Covering the Industry’s News
Texas Style
P.O. Box 791290 San Antonio, Texas 78279-1290
PRSRT. STD. U.S. POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT #1451
Change Service Requested
San Antonio H Austin Dallas/Fort Worth H Houston
Dallas/Fort Worth
CONSTRUCTION
™
The Industry’s Newspaper Fort Worth Water Gardens
www.constructionnews.net
H
(210) 308-5800
H
Volume 14
H
Number 5
H
MAY 2017
Savie businesswoman
Goal-oriented
Grapevine’s Chamber of Commerce help owner Patti Allen celebrate the opening of Cabinet Savie.
Clay Rudick founded his general contracting company, Rudick Construction Group Inc. in February.
L
ast year, Patti Allen was Christmas shopping in historic downtown Grapevine when she couldn’t resist buying a little something for herself. That “little something” happened to be a space that would become the home of her new cabinetry, countertop and hardware business, Cabinet Savie. Located at 411 S. Main Street, Cabinet Savie offers 20/20 design, sales, delivery and installation services. The location also boasts a sleek showroom featuring vignettes and product samples, including Silestone quartz, Sensation Granite and Dekton. It’s a gift that Allen, who formerly worked for J&K Cabinetry, has wanted to give herself for a long time.
“It was a very easy decision to make,” Allen says of starting her new venture. “My kids would tell you that I always had a dream of opening my own business. All of the experiences that I’ve had have brought me to today.” To help her in the business, Allen has recruited office manager Shere Dyar and designer Tabitha Bray, who has six years of design experience. Bray says Allen’s decision to branch out on her own in a Grapevine location makes perfect sense. “She loves the downtown Grapevine area; she’s been a resident here for more than 30 years,” Bray says. “She’s been involved in cabinets and construction for quite a while.” continued on Page 20
E
ver since he was a child helping his general contractor father on South Louisiana job sites, Clay Rudick has had a singular dream. “It’s been a lifelong goal that I wanted to own and operate his company at one point,” Rudick explains. “Since I was probably 4 years old, I would go to job sites with my dad, Gary Rudick, who has owned Rudick Company Inc. for 35 years. I worked with my dad and a lot of his superintendents. He would run the office during the week and, most weekends, he would work in the field with his guys to build the camaraderie. I would sweep, pick up nails, sort dumpster trash – anything you could imagine. I always worked after school and summers
for my father. He taught me the lessons of hard work, which has paid for itself.” The chance to buy his father’s business didn’t present itself; Rudick moved to Dallas at age 23 and suspended his pursuit of a Masters degree to nab a job before the economy tanked. Fortunately, the work was in construction, and his boss would turn out to be someone he admired as much as his father: Hill & Wilkinson co-founder and owner Greg Wilkinson. Starting out as a project engineer, Rudick fast-tracked to project manager, senior project manager and then group manager in nine years. Despite his success, Rudick still couldn’t shake the desire to buy his dad’s continued on Page 20
Floor finishes in 1st place
H
ot tires. Hazardous fluids. Heavy equipment. Dropped tools. A racetrack’s garage floor must be able to work as hard as the actual track, and after 20 years, the Texas Motor Speedway’s (TMS) original garage floors had taken a beating. Through NASCAR, TMS was introduced to the LATICRETE team, who was confident that they could help the racetrack with a new high-performance floor coating system. “There are two 22,000sf garages with bathroom areas, garage areas and technical service bays; TMS was looking at an improvement to the facility, and we had a product that fit very well to that particular surface,” says LATICRETE SUPERCAP president Doug Metchick. “We worked with the Speedway and their facilities people to segment those areas and come up with the flooring system that was going to fit the demanding
needs for these race teams who come in and over the course of the weekend really punish the floors.” The LATICRETE team installed a SPARTACOTE floor in both the north and south racecar garages, the first-of-itskind floor at any NASCAR track. The hightraction, non-slip surface features better chemical resistance and long-term durability over traditional epoxy floors. “The coating itself is relatively new,” Mike Weiser, LATICRETE Regional SPARTACOTE Product Champion, explains. “This coating chemistry was invented in the 90s, and in relation to all of the different coatings out there, ours is relatively new in the game. It’s an interesting coating because everybody is used to epoxies, which have drawbacks. Our polyaspartics are somewhere between epoxies as far as the build but with the performance of a urethane. You Texas Motor Speedway garage floors are race-ready, thanks to the LATICRETE team
continued on Page 20
Page 2
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Page 3
Family way
More than three decades
L-R: D&M Enterprise owner José Negrete and one of his five sons, Martin Negrete
N
o matter how busy José Negrete, owner of remodeling business D&M Enterprise, gets with remodeling projects around the Metroplex, he’ll never need to clone himself to tackle it all. He simply assigns the work to four of his five sons, who have all learned at their dad’s knee. One of José’s sons, Martin Negrete, recalls working as a child with his father when he was on job sites, where he was usually assigned a harmless task such as painting. Martin found that he liked it enough to join his dad full-time in the business when he turned 18. José’s other sons – José Jr., Ricardo and Serafin – enjoy helping Dad as well and mostly work on Dallas Independent School District projects. Time will tell if D&M Enterprise gains more recruits. José’s youngest son, age 15, is still in school and hopes to become an architect. José’s two daughters, however, have yet to be lured into
working with Dad. Interestingly, before José started in construction, not one member of his extended family had worked in the industry or could show him the ropes. José fell into the industry when he came to Texas from Seattle for a visit. Despite his lack of experience at the time, a construction company quickly hired him, and José became an official Texan and construction worker. He learned on the job, eventually building up enough experience to establish his own remodeling business. Thirty-five years later, José and his sons can be seen in North Texas commercial spaces laying down floors, putting up walls, and of course, Martin says, the harmless task of painting. “I like it,” Martin says with a shrug, laughing. General contractor D&M Enterprise in Mansfield specializes in commercial remodeling projects. –mjm
Construction News ON LOCATION
Color him happy
Geoffrey Gross of porcelain tile, porcelain mosaic and glass mosaic tile importer Concept Surfaces is excited about the launch of 16 new series, six of which are metal mosaics. The summer launch arrives at his Dallas showroom May 5. –mjm
Dallas Fort Worth
CONSTRUCTION NEWS
Melissa Jones-Meyer . . . . . Dallas/Fort Worth Editor DFWeditor@ConstructionNews.net 817-731-4823 Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buddy Doebbler Editorial/Production . . . . . . Reesa Doebbler Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carol Wiatrek Production Manager . . . . Helen Greenwood Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terri Adams 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 Dallas, Tarrant, Collin or Denton counties and are not receiving a free copy of the Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News, call for a Requester Form, or visit our website.
©2017 Construction News, Ltd.
The Dallas Fort Worth Construction News (ISSN 1547-7657) is published monthly by Construction News Ltd., dba Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News, and distributed by mail to construction related companies in the Dallas/ Fort Worth metropolitan area. All submissions should be mailed to our editorial offices. We reserve the right to edit any materials submitted. No fees for materials, copy or photographs submitted will be due unless agreed upon in advance in writing. Submissions will be published at our discretion on a space-available basis. Construction News, Ltd., dba Dallas Fort Worth Construction News, will not be liable for errors in copy or in advertisements beyond the actual cost of space occupied by the error. Publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement at any time.
L to R: Jim Stevenson, McCarthy Houston Division President; Ray Sedey, McCarthy Texas Regional President; Scott Wittkop, McCarthy Corporate President and COO
M
cCarthy Building Companies Inc. is not only busy building in Texas, the company is also celebrating 35 years in the state. “After 35 years of building in Texas, it is amazing to see all that we have accomplished. McCarthy has risen to the top of the market because we tackle the most challenging projects, such as Dallas’ world-renowned, award-winning AT&T Performing Arts Cente, Dee & Charles Wyly Theatre and Klyde Warren Park,” said Ray Sedey, McCarthy Texas region president. “Focused on bringing exceptional value to every project, McCarthy has continued to diversify its project base, adapting and growing within the industry to ensure we are building the highest quality projects for our clients.” McCarthy is currently building the new Southwest Airlines’ new training and office facility near Love Field, the Texas Children’s Hospital in Plano and DFW International Airport’s Terminal E Enhanced Parking Structure. “McCarthy’s willingness to tackle the most complex projects, industry-leading construction techniques and overall
commitment to doing what’s right are the foundational elements of what drives all of McCarthy’s divisions across the nation, including Texas.” An employee-owned company, McCarthy performs general contractor, construction management and design/ build services for the following project types: healthcare, laboratory, biotechnology, bridges and highways, parking structures, entertainment, educational, office buildings, water/wastewater, aviation, federal, port/marine, microelectronic, solar, industrial facilities, tenant interiors and mixed-use project construction “McCarthy’s 35-year legacy in Texas is defined by long-standing client relationships and a focus on the client experience, while recruiting and retaining top talent,” Sedey says. “We have made major strides in growing our business, focusing on both heavy civil and commercial projects, and we are prepared to take on the next 35 years and beyond. –bd
Page 4
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Mike Puentes President Masterpiece Grinding & Grooving
I
f Mike Puentes received his life in a box, he would leave the instruction booklet inside, take the parts out and figure out how assemble it on his own. Thinking outside of the box is a strategy that the president of Masterpiece Grinding & Grooving fully enjoys and one that has served him well – both personally and professionally. Tell me a little about your background. I was born in Clovis, CA, and I was definitely an outdoors kid. We lived close to the mountains; I did a lot of camping, hiking and fishing. I also was in sports growing up; I wrestled, played football and did a little bit of track. My mother was a stay-at-home mom, and my dad was a welder who worked for the Gallo winery in California. On the weekends, he would go to these ranchers and build them little machines to help harvest the grapes. He was pretty handy at welding, and that’s what got me into machines. Did watching your dad weld and work on the machines make you think that you might follow a similar career path? I thought I was actually going to work for the Department of Fish and Wildlife or Department of Forestry & Fire Protection because I liked the outdoors so much. In high school, I got a job the summer of my senior year with a good friend of my mine who was in the concrete cutting business at a mom-and-pop type company. I would go with him to help him out to core drill a hole or cut some concrete and after that, we would go camping or fishing! I ended up making a pretty decent living doing it and stuck with it. A few years later I jumped on board at a bigger company in the concrete cutting and breaking industry. What did you like about it? You jumped from job to job and didn’t stay in the same place; you went to a few locations every day. You were kind of your own boss. Each job was different; there was a lot of problem solving involved so you had to be resourceful, which made the work interesting. Was it at that time that you thought this was something you might stick with long-term? At this point, I didn’t. It was physically hard work. But when I went to the bigger company, they did larger scale work and demolished buildings, which was more exciting. I went from using the small handheld stuff to the heavy equipment and machinery. When the company in California started to go nationwide, they bought out a small company in Denver, opened an office and wanted a lead person there. I transferred from California to Colorado to help them with the transition. I wanted to travel and I love the mountains, so I got the best of both worlds. I stayed in Denver for two years, then the company opened an office in Grapevine, TX, and I transferred again.
So you went from working in concrete in sunny California, to cooler working conditions in Denver and finally to the oven of North Texas? And you stayed? I remember my first day out in the field here on top of a building. It was hot, and then a storm blew in. It rained and thundered like I’ve never seen before, it passed over in an hour and then the humidity hit. I said to myself, “If other people can live here, I can live anywhere in the United States!” I thought it was that bad. It sucked the life out of me. The heat in California was [different from Texas]; it was scorching. It seemed the air was thinner and it wasn’t so humid. The heat was hotter. Texas humidity took me a while to get used to but I’ve learned to live with it. How did your career path change once you came to Texas? I stayed with the company until 2005. I had kind of topped out salary-wise and I didn’t really want to get into management; I like being in the field. I was traveling all over the country for the company and I just got tired of the traveling. I learned about grinding and grooving in Dallas and it was pretty lucrative, so my goal was to start my own company. Was that a difficult decision to make? It was really simple. I had been doing it for 11 years. I got really good at it to the point where the company was having me train people and sending me on special jobs. I felt like I was being tied to a big corporation and their procedures. A good thing about my boss at the time was that he gave me the freedom to be resourceful and to figure things out. When he passed away, I ended up being under new management and they didn’t have the same thinking that I did. The pond was too small for me, and that’s when I made the choice to do it my way. What learning curve did you experience when you started your own business? Doing the taxes, payroll, administrative and legal work was new, but I figured it out. That was the biggest learning curve. Luckily, I went to an attorney and was advised; I was very cautious in the beginning and went overboard to make sure I was doing things right. After I got the hang of it, I started doing it on my own. How has your business grown over the years? When I started the business, it was just a friend and me. Most of these grinding companies have six to eight employees at the most, with about three machines to do the work. Once I started picking up some big work, some of the employees that I had hired at my previous company wanted to come work for me. I started off with one machine and I have three now. It’s still a small company though. I’m comfortable where I am now. If it were any bigger, it wouldn’t be fun anymore.
Your company is very specific, very specialized, and not many companies offer what yours does. Why do you think there are so few companies like yours? It’s a very demanding business. You have to work out in the cold and the heat. You work long hours and are sacrificing a lot. You have to travel, which is probably one of the biggest reasons for turnover. The equipment operator has to be a mechanic too so they can repair the equipment on the side. We wear several different hats. If a lot of my competition is not out of business and they’re still around, the people I started out with are not around; it’s just the company name. Everyone I started with is pretty much all gone. There’s a big turnover. Why do you think your company has succeeded when other companies haven’t? We definitely think outside of the box. I was always very competitive, so I would always work longer and harder hours, doing what my competition wouldn’t do to satisfy our customers. That’s what I did with the other company I was working for and it made us very successful, so I carried that over to here. I was very hard-driven and did what no one else wanted to do because I knew I had to compete with big companies. It’s a very specialized trade, so it was hard to get in at first but I knew that if I could do the things that other people didn’t want to do – and that’s what this industry demands – I would do it. I always say, “We specialize in specializing.” If there is not a machine that can do a job, I will build one that can. When I worked for the other company, their machines would have flaws, and I was pretty good at figuring out the problem and making my own design that would work better. Do you do anything in your free time? Do you ever have the chance to enjoy the outdoors? The first couple of years, I worked really hard, but once I got established and got my name out there, I moved out to Lake Tawakoni and would come home and go fishing. I would take some time off in between jobs. It was a really good balance because I would go work for two or three weeks really hard and then have a couple of weeks off before the next job started. I had it balanced pretty well for a while. But I eventually moved back to the city – that drive every day wore me out.
Masterpiece Grinding & Grooving president and out-of-the-box thinker Mike Puentes.
I also love martial arts. I’ve been doing that since I was 19. I earned a black sash and am certified. It’s a style called the Wing Chun, which is what Bruce Lee did when he first started. I do it on the weekends to relax. That’s where I get the out-of-the-box type of thinking philosophy. Many people seem to have an “instruction book,” they follow it like it’s the gospel truth and they can’t go outside of that. To me, the instruction is the idea and then once you get the concept down, you can run with it as far as you can, with no rules. That’s how I do my work; I go outside the rules and the norm, I guess. Do you think you’ll always run this business? I think I’ll always do it. I mean, this is all I pretty much have done since high school, so I’ve pretty much committed my career to this industry, so I have to stick with it! Plus, I know so much about it. What advice would you give to people coming into the industry? I guess a lot of people look down at getting their hands dirty and doing construction, like it’s a bad thing to do. It’s actually a free way of working and you can make some good money if you get into a field that you like. I didn’t know anything about the business – I always tell people that I have no business owning a business! – but it’s not as hard as you think. Lewisville-based subcontractor Masterpiece Grinding & Grooving offers profile grinding, slash bump grinding, bridge deck grooving and surface treatments, boat ramp and loading dock grooving and drag strip grinding. –mjm
Construction News ON LOCATION
Point of beginning
Has there ever been a time where you almost grew too much or too fast? In 2014, they started working on the toll ways in the Metroplex and we were getting all of the work. They were handing contract after contract to me, and it was hard to turn down, especially when they offer you more money – double the money – after you say no. I almost bit off more than I could chew and it nearly wiped me out, but I was able to come out of it. You have to learn to say no. I told myself that that is my golden rule, to not get greedy and try to do too much. I’ve seen my competition go down that way. Pretty much everyone in our industry can go down that way – they overcommit, the machines wear out and the people get worn out. L-R: How long have Rod Rychlik and Wayne Sylvester of Surveying Associates in Dallas been in the field? Rychlik has been in the business since he was a teen, and Sylvester got his start five years ago after a career in carpentry. –mjm
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Page 5
Construction News ON LOCATION
Submitted to Construction News
Beamwork
Looking board to it!
Balfour Beatty and KDC topped off Liberty Mutual Insurance’s 1.1 million sf Plano campus on April 11. The 19 story campus offers a medical center, cafeteria, coffee bar, two conference centers and rooftop gardens and more than 4,000 covered parking spaces. Those involved in the project signed a ceremonial beam to mark the occasion. –mjm
The National Utility Contractors Association’s (NUCA) North Texas chapter’s 2017-18 board was elected and confirmed at its annual meeting Mar. 22 at Fort Worth’s Wild Acre Brewing. (L-R) U.S. Shoring’s Chad Pendley (associate board member), North Texas Contracting’s Alex Kocher (immediate past president), Fireline Services’ Bree Wink (board member), Frost’s Jill McKean (associate board member), National Trench Safety’s Fred Burlbaw (VP Associate), PCL Contract Bonding Agency’s Eric Lesch (secretary/treasurer), board members Trinity Utilities’ Greg Miller and Conatser’s Jimmy Day, John Burns Construction Company of Texas’ Driskoll Tubbs (president) and board members Reyes Group’s Craig Benckendorf and Dakota Utility Contractors’ Aaron Graff. – mjm
Submitted to Construction News
Awards exchange
Digging a Switch
A
nother awards program on the books! The Construction Financial Management Association’s (CFMA) D/FW chapter held its annual Construction Financial Professional of the Year Awards Apr. 6. Hosted at Irving’s Hackberry Creek Country Club, the event honored members for their excellent contributions to the construction industry. –mjm Not pictured: Associate of the Year Award, Darrin Weber, Risk Pro Partners
L-R: Carrollton’s Mayor Pro Tem Doug Hrbacek, Realty Capital Management’s Richard Myers, Stoneleigh Companies’ Ryan Swingruber and Waterford Residential’s Josh Matthews broke ground Apr. 5 on the four-story, 234-unit Switchyard Apartments. Stoneleigh Companies serves as general contractor. –mjm
Bob Moulder Award Stan Bratton, Marsh USA
The CFMA’s D/FW chapter honored their own at the CFPOTY Awards.
Construction Financial Professional Merit Award Britni Hammond
Construction Financial Professional of the Year Award Wayne Rowe, Beck
They’re on a bowl!
L-R: Team Mooring keeps calm, bowls on and has the shirts to prove it! Stream Realty’s Lauren Stegman and Derek Harmon, Mooring Restoration & Construction’s Amanda Barhorst, CBRE’s Nancy Edwards and Mooring Restoration & Construction’s Kelly Naumann put their hearts and bowls into a recent bowling tournament. –mjm
Page 6
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Around the State What do you want? A medal! Love and marriage and Holes
L-R: Felipe and Christina Hinojosa, Headwaters Construction Products; Barbara and Gabriel Durand-Hollis, DHR Architects
F
iesta is the time for parties and medals, so the American Institute of Architects (AIA) San Antonio Chapter, in conjunction with Latinos in Architecture, got the best of both worlds, celebrating Fiesta with a launch party for their inaugural Fiesta medal. With Fiesta festivities at La Fonda on Main Apr. 13, the proceeds from the medal sales benefit the AIA San Antonio Scholarship Fund. –mh Photos by Al Caballero
AIA San Antonio debuted its first-ever Fiesta medal at its La Fonda Fiesta party.
Fred and Karen Maberry have been working at Holes of San Antonio since the early years of the company – nearly four decades.
W L-R: Carolyn Peterson, FAIA; Felipe and Christina Hinojosa Hinojosa, Headwaters; Humberto Saldana, AIA, Saldana & Associates; Sue Ann Pemberton, FAIA, UTSA CACP professor; Allison Chambers, Ford Powell & Carson
Partygoers mixed and mingled on the patio.
Opening the floodgates
hile Fred and Karen Maberry will be celebrating 43 years of marriage this year, they have been working together at Holes of San Antonio for 36 of those years. As they sit at desks facing one another in their office, they explain that their history is a long one. “I’ve known Fred all my life,” says Karen, who turns 63 next month. “My dad was the best man at his mom and dad’s wedding.” Their fathers met as cadets learning how to fly in the Army Air Corps during World War II. Fred was born in San Marcos, and Karen was born in Albuquerque, and though they traveled with their fathers in the military, the two have made their lives in San Antonio, where Karen’s father served on one of his last tours, with their own family. Fred and Karen have two children, Crystal, who is 42, and Aaron, who is 37. In their spare time, Fred enjoys fishing, hunting, golfing, and riding his motor-
cycle, while Karen spends a lot of time with their three grandchildren. Meanwhile, they’ve made their careers at Holes of San Antonio. Having started in construction at 24, Fred was working for the Laborers Local 93, setting precast at what is now the Omni La Mansion del Rio, when he met George Major Sr., founder of the company. Fred took a hose – which he didn’t know Major was using – to clean concrete out of the grout pump he was running, and that was how they met. In 1978, just one year after the doors opened, George started as a laborer for Holes of San Antonio and became a machine operator. In 1981, Karen came onboard to help with the bookkeeping. She taught dance to preschool children before joining Holes. “She’s my best friend,” says Fred. “She’s the best wife in the world, best mother in the world, and best grand-mother in the world. I couldn’t have done better.” –mh
Submitted to Construction News
Teach them young
L-R: Brandon Knapp, Warehouse Associate; Jon Millican, Inside Sales Representative; Don Wilhelm, Warehouse Associate; Quinn Kupish, Branch Manager; Wayne Sandel, Warehouse Associate; Dillon Spahn, Warehouse Associate; and Jeff Fields, Estimator.
F
ortiline Waterworks has recently increased its Texas presence with a new location in Austin. The Austin office joins two in San Antonio, one in Friendswood and three in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Headquartered in Concord, N.C., Fortiline is a wholesale distributor of underground water, sewer and storm utility products with 49 branches nationwide. Quinn Kupish is the branch manager for the new location after years of working with the company, most recently at the San Antonio location. “The nice thing about this industry is that you’re always going to need water and you’re always going to need sewer,” Kupish said. “Even during a recession, it slows down but there’s always a need for that stuff. There’s not a whole lot of poor weather in Texas. In this industry, a lot of states in the north can shut down due to
inclement weather in the winter. In Texas, you see growth and development going year round.” Kupish, a Kansas State graduate, sees Texas as a prime area to grow the business. “I think it opens a new market for us,” Kupish said. “We already have a strong presence in Texas. I think that is really helping us grow, as a company, in Texas. It should be good for us. “There is definitely substantial growth in these cities. Austin, in particular, is a place where a lot of tech companies and companies across all industries want to move to. Because of that, there’s going to be a need for housing development, commercial development and working on the existing pipeline.” Chris Antos is the regional manager and is based in Kansas City, KS. He oversees that area, as well as Oklahoma, Texas and Arizona.
George and Henry Veneralla, sons of Hudson Building Systems’ Avrien Veneralla, get an up-close and personal look at a rattlesnake killed by Avrien while on his turkey hunt on April 1 in Sonora, TX.–cs
Currently, the new Austin office is in a temporary location but plans to move to its permanent location on E. Braker Lane on May 1. “We’re building a strong base in Texas and will continue to look for opportunities to provide wider coverage across the state,” said Mike Swedick, Fortiline president and CEO. “Our sales staff in Texas is among the best in the industry in delivering our customers quality products, the best value and superior service.” According to Antos, the company mainly distributes to contractors and
municipalities and understands the importance of relationships. “We know it’s a relationship business,” he says. “We provide the best service in the industry.” With 12 employees at the new location, Antos says the company nurtures its current employees, as well as recruiting new talent. “We do hire new trainees and train them to learn our business,” he says. “We also promote from within and we hire people in the industry looking for a better opportunity.”
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Page 7
Submitted to Construction News
Playin’ in the rain
Shoot, yeah!
Grand Champions GUIDE Architecture
W
et grass made it hard to keep the drivers dry April 10 at Euless’ Texas Star Golf Course & Conference Center. But that didn’t dampen the spirits of the architects, engineers, contractors and industry members who played the sold-out 21st Annual American Institute of Architects (AIA) Dallas/ Acme Brick Golf Tournament. Hole-in-one prizes, door prizes, a 50/50 cash raffle, a luncheon and an awards dinner were also part of the event, with recognition given to the tournament’s top teams, closest to pins, longest dive and the highly coveted “Dead Ass Last.” –mjm
1st Place Team: Skinner Masonry & Concrete LLC
Winners
Closest to the pin on #6: Philip Chambers
Grand Champions and Firm Trophy: GUIDE Architecture
2nd Place Team: Hoefer Wysocki Architecture 3rd Place Team: Maglin Site Furniture Longest Drive: Brian Olliges, Henderson Engineers Hole in One: Mike Menefee AIA, HKS Architects Closest to the pin on #3: Ryan Dale, JLL
Dead Ass Last: Diversified
Aspiring to new heights
T
The 2017 ASA SUBExcel convention culminated in a banquet held inside a venue at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
he American Subcontractors Association (ASA) hosted its annual conference, SUBExcel, in Denver, CO on St. Patrick’s Day weekend, Mar. 15-18, with a theme of helping contractors reach their peak performance. The four-day conference included several education sessions, such as “Increasing Your Professional and Leadership Power to New Levels of Excellence,” “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Construction Clients,” and “Working Together: Effective Ways to Build Successful Teams.” Events included a welcome recep-
The club was popping Apr. 14, when the International Concrete Repair Institute’s (ICRI) North Texas chapter hosted its 3rd Annual Sporting Clay Classic. Held at the Dallas Gun Club, members shot for the skies to win cash prizes and support the chapter’s scholarship program. All-Tex Supply scored first place, with Master Construction & Engineering taking second and BASF (Jorski team) nabbing third. –mjm
tion, expo, silent auction, ASA-PAC fundraiser, and an awards ceremony banquet in the Rock Room at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Three ASA North Texas member companies – EyeSite Surveillance Inc., Haley-Greer Inc. and Kent Companies – received the Excellence in Ethics Award. “ASA’s SUBExcel 2017 was a great success, bringing many of the nation’s best construction professionals together for four days of training, networking and fun,” ASA North Texas’ executive director Beverly Reynal says. “If you haven’t had the opportunity to attend SUBExcel, make it a priority for next year!” –mh
Haley-Greer’s Jason Wroblewski, his wife Amii and company president Tish Barker break bread with ASA of the Carolinas’ Brian Johnson and ASA of Alabama’s Kerrick Whisenant.
In memoriam
P
atrick Douglas O’Brien passed away Mar. 27. Born Jan. 27, 1935 in Gainesville, O’Brien graduated from Texas A&M University with a Civil Engineering degree in 1957. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army and afterward began an engineering and construction career, co-founding Rogers–O’Brien Construction Company with Steve Rogers in 1969. He was past president of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of North Texas and founding member of the Construction Education Foundation (CEF) and Jerry Junkins Scholarship Program. He is survived by wife of 54 years, Ginger, son Preston McAfee (Barbara), grandchildren Justin (Allison), Kyle, and Katie (Cullen Amend), five great-grandchildren, brother Mike O’Brien (Sharron) and nephew Pat O’Brien.
Memorial donations may be made to Prison Entrepreneur Program, c/o PEP, Attn: Donation P.O. Box 926274 Houston, TX 77292-6274, and/ or Baylor Health Care System Foundation in support of Pulmonary Initiatives, 3600 Gaston Avenue, Suite 100 Dallas, TX 75246. –cw
Page 8
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Defining true job costs for construction bids
Why are your commercial auto rates increasing?
Scott Allen, CPA, Tax and Consulting Partner Cornwell Jackson Plano, TX
Jeremy Sandusky, Partner MMA-Southwest Dallas, TX
A
F
t the heart of a profitable construction company is an accurate bidding process. An accurate bid involves much more than expected materials or your subcontractor and labor costs. Other variables to consider are the weather, the subs (or GC), customer expectations and how you expect your competitors will bid. The more you factor in these variables across all bids, the closer you can get to a competitive that matches true costs.
rom ready-mix suppliers and aggregate haulers to contractors with large automobile or truck fleets, businesses nationwide are seeing profit margins narrow because of escalating commercial auto insurance rates. The bad news is that the trend has no signs of slowing, given the myriad factors that are driving up costs. The good news is that companies can take proactive measures to reduce losses and mitigate risk.
Construction companies can get very efficient at estimating the expected costs per job; however, they don’t always factor in “hidden” job-related costs in developing the bid: • Labor-related benefits • Fleet vehicles (owned or rented) and maintenance • Fuel • Small tools and other job consum- ables • General liability insurance • Safety program If these costs are not considered, the company is at risk for missing the expected job profit, particular- ly in longer-lived jobs.
The two primary factors driving auto losses are rising medical costs resulting from accidents, and an increased number of miles driven. Loss of Focus Distracted driving is having a severe impact on commercial auto lines. The number of gadgets beckoning for drivers’ attention means people are focusing less on the road, and more on the technology that surrounds them. In fact, during daylight hours, more than 660,000 drivers across the country are using a mobile phone or fiddling with an electronic device while driving, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. As a result, eight people are killed and nearly 1,200 injured every day in the U.S. in crashes related to distracted driving, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. Not surprisingly, the number of distracted driving claims has skyrocketed, as well. Higher Repair Costs When an accident does occur, the cost of repairs puts additional pressure on insurance carriers, who pass on the expense to businesses in the form of higher premiums. Newer model cars, vans and trucks have more expensive parts, like rear-mounted cameras and side sensors. So, a small fender bender can end up costing thousands to repair. Add to that the impact of hail losses in Texas and other parts of the Southwest on these newer, more expensive vehicles, and the cost of claims becomes a significant problem for insurance carriers. In fact, the industry commercial auto combined ratio for Texas was 112.6 percent in 2015, more than five percentage points worse than the countrywide rate of 107.4 percent. Strategies to Reduce Losses Businesses that have drivers on the road can take proactive measures to help reduce the number and cost of claims and put downward pressure on rising commercial auto rates. The first line of defense is a good offense, which means hiring qualified drivers with a clean track record, and implementing a fleet safety program. Documenting the training requirements, maintenance schedules, mobile device use policy for drivers, and
Reducing job costs and increasing margins Identify the areas that have historically experienced cost overruns and develop incentive plans for the project management or field supervisory team to minimize costs. If bonuses are tied to the following key performance indicators, it can help to improve per job realization: • Cost-effective materials sourcing Efficient and timely use of labor • Waste reduction • Safety management • Early troubleshooting on budget or timeline concerns • Timely work in process updates • Quality standards (minor punch lists) If you have never instituted a specific accountability program for these KPIs, develop standards for two or three and incorporate them into the next round of new work. If there is already some level of accountability in place, audit the results and look for additional areas for improvement. When designing the incentive plan, it is important to keep parameters in place so that cost savings achieved do not come at higher costs in another category. For example, a labor savings incentive program may inadvertently incentivize the foreman to bypass safety protocols. An accident on the job will potentially result in long-term increased costs in worker’s compensation insurance (not to mention legal claims) that far outweigh the labor savings. Design the program so that any bonuses are not
paid until the warranty period has run in order to assure cost savings do not come at the cost of quality. Realization meetings can identify jobs that provided a healthy margin as well as jobs that lost money. By reviewing past performance, you can get a better sense of where bidding and costs were not aligned, the drivers for cost overruns and even whether a project type is still worth pursuing. For these meetings to be effective, you have to have accurate cost reporting. When looking at past jobs in which a company made or lost money, it’s a good exercise to understand exactly what drove the costs. Even though every company at some point has experienced a freak of nature, an accident or a materials shortage, there are usually more cost drivers that the company and its management can actually control. One of the other areas that a company can review — and this ties to a longer-term shift in the business strategy — is the type of job bid. Conditions change, and the jobs that used to be lucrative for a company can slowly whittle away margins due to higher competition, compliance issues or threadbare budgets. At the company I served, it was determined that K-12 school construction projects had experienced tightened margins, shortened project timelines and increased competition. Shifting the segment focus to junior college improvement projects, a market segment with less competition, helped the company to improve profit margins. Cornwell Jackson’s tax team can provide guidance on reigning in costs by reviewing your profit and loss statements, work in process and general accounting ledgers. Contact our team with your questions. Look for “Balancing Overhead, Budgeting and Risk to Increase Project Profits” in June’s Construction News. Scott Allen, CPA, joined Cornwell Jackson as a tax partner in 2016, bringing his expertise in the construction and oil and gas industries and 25 years of experience in the accounting field. As the partner in charge of the tax practice at Cornwell Jackson, Scott provides proactive tax planning and tax compliance to all Cornwell Jackson tax clients. Contact him at Scott.Allen@ cornwelljackson.com or 972-202-8032.
other safety program components provides a clear and objective reference resource and sets expectations for everyone involved. Likewise, companies need to hold drivers accountable for safety. When one MMA-Southwest client found he was continually dealing with auto losses, he started charging employees part of the deductible. After the drivers had to put up their own money to cover the cost of claims and repairs, his losses went way down. The business owner also implemented a zero-tolerance policy for drivers who had been with his company for less than three years. If a driver had an accident during this probationary period, they lost their job. In short, safety is a culture, and it starts at the top. That means continually communicating to drivers that safety is one of the most important things in your company, so they begin to take it seriously. Monitoring drivers with telematics can also help foster accountability. Tools like the Lytx Drivecam® video telematics safety program can help modifying driver behavior. For example, if the footage shows the driver’s tendency to continually slam on the breaks, he may not be paying attention while on the road—an issue that can be brought to the driver’s attention during a safety review. Similarly, telematics can help identify other risky practices, like speeding, cutting off other vehicles, and running stop signs, giving employers the opportunity to hold drivers to higher standards of safety. Drivecam footage of accidents can come in handy when filing a claim—including admitting responsibility and closing a claim quickly for accidents in which the company’s driver clearly was at fault. Most major commercial auto insurance carriers offer helpful materials to guide loss control efforts, including model fleet safety plans, driver selection tools, and vehicle accident kits. By taking proactive steps to improve driver selection and training and promote a culture of safety, businesses can minimize losses from auto claims, while doing their part to keep premiums down and make our nation’s roads safer.
Construction News JOB SIGHT
Patron paint
L-R: Painters Oscar Reyes Hernandez, Raul Acosta and Darwin Reyes help out independent painting subcontractor Jose Galvez from Plano transform a Just Brakes in Fort Worth. –mjm
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Page 9
Making the most of early mediation
OSHA Delays Enforcement of New Rules
R. Carson Fisk Andrews Myers P.C. Austin, Texas
Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX
M
any dispute resolution clauses in construction contracts contain a requirement that the parties mediate prior to pursuing litigation or arbitration. Mediation, at its heart, is simply a facilitated negotiation, with the mediator helping all parties find consensus to resolve a dispute on their voluntarily agreed upon terms. A successful early mediation—before legal or arbitration proceedings have started—helps the parties save the time, money, and energy. Hence, early mediation is often contractually required. But success is never a foregone conclusion, and the parties should understand that successful early mediations often share a number of characteristics. Exchange information. Early mediations generally occur before there has been a formal exchange of information, such as through discovery in a lawsuit. That limits the knowledge the parties bring to mediation with respect to the others side’s position. A lack of information as mediation commences means more time is spent in mediation simply learning about the facts rather than focusing on resolution. Exchanging information beforehand can bypass this issue. Carefully select the mediator. Due diligence should be exercised when choosing a mediator to ensure that he or she is knowledgeable and qualified. There are a number of excellent mediators in the Texas market and beyond, but not all may be suitable for a construction-related dispute. Generally, websites are a useful source of information about potential mediators and objective criteria, such as board certification in construction law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, provide further insight as to a potential mediator’s qualifications. Similarly, mediators may have different styles (e.g., facilitative or evaluative) and practices (e.g., full-time mediator or actively practicing lawyer), each of which may be more appealing in certain settings. Provide information to the mediator Many mediators will request a mediation position memorandum from each of the parties prior to the mediation. The parties should take advantage of this opportunity to give the mediator some background and identify the settlement priorities for the respective party. At the very least, the mediator should be contacted in some manner so that such information can be conveyed. An informed mediator is able to more quickly focus on resolution rather than learning about the issues and background information. Be organized and prepared. Understanding the elements of claims and defenses is key to a successful
mediation, as is the ability of one party to show the other party that it can provide support for such claims and defense. Given the lack of or limited information provided in connection with an early mediation, organization and preparedness are of paramount importance. If a claim is comprised of several items, each item should be addressed and having a comprehensive damages model, supported by documentation, often proves useful. If the other party asks for certain information as the mediation progresses, one should readily be able to locate it. Being prepared also encompasses having an understanding of the party’s settlement goals heading into the mediation, and taking the time to prepare a draft settlement agreement in advance may prove to be immensely valuable. Be open-minded One of the major benefits of mediation is control of the outcome. When mediation occurs before the parties have had the benefit of full discovery, it may be more difficult to assess the likelihood of a positive or negative outcome. When decisions must be made with only partial information, considerations have to be made on factors other than simply the likelihood of prevailing or losing. Matters such as time saved, costs avoided, and relationships preserved should all be considered, and may be more easily considered in early mediation as the parties may not have become fully entrenched in their positions. Mediation is a valuable tool for parties in a dispute who wish to avoid the time-consuming, costly, and distracting aspects of formal proceedings. In general, the earlier mediation occurs the greater the benefit that can be achieved. However, to increase the chances of success, parties to an early mediation should give particular attention to the various tips discussed above. Success is never guaranteed, but these tips will undoubtedly aid the parties and make success more likely.
T
he U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has announced a delay in enforcement of the crystalline silica standard that applies to the construction industry to conduct additional outreach and provide educational materials and guidance for employers. Silica is present in products that contain sand, a commonly used construction product. Inhalation of silica can cause a reduction in pulmonary function and lung cancer. The agency has determined that additional guidance is necessary due to the unique nature of the requirements in the construction standard. Originally scheduled to begin June 23, 2017, enforcement will now begin Sept. 23, 2017. OSHA expects employers in the construction industry to continue to take steps either to come into compliance with the new permissible exposure limit, or to implement specific dust controls for certain operations as provided in Table 1 of the standard. Construction employers should also continue to prepare to implement the standard’s other requirements, including exposure assessment, medical surveillance and employee training. The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a delay in the effective date of the rule titled “Occupational Exposure to Beryllium,” from March 21, 2017, to May 20, 2017. Beryllium is used in nuclear reactors, satellites and specialty machine parts, such as non-sparking tools. The delay will allow the Occupational Safety and Health Administration an opportunity for further review and consideration of the rule, in keeping with a Jan. 20, 2017, White House memorandum, titled “Regulatory Freeze Pending Review.” OSHA published the final rule on Jan. 9, 2017, and previously announced the ef-
fective date would be postponed to March 21, 2017. On March 1, 2017, OSHA sought comments on a further extension to May 20, 2017. OSHA has now determined that the further delay is appropriate for the purpose of additional review into questions of law and policy. The extension of the effective date will not affect the compliance dates of the beryllium rule. The last delay concerns OSHA’s online recordkeeping reporting feature for employers to submit injury/illness data on an annual basis. When implemented, OSHA will provide a secure website that offers three options for data submission. OSHA is not accepting electronic submissions at this time. Updates will be posted to the OSHA website at www.osha.gov/ recordkeeping when they are available. To keep abreast of OSHA changes, workers and employers can sign up for Quick Takes. Quick Takes is an email update that is sent twice a month. To sign up to receive Quick Takes, visit this link: https://www.osha.gov/as/opa/quicktakes/index.html natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232
Construction News JOB SIGHT
Place of worship
General contracting company Snowden Services is renovating a River Oaks space to become the new Victory Temple Ministries. The 20,000sf facility is slated for completion in July. –mjm
Page 10
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Industry FOLKS Tinkie Davidson Sales representative, Soci Tile and Sinks Allen, TX
W
hen Edwina Davidson was a little girl, her rambunctiousness earned her a reputation with her two siblings – and a nickname that stuck with her for life. “My sister used to call me a ‘Tinker Monster’; I was a little bit of a terror,” she admits with a laugh. “As I got older, they dropped the ‘Monster’ and started calling me ‘Tinkie.’ Since my name is ‘Edwina,’ one is just as bad as the other, so I kept the ‘Tinkie.’ The ‘Monster’ part stayed in my personality, but I did drop it in my name because it is kind of hard to get a job when your name is ‘Tinkie Monster.’” With her name issue resolved, Davidson went on to work at Texas Instruments for more than 20 years until it was sold and relocated. She moved on to real estate, where she met the mother of Soci Tile and Sink’s future owner. She was recruited to join the company part-time 12 years ago, eventually becoming full-time sales representative for the Dallas/Fort Worth market. She feels the job is a perfect fit for her outgoing personality. “I’m a people person, so I really like talking with people,” she says. “If a customer has a problem that needs to be fixed that second, I try to fix everything fast, and the customers are very appreciative of that.” Another part of the job that she enjoys is the exposure to the latest trends in her industry, and it’s hard not to succumb to its temptations.
“We just remodeled our kitchen; I have a new granite top, new tile, new sink and a new faucet!” she says. “We always have a project going on at home, my husband’s very much a handyman; we’re building a deck on the back of our house right now.” When she’s not working or renovating, she enjoys her five grandchildren, as well as camping and fishing with husband John (who works for Soci’s sister company). Staying busy is natural for Davidson; adulthood didn’t dampen the high energy she had as a child. “The owner’s mother is semiretired and she asked me what I was going to do when I retired. I said I would probably find a part-time job,” she says. “I’m not one to sit at home all day!” Soci Tile and Sink is a designer and wholesaler of custom tile and plumbing products in the United States, offering an extensive line of high-end stone, ceramic and glass mosaics, wood-look porcelain collections, decorative pieces accessories and its own branded sinks. – mjm
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Page 11
is best. Another key issue is handling these fish at the weigh-in. Experienced personal were brought in to manage the process making every effort not to stress the fish before their release. Fish are measured and weighed and then placed into a holding tank to be observed before they’re release. If the fish weighed were alive and healthy the team would receive a one-pound bonus for their efforts. Deductions were also implemented for those fish brought in dead.
mented, tournaments are taking a different approach. Weigh-ins consisting of limits of trout, reds, and flounder are part of the past and being replaced with three to four trout, a redfish or two and maybe a flounder. There are a few tournaments going even farther than that incorporating a live fish weigh-in to their venue. All the professional redfish tourneys are live weigh-in and several trout tournaments also have gone to this format.
Mr. & Mrs. Big Trout Tournament by Capt. Steve Schultz Sponsored by: Waypoint Marine, Majek Boats, Evinrude Outboards, Fishing Tackle Unlimited, E-Z Bel Construction, Costa Sunglasses, Diawa Reels, Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor, Aggregate Haulers, ForEverlast Fishing Products, Interstate Batteries, MirrOlure, and AFTCO Clothing.
F
ishing tournaments are becoming more popular than ever. Whether it’s freshwater or saltwater it seems like there is a tournament to fit every angler’s level of competitiveness. Redfish, Trout, Bass, offshore or inshore there is a tournament for you. With all the conservation concerns and limits on trophy fish being imple-
Doug Niznik and the folks at Niznik Concrete Company run one tournament that has become very popular in the construction community. Most of you are familiar with the Charity Fun Shoot benefiting the Downtown Youth Center that has been going on for over 20 years. Like the charity shoot, Doug started Mr. Big Trout tournament for a few close friends and business associates to cut loose and have fun at the coast. This year they will celebrated their 21st annual tournament. The tournament which started at the Bird Island Hilton with eight or 10 boats has grown to 60 boats and 200 anglers. For the last 10 years or more they have implemented a live weigh-in procedure and a guided division for corporate groups wanting to entertain clients. The tournament format has always been conservation minded using artificial lures only and never weighing in more than a handful of fish per boat. Recently the tournament went even further only allowing one trout, one redfish and one
Gone fishing, but not far
T
oo busy to travel for some good catfishing? Hours you could spend on the road trying to find an ideal fishing hole can now be spent on actual fishing. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TWPD) “Neighborhood Fishin’” program ensures that anglers who live in the city can actually fish in them too. On April 21, TWPD began stocking thousands of catchable-sized channel catfish in 18 “Neighborhood Fishin’” lakes across Texas. These lakes are located in safe, clean parks in Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Abilene, Amarillo, Bryan-College Station, San Angelo, Tyler, Waco and Wichita Falls. With the Texas population growing at
a rapid rate, TPWD has recognized the need to get newcomers – and of course, the veteran Texan anglers – involved in outdoor activities close to where they live. Eighty-five percent of residents live near one of these small lakes and ponds. Each lake will receive continuous stockings of channel catfish every two weeks through early November – with a brief pause during hot August – to ensure anglers have plenty of quality outdoor time. All anglers can keep five fish per day without a minimum length limit (some locations even offer cleaning tables to make it easy to clean the catch!). Children under 17 fish for free, but adults will need to have their fishing licenses handy. –mjm
Submitted to Construction News
How now, brown cows?
Hudson, grandson of Texas AirSystems’ Rusty Vaughn, enjoys going outside to see what his moo moos are up to. - mjm
Bobby Finley displays his 27” redfish while Randy Wyatt looks on. Both were fishing with Steve Schultz Outdoors.
flounder to be weighed-in per boat. The tournament has gotten so big, they have had to base it from the lower deck at Doc’s restaurant. Location is very important when a live fish weigh-in is part of your venue, says Doug. You must have a place to release fish back into the bay system where they can recover and regain their senses quickly. The ICW or any deep water area that has plenty of tidal movement usually
This tournament has gone even further than most other in the area, offering Scholarships to two students attending Texas A&M in Corpus Christi. One female and one male student majoring in Marine Biology at Texas A&M will receive a $6000 Scholarship to further their education. This year’s tournament will be held on May 5th and 6th at Doc’s Restaurant on Padre Island. For more information visit the website at mrbigtrout.com This tournament is becoming the way of the future and I foresee many other groups going to this format. I still have several open dates for the 2017 season. Don’t wait until all the good dates are gone! To schedule your next bay fishing trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-813-3716 or 361-334-3105 or email him at SteveSchultzOutdoors@ gmail.com. Good luck and Good Fishing.
Page 12
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
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
Summer’s just about here!
F
rom what we are seeing here on Lake Buchanan, it looks like we are in for a great summer!
good things will follow! If you have wanted to get back to fishing, this might be the time. I know a lot of people quit fishing when they couldn’t find water at their favorite destinations. Well now is the time to get back on the water, because you don’t want to miss the kind of fishing we have coming up this year. If you are new to fishing, come on! This is the best time to learn about fishing, when the fish are biting well and are big enough to brag about!
Hope to see you on the water!
After the extended drought brought low lake levels, we had several years for trees and undergrowth to take over the empty lake bed. It went from looking like a barren desert to an open plain choked with dense vegetation taking advantage of the rich silt and moisture. Now as the experts predicted, the drought – flood cycle is pretty much complete. The water has been back for over a year now and the smaller vegetation has had enough time to decay, leaving the willow trees still somewhat surviving and covering the decaying skeletons of groves of chinaberry, cottonwood and mesquite trees. The water chemistry has returned to that of a normal healthy lake. The food chain has been recharged by all the nutrients added to the water. The schools of shad are plentiful and spawning every chance they get, so that means that the fish have all they can eat! The bottom line is that well fed fish grow and reproduce like mad, and that is what we are beginning to see hanging on our fish hanging board at the dock! We are just getting the season started, and already seeing bigger fish coming in than in recent years. The theory is that we may have lost quite a few hybrid stripers to the floods of last summer. That may have balanced our striper and hybrid populations a little better in the striper’s favor. They don’t seem to have as much competition for the food supply
Texas Air Products brought a group form 5F Mechanical out fishing and pulled our first big fish for the year.
Ken Milam Guide Service (325) 379-2051 www.striperfever.com
now and we are seeing the results on the scales. Folks below Lake Buchanan will get to enjoy those hybrids too. Thanks to all the structure in the water we saw the best crappie fishing year we have had in a long time too. They were running larger and more plentiful that anyone has seen in years. Our largemouth stringers are heavier and the blue catfish are always a nice reward for the trotline and jug line fishermen as they too continue to get larger each year since they were introduced. I know I refer to Lake Buchanan a lot, but the truth is that there were so many other fisheries across the state that have gone through the same terrible drought and have come back too. For the lakes that are still awaiting the right rainfall, don’t give up! When that rain does come,
Submitted to Construction News
Bright, sun line-y day
The sun and 144 golfers showed up for Adolfson & Peterson’s second annual Charity Golf Classic on Mar. 30. The sold out event, held at The Tribute in The Colony, benefitted The YMCA, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Troops First Foundation and 22Kill. –mjm
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Page 13
Campaigning for a cause
Submitted to Construction News
Wanna iguana?
The Schultz family came out to support their Man of the Year. L-R: Elizabeth, Michael, Frances and Mike Schultz
A
fter being nominated for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Man of the Year, Michael Schultz, whom you may know from Capital Pumping and being listed as a Top 25 realtor in the San Antonio Business Journal, is on the campaign trail to raise money for this great cause. Introduced to the LLS two years ago, Schultz has spent time with many people who have been personally affected by these and other blood cancers, and his campaign will be raising money through several events through Jun. 6 to fight leukemia and lymphoma and find cures for them. The first event, the Clays for a Cure Shoot, was held Apr. 13 at the San Antonio Gun Club. The event drew 108 shooters and included a dinner; a live auction that included a fishing trip, Spurs games, rounds of golf; three gun raffles; and an
awards presentation. “It was an awesome turn out,” says Schultz. “I just want to thank everyone who sponsored me today, everyone who came out and showed support and love for this great cause, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. This is an awesome thing, and I couldn’t do it without everybody who came here today.” Schultz says that the next events he is organizing for his fundraising campaign include a fashion show and a big grand finale event. If he raises more than $150,000, he will go to the LLS National Gala in New York and receive a dedicated research grant in his name. –mh
The shoot’s live auction was just one part of Michael Schultz’s fundraising campaign for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Share YOUR photos and stories . . . fishing, hunting, skiing, biking, racing, or any outdoor activity and sport. Don’t forget GREAT Vacations you’d like to send us! Send to: Melissa Jones-Meyer Dallas/Fort Worth Editor DFWeditor @ConstructionNews.net 817-731-4823
Construction News publishers Buddy and Reesa Doebbler embarked upon a cruise in the Caribbean at the end of March. While on Grand Cayman Island, Buddy found an iguana that likes to pose regularly with tourists as they pass by. It’s currently unclear whether or not the iguana was tapped to write a special Caribbean issue of the paper, but rumors abound at the CN office. –mh
Page 14
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Page 15
Memorial Day, May 29 A day to remember those who died in active military duty
Texas Apprentice John Goodson RDO Equipment and UTI Intern/Team member Irving, TX
R
aised in Fort Worth by a single mother who instilled in him a strong work ethic, John Goodson was often the one to repair things, both for himself and his family. When he later traveled on the road with his band, “Mr. Fix-It” (as he was called by his bandmates and friends) was the one keeping the band’s tour bus running. But it wasn’t until he worked on a ranch that he learned how to repair heavy construction equipment and soon became the go-to-guy for repairs on the property. Goodson liked being the one people turned to and trusted for fixing machines, calling it “the most rewarding job.” The rigors of working full-time on the ranch and touring more than 200 days a year with the band began to wear on Goodson, who wanted to settle down with his fiancé Symantha. He decided to explore his talent for fixing things and began researching a 9-month program at Universal Technical Institute (UTI) in Irving. However, incurring student loan debt made Goodson nervous, and most available scholarships were available for 18-year olds, not a 30-year-old like Goodson. But a scholarship offered by the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, a charity established by “Dirty Jobs” host Mike Rowe that supports careers in the trades, had no such age limit. Goodson
applied for the scholarship and was one of 135 recipients who won it. To compound the good news, when UTI Irving learned that Goodson won the mikeroweWORKS Foundation Work Ethic Scholarship, the school awarded him an additional $2,500 scholarship. UTI’s employment coordinator soon recommended RDO Equipment Co. as a company he might want to work for. He applied for the company’s “Access Your Future” program and was accepted for an internship at the company’s Irving store. Now, he spends his days doing what he loves most – helping to fix the equipment. This month, Goodson will graduate from UTI and join RDO Equipment Co. full-time. “I love it,” Goodson says, excited about his future in construction. “I love learning and I can’t get enough of it.” RDO Equipment Co. sells and services John Deere, Vermeer, Topcon and other heavy equipment. Universal Technical Institute is a specialty school offering technician training opportunities. –mjm
F
or many, Memorial Day means a day off of work, barbecue cookouts, family picnics, and community pools opening for the summer. But as we all know, the true meaning of Memorial Day is much more than an “opening day” for summer fun. It’s a calling to honor those courageous men and women who have served and given their lives for the causes of freedom, liberty, and peace. Memorial Day is a Federal declaration and is observed on the last Monday in May. At dawn on this day, flags are lowered to half mast on state and government buildings, and American flags are placed on gravesites at national cemeteries. At 3pm, traditional ceremonies include the sound of TAPS and the 21-Gun Salute. In Washington, DC each year, a Memorial Day Parade is held, as well as other parades throughout the country. Veterans Day, usually observed on Nov. 11, is many times confused with Memorial Day. This day is designated to thank the retired Veterans who have served in the armed services - the difference being they came home. Veterans were also willing to dedicate their lives in service to prepare and defend our nation when necessary. We remember those who didn’t come home on this Memorial Day and thank those Veterans on Veterans Day who were also willing to dedicate their lives in the protection of our nation and protection of our freedom and way of life. –rd
Page 16
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
THIS TH MON
Concrete Industry Shortages, higher cost in concrete labor and materials Denis Gee, Vice President Structure Tone Southwest
What are the major changes in the concrete industry in recent years?
Dallas, TX
W
hat are the “hot button” issues in the concrete industry? Labor and material shortages continue to be issues in our industry. Qualified concrete labor is spread so thin that it can be hard to maintain quality. We’re celebrating our 40th anniversary in business this year, and part of the reason we’ve been able to maintain that success is we’ve built really great relationships with our subs. We treat them very well and we request the best of the best from our partners so we know we’re building at the highest quality possible. As for materials, the law of supply and demand is certainly at play. Combine the high demand with the labor challenge related to truck delivery drivers and the issue is compounded even further. We aren’t seeing this issue quite as much with cement as we are with aggregate and sand. How would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms? It’s very busy in North Texas. We’re not quite at the peak we saw in 2007 before the economy dipped, but we are extremely busy. I don’t think the industry has the labor to return to that pre-2007 peak, but the demand certainly seems to be there. Have you experienced an increase in business? Slowdown?
An increase for sure. What’s driving
that is the almost 400 people a day who are moving to the Dallas and North Texas area. That population growth literally affects almost all sectors, from housing, to office buildings, to restaurants and all the other services that people rely on. How has this increase affected your company and how you conduct business? We have been able to expand into new markets considerably. For decades, Structure Tone Southwest was known as a commercial interiors contractor. But in recent years, we have expanded to not only build out the interiors of all kinds of spaces – corporate, restaurants, retail, manufacturing, etc. – but also built a solid business in ground-up new construction as well. We recently even became a Certified Tilt-Up Company given how much new tilt-
Blazing a trail in a now trending market Felipe Carstens, President Modern Day Concrete San Antonio, TX
W
hat’s the most pressing issue for you working in the concrete industry today? I would say the most pressing issue for us, on the installer side, is making sure that our company and other companies out there are doing quality work. That’s [an issue] that we run into all the time. We are a certified company. It took so many years to get here. In construction, most of it is hard bids with schools, universities, and so forth. And a lot of times, you get people who are not qualified bidding a job or underbidding a job. We’ve been through certification and all the training, and we run into this a lot. We get underbid by somebody who is not really qualified to do a job. And I think a lot of the bigger companies here in town see the same thing happening. I’ve talked to a lot of business owners that are in the same line of work we’re in, and that’s something that has come up over and over again. But at the end of the day, long-term, I think if we just stay on the path we’re on, doing good work, being honest, doing things with integrity, we’re going to be just fine. We’ve been able to double, even triple in size, almost yearly. So, as long as we keep those core things going, I think we’re going to be okay. What has it been like in the business since concrete floors became the trend? When we started, there were very few [companies] in San Antonio that
NEXT TH MON
could do polished concrete, so prices were higher. Now there are some that are unqualified that really go low, but there are also some good, qualified companies, so it’s much more competitive. The industry is booming and there’s a lot of demand. Talking about trends, polished concrete and epoxy coating, seamless floors – if you go downtown to any condo, it’s going to be stained concrete or polished concrete. That industrial look is everywhere. You go to any of the new HEBs, and they’re all polished concrete. You go to any new store, and you see [a seamless concrete floor]. There has been so much opportunity on that end that of course other people are going to jump into it. The market is there. There’s nothing wrong with that. That’s what I did. I branched off another company that I was working for. I think it’s natural, as long as we keep our standards. We’ve been doing this for a while already, so we can’t get hung up on the little things. We have a bigger picture to look at. When it comes to competition, that’s how I look at it; we just have to worry about ourselves.
June 2017 HVAC & Plumbing
up construction we have been doing. We continue to conduct our business the same way we have for 40 years – with our focus on our clients and our partners – but we’re able now to bring that business to many more avenues.
What I have seen is more a change in the real estate market than concrete specifically, but those changes are affecting concrete. We are seeing more and more of what used to be called “value office” buildings – now called Suburban Class “A” buildings. The traditional office building was all glass and steel, but now concrete tilt-wall options are supplanting that since they are more economical to build and maintain. Have there been any recent changes in legislation affecting the concrete industry relating to transportation or the environment? In the past you could put a batch plant on site for a large job, but the laws have changed to no longer allow that. Now it takes so long to get a temporary batch plant permitted that it doesn’t make sense. We are back to buying concrete from readymix suppliers. A few concrete contractors have built their own batch plants but those plants aren’t mobile, so they still aren’t batching right on site. What is the most significant challenge your industry faces?
What other ways do you distinguish yourself when a trend is everywhere? There’s actually a few things. You want to focus on quality and customer service. We are very good at customer service. That’s one of the reasons why we’re still here. If we hadn’t done things a certain way, we wouldn’t be where we are today. After a job, we go in and take care of touch ups. Even though it’s not our fault, it’s still our floor. I think overall, the majority of our customers see that. I think people realize that: “Even though it wasn’t their fault, they still came back and took care of all the issues.” I think those little things that you have to do sometimes [bring customers] back, and I would say 80 percent of our business is repeat business. There are only so many general contractors out there. So if you have a bad name around town, you’re going to start getting pushed out. We’re here for the long run. We’re not going to do anything that’s not ethical or right. We try to be as efficient as possible. We try to get the best pricing as possible in order for us to transfer that to the customer and give a better value overall. That’s how you stay in business when it’s really competitive out there. What measures do you take to try to keep costs down so you can be more competitive? It’s a list of things. We try to be as efficient as we can with our equipment. For example, better, bigger, newer machines are usually faster, and you get more production done at a time. Organization. For example, when we start a job, Albert [Goss, project manager], usually talks to the GC ahead of time. If it’s a big job, he’ll go in and plan
The No. 1 challenge is finding qualified labor. We have been trying to combat that by sticking with our name-brand, qualified concrete subcontractors that know us and that we have built a terrific relationship with over the last four decades. But it’s tough – everyone wants to work with them. What are the cost increases relating to your industry? In the last year, we’ve seen concrete raw material prices go up 10 percent and labor by 15-20 percent. What is on the horizon for your industry? Aside from continued labor and materials challenges, I see two main changes affecting how concrete is used: 1: The finishes that we’re putting on tilt walls is starting to change. There are more options now than ever before. The technology of the raw materials has improved so we can now put all kinds of new materials on the wall panels, like form liners or brick. We’re beginning a project soon that is using stained concrete tilt walls; you don’t see that very often. 2: Height limitations are being stretched. It’s not uncommon now to see a six-story tilt-up building. The industry has learned new techniques for building tilt walls and for bracing them. With offices in Dallas, Austin, Houston and San Antonio, Structure Tone Southwest is one of only a handful of general contractors across the U.S. to become a Certified Tilt-Up Company. –mjm the whole thing out before we actually get in there. So when the crew gets in, they have a guideline to follow, and everything goes a lot smoother. Productivity, organization, the fact that we’re getting a lot of the materials from the manufacturer, which has cut our costs down significantly – if you start adding all those little percentages, at the end of the month, they add up to a big cost savings. We’re able to get a 5 or 6 percent return on that. All those things make us more efficient, and the more efficient we are, the better value we can give a customer, the more we can grow. What would you say about the future of the concrete industry? For decorative, I think stained concrete and polished concrete is going to be even stronger. It’s been growing tremendously in the last decade. I think urethane mortars and epoxies are going to replace any other form of flooring on the industrial side. I think from now on industrial kitchens, food processing plants, commercial kitchens, restrooms, hospitals – you will not see VCT tile. I think these systems – urethane and epoxies – are going to make up 90, 95 percent of what flooring is on these types of jobs. They have so many benefits. [They] make people’s work easier when they’re maintaining the property, clean rooms, and kitchens. Even though it’s grown so much, I really see it doubling or tripling in the next five to 10 years, and that’s why we’re pushing forward so much with what we’re doing. Established in 2011 by Felipe Carstens, Modern Day Concrete specializes in decorative and functional concrete. –mh
If you would like to represent your company in your industry, contact DFW Editor for an Interview Melissa Jones-Meyer 817-731-4823
Jan: Construction Forecast Mar: Construction Education May: Concrete Industry Feb: Construction Safety Apr: Women in Construction Jun: HVAC & Plumbing
July: Electrical Industry Aug: Service Providers
Sep: Green Building Nov: Architecture & Engineering Oct: Specialty Contractors Dec: Construction Equipment
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Page 17
What on Earth?
C
onstruction-related companies were green and on the scene at Dallas’ Fair Park Apr. 21-23. At Earth Day Texas 2017, heralded as the world’s largest Earth Day event, these innovators and the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) North Texas chapter educated attendees about how the construction industry is making great strides in choosing building materials and methods that are kinder to our planet. –mjm
Leaf Filter
Green Wolf Energy Inc.
Azek Building Products
Lone Star Synthetic Turf
Halff Associates
Balfour Beatty US
Volstrukt
Oglesby Greene
Corgan GFF
Beck
SRG Roofing RBC Roofing
U.S. Green Building Council
CMC Commercial Metals
Visions Paints Inc.
Page 18
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Blast from the past . . . . 10 Years ago in Dallas/Fort Worth You’re on candid camera
T
here is a new way to thwart would-be burglars targeting construction sites, and a San Antonio-based company is offering the surveillance service. Pro-Vigil, Inc. sets up camera trailers on site and monitors the job site, live. “If we see an intruder in the middle of the night, we have the ability to remotely activate sirens, strobes and illuminate the area with flood lights,” said Jason Hawkins, director of marketing for Pro-Vigil. The company goes a step further to prevent theft. “Not only are we watching the construction sites, but we give the owners or project managers access to view the cameras via the Internet for free. We are cheaper and more effective than an on-site security guard.” Pro-Vigil was established in January of 2007 and has conducted research to see what security issues construction companies faced. Hawkins noted that videotaping equipment was not solving theft problems. “Most companies were experiencing theft and vandalism even when cameras were set out. Typically, construction
crews would come in the next morning to find that fixtures, appliances and copper wiring had been stolen. “When they would review the tapes, 90 percent of the time they couldn’t identify the suspects. They were left with the loss of their property and still paying for a service that wasn’t effective.” Pro-Vigil is currently a licensed surveillance company in Texas and expects to be licensed soon nationwide. The company also has a Dallas-Fort Worth location. –kf
2 guys vs. a public restroom door
T
A vote for Al Gore
odd C. Howard, president at T. Howard & Associates (architecture, interior design, planning) chuckled, turned red, and then loosens his necktie a little as he sat up straight in his chair when asked if he voted for Al Gore in 2000. “Let’s see. Who ran that year Bush, Gore and who else? I can’t remember if I voted for him,” said Todd Howard. So the savvy businessman wasn’t sure about whom he supported back during the 2000 presidential election, but he’s definitely backing former VicePresident Al Gore in 2007. “After seeing the movie An Inconvenient Truth, I told my wife, if he (Gore) is really serious about getting this message out, which is a very important message, he really ought to be training people,” said Howard. Howard later discovered Gore was offering global warming training. He filled out an online application. Only about 1000 people would be selected for the Climate Project. Howard felt his chances of being picked were slim to none. “I filled out an application never expecting to be selected, but I received an email saying, congratulations you’ve been selected to attend the training,” said Howard. Weeks later, Howard was on his way to Nashville, TN for two days to attend training and to meet the former vice president of the United States. “I went up there fully expecting he would say hello to us and go on his way and turn it over for some people to train us. He spent two full days with us. He even went to dinner with us. It was great! He is a very nice guy and definitely a man on a mission. I am a big supporter of this global warming mission also,” said Howard. Howard is serious about preserving the climate. He’s made changes in prac-
tices at his own company, starting with his office building, which faces the heart of downtown Dallas. Power for the building, which used to be an old warehouse, is wind generated. Some environmental friendly changes have been made to the structure, but for the most part, original features still exist. “There are so many people out there that are skeptical about global warming, but there are so many things the construction industry can get on the bandwagon with by pushing the global warming agenda. We push a green agenda with our clients. We select materials and products that are environmental friendly,” said Howard. Since his trip to see Al Gore, Howard spends his spare time educating others about planet Earth. Howard, who is also the president of American Institute of Architects (AIA), started T. Howard & Associates, a grassroots architecture company in 1998. The company has blossomed over time. Now in the big leagues, T. Howard & Associates has completed several projects at schools and hospitals in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. -LL
Applying dad’s techniques
Steve Arnold and Leighton Harvey
A
fter using a public restroom at the office or a restaurant, do you use extra paper towels to open the door or wait until someone else opens the door, so you don’t have to touch the door handle? This may seem hilarious, but two guys were faced with the dilemma on a vacation. Steve Arnold, Leighton Harvey, and their families were headed back home to Arlington, TX from a trip in Red River, New Mexico when they spotted a rest area. They all made it in the bathroom safely, but getting out of the bathroom would be a different story. “A trucker came out of the stall. He didn’t wash his hands and our kids were trying to follow him out. We were trying to stop our kids,” said Steve Arnold. They were able to stop their children from touching the door handle, but now they had to figure out a way to get out of the bathroom. “There was a piece of broken metal at the bottom of the door and I was able to open the door with my foot. So then
we had a 10-hour drive to think how we could make things better,” said Arnold. The broken piece of metal sparked an idea. It wasn’t long before Arnold and Harvey created the “footpull,” a handsfree device to open public restroom doors. The “footpull” isn’t patented yet, but a few have been placed in public restrooms in Dallas/Fort Worth. Public restroom doors as we know them could be changed forever. With so much focus being placed on germs in public places, the “footpull” could become a trend for doors we see installed at new commercial construction, giving us two choices on how to exit a public restroom - the door handle or the “footpull.” Arnold and Harvey started footpull. com. Right now, they are busy touring the country, marketing their invention. They hope it will make the exit from a public restroom easier and germ-free. What does the inventor of the door handle think about all of this? -LL
B
Bart Schott
art Schott’s alarm clock buzzes about six in the morning Monday through Saturday. Just before 7:30 a.m., he arrives at Arentco Rental & Sales in Denton County. The lot is about a quarter of the size of a football field and houses numerous construction industry machinery. For over a year he’s been the boss at the small construction machinery rental and sales yard. The boss hasn’t always been his title. “My aunt and uncle were actually selling the business and I had worked for them and my dad, who has owned another machinery rental and sales business in the metroplex for 30 years. It’s what I kind of grew up doing. It’s pretty much all I know,” said Schott. According to Schott, some mornings before he can get inside, the phones are already ringing off the hook. He doesn’t mind the steady stream of calls and the challenges presented to him each day. “I love it. You deal with different problems and different people all day long. Instead of some businesses where you deal with the same routine, I’m dealing with a range from electricians to
plumbers to sprinkler guys and carpenters.” Schott begins to tell me a story of growing up in the business but the telephone lines are going crazy. Schott returned, but before we could continue the conversation, another contractor rings the phone with questions. I can overhear Schott telling the caller he can order anything they want. Schott returns acknowledging, “you have to take care of customers”. Schott said his dad, Steve Schott, taught him a lot about the business, mainly the importance of taking care of your customers. “I credit my dad with teaching me the task of running a small rental yard, whether it be paperwork, the mechanical side of the business or customer service. The biggest thing he’s taught me over the years is customer service. If you give good customer service usually everything else works out for you.” Schott admits his job can be difficult at times, but he considers the hard work an investment toward owning a successful business for many years to come. - LL
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Page 19
Construction News ON LOCATION
List and shout
Cheek-tugging news
F
or the past 20 years, Fortune has released its comprehensive “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. To find the companies that deserve the muchcoveted title, Fortune teams up with Great Place to Work to conduct what they call “the most extensive employee survey in corporate America.” The quality of leaders, professional and personal support for employees and relationships with colleagues all are factored into the decision. And because the construction industry is made up of great companies, it’s no surprise to see some familiar construction-related names with Texas offices on the 2017 list. –mjm 11: Kimley-Horn, engineering consultants 16: Burns & McDonnell, engineering, architecture and consulting 24: David Weekly Homes, homebuilder 44: TDIndustries, commercial construction management, HVAC, mechanical, electrical and plumbing 98: PCL Construction, general contractor
Construction News ON LOCATION
That’s fab! Gib Shellenberger, co-owner of roll-off dumpster service Bubba Tugs Corp. has a reason for that smile. The company recently scored its largest commercial project, handling the waste and recycling stream for the building of downtown Dallas’ Park District. –mjm
Construction News ON LOCATION
In it together
Matt Price and his team at MP Custom Fabrications in Irving are working on a special project for UTD Brain Center for Health. It is a combination piece that they are collaborating on with a glass blower in Grapevine. The installation will feature 245 LED lights, 175 glass spires and 70 of MP Custom Fabrication’s stainless steel pieces. –mjm
Construction News ON LOCATION
Another high voltage day
Guadelupe Perez helps husband Andreas Perez of Tarrant Maintenance Company in Fort Worth prepare for the day’s construction projects. –mjm
Construction News JOB SIGHT
Studying the new space
Darrell Dixon, sales and engineering manager at fire alarm and low voltage systems contractor at Fantastic Systems, enjoys a rare quiet moment in his Haltom City office. –mjm
Perkins + Will gave the media a sneak peek at the restoration of the landmark downtown Dallas High School, which will serve as the architecture firm’s new Dallas office in the fall. To help them visualize what the 39,579 sf. space will look like finished, visitors were treated to a specially designed Virtual Reality (VR) experience. –mjm
Page 20
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Two days in College Station
continued from Page 1 — Savie businesswoman Allen and her team hosted a ribbon cutting and open house for Cabinet Savie on Apr. 11, nearly two weeks after the business’ grand opening. On hand to congratulate them was the Grapevine Chamber of Commerce and Allen’s many construction connections that she has
formed over the years. “All of the responses have been very positive,” Allen says with a smile. Cabinet Savie in Grapevine is a supplier and installer of cabinetry, countertops and hardware. –mjm
continued from Page 1 — Goal-oriented
The first day of TACA’s Short Course ended with a panel discussion relating to concrete truck safety and reducing rollovers within the industry. L-R: Paul Stalter, Cemex; Kerri Todd, Burnco Texas; Rick Welton and James Welch, Martin Marietta
T
he Texas Aggregates and Concrete Association (TACA) hosted its 2017 Short Course Mar. 2-3 at Cavalry Court in College Station with 57 attendees from across the state. The two-day conference hosted several educational seminars and included a golf tournament at the Traditions Club, a sporting clay shoot at the Tonkaway Ranch, a mountain biking trip, a private winery tour, and a networking reception. On the first day, Gary Mullings, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, (NRMCA), spoke about workforce development in the ready-mixed concrete industry, and Rick Kolster, Peak Performance Group, got everyone thinking about generational changes and how they affect how business is done today. On the second day, Melissa Fitts, Westward Environmental, and Chris Pepper, Winstead PC, discussed recent changes to the Air Quality Standard Permit for Concrete Batch Plants. Also, John
Smart, Winstead PC, reviewed changes to laws affecting human resources, and Dr. Mark Dotzour, real estate economist and former chief economist of the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, was the final speaker. –mh
Golf Winners 1st: Brad Bowman and Shaun Griffin, Allied Concrete; Doug Ulsh, Sika Corporation 2nd: Jack Langston, Quality Trucking; Shane Bass, Hanson Aggregates; Eric Reinhart, Trinity Lightweight; Brian Skomp, United Rentals 3rd: Rob Van Til, River Aggregates; Joey Biasatti, Austin Materials; Mike Bess, Vulcan Materials; Ryan Miley, Alleyton Resource
Sporting Clay Winners 1st: Joe Mathia, Martin Marietta 2nd: Jorge Hinojosa, Bexar Concrete Works I 3rd: Frank Koy, Koy Concrete
Chapters tee-m up
T
he Independent Electrical Contractors’ (IEC) Dallas and Fort Worth/Tarrant chapters co-hosted the 11th Annual Tom Jones Memorial Golf Tournament. Held at Euless’ Texas Star Golf Course on April 13, the event provided members of both chapters a chance to enjoy the green, network and possibly score some bragging rights. Attendance was 123 for the morning flight and 112 for the afternoon flight. Part of the proceeds benefitted the IEC Foundation, the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the National Breast Cancer Foundation Inc. –mjm
Keith Bell’s team was declared the morning flight champs.
Bell & McCoy Lighting Controls took first place in the afternoon flight.
business back in Louisiana. ”My dad and I had some heart-tohearts about it before. I know he got a great sense of pride after I moved to Dallas and began working on major, complex projects.” Rudick knew that he had to strike out on his own, even though he was happy where he was. “When you work for an outstanding company like Hill & Wilkinson, it’s definitely not an easy decision to leave a lot of friends and mentors. Over the past decade, I learned so much about the ins and outs of the commercial building industry,” he says. “But it wasn’t as hard as some people think because this is the only thing I’ve wanted to do. Ultimately, it was just about fulfilling a lifelong dream. My son is in Dallas [so I couldn’t move], and I wasn’t going to be able to go back and buy my father’s company in the immediate future [if I stayed in my job]. So, the only other alternative in my mind was to build my own company here and hopefully grow it to where I could buy his company - and have someone in Louisiana run it!”
Rudick founded his general contracting company Rudick Construction Group Inc. in Plano in February and the positive industry response reassures him that he made the right decision. “So far, it’s been just as rewarding as I thought it would be,” he says. “The industry and the market have been incredible. I couldn’t have imagined it to be this amazing and for them to be as receptive as they have been.” Even though the business is young, Rudick already has his eye on growing the business so that he can someday return to his business roots. “I would definitely like to have multiple offices in Texas and Louisiana,” he says. “And ultimately, I wpuld like to provide young construction professionals the same opportunities that I’ve been provided through my father’s company and Hill & Wilkinson.” General contractor Rudick Construction Group Inc. services commercial and industrial clients. – mjm Photo by Kendall Stoy Photography
continued from Page 1 — Floor finishes in 1st place get good abrasion resistance, you get great adhesion and the chemical resistance is incredible. Epoxies like to scratch, and then those scratches turn white. A lot of companies would have to go over it with urethane. SPARTACOTE is a fast cure system so you don’t have to worry about that long drying time. It has more of the characteristics of the urethane so it doesn’t scratch. It also has the pigment and all of the different additives you can put in similar to epoxy.” Although both floors needed to be replaced, the team wisely planned for the floor installations to be completed in two phases. The first garage floor was installed before last November’s AAA O’Reilly 500 NASCAR triple-header weekend; the second garage floor was installed in February. Even though the process for installing the floors was relatively quick (eight days for the first floor and six days for the second), dividing the project into two phases ensured that the project would not be rushed and the finished result would meet the LATICRETE team’s high standards. To begin the project, the team first had to assess the original garage floors’ condition. “From a planning perspective, the biggest challenge is the condition of the existing slab,” LATICRETE SUPERCAP’s director of marketing Clint Schramm says. “Does it have petroleum or harsh chemical products in it that are going to bleed up and cause a failure? Has it been patched poorly before? Is there moisture in the substrate? What kind of a surface does it have now, and how much prep is that surface going to need? That’s one side of it. On the other side, it’s making people understand – it’s concrete. You’re putting a really resilient surface on it that is going to look great, and that requires that any concrete coating job will require all thorough prep. Fortunately, the existing surface we had to work with was in reasonably good condition.” Weiser agrees, and says that this floor installation was a straightforward process. “It had an 20-year old epoxy coating on it, so we shot-blasted the floor and removed much of the coating, which popped off pretty quickly,” Weiser says. “We went over it with grinders to smooth out the concrete that was damaged
when removing the coating. After we got it relatively smooth, we went over it with a gray primer coat and covered the entire floor. After that was done, we did a second coat of gray, and with polyaspartics, it dries and cures very quickly. With eight people, we were able to put each coat on all 22,000sf in about an hour and a half.” After the LATICRETE team addressed the technical part of the project, they had some fun with the cosmetic side of it. “We put a totally custom floor together that was bespoke to the Speedway here, using their custom colors and logos. We placed 90 linear feet of TMS logos in strategic areas and mixed and installed their colors down in the major walkways,” Metchick says. “We also designed racecar bay striping, which was the first time they had that on their floor. It was just a gray footprint previously, so we designated individual bays so that teams knew where they were going. We had a lot of fun with the project. TMS management have been great to work with and the racecar teams have given us very positive feedback.” The custom garage floors – one red, the other blue – are so sleek and stylish they could stop a racecar in its tracks. “[TMS] is very happy about it,” Metchick says. “It’s a very nice showcase of the facility. The Texas Motor Speedway is proud to be the first track in all of NASCAR to have a garage like this, as we are.” LATICRETE offers a range of products and systems covering the installation and care of tile, stone and masonry, resinous and decorative floor finishes, concrete construction chemicals and concrete restoration and care including the LATICRETE SUPERCAP system. –mjm
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Page 21
Association Calendar
Round-Up
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News AIA - Dallas American Institute of Architects
May 3: Women in Architecture Sketch Party + Happy Hour, 5: 30pm May 4: AIA/TEXO Technology Event: Integrated Building Technologies, Sixth Floor Museum, 411 Elm St., Dallas, 11:30am May 18: 2017 Unbuilt Design Awards Jurors & Announcement, Filter Building, 2810 White Rock Rd., Dallas, 6:30pm May 20: Build Your City!, Klyde Warren Park Games and Reading Room, noon May 26-30: AIA Convention, Orlando
Grapevine, 6pm May 9: NARI Night at Allied Stone, 2405 Crown Rd., Dallas, 6pm May 25: Women in NARI (WIN), Blue Mesa Grill, 14866 Montfort Dr., Dallas, 11:30am
NAWIC - Dallas Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
May 1: 24th Annual Golf Classic, Bear Creek Golf Course, 3500 Bear Creek Ct., Dallas May 15: Dinner meeting
NAWIC - Fort Worth
AIA - Fort Worth
Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
American Institute of Architects
May 18: Business meeting, Diamond Oaks Country Club, 5821 Diamond Oaks Dr. N, Ft. Worth, 5:30pm
May 10: ACME Brick Golf Tournament, Waterchase Golf Club, 8951 Creek Run Rd., Fort Worth, noon May 26-30: AIA Convention, Orlando
ASCE - Dallas
NTRCA N. Tx Roofing Contractors Assn.
American Society of Civil Engineers
May 15: Golf 2017, Cowboys Golf Club, 1600 Fairway Dr., Grapevine, 7am
May 1: ASCE Dallas 2017 Charity Golf Tournament, Brookhaven Country Club, 33333 Golfing Green Drive, Farmers Branch, 8am
Nat’l Utility Contractors Assn.
ASA North Texas American Subcontractors Association
May 17: Networking and Crawfish Boil, Morrison Supply Company, 3200 Irving Blvd., Dallas, 4pm May 20: 2017 Poker Run, Scottish Rite Hospital Fort Worth and Dallas location, 9am
ASPE - DFW Amer. Society of Plumbing Engineers
May 12: DFW ASPE PMCOAT Spring Golf Classic, Prairie Lakes Golf Course, 3202 SE 14th St., Grand Prairie, 11am
ASSE - Fort Worth American Society of Safety Engineers
May 16: Chapter meeting, University of Texas at Arlington (Fort Worth campus), 1401 Jones St., Fort Worth, 11:30am
CFMA - Dallas Construction Financial Mgmt Assn.
May 18: Membership meeting, Hackberry Creek Country Club, 1901 W Royal Ln., Irving, 11:30am
CMAA
NUCA May 26: PORKaPULLuza/Clay Shoot, Dallas Gun Club, 3601 S Stemmons Fwy, Lewisville, 10am
PDCA Painting & Decorating Contractors of Amer.
May 19: 2017 Spring Golf Tournament, Bear Creek Golf Club, noon
PHCC - North Texas Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors
May 16: Lunch meeting, Brookhaven Country Club, 3333 Golfing Green Dr., Farmers Branch, 11:30am
PMI Project Management Institute
May 22: PMI Dallas Golf Outing, Brookhaven Country Club, 33333 Golfing Green Dr., Farmers Branch, 1pm
May 13: Day of the Construction Worker, Mountain View College, Building S, 4849 W. Illinois Ave., Dallas, 9am May 19: 12th RHCA Annual Golf Classic, Indian Creek Golf Club, 1650 W. Frankford Rd., Carrollton, 7am
SAM
May 24: 2017 Awards Banquet, Sheraton DFW Hotel, 4440 W John Carpenter Fwy., Irving, 5:30pm
Subcontractors Assn. of the Metroplex
May 3: TopGolf Event, TopGolf Dallas, 8787 Park Lane Dallas, 5:30pm
CSI - Fort Worth
TEXO
Construction Specifications Institute
The Construction Association
May 10: ACME Brick Fort Worth AIA/CSI Golf Tournament, Waterchase Golf Club, 8951 Run Creek Rd., Ft. Worth, 1pm
May 2: IMPACT Networking Series, Reata Restaurant – The Sundeck, 310 Houston St., Sundance Square, Fort Worth, 5pm May 4: AIA/TEXO Technology Event: Integrated Building Technologies, Sixth Floor Museum, 411 Elm St., Dallas, 11:30am May 8: TEXO Open Golf Tournament, Trophy Club Country Club, 500 Trophy Club Dr., Trophy Club, 8:30am
DACA - DFW May 17: Membership meeting/Tabletop, Courtyard Marriott TownePlace Suites, 2200 Bass Pro Court, Grapevine, 11:30am
IEC - Dallas Independent Electrical Contractors
TGA
May 11: IEC Night at the Ballpark: Texas Rangers vs. Padres, 5pm “All You Can Eat Porch,” 7:05 game start
Texas Glass Association
IEC - Fort Worth
May 19: TGA GlassCon 2017, The Baylor Club, McLane Stadium, 1001 S M.L.K. Jr. Blvd., Waco, 8am
Independent Electrical Contractors
TSPE
May 11: IEC Night at the Ballpark: Texas Rangers vs. Padres, 5pm “All You Can Eat Porch,” 7:05 game start
Texas Society of Professional Engineers
LEAN - DFW LEAN Construction Institute
May 31- Jun. 1: Design Forum 2017, Chicago IL
NARI Nat’l Assn. of the Remodeling Industry
May 4: Builders Barbecue and Beer, The Jarrell Company, 1900 S. Main St.,
John Bremer PE, cofounder of the Dallas branch, has been promoted to a principal leading the firm’s industrial team. Bremer brings more than 36 years of combined experience in the architectural, power and petrochemical fields to his new role. Bremer earned a degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University.
Matt Smart was promoted to associate, Geospacial. As JQ’s survey crew chief, Smart brings more than 15 years of industry ex-perience to the geo-spatial team. In addi-tion to performing boundary, topographic and design sur-veys, Smart also has experience with LiDAR laser scanning.
Billy D. James PE has been promoted to associate, Buildings. James’ diverse background in engineering spans 40 years, with comprehensive knowledge and experience through a variety of projects including infrastructure, municipal, institutional and commercial clients. James earned a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
Luis Soto has been promoted to senior technician of JQ’s industrial team. Soto has extensive experience with a variety of software programs, and is highly skilled in the art of modeling, laser scanning/registration, modeling from laser scans and custom Revit family creation. Soto leads JQ’s LiDAR modeling group, implementing documentation and technical improvements firm wide.
BOKA Powell announces an expansion to its leadership team: Mark H. Dabney AIA has been named principal/Fort Worth office leader. Dabney, who previously served the firm as associate principal, brings more than 25 years of architectural and interior design experience to his role. Dabney has served as project manager and project architect on a variety of projects throughout his career. He is a graduate of Texas Tech University, where he earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree.
RHCA Regional Hispanic Contractors Assn.
Construction Mgmt Assn of America
Drywall & Acoustical Contractors Assn
JQ announces the following promotions in its Dallas office:
May 4: Young Engineers Leadership Forum, Chimy’s, Foch St., Ft. Worth, 2pm May 11: Meeting, 11:45am
UMCA United Masonry Contractors Assn
May 2: Bricklaying Contest, North Lake, 11am May 5: Golden Trowel judging, 11am
Eric Van Hyfte AIA LEED BD+C has been named principal and Austin office leader at BOKA Powell and will serve in the Austin office. He has worked on numerous corporate, retail and mixeduse development projects in and around Austin and Central Texas as well as throughout Texas and the United States. Van Hyfte earned a BSAS in architecture at the University of Illinois at UrnbanaChampaign and studied architecture at The University of Texas at Austin.
Round-Up Submissions
This is a monthly section for brief company announcements of new or recently promoted personnel, free of charge, as space allows. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Email (w/digital photo, if available) by the 15th of any month, for the next month’s issue (published 1st of each month). Email info to appropriate city issue, with “Round-Up” in the subject line: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– San Antonio
saeditor@constructionnews.net Austin austineditor@constructionnews.net Dallas/Ft. Worth dfweditor@constructionnews.net Houston houstoneditor@constructionnews.net
Dennis D. Gulseth AIA has been named principal at the firm. He joined BOKA Powell in 1998, where he has worked the majority of his career, and previously served as associate principal/ project manager for the firm. He has experience in programming, design, production, management and construction administration of corporate office conference center, luxury hotels/condo-miniums, mixed-use, housing and higher education projects. Gulseth studied architecture at Texas Tech University. NV5 announces an expansion to its leadership team: Terry Bates joined engineering and consulting solutions firm NV5 as group leader and senior project manager of commissioning services. Bates brings over 19 years of program and construction management experience to his new position, and previously served as a reliability program manager for Dallas/ Fort Worth International (DFW) Airport. Bates graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY with a Bachelors of Science in marine systems engineering and earned a Masters degree in business management from American Military University.
Page 22
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Family fun
S
teele & Freeman Inc. hosted an evening of food and fun for its staff and their families Apr. 21. The event allowed the company to show appreciation for its employees and also show many of the field workers Steele & Freeman’s recently completed conference center. The families enjoyed made-to-order burgers, a bounce house, a beanbag toss, snow cones and a custom cake marking the event. –mjm
L-R: Steele & Freeman’s Boyd Weaver with son Barron and Jared Jones with son Parker
The event celebrated staff and their families.
L-R: Gabriella and Monica de la Garza, Cari and Mike Freeman, Larry and Carla Clements and Justin Clifton
Anniston and daddy Jeremy Jones of Steele & Freeman
L-R: Steele & Freeman’s Anthony Cedillo and Tom Ross
Construction News ON LOCATION
Speaking their language
A
s an immigrant from Puerto Rico, bilingual Freddie Lopez, owner of electrical contracting company Freddie America LLC in Grand Prairie, serves Dallas/ Fort Worth area businesses in both English and Spanish. – mjm
Steele & Freeman’s Mike and Cari Freeman
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017
Page 23
Boiling joint
C
1S Group treated its employees and trade partners to heaping helpings of crawfish Apr. 21. Hosted at the company’s Dallas office, the event featured live music to entertain guests and vendor booths to display the latest industry products. –mjm
Texas AirSystem’s Derek Thompson C1S Group’s Matt and Julie Strong
C1S Group’s Charlie Crofford
C1S Group’s Matt Strong and Clint Wilson and Enviromatic’s John Pluff
C1S Group’s Christine Clary-Lackey and CESG’s Amy Swartz
Painting Texas green
L-R: Visions Paint Recycling Inc.’s president Jerry Noel, Jennifer Ray and Alejandro Aceves
A
s a successful painting contractor in California for 30 years, Jerry Noel had a lot of happy clients – and a lot of leftover paint. Which is why, after attending a local “green” show and learning that recyclers of paint were concentrating on the postconsumer content rather than the quality of the recycled paint, he decided he could transform old paint into an environmentally-friendly, high performance paint. “I thought if I brought my expertise in application, and put quality into a remanufactured product rather than the recycled content, that I would get the sales,” Noel says. In the past 15 years, he has opened three Visions Paint Recycling Inc.’s facilities employing over 40 employees in California. On Feb. 1, he opened his fourth facility in Fort Worth. “We are a home for any leftover latex paint contractors have,” Noel explains. “We remanufacture it into a product line that we sell by reformulating it and making it better than it was. We sell
directly to contractors and through Habitat for Humanity ReStores, Momand-Pops and selected Ace Hardware stores.” Sometimes, there is paint that even his company can’t reformulate into quality latex paint. Noel, not wanting it to end up in a landfill, solved that problem as well. “The leftover paint is checked once to see if it can be reused somewhere else. If it can’t, we take it a step further into a new industry – the concrete and precast industry. We dry out the paint and convert it into an aggregate that can be used for pathways, fill dirt for construction companies or used in a precast for stepping stones, tire stops – anything you can make with concrete.” Noel wants to keep as much paint out of landfills as possible. “We’re the only paint recycler in Texas. There are approximately 80 million gallons of leftover paint per year in the United States and we as a country are recycling very little of that. Our goal is to reach customers that want to purchase
C1S employees were all smiles waiting for their crawfish dinner.
our quality latex paints and for municipalities for a better alternative for their unwanted latex paint.” Water supply is also impacted. “It takes 13 gallons of water to make one gallon of new paint. Comparatively, it takes only one gallon of water to make one gallon of recycled paint, not to mention the other valuable resources it saves. It takes us just the cleanup after reformulating it and re-canning it. We even reutilize our water in our cement products so that when we rinse out our equipment, we store and use it in our processing for the concrete. Ultimately, we would love to become a zero-waste company.” Noel says he has four Fort Worth employees, with immediate plans to hire
more once paint cans start coming in. “We’ll need more staff to manage it, color-sort it, filter it and package it,” he says. “One of the things I’m very proud of is that we employ workers from PRIDE Industries, an organization for those with disabilities; they’re both wanted and needed. Hands down, it’s one of the best moves we’ve made, and we hope to do that here in Texas.” With the high volume of paint being used in the area, Noel is excited to help make the Metroplex a little greener. “We hope to make a big difference,” he says. “We feel as though we’re going to be very successful in Texas.” Visions Paint Recycling Inc. remanufactures and sells environmentally friendly paint to contractors. –mjm
Page 24
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • May 2017