Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News April 2016

Covering the Industry’s News

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Volume 13

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Number 4

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APRIL 2016

Arch of triumph

Monkey business at TAS

L-R: Dallas office manager Jennifer Ortiz, vice president of Office and Industrial Robert Martin and superintendent Robert Lovell

Have you seen this monkey? TAS’ Rusty Vaughn needs your help.

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hen Arch-Con Construction President and CEO Michael G. Scheurich founded his contracting company in 2000, his vision was to expand and diversify its reach outside of its Houston home base. In March, Scheurich finally realized that vision with the opening of Arch-Con’s Dallas office, located at 8235 Douglas Ave., Suite 100 in Preston Center.

For Scheurich, Dallas was a natural choice for Arch-Con’s expansion. It was a homecoming of sorts, given that he started his construction career in Dallas in the early ’90s, working on projects like the Ballpark at Arlington and Doctors Hospital at White Rock Lake.

It also achieved Scheurich’s goal of diversification. The company is sharply

focused on Dallas’ office building and industrial markets, with a quick vision and intention to ramp up in the markets of retail, hospitality, multifamily, community and corporate interiors.

“We hope to bring our unique business model to the Metroplex and broaden our brand,” Scheurich says.

“There are many common core relationships within the major Texas cities – we expect to leverage these relationships to serve our clients better.”

The current strength of North Texas’ building industry also played a part in the decision.

“Dallas has a different set of economic drivers from Houston,” he says.

“Therefore, the development cycle for continued on Page 18

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t was almost as if the entire French Quarter had been transported to Texas AirSystems’ Irving warehouse and parking lot for the night. The company’s annual Mardi Gras event, held Mar. 3 for more than 1,000 guests, had everything except a beads-tossing parade. A New Orleans-style band –­ complete with a washboard-thumping musician – played songs from the South. New Orleans Saintsations cheerleaders flown in for the event posed for photos with guests and manufacturers Texas AirSystems represents. Cajun food overflowed on the tables as guests ate and networked with abandon. A fire performer amazed the crowds with blazing tricks.

And then there was the trained monkey – the emphasis being on “was.”

The monkey, who had been hired to

perform tricks at the festivities, mysteriously disappeared during the event, and even more mysterious is the events that have happened since.

Rusty Vaughn, a partner of Texas AirSystems, has tried his best to keep a lid on the chaos that has ensued since the monkey fled the party, but he can no longer stay silent: Vaughn needs the public’s help to find the missing monkey.

“It’s gotten out of control,” Vaughn admits, sighing with frustration. “We really didn’t want to panic anyone, and we thought the monkey would have been found by now. I mean, we know the monkey is in the building. Every morning, we find evidence that he’s still there. Documents have been … damaged, if you know what I mean. Employee lunches in continued on Page 18

It’s the little things

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ift products company Diverse Marketing has a prime location for its showroom in Dallas’ World Trade Center, but prior to January, the interior looked as if the 1980s had come in to shop and never left. Black ceiling and slat board-covered walls, single level display tables and insufficient lighting made the space seem unwelcome and outdated.

Nicole Arnold, owner of Nicole Arnold Interiors, was brought on board to revitalize a 600-sf section of the showroom with a new floor plan and light construction to bring the space into 2016 and so that it would bring new clients into the shop.

“They have this really great corner space,” Arnold explains. “There’s a glass wall on the store’s front section, and in the area where the chain security gates open, there are no walls on two long sides of the corner, so you can walk right

Making small changes created a huge impact for Diverse Marketing’s showroom.

into the showroom. It is immediately adjacent to a main escalator and is very close to the central elevator, so there’s tons of traffic. It’s in a great visual spot; they have great real estate.”

But even “location, location, location” wasn’t bringing in the amount of customers Diverse Marketing wanted

“As with any trade show, they wanted to attract more walk-in customers for their January market week, not just make it a destination that someone has to come to at market,” she says. “We were hired to go in and give it a new look, something fresh and exciting, give it some color pop and make people want to come in and stay.”

Arnold met with the DM team the first week of December to begin making plans, with the deadline being set as the second week of January. To meet an extremely tight deadline of one month was challenging enough, but continued on Page 18

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Apr 2016

It runs in their pipes!

Third generation plumber Scott Ganske, owner of Ganske and Sons Plumbing in Watauga, holds up a decades-old advertisement for his grandfather’s plumbing company, Higginbotham Bros. and Co. His father owns Bryan’s Plumbing (see On Location on page 7) and two of his sons have competed in plumbing competitions as teens. –mjm

Terracon acquires BES

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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.

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

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Apr 2016

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Expo-triates in Dallas

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heets of rain couldn’t keep companies or attendees away from Dallas’ Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Mar. 9-10. Nearly all corners of the construction industry were represented at the Dallas Build Expo, a networking event featuring expert seminars, workshops and exhibits showcasing the latest in industry products and services. –mjm Construction News

Virtual Builders Exchange

Foundation Building Materials

EquipmentShare

STEELTEC

Austin Turf & Tractor

United Site Services

Mobile Mini

Independent Insurance Group, PCL Contract Bonding Agency, Cutler-Smith PC

Pro-Vigil DDM Materials Inc.

Dallas/Fort Worth Lite & Barricade

LC Container LLC

Dallas  Fort Worth

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Apr 2016

Kevin Butler President/Partner

Merrick Butler Vice President/Partner Butler and Butler Construction/Butler Masonry Lancaster, TX

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rothers Kevin and Merrick Butler have masonry and construction in their bloodline, thanks to observing their father run his own masonry business. After reestablishing that company for themselves, they now are celebrating Butler & Butler Construction/Butler Masonry’s 10-year anniversary with a blow-out party, and a look back on how it all started.

Did you come from a construction family?

Merrick: Yes, as a matter of fact, we did. Our company’s origin is rich in masonry history. Our family’s initial successful attempt in this industry was more than 40 years ago.

Growing up, did you work for your dad?

Merrick: Yes, I did work for him. I was 6 years old the first time I went out to a construction site, and it was an interesting experience. I had opportunities to stack brick and then had time to go play with tadpoles. I enjoyed having the time with my dad as well as having the opportunity to earn my own money. I worked for Dad throughout my high school years.

Changes in the thriving company began to occur. Subsequently, I decided to get married at a very young age and start my family. I found myself at a juncture of deciding what would be best for me in terms of a career, so I worked in the construction field for a few years.

However, a different career path beckoned, so I found myself working bridge and overpass construction in rural Louisiana and later transitioned to the oil field. It was there that I got my career foothold and spent the next 16 years of my work life drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico and in the Middle East.

Interestingly enough, it was during that period that things were working together for good in the background. My time spent in the oil field, which provided a comfortable living for my family, allotted the time Kevin needed to enroll in college and obtain a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree. Once his commitment to college was completed, Kevin reached out to share his interest in re-establishing the family masonry business. After 16 years offshore and overseas, I was ready for a fresh start and a change in pace.

Kevin: There was a 12-year age gap between Merrick and myself, so I didn’t really have the opportunity to go onsite much with our dad. By the time I was of age, the company had gone through several changes and was hardly operational any longer.

Regarding the path I took to get to the place we are now, I studied at the University of California, Riverside and got my degree in Business Administration. That

was my primary focus – how a business runs from an administrative standpoint and the logistics of it. When I enrolled, I had determined that I had plans for myself and the legacy of our family’s masonry business.

Merrick: Honestly, Kevin’s and my union was made ideal 10 years ago based on my real life work experience and his educational preparedness. He understands the business process, the requirements for us to remain productive and in the green, customer relations, business development and work flow requirements. The value I bring is from the field operations and execution of projects perspective, in addition to staff development, direct field staff oversight and field process management. Our synergism is amazing and the end results of our projects have been positive.

What made you decide to go back into the family business together?

Kevin: Merrick and I had spoken for years about collaborating with the purpose of regenerating the family masonry business and decided that one day we would. In the midst of our plan to relaunch the business in 2000, our brother passed away. His tragic end brought Merrick and myself closer and placed us in a position to develop the brotherly bond that had been missing in times past because of our age difference. Following our brother’s death, I consoled Merrick by reminding him that he still had a brother in me. As a result, we revisited our discussions of regenerating the business.

Merrick: In 2006, Kevin reincorporated the family business and began laying the groundwork for Butler and Butler Construction/Butler Masonry to take on its first job as a newly re-established entity. Kevin was diligent and determined to ensure that everything was in place prior to our acceptance of the first contract. During that time, I maintained my job in the oil field and worked overseas in Dubai and Qatar a month at a time. Finally, the foundation was laid, the company was re-established and we were legal, then I received a call from Kevin stating, “Brother, you have to let that job go!

It’s time!”

As brothers, and with such a gap in age, what is it like to work together?

Merrick: It’s great. Actually, it was a dream that came to reality. I hear so many people say, “How are you able to work with your brother? If I worked with my brother for five minutes, I’d kill him!” But I think when you have a business and you understand business, you know it’s not personal. When it’s all said and done, we’ll still be brothers who desire to see each other be successful.

Kevin's and my separate and individual talents balance our business. Over the course of the past 10 years we've learned to appreciate each other's strong points and professional strengths. Kevin brings to this partnership a vast business administrative knowledge in addition to innovativeness. He has an impressive ability to generate and process ideas while mentally developing a strategic plan of execution. If a situation is presented to him, then a rapid movement toward solutions is the norm for him.

Kevin: Merrick’s probably one of the hardest-working people I know. He is determined, calculated and resolute. Seemingly impossible tasks have been set before him and he's been able to execute them seamlessly each time, on time and under budget. Merrick is the executioner and he gets the job done. He’s a gentle leader who is kind, but firm. He is familyoriented and has a pleasant disposition; as a result, he attracts field staff who want to work with him and work hard for him. He’s charismatic, even-keeled, understands how to manage situations, and is also very knowledgeable in this industry. He is very unassuming, but always has a solution brewing when faced with

L-R: Brothers Kevin and Merrick Butler celebrate a decade of business ownership and a rich family history in masonry.

project challenges. He’s a fast learner and a great teacher. He's a cheerful guy and is very much a "people person.” Those attributes make a great combination.

Congratulations on your 10-year anniversary this month! Do you ever look back and think, “Wow, we’ve made it?”

Merrick: Oh gosh, yes! I mean, I don’t think we’ve “made it,” but we have come a long way from where we began. We continue to push and move forward daily and we’re still in this race to sustain and grow our company. We consistently grow stronger than we were the year before and aim to continue that trend. I am thankful that things are coming together as we envisioned they would 16 years ago.

We have cause to celebrate our 10year milestone anniversary. We've pulled out all the stops for our anniversary celebration and will host a formal gala at City Club of Dallas on the 69th floor of the Bank of America Building. We’re excited to celebrate our 10 years of work and share with our invited guests the history and legacy of Butler and Butler Construction and Butler Masonry. We intend for the celebratory gala to be epic.

Kevin: We’re inviting a melting pot of attendees to include family, colleagues, employees, business constituents, clients and suppliers. There is an expectation of having many people in attendance who have assisted us in reaching this juncture in our lives from a professional perspective. We expect a strong showing by the folk who've supported us from the inception of the re-establishment of our company to the point that it has grown to today. We’re looking forward to the celebration.

What do you do in your free time?

Merrick: I’m married and a father of six – two boys and four girls. I’m a familyoriented person. I spend lots of time with my family just enjoying the simple pleasures of life. We enjoy quality time at home, travel, entertainment of various sorts and our church life.

Unfortunately, due to my demanding work schedule, I don’t presently have time for hobbies but I'm looking forward to reaching the point of being able to identify and enjoy a few. It'll happen eventually. Sometimes I look at Kevin and say, “Hey, let’s go ahead and book that cruise, then I think, “Who really has time for that type of leisurely activity?” However, I do own a motorcycle, a VTX 1300 Honda, and I’m beginning to enjoy it a bit more these days. When I ride my bike I feel completely free.

Kevin: I’m not married and don’t have any kids. I spend most of my time working, but I enjoy it.

I have a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization called 3-D Sports that uses basketball as a tool to generate and instill realistic life expectations in the kids, advance their education and help them become

quality young men; I spend time on the weekends sharing my talents and gifts with the youth who are engaged in that program. I've seen many positive outcomes as a result of my efforts on that front. Additionally, I have four Italian Mastiffs who require my time and attention as well. I love them dearly. Aside from that, I also enjoy fishing and golfing.

Do you have plans to keep this family business in the family?

Kevin: That’s the goal, to keep the business in the family and pass it on to the kids. Hopefully one day I'll start a family as well and have kids of my own.

With any luck, Merrick's kids and mine will successfully run this business long after we've retired. Let's be clear though, Merrick and I still have mental and physical fuel to run, so we expect to be fully active in the business at a minimum of the next 10 years or more. Perhaps kids will come for me during that time; we'll see. I enjoy working and the bonus for me is that I have an opportunity to work with my brother. It’s amazing; I love it and I wouldn’t change anything about it. I don’t see myself stepping down anytime soon.

Kevin: We recently purchased land in Mansfield near 360 and Broad St. We have our architect selected and they’re currently drafting the preliminary drawings for our new office building. Considering we're a masonry company, the building will contain block, brick and cast stone! It will be a showpiece of our performance capability and professional skill.

In addition to a new office, what other plans do you have for the company?

Merrick: My opinion is that within the next few years our companies will have grown to the point of our having developed numerous trusted relationships and we’ll be one of the most highly sought after companies in the southwest region.

We're building an impressive administrative team, which will assist in us in continued growth and sustainability.

We've recently expanded our administrative team to include estimator Jacob Tucker, project manager Willie Davis, office manager Nancy Soto and administrative assistant Rosa Delgado. We’re in the process of expanding our administrative team and we’re managing a growing field team of more than 70 employees. At this phase of our career trajectory, we’re implementing systematic approaches to growing our staff and business. We’re excited about the team that we’ve developed, as they are helping us maintain the momentum that has been established.

Butler & Butler Construction specializes in commercial masonry with a focus on brick, block and stone. –mjm

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Apr 2016

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Right in the WIC of it

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or one week in March, women in the construction industry are annually feted for 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 Fort Worth chapter (NAWIC’s first) pulled out all of the stops to celebrate.

An “Urban Adventure Quest” walking tour of downtown Fort Worth followed by dinner on Mar. 6 got members revved up for the action-packed week ahead. The next day, the ladies were

pumped to donate blood in the Carter BloodCare bus in Accutex Electric’s parking lot. The fun continued with the always-anticipated “Building Hope” event on Mar. 10. Held at the Diamond Oaks County Club, the evening featured a fashion show/auction of specially designed bras and boxers to raise funds for Cancer Care Services. The festivities finally came to an end Mar. 12 with a “Snack & Learn” seminar held at Accutex Electric, where members learned about lien and bond claims in a presentation led by Cantey Hanger’s Stephanie Harrison. –mjm

Members of NAWIC’s Fort Worth chapter gather in downtown Fort Worth for the week’s kickoff event, an Urban Adventure Quest.

Double Eagle Electric’s Lori Donnell donates at the blood drive held at Accutex Electric.

Bras and boxers designed by members were auctioned to raise money for charity.

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Brettco Roofing’s Holly Green poses next to Springtree Roofing and Restoration’s Jason Valleau, who is modeling “Nice Rack,” an ensemble created by NAWIC member Lori Donnell.

Quality Sound’s Kelley Clark bros up the bra, “Pamper Yourself”, by Martina Wisherd

L-R: Double Eagle Electric’s Phillip Eagan proudly wears Lara Siegel’s creation, titled “Year Round Holidays,” while Steele & Freeman’s Matt Rowland feels pretty in Martina Wisherd’s “For the Love of a Mermaid”.

Lee Groves

ocal businessman Lee Claude Groves died Feb. 16, 2016 in Farmers Branch, TX. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Dorothy Ann Groves, children, Sunya (Groves) Seago, Selena (Groves) Zarate, Sheila Groves, and Bill Groves, in-laws Max Seago, Frank Zarate, and Maria Groves, sponsored children La Nguyen, Terry Zuckzinger, Ly Nguyen, Tam Nguyen, Van Bui, and their spouses, 19 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren, and counting.

Born on Oct. 25, 1939 in Wellington, TX, he was raised on a dairy farm in Hannibal, TX. He married Dorothy Groves in 1958 and together they moved to the Dallas area and raised their family there.

He started Groves Electrical Service Inc. in 1968 out of his garage with one truck and a dream. He grew the company from only he and Dorothy to now over 100 employees today. He was proud to be a part of many notable DFW construction projects including The Eisemann Center in Richardson, the SMU Tennis Complex, the South Irving Library, Railroad Park in Lewisville, TX, and countless schools throughout DFW. Lee was a western movie buff, avid

Re-Source Industries’ Veronica Finnegan mans up in Stacy Van Pelt’s “Cooler Tools” boxers, as Quality Sound’s Jacob Carlton enjoys “Downtown FW Fun”,

by Martina Wisherd.

Steely determination

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mystery reader, and he loved a good joke. He was a consummate teacher and loved imparting his electrical wisdom on his employees, including his apprentice class he taught weekly. He was a quiet philanthropist and community supporter who had an impact on the lives of everyone he met. He was a loving and generous husband, father, granddad, brother, and friend.

ollin County sheriff’s deputy Bill Armstrong just couldn’t catch a break, and it had nothing to do with a case.

The former Marine Corps veteran and his son were building their home on 20 acres of Blue Ridge land when the weather tried to destroy that dream not once, but twice. The first time, the house was nearly complete when last year’s Dec. 26 tornado tore through it. He managed to rebuild 90% of the framing when March winds roared through like a lion and left the framing in a pile.

WFAA-TV reported on Armstrong’s plight, and when AcuFrame’s James Hurt learned of the deputy’s situation, he contacted the station to offer help. He knew his steel system – which he assembles in containers and sends overseas to help build orphanages and schools – was the solution.

“I said, ‘I can help this guy; I can handle wind loads with my system, which can withstand not just wind, but seismic events,’” Hurt says. “I told Bill, ‘It’s not going to cost you anything. You served your country and you’re serving us now as a police officer and I want to do what I can to help you.’”

Hurt invited Armstrong to his shop to learn about the AcuFrame product and process, and his in-house engineer and architect redesigned the plan to withstand a higher wind load. His team then manufactured the frame, walls and trusses, transported them to the job site, helped volunteers clean up the debris and began building. Armstrong, who had such a run of bad building luck, was grateful to be closer to having a place to call home.

“I’m not knocking wood,” Hurt says.­ “I love wood and I use wood all of the time, but structurally, there are things so much better than wood. If you can make

AcuFrame’s James Hurt helps those in need with his system.

a structure tornado resistant, why wouldn’t we want to do that?

“I truly want to make a difference,” Hurt continues. “I’m trying to come up with products that benefit. With this system, basically anyone can follow the directions and assemble the building. I’d like to see it adopted and used in North Texas, but I’ve been in this industry a long time and builders aren’t early adopters.

My theory is that if I can get a little help from architects, consumers, and builders to pressure builders to make reforms, I can help more people.”

AcuFrame in Dallas and Whiteright offers an end-to-end steel frame design and manufacturing system allowing for precise mass production of cold-formed steel frames. –mjm

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Dallas/Fort Worth 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

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.

Submitted to Construction News

WOMTalks

Ramtech Building Systems president Linc Moss and vice-president of design Roland Brown (seated at front, far right) traveled from their Mansfield office to San Diego, CA to present at the Modular Building Institute’s 2016 World of Modular (WOM) annual convention and trade show. Both presented in a panel discussing best practices on implementation strategies and guidelines for getting the most out of off-site construction. –mjm

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Apr 2016

Page 7

Assignment issues in construction contracts

What Is Work-Related Asthma?

Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX

Ben Wheatley , Title Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr Dallas, 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 anti-assignment 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 nonconsenting 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

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ork-related asthma is a lung disease caused or made worse by exposures to substances in the workplace. Common exposures include chemicals, dust, mold, animals, and plants. Exposure can occur from both inhalation (breathing) and skin contact. Asthma symptoms may start at work or within several hours after leaving work and may occur with no clear pattern. People who never had asthma can develop asthma due to workplace exposures. People who have had asthma for years may find that their condition worsens due to workplace exposures. Both of these situations are considered work-related asthma.

A group of chemicals called isocyanates are one of the most common chemical causes of work-related asthma. OSHA is working to reduce exposures to isocyanates and has identified their use in numerous workplaces. See table below for common products (both at home and work) and common jobs where exposure to isocyanates may occur.

Common Products • Polyurethane foam • Paints, lacquers, ink, varnishes, sealants, finishes • Insulation materials • Polyurethane rubber • Glues and adhesives Common Jobs and Job Processes • Car manufacture and repair • Building construction (plaster, insulation) • Foam blowing and cutting • Painting • Truck bed liner application • Foundry work (casting) • Textile, rubber & plastic manufacturing • Printing • Furniture manufacturing • Electric cable insulation Why You Should Care About WorkRelated Asthma Work-related asthma may result in longterm lung damage, loss of work days, disability, or even death. The good news is

Net(working) gains

Helping to hire

L-R: Lawton Reprographic Centers’ Linda Scott, Low Voltage Solutions’ Connie McPherson and Micah Pazoureck, Hicks Resource Consulting’s Ann Hicks and North Texas Ductworks’ Carmen Smith

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Cassie Bobo, office manager at Bryan’s Plumbing LLC in Richland Hills, takes a break from her desk and searching for a licensed journeyman her company can hire. –mjm

that early diagnosis and treatment of work-related asthma can lead to a better health outcome.

What To Do If You Think You Have WorkRelated Asthma If you think that you may have work-related asthma, see your doctor as soon as possible. Take a copy of the safety data sheet for the product you suspect of causing the asthma with you to your doctor.

Work-Related Asthma Quick Facts • Work-related asthma can develop over ANY period of time (days to years).

• Work-related asthma may occur with changes in work exposures, jobs, or processes.

• It is possible to develop work-related asthma even if your workplace has protective equipment, such as exhaust ventilation or respirators.

• Work-related asthma can continue to cause symptoms even when the exposure stops.

• Before working with isocyanates or any other asthma-causing substances, ask your employer for training, as required under OSHA’s Hazard Communication standard.

For more information on isocyanates, visit OSHA’s web page: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/isocyanates/ index.html natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232

smaller purse that didn’t impede quick movement. Fifty business cards.

Company marketing materials. A great elevator speech – and a smile!

These tools are what the invitation instructed women in the construction industry to bring to the Women Construction Owners & Executives’ (WCOE) second annual speed networking event. More than 30 guests who work in construction, architecture and engineering brought that along with a desire to support their fellow women in the industry. Hosted at Dallas’ Steelcase Dallas WorkLife Center on Mar. 23, women in the industry mingled and fueled up on appetizers before they sped through the networking part of the

evening and filled those smaller purses with loads of business cards. –mjm

Gadberry Construction’s Tonya Watson

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Apr 2016

Lighting the WIC

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omen in Construction (WIC) Week, an event honoring women and their many contributions to the construction industry, is one of the year’s highlights for the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC).

To celebrate, the Dallas chapter lit up their week with a range of activities.

Kicking off the festivities was a “Dress for Success” event, held March 8 at Carrollton clothing store A Honey of a Deal & Company (owned by NAWIC member Ann McCullough of McCullough & Associates). After members had a chance to browse the store and stock up on new spring items, they watched a presentation showcasing examples of work wear for occasions of all kinds.

The next day, the ladies headed on to Hilti in Plano for a review on fire stopping and a hands-on tool demonstration.

On Mar. 10, members got their hearts

pumping at CPR training, sponsored by McCarthy Building Companies and hosted by Austin Commercial at Toyota Headquarters in Plano.

The celebration’s final day, Saturday, was set aside for sign making at High Value Signs in Irving, followed by lunch at Main Street Bistro and Bakery. –mjm

L-R: Austin Commercial’s Susan Hewitt, Manhattan Construction’s Sandy Liebau, McCullough & Associates’ Ann McCullough and SimplexGrinnell’s Jennifer VanBreda are ready to get their fashion on at A Honey of a Deal Boutique.

King of Texas Roofing’s MaryAnne Doss eyes a blouse in “NAWIC Red.”

Members got their heart rates up during CPR training.

A proud Dallas chapter holds up their finished products.

McCarthy’s Kim Gibbons knows the drill.

Stewards of a legacy

West port

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.

L-R: Celeste Peal, Charlie Stewart, Jimmy James and Russell Childress

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pecialty contractor Southwest Construction Services has worked its way further west with a new Fort Worth location.

Company president Charlie Stewart, vice president of sawing-demo sales Jimmy James, sales/project manager Russell Childress and Celeste Peal, business development and marketing, will work out of the new office, located at 2332 Gravel Dr. “We do a lot of work in Fort Worth, and we want a good presence here to represent us and the quality of work that we do,” Stewart says. “It’s something we’ve always wanted to do, and now we have the chance.”

“We wanted to branch out to the Fort Worth community, spread our wings, and offer the same services we do out of Dallas,” adds Childress. “Now, we’re a lot closer and our response times are a lot quicker for customers in this area” Stewart expects the Fort Worth

office to expand rapidly in the next six months. He remembers starting the Dallas location with three employees in an office the size of the 1,000-sf Fort Worth base. The company quickly outgrew eight Dallas offices, and Stewart expects the same will happen in Cowtown.

Childress says clients are excited to have access to a Fort Worth office, and it has resulted in immediate business with existing clients who previously used the Dallas location.

Stewart, Childress, James and Peal are happy with their new location as well.

“We’re very excited about the opportunity we’re going to have for employing good people, growing this office, helping Fort Worth grow and taking care of our customers,” Stewart says.

Southwest Construction Services, established in 1993, offers sawing, concrete and waterproofing services. - mjm

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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

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Apr 2016

Page 9

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.

Have an outdoor photo or story you’d like to share?

Send to:

DFWeditor@ConstructionNews.net or call Melissa at 817.731.4823

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 10

Dallas/Fort Worth 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!

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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 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.

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

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

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

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Apr 2016

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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.

Wes explained that formal training appeals to people, as well.

“Husbands are also bringing their

Page 11

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.

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

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. “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 continued on Page 12

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Apr 2016

continued from Page 11 — Protect yourself but be safe

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

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.

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 you don’t train, then maybe they shouldn’t have a gun with you.

“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.

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Apr 2016

Page 13

Grand gathering in Alamo City

Moving on up

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Paul Levin, Sundt’s corporate director of safety and quality, accepts the Grand Award at the AGC National Convention in San Antonio.

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he Associated General Contractors (AGC) held its National Convention Mar. 9-11 at the Grand Hyatt in San Antonio. Approximately 2,300 people attended the three-day event.

The convention coincided with the AGC Charities Operation Opening Doors extreme build project, Morgan’s Inspiration Island, which will be the first-ever ultra-accessible water park when it opens in spring 2017.

While in San Antonio for the convention, national officers visited the Inspiration Island jobsite, where 31 local member companies were working on the most ambitious community service project in the history of AGC. A video about the project was shown at the convention’s opening session.

The AGC Technology and Construction Solutions Expo, which was open all three days, hosted breakfast and lunch for attendees.

Some of the notable events were a contractor’s prayer breakfast, a luncheon for AGC spouses and guests, an AGC PRO & Glenfiddich VIP Event, a first-time attendee reception, the Construction Safety Excellence Awards and the Alliant Build America Awards Luncheon.

Sundt Construction, which has an office in Fort Worth, won two awards for safety excellence: First place in the Highway Division among contractors with

more than a million man-hours, and the prestigious Grand Award. Satterfield & Pontikes Construction Inc., which has an office in Irving, was honored for its building renovation (under $10 million) of Francis Hall in College Station. Hensel Phelps in Dallas was recognized for the Love Field Modernization Program in the Building Renovation over $200 million category. BARC, a Balfour Beatty Construction, Azteca, H.J. Russell, CARCON Joint Venture, received an award for Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Terminal A PH II Renewal and Improvement Program in the Construction Management Renovation category. Ferrovial Agroman US Corp. was recognized in the Design-Build category and won the Community Award for its work on LBJ Express.

Among the educational sessions offered were “How Do Owners Define Value in Their Construction Projects? A Lean Perspective,” “Future Forecast: How Drones, Sensors and Integrated Apps Are Rewriting All the Rules,” and “Are Your New Hires Ready to Work?”

The AGC also offered its own version of TED Talks, ConstrucTED Talks, including “Meeting Diversity Hiring Goals in your Trade Workforce” for the association’s Federal and Heavy Construction Division, and “Understanding Multigenerational Perspectives: The Key to Developing Enduring Organizations.” –mh

he National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) announced the 158 Regional CotY (Contractor of the Year) winners in the 2016 competition, of which 12 are members of the NARI of Greater Dallas. 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

Greater Dallas NARI winners: Residential Kitchen $30,000 to $60,000 BRY JO Roofing & Remodeling, Richardson Residential Kitchen $60,001 to $100,000 Montgomery Contracting, Richardson Residential Kitchen Over $150,000 Marvelous Home Makeovers LLC, Plano

Residential Bath Over $100,000 Marvelous Home Makeovers LLC Universal Design Project Recognition, Plano Residential Interior Over $150,000 BRY JO Roofing & Remodeling Richardson Residential Detached Structure Hatfield Builders & Remodelers, Plano Commercial Interior JNT Developers Inc. , Dallas Commercial Speciality Cavalry Construction, Plano Landscape Design/Outdoor Living Under $60,000 Southwest Fence and Deck Inc. Carrollton Landscape Design/ Outdoor $60,000 and Over Capital Renovations Group LLC McKinney

Living

Green Project Recognition Marvelous Home Makeovers LLC, Plano Residential Bath $75,001 to $100,000 Universal Design Project Recognition BRY JO Roofing & Remodeling, Richardson - Residential Bath $25,000 to $50,000

Submitted to Construction News

A drone deal

A drone captured this “Lunch & Learn” group’s Kodak moment on Mar. 15 at Kinley Construction Group Ltd. in Arlington. The event, hosted by Construction Industry Allies’ Angie Ellis, featured Leslie Thompson of aerial photography/video company (and drone owner) GlobalVideoHQ and Andy Avila of hydrovac excavation service provider Badger Daylighting. –mjm

Ferrovial Agroman US Corp. receives an award for LBJ Express project.

Submitted to Construction News

Honor bright

Deserving children, grandchildren and employees of roofing contractors were awarded scholarship money through KPost Charities, a non-profit organization established last year

by KPost Company. The recipients were recently honored with a reception at KPost, which recognized each honoree’s scholastic achievements and future academic goals. –mjm

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Apr 2016

Another fis-skill year!

Grabbing the gold

L-R: Prism’s John Davis receives the Future Leaders Committee award from Eddie Corbitt, along with Wagner, Eubank & Nichols LLP’s Paul Morris and Beck’s Wayne Rowe.

A

ll award winners were accounted for at a financial fete hosted Mar. 17 at Irving’s Hackberry Creek Country Club. The Construction Financial Membership Association (CFMA) held its annual Construction Financial Professional of the Year Awards to honor association members whose financial acumen and experience have impacted the industry.

In addition to committee awards bestowed at the event, Austin Commercial’s Joe McLaughlin received the Bob Moulder Award and KPost Company’s John Barker received the Construction Financial Professional of the Year Award.

Cal Jillson, Southern Methodist University professor of political science, served as the evening’s speaker. Jillson discussed the broad dynamics driving the 2016 election cycle, the political opportunities and challenges facing the Republicans and Democrats, the possible party power transformation of the U.S. Senate and the current partisan battle to control the Supreme Court. –mjm

L-R: Ron Yuen and Stan Braxton receive the scholarship committee award from Eddie Corbitt.

Outstanding Workmanship – Low-slope (Gold Circle Award) and Gold Circle Safety Award Castro Roofing of Texas LP – Southern Methodist University Owen Arts Center

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L-R: Eddie Corbitt gives Austin Commercial’s Joe McLaughlin the Bob Moulder Award, as Bob Moulder congratulates him.

hree local members of the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) recently proved that they had the Midas touch. The association’s Gold Circle Awards and Gold Circle Safety Awards were given to these companies at the NRCA’s 129th annual convention, held Feb. 17-19 in Orlando.

The Gold Circle Award celebrates outstanding workmanship and contributions to the roofing industry, including

unique roofing-related jobs, programs and services. The Gold Circle Safety Award honors companies for demonstrating superior safety measures. Castro Roofing of Texas LP was honored with both a Gold Circle Award and a Gold Circle Safety Award. King Texas Roofing Co. won a Gold Circle Award for its service to the community. A Gold Circle Safety Award was also given to Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing. –mjm

L-R: Eddie Corbitt presents the “Construction Financial Professional of the Year Award” to KPost Company’s John Barker.

Service to the Community: King of Texas Roofing Co. – Momentous Institute of Dallas

L-R: Eddie Corbitt presents Mark Metille with the membership committee award.

Gold Circle Safety Award: Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing – Dallas Love Field

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Apr 2016

Page 15

Women in Construction Time to overcome stereotypes, teach girls about construction Jennifer VanBreda, Corporate Project Manager/Pre-Construction Engineer Tyco/SimplexGrinnell Richardson, TX

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hat is your background in the construction industry?

I started construction in high school.

I was taking hand drafting courses and my grandfather saw how much I enjoyed it. He bought me a drafting table for Christmas one year. He had me draw the design for his kitchen that he was remodeling. The contractors used my prints to do their work and were very impressed that a high school student put that much detail into prints. He then saw an ad in the paper looking for a drafter at an electrical contracting firm. He encouraged me to apply for the job. I got the job and started my first job in the construction industry at 16 years old, designing lighting plans for commercial businesses. I have since moved into the Life Safety industry working for various companies promoting drafting and design services, estimating, sales and project management. I am currently employed by Tyco/ SimplexGrinnell as a corporate project manager/project engineer.

Why did you choose construction?

I didn’t choose construction; it chose me.

Do you have a mentor?

In my current position as a corporate project manager at Tyco/SimplexGrinnell, I have a mentor. My mentor is there to guide me in my role and ensure I perform above and beyond what is expected of me. He is constantly encouraging me to strive to be the best project manager in the company.

What are the benefits of women pursuing a construction career?

Construction is a very detailed field, and I think most women are very detailoriented. And women are, by nature, mutli-taskers. We can juggle things and the balls don’t fall often. In any field, it I important to have diversity in the workforce, as that helps bring a diverse set of thoughts, opinions and experiences together to do the best work and deliver the best results.

What specific challenges have you faced in your career? How did you

Living and learning as a woman in construction Hilda Ochoa, Vice President 8A Electric San Antonio, TX

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ike many women in the construction industry, Hilda Ochoa balances several roles in her life. She is a mother, the vice president of 8A Electric, a director of the Associated General Contractors (AGC) San Antonio Chapter, and chair of the AGC’s Construction Leadership Forum (CLF). She’s also on the association’s Education Committee.

“I have to say that I am a mother first and roles are ideal for women,” she says. “Yet foremost and that will never change,” says a lot of women don’t know that. That doesn’t mean that we don’t make good Ochoa. “My daughter will always come first.”

She observes that a pivotal key to bal- workers out in the actual field, because I ancing these roles is having a support sys- think that we do. I think that there are a tem, which includes her father, her mother lot of opportunities there as well, but I and other family members. One of the rea- think it’s about exposure at this point and sons she entered the construction indus- just letting women know that these jobs try was because her position has allowed and careers are available to them.”

Emphasizing the value of education, her to be a mother to Iza, who turns 5 years old this month, while working for for men and women, as the key to advancing in anything a person does, her father, the president of 8A.

She adds that friends and colleagues Ochoa notes that she always continues to serving with her on the committees are learn “as a mother, a VP, as everything also very supportive. They rally around and anything.” each other, and they understand and ap- One thing she has learned while preciate the importance of her role as a working in the industry is that some of mother. She brings her daughter with her the adversity she has felt isn’t necessarily to industry events and functions, and the because she’s a woman, but because of people at the AGC know Iza. the nature of the business.

“I think the construction industry offers When asked if she felt that it took a lot of opportunities for women that wom- more time for her to be accepted or that en don’t know are there, because it has been she has had to earn being seen as an viewed historically as a male-dominated in- equal a little more, she responded that in dustry,” she explains, noting that though it is some instances – not always – that she still heavily male, she believes more women has felt she has to work a little bit harder, have been introduced to the industry but she sees a different reason. through various education programs.

“The construction industry is a high As part of the Education Committee, risk industry, and the folks that you do Ochoa helps to expose women and mi- business with want to know who they’re norities to opportunities in the construc- doing business with. So, a lot of the time, tion industry. She says that construction I think that maybe I have put that undue requires skills in areas where women pressure on myself that ‘Oh, it’s because naturally excel, strengths such as organi- I’m a woman.’ Well, I don’t know.

“Now that I’ve been involved with zation, planning and scheduling.

“I think that project management the industry a little bit more, I think it has

overcome those challenges?

The biggest challenge I have had in my career is also my biggest benefit … being a woman. Construction has been male-dominated for years with women as the support team in the office. We are breaking those barriers daily. When I started in the industry, I had women tell me I only got the job because of the way I look. I had men treat me like I wouldn’t be able to do the job I was hired to do. I worked hard to prove them wrong in every instance. Some days were harder to get through than others, but I managed to overcome the negativity and become a stronger person and a better employee.

Are more opportunities opening for women in construction?

I don’t think the opportunities were ever not available. I think there was a fear in some women to try a career in construction because they didn’t know all the different fields and what the job really was. You don’t take a [required] course in construction in college, and many young girls are not exposed to construction at a young age. We play with dolls, not blocks. It’s a stereotype we have to overcome and teach the young girls today that construction is not just using tools in the field; it’s so much more.

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

I don’t think there is an area where women aren’t needed in the construction industry. Tyco has a strong focus on diversity and inclusion, and a Women’s Growth

Network that champions the value, growth and advancement of women.

That is helping to bring more women into construction-related jobs in our business.

Which is more important – education or experience?

This one is tough. I would never tell someone to not get a college education, but I didn’t. I couldn’t afford to go to college and I didn’t want student loans and debt. I went to work part-time after high school and took a few college courses. All of my money was going toward school and I was bored with it, so I stopped going to school and started working full-time.

Because I did that, I have the career I have today. But I am also lucky enough to have a great employer in Tyco/SimplexGrinnell, who offers a tuition reimbursement program. This program is allowing me to get my college education. I am currently taking courses to get my degree in business focusing on project management.

What advice can you offer women?

Just do it. And never settle for your current position, always try to better yourself and be the best at whatever you are doing. Always ask questions and take on new projects and duties if you can.

The more you know, the more you learn, the better and stronger you will be for yourself and your employer.

Jennifer VanBreda currently serves as president of the National Association of Women in Construction’s (NAWIC) Dallas Chapter. –mjm

more to do with the jobs that we do as an industry and the risks that we take on in every single aspect of the job. It has more to do with the risk in the industry than the fact that I am a woman. So, I have to reel myself back in when I put myself in that frame of mind, because I have to definitely coach myself and say, ‘Hey, remember the job that you’re doing. It’s about the job. It’s not about you.’”

While education helps to combat some of the preconceptions women have about working in the construction industry, Ochoa thinks that women hold themselves back from pursuing opportunities in the industry because of stereotypes.

“I definitely think that the biggest impediment to women in the industry are

women ourselves,” she observes. “I think that a lot of these programs that are out there are doing a good job of tearing down these stereotypes, but we need to do a better job. I think there is a double standard that we impose on ourselves. And I think that we can definitely overcome that by having more female role models in the industry trying to pull in other women.”

Ochoa notes that Katherine Willis, T.H. Willis, was the one who encouraged her to join the board of directors at the AGC. Also crediting Doug McMurry for being an advocate of women having a voice and presence in the association and industry, Ochoa says it is crucial that women in the industry bring other women to the table to be heard too. –mh

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Apr 2016

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?

I don’t think I can honestly say I have finished my education. In August 2001, I 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

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Apr 2016

Page 17

Association Calendar

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

Apr. 28: 2016 Unbuilt Design Awards Announcement Celebration

PDCA-Dallas Painting & Decorating Contractors of Amer.

Apr. 22: Spring Golf Tournament

PHCC- N. Tx

ASCE - Dallas

Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors

American Society of Civil Engineers

Apr. 14: 17th Annual PHCC North Texas/ CompPAC Trust of Texas Golf Tournament, Duck Creek Golf Club, 2800 Diamond Oaks Drive, Garland, 11am shotgun start

Apr. 7-9: Texas Section Student Symposium, United Supermarkets Arena, Lubbock. Concrete canoe races, steel bridge building, career fair. Call (512) 472-8905 for more info.

Apr. 11: Branch meeting, 11am

ASA North Texas American Subcontractors Association

Apr. 22-23: 2016 ASA/TEXO Bass Classic, Lake Bob Sandlin, Titus County Fresh Water District, 352 Fort Sherman Dam Rd., Mt. Pleasant, TX Apr. 27: Administrative Professional Day Luncheon & Racing, 1000 Lone Star Pkwy, Grand Prairie, 11:30am

CSI Construction Specifications Institute

Apr. 14-15: 2016 South Central Region Conference, Hilton Houston Post Oak Conference Center, 2001 Post Oak Blvd., Houston, noon

DACA Drywall & Acoustical Contractors Assn.

Apr. 11: Annual Golf Tournament, Bear Creek Golf Club, 3500 Bear Creek Court, Dallas, 11am

IEC - Dallas

PMI – Dallas Project Management Institute

Apr. 21: Dinner meeting, Brookhaven Country Club – Main Club House, 3333 Golfing Green Dr., Farmers Branch, 6:30pm

RCAT Roofing Contractors Assn. of Texas

Apr. 20: Licensing Boot Camp, Exams, International Bowling Museum Arlington, 621 Six Flags Dr., Arlington, 2-6pm Licensing “Boot Camp” Business & Safety Exam Prep Class (1CEU); Residential Roofing Exam Prep Class (1.5 CEU); Commercial Roofing Exam Prep Class (1.5 CEU) Apr. 21: 9am-1pm RCAT Licensing Exams

RHCA Regional Hispanic Contractors Assn.

Apr. 28: Safety Awards Breakfast, Goodwill Industries of Dallas, 3020 N. Westmoreland Rd. – 2nd Level, Dallas, 8am Apr. 30: Day of the Construction Worker, Fair Park – Women’s Museum Building, 3800 Parry Ave., Dallas, 9am

Independent Electrical Contractors

SCWCPA

Apr. 29: Frisco RoughRiders vs. Corpus Christi Hooks, 7300 RoughRiders Trail, Frisco, 3rd base Bullpen Arm/Private Area, 7:05pm. RSVP to Susan@IECdallas. com or (972) 550-1133

So. Central Wall, Ceiling & Plaster Assn.

IEC Independent Electrical Contractors

Apr. 12: 10th Annual Tom Jones Memorial Golf Tournament, Texas Star Golf Course, 1400 Texas Star Parkway, Euless, 7am morning registration, 11:30 afternoon registration

NARI Nat’l Assn. of the Remodeling Industry

Apr. 12: Meeting, Factory Builder Stores, 512 E. Dallas Rd. #500, Grapevine, 6pm

NAWIC - Dallas Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction

Apr. 18: Dinner meeting

NAWIC - Fort Worth

Apr. 7: Spring Golf Tournament, Coyote Ridge Golf Club, Carrollton Tx. Luncheon at 11:30am, golf at 1pm

TGA-N. Tx. Div. Tx. Glass Assn.

Apr. 8-9: Glass TEXpo ’16, Grand Hyatt San Antonio, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio. TGA Golf Tournament, Apr. 7 at SilverHorn Golf Club.

Apr. 22-24: 25th Annual Glass Association Team Bass Fishing Tournament, Shiloh on the Lake Resort, 14638 Travis Pkwy, Malakoff, TX

TEXO The Construction Association

Apr. 22-23: 2016 ASA/TEXO Bass Classic, Lake Bob Sandlin, Titus County Fresh Water District, 352 Fort Sherman Dam Rd., Mt. Pleasant, TX

TSPE - Fort Worth

Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction

Texas Society of Professional Engineers

Apr. 21: Dinner Meeting, Diamond Oaks Country Club, 5821 Diamond Oaks Dr. N, Fort Worth, 5:30pm Apr. 27: Annual Golf Tournament, Sky Creek Ranch Golf Course

Apr. 21: Young Engineers Leadership Forum, Chimy’s, 1053 Foch St., Fort Worth, 2pm

NUCA – N. Tx.

Apr. 22-24: Earth Day Texas, Fair Park, Dallas, 10am

Nat’l Utility Contractors Assn.

Apr. 8: 2016 Awards Banquet and Scholarship Fundraiser, Lone Star Park, 1000 Lone Star Parkway, Grand Prairie, 6:30pm

USGBC U.S. Green Building Council

Round-Up Stantec’s Plano office announces: Jimmy Castellanos AIA joins the team as a project architect.

Castellanos brings 17 years of experience providing architectural and project management services, with a specialization in medical equipment and space planning, code compliance and construction documents. He will apply his past management experience with healthcare and education clients to help grow Stantec’s Buildings Group in Texas.

Andrew Mock has been hired as a structural designer, bringing more than four years of experience in building design and analysis to the role. Mock earned his master of science in structural engineering from the University of Illinois, where he is pursuing a Ph. D. in structural engineering. His experience includes workplace and residential projects with a focus on structural analysis and architectural coordination.

Luciana Velez has been added to the team as an architectural designer. A graduate of Centro Universitario Filadelfia in Londrina, Brazil, Velez offers six years of experience in providing architectural services for commercial, residential and hospitality clients. She is an active licensed architect in Brazil, and has a background in planning, schematic design and construction documents.

Three infrastructure professionals have been selected to expand HNTB’s transportation expertise: Susan Linsley has been hired as a senior public involvement representative in Dallas. Linsley will lead public involvement efforts for North Texas transportation agencies.

Her responsibilities include public speaking and message development and developing and implementing communication plans and strategies. Prior to joining HTNB, Linsley worked in communications and public affairs for the toll roads in Orange County, CA and as a freelance writer.

Rachel Lommen joins the Plano team as a transportation engineer. Her responsibilities include producing and revising plan sets for projects managed by the transportation design team. Lommen recently graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering with a minor in mathematics.

Scott Ressler has transferred from HTNB’s McKinney office to the firm’s Plano office. Ressler served as a construction engineer and inspector for a highway expansion and reconstruction project on U.S. 75 in McKinney. He joined the Plano office in January, helping the design team manage and update project plans for submittal to clients. Ressler earned his Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Purdue University.

MYCON General Contractors recruited John T. “Tommy” Campbell as its vice president of operations. Prior to joining MYCON, Campbell spent 28 years with one of the nation’s top general contractors, managing more than $1 billion in construction projects across the U.S. with a primary focus on the Texas market.

Campbell holds a Bachelor of Science degree in building construction from Texas A&M University and serves on TEXO’s Education and Research Foundation.

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Apr 2016

50 years of subcontractors

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he American Subcontractors Association (ASA) held its national convention, SubExcel, Mar. 3-5 at the Hyatt Regency in Miami, FL. The annual conference also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the association, for which ASA created an anniversary book detailing its history.

Highlights included the president’s welcome reception, a city tour of Miami and an outing to the Vizcaya Museum & Gardens for spouses, the ASA-Political Action Committee’s South Beach Culinary Walking Tour, a tour of Little Havana for executive directors, and the Biscayne Lady Dinner Cruise 50th Anniversary Celebration with a reception, banquet and awards gala on the final night.

Local companies were honored at the gala: ASA presented its national Excellence in Ethics Award to Dallas-based Haley-Greer Inc., as well as to EyeSite Surveillance Inc. and Marek Brothers Systems Inc., which both have offices in North Texas. Haley-Greer president Letitia “Tish” Haley Barker, who currently serves as ASA’s president, presented the ASA President Award to Jason Wroblewski, vice-president of project management at Haley-Greer Inc. The honor is awarded to an individual who has most helped the

Haley-Greer’s Tish Haley Barker honors Jason Wroblewski with the ASA President’s Award.

president during his or her term.

The event also offered many educational programs. At the opening general session, “The Economist Who Loved Me,” Anirban Basu provided data on the performance of the global, national and relevant regional economy, focusing on trends in financial, real estate, energy and labor markets.

Other education programs included “Outpacing Technology, Trends and Rising Expectations in the Trades,” an “Ask an Attorney” workshop with the ASA Attorney’s Council, and a compliance communications workshop. –mh

Arts in crafts

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id they have what it took to win?

That was the question on the minds of more than 200 apprentices and craft trainees during 2016 National Craft Championships (NCC) held Mar. 1-4.

The annual battle of wills and skills, hosted by the Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. (ABC), took place during ABC’s Workforce Development Conference at Florida’s Greater Fort Lauderdale Broward County Convention Center.

The event celebrates both ABC’s and its member firms’ training and education efforts. Fifteen competitions representing 13 crafts comprised the event, which included a challenging two-hour written exam. Competitors also took part in a daylong hands-on practical performance test in the categories of carpentry (residential/ commercial), electrical (commercial/industrial), electrical (residential/commercial), fire sprinkler, HVAC, instrumentation fitting, insulation, millwright/industrial maintenance mechanic, pipefitting, plumbing, sheet metal, welding-pipe, welding-structural, masonry and a journey-level team

I like Dr. Who because my friend Forrest got me stuck on that, and I like The Goldbergs because it took place during the time period I grew up in – the ’80s!

Donna Nuernberg, Lane Gorman Trubitt PLLC Last Man Standing, because it’s so politically incorrect. In real life, everyone tries to be so politically correct all of the time. Tim Allen is hilarious! I love it.

Tonya Watson, Gadberry Construction I like American Idol. My favorite season was the first one. I watch it when I can; I catch it here and there.

Pamela Thompson, Anderson Asphalt & Concrete Paving Mine is Breaking Bad. I like all of the suspense that goes along with the double life that this guy lives that nobody

the break room fridge have turned up missing all of a sudden, and we’ve never had that problem before. Clients are receiving calls from our number in the middle of the night with loud shrieking on the other end. We’ve even found copier prints of the monkey in various poses! It’s like he’s taunting us!”

Local authorities have quietly been trying to safely capture the monkey.

Plenty of food and water have been left for the monkey to find, and cameras have been installed inside the office to capture footage of the monkey’s nightly routine.

“We’re pretty sure he sleeps during the daytime because we don’t hear or see him while we are working,” Vaughn says. “He must be pretty worn out from all of his nightly shenanigans.”

Vaughn feels they must be close to capturing the monkey, who has started to become careless. The animal has taken a shine to a mounted duck it found on an employee’s office wall, and has started to

drag it around the office, leaving feather trails to places it hides.

Vaughn hopes anyone who visits his office or who works and lives in the surrounding area will be on the lookout for the missing monkey. He also asks that anyone who might have information about sighting the monkey call 1-800APR-FOOL.

That’s right – April Fool’s! This was a fictitious story concocted by Construction News as a joke! Be assured: The monkey at the event did not escape and in fact left the party safe and sound after a night of entertaining the guests.

A huge thank you goes to Rusty Vaughn, Texas AirSystems, and the great folks at entertainment company B3 Entertainment for their sense of humor and assistance with this prank. Also, congratulations to TexasAir Systems, who raised $30,000 through this Mardi Gras event to give to two local charities! –mjm

continued from Page 1 — Arch of triumph commercial real estate will have a timing difference. Dallas will enable our company to grow, in spite of how the remainder of the state of Texas is doing economically.”

Robert Martin, vice president of Arch-Con’s Office and Industrial Divisions in Dallas, will oversee business development, estimating, project management and construction for the Dallas office. Martin brings more than 20 years of experience in the Dallas market, as well as his skill in handling more than $300 million in projects ranging from 20,000sf to 1.6 million sf.

Combined, 89 employees are in Arch-Con’s Houston and Dallas offices.

Dallas currently has three full-time

employees, with another joining the team in a few weeks. Additional employees will come on board this summer to work on new projects as they move from pre-construction into construction.

And it won’t be a moment too soon.

Arch-Con Construction is already hitting the ground running as far as Dallas-area projects go: The company is soon breaking ground on its first local industrial project, the 468,000sf Park 20 Distribution Center in Lancaster.

Arch-Con Construction specializes in commercial design and construction services for real estate developers, building owners, architects, brokers and tenants. – mjm

continued from Page 1 — It’s the little things Austin Ettredge placed second in the HVAC competition

competition. In addition to the competition, the NCC also featured demonstrations in masonry and heavy equipment.

While many of the winners were from other states, one North Texas competitor showed off his silver polish: TDIndustries’ Austin Ettredge scored second place in the HVAC competition; Ettredge’s training was sponsored by Construction Education Foundation. –mjm

What was your favorite TV show growing up?

My favorite TV show is the Big Bang Theory, because I’m a nerd at heart and I really identify with all of the people. I wish I were that smart!

Ann Hicks, Hicks Resource Consulting

continued from Page 1 — Monkey business at TAS

knows about. He’s a straight-laced guy on the outside and then has this deepseated history. And the money – it just fascinates me.

Connie McPherson, Low Voltage Solutions House of Cards. I love it. I think initially, it’s just learning all of the characters. You have to kind of keep up and go back and watch it. I find that I wonder, “Now who in Washington did they pattern this character after?”

Debbie Hawkins, Steelcase It would be Downton Abbey. I haven’t seen the end yet, but I have it recorded!

Don’t tell me!

Pam Bird, Gordon Highlander Chopped. I like it because they bring people in that have a diverse background but they’re kind of all faced with the same challenge. They take stuff that you wouldn’t normally work with and they turn it into something beautiful and then someone wins in the end.

Myra Brown, High Value Signs

complicating matters was that everything had to be coordinated and accomplished over the holiday break, when many resources were closed or had limited accessibility.

“The greatest challenge was the timeline, for sure,” Arnold says. “I literally had to draw the design on graph paper rather than go through an architect; that’s how fast we had to do this.

Concepts had to be formed, specifications made, contractors hired, and purchases made, delivered and installed.

Coordinating all of these people to build furniture, directing the contractor who was retrofitting and painting the walls and getting the tables built and shipped here – it was challenging.”

Arnold changed the floor layout to create a pleasant experience for people to walk through and shop. A wing wall protruding into the space was removed and the laminate floor was patched. The slat board wall was removed and reconfigured with bays and shelving for products. Track lighting fixtures were expanded to provide optimal lighting and the dark and dingy ceilings and walls were brought to life with bright white paint. New signage was installed and Diverse Marketing’s logo color, “Reflex Blue,” was incorporated through the bases of the display tables built specifically for the space.

“The problem in the past was that they had black tables with tiered boxes displaying their products, so they had tons of little items that needed to be showcased. It was disorganized,” Arnold explains. “They were using single tier tables that weren’t utilizing space all the way down to the floor. In order to maximize our vertical display space, we had to make sure the new tables had a shelf high enough for people to see but still low enough to not waste valuable

vertical cubic footage.”

To solve this, Arnold ordered the multi-tiered tables in white and had her carpenter build boxes, paint them blue and then sat tables inside the boxes to elevate them by one foot.

“That was something they were really impressed with,” she says. “They couldn’t believe the difference [the new display tables] made. It also gave us a vehicle to incorporate that logo’s blue color in a manner that made sense. By having it at the bottom of the tables, it gave the showroom a good grounding factor.”

The transformation worked: Diverse Marketing opened approximately 43 new walk-in accounts during market, a number the store had never before achieved.

“That was definitely something they view as a real positive, that our goal was achieved when we created that visual impact for people to walk into,” Arnold says. “Everything we did contributed to the results, but removing that wall, lightening those colors and putting the lights up made the biggest difference.”

The renovations have only been in place a few months, but the impression has been a strong one for the client, and not just in an economical sense.

“Diverse Market loves it,” Arnold says. “They have people calling from showrooms across the country asking about the science of this, wanting to incorporate a draft of what we started in Dallas to improve the showrooms’ visual effects. It’s influencing other showrooms throughout the nation.”

Nicole Arnold Interiors is a full-service commercial and residential interior design firm, offering space planning, specification, supervision and project management of renovations and new construction. –mjm

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Apr 2016

Page 19

Texas-sized acquisitions

W

ith two acquisitions, Stantec has doubled its size in Texas.

The North American design firm acquired both the Infrastructure Americas Division of KBR last December and multi-disciplinary firm Bury Inc. in March.

With Texas offices in Dallas, Austin and Houston as well as an office in Alabama, Infrastructure Americas has added 180 professionals (120 which are in Texas) with transportation, water/wastewater and aviation project experience to the Stantec team. The acquisition of the division will strengthen Stantec’s presence in Texas and enhance its infrastructure design capabilities in the Gulf region.

Austin-based Bury Inc. boasts 300-employees in offices in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, as well as locations in Arizona and Florida. The firm, which has been in business for more than 30 years, offers infrastructure and buildings design services to private and public sector clients. Bury Inc. focuses on civil, mechanical, electrical, plumbing design and structural engineering, as well as surveying, land planning and landscape architecture.

The Bury acquisition will help Stantec gain a foothold in the transportation, water and architectural markets, as well as contribute to staff growth. Stantec plans to benefit from Bury’s wealth of experience in community development, as well as the experience of Bury’s staff.

Bury officially becomes “Stantec” in September, but will be referenced as “Bury, now Stantec” in the interim, and will continue to operate in Bury’s current offices.

Fermin A. Diaz, Stantec’s Regional Gulf Leader, believes both acquisitions promise to be a good fit for Stantec.

Stantec’s Regional Gulf Leader Fermin A. Diaz

“The asset purchase in December 2015 of KBR’s Infrastructure Americas Division, coupled with the recent Bury Inc. acquisition, reflects Stantec’s commitment to provide a comprehensive and diverse level of services to meet the challenges and needs of our clients,” Diaz says. “Both firms complement Stantec’s philosophy to ‘design with community in mind.’ The addition of this talent to our current Texas team provides us the opportunity to expand multi-disciplined services and offer a full suite of professional services from local, trusted partners.”

Stantec offers professional consulting in planning, engineering, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, surveying, environmental sciences, project management and project economics. –mjm

Page 20

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Apr 2016