Austin Construction News April 2016

Covering the Industry’s News

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Volume 15

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Number 4

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APRIL 2016

Needed: White horse

Rebel Weirdness Skatepark

The Dennis Steel crew gets to work righting a wrong for a Leander non-profit.

Avid skateboarder Paul Marriott is looking forward to building America’s largest skate park.

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avid Dennis, owner of Dennis Steel in Leander, admits he has a soft spot for Open My World Therapeutic Riding Center (OMW), also in Leander.

But he didn’t know anything about the non-profit center until he answered a call for help.

OMW offers therapeutic horse riding for individuals, primarily children, who have disabilities. Founder/director Donna Roland says Dennis was a knight in shining armor.

“During the past two years, OMW has been holding fundraisers and saving their funds to pay for a project to cover their arena,” Roland said. “The project has been done in phases and in Novem-

ber 2015 the final phase of construction was scheduled. The date was set. The day came and went. The contractor did not respond.”

Roland says the center attempted to contact the contractor numerous times before looking for someone else to finish the project.

“David took 20 minutes to come and see what our project looked like and without hesitation took on the challenge,” she says. “He not only took on the task but agreed to supply a missing beam and roofing material for the additional length, for the same relatively small amount of the balance due on the original bid!” continued on Page 14

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ouston has what is being called the largest skateboard park in North America – a situation that must be remedied and soon, says Austin’s Paul Marriott, owner of Resfloor Concrete Solutions, an industrial flooring firm.

Houston’s skatepark, Spring Skatepark, has 78,000-sf of skate surface. Marriott is planning to be involved in the construction of a skatepark near Austin that includes some 300,000-sf of skate surface.

“I love Austin and I just cannot let Houston have the honor of having the largest skatepark in Texas – never mind in North America,” Marriott, an avid skateboarder, says. His company will take care

of the slip resistant concrete flooring on the course.

Private donations from Austin-area “shredders” have already reached the $12 million mark Marriott estimates the project will cost.

Marriott is keeping the location of the skateboard park a secret for now, but says the project will be built on 600 acres that include woods, lakes and a river.

“What’s really amazing about this location is that we are going to be able to incorporate things into this skatepark that have never been seen in skate parks before,” Marriott said.

Along with the usual fare of bowls, hips and quarterpipes, the tentatively continued on Page 14

Contractor as client

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t’s one thing for general contractors to build for clients – that’s something K-W Construction Inc. president Elaine Thomas has done for more than three decades. But it’s another to construct a space for your own company, as well as any future tenants who may share it.

The latter was a challenge Thomas recently met head-on when building her company’s new office at 35 Oaks Building 2 in San Marcos. Having constructed spaces for others, she had definite ideas about her new office’s appearance.

However, the design needed flexibility to accommodate future tenants, and it was her company’s budget that would dictate the materials and finishes.

Thomas worked closely with architect Robert Hooper, HADC, K-W vice-president and superintendent Ernesto Gonzalez and local subcontractors to achieve the desired

K-W Construction Inc. recently became its own client when it built its new office at 35 Oaks Building 2.

result – a high-ceilinged 32,690-sf Class A office/warehouse that balances what Thomas wanted and needed her company’s new office to be.

“The building is a big, open warehouse that is considered flex space; it can be all offices – which is what we have in here – or it can be a combination office/warehouse. We don’t have overhead doors in the back, but because it’s tilt-wall construction, we can put them in if needed. But, we do have knockout panels back there, ready if needed,” Thomas explains. “We took 6,400sf for ourselves, and I have another 4400sf of the building leased, so two-thirds of the building is still available. We can cut it up if somebody wants 10,000sf; we’ll put up a wall and finish it out for them. “ Despite the building’s partwarehouse classification, Thomas incorporated elements that gave the continued on Page 14

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Austin Construction News • Apr 2016

Austin Construction News • Apr 2016

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WIC kicks!

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or one week in March, women in the construction industry celebrate their many and varied contributions to the construction industry. Women in Construction (WIC) Week is one of the National Association of Women in Construction’s (NAWIC) most anticipated events, and the Austin chapter planned plenty of events to highlight their time to shine.

On Feb. 27, NAWIC Austin Chapter #7 kicked things off with the highly-anticipated Introduce a Girl to Engineering event. The goal was for each girl or group to build a tower stable enough to support a golf ball – highest tower wins! The only materials the girls were able use were 10

sheets of newspaper and 3’ of tape!

On Mar. 4, Hensel Phelps provided a tour of an active jobsite for Crockett High School - Construction Technology Students, with the help of the HP Staff at the University of Texas Engineering Education and Research Center (EERC).

On Mar. 8, everybody gathered for a relaxing Yoga Happy Hour, hosted by Associated General Contractors (AGC) and sponsored by Edge Electric.

To finish the week off, the women spent some time on a community event, packing meals at the Capital Area Food Bank on Mar. 10. –cw

Introduce a Girl to Engineering, L-R: Jamie Leonard, Abbie Leonard, Kelli Mitchell, Melissa Marwitz, Gala Burns, GeKai Halton and Avilez Chaiah.

The women got their yoga on courtesy of AGC and Edge Electric.

Community service to celebrate WIC Week finished everything off as the chapter packed meals at the Capital Area Food Bank. Front row, L-R: Toni Osberry, Wren Fair and Kelli Mitchell; middle, l-r: Gala Burns, Summer Dougherty and Misti Schafer; back, L-R: Jamie Denton, Cindy Richter, Amy Maresca, Sandra Johnson, Molly Drazic, Jamie Leonard, Kimberly McDaniel and GeKai Halton.

Using only newspaper and tape, these girls were proud of their finished project at the Introduce a Girl to Engineering event.

On Mar. 4, everybody donned their hard hats and checked out a job site. The whole top row is the Crockett High School Construction Technology students; bottom row, L-R: Toni Osberry, Nikki Guinn, Kelli Mitchell, Emily Coffman, Pilar Avalos and Taryn Ritchie.

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Austin Construction News • Apr 2016

10 things every construction company should do to control their E-Mod

What you need to know about compilations, reviews and audits to obtain a loan or line of credit

Tom Spencer, Construction Practice Leader INSURICA San Antonio, TX

PKF Texas Houston, TX Chris Hatten, CPA,

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any business owners looking for their first loan or line of credit face the daunting task of picking the right financial institution and subsequent credit agreement that best fits their current and future needs. Unfortunately, this can be a challenge for many owners who do not have experience in finance or accounting.

Signing a loan that is not properly negotiated can cost tens of thousands of dollars per year, while choosing the incorrect loan can be an expensive mistake that cuts into your bottom line for years.

Most loans or lines of credit come with different covenants, and many require the borrower to provide yearly financial statements. These range from internally prepared financial statements to compilations, reviews or audits. Many first-time borrowers don’t understand the differences or the costs of producing these reports.

Financial statements prepared by a CPA firm assist with the assurance banks look for when they issue a loan. Typically, the larger the loan, the more assurance the bank will require. Some loans only require a compilation, which technically provides no assurance, while loans which appear riskier to the bank may require a financial statement audit.

Compilation A compilation is a financial report put together by a CPA firm that follows AICPA guidelines to assure the financial statements are presented in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) or other standards recognized by the AICPA. This is a relatively inexpensive report, compared a review or audit, but it also provides no assurance.

Review A review is the next step up and provides limited assurance. This report must be done by a qualified CPA firm, but unlike a compilation, the firm must be independent; meaning, the firm has no financial interests in the business, relations with owners or elected members of management, or with the area of the business it reviews. A review is typically two or three times more expensive than a compilation, with an increase in the level of work for the review process, and the increased risk the accounting firm assesses in preparing the reports. Reviews are like compilations, in that they are the representation of

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Sam Razmandi, CPA management and not the CPA firm, and follows standards set by the AICPA. Audit This is typically a much more involved process and provides reasonable assurance the financials are presented fairly, in all material respects, and are in accordance with the stated financial framework, such as U.S. GAAP or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Audit procedures include an examination, substantive analytics, confirmations, and for some companies, the testing of internal controls. Audits can be two or three times the cost of a review and can even get into the six figures, depending on the company, its size and the complexity of the transaction involved.

There can be a major price difference between the procedures banks may require, so it is important to note, like other aspects of your loan, these requirements can be negotiated. As with interest rates, collateral and other important factors of a loan, the financial reporting requirements are just as substantial. At times, a bank may be asking for an audit when a review might suffice and be a better fit for your business needs.

Yet, after obtaining a loan or line of credit, it can be a painful lesson to learn of the costs associated with preparing the required financial statements, and the subsequent charges incurred by the CPA firm. It takes proper planning to prepare for a compilation, review or audit, which adds to the costs incurred if the company is not ready for the process.

Most business owners do not like surprises. Always read the fine print and make sure you understand all of the covenants and reporting requirements that come with a debt obligation. Discuss these items with your banker and CPA to ensure you understand and can meet them.

In addition, find out if any of the three can be interchanged from one year to the next. For example, getting a review one year and an audit the next can save time and money and may still be able to satisfy the financial institution and allow the business owner to grow into the reporting process.

Chris Hatten, CPA, and Sam Razmandi, CPA, at PKF Texas can be reached at chatten@pkftexas.com or srazmandi@ pkftexas.com.

t is a beast that goes by many names: Experience Modification Rating (EMR), Experience Modification Factor (EMF), experience modifier, and many others. I call it the “e-mod.” Many people in the construction industry are judged by their e-mod, but most owners and operators think their rating is out of their control. Here are 10 tried and true ways anyone in the construction industry can take back control: 1. Understand how your e-mod is calculated.

Understanding how your e-mod is calculated is the foundation for building a plan to control it. Once a basic understanding is achieved, all efforts with loss control, claims control, and safety planning can be specifically targeted to have the biggest impact on your bottom line.

2. Understand the financial impact of your claims.

When you understand how individual claims affect your e-mod (and ultimately, your Workers’ Comp premium), it is easier to allocate resources where they can be most helpful. Claims trends can be analyzed to understand the impact of specific types of claims. This information can then be used to foresee problems before they get out of control.

3. Invest in your company’s safety culture.

Creating a strong safety culture is an investment in the future success of your operations. It is well documented that a strong safety culture has far-reaching benefits, including increasing employee retention, increasing employee morale, creating a team atmosphere, and drastically reducing workplace injuries.

4. Make Return-to-Work work for you.

Early Return-to-Work, or “light-duty,” programs have been shown to have tremendous benefits, when implemented correctly. While some employers have mixed feelings about Return-to-Work, nearly every best-in-class construction company has some form of a Return-toWork program—and for good reasons.

5. Work with loss control and risk management experts.

Loss control and risk management experts can do more than keep you in compliance with OSHA requirements. A skilled professional can assess your current operations and make recommendations based upon best-in-class status. Pro tip: check with your insurance carrier to see if they offer free loss control services to policyholders.

6. Help control the cost of claims.

Controlling the cost of claims goes beyond timely claim reporting. Develop a procedure for injured employees to follow, and work with your insurance carrier to communicate with injured employees. Routine claims

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reviews can keep you up-to-date on claims before they spiral out of control. Claims costs are directly related to how your e-mod is calculated, and the lower your claims costs are, the lower your e-mod will be.

7. Communicate with your insurance carrier.

Develop relationships with the claims managers and adjusters at your insurance carrier. Most carriers have a limited number of claims people, so it is common to work with the same people over many years on multiple claims. Let them know you take your safety culture very seriously, and communicate with them about resources at your disposal, such as your Return-to-Work program.

8. Hire the right people.

Construction is hard work. Ensuring that capable, skilled workers are being hired is one of the easiest ways to prevent fraudulent claims and control overall claims costs. Best-in-class companies utilize pre-employment screenings and physicals in order to avoid potentially problematic hires. Additional resources available include reference checks, motor vehicle record checks, criminal background checks, and integrity testing.

9. Create safety goals.

Having employees buy in to your safety culture is paramount for your success.

Creating achievable short- and long-term goals is a way to engage employees and give them ownership in the safety process.

10. Celebrate safety success.

Adding to number nine, it is important to celebrate team safety successes.

Many companies choose to do monthly catered lunches for loss-free months, while others provide things like new work boots to their employees to reward successes. Regardless of what your specific incentive program consists of, it is important that the message is well-communicated and all mid-level managers support all safety goals and celebrations.

Tom Spencer is the Construction Practice Leader for INSURICA’s Texas offices. His experience as a life-long construction insurance professional gives him a unique understanding of managing the risks facing the construction industry. Tom can be contacted at TSpencer@INSURICA.com or by phone at 210.805.5901.

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Austin Construction News • Apr 2016

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Stewards of a legacy Assignment issues in construction contracts Ben Wheatley , Title Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr Austin, TX

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s construction, design and real estate professionals (and their lawyers) know, the following clause is found in most standard AIA contracts: Neither Owner nor Architect [or Contractor] shall assign this Agreement as a whole without the written consent of the other, except that Owner may assign this Agreement to an institutional lender providing financing for the Project.

Because the only explicit exception to the consent prerequisite in the AIA Contract is for institutional lenders, courts have questioned whether this provision actually prevents the assignment of contract performance or related causes of action. For example, design and construction professionals want the right to choose who they work for. On the other hand, a developer may have a difficult time selling a newly completed project if the design and construction teams cannot be held accountable for defects that are discovered after a sale.

In addressing this question, courts generally interpret this provision to prohibit the assignment of contract performance, but not the assignment of a postperformance cause of action relating to that performance. The primary purpose of clauses prohibiting the assignment of contract rights without permission is to allow the party to select the persons with whom he [or she] deals. When a contract is performed prior to the assignment of a breach of contract claim arising therefrom, assignment of the claim does not require consent because a general antiassignment clause, one aimed at prohibiting the assignment of a contractual performance, does not necessarily prohibit the assignment of a breach of contract cause of action.

The legal distinction between the “right to assign performance under a contract and the right to receive damages for its breach” is the right to assign performance of the executory contract. There are two reasons for this distinction: First, is the general rule that causes of action are freely assignable Second, references not only the distinction between executory and non-executory contracts, but between contracts pre- and post-breach Even though an executory contract may be non-assignable because of its personal nature, after an event that gives rise to a liability on a contract, the reason for the rule disappears and the cause of action arising under the contract is assignable. Thus, claims for money due under a contract, which is non-assignable because of its personal nature, may be assigned to a third person and enforced by the assignee.

Courts have traditionally made this distinction between an assignment of a right or thing before a loss or breach has occurred, and an assignment of a right or thing after a loss or breach has occurred.

This is because pre-breach assignments involve the potential creation of new contractual relationships, which could materially increase the risk of the non-

consenting party, whereas the postbreach assignment is supported by the law concerning the free alienability of causes of action that do not materially increase the risk of the non-consenting party because, in theory, that risk has been fixed by the breach or loss. Last, when the anti-assignment clause prohibits assignment “as a whole,” assignment of the right to sue only constitutes a partial assignment.

The AIA language above will not prevent the assignment of a contract, even while executory. Rather, a party seeking to enforce the anti-assignment provision will simply have a breach of contract claim for damages arising from the breach. If a party wants to prevent assignment while a contract is executory, it should include language in the clause noting that any assignment without consent is void and unenforceable.

Finally, when reviewing a design or construction contract, which contains an anti-assignment provision, carefully consider the long term implications of such a clause, in the context of your project role as a designer, builder or owner. Each project constituent will have a different view on what it actually wants as a result of such a provision, and ensure that the language plainly states your ultimate goal.

Ben Wheatley has more than 23 years of experience litigating complex construction and environmental matters, negotiating and drafting construction and design contracts, serving as in-house counsel for an international A/E firm, and working on issues concerning the practice of architecture, engineering, and project construction in all 50 states, Mexico and South America.

In addition to construction law matters, Ben handles administrative matters related to the construction and design industry, as well as environmental and commercial litigation. bwheatley@munsch.com www. munsch.com

Brother and sister team Peter John Holt and Corinna Holt Richter have stepped into new executive leadership roles at HOLT CAT, taking up the next phase of the succession plan in their family’s company.

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epresenting the fifth generation of the HOLT CAT family tree, Corinna Holt Richter and Peter John Holt have taken the next step in the succession plan towards their ownership of the heavy equipment dealer.

In her new role as executive vice president/chief administrative officer, Holt Richter will be responsible for the administrative divisions, including HR, safety, IT, organizational development, facilities management, continuous improvement, environmental, legal, marketing and strategy, and transportation.

In his new role as executive vice president/general manager, Holt will be responsible for all enterprise operating divisions, including HOLT CAT, HOLT AgriBusiness, Texas First Rentals, HOLT Crane & Equipment and Sitech Tejas.

Both of them joined the HOLT CAT team in 2011 and note that in those five years, they have learned a lot from their experience and ascension through the ranks. They also emphasize the significance of starting on the product support

side of the business, which Holt Richter says, “is really what we see as the heart of what a dealer does.”

Holt, who bears the name of their father, Peter M. Holt, owner and CEO of HOLT CAT, says, “This is truly a formal step for my sister and I to move into being owners of the business and head operators of the business in our partnership.

So, this is a really important time in HOLT’s past, present and future in the fact that we’re moving into roles that we will stay in for our entire careers. So, it’s vitally important for us to build and grow our teams, and then use a balanced approach to continue on our operations excellence journey, but also to find areas for growth and diversification.”

Holt Richter adds, “It’s really humbling to be a part of this legacy that my family’s built. We’ve outlined what our sibling partnership mission statement is, and it’s essentially to be a steward of that legacy and to grow the business. We’re really excited about the future.” –mh

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Austin Construction News • Apr 2016

Karl Conger President and Owner DKC Construction

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arl Conger thought he was going to coach college sports – but life had a different plan for him.

Once he came home for a summer break between undergrad and graduate school and took a job in construction, he was hooked.

With strong support from several people throughout his life, Conger took the lessons he learned and made the jump to opening his own company, DKC Construction, in 2013.

Tell me about growing up.

I was born and raised in Pasadena. I lived there until I left for college in Davenport, IA.

I graduated from Sam Rayburn High School and I played football and baseball in high school.

My main father figure was my mother’s boyfriend, Keith Williams. He was a superintendent in construction.

My mom is Michelle Poe. She has been a dental assistant for more than 20 years.

I have one older sister and when my mom remarried when I was 14, I got a stepbrother.

Where did you go to college?

I went to St. Ambrose University where I got a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology. I was planning to be a college coach. I chose to go to that college because I wanted to play football there. One of my high school coaches had ties to that school.

I graduated in 2008 and came home for the summer. I was planning to either go back for my master’s degree or to take a job teaching here in Texas.

Keith knew somebody at Structura and I got a job as an assistant to the assistant superintendent at Structura in Houston.

I was there for the summer and they promoted me to assistant superintendent on a ground-up, tilt wall project.

Shortly after that, I knew that was what I wanted to do for a living.

What was it about construction that made you change your life’s direction?

The opportunities. Structura made it fun and it was very educational for me.

The sky’s the limit in construction as long as you have a great work ethic and you build the relationships.

I had a great mentor in Houston – Jarrod Coulter. He basically grabbed my hand and taught me almost as much as I could learn in the matter of the three years I was in Houston.

After that, I wanted to do something more creative and challenging so Structura transferred me to Austin in 2011.

My bosses in Austin, Kevin Jones and Rusty Morgan, were great and helped me get to where I am today.

You said Keith Williams was a father figure to you. What did you learn from him?

He taught me that I always need to be able to focus on the things I can control and not to expend energy on what I cannot control. He taught me to not buy into the misery and drama that is outside of work.

He always pushed sports, because in playing sports you learn how to face ad-

The Conger family took a Christmas photo in 2015.

Clockwise from front left, Jace, Karl, Molly, Beckett and Jordyn

versity, you learn how to win and lose and you learn how to work as a team.

It’s helped me so much in construction, because I work with so many subcontractors, all with different personalities. But we all have the same goal – trying to finish a project safely, on time and on budget.

Keith is still in my life today.

What did your mom teach you?

She was always supportive of anything I wanted to do. She hardly ever told me no when I was shooting for my life’s goals and dreams. She let me make my own mistakes, but she was always there to catch me when I was falling. She helped me get through college, as well.

When did you start DKC Construction?

I started in October 2013. The folks at Structura were very supportive. I still talk to Kevin (Jones). It’s actually fun when we bid against each other. He always wishes me the best of luck.

They wanted me to stay but I knew I would regret it if I did not take this opportunity.

Robert Juarez and I have been friends since seventh grade and he worked with me at Structura in Houston.

I was already at Structura and Jarrod asked me if I knew anybody I could recommend so I recommended Robert and he got the job. He transferred to Austin in 2011 as a project manager.

He came with me when I started DKC and he is vice president. We have built this company together from the ground up. We now have seven salaried employees and nine hourly employees.

Jessica Burk, our office manager, also came from Structura. When I left she was pregnant and she didn’t know what her next step was going to be. I said, “Hey, if you want to work from home for the first year or so with the child until we get this thing going” … it was a win for everybody.

How do you get the most out of the people you work with?

You always approach somebody with respect – no matter what.

When I was working in Houston, I had two superintendents with two different personalities. One was the nice guy who seemed to get more out of people, the other had an attitude of “I’m the boss.

Do what I say.”

I watched both of them and learned the best way to approach people. I have always been good at recognizing the personality of the person I am dealing with right off the bat.

What is your philosophy about employees?

I’m very open and easy to talk to. I’m not the stern boss. Everybody that works with me has known me for at least seven years.

You give them a long rope, give them the resources they need to be suc-

cessful. I talk to a majority of my employees on the weekends to see how things are going.

I’m on the job site every day. Robert has my back. He handles things at the office so I can be here at the job. It’s been pretty powerful.

Do you like living and working in Austin?

I love the city we live in, Georgetown, because it’s slower and more laid back. I can get away from working downtown all week.

Austin is beautiful. Its been continuously growing since 2009. It’s such a big city, but small on the network circle. I’ve gained more relationships since moving here in 2011 than I did my whole life in Houston.

If you provide a good product and build trust, your name gets around quickly.

What kind of projects has DKC been doing?

DKC is a general contractor doing commercial projects. We’ve done quite a few restaurants: Fukumoto on East 6th Street was a design build; Pete Terry’s off Lamar Blvd. was a ground up; Juniper on E. Cesar Chavez St. was a ground up, tilt wall project.

We’ve also done corporate office finish outs.

Currently, we are doing a design build, tilt wall warehouse for Sheldon Cove Park and we just wrapped up a music studio, Mandoo. We also just finished a big event center at 8th and Congress that used to be a Hickory Restaurant.

Tell me about your family.

I met my wife while we both students at St. Ambrose. Her name is Molly Masher and we married in May 2009. She was from Iowa and she moved to Texas with me.

We have three children: a daughter, Jordyn, 4; and two sons, Beckett, 2, and Jace, 6 months.

Molly juggles all three of them. She has a degree in psychology and sociology.

She always wins the fight no matter what!

We had our honeymoon in Jamaica and we go to South Padre Island for a weekend now and then. We’ve been to Las Vegas.

What are your hobbies?

My hobbies are my kids. I like to play sports with my daughter every day and we go to the parks and the zoo. If the kids are not around, I like to watch football and play golf, but I don’t get to that very often anymore!

Molly is 100 percent kids, but she likes wine tastings.

Who would you buy a beer for?

Warren Buffett. He’s so down to earth. He still lives in the same house he bought in 1958.

He said in one of his books, the fastest transaction is a handshake. Today’s world can be so cruel with constant lawsuits and he can trust a man with a handshake. I believe he’s been very admirable throughout his life. –cw

Austin Construction News • Apr 2016

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likely to occur without a­ f fecting any change in the perceived light. The rise and set of a new moon is invisible anyway, and overcast weather often hides the moon. Without prior knowledge of setting and rising times, two of the best fishing times will be missed every day!

Using the moon to your advantage

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

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very fisherman knows that the best fishing times are when the fish are feeding. This tends to be during dawn and dusk, but what often goes unnoticed are the two periods elsewhere in the day - moonrise and moonset. Because the moon has an effect on a variety of factors surrounding the fish, these periods, combined with the moon’s phase, are what trigger feeding. By understanding this, and choosing times when sun-

Got a chance to bring my son Carson on a charter with Mike Kaiman and his daughter Kelsey.

Here are the kids with a couple of Baffin Bay redfish that were caught during the break.

rise/sunset and moonrise/moonset coincide with new or full moon phases, you’ll increase you chance of a good fishing catch. Assuming there are fish in the area, of course.

Choosing The Best Fishing Times There really is nothing complicated about this at all; it’s just a matter of knowing ahead of time exactly when the sun and moon will rise and set. Fish are most active during 90-minute windows surrounding each of these four daily events; that’s 45 minutes before and after these four daily points.

Protect yourself but be safe

Receiving formal training before picking up this new skill is a good idea.

Pictured, L-R: Dana Calonge, and Sandy and Wes Barnett, owners of Ballistic Therapy LLC.

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uns have been a debated topic for as long as I can remember. It seems you are either for them or against them and not much is in between. The fastest growing group of handgun shooters appears to be females between 30 and 60 years old.

We wanted to find the reason for this dramatic increase so we headed up to Ballistic Therapy LLC just outside of Boerne for some answers.

Sandy and Wes Barnett opened the facility in August 2015, but are not newcomers to the industry. The facility includes an indoor range, gun shop and a classroom for License to Carry and other training.

“We first went through the process to receive our FFL (Federal Firearms License) and started selling firearms. Ladies would buy a firearm and didn’t know anything about it and that led to training,” said Sandy. “About four to five years

ago we started thinking about our own shop. I really enjoy training women. This range became vacant so we met up with a partner and took it over.”

How did she get started shooting I asked. Her big smile and quick response was that daddy had no boys so he turned his three girls into tomboys. She is the oldest and started shooting at 9.

I turned the focus of my questions to the driving force behind the increase in women learning to shoot and carry a firearm for protection.

“In the last five years it has really gone up. I think it’s the world we live in now. That’s what I hear from a lot of ladies. They don’t want to have to rely on their boyfriend or husband. They want to feel protected when they are in or out of their home. Forty percent of our business is women,” continued Sandy. continued on Page 9

Fishing during these four periods will help increase your fishing catch, but if you plan wisely so as to ensure you’re at the water’s edge on the days of new or full moon, you can use these ‘windows’ to reel in a catch like you’ve never done before. If you have to choose between sunrise/set and moonrise/set, always go with the moon as the moon is the stronger influence.

Hunters have always known that fish and game are most active at dawn and dusk - sunrise and sunset - but their activity surrounding moonrise and moonset is less noticeable because these events are

Other Considerations

When planning your fishing by moon phase, there are certain other factors that should also be considered. Weath e r : Severe weather changes have an impact on the way fish feed. When a storm’s brewing, or just after one has passed, is a good time. If this happens while you’re in place, you’ll be in for a treat! However, if there’s a cold front approaching, the fish are likely to move deeper into the water and become inactive.

Season: Most fish are more likely to bite willingly during seasonal transitions with the transition from winter to spring and summer to fall being the two best fishing times.

Now that you know that moon phase fishing really works, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t utilize this knowledge to increase your own fishing catch by being at the ready with your rod during the best fishing times available. It’s easy and it works!

My summer schedule is filling quick.

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.

Page 8

Austin Construction News • Apr 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

Liquid Resurrection!

coffee, and smell bacon sizzling as the sun comes up, children playing on the beach with splashing dogs and fishing boats idling in and out of the docks in the cool morning air or the scent of fish and taters frying as the sun goes down. It is so nice to have everyone around again. It was too quiet for a long time around here.

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just saw a sweet sight. Three generations of my neighbors just slipped down to the boat dock to wet a hook and see if they could catch a mess of crappie. Now you might think that would be a routine thing if you weren’t from around here. The amazing thing is that the kids of the group are just getting acquainted with the lake because it has been dry for most if not all their lives. It’s like that old West Texas joke about drought that says a three year old kid would think the sky was falling if it rained because it never had in his life time.

After being over 34 feet low at its worst the level of Lake Buchanan has risen to just a little over 4 feet low! It has taken several rises on the Colorado River since July of last year to get the water back, but it is finally here!

Years of drought left thousands of acres of lake bottom dry and exposed to the sun. The rich silt grew all kinds of heavy brush and trees. Now all of that structure is mostly hidden beneath the waves again and the fish have already moved in, just in time to spawn and raise their

young. Buchanan is poised to become a destination fishing lake once again!

All around the lake the lights are coming on as people come back to enjoy their lake houses and rediscover their favorite resorts and fishing camps. We are hearing not only from fishermen that had been displaced by this drought, but from long lost friends and customers from up

to 30 years ago. Everyone seems to just want to check in on the return of the water and recapture the good times they’ve had here and we are happy to welcome them. We can’t seem to stop looking at the lake either!

I can’t explain how good it is to hear soft conversation on the cabin porches over

Already we have plenty of bait fish that have moved back in. For the first time in several years the white bass have been able to make it all the way up to the head of the lake at Colorado Bend State Park for their spawning run. Stripers and hybrids are back to their old spring migration patterns like nothing ever happened.

Largemouth bass are starting to find themselves good spots to nest and the crappie are loving all the brush to hide in.

Everything seems to be settling back into place I know this same scenario is being played out all over the state with the other lakes that are returning. We are in for a fine fishing season this year. Don’t miss out on going back to the waterfront; after all we have learned just how precious our water is and how quick it can be gone.

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

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

Austin Construction News • Apr 2016

Page 9

continued from Page 7 — Protect yourself but be safe Wes explained that formal training appeals to people, as well.

“Husbands are also bringing their spouses in to have them trained as opposed to training them themselves,” he said. “Also, after the wives learn to shoot they can come in together. Shooting as a sport has drawn countless number of women.”

Women who walk in the range may be uncertain, Sandy says.

“Probably one half the ladies that walk in this door are somewhat afraid of a gun,” she said. It’s the unknown. They don’t know what to expect or if they will even want to shoot. They also worry about if they will shoot well.”

Is it better for a lady to be trained by a male or female was my next question and how does she get a new shooter over that initial fear. Also, what is the difference between the sexes when it comes to learning about guns and safety.

“They come in and say I want to learn from a female because I feel more comfortable. I work with them one on one using a nice easy approach. Safety is first hands down. It’s the first thing I start with and no matter what we are talking about, we go back to safety. Over and over again we talk about safety,” stated

Sandy Barnett spends time with Dana Calonge in the classroom before hitting the range.

Sandy. “They come in and are usually a little nervous. After we go though the steps and some training sessions they are more comfortable and their confidence is building. Confidence plays a big part.”

According to Wes, women have different strengths than men.

“Women seem to multitask a little better than men do,” says Wes. “They seem to follow the process better when they step into the lane. They do the same thing in sequence all the time. They are very deliberate in what they are doing.

Guys don’t necessarily do that.”

Sandy says she has a specific plan in place for training women shooters.

“There is a strategy in the training,” said Sandy. “When I get them in here we take it step by step by step. Women will spend more time in the class than the males hands down. They ask more questions. They want to know and make sure they get it right.

“Also we go through the process even before we go into the range so I am comfortable they know how to dry fire, stance, hand placement and all of that.”

I brought Dana Calonge our new Construction News account manager to the interview since she had shown interest in learning more about guns. She had never shot a handgun so a first training session seemed like a good idea.

Sandy began going through the basics with Dana and I could tell very quickly that safety is the number one topic in this classroom, along with lots and lots of basics. After this phase was complete we headed to the range and, here again, the first thing out of Sandy’s mouth was safety rules.

It was interesting to watch Dana and her initial apprehension about what she was about to do. She was carefully guided step by step. Load one round of 22 long rifle into the pistol. Assume the proper stance, proper grip, proper aim and gently squeeze the trigger.

Beginner’s luck? Not according to Wes Barnett, who says women are more focused when learning to shoot.

After that first shot she said, “I wasn’t aiming there.”

Her first shot was in the 8. Now load up three more rounds and go again. This time each of the shots hit close to the X circle. Beginners luck, I said to myself.

Next was the step up to a Sig Sauer P238 and six more rounds. This sweet little .380 was going to be Dana’s first experience with a little bit more recoil. All six landed in the X circle and now I really believe in first time luck. The gal is now hooked on something new.

Back to the classroom and a little more conversation and I had to ask. “Are the ladies really better shots than men?”

Sandy says yes, but then puts in a, “I don’t know why,” but Wes may have the answer.

“When guys get guns our first thoughts are, ‘I can’t wait to go shoot’ and wanting to shoot off a lot of rounds.

With the women, they are not so much about that. They are about hitting that X and seem to be more focused, I think.”

Proper training and fit seems to be the key word at Ballistic Therapy and I asked Sandy for her final comments.

“I want women to know when they come into this range it’s different than anything you have experienced before hands down,” she said. “Wes and I are proud to say that. If they have never shot before we suggest a shooting course to get the basics down then we can go into other classes. We tell them if they are going to carry they need to train. If they don’t train, then maybe they shouldn’t have a gun with them.

“Buying a gun is a personal fit like buying a pair of shoes or a purse. It has to be what you are comfortable with and that’s why we have try before you buy.

And safety is always first.”

Buddy Doebbler Publisher P.S. After Dana left, I went to the range and shot a box with terrible results. I asked Wes to hide the evidence (target) in the trash.

P.S.S. Next day I had an eye appointment and found out my prescription really needed to be changed. I knew there was a reason.

Page 10

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Austin Construction News • Apr 2016

Terracon acquires BES

erracon recently announced it has acquired Building Exterior Solutions LLC (BES) of Texas.

Terracon is a provider of environmental, facilities, geotechnical, and materials engineering services with many locations throughout Texas.

Terracon will retain BES’ 20-plus employees and offices in Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio areas.

Founded in 2008, with the experience of professionals from architectural, engineering, and construction industries, BES provides investigation, evaluation, and construction solutions for exterior building systems. BES’ experience resolving existing building enclosure problems and developing new integrated building enclosure designs reinforces Terracon’s facilities capabilities and strengthens the firm’s ability to service clients across the country.

“BES adds significant bench strength to our building enclosure practice and we are excited to have them join Terracon’s Facilities Division,” said David Gaboury, PE, president and CEO of Terracon. “The depth of their expertise allows us to further demonstrate our commitment to bringing even greater value to our clients.”

The BES staff includes licensed engineers and certified roof and waterproofing consultants who provide design for new facilities or rehabilitation of existing building enclosures that exhibit distress, deterioration, and air and/or water infiltration. BES clients include owners, developers, architects, contractors, and organizations such as Kirksey, Memorial Hermann, Lincoln Properties, and Gensler.

BES operates as Building Exterior Solutions, A Terracon Company, as of the Jan. 31 closing.

Electric energy

David Gaboury

“Terracon is well-known in the marketplace and gives BES clients the benefit of an expanded network of resources and capabilities,” said Jerry Abendroth, BES president. “The facilities services capabilities of our firms align perfectly, enhancing our ability to serve clients across the country.”

The acquisition strengthens Terracon’s Texas presence as BES joins a network of more than a dozen offices in the state. Engineering News-Record ranks Terracon as the third largest General Building design firm in Texas and Louisiana, and 11th on the Top Texas Design Firms list.

Terracon is an employee-owned engineering consulting firm with more than 3,500 employees providing environmental, facilities, geotechnical, and materials services from more than 150 offices in 42 states. Terracon currently ranks 35th on Engineering News-Record’s list of Top 500 Design Firms. –cw

Submitted to Construction News

On its way

Ryan Companies US Inc., Austin, broke ground on Feb. 19 for Urban Oaks, an affordable multi-family development situated on 8 acres in Austin. Pictured, L-R: Ron Kowal, HACA vice president of Housing Development/Asset Management; Carl Richie, HACA board member; District 2 Council Member, Delia Garza; Sr. Pastor George Ward; David Knoll, director of development, Ryan’s SouthCentral Region; Hunter Barrier, president of Ryan’s SouthCentral Region; Suzanne Schwertner, AAHC Homeownership coordinator; and Michael Gerber, HACA president and CEO. –cw

The Reynolds Company believes in grooming its employees to move up within the company.

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he Reynolds Company, an electrical wholesaler distributor, was founded in 1984 in Ft. Worth. Walt Reynolds and Donald Reynolds Jr. are now the president/CEO and COO, respectively.

The company, still headquartered in Ft. Worth, has 18 locations in Texas and Louisiana, with the newest location in Selma, serving the San Antonio area.

Massey Brand, regional manager for Central Texas, says customer service is a top priority.

“Our idea is to truly value the overall customer experience,” he says. “We want our customers to enjoy doing business with us. We are a customer focused company.”

Brand says the company’s goal is to be the premier distributor in Texas and Louisiana, and that begins with topnotch staff.

“We believe in hiring experts in our field,” he says. “We have an outstanding culture. We want our employees to come

to work and enjoy their jobs – and to make progress. We understand our most important asset is our people.”

The company believes in promoting from within and has an internal training program, as well as an intern program.

Brand says the company takes part in several charity endeavors, including the American Heart Association Heart Walk, the Juvenile Diabetes Fund and various trade associations.

“We understand we have a responsibility to the community and we take that very seriously,” he added.

Brand says when he started in 1995, the company was only in the DFW market, but over the last 20 years he has watched the company grow into a major regional distributor.

“It speaks volumes to the type of owners we have,” he says. “It’s family owned with family values.”

The Austin location opened in 1998 and employs a staff of 25. –cw

Traveling for tanks

Tony Rizo and Rachel Calima of Water Storage Tanks Inc. traveled from Dripping Springs to Dallas to exhibit at the Dallas Build Expo Mar. 9-10. –mjm

Submitted to Construction News

Opening act

www.constructionnews.net

The ACT Pipe & Supply Pflugerville location hosted an open house Feb. 5.

Attendees checked out products, had lunch and networked with fellow friends in the construction industry. –ab

Austin Construction News • Apr 2016

Page 11

Women in Construction More opportunities for women than ever Sandra Johnson, president Edge Electric, Driftwood, TX

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hat is your background in the construction industry?

My parents have owned a construction company for nearly 20 years so I grew up learning the ins and outs of the industry. However, I only started working within the industry in 2009, when Edge was incorporated.

Why did you choose a career in the construction industry?

Construction chose me! I was supposed to be a real estate agent, actually I still am, I just haven’t sold anything in six years! I got my license to sell real estate the same year my husband and I incorporated Edge. I didn’t think the company would grow as quickly as it did but it began to require my presence and attention more and more often. I honestly believe there was a time frame in which I worked every waking second, A/P and A/R 7am to 4pm and showing houses in the evening and weekends - leaving no time for my family or myself. I had a tough decision to make - Real Estate or Construction??? Obviously, I chose the latter and I’m glad I did because it has been an amazing experience building a successful business with my husband by my side.

Do you have a mentor? Please explain.

Common sense tells me that if you strive to be successful your best bet is to learn from those who are already suc-

cessful. And if you find someone who is willing to share their knowledge for success you should listen! But the key is to actually use the advice they give. My business advisor doesn’t always tell me what I want to hear - even so, I follow his instructions. For example, a couple years ago we were offered a $2 million project in Louisiana - literally just needed to sign the dotted line. Our advisor, with good reasoning, suggested we turn it down.

And abiding by the law of common sense and listening to words of the wise we reluctantly declined the contract.

What are the benefits of women pursuing a construction career?

Women are emotional creatures by nature - so the fact that you are able to be a part of something bigger, like building a city, is pretty fulfilling. I was born and raised in Austin so being involved with the growth of my hometown makes me so proud! Almost every corner you turn downtown, I could point out a building where we’ve worked.

Plenty of opportunity for women in construction Riki F. Lovejoy, President National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) San Antonio, TX

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hat is your background in the construction industry?

I have been in the industry since 1985, starting as a receptionist for a national general contractor. By the time the company had a layoff I was a project manager. At this point, in 1990, with a male partner, we opened a carpentry/ concrete/miscellaneous specialties company. By day I worked in the field alongside our crew on commercial projects; by night, I was president of the company and all that entailed. Due to personal issues, both for my family and my partner’s, we closed the business in 1992.

From there, I went back to work with any city’s history and/or footprint. a couple of local general contractors and Do you have a mentor? finished my education. In August 2001, I I don’t think I can honestly say I have opened RFL Consulting Solutions in Or- had A mentor, and certainly not for this lando, FL. We are a construction man- industry. What I will say is that the supagement consulting firm specializing in port I received from the ladies in the Naowner and lender representation on tional Association of Women in Construccommercial projects and moved to the tion (NAWIC) was probably the biggest San Antonio area in October 2012. factor in staying in construction and conWhy did you choose a career in the tinuing to pursue career goals. And to be construction-related industry? perfectly frank, I really did not realize the Prior to 1985, I had worked both in knowledge and leadership skills I had rethe hospitality and insurance industries ceived from being an active member unbut knew that neither of these was to be til 20 years after becoming a member and a life-long career for me. I had also becoming a part of the national board. worked as a part-time secretary/book- Not that I want to shamelessly plug keeper for a masonry subcontractor. The NAWIC, but I truly believe I would not VP of the company would take the office have had the ‘moxie’ to pursue the startstaff on ‘field trips’ to visit the various ing of my companies, working in the field projects we had going. From these field with little skill but learning as I went trips I found it fascinating to watch a along, co-authoring in women’s issues building literally rise from the ground. I books, doing workshops and other prerealized that this was a very ‘tangibly’ re- sentations, or even becoming the presiwarding career opportunity. I also real- dent of NAWIC. ized that I could make better money to What are the benefits of women pursupport myself (and later, others) nicely. I suing a construction career? love the fact that 10 years or more later, I There are sooooo many avenues in could drive by a building that I had a part the construction industry that can be in and realize that the building is a part of pursued. When someone first says ‘con-

What do you enjoy most?

I’ve worked in offices where the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife - I woke up every morning dreading the day ahead of me. So when we opened our company it was very important to me that we create a peaceful and inviting environment for our employees and in return I walk into an amazing atmosphere every morning. I love my job and the people I work with!

What specific challenges have you faced?

There’s really nothing easy about building a business from the ground up.

But I have to say that one of my biggest challenges have involved growth. Unless you had a rich uncle kick the bucket and leave you a small fortune you should be prepared for the long haul. Rapid growth requires substantial capital, if you don’t have the capital you can simply grow your business slow and organically.

How did you overcome those challenges?

We didn’t have the “rich uncle capital” so we grew it slow, reinvesting every penny of profit for several years. We set annual goals considering the strain of growth on cash flow and our labor force - taking on only as much work as necessary to meet our goals while remaining profitable. Typically we grow 20%-30% per year.

In your experience, are more opportunities opening up for women?

Definitely!

What areas do you see the most increase in jobs for women?

There’s really NOTHING a women can’t do in our industry! I see women of all ages with a wide range of skill sets within

the construction industry. Business owners, upper management positions, women with trade certifications, etc.

What advice can you offer women who want to pursue a construction career?

This isn’t my quote but I like it, “You can’t force someone to respect you, but you can refuse to be disrespected.” –unknown.

I used to think that just because I signed someone’s paycheck they should naturally respect me but I’ve learned that respect must be earned (that applies to men, too). But as a woman in a predominately male industry we have to maintain confidence and consistence in our work to earn the respect of our colleagues and customers.

Which is more important for a construction career – education, or experience?

I believe experience is more important - I know lots of successful women in our industry with no more than a high school education.

From a woman’s perspective, has the construction industry changed over the years?

Things have changed dramatically in the last 10 years - women aren’t just running the office anymore - they own the office, they run the field, they design and engineer projects, women are assets to successful businesses!

What are your goals for the future in the construction industry?

A perpetual goal of mine is to maintain a healthy business. We’re looking forward to another 20 percent in growth for 2016. –cw

struction career’, the first thought is the field/trades people, which I’ll get back to.

Architects, engineers, contractors, business owners, developers, are next in line.

But because of the very nature of construction, attorneys, CPA’s, bookkeepers, insurance/bonding agents – all must have knowledge specific to construction.

With all this said, women can find themselves in any aspect of construction to be able to support themselves and their families very well.

What specific challenges have you faced in your career?

Early on in my career, being taken serious that I knew what was going on with a project and wasn’t ‘the secretary’ was very frustrating for me. Also, with the first GC that I worked with, I was actually passed over for a PM position for a guy that had literally just got out of college and I was asked to ‘train him’.

In the field, I did have to work twice as hard to prove that I could do the work as well the guys and there were some uncomfortable moments with being approached by guys with perhaps another agenda for my being in the field. And I think the worst challenge is the port-apotties! Uggghhh!

How did you overcome those challenges?

In the case of the PM pass-over – I let the boss know in no uncertain terms that this was not a fair decision. I did have support of a couple of the other PM’s in the office so after I let loose on them and calmed down, with their advice, I talked to the VP (who had hired me in the first place and knew I was looking to rise in the company).

Two things happened shortly after this conversation – first ‘the guy/PM’ really proved himself to be near worthless… and, because I was still covering his butt, I finally got the promotion. I’m pretty sure the pay scale was not the same, but I still felt accomplished. The field work – I con-

tinued to work hard, kept up with the crew, and, in fact, found out later that my partner used me as a benchmark for hiring and staying employed with us. He told all new hires, first, can’t have a problem with working with a woman in the field and second, ‘gotta keep up with her’.

For the uncomfortable moments, I basically just had to face the issues head on, probably taking on a little more ‘male attitude’ and then just staying cautious about being alone with any of the troublesome workers (none on my crew – these would be from the other subs on the project). And, the port-a-potties – well, just had to hold my nose and get through it the best I could!

What advice can you offer women?

Talk to women that are currently in the field of choice. If a woman thinks she wants to pursue the trades, talk to tradeswomen about the challenges they face in the field.

Which is more important – education, or experience?

Obviously, it really depends on career choice, but in general, I think experience is the greatest education. For tradespeople, although there is an amount of education needed, to acquire skill it is experience. But being of the contractor persuasion, I have also always said that architects and engineers should have an internship period of actually working in the field. I have had both, but I learned more from the experience.

What are your goals for the future in the construction industry?

To not have to have this discussion about women in the construction industry. For not only women to realize the benefits of choosing a construction career but for the industry as a whole to understand the importance of having women and their influence in making this industry a career of choice for everyone! –cw

Page 12

Austin Construction News • Apr 2016

Moving on up

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Plumbing retirement

he National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) announced the 158 Regional CotY (Contractor of the Year) winners in the 2016 competition, of which 13 are members of the Austin NARI. Regional CotY Winners now advance as finalists at the national level.

Contractors from seven regions around the country vie for CotY Awards on an annual basis. Regional winners will be honored and National winners will be announced at NARI’s Evening of Excellence reception on Friday, April 8 at the Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol in Austin.

Competing projects were completed between Dec. 1, 2013, and Nov. 30, 2015. The entries of this year’s competition totaled over $100.2 million worth of remodeling projects. –cw

Austin-area NARI winners included:

Residential Bath Under $25,000 Realty Restoration LLC with team member Twelve Stones Designs, Austin

Residential Kitchen Under $30,000 Kitchens By Bell, Austin

Residential Exterior $100,000 $200,000 RisherMartin Fine Homes, Austin

Residential Kitchen $30,000 to $60,000 Adams Company with team member Bartush Design LLC, Cedar Park Residential Kitchen $100,001 to $150,000 Realty Restoration LLC with team member Twelve Stones Designs, Austin

Residential Bath $50,001 to $75,000 Realty Restoration LLC with team member Twelve Stones Designs Universal Design Project Recognition, Austin Residential Bath $75,001 to $100,000 Realty Restoration LLC with team member Twelve Stones Designs, Austin Residential Interior $75,000 $150,000 Clark Richardson Architects, Austin

to

Residential Addition $100,000 to $250,000 CG & S Design-Build, Austin Residential Addition Over $250,000 CG & S Design-Build, Austin to

Entire House $250,000 to $500,000 CG & S Design-Build, Austin Entire House $750,001 to $1,000,000 RisherMartin Fine Homes, Austin Entire House Over $1,000,000 Realty Restoration LLC with team member Twelve Stones Designs, Austin

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CON Mechanical Contractors in Austin bade a fond farewell to one of its own at a retirement party on Mar. 24.

Wayne Lawrence has been with ICON for 10-plus years and has been a licensed plumber in the Austin area for over 30 years.

“Wayne has not only been a great worker, but a great friend and teacher to many apprentices,” said Chuck Paxton, president. “The day has come that we

have dreaded, he is retiring from the profession. Wayne is one of the most knowledgeable plumbers in Austin and he will be missed. We wish him good luck and lots of fun in his retirement.”

Lawrence has been involved in many of the buildings built in Austin over the past 10 years. The projects include hospitals, high rise buildings, down town tenant remodels, new construction and service work. –cw

Submitted to Construction News

Containing themselves

The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) in Austin, an arm of Associated General Contractors Austin Chapter (AGC), met up at the Container Bar for its annual CLC Spring Celebration. More than 50 young construction professionals got together to mingle and let their hair down. –cw

Submitted to Construction News

Not so frosty

The Greater Austin Contractors & Engineers Association (ACEA) held its 2016 Frostbite Golf Tournament on Feb. 22 at Twin Creeks Country Club.

Statewide Materials Transport won first place in Flight 1. –cw

Austin Construction News • Apr 2016

Page 13

Engineer cheer!

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he Texas Society of Professional Engineers Travis Chapter (TSPE) held its 2016 Banquet on Feb. 26 at Barton Creek Country Club in Austin. James

Bass, newly-appointed executive director of TxDOT, was the keynote speaker.

Congrats to the winners! –cw

2016 Engineer of the Year Award: Ali Khataw, PE, right, president and CEO of Encotech Engineering Consultants Inc.

What was your favorite TV show growing up?

Tales from the Crypt, I love scary shows.

Russell Johnson, Edge Electric Friends, because it was hilarious (and I had a crush on Joey!)

Sandra Johnson, Edge Electric My favorite was the Mission Impossible series. It was so well done for the time period. The intrigue of the assignment always had your interest. Plus, watching them execute their “plan” to take out the bad guys always drew me into the story.

Despite the limited technology of the day, they could make some pretty simple

equipment appear so high-tech. Barney was the master at this. I still watch the old shows occasionally on Roku.

David Matula, 360 Electrical Contractors My favorite show growing up was Dallas. As a kid, it was addictive to watch and JR Ewing was who I wanted to be "when I grew up." The show had it all...fancy cars, beautiful women and the rugged yet sophisticated feel of being a powerful oilman. In many ways, that show still epitomizes Texas image on a global scale.

James Gill, Austin Fence

Round-Up STG Design has announced: Christopher Gonzalez, AIA, LEED GA joins as an architect.

He holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Gonzalez has over seven years of experience in the architecture and design field in both the Austin and San Antonio markets. He has worked on projects of varying scope and scale in residential, commercial, educational and institutional. Gonzalez is a LEED® Green Associate™ and Registered Architect in Texas.

Maegan Holloway joins the interiors department as a designer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design from Michigan State University. Holloway’s design career began with a foray into residential design before transitioning to commercial design with an office furniture dealer. She is excited to pursue her registration in interior design and further her LEED® design expertise.

Brittani Long, LEED GA joins the interiors department as a designer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Bowling Green State University and a Master of Science in Interior Design from Pratt Institute. Long has four years of experience in the design field. She has worked on projects of varying budgets, scope and scale in corporate, justice and healthcare. Long is a LEED® Green Associate™ and is actively pursuing her registration in interior design.

Flintco LLC, has named Kevin Moyes as president of the South Central Region, overseeing the company’s Austin office and its operations throughout Texas. Moyes has been with Flintco for 29 years. He was integral in growing the Memphis division into one of the company’s most successful offices.

BIG RED DOG Engineering | Consulting announced that Dan Hennessey, PE, and James Schwerdtfeger will head up its latest service line expansion in Texas, a new Traffic Engineering practice.

Hennessey will lead the new Traffic Engineering service line as a vice president and the director of Traffic Engineering Services.

Hennessey was most recently a team leader and Senior Transportation Engineer for west-coast based Fehr and Peers. Prior to that, he held noteworthy positions for the South Carolina Department of Transportation and Greenville, SC-based Sprague and Sprague Consultants.

Schwerdtfeger will also be a vice president in the Traffic Engineering practice. He has successfully led Austinbased R-K Traffic Engineering, LLC for the past three years as owner and president. During his time at R-K Traffic, he successfully led the traffic engineering analysis and recommendations for dozens of projects on behalf of development clients in the Austin metro area.

2016 Ervin S. Perry Memorial Award, Outstanding Young Engineer: Brandon Klenzendorf, PE, right, water resources engineer with Geosyntec Consultants

2016 ASCE Engineer of the Year: Julia Harrod, PE, FNSPE, right, president and CEO of MWM DesignGroup.

Association Calendar

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ACEA

IEC

Austin Contractors & Engineers Assn.

Independent Electrical Contractors

Apr. 7: Monthly luncheon at Dave & Busters, 9333 Research Blvd., Austin.

Apr. 14: Infrastructure Design and Construction Symposium, Austin Convention Center, 500 E. Cesar Chavez, Austin.

For more info contact Michele Yule at 512-836-3140

Apr. 4: Power Drive 18 Golf Tournament at Avery Ranch, 12:30-6pm.

Apr. 13: Membership luncheon, Salt Creek Steak House, 11:30am-1pm.

For more info contact (512) 832-1333.

ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers

Apr. 7-9: Texas Section Student Symposium in Lubbock at the United Supermarkets Arena. Concrete Canoe Races, Steel Bridge Building, Career Fair. Call 512-4728905 for more info

CTMCA Cen. TX Masonry Contractors Association

Apr. 29: Golf tournament at The Golf Club at Star Ranch. Shotgun start at 1:30pm. Check in starts at 11am and lunch is served at noon. Call Josh Abel at 512-312-6657 for more info

CTSA

IEEE Ins. of Electrical and Electronic Engineers

Apr. 26: Monthly meeting, 6-6:30pm social; 6:30-7:30pm business meeting; 7:308:30pm program. Speaker: Mark Siira, ComRent.

NARI Nat’l Assn. of the Remodeling Industry

Apr. 7: 5:30-10pm. Spring Business Meeting party at Rattle Inn, 610 Nueces St. featuring The Spazmatics.

Apr. 21: 11am-1pm. General membership meeting at Norris Conference Center, 2525 W. Anderson Ln #365. Presentation: Achievement Now by Craig Krause of Direct Development Training.

For more info contact Kayvon at 512-375-2601

Central Texas Subcontractor Association

NAWIC

Apr. 12: Monthly meeting: Open Carry and Hot it Affects Your Business. 5:30-6pm, social hour; 6-8pm, dinner and presentation.

Embassy Suites, 5901 N IH 35, Austin.

Speaker, Bobby Clark, TCHA president

Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction

Apr. 6: Chapter meeting at Big Daddy’s Burger Bar. Decorating session for Safety Hard Hat and Safety Vest Contest to be held at the regional forum in May. Slate of board of directors will be announced with elections at June meeting.

Page 14

Austin Construction News • Apr 2016

Obituary

‘Ten’acious

K

enneth Wayne Painter, 80, died March 17 in Seguin. He was born June 27, 1935, in Kiowa, OK, to George and Izona Painter. He moved to Corpus Christi in 1948, and considered Corpus Christi his home town, though he lived across Texas and Oklahoma with his work for AGC. He was the Associated General Contractor (AGC) Austin Chapter’s executive director from 1993-2000.

He is survived by his wife, Jeanette and children, Karen Painter Greathouse (Cody), Wayne Painter, Kirk (Heidi) Painter, Traci Garlington and Scott Garlington; grandchildren, Kelby Greathouse (Lindsey) and Lori Greathouse King (Darrell), Serena, Sarah, Shayla, Kelan and Mckennon Painter, Kelsey, Zachary and Harrison Painter; and six great-grandchildren with many nieces and nephews that he loved deeply as well.

A memorial service was held Mar. 24 in the Chapel at First United Methodist Church in Corpus Christi. –cw

continued from Page 1 — Needed: White horse Austin Underground employees donated money to the Pit Stop Barbecue tent, which the company sponsored at the recent Rodeo Austin Barbecue Cook-off. The company raised $22,000 from the tip jar during the weekend for children’s scholarships.

A

n Austin company that was founded 10 years ago with a crew of six has had a great decade and now boasts 80 employees.

Austin Underground was founded

by Rick Vavro in 2004 and began operations in 2006. New partner Tony Franco, general superintendent and vice president, has joined Vavro, president, to continue the firm’s stellar growth. Out of our six original employees, four are still with the company.

“I attribute that to their growth within the company,” Vavro says. “Two of them are now superintendents and one is a skilled equipment operator, while the other is a leadman” The office and equipment yard the company built in Jonestown has a literal open door policy for employees.

“Other than the restroom, there are no doors on any of the offices,” Vavro says. “I try to run it like a family operation.”

For the last three years, employees

can look forward to an annual Christmas party where someone will win a car, Vavro says. Other company events include most events at Rodeo Austin and the occasional fish fry.

The business is not afraid of challenges.

“Our saying is your construction challenge is our specialty,” Vavro says.

“We do a lot of unique projects. We take on projects that other people avoid.”

That includes digging deep in what are sometimes less than ideal situations to lay the groundwork for utilities.

Both Franco and Vavro are OSHA certified trainers, and are proud of the company’s safety record.

“We don’t stop work when it’s raining,” Vavro says. “Rain days are training days.”

Vavro says repeat business and great employees are the key to the company’s success.

A celebration is planned in May to recognize the 10th birthday. –cw

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Dennis said he had already made up his mind to help after only a few minutes of observing the children and the horses.

“She is setting the bar for good deeds over there,” he says. “All I had to do was go over there one day and see the children. It was amazing. They do that every day. My hat is off to them.”

Dennis said the original contractor had put up the steel columns and made the roof rafters for the covered arena, but everything needed to be put together and it was found that more sheets were needed for the roof. He said it took about two weeks to finish the project.

Roland just thinks Dennis is one of the good guys.

“If we had a white horse, we would have him ride it!” she says.

Dennis started Dennis Steel in 1980

with a welding machine in the back of his pickup truck.

“When the University of Texas started the expansion of its dormitories, we were doing the handrails and burglar bars,” he says. “We did that for many years before we started doing structural steel. I find it very satisfying.”

The company now boasts 71 employees and finds most of its work through referrals from satisfied customers.

“I would have to say I know every job we have comes from a customer,” Dennis says. “It’s not a real big secret. Our only job is to make our customers happy. If we ever lose sight of that, we’ll go the way other businesses do.”

The company mainly focuses on residential and commercial work. –cw

continued from Page 1 — Contractor as client space a higher-end feel. For example, the building’s exterior features two panels of country field-colored stone that was selected in New Braunfels. For the interior’s front lobby, Thomas requested a unique concrete tilt wall behind the receptionist’s desk.

“I told Ernesto that I wanted that wall there and he made it happen,” she says. “It was poured on the interior on the slab and tilted in place just like a regular tilt-wall.

Then he finished it with a labor-intensive sanding process to make it very smooth; you can run your hand over it and it almost feels like velvet. It’s just a massive concrete wall that is standing in place. He had to do some creative work in pouring it; it’s not structurally holding anything up even though it is supported from above. The weight involved in having something that is standing up in our lobby – he jumped through some hoops and really pulled off a very unique product.”

Thomas says touches like these really make the space, but the cost of each one had to be carefully considered, given that the budget was hers.

“It does present challenges because you’re looking at it from both viewpoints,” she says. “You’re looking at it as a contractor and at the cost implications.

But because it’s something for yourself, you’re also looking at it as the owner who wants it to look nice. On a project we do for somebody else, it’s what is on the plans and on the drawings.”

Fortunately, Thomas trusted her

years of experience and stood behind her choices, which cut down on construction delays.

“We didn’t make any changes in the middle of the process,” she says. “We knew our budget well enough to know the most we could get for it. There were changes along the way because of city requirements – those change fairly often.

But for ourselves, we went in knowing exactly what we wanted to put up and went after it.”

Unfortunately, bad weather is what caused delays, which pushed a six-month project to the seven-month mark. Even though the slab was poured and the panel walls were tilted in place, a flood in San Marcos last spring affected the schedule, and the drought that followed impacted groundcover installation, delaying the certificate of occupancy. Being a seasoned contractor, Thomas took the delays in stride.

“That’s typical for a general contractor,” she says, laughing. “We’re always fighting Mother Nature.“ With the project complete and her staff moved in, Thomas is more than pleased with the result, both as the contractor and the client

“I’m extremely happy. The new space is much more comfortable than our last,” she says.

Established in 1982, K-W Construction Inc. is a commercial general contractor with projects ranging from churches, schools, universities, retail centers, office buildings, tenant finish-outs and warehouses. –mjm

continued from Page 1 — Rebel Weirdness Skatepark named Rebel Weirdness Skatepark, will have a 50-ft vertical ramp, a 50-ft deep bowl – shaped like a guitar – and a full pipe.

But what makes it really weird and different from the others?

Marriott laughs.

“Skaters will be able to take advantage of a feature never seen before in a skate park,” he says. “A conveyor belt will allow skaters to leave their boards traveling underneath them as they traverse an iron-man like course that will take brute strength, as well as brains, to complete! If the board comes out at the end before

they do – well, to get the board back, they will need to do a passable version of the chicken dance on stage in front of the live band that will play all the time!”

Marriott says the park will be lighted and be able to be accessed 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. A hotel, golf course, fine dining and other amenities will make this a destination place for enthusiasts of all kinds.

However, you won’t be able to make reservations to take advantage of this wild idea, because Paul was a good sport and went along with this April Fool’s joke from Construction News to you! –cw

Austin Construction News • Apr 2016

M

Page 15

Rodeo up!

ore than 90 teams signed up to cook barbecue and help fund scholarships for children at the first – and newest – event at Rodeo Austin on Mar. 4-5.

The new event, BBQ Austin, brought thousands of people to the Texas State Fairgrounds to sample plenty of barbecue and other items.

Barbecue teams started working on Thursday and continued into the wee hours of Friday as they prepared their delectable treats. All proceeds raised by the teams fund Texas scholarships. –cw

continued on Page 16

Page 16

continued from Page 15 — Rodeo up!

Austin Construction News • Apr 2016