Houston Construction News August 2016 by Construction News

Covering the Industry’s News

Texas Style San Antonio H Austin Dallas/Fort Worth H Houston

P.O. Box 791290 San Antonio, Texas 78279-1290

PRSRT. STD. U.S. POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT #1451

Change Service Requested

Houston

CONSTRUCTION

™

The Industry’s Newspaper NRG Stadium

www.constructionnews.net

(210) 308-5800

Volume 13

Number 8

AUGUST 2016

Staying steady

Thriving for workmanship

L-R: Jose Lozano, Mike Maldonado and Gladis Martinez

The 1st Choice Commercial Roofing team recently traveled to tour CertainTeed and participated in an educational event.

atering to mostly concrete contractors in Houston, IRONFORCE Supply has operated since 2012. Mike Maldonado is the general manager, Jose Lozano is the assistant manager and outside salesman, Pablo Rivera is an inside sales representative and Gladis Martinez handles the accounts payables. The company moved from a small building on 34th St. to its current location on West 43rd St. in 2013. “We now have more space to fit all the lumber, rebar and accessories we have available,” Maldonado said. “We are able to store all the larger items in the yard.” Maldonado says he has worked at

the company since it started in the Houston market. “We have seen steady growth since 2012,” he said. “We have enjoyed meeting and helping folks in the concrete industry along the way.” According to Maldonado, the company has training seminars focusing on decorative concrete products during the year. Products and processes are demonstrated at the event including coloring and stamping concrete, coloring textured concrete surfaces and sealing. At the most recent event attendees had lunch and refreshments and had a chance to get hands-on experience continued on Page 18

eeing lots of growth, 1st Choice Commercial Roofing is building a brand new larger headquarters in Tomball. "We've always worked hard and stayed constantly busy,” said Martin Morales, co-owner. “We've been very blessed to be able to hire a lot of great people, and as our customer base and team grew, we were able to do more and more.” Morales says the company went from a small localized roofing company to a full service residential and commercial roofing, remodeling and new construction general contractor. “It's been a ton of work, but it's what we love doing, and we're passionate

about it,” he said. At the new headquarters, there will be a warehouse, conference rooms, offices, stockyard and a new training facility. “We are excited about the training facility,” Morales said. “Continuing education and honing the skills of our team members is important to us.” Chris Rochester, co-owner, says the company is expanding outside of Houston to serve commercial roofing clients throughout the Dallas, Austin and San Antonio areas. “Thanks to many regular clients and constant new projects in Greater Houston, our business has grown and with it continued on Page 18

Cactus flower

actus Commercial Inc. is nearing completion on the Fairfield Professional Office Building – Tract 7 project in August. The owner is NewQuest Properties. Brent Richardson, Cactus Commercial, is the project manager and Mike Yalch, Cactus Commercial, is the superintendent. According to Richardson, several tenants will lease out the office space for their businesses at the 19,000sf two-story tilt wall professional office building. “This concrete, tilt wall construction project is unique in the fact of the size constraints,” he said. “It was a challenge performing the panel layout. We had to stack the tilt panels on the slab (three) high in some areas. “The tilt walls will have an EIFS finish coat on the second floor. The first floor pilasters will have a combination of stone veneer, cast stone and thin set brick. In

East elevation

South elevation The Fairfield Professional Office Building – Tract 7 is planned to be finished in Aug. 2016. The 19,000sf, two-story, tilt wall office space will be leased to several tenants.

addition, the project is equipped with a ThyssenKrupp elevator and aesthetically pleasing painted handrails.” Richardson says another challenge associated with the project was the weather. “Texas has been hammered with heavy raining and flooding the past few months, which has hindered our construction schedule,” he said. Cactus Commercial had a positive experience working with commercial developer NewQuest Properties. “It has been a pleasure working with them and growing our relationship over the past several years,” Richardson said. “We look forward to many projects with them in the future. “Their construction managers are some of the best in the industry and they always hire reputable architects and engineers to successfully complete projects.” continued on Page 18

Page 2

Houston Construction News • AUG 2016

Longevity is key

Dave Bero says he very much likes working for himself.

ealizing there was a niche for decorative trim and supply in Houston, husband and wife team Dave and Kathy Bero started Custom Trim & Supply 11 years ago. “We have doubled in size since we first opened the company,” Dave Bero said. “In the early days our warehouse space was off site and now we have a warehouse in the back of our location on Westheimer Road.” According to Bero, the recent decline in the oil business curtailed some of the company’s larger custom type work. “We are still hanging in there in 2016,” he said. “We have outlived a few competitors in our area.” Bero says his wife keeps an eye on the store and he goes to jobs and appointments with builders, decorators and contractors on a day-to-day basis. Meeting and talking with customers

is enjoyable for Bero. He has a background in sales. “Sales is more about listening to people,” he said. “Everyone will tell you what he or she wants. They may not know what they want, but when you talk to them a little bit, you can figure out what it is they want.” When it is time for rest and relaxation, Bero says he is sort of a homebody. “When I take vacations, the best I can do is maybe a long weekend,” he said. “During the 4th of July holiday, Kathy and I stayed home and out of the heat.” The couple is attending their daughter’s wedding in California in September. “This will be the first time we will travel in quite a while,” Bero says. “We are looking forward to it!” Custom Trim & Supply offers mouldings, trim, mantels and more. –ab

Houston Construction News • AUG 2016

Page 3

Learning all the time

A project of his own

ontractors, architects, engineers, suppliers and service providers gathered at the Houston Build Expo held at the NRG Center Jul. 13-14. During the building and construction show, exhibitors provided product demonstrations and attendees learned new techniques and checked out new developments. Informative seminars and workshops were also held during the event. –ab Smash My Trash

Bob and Yolanda Crittenden will take some time for themselves, as well as spending more time with their grandchildren in retirement.

ince Project Control was acquired by Raba Kistner Inc. (RKI), the company has been doing very well and has been able to expand in more markets across Texas. Bob Crittenden, a Project Control founder, has been doing this for 36 years and retired Jun. 30. During his 36 years, he has served as a project manager, vice president, president and CEO, and for the last three years, principal. Now it’s time to let other leaders explore their potential. Crittenden reflected upon the past and present of the company he helped to establish, crediting RKI with the success Project Control has enjoyed doing larger projects in the public sector, such as work for Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, and the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center expansion. Along with RKI opening up Texas geographically for Project Control, Crittenden credits Dick McNary, one of his

former partners and the company’s current COO, with making new connections and associations, particularly in the Austin and Houston markets. Marveling at how far the technology has come in the time since he started in the business, Crittenden notes that Project Control has its own PC Builder software, allowing them to track project data on the website and share information with consultants and the owner. With a laugh, he recalls that the first cellphone they had was in a canvas bag worn over your shoulder and weighing about 20 pounds, and there was one for the whole company. With Project Control since 1981, Crittenden plans to spend his retirement with his family. He notes that his wife, Yolanda, has had several jobs in the notfor-profit sector. The couple will be taking the opportunity to travel in their motorhome with their three grandchildren. –mh

Construction News ON LOCATION

PPG Paints Lemonde Partners

Landscape Management Services (LMS) Inc. Mobile Mini

Morrison Supply Prime Texas Surveys

Life savers

FlexKRETE

L-R: Wendell Steen, Mike Jimenez, Ronnie Burkett, Brent Adams, Ricky Wright and Kimberlee Jackerheimer gather at Fire and Life Safety America (FLSA). The company designs, fabricates, installs, inspects and services fire protection systems. –ab

Houston

CONSTRUCTION NEWS

The Outhouse Boys/Trash Monkey Dumpster Rentals

D&M Leasing

Upright Scaffold USA LLC

Houston Editor — Abby BeMent — HoustonEditor@ConstructionNews.net — 832-595-0091 Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buddy Doebbler Editorial/Production . . . . . . Reesa Doebbler Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cyndi Wright Admin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lacie Cortez Production Manager . . . . . . . . . Sue Johnson Account Manager . . . . . . . . . . . Dana Calonge Construction News Ltd. Home Office P.O. Box 791290 • San Antonio, Tx 78279 210-308-5800 Fax 210-308-5960 www.ConstructionNews.net If you are a construction-related company in Harris, Galveston, Fort Bend or Montgomery counties and are not receiving a free copy of the Houston Construction News, please call for a Requester Form, or visit our website.

The Houston Construction News (ISSN 15477630) is published monthly by Construction News LTD., dba Houston Construction News, and distributed by mail to constructionrelated companies in Houston and surrounding counties. All submissions should be mailed to our editorial offices. We reserve the right to edit any materials submitted. No fees for materials, copy or photographs submitted will be due unless agreed upon in advance in writing. Submissions will be published at our discretion on a space available basis. Construction News, Ltd. , dba Houston Construction News, will not be liable for errors in copy or in advertisements beyond the actual cost of space occupied by the error. Publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement at any time.

EZ Metal

Allura

Arte en Cantera Inc.

sys-tek

Page 4

Houston Construction News • AUG 2016

ager. Next, I got into the equipment rental business Then, I went to work for Work Zone Products. This job sparked my interest to continue working in the traffic control business.

James Suggs President Houston Barricade & Supply

ames Suggs founded family owned and operated Houston Barricade & Supply in 2001. He has lived in the Houston area for more than 30 years. His son Christian, 24, and daughter Lesley, 28, work with him full-time at the company. Lesley answers the phone and works in the office and Christian runs the sign shop “We have had good, steady growth every year,” Suggs said. “We are now up to 11 employees.” Where were you raised, James? I am originally from Vidor, a small country town in East Texas. The area has lots of industrial and chemical plants. I spent many hours as a kid going hunting, fishing and spending time outdoors. I traveled with my family quite a bit during my childhood. My dad had two or three week vacations every year. What did your mother and father do for a living? My mom was a housewife and my dad worked in the chemical plant industry. Do you have any siblings? Yes, I have two sisters. One sister is a housewife and one is an attorney working in the legal industry. Where did you go to high school and college? I went to Vidor High School and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a Business Minor from Lamar University in Beaumont. As soon as I graduated college I moved to the Houston area. Did taking computer science classes help you in your job today? Yes, I learned problem-solving skills in the computer science classes. I still use these skills. What was your first job out of school? I began working in the rental business. I worked at Ryder for 15 years. I eventually became a Houston area man-

What were the early days like at Houston Barricade & Supply? In the early days, I worked out of my garage at home. I soon rented a place on Jensen. I added employees and kept renting more space in the same area. It got to the point where we had too much inventory for the building to hold. In the last couple of months we moved to a new location on five acres at 6451 Aldine Bender. We moved just right up the road from our old location. Right now we are in the process of remodeling the facility. We want to make sure the facility is just right. We expanded the inventory and items we carry. Why do you like working and living in the Houston area. There is always something going on in Houston. It is a bustling city that is always growing. It is an easy city to get around too. What has been most enjoyable about working in your industry? I think the best part about what I do is building and maintaining relationships with customers. Our customers are not only customers to us they are our good friends. Rather than selling something to them for the cheapest price, we try to work with them and build a relationship. I attend customer’s events just because we have become friends over the years. Have you had a mentor in the business? Patricia Oakes who owned Work Zone Products when I worked there taught me so much about the business. She was always a good help and I am grateful for the opportunity to work with her. She had one of the original traffic control companies in Houston. Unfortunately, she passed away a few weeks ago. In your opinion, what are the keys to success in your industry? I think the keys to success are listening to customers and providing a good service. Build long-term relationships with customers. Do your best. The companies with the cheapest price tend to fade away. Customers want a good vendor that is going to be there for the long run. What is your best advice for someone who wants to do what you do for a living? Go to work every day and work as hard as you can. Listen to your customers.

L-R: Christian, James and Lesley get things ready at the new facility.

Where did you meet your right hand man at the company, Oscar Aguilera? Oscar and I met when we raced against each other at a local go-kart track in 1995. We used to travel together and race in Mexico. Oscar has raced in Malaysia and South Africa. At one point, he was ranked number 35 in the world. Oscar manages our crews and personnel. I can rely on Oscar to get to a jobsite at midnight. Our number one priority is to protect the workers out on the jobsites. I guess you could say we are workaholics. Are you married? Yes, I am married to Susan. We have been married for 30 years. We met each other after high school. How many children do your and your wife have? We have three sons: Noah, 20; Christian, 24 and Matt, 27 and one daughter, Lesley, 28. What are a few of your favorite hobbies? I like to go to my property in East Texas to get away from the hustle and bustle. I try to go fishing, boating or spend time on the tractor every weekend I can. I enjoy the peace and quiet. Where else do you like to go fishing and boating in Texas? My family and I sometimes like to go out to Lake Sam Rayborn. Every time we are out there my wife will have a hook in the water most of the day. I tend to always be the boat operator. Where is a place you and your wife would like to go see one day. We’d like to get up to the Rocky

Mountains in Colorado or the Tetons in Wyoming. With the hot weather in Houston, these areas seem to attract me more now. As my kids continue to work at the company, my wife and I may be able to take longer vacations in the future. Have you been anywhere outside of Houston this year? Yes, my wife and I traveled to Costa Rica in January. It was probably the best vacation I have ever been on. It was very relaxing and the weather was so nice. We hiked, biked, ziplined and white water rafted during our stay. What are your future plans for the company? We will continue to add products as customers request them. We try to look for anything new to the industry that is hard to find. I like to supply the items people are looking for. This is a very “I need it now” industry. If you don’t have what the customers need, they will look at other places. We try to keep a large inventory. Now we are able to buy a truckload of items and have room to store it in the warehouse. We are looking at doing some more graphics printing in the next year. The new technology is printing machines, so we will start printing more items. We want to keep improving so we can turn out items quicker for customers. Houston Barricade specializes in traffic control products, safety supplies and work zone products, including everything from metal or steel barricades to traffic cones. The company provides traffic control services for a variety of highway and roadway construction needs throughout the greater Houston area.–ab

Construction News ON LOCATION

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Ready to assist

Tea time

NAPPCO Fastener Co. employees have a good day serving customers. The company is a standard and specialized fastener and access hardware distributor. –ab

Duc Chu, D & C Construction, provides the general construction services for the Mai’s Teahouse project on FM 1464. –ab

Houston Construction News • AUG 2016

Page 5

Setting the foundation

Where is a place you’d like to travel? I want to ride my motorcycle from coast to coast one day. I think that would be a fun, memorable adventure. I have to retire first though! Dan Munson, Old Southern Workshop I would love to travel to more regions within the United States. There is so still so much I would like to see! Leticia Elias, Elias Commercial Roof Systems I’d love to take my family back to Colorado because we love the mountains. Laramie Lacombe, Laramie Crane LLC

The Foundation Building Materials South Houston staff

he Foundation Building Materials South Houston location recently held an open house and tool/fastener storefront opening at 8821 E. Almeda. Chris Murray, sales manager, says the new Houston location was opened to replace an existing smaller branch and to increase service levels to customers. “Due to the continued and growing support of our Houston area customer base it has become necessary to move to a larger, more easily accessible facility,” Murray said. “This new location allows us

to better serve customers by offering more space for a larger inventory and new product lines, easier will-call access and great parking.” Employees, local customers and vendors enjoyed music, door prizes and food catered by TBS Trucking and their local tailgate team, "Old School Tailgaters". Product experts, displays and product demonstrations were on site throughout the day. Foundation Building Materials provides commercial and residential construction and building materials. –ab

I want to explore the Hill Country. There is so much do in that part of Texas. Paulette Woody, 1488 Mulch Yard I’d like to go to Africa one day. I used to hunt but I wouldn’t want to go on a hunting safari. I would rather go on a safari and just take pictures of the wildlife. Steven Crews, C&C Surveying Inc. I’d like to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado or the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. With the hot weather in Houston, these areas seem to attract me more now. James Suggs, Houston Barricade & Supply

I want to go to Las Vegas because I have never been yet. Good news is I am going this summer! B.J. Walton, American Drilling & Sawing Inc.

Alaska! My wife and I would love to take our children there. It is beautiful! Brandon Dyche, Creative Scape Design

Germany! I want to see all the castles one day. Justin Jackson, Apex Stone

My wife and I look forward to going to California soon. Dave Bero, Custom Trim & Supply

Destin, FL! I want to see the beaches over there. My husband has been to Destin and loved it. It is hard for me to get away these days though. Erin Hooper, Gray-Walker Inc.

I want to see more places in Europe with my wife. I am hoping we will get back there one day! Daniel Baez, Baez Electrical Services

I’d love to see all the historical sites I can in Europe. Joe Carrasco, Joe’s Painting

I’d like to go back to New York City. It was amazing and I have always wanted to stay longer to see more sites. Matt Dunn, City Electric Supply

Cozumel is like my kind of place! That is where I want to go. Margarita Gonzalez, Mundo Tile

I’d love to spend a week on the beach in Mexico. Miguel Elias, E & M Construction

Construction News ON LOCATION

Covering the territory

Customers visit vendor booths during the open house.

Past issues of Construction News can be downloaded at www.ConstructionNews.net Area branch manager John “Marty” Dimas spends time at the SouthernCarlson Pinemont Road location in July. The company is a fastening and packing distributor. –ab

Construction News ON LOCATION

Window to success

Sales representative Eli McMullen has had a productive summer at America’s Choice Windows in League City. –ab

Page 6

Houston 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

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

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.

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Construction News ON LOCATION

Finding focus

Miles of tiles

Derric Little, Texas FireLogix, installs a life safety system at the Goodwill - Telfair project. –ab

Michell Micklus has handled sales and customer service at Noble Tile Supply for 18 years. –ab

Houston Construction News • AUG 2016

Page 7

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

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.

Construction News ON LOCATION

Passionate about roofing

Head recruiter Patricia Fuentes, Prime Roofing, is in charge of interviewing and hiring. She says this summer she has interviewed many guys right out of college who are eager to start roofing work. –ab

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

Industry FOLKS Industry FOLKS Matt Dunn, Store Manager City Electric Supply

ornings are sometimes hectic for Matt Dunn, but he likes the challenge. Dunn schedules deliveries, gets orders out to customers, picks up materials and handles sales and account payments on a daily basis. “I handle what ever comes across the counter,” he said. Dunn has worked at City Electric Supply for four years. Starting out as a driver, he says he worked his way up to counter salesman, as well as outside salesman at the Spring location. “When it was time for me to go to work full-time, I chose the electrical supply business because I figured this industry is recession proof,” he said. “I think my favorite part of my job is dealing with the customers. It is rewarding to help them solve their problems. I also like dealing with new products every day.” Dunn says lately he has noticed there is a demand in the market for LEED fixtures. “You really have to stay current in the electric supply business,” he said. “Things change all the time. I am always staying up-to-date with the latest and greatest products.” If a young person wants to work

in his industry, Dunn says get as much schooling in as you can. “If you are going into the trades, find a good electrician who can mentor you,” he said. “If you are going into distribution, find a reputable company that promotes from within so you can work your way up.” When Dunn isn’t helping electrical contractors needing supplies, he loves going camping and spending time with his friends and family. “I play disk golf at a course near Hollister and Beltway 8 from time to time,” he said. “I also had fun at the beach in Galveston this summer.” A few years ago, Dunn says he had the opportunity to travel to New York City. He’d love to go back one day. “In August, I am taking a week off to go explore and hike around the trails at Glacier National Park in Montana,” he said. “After my vacation, I will be ready to get back to work!” –ab

Page 8

Houston Construction News • AUG 2016

Winners take all

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

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

Health Care (Over $30M) Clinical Services Wing J.T. Vaughn Construction LLC

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

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)

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

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

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) 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) 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)

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

Southern hospitality

s soon as he was walking and able to carry tools, owner Dan Munson, Old Southern Workshop, began learning the carpentry trade from his father. “I am a third generation cabinet builder,” Munson said. “My dad started his own cabinet business in 1971. “I followed his footsteps and built the Old Southern Workshop location in League City in 1996.” Munson’s helper, Matt Bryan, is his right hand man and assists with many different tasks at the shop on a daily basis. “One day Matt is building cabinets and the next he could be running the weed eater around the building,” he said. “He is a big help around here!” Munson says carpentry work is all he knows and it is what he loves waking up to do.

Dan Munson wants to move to the Hill Country one day and continue doing cabinetry work.

“If someone wants to get in the carpentry trade, my advice is to go to school so you can make money,” he said. “If you really want to be a carpenter, be honest and put out a good product. Find an experienced carpenter and learn as much as you can.” Munson thinks it is hard for young people to learn the carpentry trade these days. He says wood shops aren’t offered at high schools anymore. When he isn’t at the shop, Munson likes to see his 2-year-old twin grandsons, watch soccer on television and ride his Harley Davidson motorcycle in the Gulf Coast area and other parts of Texas. “I am a motorcyclist with a cabinet building problem,” he laughed. Old Southern Workshop provides custom trim, cabinets, mill work and remodeling services. –ab

Houston Construction News • AUG 2016

Page 9

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.

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

Submitted to Construction News

Hauling one in

Glenn Pitman, Pitman Construction, went on client fishing trip Jul. 13-16. They left from Biloxi, MS and went to the Chandeleur Islands off the coast of Louisiana. He was happy to catch this Crevalle Jack. –ab

Have an outdoor photo you’d like to share? Send to: HoustonEditor@Constructionnews.net or call Abby at 832-595-0091

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

Page 10

Houston 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 day, 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 prespawn, 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

Patterning: The art of thinking like a fish

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. With technology being what it is to-

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 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.

Lusk 36 lb. bluecat

Everyone has a story. Send us yours.

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: HoustonEditor@ConstructionNews.net or call Abby at 832-595-0091

Submitted to Construction News

Tractor sighting in Galveston

If you have to wait in traffic, why not ride a tractor? –ab

Houston Construction News • AUG 2016

Page 11

Fishin’ magician

For reel

CJ’s family with SpawGlass and Bo’s Place representatives

T Tony Annan (center) gives two thumbs up.

ongrats to Friendswood Planning & Zoning Commissioner and president/owner Tony Annan, Warwick Construction, for winning the 2016 Poco Bueno Invitational Billfish Tournament held in Port O’Conner Jul. 13-16. Annan caught two blue marlin grossing 953 lbs. on the opening day of the tournament. –ab

he SpawGlass Houston division hosted the 4th annual CJ Strnadel Memorial Fishing Tournament in Port O’Conner in June. The tournament raised more than $25,000, which will benefit Bo's Place, complete two sponsorships to St Joseph's High School and will help CJ's family provide a construction exhibit at the Children's Discovery Museum in Victoria. –ab i.e. Smart Systems team caught the largest winning stringer in the tournament’s history.

The two blue marlin

Heaviest trout: The Russell Glass team

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

Tony receives a plaque at the awards ceremony.

Submitted to Construction News

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

Bragging rights

AnnMarie Lacy, daughter of Faith and Joe Lacy, Diamond Hydraulics Inc., caught her first fish ever on Lake Sam Rayburn this summer. –ab

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

Page 12

Houston Construction News • AUG 2016

In the drone zone

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

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/

www.constructionnews.net publishing the industry’s news

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

Texas Style

   

San Antonio Austin Dallas/Fort Worth Houston

Houston Construction News • AUG 2016

Page 13

Summer sessions

Surveyors take to the sea

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.

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.

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)

1st Place – Guided

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

1st Place – Unguided

Submitted to Construction News

Talking safety

Industry FOLKS B.J. Walton Field Supervisor American Drilling & Sawing Inc.

.J. Walton has worked in his industry for 10 years and seven years at American Drilling & Sawing. As a field supervisor, Walton gets the guys lined out for the jobs and makes sure everyone is doing their job correctly. “I am in and out of the office all day,” he said. “No day is ever the same for me.” Originally from Cypress, Walton attended Cy-Fair High School. One of his first jobs out of high school was drilling concrete. “If a young person wants to do what I do today, my best advice is to attend college so you can get a good education,” Walton said. “If you decide not to go to college, just try to do the best as you can and always work hard.” Walton says there is a friendly, relaxed atmosphere at American Drilling & Sawing. “I have a lot of flexibility these days,” he said. “I worked my way up to field supervisor about two and half years ago. “I really enjoy working with the folks here. My co-workers are a great group of people.”

Fifty-two Oxford Builders employees recently met at Houston This Is It Soul Food to enjoy good food and go over topics such as electrical safety and electrocution. –ab

When the weekend arrives, Walton says he mostly hangs out with his family and friends. “Sunday is my free day to relax,” he said. “Sometimes I go to the beach in Galveston and other times I go to Lake Livingston with family.” Hunting is one of Walton’s hobbies in the fall season. He likes going whitetail deer hunting at his dad’s place in Waelder, which is about an hour from San Antonio. Walton is excited about having the chance to travel and see the sites in Las Vegas, NV in July. “It will be my first time to go,“ he said. “I am looking forward to the trip.” Walton says if it were up to him he’d continue working at American Drilling & Sawing until he retires. “I love my job,” he said. “This is exactly what I want to do every day of the work week!” –ab

Page 14

Houston Construction News • AUG 2016

Hitting the jackpot

inety poker players brought their game at the Associated General Contractors (AGC) Houston Chapter Construction Leadership Council Texas Hold ‘Em Poker tournament in May. The event benefits AGC Houston’s Construction Education Initiatives such as the Patrick J. Kiley scholarship program. –ab Congrats to the winners!

1st Place: Andy Chien, Marek Brothers Systems Inc.

2nd Place: Kim Cunningham, Marton Roofing Industries Inc.

Summer time fun

3rd Place: Michael Boeck, Byrne Metals Corp.

Up on the hilltop

The event raised funds and awareness for The Rod Ryan Show Cares Backpack Drive.

ouston area air conditioning contractors and suppliers took part in the 33rd annual Summer Gala & Charity Auction at the SPJST Lodge 1435 Jun. 21. Folks participated in corn hole and washers tournaments during the evening. Congrats to Geoffrey Wentzel, Kerry Mohammadian,JimBryant,DavidCollins and Jacob Garnier who won raffle items. The Texas Air Conditioning Contractors Association of Greater Houston Chapter (TACCA-GH) held the event. –ab

L-R: Virginia Ramos and Sandy Flores

N Environmental Air Systems Inc.

eeding more space in the yard and showroom, Hilltop Granite relocated to Hempstead Road five months ago. PK Jain is the general manager and Virginia Ramos and Sandy Flores work in sales. “Sandy and I help customers make a selection when they come to the showroom,” Ramos said. “We make sure they get the right slab they need for their job.” Jain takes care of paper work at the office and he also goes out to different jobs around Houston during the week. Ramos says the company recently held a grand opening event. Customers toured the new showroom and yard and had pizza for lunch. “It was a great to visit with our customers,” she said. “We also had a special sale that day.” According to Ramos, the company is

seeing more walk-in customers lately because of the proximity to Hempstead Road. When they get time away from work, employees like spending time with their families. Flores plays on a recreational soccer team on weekends and Ramos finds fun activities to do in Houston her with her kids. “We plan to finish the year out strong and meet more new customers in the Houston market,” Ramos said. “The company is also opening a Dallas location to serve the Dallas market soon.” Hilltop Granite supplies natural stones such as granite, marble and slate to wholesales, retailers, builders, contractors, fabricators and end users. Hilltop Granite has five granite stockyards in India, one in the USA and one in Canada. –ab

TACCA-GH members catch up with friends in the industry.

Construction News ON LOCATION Construction News ON LOCATION

Good day sunshine

L-R: Casey Cooper and Monty Bell, Sunbelt Rentals, get things done at the Hempstead Road location after the 4th of July holiday. –ab

The doctor is in

General manager John Martz oversees the day-to-day operations at Doctor Cool & Professor Heat in League City. The company was established in 1979. –ab

Houston Construction News • AUG 2016

Page 15

Service Providers 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.

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

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

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-

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

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

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. 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

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

NEXT MONTH September 2016

Support Your Industry’s Feature Issue

Green Building Trends 2016 Schedule

Jan: Construction Forecast Feb: Construction Safety Mar: Construction Education

Call for Ad Space Reservations

Apr: Women in Construction May: Concrete Industry Jun: HVAC & Plumbing

• • • •

San Antonio Austin • Houston Dallas/Fort Worth South Texas

July: Electrical Industry Aug: Service Providers Sep: Green Building

(210) 308-5800

Oct: Specialty Contractors Nov: Architecture & Engineering Dec: Construction Equipment

Page 16

Houston Construction News • AUG 2016

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

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

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. 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-

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

James Gill, Owner Austin Rent Fence LLC 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 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

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

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

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. 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

NEXT MONTH September 2016

Support Your Industry’s Feature Issue

Green Building Trends 2016 Schedule

Jan: Construction Forecast Feb: Construction Safety Mar: Construction Education

Call for Ad Space Reservations

Apr: Women in Construction May: Concrete Industry Jun: HVAC & Plumbing

• • • •

San Antonio Austin • Houston Dallas/Fort Worth South Texas

July: Electrical Industry Aug: Service Providers Sep: Green Building

(210) 308-5800

Oct: Specialty Contractors Nov: Architecture & Engineering Dec: Construction Equipment

Houston Construction News • AUG 2016

Page 17

Performance matters

he Construction Maintenance Education Foundation (CMEF) held an open house at the main office and Performance Verification Center in La Porte Jun. 28. Attendees looking to begin a new career toured the Performance Verification Center. The center is open to workers who need a NCCER accredited evaluation of craft performance skills. CMEF, an educational affiliate of the Associate Builders & Contractors Greater Houston Chapter (ABC), provides the construction industry with qualified workers. –ab

L-R: Josh Martin and Cheri Stokley CMEF lead instructor William Fuller (left)

Round-Up

The guided tour at the Performance Verification Center

Association Calendar

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ABC

FPA

Associated Builders & Contractors

Foundation Performance Assoc.

Aug. 4: Kickoff Classic: Casino Night Aug. 9: New Member Orientation Aug. 15: Fall Clay Shoot For more information call 713-523-6222

Aug. 10: Monthly meeting, 5pm, HESS Club For more information: www.foundationperformance.org

AGC

IEC

Associated General Contractors

Independent Electrical Contractors

Aug. 4: Member Mixer, 4:30pm Aug. 12: 2016 Construction Leadership Council Golf Tournament, 7:30am For more information call 713-843-3700

AIA American Institute of Architects

Aug. 18: TAC Dinner with the Mayor Aug. 20: Sandcastle Competition, 10am, East Beach in Galveston For more information: www.aiahouston. org

ASA American Subcontractors Association

Aug. 18: General Lunch meeting, 11am, “Behind the Scenes Look at the Legislative Process Aug. 20: Fiesta on the Beach Aug. 23: TCA PAC Clay Shoot, 1pm For more information call 281-679-1877

Aug. 17: Monthly meeting For more information call 713-869-1976

Kimi L. Duplichan, PHR, SHRM-CP, has joined Johnston as director of human resources. Duplichan has more than 25 years of experience in human resources. Her experience in employee relations includes recruiting, coaching, training and development. Charles M. Shumate, PE, has joined Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam Inc. (LAN) as a regional director. In this role, Shumate will manage the firm’s Houston infrastructure group. Shumate has more than 30 years of consulting engineering experience in water, wastewater and storm water systems. He received his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University.

MCA Mechanical Contractors Association

Aug. 10: Membership meeting, 11:45am, HESS Club For more information call 281-440-4380

PHCC Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors

Aug. 10: Member Lunch, Saltgrass Steakhouse For more information: www. gulfcoastphcc.org

WCA Women Contractors Association

Aug. 4: August Luncheon, 11:30am, Maggiano’s Little Italy For more information call 713-807-9977

R. Michael Preiss, PE, has been promoted to senior vice president at Pape-Dawson Engineers Inc. With the firm since 1997, he has 18 years of experience in civil engineering. He is officer-in-charge of the Houston office and will continue to lead all aspect of operations in Houston. He has served as president of the Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 159 since 2004. He earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Texas Tech University.

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.

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). Email info to appropriate city issue, with “Round-Up” in the subject line: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– San Antonio

saeditor@constructionnews.net Austin austineditor@constructionnews.net Dallas/Ft. Worth dfweditor@constructionnews.net Houston houstoneditor@constructionnews.net South Texas STeditor@constructionnews.net

Construction News ON LOCATION

Heavy lifting

Stone masters

Angelino Altieri, Forklifts & Tires, repairs a forklift at Texas DuraRock LLC in Houston. Established in 1979, the company sells and services new and used forklifts. –ab

L-R: Siria Sifuentes and Giancarlo Arrambide, A&A Marble & Granite, spend their week helping customers choose stone for remodeling projects. –ab

Page 18

Houston Construction News • AUG 2016

It’s great to be 58!

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.

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

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.

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: 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.

Submitted to Construction News

Ten pin wizards

Submitted to Construction News

A grand time

JE Dunn Construction Houston employees recently attended the grand opening of the recently completed Westin at The Woodlands Hotel. L-R: Missy and Charlie Holliday, Natasha Blonski and Michael Blakemore –ab

Submitted to Construction News

Bowlieve it or not

Martin Pollock, Lockwood, Andrews & Newman (LAN) Inc., aims for a strike at the company’s 4th annual Bowling Night held at Bowlmor Jul.12. –ab

continued from Page 1 — Staying steady working with the materials. Maldonado says folks applied decorative concrete on a piece of sidewalk using different colors, patterns and textures. When employees have free time they like to hang out with their family on the weekend and play soccer with friends. “My hobby these days is playing the guitar after work,” Maldonado said. “I have played the guitar for about 13 years. I also write songs from time to time.”

Looking ahead the next five years, Maldonado says the company wants to keep growing in the Houston market. “We would love to eventually open another branch on the southwest or southeast side of town,” he said. “After we are established in this market, we will look to expand into other cities in Texas.” IRONFORCE Supply provides construction materials and supplies. The company also rents and sells machinery. –ab

continued from Page 1 — Thriving for workmanship our ability to serve a much larger region,” Rochester said. Outside of work, Morales and Rochester are passionate family people. They are each involved with their kids, churches and neighborhoods. They also actively participate in a local business networking group in which they help other business owners and professionals grow their businesses, get new clients and work together. Whether it be someone's birthday or the 4th of July or New Years, Morales and Rochester like to make their employees feel appreciated.

“Our future plans are to grow, grow, and grow,” Morales said. “We're happy with where we are, but we've got a lot of passion and so much potential that we're determined to see reached. “We've got an excellent team. We're taking things one step at a time, but as more and more clients enjoy our work and the benefit of our services, I really feel that the growth we've experienced so far is just the beginning." 1st Choice Commercial Roofing is a commercial roofing contractor serving Greater Houston and the surrounding areas. –ab

continued from Page 1 — Rain or shine Founded in 2013 by Kevin H. Harris, Cactus Commercial is a general contractor specializing in commercial construction projects including retail, industrial, banks, medical and TI. Cactus Commercial provides tilt-wall construction all across the state of Texas. The company is currently constructing its new office building in Richmond. –ab The Houston Area Glass Association (HAGA) held a Summer Bowling Mixer at Willow Lanes Jul. 14. Congrats to the 1st Place team: Lakeview Glass & Mirror. –ab

Key Professional Team: Superintendent: Mike Yalch Architect: Jim Stuhmer, Osborn & Vane Architects Inc. Structural Engineer: Britt Gardner, CJG Engineers Civil Engineer: Texas Engineering & Mapping (T.E.A.M.) Electrical/Plumbing Engineer: Brad Kalmans, KME Salas O’Brien Landscape Architect: CMB Landscape Architecture

Houston Construction News • AUG 2016

Page 19

Straight to your inbox

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

Submitted to Construction News

Cutting the ribbon

CobbFendley recently held an open house event at its newest location at 16610 IH-45, Suite 250 in Conroe. The firm provides civil engineering and land surveying services. –ab

Construction News ON LOCATION

Southern stride

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 Southern Shingles employees are all settled in at the new location on Ennis Road in Sugar Land. The company provides roofing materials and supplies. –ab

Cooling the city

Construction News ON LOCATION

Three of a kind

L-R: Plumbers and friends Owolabi Sowemimo, Kelby Fisk and Rafael Garcia, Belknap Plumbing, start their day early in Sugar Land. –ab

Daryl and Jennifer Graff are new grandparents.

eague City-based Daryl’s Air Conditioning & Heating has expanded to handle more commercial installation and service work in Galveston and Harris counties. Owner Daryl Graff founded the company in 2003. He gained experience at another company where he found out Houston is the number one air conditioning capitol of the country. “I started my company with only $200 and a truck,” Graff said. “We have really expanded in 2016. I have more guys and trucks than I ever have before. “Commercial work is really keeping us busy. Our customer base had definitely grown over the past few years.” Today, Graff’s wife Jennifer helps him out in the office and does the paper work. In Graff’s opinion, the key to success in his industry is to have a good reputation.

“About 80 percent of our business is word of mouth,” Graff said. “If you earn people’s respect and keep their respect, there is not much you can’t do.” When the Graff’s have free time, they enjoy spending time their four daughters and their 8-month-old granddaughter. “We like to participate in the parades in our community during the year, especially the 4th of July parade,” he said. “I also like to do some boat racing at the San Jacinto River when I have the time. “I am so busy in the summertime it is hard to get out on the boat!” Graff says he likes operating his company in League City because it still feels like a small town. “We look forward to keep expanding for years to come,” he said. Daryl’s Air Conditioning & Heating is a residential and commercial air conditioning and heating contractor. –ab

Page 20

Houston Construction News â&#x20AC;¢ AUG 2016