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Volume 18
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Number 11
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NOVEMBER 2016
The Protector
Making a veteran’s day
MitchCo employees and owners give back to the community. L-R: Kyle Mitchell, Edward Mitchell and Regan Esry
USMC GySgt. Guillermo Tejada and his family received a custom smart home from the Gary Senise Foundation.
racks and flaws in a foundation can be dangerous. Luckily, for San Antonio, there is a hero who fights the problem in the daylight. MitchCo has been in business since 1997, and its logo has a striking resemblance to the infamous Batman symbol that has graced DC Comics for almost 80 years. “It’s funny because he’s become more of a fan since coming up with the logo,” Rachel Mitchell, executive manager and wife of owner Edward Mitchell, said. “He wanted to come up with an image that people would remember. They may not remember the name or his name, but when he started the company, it was to have a recognizable image.”
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he Children’s Hospital of San Antonio recently put the finishing touches on a major retrofit, with Bartlett Cocke General Contractors as the GC on the project. According to Carlos Ibarra, project manager, challenges included working while the hospital was still in operation, as well as several proponents of the project imported from different countries. “One of the biggest challenges was renovating 12 floors at the same time the hospital is still trying to carry on business as usual,” Ibarra said. “The channel glass was fabricated in Germany and that required some coordination. “One of the unique things was some of products and where they came from. We also had some floor tile in the main lobby that came from Canada. There were some wall tiles for the restroom area that came out of Holland. It’s been quite a bit of different finishes across the globe that have been an interesting process, to say the least.”
The logos on the trucks, website and on business cards stick out in customer’s minds when they contact MitchCo., which is useful with lots of options for foundation repair in San Antonio. “People would say, ‘Hey, I had this company come and you can Google Batman Foundation Repair.’ We have changed the logo over the years to draw away from it looking so much like Batman,” Mitchell said. “We’ve made it look more like an ‘M’. We still have people thinking it looks like a Batman symbol. “We’re always trying to find ways for MitchCo. to stand out. Whether someone needs foundation repair or not, they may need it some day. The branding with the continued on Page 24
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ometimes when a veteran returns home, they don’t return how they left, whether it be physically or mentally. The Gary Senise Foundation and R.I.S.E. are trying to make the transition better by building smart homes for veterans. G. Morris Custom Homes president, Brad Morris, along with the Senise Foundation and R.I.S.E. built a smart home at Canyon Lake for a wounded veteran, USMC GySgt. Guillermo Tejada. “Our mission is to serve some of the most severely wounded veterans that return from Iraq or Afghanistan,” Morris said. “Gary (Senise) has met many of these guys at the rounds at the hospital.
He may go up to Walter Reed without the cameras and everything and meet and talk to people. A lot of them he has met and outside of that, they put in applications to the program.” The 3,800-sf home was adapted for Tejada after he lost both his legs in an IED explosion. The smart home includes lowered countertops, a French door style oven, iPad accessible lighting, heating, air and security system. “We utilized wide hallways – they’re all four-foot wide – and the doors are all three-foot wide, minimum,” Morris said. “We had a roll in master showers with benches, so they can roll in, transfer from continued on Page 24
Bright lights
(Photo credit Matthew Chase, courtesy of the San Antonio Children’s Hospital.) Playful and colorful, the exterior retrofit of The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio was chosen with the hospital’s patients and families in mind.
One of the more eye-catching exterior materials used is a new Lamberts® channel glass façade by Bendheim Wall Systems Inc. The vibrant, ceramic-fritted glass units rise along the building’s 10 stories and a 2-story-tall ‘lantern’ cupola. The striking colors of the glass are visible from a distance in the day or night, while the technical design of the system makes this project truly stand out by answering a number of unique design challenges. It is the first and only installation of verticallyunitized, multi-colored ceramic-fritted channel glass in North America. The redesigned hospital exterior seeks to improve the patient experience. The translucent glass channels are visible from within the rooms, bringing children and families comfort and a sense of playfulness through color. The positive experience of the space reflects current attitudes and research into enhanced healing continued on Page 24
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San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
Don’t miss the event of the year!
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f you haven’t bought your tickets, you might miss out on the best and biggest Construct A Kid’s Christmas (CAKC) the San Antonio construction community has ever seen. All the Snowmen have been pulling double duty, putting together the largest annual event in the industry, the Construct A Kid’s Christmas Gala, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, while creating the Grand Gala Raffle . . . Texas Style which will be the gala’s largest raffle prize yet. This year is the 16th anniversary of the gala, which will be Dec. 1 from 5:3011pm, and the gala has approximately 67,500sf of space in Exhibit Hall C of the Freeman Expo Hall. That means it’s not too late to reserve your seats now, because there is more room than ever before to welcome guests who want to help Bexar County foster children while enjoying the ultimate construction community Christmas party. While the gala will feature many raffle and auction prizes, the biggest one is the Grand Gala Raffle . . . Texas Style. The raffle committee has assembled 24 items that make up this Winner Take All raffle. Yes that’s right. The winner will receive the whole package of four hunting and fishing trips, five Get Away adventures, 10 unique gifts in our Camo & More category and five Big Kid’s Toys, including a $10,000 E-Z-Go Express 6 place utility vehicle. Unbelievable. So, get your tickets for the Gala and
Raffle now! Gala pricing is: Corporate $1,850, Gold $650, Beverage Sponsor $1,000, Casino Sponsor $1,000, Program $325, Table for 10 $775, Individual Tickets $75. Check out full details on the Grand Gala Raffle on page 19 of this paper. Guests are encouraged to bring an unwrapped toy that will be added to the annual Construct A Kid’s Christmas Toy Drive, held the next day, Dec. 2, from 10am-2pm at the Construction News office, 4047 Naco-Perrin Blvd. The unwrapped gifts and gift cards collected will be donated to Bexar County Child Protective Services for Bexar County foster children. Associations participating in the 2016 gala include the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), Associated General Contractors (AGC), American Subcontractors Association (ASA), Builders Exchange of Texas (BXTX) Education Council, Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA), Construction News Ltd., Hispanic Contractors Association (HCA), Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC), Mechanical and Sheet Metal Contractors Association (MCA-SMACNA), National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors (PHCC), Surety Association of South Texas (SAST) and Texas Air Conditioning Contractors of America (TACCA). –bd/cw
San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
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San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
We heart helping
Alterman’s 1st annual Poker for Charity event on Sept. 22 was a great success. Alterman’s employees, along with select vendors and clients, helped raise $600 for the American Heart Association. –cw
Not just for the girls When Heidi Davis was deciding on a great birthday present for husband, Wilbur Davis, FABCO, LLLC she decided to treat him to a pedicure. Wilbur has been outnumbered with daughters all his life so this was something he understood very well. To really make it special she decided to invite some of his friends including pedi-virgin Mike Zezula, Beicker Consultants, George Major Jr., Holes of San Antonio and Buddy Doebbler publisher of Construction News.
L-R: Wilbur and George get ready for the action.
As the process continued there was a little fear in dead skin. Mike’s eyes when the lady doing his feet pulled out a He relaxed a bit when belt sander. She told him this would take care of the he saw there was no belt and figured out he has been set up. And everyone should know this was not just a simple pedi session for Wilbur and the boys. Out came the food and beverage as Heidi and Joan Zezula laughed their butts off watching from the sidelines. Below: Mike, Wilbur, George and Buddy enjoying the day.
As we left the salon there were a few comments to make the day complete. “This was absolutely outstanding and I just want to thank my bride for putting this together,” said Wilbur.
“I enjoyed it,” said Mike. “It was al-
most as good as sex.” “I always enjoy getting my feet pampered,” stated George. Maybe Wilbur will get this gift again next year. If so, count us in. -bd
San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
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Freund’s friends
Low net winners
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espite the wet conditions, the Scott Freund Memorial Foundation’s golf tournament at Canyon Lake was a success. On Sep. 26, 132 golfers met at Fair Oaks Ranch for a chance to raise money and awareness for hunting and boating safety. The foundation, named for Scott Freund, who died in 2010 at Canyon Lake, has raised over $150,000 for promotion of good safety practices for hunting and on the water. The event was hosted by Comfort-Air Engineering and Primo Plumbing. –cs Winners: Low Gross: Zach McManus, Texas Air Products; Mike Cervera, Johnson Controls; Evan Gerald, Johnson Controls; Tony Sowa, JBSA Low Net: Maurice Fox, O’Haver Plumbing; Rhonda Fox, Morrison; David Gonzales,
Low gross winners
Morrison; Brad Haden, Westway Sales Closest to the Pin: Patrick Freund, CAE/ PPI Longest Drive: Robynn Sweet
The whole bowl
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n Sep. 22, the entire office from San Antonio’s Ridout Barrett took the afternoon off for some bonding, team building and bowling time. Everybody had a great time during the “friendly” competition at Bowlero! –cw
San Antonio
CONSTRUCTION NEWS
San Antonio Editor: SAeditor@ConstructionNews.net — 210-308-5800 Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buddy Doebbler Editorial/Production . . . . . . Reesa Doebbler Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cyndi Wright Admin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lacie Cortez Production Manager . . . . . . . . . Sue Johnson Account Manager . . . . . . . . . . . Dana Calonge Construction News Ltd. Home Office P.O. Box 791290 • San Antonio, Tx 78279 210-308-5800 Fax 210-308-5960 www.ConstructionNews.net If you are a construction-related company in Atascosa, Bexar, Bandera, Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall, Medina or Wilson counties and are not receiving a free copy of the San Antonio Construction News, please call for a Requester Form, or visit our website.
The San Antonio Construction News (ISSN 1547-7630) is published monthly by Construction News LTD., dba San Antonio Construction News, and distributed by mail to construction-related companies of record in Bexar and 7 surrounding counties. All submissions should be mailed to our editorial offices. We reserve the right to edit any materials submitted. No fees for materials, copy or photographs submitted will be due unless agreed upon in advance in writing. Submissions will be published at our discretion on a space available basis. Construction News, Ltd. , dba San Antonio 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.
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San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
When you got to Tech, how long did it take you to realize what you wanted to do? I went straight into construction. My grandfather inspired me and we always talked about construction. My freshman year, I was a little unsure. I had seen the hardships of it. My dad was in it in another company. I grew up around it.
Colby Lewis Owner Alpine Contracting
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olby Lewis heads Alpine Contracting, San Antonio, and has experienced growth within his company over the past few years. Equipped with a college degree, experience with his grandfather’s company and a mentor right down the hall in his office building, Lewis’ business is set to keep expanding. Lewis is mentored by D. Lyda, son of San Antonio construction guru Gerald Lyda, who was lead on the Alamodome and Memorial Stadium at UT Austin. Lyda stops by every once in a while to impart wisdom and advice for Lewis. Lewis balances a family, staying in shape along with his business in a competitive and busy San Antonio construction industry. Where did you grow up? Corpus Christi. I was born in Houston and raised in Corpus. My dad, who was also in construction, moved us to Corpus. Do you have any siblings? I’m a triplet. I have a brother and a sister. We’re all in different industries. My brother (Zac) was in the Marines for transportation. He was a captain on a tugboat, and my sister (Britney) is in Austin and is a speech pathologist. She went to UT-Austin. All three of us went to different colleges. What high school did you go to and what were you like in high school? I went to Ray High School, class of 2001. I went off to Texas Tech after that for five years. I played soccer (in high school) and was always go, go go. I went hunting and fishing in the great outdoors. It’s all about figuring out who you are and what you want to do. I really think I’m here today because I always put my head down and went full throttle. Failure wasn’t an option. I had to find a way to succeed no matter what. In high school, I was real close with my brother and sister and it was a great time.
Once you got out of college, you went right to work? Yeah, I got a job at Bartlett Cocke right out of college. I took two weeks off and started working for them doing estimates. Then I moved over to the Jimmy Evans Company, and I was sure I didn’t want to be an engineer but I went out and got my EIT – engineer in training – just to have something under my belt. You’re an EIT first then you put in enough time and can become a professional engineer. Once you went off on your own in 2012, what was the biggest change? No. 1, my stress went through the roof. Some people think owning your own business is easy. It’s a lot of sleepless nights, working on bids all night long and I always told myself this is what it takes to get over that hurdle. I knew once I got through that barrier -don’t get me wrong it’s still difficult - but I have more people on staff. I used to do everything: superintendent, take a dump trailer to the dump, do estimates at night, do accounting and cut checks on Friday. You name it. It’ll drive you nuts. When did that start to slow down for you? After about two years. Two, maybe two and half years into it. How do you stand out in a busy construction industry in San Antonio? I think your reputation is everything, and you have to do a good job. Customer service is everything. You have to complete the job to where your clients are happy with it, because if you’re not doing that, then throw it out the window. I really push hard and strive to complete a job on time, within budget and to keep the client happy. I always try to, me personally, make sure I’ll answer a phone call late at night if it’s a client. You have to take care of them no matter what. You need to have expert problem solving. There’s always challenges in the construction business while trying to find the fastest, most efficient way to get it done right. I’m always striving for that. One of my biggest company policies is to always be proactive, no matter what. Don’t let things sit and never be complacent. What is the best advice D. Lyda has given to you? I would probably say that you make
Colby Lewis heads Alpine Contracting in San Antonio and uses his grandfather’s and other mentors’ advice to find success.
sure your subcontractors are in line and make sure they are perfect. He highly emphasized how he controlled the subs. You can’t let them run free and let things get out of control because that can create a downward spiral for the whole entire project. What made D. Lyda want to come help you out, besides proximity? He just saw a lot of potential in me and saw my story and how I started. I started from scratch, pretty much, besides my grandfather and his inspiration. He has a huge love for the construction industry and his role as the president of AGC and helping build their company into what it became. He really enjoyed seeing that and wanted to see younger guys like myself grow quickly. He really enjoyed that. What do you look for in a subcontractor? Loyalty is everything. I have subs that I’ve been using for five plus years. They’ll give me the shirt off their back and I’ll do the same for them. There’s always a solution and you always need to work through issues and challenges in a constructive manner. Loyalty is everything, and we are all working as a team. Alpine is not the leader of the pack. You’re only as good as your subs are. I always try to remember that. What advice do you have for someone wanting to break into the industry? Fight like hell. My grandfather used to always tell me that. You just got to, no matter what, put your head down. You have to work 12-hour days, six days a week. There’s no slacking, and I would say that the numbers are very important. For me, if I don’t have full control of
the numbers, the accounting aspect of it, that can just get completely out of control. That’s the very first thing. Having a good background in numbers and estimating is key. You always want to make sure your profit is in there. Are you married and do you have any kids? Yeah, I have three kids. Cole, who is 5, Webb, 2 ½, and Stella, who is five months. I got married in 2009 to my wife, Meagan. What is your biggest stress reliever when you are not working? I run. I’ve done marathons, a couple of half marathons, and did some Crossfit. I run and try to exercise as much as I can. That’s pretty much my only remedy. If you could have a beer or a beverage with any two people, living or dead, who would you pick? I think I would say Benjamin Franklin. That’s a hard question. I think my other would be Elvis. Where’s your favorite place to go in San Antonio to relax or eat? I like driving down to The Pearl. Being in the construction business, I like to see the new development. Do you have any guilty pleasures? Ice cream. Where do you see this company going in 10 years? I’d be perfectly happy with doubling in size. We did 100 percent growth last year, and I plan on doing another 100 percent. I would like to see 15 employees for an office staff in 10 years. Right now we’re at five or six. I’d like to see us double in size. –cs
San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
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You might be next to save a life
Industry FOLKS Osbaldo Guardiola Superintendent Baker Triangle
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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
Fun in the sun
Waste Management
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ssociated Builders & Contractors (ABC) South Texas Chapter had its 4th annual fishing tournament Oct. 14-15 in Rockport. Plenty of fun in the sun and great fishing were enjoyed during the weekend. Congrats to the winners! –cw
Guided Division: 1st place: Waste Management 2nd place: Yates Construction Unguided Division: 1st place: Aerohead Mechanical 2nd place: Marek
Aerohead Mechanical
hile he started at Baker Triangle in 2000 as a drywall mechanic, Osbaldo Guardiola is a superintendent today, and he likes everything about his job, particularly remaining very involved in the field, training new hires and helping general contractors find solutions to issues on the jobsite. Turning 48 this year – though he confesses that he doesn’t keep track of the mileage on his age anymore – Guardiola has been with Baker more than a little over 16 years, and has lived in San Antonio all his life. He enjoys visiting the schools for remodels or building new ones, and seeing how much San Antonio has changed and grown around him, his friends and his family. He notes, “We’re fortunate that there’s plenty of work for us to stay here in San Antonio.” Guardiola’s father, also named Osbaldo, worked in construction as a carpenter and laborer for a general contractor. Growing up, he went to jobsites often with his dad. Watching his father build things sparked his interest, and in junior high, Guardiola took wood shop followed by general drafting classes in high school. He enjoyed the design aspect of construction but realized he wanted to be out in the field, working outdoors and building with his own hands. During his summer vacations and on weekends, he worked on residential construction sites. Right after high
school, he started doing residential work full-time, and in about a year, he transitioned into working on commercial construction jobs at lease spaces, working with metal stud framing and hanging drywall. Today, he still enjoys the work he does, and his oldest son, 25-year-old Adrian, joined him working at Baker a little over a year ago. Adrian even started in the same position, drywall mechanic, where his father began his career with the contractor more than a decade-and-a-half ago. While he enjoys hunting, fishing, and the outdoors, Guardiola’s family is a large part of his life outside of work. He and his wife, Sylvia, met in high school and have been married for 29 years. Their youngest, 9-year-old Samuel, is very active in sports, such as flag football and T-ball. His daughter, 20-year-old Tabitha, is attending Texas State University in San Marcos. Having been very active in high school, participating in cheerleading and band, Tabitha still pursues her interest in band at Texas State, studying water resource conservation as well as music. –mh
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San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
Growing future employees
No boundaries
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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
High school students participate in building design concepts as part of the ACE Mentor Program in San Antonio.
S 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
undt Construction Inc. is committed to creating opportunities in the construction and engineering industry for high school students in urban school districts in San Antonio. Sundt has been involved in community initiatives such as the Architecture, Construction and Engineering (ACE) Mentor Program at Lanier High School to address workforce development shortages. In addition, Sundt has completed High school students explore structural designs work on three educational in the ACE Mentor Program. facilities for the San Antonio Independent School District, including and strives to help high school students Brackenridge, Burbank and Lanier high explore potential careers in architecture, schools. engineering and construction. This year, “These projects are important be- Martin will take the lead mentor role at cause the new facilities provide much Lanier High School. He will help lead stuneeded space and state-of-the-art equip- dents to develop a mock project starting ment for career training during high with concept development, producing school,” said Sundt Project Manager Ben drawings and creating a budget for the Martin. “The schools now have adequate project to mirror aspects of building a space and equipment to properly train real project from start to finish. In addihigh school students in a variety of ca- tion, Martin will coordinate the project reers to prepare them upon graduation.” build with the teacher and work with oth For the past four years, Sundt has er industry professionals to help drive the been a member of the ACE Mentor Pro- project. –cs gram. The program was founded in 2006
How has your business changed in the last five years? The money is coming in from all over. We are getting jobs all the way out to New Braunfels and even in Austin. Dennis Ludwick, Freedom Outdoor Living
struction everywhere. I’m experiencing it. I’ve broken out into the ground-up projects, so I’m trying to continue into that with my other jobs. Colby Lewis, Alpine Contracting
The economy is strong and people are building things with loans. There’s con-
In general people are investing in hardwood floors, for instance, and are spending more money on their homes. That’s my biggest ticket. This last year, we did $1.5 million in sales and 60 percent was hardwood floors or hard surfaces. Eight years ago, people would buy a house and put in carpet in most of the house. Richard Cavazos, Pride Flooring and Construction It’s definitely been better and the main reason how is that the smaller cities around San Antonio are developing more and more. We’re able to hit all these new areas that are developing and keep getting business in San Antonio that is continuing to grow. Brandon Moore, H3O Water Systems We were blessed to be in the San Antonio area, in general, because the economic downturn wasn’t as bad as other places in the country. From a change prospective, we didn’t see as much of a drastic change as other places did in the country. Brad Morris, G. Morris Custom Homes Honestly, in Texas, we have a bit of a lag from what you see on the east coast and the west coast. When you see that turn around in residential in areas picking up on both coasts, it usually ends up here in Texas. Carlos Ibarra, Barlett Cocke General Contractors
San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
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First, safety
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ver 90 people attended the first San Antonio Construction Safety Summit, hosted by the American Subcontractors Association (ASA) San Antonio Chapter on Sep. 13 at the TEEX Training Center. The attendees attended sessions about falls, electric hazards, trenching, effective employee training and a Q&A with OSHA. At the end of the day, attendees won raffle prizes and a chance to win free training at their facility. –cs
ASA committee members. L-R: Mike Grendell, Midco Sling, Dave Roberson, Zachry Construction, Greg St. George, NTS, Ted Dunnam, ESC Safety Consultants, Jorge Pena, TEEX, Alejandro Porter, OSHA area director, Raul Carrillo, OSHA, Jennifer Swinney, ASA
San Antonio Construction Safety Summit
Construction employees from around San Antonio learn about safety in the work place.
Alejandro Porter, OSHA area director, addresses the crowd
The group of 90 people got together to discuss workplace safety.
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San Antonio 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
Tom Spencer, Construction Practice Leader INSURICA San Antonio, 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. Clarify your contracts It’s hard to avoid cost overruns and 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.
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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.
Pat Chumney AIA San Antonio announced the passing of Pat Chumney, AIA Emeritus. A loyal member of AIA San Antonio since 1966, Chumney’s architectural contributions to the region include the restoration of the Texas General Land Office on the grounds of the state Capital, the Frost Bank Tower, the H-E-B Arsenal corporate headquarters, the UTHSC Dental School, Trinity University and the development of the San Antonio Museum of Art, just to name a few. Honorary pallbearers were Frank Amaro, George Ames, Richard Calvert, Joe Hammond, James Hunt, Jack Pew, Harry Swearingen, Frank Duperier, Lewis Tarver, Gaines Voigt, and Fred Riley. Services were Oct. 7. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a charity of choice with special consideration given to your favorite museum. –cw
San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
Page 11
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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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
Submitted to Construction News
On board!
Submitted to Construction News
Party time!
Over 100 people showed for the Hispanic Contractors Association de San Antonio (HCA) inaugural backyard party filled with networking, food, music, beverages and door prizes to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. From L-R: Cecilia Rodriguez, Caprice Productions; Dave Sanchez, HCA de SA executive director; and Karen Eppright, Drash Consultants. –cs
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
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San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
Guns and grills
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an Antonio Masonry Contractors Association (SAMCA) had its 21st annual Sporting Clay Tournament and 16th annual BBQ Cookoff on Sep. 29 at the San Antonio Gun Club. About 60 people attended the event that offered beverages, BBQ and a chance to win a shotgun as the big raffle prize. –cs
BBQ winners Pork Spare Ribs: Borracho BBQ, I-10 Building Materials/Stone Source Chicken: Road Kill Katerers Brisket: Borracho BBQ Chef’s Choice: AHI Supply Chili: AHI Supply Best Overall: Borracho BBQ Clay shooting winners Class A 1st: Chris Christians, Lynwood Building Materials 2nd: Matt Gomez, Border Construction 3rd: Hector Gomez, I-10 Building Materials/Stone Source Class B 1st: Billy Groesbeck, Groesbeck Masonry 2nd: Roger Schmelter, Headwaters Construction Materials 3rd: Josh Abel, AHI Supply Class C 1st: James Groesbeck, Groesbeck Masonry 2nd: Jason Traylor, Quality Brickworks 3rd: Brad Clay, Quality Brickworks
Karsen Coehler, 2017 Beauties of America 20’s, and Denise Wilson, Greater Helotes Miss 2016, sold raffle tickets at the events.
Eddie Hall, AHI Supply, won first place for chili and chef’s choice.
Second-place clay shooting winner Matt Gomez , Border Construction
Hector Gomez, I-10 Building Materials/Stone Source, receives his prize for his third-place finish.
Elizabeth Graves, Spec Rents, gladly accepts her last-place prize for clay shooting.
Borracho BBQ picks up its first-place overall BBQ prize.
Eddie Hall and Laura Vasquez, AHI Supply, stand next to their grill after competing in the BBQ contest.
SAMCA members get a chance to blow off some steam.
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. 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
San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
Page 13
Stantec service
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n Sep. 21, a team of nearly 40 Stantec San Antonio employees volunteered at Respite Care of San Antonio for the firm’s fourth annual day of volunteerism. The team was among some 8,000 employees participating in Stantec in the Community Day, 450 in Texas. The events were in celebration of Stantec’s focus on giving back to the local community and in support of the firm’s promise to design with community in mind. More than 40 local Stantec employees volunteered for Respite Care of San Antonio, an organization that provides support to children with special needs and developmental disabilities through community based and overnight shelter services. San Antonio employees provided yard maintenance at the five facilities that Respite Care of San Antonio operates, which include the Davidson Respite House Emergency Shelter, the Najim Family Respite Home, the Tracy Wolff Respite Home, the HEB Respite Home, and the Respite Family Foster Home. These Stantec volunteers provided a vital role helping to maintain these havens by trimming bushes, mowing yards, raking leaves, and performing various other beautification projects.
“Community is at the center of everything we do at Stantec,” said Don Armour, South Central Regional Leader at Stantec. “Stantec in the Community Day encourages our staff to support local causes and organizations. And, there is no better way to support our communities than through our personal involvement.” More than 450 staff participated in Stantec in the Community Day events around Texas. –cw
The great outdoors
Freedom Outdoor Living says its success is due to its word-of-mouth advertising and customer service. L-R: Chance Thompson, Joe Castillo, owner Alan Johnson and Gordon Sanders.
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reedom Outdoor Living is finding success through different channels as the business booms. The outdoor construction company that specializes in decks, patios and patio covers is booked until January and is doing it with personal accounts and success on the Internet. “We’re doing really well,” office manager Dennis Ludwick, who has been with the business since it started, said. “We do really good with Google searches. It takes some time but word-of-mouth does really well and we get a lot of jobs from that.” Freedom started in 2012 when owner Alan Johnson decided to make the switch back to construction following a successful run in the online cell phone selling and buying business. The business did $1.8 million in sales before they decided to go back into building. Freedom and its six employees have
the goal of being a standout in the construction industry and overcoming the negative experiences that homeowners have had with prior companies. “We put videos up on our Facebook page of the steps we take, and people can see the quality of our work and the quality of the materials we use,” Ludwick said. “The materials are going to be good or we aren’t going to do it.” Johnson started doing work for the oblates and took trips to Mexico to build houses for the poor. Now, the business provides a place for people to go outside to grill and enjoy their favorite beverages. “We did a deck where we did a railing that didn’t go all the way around the deck,” Ludwick said. “Part of it was open with the steps leading down to it and it looked like a little dance floor. “(The customers) loved it and gave the workers a bottle of Crown Royal.” – cs
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San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
Teal comes to San Antonio
The Teal team at the Carvana Project includes Dennis Collette, superintendent, Thad Miner, director of operations, Tricia Parker, office manager, and Michael Losoya, project manager.
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ouston-based Teal Construction recently expanded into the San Antonio market with a new office location opened at 19915 FM 2252, Suite 3, Garden Ridge. For the past 25 years, Teal has been building for clients in the San Antonio region and with the construction starting on its new project at The Rim Development, Carvana San Antonio, Teal decided to make San Antonio one of its homes. Past notable projects include Frost Bank Financial Centers, French Ellison Trucking Center Office and Maintenance Building and Freedom Chevrolet. Teal currently has offices in Houston, Corpus Christi and San Antonio. The company is registered to build across Texas and the United States with registrations in almost a dozen states. “I am enthused to open the San Antonio office and plant roots in a region that we have been working in for decades,” says Les Chipman, vice presi-
dent. “It is exciting to see our company continue to establish new relationships across Texas.” Teal Construction Company is a fullservice general contractor, founded in Houston in 1947. With nearly seven decades of experience, Teal Construction has established itself as a leader in all facets of construction with the capabilities to provide preconstruction, construction management, design build, and interiors services. Markets include Auto Dealerships, Banks, Civic, education institutions, healthcare, industrial and manufacturing, retail, and office. “As our offices expand, so do our employees,” Chipman says. “We have 76 employees in our respective offices which all support the San Antonio region.” Thad Miner, director of operations, San Antonio, heads the new office. Michael Losoya, director of special projects, manages the Carvana project. –cw
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Customers are foundation
.L. Hunt is looking to grow in the San Antonio area while holding onto its customer-first approach. G.L. Hunt’s main office is in Fort Worth, but expanded to San Antonio about 10 years ago. Since then, the company has done residential concrete foundation repairs around the city. “We have a couple of things other places don’t have,” office manager Kayla Sylvester said. “We have been in business over 30 years so we are a very concrete company. We’re not going anywhere. We offer lifetime transferable warranties and we will actually take over warranties on certain piers, as well. We are the only company in San Antonio that does that.” The San Antonio office employs just under 20 workers, including senior project managers Dustin Ruhd and Josh Kovatch. “We are extremely thorough with our customers, and our project manager is there every step of the way,” Sylvester said. “Taking care of the customer and customer service is our top priority. They have a designated project manager who is there to offer any assistance throughout the process. “They have a meeting to go over the information and if there’s anything throughout the job, they have the project manager’s personal cell phone number to contact.” G.L. Hunt offers foundation drain-
L-R: GL Hunt founders Gary and Bill Hunt opened the San Antonio office 10 years ago.
age, gutter installation and concrete and steel pier installation and repair. “We just finished up a house that had a lot of prior work at different times,” Sylvester said. “It was a lot of fixing other people’s mistakes. It was definitely a little challenging for us, but in the end, we were able to take care of the customer and stabilize the home.” “I think we’re really good at what we do,” Sylvester said. “I think commercial is the next area for us as we grow and get bigger. We also want to reach more of our San Antonio market.” –cs
Construction News ON LOCATION
Structured for success
Employees at Setien & Associates, structural detailers, keep the work flow moving at the company’s headquarters in Schertz. –cw
Submitted to Construction News
Filling a need
Monticello High School presented NAPCO Precast LLC with a Plaque of Appreciation for their partnership. NAPCO provides construction training classes and job opportunities for students. Currently they have provided training for seven students with the OSHA 10 certification and three students with the OSHA 30 certification. This allows these individuals to be marketable to potential employers and puts them in a position to negotiate a higher pay rate when they graduate. NAPCO has hired several graduates from Monticello and values its relationship with Mr. Moreno and his staff. L-R: Suzanne Price, HR director at NAPCO; Nehemias Moreno, outreach coordinator at Monticello; James Zertuche, safety manager at NAPCO, Paul Brennan, CFO at NAPCO, and Cipriano Deluna, plant manager at NAPCO –cw
San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
Page 15
The most fun can be had on mediumlight 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.
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.
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.
For the past two months we have seen a strong run of bull reds in the Upper Laguna 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
Everyone has a story. Send us yours.
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, 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.
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 email him at SteveSchultzOutdoors@ gmail.com. Good luck and Good Fishing.
Send us your photos and stories. Outdoor activities and sports Fishing • Hunting • Biking • Racing Hobbies • Crafts • Entertainment
All content and photos are placed free of charge. Email to: SAeditor@ConstructionNews.net or call Chris at 210-308-5800
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San Antonio 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
Max Milam with stringer
Submitted to Construction News
Just some guys fishin’
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 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 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.
Darren Pawelek, Vice President of San Antonio Inside Story, with his 40-lb. blue catfish.
Submitted to Construction News
First trophy of the season
L-R: Quality Fence & Welding’s Craig Noto and Gene Vogelman took guests Tim Pruski and Malcolm Halbardier on their annual guy fishing trip to Rockport on Oct. 1-2. –cw
Half or Full Day Fishing Trips All Bait, Tackle & Equipment Furnished Your catch Filleted and Bagged for You
Ken Milam Guide Service (325) 379-2051 www.striperfever.com
Furnish your TPWD Fishing License & Refreshments, and WE DO THE REST!
Joaquin Arguelles, 12, took this 10-point buck while hunting with his family friend and neighbor, Steve Hernandez, project manager for Alterman Inc. Electric. This was on a cool morning opening weekend in Medina County. Joaquin is the son of Dr. Mary Baker Arguelles and Dr. Louis Arguelles of Castroville, TX. –cw
San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
Page 17
Anchors aweigh
Submitted to Construction News
One tough lady
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n late September, Galaxy Builders hosted its 2016 Galaxy Fishing Trip in Port Aransas. The two-day excursion had 40 participants consisting of team members, clients and subcontractors. Thursday afternoon, the group hit the greens for some golf and then shared some fun watching the Texans v Patriots game. Friday, everybody hit the boats at the crack of dawn. Galaxy will be hosting a fish fry soon to share the great catches made during the day. –cw
Julie Plunkett, vice president of Capco Steel Inc., caught this whopping 112-lb. halibut on a recent fishing trip in Seward, Alaska. She reeled it in all by herself. It took about 20 minutes. –cw Brandon Hawkins, MFI Flooring, and Tom Crow
Submitted to Construction News
Stout trout
RC Contreras and Alan Morales
Steve Pappoon and Jimmy Sanchez
Matt Mainer, Tye Burch and Sam Beirle
Submitted to Construction News
Big red
Greg Wiatrek, Alpha Insulation and Waterproofing pulled in a 44-inch redfish at the Hayne Owners Tournament. –cs
Scott Wiatrek reeled in this beauty while fishing at the Alpha Insulation & Waterproofing company tournament in early October. The trout was bumping the 30" mark and weighed over 8 1/2 lbs. –cw
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San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
Allen & Allen celebrates 85
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Sheet skeet
he Mechanical and Sheet Metal Contractors of San Antonio (MCASMACNA) held its 39th Hunter’s Symposium Sep. 28 at the Bexar Community Shooting Range. Over 120 competitors shot skeet, trap and competed in rifle contests. Members and guest enjoyed an afternoon of dinner, raffles and dinner. –cs Congrats to the winners!
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L-R: Buzz Miller (Allen & Allen) and Steve Koehler (The Koehler Company)
he employees and owners of Allen & Allen celebrated 85 years in business with a customer appreciation event. At the event, customers and guests had a chance to win prizes. JELDWEN Windows and Doors also had a dis-
play of its products on site. The lumber and hardware company held the celebration at its downtown location and a steady stream of people stopped by for a bite to eat and something to drink. –cs
Quality Fence and Welding, L-R: Craig Noto, Gene Vogelman, Matt Wallace, John Hoot
Aggie pride Employees from Cleary Zimmermann Engineers, Yates Construction and PapeDawson Engineers got together for a tailgate party on Oct. 8 in College Station to watch Texas A&M defeat Tennessee 45-38 in double overtime. –cs
Skeet Expert: Ken Brothers, Siemens Industry Guest 1st: DA Allen, Way Engineering 2nd: Jim Rodriguez, James T. Rodriguez Consulting Engineers 3rd: Adam Vega, Christus Health Systems Associate 1st: Zach McManis, Texas Air Products 2nd: Scott Hutcheson, Texas Air Systems 3rd: Mike Manis, PMI Member 1st: Mark Zinmeister, Service Mechanical Group 2nd: Hayward Decker, AJ Monier Company 3rd: Deborah Wertheim, LC Mosel Shoddy Skeet Allen Warwas, Dynamic Systems, Inc. Trap Expert trap: Jeremy Jones, M&M Metals Guest 1st: John Scott, Retiree 2nd: Jim Bellm, Way Engineering 3rd: Rick Barrera, TTG Associate 1st: Aaron Caldwell, Trane 2nd: Roy Jackson, SA Win Supply 3rd: John Cook, Mechanical Reps Member 1st: Chris Reidy, Dynamic Systems, Inc. 2nd: Greg Butler, Service Mechanical Group 3rd: Bill Monier, AJ Monier Terrible trap Nathan Henderson, MASH Rifle Bullseye: Clint Ullman, Spaw Glass Expert Rifle: Matt Landrum, Mechanical Reps Guest 1st: David Goetz, MJ Boyle 2nd: Ian Vohwinkle, MS2 Consulting Engineers 3rd: Devin Maine, Devin Maine Mechanical Associate 1st: David Bugge, PMI 2nd: David Walter, PMI 3rd: Ray Crane, Bradford White Member 1st: Jonathan Wilson, M&M Wilson 2nd: Richard Schmidt, Brandt 3rd: Mark Garcia, M&M Metals Ridiculous rifle Charles Wolf, LC Mosel
Lots of Texas A&M fans eat and drink during the Aggies’ game against the Volunteers. Deborah Wertheim, LC Mosel, third place member skeet
Aggie fans take shade to enjoy their team’s win over Tennessee.
L-R: Ken Brothers, Siemens Industry, expert trap winner, and Jeff Haby, Moore Supply
L-R: Aaron Caldwell, Trane first-place associate trap, and Jeff Haby, Moore Supply
L-R: Kurt Mosel, LC Mosel, and Bill Monier, AJ Monier, third-place member trap
L-R: Jeff Haby, Moore Supply and Alan Warwas, Dynamic Systems, shoddy skeet winner
L-R: Doug Reeves, Larry Wunsch & Associates, Kenner Coon, Texas Air Products, Zach McManis, Texas Air Products, Josh Bailey, Texas Air Products
San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
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San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
Workplace relaxation
More than water
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espite having water in its name, H3O Water Systems goes beyond just pools. While the company can take care of pool and spa needs, it also does concrete work, outdoor kitchens and masonry work, along with other jobs to make it one-stop shop. Anthony Moore started H3O in 2006 after he identified a need in the area. “My uncle started working in San Antonio for my dad’s landscaping company and then he saw there was a need for irrigation guys that knew what they were doing and offered good products,” H3O renovations manager Brandon Moore said. H3O Water Systems takes care of all pool needs along with other construction needs. H3O, which does residential and commercial work, started off as H3O Sprinklers but Sixty percent of H3O’s work is resiwas renamed H3O Water Systems about dential, but on the commercial side, it handles the Spurs’ and AT&T Center’s four years ago. Having a company last a decade has pool needs along with LA Fitness. “There’s a couple of projects that are involved a lot of change and reflection. “It has to be a lot of perseverance underway that I really can’t mention by and knowing your customers,” Moore name right now,” Moore said. “The projsaid. “You have to know your market that ects are changing San Antonio historical you’re trying to reach and promote your marks. Taking something and helping reservices to reach them and to be com- build or taking something and building petitive. You have to know your competi- something new that is going to be very tors and what kind of work they’re put- significant to San Antonio is something we do every now and then. It’s someting out. “We’re constantly analyzing what is thing that really stands out to us.” –cs going on. Did this work? Nope. OK, let’s try this then.”
After a long, hot summer, NAPCO Precast LLC employees get a chance to kick back.
N
APCO Precast LLC rewarded its employees for their hard work with an afternoon of food and entertainment. The employees received
food from Truck N Taco and Gilbo’s Grill and snow cones from Kona Ice. They were serenaded by a mariachi band. –cs
Employees got to meet up and relax.
San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
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Smokin’ safety
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he Associated General Contractors (AGC) San Antonio Chapter got together for its 2016 Safety Fair and BBQ Cook off on Oct. 8 with 28 teams present. Awards were given out at the event, held at the Helotes fairgrounds, in recognition of safety on the job and the teams’ abilities to cook up some delicious food. BBQ winners Safe GC of the year, Zachry Construction, Chicken L-R: Dan Felix, Todd Sutton, Rudy Garza, Daniel Benavitas 1st: Kezar’s Pest Control 2nd: Comfort-Air Engineering Inc. 3rd: Crownhill Builders Inc. Ribs 1st: M&M Metals, Inc. 2nd: Crownhill Builders Inc. 3rd: Allbrite Construction Inc. Brisket 1st: RDR Flooring Services LLC 2nd: Allbrite Construction Inc. 3rd: Barlett Cocke General Contractors Showmanship 1st: Crownhill Builders Inc. Bartlett Cocke, L-R: Manny Valdez, Jose Tovar, John Williams, James Anderson 2nd: Baker Triangle 3rd: Tri-Tech Surveying Company L.P. Safe specialty contractor of the year: AlSafety awards Category I Safe general contractor of the terman Inc. Larry Westbrook safe superintendent year: Zachry Construction Corporation Category II Sage general contractor of award: Tom Sanchez, Guido Construction the year: Sundt Construction Inc.
Big State Electric, L-R: Matt Rothe, James Bentley, Jon Miller, Tommy Crick, Shane Custer, Forest Wilson
TD Moravites
Vision Construction Alterman Construction, L-R: Newt Crouch, Brad Guillaudeu, Carl Wyle, Leonard DeBraska, Guy Katz, Denny Crouch
Construction News ON LOCATION
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Walter Perez, Claudia Zavala and Mauricio Rosales take a break from their day at NB Espinoza Stone Inc. in New Braunfels for a picture. –cw
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San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
Star-worthy designs
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he American Institute of Architects (AIA) announced the winners of the 2016 AIA San Antonio Design Awards at a special dinner and ceremony at the St. Anthony Hotel on Sep. 22. The awards celebrate the “best of the best” and help increase public awareness of the importance of architecture in everyday life. –cw HONOR AWARDS (highest award) Mission Branch Library, San Antonio Architect: Muñoz & Co. Georgia Tech Engineered Biosystem Building, Atlanta, GA Architect: Lake|Flato Architects Associated Architect: Cooper Carry
Hotel Emma, San Antonio Architect: threeArch LLC d/b/a three: living architecture Associated Architect: Jeffrey C. Fetzer, FAIA Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, San Antonio Architect: Marmon Mok Associated Architect: LMN Architects MERIT AWARDS: The Prow, Davis Mountains, Texas Architect: Lake|Flato Architects Plaza de Armas, San Antonio Architect: Ford, Powell & Carson CITATION AWARDS: Olmos Park Residence, San Antonio Architect: Lake|Flato Architects Barrera House, San Antonio Architect: Candid Rogers Architect Goat Mountain Ranch, Uvalde, Texas Architect: Lake|Flato Architects Indian Springs School, Birmingham, AL Architect: Lake|Flato Architects STUDENT AWARD Chase Alan White for his project, Ode to Mies DIVINE DETAIL AWARDS Merit Award Alta Portal, San Antonio Architect: Tobin Smith Architect Honor Award House 117, San Antonio Architect: Candid Rogers Architect
Munoz & Co, Mission Branch Library (Chris Cooper/Zac Seewald)
Lake|Flato Architects, Georgia Tech Engineered Biosystem Building (Chris Cooper)
threeArch, Hotel Emma (Jason Risner, Scott Martin, Nicole Franzen)
2016 AIA San Antonio COTE Award Lake|Flato Architects MAYOR’S CHOICE AWARD Tobin Center for the Performing Arts by Marmon Mok TWENTY-FIVE YEAR AWARD Sombrilla Plaza at UTSA’s 1604 campus Marmon Mok, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts (Mark Menjivar and Ed LaCasse)
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
San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
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‘Reely’ amazing!
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he Texas Air Conditioning Contractors Association (TACCA) Greater San Antonio Chapter’s Sep. 2324 23rd annual fishing tournament brought an amazing 47 teams with 188 anglers to the coast this year. One company owner even chartered a 1st heavy stringer – Size Does Matter/Beyer Mechanical bus to bring down over 25 employees to the coast! Congrats to the winners! –cw Heavy Stringer 1st: Size Does Matter/Beyer Mechanical: Mark Deleon, Mark Gallardo, Tim Megason, Patti Goodson, Bart Caron 2nd: If You Ain’t Cheatin, You Ain’t Trying: Jeff Beyer, Jacob Beyer, Braison Rudd, Jordan Beyer 3rd: Three Men & A Lady: Brandi Luna, Richard Luna, Richard Luna Jr., Joseph Adkison 4th: DTF Down to Fish: Victor Vasquez, Frank Vasquez 5th: Young & Old: Leroy Zinsmeyer, Ronnie Lindig, Joshua Zinsmeyer, Casa Frieda Heavy Redfish 1st Fishing Magicians/You Name It Specialties: Nathan Lutz, Terry Beck, Joel Lutz, Ronnie Mechler
1st heavy trout - TD Industries Trout Tamers
2nd: Metal Men Zinsmeyer Mechanical and Welding: CJ Garza, Frank Garza, Efren Villarreal, Jacob Cowen Heavy Trout 1st: TD Industries Trout Tamers: Brice Johnson, Jerry Millership, David Gutierrez 2nd: Red Slayers/Beyer Mechanical Johnny Cole, Theresa Cole, Jon Marek $600 trout winner - YES AGAIN! – Dena Delgado, Scarlett Heninger, Laura Hay, Jillian Spencer $600 spot winner Ocean 210 - Armando Gatica, Johnny Laureles, Ray Martinez 1st heavy redfish – Fishing Magicians/You Name It Specialties
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San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
Pour it on
continued from Page 1 — The Protector logo has been memorable for some people.” Beyond just what it does at work, MitchCo. partners up with Fox 29 for its series “Cash For Kindness” where they surprise selfless San Antonio residents for an act or actions in the community. “It was something we felt very passionate about,” Mitchell said. “Just to see the sincerity and gratitude those recipients had. It’s just kind of our way to reach out to the community and to put faces of our employees on TV, as well. We did have people that called us for a bid because they just thought that was something really nice to do.”
Foundation repair is not something people plan for and it can be expensive, so MitchCo. has a financing plan available for customers who need it. The company has 10 employees, and with several of them being family members, they spend time outside of work to bond. “Our family is everyone who works for us,” Mitchell said. “We have what we call team building fun days. Maybe on Friday afternoon, we get everyone and go out to Top Golf. We love doing those types of team building things. Everyone wants to feel appreciated and valued in the company.” –cs
continued from Page 1 — Making a veteran’s day
Best of class bar: L-R: Vanessa Gunn, Lisa Good, Marina Gutierrez, Veronica Mangiapane
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he American Subcontractors Association (ASA) put on its annual pour off and poker tournament. Over 185 people attended the event that included a Texas Hold ‘em tournament, raffles and a mixed drink competition at Aggie Park. –cs
Raffle winners: Rebecca Pratt and Bobby Dieke
Best in class bar: L-R: Art De La Santos and John Lawson, Alamo Tees
Best salsa: L-R Kenneth Trujillo, Jon Marek, MEMCO
Poker tournament winner: Brad Moore
Best non-frozen category: NAWIC, L-R: Heather Osborn, Rebecca Pratt, Elizabeth Connally, Patty Wylie, Eloina Benavides
their wheelchair on to a bench. Just comfortably do things that you and I take for granted on daily basis.” While Morris built the home, the designs and plans were made by HEB. “We worked with HEB and they were a primary sponsor on the project itself,” Morris said. “Their architecture department came up with the plans in consultation with the veteran himself and going into the detail for the needs that he has on a day-in and day-out basis. “Everybody’s needs are slightly different and we wanted to make sure we took those into consideration.” Morris, a Marine Corps veteran who served for almost a decade, was approached by the foundation last year to become the senior project manager after working on a home. “The foundation is a phenomenal foundation,” Morris said. “The work that Gary does for our veterans is almost second to none. He has a true passion for them and his manta is ‘While we can never do enough, we can always do a little
more.’” Morris was present when the finished house was presented to Tejada, his wife and four kids. Not only was the house made to fix Tejada’s needs but the needs of his whole family. “Both his wife and his family were there and got to go in the house and see it by themselves,” Morris said. “I showed them all the features. They lived in the area so, like any client, they were able to come in and see everything during the process. It was a very emotional time for them; completely overjoyed.” The Gary Senise Foundation purchased another home near Tejada’s and plan to begin construction in November. Those from the area who would like to volunteer can reach out to Morris directly or through the foundation. Also, the foundation has a ‘buy-a-brick’ program that allows you to buy a brick that is placed around a flagpole that can be engraved with your name and a personal message. –cs
USMC GySgt. Guillermo Tejada and his family check out the amenities in their custom home.
continued from Page 1 — Bright lights through sensitive clinical architecture and design. Overland Partners, the architects charged with the project’s exterior, developed a range of criteria for the new glass façade elements: durability, structural capacity, custom colors, translucency, back-lighting ability, and ease of installation, among others. They selected Bendheim’s channel glass – a three-dimensional, U-shaped architectural glass – for its remarkable structural qualities, light-diffusing surface texture, and vast range of translucent hues. “The Children’s Hospital borders the Zona Cultural, a downtown district that is rich with history and culture distinct to San Antonio. The use of bright and vibrant colors is extensive in the area,” said Kris Feldmann, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, Overland Partners. “The inclusion of color in the façade of the transformed hospital further solidifies it as an important institution to the cultural fabric of downtown San Antonio.” The precise glass color selection was based on the hospital’s 8-story-tall mosaic mural, “The Spirit of Healing,” by local artist Jesse Trevino. Bendheim Wall Systems was able to match the colors of Trevino’s mural with its colored ceramic fritted channel glass. “The close collaboration between Overland and Bendheim in the development of the colored glass panel system was key to overcoming the technical challenges of installing on existing facades with numerous unique conditions,” said Feldmann. “Bendheim’s technical expertise and willingness to roll up
their sleeves to help figure out solutions for each application also gave the design team and contractor the confidence to lobby for the colored panels as an integral component of the project.” The custom unitized channel glass system enabled the installer, Sharp Glass, to pre-assemble the glass units in its facility, transport them to the hospital, and hoist them into place as each floor became ready. A proprietary attachment mechanism allowed each unit to be easily pivoted and lifted into place, perfectly aligned, and secured to the structure. Our experience with Bendheim on The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio was nothing short of great,” said Alan Sharp, CEO, Sharp Glass. “Delivery schedules were met and the quality of the finished product was never an issue. Bendheim helped us with the pre-assembled panel design, which saved us thousands on the installation and allowed us to beat the schedule.” The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio unveiled its newly enhanced facilities on May 25. According to Ibarra, the thing to remember is the project and the hospital are about the children. “Everybody enjoys their job but there’s an added significance for what it does for the children,” Ibarra said. “There were many challenges, for example, the channel glass and all the meetings. In reality, you think you have problems, then you see the children and realize it’s nothing compared to those there. It’s a project we’re very proud of and you do have that daily reminder of the greater good you’re doing.” –cw
San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
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Architecture and Engineering Engineers have great impact on world Hernán Jaramillo, PE Bain Medina Bain Inc. San Antonio, TX
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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
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
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 27
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
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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
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
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
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San Antonio 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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San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
Page 27
Tech movement
Texas-sized turnout
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Owners William and Dana Bryan are using technology to change the way surveying and measurements are done.
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ided by a constantly changing technology, Eye on Detail is out to make construction and surveying easier and better. Eye on Detail uses a scanner to document hundreds of thousands of survey quality points every second to put together volume calculations, scan crime scenes and give detailed measurements of an existing structure. “What we do is relatively new,” coowner William Bryan said. “The technology has been around since 1985 but it’s only been six or seven years since it’s been commercially viable to do because of the improvements is technology.” The measurements go through a program called Scene and the result is known as point cloud. From there, the point cloud is imported into AutoCAD or Revit software, depending on the need of the client. “Most of the work we have been doing is forensic documentation,” Bryan said. “We’ve also done some work for a
firm up in Dallas that makes packaging equipment for snack providers. A couple of their clients are Frito Lay and Jelly Belly. They make the equipment that puts the product in the bag and seals it. “We scanned that and gave them the information to design their equipment to fit into the existing space more seamlessly.” With the technology becoming for accessible, Bryan can see the company growing. “We’re definitely looking to expand,” Bryan said. “In August we acquired the capabilities to use Revit and extract information from the point cloud and into Revit. “One of the benefits is that we can capture a lot of data quickly. Our scanner captures hundreds of thousands of survey quality points per second. If there’s something that is complex or complicated, if you were trying to capture it with conventional survey equipment, it could take forever to do that. But with a 3D laser scanner, you can capture it within seconds.” –cs
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. –mjm
A.C.T. Metal Deck Supply
MBCI
Conner-Legrand
DOT Metal Products
continued from Page 25 — 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
The new board members are sworn in.
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San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
Round-Up Vickrey & Associates Inc. recently announced that Johnny G. Martinez, PE, has joined the firm as a senior project manager. Martinez has over 26 years of experience providing civil engineering services on a wide range of commercial, residential, mixed-use, public works, transportation, rail, and environmental projects. He also has expertise in construction inspection of TxDOT and SAWS projects.
Project Control, a division of Raba Kistner, announced Merrill Stanley has joined the firm as Healthcare Division manager. Stanley brings 22-plus years experience in project management with a focus on healthcare facilities and organizations, with a specialization in project management of greenfield, expansion and renovations to healthcare facilities. Stanley holds a Master of Science in Technology from Texas State University and a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from the University of Texas at Austin.
Association Calendar
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ABC Associated Builders & Contractors
Nov. 2: Breakfast Club, Topic: Active Shooter…What if?, Speaker: Jim Greaves, Catto & Catto, Alamo Café on 281, 7:30am, Contact Dawn Coleman, dawn@abcsouthtexas.org Nov. 10: 30th annual sporting clay shoot at National Shooting Complex from 1-6pm. Contact Ruby Trejo, ruby@abcsouthtexas.org Nov. 30: Happy Hour, Little Woodrow’s Stone Oak, 4:30-6pm, Contact Dawn Coleman, dawn@abcsouthtexas.org
AGC Associated General Contractors
Events are held at the AGC office unless otherwise stated Nov. 3: BIM Peer Group, 4-6pm Nov. 9: Brown Bag Lunch: Lien Law Revision Update, noon Nov. 10: Casino Night & Construction Industry Awards, Morgan’s Wonderland Event Center, 6-10pm. For reservations or more information, call 210-349-4921 or email kwilson@sanantonioagc.org Nov. 15-16: OSHA 10 Hour (FREE), 8:30am–4pm (Nov. 15) and 8:30am–3pm (Nov. 16)
AIA American Institute of Architects
Nov. 3-5: Texas Society of Architects 77th annual Convention & Design Expo, San Antonio Convention Center. Theme is Convergence. Registration required – onsite registration available. For more info: https://texasarchitects.org/v/about-theannual-convention
IEC Office, 8am – 3pm (first night) Nov. 5: Skills USA Practice Competition, IEC Office, 8am–3pm Nov. 9: Journeyman/Master Prep Class, IEC Office, 8am–3pm (second night) Nov. 10-11: IEC of Texas Meeting, Fort Worth Nov. 14: Continuing Education Meeting, IEC Office, 5–9pm Nov. 14-18: DOL National Apprentice Week, IEC Office, 5:30–7:30pm Nov. 19: Skills USA Practice Competition, IEC Office, 8am–3pm Nov. 19: Electrical Maintenance Technician Class, IEC Office, 8am–5pm Nov. 21: Journeyman/Master Prep Class, IEC Office, 8am–3pm (third night) Nov. 24-25: IEC offices and school closed in observance of Thanksgiving Nov. 30: Journeyman/Master Prep Class, IEC Office, 8am–3pm (fourth night) Dec. 5: Journeyman/Master Prep Class, IEC Office, 8am–3pm (fifth night) Dec. 7: Journeyman/Master Prep Class, IEC Office, 8am–3pm (master’s only) For more information on these events, contact the IEC office at 210-431-9861 or www.iecsanantonio.com
MCA-SMACNA Mechanical Contractors Association Sheet Metal & A/C Nat’l Assn.
Nov. 2: Regular & Associates meeting, Oak Hills Country Club, 11:30am, Guest Speaker: Bethany Thompson, The Gardner Law Firm Nov. 9: Labor/Management meeting, MCA-SMACNA office, 11am Nov. 16: Joint Industry Fund meeting, Oak Hills Country Club, 11:30am
ASA
NAWIC
American Subcontractors Association
Natn’l Assn of Women in Construction
Nov. 1: Speed Networking, 5:30pm, San Francisco Steakhouse Nov. 14: Lunch & Learn: The New Silica Rule – It Affects You! 11:30am, The Petroleum Club Nov. 15: General Membership Meeting, 6:30pm, The Petroleum Club, Rick Cooke with CASA Dec. 1: Construct-A-Kids Gala, 6pm, Freeman Coliseum Expo Hall
Novv. 2: Memebership meeting
PHCC Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors
Nov 5 & 19: Plumbers Continuing Education Nov 10: 11am, Membership meeting, The Petroleum Club Nov 17: 5pm, Board and Committee Volunteer Appreciation Social
ASHRAE
SAMCA
Am. Society of Htg, Refrig. & A/C Eng.
San Antonio Masonry Contractors Assn.
Nov. 15: Distinguished Lecturer meeting, 4pm, The County Line BBQ, 10101 IH-10 frontage road. IT Equipment Design Evolution & Data Center Operation Using ASHRAE’s Guidelines.
Nov. 30: Membership meeting, Pappadeaux Restaurant, 76 NE Loop 410, noon, $30/person; contact Debbie 830606-5556
ASPE
Society of Fire Protection Engineers
Am. Society of Plumbing Engineers
Nov. 16: Firestop Selection, Installation and Inspection at Intertek in Elmendorf, TX from 10am-3pm
Nov. 16: Product Trailer Round-Up (with classroom seminars), Aggie Park, 9am3pm, showcasing the industry’s best products, with manufacturers’ engineers on-site to answer all technical questions, free admission, free lunch. Contact Chris Phillips at 210-262-2142 or visit www.CentralTexasASPE.org
CFMA Construction Financial Mgmt. Association
Nov 29: Chapter Breakfast Roundtable, Petroleum Club, 8620 N New Braunfels. RSVP to Stephanie 210-828-6281 x 1575 or stephanie.harms@rsmus.com
CMAA - South Central Texas Construction Mgmt Assn of America
Nov. 17: City of San Antonio Capital Improvement Program and 2017 Bond Program with Mike Frisbie, PE, San Antonio’s City Engineer and Director of Transportation and Capital Improvements. The Petroleum Club, 8620 N New Braunfels Suite 616, 7:30-9am. To register: http://sctxcm a a . o r g / m e e t i n g i n f o . php?id=30&ts=1471991120
IEC Independent Electrical Contractors
Nov. 2: Journeyman/Master Prep Class,
SFPE - Austin-San Antonio
TACA TX Aggregates and Concrete Association
Nov. 15: TACPAC Golf Tournament, noon tee time, Texas Star Golf Tournament in Euless, TX. For more information:www. regonline.com/builder/ site/?eventid=1880477
TACCA Tx. A/C Contractors Assn.
Nov. 17: 11:30–1pm, General Member meeting, Board of Directors nominations, Alamo Café, 14250 San Pedro Ave, RSVP required. First Member attendee is included with membership, additional attendees and non-members $20 each. For more info visit TACCAGreaterSanAntonio. org or call Dawn Thompson at 210-9014222, dawn@taccagreatersanantonio.org
TSCCG TX Statewide Construction Credit Group
Nov. 17: Trip to the Capital to meet with Legislators and Congressmen about the new Lien Overhaul Bill being presented to the House. For more information, or to attend, contact lorid@lonestarmaterials. com
San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
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The gold standard
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rother and sister team, Wayne Orender and Sheila Ray, own and operate Ditch Witch of Central Texas, Inc. Orender is general manager in Austin and Ray is headquartered in Selma. Started in New Braunfels in 1974, the company soon split into its two current locations. The company is WBENC and Texas HUB certified as a Woman Owned business. In Austin, Vance Wells is service manager and Kevin Fortson is parts manager. In Selma, Jerry Almanza is parts manager and Mike Talka is service manager. According to Courtney Ray-Harris, manager of fixed operations and accounting, and daughter of Ray, each location has 16 employees. Recently, seven employees from the two locations achieved special certification from a dedicated facility at the Ditch Witch factory in Perry, OK. that provides training for employees, as well as cus-
tomers. Recognized for attaining goldlevel status in the Service ProTechnician program are Mike Talka, Ben Barnhart, Robert Heriford, Jesse Travis and William Yancey. Recognized for attaining gold-level status in the Parts Pro program are Jerry Almanza and Leo Robledo “Every tech at the Selma location is gold certified,” she said. “Vance and Kevin are gold certified and they are working on getting the rest of the Austin team certified.” As a company, Ray-Harris says they are avid sponsors of Austin Rodeo, FFA and also of employees who have outside interests, such as two who are professional fishermen. The company also hosts hunting tournaments for customers and employees, as well as special dinners for customers. Ditch Witch® designs, manufactures and markets products for the underground utility construction industry. –cw L-R: Jerry Almanza, Robert Heriford, Jesse Travis, Ben Barnhart, Mike Talka and Leo Robledo in Selma recently received special certification.D
Cemented in family
Alamo Hy-Tech Foundation Inc. includes, back row, L-R: Ray Hernandez, Bill Gregson, and Chad Gregson; front row, Naomi Armendariz, Cindy Gregson, and Lori Archer
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amily-owned Alamo Hy-Tech Foundation Repair, New Braunfels, has been around since 1989, and the business will continue as the new generation is taking the reins. Founders Bill Gregson and Cindy Gregson have taken a smaller role in the company while daughter Lori Archer and son Chad Gregson are continuing what their parents started 27 years ago. “My parents have just recently decided to kind of retire,” Archer said. “They’re still in the office little bit—only a couple of days a week. My brother, Chad, and I have kind of taken over our parents’ spots. “To be honest, I wasn’t going to work for the family, but then, it just all worked out to what I did. My parents were definitely about going and doing what you wanted to do, but if you want to come work for the family, we’d be happy to have you.” The foundation repair company does mainly residential projects with its 19 employees. “We are a family ran business and I think that’s what sets us aside from other people,” Archer said. “We also back all of our work. New Braunfels is kind of a small town, and I think that our reputation of doing things right and treating people right have been a mission statement for our company.” Beyond foundation repair, Alamo does steel and concrete pier repair, which makes up a third of its work. “A lot of time we will get a large flux of pier repairs and not as many of slab repairs then it’ll swap,” Archer said. “Our business is directly affected by weather.” With it being a small company, Ala-
mo has the chance to give back to its employees. “On occasion, all the guys will do a barbeque in the back,” Archer said. “We also for Thanksgiving, instead of giving them actual turkeys, we give them HEB gift cards so they can have dinner. We’re able to do that because we’re such a small company.” –cs
www.constructionnews.net San Antonio Austin Dallas/Fort Worth Houston
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San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
Inspired iron
Construction News JOB SIGHT
Going up from here
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Troy Moul, left, project superintendent, Metropolitan Contacting Company, and John Duhring, right, project manager, Project Control, look over the new slab poured in mid-September at the new Yantis Company headquarters building to be located on the north side of Loop 1604 between Judson and Green Mountain roads. –cw
Submitted to Construction News
Pays to be safe
A ribbon cutting was held during the party at San Antonio’s third location at 18730 Stone Oak Pkwy.
arco Soto, president and owner of San Marcos Iron Doors, named the company while he was still in Monterrey, Mexico. Upon expanding into Texas, he discovered there was actually a town near San Antonio with that name. Being a successful entrepreneur, Soto knew how to make use of a serendipitous coincidence. “When we came to the U.S. in 2001 and learned about that, we decided to open a location in San Marcos,” Soto says. The company currently has more than 200 stock doors in stock for clients and builders convenience, which makes them one of the biggest stockers of iron doors in the nation. In addition to running the company, Soto is a trained mechanical engineer with a specialty in materials analysis, and structural engineering. “A hands on guy, I’m an installer, a
welder and a fabricator. I know how to do every step from bottom to top,” he says. At a grand opening party on Sep. 15, San Marcos Iron Doors added another San Antonio location to its company, making it three locations in San Antonio and one in San Marcos. Providing all types of beautiful, quality work ranging from elegant, scrolled doors and balconies to more modern, streamlined gates. “We are a proud family business focused on quality craftsmanship and run by people who are not only experts in their field, but committed to providing you with the elegance, beauty and the service you deserve,” Soto explains. The company currently has more than 20 installation crews to serve the San Antonio area. –cw
Mid-Coast Electric Supply Inc. was the recipient of a National Safety Council Texas Employer Traffic Safety Award for demonstrating a commitment to the safety and wellbeing of their employees on and off the job in the area of traffic safety. Pictured, Master Trainer Mike Ezzell (left) presented Mid-Coast’s human resources manager Carla Bowman and director of operations Ron Foxe with a plaque. –cw
Guests enjoy a luxurious grand opening celebration.
Skanska lights
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kanska’s San Antonio office supported the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Light the Night fundraiser by hosting a special event at the Alamo Beer Company on Sept. 22. For a $20 donation, guests received two locally brewed craft beers while enjoying music and tossing washers. A silent auction also took place throughout the evening.
The Skanska event was a precursor to the LLS’s annual Light the Night fundraiser on Oct. 1. The Skanska team is working to raise $40,000 for Light the Night, making the construction company one of the event’s largest contributors. Last year, the Skanska team successfully raised $36,000 for Light the Night. –cw
San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
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San Antonio Construction News • Nov 2016
Hey now, you’re an All Star
Members of the All Star Electric team. L-R: Aaron McLeod (service technician), Eric Vasquez (service manager) and Clayton Stewart (service technician)
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fter years on the commercial side, All Star Electric is back to basics with an emphasis on residential work in San Antonio. In 2004, Rick Grohman Jr. became the owner with his father, Rick Grohman Sr., taking over as vice president. Grohman Sr. grew the business for nine years until Grohman Jr. took over and in 2013, moved to more residential work to accommodate what the economy demands. There are 16 employees. “It’s to have a more diverse base of customers,” he said. “Every once in a while, markets have a shift and certain markets dry up. That’s kind of what happened to us in 2013. We became a little too reliant on government work. “We’ve always been very high on customer service and delivering a good product. We had just gotten away from the residential side of it.” Grohman says making sure the customer is happy is paramount. “We stand behind our work,” he says.
“We have a general rule of thumb where if it’s not good enough for your house, it’s not good enough for us.” Despite making the move to more residential over the last few years, All Star still does commercial work, including just finishing up transforming a storage room at Audie L. Murphy Memorial Hospital into an operating room known as a Hybrid OR Suite. “That was one the neater jobs we have done,” Grohman says. “We also did the MRI renovation at Brook Army Medical Center a few years ago. That was a pretty cool little job, too, where they added three suites to the building.” Although he is now the man in charge, Grohman Jr. does miss getting his hands dirty. “I do a lot of the office admin side and I do all the estimating,” Grohman Jr. said. “My favorite part was going out there and being hands on, but once you grow to a certain size, you can’t do that as much anymore,”. –cs
Construction News JOB SIGHT
Almost done
McAlister’s Deli is almost finished in New Braunfels as concrete pouring and smoothing is finishing up. Leeco is the GC on the project. –cw
Construction News ON LOCATION
Ready to rent
Richard O’Connor and Timothy Dyer are ready to greet customers with a smile at Texas State Rentals in New Braunfels. –cw