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CONSTRUCTION
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Volume 13
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Number 11
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NOVEMBER 2016
A better place
CESGiving
The Epic Supply Fort Worth team is settled in to the branch’s new Haltom City location and ready to serve customers.
Critical Electric Systems Group (CESG) is as busy giving back as they are doing business.
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here were mountains of boxes going through the doors of Epic Supply Fort Worth on Oct. 14, but for once, they weren’t deliveries. Instead, the staff was officially moving into the branch’s new location at 2441 Minnis Dr. in Haltom City. Epic Supply Fort Worth employees can now spread out and utilize 30,000sf of workspace sitting on 2.3 acres. It’s a welcome departure from the smaller facility where they originally worked. “It was time to move, to go somewhere we could grow and service customers better,” co-owner Jay Hall explains. Although the location is new, Epic Supply Fort Worth’s offered services will
not be changing. Make no mistake, though – there are definitely new benefits for customers, starting with a sleek reception area for greeting guests and easy customer access to the back of the building. “There is no one that will contest that the new place is better,” Hall says. “We have a lot of yard space now. The warehouses are better lit. There is plenty of parking, and we didn’t have a lot of parking in the other location. We certainly have more outside storage, more office space and there are more individual offices. Our new kitchen is five times bigger than the other one. It should also be good for morale, since the spaces are continued on Page 20
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ritical Electric Systems Group (CESG) prides itself on being relationship-based, and not just with its clients. The staff in the electrical contracting company’s Texas locations – Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio – demonstrate repeatedly that giving from the heart to their communities is at the heart of their business. In addition to planning and executing all types of electrical projects, CESG employees spend their time participating in charitable programs to benefit their communities and the underprivileged. In addition, they donate time and funding to charities such as H.E.R.O.E.S. (Helping Everyone Reach
Outstanding Educational Success) which offers programs to children and young adults with disabilities, and Emily’s Place, a shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic violence. They lace up their shoes for events such as Walk to Cure Arthritis and 5K races such as the Red Balloon Run for Children’s Health. They also participate in a large number of area golf events benefitting charities of all types. Their desire to form strong relationships carries over to the after work time the staff spends together, including the Rangers games they sometimes catch. Inside the office walls, they plan fun events onsite, such as continued on Page 20
Building flexibility
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lexibilty on the part of both contractor and client is beneficial during any construction project. When building on a lot already occupied by structures, inventory and employees, flexibility is imperative, especially when the project is expected to take two and a half years. Fortunately, general contractor Schwob Building Company and client Sam Pack had worked on a project together years before. While the new Sam Pack Ford dealership in Carrollton would be their biggest collaboration to date, both parties were confident that the project would meet expectations. Schwob’s superintendent Alex Vasquez and project manager Craig Larson worked closely with ASM Architects owner Oscar Mohkamkar to tackle the challenge. The team divided the project into three phases to ensure that the new dealership was built with
Photo credit: Erica McDonald Photography Schwob Building Company built an entirely new service shop, showroom and service drive for Sam Pack Ford around existing buildings being utilized.
minimal impact to the business and its staff. The first phase was to build a tilt-up concrete 35,000-sf service shop with a thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) roof to replace the existing 30,000-sf metal shop built in the 1960s. “[Sam Pack Ford employees] worked in the existing facility and we built the new shop right behind the old one,” Larson says. “We completed the new shop, they moved into it and didn’t miss any work days at all. They were able to give service throughout the whole construction experience.” Larson credits the Sam Pack Ford team with coming up with a solution that worked best for them. “They were supposed to move out into temporary trailers, but they had 75 or 80 salespeople and saw that most of their lot would be taken up with continued on Page 20
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
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They’ve got Soul
Industry FOLKS Kyle Hamlin Account manager MEMCO Staffing
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f it’s the weekend and you want to know where Kyle Hamlin is, you only need to look outside. The MEMCO account manager is either improving his swing on the golf course or listening to live music out on a patio. His enjoyment of the outdoors is a holdover from growing up in smalltown Palacios, TX, just six hours south of the Metroplex. With two older brothers to keep up with, play with and annoy, Hamlin wasn’t one to stay inside much. “We grew up out in the country, and it was a small town anyway, so we were always hanging out outside,” Hamlin remembers. “It wasn’t until elementary school that I started getting into electronics, but we would only play for a little while before we would be back outside playing baseball or basketball.” Because Palacios didn’t offer more than Little League Baseball and the sporadic basketball team, baseball became Hamlin’s passion. He grew up playing pitcher, catcher, first base, and a bit of outfield. After high school, Hamlin packed up for Waco to play for McLennan Community College. Although it didn’t work out, he was able to transfer to Brownwood’s Howard Payne University to play football. Unfortunately, that too was not to be: He tore his ACL “and that was the end of football for me,” he says goodnaturedly. “But I liked the school a lot; it’s where I was meant to be. I made
some great friends that I still have today and I graduated with a degree in exercise and sports science (ESS).” It didn’t take long for Hamlin to find where he was meant to be at MEMCO either. In December 2013, a college buddy encouraged him to send in a resume to the company. A few weeks later, Hamlin was invited for a Friday interview and moved to Houston the following Monday to start his new job as a recruiter. He worked a year at MEMCO’s Houston office before transferring to the Dallas branch to work as an account manager, and says the job is a great fit for his personality. “I’m such a people person,” he says. “My favorite part is meeting people, finding out about them and how they got here. This industry is fantastic for that; you get to meet anybody and everybody.” Now that he’s found his happiness both outside and inside, all Hamlin wants now is to continue to find it. “I just want to be successful at whatever I do,” he says. “If it is getting married in the next three years and having a family in five years, I want to be successful at that. If I’m still at work and not married, I want to be successful at that. Wherever I am at in life, I want to be successful.” –mjm
L-R: Chamberlin Roofing and Waterproofing’s Bryan Payne, David Neal and Jim Bookhout
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s the first notes of Collective Soul’s “Heavy” made Dallas’ Granada Theatre’s walls and floor tremble under its weight, guests of Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing were already on their feet. The eighth annual customer appreciation event, held Oct. 13, has become a tradition for the company, which brings in beloved musicians and bands, like Foreigner, ZZ Top, Brett Michaels and Charlie Daniels, to perform for customers as a way to say thanks. The event also benefits the less fortunate: Before the concert, Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing presented a donation to Seven Loaves Community, an organization offering food, health care and social services to those in need in Plano and Collin County. –mjm
Seven Loaves Community received a donation from Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Dallas Fort Worth
CONSTRUCTION NEWS Melissa Jones-Meyer/Dallas Fort Worth Editor DFWeditor@ConstructionNews.net 817-731-4823 Construction News Ltd. Home Office P.O. Box 791290 • San Antonio, Tx 78279 210-308-5800 Fax 210-308-5960 www.constructionnews.net
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The Dallas Fort Worth Construction News (ISSN 1547-7657) is published monthly by Construction News Ltd., dba Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News, and distributed by mail to construction related companies in the Dallas/ Fort Worth metropolitan area. 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 Dallas Fort Worth 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. © 2016 Construction News, Ltd.
Photo credit: Hubert Huy Photography Collective Soul had the crowd on their feet from the start.
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
it and then tripled it the month after that. On my second interview, I found out about chimney cleaning and turned it down. I was making more money washing windows than they were offering me. You talk about my family going nuts!
Chad Murray Owner Masters Services Denton, Texas
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s a military veteran, not much intimidates Chad Murray, especially starting a business. But, as much as Murray chose to go into the chimney business, the chimney business chose him as well – twice. Now, the owner of Masters Services is confident that, no matter what happens, he will always be unafraid to choose a business that best suits his life. Where were you raised, and did you have any family in the industry? I grew up half in Wisconsin where my mom lived, half in Texas with my Dad, who was a contractor. In the ‘80s my dad built million dollar homes around Plano in Willowbend. I watched his skills in management and construction. Often times I was given a broom and told to sweep a wing or ballroom. I would sweep for hours. Summers in Texas, winters in Wisconsin!
How cruel! You didn’t catch a break from temperature extremes! It was an interesting life, I tell you. But it made me and my brother very grounded. We had the Southern way of life but still have a little bit of Wisconsin in us. In the fifth grade, I had a snow shoveling business with about 15 houses within three blocks at five dollars apiece. I was rich! But then we moved to the country and I didn’t have any neighbors and I lost my business. I went out of high school and into the National Guard and then transferred over to the Marine Corps, so I was at basic training and boot camp. I went to Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa for an Airframe and Powerplant degree. That’s fixing airplanes. I married my high school sweetheart when we had five dollars. Interestingly, her mom is from Texas and her Dad is from Wisconsin. She has an aunt that lives three blocks away from my dad. You talk about perfect. What did you do when you were finished serving in the Marines? I had a brief enlistment in the Marine Corps six months, and after that I really just wanted to make money. Coming out of the Marine Corps, though, and being a fuel specialist in aviation, I had no idea how. I’ve always been motivated; I’m a hard worker and I want to make a living. I had a little money coming out of the Marine Corps, about $15,000; when you’re 24 years old, that’s like a million dollars, and I thought I had plenty of time. I moved down here and was interviewing for the new AA hub back in ‘94. After a year, I rented a little house in The Colony and started washing windows. The first month I washed windows, I made $1,650, a lot of money back in ’94! My second month, I doubled
So how did the chimney business finally turn your head? My first hire was laid off from a chimney sweep. One rainy day, he said we could be fixing chimney leaks and still working. I had a lot of similar equipment – ladders, a truck and all of that – so all I really had to do was buy a vacuum and some poles. A vacuum is expensive, but even for one truck it was enough to start. I knew nothing. I took a couple of classes, read some stuff online back in the days of dial-up AOL when it took an hour and a half to pull up one thing. It was interesting, but 21 years ago, my wife and I started this in The Colony, and it has just blossomed. It is important to note we started this business together. I could not have grown my business without the sweet voice of my wife, Christa. After advertising, the first line in customer service is the person answering the call! It amazes me when you call any service and you get a guy on a roof, a guy driving, or no answer at all. We always had in our budget for my wife or another trained person to answer the phone calls. We always train the call center person as if they know how to do the work. I know many smaller businesses are saying they can’t afford a person answering the calls. I say and have proved that you can’t afford not to have someone answer the calls. Now, we have 24 trucks, we’re headquartered in Denton, have offices in Dallas, Houston and Denver and we also service Oklahoma City. Knowing nothing, as you said, about the business, did you have any fears about starting it? No. None. I’m not scared to start any kind of venture. When it comes to doing business, I’m comfortable. I know I can put food on the table and pay the bills, whether it’s just me or I have 50 guys doing it for me. I can quit what I’m doing now, and be successful at whatever I do next. I’ve looked through want ads to see what’s out there and I see “College Degree Required” for jobs that I don’t need a college degree to go do. As a vet of two services, I learned how to do stuff for real! I didn’t go to a classroom for a guy to tell me how he thinks it should be done. I’ve lived it, and I’ve paid, paid for those mistakes, literally paid. I filed bankruptcy after a surgery I had; my appendix ruptured and my wife was in the hospital for seven weeks right before this happened. Talk about the “American Tragedy.” I didn’t file for bankruptcy because I didn’t pay my bills; I filed because my wife and I both were sick. People asked me, “Are you scared to go back into business? What if something happens again?” and I say, “Well, if it happens again, it happens again, and I’ll start over.” We built it right back up. I have a little over 50 employees. The last three years, we have almost doubled in size. So you learn pretty quickly? Quickly? [Laughs.] No. I’ve been in business 21 years, and I think I got it about 10 years ago. It’s funny starting a business and learning as you go because you come to a point when you think you are the expert. Then you start getting bigger and things come up that knock you down making you feel as if you know nothing. I finally got my certification as a Certified Chimney Professional (CCP). I learned more how to explain what I already knew but had no credible
Masters Services’ owner Chad Murray (front row, center) and employees
Chad Murray (right) will soon focus exclusively on tradeshows, marketing and new concepts after building Masters Services’ new Denton showroom.
explanations. Like how does a fireplace actually draw or not draw. Before CCP I would teach and sell from only experience. After CCP I had actual methods and explanations of the why, how, and repairs. How did you expand your business into chimney cap fabrication and installation? That’s very much a niche business in our industry. After my illness and bankruptcy I said I was never hiring another person. I was working Monday through Thursday, playing golf on Friday, spending the weekend with my wife and kids, making good money, and that was life. Then one day, a commercial roofer begged me to do 125 chimney caps on an apartment complex off 75 north of downtown. I told him no during three different phone calls. Finally, he convinced me to just go look at it. I told him I didn’t have the manpower, but he asked for “just me” pricing. So I gave him the “just me” pricing and he asked when I could start. I had a contract for that the next day and all of a sudden I had to hire five guys within a week. That’s how it started, and it hasn’t stopped since. I’m building a retail store in the Denton office at our 14,000-sf facility there, where we have our call center, our sheet metal shop, powder coating, our plasma cutting, and our offices. We powder coat all of our chimney caps versus buying colored steel. We can match it exactly, but we started coloring it because I think it’s a better process and I don’t have to be at the mercy of waiting for the special order colored metal. Also, all of our chimney caps are made by a machine with a high-tech plasma cutter, so they aren’t cut out by hand. No one else in the industry has that. It’s faster, and we can get caps to our customers
Chad Murray proudly served in the National Guard and Marines Corps
much faster. What advice would you have for anyone interested in following your lead in this industry? Study and go get certified. I didn’t become certified until seven years ago. I thought I knew everything at that point, and when I actually got certified, the learning curve was amazing. I filled in gaps in my learning; I may have been able to fix everything I needed to, but when I became certified I was able to intelligently tell the client how I was able to fix it. Is your wife still in business with you? She’s completely out of the business as of three months ago, and I’ve been out of running the day-to-day stuff since Christmas. After this Christmas, I’m going to take myself completely out except for the shows, marketing and new concepts. What do you do for leisure when you aren’t working? I’m raising five daughters; one is in college, one in high school, one in middle, one in elementary and one in preschool. I also hunt. I have 75 acres in southeast Oklahoma, and I’m building a cabin with my stepdad. I did the foundation, I had a crew come in to build the framing and roof, and we all did the siding. We already have a working fireplace since last fall, and furniture, cable and Wi-Fi, but my stepdad and I just did the bathroom last weekend – we now have hot water and a toilet! I’ve been hunting for 35 years and I’ve never taken a hot shower in the field out hunting, but I took one last weekend. It is unbelievable. It’s the little things, isn’t it? What do you hope the future holds for you? I want to grow this business to be nationwide. We already are one of the top certified chimney professionals in the country and fairly known in our industry. I don’t do anything like anyone else. I try to find a better way, a more affordable way, and try to get it out to the masses. I want to treat my employees right and treat my customers right. I’m learning how to do it and I’m still learning! Masters Services is the largest certified chimney professional in Texas, fabricating and installing chimney caps, building chimneys, installing fireplaces and screens as well as inspecting and repairing fireplace leaks. –mjm
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
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Associations behind passage of Bill to delay overtime rule
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enator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions recently introduced legislation concerning the Department of Labor’s (DOL) final overtime rule, due to take effect Dec. 1, 2016. The DOL’s new overtime rule provides for several items, including raising the salary threshold indicating eligibility for overtime from $455/week to $913/ week, or $47,476 annually; and automatically updates the salary threshold every three years. Alexander’s introduced legislation, known as S. 3464, the Overtime Reform and Review Act, would phase in the DOL’s new salary threshold in four stages over five years, starting with a salary increase to $36,000 Dec. 1, 2016, followed by a “pause year” in 2017 to allow employers to adjust and review consequences of the new rule. Additionally, S. 3464 would prohibit automatic increases, but would allow the DOL to propose changes to overtime regulations in the future through the customary notice and comment process. Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) joined hundreds of other companies and associations in applauding S. 3464. “The new overtime rule will have a long list of unintended consequences for ABC members, including increased labor
costs and an undue burden on certain regions of the country,” said ABC Vice President of Legislative and Political Affairs Kristen Swearingen. “The Department of Labor overstepped its authority in creating this rule, which requires the salary threshold for exempt employees to automatically update every three years. ABC is committed to protecting its members from the burdens and uncertainty created by this rule through every available opportunity." ABC, along with a coalition of business groups, filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the rule Sept. 20 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. ABC also slammed the provision of the rule that requires automatic updating of the threshold in announcing its lawsuit. “Construction projects often last longer than three years and are meticulously planned in order to stay on time and budget,” said Swearingen. “This rule will create uncertainty for contractors and their employees by forcing contractors to speculate about employees’ status years into the future when work on a project will actually be performed.” Other national associations that have indicated their support for S. 3464 include AGC, IEC, ASA, along with many of their state and regional chapters. –cw
Fall-ing into fun
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he American Subcontractors Association’s (ASA) North Texas chapter took advantage of the last days of warmer temps and ushered in fall by hosting two events. On Oct. 5, ASA hosted a “Cooking for the Blue” event to support local law enforcement. Held at Grapevine’s Trawick Pavilion in Oak Grove Park, members got out their grills and competed for “Best Food” and “Most Creative Booth.” On Oct. 17, the association hosted its annual golf tournament at Dallas’ Bear Creek Golf Club, where winning teams were announced for three flights, “closest to the pin” and “longest drive” categories. –mjm Golf tournament winners: 1st place, 1st flight: Chris Johnson, Kirk Farris, Kevin Tidwell and D Bryant (53) 1st place, 2nd flight: Jason Marshall, Stuart Foster, Tim Coffman and Gary Foster (61) 1st place, 3rd flight: Kerry Bradley, Bob Dixon, Rick Mitchell and Greg Germany (68) Closest to the Pin: Lee Lewis Construction’s Bob Fullington and Crowe Horwath’s Greg Brown Longest Drive: CORE Construction’s Lawrence Feuer and Derek Bryant
2nd flight, 1st place winners Lundy Services
L-R: “Best Food” winners EyeSite Surveillance’s Dean and Doug Olson
“Best Booth” winners MEMCO
You might be next to save a life
1st flight, 1st place winners Harris Rebar
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Smiling now, Dana Calonge, seated, and Cherie Foerster proved that having basic life-saving skills can truly save a life.
magine being at lunch with your coworkers, when suddenly one of them begins to choke. Unfortunately, this wasn’t a dream scenario recently in the Construction News headquarters location in San Antonio where Dana Calonge, Construction News account manager, and Cherie Foerster, executive director of The Builders Exchange of Texas, were enjoying lunch. Foerster was munching on a salad that contained chunks of apple. “I swallowed a bite with a piece of apple in it and I felt the apple lodge in my throat,” Foerster says. “I could feel a little bit of air passing through, so I thought, no problem, I’ll just wash it down with water. But when I took a drink of water, the apple completely lodged, blocking even the small amount of air that was getting through.” Foerster began to panic. She wondered if this was how it was going to end. She remembered the universal sign
for choking, which she did, placing both of her hands around her neck. Fortunately, Calonge, recognizing immediately what was going on, sprang into action. Having received training in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver, she positioned herself behind Foerster and, with one try, dislodged the chunk of apple. The two friends can now look back at the episode with smiles, but it could have turned out differently. Most episodes of heart attacks and choking happen in settings where the people involved know each other. Would you know what to do if a friend or loved one suddenly experienced one of these emergencies? Most communities offer a variety of CPR and Heimlich Maneuver training – some are free. Companies will come to your location to do a company-wide training. Be sure you are ready if someone needs your help! –cw
Past issues of Construction News can be downloaded at www.ConstructionNews.net
3rd flight, 1st place winners City Wide Mechanical
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
Dallas design Juror Citations:
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ix Texas-based built projects by Dallas architects were selected from 46 entries for recognition of design excellence. At an awards ceremony held Oct. 6 at Texas Theatre, the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Dallas chapter announced four recipients of the 2016 Built Design Honor Awards, with two additional projects honored with Juror Citations. A jury composed of internationally-renowned architects selected the finalists based on each project’s response to its contextual, cultural, environmental, programmatic and social challenges. –mjm Honor Awards:
Twin Gables: FAR + DANG
House at Rainbo Lake: Max Levy Architect
Prospect House: Max Levy Architect Houndstooth Coffee and Jettison Cocktail Bar: OFFICIAL
Fire Station No. 27: Perkins + Will
Hilti North America Headquarters: Gensler
What’s your favorite meal? Chicken Cacciatore from Besa’s [Pizza & Pasta] in Dallas with bread, a bottle of water and a glass of wine. Kristen Dillard, Striland Construction Seafood gumbo with classic French bread that has the hard crust. There is nothing better; it doesn’t even need to be heated up! You make the gumbo and buy the French bread; Cannata’s in Houma, LA has the best French bread in the world! Oh, and is it too late to add Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups? Corry Skaggs, Trade Management Pasta of any kind, because I love carbs! Rachael Cummings, Kennedale Mansfield Plumbing Crawfish étouffée; I buy it at Kroger. You just defrost it, fix your shrimp, and put your crawfish tails in it – done! It’s very good. Sherry Ellerman, Unity Commercial Solutions Steak, potatoes and green beans, and I would say make it [rather than] buy it. Casey Denman, DDC Fuel Services A bone-in rib eye from Dominick’s Steakhouse in Scottsdale, AZ. I can only afford to eat there twice a year! Dean Olson, EyeSite Surveillance In my hometown of Palacious, TX there is a little restaurant called Palacious Mexican Restaurant or PMR. I get the enchiladas, salsa queso and margaritas and have an endless buffet of that. I think they take a little bit of heaven, spice it and put it in their enchiladas. I don’t know what they do to it, but I’m spoiled; I will not eat enchiladas anywhere else. Kyle Hamlin, MEMCO
Rib-eye steak that I cook myself, with vegetables. Jacob Smith, LASCO A filet with au gratin potatoes. Gary Brignon, Southwest Construction Services Country fried steak and homemade mashed potatoes with cream gravy from Babe’s in Roanoke. So good, oh my gosh. That’s where they started, and it is the best food. Chris Hollis, LGT A Tomahawk chopped rib eye from Nick and Sam’s Steakhouse in Dallas with sweet potato, salad, lobster and shrimp with bourbon chocolate chip pecan pie with vanilla ice cream. Heath Howe, Bonded Lightning Protection Systems Lobster mac and cheese that my wife makes. Scott Pitt, MYCON Chicken fried steak and potatoes that I make. Creole seasoning is the secret. Rick Mitchell, City Wide Mechanical Chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and mac and cheese from Babe’s in Roanoke. Jenna Ochoa, Fixd Pizza. It is my favorite. I have two places; one is Roma’s Italian Restaurant in Lancaster and the second is Pizza Hut. At Roma’s, I like the pineapple, onion and mushroom pizza on thin crust. At Pizza Hut, I get the same toppings on the stuffed crust. That is one thing I could eat breakfast, lunch and dinner! Daniele Stroud, MEDCO Construction
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
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First cookies, now conduit fittings
Summit Electric Supply moved into its new Irving service center, which offers ample space.
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t’s not Nabisco Grocery anymore: The cookie and snack brand’s behemoth distribution warehouse in Irving is now Summit Electric Supply’s new service center. The 119,000-sf facility, located at 3551 W. Royal Ln., boasts 110,000sf of warehouse space, which means Summit can offer expanded inventory availability to a wide range of customers while strengthening the company’s presence. The new location also includes a 22,000sf building expansion and a wealth of outdoor storage. Inside, the new space includes a large counter sales floor, flexible office space and warehouse capacity that is nearly triple the size of Summit’s former Dallas service center. More space wasn’t the only focus of the new floor plan; the facility features environmental upgrades to increase
energy efficiency and sustainability. Installed throughout are new LED lighting and high-efficiency HVAC systems. Summit Electric Supply also used low volatile organic compound (VOC) paints, adhesives and finishes, GreenCircle Certified carpets and recyclable materials for a reduced environmental impact. The new Irving service center is easily accessible from several major roadways, which Summit hopes will position it for growth in the region. It also allows associates to more easily connect with customers and offer project support from a centralized location. Summit Electric Supply is a privately held independent electrical distributor, with 15 Texas offices. –mjm
Leapin’ lizards!
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ven though Humphrey & Associates’ Randy and Steve Humphrey Jr. didn’t win their company’s Broken Clay Tournament, their charity of choice, Young Life Ministry, did. The annual event, held Sep. 30 at Dallas Gun Club, raised approximately $100,000 for the organization. More than $20,000 of that amount was raised with an interesting stipulation, however: Steve and Randy would have to have their glorious locks shaved and wear the resulting haircut for 10 days. Best of all? The haircuts are lizard-shaped (Randy did his ‘do with a punch of purple). But what’s a little hair lost (and ribbing from friends) when it does so much good? Apparently the 500 or so shooters who come back year after year to participate in the tournament and auction agree. The money raised benefits junior and high school gatherings on a weekly basis and also sends them on camp and ranch excursions. –mjm
L-R: Randy Humphrey, hair style artist Kaylin Kamper and Steve Humphrey Jr.
A 10-day party in the back
Submitted to Construction News
No boundaries
Aiming to win
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ith a golf tournament, sporting clay event, and plenty of other opportunities to network and learn, the 65th annual Texas Society of Professional Surveyors (TSPS) convention and tech expo Oct. 12-15 in San Marcos had a little something for everyone. On Friday evening, annual awards were handed out and guests then enjoyed a night boot scooting to Austin band The Derailers. Congrats to the winners! –cw (Award photos by Bear Gordon) Chapter President of the Year: Philip Adams, right Gulf Eagle Team 2’s Tom Davidson, Mike Rogers, Hoyt Byrd, Mike Richards and Lance Ward placed first at North Texas Roofing Contractors Association’s (NTRCA) annual Clay Shoot at Dallas Gun Club on Sep. 23. DMW Design’s Tom Davidson won “Top Commercial Shooter” (89), ASCO’s Darryl Woods scored “Top Associate Shooter” (88), Graham Roofing’s Josh Graham won “Top Residential Shooter” (91) and Central Roofing’s Kevin Robicheaux came in at “Dead Ass Last” (18). –mjm
The Hugh L. George Memorial Award, presented posthumously to D.G. “Greg” Smyth Sr., is accepted by Mark Logrbrinck, right
Surveyor of the Year: Michael Hoover, left
Young Surveyor of the Year: Shaun Piepkorn, right
Vern Wayne Hanan Memorial Community Action Award : Andrew Sikes, left
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
Captive insurance gaining popularity in the construction industry
Profit fade: It’s a numbers game Michael Kuchar, CPA, CCIFP, Construction Group Shareholder Doeren Mayhew Houston, TX
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s a construction business owner, you’ve probably started a job with high hopes only to find that the anticipated profit had somehow evaporated. That is, the costs of performing the work equaled or exceeded the revenue it brought in. This “profit fade” can result from a number of factors. To keep your business on track, you need to learn to play the numbers game that keeps your margins intact and your bottom line strong. Scrutinize your estimates Sometimes, the desire to win a bid can lead to underestimating materials or labor costs. A hasty or careless estimate may omit items for which you’ll later have to unexpectedly pay. For this reason, it’s always wise to have a second set of eyes — preferably a senior manager or owner — review bids to ensure accuracy and that a reasonable profit margin has been built in. Remember to include some contingency costs to allow for delays because of inclement weather and other unpredictable developments. Periodically review past jobs that represent a cross-section of profitability, comparing estimated and actual costs to help determine where unprofitable projects went awry. Set budgets, track progress Closely tracking costs as the project is underway can help you recognize problems and take action early — before they whittle away at profits. Document a budget for each job that’s broken out into project phases, including quantities of materials for each phase. The project manager should compare the budget against labor time cards and materials invoices to assess progress and whether costs are in line with estimates. Quantifying the work as it’s performed will help you and your management team to make adjustments in the field if expenses are getting out of control.
time delays when the client can too freely make changes to the project while work is in progress. Before beginning a job, make sure you and the client agree on the scope and nature of the work you’re expecting to do — and that this understanding is clearly indicated in the contract. From there, establish a clear process for handling change orders. As you’re no doubt aware, waiting until completion to bill for changes will likely leave you with an uphill battle to collect those additional amounts. Weigh assumptions versus performance After each job is completed, compare estimated costs to actual ones. Talk with your foremen and project managers about what went well or poorly, which factors helped or hindered their work, and whether the estimate was reasonable or ill-conceived. Take what you learn from these discussions and use it to improve future estimates and projects. If certain types of work, clients, locations or conditions regularly seem to increase your costs, adjust your bids accordingly or perhaps even avoid certain types of jobs. On the other hand, if you can identify factors that routinely lead to higher profit margins, focus on that kind of work. Go on the offensive Fighting profit fade is important to every construction company’s financial health. Don’t wait until it’s too late! Go on the offensive to keep costs down and profits high. Michael Kuchar, CPA, is a shareholder and leader of Doeren Mayhew’s dedicated Construction Group in Houston. A top 100 U.S. firm, Doeren Mayhew’s CPAs and business advisors serve more than 500 suppliers and general and specialty contractors doing business domestically and abroad. For more information, visit www.doeren.com.
Tom Spencer, Construction Practice Leader INSURICA San Antonio, TX
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s insurance buyers have grown weary of rate hikes and fluctuation in insurance markets, Captive insurance programs have increased in popularity. Captive insurance is essentially a type of self-insurance that can provide significant benefits to the right type of company. While they certainly aren’t for every business, Captives are popular among large contractors because of the construction industry’s exposure to high hazards and large Workers’ Compensation premiums. Many construction executives are attracted to Captives because of the potential premium savings, but in many cases, the greatest benefit is the amount of control it gained over a standard policy buying experience. Not only can participating in a Captive provide more control over the claims process, it can also be used to insure exposures not typically covered through policies available in the marketplace. As Captives have grown in popularity, there are an increasing number of types of Captives available. When many people think of Captives, they think of SingleParent Captives—wholly owned subsidiaries with only one participant. These types of Captives are generally reserved for very large multi-national companies though. Over the past decade, the trend has been toward Group Captives. Group Captives are a more affordable way to participate in Captives because a lot of the startup costs, claims administration, and Captive management fees are spread among a few hundred participants. The result is that companies paying as little as $250,000 in casualty premium can participate. What’s more is that Group Captives are often formed around industry groups, and there are plenty of options for construction-specific Captives. In some
cases, this allows the Captive to provide certain services, such as compliance audits, safety training, program development, and education for employees. There is also a certain level of risk sharing that happens within a Group Captive. Because of this, Captive managers are very selective about which companies they allow to participate in any given Captive. Some are more aggressive with their standards while others are more lackadaisical, and different programs have different appetites for risk. Due to the wide and varied nature of Group Captives, it is paramount that any company considering participating does their homework and really understands the differences between the available options. Different Captives will have different standards for financial requirements, up-front costs, complexity, and products offered. Group Captives can have as few as a dozen participants all the way up to thousands of participants. For all the benefits they can provide, Captives sometimes get a bad rap because some financial advisors will bill them as tax savings solutions. While there are some potential tax benefits to participating in a Captive, it is important to remember that the best reasons for participating are to insulate your company from pricing fluctuations and to give yourself more control over the risk management and claims processes. Tom Spencer is the Construction Practice Leader for INSURICA’s Texas offices. His experience as a life-long construction insurance professional gives him a unique understanding of managing the risks facing the construction industry. Tom can be contacted at TSpencer@INSURICA.com or by phone at 210.805.5901.
Clarify your contracts It’s hard to avoid cost overruns and
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Tourney de force
The All-Tex Supply team placed first at International Concrete Repair Institute’s (ICRI) North Texas chapter’s 15th annual golf tournament. Nine teams competed in the tourney hosted Sep. 23 at Fort Worth’s Waterchase Golf Club, with proceeds benefitting ICRI’s scholarship program. –mjm
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
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For convenience’ sake: The give-and-take of termination for convenience clauses
Post Incident Drug Testing Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX
John Grayson, Principal Cokinos, Bosien & Young Houston, TX
“T
ermination for convenience,” you may see these words in your contracts or purchase orders, but what do they really mean? This clause can be okay for contractors, as long as they make sure it does not leave them high and dry. A termination for convenience clause is a provision in construction contracts that provides parties the right to terminate a contract with or without cause. Its purpose is to allow the terminating party to avoid liability for terminating without cause, and it generally bars wrongful termination claims. Historical Origin World War II lifted our economy out of the Great Depression, as Uncle Sam poured our pooled resources into industrializing this nation, putting people to work building planes, ships, and tanks, anything needed to fend off the evils that lay across the pond. However, the government had no way of knowing the exact date we would win the war, so it created a new legal concept for contracting with suppliers of wartime materiel: the termination for convenience clause. Termination for convenience clauses allowed the government to halt all production for the war as soon as it was no longer needed. This creature of contract crept its way into other government contracts after WWII, and by 1967, the Federal Procurement Regulation made these clauses mandatory in almost all government supply or construction contracts of over $10,000. Thirty years later, the termination for convenience clause had found its way into the American Institute of Architect’s (AIA) 1997 standard contract forms, and the non-government contract arena was opened up to these clauses. In Practice Today In the construction industry today, termination for convenience clauses can be trouble for the unwary. These clauses are enforceable in Texas. They generally make it so the terminated contractor cannot sue for wrongful termination. They effectively turn construction contractors into at-will construction
services providers and give the owner a lot of discretion in termination. Basically, as long as it isn’t in bad faith, any reason to terminate can be enough. In fact, there does not need to be any reason at all. Again, a termination for convenience clause allows termination with or without cause and generally bars a claim for wrongful termination. The potential harsh effect of a termination for convenience clause should be addressed in the contract. Before finalizing any contract containing a termination for convenience clause, make sure you know what you are getting into, know what you are giving up, and make sure the remedies are clearly spelled out. The remedies available in the event of termination are generally the contractor’s reasonable and provable out-of-pocket costs up to the date of termination. Remedies are a negotiable term and can include some provision for payment based on percentage of completion as of the termination date, but they rarely include overhead and profit past the date the contractor received notification of termination. Clearly describing the remedies is key to having a termination clause both sides can live with. This is another area where good contract drafting can provide predictability and peace of mind. John Grayson is a principal in the Houston office of Cokinos, Bosien & Young. His practice focuses on construction litigation. John represents major contractors, including EPC contractors, subcontractors, pipeline and mechanical contractors, sureties, and owners in complex construction matters in both the private and public sectors. John is a 1980 graduate of Texas A&M University and Baylor University School of Law. Contact: jgrayson@cbylaw.com. Ryan Cunningham is a law clerk who has worked at CBY since August of 2015 and assisted in researching this article. He is a third-year law student at Houston College of Law, where he is the co-chairman of the Board of Advocates and varsity Moot Court Advocate.
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Fire irons
L-R: Dee Brown Inc.’s Mike Humphrey, RSM US LLP’s Mike Beacom, CB JENI Homes/ Normandy Homes’ Brett Winters and Pogue Construction’s Mark Wheelis took top prize at Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA)’s 14th annual Scholarship Tournament. Held Oct. 10 at Southlake’s Timarron Country Club, the event raised funds for construction-related education. –mjm
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SHA issued changes to the injury and illness recordkeeping rule on May 12, 2016. Part of the rule addresses electronic submission of injury and illness data to OSHA annually. The rule also prohibits employers from discouraging workers from reporting an injury or illness. This policy includes routine drug testing done post-accident. Although drug testing of employees may be a reasonable workplace policy in some situations, it is often perceived as an invasion of privacy, so if an injury or illness is very unlikely to have been caused by employee drug use, or if the method of drug testing does not identify impairment but only use at some time in the recent past, requiring the employee to be drug tested may inappropriately deter reporting. OSHA’s law does not ban drug testing of employees. However, the law does prohibit employers from using drug testing (or the threat of drug testing) as a form of adverse action against employees who report injuries or illnesses. To strike the appropriate balance here, drug testing policies should limit post-incident testing to situations in which employee drug use is likely to have contributed to the incident, and for which the drug test can accurately identify impairment caused by drug use. For example, it would likely not be reasonable to drug-test an employee who reports a bee sting, a repetitive strain injury, or an injury caused by a lack of machine guarding or a machine or tool
malfunction. Such a policy is likely only to deter reporting without contributing to the employer’s understanding of why the injury occurred, or in any other way contributing to workplace safety. Employers need not specifically suspect drug use before testing, but there should be a reasonable possibility that drug use by the reporting employee was a contributing factor to the reported injury or illness in order for an employer to require drug testing. In addition, drug testing that is designed in a way that may be perceived as punitive or embarrassing to the employee is likely to deter injury reporting. These provisions become effective August 10, 2016, but OSHA has delayed their enforcement until Nov. 1, 2016 in order to provide outreach to the regulated community. The law also requires employers to inform employees of their right to report work-related injuries and illnesses free from retaliation, which can be satisfied by posting the already-required OSHA poster. The final rule can be located on the OSHA recordkeeping page: https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/ index.html# natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232
New GM for HOLT Crane
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OLT Crane & Equipment® announced that David Worsham has been named general manager. Based at the company headquarters in San Antonio, Worsham has been with HOLT Crane & Equipment since its inception in 2008. Prior to HOLT, he spent time working in the custom manufacturing and heavy equipment industry. Worsham grew up in San Antonio and graduated from Judson High School. He graduated from Texas A&M University in College Station with a bachelor’s in science degree in environmental design. While in college, Worsham spent his summers working as a Boilermaker. Although the economy was in a downswing when he graduated in 1994, he had a couple of opportunities, he says. “I had a choice between a ground level position with an architectural firm or at a position at a much higher level with a company that built elevated water storage tanks,” he said, He chose the second option and moved to Fort Worth, where for the first time, worked more closely with cranes. He found there was something about cranes that he liked and he started selling cranes in 1998, joining HOLT in 2008. “I’ve always enjoyed working with cranes and I certainly have enjoyed my experience and opportunities with the HOLT family,” Worsham says. “This opportunity presented itself and I felt it was the time to step up and give HOLT and the team my best effort.” Currently HOLT Crane & Equipment has locations in San Antonio, Houston and Irving, Texas.
“Each of these locations and their surrounding territory present great opportunities for growth, especially in the Dallas/Fort Worth area,” Worsham says. “The new location there adds increased parts and service capabilities.” Worsham’s vision is to help the business become the preferred supplier of cranes and crane repair. “The name HOLT is synonymous with success,” he says. “I hope to help build Holt Crane & Equipment to be as well noted for our service and support.” Worsham has been married to Brenda for 17 years and the couple has 14-yearold twins, Steele and Bella, and another daughter, Brittany Haverland and her husband, Corey. They have one grandson, Case, and another one on the way. –cw
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
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Submitted to Construction News
Be hair longer
Columbia’s day
L-R: Daniel Steel’s Byron Greenhalgh, Concrete Craft’s Anthony Gonzales and their beards are ready for “Movember!” Are you? Even if you aren’t growing your mo(ustasche) to raise funds and awareness for men’s health in November, we hope you will commit to your health through rest, diet, exercise and regular doctor’s visits. –mjm
L-R: On Sep. 19, KWA Construction project superintendent Greg Siewinski, project manager Stan Fulks, executive vice president Brian Webster, president Keller Webster, JHP Architecture’s Davy Lang, Ron Harwick and John Schrader and Columbia Residential’s Jim Grauley broke ground on Renaissance Heights in Fort Worth. The site will include a YMCA facility, health clinics, education centers and retail and office space. –mjm
Submitted to Construction News
Submitted to Construction News
Golfing for good
Saturday service
Ascension Group – Environments for Health hosted its 6th annual Golf Tournament Oct. 11 at Riverside Golf Club. (L-R) Keystone Capital’s Andrew Wehr, Adeptus Health’s Basil Privett, SW Associates Consulting Engineer’s Derek Cornell and Ascension Group’s Rod Booze were among the golfers that raised more than $12,000 for Youth World Dallas Learning Center. –mjm
MEDCO Construction associates, family members and friends dedicated two Saturdays – Sep. 10 and Sep. 17 – to Hearts and Hammers. Through the charitable program, the group has refurbished homes owned by low-income residents for 30 years. –mjm
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
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Riding the bulls!! by Capt. Steve Schultz Sponsored by: Waypoint Marine, Majek Boats, Evinrude Outboards, E-Z Bel Construction, Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor, Aggregate Haulers, ForEverlast Hunting and Fishing Products, MirrOlure, and Columbia Sportswear
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OW!!! What a year it continues to be with fall fishing in full swing. Fishing remains excellent with big reds sticking around our bay complex waiting for colder weather to make their run to the Gulf of Mexico. I can’t believe how fortunate we have been this late in the season still catching good numbers of speckled trout also. Most of my charters are coming in with limits of both species with a few bonus flounder or drum to boot. I look for this success to continue through the month of November also. For the past two months we have seen a strong run of bull reds in the Upper La-
Wes Miller (Urban Concrete) of San Antonio caught this 48-in. redfish out of a school of more the 200 over-sized reds. Fish was released after a weight and measurement by Steve Schultz Outdoors.
guna Madre. These reds ranging in the 35 to 48-in. range are so much fun to catch. When fishing for these reds, I usually keep a couple of rods ready with a gold spoon or a soft plastic for quick casting at large schools. There’s no need to beef up your line weight or leader size for these big reds. I use 30 to 40-lb. leader with the 20-lb. braid on my reels. Other than the bull red, there is perhaps no other fish in our bay systems with the exception of an occasional Jack Crevalle that is capable of causing mass hysteria upon hookup. This is especially so if everyone aboard gets into them at the same time. It’s a fish that will test your tackle and bring out any flaw in your rod,
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Live to tailgate
L-R: At every Texas Christian University home game, Graybar’s Kevin Hubbard and Chuck Hubbard enjoy a purple canopy’s shade, fly TCU flags, toss some beanbags and grill meat. Here, they show tailgating spirit as TCU battled the University of Oklahoma on Oct. 1. –mjm
Tri-perfecta
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or Hal Hardister, boredom is not an option. It’s why the Sundt Construction project director started riding road bikes 10 years ago and is now gearing up for his first Iron Man race. “I got bored and needed a challenge,” Hardister remembers. “The whole cycling thing was in its early stages. I didn’t even own a bike but I decided to sign up for a 100-mile bike ride in August for a ‘Hotter Than Hell’ [race] in Wichita Falls. It just sounded like something I wanted to try. Like most of my goals, I just set it out there usually not knowing how, when,
where or what it’s going to take to do it. Then, I just figure out a way to make it.” With eight months to his first race, Hardister bought a bike and rode Saturdays, Sundays and throughout the week. Along the way, he says fell in with a group that rode in rallies held every weekend April through September. “I started doing those, and when the ‘Hotter Than Hell’ showed up, I rode 100 miles,” he says. “It’s called ‘Hotter Than Hell” for a reason; it was probably 105 degrees! It was a challenge that I never expected; when I finished I was thrilled. I continued Page 13
reel or line. If your equipment holds up to the initial run, it will try and find your weak side by running both to the left and right and even under the boat. The bull red, as some well know, can be devious and is notorious for deceiving you into thinking that it has given up and is coming in for the landing-only to find it making another powerful jolting run. Like a raging bull against a matador, he’s not going to be taken without a formidable fight.
The most fun can be had on medium-light tackle, but battles aren’t necessarily short-lived on medium-heavy tackle either. For comfort sake, though, it’s best to use tackle in the 15-25-lb. class; either spinning or baitcasting type. Many anglers have a tendency to use too heavy a gear when going after bull reds, and this is not necessary or conducive to a sporty challenge. Things to look for when fishing in the fall are diving brown pelicans and seagulls. Birds working over the water means there is bait present and where there is bait, there are fish. Also, fish slicks are popping up throughout the bay system. Positioning your boat up wind from these sheens on the water will give you a better chance of locating where fish are staging. Deer season has also started for bow hunters and MLD ranches across the state. I have a hard time thinking about hunting deer while the temperatures are still hovering in the mid 90s. Take advantage of the calm days on the bay to chase these schools of reds while they are still around. There will be plenty of time to pursue your dream buck with the weather gets cooler. Fall fishing 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.
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 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
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What lurks in the willows?
fter months and months of planning and scheming and working to pull everything together, we finally get to celebrate one of the national holidays of Texas. No silly, not Election Day! I’m talking about the opening day of Deer Season! I live in the Hill Country of Texas where this day is nothing short of sacred. When I was a kid, you could tell your teacher you were going to South Texas to deer hunt with your dad and they would give you an excused absence. I bet that wouldn’t fly today, but it used to! Maybe it still should... If you deer hunt you know that feeling of apprehension you get in late summer when the venison supply in the freezer starts running low. If you aren’t careful you might run out! No more protein as nature intended it to be for you. No more grass fed meat with no extra hormones or additives or supplements and stuff that we are beginning to be afraid of. You might even have to buy beef at the grocery store! Have you seen how much that costs lately?!? Economically speaking, deer hunting and deer hunters provide quite a bounty of benefits. The Texas Parks and Wildlife makes a lot of money from the sale of hunting licenses and from enforcing the game laws that protect our wildlife resources. Many of the counties with a deer hunting claim to fame take in most of their revenue during deer season. In a lot of places that is cause for celebration in itself! It’s a pretty safe bet that Christmas wouldn’t be nearly as merry for a lot of folks if deer season didn’t bring in
an adult just how much something like sharing a hunt with a kid can come to mean until you share your memories with others. Deer hunting is an important right that we should be thankful to have and be ready to defend. It is also a solemn duty to hunt lawfully and humanely. Maybe most importantly it is a responsibility to share the hunting culture (and fishing too), with our young people so they don’t miss out. Man has hunted for food and warmth, clothing and shelter and tools from the beginning of time. Learning the art of hunting has been a time honored rite of passage for our children, to help them achieve self-respect as well as an understanding of their place in the world. It is this hunter’s prayer that we can hunt all the way until the end of time.
Max Milam with stringer
plenty of extra work and jobs to rural Texans. The thing I most love about deer season though is the memories. Several years ago I opened up the phone lines on my radio show on the first day of deer season. I shared some of my memories
of learning to deer hunt at my Daddy’s side, and then I invited listeners to call in and share their experiences too. I will never forget the turn that radio show took that morning. I know I wasn’t the only one who got a little soggy eyed before we were done. You never realize as
Darren Pawelek, Vice President of San Antonio Inside Story, with his 40-lb. blue catfish.
Half or Full Day Fishing Trips All Bait, Tackle & Equipment Furnished Your catch Filleted and Bagged for You Furnish your TPWD Fishing License & Refreshments, and WE DO THE REST!
Ken Milam Guide Service (325) 379-2051 www.striperfever.com
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
continued from Page 11 ended up doing the ‘Hotter Than Hell’ eight times. That started my journey of cycling 2,000 to 2,500 miles a year on a bike.” After about four years of bike riding boredom started nagging at him again, so he decided to take up running, too. “Again, I signed up for a halfmarathon that was seven months out and I decided I was going to figure out how to do it,” he says. “I started running at the same time I was doing the ‘Rock and Roll’ half-marathon. I was also growing my cycling, finding a group of friends that were like-minded that do these bike rides or half-marathons.” But Hardister wasn’t content to just ride and run. “I did get bored after mixing up the run and ride, so there was a thing called the ‘Triple Threat’ – a 12 mile mountain bike race that happens on a Friday night, followed by a 100-mile bike ride on a Saturday and then a half-marathon trail run that happens on a Sunday,” he explains. “That weekend, there were only 97 people that completed it, and in the group I was in at the time, we made up 15 of them. I decided to do it again the next year and completed it, and that’s when I decided to quit the ‘Hotter Than Hell’ because I got bored.” Even then, it just wasn’t enough. “One night, I woke up and thought, I can run, I can ride; I want to learn how to swim so I can do a triathlon. I knew how to swim as far as splashing around in a pool, but didn’t know how to swim long
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distances. The first time, I made it to the end of the pool and was happy, and that was just 25 meters. It was just a matter of going back and forth and watching YouTube videos to figure out how to swim and breathe. I decided to do a half Iron Man, which is a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride and 13.1 mile marathon.” With nine months to figure out how to add swimming to the mix before the next race, Hardister hired a coach to email him a workout schedule for the day so he could properly train. “I train anywhere from nine to 16 hours per week. I have to couple that with my regular day job, so I get up at 4:30 or 5 in the morning and do a workout, and also do a workout at lunch or in the evening. Usually three to four days a week, I have two workouts and the other days I have one workout.” Hardister admits that squeezing in training around work and family time is challenging. To take advantage of any free time that may pop up during the day, he always has a bag with running shoes and a swimsuit in his car, and sticks to an early bedtime so he can rise early for his workouts. And he has reaped the results: Hardister easily lost 25 lbs. without changing his eating habits and says the renewed energy and concentration have been remarkable. The training hasn’t always been smooth sailing, however. “I ruptured my Achilles last October, two weeks before I had an Iron Man,” he says. “I was in tip-top shape, but unfortunately had to cancel that race. I
had to 100% stop [training] and it was really difficult. Having trained for a year and a half for six to seven days a week, it was not a pleasant thing to just stop. It drove me crazy. I was in a walking boot for two months and was able to start rehabbing after that. But I’m back, and I’m good.” Hardister recently participated in the Disco Sprint Tri Event in Valley View, and has an upcoming Ironman Texas 70.3 in April. But there is a bigger race ahead to celebrate a special milestone. “I’ll be 50 next year, and one of my goals for my 50th is to do a full Iron Man next September. Here I am again: I’ve already set my goal and I have to find a way to get there.” Although he’s inspired other people to start training for triathlons, he hopes that people, regardless of their age or fitness level, will take time out of their day to move their bodies. “Do something,” he says encouragingly. “If you have bad knees, ride a bike; it’s low impact on your knees and you can get a lot of exercise, a lot of cardio. Or, just walk half a mile and increase that. It’s about the movement, about getting out.” As for Hardister, he doesn’t know what’s next, but it will definitely involve moving and getting out. “Right now, there’s no end to this journey,” he says. “I don’t know when I’ll stop. I’ll figure out another challenge and go for that. I’m always looking for another challenge.” –mjm
Hal Hardister powered through the 3.1 mile run portion of the 2016 Disco Sprint Triathlon event, held Sep. 11 at Valley View’s Lake Ray Roberts Johnson Branch State Park. continued Tri-Perfecta
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
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Best Use of Labels: GSR Andrade Architects “Share a Moment for Peace”
Can creations
allas architects, engineers, contractors, designers and design school students had their can game plans ready for Society of Design Administration (SDA)’s Dallas chapter’s Canstruction. In a 10ft by 10ft by 10ft space, 28 competing teams constructed can-and-box creations, with all food being donated to the North Texas Food Bank. Canstruction Dallas donated 158,300 cans of food through the competition this year, with a total of 1,430,000 cans donated in the event’s 20 years. Winners of the event were announced Sep. 27 at Tutta’s West End. Structures were available for public viewing Sep. 30-Oct. 23 at The Science Place at Fair Park in Dallas. –mjm Photo credit: Charles Davis Smith, AIA photographer
Right: Structural Ingenuity: HKS Architects “Timeline”
Right: Honorable Mention: CallisonRTKL “A View From the Past”
Above: Most Cans: Bonick Landscaping “NTFB: Expanding Reach” 14,000 cans
Best Meal: Humphreys & Partners Architects LP “Sending Hunger Back To The Future”
Left: President’s Blue Ribbon: Perkins+Will “Fixing The Broken Record Of Hunger”
Right: Juror’s Favorite: “Life of (Apple) Pi” Stocker Hoesterey Montenegro Architects
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
Submitted to Construction News
Texas-sized turnout
First and fore most
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The Premier Electrical Staffing team of Bo Durham, Brian Sidwell, Shawn Mason and Travis Cash fought for first place at the Independent Electrical Contractors Association’s (IEC) 17th annual Fall Golf Tournament. The event was held Oct. 13 at Fort Worth’s Waterchase Golf Club. –mjm
oofing industry professionals turned out in force for the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas’ (RCAT) 41st annual Conference & Tradeshow. Held Oct. 12-14 at Grapevine’s Gaylord Texan Resort and Conference Center, the event is heralded as the largest in Texas for the roofing industry. RCAT uses the event as a platform to exhibit roofing and waterproofing equipment and materials, provide a venue for contractors, exhibitors and potential new product providers to network, offer educational programs and enhance contractor knowledge of the roofing industry. Attendees were welcomed with an exhibitor-tradeshow, educational seminars, a golf tournament, a reception, and a National Women In Roofing (NWIR) luncheon. An awards and business meeting luncheon, which included the installation of RCAT’s newest board members, was a highlight of the event. Ramon Roofing’s Paul Ramon was honored with the President’s Gavel Award and Gulfeagle Supply’s Jim Saunders and North Texas Roofing Contractors’ (NTRCA) Karen Vermaire Fox were honored with the 2016 Excellence Award. –mjm
Paul Ramon of Ramon Roofing (left) received the President’s Gavel Award.
Gulfeagle Supply’s Jim Saunders (right) and North Texas Roofing Contractors Association’s Karen Vermaire Fox (not pictured) won the 2016 Excellence Award.
Submitted to Construction News
A good block of time
The new board members are sworn in.
The Dallas chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) volunteered at the Block Kids Competition, held Oct. 14 at Girls Inc. The national building competition introduces kids in kindergarten through 6th grade to the construction industry. The program creates an awareness of and promotes an interest in future construction careers. –mjm
Allied
Atlas
Duro-Last Roofing
Fabral Copper/CopperCraft
Safepro
TAMKO
U.S. Ply Inc.
Master Services
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
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Architecture and Engineering Virtual Reality among “huge changes in architecture”
Jerry Merriman, President Merriman Anderson/Architects
John Carruth, Director of 3D Visualization Merriman Anderson/Architects Dallas, TX
Dallas, TX
H
ow would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms? We consider the construction industry extremely healthy in all of the geographic areas we work in (basically across the country). This is for corporate projects, high-density urban mixed-use projects, renovation projects, high-density housing projects, hospitality projects and industrial projects. Our business has been on a steady increase for the last seven years. What factors are driving this increase? A diversity of projects, substantial equity and financing options for our owners and limited supply for almost all building types are driving this increase. We are seeing owners and municipalities working together on projects that are going to add value to their communities with tax credits, TIF monies and tax abatements. This additional funding often makes the project work financially and allows for new or renovation construction to begin. How has this affected your company
and how you conduct business? The increase in construction has been very positive for our firm. It has allowed us to increase our client base dramatically across the country, which increases awareness about who we are and the quality of work we offer. What are the hot button issues in your industry? Hot button issues right now in architecture and design are the urbanization of projects, financial lending and equity requirements and the lack of educated and experienced personnel in the profession as a whole. What are the major changes in the industry in recent years relating to the type of work you do? Major changes we have seen in the industry are the increased urbanization of developments and projects and the higher density associated with these projects, combined with the increased attention to revitalizing the urban cores of our cities. What is the most significant challenge
Engineers have great impact on world Hernán Jaramillo, PE Bain Medina Bain Inc. San Antonio, TX
I
n your opinion, what is the state of the local industry right now? It seems to me that there’s quite a lot of construction going on, especially residential. These bond packages are being voted on soon and I think that the city and state are building more than I’ve seen in previous times. I was talking to some other people and I think they’re building different types of projects: more parks and a lot of intersection work to improve accessibility for ramps and things like that. Also, the school districts are growing. I see construction is quite robust in San Antonio right now. Do you feel like people and the city are investing in more quality products? I don’t know what people are doing inside their homes, but it may relate to how the population of San Antonio is choosing to spend their money. The people of San Antonio will spend money on projects that raise their quality of life. They will spend money now. If you put a vote up for them to improve accessibility or more parks, they usually go out and vote for those types of things. If people are going out and trying to increase the quality of the city, I’m sure they are trying to improve the quality of their home.
What are the keys to success for people trying to make it in the engineering world? In my industry, we need to protect the people. We need to come up with a design that is safe and will meet the criteria the city, state and federal require. I need to keep in mind drainage, the safety of the users of whatever I’m building. So, when I see a good engineering company coming back, it’s someone who knows what needs to be designed. The city or state doesn’t go back and tell them they need to go back and look at what they’re doing because you’re designing with 2004 criteria in 2016. I think a good engineering company stays up to date on regulation and provides quality to its client. The plans we prepare are made of paper and are pretty light, but a contractor is going to go out there and pour the concrete. We see a lot of return business because we don’t need to go out and tear out a chunk of concrete that was poured the wrong way. What are some of the problems facing your profession? In the engineering field, the biggest thing is finding the personnel. Engineering has been long known for the lack of
your industry faces? The rise in construction costs is the largest issue we face daily. Second is finding the most qualified personnel to allow our firm’s growth to continue. What are the cost increases relating to your industry? Government taxes, increasing cost for providing benefits such as health insurance for our employees and just escalating wage requirements to retain our top employees are the main cost increases in our industry. It’s really not unlike most businesses in our country. How are you dealing with these challenges? Being at the forefront in technology, keeping our marketing efforts at the highest and most sophisticated levels possible and always adding talented staff when the opportunity arises. What is on the horizon for your industry? The architecture industry is always changing and technology is continuing engineers we have here. People just aren’t going into those degrees. So a lot of times, in the engineering profession, we have a problem with filling the positions with qualified people. We are responsible for the systems to work every day because those are requirements by state and law. You want a good engineer designing your water systems. We need people that have the schooling and the training. Sadly, engineering is one of the degrees people don’t know anything about and don’t go into it until later. We’re not producing enough engineers here, so other places take advantage of that, which is great, because we have the engineers from other places. That serves the United State pretty well, but it’s also a disservice because we could be filling those jobs with our kids. They’re just not going into it. How do you try to spread the word about the importance of engineers? I go out and talk to a lot of schools. I talk to kids from kindergarten to college when they invite me and want to learn. A lot of times I can relate them to engineering now. I say “Have you seen the show on the Discovery Channel with the big tunnel or does anyone play Mindcraft?” There’s a lot of way to relate to kids about engineering because they see it. They don’t even know it but they’re playing with it. Hopefully, it’s growing. A lot more minorities and women are going into engineering, which is the best profession to go in to. I know I’m biased. You’re going to find a job and create a world that’s better for other people. What is your advice to kids? I tell them, specifically, that I love my job. I love what I do. Building stuff is
to play a larger role. The introduction of virtual reality (VR) into the world has already made huge changes in how architecture is being designed, presented and developed, and the trend is not slowing down. The speed of development is increasing and the technology is changing on what seems to be a weekly basis. VR is still in its infancy, but for maa, we have already seen the technology pay off in dividends. Clients, developers and contractors have been able to see conditions, respond on the spot, and, as a group make decisions at a speed we have not seen before. As VR develops, our industry has to stay informed, continue to use any and all tools available to help clients and each other streamline the building process and ultimately create a better building. Merriman Anderson/Architects Inc. (maa) is a Dallas-based architecture, interior design and planning firm. maa offers programming, urban planning, architectural design, space planning, interior architecture/ design, graphic design, LEED/sustainable design, construction document production, BIM/REVIT design, construction observation and 3-D visualization services. –mjm amazing. Two million people can live in a little bit of land, purely because of engineering. I try to teach them to love it. It’s freaking amazing that we can create a city with water, food, roadways and a sewer treatment facility on the south side of town. We’re not polluting the water anymore. The city is getting bigger and cleaner. People can live in it. It’s a living organism that we keep up together: engineers, builders, everyone. I try to show them how almost magical this thing is. You have an apartment or house and turn a faucet and it works every time. How many times has it not worked in the last five years? It’s a system of water and pressure underground. It’s crazy. I try to show them how interesting these things are that they don’t even think about. One of the things that tells you how amazing it is, is that you don’t ever think about it. It just works. I also tell them that, living in San Antonio, you’re one of the luckiest people. This is the place to do it. When I grew up and got out of high school, I had no money. My family had no money, but since I lived in San Antonio, I was able to go to 2+2 Program for a third of the price. I did two whole years of engineering there and transferred everything to UTSA and finished engineering for a fraction of the cost and they’re amazing schools! Hopefully, I’m talking to the poorest kid in the class. You can do it. If engineering is hard and it takes you six years instead of four and half, so be it. Do you feel a responsibility to be more eco-friendly since you’re designing something that lasts so long? We will design as green as we have to. There are some people that want to continued on Page 20
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
Architecture and Engineering A tax deduction worth keeping Russell A. Davidson, President American Institute of Architects (AIA) Washington, D.C.
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ach year, as Congress prepares to exit Washington, D.C., for the holidays, a scramble ensues to extend dozens of tax incentives scheduled to expire on Dec. 31. But this year, there’s one in particular that directly affects the design and build industry. And the AIA is pulling out all the stops to ensure Congress keeps it. The Energy-Efficient Commercial Buildings Deduction, otherwise known as Section 179D, enjoys bipartisan support, creates jobs, strengthens energy independence, lessens the impact on the environment, encourages innovation and reduces the burden on taxpayers. The AIA strongly urges Congress to make this deduction permanent. Section 179D was added to the tax code after passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. As part of its goal to encourage energy independence, Congress wanted to motivate the private and public sectors to build more energy-efficient buildings. The U.S. Department of Energy esti-
mates that roughly 36 percent of electricity generated in this country each year is consumed by commercial buildings. Improve the energy efficiency of new and renovated commercial buildings, so the thinking goes, and you make a big step toward greater energy independence. What’s even more striking is that both Republicans and Democrats agree on this issue. With the 179D provision, the more energy-efficient the building, the bigger the tax deduction (up to $1.80 per square foot). The statute and regulations measure energy efficiency in three areas: building envelope, HVAC systems and lighting. Essentially, Congress is encouraging building owners to lower operating costs and increase operating profits. Furthermore, 179D is technology neutral. The deduction rewards success; it doesn’t matter how you achieve it. Those decisions are left to the private sector - with no federal dictates or mandates from Uncle Sam. All that’s required is that
Technology is improving for engineers Jeff Taylor, Vice President Freese and Nichols Inc. Houston, TX
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ow would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms? All sectors of public infrastructure including transportation, water and facilities are going strong in the Houston area. In my 35 years in the business, I haven’t seen a time that rivals what is occurring right now. Usually, when one public sector is strong, another is weak, but that’s not happening now. Cities, counties and state agencies are all collectively implementing an unprecedented amount of infrastructure construction.
What are the major changes in recent years relating to the type of work you do? Technology is changing the methods of delivering projects. More streamlined and efficient methods are being used to prepare construction plans. There is also a rising expectation among owners that projects will be problem-free. Client expectations regarding lower budgets and faster schedules are occurring. We are seeing more pricing pressure with the commoditization of engineering - clients are expecting engineering fees and project budgets to be decreasing.
taxpayers obtain an independent certification by a licensed engineer to verify the energy savings, ensuring the energy savings will be real. The Energy-Efficient Commercial Buildings Deduction doesn’t just apply to commercial buildings. It also benefits federal, state and local governments (and affiliated entities such as a public school or a state university). Since they can’t benefit from a tax deduction, Congress allowed government entities to transfer the tax deduction to the designer of the building (typically an architect, engineer or contractor). That allows the designer to strive for the most energy savings in a design, since increased time, equipment and staff are needed to design highly efficient components. Inefficient energy usage is a massive drain on the economy. State and local governments spend approximately $10 billion a year on energy, and school districts spend $6 billion annually, leaving taxpayers stuck with the bill. The 179D deduction makes it easier for schools, along with state and local governments, to improve energy efficiency, resulting in real cost savings and much-needed relief to taxpayers. Taxpayers could benefit even more if the 179D tax benefit were made permanent. The provision has been a lifesaver for many small and medium architecture, engineering and construction businesses. It’s meant keeping and creating thou-
sands of good-paying jobs in the construction industry, which means tax revenue for the government. But the temporary nature of 179D is a problem because the deduction can only be taken in the year in which the building is placed into service. As anyone who’s worked in the design and construction industry can tell you, projects that start and finish in the same year are few and far between. Allowing 179D to expire would effectively pull the rug out from under businesses with projects in the works. Indeed, many small design firms, while unabashed fans of the incentive, have been forced to delay filing taxes while they await the fate of the deduction each year. “The on-again, off-again nature of the deduction hurts us,” notes Martin Dietz, managing principal at Darden Architects of Fresno, California. “It means we don’t do all the analysis required unless it’s approved, so we don’t file our taxes on time. At times we’ve had to delay filing because we didn’t know if the Senate was going to approve it.” In summary, this obscure but innovative use of the tax code to save energy in the built environment is one of those times when government gets it right. Congress can get it even more right by making it permanent. We urge Congress to make Section 179D, the Energy-Efficient Commercial Buildings Deduction, permanent public policy. –cw
What is the most significant challenge your industry faces? There’s a labor market shortfall right now in the engineering and construction community. There is not enough talent to cover all of the work that’s out there.
The Houston area has every single type of infrastructure development, so the broader you make your client base and skill sets, the better you can weather the storms when they occur.
What are the rewards of the industry? People who do all forms of public infrastructure will have a nice stable career for the foreseeable future. This ties into the labor shortfall we talked about - anyone who’s in this business right now will be guaranteed a solid job and career for the next 20 years. What are keys to being successful in your industry? Technical proficiency and client service are the keys to being a successful engineer. Clients are expecting a higher degree of service now more than ever; they want subject matter experts in the work that they’re doing. From a corporate perspective, I’d say diversification of business.
What advice would you give a young person who wants to be an engineer? The younger generation is absolutely more savvy in technology than my generation was, and as they move into decision-making positions, they’re going to demand higher levels of technology, and they’re smart enough to figure out how to apply it. The danger will be that our industry will have to recognize and manage project risk associated with our work, and still know when technology alone does not solve a problem. Freese and Nichols Inc. plans, designs and manages infrastructure projects. It has more than 70 professionals in Houston and Pearland who provide local service to clients throughout Southeast Texas. –ab
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Page 19
Constellation prizes
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everal shining stars in the construction industry were honored at an awards luncheon hosted by the Asian American Contractors Association of Texas (AACATX). The 2016 Constellation Awards, held Oct. 20 at Richardson’s Kasra Restaurant, thanked and highlighted individuals who give outstanding opportunities to Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs and DBEs) and who have given strong support to AACATX members. AP Engineering Consultant’s Anuj Patel took a moment before the luncheon to welcome the 120 guests and reminisce on his final year as the association’s president. Patel noted that the year had been one of growth for AACATX, with new partnerships formed and an increase in membership. After the distribution of the 10 awards, which were named after wonders in the solar system, a raffle was held and the sounds of excitement could be heard from the heavens. –mjm
AP Engineering Consultant’s Anuj Patel welcomes guests and announces it will be his final year as AACATX president.
Sun Award Stuart McLennan, executive director, City of Killeen (COO-5’s Josh Coleman accepting award)
Star Award John Tipton, program director, TexRail Project and Rick Stead, deputy program manager, TexRail Project, CH2M Hill
Jupiter Award Annie Partee, director, MWBE Department, DISD
Photo credit: Sam Hsu
Moon Award Michael Muhammed, vice president of Diversity and Economic Opportunity and John Rhone, vice president of Capital Design and Construction, DART
Gemini Teaming Partner Award Josh Coleman, COO - 5, nominated by Jinen Adenwala Venus Award Eve Williams, president of Dikita Enterprises Juno Award Tamela Lee, vice president Business Diversity & Development, DFW International Airport
Gemini Teaming Partner Award Francisco Berrocal Ruiz, CTOM, North Tarrant Infrastructure
Gemini Teaming Partner Award Johnny Jackson, project manager, CH2M Hill Jerry Farrar, vice president of aviation, CH2M Hill (not pictured)
Gemini Teaming Partner Award Abigail Mooradian, HKS Architects
The association awarded honors in 11 categories named after solar system wonders. [Far left] Gloria Zhou and KMT Architects’ Ken Tse
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
continued from Page 17 — Engineers have great impact on world design it with more green space or low impact development or things like that. When I talk to civil engineers, and they ask if I can cut corners or make it less, we give you what is going to work and make it last for as long as it needs to work. It may not be pretty because we’re engineers. If you want pretty, go get an architect. If you look at the city of San Antonio, and I’m designing something on the north side of San Antonio, I have to make it green so it goes into a basin that cleans the water that goes into the aquifer. This is a question I got asked in a fourth grade class a few days ago. People think we’re painting the world and not saving it. I tell them that if you think about it, when your parents were here in San Antonio, all your sewer pipes were going straight into the river. Straight to the river. We decided, as a city, to build ourselves a nice, two river sewer treatment facility, that I happened to tell them was your third intestine, and now the water that gets released from the sewer treatment facility is cleaner. I would say that we’ve made leaps and bounds into making the city cleaner. No one even knows. They should be hav-
ing a parade for the sewer treatment facility. The difference from then to today is night and day. No one pays attention to it because it works. We’re doing it every day. The city is going to be looking for those solutions is five years when the city’s population is more. People are going to be looking for engineering solutions. Just like the ozone problem and we engineered air conditioners that didn’t put holes in it. In Los Angeles, there was so much smog people were dying of asthma, so they passed a law that you needed a catalytic converter. It wasn’t because there was less people, it’s because someone made a catalytic converter. I tell the kids that you need to grow up and find solutions for it. We’re not going to move out to open land and live off the land. We would really ruin the world. If we live in the city, the denser, the better. We leave the outside place for nobody. The closer people live together, the greener humans are. If everyone gets five acres, we’d ruin the country. I don’t have to build roads or pipelines to you all. I just need one pipeline to your building. –cs
Submitted to Construction News
continued from Page 1 — A better place well lit and newer inside. “There is also a better flow about it,” Hall continues. “The way it’s designed now, when you come in the front door, all of the accounting is on the right and all of the sales is on the left, and sales can see every customer that comes in through the warehouse.” A final major perk? The former office
was rented, while Epic Supply Fort Worth owns its newest location. “Everything about it is better,” Hall says. Epic Supply LLC is a wholesale plumbing and pipe valves fittings distributor in Fort Worth and Dallas that specializes in commercial plumbing sales. –mjm
continued from Page 1 — CESGiving holiday parties, decorating an office for someone’s birthday and inviting a wide range of business partners to update their team with innovative products and solutions in “Lunch and Learn” settings. For the employees, the enthusiasm they feel to connect comes from the example set by CESG’s leadership. President/partner Danny Espino, partner Jim Gomes, partner Michael Gomes, senior vice president of operations Michael Freehling and senior vice president of special projects Michael Herrera oversee all operations from the Plano headquarters. The company has operated under the CESG name since 2004, but has been an industry presence for nearly 60 years – plenty of time for the company to develop and refine its core values. “At CESG, we have such an amazing and dynamic culture,” Amy Swartz, who works in CESG’s marketing and business development, says. “Our president and
all of the managers have that leadership you can follow. They see the future and ask how to do better and capture what we haven’t thought of. We’re all about teamwork, too. We’re always talking to one another and we have a monthly newsletter so that we know what is happening at the other branches.” Part of what inspires employees to do more outside of the office is that they are so inspired inside of the office. “To work with people who are so knowledgeable, it’s hard not to sit there like a little kid sometimes and want to learn it, too,” says Swartz. “It drives your passion, and no matter what your passion, there is a place for people here. It’s an amazing company to work for.” Full-service electrical contractor Critical Electric Systems Group LLC is a minority business enterprise that provides electrical services encompassing the preconstruction, construction services and technology sectors. –mjm
On board! continued from Page 1 — Building flexibility
Texas Statewide Construction Credit Group (TSCCG) elected its new board of directors for the 2017-18 term. Elected were Lori J. Drake, Lone Star Materials, Austin, president; Austin LaFaille, Ferguson Enterprises, Spring, vice president; Tami Behner, American Tile, Carrollton, secretary; and Belinda Haynes, Beacon Roofing, Grand Prairie, treasurer. Pictured, the group recently enjoyed its Round ‘em Up Celebration at the Stockyards at the All South Credit Conference. –cw
The two-story showroom has offices upstairs that overlook the inventory on the floor below.
temporary facilities,” he explained. “So they came up with the great idea of cutting the building in half and letting us demo a portion of the service shop they just moved out of.” This allowed the team to begin tackling the second phase of the project, which was building the two-story, 45,000-sf showroom. The space is designed to impress, with large curved glass walls, an aluminum curtain wall and a brick and EIFS facade with plaster columns. A huge skylight covers unsightly rooftop air-conditioning units, and quarry tile and carpet accent the interior floors. “It was right next to the existing building that remained. They moved into that in December last year and then we were able to do the demolition of the last portion of the original facility,” Larson says. “We had weather issues to deal with, and there was asbestos abatement, soil remediation and underground tanks that had to be removed, but once that was done, we were able to build Phase III which was their service drive on the north end of the building. We completed that portion and they moved in July 1 of this year. “In the meantime, there was 13 acres of new concrete paving that was done in phases all around this structure. Also, we started off with superintendent Alex
Vasquez for the first two phases, after which Bob Seale ended up finishing the last phase, a total of seven or eight months of the project.” Larson says his team’s daily morning meetings to minimize disruptions and the staff’s amazing attitude were the reasons for the project’s success, even through 30 months of construction. “[Sam Pack Ford] didn’t miss one day of service to their customers or one day of sales; through it all, they got numerous rewards for being the top sales dealership in the Metroplex,” Larson says. “They were great team players, there’s no question about it.” Larson says the final result is as impressive as the journey. “There wasn’t one square inch on 13 acres that wasn’t new construction when we finally finished,” he says. “Mr. Pack told us several times throughout the project that we were doing a great job. And, we’re doing more work with him, so he’s happy with the performance we gave him, the workmanship and the final product. It was a good experience.” General contractor Schwob Building Company is located in Dallas, and is part of Schwob Companies. It offers nationwide construction services, preconstruction services, design/build, construction management, bid/build and build/lease back. –mjm
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
Page 21
Association Calendar
The final challenge
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News AIA - Dallas American Institute of Architects
Nov. 3-5: TxA 77th Annual Convention & Design Expo: “Convergence,” Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, 900 E. Market St., San Antonio. Registration required, onsite registration available; texasarchitects.org/v/about-the-annual-convention Nov. 10: Ken Roberts Memorial Delineation Competition Awards & Gallery, Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood, Dallas, 5:30pm Nov. 15: Bark + Build Housewarming Party, Fossil at NorthPark Center, 8687 North Central Expwy., Dallas, 6pm
AIA - Fort Worth American Institute of Architects
Nov. 3-5: TxA 77th Annual Convention & Design Expo: “Convergence,” Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, 900 E. Market St., San Antonio. Registration required, onsite registration available; texasarchitects.org/v/about-the-annual-convention Nov. 9: 13th Annual Topping Out Networking Event & Awards Program, Dallas Arboretum-Rosine Hall, 8525 Garland Rd., Dallas
APWC Assn. of Prof. Women in Construction
Nov. 16: Luncheon and new parking garage at Love Field job site tour
ASCE - Dallas American Society of Civil Engineers
Nov. 14: Branch meeting, Crown Plaza Hotel, North Dallas/Addison, 14315 Midway Rd., Addison, 11am
CFMA Construction Financial Mgmt. Assn.
Nov. 17: Luncheon & November TSBPA Board Approved Ethics Class, Hackberry Country Club, 7:30 am
Houston Nov. 17: Dinner meeting, Diamond Oaks Country Club, 5821 Diamond Oaks Dr. N, Fort Worth, 5:30pm
NTRCA N. Tx Roofing Contractors Assn.
Nov. 9: Lunch & Learn, International Bowling Museum Arlington, 621 Six Flags Dr., Arlington, 11:30am
PDCA Painting & Decorating Contractors of Amer.
PHCC Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors
Nov. 15: Lunch meeting, TDIndustries, 13850 Diplomat Dr., Dallas, 11:30
PMI – Dallas Project Management Institute
Nov. 10: Social Hour, Blue Mesa – Addison, 14866 Montfort Dr., Dallas, 5:30pm Nov. 17: Dinner meeting, Brookhaven Country Club, 3333 Golfing Green Dr., Farmers Branch, 6:30pm
Nov. 17: Dinner meeting, DFW Marriott South, 4151 Centreport Dr., Fort Worth, 6pm
SFPE – D/FW Soc. of Fire Protection Engineers
Nov. 7: Meeting, DoubleTree Hotel, 4099 Valley View Ln., Farmers Branch, 11:30am
DACA Drywall & Acoustical Contractors Assn.
Nov. 17: Membership meeting, banquet and annual casino night, Marriott TownePlace Grapevine, 2200 Bass Pro, Grapevine
ICRI - NT Int’l Concrete Repair Institute
Nov. 17: Membership meeting, 3102 Oak Lawn Ave., Dallas, 11:30am
IEC - Fort Worth Independent Electrical Contractors
Nov. 17: Party at the Distillery, Trinity River Distillery, 1734 E El Paso, Suite 130, Fort Worth, 6pm
NARI - Dallas Nat’l Assn. of the Remodeling Industry
Nov. 15: Evening of Excellence, DoubleTree by Hilton at Campbell Center, 8250 N. Central Expwy., Dallas, 6pm Nov. 24: Women in NARI (WIN), Blue Mesa Grill, 14866 Montfort Dr., Dallas, 11:30am
NAWIC - Dallas Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
Nov. 10-11: South Central Region APC, Royal Sonesta Hotel, 2222 West Loop S., Houston Nov. 21: Dinner meeting
NAWIC - Fort Worth Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
Nov. 10-11: South Central Region APC, Royal Sonesta Hotel, 2222 West Loop S.,
People’s Choice winner George-McKenna Electrical Contractors Inc.
SEAoT – Dallas
Ribs, brisket (overall winner) and most cans donated winner (1,822 cans): Ridgemont Commercial Construction
Structural Engineers Assn. of Tx.
Subcontractors Assn. of the Metroplex
Nov. 10: Chapter meeting, Addison Conference Center, 15650 Addison Rd., Addison, 5:30pm
BBQ Chicken winner Brown & Tucker Agency
PMI – Fort Worth
Nov. 10: GC Night, Eddie Deen’s, 944 S. Lamar St., Dallas, 4pm
CSI - Dallas
Washer Tournament winner TDIndustries
Project Management Institute
American Subcontractors Association
Construction Specifications Institute
with raffle prizes and a special kids area offering bounce houses, face painting and archery tag. The event benefitted the YCC Scholarship Fund and, in lieu of admission, TEXO requested canned food donations be brought to support the North Texas Food Bank. The cans could be designated to different companies that were battling it out for final TEXO Challenge Cup points. A total of 3,330 canned food items were donated. –mjm
Nov. 9: Annual business meeting and happy hour
Nov. 5: Dallas banquet, Brookhaven Country Club, 3333 Golfing Green Dr., Farmers Branch, 7pm Nov. 15: Meeting, Maggiano’s Little Italy, 205 NorthPark Center, Dallas, 11:30am
ASA North Texas
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t was the ultimate competition: A washer tournament, chili cookout and bbq cook-off. TEXO’s Young Constructors Council (YCC) combined the association’s final Challenge Cup events this year to heighten the competition at its annual tailgate. Held at Lake Grapevine’s Silver Lake Marina, 23 companies battled it out in the barbecue categories and 28 competed for the chief chili prize. More than 500 TEXO members and their families (including pets!) enjoyed food and fun,
SAM Nov. 3: Lien Law seminar, MCM Elegante Hotel, 2330 W. Northwest Highway, Dallas, 11am
TACA
Chili Winner Lee Lewis Construction
TEXO’s Meloni McDaniel and EyeSite Surveillance’s Dean Olson
Tx. Aggregates and Concrete Assn.
Nov. 15: TACPAC Golf Tournament, Texas Star Golf, Euless, noon. Visit www.regonline.com/builder/site/?eventid=1880477 for more info
TGA – N. Tx. Division Tx. Glass Assn.
Nov. 8: Membership meeting, Hilton Inn DFW, 2001 Valley View Ln., Irving, 6pm Nov. 18: 4th Annual Clay Shoot, Dallas Gun Club, 3601 S. Stemmons Fwy., Dallas, 11am
TSCCG Tx. Statewide Construction Credit Group
Nov. 17: Trip to Capital to meet with legislators and congressmen in regards to new Lien Overhaul Bill being presented to the House. For more info or to attend, contact lorid@lonestarmaterials.com
TEXO The Construction Association
Nov. 3: 2016 Construction Safety Professional’s Day, Grapevine Convention Center, 1209 S Main St., Grapevine, 7am
USGBC - N. Tx. U.S. Green Building Council
Nov. 4: Construction & Demolition Recycling Summit, Construction Education Foundation Campus, 1401 W. Royal Ln., DFW Airport, 7:30am
Best booth: Cadence McShane Construction Co. for “Office Space” theme
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
Page 23
Going, going …
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Thank you
ov. 11 is Veteran’s Day. Construction News wishes to thank the many military veterans who served our country and who now work in the construction industry. We appreciate your sacrifice, are honored to work alongside you and remind construction companies that our nation’s highly-skilled veterans are great employees! -mjm
R
Upcoming auctions are scheduled for Houston Nov. 9-10, El Paso Nov. 22, and Fort Worth Nov. 30-Dec. 1.
itchie Bros. was established in 1958 by brothers Ken, Dave and John Ritchie in Kelowna, BC, Canada. The company expanded into the United States in the 1970s and today has operations in 19 countries, including 44 auction sites worldwide. Today, 22 of the Ritchie Bros. auction sites are located in the United States, including two in Texas in Houston and Fort Worth. In 2015, Ritchie Bros. sold approximately $4.25 billion of equipment through 345 unreserved auctions and its online equipment marketplace EquipmentOne. The company prides itself on customer service and quality employees, harking back to co-founder Dave Ritchie’s belief that if you “Treat a customer like a friend, he will be a customer for life.” “Customer service is everything at Ritchie Bros.,” says Dolan Aucoin, sales director. “We sell a service and rely upon repeat business, so a strong passion for customer service is a major driving force
in helping us grow. When we hire employees we are looking for people with that same passion for customer service. “We don’t have any patents, we aren’t selling a product, our employees are our secret sauce: they make us who we are. We live and die by the service they provide our customers. Our employees are our most important assets. According to Aucoin, Ritchie Bros. is the world’s largest industrial auctioneer, and one of the world’s largest sellers of used equipment for the construction, transportation, agriculture, energy, mining, forestry and other industries. Every year, Ritchie Bros. holds five auctions each at its Houston and Fort Worth sites. It also occasionally holds auctions at offsite locations in Texas. The company currently has upcoming Texas auctions scheduled for Houston (Nov. 9-10); El Paso (Nov. 22); and Fort Worth (Nov 30-Dec. 1) before the end of the year. For more info, visit rbauction.com. –cw
Submitted to Construction News
Giving back
Ronald “Wesley” Carver, business development, Schwob, United States Air Force, 1992-2001 “I was a Tech Sergeant when I got out – rank of E-5 and would have put on E-6 in a month upon exiting.” Stationed: Aviano, Italy (1992-1997); was in Bosnian War for 2 years at Tuzla Air Base through Operation Deliberate Force as well as Deny Flight. Javier Alanis, Schwob superintendent Altus Oklahoma Air Base from 1997Navy , Rank: E5 2001; served many tours during time in Stationed: Seabee from 2002-2008; was on Korea, Somalia, Panama, Afghanistan, deployment to Iraq with NMCB28 in support of Iraqi Israel and all over the world. Freedom from Jan. 2007 to Sep. 2007 Received medals for: Achievement, Accommodation, Bravery, Nato, Bosnian War, Deliberate Force, Deny Flight, Leadership and Oustanding Flight USAF Also played on Air Force softball team!
Robert Seale, Schwob superintendent United States Navy Rank: USS Farragut DDG-37 Boiler Technician Third Class (ships chemist) Stationed: 1975-1979 Atlantic/Pacific Vietnam, DDG-37 Naval Station, Norfolk VA
Gerald Lunday, Schwob controller United States Marine Corps, 1990-2001 United States of America National Guard 2002-2004 Stationed: Mogadishu, Somalia (19921993), Operation Restore Hope (awarded Combat Action Ribbon) Hemiston, OR (2002-2003), Umatilla Chemical Depot – Op Noble Eagle II Okinawa, Japan; Camp Pendleton, CA; Plano, TX (recruiting); Pensicola, FL and Camp Lejeune, NC
Left: Mark Mota, GCATS electrician Army reserves, 13 years Rank: Staff Sargeant Deployed to Kuwait and Afghanistan
On Oct. 11, as part of the Independent Insurance Charitable Foundation (IICF) week of giving, Marsh & McLennan Agency (MMA) Southwest volunteered at the Dallas/Fort Worth National Cemetery. MMA SW CEO Bill Henry serves on the board of IICF, which focuses on early literacy programs. –mjm
Submitted to Construction News
Tat’s devotion
Remember the tattoo feature in Construction News’ October issue? Well, co-workers of LASCO’s Jacob Smith informed us that we missed what might be the ultimate tribute to one’s employer: Smith has LASCO’s logo tattooed on his arm. We sincerely hope this will be noted in Smith’s employee reviews. –mjm
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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Nov 2016
Opening a can of warm
D
oing good can be good for the do-er too, and there were 11 do-gooders who donated their time, canned goods and ingenuity for Canstruction Fort Worth. The Fort Worth chapters of The Society for Design Administration (SDA) and The American Institute of Architects (AIA) hosted the build-out event Oct. 16 at North East Mall in Hurst. Design and construction industry members participate in the design/build competition, creating canned structures constructed entirely of canned and packaged foods. The event benefits the Tarrant Area Food Bank, which works to fight hunger in 13 counties. Winners were announced at an Oct. 20 awards banquet held at Dunaway’s Fort Worth office and People’s Choice was revealed Oct. 23. –mjm Photo credit: Truitt Rogers Right: Best Meal: ”United We CAN” Level 5 Design Group 3,650 cans
Structural Ingenuity: “Give” Huitt-Zollars 3,180 cans
Juror Favorite: “Honoring Our Heroes” Jacobs, 3,068 cans
Honorable Mention: “Unite and Fight for the Hungry” Freese and Nichols 7,500 cans
Best Use of Labels: “Batman & Superman” Hahnfeld Hoffer Stanford 3,100 cans