Austin Construction News August 2018 by Construction News

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Metal cred

Getting stoned the right way

L-R: Melinda Fiebig, Stan Voelker, Ralph Reinhardt and Steven Voelker

Casey Batton, owner of C.T. Services

tan Voelker remembers the moment he realized that maybe he had started the wrong kind of business. “My business partner Ralph Reinhardt and I both worked for the Texas National Guard; he was a helicopter mechanic and I was a vehicle mechanic. A friend of ours started welding with us – and we had five metal buildings to build – so on July 1, 1978 we decided to set the world on fire,” Voelker recalls. “We were all excited until we started digging a hole, hit hardpan and had to use our hammers to dig in the dirt. We thought ‘Oh, man, we screwed up! We screwed our lives up! We’ve screwed our families up! We’ve made a huge mistake!’” Fortunately, the hardpan was no match for the men’s hopes, and Voelker

Welding and Construction started gaining steam. “We kept going,” Voelker says. “It was hard work, and we worked hard in those early years, my goodness! We just jumped in. I think we ought to be thankful to our parents for teaching us work ethic; I think we’ve made a living for 40 years because we don’t mind working hard.” Their hard work has paid off for the company, which in four decades has taken on both commercial and residential work. “As welders, we started doing the pre-engineered metal buildings,” Voelker says. “In the 1980s, we got into custom homes. Ralph now does a good portion of the metal end of it. I built my own continued on Page 16

hanks to his best friend’s father, Casey Batton learned the craft of being a mason at age 16. Batton’s father died when he was young, and his friend’s dad took him under his wing. By the time he was 17, what started out as summer work turned into a fulltime job. Batton worked for a large masonry company, starting out as a laborer, then worked his way up through the ranks during his three-year apprenticeship. He ended up as a foreman. The San Antonio native said he “felt I gained all the knowledge I could where I was at.” That led Batton to start C.T. Services, masonry contractor, in 2011. When it came to running his own business, Batton said “I knew the trade inside and out, but I did have to learn a

little bit of paperwork.” He said there are a lot of “strict guidelines in commercial work.” The learning curve strikes again. Batton and his crew of nine men stay fully engaged. This time of year, the residential-to-commercial split is 60-40. Commercial jobs will become more of his work once school starts and families spend more money on the holidays and not home upgrades. This trend changes after tax season and families get their tax refunds. Then it’s time to hit the houses. C.T.’s biggest commercial job was a 9,000sf urgent care/ER building in Pflugerville. Other commercial jobs were on the University of Texas Austin campus, coffee continued on Page 16

Municipal needs met

metal stud walls, except for the vehicle work bays, which are pre-engineered metal buildings. Exterior claddings are exterior grade CMU block veneer, combined with a limited amount of pre-finished metal siding in keeping with the local design codes’ preference for masonry. The EMS Training Facility, being the only two-story building on the campus, has a band of integral-color stucco around the second floor. All of the roofing is 80mil PVC. The EMS Training Facility interior features “wet rooms” for realistic simulations of challenging rescue operations. The walls and floors of these rooms are finished in industrial-grade high-performance epoxy coatings for easy cleanup. This project was not without its challenges. The major challenge this project faced was rock excavation for the foundations. The appropriate number and lo-

pecializing in healthcare, higher education, parking, research and civic projects over the past 30 years has earned J.T. Vaughn Construction LLC a long and trusted reputation in the construction industry. It is this reputation and trusts that fit perfectly for the construction of the Williamson County North Campus Facilities project. In response to rapid population growth, six new municipal buildings were added on an existing Williamson County site, totaling 70,000sf. The largest building is the 39,000sf EMS Training Facility. Other buildings house vehicle maintenance, wireless communications services, and associated county functions. Renovation work was done to modify an existing vehicle maintenance building to shield work bays from the south summer sun. The buildings are steel framed with Aerial view of the Williamson County North Campus

continued on Page 16

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Austin Construction News • AUG 2018

A different road

Faith in foam

The Roadway Specialties Inc. employees are a major reason for the company’s success.

Dan Amon, head of BioTex Foam Insulation

anette Shelton and her husband John owned Sun Coast Construction and were working on a large HUD-funded project when bad luck became good fortune in the late 1980s. “HUD lost all of its funding and they told us it would be three years before we would be paid,” she says. “It was a devastating times in our lives. We didn’t know what we were going to do.” Although the couple had worked together since John introduced Danette to construction, they used the upheaval as a chance to pursue different avenues. “John went to work for the Jimmy Evans Company and got to follow his passion, which was site preparation and excavation work,” she says. “I was embraced and encouraged by family and friends in our industry and started Roadway Specialties Inc. in 1992.” “When RSI began with five employees, we performed all phases of erosion control. We now average 85 employees and have grown to encompass installation of metal beam guard fence, cable barrier, bridge/hand rails, crash cushion attenuators, signage, concrete

riprap and retaining walls – all of the labor intense items that are associated with building roadways and construction projects,” she says. Danette realizes she is fortunate and that not everyone can regain footing after life delivers a hard knock. “Something I am impassioned about is the homeless within the Austin area,” she says. “With highway construction taking place now, most structures are going vertical. Many of our homeless live underneath bridges and so they no longer have their safe haven. I’m hoping to get others in our industry connected and realize we can make a difference in the lives of others if we choose. “I’ve been so blessed with the relationships that we have built and the backlog that we have. Texas’ economy is booming and the opportunities are truly endless. I feel that we became successful by God’s grace, dedicated employees and the relationships that we have. I hope those continue and we are able to do what we love for another 26 years.” Roadway Specialties Inc. is a WBE- and HUB-certified subcontractor in Austin. –mjm

o matter what the situation Dan Amon faces, he uses a strategy that has worked for him time and time again. “A formula I have used multiple times in my life has been to say, ‘Lord, this seems like a great opportunity and I have peace, so I am going for it. But, if you don’t want this to happen, slam every door in the world to turn me around,’” Amon says. It’s a formula he has had plenty of chances to test. After quitting school and joining the Navy at 17, Amon started his post-service life as an ironworker in the Dallas area. Discouraged by the on-thejob accidents he saw, Amon jumped at the chance to help a pal build a house, and fell in love with framing. He worked all day but soon started partying all night, which took its toll on Amon. He soon embraced the peace he felt after moving to Lake Whitney and joining a small church there. Tired of the commute to and from Dallas, he then changed jobs twice before getting laid off. Amon opened a framing and remodeling business in McGregor and then went to work as a homebuilder’s superintendent. Three years later, he began building houses under his own steam in Georgetown – and that’s when an opportunity came along that changed Amon’s life. “A customer I was building a custom house for said he wanted spray foam insulation. I had never heard of it; everything I had ever touched had been fiberglass insulation,” he says. “I did a little research, hired a guy and did the house in spray foam. It’s amazing; it’s a

quantum leap in performance over fiberglass and instantly pays for itself. From that point on, I was in love with spray foam, even though I was building houses, and I began to offer it to all of my clients.” Rather than slam in his face, doors began to open wide for Amon. In 2012, his website developer, who also created a spray foam insulation business owner’s website, told Amon the owner was selling the business and offered to put the two men in touch. “My website guy knew I loved spray foam, so I said yes,” Amon says. “I met the owner at a McDonald’s, had a 30-minute conversation, shook his hand and changed careers sitting in a booth at McDonald’s. I didn’t remember that I was going to have to explain this to my wife and have her blessing! She told me in the past, though, that when I have these opportunities and peace about it, she trusts me.” As the new owner of BioTex Foam Insulation, Amon had to trust himself as well – along with a higher power. The economy was sliding, he didn’t have any clientele, and he and his wife were living off credit cards and a small sum made from a house sale. “There was no huge guarantee of any sort to switch careers and go into a spray foam business with no clientele,” Amon says. “It was the exact opposite – it was risky as heck! There were plenty of days when I went to bed at night with no work the following morning.” Still, he believed he would succeed. “We slowly scratched and clawed. My philosophy was to be on time, be clean, create no drama, do great work and leave a job better than we found it,” he says. “I wouldn’t even call it nerve or bravado; for me, it was faith. I just felt like God was my provider and that He would provide. I only had enough light for the very next step. Beyond that, it was pitch black, but I had the sense that God is good all of the time and it’s going to work out if I keep moving forward.” Six years later, Amon has built the company to five employees and a long list of loyal clients, for which he is grateful. He also had the opportunity to work with his son Jared, who served as general manager until last April. “It has gone fast, but it has been good,” Amon says. “I tell people that if they want to be self-employed, it’s a flatout faith walk. We’ve had plenty of hard times but it’s worked out great, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Subcontractor BioTex Foam Insulation is in Georgetown. –mjm

Austin Construction News • AUG 2018

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A 25-year tweak

Divine intervention

Nick Page, president of Nick’s Bricks, Masonry & Stone, with his wife Evelyn (vice president)

L-R: Ja-Mar personnel - Deborah Moore, Lauren Lyle, Sarah Lyle, Kenedee Hall, Grace Saenz and Stephanie Pfanmiller

fter 25 years, Nick Page has decided the time has come for a facelift – but not for himself! His company, Nick’s Bricks Masonry Inc., has been renamed Nick’s Bricks, Masonry & Stone Inc., and will have a new logo to go with it. Company president Page said changing the name and branding was a must-do. “Occasionally, we’ll have people saying they’re confused about whether we just do brick or not,” he explains. “The last time a general contractor said that, I told my wife that we needed to include the word ‘stone’ in the name because we’ve been doing stone the whole time; it’s more prevalent than brick in this area. The changeover on the business’ 25th year is a kind of restart.” This is the second restart for the company. Page actually founded the business in Dallas in 1975 before moving to Austin, earning a construction management degree and working for other companies. After realizing that being a general contractor’s office manager was not his dream, he revived his masonry and

stone business in central Texas. Twentyfive years later, he wouldn’t change a thing (except for the name and logo, of course). “I have a small, tightknit crew, and we do a variety of things,” he says. “We’re insured, trained and experienced in working on jobs that some smaller companies may not be. One notable was project was the 2nd Street Bridge over Shoal Creek as part of the new Austin Central Library project.” Page runs the business with his wife, Evelyn, who serves as the company’s vice president. Although they changed the name and logo, not much else will get a makeover. “I plan to keep doing the same things that work for us, and that has been staying lean and mean,” he says. “We do a lot of troubleshooting. We’re able to come in and identify problems and take care of things when it comes to masonry. At the same time, we can go out and build a custom home and have something to look at. We run the gamut that way.” Subcontractor Nick’s Bricks, Masonry & Stone Inc. is located in Liberty Hill. –mjm

n the late 60s after moving to Austin from Louisiana, James McKinney set-up shop as J & J Roofing after buying the company from his partner. In 1984, McKinney married his wife, Marilyn and changed the company name to Ja-Mar Roofing. In March 2005, a pretty big hailstorm hit the Austin area. That hailstorm lured David Phillips to Austin. He had a successful roofing company with his brother and a partner back in West Texas. David grew up in Bronte, TX, a small town located between San Angelo and Abilene. “My team came down here and we helped people repair their roofs. As I was trying to set up my company here, a young lady at the BBB just happened to be real close friends with James McKinney and told me about him selling his business,” recalls Phillips. Phillips called the McKinneys and set up what Phillips referred to as a divine appointment. “They sold me the business and agreed to stay involved. During those early years we became very close. I almost felt like I found a second Mom and Dad. We worked through many challeng-

es and gained each other’s trust which has played a valuable role in our success.” McKinney and his wife stayed on board until Marilyn officially retired in 2013. McKinney is still very much a part of Ja-Mar at the ripe old age of 75 and he and Phillips enjoy a close working relationship. “We call him our senior consultant.” Since that faithful day in 2005, Ja-Mar Roofing has grown 10 times over. “As we’ve grown, we’ve developed a fullscale sheet metal shop where we offer all types of metal roofing, flashings and components for our commercial division. Over the years we have established great relationships with several small- to medium-sized general contractors. We want to continue to grow our commercial business. Ja-Mar has a lot to offer in the way of our experience. We are certified with numerous manufacturers for commercial roofing systems. We will continue to network and grow our company in the greater Austin area.” Ja-Mar Roofing & Sheet Metal is a fullservice roofing contractor based in Buda, TX. -cmw

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Austin Construction News • AUG 2018

talked about and been working on for several years. I think he was finally in a spot where he was truly ready to take some time off and was looking forward to retirement. I think he felt comfortable with where the company was and with the experience that I had gained over the years. As eager as I was to make the transition, the timing couldn’t have worked out better. It definitely happened at the right time for both of us.

Brian Lauterjung President Rizzo Construction Inc. Austin, TX

ast March, Rizzo Construction Inc. founder Robert “Bob” Rizzo stepped down to enjoy a well-deserved retirement and passed the torch to his son-in-law Brian Lauterjung. Although Lauterjung has worked at the company for almost 20 years, he is finding his new role as company president to be a brave new world. With the help of great books, great mentors, great employees and a great father-in-law, Lauterjung enjoys his work more than ever. Share a little about your father-inlaw’s background, your background, and how you met. Bob has an architecture degree from The University of Texas. He started Rizzo Construction in Austin in 1982 and served as president since its inception. I grew up in Austin and graduated from Bowie High School. I went to TCU for two years to play soccer, but transferred to The University of Texas. I graduated from UT in 1996 with a degree in finance. I met Bob on the Fall of 1990. I was a senior at Bowie High School and asked a cute brunette named Andrea Rizzo, to go out for dinner and a movie. Fortunately, she said yes and right then I knew that I was in it for the long haul. Andrea and I got married in September of 1997. I got a job with an apartment developer in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and I worked there for about two and half years. I started out with RCI in January of 1999. I started out as a project manager/ estimator and I’ve worked hard to hone my skills and enjoy learning something new every day.

How did you prepare for this transition? Most of my preparation has been paying attention to, and learning from, Bob. His means and methods have proven to be successful and I don’t feel the need to reinvent the wheel. His business model has worked for 36 years and I’m going to do my best to make the transition seamless. In addition, I have been reading leadership books and focusing on trying to understand people better. I also consulted with other people in the industry. There was an individual that was in a similar situation years ago and he helped me understand the dos, donts and processes that had and had not worked. One thing he suggested is that I don’t change anything for a year. He said there is going to be a lot to learn and do and that I should let the ship keep sailing and maintain standard operating procedures. After a year, if I start seeing things that I want to modify, that would be the time to start those modifications. I’m still in the phase where I’m trying not to rock the boat much. What are some of the lessons you have learned in your new role? The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that a company’s greatest asset is its employees. Our employees work hard and are dedicated to providing our clients with the best quality and service day in and day out. Without their support and hard work this business wouldn’t thrive. Same goes for our subcontractors. They are key to our success and we are fortunate to have an outstanding subcontractor base that exhibits the same commitment and quality that we expect of ourselves.

How have you used your education in finance in your day-to-day work? It’s made the business side much easier to understand. I was able to step right in and was comfortable putting together project budgets, contracts, schedules and estimates. Being comfortable with numbers allowed me to focus on areas where I needed to learn a lot, and fast, especially how things worked in the field.

What do you admire about Bob? He’s extremely well versed in construction and is the most knowledgeable person I’ve met in the business. His architecture background helps him put ideas on paper in a way that helps everyone, from the novice to the most experienced person, understand. His experience and expertise in construction is unmatched. Bob helped build Austin and he will be missed. The other thing I admire about Bob is his patience. Construction can be difficult, and Bob stays collected and calm, choosing to focus on finding solutions to problems rather than pointing blame. Finally, he is honest and treats people fair. He does what is right and never compromises his values.

In March, Bob retired and you took on the role as company president. How did you both arrive at that decision? It’s been a process Bob and I have

Do you reach for the phone to call Bob more or less these days? The first six weeks I leaned on him a lot – maybe too much! – but I’ve tried to

L-R: Brian Lauterjung, Andrea Lauterjung, Mary Rizzo and Robert Rizzo

force myself to figure it out on my own. I want him to enjoy his retirement so these days I only call him in an absolute emergency! Do you hear Bob’s voice in your head as you go about your day? I do. A lot of the decisions I make are made because I value what Bob taught me the last 20 years. I think about what he would do in certain situations and use that to make the best decision I can with the information at hand. What is Bob up to these days? He has done a little traveling and plans on doing more of that. He’s working at his house and in his yard a lot. He stops by the office once a week for a couple hours, but his favorite activity right now is spending as much time as possible with his grandkids. Has the construction community been supportive of the change? People have been very supportive. Subcontractors, architects, engineers and clients have really helped to make this a smooth transition and I am very thankful to all of them for that. What are your goals for the company? My immediate goal is to take care of our clients, the ones who have helped us be successful. We have a core group that has been very loyal and I want to make sure that our relationship with those people continues to be strong. Solidifying those relationships will allow us to focus on forming new relationships with clients and design teams in an attempt to slowly grow our company’s presence in the

Central Texas area. Share a little about your family and how you enjoy your free time. I will be married to my wife Andrea 21 years this September. We have a 13-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old son. They are our pride and joy and we are very proud of them. Lauren loves theatre and art and Lane loves soccer, video games and gymnastics. My wife and I love music and we try to get out, go to dinner and hear as much live music as we can. I like to go to the smaller, local shows and try to support the Texas music scene as much as I can. I still enjoy soccer on a limited basis, but spend most of my free time –which isn’t much these days! – hunting and fishing. My kiddos join me outdoors just about every time I go which I truly enjoy. I imagine, with your new role and responsibilities, how you manage your time is different now. Time management is extremely important and I’m still trying to master that concept. My days are longer, but I’ve enjoyed the last six months more than I have the last six years. I think my attitude toward work has changed a lot with what has transpired, and I see things from a different perspective. I realize that I’m fortunate to be in this position and I want to succeed. Whatever time it takes to get the job done is what it takes; it kind of goes with the territory. However, it doesn’t feel like work anymore…I feel blessed. General contractor and construction management company Rizzo Construction Inc. is in Austin. –mjm

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Melissa Jones-Meyer Ann Keil Jesse Abercrombie Austin Area Counties Travis, Hays, Bastrop, Burnet, Blanco, Caldwell and Williamson counties Construction News Ltd. Home Office P.O. Box 791290 • San Antonio, Tx 78279 210-308-5800 Fax 210-308-5960 www.ConstructionNews.net

DFWeditor@ConstructionNews.net SAeditor@ConstructionNews.net Visit our Website to sign up for a free monthly Digital Subscription www.ConstructionNews.net The Austin Construction News (ISSN 15477630) is published monthly by Construction News LTD., dba Austin Construction News, and distributed by mail to constructionrelated companies of record in Austin and surrounding counties. All submissions should be emailed to our editorial offices. We reserve the right to edit any materials submitted. No fees for materials, copy or photographs submitted will be due unless agreed upon in advance in writing. Submissions will be published at our discretion on a space available basis. Construction News, Ltd., dba Austin Construction News, will not be liable for errors in copy or in advertisements beyond the actual cost of space occupied by the error. Publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement at any time. ©2018 Construction News, Ltd.

Austin Construction News • AUG 2018

Page 5

The Midas touch

embers of the Central Texas Masonry Contractors Association (CTMCA) gathered at the Archer Hotel in hopes of receiving the golden trowel at the 2018 Golden Trowel Awards banquet on Jun. 22. The banquet is held to recognize and reward the outstanding design of the architects and designers, the craftsmanship of the masonry contractor and the superior equipment and supplies of the association’s associate members. -cmw

Block: HEB Mont Belvieu; Mason Contractor: Brazos Masonry Inc. Architect: Selser Schaefer Architects; General Contractor: SpawGlass Contractors Inc.

Government Institutional: City of Buda Municipal Building; Mason Contractor: C.W. Oates Masonry Inc.; Architect: Page, General Contractor: JE Dunn Construction Group Inc.

2018 People’s Choice Award: Engineering Education and Research Center; Mason Contractor: Legacy Masonry LLC; Architect: Jacobs; General Contractor: Hensel Phelps

Residential – Multi Family: The Jordan, Mason Contractor: C.W. Oates Masonry Inc. Architect: in house GDA Architects, General Contractor: StreetLights Residential

Restoration: National United Bank of Lampasas; Mason Contractor: V2R Masonry Systems; General Contractor: Saunders Commercial Construction

Industrial/Commercial: Waterfront Office Building; Mason Contractor: C.W. Oates Masonry Inc.; Architect: STG Design; General Contractor: Ryan Companies US Inc.

Residential – Single Family: Robinhood Residence; Mason Contractor: Nick’s Bricks Masonry Inc.; Architect: Tim Cuppett Architects + Interiors; General Contractor: Bill Stone and Associates LLC

Construction News ON LOCATION

Towering smiles

Joe Devine, Devonte Kimble and Miachael Landry visit with Construction News at Betco Scaffolds, 136 Trademark Dr., Buda, TX. -cmw

College/University: Austin by Ellsworth Kelly; Mason Contractor: Legacy Masonry LLC; Architect: Overland Partners; General Contractor: Linbeck

Education K-12: George Wagner Middle School,Mason Contractor: C.W. Oates Masonry Inc. Architect: Huckabee Architect, General Contractor: Lee Lewis Construction Inc.

2018 Sustainable City Winner: City of Buda

Hardscape & Landscape: Highland Springs, Mason Contractor: Southwest Custom Pools

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Austin Construction News • AUG 2018

Old world craft, new world tech

Right time for a win-win

Joe (left) and Chris Cordi (right), owners of Cordi Woodworks.

Greg Lewis (left), and Jeff Shepherd (right) of CEC.

he great America dream lives on with Joe Cordi, who runs Cordi Woodworks along with his father Chris. Great-grandfather Giuseppe brought his woodworking skills from Italy to Brooklyn in 1905. The Cordi family then moved to Baltimore, where grandson Chris picked up his grandfather’s craft. Chris’ life was interrupted when Uncle Sam called him to the Army. He spent 1968-’69 in Vietnam. Upon returning to civilian life, Chris channeled his creative energies in home construction. He found work framing houses, going from location to location across many states. Eventually, Chris settled in Texas, met his wife, and had sons Joe and Jason. During high school, Chris drafted Joe to help out with his construction jobs, which he didn’t like. “He had me do all the grunt work, so I wasn’t interested at all,” Joe recalls. Joe went off to college and majored in jazz piano and business and marketing. Several years after college, Chris told Joe that if he ever planned to join his construction business, now was the time. Joe did and joined dad in Texas. By this time, Chris had gotten into making high-end, custom cabinetry. The pair formed Cordi Woodworks in 2001. They built a 10,000sf facility in Liberty Hill in 2001, which is their headquarters. Because Chris was so well known in the Georgetown area, he was asked to build a new desk ensemble for the county commissioner. Not only is it a large, handsome piece of furniture, it’s also bulletproof, lined with Kevlar, just in case whatever is going on in the courthouse should get out of hand. “That was a fun project,” Joe said. For the same courthouse, they also re-furbished its antiquated, worn out benches. What started out to be a time-

consuming, complicated job was made easier by using a CNC--computer numerical control router that can match any design and cut it in a fraction of the time it would take be done by hand. One has to wonder: if Giuseppe had had a CNC back in the old days, what kind of woodworking could he have done? Computer software has made the Cordi’s job much simpler. For instance, when a customer wants a custom-designed desk/bookcase for home or office, or kitchen cabinets, Cordi Woodworks can take any concept, any idea or any drawing and run it through their software to come up with the perfect plan. No option is off limits as the CNC can cut whatever the design calls for. Most of their work is individually commissioned, but the Cordis are working more with builders, trying to grow their business. At present, the company consists of father Chris, son Joe, and another employee. These days, Chris handles the office and works with customers mostly, while Joe stays busy in the shop. Like most immigrants, Giuseppe wanted a better life for his children, despite being very successful himself. He wanted Chris’ father to become a doctor, which he did. But the love of the distinct smell of fresh-cut wood and working with one’s hands was passed on to Giuseppe’s grandson Chris. He, in turn, passed it on to his son Joe. Joe’s not sure if his six-year old son will continue in the family trade or not. “If it ends in the future, it ends,” he said. However it works out in the future, one cannot help but admire how the family tradition of fine woodworking, which came to America from the old country and is still going strong over 100 years later. Cordi Woodworks makes custom woodwork for residential and commercial users in the Georgetown area. -dsz

f great minds think alike, then for Greg Lewis and Jeff Shepherd, the time was right for a mutual win-win deal. Lewis is the vice president of Civil & Environmental Consultants (CEC) in Austin. Shepherd was the head of Shepherd Engineering Design Company (SEDCo) in Oklahoma City. As of June 21, CEC had acquired SEDCo in an acquisition, bringing Shepherd and his employees into CEC. SEDCo’s specialty is solid waste management, reaching even to the northwest to service its clients. Lewis said that CEC and SEDCo “share some common clients in the solid waste industry and [would] routinely encounter one another” when working on various projects. Shepherd said that “[CEC was] interested in some of the stuff that I was doing . . . and I was interested in trying to leverage my abilities with a larger company. As a smaller company, I could only do so much.” After a number of years’ worth of dialog, the time was right for CEC to acquire SEDCo. “What we do is look for opportu-

nities,” Lewis said. “It was a good opportunity for both firms. It better serves our client base and allows us to expand services that makes sense for both sides.” Even though SEDCo ceased to exist as a brand on June 21, it still has some legacy projects it needs to complete. Shepherd will run the solid waste operations for CEC out of his Oklahoma City office. Now that the two companies have become one, Lewis states that “if it makes sense to have a presence” in other parts of the U.S., like the southeast, they’ll go there. Lewis said, “There’s always going to be a need for management of solid waste both as a disposal item and as a resource for renewables and other types of recycled materials. Our role in that equation is to assist in providing the on-site infrastructure that builds the facilities that actually do the processing.” In other words, it’s a win-win for both companies. CEC is a civil engineering and environmental consulting company, headquartered in Pittsburgh with an Austin office. -dsz

Austin Construction News • AUG 2018

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ASC 606 – The new revenue recognition accounting standard Kyle Pacheco, CPA, Manager Assurance Services Lane Gorman Trubitt, LLC Dallas, TX

ecently, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued the new revenue recognition standard that establishes a cohesive line of principles to report useful and relevant information in construction company’s financial statements. This consists of a five-step process involved in the recognition of revenue: STEPS 1) Identify the contract with the customer 2) Identify the performance obligation(s) 3) Determine the transaction price 4) Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligation(s) in the contract 5) Recognize revenue when/as the performance obligations are satisfied Step 1: To meet the requirements of a contract, it must meet the following criteria: can be written, oral or implied, identifies the rights of the parties, identifies the payment terms, has commercial substance, and collection of payment must be probable. The construction contract and any subsequently entered into change orders should typically meet the criteria above. One item to note is depending on the scope of the change order. A change order could result in the creation of a new contract. Step 2: Performance obligations are defined as a promised good or service. This includes the construction, manufacture, or development of an asset for a customer and/or the performance of a contractually agreed upon task for a customer. Contracts should be evaluated to whether the contract contains one performance obligation, or multiple performance obligations. When assessing the performance obligation(s) in the contract, it is important to look at the overall objective of the contract and what the customer will receive benefit from. Step 3: The transaction price is the amount of consideration to which the company expects to receive in exchange for transferring the promised goods or services to the customer. When determining the transaction price, the company should evaluate the contract for the following items: variable consideration (project bonuses or shared savings), financing components, noncash consideration, or consideration paid or payable to the customer (coupons or vouchers). Variable consideration should be estimated utilizing either the expected value method or the most likely amount method. The expected value method is a probability-weighted estimation, and the most likely amount method is based on the most likely amount to be received in the range of possible amounts. Each contract should be evaluated individually to determine which method best pre-

dicts the amount of consideration the company will be entitled to. To include variable consideration in the transaction price, the company has to be able to determine the probability that there will not be a significant revenue reversal in a subsequent period. Step 4: The importance of identifying the performance obligation(s) in each contract is because the transaction price has to be allocated between each of the performance obligations. If a contract has multiple performance obligations, the transaction price should be allocated in proportion to the standalone sales price for each of the performance obligations in the contract. Step 5: Recognize revenue when/as the performance obligations are satisfied Under the new standard, revenue is recognized based on the transfer of control to the customer. Transfer of control is passed to the customer in one of two ways: 1) at a point in time or 2) over a period of time. Control is considered to pass to the customer over a period of time if either of the following are true: the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the benefits provided by the company’s performance, the company’s performance creates or enhances an asset that the customer has control, or the asset created does not have an alternate use to the company, and the company has an enforceable right to payment for performance completed to date from the customer. While the underlying methods to recognizing revenue will be unchanged, revenue will still be recognized at either a point in time (completed contract) or a period of time (percentage of completion), there are some additional procedure steps that need to be analyzed to comply with the new revenue recognition standard for construction companies. For nonpublic companies, the new revenue recognition is effective for all fiscal year-end reporting dates starting after December 15, 2018. For most nonpublic companies, this will be effective for the year beginning Jan 1, 2019 and ending December 31, 2019. Kyle is a manager in our assurance services and is responsible for managing a team of more than 30 individuals.

A four-letter insurance word and its various definitions Austin Goolsby, Vice President TexCap Insurance Dallas, TX

he first time a four-letter word crossed my lips as a child it was quickly followed by a bar of Dial soap. This was an unpleasant introduction into the diverse English vocabulary and having an older brother only improved the odds of that bar of soap landing on my tongue again. In reference to general liability, the same can be said when outlining the type of work performed to an underwriter when the word residential is used, but instead of a Dial dental exam it’s a raised eyebrow promptly followed by laundry list of questions. The adjective residential is defined as “a place to live” or “of relating to the places where people live.” Those are both simple definitions but in the wide world of insurance the word residential is about as clear as mud. I’ve seen a large national carrier define residential as “any structure where 30% or more of the square foot area is used or is intended to be used for human residency.” When did figuring out your company’s insurance coverage boil down to a math problem? I would say the most common definition comes in some form of “any single or multifamily housing, apartments, duplexes, townhomes, condominiums or cooperatives, timeshares, or any other place of domicile.” Other types of property that have been defined as residential by some insurance companies are hotels and motels, college/university housing or dormitories, long term care facilities, nursing homes, prisons and hospitals. These examples of what a residential definition could be are just the tip of the iceberg when discussing the variances from carrier to carrier. When you combine the application of coverage with these definitions it can get confusing in a hurry. For instance, there could be coverage if you are only performing service work on a condominium but undertaking a new construction install on the same type of structure could be excluded. More often than not, this headache can be avoided because the carrier is willing to endorse the policy to include coverage for some of the property types listed above, with apartments and mixed-use buildings being the most common.

definition of a simple word, which is the result of decades of claims history and industry trends.

We can put together how the word became such an uneasy topic with underwriters if we look at how the types of property previously mentioned are typically owned. Undoubtably, single-family dwellings, duplexes, townhomes, condominiums or cooperatives, and time shares are owned by individuals or a large collection of individuals, and all other forms of property not stated are generally owned and operated in a commercial capacity. This disparity drives the muddled

Austin Goolsby is a Vice President of TexCap Insurance, an independent insurance agency headquartered in Dallas, Texas. He is one of the leading members of the construction division at TexCap Insurance and has over 8 years of total experience in the field, on the building material supply side and insurance aspects of the industry. For more information please visit www. TexCapINS.com or you can contact Austin directly at 972-720-5384 or agoolsby@TexCapINS.com.

The prospect of an insured performing work on a premise that is owned by a large collection of individuals, like a condo, opens the door to the possibility of multiple claimants or multiple lawsuits and that is the elephant in the room. The same can be said for timeshares, duplexes and town homes. On the contrary, if a property is owned and operated by a single entity, the number of potential claimants or lawsuits is dwindled down to one in majority of scenarios. The consequent effect is the amount that can be paid out on your behalf by the insurance company. If a claim is settled with one claimant on a property with multiple owners, you can then multiply that amount by the number of owners, which can add up in a hurry. Insurance company’s try best their odds from the beginning by reducing the number of possible claimants or lawsuits a policy’s inception. At the end of the day, there is insurance for any and all types of work you or your company are or want to get involved in. The real question is the increased cost of the desired coverage worth the reward? That is a question answered on an individual basis. No two companies are exactly alike nor are their scope of work. In the same breath, you client base and industries served are not set in stone. They are constantly changing and evolving, make sure your insurance is able to keep up.

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Willing to help

Regional Manager, Tim Carlson, Murco Wall Products Inc. in Buda isn’t afraid to step in when and offer a helping hand. -cmw

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Austin Construction News • AUG 2018

Sun exposure

Avoid raising a red flag: guidance for employers regarding electronic reporting of injury and illness data after July 1 Pamela Williams Partner

Travis Vance Partner

he Occupational Safety and Health Administration just warned employers that it will take note of worksites that electronically report their 2017 OSHA 300A information after the July 1, 2018, deadline. The agency offered this caveat for unwary employers: Employers can continue to electronically report their Calendar Year (CY) 2017 Form 300A data to OSHA, but submissions after July 1, 2018, will be flagged as “late.” The 2017 OSHA 300A data is required to be submitted by July 1, 2018. This requirement stems from a new rule (effective January 1, 2017) that requires certain employers to electronically submit injury and illness information —including that found on the OSHA Form 300A Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses and OSHA Form 300 Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses—directly to OSHA over the next several years. Under the rule, employers were required to submit their OSHA 300A forms for 2016 to OSHA by December 15, 2017, although OSHA accepted submissions until December 31, 2017. OSHA is not currently enforcing the rule’s provisions relating to OSHA 300 log and 301 form information. Who is Required to Report the 300A Information? OSHA’s website provides a helpful list of categories of employers that are not required to electronically provide the requested data. Specifically, the following worksites are not subject to the reporting requirement: Only a small fraction of establishments are required to electronically submit their Form 300A data to OSHA. Establishments that meet any of the following criteria DO NOT have to send their information to OSHA. Remember, these criteria apply at the establishment level, not to the firm as a whole. • The establishment’s peak employ ment during the previous calendar year was 19 or fewer, regardless of the establishment’s industry.

• The establishment’s industry is on the list, regardless of the size of the establishment.

unlight contains ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which causes premature aging of the skin, wrinkles, cataracts, and skin cancer. The amount of damage from UV exposure depends on the strength of the light, the length of exposure, and whether the skin is protected. There are no safe UV rays or safe suntans.

Fisher Phillips Houston, TX

Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX

• The establishment had a peak eployment between 20 and 249 emloyees during the previous calendar year AND the establishment’s industry is not on the list

What Does OSHA Mean by “Flagged?” OSHA’s use of “flagged” to describe how it will mark late reports is unusual and its intent in that using that phrase is unclear. As a preliminary matter, it would virtually impossible for the agency to know and identify every establishment in the country where reporting is required. How would OSHA know specifically how many employees worked at the site, on average, during the last calendar year (e.g., it doesn’t have access to OSHA 300 log information)? What if your establishment wasn’t required to report? Further, OSHA likely would not have the time or resources to conduct inspections at every location that reported late. The recent (2015) adoption of the amputation and in-patient hospitalization rule (among others) has shown that OSHA is overwhelmed by employer referral inspections. Rather, if the agency becomes aware of an establishment’s non-compliance, OSHA may send a letter asking the employer to comply timely with the rule in the future. If it fails to do so, OSHA may conduct an inspection and possibly issue citations. OSHA, of course, will likely also continue to ask for verification of electronic reporting when conducting an inspection unrelated to that particular violation. OSHA’s use of “flagging” appears to be a rare, publicly distributed warning signal to employers that file the required information late. However, the warning appears to have little teeth, as OSHA’s resources are stretched and the agency likely won’t initiate inspections based on the failure to timely report alone.

SkinCancer Sun exposure at any age can cause skin cancer. Be especially careful in the sun if you burn easily, spend a lot of time outdoors, or have any of the following physical features: Numerous, irregular, or large moles. Freckles. Fair skin. Blond, red, or light brown hair. Self-Examination It is important to examine your body monthly because skin cancers detected early can almost always be cured. The most important warning sign is a spot on the skin that is changing in size, shape, or color during a period of 1 month to 1 or 2 years. Skin cancers often take the following forms: Pale, wax-like, pearly nodules. Red, scaly, sharply outlined patches. Sores that don’t heal. Small, mole-like growths - melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer. If you find such unusual skin changes, see a health care professional immediately. Block Out UV Rays Cover up. Wear tightly-woven clothing that blocks out light. Try this test: Place your hand between a single layer of

the clothing and a light source. If you can see your hand through the fabric, the garment offers little protection. Use sunscreen. A sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 blocks 93 percent of UV rays. You want to block both UVA and UVB rays to guard against skin cancer. Be sure to follow application directions on the bottle and look for broad spectrum coverage. Wear a hat. A wide brim hat (not a baseball cap) is ideal because it protects the neck, ears, eyes, forehead, nose, and scalp. Wear UV-absorbent shades. Sunglasses don’t have to be expensive, but they should block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB radiation. Limit exposure. UV rays are most intense between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. If you’re unsure about the sun’s intensity, take the shadow test: If your shadow is shorter than you, the sun’s rays are the day’s strongest. Preventing Skin Cancer For more information about preventing, detecting, and treating skin cancer, check out these sources: American Cancer Society www.cancer.org 1-800-ACS-2345 natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232

Fishing Leaders

he Construction Leadership Council (CLC) of the Associated General Contractors (AGC) held its first bay fishing tournament in Seadrift, TX on Jun. 22 and, in the process, raised $1,000 to support marine habitat protection. –cmw

Tournament winners: 1st Place: Baker Triangle – Jerry Smith, Sergio Montoya and Jared Smith 2nd Place: The Beck Group – Darryl Takahata, Ben Walker and Benito Juarez 3rd Place: Alterman – Gus Campos, Patrick Bush and Phil Anthony

Pamela Williams and Travis Vance are partners in the Houston and Charlotte offices, respectively, of labor and employment law firm Fisher Phillips. Pam can be reached at 713.292.5622 or pwilliams@fisherphillips. com.

Baker Triangle – 1st Place

Austin Construction News • AUG 2018

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results with inconsistency from day-today catches. One morning is great with lots of action and plenty of fish to be caught and the next day you may not catch a fish or even get a bite in the same area. Perhaps the aftereffects from hurricane Harvey have changed our ecosystem enough to alter bait and fish migrations in our bay systems.

Milestones on the Water 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, AFW and AFTCO Clothing

William Womack and Jess Gates both landed nice redfish last month while fishing with Steve Schultz Outdoors. Redfish action should only get better as the summer progresses!

OW! This summer marks the 20year milestone in my guiding career. How time flies when your having fun! I can truly say that is been a great ride so far and I can only hope to continue this ride for many more years to come. Never in my life did I ever think I would guide clients on some of the most exciting trips of their lives making memories that they will never forget. Over the past 20 years I have guided thousands of clients on the waters of the Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay complexes and thru the harsh brush country of South Texas. These are some of the most personable, genuine people on the face of this earth and I am proud to say that most of them have become friends, and some have become family. I am truly blessed having the opportunity to get to know these folks and thank my lucky stars everyday, because they are the reason for my Success.

For the remainder of the summer and entering into early fall, we will continue to work the deeper rocks and reefs in and around the Baffin Bay complex. Free lining croakers and piggy perch is what works best this time of the years as our water temperatures will be peaking out in the high 80s this coming month. If you are that artificial aficionado and still want to pursue your catch using plastics and top water plugs, I suggest you get an early start to your day and try to capitalize on the first bit of the morning. I will also be scanning the water on our way out everyday for schools of redfish and drum. With light winds, these fish are sometimes easy to spot as they scurry away from a running boat leaving wakes that are easy identifiable. As we fish through the summer months, please remember to stay hydrated and apply your sunscreen several times throughout the day. People get caught up in the moment catching fish and don’t realize they are dehydrated and sun burned until it’s too late. My 2018 calendar is now open for bookings for the fall fishing season. The months of September and October are truly two of the best months of the year to fish. 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 email me at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.com.

Good Luck and Good Fishing.

Getting on to fishing, I can honestly say that this has been one of the most challenging years in my 20-year career. Fishing has been so sporadic since the beginning of the year and I really don’t have an explanation for this occurrence. I’ve spoken with many anglers and guides and they all have experienced the same

Target practice

ennifer Maxwell, Lott Brothers Construction Company Ltd. shared photos of her shooting skills with Construction News after being asked what her favorite activity/hobby/ craft was. –cmw

Jennifer Maxwell shooting an AR15 at Illinois Farm.

Don’t mess with Jennifer, she won’t miss her target.

Jennifer Maxwell shooting her favorite gun, a M4.

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Austin Construction News • AUG 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

Wait! What? Where’d Summer Go?!?

t was just here and I had so much summer stuff to do and now it’s already on the count down to the start of school. It’s still so hot; maybe it just dried up and blew away… The older I get the more the passing of time feels like this! You remember how it felt to be a grade school kid drifting in the idleness of summer until you catch sight of a calendar and it just stuns you!

Robert Griffith, the wild game processor and taxidermist well known to most of our clients

In spite of our shad population on Buchanan getting scarce on the ones that would be our bait right now, fishing has held up well. The trend to more and larger stripers mixed in with the hybrids that started late last year is holding true this year too. We have seen better sizes coming in on our schoolies and very often they are accompanied by one or two really nice larger fish in the stringer. We have had lots of 10 to 13 pounders and so far our best this year was 18 lbs. Not to worry about the shad population either. The lake is healthy and producing scads of baby shad that are growing up fast. I have heard several theories on why our summer bait has been hard to come by. Some say the extra cold

snaps of last winter could have set them back as babies. Others wonder about the correlation of scarce bait and larger fish. Maybe it’s something we haven’t even got a clue about. Lake Buchanan is not a constant level lake. The stripers and hybrids can’t reproduce here and so must be stocked each year, and we all know about the crazy Texas weather. There is no such thing as predictable on our lake. That’s okay. Predictable is a trip to the supermarket. Fishing is, I think, the Almighty’s game of chance. It’s a gamble and He deals the cards, or maybe it’s just a fair fight. Either way I love it and just can’t stop. This year we are swinging back full circle and relying on the use of downriggers once again to make up for the lull in our bait supply. Back in the early ‘80s the only way we had learned to catch stripers was by down rigging for them. It is a very different discipline from live bait fishing and it takes a very specific skill set to succeed. If you want to learn the ins and outs of the underside of a lake, down rigging will teach it to you. We fished with them for almost a decade before learning how to live bait for stripers and I still credit those years of trolling around with my nose in a paper graph dodging tree tops with giving me intimate knowledge of what lies beneath the waves and how the fish react to it. It made me a better fisherman. We do still have some time left, and the fishing is still pretty good in spite of the heat. If you can round up the tribe, give us a call and we’ll go show those fish what summer is for!

Nice Fish!

Dancing in the sun

Forrest Moore and family, Hollywood Custom Homes, Liberty Hill, Tx.

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

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

Furnish your TPWD Fishing License & Refreshments, and WE DO THE REST! Helena Marriott, owner of RESFLOOR shared this photo of her dancing and parading with the Austin Samba School. –cmw

Austin Construction News â&#x20AC;¢ AUG 2018

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

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Austin Construction News • AUG 2018

Source of Cre8tion

Andre Luna, owner of Cre8 Construction

ith grandparents and an uncle in construction and “a ton of stucco work” in his New Mexico hometown, André Luna says he spent much of his youth on job sites. He thought adulthood would bring him a different line of work, but stucco’s siren call lured Luna back. “I moved to Texas about 11 years ago to finish school and found myself back in the construction industry in 2012 after being out of it for a little while,” André says. “I finished grad school for my MBA in 2013 and had a lot of good offers to go do different things, but this seemed the most natural fit for me. I haven’t regretted it at all.” As managing partner of Cre8 Construction, he has helped grow the wall system company to 35 professionals. “All of the people I work with are super important to what we do because without them we’re nothing,” he says.

“We always get compliments on the people that we have on site.” André is especially close to one person with whom he works: His sister (and office manager) Sonja Luna. “Sonja and I are only 15 months apart in age, so we’ve never really been apart,” he says. “We’ve always worked together on and off. The company’s name was her idea and she designed the logo too. She’s my right hand woman.” Stucco’s call is now leading André to new places. “We’ve started expanding into the Houston and Dallas markets where we’ve done a little work,” he says. “I think those markets are fruitful and will be fruitful for us as long as we continue to execute the same way we have in the Central Texas market over the next two to three years. That’s our goal.” Subcontractor Cre8 Construction is in Austin. – mjm

Becoming plast friends

Austin Lath & Plaster stucco finishing at work.

hat are friends for? Getting their buddies into the lath and plaster business, that’s what! Just ask Celso Cedano, whose introduction to the industry through a construction-working pal turned into a 25-year career. After listening to his comrade’s advice, Cedano took classes to learn the trade and started Austin Lath & Plaster Co. out of his home. Although running a company wasn’t initially easy, Cedano impressed his first residential customers enough to be referred to other clients. He soon was able to open up a shop and now employs a team of 19. With every slap of his employees’ trowels on the walls, he makes sure that his high standards for his company’s projects are met. “I show my team how to do the job, I leave it to them, and then I inspect the job to make sure it is the way I told them,” Cedano says. “I always tell them that I

don’t want them to fix something quickly; I want them to take their time and to make it right. I teach my team and they do it well.” Cedano says he loves “solving the different problems” that his work brings, whether the projects are large or small in scale. His favorite commercial project that his team took on was applying stucco to a Hyatt in La Cantera. Eventually, he says, he hopes to apply stucco beyond the Austin area. “We try to offer quality work for the customers and we would like to expand to Houston, Dallas and San Antonio.” It may be a chance to meet new faces as well. As for Cedano recruiting friends or family into the industry, he hasn’t had much luck – yet. “No, it’s just me!” he says, laughing. Subcontractor Austin Lath & Plaster (and roofing) services is located in Austin and Lockhart. –mjm

Austin Construction News • AUG 2018

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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

Getting you started David C. Cancialosi, President & Founder Permit Partners LLC Austin, TX

urrently overseeing aspects of all cases, Cancialosi works on highly complex entitlement cases and continues to build new client relationships. He has previously worked for variety of Central Texas municipalities in urban planning, inspections, and development review capacities. He received a Bachelor of Science in urban planning from Texas State University and served in the United States Marine Corps prior to returning to Texas. How would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms? I would have to say and I think most will agree, the construction industry is booming in central Texas! Have you experienced an increase/ slowdown in business? As a service provider we’ve experienced a 20 percent year-over-year growth for 10 years straight. What factors are driving this increase/ slowdown? It’s simple. The booming economy, favorable living conditions and large companies relocating to the Central Texas area…it’s a positive cycle! How has this increase/slowdown

affected your company and how you conduct business? We’ve been involved in some of the most complicated entitlement cases. We’ve morphed the permit firm into a project management firm. Clients really appreciate our attention to detail and overall approach to managing their projects. What are the “hot button” issues in your industry? Over regulation by the governing municipality is the “hot button” issue in our line of work. What are the major changes in the industry in recent years relating to the type of work you do? Keeping up with amendments to the City of Austin land development code and their entitlement procedures.

Work zone safety Kevin Omachel, Branch Manager Buyers Barricades Spring, TX

graduate of TCU, Omachel joined the Buyers team in October 2012. He began his career as a salesman in the Buyers Barricades Dallas/Fort Worth office and became branch manager of the Houston office just two short years later.

How would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms? Just from what I can see from a smaller subcontractor perspective, the construction industry is not slowing down whatsoever. With the growing economy and more people moving into metropolitan areas, we have to keep up with the infrastructure to support this, which in turn helps the industry as a whole. Have you experienced an increase/ slowdown in business and what is driving this? We at Buyers Barricades are blessed to say that in the five years we have been in Houston, we have shown substantial growth. The factors that have increased our business vary. However, I believe it starts with a good core team to support your business and we have just that here at Buyers. We pride ourselves on top quality work and it shows in our customer retention. That said, there are many hurdles to overcome within the Houston market.

The biggest one we see is the lack of regulation. Often, we experience contractors that should be using traffic control to make their work zone safe, but they fail to do so – likely, because there will be no consequences from city and county officials. This has been tough coming from the DFW market, where regulation is of top priority. We have made it a point at Buyers to try to increase traffic control regulation in Houston and surrounding areas to facilitate an overall safer work zone for our customers and the traveling public. How has this increase/slowdown affected your company and how you conduct business? We are constantly changing the way we conduct business to ensure we stay at the top. We do this by maintaining a high brand standard and always making sure our name and reputation are seen and heard, with the help of our strong marketing team. What are the “hot button” issues in

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

What is the most significant challenge your industry faces? (i.e. labor shortage, other) The biggest challenge we face is the lack of skilled staff since we’re a niche service provider (building permits, zoning, land use entitlements specific to City of Austin and surrounding municipalities). How are you dealing with these challenges? We deal with the challenge of a skilled staff through constant training of existing staff. Do you see an increase in the number of outside contractors coming to the area? Absolutely we do. We get many calls from clients needing to hire us because they simply want someone who knows the process and can decrease their wait time on a permit or large scale entitlement like zoning or subdivision. What are the cost increases relating to your industry? The biggest cost increases we see are City fees and more processes in order to gain approvals. What is on the horizon for your industry? (Changes in technology; equipment; other) There’s not much on the horizon in the line of work we do. Our niche market is consulting, code and process knowledge, and customer service. We have

your industry? As mentioned before, a “hot button” issue in our industry is regulation. Here in Houston, we often have contractors tell us they do not need traffic control because they know they can get away without it. This is a far cry from where we started in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. In North Texas you will not see job sites without the material required to manage a safe work zone. If a contractor decides not to utilize traffic control, they are fined and their work zone is shut down until the required traffic control is set up. It is our job to help educate contractors on the importance of job site safety as well as the traveling public’s safety. What are the major changes in the industry in recent years relating to the type of work you do? I would say the major changes would be more on the heavy highway side of our industry. TXDOT has become more and more strict on how traffic control is handled on our highways. They are always looking for better ways to improve the safety of work zones, such as implementing Smart Work Zone systems. These are systems that inform drivers about upcoming traffic conditions within a work zone. They do this by using sensors to detect traffic flow conditions, which in turn allow digital message boards to alert drivers of congestion or slower speeds within the upcoming work zone. Do you see an increase in the number of outside contractors coming to the area?

www.constructionnews.net publishing the industry’s news

some internal project management software we utilize, but at the end of the day, technology cannot replace knowledge and customer service. Have their been any significant code changes in the past year? Or regulations? There are constant changes to code and processes, but the City of Austin has been debating how to finalize Code Next. Code Next rewrites the land development code from the 1980s. That’s going to be a big deal once it passes. What are the rewards of the industry? Satisfaction of getting the job done well for a client is the best reward of our industry. What are keys to being successful? To be successful, no matter what line of work you are in, you have to do what you say you’re going to do. Everyone respects and understands that. That’s why careful execution of the task at hand is essential to being successful. Permit Partners is a building permit and land development consulting firm servicing residential, commercial building permits, zoning cases, subdivision projects, due diligence studies and real estate entitlement projects in Austin. -cmw

Every week I have a meeting with my outside sales team to get the “scoop” on how things are looking on the road. New jobs and contractors are constantly emerging. In my opinion, there are definitely more new contractors in Houston now, than this time last year. What are the cost increases relating to your industry? Like many other industries, we are dealing with cost increase on steel products and freight costs to get the products we need in a timely manner. What is on the horizon for your industry? (Changes in technology; equipment; other) I think the rise in technology will play a large role moving forward with how our industry sets its standards. What are the rewards of the industry? Knowing we are keeping not only the contractors safe, but also the traveling public safe, is the biggest reward. What are keys to being successful? I believe this varies greatly when it comes to personal goals and business goals. That said, I have learned over the years customer satisfaction is of utmost importance for a business’s success. Customer retention and referrals is key to determining profitability and growth. Founded in 1984, Buyers Barricades provides temporary traffic control and safety services and products in Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. -cmw

Texas Style

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San Antonio Austin Dallas/Fort Worth Houston

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Austin Construction News • AUG 2018

THIS TH MON

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NEXT MONTH (September 2018) GREEN BUILDING

Consistency, follow-up & experience Shannon Cadena, Account Manager People Ready San Antonio, TX

eople Ready works with businesses to provide the workforce solutions they need to succeed. Cadena has been in the industry for five years and is well versed in the needs of the construction industry’s skilled labor demands. “With a focus on commercial and industrial construction, People Ready has the expertise and the people of all skill levels for businesses large and small,” says Cadena. How would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms? Booming! Every day I see more new job sites all over San Antonio and surrounding areas. Have you experienced an increase/ slowdown in business? Our industry has always been steady. What factors are driving this increase/ slowdown? With more and more larger projects

popping up, there is an increased demand for more skilled workers. How has this increase/slowdown affected your company and how you conduct business? Our main focus is recruiting, worker retention and customer relations. We have increased our benefit plans and offerings to help reach and maintain these objectives. What are the “hot button” issues in your industry? Lack of committed workers and lack of licensed and experienced workers has been and continues to be a hot topic in the construction industry, which goes hand-in-hand with our industry as a skilled staffing provider.

Safety, safety, safety Marvin Ohlenbusch, President AND Owner, Alamo Crane Services President Texas Crane Owners Association Selma, TX

aving been in the crane service industry since 1979, Ohlenbusch is very versed in the comings and goings of the crane service industry. He is the co-owner of Alamo Crane Services Inc. based in Selma, just outside San Antonio. He is the 2018 president of the Texas Crane Owners Association (TCOA), on the board for the Texas Construction Association (TCA) and American Subcontractors Association (ASA). By being president of TCOA automatically puts him on the TOA board. As a crane operator in the construction industry, what is your take on the state of the construction industry in general terms? Business is pretty steady. Competi-

tion is driving everything just like it does for contractors. Texas is one of the fastest growing areas in the nation and consequently people from slower regions are coming here to pick up work. Our workforce is not large enough and the influx of competition is driving prices down.

What are the major changes in the industry in recent years relating to the type of work you do? We have been receiving more requests for lead and supervisor level positions. What is the most significant challenge your industry faces? (i.e. labor shortage, other) The most significant challenge is a shortage of skilled trade workers and a lack of commitment from the labor force. How are you dealing with these challenges? We have been in San Antonio for many years and our recruiter has been with us for 11 years with her experience and the referrals she has received from our existing employees, it has helped us on many occasions. Do you see an increase in the number of outside contractors coming to the area? Yes, I continue to see new companies coming from all over the United States. Texas is the place to be right now. What are the cost increases relating to your industry? Due to the shortage of experienced workers, the existing work force is re-

Have you experienced an increase/ slowdown in business? What factors are diving this increase/slow down and how has it affected your company and how you conduct your business? Yes, we have seen an increase in business do to the growth of Texas. Since the end of last year, we’ve upgraded our fleet from a 500-ton to a 600-ton crane. Everything is getting bigger, heavier and further away. For example, jobs we used to do with a 40-ton years ago, we now do with a 60ton and jobs that used to be done with a 70-ton are done with an 80-ton. We’ve also added two heavy-haul trailers, an 80-ton and 120-ton, which are rear-steer trailers. It is something that we had to do to stay competitive. We have also added an 80-ton crane. The biggest problem is finding qualified crane operators that want to work in the rental industry. Within the next five to ten years from San Antonio to Waco, growth will be 1025% greater. We (Texas) are in the right

questing and demanding higher pay. This is simply due to supply and demand. What is on the horizon for your industry? (Changes in technology; equipment; other) We have an App-Based solution that has changed how we communicate with our work force. Our customers can place or extend job orders based on their business needs. Have their been any significant code changes in the past year? Or regulations? No, there have not been any changes for our industry. What are the rewards of the industry? The rewards are simple. Providing people with work for both short and long term. And, filling a need for our customers to complete their jobs and increase their productivity. What are keys to being successful? Consistency, follow-up and an experienced team! All three together, make you great! People Ready is a construction and industrial trade-staffing agency with locations across the United States. -cmw

spot at the right time. What are the “hot button” issues in your industry? Safety, safety, safety! What are the major changes in the industry in recent years relating to the type of work you do? In the past, we would send a crane out with just an operator and we would rely on the customer to rig the load and signal the crane. Those days are gone. We’re finding more and more, that individuals assigned to that task don’t know what their doing. We need to keep it safe. We are doing that by using our own signalmen and riggers so we can be more in control of the lift. There needs to be more people that are trained to do our work. We are trying to educate our customers more by holding training sessions and toolbox talks. We’re trying to do a better job of letting people know about our industry. What are the cost increases relating to your industry? Since Jan. 2018 all of our fuel and finished petroleum products have increased 15 percent and we are expecting it to go up another five percent. We have had to implement surcharges again, which we were able to done away with when fuel prices dropped. In addition, insurance costs are up. Equipment costs are up due to the tariff imposed on steel. A few larger costs that we have are repair, labor and rigging costs. All of which have increased. What is on the horizon for your industry? (Changes in technology; equipment; other) New technology. The days of running a crane by the seat of your pants are over. Cranes are being built with new technology that will prevent operators from making a mistake that might otherwise drastically affect a company financially or cost someone their life. Has there been any significant code changes in the past year? Or regulations? Curfews have been lifted in the state continued on Page 16

Austin Construction News • AUG 2018

Page 15

Pushing for more

Insulation inspiration

Pete Eisele working at his desk.

L-R: Fabian Ramos, Edie Johnson and Scott Woodward

ete Eisele, president of P&H Equipment LLC, jokes that “P&H” could stand for “push and heave.” Certainly there were days it must have felt that way as Eisele pushed and heaved his way to owning a successful business. After serving in the U.S. Navy, Eisele started what he calls his “illustrious career in the lift truck market industry,” in South Bend, IN. Wanting to be a bigger fish in a bigger pond, he moved to Houston four years later to work for a large equipment dealer in the 1980s. He then went on the road for a year as a manufacturer’s rep for a company that soon filed for bankruptcy. Eisele ended up in Austin working for Langford Equipment, but bad luck seemed to follow him: The depths of the savings and loan debacle were underway, and he soon found himself unemployed. That’s when Eisele decided to push and heave and take control. “I decided to start buying and selling used equipment that I found available throughout the marketplace,” he says. “That business was started under the name of Machinery Wholesale Supply and, shortly thereafter, I solicited the involvement of a partner who came into business with me for about four years. We eventually split in 1991, and I started over again as P&H Equipment.” Eisele is grateful that the business succeeded despite the struggle. “I knew the product fairly well, but I had no formal education to base my entrepreneurial experience on; I had no business plan,” he says. “It was only persistence, hard work and God’s grace that kept me heading in the right direction.” The company has since grown to 17 employees and is now an authorized dealer for Genie Aerial Equipment. “We still do quite a bit of used equipment business,” he explains. “We have created a brand of selling later model or fully-refurbished used machines. We have a system in place to

take a used machine and make it look and run like a brand new lift at about 60% of the cost of a new truck. We also sell a good deal of storage equipment. There are some behind-the-scenes things taking place that will allow us to compete in other fields that are similar to some of the national firms. Our plan is, sometime in the third or fourth quarter to establish ourselves in that marketplace as well as the industrial equipment marketplace that we deal in now. Business is business and we try to be very competitive.” From his experiences trying to establish himself in the industry, Eisele deeply understands the need to treat his customers as well as possible. “We try to connect our business morally and ethically; we don’t want to cheat people or take advantage of people’s ignorance of machinery and equipment,” he says. “We work hard to earn the customers’ trust. We believe that it doesn’t matter what brand we’re offering provided that we offer a product that can be supported with parts and services. People buy from people and it’s a people business. I try to keep people on staff that are serious about what they’re doing, are persistent, that work hard, that have a moral, ethical manner in which they conduct themselves. We find that in doing that, we win over the hearts and minds of many, many customers and have developed what we think we have a good reputation in the marketplace. “We’re fairly well known by a lot of businesses in this town,” Eisele continues. “We’ve ben asked to expand to San Antonio and other parts of Texas but I really feel that if we simply do a great job here in Austin, if those doors are open down the road, we’ll consider them. For right now, we’ll try to do what we do better than anybody else and that’s really been the key to our success. Supplier P&H Equipment LLC is located in Round Rock. –mjm

hen Scott Woodward, Bay Insulation’s Round Rock division manager, needs a little “management inspiration,” he recalls the company’s late owner. “Arnie Schmidt, who was the original founder, always had a vision, with oneyear, five-year and 10-year goals. He already had a structure in place,” Woodward remembers. “He got sick suddenly and within a week passed away. However, his company was structured where – other than closing the office for the funeral – the business didn’t [falter], even with the CEO/owner passing away. Mr. Schmidt’s son, who was in a position of authority, had a great group of guys that ran each division for him. They ran it like their own company, which trickled down to branch levels that grew from freedom to make the right decisions.” The lesson has stuck with him. “My boss once said that if he had to babysit someone, they do not need to be working for him,” Woodward continues. “I always hire people with the intent that – God forbid – if I pass away or retire when I win the lotto, the business would

not lag after I was gone.” Woodward found two great hires in inside sales guru Edie Johnson (“She basically runs me and keeps me in line!” he says) and driver Fabian Ramos, who also manages the warehouse. This talented trio has three colleagues officed in San Antonio, 30 in Houston, 20 in Garland and many in other states. Dan Schmidt oversees Bay Insulation as president and CEO. Woodward’s began his career at Bay Insulation when he opened a branch for the company nine years ago. His pleasure in working for a well-ordered and peopleoriented business is evident. “Someone asked me what I liked the most about Bay, and I said 20 years ago, when I moved to this side of the industry, I should have started at Bay,” he says. “They do a lot of other things for their employees that go beyond any company I’ve worked with. They are great folks to work with and for.” Subcontractor Bay Insulation has Texas offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. –mjm

Office party!

ouble birthdays at Construction News on July 18, which means double trouble at the office. One office was carpeted with pages of Construction News, the other office with confetti. Both offices were given new doors. Gag gifts, nice gifts, pizza, cake, special beverages and many more shenanigans resulted in no one wanting to work the rest of the afternoon.

Lexie Velasquez and Reesa Doebbler at Reesa’s newly installed door

continued of Texas allowing crane operators to move on highways during specified hours. There are still some restrictions on big machines that require an escort, but the everyday taxicab crane can now move 24 hours a day, except in construction zones. What are keys to being successful? Keeping good employees by rewarding them for a job well done and letting them know they’ve done a great job. You

also have to treat your customers the way you want to be treated. Treat them good and at a fair price. Texas Crane Owners Association (TCOA) is a non-profit trade association representing Texas crane owners. Alamo Crane Services is a family-owned and operator, third generation crane service company based in Selma, TX. –cmw

The crew and their party hats. Missing is Melissa (in Fort Worth) and Buddy Doebbler who is taking the photos. We have no idea where the other contributing editors are!

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Austin Construction News • AUG 2018

Cruising and schmoozing

he Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) took to the water on Jun. 14 for sunset gambling cruise on Lake Austin. –cmw

ABC members enjoying the ride.

continued from Page 1 — Metal cred house and enjoyed it, so I do the custom homes end of it; that’s how we’ve divided up the business.” Voelker still finds it hard to believe that his company is in its 40th year, but he knows the reason for its staying power. “I think it’s the service we offer,” he says. “Why would you let a big, dumblooking sucker like me build your milliondollar complex of metal buildings or your home unless you know about my service? We’re going to take care of you from the day we start to the day we hand you the keys and after. “We’ve built schools, nine fire stations around the area, Travis County Emergency Services District 11 and 12, the wedding facility Villa St. Clair and Southern Style Spices. In 40 years, you get a good name, and we’ve stayed really busy,” he adds. Voelker says his six employees have also been key to the company’s success. His son, Steven Voelker, joined the business in 2010, and CFO Melinda Fiebig has been with the company for nearly 40 years. “Everybody is good friends in the company,” Voelker says. “We have outings and do all kinds of fun things. Every Friday night, Melinda’s family and our family eat pizza together. “We also do a bunch of charity,” he

continues. “We’ve been involved for nearly 40 years with the Rodeo Austin. We have a buyers group called ‘Papa Cluck and the Cluckers’ and we have given close to $750,000 over the years to kids. We are super stout in terms of the 4-H and FFA around the area, hiring kids, giving away raffles and giving scholarships to kids at Manor ISD every year.” At this point in his life, Voelker says he’s ready to give his biggest prize to those who have helped build the company. “My partner and I would both like to ease out of this and let Melinda and Steven take it and run with it,” Voelker says. “I have another son, Scott, who is in the construction industry and I had kind of hoped both of those goober boys would get together and make this thing go, so I’ll let Steven see if his older brother wants to get into it with him.” In the meantime, Voelker is enjoying this milestone. “We don’t have plans to celebrate in a big way,” Voelker says. “We had a remodel of our office for our 30th anniversary and invited all of the vendors and clients and had a big deal. We’ll wait until our 50th anniversary!” Subcontractor Voelker Welding and Construction is located in Manor. –mjm

continued from Page 1 —Getting stoned the right way

ABC members try their luck at the tables

What is your favorite hobby/craft/activity? My favorite activity is playing and watching all sports, especially golf, with my kids. Brendan Doyle, MAREK My favorite activity is to listen to live bands perform. I especially enjoy listening to my husband’s band, The South Austin Moonlighters. Armanda Trevino, Hilti I enjoy wake surfing behind the ski boat. Rick Hull, Hull Supply Co. My favorite activity is hanging out at the lake on summer weekends with a bottle of Rosé, boating, barbequing and making homemade ice cream while listening to George Strait. Cindy Richter, Vanguard Fire & Security I enjoy traveling, boating & fishing with Marty and the boys when they’re with us, especially when we can hit beautiful spots in CO, CA or Lake Travis during off season when crowds are down. My most recent hobby is off-roading in my jeep. I’m a novice having only conquered the Palo Duro Canyon thus far, but I believe I’m hooked! It’s a great way to reach beautiful places in nature with amazing views and big skies. Both Marty and I will be in the RR July 4 Parade with our respective jeeps, me in the Wrangler and him in the vintage Wagoneer, Wanda Gibson, Gibson Concrete LLC I absolutely LOVE dancing! However, I’m not that great at it, so I especially appreciate choreographed moves. And being Greek, Greek dancing is at the top of my list, especially when I can do it on an island in the summer. One of my favorite experiences was dancing and parading with the Austin Samba School. I’m too busy these days, but one day soon I plan to really get my salsa moves down! Helena Marriott, RESFLOOR My favorite activity would be going to my best friend’s ranch in Rochelle,TX and

hanging out. Larry and I are always building something or adding onto the cabin. I also like working the cows and cooling off in the water trough. Scott Woodward, Bay Insulation Shooting, cooking and kayaking are all equal passions of mine. Jennifer Maxwell, Lott Brothers Construction Company Ltd. Some of my favorite hobbies are bowling, playing pool and any craft that includes building things. We recently go some new tools for carving wood, plastics and soft metals. This has resulted in extended time in the workshop, making signs and various items for friends and family. Amanda Angelo, Martin Marietta

shops, gas stations and any type of retail. Ninety percent of Batton’s work is outside. Batton likes working with smoother materials that require more precise handling. “The smoother the material, the more accurate you have to be,” he said. He helps his clients with the artistic vision they want to accomplish. He’ll use computer-aided software or simply draw things out with a pen and paper. He likes the “fancier things.” When it comes to giving estimates for a job, Batton said there are so many variables that it he can’t answer a customer who wants the estimate based on square footage alone. Further, Batton cautions, “If anyone gives you a square foot price over the phone, they’re not really a good contractor.” In explaining his company’s name, Batton said that the “T” in “C.T.” stands for his girlfriend Theresa’s name. He is the “C.” Batton gets a lot of referrals for work from Yelp. Additionally, he just recently became a masonry contractor for Lowe’s. He works in primarily a 60-mile radius, with word-of-mouth references still the best method of getting jobs.

Batton explained an interesting tidbit of the masonry industry. Sometimes there is a delay in a project if the quarry who is providing the particular stone runs out and has to dig for more. Batton had a two-month delay one time. When he worked on Michael Dell’s hilltop home several years ago, they ran out of the granite that was coming in from India, causing a big work stoppage. Batton said he had to build Dell’s driveway up a mountain, which took months. With big projects on the horizon, work is steady for the mason from Pflugerville. Maybe not as big as when he worked on Michael Dell’s house, but it’s all good. He’s working on mostly residential now, but school will be starting up soon, then Batton will concentrate on commercial endeavors. Then, before you know it, it will be tax season all over again, and he’ll be getting the calls from homeowners. Toss in some referrals from Yelp and Lowe’s, and you have one busy mason. Not bad for a summer job. C.T. Services is a masonry contractor in the Austin area. -dsz

continued from Page 1 — Municipal needs met

My favorite hobby is Crossfit. It’s the one place you can go, turn your brain off and have the next hour planned out for you. It’s my outlet to get away from work and gives me the “me time” that we all need! Deborah Arizmendi-Kopack, KDKGroup My favorite activity is to hang out with family and friends around the pool. Many memories are created that last a lifetime. I enjoy working in the yard as well as landscaping. I just recently started doing puzzles. This allows me to relax and wine down for the night. Kim Wheeler, Wheeler Companies My hobby is scrapbooking. I still have a scrapbook I created as a 10-year-old, back before it was ever a recognized hobby and when you used manila paper and twine to put a book together. I enjoy capturing the history of an event. It may be the contributing factor into why I’m always interested in the backstory of buildings and construction projects. I like to know the why of a project or a building when I take a tour. I also enjoy capturing unique angles for my photos, whether it’s people or buildings. Laurie Jimenez, AccuBuild

Williamson County EMS, Building 1 of the Williamson County North Campus

cation of geotechnical borings were taken, but those locations just happened to miss rock in every single instance. The construction team encountered delays for this unexpected occurrence, but through creative scheduling, was able to make up the time. A related source of delay during this phase of the project was the discovery of a cave, which brought all work to a standstill until the caves could be studied and cleared by a geologist. The demanding program of this project rendered in a cost-effective, yet resilient pallet of materials. All six buildings were to be constructed at the same

time. Making sure all the building had the correct material and manpower to complete them on time made this a most unique process for the team. All challenges were met with a complete spirit of cooperation. Doug Boram, project manager, and Stuart Baker, superintendent, gladly worked together with the Williamson County and BLGY, the project’s architect. J.T. Vaughn Construction LLC is a family-owned general contracting and construction management firm with nine offices throughout Texas. –cmw

Austin Construction News • AUG 2018

Page 17

100 years and a new leader

Submitted to Construction News

Round-Up

Rogers-O’Brien Construction welcomes Carolyn Karabinos as Director of Client Relations and Development. Karabinos joins the RO family after serving as director of business development for six years with Balfour Beatty. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Advertising from the University of Texas in Austin. -cmw

Jerry Smith, Baker Triangle’s Austin president addresses AWCI as the new 2018-2019 AWCI president.

he Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (AWCI) has a new leader for 2018-2019. Jerry Smith has been elected to lead the association as AWCI celebrates 100 years. The association represents 2,200 companies and organizations in the acoustic, ceiling, drywall systems, exterior insulation and finishing systems, fireproofing, flooring systems, insulation, stucco contractors, suppliers and manufacturers and those in allied trades. Wall and ceiling construction is a basic service and is part of every construction project. Even ancient structures like the Parthenon and the ancient pyramids of Egypt had wall and ceiling contractors. Plastering contractors had local unions in the early 1900s, but there was no international plastering contractors association. AWCI filled that need in 1918. The Contracting Plasterers International Association became AWCI, a forum for unity and direction transforming the trade. Smith is the president of Baker Tri-

angle’s Austin, TX division and has been part of the Baker team for 40 years. He started out as a helper in 1977 installing acoustical ceilings. Eighteen months later Smith was promoted to foreman. In 1983, he became an estimator trainee and a few years later, he was a project manager. When an opportunity arose within the company to open a branch office in Virginia, Smith was chosen to lead that office. His proven track record didn’t stop there. In 1995, the Texas economy created a demand for a new office in Austin and Smith found himself in Texas. “I’m confident he will serve us well,” says outgoing president Ed Sellers. Smith says that becoming AWCI president, “is something I always wanted to do, but 20 years ago I never thought I would reach this point. It’s a privilege and honor to be a part of this organization in this capacity.” Congratulations Jerry! Baker Triangle is a drywall and plastering specialty contractor with offices in Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin. -cmw

Association Calendar

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ACEA

Greater Austin Contractors & Engineers Assn.

Aug. 9: ACEA Membership Luncheon, Dave & Buster’s, 9333 Research Blvd., 11:30am-1pm. For more info, go to www. aceatx.com or call 512-893-7067. AGC

Associated General Contractors

Aug. 1: TopGolf Networking Event, 2700 Esperanza Crossing. For more info, contact Toni Osberry at 512-442-7887 AIA

American Institute of Architects

Aug. 23-24: Summer Conference, AT&T Conference Center, 1900 University Ave., 8am-5pm. For more info, call 512-4524332 CTMCA

Central Texas Masonry Contractors Assn.

Aug. 8-10: TMC Convention, Hilton 815 Main St., Fort Worth, TX. For more info, go to www.ctmca.com CTSA

Central Texas Subcontractors Assn.

Aug. 14: Joint Lunch & Learn, Maggiano’s in the Domain, 10910 Domain Dr., #100, 11:30am-1pm. For more info, call 512-255-6373 NAWIC National Assn. of Women in Construction

Aug. 8: Chapter dinner meeting, Upstairs

Circus, 234 W. 2nd St. For more info, contact Taryn Ritchie at taryn.ritchie@ryancompanies.com or call 512-658-6573 SEAot

Structural Engineers Assn. of Texas

Aug. 23: Chapter Meeting, Maggiano’s Little Italy, 10910 Domain Dr., #100. For more info, call 512-301-2744

Pape-Dawson Engineers Inc. is pleased to announce the promotion of Dustin Goss, PE, LEED AP to vice president. Goss earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree from Texas Tech University in 1998. He is a registered professional engineer in the state of Texas and is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified. -cmw

JQ is pleased to announce the addition of Structural Project Manager Bryant De La Cruz. De La Cruz is a licensed engineer in Texas and holds a Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering degree and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg. He also holds a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University-Kingsville. -cmw

Round-Up Submissions

Brief company announcements of new or recently promoted personnel, free of charge, as space allows. Submit Info & Photo: AustinEditor@ConstructionNews.net (210) 308-5800

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Austin Construction News • AUG 2018

Page 19

Artistry in stone

Scott Bonniwell, owner of Texas Stone Masons.

ake no mistake: masonry is hard work – lugging heavy stones in place, usually in the hot sun, slapping mortar down to secure the rocks. But in the midst of this trade, there is great beauty and the opportunity to take material mined out of the earth and turn it into something nice. Scott Bonniwell, owner of Texas Stone Masons, enjoys doing just that. “You can get a little bit artistic laying stone,” he said. “You can do different things with the stones to make it look nice and attractive.” Case in point: the stone entrance way to the Mystic Shores community in Canyon Lake took second place in an international competition for Bonniwell. Even though sandblasting the words onto the stone was “quite an ordeal,” the end result was something he could step back from and admire. “We take great pride in doing a good job,” he said. Bonniwell is in a good location for getting nice-looking stones for his work. “We’re pretty blessed here in Texas,” he

said. He also gets great-looking rocks from places in the States like Idaho and Oklahoma. Bonniwell prefers going right to a quarry to find what the customer wants. It also reduces the price as the middleman is cut out. Texas Stone Masons is a small company of only four employees, but Bonniwell likes it that way so he can manage his team better than when he had multiple crews working. His most enjoyable project was an underground wine cellar for a client, the stones for which were gathered on his own property. “To date, my favorite project,” Bonniwell said. When a job is done, and done well, Bonniwell enjoys knowing “it’s going to be there for a long, long time to come.” Bonniwell has trained many masons along the way, one of whom became his own contractor. Part of that training, no doubt, included not only the mechanics of masonry, but also a love for the artistic and the beauty of it. Texas Stone Masons is a masonry company serving the Austin area. -dsz

JOB SIGHTS

Overseeing safety at the Stonite Surface Showroom project in San Marcos is Raul Carrillo with RC Safety. -cmw

Superintendent Chad Watts poses for a photo at the new three-story, climate-controlled Buda Storage project. GC for the project is Dailey Contractors LLC. Dan Williams is project manager and Ron Martin is superintendent. -cmw

Building for healthcare

L-RL Kris Kopack, owner, and Randy Lopez, KDK, at jobsite for new clinic in Georgetown. Photo courtesy of C. Thompson Photography.

uality, transparency and safety– this is the mission of KDK Group. Kristopher G. Kopack, P.E., and wife, Deborah Arizmendi-Kopack, are celebrating their first full year in business as KDK Group, a multi-faceted company that includes engineering, program management and construction management to bring the mission trio to the industry. KDK Group found their niche in the smaller scale healthcare facilities, from renovation to ground-up work. KDK Group’s co-owner, Deborah, said “It is hard to find a small contractor that understands the necessities of completing work within the clients needs.” She says for a hospital that is still running a business, a trait, KDK Group has mastered the employment of infection prevention techniques to ensure the safety of patients in these hospitals that are undergoing remodeling or renovations. And although healthcare facilities are the current specialty, KDK Group looks to expand further into the commercial field. When building a future for KDK, Deborah

said the goal is to “keep doing what we are doing, fully expand our market outside healthcare while maintaining clients.” The future of KDK Group has opportunity, running through the family as far down as Deborah and Kristopher’s young son Cole who visits job sites with his father, donning his very personal protective equipment. Being taught young, Cole can spot an excavator when he sees one. When it comes to the industry and the company, Deborah stated, “The thing is you have to have passion for what you do.” This passion and desire to fulfill the needs of the clientele is what helped push the company to attain several certifications, including Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE), Texas Historically Underutilized Business (HUB), and their Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Certificate, broadening their capabilities. KDK Group is a commercial contractor specializing in healthcare and located in Austin. –dd

After eating lunch, Texas A&M Concrete LLC crew members Adam Mondragon, Raul Lara, Juan Medina, Rosendo Leon, Rogelio Leon and Juan Medina find a cool, shady place to relax before going back to work at the EVO Entertainment infrastructure project in Kyle, TX. -cmw

Dallas Collins, president of Dallas Collins Construction Co. Inc., visited with Construction News during his lunch break at the new Holms Self Storage project in Kyle, TX. -cmw

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Austin Construction News â&#x20AC;¢ AUG 2018