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www.constructionnews.net H (210) 308-5800 H Volume 18 H Number 3 H MARCH 2018
Ask and you shall receive
The flow of things
The Centex Personnel Services team. L-R: Amy Vittonel, Rome Roman, Dezarae Mendoza, Shawnda Harrison, Michael Franklin, Vanessa Kimball and owner Tony Tijerina
A few Hydro Resource crew members getting ready to leave the yard. L-R: Canon Kutscher, Fred Smith and Aaron Marsh
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onstruction has highs and lows. The low is being able to find qualified, reliable workers. The high is in the completion of a job and a satisfied customer. Tony Tijerina, owner of Centex Personnel Services, had the vision to have construction at its all time high. He was once with a corporation for 20 years, which he left to start his own business. The inspiration to venture off came from within. Tijerina wanted to do more for the workers. “Working for a corporation you are limited to what you can provide directly.” Centex started 7 years ago. As a staffing provider of labor and general labor, Tijerina’s office at 5am is packed from anywhere to 100 workers in the shop ready to work. The man who organizes the daily
work activity from the morning to the evenings is Rome Roman, head dispatcher. “He’s been with us since day one. Rome is the guy that puts the worker and the work together.” Tijerina also highlights his sales team who are the ears, face and voice of the company out on the field. Vanessa Kimball, who is in sales, has been with Centex for 5 years. She’s down to earth and loves to hunt and fish just like Tijerina. In fact, they’ve gone casting and shooting together. Kristin Dewitt, another in sales, has been with the company for 3 years. Centex human resources and office manager, Amy Vittonel, is another asset to the team. Between the in-house team and the laborers that are lined up to work, Ticontinued on Page 17
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ithout hesitation Chris Knox, general manager for Hydro Resources in Dripping Springs said Fred’s brisket is his favorite. The company has a few guys that participate in the Founders Day barbeque in Dripping Springs. It just so happens Fred Smith, one of the pump installers, has been grilling for a long time and is darn good at it. Smith doesn’t stop there; he also makes his own sauce to top off the brisket. The Hydro Resources branch is a smaller branch compared to others. Knox has been with the company for 3 years. “We have eight branches from here all the way out to the west coast,” says Knox. This branch has 18 employees and Knox says everyone goes to Jody Sedgwick, when they have a question or need
something. “Go ask Jody!” There are three ladies that run the show on the office side of things. “Jody our office manager has been with us for 12 years, maybe longer. She’s sharp and she keeps all of us in line.” While Jodie keeps everyone in line, Ray, another driller comes in every day with a smile and makes everybody laugh. “He’s a real morale booster.” He’s been with the company for 2 years. Within the next four to six months the company will be looking to add employees to their team. They are also planning to grow while looking at new areas within the market to branch out into. The company will also receive new equipment that will allow them to drill in areas continued on Page 17
The smallest hospital in Texas
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roof, stucco, decorative block, aluminum panels and glass. “This is the first prototype of many more mini-hospitals offering full medical service and overnight stays,” adds Wurzel Builders Superintendent Rick Jowers. “I believe it is the smallest hospital in Texas.” The facility is a 24-hr emergency room hospital complete with a fully operational trauma center, isolation area for infectious disease control with its own air conditioning, exhaust system and water system. The facility has five patient rooms and four regular rooms, a CT scan, x-ray, lab and pharmacy on site. The x-ray rooms are lined with lead to protect from radiation exposure. The project is also capable of being completely self sufficient in case of disaster in which power and water were lost. It has 500 gallons of canned water in the event the water goes off and has its own generator power.
ith today’s trend of offering immediate emergency care through the availability of urgent care centers to reduce the over crowding in hospital emergency rooms, it is necessary to find the right location and the right builder. Founded in 1998 by Barry Wurzel with the goal of providing quality construction services in Central Texas, Wurzel Builders Ltd. has grown to become one of the most trusted builders throughout Texas and the southwest and have established a reputation for quality construction and reliability among their clients, developers, and subcontractors. It’s no wonder Wurzel Builders was selected to construct the Lake Travis ER project. The new construction of the 10,000sf plus facility took 8 months to complete and cost $3.3 million. It is constructed of structural steel framing, standing seam Lake Travis ER located at 5102 620 North
continued on Page 17
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Austin Construction News • MAR 2018
Let’s keep building
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ake a look at this year’s Build Expo. On Jan. 24 and 25, the Austin Convention Center doors opened up for the construction industry. Folks took a walk on the expo side, visiting exhibitors and attending seminars. Attendees were networking while enjoying food and the perks of each exhibitor. –lv
Seth Tate, Grant Gandy and Sabine Fritz from Holt CAT brought a toy with them.
The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) president, Tracey Evers.
Rob Walters and James Atherton with Contractors Incorporated.
April Welch and Brett Kennard with Contractors Asphalt.
Virtual Builders Exchange
Chantel Nurkowski and Rachel Bell with Austin Rent Fence.
Eric Hoffman, owner of HE Solar
Terry Sims and Heidi Conrath with Taurus Construction.
James Griffith and Jason Royster with Sitech.
The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) office coordinator, Stephanie Nelson and second vice chair Jesse Beckett, founder of Beckett Electrical Services.
Sean Hill, sales representative with Herc Rentals is catching up on construction news.
Irma Gonzalez, business development representative at Arias Geoprofessionals stops by the Construction News booth to say hello.
Austin Construction News • MAR 2018
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Nicely done
Industry FOLKS Cedric Williams Commercial Sales Rep Texas Disposal Systems Austin, TX
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Contractors Asphalt crew with a view
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he gets to work with good people. “Most of our employees have been with us for at least 30 years and that’s laborers too. We have very few new people,” says April Welch, office manager at Contractors Asphalt. One character that stands out in her eyes goes by the name of Beans. Beans doesn’t like hamburgers. “He always wants to eat beans. He doesn’t like to eat chicken that much either.” April jokingly tells us they all love him though. Good thing Beans is not in the meat industry. Welch lets us know what projects have recently been completed. COTA! The Circuit of the Americas race track and parking lot was just completed. “It was a large job.” They also just finished St. Edwards University with their new entryway and also expanded their parking lot. More population plus more vehicles equal a need for
more parking spaces. Contractors Asphalt has also been doing repairs all over the Austin and San Antonio area. There is only one location and that’s Austin. The company has been in business since 1984, with asphalt all over Texas from San Antonio all the way to Waco. The longtime crew members paved their own road to success last year reaching $7 million. The new goal is to hit $8 million this year. The company has also sponsored a golf tournament for the handy cap in the past. Making customers and people happy is what Welch enjoys about being in the industry. “I’m a people person and I pray every morning that God would use me to be kind to others and show his love. That’s what I strive for every day.” Contractors Asphalt provides asphalt, concrete and street utility to central Texas. –lv
Construction News ON LOCATION
On the streets
Michael Butler with Mid-State Plumbing & Mechanical Inc. is caught in action. –lv
CONSTRUCTION NEWS
Austin
If you are a construction-related company in the Austin area and would like an article about your company, your personnel or your event, call us for an interview. There is absolutely no charge for interviews, articles and photos.
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Contributing Editors
Melissa Jones-Meyer Ann Keil Jesse Abercrombie Austin Area Counties Travis, Hays, Bastrop, Burnet, Blanco, Caldwell and Williamson counties Construction News Ltd. Home Office P.O. Box 791290 • San Antonio, Tx 78279 210-308-5800 Fax 210-308-5960 www.ConstructionNews.net
DFWeditor@ConstructionNews.net SAeditor@ConstructionNews.net Visit our Website to sign up for a free monthly Digital Subscription www.ConstructionNews.net The Austin Construction News (ISSN 15477630) is published monthly by Construction News LTD., dba Austin Construction News, and distributed by mail to constructionrelated companies of record in Austin and surrounding counties. All submissions should be emailed 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 Austin 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. ©2018 Construction News, Ltd.
edric Williams is the nicest ex-linebacker you’ll ever meet. Instead of striking fear in the hearts of running backs or tight ends, the former Aggie uses his people skills as a sales representative, first with Black & Decker and now with Texas Disposal Systems. “I’ll talk to anybody,” he said. The Fort Worth native has bluebonnet blue running through his veins. He was born on the old Carswell Air Force base. He fondly remembers watching the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels practice for air shows when he was in elementary school on base. Cedric was a two-sports standout in high school. He was even scouted by the Atlanta Braves. This naturally led him to make the great Deon Sanders his sports idol, claiming that to hit a home run in the World Series and to win a Super Bowl like Neon would be the ultimate accomplishment. College out of state? Forget it. Cedric started at Texas A&M and finished at North Texas State. Even though he graduated at NTS, “Once an Aggie, always an Aggie,” he said. It was in college where he played linebacker. He still maintains close ties with his Aggie classmates and friends. It was through a college contact that sent the Texan westward to San Diego to work for Black & Decker in sales. Cedric said that Black & Decker recruits a lot of athletes because of their
discipline, drive, competiveness and knowing how to follow rules. This made him a perfect candidate for the company. When the firm moved him back to Texas, all was well. When they wanted Cedric to move back to California, well, that just wouldn’t do. In Texas he stayed and started with Texas Disposal Systems. Obviously, the Cowboys fan couldn’t defect to the Chargers. Cedric passed his athletic genes on to his 15-year-old daughter, who plays on her high school basketball team as well as runs track. Despite some lingering effects of causing mayhem on the gridiron, Cedric devoutly hits the gym for weight lifting and exercise. He doesn’t let anything slow him down and getting out into the field to work sales and customer rep is his joy. Staying in shape helps out when you’re on the go. The congenial Cedric doesn’t plan to leave the Lone Star State. Business is booming in the Austin area. Life is good. Instead of tackling halfbacks, Cedric gladly tackles the adventures of a new day and meeting new people. And it doesn’t hurt nearly as much. -dsz
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Austin Construction News • MAR 2018
different paths in starting a business, whether it would be in the drywall industry or the concrete industry, and I liked the concrete industry much more.
Sonny Horton President BCS Concrete Structures LLC
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lthough it took a little convincing, Sonny Horton is happy he listened to his good-friend-turned-business-partner Joel Garcia and established BCS Concrete Structures. Thirteen years later, the company has grown to nearly 300 employees and is headed toward other exciting growth as well. Share a little about your background and how you began working in the construction industry. I am what I like to call a “thirdgeneration carpenter.” It’s basically all I know in life, and I love what I do. I used to work for my dad when I was a kid for 50 cents an hour. I cleaned up around job sites – a little construction for a little guy! As I got older, I did roofs, installing shingles with my brother. I always thought I wanted to be in law enforcement but, as I got into high school, I realized those guys didn’t make as much money as people in construction do. I worked for my dad for a little bit and for a couple of general contractors around Houston and then I joined the carpenters’ local union in Conroe and went through the apprenticeship school. From there, I lived in Willis, TX, and worked a lot of commercial jobs in and around the north and downtown Houston areas. In 1984, when the economy went down in Houston, I went to the Austin area, but still worked union jobs for about 2 years. I worked for a drywall company for 5 years and then went to work for a general contractor; they hired me as a superintendent, and when I left 16 years later, I was operations manager. After that, I started BCS with my business partner Joel Garcia in 2005. What prompted you to start your own construction company? Several things, actually. I had an opportunity to restore the exterior of the State capitol as a superintendent, and the last big job I did for the general contractor was that I built Frost Bank Tower in downtown Austin. About the time I finished that, I was tired of that kind of work; it just didn’t seem challenging anymore. I also had always had my eye on starting my own business. The other part of it was I was just tired of making everybody else money. I thought of two
How did you meet Joel? I met Joel on a job. I was building the LBJ Student Center at what was then Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, and I met Joel, who was an equipment operator/carpenter. We hired him and I just became good friends with him. We worked together on every project for 10 years or more before we started the company. Whose idea was it to start the company? We talked about it for probably 3 years before we actually did it, and he was always more eager to start it than I was! I was a little apprehensive, stepping out like that. So Joel finally talked you into it. What was that first year like? It was good. We had a job lined up before we left the general contractor’s employment. Joel was on the job running the field our first year, and I did bookkeeping, estimating – the whole nine yards. The very first thing we did where we actually made some money was a tennis court in someone’s backyard. I’ll never forget, it was for $5000 even, and we’ve grown ever since then. Counting myself, starting Day One, there were six of us. Last year, I think our staff was 285. What have you learned in the past 13 years? On the construction side, I had a pretty good idea what I was doing, but as far as all of the intricate moving parts of actually owning a business, I pretty much learned on the fly. It has absolutely been fun doing it. We’ve had our ups and downs, but I was challenged again and I felt like I wasn’t challenged before we started the business. Do you think Joel has learned these past 13 years as well? Immensely. He runs the operations and he and I oversee estimating together. One of the things I didn’t realize when he and I decided to be partners is that he is absolutely the perfect partner. We’ve never had a cross word. Just for me to learn what a great business mind he has and has developed since 2005 has just been incredible.
L-R: BCS Concrete Structures’ Joel Garcia and Sonny Horton
great influence to me. Tony Ridout, who is our CPA, has been a great business coach to me since the second year in business. We’ve become friends in the last 12 years, and we get along so well. What did you learn from your father and grandfather about running a company? I learned how to treat people right and take care of employees. The employees are the ones who are actually out there. I tell everybody here that the guys in the field are our No. 1 salesmen. One of my philosophies when I started was that I was going to hire good people for every position. I don’t believe in micromanaging anybody, I believe in paying them well and giving them the responsibilities and the authority to perform that job. I have a great crew. We call it “The BCS Family” and we preach that and they love that and agree. I have a woman who works in the front office, and she told me, “This is exactly what you told me it would be like when you hired me, that I would be coming into a family, and this is family.”
What do you enjoy about your work? I enjoy the challenge of growing the company but growing it smart. Our gross volume last year was $30 million. We’ve brought more people on board, and we’ve actually turned down a few jobs that weren’t really in our wheelhouse to where we would actually excel, or they were out of town.
Tell me about your family outside of work. I have been married to my wife for 5 years. My oldest daughter is a landscape architect in Dallas; she has her own small firm, Tyson Gardens, doing high-end residential and design and install. My second daughter is a director at Houston Herman Memorial Hospital with 250 or so employees under her. My oldest son, Ben Horton, is a project manager who works for us [at BCS]; he went to college, then the Marine Corp, fought in Iraq, came back and wanted to do the construction thing. I have two more children who are still at home; a daughter who is 16 and a son who is 14.
Who have been your mentors? George Allen of DCA Construction has always been able to present a different view to me that made me stop and think. In management, he’s been a
What do you do for enjoyment outside of work? I love to hunt and fish. I like to deer hunt and quail hunt; those are my two favorites. I have a Browning Citori 28
gauge that I absolutely love to quail hunt with. Joel and I own a lease with two other close friends in South Texas out of La Pryor. We have horses and Joel has horses. With fishing, I like to bay fish for trout and redfish. Joel and I both like to fish; I have a place in Rockport, which we are almost complete in rebuilding after Hurricane Harvey. I would like to do more traveling with my wife. We love traveling everywhere. We’ve been doing a lot of traveling to New Mexico and Colorado and Wyoming. We’ve traveled east and to Mexico, and we have the Caribbean and Europe on our bucket list. Professionally, what immediate goals are you making? We’ve totally outgrown this office. We bought seven acres on the toll road next to Mustang Ridge city hall, and we are going to build a 10,000sf tilt-wall office building. The shop we have planned is 7,500sf. We are hoping to break ground in April, and are shooting to be completed in October or November. We are also actually considering setting up branches in Houston and San Antonio. We have worked in Houston, San Antonio, Waco and Temple. A general contractor that we do business with asked us to go there and do something. We’ve done a Whole Foods for White Construction there and several Whole Foods in Austin. We have two more Whole Foods that are coming up. Do you think you will be president of BCS until you retire? Will you pass it on? What are your plans? It is down the line, but as of right now, I enjoy what I do, I enjoy getting up and coming to work every day and the people that I have working for me. Joel and I have both worked hard to get the business going to where it’s at. BCS Concrete Structures is a turnkey concrete subcontractor in Buda. –mjm
Construction News ON LOCATION
Stop and say hello
The folks at Bobcat of Austin are friendly. L-R: Justin Buck, Matt Klasel, Scott Tulloch and Greg Simpson. –lv
Austin Construction News • MAR 2018
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Metal meister
Feels like family
Aerial view of Boling Roofs
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P.J. and Brooke Livesay
.J. Livesay is an easy-going guy. As branch manager at Flooring Warehouse in North Austin, his business philosophy is a simple and generous one. “I try to make it fair for everyone … Everyone has to make a little money, but we don’t have to make it all.” Flooring Warehouse is a family-owned and operated business that has been around for almost 20 years according to Livesay, and many family members remain employed within the company. He has been with them for the last 3 years. “I’d like to think I am an adopted part of the family, says Livesay. “I just absolutely enjoy working with the people there,” he added. Throughout his life, Livesay has resided in various parts of Texas, including Dallas and Houston. He earned a degree in 1998 in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville. After his schooling, he spent a long time selling cars for a living. One day he was talking to a friend about how many hours
he was putting in, and his friend offered him a job to work in his multifamily business. That was around 2010, and that twist of fate eventually led him to his current position with Flooring Warehouse. Livesay has been in the Austin area now for about 8 years. He and his wife, Brooke, live in Pflugerville with their “blended family” of four children. Their kids are ages 13, 13, 14 and 17 years. “All four of our kids are involved in sports,” says Livesay. “We have a baseball player, a lacrosse player and two track players right now.” With four active teenagers at home, he and Brooke rarely have time for much anything else except parenting. But when they can, they ride. – otorcycles, that is. If you check out Livesays’ FaceBook page, you will see many photos of them on their Harleys. Both are proud members of BACA, Bikers Against Child Abuse. -alk Flooring Warehouse is a flooring subcontractor. -alk
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egarding great work, “I have had some good opportunities to do gorgeous work,” says Bernard Boling, owner of Boling Roofs located in Kyle, TX. Founded in 2006, his company specializes in custom metal roofing for residential and commercial properties. Boling grew up in a small German farming community about 45 miles outside of St. Louis, MO. He went to college there, and then came here because his girlfriend was a Texan. “I wanted to live in a town like the one I went to college in – with tons of parks, a river running through it, a big university, and a music scene,” he says. That’s how he wound up in the Austin area, and he’s been there ever since. When he started learning roofing in 1994, there weren’t many companies installing metal roofs. “I’ve always focused on metal. It just appealed to me,” says Boling. He hears people say they choose metal roofs for their longevity, but he believes it is actually the aesthetic of the material that influences them the most. “It just makes the lines of a house
Red or black
Good impressions
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look so crisp. It’s just beautiful to look at,” he told me.” But speaking of longevity, metal roofing is also better for the environment. Boling went on to say that metal is actually better for water conservation than typical asphalt shingles. The water collected from a metal roof is easily made potable and does not have the toxic oil residues that leach out of asphalt and eventually end up in the aquifer. “I’ve done roofs all over, and this is something people care about. Somebody out there with 20 acres cares about preserving that,” he says about his experiences throughout the Texas Hill Country. While Boling is out in the field supervising crews and promoting the company, back at the office his wife Donna is running the business. They met at church where they were volunteering in charitable causes. They have three small children ages 5, 2, and the newest is 6 months. Boling Roofs is a commercial and residential subcontractor based in Kyle. –alk
L-R: Ron Sharpe, Brian Beaver and Romi Bodin with Burks Digital Imaging
hey started out in the blueprint industry, catering to contractors and others in the construction industry. Today, Burks Digital Imaging has expanded to digital printing and equipment sales. Marge and LJ Burks founded the company in 1969. They rebranded in 2015. The Burks family runs the business and Kevin, their son, now sits at the helm of the company. While attending the Austin Build Expo, president Romi Bodin shares that she was fortunate to join the company. Bodin still visits with Mrs. Burks. “I get to go visit every once and awhile. She is all about the business. Asking, what are we doing? How’s it going? How are our people?” Bodin says some of the team members have been with the company for 30 years. The company wants to evolve into doing more company gatherings. Bodin shares they have some things internally that they find cool. They’ve added what they call Burks days, where you get three extra days off in a year and they are tied
to holidays that are outside of the normal holidays. “One is tied to President’s Day, so on President’s Day, we have 30 days you can use another holiday at your discretion. Sometimes it inspires you to just take a day off as opposed to save it for a vacation.” Another activity Bodin says the company is working to achieve is hosting everyone at Kevin Burks’ lake house or ranch to have a family day. “Kevin has a pond on his property and he’s been stocking it for the last few years.” Bodin thinks it will be fun to get the families and their kids out there. Interesting fact about Bodin is that she is Canadian. She says most of the guys at work are either football or baseball fans. Without a doubt she loves hockey. Question is how can she convince the guys to try the ice. “I don’t think I can get them on skates, so maybe I can get them to play kickball,” she says laughing. Burks Digital Imaging is a printing service. –lv
Nahum Brown and RDC Paving owner Ryan Rowland
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harming and witty describes Ryan Rowland, owner of RDC Paving. This go-getter and his team like to get the job done and make their clients happy. “We have a good work environment, every day is fun. There is not one dull moment,” he says. The company was established in 2014 and Rowland’s inspiration came from wanting to create his own destiny and not work for somebody else. He’s done just that and brought six team members with him. Last year the company kept busy, but when time allows, Rowland likes to catch a plane to Las Vegas. He’s not much of a Vegas show guy, but does like to gamble a bit. His tables are craps, Russian roulette and Blackjack. As charming as he is, he’s honest too. “I try to make more money, which I usually just lose it,” he jokingly admits. Do you think the RDC Paving team teases him when he’s back at work? The answer is, yes. They’ll ask him in a joking manner “How much did you lose this weekend?”
On the company’s fourth year of business, we asked if there was room for growth. Rowland said they enjoy what they do and are going to stick to the same area of what they are doing. As far as expanding goes, “Yes, I would like to add a couple more people and keep growing.” Rowland tells his employees to always work hard and do the best they can, so when they leave at the end of the day they know that there is nothing that can go wrong. Also, so the client is happy. Speaking of happy, some happy times the company has had together are when Rowland takes them out on his boat. They’ll go wakeboarding and tubing. Hanging out and bonding is always a great way to keep up with one another. Almost everyone in the company has a child and it’s nice to have a group of coworkers to get together with. RDC Paving is an asphalt contractor serving Round Rock and Austin.. –lv
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Austin Construction News • MAR 2018
BONDING Beware the payroll tax quicksand pit!
Indemnity Agreement: The worst contract ever?
Kathleen Dvorak, CPA RidoutBarrett San Antonio / Austin, TX
Eric Lesch, Principal/Bond Producer PCL Contract Bonding Agency Irving, TX
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f an employer gets in deep with past due payroll taxes, especially if in excess of $24,999, it can be difficult to claw out of the quagmire. Getting back into compliance can be time consuming, labor intensive and expensive. The employer often needs assistance from a tax professional and penalties and interest can be very high. The IRS is strict when it comes to unpaid payroll taxes. They often see it as theft from employees’ paychecks (the employer withholds taxes from employee paychecks but keeps the money rather than pay it to the government on the employee’s behalf). The IRS does not take kindly to corporate owners claiming withholding on their personal tax returns for payroll taxes never submitted to the IRS.
vided is accurate. The Revenue Officer examines these records and determines how much the business and the owner (using IRS allowable standards for living expenses) can afford to pay. The IRS will investigate and research such things as asset ownership, equity in homes, social media and lifestyle in order to determine ability to pay. They will look for assets recently transferred or sold and want to know what became of the sale proceeds.
In addition to the business being held liable for the employee and employer payroll taxes, any individual the IRS determines to have been a responsible party, may also be held 100% personally liable for the Trust Fund Penalty. The Trust Fund Penalty is the Income Tax, Social Security and Medicare taxes withheld from employees’ pay but not remitted to the IRS. In determining to whom they may assess Trust Fund Penalty, the IRS will interview everyone who had signature authority, paid bills or signed payroll reports. Unlike corporate shareholders, sole proprietors and partners in a partnership may be held personally responsible for both employer and employee taxes, rather than for just the Trust Fund Penalty.
A taxpayer will receive many IRS notices before the case goes to a Revenue Officer. These notices should never be ignored. Taxpayers should respond and express the desire to come into compliance, or retain a tax professional for guidance and to represent them before the IRS. Ignoring the notices may result in levies on bank accounts or on revenues owed from customers. The “final Notice of Intent to Levy” is an indication that it’s being assigned to a Revenue Officer for aggressive collection.
Unpaid balances of less than $25,000 may be eligible for the IRS Streamline process in which an installment payment plan can be established quickly and avoid having to provide the IRS with financial information. For balances of $25,000 or more, a Revenue Officer, whose primary job is collections, gets involved. Here’s where the quicksand grabs hold with ferocity. A tax lien is usually filed against property. This can be especially problematic as vendors and potential customers become aware of the lien. The Revenue Officer requires the taxpayer to provide a huge volume of financial documents on the business and its owners including financial statements, federal tax returns, lists of venders and customers, bank statements, loan documents, asset lists, lease agreements and more. The taxpayer is required to sign under penalties of perjury that the information pro-
The employer should avoid continuing to fall behind on current payroll taxes. The IRS refers to this as “pyramiding”. In order to negotiate a payment plan, the IRS will want to see that current payroll taxes are being paid. Collection action stops when a payment agreement has been reached, but the IRS may want the lien to remain in place to protect their interest. Penalty and interest continues to mount on unpaid balances and, although less severe, they will continue to accrue after an installment payment plan has been established. Employers are well advised to remain current and avoid getting sucked into the payroll tax quicksand pit! Kathleen Dvorak obtained her CPA license in 1988 while working in private industry. Kathleen went into Public Accounting in 2001. In 2005 she joined RidoutBarrett, an accounting firm with offices in San Antonio and Austin, and became a Shareholder in 2011.
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s a bond agent, indemnity of the surety company by the contractor is typically one of the most difficult items we deal with and unfortunately the purpose of which is commonly misunderstood. Using it properly is important for setting yourself up for success when using
bonds to secure work. One of the main components in the foundation of a surety relationship is the contract between the contractor and the surety called the general indemnity agreement (GIA), or general agreement of indemnity (GAI). Indemnity is the guarantee to protect the surety from loss and reimburse the surety for any costs they may incur in the process of bonding. If you have had the pleasure of signing a GIA then you have probably gone through the various stages of disbelief and frustration as you read it. You think things like “What kind of sane person would sign this?”, “They must think I’m an idiot!” and “No way, I’m not doing it!” Then you get to the signature portion and realize, “My spouse has to sign this, too?” The GIA has language that gives the surety complete control and access to everything that a company or individual owns. As a contractor, it will likely be the most one-sided contract that you will ever sign. So then, why would anybody agree to it? The reason is a very simple one; you won’t get bonding unless you sign it. Ok, but do they really need personal indemnity? Typically, the answer to that is “Yes.” The primary purpose of personal indemnity is to keep your attention on your bonded projects. As the owner, you are likely the most qualified person in your business and if you disappear when times get tough the surety is going to have a very hard time investigating and completing the project without incurring a substantial loss. Personal indemnity is the best way to keep you involved in the process. The surety is not a contractor, they can lose money very quickly on a bad project and having you around to reduce their loss is a huge benefit to them. So much so, that a very smart and cooperative owner can greatly reduce the likelihood of a surety even coming back to them to collect for losses. Also, having personal indemnity allows them to worry less about the boundaries between your personal and company assets. With every person or entity that signs, more assets and worth can be brought to the support of the bondability of your business. The also means that you have more freedom in how you use your assets because they don’t have to be kept solely in the business. I promise to stick around and meet my obligations. Why do they need my spouse’s personal indemnity? Partly to make sure your spouse
knows what you are signing and partly because your spouse will likely gain control of your ownership in the event something bad happens to you. It also helps protect the surety from things that may have been withheld like other companies or trusts. Does everybody have to do personally indemnity with their spouse? Having personal indemnity of all owners, including spouses, is the standard way of getting indemnity in the surety business. Nearly all contractors receiving bonds, more than 95% of them, have full personal indemnity with spouses included, so it is very, very common. Does the surety really take over my business and my personal assets as it says they could at any time they wish? The agreement is very one-sided and does appear to give the surety very broad power to do many things that would be very bad for you. However, our experience with highly rated and professional surety companies is that they give you every chance to fix the problem and can provide very substantial help if asked. Remember, the GIA is intended to keep you willingly involved. Many of the things they have reserved the right to do are there for people that refuse to participate. So, do you just close your eyes, hold your nose, and sign it, or do you try to find a way around it? Well, that depends on your bargaining power. The main factors that give you leverage are your financial strength, past performance and hunger of the overall surety market. Your agent can pair you up with the best surety and help you determine what options you have. There are many options that range from full indemnity to just the indemnity of the company with no personal or outside indemnity at all. There are pros and cons to each and the right answer is not always the complete removal of all personal indemnity. Having full indemnity gives you the most bonding flexibility, while having no personal indemnity gives you the least exposure, but limits your bonding flexibility the most. If you are considering the sale of your business then the handoff from current owner to new owner can be tricky when bonding is involved. If you do a lot of bonding then it is crucial to the value of your business. Talk to your surety professional about it to see what makes the most sense for you.
Construction News ON LOCATION
Construction News ON LOCATION
Come on in
Woman in control
The team from CRS Marble & Granite had some show room fun with Construction News. L-R: Alex Ruedas, Shivam Desai, Priyanka Patel and Jamie Perez.
Co-owner Vicki Schawe of Briggs Construction mans the office at 2210 Hunter Rd. in San Marcos, TX. -cmw
Austin Construction News • MAR 2018
Page 7
Beware: Limitation of Liability clauses can be enforced
Is 911 your Confined Space Rescue Plan?
West W. Winter, Attorney The Winter Law Firm, PLLC San Antonio, TX
Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX
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onstruction contracts increasingly contain clauses which seek to limit one party’s potential liability or damages to the other. Such clauses may include express waivers of claims, rights or damages, no damages for delay clauses, waivers of consequential damages, and clauses which limit or cap a party’s available legal claims or potential monetary damages. While these clauses may seem unfair, particularly if the clause is being used against your company, Texas courts routinely recognize and protect the broad freedom to contract and will generally enforce these clauses. Texas courts also typically view participants in construction contracts as “sophisticated parties” who know the consequences of their contractual actions. Such clauses can have catastrophic consequences if your company is on the wrong side of a bargain where you have agreed to waive claims, rights, or damages or otherwise have agreed to a limitation of your opponent’s liability. Accordingly, the best time to address and mitigate the potential impact of these clauses is during the negotiation phase of your contracts before you have signed away your rights. Be aware that many of these clauses may be buried within other contract language or contained under contract headings which do not give adequate notice of the rights being compromised. It goes without saying that blindly signing any agreement without first reading and understanding all of the provisions contained therein or otherwise consulting with your attorney, could have significant adverse consequences for your business. If you find yourself on the wrong side of one of these clauses, there are some arguments, in addition to the standard defenses to contract enforcement, that can be asserted depending on the circumstances. While not an exhaustive list, these include that the clause is unenforceable because of public policy concerns, unconscionability, or ambiguity. For certain types of clauses, it may also be a defense to enforcement that the other party acted wrongfully or that the damages are not of the type which have been waived. Be aware that any time a party to a contract is attempting to avoid the consequences of such clauses, it will be an up-hill battle because, as stated above, courts routinely recognize and protect the broad freedom to contract. When a “no damages for delay clause” is in issue, Courts have recognized some exceptions to enforcement when the delay: (1) was not intended or contemplated by the parties to be within the purview of the provision; (2) resulted
from fraud, misrepresentation, or other bad faith on the part of one seeking the benefit of the provision; (3) has extended for such an unreasonable length of time that the party delayed would have been justified in abandoning the contract; or (4) is not within the specifically enumerated delays to which the clause applies. Courts have also recognized an exception “based upon active interference” with the contractor or other wrongful conduct including “arbitrary and capricious acts,” “without due consideration” and in disregard of the other parties’ rights. As it relates to a waiver of consequential damages, what constitutes “consequential” versus “direct” damages can be very fact specific. Legal precedent is also wide ranging and much confusion persists in the courts regarding the subject of consequential damages. This landscape allows for arguments to be made on both sides of most disputes which involve consequential damages. If you have agreed to a limitation of liability clause which the other side is attempting to enforce, it is advisable to consult with your construction law attorneys to determine whether any basis exists to defend against the enforcement of such contract provisions which adversely impact your ability to fully recover.
SHA has developed a standard for Confined Spaces in Construction (29 CFR 1926 Subpart AA) for any space that meets all of the following criteria: Is large enough for a worker to enter; Has limited means of entry or exit; and Is not designed for continuous occupancy. One provision of the standard requires employers to develop and implement procedures for summoning rescue or emergency services in permit-required confined spaces. An employer who relies on local emergency services for assistance is required to meet the requirements of §1926.1211 — Rescue and emergency services. OSHA recognizes that not all rescue services or emergency responders are trained and equipped to conduct confined space rescues. When employers identify an off-site rescue service, it is critical that the rescuers can protect their employees. The emergency services should be familiar with the exact site location, types of permit-required confined spaces and the necessary rescue equipment. Calling emergency responders to provide rescue services can be a suitable way of providing for rescues in a permitrequired confined space. Preplanning will ensure that the emergency service is capable, available and prepared. Prior to the start of the rescue work operation, employers must evaluate prospective emergency responders and select one that has adequate equipment for rescues, such as: atmospheric monitors, fall protection, extraction equipment, and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) for the particular permit-
required confined spaces as well as the ability to respond and conduct a rescue in a timely manner based on the site conditions and is capable of conducting a rescue if faced with potential hazards specific to the space. Such hazards may include atmospheric hazards (e.g., flammable vapors, low oxygen), electrocution (e.g., unprotected, energized wires), flooding or engulfment potential, poor lighting, fall hazards, and chemical hazards. The rescue service must also agree to notify the employer in the event that the rescue team becomes unavailable. Employers must also inform the emergency responders of potential hazards when they are called to perform a rescue at the worksite; and provide emergency responders with access to all permit-required confined spaces. Such access may include information on access routes, gates or landmarks, a project site plan if necessary, and GPS coordinates if in a remote location. Additionally, employers should ensure that the most efficient means to contact emergency responders is available; any changes to the project site conditions are communicated to the rescue service; and emergency responders are willing to visit the site and conduct a joint training exercise with the employer. natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232
You name it
West W. Winter, a LEED Green Associate, serves on the board of the Construction Law Section of the San Antonio Bar Association and has been listed as one of the Best Lawyers in San Antonio for Construction Litigation. The Winter Law Firm represents general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers, in all phases of the construction process, from contract formation through dispute resolution, litigation, and collection. West may be reached via email: west@thewinterlawfirm.com. Butler Brothers Odd Jobs crew members power washing the Buc-ee’s in Bastrop.
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ommercial repair projects are like a wheel of fortune. You never know what call you are going to land on. Take Butler Brothers Odd Jobs for example; they have their name for an oddly enough good reason. Who came up with the name? Alan Butler, owner of the company sure did. He says, “Sometimes folks don’t know who to call when they’ve got this weird project. They’ll call this guy or that guy, but they only do one out of the five.” The company was established 8 years ago and they’ve seen all things odd. Alan, his brother, and a few other technicians run the show. One thing he truly enjoys is having the ability to network. “We network with other subs and we have a lot of folks we work with in our community.” Recently the job required them to do a job at Buc-ee’s. The crew pressure washed their field canopy, making that jolly ole’ beaver and his big bucktooth
smile look spotless. The crew also did some repairs on their dumpster pad facility. Elijah Hochstetler, a member of the crew, says, “You never know what you are going to get into the next day. It’s always a surprise and always entertaining.” The guys at Butler Brothers Odd Jobs also know how to kick back after an odd day’s work. They enjoy fishing and once a year they are treated to a Dallas Stars game. Some other outside activities the group participates in is sponsoring Bastrop little league and the Smithville High School sports athletics. The company is also a sponsor for the Austin Pond Society. As the crew prepares to kick off the spring work season, a goal of theirs this year is to continue to network. Butler adds they want to become more of a local presence and connect with all people, whether odd or even. Butler Brothers Odd Jobs is located in Bastrop, TX. –lv
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Austin Construction News • MAR 2018
Construction News ON LOCATION
The write stuff
Welcoming visit
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Moore Supply Co. in San Marcos was friendly and welcoming when visiting with Construction News. L-R: Kris Kagey, Leslie Evans, DW Ballard, Fabian Banda, Ronnie Barrett and Cody Jandt. -cmw
Construction News ON LOCATION
The wilds of electrical supply
There’s nothing wild about Sales Representative Ricardo Jaime with Wildcat Cat Electric Supply, 2061 Clovis Barker Rd., San Marcos, TX. -cmw
an Zulli is the new staff editor/writer for Construction News. It only took a 30-year career in the Air Force to get him there. “Writing has always been in my blood,” he said. “It’s really fun to finally realize this passion after such a long and varied journey.” Originally from Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where his father worked for the Atomic Energy Commission, Zulli’s family moved to the Springfield, Massachusetts, area when he was 10. When it came time for college, he wanted to go into commercial art. “My mother told me to go into journalism,” he said. “I should have listened to her. I’m a better writer than I am artist.” After 3 years at Springfield College (where basketball was invented; Go, Spurs, go), being an art major didn’t work out. Since Zulli’s dad had been in the Air Force, that seemed like a viable option to finding his place in life, at least for the next 4 years. “I wanted to get into a graphics-related field, but ended up instead as security policeman, guarding planes on the flight line.” “After my first 4 years as a cop,” Zulli explained, “I cross-trained into audio-visual and extended for two more years. During this time, I decided to get into the ministry. Since I liked the Air Force, I decided to separate, go to seminary, then come back in as a chaplain.” With new wife Cindy, Zulli attended Dallas Theological Seminary. During the summers, he was a chaplain candidate, then was commissioned as a reserve chaplain after graduation. Now with two little girls, they moved to southwest Oklahoma to pastor a “very country church” while being a reserve chaplain at Altus Air Force Base. “I was 25-miles from the closest McDonalds,” he said. “I wasn’t sure I was in America anymore!” After 3 years there, Zulli applied to go back on active duty and an ascensions board selected him in 1993 to come back on. Twenty-three and a half years later, the journey ended in July 2017 back where it all started at Lackland Air Force Base, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.
Dan Zulli, USAF (Ret.)
During his Air Force career, writing had been a staple of Zulli’s everyday life. “Not only was I writing weekly messages, but writing is essential in the military. People’s careers depend upon how well we write their annual appraisals. We have to be able to write well and fast,” he said. Zulli also writes on the side, doing a complete autobiography project for his kids to read someday, and even writing historical fiction novels. “My first book should be out this summer,” he said, “and the sequel about a year after that. The first one is already available on the Apple iBooks website.” He attends a monthly writers’ meeting expressly for military veterans, where one’s work is shared and critiqued. And he writes for Construction News, finally coming full circle from what his mother told him many years ago. “When people say God works in mysterious ways,” Zulli said, “I guess I’m Exhibit A. But it’s been a fun, wild ride and I wouldn’t change a thing.” Whether guarding airplanes, preaching sermons, or writing news articles, Dan Zulli has always had the “write stuff.” Dan Zulli is an editor/writer for Construction News. –cmw
Now, bury the crane and we’ll have people wondering for years!
Austin Construction News • MAR 2018
Page 9
thing starts coming to life. We have so many options of fishing in the spring. Sometimes I can’t decide which fishing spot I want to go to first. One of my most preferred methods of fishing in spring is wading with top water plugs over the prehistoric worm colonies that were
formed more than 3000 years ago in the Baffin Bay complex. These worms are called serpulids (after the family of tubebuilding worms, Serpulidae), much like coral reef-building animals, and make their tube homes out of calcium carbonate. Over time, these tubes build up into
Spring action on surface plugs by Capt. Steve Schultz
Sponsored by: Waypoint Marine, Shoalwater Boats, Evinrude Outboards, Fishing Tackle Unlimited, E-Z Bel Construction, Costa Sunglasses, Diawa Reels, Simms Fishing, ForEverlast Fishing Products, Interstate Batteries, MirrOlure, and AFTCO Clothing.
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hey say the older you get, the faster time goes by. I can’t agree more with that statement because we are staring March in the face. February was a very busy month for me and really turned out a lot better than I anticipated. Our wade fishing trips in Port Mansfield were very productive and, although we did not catch trout over 10 lbs, we were able to produce some personall best fish for a few of our anglers. I’m really looking forward to spring weather patterns and warmer weather this month and will certainly be searching for some Baffin Bay wall hangers. Spring on the Laguna Madre is one of my favorite times of the year to fish. The weather starts warming up, flowers start to bloom, shrimp start migrating into our bays and it seems that every-
Chris Jones of San Antonio had a successful wade fishing outing down in Port Mansfield several weeks ago with Steve Schultz Outdoors. Limits of trout and reds with several trout in the 6-7 pound were caught on corkys and soft plastics.
Peruvian Vacation The woman with a smile on her face is Helen Greenwood, production manager at Construction News. She had the experience of a lifetime when she went to visit Machu Picchu. “That’s the highest elevation I’ve experienced.” –lv
Machu Picchu
Inca stone structures
Inca ruins
very large rock-like reef structures. These structures hold tons of baitfish and, in turn, hold plenty of predator species also. Wading gives you the advantage of getting close to these structures without spooking the fish. When I pull into an area I am going to wade, there are certain things I’m looking for before I just bail in the water. Bait in the area is the first sign that gives me hope in catching fish. Where there is bait, there will be fish. They may not be eating, but they’re there. On a top water morning I really like seeing lots of surface bait on the water. This is small mullet, shad or perhaps a flicking shrimp going across the water. Seeing these signs is definitely a place to throw surface plugs. I like spreading everyone out across the area to have a better chance locating where these fish are holding. Long cast walking your lures side to side, pausing at times or perhaps small bursts of speed will help you find the right rhythm it takes to catch the big girls. I really get focused and into a zone when fishing surface plugs. I really like to pretend I’m pulling my lure through a minefield, waiting for the explosion. The anticipation is something that drives me to work harder and harder when fish are playing hard to get. Some of my favorite top water plugs are the mirr-O-lure Top Dog series, like the He Dog and She Dog. When fish don’t seem to be too interested or I’m not getting the hook-up, I’ll downsize to a Top Pup. Also, don’t overlook a floating corky or a super spook. My 2018 calendar is now open for bookings throughout the year. Don’t hesitate in booking your fishing trips because my dates usually go pretty quick, especially during the more popular months. To schedule your next bay fishing trip or hunting adventure give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-813-3716 or 361-334-3105 or e-mail him at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.com. Good Luck and Good Fishing.
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Austin Construction News • MAR 2018
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
Are you suffering from the end-ofhunting-season blues?
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ou don’t have to suffer you know. We are real lucky to live in a place where there are good opportunities for sportsmen to indulge their habits year ‘round. Just think, you can hunt a little, then go fishing and hunt some more. By the time deer season gets here again your skills will be sharper than ever! Yes, we do have spring turkey season coming up soon, but have you ever been hunting for exotics? Just think about it. Year ‘round you can book a trip to hunt exotics. Imagine being out in the pasture on a fine Hill County morning and hearing an elk bugle in the mist. How about watching buffalo graze beneath a sunset sky. How strange to see a nilgai from India browsing along right here in Texas. There are all kinds of exotic animals available for hunting. Species like axis deer, black buck, nilgai, and elk are readily available and there is no telling what else is out there in the pastures today. The trophy potential of these animals and the experience of hunting them is exciting enough, but many of them are also just delicious! Maybe best of all is the fact that you can hunt when it is convenient for you. You are only limited by your schedule, not by a specific hunting season. If you prefer to hunt in warmer seasons, you are all set! You don’t have to contend with crowded pastures and it is easier to plan around available vacation time. Now of course you will want to get in some fishing with all that hunting. Here is your fishing outlook for this spring. On Lake Buchanan as well as most other area lakes, the white bass are headed up river on their spring spawning run. Trolling with diving lures works great for whites but Fleflys, jigs and spoons do well too.
LET US KNOW ABOUT YOUR COMPANY STORIES, EVENTS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AND PHOTOS
CALL: 210-308-5800 EMAIL: AustinEditor@ConstructionNews.net
Stripers and hybrids are roaming the lakes in big schools looking for shad, but your bait or lure will work just fine. Spring is often when the larger stripers and hybrids are taken. Catfishing is picking up on trotlines and jug lines, especially along the bluffs and tree lines. Rod and reel fishing with live bait or cut shad should get you a good catch too. Crappie (the tastiest fish in Texas freshwater!) are moving into the shallows to spawn. They can be easily caught with live minnows or jigs. You don’t have to suffer the blues all the way until next November! All around you are convenient, hassle-free opportunities to get outdoors to fish and hunt. You can go hunting for something completely different without having to set up, feed and maintain a hunting lease – just go exotic! You can go fishing without having to clean up, tune up and trailer a boat to a good spot – just hire a fishing guide! Spring is here! Come on outside and as always don’t forget to get the kids outdoors too. They are the future of our Texas natural resources!
Half or Full Day Fishing Trips All Bait, Tackle & Equipment Furnished Your catch Filleted and Bagged for You Furnish your TPWD Fishing License & Refreshments, and WE DO THE REST!
Ken Milam Guide Service (325) 379-2051 www.striperfever.com
Austin Construction News • MAR 2018
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ony Tijerina, owner of Centex Personnel Services, went hunting with his account manager, Vanessa Kimball. His boys, Tristan and Chase, also accompanied their father on this hunt. Congratulations! –lv
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Point by point
Vanessa Kimball, account manager at Centex Personnel Services makes hunting look easy.
Tony Tijerina with his BIG elk
His youngest son Trent had fun too.
Tony and his sons Tristan and Chase
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Austin Construction News • MAR 2018
All secure
Construction News ON LOCATION
Casual Friday greeting
Bautex Systems president Paul Brown and his copy of Construction News. –lv Matt Litton, founder and president of GoBoss, LLC
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hether in the Air Force or running his own 3-D drafting and coordination business, Matt Litton knows how to make things run smoothly. The Round Rock native joined the Air Force in December 2003 after graduating from high school. “It was freezing,” he said. To make him warmer, Uncle Sam sent Litton to Hickam AFB, Hawaii, where he spent all 4 years of his enlistment. “I had a lot of people [who] wanted to trade [assignments] with me.” His job was security forces, protecting the flight line and base proper. Then, he became the Pacific Air Force’s commander’s personal security. But after 4 years in a tropical paradise, Litton returned home to Round Rock. He used his G.I. Bill to get a drafting degree. Litton’s mechanical contractor father was one of the early ones to use the Building Information Modeling (BIM) program in the Austin area at his job, and Litton learned the 3-D aspects of construction
drafting. Always a self-starter, Litton eventually got the bug to start his own business. He originally wanted to call his firm “GoBIM,” but that was already taken. Thus, it became “GoBoss.” He solves problems before they happen by coordinating construction projects and finding unforeseen design problems. By making 3-D renderings of the project’s plans, GoBoss increases field productivity and decreases material waste. Litton doesn’t redesign the project, but coordinates them via his visual schematics. General contractors tell their subs to call Litton early on in order to save them time and money, and he’s currently seeking to grow larger. Litton used to guard an Air Force base to make it all secure. Now, he guards building projects to make sure they are built right. GoBoss is a 3-D BIM service in the Austin area. –dsz
See for yourself
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Jeremy Macklin, Rick Sims and Laura Ikard
ometimes in the construction industry, you’ll find yourself on a job walking off with a story or a friend. That’s what happened to Jeremy Macklin, the technician at Capitol Screen Company when on his way to an estimate in the hill country. He found himself rescuing a turtle that was wedged in a cattle guard. After saving the turtle, he named it Lucky Pete. Macklin has been with the company for 2 years and says, “Every day is different and every single day that I leave a project it is to my satisfaction.” The Capitol Screen team is made up of three. Rick Sims, owner, Laura Ikard, office manager and, you know, Jeremy. Mr. Sims has been in the business for 30 years and started his business over 25 years ago. Buda is a small community of its own and Sims participated with a float during the Fourth of July parade with another neighbor who is a former Vietnam pilot.
The float was decorated as a jet plane. Mr. Sims has been all around Austin, including the historic neighborhoods in Hyde Park, Clarksville and South Congress (better known as SOCO). Over the years the team has renovated historic wood-framed screens and wood-framed screen doors for the historic houses. They focus on craftsmanship. In fact, they use the mortise and tenon joints, such as craftsman did in the 1900s. When all the screen mesh has been installed for the day, Macklin volunteers his time to a 12-year-old baseball team, called the Austin Mudcats. Go Mudcats! As for Mr. Sims, he will be catching sunrays at the end of May in Cabo. I asked him, what’s in Cabo besides the margaritas and sun? He says, blue marlin. So, sunshine will not be the only thing he’ll be catching. Capitol Screen is based in Buda and services Austin and surrounding areas. -lv
Austin Construction News • MAR 2018
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Heads up, ya’ll!
Daniel Herrera, Jr. (2nd from right), owner of Heads Up Cleaning Specialists and team.
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aniel Herrera, Jr., literally grew up in the family business. Now he runs it. Heads Up Cleaning Specialists was begun by his parents, Daniel Sr., and Imelda Herrera, in Lockhart, TX, about 30 miles from Austin, in 2001. Herrera began working with his parents when he was still in middle school. He first thought about going into law enforcement, then attending college to study business. But when Imelda’s health became an issue, Herrera saw the opportunity in continuing with Heads Up. He took over as president and marketing director in 2010. The Heads Up team can handle any type of work, from janitorial to post-construction clean up. The largest job to date was an 80,000sf rehab center in Dallas, which took a full month to complete. The crew would drive up on Monday, stay the week, then come home for the week end. Normally there is a rough clean first,
then a final clean as there is always more post-construction traffic. When it comes to customer satisfaction, no news is good news in this business. “People are more apt to complain than give good news,” Herrera says. Herrera is very hands on in order to ensure a quality job. He visits every job site and constantly monitors the on-going post construction needs. Even if a contractor is quite messy in its work habits, that provides job security for Herrera and the crew. The name “Heads Up” came from a tip his father got concerning a cleaning opportunity. Now, for Herrera, “Heads Up” means being able to hold one’s head up high after doing a job with pride and integrity, resulting in customer satisfaction. Word of mouth is a key method by which Heads Up gets new jobs. Herrera says that he “makes sure we keep our clients happy.” Heads Up Cleaning Specialists is a service provider located in Lockhart. –dsz
Construction News ON LOCATION
Jonah’s in the house
Jonah Rigsby, counter sales and warehouse, wears many hats at Elliott Electric Supply, 1904 Dutton Dr., San Marcos, TX. -cmw
Construction News ON LOCATION
Visiting with CN
After coming back from a jobsite, Jayce Gillespie, owner of Gillesco Welding and Sheet Metal in San Marcos, TX visits with Construction News. -cmw
Austin Dallas/Fort Worth Houston San Antonio
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Austin Construction News • MAR 2018
THIS TH MON Jan: Construction Forecast Mar: Construction Education May: Concrete Industry July: Electrical Industry Feb: Construction Safety Apr: Women in Construction Jun: HVAC & Plumbing Aug: Service Providers
Noble work John Landwermeyer, Managing Principle, Austin Operations Arias Geoprofessionals Austin, TX
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e’s never met a superintendent who wasn’t as smart as a whip. If you are a general superintendent you must know about earthwork, concrete, framing, mechanical, electrical, etc. The list is endless because it is an industry that rises from the ground to the final punch list.
Yes, construction has a rough, loud and dirty reputation, but it’s the knowledge that overpowers all of it. “If you think that it is easier than going to get a college degree in engineering; then I’d disagree with you. It’s extraordinarily difficult.” Why aren’t people getting into the industry? Partly, because it’s a lot harder than people imagine. These guys have to get up before the sun and work through the night. It’s literally sweat, blood, tears, dirt and rust. They are not walking into a chrome glass building. What does the industry need to do to attract the youth?
You have to get a taste of it when you are young. And because of its reputation, we don’t allow young people to get exposed to it. If Jesus Christ were growing up in Austin today, he wouldn’t be a carpenter because nobody would let him swing a hammer. Construction has made tremendous strides in safety improvement. People in the business should be free in saying, ‘Hey put on your hard hat and follow me.’ We need to let them shadow. I see interns on job sites, such as civil engineering and architecture students. When you’re in school and in college, especially as a freshman, you’re taking calculus, chemistry, and physics; you have no idea what you are going to be getting into.
Appealing to a new generation Tamara Schmoekel, Workforce Development Director Associated Builders & Contractors San Antonio, TX
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ttracting new generations to the construction industry requires a creative approach. They are more selective than their parents were when job hunting. They want a career that pays well, fulfills their need for happiness, creativity, and purpose. The Safety Committee and Workforce Development Committee at Associated Builders and Contractors are using maverick approaches for safety training, leadership training and community outreach to focus on the needs of this new generation in addressing the labor shortage. ABC is founded on the merit shop philosophy and is profoundly committed to a culture of safety that is serving the betterment of our members, companies, and community. It is these very qualities that attract new employees to our member companies. A 2015 industry poll stated that mentorship and opportunities for growth attracts and retains employees. Investing in employees’ training shows that you believe in their ability and support their growth in the company. Many of our members support their employees through the ABC National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) apprenticeship program that offers on-the-job training while they learn new skills. Our leadership training courses ad-
dress the needs of companies concerned about succession and introduce new skill sets that favorably affect their image and productivity. Employees stated that another important factor for recruitment and retention was safety. They felt a company shows it cares about its employees by emphasizing safety practices. ABC’s Safety Committee has dedicated itself to safety education by raising money to offer free safety training to its members. A culture of safety is emphasized with the S.T.E.P. program, a systematic guide and educational tool for implementing and maintaining a culture of safety. Community outreach is at the forefront of our members’ commitment to South Texas. Our partnerships with local schools increase public investment in building the skills of the next generation.
Construction Education
Sept: Green Building Nov: Architecture & Engineering Oct: Specialty Contractors Dec: Construction Equipment
Does Arias Geoprofessionals have an intern program? We have hired interns. One of our large commercial projects had an on-site intern from Texas Tech and she was a freshman. She was out there all summer long and as best as I can tell she was walking around catching the disease. That’s what happened to me. I was studying civil engineering and I had no idea what I was going to be doing. I got the pleasure of working on a remodeling job here in Austin. Construction is construction; you go out there, convert and you build something. What are the takeaways? Overall the takeaways interns receive from any company add up to their realization of what role they want to play in the industry. We get college degree applicants for entry-level jobs and I know that their potential is too high, that they will likely move on. All the better if we can get students exposed to entry-level work, so they can make informed career choices after graduation. How have the women who’ve joined the business helped educate the industry?
This collaboration supports the collective effort to alter the community mindset of the construction industry with a longterm focus on recruitment. In identifying and developing programs for community outreach, companies adjust their own strategies to invite opportunities for young workers. One company initiated a mentoring program. They partner with the craft teachers as guest speakers and mentors for students showing interest in construction. Another success story is the industry tours hosted by ABC’s cohort of members. They invite, principals, teachers, and counselors to view the construction process from conception to completion with opportunities to talk one-on-one with industry professionals about the opportunities for a successful career in construction. This type of one-on-one engagement with students, parents, schools, and the community is the catalyst necessary for radical change in the mindset from construction as a low skill/low wage job, to construction as a phenomenal op-
With women joining the business we have to clean up our act a bit. Us guys can’t run this place like a dorm room with ladies in our presence. The women I know in this business are super smart. Some of the most admirable women I know work in this business. They may not spend two hours putting on their makeup in the morning, but they are making a real difference in the world. So, what have we learned? You need to get out there and get those hands dirty. Ask questions to anyone with a pair of ears. When it comes to the youth who crave a taste, give it to them. There are still high schools that provide workshop courses. Of course, in college, you can enroll in construction-related courses as well. Here’s a fact. Robert Arias founded the company out of his garage in 1996. Today the company is 22 years old and has grown to about 100 employees. They are in five cities, Austin being the fifth. Mr. Arias has established a culture of investing in and entrusting employees to take care of clients. The clients, in turn, take care of us. It’s a relationship-building cycle that gets stronger and stronger. –lv
portunity for a rewarding career without all the college debt! High schools students can graduate with NCCER certificates earning a higher wage than their peers. Apprentices can take advantage of continuing education through member safety and leadership training opportunities in their quest to climb the career ladder. This is only one of the many opportunities available to build a career in construction. Kids all start out fascinated by construction with their toy cranes, bulldozers, and hard hats. They even build miniature metropolises with their Lego sets. So when do they lose that passion and what can we do to reignite it? It is no secret that the industry is afflicted with an undeserved reputation reinforced by commercials saying there is a plumber in all of us. Combating that image is not possible without the collective effort of industry and community working collaboratively to build successful careers for our community and a better future for our industry. –cmw
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A few team members from Sunstate Equipment Co. say Happy Friday to Construction News. L-R: Ramish Khan, KC Brown, Rocky Bray and Rick Kidwell. -lv
Austin Construction News • MAR 2018
Page 15
NEXT TH MON Kidd Roofing
Women in Construction
If you would like to represent your company in an upcoming FOCUS, contact your Austin Editor for an Interview Lexie Velasquez (210) 308-5800 AustinEditor@ConstructionNews.net
Focus on programs and scholarships
crease. It depends on many things – economy, market conditions, government oversight, etc. – especially as technology has evolved and changed the way people learn and do business.
Charlene Anthony, Senior Director, Construction Futures and Education Associated General Contractors of America Houston, TX
What does the AGC Houston chapter offer in the way of construction education? We have a very robust safety and education program at AGC Houston. The bulk of our construction education courses are designed to train commercial construction professionals, from superintendents to CEOs. We offer professional development rather than skills-training classes. Regarding safety education, AGC Houston partners with the University of Texas at Arlington to offer OSHA classes. AGC Houston is the largest OSHA training facility in the country according to 2017 statistics. We now offer evening OSHA classes as well. Our core curriculum classes run the gamut from First Aid/CPR/AED to Contract Law. All of our classes are taught by industry professionals.
We also offer AGC of America national curriculum programs, such as the Project Manager Development Program, Building Information Modeling or BIM education and the LEAN Construction Education Program. AGC of America also offers a credentialing program in the BIM and LEAN programs. We are a national testing center for those who want to earn the Certificate of Management in LEAN or BIM. Have you seen an increase in enrollment or interest in these construction education programs? We are a membership organization, so we do our best to offer courses, programs and seminars that meet our members’ needs. With respect to nubers, it’s hard to say. We’ve seen some courses with participation increase, and in some courses, we’ve seen participation de-
The Trades in high schools & beyond Jerry Thomas, CAE Executive Director Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) Dallas, TX
I
n days past, one could find a trades program in almost every junior high/senior high school in America. Remember shop class?
Then the “everyone should attend college movement” came along and trades courses went to the wayside. Over the years, we found many people were either not prepared for nor had no business attending college. The entire period of “everyone attends college” helped, I believe, in part to create a void in the blue-collar workforce. Apprenticeship programs during that time trained and graduated fewer experienced workers while most workers depended on more experienced craftsmen for training. As those with less skills, education and experience entered the workforce, the trades suffered and shortages grew. As craft worker numbers declined, an age gap was created between today’s young people and the “veterans” of the trades - those in their late 40s and beyond. I’ve seen figures, for example, of electricians where the average age of a
Journey-level electrician is 48 years of age. The huge gap between high school age graduates and today’s tradespeople will need narrowing if we’re to have adequate numbers of trades people to satisfy workplace demand. To begin the replenishment phase of the trades, the Texas Legislature in 2015 decided it was time to bring other opportunities into high school that would satisfy graduation requirements. This move allowed trades courses, among others, to once again be offered to high school students. It benefits those not wanting to go to college but pursue work in the trades or other fields. The options to choose an apprenticeship or vocational program upon graduation from high school should help to narrow the age gap already mentioned. But it won’t happen overnight. Today, our associations and other groups are working closely with high
How is the AGC Houston chapter overcoming these challenges? We try to focus on the programs that are most needed and most attractive to our members. For instance, we used to offer monthly brown bag luncheons designed for Human Resources professionals that offered programming specific to the construction industry. Our members asked us to create a forum in which they can share industry best practices and talk about new regulations that affect their businesses. We begin this in 2016 and it has been extremely successful, and proven to be a great member benefit. How do you recruit young people? We have a very robust modern scholarship program – and I say modern because our records date back to mid‘90s to the present. We have given away about a half-million dollars to about 140 people. It is intended for students who are members, dependents of members or who belong to an AGC Student Chapter. This year, we received approximately 40 applications. We have a very active committee comprised of our members, a few of whom have received
schools to put in place an introduction to the trades in 9th and 10th grades. Students may then choose a trade they want to pursue in the 11th and 12th grades and upon graduation, enter an apprenticeship or other training program while working full-time in that trade. Additionally, with our IEC program, high school students are earning college credit hours and on-the-job experience in the electrical trade. Upon graduation, they enter our electrical apprenticeship school where they earn additional college credit hours upon graduation. From there, graduates will be able to finish a few courses at the community college to earn their Associates degree. The high school to apprenticeship program is a huge win-win for the student, high school and our industry. Hopefully, with enough high schools participating, we can meet the evergrowing demands of America’s marketplace and trades. It’s way past time for all of us to “talk shop”. It’s time for action. Looking for educational opportunities after high school, many trades have bolstered apprenticeship with expanded programs of newer technologies in their standard apprenticeship programs. These new technologies attract young people who like the challenges presented in higher mathematics and science disciplines. Studying to become an electrician for example fills the challenge these students need.
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AGC scholarships in the past, and it is exciting to have these people come back to help us with this program. We also have AGC student chapters on the campuses of the University of Houston, Texas A&M University, Sam Houston State, Prairie View A&M University and Texas Southern University. We have relationships with all of these schools because they all have very unique construction programs. The whole point of it is that we want to bring people back into the industry. Does the AGC Houston chapter offer programs that are focused on young professionals? I manage a young professionals group, the Construction Leadership Council. I also manage our Leadership AGC group, which is a program developed by young leaders for young leaders. The program is for mid-level employees who work in the greater Houston commercial construction industry and have the potential to become a future leader within their organization. We will kick off our fifth class later this fall. Since 1923, AGC Houston has supported local commercial construction through the advancement of issues important to the industry, and offers education and professional development, safety training, market data resourcing and member networking. –mjm
Electricians are highly skilled and significantly compensated for their unique knowledge and abilities. They require up-to-date training as new technology emerges, creating more opportunities for the electrician to improve upon their skills. Enrolling in a four-year apprenticeship training program combines the on-the-job training and formal related technical instruction one needs to prepare for this high-demand field. This means a person gets paid to work while receiving a top-notch education in the electrical field. This type of apprenticeship training provides the student knowledge, technical skills and practical experience necessary to succeed in today’s trades. Students have an array of great apprenticeship and educational opportunities in the trades today that offer good pay and training and a fulfilling career. Carpentry, plumbing, sheet metal, steel worker, pipefitter, glazier, bricklayer, AC/ Heat are just a few of the trades along with electrical that offer young people today a challenging, rewarding, well-paying career. We must encourage these folks to consider the trades as a career if we’re to continue building America. -cmw
Texas Style
★ ★ ★ ★
San Antonio Austin Dallas/Fort Worth Houston
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Austin Construction News • MAR 2018
At last
A
fter an astonishing 2017 full of construction and installation the AGC Austin Chapter held their Outstanding Construction Awards & Installation of Officers Banquet on Feb. 2 at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center. AGC members gathered together to celebrate completed projects and toast to each other’s hard work. Congratulations to all! –lv
Design Build 1 ($0 - $10 million): J.J. Pickle Federal Building roof replacement and exterior repairs, Hensel Phelps Construction Co. Design Build 3 (Over $30 million): Samsung Fab2 office expansion, Hensel Phelps Construction Co. (photo not available)
Interior Finish-Out 4 (Over $5 million): 5900 Ben White Campus renovations, Sabre Commercial, Inc.
Building 1 ($0 - $2 million): The Griffin School, Inc., Rizzo Construction, Inc.
Health Care 1 ($0 - $10 million): Judge Guy Herman Mental Health Crisis Center, Barlett Cocke General Contractors
Residential Multi-Family: Burnet Road mixed use, Bartlett Cocke General Contractors
Health Care 2 ($10 - $30 million): Texas Oncology – San Antonio Cancer Center, Rogers-O’Brien Construction Company, LTD
Specialty Construction: Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity House, Austin Canyon Corporation
Building 2 ($2 - $5 million): Amplify Credit Union Esperanza Crossing Branch, Austin Canyon Corporation.
Building 3 ($5 - $10 million): Cityview Bible Church, Braun & Butler Construction Inc.
Health Care 3 (Over $30 million): Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas, JE Dunn Construction Company
Electrical 1 ($0 - $5 million): Celebration Church, Allied Electric Services, Inc.
Building 5 ($30 - $75 million) Shoal Creek Walk, Austin Commercial
Interior Finish-Out 2 ($500 K - $2 million): PlainsCapital Bank, Sabre Commercial, Inc.
Interiors: UT EERC stage, Lasco Acoustics & Drywall, Inc.
Building 6 (Over $75 million): 500 West 2nd Street, The Beck Group
Interior Finish-Out 3 ($2 -$5 million): Aristocrat, Sabre Commercial, Inc.
Other Specialty: The Driskill Balcony repairs and restoration, Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing
Building 4 ($10 - $30 million): Celebration Church, Chasco Constructors
Austin Construction News • MAR 2018
Page 17
JOB SIGHTS
continued from Page 1 — Ask and you shall receive jerina instills in them to do a good and safe job. “In the construction industry, accidents happen, so we really push safety first.” Tijerina acknowledges the laborers with the need to satisfy them. His drive was to please the laborer that he sees every day. The drive doesn’t stop there. Keeping construction at its all time high is also done by the coordination of their customer appreciation event. In August the company gathers all their customers, past and present to come together and embrace the livelihood of one another. Tijerina gets the contractors and general superintendents together. He says it’s a great place to meet people and say hello to old friends. The response of someone saying, “Hey man I haven’t seen you in years,” is good to hear. There have been times the superintendents and project managers hear about it and go back to work the next day, writing an email to Ti-
jerina stating, ‘Hey I didn’t get an invite.’ Tijerina says, “It makes you feel good because it gets bigger and bigger every year. With all the excitement of seeing one another, the event gives away prizes. “We give a vacation trip away, rifles, fishing rods, fishing trips and hunting trips.” Hang tight everyone August will be here soon. Centex currently covers north and south of Austin, but that’s about to change. Tijerina lets us know that there is a need to be in San Antonio. He says a lot of their customers are currently working in San Antonio. So, they plan to be there this year. There is always room to grow in construction, just like there is always a need for skilled laborers. Hey, construction have no fear, your skilled laborers are here. Centex Personnel Services is a staffing provider. –lv
continued from Page 1 — The flow of things that they haven’t in the past. The company primarily focuses in the commercial water well application, industrial, agricultural and municipal irrigation. The Dripping Springs branch does domestic work throughout the area as well. “Geologically speaking, drilling on the west side of 35 and hill country is a different type of drilling than on the east side of 35. We are set up to drill on the limestone over on the west side. We are getting mud equipment so we can drill over on the east side and pursue other opportunities.”
Knox assures that there is no job too big or small. “That’s one of the benefits of being a part of Hydro. If it’s a big project we have plenty of expertise to handle it, but if it’s a small one we are located right here and can tackle it for customers.” A recent big well project they finished was in the city of Jarrell for the Sonterra Municipal Utility District. In fact, they drilled a well down into the lower trinity that nobody in the area had done yet. “We went down about 1800-ft, producing a good amount of water. Actually we are about to install pumps in there and get them online.” Water well drilling is the job, but in terms of team building, this branch has kicked around the idea of having a company softball team. By any chance can Fred bring his mouthwatering brisket to practice? Hydro Resource provides groundwater construction services. –lv
Hydro Resource crew working.
continued from Page 1 — The smallest hospital in Texas
Site manager, Curtis Reinhardt and Victor Gonzalez explain they are working on Heritage Crossing buildings five through eight to be completed in September or October. The general contractor is Raymond Construction. –lv
s
Submitted to Construction News
Round-Up
Texas Roofing Company is pleased to announce Jason Milliken as their new company president. Milliken has served in the company as project manager and general manager since joining TRC in 2011. -cmw
ACEA
Greater Austin Contractors & Engineers Assn.
Mar. 8: Membership Luncheon, Dave & Buster’s, 9333 Research Blvd. For more info, call 512-836-3140
SFPE
Society of Fire Protection Engineers
Mar. 28: Chapter Meeting & Seminar, 10:30am-1:30pm, San Marcos Activity Center, 501 E. Hopkins. For more info, call Jeff Shapiro at 512-795-2900
IEC CENTEX
Independent Electrical Contractors Central Texas
SMACNA
Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Assn.
Mar. 7: Membership Luncheon, Location TBD, 11:30am-1pm. For more info, call David Johnson at 512-832-1333 Mar. 26: Power Drive 18 Golf Tournament, Location TBD, 12-6pm. For more info, call David Johnson at 512-832-1333
Mar. 15-16: SMACNA Association Leadership Meeting, Four Season Resort & Club Dallas at Las Colinas, TX. For more info, call 512-453-8806
NARI
Mar. 19-26: Target Strength Concrete Competition, Cylinders can be cast from Mar. 19-26. For more info, call 512-4515100
NAWIC National Assn. of Women in Construction
the creeks and rivers.” With the City of Lake Travis not being big enough to having it’s own inspector and it’s not quite far enough in town to be considered in town, there was no city inspection. Third party inspectors had to be hired to do the inspections for electrical and plumbing. B2 Excavating, Cedar Park Electric Contractors, America Roof Solutions and Flooring Warehouse played a vital role in the successful completion of this project. Wurzel Builders is an Austin-based commercial builder with offices in San Antonio and Dallas. -cmw
Brief company announcements of new or recently promoted personnel, free of charge, as space allows. Submit Info & Photo: AustinEditor@ConstructionNews.net (210) 308-5800
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News
Mar. 21: General Membership Meeting, 11am-1pm, Sunshine Camp/Zilker Park Lodge, 2225 Andrew Zilker Rd. For more info, contact Kayvon Leath at 512-3752601 or kayvon@austinnari.org
The onset of construction was unique in itself as the site had to be carved out of large rocks. Fourteen feet on the backside of the building site had to be carved out. The backside of the building is 4ft below ground,” says Jowers. The most challenging aspect of the job was working with the Austin’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). “Because of Austin’s ETJ, the hardest part was keeping the mud off the roads. The area where we were at in the ETJ, is in water district 17 of Lake Travis. Protecting the Austin water shed is important. You don’t want the silt from the mud getting into the aquifer and
Submissions
Association Calendar
National Assn. of the Remodeling Industry
Lake Travis ER interior view of lobby.
Round-Up
Mar. 4-10: WIC Week Mar. 4–10: National Blood Drive, We Are Blood donaton center near you. For more info, contact Taryn Ritchie at taryn. ritchie@ryancompanies.com Mar. 6: Kendra Gives Back Event; Kendra Scott, 3800 N. Lamar Blvd., All Day. Taryn Ritchie at taryn.ritchie@ryancompanies. com Mar. 7: Yoga Happy Hour, Austin AGC Office, 609 S. Lamar. Taryn Ritchie at taryn. ritchie@ryancompanies.com Mar. 8: Chapter Meeting/Community Involvement, Central Texas Food Bank, 6500 Metropolis Dr. For more info, contact Taryn Ritchie at taryn.ritchie@ryancompanies.com
TACA
Texas Aggregates & Concrete Assn.
TSPE
Texas Society of Professional Engineers
Mar. 24: Texas Mathcounts Competition, Hilton Airport Hotel, 9515 Hotel Dr. For more info, call Claire Black at 512-4729786 or email at Claire@tspe.org TSPS
Texas Society of Professional Surveyors
Mar. 18-24: National Surveyors Week TXAPA
Texas Asphalt Pavement Assn.
Mar. 13: Bryan District Partners in Quality Meeting, Hilton Conference Center, 801 University Dr. E, College Station. For more info, call Kelli Mofle at 512-312-2009 or email kmofle@texasasphalt.org
www.constructionnews.net publishing the industry’s news
Texas Style
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Austin Construction News • MAR 2018
Austin Construction News • MAR 2018
Page 19
Worth the wait
J
anuary 30 was the day HOLT CAT owners and employees have been waiting to attend for over two decades. This special day the ground was broken on the new 85,000sf facility in Georgetown. City officials, Holt employees and other dignitaries came out for their first view of the site and renderings of the new facility to be constructed across from the Georgetown Airport. Corinna Holt Richter, HOLT CAT’s president, began the ceremony and welcomed all attendees. Georgetown mayor Dale Ross and city manager David Morgan shared their comments on how great it was working with the HOLT team and their city team who made this project a reality in a very short time-frame. CEO Peter J. Holt gave the final comments before the customary turning of the earth. “We are hopeful we can get construction completed by mid-year 2019,”
said Mr. Holt. We knew we needed to be here in Central Texas on the north side of Austin and Georgetown has been the perfect partner to get us here. “Finding this site and finding really good partners with the City of Georgetown made it all come together. “The economy is booming, the I-35 corridor is booming and the growth is here. The location is perfect and it is dead center in our territory and growth. We couldn’t be more excited. “I do feel pretty quickly both locations will be full. Meaning the growth is so apparent and the demand so high I just have a feeling that pretty quickly after we open, we will have close to double our employment in the overall Austin area that we have today.” Hooker Contracting Co. Inc. of San Antonio is the general contractor for the project. -bd
L-R: Peter J. Holt, city manager David Morgan, mayor Dale Ross and Corinna Holt Richter turn the first shovel of dirt.
HOLT CAT employees enjoying the ground breaking.
Rendering of the new 85,000 sf facility.
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Austin Construction News • MAR 2018