Houston Construction News March 2018

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The Industry’s Newspaper Page 10

One million reasons

Water world

The Daniel Group Houston team.

Jason Santhoff (front row, left), general manager of Santhoff Plumbing, and the whole team.

J

arrod Daniel had been working for a Santa Fe developer for a year when he received an intriguing call in 1994.

“How would you like to make a million dollars?” Bill Daniel asked his son from the other end of the line.

Jarrod paused before answering.

The 24-year-old, who had played high school and college baseball, hadn’t entirely abandoned his dream of a career in the sport. Also, he wondered if this million dollar-making opportunity would be legal.

Bill assured him it was, and that the million would come from work Bill had been doing since his son’s birth. Hearing that, Jarrod had one more question.

“I said, ‘Well, what is that?’” Jarrod laughs as he remembers what he asked.

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www.constructionnews.net H (210) 308-5800 H Volume 16 H Number 3 H MARCH 2018

lein Cain High School is the most recent example of showplace beauty, impressive design and excellent construction workmanship in the Klein Independent School District. At 675,000sf, the new school is one of the largest in the Houston area and fills the need to accommodate more students in the growing school district.

PBK Architects designed the facility to honor the heritage of the area’s founding settlers while implementing the most current thought in Next Generation learning spaces within the building.

The two-phase project was constructed on a 92-acre greenfield site in northwest Houston. The new school will accommodate up to 3,500 students in grades 9-12 and provides an extensive range of advanced resources and facilities, from core curriculum classrooms to technical education spaces.

Satterfield & Pontikes Construction (S&P) served as the general contractor and Construction Manager at Risk, providing both preconstruction and construction services for the large project.

“What do you do, Dad?”

Jarrod soon learned the ins and outs of his father’s work, which involved direct hiring of accounting and finance candidates. Joining his dad, Jarrod used his marketing degree and tech savvy to create a staffing division and grow the firm’s services. The company’s name was changed to DanTemps and Jarrod’s brother Jeremy soon joined the firm, eventually focusing on sales and operations. When Bill retired in 2009, his sons bought out his shares and rebranded the firm as The Daniel Group.

Twenty-three years after that fatherly phone call, the company has expanded to include 700 employees across seven branches, with three of those offices continued on Page 14

J

ason Santhoff spent four years in the Navy, surrounded by the blue waters of the Atlantic on the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman. Water is the Navy’s medium.

He is still in the water business as general manager of Santhoff Plumbing.

Santhoff’s father, Joe, came to the Houston area in the early 1970s from St. Louis because that was where the work was, and started his own plumbing company.

Santhoff is the newest family member to join the firm, alongside brother James.

Jason, however, isn’t a plumber, but he oversees the day-to-day operations and takes care of marketing, advertising, site planning and customer service. He joined the business 2 1/2 years ago after spending

An impressive design

Klein Cain High School

the past 10 years working in sales for a construction supply firm.

Santhoff Plumbing is growing with 21 employees now and wanting to add some more.

Becoming a plumber is a long process.

The people at Santhoff are looking for a need to exhibit good traits and working habits first. Then, through on-the-job training, they move through the ranks from apprentice to master plumber. The process can take up to 10 full years. Santhoff said it’s “like going to college and getting a Master’s degree or doctorate.”

But, “kudos to the state of Texas” for their stringent testing and validation process that monitors every step of the journey to ensure that when a plumber says continued on Page 14 Construction began in February 2015 and was completed in August 2017 and began with clearing and preparing the site. Special attention was required regarding a high-pressure gas pipeline running underground through the site as well as preserving and protecting seven live oak trees that would remain in close proximity of the new building.

The school features a structural steel frame with a tested-assembly TPO roof.

The building’s attractive exterior includes brick and stone columns, decorative cornices, curtain wall systems, and expansive windows framed by arches.

Klein Cain High School has all the necessary tools and amenities for providing students with a top-notch educational experience, and includes: six Small Learning Communities (SLC’s) of modern instructional space, labs and collaborative areas; a 1,200-seat dining facility, kitchen, food tech, and cafeteria; numerous career and technical education spaces that include health science, agriculture, business, engineering, computer continued on Page 14

Page 2

Houston Construction News • MAR 2018

Head ‘em up, pour ‘em out

No date for Valentine’s day?

Lance Koy, operations and sales, Koy Concrete

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oy Concrete is a family-owned business in Katy, TX and is a product of the Greatest Generation.

Grandfather Frank came home from World War II and started selling Dr Peppers around town from his pickup truck.

Eventually, he got into bulldozing and clearing roads, then into the concrete business in 1956.

Frank’s son, Terry, then took over. Now it’s uncle Weldon who runs the company.

Which brings us to Frank’s grandson, Lance.

Lance Koy started working odd jobs in the company all throughout school. He got his commercial driver’s license at age 18, then went to Texas A&M to major in industrial distribution.

Just one week after graduating in May 2002, Koy started full-time with Koy Concrete to see if it fit him. “In hindsight I should have taken a couple of weeks [off],” he jokingly said.

Fifteen years later, Koy is in opera-

tions and sales. Now married with their first child on the way, Koy sees himself continuing on with pouring concrete and moving up in the family firm.

Koy Concrete stays relatively close to home in the Katy/Sealy area. It is active in many local schools by supporting their various booster clubs and sponsoring many athletic teams.

Fortunately, the company didn’t have too much damage from Hurricane Harvey. Koy didn’t evacuate because he couldn’t as he was surrounded by water.

Further, since they pour foundations of buildings, their work wasn’t affected, even if the building itself was a total loss.

For fun, Koy likes to hunt duck and quail.

Grandson Lance is pressing on with the family tradition. With a baby on the way, the company’s in good hands.

Koy Concrete is a concrete delivery business in the Houston area. -dsz

N

o worries. The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) took care of that issue for their members. They hosted a Valentine’s dinner Feb. 8 at Killen’s STQ. Although there were no roses, no boxes of chocolate, no candy hearts with

cute little sayings, members enjoyed the blend of a five-star fine dining experience in the comfortable rustic atmosphere Killen’s had to offer. In all, the 58 in attendance enjoyed great food, great wine and a great time. –cmw

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A charter group

Construction News paid a visit to Charter Drywall. L-R: Veronica Dunn, Desirea Espinoza, Cindy Tristan, Luis Morales and Jose Luis Santanna gathered together to say hello. -cmw

GOOD NEWS!

Call us for a Company Profile (210) 308-5800 All content is free!

Houston Construction News • MAR 2018

Page 3

Construction brothers

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ruly a black tie affair, members of the American Subcontractors Association (ASA), dressed in all their glitz and glamour, gathered together to see who would take home the coveted Excellence in Construction Award on Feb. 9 at The Bell Tower. –cmw

Architectural/Engineering Firm of the Year: Kirksey Architecture

2018 General Contractor Safety Award: Tellepsen

Project of the Year $5 – $15 Million: Linbeck Group LLC YES Prep Northline

2018 Project Superintendent of the Year: Hector Valdez, Gilbane Building Company

Project of the Year Over $25 Million: Vaughn Construction Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital, New Hospital and Medical Office Building

2018 Project Manager of the Year: Matt Guderian, Tellepsen

Project of the Year Under $5 Million: McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. Baylor College of Medicine NRI Level 6 Research Lab

Houston

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Contributing Editors

Melissa Jones-Meyer Ann Keil Jesse Abercrombie Houston Area Counties Harris, Galveston, Fort Bend and Montgomery 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 Houston Construction News (ISSN 1547-7630) is published monthly by Construction News LTD., dba Houston Construction News, and distributed by mail to construction-related companies in Houston and surrounding counties.

All submissions should be mailed to our editorial offices. We reserve the right to edit any materials submitted. No fees for materials, copy or photographs submitted will be due unless agreed upon in advance in writing. Submissions will be published at our discretion on a space available basis.

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Project of the Year $15 - $25 Million: Gilbane Building Company Cy-Fair Elementary School #55 (Jim and Pam Wells Elementary School)

2018 General Contractor of the Year: Vaughn Construction

Page 4

Houston 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

I

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.

rate. 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 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 him 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, get’s 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, assets lists, lease agreements and more. The taxpayer is required to sign under penalties of perjury that the information provided is accu-

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 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.

A

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.

Coming together

Lupe Gonzalez shared this photo from the National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC) Houston Chapter’s social mixer held Jan. 25 at The Raven Tower. -cmw

Houston Construction News • MAR 2018

Page 5

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.

O

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 re- required confined spaces as well as the quires employers to develop and imple- ability to respond and conduct a rescue ment procedures for summoning rescue in a timely manner based on the site conor emergency services in permit-required ditions and is capable of conducting a confined spaces. An employer who relies rescue if faced with potential hazards on local emergency services for assis- specific to the space. Such hazards may tance is required to meet the require- include atmospheric hazards (e.g., flamments of §1926.1211 — Rescue and emer- mable vapors, low oxygen), electrocugency services. tion (e.g., unprotected, energized wires), OSHA recognizes that not all rescue flooding or engulfment potential, poor services or emergency responders are lighting, fall hazards, and chemical haztrained and equipped to conduct con- ards. The rescue service must also agree fined space rescues. When employers to notify the employer in the event that identify an off-site rescue service, it is the rescue team becomes unavailable. critical that the rescuers can protect their Employers must also inform the emeremployees. The emergency services gency responders of potential hazards should be familiar with the exact site lo- when they are called to perform a rescue cation, types of permit-required confined at the worksite; and provide emergency spaces and the necessary rescue equip- responders with access to all permit-rement. quired confined spaces. Such access may Calling emergency responders to include information on access routes, provide rescue services can be a suitable gates or landmarks, a project site plan if way of providing for rescues in a permit- necessary, and GPS coordinates if in a rerequired confined space. Preplanning mote location. will ensure that the emergency service is Additionally, employers should encapable, available and prepared. sure that the most efficient means to

Prior to the start of the rescue work contact emergency responders is availoperation, employers must evaluate pro- able; any changes to the project site conspective emergency responders and se- ditions are communicated to the rescue lect one that has adequate equipment service; and emergency responders are for rescues, such as: atmospheric moni- willing to visit the site and conduct a joint tors, fall protection, extraction equip- training exercise with the employer. ment, and self-contained breathing apnatarajan.joann@dol.gov paratus (SCBA) for the particular permit512-374-0271 x232

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.

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.

Construction News ON LOCATION

Coastal smiles

Recognition & leadership

Swearing in of the 2018 Board of Directors

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he 2017 Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) Chairman, Warren Adamson, S&B Engineers and Constructors, recognized members of the association for their service at the chapter’s inaugural celebration held on Jan. 11.

2018 members of the board were also installed at the event. -cmw 2017 PAC Volunteer of the Dale Kornegay, Slack & Co.

L-R: The friendly staff of Coastal Drywall Supply Inc., Al Rivera, Lisa Alvarez and Nico Urrutia take a moment to pose for a photo. -cmw

Year:

2017 Volunteer Member of the Year: Miguel Escobar, D.E. Harvey Builders 2017 ABC Board Member of the Year: Rusty Barnhill, Force Corporation 2017 Committee Chair of the Year: Sam Craig, Craig & Heigt 2017 Member Company of the Year: Turner Construction 2017 New Member Company of the Year: McCarthy Building Companies Champion of the Merit Shop Award: Cecil Bell, Tejas Underground Utilities

L-R: 2018 ABC Chairman Robert Burelsmith, E.E. Reed Construction and 2017 ABC Chairman Warren Adamson

Page 6

Houston Construction News • MAR 2018

Eddie Torres President Luxz Painting & Design Inc. Share a little about your background.

My father was always an entrepreneur, so I always wanted to have my own business. Growing up in San Diego, I worked very hard for my dad growing up, always putting in the time and the hours and sacrificing. I’ve been doing the same since I was young and going to college, sometimes six or seven days a week.

That’s just part of business.

I went to college at San Diego State, and in the meantime ran some of my father’s businesses. My father was in the automotive business and had a lot of parts stores. I was very involved in that, but my first business was a landscaping business in 1994 when I was 22. It was somewhat gratifying; for me, it was about doing my own thing and being able to run and grow that business. I sold it after a couple of years once I built it, and went back to working with my dad.

How long did you work with your dad?

I would open up ventures as I was going back in forth between his businesses. For many years, I was working in corporate America, and with a partner during that time, I opened up a Mexican restaurant in San Diego. A restaurant is a marriage, though, and it will take everything from you. It’s a lot of hours and a lot of days, seven days a week for month and months at a time. It was a fairly successful business; we sold it in 2008 and I ended up going back to corporate America.

How did you begin your career in the painting business?

I had a friend who owned a painting company, and I asked him for a job. He asked if I was sure I wanted to do it. Prior to that, I had only painted my own investment properties that I had in California. He was very hesitant to give me a job, saying I was a suit-and-tie guy; at the time I was working with a large company overseeing several restaurants.

I said that I really wanted to do it. I started working with him as a prep guy sanding baseboards for a couple of months, and then I started doing brush and roller painting.

A year went by of me working hard at it, and an opportunity came up in 2015.

At the time, we were doing a lot of hotels, and the portfolio of the company was mainly commercial. I stepped in and helped them with some back-end systems, like sorting out financials. My friend then wanted me to start working in the office, but I asked to paint a little bit longer.

Why did you want to stay on in the physical side of the business?

I just actually really enjoy painting.

For some reason, painting just puts my mind at ease; it’s like therapy. It’s very hard to explain. Seeing the result of my work is the gratifying part of it; I make a difference.

I was still painting and doing a little bit of project management, and I learned how to read plans and do bids. After I worked all day, I would sometimes go to the office and read bids for a couple of hours to help with doing takeoffs. It got to the point where I was 100% involved

in the office, from creating all of the systems and safety programs to doing job walks, financials and HR, since I had come from that corporate environment.

We started to work with very large, multimillion dollar contactors and got a lot of ground-ups and buildings, which really helped me a lot and exposed me to things that I wouldn’t have been.

Along the way, I put in a lot of hours and a lot of days working for this company, and now I’m seeing the return on it. It’s not that it’s easy – it’s never easy – but I know what I need to do to get my company to the level where I was before.

For me, it’s a lot easier because I already know that I have to put in the hours. I know how to allocate some of my time to be able to create the systems for my company so that it is a couple of years ahead of its tenure right now.

Do you still get a chance to paint?

The business has evolved to the point where I cannot hold myself to that anymore because if I do, I’m leaving a lot on the table. The business has grown so much and is much different than what it was. In the office there are four of us and between five and seven painters, which sometimes goes up a little bit more to nine or ten.

What do you do to relax then?

I preach a lot about “family first,” and towards the end of last year, I started to put those philosophies into place and started spending a lot of time with my son. I saw myself getting wrapped up in the business. It’s a great business, but the work is always going to be there. I needed to make sure I allocated time to devote to my son, to go to his soccer practices.

I also started to get into meditation and yoga, just so that I can learn to better control certain emotions and myself and have a better way of thinking. It’s really challenging for me because I’m all over the place all of the time with five or six different things going and it’s really hard for me to focus on things. I think that doing yoga first for 45 minutes wears you down, and then you meditate for 15 minutes. My business is in east downtown and there is a yoga spot where I started taking classes. I go to yoga, which is over at 7:30 in the morning, and then I come to the office.

Have you seen the benefits of practicing yoga and meditation?

I’m just beginning to integrate this into my business because I need it, and it’s taken me a long time to realize it.

Sometimes I need to pull myself away from everything that is going on because in this business everything changes every day. I come in with a game plan every day, see my to-do list, and in a heartbeat everything can change. Or sometimes, I have to chase a payment from a client but don’t want to lose my cool with them because I’m still trying to establish relationships, but at the end of the day, everybody has to fulfill their obligations.

Because certain things happen throughout the day, sometimes I just need to go to church.

I go to church on Sundays, but sometimes I get that need to go to church in the middle of the day during the week.

It’s the one place where I find 100% peace, where I can shut everything down and be as one. So I’ll turn off my phones and sit in church for 20 minutes, just to focus and be thankful for what I have and for the opportunities that are coming our way. In an indirect way, it’s a form of meditation. We all need to find our escape.

What are your goals for the company?

Where we’re at as a company, maybe because of the way that I push myself and push my guys, we’re very far ahead of the game. Not to take away from anyone, but we know what we’re doing for the amount of hours that we put in.

The business expanded late last year so there is a new division of the company now, Luxz Cabinets and Millwork. We

Eddie Torres

relocated so that I can triple my square footage. Now we manufacture cabinets for a small hotel chain. We’ve been given a certain region, Texas and Louisiana, for this hotel chain, and sometime mid-year we hope to expand and look for other hotels and commercial work that we can manufacture cabinets for. It’s another leap, another risk. There is nervousness, because it is a constant unknown. We’ll try to do things right, and hopefully that business will flourish; it’s slowly picking up. The design business seems to be holding on strong, it seems to have both of its feet in the ground, but for me to take that leap again, it’s a little nerve wracking – but it’s a good nerve-wracking.

So that’s where we are now, manufacturing cabinets as part of the new division of this company, and we still continue to go strong on the painting business, focusing more on commercial work. We’re kicking up to higher-tier

hotels and for that we just need to make sure the company is structured correctly.

We have everything in place. We get a lot of praise from our clients along the way.

It’s been a blessing; I just hope to continue.

This will become an employeeowned company; if I’m not here, the employees will reap the benefits and can continue running the company. Along the way, I will probably hold the majority of the stake in the company. Overall, the core employees who helped build this company will receive profit sharing and will be invested in this company. To me, it’s about building something and having those people around me that are contributors to this business to reap the benefits of this company. If we do it together, nothing can ever stop us.

Luxz Painting & Design Inc. is located is a Houston-based subcontractor. –mjm

The write stuff

D

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, TN, Zulli’s family moved to the Springfield, MA, 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), 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 2 years. During this time, I decided to separate and go into the ministry and go back in as a chaplain.”

Zulli and new wife Cindy moved to Dallas to attend 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.

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, retir-

Dan Zulli, USAF (Ret.)

ing as a lieutenant colonel.

During his Air Force career, writing had been a staple of Zulli’s everyday life.

“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, and even writing historical fiction novels.

“My first book should be out this summer,” he said, “and the sequel about next year. The first one is already available on the Apple iBooks website.”

Now he writes for Construction News, coming full circle from what his mother told him years ago.

“When people say God works in mysterious ways,” Zulli said, “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.” -cmw

Houston Construction News • MAR 2018

Page 7

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 very large rock-like reef structures. These

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.

T

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 everything starts coming to life. We have so

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.

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.

Fetch this

Not such a “woof” day when it is bring your dog to work day. Check out Rocky Duron & Associates, Inc. employees let loose with their dogs. –lv

Ms. Taylor and her dog Thor

Gabriel and his dog Snicker

Office pals Thor and Talia

Snicker has his eye on you.

Lacy and her dog Talia

Page 8

Houston 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 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.

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.

Cat fishing is picking up on trot lines 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!

Are you suffering from the end-ofhunting-season blues?

Y

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

Lake Buchanan

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

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

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

Houston Construction News • MAR 2018

Page 9

10 Years ago this winter, 2008 Can you hear the thunder?

I

f you ask President John Angelina, D.H. Griffin of Texas Inc., why he became a demolition contractor, he’ll tell you it was for the challenge.

“Demolition is a little bit different than regular construction,” he says. “When we take a building down, we don’t have blue prints.

We have to figure it out ourselves.

“Safety is extremely important to us here at D.H. Griffin of Texas.

D.H. Griffin of Texas demolished a power plant in Webster.

We have not had a lost time injury in 13 years.”

“My biggest pleasure though is boat Angelina and his wife Dorothy start- ed the company in 1994. They opened an ing in the Gulf Coast,” he continued. additional office in Louisiana six years “That is why I love this area…I can go bay fishing 12 months a year. Dorothy and I ago.

Today, Dorothy is the controller and keep our boat in Rockport. We go to their son, John, Jr. takes care of all the South Padre and Florida. Our favorite operations. Their two daughters, Karen spot is Point Clear, AL.” D.H. Griffin of Texas is a demolition and Janine help with accounting.

Angelina says in his extra time he contractor specializing in the complete or sponsors a blue Thunder Bomber racing partial demolition, dismantling and environmental remediation of structures. –alr car at the dirt tracks in Baytown.

Wadin’ in Canada

Tom Kretzschmar, owner of Illuminations Lighting Design, relished the fresh air and mountain views when he went fishing in Canada on the Frazier River.

He caught and released sturgeon and salmon. –alr

Page 10

L

Houston Construction News • MAR 2018

Legends, myths and fairytales

egends, myths and fairytales were theme for the annual tailgate extravaganza hosted by the Houston Area Safety Council on Feb. 9 at the Pasadena Fairgrounds in Pasadena, TX. –cmw

Best Seafood: Hunter Site Services

Best Incorporation of Safety in Theme: HydroChemPSC

Best Team Spirit: Austin Industrial

Best Original Cocktail: Evergreen Industrial Services

Best Booth: Universal Plant Services

Best Meat: Safe Rescue

Best Dessert: Hunter Site Services

Best Entertainment: Ohmstede Industrial Services

Best Specialty Dish: Brown & Root

Best Individual Costume: Ray Hilton, Zachry JVIC

Best Contest: BEI Engineers

Austin Dallas/Fort Worth Houston San Antonio

Houston Construction News • MAR 2018

Page 11

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

Focus on programs and scholarships 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 stu-

dents. 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 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 opportuni-

Construction Education

Sept: Green Building Nov: Architecture & Engineering Oct: Specialty Contractors Dec: Construction Equipment

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.

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

ties 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.

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

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

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

Construction News ON LOCATION

Making the bend

L-R: Edgar Requejo and Joel Garcia take a moment to smile for the camera at the Marton Roofing Inc.’s fabrication shop. -cmw

Page 12

Houston Construction News • MAR 2018

NEXT TH MON Kidd Roofing

Women in Consstruction

If you would like to represent your company in an upcoming FOCUS, contact us for an Interview HoustonEditor@ConstructionNews.net 210-308-5800

Noble work John Landwermeyer Managing Principle, Austin Operations Arias Geoprofessionals Austin, TX

H

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

A

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 address 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 of-

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?

fer 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.

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 engage-

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

ment 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 opportunity 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

Hold’em and wait

T

exas Hold’em is popular in Texas as well as for members of the Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) Greater Houston Chapter. Members gathered together for the chapter’s tournament on Feb. 15 at The Bell Tower. –cmw

1st Place Winner Clint Mcllwain, Flintco Members watch as the dealer shuffles the cards and gets ready to deal.

Participants anxiously wait to the see what kind of hand they will be dealt.

Houston Construction News • MAR 2018

s

Page 13

Submitted to Construction News

Round-Up

EHRA Engineering is happy to announce the promotions, appointments and structure change of four key employees.

Jim Russ has been promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer. He is a four th - generation leader at ERHA. -cmw

Hasan Syed, PE has the title of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He was previously the Department Manager for Land Development which is now Land Services. -cmw

Jared Bowlin, PE has advanced to Practice Area Leader and will share the responsibility of taking over the role of heading up the Land Services practice area. -cmw

Blake McGregor, PE has also advanced to Practice Area Leader and will share the responsibility of taking over the role of heading up the Land Services practice area.

-cmw

Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing is pleased to announce Thomas Hernandez has joined the Chamberlin team as Executive Director of Human Resources.

Hernandez joins the team with a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette and has over 28 years experience. -cmw

Stantec is pleased to announce Erin Joseph Machac, AIA has been named the higher education market leader for the firm’s South Central Buildings group. Machac has 20 years experience managing educational facility design projects for K-12 and higher education clients across Texas. –cmw

Round-Up Submissions

Brief company announcements of new or recently promoted personnel, free of charge, as space allows.

Submit Info & Photo: AustinEditor@ConstructionNews.net (210) 308-5800

Association Calendar

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ABC

Associated Builders & Contractors Inc.

Mar. 2: ABC/CMEF Workforce Development Breakfast, Doubletree by Hilton Houston Hobby Airport, 8181 Airport Blvd. For more info, call 713-523-6222 AGC Associated General Contractors

Mar. 1: AGC Membership Mixer, Café Adobe – Marq’E, 7620 Katy Frwy, #355, 4-6pm. For more info, call 713-843-3750 Mar. 23-24: AGC Houston Annual BBQ Cook-off, Sam Houston Race Park, 7575 N. Sam Houston Pkwy. W. For more info, call 713-843-3750 AIA American Institute of Architects

Mar. 7: Trivia Night, SPJST Lodge 88, 1435 Beall St., 6-9pm. For more info, email aleks@aiahouston.org or call 713-5200155 Mar. 7: Houston Young Design Professionals Happy Hour, Irish Cowboy, 2300 Louisiana St., 6-8pm. For more info, email aleks@aiahouston.org or call 713-5200155 Mar. 21: Emeritus Luncheon, Junior League Tea Room, 1811 Briar Oaks Lane, 11:30am-1pm. For more info, email aleks@aiahouston.org or call 713-5200155 ASA American Subcontractors Assn.

Mar. 7: Schmooze & Mingle, Cedar Creek Bar & Grill, 1034 W. 20th St, 4-7pm. For more info, call 281-679-1877 Mar. 22: BLDG (Building Leaders Development Group) Networking Event, Topgolf Spring, 560 Spring Park Center Blvd., 4-7pm. For more info, call 281-679-1877 ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers

Mar. 20: Branch Meeting, HESS, 5430 Westheimer Rd., 11am-1pm. For more info, email Julia Clarke at vpadmin@ascehouston.org or call 713-369-5413 Mar. 22: Trivia Night, Sherlock’s Baker Street Pub, 10001 Westheimer Rd., 6-8:30pm. For more info, email Tim Smelcer at tim.smelcer@group.com

Industry FOLKS Dakota Kelly Maintenance technician New Balance A/C Houston, TX

ASPE

American Society of Professional Estimators

F

or Dakota Kelly, it’s not necessarily the name or type of job that counts; it’s how much good that job can do for other people.

“I want to be of the greatest possible service I can be,” the Houston native said.

For now, helping people means that he leads the service maintenance department in the family’s air conditioning company.

The road to this position took Kelly from Houston to Denton, then back to Houston.

Going along with the prevailing viewpoint that says one has to go to college in order to be successful, Kelly enrolled at the University of North Texas as a music major. But after just two months, he found out it wasn’t for him.

For one thing, his instrument was the dulcimer, which he had bought at the Texas Renaissance Fair. Unfortunately, the school didn’t have a program for it.

So home he came.

While Dakota is agreeable to one day taking over the family business, he is open to whatever divine providence has for him. “God puts you where He needs you,” he said.

One place the Lord has him at is serving his local church as a member of the security team that rotate a night per week at the church in order to make sure things stay nice and ship-

Mar. 12: Monthly Meeting, Spaghetti Westerna’s, 1608 Shepherd Dr., 6pm. For more info, go to www.aspehouston.org shape. That’s a “good healthy thing to do.”

When he’s not volunteering at church, Dakota loves to ride his “hilariously slow” vintage Yamaha XV 250.

This motorcycle has been in the family for years, but lately has not been ridden. Dakota recently refurbished it and now enjoys the open road. While he’s not sure what his dream bike would be, it definitely would be something faster.

Even though working on AC units is rewarding in and of itself, playing his dulcimer wouldn’t be a bad gig. “I’m a performer and I love being on stage,” Dakota said.

And, while Hurricane Harvey was “a terrible tragedy,” Dakota and others from the company have used their skills to aid people affected by the storm. Living right there put them directly on the spot. Fortunately, no one from the company was adversely impacted by the hurricane. Harvey “brought the construction industry as a whole a lot of work,” he added.

For now, Dakota is in the AC business. But the plans could change down the road. “I want to do the most I possibly can for other people,” he said.

Maybe even give someone a ride on a slow Yamaha. -dsz

ASSE

American Society of Safety Engineers Gulf Coast Chapter

Mar. 1 Networking Social, Marriot Houston South Hobby Airport, 9100 Gulf Frwy, 8-10am. For more info, go to www.gulfcoast.asse.org CSI

Construction Specifications Institute Houston Chapter

Mar. 26: Chapter Meeting, 5:30-8pm.

For more info, contact Bill Fairbanks at Fairbanks@rpcinc.com or call 281-2273577 HAGA Houston Area Glass Association

Mar. 29: 2018 Golf Tournament, Houston National Golf Club, 16500 Houston Na-

tional Blvd. For more info, email dgurka@ houstonglass.org HCA

Houston Contractors Assn.

Mar. 22: Happy Hour, Redneck Country Club, 11110 W. Airport Blvd., 4-7pm. For more info, contact Emelie Englehart at 713-349-9434 IEC

Independent Electrical Contractors Texas Gulf Coast

Mar. 21: General/Membership Meeting, IEC Chapter Office, 601 N. Shepherd Dr. For more info, call 713-869-1976 or email at frontofc@iectxgc.org MCA

Mechancial Contractors Assn. Houston

Mar. 14: MCA Houston Contractor Members Meeting, the Hess Club, 5430 Westheimer, 11:45am. For more info, call 281440-4380 Mar. 25-29: MCAA Annual Convention, J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort, 23808 Resort Pkwy., San Antonio, TX . For more info, call 281-440-4380 NAWIC National Assn. of Women in Construction

Mar. 4-10: Wic Week Mar. 4: 5k Benefit Run/Walk, Memorial Park, 1500 E. Memorial Loop Dr.,8-10am.

For more info, go to www.nawic-houston.org Mar. 5: Fluor Lunch & Lean, Fluor Sugarland Campus, 1 Fluor Daniel Dr., 11am1pm. For more info, go to www.nawichouston.org Mar. 7: TopGolf, TopGulf Katy, 1030 Memorial Brook, Katy,TX., 4-8pm. For more info, go to www.nawic-houston.org Mar. 8: Happy Hour & PPE Showcase for Women, Cadillac Bar, 1802 Shepherd Dr., 5:30-7:30pm. For more info, go to www. nawic-houston.org Mar. 10: Crawfish for a Cause, Darwin’s Pub, 33 Waugh Dr., 3-7pm. For more info, go to www.nawic-houston.org Mar. 13: Chapter Meeting, Maggiano’s Little Italy, 2019 Post Oak Blvd., 5:30pm.

For more info, go to www.nawic-houston.org NECA

National Electrical Contractors Assn.

Southeast Texas Chapter

Mar. 1: Coastal Sabine Division, Pappadeaux, 4040 I-10 S, Beaumont, TX. For more info, call Becky Mullins 713-9772522 Mar. 1: CSLMCC Annual Meeting, Pappadeaux, 4040 I-10 S, Beaumont, TX. For more info, call Becky Mullins 713-9772522 Mar. 27: Houston Division Meeting, Goode Co. Seafood, 10211 Katy Frwy. For more info, call Becky Mullins 713-9772522 SWE Society of Women Engineers

Mar. 15: SWE-HA Networking Hour, The St. Regis Houston, 1919 Briar Oak Ln., 6-8pm. For more info, go to www.swehouston.org TSPS Texas Society of Professional Surveyors

Mar. 18-24: National Surveyors Week

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Houston Construction News • MAR 2018

Construction News ON LOCATION

Not shy at all

The guys at Ferguson Enterprises Inc. were not shy when confronted with a photo opp.

L-R: Jeff Bowen, Blake Wathen, Angel Moreno, Daniel Wathen and Marcus Perry. -cmw

continued from Page 1 — One million reasons located in the Houston area.

“We have one on the east side of Houston, we have our corporate office in Houston, and we have one in Sealy,” Jarrod says. “Our corporate office is basically our back office support, which is all of our accounting, billing, payroll, and operations, but we also have a production office here that does commercial staffing and professional staffing from a direct hire standpoint.”

Jarrod says the addition of the commercial staffing division, which includes light industrial and skilled trades, has enabled The Daniel Group to participate in projects outside of Texas.

“We’ve had construction projects that we’ve worked on in 28 states,” Jarrod says with pride. “It’s been a fun ride in the construction division.”

The ride has taken the firm all the way to its own construction site at 5424 Katy Freeway, where The Daniel Group’s new three-story, 17,664 corporate head-

quarters is being constructed. Forwardthinking Jarrod says the new facility will include a 50-seat training room for branch manager and association use, adjustable standing desks for health-conscious employees, beanbags and cordless technology to appeal to millennials and plenty of coffee to keep motivation running at high levels. The building is slated for completion in November 2018, just in time for the staff to move in and celebrate the firm’s 25th anniversary.

The promise of a million dollars is what lured Jarrod into the staffing business, but it is a promise he made himself in 2009 that keeps the CEO happily coming to work years later. With his staff’s help, he has vowed to help one million people find meaningful work, and he’s nearly a tenth of the way toward reaching the company’s goal.

The Daniel Group is a staffing firm with seven Texas locations. –mjm

continued from Page 1 — Water world

Construction News ON LOCATION

Face of the company

Eskala Administrative Assistant Helena Villamar is ready to greet you with a smile. -cmw

he’s a master plumber, he really is.

“There are no workarounds,” Santhoff said.

The largest recent commercial project the company has done was Texas Direct Auto. Father Joe has had a decade-long relationship with them and they deal oneon-one with Santhoff as their sole plumbing provider and servicer.

One problem the plumbing industry is facing is aging infrastructure. The older water and sewage lines were made of clay, cast iron or concrete materials. Their life expectancy is about 40-50 years, and a building built in, say, the early 1960s is now experiencing problems with leakage and breakage.

When Santhoff is called on the job for an older building, the first question he asks is when was it built. If the answer is that long ago, he tells them they need to replace it all because it has reached the end of its days.

Also, electrolysis is a problem because it breaks down galvanized piping. Welcome to Texas water.

Hurricane Harvey relief has kept the company busy too. Insurance money is still coming in, so people are now in a position to finally do their plumbing repairs. Santhoff Plumbing donated manpower and materials to many in order to help them rebuild.

When not on the job, Santhoff likes to hit the salty brine once again with salt-water fishing, or stay on terra firma to deer hunt.

From the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean to the underground water of Texas, Jason Santhoff has either been on top of it or else making sure it flows just the way his customers need it to.

And that’s a good thing.

Santhoff Plumbing is a family-owned plumbing business in the Houston area. –dsz

continued from Page 1 — An impressive design

Classroom in Learning Commons wing

programming, cosmetology; a large library and auditorium; fine arts – theater, band, choir, dance, orchestra, art, newspaper, and yearbook; large auto mechanics shop, welding; natural light-filled lobby, corridors and open spaces; three gymnasiums, natatorium; baseball, softball and football fields; tennis courts, athletics and concession buildings.

The interior is inspired by Next Generation learning and features extensive use of transparent, transformable, and agile instructional spaces. Moveable glass panels found in the Learning Hub (library) can also be found in the collaboration areas and the SLC’s so that adjacent classrooms open up into the space.

Transom windows in the classrooms allow for natural light to permeate throughout the school. Innovative “L” shaped classrooms along with the collaborative/flexible areas allow for ‘zoning’ where students can work collaboratively or independently.

The weather was an early construction challenge. The “Tax Day & Memorial Day” floods in Houston – a deluge of 12 inches of rain in 10 hours, presented a significant difficulty in site preparations.

In addition to an existing (smaller) detention pond on the property, S&P dug a huge, on-site, regional detention

pond required by the Harris County Flood Control District. The extraordinary rain event flooded everything, including both the existing and the new detention ponds. The result was too much rain in a short period of time and produced muddy, swampy conditions throughout the property.

While water still covered the site, the construction team re-sequenced certain parts of the site work to help stay on schedule. Concentrating on the building pad area, which had been raised earlier due to a grade change, the team was able to dry the area, place the reinforcing steel, and ready the area for the concrete pour without losing any time.

Satterfield and Pontikes served as the construction manager on Klein Cain High School and their long-standing professional relationship with Klein ISD and PBK enabled all parties to work together efficiently and effectively.

PBK Architects Inc, founded in 1981 is a multi-discipline full service AE firm with specialized expertise in Next Generation educational environments.

Satterfield & Pontikes Construction Inc. founded in 1989 is a general contractor providing a full range preconstruction, construction and consulting services. –cmw

Houston Construction News • MAR 2018

Page 15

Clays for sport

I

JOB SIGHTS

n spite of looming bad weather, the Associated General Contractors (AGC) 2018 advocacy sporting clays tournament was a great success. The event was held on Feb. 13 at the Greater Houston Gun Club. -cmw South Course 2nd Place Team: The Mathis Group, score 255 John Ryan Mathis, Jon Hill, Austin Shirley, and Taylor Scharack 3rd Place Team: Peckar & Abramson Team 1, score 245 Craig Taylor, Todd Colvard, Bud Walters and Rick (lastname unavailable) Top Flurry: The Matish Group

North Course 2nd Place Team: Texas Moisture Protection, score 235 Adam Beaver, Locan Hess, Jon Richards, and James Russel 3rd Place Team: Anslow Bryant Construction, score 234 Nick Dwyer and Garrett Wentreck

L-R: Henry Rivera, Ronnie Rivera, Miguel Cruz, Juan Guardiola and Foreman Jesus Garcia with Concrete Constructors perform underground work at the new retail space at the corner of Ashbrook & Rice Road in Houston. -cmw

South Course 1st Place Team winners with a score of 27, Cokinos|Young. L-R: John Warren, Cokinos|Young; Dennis Descant, Brady Chapman Holland & Associates; David Esslinger, Epoch Construction and (not pictured) Todd Buster, Horizon Development & Construction

North Course 1 Place Team winners with a score of 269 and Top Flurry Team, Building Concrete Solutions. L-R: Trent Tellepsen, Richard Jatzlav, John Renken and Travis Moore st

Marco Rodriguez, owner of Rodriguez Sheet Metal & Roofing guides forklift operator Juan Becerra at the 1500 Brittmoore Road re-roof project in Houston. -cmw

After the hunt

Glenn Rex, executive director, shared this photo from the Mechanical Contractor’s Association (MCA) Texas winter meeting after the day’s hunt at Joshua Creek Ranch in Comfort, TX. –cmw

Construction News ON LOCATION

Visiting with the news

L-R: Teal Construction Company Recptionist Amber Cook, Marketing Manager Kourtnie Simpson, and Estimator Russ Brownrigg visit with Construction News. -cmw

L-R: Guillermo Martinez and Antonio Tellez with Architectural Painting ready their paints for the interior painting of the AutoNation Gulfton Collision & Recon Center.

Multatech Architects & Engineers are the project architects. Wier Enterprises is the general contractor overseeing the project. Mike Estes is the project superintendent. -cmw

Page 16

Houston Construction News • MAR 2018