Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News August 2016

Covering the Industry’s News

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Volume 13

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Number 8

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AUGUST 2016

Built-in resolve

A fantastic plan

Pamela Bickle’s resolve has helped her establish companies and take control of her health.

Fantastic Systems Inc.’s Darrell Dixon

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henever life handed Pamela Bickle lemons, she just set up her lemonade stand and went right to work.

After her divorce 20 years ago, she wasted no time in moving her family to Arlington and establishing Inca-Sol Environmental Inc. in October 1995. Within one month, she landed a major federal contract and, with her team of 10 employees, completed asbestos and lead abatement, soil and water remediation and demolition projects for the Fort Worth Naval Air Station (NAS) Joint Reserve Base.

By the 10-year mark, her company had nearly 80 employees and she had branched out into janitorial services as well. But it wasn’t enough for her to just

grow her own companies.

“My passion for federal contracting as federal program manager helped me to help others,“ she says. “Construction is a cut-throat business and we have to be prepared to get into the competition with bigger fish in the environmental and construction services.

“My passion is opening job opportunities for other businesses,” she continues. “I like to team up the project with small business owners and help them become successful on federal contracting government contracts. Small businesses need federal agencies for the growth; we often flounder through the red tape. One misstep can result in hefty fines, cancelled contracts, even jail time. I want to continued on Page 20

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ne never knows about best-laid, five-year plans. Back when Darrell and Christina Dixon worked for another fire alarm contractor, they had planned to open a similar business of their own in five years. But they got a surprise – two-and- a-half years early.

“They sold their business,” Darrell says. “It was a time where we either had to do something or we had to continue to work for somebody else.”

Fortunately, the couple had planned the work and worked the plan efficiently to that point.

“We’d always been really frugal with our money and stockpiled cash whenever we could,” he explains. “Any bonuses that I had ever been given weren’t spent, they were just tucked away because we

knew this was going to happen to us someday, we just didn’t know when. We knew that we were going to have to go several months without a paycheck. We lived on a budget and stuck to it. Thank goodness we did because it came sooner than we thought it was going to.”

They crossed their fingers and established Fantastic Systems Inc., a fire alarm, security and low voltage specialty contracting company, in 2010. Still, with two kids to support, it was daunting to be the first in either of their families to start a business and go without trusted advice or regular pay. With president Christina’s level head and thriftiness and vice president Darrell’s experience managing people continued on Page 20

New beginnings

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olunteering and building community-minded projects is an important part of The Linbeck Group’s culture. That’s why building the new Presbyterian Night Shelter’s Morris Foundation Women & Children’s Center in Fort Worth was in perfect alignment with the general contracting company’s values.

“One of the great things about working for Linbeck is that we work for clients that do a greater good,” project manager Lizandro “Chando” Paiz explains. “The clients’ missions are very different but they all have the same underlying goal, which is helping humanity.”

Paiz, superintendent Albert Suarez, estimator/project engineer Sherri Rankin, architect Bennett Benner Partners and shelter CEO Toby Owen collaborated to create a warm and welcoming residence for homeless women and children. The new two-story, 30,000-sf build-

The new Presbyterian Night Shelter’s Morris Foundation Women & Children’s Center was a special project for The Linbeck Group.

ing replaces the former residence building, which had lacked privacy and was showing years of wear. The new building provides private rooms and semi-private bathrooms for up to 40 families, with a large study/recreation space and offices dedicated to partner agencies.

Linbeck began in April 2015 to construct the new $8.4 million shelter at 2320 Poplar St., which involved selective demolition and asbestos abatement to prepare the site. During this process, the Linbeck team took great care to protect and coexist with a homeless population living nearby.

With the area secure and ready for the foundation concrete pour, rain poured instead. The on-site rain gauge recorded 14 inches in May, costing the team 15 days on their critical path and delaying foundation activities until June.

Fortunately, careful planning and the use continued on Page 20

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

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Construction News ON LOCATION

Training is ruff

Inside sales rep Holly Pollard enjoys bringing her 11-week old Yellow Lab Cooper to her job at ABC Supply in Fort Worth. When Cooper isn’t busy learning about roofing, he’s being trained on the ins and outs of dove hunting. -mjm

I

n June 2016, Construction News took another leap into the future of the publishing business with the launch of digital subscriptions to all four papers.

Construction News has been working diligently to stay up to date with the latest technology to bring all the news of the Texas construction industry to stakeholders, companies, businesses, associations and anybody else who wants to keep up with industry news.

“We started things off last year with a redesigned website that makes it faster and easier for people to access all of our great stories and photos – as well as providing a new platform for our advertisers and their customers,” says Buddy Doebbler, publisher.

During the first months of 2016, Doebbler and the marketing staff have been hard at work bringing Construction News up to speed with social media.

“We now have various and constantly updated ways for construction industry stakeholders to find news, photos and advertisers through Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter,” says Dana Calonge, ac-

count manager. “We welcome you to reach out to us and interact with us in all these new ways.”

Capping off all of these forays into technology’s latest ways to stay connected – at least for now – is the recent release of digital subscriptions to the papers.

“Construction News is the largest industry newspaper group in Texas and we wanted to make it available to everyone free of charge,” says Doebbler. “With the new digital subscription, the paper will be able to be accessed and/or downloaded each month free. Subscribers will get an email notification when the paper – or papers – they have subscribed to are ready to be opened. All of the content that is available in the printed product will be the same in the digital product.”

Doebbler added that those companies who qualify for a free subscription to the printed product will still receive their copy in the mail. Papers will also still be available on various rack locations in all the areas Construction News covers. –cw

Website: constructionnews.net Facebook: facebook.com/ConstructionNewsLtd LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/construction-news-ltd.?trk=biz-companies-cym Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNewsLtd To subscribe: http://www.constructionnews.net/subscription_form.html

Construction News ON LOCATION

Trimming the family tree

Mark Huffman, owner of Trim Works Door & Moulding Supply, is the second generation to work in the business, and has been installing trim for 35 years. –mjm

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Getting a raise

The FB McIntire Equipment Co. crew rise early in the morning to raise air conditioning units off of a Fiesta supermarket roof in Fort Worth. –mjm

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

Page 3

In the drone zone

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t’s hard to imagine that there is anyone out there who has not heard about drones. Plenty of people have bought their own drones – either for play or for professional reasons. Many of you have probably heard that strange buzzing noise a drone makes and looked up to see one flying overhead.

There is a long list of professional applications for drones, and Brett Hoffstadt, PMP, a project management consultant for co m p a n i e s that want to Brett Hoffstadt use new technologies to improve their business, says drone use for construction companies ticks a lot of boxes.

“There are major benefits for using unmanned aerial drones for construction companies,” Hoffstadt says. “Site surveying, construction and building inspections and project progress documentation are three of those benefits.”

Hoffstadt, who has two degrees in aerospace engineering, owns Brett Hoffstadt Consulting, and is a certified project manager.

He says drones have been available for more than 20 years, but in 2014 the Federal Aviation Administration became responsible for regulating their commercial use – and the rules are changing again in August.

Rogers-O’Brien Construction uses drones to document rebar placement before a concrete pour. (photo courtesy Rogers-O’Brien)

“That applies to construction companies,” he said. “On Aug. 29, the latest rules should become official and it will make it easier for individuals and companies to operate drones.”

Before, those wanting to operate a drone commercially had to receive an exemption from the FAA. After August, once a company or an individual has satisfied the requirements of the new FAA Parts 107 rules, they will be free to use drones as part of their business activities.

Hoffstadt cautions, however, that the new rules still have many safety and operational limitations.

Currently, on paper as of July 5, Hoffstadt says, there were 350 people in Texas who have received the FAA exemption and are allowed to operate drones commercially.

Some of the new rules, which were

Construction News ON LOCATION

Work break LOT-tery

L-R: The great thing about building a performance venue next to your office is enjoying it during work breaks. David Gameiro, Justin Gilmore, AIA, and Matt Schneider of architecture, interiors and planning firm Level 5 Design Group in Mansfield, can literally step away from their neighboring office and over to The LOT Downtown, on which they recently completed construction. –mjm

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introduced on June 21 and went into a 60-day review period, include: Drones cannot be heavier than 55-lbs and people on a job site must be in a covered structure with a roof or a covered vehicle if they are not one of the drone operators. However, companies can request a waiver to these rules, Hoffstadt explains.

“Benefits include not necessarily grinding all work at the site to a halt while the drone is flying and the heavy equipment machinery workers can continue to work,” he says.

Hoffstadt is offering an online course that will help project managers to integrate drones into their projects. The course will be available in August and early signups and more information can be found at: http://www.engineeryourinnovation.com/drone-revolution/ uas-part-107-ops/

Of course, construction companies in Texas are already making use of drone technology. One such company is Rogers-O’Brien Construction, which works all over Texas and has offices in Austin, Dallas and Houston.

“We use drones on almost all our projects,” says Christine Massoud, Associate AIA, CDT, LEED GA, DBIA Member and regional VDC director. “It gives us the ability to document far more than construction progress.

“For example, we take shots of all the reinforcing and rebar on deck before a concrete pour,” she says. “We can use those images prior to coring and leave them for the building owner – that can be huge information to them in the future in case of build out or renovation.”

Massoud pointed out that drone use is also a great way to be able to check and photo a skin as it is going up.

“We have the ability to fly the drone in from a distance and zoom in to identify flashing issues or water proofing leaks,” she says.

She also said another way the company currently uses drones is prior to the project, to identify site conditions and best locations for things like where the construction trailer might be located, as well as what entries and exits make sense for deliveries, based on traffic patterns.

In the end, it’s up to individual companies to decide whether drone technology can help their business, but both Hoffstadt and Massoud agree that, by their standards, the technology is a time and money saver in certain situations. –cw

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

David Snell Owner DFW Custom Wood Floors

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lthough it would seem that a man who owns three businesses would live to work, David Snell actually works to live the good life, and to live it now. By working smarter and not harder, Snell can slip away from work to spend his time his way, which is usually by the water.

Where are you originally from?

I was born in Rochester, NY. We moved to Virginia, back to Buffalo, then to Plano in 1974 and I grew up there. I went to Plano East High School and then went to Louisiana Tech in Rushton, LA where I got an aviation degree.

What spurred your interest in aviation?

I always thought I was going to be a pilot full-time. During college as a sophomore in 1991, I started Starlight Flight in Addison, which does 30- and 60-minute airplane tours of the city and also offers aerial photography and survey-related services for companies that are building buildings.

I was driving home on the weekends to fly. I’ve still been able to continue my passion for flying; I have other guys who fly for me and then I go fly when I want.

We use rental airplanes. Christmas by far is our busiest season with the light tours.

Sometimes, we’ll have a Marine in town who wants to propose to his girlfriend and wants us to write out “Marry Me” in big letters with Christmas lights on the ground.

For Valentine’s this year, we had a record three days over that weekend to get in 76 30-minute flights; we usually do about 30, but for some reason we were just off-the-hook busy.

With Starlight Flight, I don’t have to do too much unless I have to go out and fly. I have a person who schedules the flights and the pilots for me, but I have to go do it if they can’t.

I have my crawfish catering business and wood flooring business, also.

Tell me about those businesses.

I started Cajun Crawfish Co. in 1998 as a weekend side business; I was working as a recruiter/marketing rep for an IT

recruiting firm. It originated from attending school in Louisiana, flying planes and learning about crawfish. My roommate at the time found a crawfish-boiling trailer in South Louisiana and we worked the summer with an owner of a crawfish business. We saw such popularity on the weekends when we sold crawfish in front of grocery stores that I went from working out of a cooler to negotiating a deal with Tom Thumb to lease our own space.

It got so busy that I left recruiting and did crawfish catering full-time in 2006.

The seasonal crawfish business is basically February around Fat Tuesday through July 4, and then crawfish season is over and I get a really nice break.

We do catering for a lot of tradebased and association-based crawfish boils, including many engineering associations and the Dallas Builders Association. I have to make sure I have the labor in place or I go do it.

This is the business that keeps me the busiest; I have the largest crawfish catering business and I’ve moved just under 150,000 lbs. of crawfish in 90 different crawfish boils over the last six months.

How does your wood floor business factor into it, and how busy does it keep you compared to your other two businesses?

The flooring business keeps me the second busiest, but honestly, if I didn’t have the floor business I would be sitting around until February of the next year only doing flights.

The floor business income has enabled me to save money and be more comfortable with being self-employed.

In the crawfish business, I spend that money down between July and February because I have a solid six months out of the year that I don’t get a lot of catering requests.

Your businesses are so different from each other. What attracted you to the flooring business?

About 10 years ago, I wanted to change out carpet in my house for hardwoods, so I looked all around trying to find somebody that I thought would do well putting them in. Once I found someone to put my floors in, I watched the whole process in my home and thought it was extremely cool.

Being an entrepreneur at heart, the idea dawned on me that I could sell this to people that wanted to get rid of their carpet and tile which doesn’t seem to be as “in” as the wood floors.

I found a niche with the hand scraped wood floors and refinishing of existing wood floors.

I do floors year-round and I’ve been very fortunate to do well with the floor business. Floors have been slowing down a little lately, but truth be told, I have enjoyed having a little break. It’s hard to do crawfish and floor bids and be two places at the same time.

All three things that I do are niche businesses where I found a specific market. They are hobbies that I turned into businesses. My phone rings non-stop be-

A sign of things to come

Seen on the road and on the Internet, these billboards are urging caution along construction-addled stretches of the I-35 corridor. This one shows promise of an end to the continuous construction. We can’t wait for that day! –mh

tween those and floor bids coming in almost daily. It’s a bit of a balancing act.

Do you equally enjoy all three, or do you have a particular soft spot for one of the businesses?

Flying is cool and sometimes I have to pinch myself and say, “Gosh, I get paid to go fly people around the city. That’s not such a bad deal!”

With the crawfish business, I’m getting paid to be the center of attention at somebody’s corporate event; everybody wants to check out the crawfish trailer. I must be getting old though, because I send my guys to do the sorority events at Texas Christian University. I don’t want to drive halfway across town even though we’re basically getting paid to eat, drink and flirt –which is not that bad a gig either! I’m lazy though and would rather stay at my home and pay them to go do it.

With the flooring, I subcontract two guys who have both been doing work for me for close to eight years, and I have great referrals with them. Considering the time invested, I’d say the easiest money I make of the three things I do is with the floor business.

It has worked out well. All three things kept me from living under a bridge.

Did you have the entrepreneurial spirit as a child?

You mean like when I had a lemonade stand, or I was hanging upside down in the trees, looking for the biggest clumps of mistletoe with the whitest berries to take in my wagon up to Safeway and started making five to ten bucks a hit for selling mistletoe? Yeah, I was that kid.

I’m a big fan of the lemonade stand because those kids will end up being the salespeople. I will usually drop off ten or twenty bucks at a stand just to watch them freak out!

I have a 12-year-old neighbor, Brian Ellis, who was diagnosed with diabetes in April. He is setting up his lemonade stand and baked goods at different places to raise $20,000 to not only buy a diabetic alert dog for himself, but for his friend who also has diabetes. I got in touch with his mom to see how I can help him because I am so taken back by the fact that he is raising money selflessly, not like I used to do. I’m definitely a fan of any kid with a lemonade stand.

Do new ideas come to you easily? Do you just have a knack for seeing opportunity where others don’t?

I always say you either have it or you don’t when it comes to working for yourself. I was never one to need my hand held and told what to do work-wise. I think I land on my own two feet.

The unique part of where I believe I got that from is that I was adopted as a baby. I found my biological mom more than 20 years ago and my maternal grandfather, Sidney, was self-employed with a metal scrap business. He always liked cars and boats and was said to be a flashy, flirtatious type.

I have that entrepreneurial quality and I honestly think some of that is genetic.

I don’t have genetic ties to my adoptive parents, and neither they nor anyone one in their family is self-employed. I’m the only one who has gone on my own quest, and having had a couple of cars and boats and all of that, it’s right in Sidney’s footsteps.

I have a photo of him on my desk and you would be amazed, we almost look identical. When I found my biological mom and aunt and uncle, it was almost as if they had gotten their dad back too. I honestly believe that is where I got my entrepreneurial background; I believe it’s genetic.

Are you able to stay connected to your biological family?

Unfortunately, almost everyone except for my biological mom is deceased.

She’s flying here in a few weeks and I am taking her and several of our friends on a

Floor, flights and crawfish David Snell does it all.

Maui vacation. Both of my moms like each other too; it has just been a really cool relationship.

With three businesses, do you have time for any hobbies at all?

Sure I do.

As I say to everybody, “I work to make free time.” To me, self-employment is not necessarily how much I can always make but rather its about making as much as I can and working as little as possible. To me, that’s education if I can have people like the three things I do and make as much money as I can, but work smart.

I like the lake. I have a boat which has hand scraped hardwoods at the dock that I can show and sell to other slip owners to offset my slip cost. We are out at Lake Lewisville at a dock I split with a friend of mine; we have a bass boat and we like to go fishing.

What are your plans for the future?

I’d like for someone to drop cash in my lap and buy the floor business and the crawfish business so I wouldn’t really have to work.

Life to me is a weird deal: Why do you want to work the entire healthy part of your life, make a big pile of money so you can go to a nursing home or retire and look at your money in the bank? Life seems backwards to me.

I always thought a cool Steven Spielberg movie would be that 10 random people are given $2 million and told, “It’s your money, but when you run out your life will be over. Use it as best you can.”

You would see who manages their money the best. I think that storyline would be so amazingly unique, and everyone would identify with that because the type of person you are would fit into one of the categories. It might be interesting to see how many people blow through their money.

To me, it should be that you start off with a lot of money and when you die, you’re out instead of working the entire good part of your life, making money and trying to get some nice things along the way. I don’t want to work all of the time.

Life is too short; I think it’s about experiences and having the time to go do things.

So if I dropped money in your lap and BOOM, bought your businesses, what would you do?

I’d probably take a nice fishing trip; I’ve been to the Gulf and I like to go to Maui.

I don’t go out and buy stuff, like a new car, every year. I’d probably do a little bit of traveling, which would be nice.

And a lake house wouldn’t be bad.

DFW Custom Wood Floors in Frisco customizes and installs hand scraped wood flooring. –mjm

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

Page 5

Construction News ON LOCATION

It’s great to be 58!

Quarterly survey

Jim Casner, surveyor for Dunaway Associates in Fort Worth, has worked in the industry 25 years. –mjm

Submitted to Construction News

The big 4-0!

The PCL Contract Bonding Agency team celebrated the 40th birthday of Melissa Lesch (second from right) at Pappadeaux on Jul. 19.

Happy birthday, Melissa (… did you save us a cupcake?)! –mjm

Construction News ON LOCATION

Y’know … as in “Florida”

Even though the company’s name is Orlando Florida Construction, clients shouldn’t expect a long-distance relationship. Owner Orlando Gallardo says the concrete repair business is Fort Worth-based, but the “Florida” part is a wink to everyone who has ever teased him about his name! –mjm

Submitted to Construction News

Tactical practice

The 2016 Texas DFW Council Painting and Decorating Contractors of America (PDCA) Tactical Shooting Event was held Jun. 10 at a private outdoor shooting range near Ferris.

With the assistance of Group 6 Training, more than 40 participants simulated tactical take-downs of real-life hostage situations. –mjm

These are nine of the fourteen winners of ECAT’s 2016 Skeet & Trap Shoot held at Alpine Range Supply near Fort Worth during the association’s 58th Annual Meeting in Duncanville.

Since the score sheets were “misplaced mysteriously,” all 14 were awarded were champion blue ribbons and all still claim they were the winner.

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his year’s annual meeting of the Earthmoving Contractors Association of Texas (ECAT) celebrated its 58th year, because contractors from around the San Antonio area first organized the group in 1958, meeting and organizing the association with the help of HOLT CAT of San Antonio.

“Since then the organization has been through three name changes,” notes Carl Englerth, ECAT executive secretary. “They first started out as the Conservation Contractors Association of Texas and evolved into a national organization known as the Texas Chapter of the Land Improvement Contractors of America and went on to become the Earthmoving Contractors of Texas.”

The celebration of the 58th year was held Jul. 15-16 at the Hilton Garden in Duncanville. Members enjoyed a skeet and trap shoot, a tour of the Cummins South Plains engine plant, educational programs from Texas 811 and Westward

Environmental among others, and networking sessions. Winners in the 2016 ECAT Scholarship Program were Bradley Cornell, Claude; Margaret Downing, Beeville; Natalie Irving, Canyon Lake; Katyln Hester, Giddings; and Toye Walter, Giddings.

2016-17 officers elected were John Frerich, Rowena – president, Joe Ed Jenschke, Kerrville – vice president, and Trooper Irving, Canyon Lake – secretary.

District directors elected were Clint Cornell, Claude, Dist. 1; Marty Caston, Robert Lee, Dist. 2; Eddie Leatherwood, Dublin, Dist. 3; Bobby Watts, Decatur, Dist. 4; Ed Smith, Fairfield, Dist. 5; J.D. Godby, Clifton, Dist. 6; Galen Weber, Uvalde, Dist. 7; Tommy Watson, Cuero, Dist. 8; Clint Krause, New Braunfels, Dist. 9; Edwin Eckhardt, Fredericksburg, Dist. 10; John Puckett, Coleman, Dist. 11; Dennis Foerster, Giddings, Dist. 12; Chad Ottmers, Fredericksburg, Director-at-Large; and Dave Sund, San Antonio, Associate Director. –mh

L-R: Galen Weber, Uvalde, Weber Construction, received the Membership Award from John Frerich. He has won this award several times over the past several years, pursuing contractors to join using his knowledge of the earthmoving business as well as equipment used in earthmoving.

L-R: John Frerich, ECAT president, presented Eddie Leatherwood, Dublin, C.E.L. Contractors, with an award recognizing him as one of the longest serving members as an ECAT officer and director. He joined ECAT in 1976 and has been an active member for 40 years.

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

Winners take all

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orseshoe Bay Resort was the picture perfect setting for the Associated General Contractors Texas Building Branch (AGC-TBB) 2016 convention Jun. 12-14. A golf tournament, safety awards luncheon and, of course, the anticipated annual outstanding construction awards were all part of the adventure. –cw Photos by Catherine Bezman

Specialty Construction Parkland Pedestrian Sky-Bridges Azteca-Russell Joint Venture

Other Specialties Love Field Modernization Program Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing

Mechanical 3 (over $10M) Methodist Mansfield Medical Center TDIndustries

Congrats to the winners!

Building ($0 - $2M) 1125 Washington Wm. Taylor & Co. (CentexAGC) Building ($2 - $5M) Renovations & Additions to Crestview Church of Christ, Pearson Construction Inc. (CentexAGC)

Building ($5 - $10M) FEMA Dome and Performing Arts Center Daniels Building & Construction Inc. (Southeast Texas)

Building ($10 - $30M) Texas Orthopedic Vertical Expansion J.T. Vaughn Construction LLC, (Houston)

Building ($30 - $75 M) UT Health Science Center San Antonio, Academic Learning & Teaching Center Bartlett Cocke General Contractors(San Antonio)

Building (Over $75M) Austin Bergstrom International Airport Consolidated Rental Car Facility Austin Commercial LP (Austin)

Design Build ($0 - $10M) Voestalpine Texas, LLC A10, Administration Building B. E. Beecroft Co. Inc. (South Texas)

Design Build ($10 - $30M) Houston Methodist Orthopedic Sports Medicine Building at Sugar Land Linbeck Group LLC (Houston)

Design Build (Over $30M) ExxonMobil Consolidated Lab Project H.B. Neild & Sons Inc. (Southeast Texas)

Health Care ($0 - $10M) The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Clark Clinic 11th Floor Redevelopment, J.T. Vaughn Construction LLC, (Houston)

Health Care ($10 - $30M) Kelsey-Seybold Main Campus Expansion Linbeck Group LLC (Houston)

Interiors Crossroads Children’s Building BakerTriangle

Health Care (Over $30M) Clinical Services Wing J.T. Vaughn Construction LLC, (Houston) Residential Multi-Family Forest City Texas Texas & Cityplace Co. Rogers-O'Brien Construction Company (TEXO)

Historical Renovation Magnolia Market Silos Pearson Construction Inc., (CentexAGC)

Interior Finish-Out ($0 - $500K) Baylor Pro Player Locker Room Mazanec Construction Co. Inc (CentexAGC) Interior Finish-Out ($500K - $2M) Prestonwood Country Club T&G Constructors (TEXO)

Interior Finish-Out ($2 - $5M) Baylor Memorial Dining Hall Mazanec Construction Co. Inc (CentexAGC)

Interior Finish-Out (Over $5M) JLABS @ TMC Linbeck Group LLC (Houston)

Industrial/Warehouse ($0 - $5M) Gearench Machining Facility Barsh Company (CentexAGC) Industrial/Warehouse (Over $5M) Renovations and Additions, Balcones Distillery, Barsh Company (CentexAGC)

Mechanical 2 ($5 -10M) KPMG Plaza at HALL Arts Polk Mechanical Company

Specialty Construction Parkland Pedestrian Sky-Bridges Azteca-Russell Joint Venture (TEXO) Electrical 1 ($0 - 5M) Bexar County Courthouse Double Height Courtroom Renovation & Gondeck Addition, Southwest Electrical Contracting, (San Antonio)

Electrical 2 ($5 10M) CPS Energy Data Center Project ECHO Alterman Inc. (San Antonio) Electrical 3 (over $10M) State Farm Regional Campus The Brandt Companies LLC (TEXO)

Interiors Crossroads Children's Building BakerTriangle (TEXO) Exteriors Preston Hollow Estate Linbeck Group LLC (Houston)

Mechanical 2 ($5 10M) KPMG Plaza at HALL Arts Polk Mechanical Company (TEXO)

Mechanical 3 (over $10M) Methodist Mansfield Medical Center TDIndustries (TEXO) Other Specialties Love Field Modernization Program Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing (TEXO)

Good times

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he summer has recently brought two very sunny moments to BakerTriangle.

The company held its 2016 BakerTriangle Golf Classic Jun. 9 at the Dallas Athletic Club. The event was an enormous success, raising over $26,000 for the OurCalling Ministry, a faith-based organization that assists the homeless.

BakerTriangle also celebrated two important employee anniversaries. BakerDrywall vice president Charles Armbruster and project superintendent Kyle Caviness both were recognized for 30 years of service by Baker Drywall president Johnny Barnes. –mjm

L-R: OurCalling’s Jonathan Habashy, BakerTriangle’s Brad Baker and Steve Baker and OurCalling’s executive director Wayne Walker

L-R: Baker Drywall vice president Charles Armbruster, president Johnny Barnes and project superintendent Kyle Caviness

BakerTriangle employees played to benefit OurCalling Ministry’s homeless mission.

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

Page 7

Pier review

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he United Masonry Contractors Association’s (UMCA) Dallas/Fort Worth chapter hosted its annual Golden Trowel Awards Jun. 7. The event recognizes member individuals and companies whose projects inspire the improvement of excellence standards in the masonry field. –mjm Photos by Lacy Gladu

Resident Single, Crescent Residence TST Construction Services LLC

Residential Multi-Family, Winding Creek, Southlake, Texas Austin Masonry Construction

Industrial/Commercial, Old Parkland West Campus DMG Masonry Ltd.

Education Facility (College/University) TCU Mary Couts Burnett Library Addition - CannonDesign Skinner Masonry LLP

Hardscape/Landscape Wayne Ferguson Plaza Austin Masonry Construction

Restoration 290 Carpenter Renovations Project Austin Masonry Construction

Educational Facility (Public Funded K-12) Three Lakes Middle School Skinner Masonry

Block, Walmart – Royse City Artisan Masonry Inc.

Government/Institutional, Church of the Incarnation Sanctuary, Education and Welcome Center Addition Dee Brown Inc.

www.constructionnews.net publishing the industry’s news

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San Antonio Austin South Texas Houston

Page 8

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) program insights

Basics of data privacy and security William Innes, Assurance Associate Fisher, Herbst, & Kemble, P.C. San Antonio, TX

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s technological progress has expanded the scope and possibilities for the collection, storage, and sharing of electronic data, organizations and individuals confront a complex set of issues related to the usage, disclosure, dissemination and security of data, all of which fall in the realm of data privacy. As reported by Symantec, three common and frequent sources of data breaches have been identified: external targeted attacks, malicious insiders, and well-meaning insiders. The tangible costs of a data breach mostly include legal and forensic expenses, cost of data restoration, increased insurance premiums, and various communication expenses. Also there is a significant amount of time and effort by staff in the aftermath of the data breach.

Cyber breaches are caused by many different factors. The three most common factors are malicious or criminal attack, system glitch, and human factor.

Malicious or criminals attacks are attacks on the information system using malicious software code known as malware and it is the most prevalent form of cyber breach.

The second most common cause of cyber breaches is human error. Examples of human error are people losing their laptops, giving out their passwords to unauthorized parties, executing transactions based on unauthorized sources and opening malicious emails.

Finally, the third most common cause of cyber breach is system glitches.

Examples of system glitches are outdated firewalls, security patches and outdated operating systems. Although, certain attacks such as hacking, phishing, theft and fraud are somewhat inevitable for most organizations, using some of the following techniques may reduce the chance of an attack.

Encryption – Encryption is used to protect both static data, i.e. data on a laptop or USB stick, and also data on a wireless network. Encryption works by converting data into a form that cannot be easily read by unauthorized users. In order to understand the data, a decryption key is needed. The decryption key is an algorithm that undoes the work of the encryption algorithm. The correct level of encryption will frustrate potential hackers and criminals enough to keep them away from your private data.

Anti-Malware Software – Implementing anti-malware software is very common but effective deterrent against mali-

cious software. Anti-malware software works best when it’s integrated with the network or system firewall. Anti-malware software can help detect and eliminate spam, adware, spyware and end-point security issues. End point security has been known to be most likely to break down, due to significant use of laptops, USB sticks and smart phones that are more susceptible to misplacement or non-attendance, thereby resulting in possible data breach.

Authentication – Authentication determines whether someone or something is authorized or legitimate. This is most commonly implemented by the use of strong passwords and dual authentication. It’s recommended to create a password policy that will enforce a minimum length of passwords (at least 8 with one special character), schedule regular password changes (at least a bare minimum of semi-annually) and that will keep previous passwords stored in order to prevent repeat passwords (minimum last 3).

Weak passwords can be easily cracked within minutes. Other more secure authentication processes include fingerprinting, the use of a token and two people requirement to complete wire transfers and on-line banking payments.

Written Plan and Education – It is important to have a formal written disaster recovery plan and a business continuity plan, which should include incident responses to cyber breaches. Additionally, ensure all staff is briefed on the plan at least annually. Companies should also consider social engineering and network penetration testing.

By following these few steps an organization will be better equipped to provide a safe and secure network for its confidential data. Data privacy and data security is crucial for every entity. The risk of data breaches and cyber-threats is real and increasing, with serious economic and legal consequences. Every organization, public or private, large or small, for profit or nonprofit, has or manages volumes of data that someone may desire.

While data breaches and cyber-attacks have compromised the private and confidential data of millions, numerous other intents have been averted due to appropriate best practices, cyber risk management and strong and robust security.

William Innes is an Assurance Associate for Fisher, Herbst, & Kemble, P.C. He can be reached at 210-477-2720 or at winnes@fhkcpa.com.

Wes Pitts, Sr. Vice President USI Southwest Austin, TX

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key risk management activity is maintaining a list of approved drivers, whereby nobody off the approved list is ever allowed to operate any motor vehicle in any capacity for the company. You never want to send a list of drivers to your agent for which you have not already checked the MVR and approved the driver(s) based on your grading and evaluation criteria. Most carriers expect you to check MVR’s on drivers pre-hire, and then your entire list of drivers at least annually, and more often for those that may be on probation according to your written MVR program.

Carriers generally should not be relied upon to check MVR’s in order to approve or not approve drivers for the company – this practice was changed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) which requires the employer/hiring co. to get a signed acknowledgment from the employee/driver before running their MVR. Neither insurance carriers nor your broker can police that you are getting these FCRA acknowledgment forms signed.

Carriers rely on you to have an actively managed MVR program, to avoid unnecessary risks in you as their insured allowing a driver with a poor or unacceptable record to drive on the insured’s behalf and potentially become an extremely attractive case for a personal injury attorney, i.e. negligent entrustment!

Carriers will check or may spot check the drivers list provided to them to verify that you are in fact checking and approving drivers. For this reason, the carrier should never receive an unacceptable MVR as you have already checked and cleared them as an approved driver.

The list of potential drivers for the company should include full-time, parttime or incidental, and all employed or 1099 independent driver exposures whether assigned a company vehicle or using their own personally owned or otherwise non-owned vehicle or customer vehicle on company business in any capacity. (Note on 1099 independents – include if regularly used and driving for the company – always if reimbursed for fuel and/or mileage).

A driver is not considered someone that comes to work, does their work and

then leaves. This type of employee would generally not be included on the drivers list. However, if these individuals could, as part of their job duty, have occasion to drive for the company, then they absolutely should be included.

If not included in their job duty, then likely would not include on the driver list.

Again, the MVR should be checked before they get added to your approved list.

The last thing you want to happen is you have an individual that is not a driver for the company, yet you feel you need to include them on the drivers list just to be safe and you hadn’t yet checked their MVR as you didn’t consider them a driver.

Your agent then provides their information to your carrier, who in turn checks their record and it comes back unacceptable. The carrier now knows about them and wants to exclude them as a driver.

The issue here is your agent at this point usually cannot get your carrier to back off of wanting a signed Driver Exclusion on this individual. Now you could be forced to give up your “incidental what if” coverage if one of these non-driver individuals did go against company policy and somehow got into a capacity of driving related to your company even though he or she had not been approved as a driver.

It is highly recommended if you feel there is any potential driving exposure at all, then the individual should be subject to your written Auto Safety policy rules and you should include them in your MVR Program and determine up front and on an ongoing basis whether they are approved or not approved – then only those approved are reported to the insurance company.

It is advisable to review your auto rules, guidelines, and safety policy and specifically your Motor Vehicle Record program with your agent at least annually.

Wes Pitts is a Sr. Vice President and Southwest Regional Construction Practice Leader for USI Southwest - Austin, TX, USA. Wes can be contacted at 512-651-4107, or Wesley.pitts@usi.com.

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Construction cousins

Running a-truck

L-R: RLB Construction workers (and cousins) Jimmy Marsh and Trevor Marsh load siding into the lift as they help renovate a NAPA Auto Parts store in Fort Worth. –mjm

It’s not only the roofers who are busy this time of year! Rafael Vargas, owner of Vargas Trucking in Dallas, hauls roofing materials to be used on some of the Metroplex’s many roofing projects scheduled right now. –mjm

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

Page 9

Can I quit working if they don’t pay me?

Employer responsibilities to protect temporary workers

Bethany F. Thompson, Shareholder Gardner Law San Antonio, TX

Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX

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ontractors, subcontractors, and suppliers frequently consider whether they can stop work on a project when their customer fails to properly make payments for their work. This can be a risky proposition and as a result it should be undertaken in an informed and thoughtful manner, if at all.

The first place a contractor, subcontractor, or supplier should look to determine if they can stop work for nonpayment is at the terms of their contract. Is there a forced work clause requiring them to continue working despite a dispute on pricing or scheduling? Are there notice provisions that must be complied with before action is taken? Is there an enforceable contingent payment clause that applies in the current situation?

These are all key issues that will vary from project to project and construction contracts increasingly have difficult and complicated terms for downstream parties.

The next consideration for contractors, subcontractors, or suppliers should be various laws that might apply to their situation. Prompt Payment statutes apply in the context of both public (Government Code Chapter 2251) and private (Property Code Chapter 28) work in Texas. These laws allow for the right to stop work a certain number of days after written notice is furnished and where curative action is not taken. Note, there is a special separate section in the Government Code that applies only to TxDOT work. Those furnishing labor or materials should verify in writing whether the upstream parties have been paid. This can be easily done with public information requests where a project is owned by a governmental entity. For private projects, parties should obtain written verification where possible of the payment status between companies.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly for many contractors and subcontractors, the unpaid party should consider whether they have furnished a performance bond on the project in question.

Where a performance bond has been furnished, the stakes are substantially higher; if a work stoppage is wrongful, it could likely constitute a default under

the terms of the bond. Because bonds are secured by indemnity agreements with the individual owners of a company in their personal capacities, this is an exceptionally risky proposition. As a general rule, it is not recommended contractors or subcontractors stop work on a project where they have furnished a performance bond unless there is a clear and unequivocal prior breach by their customer and they have also properly furnished all necessary notices in writing prior to taking any action to stop work.

Overall, the decision to stop work involves both legal and business related factors, and should not be done lightly.

Where the unpaid party is substantially close to completion of their scope of work, it is typically recommended they complete the project to avoid unnecessary issues in litigation down the road.

However, if there is still a considerable amount of work to be done and there are credible indications of continued problems on the project, the unpaid party should take what actions are available to mitigate their risk. Ultimately, the decision to stop work is tremendously case specific and there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

Bethany F. Thompson is a Shareholder with Gardner Law in San Antonio, Texas, and her practice focuses on construction litigation. In a time when many cases settle before trial, she has first chair state court jury trial experience, arbitration experience, and bench trial experience in federal court.

Ms. Thompson represents general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers on a variety of issues including contract drafting and negotiation, lien and bond payment claims, delay and defect claims, and contract default and terminations. She has presented seminars for a variety of organizations throughout the state, guest lectured on construction contracts at Texas A&M, and is active in both her local chapter of the American Subcontractors Association and the Attorney Council for the national level of ASA. Contact: bthompson@gardnertx. com.

o ensure that there is a clear understanding of each employer’s role in protecting employees, OSHA recommends that the temporary staffing agency and the host employer set out their respective responsibilities for compliance with applicable OSHA standards in their contract. Including such terms in a contract will ensure that each employer complies with all relevant regulatory requirements, thereby avoiding confusion as to the employer’s obligations.

Joint Responsibility

While the extent of responsibility under the law of staffing agencies and host employers is dependent on the specific facts of each case, staffing agencies and host employers are jointly responsible for maintaining a safe work environment for temporary workers - including, for example, ensuring that OSHA’s training, hazard communication, and recordkeeping requirements are fulfilled.

OSHA could hold both the host and temporary employers responsible for the violative condition(s) - and that can include lack of adequate training regarding workplace hazards. Temporary staffing agencies and host employers share control over the worker, and are therefore jointly responsible for temporary workers’ safety and health.

OSHA has concerns that some employers may use temporary workers as a way to avoid meeting all their compliance obligations under the OSH Act and other worker protection laws; that temporary workers get placed in a variety of jobs, including the most hazardous jobs; that temporary workers are more vulnerable to workplace safety and health hazards and retaliation than workers in traditional employment relationships; that temporary workers are often not given adequate safety and health training or explanations of their duties by either the temporary staffing agency or the host employer. Therefore, it is essential that both employers comply with all relevant OSHA requirements.

Both Host Employers and Staffing Agencies Have Roles Both host employers and staffing agencies have roles in complying with workplace health and safety requirements and they share responsibility for ensuring worker safety and health.

A key concept is that each employer should consider the hazards it is in a position to prevent and correct, and in a position to comply with OSHA standards. For example: staffing agencies might provide general safety and health training, and host employers provide specific training tailored to the particular workplace equipment/hazards.

• The key is communication between the agency and the host to ensure that the necessary protections are provided.

• Staffing agencies have a duty to inquire into the conditions of their workers’ assigned workplaces. They must ensure that they are sending workers to a safe workplace.

• Ignorance of hazards is not an excuse.

OSHA is participating in the first annual OSHA Construction Conference to be held in Irving in October 2016. To learn more about this event or to sign up to attend, visit http://www.oshacon.org/. natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232

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Break in the heat

A concrete bond

Roofer Hector Martinez is grateful for a rare 88° F summer day as he and other Phoenix Roofing workers prepare to work on top of the CED Miller Electric Supply/ Kite’s Custom Cleaners building in Fort Worth. –mjm

L-R: Brothers Goyo Vasquez and Martin Vasquez are able to spend quality time together as they work alongside each other for Lewisville-based asphalt and concrete repair company Pave-It Inc. –mjm

Page 10

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

Construction News ON LOCATION

Industry FOLKS

Load ‘em up

Matt Smart Work-In Supervisor Trison Construction Group

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ince Matt Smart moved for his dad’s business from Essex, a county 30 minutes south of London, to North Texas, he’s had to get used to two things fast.

He first had to become acclimated to the scorching summers here

“It was hot,” Smart says about the weather upon his arrival last summer.

“It started out rough! But we used to travel here quite a lot, so I kind of knew what to expect. But living and working in [this heat] is just a whole different experience from London.”

And of course, the second thing he became accustomed to were questions about where he’s from. Is he weary of all of the cowpokes asking him about the origins of his accent?

“Yes and no,” he laughs good-naturedly. “I mean, I like it because it’s a novelty. Most people think I’m from Boston, or north or west Texas. I get that a lot! But I’ve lived here a year, and I’m getting a bit of a Texas twang.”

Those two things aside, the 23-year-old has settled in nicely.

“I just like the way of life here,” he says. “It’s so relaxed and chilled out.

The traffic doesn’t compare to London, no way. It takes 2 hours to go eight miles in London. Gas is good here too because we pay $10 a gallon there.”

Smart has also found a job he enjoys as a work-in supervisor for general contractor Trison Construction Group.

“I like being hands-on and building stuff,” he says. “Trison is a familyrun company. They’re good people to work with and we do good work.”

When he’s not working, Smart enjoys spending time with his son and recently joined a local soccer team.

“Coming from England, that’s our main sport. I’ve played it since I was 3 years old,” he says. “I’m alright, but I wouldn’t say I was good!”

Keller-based Trison Construction Group is a full service commercial general contractor. –mjm

www.constructionnews.net

L-R: Ayax Arrivillaga, owner of A Flooring Services in Fort Worth, and his helper Victor Argumedo load materials and tools for the tile, carpet, wood flooring or granite countertop project scheduled for the day. – mjm

Construction News ON LOCATION

Continuous rating

Twenty-six years! That’s how long service tech Steven Crow has worked at Phillips & Associates in Arlington. Crow says working for “good people” is the reason for his longtime loyalty to the electrical systems construction and design company. –mjm

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

Page 11

Summer fishing update

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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ell I must say that this has got to be one of the windiest Julys that I can remember. July weather is typically the beginning of summer hot days that start preparing you for the dog days of summer. Instead we have had spring-like windy mornings that turn into blown out days. These conditions make it hard to get to some of the more favorable fishing spots we are accustomed to fishing in mid-summer months. Nonetheless, we are catching limits of trout with scattered

Bill Morris of San Antonio caught this monster redfish on a recent fishing trip with Steve Schultz Outdoors. Fish measured 35+inches and weighed over 15 lbs. (Released)

reds and an occasional flounder or two. I know complaining about the wind will come back and haunt me in August when I’ll be begging for a breeze about 10 AM in the morning.

With August around the corner, I’m expecting to start seeing quite a few more redfish in the mix of things. Typically, our redfish start schooling up in mid-August and feed up before they make their way to the gulf. Schools of bull reds will start making their way out of Baffin Bay working their way down the King Ranch shorelines. It is wise to keep a

Everyone has a story.

Send us yours.

rod rigged up with a weeklies gold spoon or a 1/4 oz. jig head with you favorite soft plastic. These schools can appear out of nowhere and you have to have something that is heavy enough to cast when there’s not much wind or casting into a light wind. Once you have located the school you can probably stay close enough to them with your trolling motor to catch several before they disappear.

An alternative to beating the heat and getting into some of the bigger game species in our waters this month is to explore some of the deeper waters off-

shore. With easy access through the packery channel, one can be trolling baits within minutes of the JKF causeway.

Some of the species most commonly sought after in our waters include king mackerel (kingfish), Spanish mackerel, red snapper, ling and several other species of fish. Proper tackle is required to land some of these bigger, more powerful fish than your ordinary bay tackle, so be prepared when busting through the jetties. This type of fishing can be very enjoyable for the whole group because you never know what you’re going to catch and most every time I take a group offshore we experience something unique. This month can also be perfect for fishing the beach front for trout and reds also. Anchoring your boat between the guts along the beach and pitching croakers or perch in these guts can produce some fantastic action if conditions are right. One thing to remember when you’re fishing the beach or any water in the gulf is to keep an eye out for waves that can sneak up on you when you least expect it. Make sure everyone is aware of the dangers while fishing in the gulf because conditions can change in an instant.

Summer schedule is filling quickly but fall dates are still available. Don’t wait until the last minute to book your dates. To schedule your next bay fishing trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call or text at 361-813-3716 or 361-334-3105 or e-mail him at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail. com.

Good luck and Good Fishing

Send us your photos and stories.

Outdoor activities and sports Fishing • Hunting • Biking • Racing Hobbies • Crafts • Entertainment

All content and photos are placed free of charge.

Email to: DFWeditor@ConstructionNews.net or call Melissa at 817-731-4823

Page 12

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 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 the radio as follows: The Great Outdoors: 5-8 am Saturday on 1300, The Zone, Austin and The Great Outdoors: 5-7 am Saturday on 1200 WOAI San Antonio The Sunday Sportsman: 6-8 am Sunday on 1300, The Zone, Austin All on iHeart Radio

Patterning: The art of thinking like a fish

these events. Fish are often moved from place to place by wind and wave. A good angler learns to use the memory of the conditions of the day to try to understand why the fish did or didn’t bite.

Once you learn more about patterns and start applying them to future trips you become a lot more able to find fish. Another good thing is if you can’t get to the fishing spot you like, you can look for other places on the water that mimic those conditions and find more fish. Any time you spend on the water catching or not will help you to build your experience and make you a better fisherman.

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don’t know how many times we have watched weekend fishermen come all the way up the lake to find my boat dock because they think that will help them catch bait. Often overheard, “There must be bait here; Ken Milam’s dock is here!”

No, my dock is here because my wife was raised here and it’s where we live. The bait is in the lake. It’s up to you to find it, just like I have to.

I am always amazed at the way fishermen fall into the trap of thinking they can duplicate a good fishing trip. It is easy to think that if you go to the very same spot and present the same bait you should get another good stringer. We can’t help that we tend to think like that. So much of our day to day life works pretty well by that formula, but not fishing. You have to remember that fish are fickle little boogers from bait size to trophy size.

If you remember that you caught bait yesterday on a certain spot surely

you can do it again today, right? Wrong.

What you didn’t figure on was that even if the wind and moon and weather didn’t change a bit there still might have been a school of bass that found your secret bait hole and spent the last couple hours chasing them for breakfast. The same thing is true for game fish.

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!

With technology being what it is today, I have given up on worrying about people carrying gps devices onboard for our charter fishing trips. I finally realized that even if someone can find my current spot, the location won’t do much good if he doesn’t know how to fish it.

That is where learning to understand the patterns that fish follow will save the day.

Fish have yearly cycles. When it comes to reproduction, they have pre-spawn, the spawn and post-spawn and each of these phases has distinctive behavior that only applies to their species. Read up on the fish you want to catch so you can understand the timing of these very strong cycles. That will tell you when they want to feed and when they might not need to and where on a body of water they might be driven to go.

The weather and the moon phase can matter too. Overnight storms, sudden cold fronts and a bright moon can cause them to turn off or on depending on whether you get there before or after

Lusk 36 lb. bluecat

Hustle out the mussel

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ccording to Texas Parks & Wildlife News, local lakes – most recently Eagle Mountain Lake and Lake Worth – tested positive for zebra mussels.

Originally from Eurasia, rapidly-reproducing zebra mussels can have serious economic, environmental and recreational impacts on Texas reservoirs. First found in Texas in 2009, mussels have fully infested six Texas Lakes in three river basins.

Remember that it is against the law to possess or transport zebra mussels (either dead or alive).

And don’t forget to “Clean, Drain and Dry” boats, trailers and gear every time when traveling from one lake to another. –mjm

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

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Page 13

Make a fish!

arty Murphy, DFW division president of Pavecon LTD Co, must have made quite the wish when he blew out his birthday candles in June. Celebrating the special occasion with his family in Cabo, Murphy caught a 10-lb. shark (he

cut the line rather than landing it in the boat). His wife Cheryl Murphy and godson Konner Kyser both caught enormous striped Marlins, helping to make it a birthday to remember. –mjm

Submitted to Construction News

Pickin’ of the sea

Above: Cheryl Murphy’s Marlin and Below: Konner Kyser

Trade Management’s David Meyer caught this massive tuna while on a trip to Puerta Vallarta with his family. –mjm

Page 14

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

Park and bride

Submitted to Construction News

Taking in the scenery

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Butler and Butler Masonry’s Brandon Stewart paused to take in the scenery as he kayaked at Fort Worth’s Panther Island Pavilion Jul. 17. –mjm

Freedom to have fun

t was 29 degrees and snowing, but the hearts of Ann Hicks of Hicks Resource Consulting and Otis Hatcher Jr. were warm as they were married May 10 in the Mammoth Springs Chapel in Yellowstone National Park. The ceremony was performed by the park chaplain and witnessed by chaplain’s wife and the congregation. Hicks’ bouquet was a gathering of Wyoming wildflowers; the local florist travelled in a Montana blizzard to ensure the bride had a beautiful bouquet.

The happy couple certainly chose a setting rich in beauty and in history. Congress passed a bill to build a chapel at the fort so that the stationed 324 soldiers, families and civil employees there had a place to worship. Scottish masons constructed the chapel using native sandstone from a quarry between the Gardner River and the Mammoth Campground in the northwestern section of the park, which was founded in 1872. U.S. Army administrators replaced civilian superintendents six years later to help protect Yellowstone’s resources from the threat of poachers, souvenir collectors and developers for the next 30 years. The

chapel was completed in 1913, and today, regular Sunday morning services – and weddings! ­– are held in the 350-person capacity chapel.

The venue was extra spiffy for Hicks’ big day; with the national parks turning 100 this year, the grounds were ready for Centennial celebrations this summer. –mjm

F

rancine HawkinsAlegeh celebrated her independence from working too much over her July 4th holiday. The founder of Alegeh Drafting Services and F.D. Hawkins Painting and Remodeling and senior CAD technician for an information technology and service company took a muchneeded vacation in New Orleans and at Biloxi Beach. As you can tell from the photos, she got some R&R and then some. –mjm The living is Easy in New Orleans.

Time for tee.

Rocking on by the water

Dropping a line to say “Fish you were here!”

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

Surveyors take to the sea

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he Texas Society of Professional Surveyors (TSPS) held its 11th annual Hook, Line & Surveyor Scholarship Fishing Tournament Jul. 16 at Redfish Boat House in Aransas Pass. With 17 teams and approximately 68 participants, the event raised more than $5,000 for the association’s scholarship fund. –mh Guided 1st: Bow Movements – Stanger Surveying, Tyler 2nd: 2 Buoys & 2 Gills – Unintech Consulting Engineers, San Antonio 3rd: Kuehlem Surveying, San Antonio.

Summer sessions

Unguided 1st: Cowboy Welding & Fabrication, La Vernia 2nd: G4 Spatial Technologies, Austin/San Antonio 3rd: Team 410 Largest Hardhead: Weekend Hookers Largest Redfish: Team 410 Largest Trout: Cowboy Welding & Fabrication Most Spots: SAW Dawgs

The past winners of the Bob R. Beard Good Neighbor Award were honored at TACA’s 62nd annual meeting with a commemorative lapel pin.

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1st Place – Guided

1st Place – Unguided

he Texas Aggregates & Concrete Association (TACA) hosted its 62nd annual meeting and summer conference Jun. 29-Jul. 1 at the JW Marriott Hill Country Resort in San Antonio. This year, the meeting broke the association’s record for highest attendance of the event with more than 550 attendees.

The meeting included the opening general session with Rich Szecsy, TACA president; Friday sessions with speakers from various state departments and officials, the annual TACPAC fundraiser, which included a silent auction; and the past chair’s banquet, during which TACA honored all past Bob R. Beard Good Neighbor award winners and Tommy Abbott, Argos USA, chair of the board, passed the gavel to Pat Strader, CEMEX, incoming chair.

The annual awards luncheon recognized outstanding companies and individuals across a variety of categories.

Safety Awards went to Argos USA, RediMix Concrete, CEMEX, Martin Marietta, Hanson Aggregates and Trinity Construction Materials. Also, the TACA scholarship for $2,500 was awarded to Lola Chambers, a student at the University of Texas at Austin. –mh High Strength Concrete Competition Plant Mix 1st: Allied Concrete (14,610 psi) Lab Mix 1st: Redi-Mix Concrete (14,790 psi)

The outgoing chair of the board, Tommy Abbott, passes the gavel to the incoming chair, Pat Strader.

Public Appearance Awards Best Plant Aggregate, A: Hanson Aggregates, Servtex Plant Best Plant Ready Mix, A: Argos Ready Mix, Corporation Frisco Plant #1009 and CEMEX Construction Materials Houston, Galveston Plant Best Plant Ready Mix, B: BURNCO Texas, Anna Plant Front-Line Employee Awards Production Employee of the Year: Miguel Huerta, Area Production Supervisor, BURNCO Texas Truck Driver of the Year: Bruce Campbell, Argos Ready Mix Corporation

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

I would really like to go to Costa Rica. [My wife Christina and I] go to Mexico a lot, Cabo, Cancun and Playa Del Carmen. It’s really easy to get in and out of those places, it’s a three-hour trip, but with a business, it’s kind of tough to take a trip to Costa Rica because it takes so long. If I went there, I would hit the beach, have a bunch of drinks, relax, enjoy the ocean and listen to waves come in.

Darrell Dixon, Fantastic Systems Bora Bora. I want to stay in a room over the crystal clear water! Or Easter Island.

I’m fascinated by cultures that just disappear with no explanation.

Ann Hicks, Hicks Resource Consulting I would like to walk on the moon and see the earth from that vantage point.

Donna Nuernberg, Lane Gorman Trubitt PLLC You know, most people would say the moon or outer space, but I get claustrophobic and that rocket would just about kill me, so I’m opting for Iceland. I’ve had friends move there three years ago, the country is gorgeous, downright breathtaking and the hikes would be unforgettable!

MaryEllen Evans, Trade Management I want to go to Tuscany. It just looks beautiful and peaceful, and I really enjoy wine.

I was supposed to go a couple of years ago, but my husband and I are trying to plan a trip next year for our anniversary.

Pamela Tresp, Progress Lighting I would visit Czech. That’s my heritage and I can’t wait to see my family, who they are (or part of them anyway), which I plan to do in a couple of years!

Tonya Watson, Gadberry Construction Prince Edward Island (Canada) because the area was the inspiration for one of my favorite books, Anne of Green Gables.

Katie L. Humphries, Balfour Beatty I would say Hawaii. I’ve never been there, and it looks good. I would like to take a Jeep tour; I had some friends that did that, they went up on the mountains and looked over.

Wayne Wooten, Empire Disposal Ltd. I would go to Sorrento. I hear the beach there is fantastic, and I guarantee that the food is as well.

Geoff Gross, Concept Surfaces Maldives because it seems exotic, tranquil and peaceful. I wouldn’t take the kids. I would relax on the beach and in our over-water bungalow.

Melissa Lesch, PCL Contract Bonding Agency

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

Page 17

Service Providers Competitive price, core values vital Craig Farmer, CEO Farmer Environmental Group LLC Carrollton, Houston & Mesquite, TX

W

hat are the “hot button” issues in your industry?

Right now, the “hot buttons” in our specific industry are asbestos, mold and Phase I Environmental Site Assessments.

The asbestos, mold and lead have consistently made up about 70% of our business. This has been a constant for over 22 years that we’ve been in business.

Asbestos, mold, lead and crystalline silica fall under the industrial hygiene category and continue to be a driving force of work for our company. Farmer Environmental is contracted by business owners, developers, architects and general contractors to do the initial testing and evaluations of the suspect materials. If and when there are positive results of suspect materials, in most cases we then are contracted for the oversight and management planning to be onsite during the abatement process. Farmer has developed very close relationships with highly qualified abatement contractors throughout the country that we can refer to our clients as part of the bidding pro-

cess.

As new construction developments grow, we are doing more Phase I ESA’s for pre-development data, which is vital for ensuring that the property is researched thoroughly through historical data.

What are the major changes in the industry in recent years relating to the type of work that you do?

The most recent changes that Farmer has seen relate to technology. As technology has become more advanced, we made the decision to move with it and enhance our business software that enables us to manage our inventory of clients more effectively and manage costs for each and every project. With this advancement we are also able to handle last minute emergency response type projects for some of our higher profile clients like banks, major universities and hospitals. This has also allowed us to reduce the paper reports unless our client specifically asks for it.

Business still booming in Austin

Austin, TX

ow would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms?

Business is still booming. We have seen around a 12 percent increase in sales in the first two quarters of 2016.

While the national economy may be suspect, Central Texas remains strong.

What factors are driving this increase?

Quality service. A direct benefit to trying harder than other companies is customers get it and appreciate the service. Contractors talk amongst themselves and when you provide excellent service the word spreads fast.

What are the cost increases relating to your industry?

The price of steel fluctuates greatly depending on a variety of economic factors. We are constantly trying to stay

What are the cost increases relating to your industry?

The cost increases to our industry we feel are not uncommon to others. Payroll, insurance and taxes are the largest costs.

Farmer does everything to avoid passing those costs on unless we absolutely have to. When we do pass on these costs, we do so in a very gradual way to avoid ticket shock to our valuable client base. It’s a necessary evil and we understand that.

But that is just business. We continue to feel that small businesses have to sup-

things right now. You have to be on call 24/7 if you want to do a better job than your competitors.

James Gill, Owner Austin Rent Fence LLC

H

What is the most significant challenge your industry faces?

Both labor shortages and cost increases are a challenge in our industry. As more new consulting companies with lower overhead pop up, we are very conscious of the importance of competitive pricing. However, we have always prided ourselves on having highly trained and qualified personnel at Farmer Environmental Group who have been with us many years. This, we feel, sets us apart from others who may be lower on their rates. But, we’ve continued to grow at a steady rate with the professional attitude that lower is not always better. The labor shortages are due to the specific license requirements that our field technicians have to obtain and maintain. We take great pride in our low turnover rate within our company and feel this is due to our company core values. So, if we find someone that is eager to learn and grow with our company, we will hire a non-licensed person and train them. With that type of philosophy we have truly hired some quality team members.

ahead of the game by purchasing at the right time. The difficulty we face is often we don’t need new materials at the time but the price is right. So you have to make a decision about whether it is best to reinvest in the company while prices are low and have excess inventory or to wait until new product is needed and then order.

What are the rewards of the industry?

Getting to know other business owners in Austin and nationwide is a great experience. It has led to new business endeavors and some good friendships What are keys to being successful in the industry?

Response time. Everyone wants it yesterday. In today’s society of everything being accessible instantly by your smart phone or computer, people want

port other small businesses that are local.

What are the rewards of the industry?

The rewards of the environmental consulting industry are knowing that we are making a difference with our clients.

We are very diligent in making sure that our client is informed with the right information about their environmental needs so that they can feel confident that the people walking into their facilities have peace of mind that they are in a safe building.

What are the keys to being successful in the industry?

Farmer Environmental Group LLC feels like the key to being successful is teamwork. When you develop a strong cohesive team of great leaders for each branch office as well as quality team members who have a great work ethic (which all of ours do) you are successful.

Success in our view is not about being the biggest in our industry, but we strive to be the best in our industry. Our leadership is made up of three partners who have been the core of our company for over 20 years. We have four branch offices throughout Texas and one in Colorado.

Our branch managers are all the best of the best. We have always operated our company with the attitude of deep faith and ethics for doing what is right. If we are known for nothing more than the fact that we never compromised what is right for what is profitable, then we feel that we are successful.

Farmer Environmental Group offers industrial hygiene, environmental consulting and oil and gas services. –mjm

What makes your company unique?

Austin Fence was started in 2008 as an alternative to large national companies that were mostly faceless. I wanted companies to know if there doing business in Central Texas they can put a name and face to their service provider. –cw

What is the biggest part of your fence business?

The number one thing is construction sites. We also do a tremendous amount for events – festivals, racing, parties – anything that serves alcohol!

TABC rules say events serving alcohol have to have a fence up. We always used to simply do panels for six years, but now we’ve expanded to doing barricades and posts in the ground for a wider variety of things.

About 80 percent of our business is for private clients.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to become a successful service provider in the construction industry?

Two main things: You have to learn everything from the ground up so you can understand the company and run it yourself if you have to.

Take a risk! I didn’t know if it was going to work or not, but I would much rather try and fail than not try at all.

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

Service Providers On track to continue monitored growth Blake Stephens, President GPS of Texas San Antonio, TX

T

he benefits of GPS tracking in the construction industry are fairly simple – protecting your assets and proving that your employees spend their time productively. In the last 10 years, the cost of this service has decreased significantly while business has been growing and is expected to grow tremendously over the next few years.

Blake Stephens, president of GPS of Texas, explains that the U.S. Department of Transportation’s new requirement for electronic logging is one of the biggest factors driving the newest wave of growth in this rapidly growing industry.

Commercial truck and bus drivers who currently use manual logs to keep their hourly work records must now use certified electronic logging devices (ELDs) to prove safety compliance and ensure safe practices on the job. The ELD Final Rule makes this mandatory by 2017.

If a DOT officer comes to a truck, the driver will have to show their electronic logs, which they can pull up on a tablet or

smartphone, and with the devices GPS of Texas has, the driver also has the capability to email the electronic tracking log to the officer from right there in the cab. “[Drivers] tend to have less fines when you have electronic logging,” explains Stephens. “Plus, there’s a headache like you wouldn’t believe in paperwork if you have paper logs. [An ELD] is pretty simplistic, easy to use, easy to setup, and it’s going to take the worry out of that electronic logging mandate.”

Noting that they carry the products these drivers will need to meet the requirement for getting these products certified, Stephens says he has already seen an increase in calls from members of the construction industry on this particular issue. He has received inquiries from crane companies as well as trucks working in the oil field that haul sand, water, cabling and pipe.

The rise in demand for ELDs comes at a time when work in the oil field has slowed down for some of the construc-

It takes time to build clientele Audrey Jones, Co-Owner Blueprints Plus Houston, TX

What is the current state of the Houston construction industry?

When the prices of oil went down, it hurt a lot of our customers because they were somehow associated with the oil industry.

I think there has been an influx of companies moving to Houston in the past few years.

We have seen lots of changes in the construction industry over the years. We watched Beltway 8 go up near us and have seen improvements in the roadways in our area.

Why did you decide to work in the blueprint business?

I have worked in this business for 34

years.

My husband worked for a civil engineering company and started going to a blueprint shop near his office.

He became interested in working in the self-service blueprint business so he and I decided to get into the business in 1981. We have been doing this ever since!

What are a few major changes in your industry?

The equipment has improved so much over the years. Back in the early days we did blueprinting with ammonia.

Nobody liked the smell and we didn’t like the smell. Your nose eventually adapts.

We saw where the industry was

tion industry, but Stephens observes that he is still adding customers in the oil field all the time. He says it just depends on what side of the equation they are on, before the drilling or after.

These customers, like many others, also appreciate that GPS of Texas is a local company and has the capability of receiving a phone call and installing a unit on the same day. Stephens says this particular key to his company’s success is rare in his industry. He has had many calls from people dissatisfied with his national competitors as well as their long-term contracts. He notes almost all of his customers have gone month-to-month in the last four or five years he has been offering that option.

In the last decade, Stephens has seen the GPS tracking industry skyrocket due to the need to be more productive in the field. Before then, he said tracking wasn’t utilized as companies were making a lot of money. But as costs associated with labor, running vehicles and generally doing business went up, companies searched for ways to be more productive.

According to Stephens, monitoring employees’ hours and travel by GPS pays for the costs of the units in a few weeks if used properly.

As costs associated with the construction industry have risen, costs have decreased significantly for the GPS industry. Stephens believes this may be due to the costs of manufacturing the hardware going down as well as the industry becoming more competitive. He estimates that, about four years ago, his pricing was

almost cut in half for the hardware itself.

As his costs have come down, he has passed that savings on to his customers, who have been able to buy two units for what he used to have to charge for one.

The other cost to the customers is the monthly monitoring fee for the life of the unit, which is paid to the cell companies for their services. For trucks, GPS of Texas has one-minute trackers that report data that often.

However, on assets such as equipment, for the purposes of asset recovery, those trackers report about six times a day and anytime that a customer wants to ping it to find out it’s exact location, which only takes about six to 10 seconds.

This part of the GPS industry is as rewarding for Stephens as it is satisfying for his customers.

“We’ve solved a lot of thefts,” he says. “We have customers that have $85,000 backhoes stolen, and they’re back on the job in two or three hours. We protect thousands and thousands of pieces of equipment. We just had a welding machine stolen from one of my customers in Fredericksburg, and it was taken to Austin. When the police finally showed up there after getting a warrant, they arrested 21 illegal aliens and found a ton of stolen equipment all over the place.”

Blake Stephens founded GPS of Texas in San Antonio about 17 years ago. The company offers a variety of GPS tracking systems. While most of its customers are in Texas, GPS of Texas serves customers from Alaska to Puerto Rico. –mh

changing where more and more customers were learning to do AutoCAD drawings on the Internet.

Eventually the blueprint machines and the ammonia went away.

I remember just to keep the ammonia on the premises we had to pay a permit fee every year.

That went away when we went over to black and white copy. Nobody blueprints anymore.

did the right thing.

It takes time to build up your clientele. Meanwhile you will have to pay the rent and utilities.

Many young people get into this industry through their family or a friend’s business.

It would be helpful to take a class to make sure it is what you want to do.

What advice would you give a young person who wants to do what you do today?

If you want to start your own business, you need to do a lot of research first.

You really do have to have location, location, location.

Questions you have to ask yourself include are you going to have enough clientele who keep you going so you can pay rent, your employees and your suppliers.

You need to have at least six months of working capital.

Your first two months you might twiddle your thumbs wondering if you

In your opinion, what does it take to be successful in your industry?

Take pride in what you do. Your reputation is very important. If you do a lousy job it gets around very quickly.

If we ever have a problem, we to whatever it take to fix it right way. We don’t charge the customer for it if it was our fault.

What is the best part about what you do today?

I like working with our customers and I think our customers enjoy working with us. Our customers are Houston area contractors, architects and designers. –ab

Blueprints Plus is a reprographics print shop. –ab

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Page 19

Submitted to Construction News

Fun to spare

Planning ahead

L-R: Team Safety’s Greg Strudwick, Cutler-Smith’s “Spike” Cutler, PCL Contract Bonding Agency’s Eric Lesch, Texas Representative and construction attorney Jeff Leach, NUCA Texas’ Deana Butorac and IBTX’s Mike Hendrickson met Jul. 13 to discuss the underground utility contracting community’s concerns and Rep. Leach’s expectations for the upcoming Texas legislative session. –mjm

Submitted to Construction News

TTI tilt-up

A

1st place victors City Wide Mechanical (1659 score)

merican Subcontractors Association’s (ASA) North Texas chapter held its second annual “Split Happens” bowling tournament Jul. 14 at AMF Euless Lanes. One hundred and fifty players divided into 30 company teams to bowl-ttle it out to victory. After all of the pins were swept away, City Wide Mechanical beat out last year’s winner, Dallas Door & Supply, for first place. –mjm

2nd placers Buyers Barricades (1527 score)

Leadership team members from Bob Moore Construction and TTI Inc. broke ground on TTI’s 610,000-sf distribution center in Fort Worth’s Mercantile Center Business Park. The building will house TTI’s North American warehouse, assembly and distribution facilities. –mjm

Construction News ON LOCATION

Taking the wheel

It’s rare that he does the driving these days. But Paul Gregory, vice president of transportation at site utilities/excavation/trucking-surveying subcontractor Tri Dal Ltd. in Southlake, was happy to help when his company needed to transport equipment. –mjm

Construction News ON LOCATION

A light touch

L-R: Double Eagle Electric journeyman Kevin Ellis and apprentice Kevin Macias install a solar light at the new Z Bones Dog Park in Fort Worth. Brian Smith, project manager of the Raydon Inc.-constructed project, said light installation is the final task to complete. –mjm

Dead-Ass Last: Trade Management (696 score)

Third place team Dallas Door & Supply Co. (1502 score)

Page 20

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

Banging about

Reggie Hill of WR Meadows prepares to shoot.

I

t was a perfect day for clay. On Jul. 14, the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI)’s North Texas chapter hosted its 2nd annual Sporting Clay Classic at Lewisville’s Dallas Gun Club. Fiftytwo participants divided into 13 teams and spent their morning (and ammo) at 12 shooting stations. After the smoke cleared, members gathered for lunch and to see which three teams and individual shooters would be awarded cash prizes. The event’s individual first place winner was R.W. Smith of the Conley Group team and the first place team winner was All-Tex Supply. –mjm

continued from Page 1 — Built-in resolve teach them how to comply with key rules and regulations and avoid terminated agreements, fines or worse. The only path to financial stability is avoiding any kind of litigation problems with the government.”

She shares the business with her family too: Son Aaron Bickle serves as company president and project manager while daughter Michele Bickle handles the business’ financial aspect. Having help she can count on is nice to have, especially since life handed her another lemon four years ago.

Pamela began facing osteoporosis and arthritis pain and took action. Her routine consists of 5:30 am workouts six days a week, going to work at 7am, eating an anti-inflammatory raw food, taking a siesta and often working into the evening. She found that losing 30 lbs. improved her work.

“I know how to deal with tension and painful muscles. I’ve gained mental ability and reduced anxiety and agitation. It improves emotional stability and brings happiness and harmony. I have a better quality of sleep. Yoga helps me fo-

cus on the present, brings me inner peace and much more. Exercise is my addiction now! I can’t go one day without going to the gym.”

Just as she did with her business success, Pamela wants to share the benefits of better health. Construction clients ask for tips on fitting exercise into hectic schedules, her kids work out and she helps others outside the industry.

“I got my training and certification to do aqua therapy and aqua yoga with senior citizens. I enjoy helping people with pain; if they are overweight, I educate them about nutrition,” she says.

Pamela knows her resolve to have a better life fuels her success and she hopes others can find the same resolve.

“You can’t force people to do it,” she says. “They must decide to live and feel better; it has to be inside of them. It’s very important to business success.

Inca-Sol Environmental Inc., a servicedisabled veteran-owned business, offers deconstruction, demolition, disposal, abatement, remediation, restoration, improvements, project management and scheduling. –mjm

continued from Page 1 — A fantastic plan

L-R: First place winner R.W. Smith of the Conley Group Team and event organizer R.W. Smith of Master Construction (yes, they have the same name!)

Submitted to Construction News

Moving forward on safety

since the age of 18, however, they were able to hire their first employees eight months later. Now, the couple oversees six employees and also subcontractors.

The pair hasn’t stopped making plans either.

“I would like to have our own building because we rent right now,” he says.

“We’re working on our special hazards extinguishing license; I have to take a test for it and I plan to take it later on this year. By the beginning of next year, we should be licensed for extinguishing systems special hazards. After that, within

three to five years, I plan to have a fire sprinkler license as well.”

Darrell, an 18-year fire alarm and security industry veteran, feels confident that he and his wife made the right choice six years ago.

“It’s really rewarding,” he says. “I can’t imagine having to go back to working for somebody else again. If I’m going to be working 12-hour days, I might as well work for myself!”

Haltom City-based Fantastic Systems Inc. is a HUB-certified, woman-owned business. –mjm

continued from Page 1 — New beginnings

CORE Safety Group’s safety manager David Fendelander provides on-site safety services for their client Coreslab Structures at the new Toyota headquarters in Plano. –mjm

of LEAN tools/boards, and BIM (Building Information Modeling) and AutoDesk program BIM 360 helped the team track lost time and helped them generate a recovery plan. One idea was to use the owner’s warehouse off site to fabricate underground piping while the site dried out.

“Our plumber set out the underground piping in the warehouse like he would out in the field,” Paiz explains.

“Once the rain let up, the plumber and the electrician were able to dig their trench, drop the underground piping in and cover it, which saved us two weeks.

We were able to get back on track.“ Paiz says that although an elevator cab coordination issue prevented the team from finishing early, every subcontractor went above and beyond to maintain workflow and meet the deadline.

“All of our trade partners – Anchor Fence, Anchor Roofing Systems, Anton, Basden Steel, Baker Drywall, The Brandt Companies, Shahan & Son, Cheyenne Construction Co., DMG Masonry Inc., Executive Protective Systems, Fabulous Floors, Mutual Sprinklers Inc., Pierce-Riverside Glass, Holbrook, George D Alan and T&D Systems – did a great job,” Paiz says.

The result turned out to be a beautiful, nurturing haven for residents. Upon entering the lobby, different elevations of colorful strip lights with interchange-

able gel inserts brightly welcome guests.

A children’s quiet room filled with artwork, books, games and small desks and chairs await young residents, with a computer lab tucked in behind the space. The single story area features a dining hall boasting large tiles in cheery hues, a kitchen and a retail space. The two-story part of the building shimmers with tiled hallways leading to 20 dorms, 10 semiprivate bathrooms and a separate living area on each floor. On the second floor, seven dedicated offices, a four-cubicle open office, a break room, staff restrooms and a small conference room accommodate shelter employees. Durable materials such as a polished concrete floor, high-resistant drywall and carpet tile will stand up to years of heavy use.

Even after construction was completed, Linbeck wanted to add a special finishing touch. Responding to the shelter’s call to “Warm the House,” Shanna Saldaña, executive assistant to Linbeck’s general manager, coordinated the donation of bed linens, lamps, laundry supplies and baby essentials. The group then decorated a room before the May grand opening in June.

“It was really great because Mr. Owen sent us a picture with the lady that was going to be moving into our room,” Saldaña says. “It was a big day for her and a big day for us.”

The experience of being involved in the project left a similar and lasting impression on Paiz.

“It’s definitely one of my favorite projects,” he says. “I’m very proud and very happy of our efforts on that building from beginning to end.”

Founded in 1938, The Linbeck Group is a Texasbased building construction firm offering construction management at-risk, design/build and integrated project delivery services. –mjm

The Linbeck Group donated items to “warm” one of the rooms.

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

Page 21

Association Calendar

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News AIA - Dallas

NTRCA

American Institute of Architects

N. Tx Roofing Contractors Assn.

Aug. 11-12: METROCON16, Dallas Market Hall, 2200 Stemmons Fwy, Dallas, 8am Aug. 25: Fellows Dinner, The Petroleum Club, 2200 Ross Ave., 39th Floor, Dallas, 6:15pm

Aug. 10: 6th Annual Not So Mini Trade Show, 1010 Collins St., Arlington 10am

NUCA Nat’l Utility Contractors Assn.

Aug. 16: General membership luncheon

Aug. 17: TopGolf, 3760 Blair Oaks Dr., The Colony, 4pm. Contact Deana Butorac at deana@nucanorthtexas.com or (682) 402- 4293

ASCE - Dallas

PDCA

American Society of Civil Engineers

Painting & Decorating Contractors of Amer.

APWA American Public Works Assn.

Aug. 10: Happy Hour

Aug. 8: Branch meeting

ASA North Texas

PMI – Dallas

American Subcontractors Association

Project Management Institute

Aug. 19: Clay Shoot, Alpine Shooting Range, 5482 Shelby Road, Fort Worth, 7:30am registration. Contact LaDell Tullos at (817) 640-8275 or ladell@asa-northtexas.org.

Aug. 25: Lunch meeting, Las Colinas Country Club

Aug. 4: Dinner meeting, Brookhaven Country Club, Main Club House, 3333 Golfing Green Dr., Farmers Branch, 6:30pm

PMI – Fort Worth Project Management Institute

Construction Financial Mgmt Assn.

Aug. 18: 7th Annual Career Fair, DFW Marriott South, 4151 Centreport Dr., Fort Worth, 6pm

Aug. 18: Membership meeting, Hackberry Country Club, 1901 W. Royal Ln., Irving, 11am

Tx. Lathing & Plastering Contractor Assn.

CFMA

CSI - Dallas Construction Specifications Institute

Aug. 11-12: METROCON16, Dallas Market Hall, 2200 Stemmons Fwy, Dallas, 8am

DACA Drywall & Acoustical Contractors Assn.

Aug. 5: Annual Clay Shoot Event, Dallas Gun Club

TLPCA Aug. 11: Clay Shooting Event, Elm Fork Shooting Sports, 10751 Luna Rd., Dallas, 8am

SEAoT Structural Engineers Assn. of Texas

Aug. 16: Lunch and presentation, Maggiano’s Little Italy, 205 Northpark Center, Dallas, 11:30am

SAM

IEC - Fort Worth

Subcontractors Assn. of the Metroplex

Independent Electrical Contractors

Aug. 4: Dinner meeting, MCM Elegante Hotel, 2330 W. Northwest Hwy., Dallas 5pm happy hour, 6pm meeting. Contact Pete Snider at execdir@sam-dfw.org or (972) 771-0188

Aug. 12: 2016 Clay Shoot, Alpine Gun Range, 5842 Shelby Rd., Fort Worth, 8am

NARI - Dallas Nat’l Assn. of the Remodeling Industry

Aug. 9: Meeting, Allied Stone, 2405 Crown Rd., Dallas, 6pm.

Aug. 25: Women in NARI (WIN) meeting, Blue Mesa Grill, 14866 Montfort Dr., Dallas, 11:30am

NAWIC - Dallas

TGA/N. Tx Division Texas Glass Association

Aug. 9: Membership meeting, Hilton Inn DFW, 2001 Valley View Ln., Irving, 6pm.

RSVP with Michelle Ordonez at (972) 4880635 or mleettrujillo@yahoo.com

Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction

TSPS

Aug. 15: Dinner meeting, “Construction Trade School” Aug. 17: Annual Meeting and Education Conference, Grand Hyatt San Antonio, 600 E. Market St., San Antonio

Texas Society of Professional Surveyors

Aug. 5: Ray Wisdom Dinner & Auction, Bedorck Park, Canyon of the Eagles Resort, 6pm

NAWIC - Fort Worth

U.S. Green Building Council

Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction

Aug. 9: FMexpo, Frisco Convention Center, 7601 Gaylord Pkwy., Frisco, 11:30am Aug. 11-12: METROCON16, Dallas Market Hall, 2200 Stemmons Fwy., Dallas, 8am

Aug. 17: Annual Meeting and Education Conference, Grand Hyatt San Antonio, 600 E. Market St., San Antonio (Fort Worth chapter’s August business/dinner meeting cancelled to accommodate members attending AMEC)

USGBC

UMCA

Round-Up Kevco Electrical Construction Inc. in Grand Prairie recently hired Melisa Byron. Byron will handle the company’s human resources responsibilities, employee benefits and accounts payable.

Scott Russell joined HNTB Corporation as sales officer and vice president in the firm’s Central Division, which spans 11 states. Russell is responsible for sales and growth initiatives working with clients throughout the division. He brings 20 years of experience to the position, including nine years at HNTB. Russell holds an undergraduate degree in finance and is currently pursuing an MBA from the University of North Carolina and a post-graduate diploma in strategy and innovation from the University of Oxford.

Rebecca “Beki” Webster has joined HOLT CAT as its new vice president of human resources. With more than 20 years of experience in human resource management and leadership, Webster will have executive oversight of all human resource operations and will assume responsibility of the company’s security and safety departments. A native of San Antonio, she recently relocated to South Texas after 20 years working at Northrup Grumman, a leading global aerospace and defense technology firm.

MYCON General Contractors has recruited industry veteran C. Scott Pitt as project director. Pitt will be responsible for overseeing the project management team for MYCON’s institutional market, including contract negotiations and execution, construction planning and scheduling, quality control and safety and compliance management. Pitt holds a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering technology from Murray State University.

United Masonry Contractors Assn.

Aug. 12: Sporting Clay Shoot Submitted to Construction News

Rain, rain, go for pay

When downpours kept 40 workers from roofing jobs, KPost Company sent them to attend a Regional Hispanic Contractors Association (RHCA) Focus Four training instead of losing pay. (L-R) RHCA safety council chair Luciano Perez of KPost, KPost CFO/safety director Jayne Williams and president Steve Little receive a safety recognition plaque from RHCA vice president Yolanda Tafoya. –mjm

Intertech Commercial Flooring has named James Alejandro, CPA, CGMA, as chief financial officer. He brings more than 20 years of accounting and finance leadership experience to his new position. Alejandro is an alumnus of The University of Texas at San Antonio, where he received both a BBA in accounting and a master’s in business administration. He is a licensed certified public accountant in the state of Texas, and is certified as a chartered global management accountant (CGMA) with the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts.

Sean Studzinski, AIA, has joined Stantec’s Plano office as project director. Studzinski will work in Stantec’s architectural practice within the education sector, with a focus on student housing. Studzinski has designed residence halls for private developers and higher education clients for nearly two decades and is considered an industry leader on student housing design. He is a registered architect in Texas, Florida, Arkansas, Kentucky, Alabama and New Mexico.

Butler and Butler Masonry hired Brandon Stewart as project manager in the company’s Lancaster office.

Stewart is responsible for project planning, scheduling, budgeting, project execution and project management. He was previously employed as a project manager at Southwest Demolition Services and brings six years of experience to his new position.

Stewart is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, where he earned a bachelors degree in international economics.

National Roofing Partners in Dallas announces the addition of Geoff Craft as vice president of operations.

Craft, who has more than 20 years of roofing industry experience, will be responsible for the planning, directing and coordinating of operations for NRP. He will also manage daily operations and contractor resources along with planning for financial and human resources. Craft previously served as vice president of sales at Olympic Fasteners and senior vice president at Roofing Supply Group.

Cadence McShane Construction Company announces the addition of Steven A. Levy as the firm’s vice president of education. In this role, the 32-year construction veteran will provide growth and leadership for the company’s market expansion within the K-12 education sector. He will partner with Cadence McShane vice president Michael Geach to pursue and implement K-12 projects on a local and regional basis.

Round-Up Submissions

This is a monthly section for brief company announcements of new or recently promoted personnel, free of charge, as space allows.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Email (w/digital photo, if available) by the 15th of any month, for the next month’s issue (published 1st of each month).

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Page 22

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

Building kids’ health

Work of art

Concept Surface employees take pride in their paintings.

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hite walls, great tile floors, good bones – all were important “must-haves” when Concept Surfaces owner Geoffrey Gross chose his office location. But what to put on those white walls? Gross didn’t think buying expensive art was the solution; that money was better spent helping his employees reach their goals. Still, he wanted to show clients his staff’s personality and wanted employees to feel ownership of the space.

“We’re in the artistic industry where people express themselves and we spend more time at work than we do with our own families,” Gross says. “We wanted to take pride in where we work.”

As a result, employees he hired received a canvas, eight paint colors and a deadline. The only rule was that the timeless base color black had to be used somewhere in the piece. The employees presented the artwork to the group.

“At first they’re timid, but when they see their colleagues’ reaction, their eyes and faces light up,” Gross says. “It really is meaningful. They help decorate the of-

Companies represented at the check presentation included (front row, l-r) CBRE, Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing, WHR Architects, Skanska USA, Spring Valley Construction Co., David Berry, Walter P Moore, McCarthy Building Co., Ben Retta, Datum Engineers, (back row, l-r) HDR, HKS, TEXO Association and Schwob Building Co.

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Employee artwork reveals to clients what kind of personalities work there.

fice and it empowers them to be a true part of the company.

“I’m amazed at the talent, and also at the direction that they go,” he continues.

“Some go very abstract, some go very simple. It’s pretty impressive.”

Some veteran employees have even requested a new canvas.

“They want to start fresh!” he says. “But that’s the beauty of this; they can do something now that their personalities have changed a little bit and they’ve grown.

The art is priceless.”

Concept Surfaces in Dallas supplies hard-surface materials including porcelain tiles, glass mosaics and hardwoods. –mjm

hey’re “checking” up on the kids!

One hundred twenty-nine employees from more than one dozen local architectural, engineering and construction companies donated part of their March paychecks to benefit Children’s Medical Center Foundation. Through company donation matches or direct company donations and sponsorships, the group raised nearly $57,000 during North Texas’ first “KIDstruction Week.”

The funds support essential family support services such as social work, pastoral care and “Child Life,” which includes clown, art, music and pet therapies.

Construction companies also participated in the Red Balloon Run & Ride, where KIDstruction leaders hosted a KIDstruction Zone for children and families, complete with Lego building stations and construction-themed opportunities.

CBRE’s Mark Stewart and Spring Valley Construction Co.’s Whitney Teague paint tool-shaped cookies with 4-year-old Karsyn.

Planning for next year’s KIDstruction Week begins in August. –mjm

The Watson brothers rest in a donated Kubota tractor in the KIDstruction Week Design and Build Zone.

Construction News ON LOCATION

It’s been super

Eleazar Velazquez, superintendent at Posey Plumbing in Keller, is enjoying his 15th year at the company. –mjm

Did you know?

Past editions can be downloaded at www.

ConstructionNews.net

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

Construction News ON LOCATION

Making the cut

Page 23

Industry FOLKS Pamela Tresp Account manager Progress Lighting

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Jose` Garcia, foreman at VLP Contractors in Mansfield, cuts steel to be welded to a frame.

–mjm

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Being hail-pful!

Supervisor Brandon Patterson prepares to help father-in-law Misael Gonzalez, owner and manager of MG Roofing in Fort Worth, repair a roof and replace siding on a Food Mart damaged in July’s hail storms. –mjm

eing a former police officer means never having to say you worry. As a Progress Lighting account manager, Pamela Tresp regularly talks to company leaders and never breaks a sweat.

“There’s nothing you can send my way for me to do that’s scary after doing police work!” Tresp says.

The Dallas native joined the force after her in-home certified trainer business took a hit in the 2008 recession. As a 42-year-old single mom of two, she applied to train at the Dallas Police Academy despite the age 45 cutoff.

“I knew I was pushing it but I wasn’t worried about the physical part,” she says. ”There is a physical test, a civil test and a full background check; I had to get transcripts from elementary school! A detective talked to every family member and employer, logged into all of my social media and looked through my private messages. I took polygraph and psychological tests.

During oral boards, different ranking officers interrogated me to see how I would handle stress.”

After eight months in training, Tresp spent four months on patrol at the smaller Wylie force. Weekly tests, all-weekend study sessions, constant stress, job uncertainty, lack of social life, loss of friendships and 12-hour night shifts made her re-evaluate her path. When her night vision dimmed, possibly compromising her partner’s safety, she knew she needed to leave the force.

“It was definitely the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” she says. “I

feel bad that it wasn’t longer, but I do feel it was for the best for the department and myself that I left.”

After meeting husband Mark in 2010, she joined him at his lighting design firm and then followed him last year to Hubbell, Progress Lighting’s parent company. She calls on architects, designers and developers doing multifamily, hospitality, student housing and senior living projects and develops light packages. Her trainer/officer past even comes in handy.

“I enjoy it very much!” she says.

“One trend in lighting is its potential health benefit; I find that interesting because of my trainer/health background. I also joined the IES Security Lighting Advisory Board for lighting and crime, so I get to be involved with how lighting prevents criminal activity.”

She admits the recent police fatalities during a Dallas protest make her sad she can’t return to help.

“At first I was shocked and then just so sad because that’s like my family,” Tresp says. “I thought of every person I knew; I turned on the TV and saw some people I knew from academy weeping. It’s really hard.”

She knows she is fortunate to find work she enjoys after being on the force.

“I love to learn and take on new challenges and it’s a very exciting time in lighting with room to grow,” she says.

“I plan on staying where I am.” –mjm

Page 24

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • AUG 2016

Construction’s best friend

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n July 21, construction and architecture members went off the leash and celebrated the Bark + Build Kick Off Party at the Dallas SPCA. It’s for a good paws: The Second Annual Bark + Build Doghouse Design/Build Competition, hosted by TEXO and American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Dallas chapter, benefits SPCA of Texas’ Home for the Holidays event.

The competition serves to foster relationships between architecture and contractor firms and raise awareness and support for the SPCA’s mission. When the doghouses are on display in November at NorthPark Center, all of the dogs will be let out as to who leads the pack in high-quality design, construction value and talent!

In honor of this occasion, we’ve included some snaps of our industry members’ fur-ever friends. –mjm

Fizzy, Owner: Gary and Jan Hooker, The Hooker Co.

Duncan, before and after fostering

Hank, 2-and a half-year old Heinz 57 Owner: Chris Hayes, Concept Surfaces

Butters “Buddy Harvey”, 6. Mixed Beagle/ Human Garbage Disposal Owner: Liz Harvey, Sundt

Playing dress up

Jet, black Lab, mighty hunter Owner: Bay (pictured) and Ben Wallace, Site Barricades

Jett, full Doberman from a champion line Owner: Nicole Arnold, Nicole Arnold Interiors

Progress Lighting’s Pamela Tresp went to the vet with one dog and came home with more after meeting rescue group volunteers outside the building.

“The experience of rescuing a dog that was going to be killed really touched me,” she says. “I started getting involved and helping with fundraising and fostering.”

Tresp says one Bichon Frise, Duncan, turned out to be a “foster failure. We were just going to foster him but we couldn’t let him go! But I just finished fostering a dog I rescued on my birthday. He was going to be killed at 4 o’clock that day, so my birthday present was to foster that dog and save its life. In three weeks, he found a new home.”

Tresp’s foster dogs have no shortage of friends when they come to visit – she has five dogs of her own.

“The little brown one is Arabella and she is a toy poodle Shih Tzu mix.

Howie, a malti-poo, is the fatter white one. Audrey, the black and white one, is some kind of Shih Tzu mix. The small fluffy white one, Wolfgang, is a Maltese.”

–mjm Left: Friends fur-ever