Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News April 2018 by Construction News

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His own company & rules

Close call

L-R: Ryan King, Steve Clarke, Mike Mashburn, Greg George (owner/CEO, Fort Worth Heat & Air), Michelle George, Joanna Garret, Paul New, David Dossett

The Texas Specialties & Installation’s staff

he best thing about Greg George being the founder and owner of Fort Worth Heat & Air is that he can call the shots. “I’ve worked for some good folks and some that weren’t so good,” he said. The Knoxville, TN native came to Fort Worth when his father retired out of Carswell Air Force Base in 1981. He started working as an in-house refrigeration repairman for the Tom Thumb grocery chain in 1986. He graduated from HVAC trade school and worked for different companies in the ensuing years. “After working for several people over the years, I saw what I liked and what I didn’t like and I decided to start my own company where I can make the rules and

do what I felt was right and what the customer deserved,” George said. One incident from his other-company days was one of the biggest factors moving him to go into business for himself. George was called to a 95-year-old woman’s house in the dead of a hot Texas summer. Unfortunately, she was unable to pay for the repair on her AC unit. Not being able to authorize a free service call, George could not perform the maintenance, even though he had the part in his truck. He subsequently found out that the woman died three days later due to the heat. continued on Page 16

indy Jones and her husband Stewart had only owned Texas Specialties & Installation Inc. for a month when national tragedy struck. “I was doing a previous employer’s products but I wanted to expand. My husband and I started our own company and started expanding our product line in August of 2001,” Jones explains. “Then 9/11 hit and we thought, ‘What have we done?’” Rather than panic at the aftermath’s possible economic impact, “we worked seven days a week, sometimes 18 hours a day,” she says. “We have wonderfully loyal customers and we got through it.” Two years later, the couple felt comfortable enough to expand. “We only used to do toilet partition

and bathroom accessories,” she says. “Now we do every scope of Division 10 including fireplaces, lockers, benches, all types of fire extinguishers and cabinets.” The staff has also expanded to 14. “We have a great support staff, and two assistant vice presidents. Angela Cook is assistant vice president of sales and a project manager. Nick Ulmen is assistant vice president and operations manager. Our niece Elizabeth Stephens is also a project manager.” Staff growth and the desire to offer more product choices means the couple is currently hunting for larger facility. In the meantime, it’s a good thing the staff continued on Page 16

The great wall of Russell Creek

he City of Plano is known for their gorgeous greenbelts and beautiful parks throughout the city. One of the busier greenbelts sits at Russell Creek. The Russell Creek Greenbelt is part of The City of Plano trail system. This trail has courses parallel to Russell Creek for a total of 2.5 miles and connects to Andrews Elementary School and Capstone Park. The city realized that to maintain the beauty of the 8.5 acres greenbelt there were several areas that needed updates. They called for an erosion control project to mitigate subsidence and deterioration of Russell Creek Drive and the adjacent neighborhood. To accomplish this, retaining walls would need to be installed along Russell Creek Drive between Independence and Sutherland Lane. As part of the project, a temporary trail was needed to also be installed along the wall

as well as a pedestrian bridge across the creek to the trail on the north. The city wanted to make sure that, as this project was going on, the residents could still enjoy the trail until completion. After the successful completion of the Plano Courtyard Theatre and several other projects, the City of Plano decided to once again use Joe Funk Construction Engineers (JFC) for the Russell Creek Drive Phase 1 Greenbelt Improvement. Joe Funk Construction was founded in 1965 in a garage by Joe Funk. Joe, now in his ‘90s, serves as chairman emeritus with his son Marshall Funk stepping in the President role in the 1990s. Today Marshall is the company’s CEO and Rusty Norris has been president since 2004. Over 1000 linear feet of retaining wall was constructed (nine separate walls in total). The walls ranged in height from The Russell Creek Greenbelt

continued on Page 16

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • APR 2018

Deregulation coming to the electrical industry

Semper surveying

n keeping with the current trend of cutting burdensome governmental regulations and red tape, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recently announced that the National Electrical Code (NEC) will soon be eliminated. The NEC has been in existence since 1897 and is normally updated every three years, 2017 being the latest update. But after a cost-review analysis, it was determined that 2017 will be the last revision to the textbook for all things electrical. The expected savings for eliminating the code book as well as all regulations is estimated to be $247 million dollars annually. “We feel this move will not only save money in the long run,” E.Z. Hertz, spokesman for the NFPA said, “but it will free up the local electrician in the field and their companies to be more flexible in meeting customers’ needs.” Some, however, view this new direction by the NFPA as detrimental to the public’s well-being and safety. “This is nuts,” one local general electrical contractor, who wished to remain anonymous, said. “Without the NEC, every Tom, Dick and Harry electrician will be able to basically wing it when it comes to wiring someone’s house or business. Who knows what type of electrical work they will do in order to cut corners and save a dime?” Still, others see this as a lifesaver when it comes to being able to do a job more quickly and efficiently. “I can’t wait,” said Moby Short, an independent electrician. “All those rules and regulations were making a simple job 10 times more complicated, not to mention costly. Now, I can lower my bids, which will make it easier to compete for jobs.”

Kevin Mattice, business manager and marketing director of GeoNav, Dallas.

A random phone survey of local electrical companies seems to echo this sentiment. “Why should some bureaucrat in an office somewhere dictate to me how I should be doing my business?” contractor Jose Watt asked. “I know how to wire a home.” The NFPA also announced that its last code change will be to eliminate the color of electrical wiring. Instead of having differing colors like red, green, white or black, all wires will now be blue. The purpose, the NFPA said, to not discriminate against a person who wants to become an electrician who happens to be color blind. Any new policy change, especially one of this magnitude, is sure to cause some people to blow a fuse. We will have to see how eliminating the electrical code standards plays out. “April Fools.” -dsz

evin Mattice, business development and marketing manager of GeoNav, likens construction surveying to the Marines. “We’re the first ones in and the last ones out,” he said. Despite being only 2 -years-old as its own company, GeoNav’s business is booming. Mattice has been with the company since the beginning, and GeoNav has grown from 12 original clients to now 77 consistent clients. About 64 percent of its clients are repeat customers. Mattice is the only non-surveyor among the 15 regular employees. The SMU grad was a political science major and business minor. In only his first year with the firm, the client list grew over 300 percent. GeoNav is actually a split from GeoPhysical Navigation, which specializes in seismic and oil/gas surveying. Surveyor Chris Howard formed the commercial land division in 2009 when construction

took off. Then finally, in March 2016, the natural next step was to make GeoNav its own entity, with Howard heading it. With a field office in San Antonio as well as its new location in Carrollton, GeoNav stays busy. Recent projects it worked on were the Admiral’s Lounge renovation at DFW, the Irving Music Factory and the Texas Motor Speedway. GeoNav is also licensed in Oklahoma, so the I-35 corridor is well covered. GeoNav maps out and prepares a project for construction at its outset, then is the last to leave to make sure everything was done correctly. First in, last out. The Los Angeles native came to Texas to attend college. Now, Mattice is part of the prenominal growth that makes the Lone Star State so attractive to companies. Semper Surveying. GeoNav is a scanning, mapping and surveying company in the greater Dallas area. -dsz

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • ??? 2018

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A level playing field

In memoriam ★

Benjamin Dean Holt, Jr. (BD Peter)

enjamin Dean Holt, Jr. (BD Peter) passed away Sat., Mar. 10. He was born in Oakland, CA to Benjamin Dean Holt, Sr. and Loretta Wahl Holt on April 21, 1925. He graduated from Stockton High School in 1943, enlisted in the US Marine Corps and was promoted to Lieutenant after graduating from Officers Training School. After WWII, he entered the University of California at Berkeley. He married his first love, Corinna Knapp in 1947 and graduated from CAL-Berkley in 1948 with a degree in Agricultural Economics. After Corinna passed away in 1990, he fell in love again and married Kaye Durham in 1992. BD (Peter) would say, “How lucky I’ve been to have two women who loved me!” In 1948, BD (Peter) went to work for Caterpillar Tractor Co. in Peoria, IL and after completing his training there; he became the Caterpillar District Representative in Mississippi. He was then recalled to the Marine Corps during the Korean War. After the Korean War, he returned to work for Caterpillar. In 1954, BD (Peter) moved his family to San Antonio to work for his uncle, William K. Holt at his Caterpillar dealership in South Texas. In 1961, his uncle sold him the southern portion of the Wm. K. Holt Machinery Co. BD (Peter) established his headquarters for B.D. Holt Co. in Corpus Christi. In 1969, he established Energy Industries to manufacture gas compressors. That business expanded into several states and Canada. In 1978, he was able to fulfill a lifelong goal when he purchased a ranch in the Texas Hill Country near Blanco, running a cow/ calf operation and growing oats and hay crops. In 1987, BD Holt Co. and Holt Machinery Co. in San Antonio merged, moving the headquarters to San Antonio and what is now Holt CAT. He never lost his Caterpillar connection, driving to the

Dallas H Fort Worth

office almost every day when he was not at his beloved ranch. He supported many community causes in both Corpus Christi and San Antonio including the Texas Aquarium, San Antonio Children’s Museum, the United Way and the San Fernando Cathedral. BD (Peter) was the father of Peter M. Holt (Julianna), Anne Holt (Christian Schultz) and Ben Holt (Lisa). Not many fathers have two son’s names after them, Peter and Ben! He also had three children by marriage, Edie Durham Sapp (Henry), Mary Durham Clark (Jimmy) and Eleanor Kaye Durham. He was most happy to be the grandfather to his eleven grandchildren, Corinna Holt Richter (J.B.), Peter John Holt (Lauren Kate), Benjamin and Harrison Holt, Clay Sapp, Mimi Sapp Brown (Zachry), Travis Clark (Katharine), Edwin Clark (Megan) and John, Virginia and Mary Park Durham. He was fortunate enough to have four great grandchildren, Holt and Charlotte Richter, and Hazel and Penny Holt. BD (Peter) is survived by his sister Catherine Holt; brothers-in-law Harry Phillips and George Knapp; and sisterin-law Penny Holt. He is predeceased by his parents, his first wife Corinna Knapp Holt; second wife Kaye D. Holt; and his brothers Donald and Nicholas Holt. BD (Peter) and his family are grateful to all of his dedicated caregivers: Dr. Mark Thorton, Alejandra Rivas, Karel Hoffman, RN; Maria Martindale, Flor De Maria Smith, Caitlyn Gomez (chef), Linda Mallard, Toi Montelango, Tina Pena and Regina Lucio. Also, most grateful to his office staff: Charles Strickland, Juliet Williams, Gayle Cuellar and Elisa Ellington and to his ranch staff: Harold Lord, Scott Grote, Tony Floerke, Anita Ramirez, Juan Lopez, Eladio Cortez, Joe Torres and David Gonzalez. –cmw

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Meet the ProsRent team. Middle L-R: Nicholas Powell, John Clark and Skyler Gambill

eveloping relationships with suppliers all over the country is what contractors are doing. Creating a way to connect contractors and suppliers through an online marketplace is what ProsRent finds necessary so that contractors can find equipment quicker. CEO John Clark had an idea in 2016, ultimately turning it into ProsRent. “Not only do we partner with large suppliers nation wide, we also partner with several small suppliers that now have the presence just like the big boys do.” ProsRent was established on Oct. 1, 2017 as an online marketplace for construction rental equipment. In 2016, Clark was already running his current construction company called USA Renovations. He was fortunate enough to have the right senior members in place that allowed him to venture off and develop ProsRent. Then he met Nicholas Powell, who is now COO of ProsRent. At the time Powell was pitching a different business idea to Clark. “We talked and everything was great. Six months went by before I realized he would make a really good partner for this new start up.” In 2008, Powell started his professional career in the Marine Corps as an electrical engineer. In 2010 he moved to Dallas where he grew his skills in upper level management. “I had a unique opportunity to take bits and pieces from a lot of different industries and project myself to where I am now; as the type of leader that I am now,” said Powell. Slightly before calling Powell, Clark put his idea into a competition with a software company called CodeLaunch. There were 400 applicants with techy ideas and Clark made it all the way as a finalist. In fact, Clark came into the com-

petition late in the game. Next he had to pitch his idea in front of 600 investors. He ended up finishing as the runner up. Right now ProsRent is growing by 150 percent per month. “There are a lot of friendly tools that both supplier and customer will be able to take full advantage of,” Clark said. The company goal is to change the game. They want to see more quality business go to smaller quality suppliers, so there can be a level playing field for all suppliers. Both Clark and Powell come with a construction background, but it is their director of sales, Skyler Gambill, who comes with a rental industry background. “I’ve got the background in construction, Nick’s got an outstanding work ethic and Skyler coming in with a background in rental; it buttoned it all up right there.” The ProsRent employees are enjoying their new form of company culture. Clark and Powell are firm about making sure their employees are happy. They don’t hand out nuts and cherries, but they do listen to everyone’s ideas. “It’s more of a bottom up culture than a top down approach. One person’s idea is just as important as an executive,” said Powell. Clark adds that their tight knit culture is the same for his other company. He keeps them all connected even though they are two different companies. During Christmas he arrived at the party as Clark Clause. Innovation is the reason, but tenacity is the action. Clark and Powell have a long run way ahead of them, but they already have the tools to get them there. ProsRent is an online marketplace for construction equipment rentals. –lv

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • APR 2018

hardest part was qualifying the nine people that I would keep. There were some that started with me and I had to tell them they didn’t have a job. It was then, I decided, I would do my best to understand business cycles, try to recessionproof my business, and be keenly aware of concentrations. It was the worst day of my career!

Keith Bell Owner Intex Electrical Contractors Tell me about your background and how you got started in the industry? My first job was a sacker at a Winn Dixie grocery store in Mesquite. My best friend called me on a Friday night before I was going to start that job on Monday because his cousin owned an electrical contracting company called Vernon’s Electric in Dallas. Vernon needed a few electrical workers for the summer and wanted to know if I was interested. I was 15-years-old so that sounded a lot more fun than sacking groceries. I showed up that Saturday morning. I loved the work and it was a great fit for me. I later enrolled in industrial cooperative training at Mesquite High School and worked half days. We would get out of school at 11:30 and I worked on The World Trade Center downtown for nearly two years. Later I went to work for a few other places and passed my journeymen’s license in 1980. I hired a master in Oct. 1983, started Intex Electrical Contractors, Inc. and obtained my masters license in early 1984.

Let’s fast forward to today. How many employees do you have now and how is your revenue? Two hundred twenty five employees. For fiscal 2018, our budget is $48 million. We did $44 million last year. I decided in 1995, we would be all divisional and diversify. I bought the assets of a plumbing company that year and also separated our service department into a standalone division. In 2001, we created a residential division, in 2003 the institutional division, and in 2012 the design build division including a professional engineer. In 2013, our service division was restructured to a special projects group which includes commercial service, tenant finish and aerial lighting maintenance.

What were those first years like at Intex? We started out doing anything! I had projects from Greenville to Lake Palestine to Lake Kiowa. You had to do what ever you could. One of my first customers, Maffco Construction, which is still in business today, introduced me to a gentleman named Rick Tavern at Rosewood Properties. I did many of the retail finishes in the shopping centers in Plano which were developed by Rosewood. Early in my career I was fortunate to do some work for Trammel Crow Co., which would become one of my biggest breaks! Back then, they had four construction companies in the Metroplex and in a few years, I was working for three out of four of these companies. Crow started office/warehouse industrial work in Dallas and this led to relationships with Security Capital (now Prologis) and Duke Realty.

What do you think you’re most proud of in your career? Without a doubt it was helping the Independent Electrical Contractors of Texas get a state electrical license in Texas. This was something that had been attempted since the ‘50s. For years, the IEC of Texas was small, legislatively defensive, and we didn’t have an executive director. Over time, we really grew and started working hard to make it happen. In 2002, I was Chairman of the IEC Governmental Affairs Committee and we formed a coalition to create a statewide electrical license initiative. I had IEC of Texas, IBEW, and some other independents at the table that were interested in that process. I had a PLA with IBEW which helped build the trust on both sides to negotiate a state license for Texas since we were open shop and they were union. We teed that up in 2003 in the 78th legislative session with sponsors in both the Senate and House. The electrical industry and our association really stepped up both in effort and financially. It was signed into law on my 41st birthday June 22, 2003. They issued my masters license #2501 which was the first electrical license issued in the State of Texas. I was appointed to the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Advisory Board, made me the chairman, and was reappointed to two more terms, so it’s been 14 years as the chair. Today, there are 148K licensed electricians in the state. I couldn’t have lined that up any better. It was a God thing!

How did you handle the rough times of the ‘80s? Well, Crow shut down their construction companies in Dec. 1989. We were so embedded with Trammel Crow that we went from 33 to nine people in one day. This was Jan. 1990 and we’d grown significantly over a six-year period. The

What else are you proud of? I’ve had five employees retire with 25 or more years of service at Intex. I have several that are still here with that kind of tenure. My CPA once described me as a benevolent dictator! You have to be a boss and a leader but you also have to be humble enough to appreciate your peo-

ple. You cannot lead people where they don’t want to go and they can spot narcissism and incompetence a mile away! For people to work here that long I’m very prideful and appreciative. For many, these people started working for me when I was a kid. They give me the biggest and best part of their career and I’ve made a great living as a result. I hope it’s been as rewarding for them as it has been for me. At 225 employees there are more than a thousand people per week that depend on the decisions that I make. I don’t take this lightly. It’s a huge responsibility!

business owner or CEO, that’s who. I think it takes years of experience to handle the risk management, understand unintended consequences and have a vision of what’s coming. In politics there aren’t enough statesmen concerned with the next generation. For the most part, they are only concerned about the next election. When I look at the district that I’ll serve, it is my belief, they are passionate about their taxes, regulations and education. I feel that I have the practical experience over my career to bring some value to the sausage making process in Austin.

What do you think has made you successful? I’m a lifelong learner, passionate and driven to make a difference. As a young boy, I always had odd jobs like mowing lawns, throwing newspapers, etc. It seems that I have worked all my life and have always enjoyed being too busy. One of my better qualities is my work ethic. Though successful, I always strive to be humble. I’ve had my head handed to me a few times so it takes humility. Will Rodgers said it best, “If you get to thinking you’re a person of influence, try ordering somebody else’s dog around.” In addition, as a lifelong learner, education is a really big deal for me. I didn’t go back to get my bachelor’s degree until I was 48 and graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2013. I’ve been elected seven times to my local school board, served for 20 years and have been elected board president 14 times.

Who’s someone that has been a big part of your career? I’ve been a member of IEC for a long time. I joined in the mid ‘90s after dealing with salting issues because someone recommended I needed to reach out to IEC. I met Jerry Thomas who’s been the patriarch here in Dallas for that organization. He just celebrated his 30th anniversary last week. I owe a great amount of gratitude to IEC and Jerry Thomas.

Speaking of being elected, you’re running for office now, right? I’ve always been involved in government affairs for the electrical industry and served as the IEC Government Affairs Chair for over two decades. Our State Representative in House District 4 decided that he was going to run for congress. It’s the first time the seat has been open for decades. So on Dec. 11, I threw my hat in the ring to run for House District 4. I have three opponents. I’m running because we need to have more business people, entrepreneurs and CEOs in Austin. Seven thousand bills will be filed in the next legislative session and about 3,000 of those will turn into new laws. Who needs to be sifting through that? A

Tell me about your family. I’ve been married to my wife Annette for 35 years. We have two daughters, 30 and 28. I have four grandchildren (three grandsons and a granddaughter) from 11 months to 5-years-old. In the construction industry we find that many owners sons, daughters and other family members take over the companies when the original owner retires, how will that look at Intex? Good question. My oldest daughter has an MBA and she’s in the cattle business. Her husband is one of our estimators. My youngest daughter is a BSN, RN whose husband is a CPA. I’d love to one day have them involved but I also have a great group of leaders that work here currently. At this point in time, I can’t tell you if they will even be interested but I do suspect there will be some hybrid model between my family members and the leadership that exists at Intex today. I’d never want to exclude my leaders at this company from a future ownership opportunity. I’ll tell you what we won’t do, it’s not for sale. There has been too much sacrifice for them not to be rewarded. My family fully understands that too. -ja

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • APR 2018

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Hammer awards The North Texas Roofing Contractors Association (NRTCA) presented its 2017 Golden Hammer Awards during its NRTCA annual awards banquet held on Feb. 17. -cmw

Outstanding Metal/Tile Roofing: Classic Superoof, LLC, Trinity Life project with support from Boral Steel

Outstanding Community Service: Springtree Roofing & Restoration, Salazar Project with help from GAF, Allied Building Supply and Thrive PR

Outstanding Residential Roofing: Tice Enterprises Ltd. , Spotts Residence project with support from Wholesale Roofing and DaVinci Roofscapes

Outstanding Residential Roofing: Outback Roofing, Clayton-Super Scapes project with support from ABC Supply-Garland & Atlas Roofing Supply

Outstanding Commercial Roofing: Supreme Roofing, SMU Aquatics Center project

Outstanding Commercial Roofing: Absolute Roofing & Waterproofing, Texas A&M Corp of Cadets Dorm Renovations project

Outstanding Metal/Tile Roofing: Paradigm Roofing, Monticello CrossRoads Townhomes project with support from West End Roofing – McKinney, Legends Sheet Metal and Brava Roof Tiles

Outstanding Residential Roofing: Tarrant Roofing, Broadwell Drive project with support from RSG-Dallas and BJ Gutters

Outstanding Community Service: Texas Roof Management, Dallas Women’s Forum project with support from Arnold & Associates, Inc, and Siplast

Outstanding Commercial Roofing:Castro Roofing, TWU Mary Blagg-Huey Library project with support from GAF and ROOFTECH

Outstanding Community Service: Brettco Roofing, Pitts Roofing and MRB Contractors, Greater Progressive Church of God in Christ project with support from Empire Roofing, Texas Roof Management, Wholesale Roofing Supply and CertainTeed

Outstanding Metal/Tile Roofing: KPost Roofing & Waterproofing, Toyota North American Headquarters project with support from Austin Commercial and Corgan Associates

LET US KNOW ABOUT YOUR COMPANY STORIES, EVENTS, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AND PHOTOS

CALL: 210-308-5800 EMAIL: AustinEditor@ConstructionNews.net

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News â&#x20AC;¢ APR 2018

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • APR 2018

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New year, new ideas for recruiting and retaining employees in the construction industry

Managing your fleet exposuresdriver qualifications

Cyndi Mergele, Senior Director RSM US LLP San Antonio, TX

Mark Gaskamp CSP, CRM, CIC, CPCU, ARM, ALCM Managing Director Wortham, L.L.C. Austin, TX

or the U.S. economy, the positive signs continue: unemployment rates are at historic lows, consumer spending is increasing, the stock market–while volatile at times–continues to set new records and optimism is at an all-time high. The construction industry is expected to flourish right along with the rest of the economy. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the construction industry added 210,000 jobs in 2017, which is a 35 percent increase over the previous year. In addition, construction spending is on the rise. The Commerce Department reported that construction spending was up approximately 2.4 percent in 2017, including a record $1.257 trillion in November. The robust economy and the surge in spending are anticipated to boost construction hiring even more in 2018. Not only is the industry expected to create new jobs, it will need to replace an aging workforce, which will begin retiring in record numbers over the next decade. Studies have estimated the industry is only producing one replacement worker for every four workers who leave. If this trend continues, it’s expected the industry will face a shortage of nearly two million workers in just the next few years. Uncertainty regarding immigration policies and the estimated 1.3 million undocumented immigrants working in construction could cause those numbers to rise. So what should contractors do to fill the gap and attract more workers? One of the biggest challenges is capturing the interest of younger people and, overall, society still heavily stresses the value of higher education. But there are changes which contractors should consider to shift this traditional mindset: Be competitive: If construction companies want to attract a different and new demographic, they have to re-imagine the needs of that population. That means providing skilled trade workers with competitive compensation and benefit opportunities. Candidates new to construction need to be confident they will get similar leave and group benefits as their college-educated counterparts. Rethink recruiting: Construction companies should be purposeful in their recruiting efforts. Part of that effort will be identifying the best company representatives to share positive messages about the industry with potential workers, especially those just coming out of high school.

While human resources and corporate recruiters should take part, who is better at sharing positive experiences than a recent, high-performing high school alumnus? Quantifying the benefits of a career in construction is key— work hours, income potential and the opportunity for advancement should not just be discussed, but detailed in collateral material that is provided to candidates. Using these peers to represent the company is one of the best ways to illustrate the value of this type of career and to demonstrate that expensive degrees are not necessarily required for success. Engage employees: The most costeffective method to alleviate a worker shortage is to retain the ones you already have. While that’s not always possible— there will always be employees who find reasons to quit—it’s important not to overlook the importance of engaging employees. Yet, on average, only 39 percent of construction firms measure employee engagement. Companies that have shown positive steps in retaining employees find ways to frequently (and informally) get employee feedback, host in-house classroom training and even coach employees. While these might not produce instant engagement, it can show employees the company is invested in them and cares about their future with the organization. Regardless of position, employees want feedback on performance and opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge. Studies have shown that companies with the highest employee retention rates have committed to rich professional development cultures and have effective performance management processes. Yet 55 percent of contractors do not have any formal processes in place for identifying and developing high-potential employees. It’s a critical time: Approximately 89 percent of construction firms report facing talent shortages. As economic trends indicate, the construction industry can expect strong performance for years to come and with that, rewarding careers with competitive pay. It’s time to get that message out to the next generation preparing to enter the workforce. Cyndi Mergele is a Senior Director with RSM US LLP’s Human Resources group.

hat is the biggest risk for your operations? A worker injury, a big liability claim, a large property loss?

Every construction operation must deal with an exposure that creates this potential risk multiple times every single day… vehicles and drivers. There are very few exposures that can have the financial impact of a serious vehicle accident. Many insurance carriers have increased auto rates recently due to poor performance in this area due to increased claim frequency (largely due to distracted driving), higher litigation costs, and injury settlements. In order to reduce liability exposures and insurance costs it is imperative that policies and procedures be developed to address your vehicle and driving exposure. Every time a driver gets behind the wheel of a company owned vehicle or drives a personal vehicle on company business they are putting the organizations assets at risk. It starts with determining who gets to drive on company business. Failure to properly vet these individuals can lead to “negligent entrustment” should the individual involved in an accident happen to have a poor driving record. Negligent entrustment means you “knew or should have known” that the individual you put behind the wheel of a company car or allowed to drive their personal vehicle on company business had a poor driving record and should not have been allowed to drive. In other words, you should have run a motor vehicle check and you should have disqualified the driver after reviewing their driving history. If negligent entrustment can be proven by the plaintiff the liability exposure and potential legal costs can increase exponentially. Many organizations historically have relied on their insurance company to help manage the driver qualification process. Changes in privacy laws and defini-

tions of credit reporting agencies have resulted in a shift in mindset in this area. Most insurance carriers are now only willing to provide an approved drivers list or a list of those drivers that are excluded, without any explanation. It is your obligation to figure out why there is a problem with their driving record. Just to confirm, when the insurance carrier excludes a driver this means there is absolutely no insurance coverage should this individual be involved in an accident either in a company vehicle or their personal vehicle. From a liability standpoint, this really is a process that each organization should “own.” After all, do you really want your insurance company to completely control your fleet safety policy? Developing a written criteria for new hires and existing drivers is the key component to any fleet safety program. This policy should align closely with what insurance carriers are looking for, but can include additional criteria such as training and probation for certain violations. Taking the time to develop and update your fleet safety policy on a regular basis is an excellent way to reduce the liability exposure for any organization. As an added benefit it looks really good when presenting each risk to the insurance marketplace. If you would like sample fleet safety policies, procedures or have other questions regarding fleet safety or other risk management issues, do not hesitate to call or drop me a note. Mark Gaskamp can be reached at Wortham Insurance: 512-532-1536 mark.gaskamp@worthaminsurance.com www.worthaminsurance.com

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • APR 2018

Effective emergency planning critical to managing OSHA investigations and rising incident penalties

April is “Safe Digging Month” Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX

Ian Faria, Partner Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP Houston, TX

he stated purpose of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is to “assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance.” OSHA has promulgated various standards to create rules employers must use to protect their employees from hazards. Paramount to OSHA’s standards is OSHA’s General Duty Clause, which provides that each employer: • SHALL furnish employees place of employment free from recognized hazards that cause or are likely to cause death or serious harm; and • SHALL comply with OSHA standards. The General Duty Clause also provides that each employee: • SHALL comply with OSHA standards and rules applicable to his own actions and conduct. Typically, OSHA utilizes the General Duty Clause as its “catch-all” standard when no other standard applies. This clause and others are used to assess citations and penalties against employers for violations. The penalties themselves have significantly increased in the last three years. In November 2015, Congress enacted legislation requiring federal agencies to adjust their civil penalties to account for inflation. That new law directed agencies to adjust their civil monetary penalties for inflation every year, limited to any penalty for a specific amount or maximum amount set by federal law that is assessed or enforced by a federal agency. As a result, the Department of Labor adjusted penalties for its agencies, including OSHA. OSHA’s maximum penalties, which were last adjusted in 1990, increased by 78 percent. Going forward, the agency will continue to adjust its penalties for inflation each year based on the Consumer Price Index. The increased penalties mandated by OSHA took effect after Aug. 1, 2016. Any citations issued by OSHA on or after that date were subject to the new penalties if the related violations occurred after Nov. 2, 2015. For serious violations and for failure to abate (per day beyond the abatement date), the maximum penalty per violation increased from $7,000 to $12,934 (the latter amount is adjusted for inflation as of Jan. 2, 2018). For willful or repeated violations, the maximum penalty per violation increased from $70,000 to $129,336 (also adjusted for inflation). With the citation penalty amounts ever increasing, along with even more activity by OSHA in Texas, employers have to be proactive in their culture of safety, documentation and training. In the event that there is an event that requires notification of OSHA, there are

several opportunities to improve the inevitable investigation and penalties that flow from the event. Your company’s emergency action plan should be regularly reviewed and utilized when an incident occurs. It is important that a company craft a useful emergency action plan and not use a “canned” plan that it may find from a third party or on the Internet. Emergency action plans need to be company specific taking into account the company’s resources and needs. If a company does have an emergency action plan, then it should be followed by all individuals who are part of the investigation team. An emergency action plan should, at a minimum, include the following: • Selecting an internal investigation point person; • Securing the scene; • Determining OSHA reporting requirements and reporting the incident as required; • Determining if other entities must be notified (Police, Fire, EPA, NTSB, etc.); • Talking to witnesses; • Potentially taking witness statements; • Taking photographs of the scene; • Preservation of the scene and evidence; • Implementing protocols for unauthorized photography/social media interactions; • Identifying all personnel/contractors onsite; and • Identifying all personnel/contractors involved with incident. Combined with proper safety training, an effective emergency action plan can be of great importance in how OSHA investigates and determines citations and penalties. Of course, continuing review and improvement of all safety programs and policies to avoid incidents should be of paramount importance. However, when accidents occur, companies and employers should be diligent in their investigations with OSHA to prevent reoccurrence. Ian P. Faria is a member of the Construction and Government Contracts Practice Group and Managing Partner of the Houston office of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP. He represents developers, general contractors, subcontractors, homebuilders, business owners and individuals in a variety of disputes, as well as in OSHA compliance and investigation matters. He can be reached at ifaria@bradley.com.

efore starting work, the OSHA Excavation standards require employers to do the following:

• Determine the approximate location(s) of utility installations — including sewer, telephone, fuel, electric, and water lines. One common industry practice is to call 811, the “Call Before You Dig” number, to establish the location of any underground utility installations in the work area. • Contact and notify the utility companies or owners involved to inform them of the proposed work within established or customary local response times. • Ask the utility companies or owners to establish the location of underground installations prior to the start of excavation work. If they cannot respond within 48 hours as required by state law, or cannot establish the exact location of the utility installations, employers may proceed with caution, which includes using detection equipment or other acceptable means to locate utility installations. • Determine the exact location of underground installations by safe and acceptable means when excavation operations approach the approximate location of the installations. • Ensure that while the excavation is open, underground installations are protected, supported or removed as necessary to safeguard workers. OSHA generally requires that employers protect workers from cave-ins by:

• Supporting the sides of the excavation; or • Placing a shield between the side of the excavation and the work area. The “Damage Prevention Councils of Texas” are dedicated to underground utility damage prevention, along with the promotion of the “811 – Call Before You Dig” message and the Common Ground Alliance Best Practices. Currently, there are 23 Regional Councils encompassing the State. These councils hold free to attend Annual Safety Days that include live equipment demos, industry networking, and live Mock Line Strikes across the State of Texas. Each Damage Prevention Council holds a monthly meeting which is open to all who are concerned with damage prevention. To locate your local council meeting or to attend a free safety day event: http://dpcoftexas.org/ Additionally, the National Utility Contractors Association has set June 18 – 23 as Trench Safety Stand Down week. NUCA is asking all contractors that do trenching conduct a training session on excavation hazards. Free training materials are available on their website at http://www.nuca.com/tssd NUCA has made available free tool box talks, a PowerPoint presentation, sign-in sheets, and worker handout materials. natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232

• Sloping and benching the sides of the excavation;

Subs go to Arizona

he American Subcontractors Association (ASA) held its 2018 SubExcel Conference Feb. 28 – Mar. 3 in Tempe, AZ. SubExcel is a nation-wide event hosted by the ASA National office. The keynote speaker was Dave Sanderson, the last man off of the plane that miraculously landed on the Hudson River a few years ago. There were a number of education seminars and workshops available to the attendees, including a great “Tech Bar” that you could visit throughout the week to get information on new apps, best “how to” practices online, and ideas on how to market your company. One of the best parts of the event was being able to discuss and brainstorm with members or executive directors from other chapters to get new ideas of what’s working, and sharing information. “Everyone seems to be suffering from the same issue,

labor shortage,” says 2016-2017 Executive Director of the year from the San Antonio chapter, Jennifer Swinney. –cmw

San Antonio Chapter Executive Director Jennifer Swinney receives 2016-2017 Executive Director of the Year award.

Best Practice awards winners

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • APR 2018

Page 9

coast. The influx of bait and warmer water tends to invigorate predator species such as speckled trout, redfish, flounder and even snook. As a result, many bay systems experience a good topwater bite during these months. Of course, spring can be windy and the resulting rough water often dictates using a topwater plug big enough and noisy enough to gain attention over the roiled water. However, on calmer days - or when fish are dialed in to smaller baitfish - try tossing a smaller topwater. Among the best ‘junior’ surface plugs is the MirrOlure She Dog and Top Dog Jr. These plugs have enough weight and make a loud enough sound to irritate the stubbornness trout or redfish. I have found that down sizing lures often produces a better bite than using full size lures of the same color patters. Again, although standard baits will still produce this time of year, there will be those days when the fish are feeding strictly on certain sized items. At times like these, it can pay off to have a few ‘kid-size’ baits to save the day. 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 me at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.com. Good Luck and Good Fishing.

Think outside the box 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.

pril is the month that ushers in spring. Spring’s warmer weather and water welcome new life to Texas’ inshore bays. Shrimp, crab and finfish have, or soon will, released this year’s crop of younglings. When this happens, the bay’s resident predators will shift their focus from large, hard to catch adults to the young, naïve hatchlings populating the flats. This transition doesn’t happen all at once. Rather, the spawn of various species is staggered throughout the spring and early summer. But, April marks the start of a three-month run of hatchlings in our bays. To up their odds for success during this time period, anglers should `match the hatch’ by downsizing lures, baits. Anglers should also shift their focus to areas where predator fish are most likely to be able to ambush or attack the small bait fish. WHERE TO LOOK As is typically the case, predator fish will be found where the food is. During

Jim Crosby of San Antonio tricked this 26-in, 6lb trout into smashing his lure last month while wading the Lower Laguna Madre with Steve Schultz Outdoors. Water temperatures should be right during the next high tide to start seeing some of the fatter trout.

spring and early summer, the majority of the food is located near where it was hatched. For shrimp, crabs and a myriad of baitfish, this typically means shallow grass flats and back lakes. When spring tides push extra water into these nursery areas, redfish and speckled trout will ride the tide right into a dinner buffet. Anglers should do the same, following the water and currents into these areas holding all of the bait. When tides recede, fish

will usually fall back into channels that lead into these backwaters and shallow flats. But, if there is enough water to allow them to stay in these areas to feed, they will. WHAT TO THROW Late March and April not only usher in the start of spawning season for many marine species, it also sees warmer tides lapping against the shores of the Texas

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • APR 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

Wow! That was some Spring Break!

e all know how Mother Nature seems to have something against Spring Break. How many times have we just really needed to get the family out and about for a few days, only to have it turn off cold and windy, or stormy and just downright nasty? Not this year! We seemed to have the full spectrum of Texas weather this year. It reached the 90s and then fell to the 30s. We had high windy days and dead calm days. We even had a couple rip roaring thunderstorms that we were lucky to miss. It made for unpredictable fishing, but at least most of the weather changes

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

were pretty brief. For the most part we had good stringers sometimes consisting of several species, but happy fishermen were coming back to the dock. All the fish are healthy and well fed because of good baitfish populations, so it looks like we will be in for a good fishing year. Early spring fishing can be challenging because of the weather, but it can also make you a better fisherman. This time of year the water temperature is what drives fish behavior. They need to eat a lot and spawn, but if the water is cold and the bait fish are scattered, the fishing will be tougher. The more warm and steady days we get the better the fishing will get. The biggest mistake I see fishermen make is to get set in their ways. Just because something worked for you one day and you caught a bunch of fish, doesn’t mean it will keep working from now on. Fish are always swimming, moving and reacting to weather and water conditions – always in motion. A good fisherman understands this and learns to follow suit. If you are just getting your boat and motor ready to head out, you need to pay close attention to your fuel system. If you ended up with some fuel still in your system when you put it up for the winter, and hadn’t been using a fuel stabilizer, you will likely be having trouble. The ethanol in today’s fuel has a nasty habit of turning to a jelly like sludge that will gum up carburetors and fuel lines. Just do yourself a favor and take it on in to your marine mechanic and get it cleaned out and start using a good fuel stabilizer at each fill up. That way you don’t lose any fishing days to messing with a motor that just won’t go! Of course, if you just don’t want the hassle, you can always book a trip with a local guide. It is just like charter fishing at the coast, except that it will cost you a lot less and only takes a few hours. You get on the water to fish, without the headache of messing with the boat. If you haven’t already hit the water this year, you better get to it! Dust off your rod and reel, wind you on some new line and come on. You don’t want to miss this!

Hitting the slopes

Construction News’ Dana Calonge shared this photo of her and husband Dick in Breckenridge, CO where the two escaped to celebrate Dana’s birthday. -cmw

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • APR 2018

Fishing on the Brazos ravis Walker, director of business development for Corbet Design + Build shared these photos from his trip along the Brazos River the weekend of Mar. 17. -cmw

Page 11

Get on up here

he Construction News editors Lexie and Dan had the pleasure of meeting “Tex,” the longhorn at the ABC chili cook-off. Tex is great around people and loves him mom Charlotte Browning. –lv

Lexie was eager to get on.

Travis Walker baits his hook while fishing on the Brazos River.

Travis Walker fishing on the Brazos River.

The Brazos River

Have an Outdoor Story or Photo? Send to: HoustonEditor@ ConstructionNews.net or call Dan at 210-308-5800

Dan was eager to get off.

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • APR 2018

Excavators’ next generation

fter all the anticipation, your new baby is here. Announcing the arrival to friends and family is one of the most exciting, special moments of one’s life, so you want to make sure you do it up right. This is no different for the HOLT CAT family in introducing the arrival of the next generation of Cat Excavators. HOLT CAT and Caterpillar introduced the Cat NextGen Excavators at an invitation only event in which invitees could get an up close look at the company’s newest product line. The NextGen is the 320GC, 320 and 323, which happen to be Cat’s largest new product introduction in the company’s history. The event was held on Mar. 6 at the American Airlines Center. Invitees were shuttled to the event where they enjoyed a reception of food and drink and then watched the Dallas Mavericks take on the San Antonio Spurs. HOLT CAT is a heavy construction equipment supplier. -cmw

Invitees gather for a historical photo with the NextGen excavators

NextGen excavator 323

Holt staff from all divisions gather for a historical photo with the NextGen excavators.

Invitees partake in a reception after the presentation of the NextGen excavators

Construction week for women

ith The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) chapters across the nation celebrating WIC week Mar. 4-10, the Fort Worth chapter put focus on giving back to their community by getting involved with Habitat for Humanity along with some fun activities like a TopGolf outing and a safety training session with ASCO Equipment. -cmw

NAWIC members speak to Crowley ISD ASCEND students about careers in construction, education and scholarship opportunities.

NAWIC Fort Worth members pose for a photo at the Habitat for Humanity community event.

NAWIC members get instructions before beginning work on the Habitat for Humanity project.

Peeking through the frames, Holly Green, owner of Brettco Roofing.

NAWIC members take a lunch break during the Habitat for Humanity project.

NAWIC members hard at work.

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • APR 2018

Page 13

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

Signature of a woman Melanie Kuhr, Partner Signature Millwork

WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION Sep: Green Building Nov: Architecture & Engineering Oct: Specialty Contractors Dec: Construction Equipment

fessional Women in Construction (APWC), American Subcontractors Association (ASA), and Dream Team Women’s Network to be extremely helpful for women working in this industry.

Dallas, TX

n 1984, Melanie moved to Dallas, leaving behind all she had known to join the ranks of the corporate world. Little did she know then that Dallas had an unforeseen destiny for her away from corporate America. What is your background in the construction industry? I grew up in a construction family in Cincinnati, OH, so I was familiar with the cyclical nature of the business and also developed an appreciation for doing it right the first time. What advice would you have for women who want to start their own businesses? Have a solid business plan and review it with a diverse group of people – banker/industry expert/family member/ business coach.

What resources are available to women who would like to start their own businesses? Southwest Women’s Business Council, Chamber of Commerce, business banks that focus on small businesses, and City of Dallas Economic Development Women’s Foundation are all great resources for women who want to start their own businesses. Have you found associations to be helpful for women? I have found the Association of Pro-

What lessons have you learned along the way? I learned to remain relevant, be flexible, know your people, keep in touch with all the stakeholders in your industry, strive for continuous improvement and have a passion for quality. Finally, you only have one chance to build your reputation, safeguard it! What do you hope the future holds for your business?

A woman’s legacy

ing, but to see the progress that has been made makes it all worth it.

Lindsey Sutherland, Owner G.D. Interior Construction

What specific challenges have you faced in your career? From the start of this transition, after my dad died back in 2014, it was very overwhelming. There was no succession plan in place. All I had was some basic knowledge of the business working here in the office during the summer for many years - but I can say that being around it my whole life has given me a sense to the nature of the industry and how to navigate through the pitfalls and recognize the safeguards.

San Antonio, TX

emories of working along side her mother and father in the family business is something near and dear to Lindsey. Although she did not set out for a career in construction, this is where the path has led her.

utherland once told Construction News, “I never would have expected that I would be enjoying it so much;” it being the construction industry.

Which is more important for a construction career - education or experience? Ideally, both are important. Experience just comes with time and education should be ongoing, but I believe one’s ability and attitude play a major role from the get go. What advice can you offer women who want to pursue a construction career?

How would you encourage women to broaden their knowledge of owning a business or working in the industry? Get as many opportunities to understand the many stakeholders in the business and understand what their greatest need is and how you can meet and/or exceed that need.

pril Fools’ Day (sometimes called All Fools’ Day) is an annual celebration in some European and Western countries commemorated on April 1 by playing practical jokes and spreading hoaxes. The jokes and their victims are called April fools. People playing April Fool jokes expose their prank by shouting “April fool.” Some newspapers, magazines and other published media report fake stories, which are usually explained the next day or below the news section in small letters.

Go for it! Do good work and be a decent human being. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Keep learning and get involved. Try not to go around thinking you have something to prove. What do you enjoy most about your career? I enjoy the work and the big picture of it all. There is something to say about people working together, collectively. It’s way more effective than a bunch of great people working on their own. We have a solid team and I look forward to working with them every day. It’s super challeng-

Although popular since the 19th century, the day is not a public holiday in any country. As well as people playing pranks on one another on April Fools’ Day, elaborate practical jokes have appeared on radio and TV stations, newspapers, websites, and have been performed by large corporations. In one famous prank from 1957, the BBC broadcast a film in their Panorama current affairs series purporting to show Swiss farmers picking freshly-grown spaghetti, in what they called the Swiss Spaghetti Harvest. The BBC were later flooded with requests to purchase a spaghetti plant, forcing them to declare the film a hoax on the news the next day. On April Fools’ Day 2016, online football news channel Goal.com falsely reported that FC Barcelona winger Lionel Messi agreed to a $500 million deal to sign with Real Madrid for five years. The reporter’s name used in the article was “Lirpa Loof”, which is “April Fool” with each word spelled backward. With the advent of the Internet and readily available global news services, April Fools’ pranks can catch and embarrass a wider audience than ever before.

How did you overcome those challenges? I threw myself into it learning as much as possible through different programs and resources that are available. There’s been a lot of hard work from everyone here at GDI. Things needed to be revamped and modernized in a big way. The good thing is that there was something great to build on which made everything possible to

I’m fortunate to be in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area with as much growth as we’ve had and continued to forecast. We continue to meet and build relationships with new GCs and industry partners. I hope to see more national and international companies looking for alliances with local providers. From your perspective, has the construction industry changed over the years? Change is the one constant, and yet the appreciation for craftsmanship and quality has not changed. During the downturn there was price compression and an onslaught of the “low bidder” mentality. That tide turned once there was a cycle of seeing how the product endured the test of time. The cost of the “re-do” is more than doing it right the first time. Signature Millwork is a certified WBE, HUB and FSC architectural millwork provider based in Dallas. -cmw

get the company back in shape and working order. It hasn’t been easy, but nothing worth having comes easy. What are your goals for the future in the construction industry? My goal is to keep this business moving in the right direction, maintain steady growth and efficiency while continuing to plan for the future. In your experience, are more opportunities opening up for women in construction? I definitely see more opportunities and they are open to all of us. There’s a quote that says… “Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work so people don’t recognize them.” Before my parents passed away they were always trying to get me interested in the business, but I chose a different career path. I never saw the opportunity back then. Funny how life works! G.D. Interior Construction is a specialty contractor in San Antonio. -cmw

Crawfish à la carte

Over 100 TEXO members gathered at Lake Grapevine for an evening of southern cooking, lawn games, and networking Mar. 22. -cmw

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • APR 2018

THIS TH MON

WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION

To represent your company in an upcoming FOCUS, contact DFWeditor@ConstructionNews.net (210) 308-5800

NEXT MONTH (MAY ISSUE) CONCRETE INDUSTRY

Making construction a woman’s career Taryn Ritchie, Chapter President

National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Estimator

Ryan Companies Austin, TX

mother of two beautiful daughters, Taryn Ritchie is proudly a fifth-generation Texan who learned through experience that creating strong, productive relationships with subcontractors and other team members is the key to success in the office and on the job site. How did you get started in construction? I guess you could say it is a family thing, both of my parents work in construction and I grew up going to the yard that they worked at a lot. Through their connections and guidance I got my foot in the door and have been in the industry for about 17 years. When did you decide this was the career for you? I don’t think I was convinced when I first applied for a receptionist position, but I was given several great opportuni-

ties very early on and saw the potential for a lifelong career. How would you describe your experience working in the industry as a young woman? Overall, I would describe it as an engaging and satisfying experience. Have there been hurdles along the way? Yes, but I persevered, and learned as much as I could from my peers, mentors and subcontractors/suppliers and kept climbing the ladder. Do you have a mentor? I have had many amazing mentors. They have guided me, challenged me and given me opportunities that I might not have been considered for if not for their recommendations. I highly recommend seeking a mentor, even if it is an informal arrangement. There is something to be said from learning from other

Living the dream Iris Luna, Owner Proficient Constructors LLC San Antonio, TX

everal years after attending college, Iris Luna went to work for a masonry contractor as a superintendent, until one day her grandpa asked her why not try to start your own company? To answer that, Luna recalls that as a youngster she would accompany her grandpa to jobsites, learning the ins and outs of masonry. Her grandpa knew she had the talent and drive to run her own company and encouraged her to do so. So she went for it. Luna says that she learned a lot from her grandpa, but as a woman in the construction industry there was a lot more for her to learn and learn quickly she did. What is your background in the construction industry? My family has always been part of the construction industry. My experience came from the field, first by gaining knowledge about the scope of work and then learning how to put that knowledge into practical use. In 2007, I founded Proficient Constructors LLC focusing on providing and installing all types of masonry applications. Why did you choose a career in the construction-related industry?

My grandfather owned a masonry company and since I was his little sidekick I developed a passion for wanting to create and build. I was fascinated with what my grandfather and his teams built and I wanted to be part of that somehow. Do you have or have you had a mentor? Yes, and thankfully we have had a handful of people that have guided us along the way. Currently we have a mentorship with EVENT Professional Services LLC. This is through the City of San Antonio’s Transportation & Capital Improvements Department. It is called the Management & Technical Assistance Program and we are in Phase II. My mentors are Eugene Walker from EJ Smith Construction Company LLC and Elsa Brown of the Copeland Contracting Company Inc. What are the benefits of women pursuing a construction career? In my opinion the main benefit may be for a woman to open a construction

www.constructionnews.net publishing the industry’s news

Texas Style

★ San Antonio ★ Austin ★ Dallas/Fort Worth ★ Houston

people’s knowledge and experience. What opportunities has the industry given you to broaden your horizons or take on new challenges? I have been very lucky. As I mentioned I had a great mentor early on that saw potential in me and pushed me in the right direction. He was instrumental in my decision to continue my career path in estimating. From there I went from an estimating assistant to estimator. What are the benefits for women pursuing a career in construction? It is a booming industry and there are so many different career paths in construction from development, design, engineering, project management, trades construction to building maintenance, just to name a few. There are jobs with opportunities to travel locally or internationally. If you like a challenge it offers that on a daily basis. What challenges have you seen? I think early on a lot of the positions for women in construction were clerical or administrative in nature, but there has been a large shift in the last 10-15 years where women are stepping outside of those roles and changing the perception of what we as women are “capable” of doing. And although we aren’t quite there yet, we are making steps in bridging the gender salary gaps and in providing training and opportunities for wom-

en to step into managerial and upper management positions. Have you found associations to be helpful for women? Yes, as the President of the Austin Chapter of National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) I would say they have been extremely beneficial. My suggestion is to find an organization that best aligns with your goals and needs; and then go to a few of their events, seminars or meetings before joining. I would also suggest joining their committees that focus on areas that might be interesting or meaningful to you. How has being a part of the construction community changed or influenced your life as well as your perception of the industry? There is definitely a sense of pride when you see a building completed that you have spent years working on, and that it will most likely be there after I am gone. Also, that I can’t stress enough that there are many opportunities for women in this industry. It’s an industry where women can grow, learn and have a long lasting career. National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) is an association network for women in the field of construction. Ryan Companies is a national builder, developer, designer and real estate manager with offices across the nation. -cmw

company. In the past there has been a disparity in our public sector and now there are local agencies and programs advocating women owned businesses.

believe and hope this is helping women by giving them insight and information on the opportunities in the construction industry.

What do you enjoy most about your career? I enjoy the building process and how all of the scopes of work come together as a finished product.

What areas do you see the most increase in jobs for women? I have seen an increase in women project managers, estimators and engineers. I am not aware of the percentages of women completing trade educations, but I do feel that there are not many women in the field. For example, in my opinion, my mother is an anomaly that works as a tradesman’s HVAC technician who has been in the industry for 20 years, currently working for Airtron Heating & Air Conditioning.

What specific challenges have you faced in your career? Some of the challenges we have faced have been increased competition and a limited skilled work force per our trades. In your experience, are there more opportunities opening up for women? I have seen a slow increasing amount of women in the construction offices, but not really in the field performing trade work. Is this due to the overall shortage of construction professionals and workers? No, I believe that women are more aware that they can have a nontraditional profession. My mother and I have participated in a program called WINTO – Women In Non- Traditional Occupations and I

What advice can you offer women who want to pursue a construction career? If you have ever been fascinated with how buildings are constructed, why they are built, what holds a building together and what it takes to complete the process, then go for it! Try your best because there is a place for you in this industry! Proficient Constructors LLC is a professional masonry and concrete contractor in San Antonio. -cmw

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • APR 2018

Page 15

Industry FOLKS

WIC dress for success

he National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) celebrated WIC week across the nation Mar. 4-10. The Dallas Chapter celebrated by hosting activities all week including their general meeting, tool demonstration by Hilti and a virtual project tour at McCarthy’s -cmw

Mark Alan Nelson Project manager/estimator R L Murphey Commercial Roof Systems LLC Lewisville, TX

ark grew up in Bellingham, WA about 20 minutes from the Canadian border. He has two older brothers and a younger brother and sister. Mark felt bad for his sister having to grow up with four older brothers. His father has a welding business in Bellingham. Both his father and mother still live there. “But it’s always rainy in Washington,” is how Mark puts it, “and it’s no fun doing construction in the rain.” Mark was working as a foreman for his father. So after 10 years of working in the rain, at the age of 28, he moved into a sailboat. “I bought a sailboat. It took me about 8 months to fix up and I sailed it down to Mexico.” Mark didn’t have an inboard engine until he got to southern California. Once there, he rebuilt the engine and got in running. “That was a big help once I got to Mexico, I could actually motor places rather than just sit there,” he laughed. He eventually found himself in the Sea of Cortez for about a year and remembers the diving there being excellent. When Mark would spear fish he would catch tons of fish. He’s convinced there is more fish in the Sea of Cortez than any other place. With all his travels and adventures Mark learned a little Spanish and

French. He knows enough to hold a light conversation. “I can go into a store and ask for tomatoes (maybe).” Pondering and sailing, Mark made his way to Hawaii. He lived there for four years doing construction work. Oh, and he got rid of the boat. Sea you later! Next, the Hawaiian breeze blew him in the direction of love. He met his girlfriend Melissa in Hawaii when she was on a vacation. She grew up in Grapevine. Today they both live in Denton with their pets. “I am kind of a collector of animals.” Indeed, he owns a couple of dogs and barn cats. Rocket is the name of their Chiweenie and Max is their half lab, half German Shepard. Mark is also handy at home and spends time rebuilding the house they bought and working on his 1951 Ford. Even though the sailor days for Mark are as far as a Texas sunset, he remains in the construction industry as a project manager/estimator. He enjoys working for Rick Murphey because “he is a real person,” who is not rude. Mark has met his fair share of characters in the industry, but now he finds it nice to work where people are happy to be at work. –lv

NAWIC Dallas members at Dress for Success

A century of diversity Lisa Harrington takes a virtual project tour at McCarthy’s construction technology demonstration

NAWIC Corresponding Secretary Laurel Wesson with professional development books provided by NAWIC members for Dress for Success

Austin Bridge & Road team.

special date in Austin Industries’ history as its official founding under the leadership of Charles R. Moore 100 years ago on Mar. 1, 1918, was the filing of the charter for Austin Brothers Bridge Company with the Texas Secretary of State. Thirty years prior in 1889, George Austin came to Dallas serving as an agent for the George E. King Bridge Co. of Des Moines, IA. Younger brother, Frank Austin, joined him five years later, but bridgework in Texas was scarce. Two years later George began contracting in Georgia - most likely in an effort to find more jobs. When business picked up in Texas toward the turn of the century, Frank hired a young man named Charles R. Moore in November 1900 who recalled a pretty lean profit for the company a year later, with the total annual jobs valued at $54,000. Over the next six years business grew “ten times what it was” when Moore first arrived, and their territory had expanded. In 1902 Frank and George decided to split the profits equally and formed the

partnership of Austin Brothers Contractors and severed ties in 1908 with the King Bridge Company, and in 1914 Austin Brothers incorporated with $300,000 in capital with offices in Dallas and Atlanta and covered a territory ranging throughout the southern states. Charles Moore continued to buy stock in the company and was soon made secretary as well as director. Frank Austin agreed to let Moore buy the contracting portion of the business in 1918 and become president of what would soon be shortened to Austin Bridge Company. Frank retained the fabricating side of the company and formed Austin Steel. Operations were held in a modest one-room office space in Dallas although the company’s reach extended to territories in West Texas, Central and South Texas, and North Texas. Fast-forward 100 years, Austin Industries has grown, diversified and become employee=owned. During WWII, Austin contributed to the United States’ war efforts by building airfields and manufacturing magnesium bomb casings.

NAWIC Dallas members attend the Hilti demonstration

After the war, the company began focusing on building the country’s infrastructure through a newly developing interstate highway system. Additionally, the plant that had made bomb casings switched over to manufacturing farm implements to bolster American efforts to feed a growing nation. Over time, Austin Industries would enter new and lucrative markets. Austin Bridge remained the civil construction company for roads and bridges and merged with Austin Paving in the early 1980s to become what it is today, Austin Bridge & Road. Austin Commercial was formed in 1975 to provide commercial construction. Austin Industrial was formed in 1983 to provide maintenance and construction services for the petrochemical, power and manufacturing industries. In 1986, Austin Industries became employee-owned when the Austin In-

dustries’ Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) was established. It became 100 percent employee-owned in 2000. According to The National Center for Employee Ownership, Austin is the 13th largest employee-owned company in the U.S. Austin Industries’ President & CEO David B. Walls stated, “As I look toward the next 100 years of Austin Industries, I realize that it will continue to be the quality of the people we train and nurture and ultimately turn the business over to one day who will make the difference.” You’re only as good as the people that you have in your business. That’s the kind of approach we’re celebrating at our 100year anniversary, and it’s the same approach that will take us through the next century of serving our customers.” Austin Industries is a diversified U.S.based construction company headquartered in Dallas. -cmw

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • APR 2018

continued from Page 1 — His own company & rules

Homegrown

“That was one of the turning points in my life,” he said. Thus, Fort Worth Heat & Air was formed in January 2013. One of the many challenges from going from a worker to business owner was the enormous amount of administration there is. “I had no idea how much paperwork is involved,” George confessed. Fortunately, George has office manager Michelle Dossett (“She keeps the paperwork and us all in line.”) and right hand man Mike Mashburn to help keep the ship afloat. George doesn’t do any advertising. Instead he relies solely on word-ofmouth and referrals to keep his eightman shop busy. His biggest job to date was the LEGOLAND Discovery Center in Grapevine. It took a special, heavy-duty helicopter out of Michigan to place two 40ton remote thermal units (RTUs) in place. Finding qualified people to work in

the HVAC business is an industry-wide concern. “Getting good quality help that will stay” is something they all face. While community colleges and trade schools produce “some real sharp guys,” George said, “they don’t have any experience” in the real world where the rubber meets the road. As for technology, it “changes daggum near daily,” he said. “Things are not meant to be repaired now, they’re made to be replaced.” “You gotta stay on top of things,” George declared. As for the future, George is grooming his crew to take over the business when that time comes. “We’re a team [and] they have first option at it.” Greg George’s Fort Worth Heat & Air was born out the ability to make the tough, but best, call when it comes to taking care of the customer. He wants to ensure that it stays that way. Fort Worth Heat & Air is an HVAC company servicing the DFW area. –dsz

Bryan Zumo, vice president and Melanie Sanchez, executive assistant at the Dallas Build Expo.

riginally from California, Bryan Zumo, vice president of Crossroads Drywall in Frisco, has performed every aspect of construction. From sanding walls to owning the company is how he puts it. He found himself in construction with the guidance from his best friend’s father, who became his other father figure. “My father passed away when I was 9 years old.” His best friend’s father was the vice president of a drywall company in California. Easily, Zumo grew up around construction. His professional career started in California in 1998. His best friend also remains in the industry. “He is a drywall finisher in Arizona. We are still best buds. I don’t get to see him too much anymore, but I still talk to him all the time, and his dad retired.” In 2008, Zumo founded Crossroads Drywall. That’s right, this year will be the company’s 10-year anniversary. Since 2014 Patrick Feyen, president of Cross-

roads Drywall took ownership of the company. “We’ve got a very eclectic group of people,” shares Zumo. Outside of work the company participates with Elevate Light church every year. The church has a men’s ministry and they host a warrior golf tournament. Last year the company was a title sponsor. “We have teams put together, a couple of foursomes to play in their golf tournament every year.” Zumo also gets to spend time with stepdaughter at work. He says they have a large family nucleus within the organization. Melanie Sanchez is their executive assistant and has been with the company as long as he has. Her husband Cesar Sanchez is an ex-army veteran. Afterwards, he came to work for Zumo. “He runs all of our finish side of the crew.” A homegrown feeling is how Zumo sums up the company environment. Crossroads Drywall is a drywall contractor. –lv

Submitted to Construction News

Round-Up

RDO Equipment, Texas region, is please to announce the following two promotions: Daryl Shelton has been promoted to executive vice president and will oversee construction, technology and used equipment teams in the Texas Region. Shelton joined RDO in 2010 as general manager of the Fort Worth and Irving locations. -cmw

Cory Kosse has been promoted to vice president. He is responsible for the growth and success of all seven RDO stores in the state. Kosse joined RDO in 2006 as store manager of the Waco location and soon after was promoted to general manager of the Austin and Waco stores. -cmw

RLG Consulting Engineers is pleased to announce the addition of Gwendolyn Wright as the new director of marketing and business development. Wright will be responsible for leading and expanding the business development program to help drive revenue, at the same time build a marketing communications program that incorporates branding, public relations, digital marketing, social media and company events, to generate an increased visibility for RLG. –cmw

HNTB is pleased to announce that Shannon McCord has been appointed vice president in the firm’s Dallas office. She previously served as the public involvement and communications director. -cmw

Round-Up Submissions

Submit Info & Photo:

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

DFWeditor@ConstructionNews.net

(210) 308-5800

continued from Page 1 — Close call enjoys being close. In fact, Jones plans an annual trip for all of her employees and their families, with past excursions including Mexico and Port Aransas. “Any time we can have employees over and spend time with their families is our favorite time,” Jones says. “I also enjoy interaction with customers and spending time working with architects and designers to help specify projects.”

Also, just like in the beginning, she still enjoys adding to the product line. “Glass boards, markerboards and tackboards by a new manufacturer are new items we added to the products we offer,” she says. Texas Specialties & Installation Inc. is a supplier to contractors and construction companies. –mjm

continued from Page 1 — The Great Wall of Russell Creek four to 12 ft. The Joe Funk team used precast concrete faux stone blocks. These blocks are pretty large at five ft. long, three ft. wide and two ft. deep. They had to drill piers, pour beams and then set the blocks on top of the beams. There is a series of walls along the creek and in each area there are five walls. One section was toward the top, the second further down and one really close to the creek. The walls will prevent erosion of the soil on the bank of the creek back of the curb line. I call it The Great Wall of Russell Creek because from street level to creek level is a 40 ft. vertical drop. One of the main challenges of the projects was earthmoving. The JFC team had to move tons of dirt. The dirt had to be moved back and forth just to have space to work. They would have to move the dirt again on site. The area was also heavily wooded so they had to clear trees to even get to the site to put in the foundation and build the walls. Landscaping and irrigation had to be redone as well. There were also the obvious safety issues of working on a steeply sloped work site and having to comply with all of the OSHA regulations to protect the employees. Again there was a 40 ft. vertical drop to tackle. The rain could have been a problem but fortunately it wasn’t at all. In fact there was only one week where rain was a challenge. “This was a unique project,” said Rusty Norris, “due to the size and complexity of the retaining walls as well as the utilization of the aforementioned product. Generally, MSE walls are not de-

signed and constructed to the level they were on this project. They used filter tubes and rock dams in the creek to filter any sediments that get into the water to keep the creek clean. To be environmentally friendly, JFC also had to plant back over 150 of the trees that were removed. Another part of the project was to fabricate and erect a 100-ft. long pedestrian bridge across the creek. Some of the key people on the Joe Funk Team were Edward Abraham, project manager; Dan Garner, superintendent, and Glenn Sefton, the APM/Field Engineer. The City of Plano is really happy due to completing the major portions of the project much faster than anticipated. The city has always been a great partner with Joe Funk Construction and worked with them from the beginning to ensure a high quality end result. -ja

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • APR 2018

Page 17

Association Calendar

Hammering it up

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News AACA

DACA

Asian American Contractors Assn. of Texas

Drywall & Acoustical Contractors Assn. Dallas/Fort Worth

Apr. 7: AACATX Community Cares Event, North Texas Food Bank, 4500 S. Cockrell Hill Rd. For more info, call 972-243-3808

Apr. 16: Golf Tournament, Indian Creek Golf Club, 1650 W. Frankford Rd., Carrollton, TX. For more info, email eddie@ dacadfw.org

AIA

American Institute of Architects Dallas

Apr. 9: AIA/Acme Brick Golf Tournament, Texas Star Golf Course, 1400 Texas Star Pkwy., Euless, TX. For more info, email khowell@aiadallas.org or call 214-8801504 AIA

American Institute of Architects Fort Worth

Apr. 11: Homes Tour Wrap Party, Chandra Mezza + Grill, 1622 Park Place Ave., 6-8pm. For more info, call 817-334-0155 or go to www. aiafw@aiafortworth.org APWC

Assn. of Professional Women in Construction

Apr. 18: APWC Happy Hour, Houlihan’s, 5225 Belt Line Rd. #200, 5:30-7pm. For more info, call 214-924-0815 ASA American Subcontractors Assn.

Apr. 12: Future Leaders Meet & Greet, Bedford Ice House, 2250 Airport Frwy. #300, Bedford, TX, 4pm. For more info, call 817-640-8275 Apr. 13-14: ASA/TEXO Bass Tournament, Lake Bob Sandlin, Titus County Fresh Water District, 352 Fort Sherman Dam Rd., Mt. Pleasant, TX. For more info, call 817640-8275 ASCE

American Society of Civil Engineers Dallas Branch

Apr. 9: ASCE Dallas Branch Meeting, Vouv Meeting & Event Space, 4445 Sigma Rd., 11am. For more info, go to www.dallasasce.org ASCE

American Society of Civil Engineers Fort Worth Chapter

Apr. 30 – May 3: OTC Conference, Houston, TX. For more info, call 942-973-1873 ASPE

American Society of Professional Estimators Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter 43

Apr. 13: ASPE NW/SW Regional Meeting, Marriott on the Waterfront, 1401 SW Naito Pkwy., Portland, OR. For more info, call 817-625-6200 ext. 13 or email info@ aspedfw.com ASSE

American Society of Safety Engineers Southwest Chapter – Dallas

Apr. 26: 2018 Professional Development Conference, Grapevine Convention Center, 1209 S. Main St., Grapevine, TX, 8am-4pm. For more info, go to www.sw.asse.org CSI

Construction Specification Institute Dallas Chapter

Apr. 14: Dallas-Awards Banquet & Chapter Meeting, Addison Conference Center, 15650 Addison Rd., Addison, TX, 5:30-8pm. For more info, go to www.dallascsi.org CSI

Construction Specification Institute Fort Worth Chapter

Apr. 5-7: 2018 Region Conference, Embassy Suites, 7600 John Q. Hammons Dr., Frisco, TX. For more info, go to www.fwcsi.org

he Regional Hispanic Contractors Association (RHCA) hosted their 11th Annual Pillar Awards & State of the RHCA Breakfast on Feb. 22 at The Belo Mansion. –cmw

ICRI

International Concrete Repair Institute North Texas Chapter

Apr. 5: Membership Meeting, Pappasito’s Cantina (NEW location), 10433 Lombardy Ln.,11am-1pm. For more info, call 817-546-7200. IEC-Dallas

Independent Electrical Contractors

Project of the year: Turner Construction Company University of Texas at Dallas Brain Performance Institute

Independent Electrical Contractors

Apr. 12: Tom Jones Memorial Golf Tournament, Texas Star Golf Course, 1400 Texas Star Pkwy, Euless, TX. Morning & Afternoon Tournaments. For more info, contact Jo Britt at 817-496-8422 or email jo@iecfwtc.org Apr. 28: 2nd Annual BBQ Cook-off & Annual Wire Off Contest, United Rentals, 5930 E. Loop 820 S, 12-4pm. For more info, contact Jo Britt at 817-496-8422 or email jo@iecfwtc.org NAWIC – Dallas National Assn. of Women in Construction

Apr. 25: 25th Annual Golf Classic, Texas Star Golf Course, 1400 Texas Star Pkwy., Euless, TX. For more info, go to www.nawicdallas.org

Subcontractor of the Year: Rice Drywall Inc.

NAWIC – Fort Worth National Assn. of Women in Construction

Apr. 19: Monthly Meeting. For more info, call Lori Donnell at 817-937-9565 Apr. 30: 34th Annual Golf Tournament, Diamond Oaks Country Club, 5821 Diamond Oaks Dr. N. For more info, call Lori Donnell at 817-937-9565 NTRCA North Texas Roofing Contractors Assn.

Apr. 11: Lunch & Learn Meeting, Texas Star Golf & Conference Center, 1400 Texas Star Pkwy. For more info, call 817-734-8373 NUCA

National Utility Contractors Assn. North Texas Chapter

Apr. 6: BBQ Cook-off, Annual Meeting & Awards, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, 6050 Azle Ave., Lake Worth, TX. For more info, contact Deana Butorac at 682-402-4293 or email info@nucanorthtexas.com Apr. 23: 2018 NUCA North Texas Golf Tournament, Trophy Club, 500 Trophy Club Dr., 10am. For more info, call 972-8975874 or email kmeyer@vermeertexas.com

General Contractor of the Year: Austin Commercial

TEXO The Construction Assn.

Apr. 13-14: TEXO/ASA Bass Tournament, Lake Bob Sandlin, Titus County Fresh Water District, 352 Fort Sherman Dam Rd., Mt. Pleasant, TX. For more info, call 817640-8275 UMCA

United Masonry Contractors Association Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter

President’s Award: Anthony Coleman, North Texas Tollway Authority Monica R. Alonzo

John Kelly Safety Award: U.S. Department of Labor – OSHA Dallas Area Office

RHCA Member of the Year: Mario Quintanilla, Frost Bank

M/WBE Inclusion Award: UNT System

Apr. 27: UMCA Golf Tournament, The Links at Lands End, 285 Private Road 5980, Yantis, TX. For more info, email Jeremy Peek at jpeek@skinnermasonry.com

Page 18

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • APR 2018

If the key fits…

Will the circuit be unbroken?

Paul Dunagan, owner, Wade Electric (far left), and Lori Dunagan (fifth from left), with Wade Electric crew. Key Construction Texas LLC at their Christmas party

e wish there was a better way to say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, but that’s the case for Key Construction Texas LLC. The apple to which we are referring is Steven Wells, the vice president and general manager of Key Construction in Fort Worth. Key Construction was initially established in 1978 in Wichita, KS, by Dave Wells (Steven’s father) and Ken Wells (Steven’s uncle). At that time the two were remodeling houses. Wells explains they would buy a house and live in it while fixing it up. Then they would flip it and buy the next one. “We joked that they were homeless unless they were working because they were living out of the houses,” said Wells. An interesting fact is Dave and Ken had a Ford Falcon they used when flipping houses. As the market changed, so did the business. Once they landed their first commercial job “it was like a wildfire from there.” Is the Ford Falcon still around? Wells said not the original one. For Ken’s 50th

birthday they bought him the same year Ford Falcon. “We fixed it up and painted a big Key logo on it.” It may not be the original, but it still is special. Wells was born into this industry and has worked his way up to his role today. The Fort Worth office has been around for 15 years. There is a diverse team in Texas. They specialize in mission-critical and health care. Wells says a few of their superintendents come from a “heavy medical background,” which has been a great resource for the entire team. Wells was asked to manage the Fort Worth office before Thanksgiving this past year. When Wells came to the Metroplex he said, “it is quite astonishing” all the construction going on in the DFW area. “I’m excited about all the new opportunities that present themselves down here.” The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree but falls toward a new city with great opportunities. Key Construction is a general contractor. –lv

aul Dunagan, owner of Wade Elec- essential American story of upward motric, is about as connected to Dallas’ bility. In the movies it’s the guy working in the mailroom for a firm, then becomhistory as anyone. Wade Electric started in 1947 by Nel- ing its president. Dunagan says the transition from lason Wade and had a hand in wiring a great many high-rises and office build- bor to management was “a little odd.” ings during the booming days of growth Wade Electric has a very low turnover rate. Thus, “Most of the guys here I’ve in post-war Dallas. Son Jerry Wade took over for dad known for 18 to 20 years and I used to when he retired in the 1970s, and he car- work with them in the field.” ried the electrical baton for the next sev- The hard part, he says, “was transitioning from just one of the guys into being The eral decades. Dunagan started with Wade in the Guy. It’s hard to be friends and be the manearly 1990s, working at the bottom level ager. You can be one but not both.” as a service electrician. The bottom line: “I’m not one of the He worked his way up to be the service guys. I’m The Man.” manager, then further up as the general manager for 10 years. Now it came time for Jerry to pass the electrical baton. “When he got ready to retire,” Dunagan explained, “he offered it to me and I said sure – I’ll take it!” Dunagan assumed the reigns on Jan. 1, 2017. From service tech to Nelson Wade, founder of Wade Electric (2nd from left) owner, this is the quintand his team in 1974.

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • APR 2018

Page 19

It’s all about the team

continued from Page 18 Fortunately, Dunagan said that there is a real family atmosphere at Wade Electric; they are a close-knit group. If someone needs some help, they rally around that person and lend a hand. Because of this, becoming the new owner “worked out pretty well.” But having the parking space out front means having new responsibilities different from the worker-bee electrician. “Now,” Dunagan said, “I have to deal with the money and the cash flow and the red tape and the government.” Aside from the paperwork and all the hiring and firing, the biggest challenge for Wade Electric – and by extension everyone in the electrical business – is the incredibly fast paced of changing technology. Dunagan says it’s way more “high-tech and high-dollar.” Who ever envisioned a day when we could, or had to, program one’s light bulbs? “There are so many advances in technology, it’s a struggle for us to keep up,” he said. As to the company’s future, Dunagan is already grooming his current general manager to replace him, the same way Jerry Wade did when Dunagan held that position. He’ll offer him first dibs to buy the company, and just like an electrical circuit itself, the circuit of ownership will be completed to a new guy who also started out at the bottom. By that time, who knows how fancy light bulbs will be? Maybe they’ll talk to you and say, “You forgot to turn me off.” Dunagan well described the way things are: “You’re pretty much limited by your imagination and your pocket book these days.” As well as into the future in order to keep Dallas all wired up. Wade Electric is an electrical contractor serving the Dallas area. -dsz

Back row, far left: Pablo Zarate, Work Force Development Coach; back row, far right: David Sparacino, Production Manager, with the Marek Brothers (Dallas) Workforce Development Team.

ohn Hinson has been with Marek Brothers Systems since 1984, right out of college. He was transferred to its Dallas office in 1988 and became the division president the following year. But despite being born and raised in east Texas, when it comes to sports, there is no dispute. “I am a life-long Dallas Cowboys fan and a life-long Texas Rangers fan.” Also throw in the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars. Being a fan of team sports comes easy for Hinson, for when it comes to his business, it’s all about the team. Hinson is emphatic when it comes to describing those who work not only for big company Marek in Houston, but those in his Dallas office, which began in 1979. “We’re blessed; we have a fantastic team who work for us.” That team is spread out in the Dallas area with the main hub in Coppell, and offices in McKinney and Fort Worth. And team sports comes naturally to Hinson, as Marek has been involved with them for years, such as working on the iconic Texas Stadium, the new AT&T Stadium, American Airline Center, the Texas

Rangers’ Globe Life Park, even the new Globe Life Field when it’s built. The terminal renovations at DFW was a big project, but new ones include the EOG Resources building in Midland and the new Texas Life Hotel in Arlington. Marek has also gone into Tennessee (Knoxville and Nashville) to work on Bass Pro Shops buildings. The ever changing and fast pace of technology is an industry-wide challenge. Hinson is excited about how technology can aid construction, such as augmented reality glasses, which allows the wearer to actually walk through a completed structure before it’s even built. Marek, Hinson is on the forefront of using such technology. “The problem is the rest of the [construction] world has not caught up with us.” Still, with all the new bells and whistles, it all comes down to the people. Hinson boasts of his company having a very high retention rate and how great the sense of being on a team is the best part of it all. Hinson is especially excited about Marek’s safety program recently winning the national award from the Association of

Builders and Contractors. “Our team won the highest award you can get,” he said. When he goes to Long Beach to accept the award, he wishes all his team could be there. “I would love to have all our employees on the podium. They deserve it more than I do,” he said. Hinson said he’s going to bring the hardware back so all his crew “can have their own picture [taken] with the award because they deserve it.” Instead of having Hinson’s picture accompany this article, he preferred to showcase his folks instead. “That means more to me than a picture of my ugly face,” he jokingly said. There you have it. No matter how great the coach is, it’s all about the team and the players on it. And the best leader is one who recognizes that the players are the ones who hit the ball, or put it into the hoop, or across the goal line. It’s all about the team. Marek Brothers Systems, Inc., is a drywall, acoustical ceiling/sound control and metal stud framing business in Houston, Austin, Dallas San Antonio, Harlingen (TX) and Atlanta (GA).-dsz

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News â&#x20AC;¢ APR 2018