a single office, the Central TexasBalcones Chapter.

Individual chapter memberships were automatically transferred over to USGBC Texas, and annual membership renewal will continue to be on the anniversary of joining date. –mh

What is your favorite dessert?

My mother-in-law’s homemade from scratch carrot cake with homemade cream cheese icing because it is so moist, so delicious and you can taste the love she puts into it.

Lynda Parma, VCS Companies, Victoria My favorite dessert is Cherries Jubilee. It is getting hard to find restaurants that serve it, maybe because of the fire danger? Anyway it is the best dessert, flaming cherries and ice cream!

Sue Johnson, Construction News

Map of the new USGBC Texas Regions

My Aunt Ruth’s Pecan Pie. It was the most delicious pie ever made. Every year at our family reunions in Missouri, if you weren’t quick, you wouldn’t get a piece. I remember one time about 25 years ago we missed out. She always brought three pies and they were all gone before we could get a bite. On the way home, my little brother asked if any of us wanted a piece of Aunt Ruth’s pecan pie. He had snatched a whole pie! He got a lecture and we had to tell our kinfolk what he’d done, but we did get to enjoy pecan pie all the way back to Texas!

Darlene Lee Omana, CCA, CIT, CRRL Gill Roofing Co. Inc., Corpus Christi My favorite desert is turtle cheesecake because you get a mix of crunchy and

Map of the new USGBC Texas Regions

chocolaty tastes with your cheesecake.

Michelle Patton, P.E., Maverick Engineering Inc., Corpus Christi Nothing beats a great piece of pie. Any pie as long as it has great loved baked in it.

Teresa Smith, St. John’s United Methodist Church, Corpus Christi Desert? Peach Cobbler, because it’s so good.

C. Alejandro Roque, Assoc. AIA, ROFA, McAllen German chocolate cake ... Because it’s rich.

James Rodriguez, Blue Sun Studio Cheesecake (No toppings) It’s the best!

Eric C. Kennedy, South Texas Division President/Employee Owner, SpawGlass Pecan pie, because it was the first sweet my mother gave me.

Felipe Balli, Atlas Electrical, Air Conditioning, & Plumbing Services Inc., Alton My favorite is my daughter’s lemon Oreo cheesecake with lemon curd topping. I polled our people and got: strawberry cheesecake, chocolate meringue pie, spice cake with cream cheese frosting and red velvet cake.

Cecelia Mercer, Mercer Controls Inc., Edna, TX From Terracon, Pharr: Pennsylvania Dutch Apple Pie…makes me homesick.

Christopher Albright Turtle Cheesecake is my all-time favorite.

The combination of caramel and chocolate is the best … I always save room for dessert!

Stephanie Rendon Tres Leches because it is so rich and yummy!

Jorge A. Flores, P.G. Fresas con crema! Because strawberries are good for me. it’s a fruit!

Frances Villarreal From Peacock General Contractor, Harlingen: Chocolate cake - who doesn’t like chocolate?

Kerry McBride Pecan pie - My grandma’s farm raised pecan trees.

Eleanor Hinojosa Boston cream pie - Just like the way it tastes.

Bill Peacock Crème Brule - My wife and I don’t eat a lot of sweets, but when we do, we share a crème brule.

Tre’ Peacock