Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News January 2019

Covering the Industry’s News

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The Industry’s Newspaper www.constructionnews.net H (210) 308-5800 H Volume 17 H Number 1 H JANUARY 2019

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A good night’s rest

Tiger goes and gets ‘em

L-R: Michael Zatopek, Liz Zatopek and Vickie Jones of Light Gauge Solutions

Mary and Arturo Magdaleno, owners of Tiger Painting and Remodeling

he next time you’re staying in a hotel, ask yourself: “Is this thing going to collapse on me while I’m sleeping?”

If Liz Zatopek and her team at Light Gauge Solutions made it, you can sleep well. It won’t fall down.

Light Gauge Solutions produces steel framing for load-bearing walls and trusses, mostly for commercial structures.

It has done a lot of hotels.

Liz’s background, interestingly, was not in construction, but software engineering and testing. “I didn’t have any,” she laughs, when discussing her background. When she had her two kids, she took time off to be the mom. Once her son, Michael Zatopek, graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology, fabricated products in Juarez, Mexico provided

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an opportunity to get into this business.

“I’ve always been interested in architecture, engineering and construction,” Liz said. When this opportunity came up in Juarez, she and Michael decided to form Light Gauge Solutions in 2005. She was now in the light gauge framing business.

When she started the company, Liz rented out a warehouse, bought their first roll former and a forklift.

“The learning curve was steep,” she said. Liz had to learn how to build and bid projects and the industry lingo and culture. Fortunately, she had plenty of assistance from mentors who guided her and double-checked her work.

Vickie Jones came on board in 2008 and provides invaluable business savvy continued on Page 16

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hen Mary Magdaleno and her husband Arturo Magdaleno were thinking of a name for their company, they wanted to reference something unique but they also wished to highlight something they both appreciated as a couple.

“As my husband and I were thinking of a business name, we realized we both love tigers,” Mary explains. “They are very graceful creatures and they have beautiful colors as well. So we decided to name it Tiger Painting and Remodeling.”

Pretty colors and moving through the construction industry with grace is something with which the couple is familiar. It began with Arturo, who passed his expertise on to his family after working for contractors over the years.

“Arturo was working for painting contractors and he taught me and our son Arthur how to paint,” Mary says of their beginnings in the industry. “We started in a new subdivision painting the interior and exterior of residential construction in 1994. In 1997, we started honing our skills in the remodeling business.

We have moved from just painting to complete remodeling for light commercial and residential projects. We come in and gut the structure out and redo it all.”

Arthur is now 21 and helps his parents in the business, along with five employees that include plumbing and electrical guru Diony Flores and supervisor Johanna Cervantes. The couple still rolls continued on Page 16

Futures begin at an early age

ince 1959, Bartlett Cocke General Contractors (BCGC) has been on the cutting edge of construction.

Founded by Bartlett Cocke, Jr., they have grown from a single-person owner/ operator construction company to become one of the largest, most respected and trusted employee-owned general contractors in Texas. With five regional offices throughout the state, BCGC focuses on producing higher purpose facilities that deliver the greatest possible value to the communities they serve. With nearly six decades of satisfied clients that can attest to their successful track record of safety, timely completion, cost savings and quality, their commitment to building lasting relationships with their clients remains a top priority.

While BCGC has a large following of private clients, the majority of their work is in the public sector. Because BCGC has

worked with more than 60 independent school districts across the state, Mansfield Independent School District had no hesitation in selecting Bartlett Cocke General Contractors to build the new Dr. Sarah Jandrucko Academy for Early Learners.

The 54,000sf new facility took 12 months to complete at a cost of $17 million. Structural steel, precast concrete, masonry, insulated concrete formwork (ICF), storefront glazing and drywall were the primary construction materials used for the Early Literacy Center for children 3 to 4 years of age.

Project Manager Katie Hill and Superintendent Justin Ashcraft faced several challenges during the construction process. The 2018 weather in North Texas posed a conundrum for every new construction project across the Metroplex.

The unprecedented rains shortened the timeframe for almost every project that Mansfield ISD’s Dr. Sarah Jandrucko Academy for Early Learners

continued on Page 16

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • JAN 2019

Newly acquired firm keeps local name

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Stockings for troops

o honor those who protect and defend our country, volunteers gathered together at the Conley Group Foundation on Nov. 12 to stuff stockings. Christmas cards, candy, jerky, trail mix, crackers, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, nail clippers, razors, hand warmers, wet wipes, fidget spinners and playing cards filled each stocking. 750 stockings were stuffed and will be sent to our deployed troops. –cmw

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Gary Raba will continue to run the RK operations.

ounded in 1968 and having just celebrated 50 years in business, Raba Kistner Inc. (RK) has been acquired by an Australian engineering firm, Construction Sciences.

Raba Kistner has been operating in 10 markets in Texas, Utah, Nebraska, Arizona, New York, California and Mexico with a firm size of nearly 500 employees.

Through this acquisition, RK will be able to expand their services, which has been a goal for the company. “We are operating more and more on a national level with some of our services all over the country. This gives us some more muscle to do that and to compete with national and international firms on that front,” says Joe Irizarry, senior vice president and chief marketing officer.

RK’s services, which include project management and oversight services, forensic engineering, construction material engineering, testing and observation, geotechnical engineering, testing and pavement consulting, environmental consulting, infrastructure oversight and

quality management will mesh perfectly with Construction Science’s services. Construction Sciences services also include construction material testing, geotechnical and environment consulting as well as subsurface utility engineering. Together, they will be providing the full package.

The much larger Australian firm approached Raba Kistner as a means to take flight in the United States. “They were attracted to Raba Kistner because of our team, the way we do business and our success,” says Raba Kistner Inc. Chairman and CEO Gary Raba.

Having served as one of RK’s executive leaders since 1999, Raba will continue to run the RK operation. And the San Antonio based RK will keep the Raba Kistner Inc. name.

“Our company has a clear purpose to build a better world for our employees, their families, our clients and the communities we serve. This aligns perfectly with Construction Sciences’ purpose,” adds Irizarry.

Raba Kistner Inc. is headquartered in San Antonio. -cmw

Volunteers at the Conley Group Foundation begin stuffing stockings.

750 stockings stuffed and ready to be shipped.

Appreciation with competiton

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Group photo of all category winners

n Nov. 9, Ridgemont Commercial Construction showed appreciation to their talented team of subcontractors by hosting a “Subcontractor Appreciation BBQ.” The day was filled with great food, friends and more as the Ridgemont field staff prepared barbeque with all the fixins.

The Ridgemont team changed things up a little by having a friendly cook-off competition. Each team was given the opportunity to create a dish for each category for best bloody Mary, best appetizer, best meat entrée and best dessert. Items were scored on a 1-10 scale for presentation, appeal, flavor and creativity. –cmw Grand Champion: Wildstone Construction Best Bloody Mary: 1st Place: Kent Concrete 2nd Place: Wildstone Construction 3rd Place: AALC

Christmas feast

Best Appetizer: 1st Place: Brian Thompson, Ridgemont with Lollypop Chicken 2nd Place: Wildstone with Jalapeno Poppers 3rd Place: Southwest Construction with Chicken Wangs Best Meat Entrée: 1st Place: Wildstone Construction with Ribs and Pulled Pork 2nd Place: Wright Construction with Sliders 3rd Place: Southwest Construction with Ribs Best Dessert: 1st Place: C&F Electric, Bread Pudding 2nd Place: Brian Thompson, Ridgemont - Smores 3rd Place: Wildstone Construction, Slap Yo Momma Apple Crown Roof Tiles cooks up a Christmas barbeque feast in appreciation for Spec Building Materials employees. L-R: Spec Building Materials’ Jose Trigueros, Juan Dozal, Javier Perez and Leo Garcia

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • JAN 2019

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A fleet of sand and gravel

That one’s his pave-orite

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Back row (L-R): Brandon Hall, Danny Fuller, Robert Humphries. Front row (L-R): Sherri Pekrul, Cherish Fuller, Sheila Gorman, Patty Boyd, and Kaye Nimitz, of Texas Sand & Gravel

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f Kaye Nimitz’s name sounds familiar, there’s a good reason for it: her husband, Charles, is the third cousin of the famed Admiral Chester Nimitz, commander of the Pacific Fleet during World War II.

These days, however, Nimitz’s war is in the business world, and she’s winning.

Texas Sand & Gravel started in 2014.

Nimitz’s worked as a bookkeeper for her friend, Mary Crowley, who was in the industry. When Crowley planned to close her business, she encouraged Nimitz to start her own sand and gravel company and promised to mentor her.

“I guess I just fell into it,” Nimitz said.

Nimitz’s background was varied: she had been a pre-school minister at her local church, and then owned a franchise of Home Interiors and Gifts for 15 years.

“That’s where I acquired a lot of my skills,” to run a business, Nimitz said. This came in handy, as she had no working knowledge of a construction-type company like Texas Sand & Gravel.

Bottom line: “God is the one who usually puts me where I am,” she said.

There were a lot of parallels to owning a Home Interiors franchise and a sand and gravel company. Nimitz had to train those under her, instill her vision for the business to them, motivate them and then empower them.

When it came to learning about the actual nuts and bolts of her company’s product - sand and gravel and how things were done in the yard - Nimitz said it was relatively simple. She just went out into the field to see firsthand what it was like.

She went into the gravel pits to learn about the different types of materials and what they were used for. She sat on the jobs and learned about the trucks and how the product was shipped.

“I just got out there and learned,” she said.

When Nimitz started, she did so with only $500 and credit. She delivered to her

customers, they paid her, and she paid her creditors.

“I collected my money and started building my company,” she said.

“My philosophy was I really wasn’t working for anybody but the Lord anyway,” Nimitz said. One lesson she learned along the way was: “Don’t just try and sell something to someone. Find their need and try to fill it.”

Texas Sand & Gravel has delivered all over the state and into Oklahoma. Nimitz has five people working for her; she subs out the truck drivers who deliver. Nimitz will get her materials that are closest to the customer.

Nimitz’s daughter, Cherish, is her partner at TS&G. Cherish and her husband Danny own the By the Yard business right next door, a sister company whereby customers come by and pick up their goods.

Nimitz’s biggest seller is flex base recycled concrete that’s used as a base coat for roads after it has been mixed with powder.

At 70 years young, Nimitz has no plans on slowing down. She said she will continue to run the show “until I’m in the grave.” Then, Cherish and Danny will get the company and go full steam ahead with its mission to get what folks need by way of getting sand and gravel materials to them.

Building an empire has never been Nimitz’s goal. “I care about whether employees can feed their families and have a job,” she said.

“I’m blessed,” Nimitz added. “I’m going to do my best and let God do the rest.”

Getting the right stuff out in the field to the guys who need it is essentially the same in the military as it is construction.

The Nimitz name is famous for it. Now, it’s a woman named Kaye who is leading the charge.

Texas Sand & Gravel is in Alvarado. -dsz

A Stallons Christmas

The Stallons AC family shared this Christmas photo taken at the Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, TX. -cmw

Ray Smith

ometimes, in an aerial shot taken over Texas Christian University, one can spot Ray Smith’s pride and joy – a 30ft. long horned frog.

“One of the jobs I’m most proud is a job we did in 2008 for TCU that won the concrete pavement design award for that year,” says the Arlington Pavers Inc. coowner. “It’s a giant horned frog laid in a large patio. That’s probably my biggest bragging right as far as national recognition for what we do.”

There are more bragging rights to come for Smith’s company, which recently started work on Fort Worth’s Dickies Arena. It’s another in his long list of notable North Texas projects, including Dallas’ new Parkland Hospital and Fort Worth’s Central Library.

Smith’s road to success has been paved in hard work. The University of Maine grad started the company in 1987 when his civil engineering degree and project management/estimating experience were no match for an economic downturn.

“Another contractor was really upbeat about how great the paver business was,” Smith recalls. “It was a fairly simple business to get into and there wasn’t a big investment in equipment. We started out with little or nothing. I actually did my first job with rented equipment and a minivan; I didn’t even have a pickup when I started.”

In 31 years, the business has evolved, shifting from residential to commercial work and growing its staff, which includes his wife Brenda.

“We deliberately stay around 12 to 15 employees, and we’ve been running three crews for probably 15 years now. That keeps me plenty busy for the type of business I want to run, which is a small, closely-held company in which I’m involved in every job,” Smith says. “We’re pretty much on cruise control now. We’re recognized as one of the highest quality contractors for what we do in North Texas.”

Arlington subcontractor Arlington Pavers Inc. installs interlocking concrete pavers and modular retaining walls. –mjm

Sundt breaks ground

Phase III of the Denton County Administration Company complex is underway.

Sundt Construction Inc. broke ground in early December to construction a new four-story facility that will house a new county commissioners court with a judge and commissioner’s suite and support services with 10 acres of site development for associated parking, a community park, water quality and utility improvements. -cmw

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • JAN 2019

We tried to sell our house before and it didn’t. She said if I got a job offer and sold the house, we could move. Within a month, the house sold and I had a job offer back at IBM in Colorado.

Suzie Saffell, Co-Owner/President

Darrin Saffell, Co-Owner/Vice president Olympic Restoration Systems Keller, TX

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lympic Restoration Systems just won the Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics. It’s an accomplishment that holds great meaning for Owners Suzie and Darrin Saffell, who run their business in line with their values and faith.

Share about your background.

Suzie: We both attended and graduated from Oklahoma Christian University in 1989. We were married when we graduated, side-by-side.

Darrin: I earned a degree in mechanical engineering. I then went to work for IBM at its Engineering and Scientific National Support Center, which turned into an IT job for five years. One customer, however, was Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad; they offered me a job and I worked there for five years.

Suzie: I earned an accounting degree and went to work straight out of school in the tax department for Ernst & Young in Fort Worth. It was not for me, so I went to work for Outdoor Trails, a hunting and fishing show. I was their accounting and office manager. I really loved that; I knew my niche was small company accounting.

I did that until I started having kids, stayed home with them until preschool, and then I was the finance director for their preschool.

Darrin: Then, I wanted to move to Colorado. When I had asked Suzie to marry me, I included, “Will you move to Colorado with me one day?” I always wanted to live in Colorado; I love the mountains. We had lived in Texas for 10 years and our daughter was 5 and our son was 3. I realized if we were going to move, it needed to be then. It was only going to get harder as the kids grew up.

Was moving to Colorado what you had hoped?

Darrin: I loved Colorado. However, we have a really strong church family here and we didn’t really have the same church connection in Colorado.

After we were there for a while, Suzie said we should move to Texas to be closer to family and our church family. But, it was 2003, and the IT market experiencing a downturn. Thinking it wasn’t even a remote possibility, I said, “If I get a job in Texas, we’ll move back.” A friend from BNSF called to tell me they just outsourced its IT to IBM, they needed a manager for some departments and that he had brought up my name. I thought, “Oh …that’s really….nice. Do I even tell Suzie?

I really don’t want to move back!” But, we moved back in 2003 and I worked for IBM at BNSF. How did you transition to business ownership?

Darrin: I worked for IBM for a while, but I was working long hours. The more I worked there, the more I started thinking that if I’m working this hard, I should be doing something for myself. I had an entrepreneurial spirit, so we started Olympic Restoration Systems in 2005. Suzie called it my “mid-life crisis” because I was 40. I told her that there could be worse mid-life crises.

Suzie: It was his mid-life crisis! I was not for it. I didn’t want him to leave the financial security, benefits and insurance that he had with IBM. He wanted to be able to try, though, so we went for it.

How has the business evolved?

Darrin: We initially did water, fire and mold remediation. Then we realized that a lot of water and fire restoration went to companies that had national agreements with the insurance company.

We were not on the insurance referral lists, so mold remediation became our niche specialty. Performing mold remediation in crawl spaces led us to the Basement Systems network of dealers in search of products and services to prevent water issues that allow the mold to grow. We signed up with Basement Systems (now Contractor Nation) in 2009 and these services became our core services. Initially, the dealership was only available in Houston, so we agreed to cover that area. Later, the DFW area became available, so we jumped on the chance to take over the DFW area as well.

After 8 years of spending half the week in Houston and half the week in DFW, I was getting frustrated because I didn’t feel I was able to place enough focus in either area to get the kind of traction we really wanted. So early this year, we decided to stop looking for new customers in Houston. We didn’t shut down our business, but we significantly reduced staff. We service existing customers and take business that falls in our laps, but in Dallas-Fort Worth we are really focusing on growing our business and seeing results from that.

Suzie: When we moved back from Colorado, I did not work for the business the first couple of years; I returned to the preschool as finance director. Darrin did everything, and it kept growing. Then it became obvious he couldn’t do it all himself. I took over the accounting side for our company. We’re at 15 employees, but we need more. We’re hiring!

Who has influenced you in business?

Darrin: We got involved with the School of Entrepreneurship; the owner of Contractor Nation started this school. He is an amazing business leader; he has personal businesses that focus on customers who need residential home services and contractors who provide similar services.

His businesses generate revenues more than $100 million per year. In The School

Suzie and Darrin Saffell

of Entrepreneurship, he teaches business owners how to grow their businesses by being better leaders. Suzie and I have been attending these classes for about two years. Roughly every eight weeks, we go to Connecticut and spend two days in class. It takes us away from our business, but it helps us regain focus on the things we need to do to make the future better. We learn from the material that is presented, but we also learn by talking with other business owners who are at different stages in their business.

Suzie: The School of Entrepreneurship has been amazing for us; it has gotten us on the same page as far as our vision and our mission and what we think needs to happen for our company.

What is it like to work together?

Suzie: We’ve been married 30 years. We balance each other out really well. Our core values are the same but the way we approach things is very different. He comes from one point of view and I come from the other and we meet somewhere in the middle. Sometimes it’s difficult separating our work and home life. When you work in the same job, you come home and talk about work, which makes it seem like you’re working all of the time!

That’s the life of an entrepreneur though.

Darrin: She does the administration and obviously is very detailed and I’m more visionary and the details evade me sometimes. It’s one of those situations where each of our strengths is probably what drives the other one crazy but makes us good together.

What do you enjoy about your work?

Darrin: The mechanical engineer in me loves that we solve problems many companies can’t. I also like working with our employees, in particular our production employees. Some have a rough background in which they’ve never been respected or encouraged; I enjoy seeing them grow through having somebody

Dallas H Fort Worth

Editors

Daniel Zulli Reesa Doebbler

Contributing Editors

Melissa Jones-Meyer Jesse Abercrombie

What are your plans for the future?

Darrin: We plan to continue to grow, hire more people and provide new services.

Our direction is always going to be things that help our customers have healthy homes and lives. We have no expectations, but we hope our son will continue to be involved and eventually take a leadership position in the company.

Olympic Restoration Systems offers crawl space repair, mold removal and radon mitigation. –mjm

CONSTRUCTION NEWS

Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buddy Doebbler Editorial/Production . . . . . . Reesa Doebbler Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carol Wiatrek Production Manager . . . . Helen Greenwood Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terri Adams Account Manager . . . . . . . . . . . Dana Calonge Carol Wiatrek Lexie Velasquez

appreciate their service.

Suzie: We love to give back to different causes; to me, that is the best part of business ownership. We feel called to give back so we give a certain percentage of our total revenue to people and non-profit organizations that provide badly-needed services in the community. Sometimes we give money to our employees to share with the people they come in contact with throughout the week. Also, if an employee needs extra help, we love being able to help them.

We also try to be a part of the things we give to. For instance, we sponsor The Honor Connor Run, but it’s also a personal thing; Connor Gage was our godson who drowned in a terrible accident, and so we help with a charitable run every year. The money raised helps The LV Project.

Describe your family and free time.

Suzie: Our daughter, Courtney Schaffner, is a nurse in Southlake and our son-in-law is an engineer in this area, too. Our son, Ross Saffell, is doing sales for us – and is knocking it out of the park! – and his wife is a nurse. They just graduated in April from Oklahoma Christian University, moved here, and live five minutes from us.

We love anything outdoors. We enjoy the mountains, and then in the summer, we are in the boat. We love to waterski. The six of us hit Eagle Mountain Lake almost every weekend; we love it. It is time with them and we can relax.

Ann Keil

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • JAN 2019

Page 5

3 A’s = 3 Q’s

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ngel Carrillo loves his work and is good at it. As owner of 3 Queens Glass & Window Replacement, there is no shortage of work or lack or reason to get out of bed in the morning.

Having said that, Carrillo knows where his inspiration and motivation comes from: the three most important ladies in his life: wife Ashton and daughters Aubree and Ariel.

He named his company after them because he knew he had several strikes against him, such as not having much formal education or business background.

Carrillo read where most new businesses fail within the first three years of operation.

Carrillo had been in the glass business since he was 18, working for several businesses in the Metroplex. After the tornado hit Rowlett in 2015, a friend asked him to help with the recovery. The work was plentiful, and in 2015, Carrillo made the leap to his own company.

Angel Carrillo and his wife Ashton and daughters Aubree (L) and Ariel (R) of 3 Queens Glass & “It wasn’t the easiest transiWindow Replacement tion because I didn’t graduate from high school and didn’t have any say, Houston. mentors and didn’t go to business school,” Double-paned glass with argon gas he said. But, knowing he had his wife’s between the panes is a tremendous enhelp and support and two little girls who ergy saver, he said, and a big change looked up to him, that gave Carrillo the ev- since he first got into the trade.

Carrillo hopes to get into real estate eryday motivation to make it work.

Carrillo does 70/30, residential to someday. He likes to meet new people commercial work. One service he does and enjoys working on nice homes. He offer is emergency boarding up of win- wants to continue to grow and do well dows after such events like hailstorms. “It for his three A’s in his life who are his would be nice if we knew when hail- three queens. “Good deeds will come storms come so we can board up before back to you,” he said. Indeed.

3 Queens Glass & Window Replacethey hit,” he said. This is a difference with the pre-boarding up that comes in, ment is in Mesquite. -dsz

Who has influenced your life the most?

My biggest influence in my life is my sixmonth old daughter Bella. Knowing I will be raising her as she grows older and will watch every step I take, I want to influence her in the best possible ways I can. I want her to understand that anything is possible and education is key.

Sampson Sopradith Decor Painting There are two: Mary Crowley and Bonnie Kelly. They were my mentors at Home Interiors. They are the ones who trained me to run a business out of my home.

Kaye Nimitz Texas Sand & Gravel My father. He was a hard worker, a blue collar construction worker in Chicago that didn’t have the easiest of upbringings by any stretch of the imagination.

But he made a good life for us. He did everything he could to try and raise us right and provide for us and make a better life for us than what he had. His hard work ethic and just treating people right and positive attitude is what I’ve been able to carry into my career. Hands down, my father has been one of the most influential people in my life.

Kevin Carey Dynamic Glass The greatest influence in my life both professionally and personally has been my wife, Kristi. We were fortunate enough to celebrate our 20th anniversary this summer. She has been a sounding board and supporter every step of the way. I know it may sound a little cliché, but anyone who has spent time in construction will tell you that this industry can be extremely difficult on relationships. Kristi has influenced my career path and deci-

sion making an immeasurable amount.

She has also supported most of the decisions about career moves. When there are tough decisions to be made, she has offered a different perspective that has helped me see a bigger picture. I have had many influencers in the professional realm, but there has only been one influencer that has been involved throughout my entire career.

Brandon Patton Bartlett Cocke General Contractors It’s going to have to be my two kids.

They’ve inspired me to be open-minded, to keep learning as I got older and to be able to take risks and learn new things and have the confidence in me that I can do that and move along with me in the process.

Liz Zatopek Light Gauge Solutions My uncle, Javier Petraza. His life is similar to mine. He’s the one who gave me my work ethic. He’s taught me a lot. He told me, “If there’s something you don’t know, don’t be afraid to try it.”

Angel Carillo, 3 Queens Glass & Window Replacement I would say my friend David Strickland.

He’s the plumber I came in and started working with. I was young and stupid and didn’t really how to work. He told me if I sat down [with some older plumbers when they all gathered for morning breakfast] and listen to these guys talk that they would lead me to money some day. That little bit of advice to just sit down and shut up and listen kind of changed everything for me.

Randy Watson At-Ease Plumbing

Industry FOLKS Stan W. Wilson Project Manager Central Builders Inc. Denton, TX

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iving and breathing Texas is what Stan Wilson knows because he was born in Denton in 1955. He attended Denton High School, class of 1973, and continues to reside there. Stan is a softspoken gentleman, with a dedicated work ethic toward the construction industry. His height speaks for itself, and his experience speaks for his work.

The construction workforce was introduced to Stan at any early age. “My father was a home builder and he took me to the projects after school, weekends and summers starting at the age of 6.” Stan remembers cleaning up the sites and making paddleboats out of cedar shingles. “I still have a small scar from an incident at age 7, with a rebar protruding from demoed curb. Dad and I thought it was best to not let mom know.” When Stan was around the age of 10 he began to insulate walls in preparation for a drywall sub contractor.

In 1976, he attended the University of North Texas, as a business major.

Stan was 20-years old when he, “left school as a junior to pursue the construction industry.” He chose to join his dad. “My dad knew that I would need to understand the business and trained me as a frame carpenter. Trim carpentry was also a step he taught me.” As Stan grew to understand the form of carpentry and concrete finishing, and after a couple of years, he used his training to design and draw plans for new speculative homes. At the age of 22, Stan launched his own home building business. With the time Stan spent

working and training with his dad it had brought him more opportunity.

He not only launched his own business at a young age, but he stayed doing something that was now a part of him.

“My dad passed away in 1996, and I switched to commercial work by joining Carl Ehrlich and Central Builders Inc. and I have never regretted that decision.”

Even though, Stan switched to commercial work, he stayed in the construction industry and continued to make a name for himself. Since 1996, Stan has been working for Central Builders Inc., and today he is one of their project managers. “My job is enjoyable and to work for an owner like Carl Ehrlich and his family, who are rock solid people, have made it impossible for me to consider doing anything else for over 22 years now,” expressed Stan.

Stan truly enjoys the relationships he’s formed with their customers and crewmembers. Don’t’ underestimate his height; he is a tall glass of friendliness, who loves his job.

Aside, from Stan’s love for his work, he loves spending his free time with his family. Stan has three children, six grandchildren and his good pal Jack, his dog. Stan also finds enjoyment in hunting and fishing. A true Texan he is and a true story he has. –lv

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • JAN 2019

Walker, Texas welder

Jerry Walker, owner of Walker Welding, with one of his cool cookers.

f there’s one thing to say about Jerry Walker, it is being a welder isn’t boring. And, his love for his craft is readily evident.

Walker is the owner of Walker Welding. Even though this is a new business – just two years old – Walker has been welding since 1988. His former brotherin-law had a paper mill back in Georgia.

Walker worked for him, which started him welding. They used to shut down the mill periodically so Walker could repair broken equipment.

Then, Walker got into pipe welding 20 years’ worth of it.

Finally, he opened his own shop in 2016, in Dripping Springs. Walker tries to keep his base of operations at around a 50-mile radius, but can and has gone further if his services are requested.

“It’s a great compliment, knowing you did a job for somebody and they want you back,” he said. “That means a lot to you.” And if a customer likes his work because Walker has done work for him in the past, Walker will go to where he’s being requested.

Good customer reviews are one source for Walker to get called, although sometimes those reviews don’t go as planned. One elderly gentleman gave Walker a great write-up, but when it came to give the 5 stars, his hand slipped and he ended giving Walker a 2-star graphic review. The man felt bad about that and apologized to Walker.

Walker does a lot of barbecue pits, grills and smokers. He’s even invented his own style of hibachi grill that he wants to get trademarked and sold as an item separate from his welding business. He calls it “Wild West Pits,” and he’s had very favorable response from folks who have bought it for themselves and for gifts for others.

Two of the most-requested things for Walker to make are gates and railings. Cable railings for banks and businesses are trending right now. Also popular, oddly enough, is having the metal look rusted, old or with a patina/weathered finish.

Walker gets his materials from West-

brook Metals. Normally, unfinished metal has a grayish or blackish color to it, but Walker can paint it to have any look the customer wants, like matte, semi-gloss, gloss, or flat.

Like most good welders, Walker brings an artistic eye to his work. There was a time he didn’t, or didn’t realize he did.

“I used to not look at it like it was an art or design,” he said. One former customer encouraged Walker to do so, to realize that good welding is a true art form.

Walker said it dawned on him that great craftsmanship really is art when he once looked at an old Texas building and saw the exquisite trim and woodwork completed with tools not nearly as robust as new ones are today.

Walker says he’s not a good artist, but can visualize the finished product, and can sketch well enough to be able to communicate the idea with the client.

When it comes to the back-and-forth exchange with a client, Walker said, “You have to have some leniency in working with the public.” In other words, even after putting in hours on a project, the customer might say, “That’s not really what I had in mind.” Therefore, Walker has to rely upon his knowledge that the nonwelding client may not have articulated his vision well enough.

“I don’t want to put a product out there that’s going to fail,” Walker said.

This drives him to deal patiently with even the most trying of customers. “I don’t want anything the customer is unsatisfied with.” Walker strives “to go above and beyond” when it comes to turning a vision or dream into a concrete reality.

Once, a customer asked Walker to teach him how to weld while Walker was in the middle of doing a job for him.

Walker said the guy was really good, too.

Walker, Texas Welder wants to leave behind satisfied customers. Just remember to give him the 5-star rating.

Walker Welding runs its shop out of Dripping Springs. -dsz

Granted they do granite

The granite fabricators team

B

ack in 1997, Mario Flores began to work with a granite installer; he was hired as a helper. After working as a helper for 16 months, he then started to work for another company who did manufacturing. After seven years of working on the manufacturing side, Mario received hands-on experience by doing fabrication. He worked his way up to the shop manager position, but then the company sadly went out of business. Before unemployment was an option, Flores decided to open up his own business with his brother, Manuel Flores, as the co-owner. They launched their first business, Flores Installations.

“People would call us for electrical or different types of installations because that’s what our name was,” explained Mario. But all Flores Installations did was commercial granite installations. On that note, the name had to change. So, in Nov. 2005, Granite Fabricators was established by Mario Flores, president and Manuel Flores, co-owner. “When we were coming up with a name there were already a lot of other companies with names like ‘Granite Masters,’ etc., and I wanted to be more specific,” said Mario. Funny thing, Mario says, is it worked. “If you go on Google and you type granite fabricators, guess what comes up,” jokes Mario.

The family-owned and operated company offers marble, granite, quartz and over solid surface countertops for commercial and residential projects.

Most of their work is for kitchens, bathrooms, break rooms or even reception desks. The granite fabricators team consists of 14 employees, all of which play an important role in the company. Mario names a few of the employees, such as Cristina Torres, project coordinator/estimator, and Darlene Pruitt, accounting manager, who help make the team successful. Mario also shares his thoughts on his crew, who are out on job sites doing great work. “The way I see my employees is they are the ones out there working hard in cold or hot weather. I myself have

a lot of respect for them and believe I get that in return from them.”

Other granite fabricators crew services include: maintenance, repairs, installation, countertop polishing, sealer application and sinks. Even though they are located in Dallas, they work throughout the state of Texas. For example: El Paso, Uvalde, and Abilene. “We go to Oklahoma and Louisiana, but we try to stay within Texas. We don’t do a whole lot out of state, but at least once or twice a year we have to travel out of Texas for a job,” said Mario.

The same respect Mario has for his employees, he also has for his customers, who are letting his company be a part of their residential or commercial project. “We are not going to take their money without making sure that we deliver what they are expecting. Our commitment is to make the customer happy,” said Mario.

A couple of recent projects they’ve worked on in 2018 were Liberty Mutual Headquarters as subcontractors. There was also the Southwest Airlines training facility in Arlington. More of their commercial projects include hospitals, schools, offices, restaurants, banks, hotels and car dealerships. Mario also said they work with designers. “Recently, we did something for Glen Boudreaux & Associates. We did work for him at the Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie.”

“We don’t have the lowest price in town, but we do have competitive prices for the right customers. In order for us to deliver quality work, there is a price that goes with it. Mario, Manuel and their team are looking forward to what 2019 will bring. And again, Mario emphasizes with 14 years of business already placed, his granite fabricator employees are the ones who put the work out there and are the ones making things happen. And as for their name, it is now granted they are granite fabricators.

Granite Fabricators is a granite, marble, quartz and countertop fabrication subcontractor located in Dallas, TX. –lv

Christmas feast

Building a community spirit

As the Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) Fort Worth/Tarrant County Chapter settled in for a Christmas feast at The Whiskey Ranch on Dec. 6, the 2019 board of directors were sworn in. Terry Browning, outgoing IEC President swears in the new board members. L-R: Paul Lowke, Steve Humphrey, Jr., Anthony Horn, David Babcock, Robert Walker, Buddy Langer and Brandon Walker. Not pictured is Ron Canion, Alex Nantz, Brian Jordan, Coty Owens and Wes Shahan. -cmw

It was a weekend for giving back for Brasfield & Gorrie General Contractors.

Thirty-two of Brasfield & Gorrie employees volunteered to build a classroom space for GED and employment readiness courses at the Buckner Center for Humanitarian Aid. L-R: Patrick Ray; Jackie Belt, Buckner International; Skip Weeks; Jovina Clark, Jason Weeks and Rev. Johnny Flowers, Buckner Ministries -cmw

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • JAN 2019

Page 7

Required by written contract

Don’t lose half the business when you retire

Charles E. Comiskey Sr. Vice President Brady Chapman Holland & Associates, Inc. Houston, TX

Steven Bankler, Owner Steven Bankler, CPA, Ltd. San Antonio TX

I

t’s a shocking but common statistic for business owners who retire: More than half the sale price of your business could be lost to the IRS when you sell it or pass it down. The scenario can play out in various ways depending on how your business is structured. A retiring C Corp owner, for example, might sell his $1 million of stock in his business and realize too late that his long-term capital gains tax is a staggering $240,000. And then there’s the buyer’s tax bill. Depending on the buyer’s income tax bracket, an added $690,600 might be needed to walk away with that same $1 million in stock. Consider now that this is a family business. All combined, the sale of that $1 million in stock — just to pass it from one generation to the next — costs the business owner and his heir $895,600 in taxes (a “tax rate” of 55 percent).

Whether your end-goal is family succession, selling the business, or dissolving it when you retire, start strategizing now and be prepared to change course when needed. The process is called exit planning or succession planning, and it can help you and those who inherit your business after you, avoid an unnecessarily huge tax bill.

One of the biggest traps owners fall into when selling their business is with balancing capital gains versus ordinary income. Ordinary income is taxed at a higher rate than capital gains but sometimes paying more in ordinary income taxes produces better results.

With careful coordination, taking a bigger tax hit can often be reimbursed by the buyer, for a lower overall cost.

Three in five small businesses do not have an exit plan in place. In nearly half of those businesses, the business owners simply believe it’s not necessary. The truth is, with 100% certainty, you WILL leave your business. You may retire, quit, close the company, sell the business, or work until they carry you out. No one is an exception to the rule. So if you want to leave a strong legacy behind, it’s time to start planning ahead. We often recommend starting 10 years in advance because it takes that much time to alter your course from “build mode” to “exit mode.”

An exit plan can help you gain tax advantages in these areas by helping you rethink and recharacterize certain assets in your company. Even a self-created asset like personal goodwill (which includes your reputation, expertise, skill, knowledge and the relationships you’ve built) can now be sold, along with or separate from the business, but this is also taxed. Add these factors to dozens of other considerations when it comes to tax-proofing the legacy of your business, and you can see how critical exit planning can be. Even your Social Security and retirement benefits can be affected.

You’ll leave your business at some point, and the IRS is betting on it being on their terms, not yours. Give yourself some time to prove Uncle Sam wrong.

Often when business owners put together an exit plan, they realize their business structure should change. That’s because a corporate entity like a C Corp is financially much different from a passthrough entity like an LLC, S Corp or partnership. The business structure that’s been right for you for years may not be right for a transition because it can affect your business operations (liability, credit, tax treatment, etc.) Changing tax laws like those concerning bonus depreciation and estate taxes can affect business structure for exiting owners, too.

N

o one can ever accuse Sampson Sopradith of being overly cautious.

Not only did he quit his job to start his own business, he became a painter because he liked it and knew he could do it.

He had just never done it before.

Sopradith used to drive a delivery truck for a local Sherwin-Williams store. During the course of his job, he came into contact with many a painting contractor. He got interested in painting as a profession.

“Growing up, I was always very hands on,” he said. After being with SherwinWilliams for about six years, he took not one but two leaps of faith.

“One day I decided to put my two weeks in and jumped into a new life after that,” Sopradith said. He started Decor Painting about eighteen months ago.

“I’m a fast leaner, so that helped me out pretty quick.”

With the help of some friends (“buddies just sitting around”), the Oak Cliff native got started. His first job was the exterior of a large barn. Now, he just has his

Steven Bankler has more than 40 years of experience in the accounting industry.

Steven’s expertise lies in consulting, planning, tax, and asset protection as well as exit strategy services for closely held businesses. He also provides litigation support (both as a testifying expert witness and a consulting expert), business negotiations and estate planning.

Learn more about Steven Bankler, CPA, Ltd. at www.bankler.com 210-691-3133

W

hat do you suppose is the primary triggering mechanism for the provision of coverage? A well written policy? Indemnification? Additional insured status? Many of the insurance coverages ostensibly provided to upstream parties (i.e., Owners, GCs) are provided only where required by written contract. When a loss occurs, one of the first documents that any insurance company adjuster will demand is the signed contract as that document stipulates the agreement of the parties. The contract is therefore the primary triggering mechanism. If the contract fails to state a necessary requirement, then the insurance may not be triggered. Simply requiring a coverage without specificity is insufficient and ineffective.

For instance, additional insured endorsements can be provided on a specific basis (i.e., naming the parties to be added as additional insureds) or a “blanket” basis (i.e., stating that additional insured status is extended to all parties required to be named as additional insured in a written contract). Neither basis informs about the kind of operations or the scope of negligence to which the additional insured status applies.

The ISO CG 20 10 is the constructionrelated endorsement most commonly used to provide additional insured status for ongoing operations. There have been six different editions of this endorsement, each progressively more restrictive.

The last four numbers of an ISO endorsement indicate the edition date. The CG 20 10 10 01 was promulgated in October, 2001. This endorsement is applicable to liabilities arising out of the insured’s on-going operations. “Arising out of” is commonly held to include protection for the additional insured’s sole negligence related to those operations.

The ISO CG 20 10 07 04 drops the “arising out of” wording and instead states that additional insured status is provided only for liabilities caused, in whole or in part, by the acts or omission of the Named Insured or of those acting on the Named Insured’s part, again in performance of ongoing operations.

ISO CG 20 10 04 13 is the latest ongoing operations additional insured endorsement. Like its immediate predecessor, it excludes coverage for the additional insured’s sole negligence but goes on to state that it: (1) Applies only to the extent permitted by law; (2) Will not be broader than that which [the Named Insured is] required by contract to provide; and (3) Will not pay more than the amount required by contract.

Two leaps of faith

Sampson Sapradith, owner of Decor Painting

ISO CG 20 37 provides additional insured status with regard to completed operations. This endorsement is subject to the same editions and issues pertinent to those editions.

That said, there are hundreds of manuscript additional insured endorsements currently in use. These may (1) limited the parties covered, (2) limit the scope of coverage, (3) limit the operations coverage, and/or (4) add new exclusions.

Additional insured coverage should be primary and noncontributory to that carried by the additional insured. However, all general liability policies state that they are primary, unless any other insurance covering the same loss is also primary, in which case they share in payment of that loss. That is contrary to the desires of upstream parties, who want the downstream contractor’s insurance to pay fully until it is exhausted without contribution from the upstream party.

To achieve this ISO has issued a General Liability Primary & Noncontributory endorsement CG 20 01 04 13. This states that the Named Insured’s coverage “is primary and will not seek contribution from any other insurance available to an additional insured under [the Named Insured’s] policy provided that: • the additional insured is a Named Insured under such other insurance; and • [the Named Insured has] agreed in writing in a contract or agreement that this insurance would be primary and would not seek contribution from any other insurance available to the additional insured.”

Warning: Note that requiring that the downstream party’s insurance be primary is not sufficient. The endorsement requires “primary and would not seek contribution.”

Charles E. Comiskey Brady Chapman Holland & Associates Inc. 10055 West Gulf Bank • Houston, TX 77040 713-688-1500 Charles.Comiskey@bch-insurance.com cousin working with him. Sopradith’s wife now assists with the emails and arranging of estimates.

A challenging job was the inside of a day care center that had to be done in just one night, overnight.

For the future, Sopradith wants to get a painting booth in order to do cabinets and doors. He’s learning how to do automotive finishes for these projects as well.

Like any new business owner, Sopradith wants to get bigger. He uses Thumbtack for logging reviews. He’s gotten numerous compliments from more seasoned painting pros on the quality of his work. Not bad for a guy new to the trade.

“My main concern is keeping the quality high,” he said. Being a business owner also means he bears the responsibility that comes with it.

Sopradith is “taking it step by step.”

But, he’s already proven that he knows how to take big steps. He’s already taken two of them.

Decor Painting is in Oak Cliff. -dsz

Page 8

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • JAN 2019

Beware factors and assignment of pay application proceeds Ben Wheatley, Shareholder Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. Austin, TX

A

s the construction market in Texas continues its explosive activity, more and more new contractors or subcontractors are entering the arena. Many of these new businesses are inadequately capitalized and may need to resort to assignment of receivables in order to cover their cash flow needs, month to month. An example is as follows: A contractor enters into a prime agreement with an owner that requires the contractor to make all proper payments to its subcontractor via a third party system like Textura. That contractor has included a provision in its subcontracts that specifically prohibits the assignment of subcontract proceeds to a third party. Despite this restriction, one day a contractor receives written notice from a Factor notifying it that subcontract proceeds have been assigned, and that rather than pay the subcontractor via the third party system, all future subcontract proceed payments need to be made directly to the Factor. The notice asks the contractor to sign an acknowledgment that it will pay the Factor going forward, and may well ask the contractor to sign something warranting that there are no contract claims or defenses that will prevent full payment.

My first and most important advice to a contractor in this situation is to not sign anything or pay anything until you have discussed the issue with your lawyer, or you may well be at risk for paying the same subcontractor pay application twice. This is because the law that governs these transactions in Texas, Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code (“UCC”), is strongly tilted in favor of the Factor, and may well result in restrictive subcontract clauses like an anti-assignment provision being rendered null and void. At the same time, the UCC may protect a contractor from being in breach of its agreement with an owner, if after a careful analysis a contractor pays the Factor directly, thereby circumventing that contractor’s contractual obligation to make payments directly to the subcontractor via the Textura or other third party payment tools.

The second piece of advice is for the contractor to contact the Factor and request, pursuant to the UCC, all relevant

documents regarding the assignment of proceeds, including all documents relating to the agreement between the Factor and the subcontractor, and a copy of any UCC filing that the Factor has made with the county clerk where the project is located in relation to the assignment of the receivables. The Factor is obligated by the statute to provide you with these documents and they should be carefully reviewed before any document is signed or payments made.

There are numerous reasons for such a review including verifying what assignments were actually in place as of the date of the notice sent by the Factor to a contractor, to allow a contractor to safely determine what proceeds, if any, should go to the Factor, and what proceeds, if any, should be paid to a subcontractor. In addition, lien rights are possibly implicated, and therefore it is important to understand what lien rights a subcontractor might retain, if any, and what lien rights if any belong to the Factor.

All of the analysis referenced above is necessary in order for a contractor to fully understand its rights, obligations and defenses in the event a subcontractor assigns proceeds to a Factor. The third piece of advice for the contractor is to immediately notify the Owner of these issues to set the stage for a collaborative and deliberate process that a contractor can successfully navigate.

In summary, through education and training, a contractor should be able to put in procedural office safeguards that mitigate the risk of a contractor being legally liable to make double payments.

Ben Wheatley is a Shareholder in the Austin office of Munsch Hardt. He has more than 25 years of experience litigating complex construction matters, negotiating and drafting construction and design contracts and master service agreements, serving as in-house counsel for an international design firm, and working on issues concerning the practice of architecture, engineering, and project construction.

OSHA’s best kept secret Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX

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SHA’s best kept secret is the OSHA Consultation Program provided by the Texas Department of Insurance. This no-cost safety and health consultation program is completely separate from the OSHA inspection effort. Primarily targeted for smaller businesses, employers can find out about potential hazards at their workplace, improve programs that are already in place, and even qualify for a one-year exemption from routine OSHA inspections. Employers with less than 500 workers are the focus of the program’s services.

The consultation is confidential and will not be reported routinely to the OSHA inspection staff. No citations or penalties will be issued and your only obligation is to correct serious job safety and health hazards--a commitment which you are expected to make prior to the actual visit and carry out in a timely manner.

Using OSHA’s no-cost consultation service lowers injury and illness rates, ultimately saving both employers and employees from the cost of accidents while raising morale and increasing productivity rates.

Because consultation is a voluntary activity, you must request it. The consultant will discuss your specific needs with you and set up a visit date based on the priority assigned to your request, your work schedule, and the time needed for the consultant to adequately prepare to serve you. OSHCON consultants attend the receive the same training classes at OSHA’s Training Institute to ensure they are able to evaluate hazards in the same way that OSHA compliance officers do in the field.

The consultant will start with an opening conference with you before beginning the walk through. The consultant

will study your entire workplace, pointing out safety or health risks (some which may not have an applicable OSHA standard). The consultant will study your entire workplace or the specific operations you designate and discuss the applicable OSHA standards. You can request help with a specific area in your facility, a review of written programs, up to a comprehensive review of your facility. Employers that have implemented a comprehensive safety and health management system can apply for the Safety & Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) and be recognized for their safety efforts.

After the walk-through, the consultant will review the findings with you before leaving. Finally, the consultant will send you a detailed written report explaining the findings and confirming any abatement periods agreed upon. The written report does not involve assessing penalties, as are OSHA citations. They may also contact you from time to time to check your progress.

To contact the OSHA Consultation program in Texas and request a free consultation, employers can call 1-800-252-7031 option 2, or visit http://www.txcoshcon.com to locate the closest consultant. natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • JAN 2019

Page 9

Corky - One bite at a time!

by Capt. Steve Schultz Sponsored by: Waypoint Marine, Shoalwater Boats, Evinrude Outboards, Fishing Tackle Unlimited, E-Z Bel Construction, Costa Sunglasses, Simms Fishing, ForEverlast Fishing Products, Interstate Batteries, MirrOlure, JL Marines PowerPole, AFW and AFTCO Clothing.

H

appy New Year everyone! Hopefully everyone had a safe and happy holiday. I am really excited about the new year and expecting the 2019 fishing season to be better than average.

I’ve already had several fishing outings with clients and friends wading for big sow specks - although we didn’t land any trophies, we had several good ones that pushed the 7-lb mark. Barring any hard freezes or untimely rainfall, I predict this is the year we will be seeing lots of big fish showing up from the Laguna Madre/ Baffin Bay complex.

Seasoned anglers know big speckled trout eat big baitfish, and there’s no better way to catch them than to throw big mullet-looking baits during the winter. It is no secret that larger trout prefer baitfish. This is because a mullet or croaker represents a more efficient source of forage than a small shellfish. In fact, as water temperatures drop, those big girls will only eat once or twice every few days.

Typically, they will shift from eating 10 to 15 smaller baits a day, such as shrimp, to

Angler Jim Crosby of San Antonio landed this 5-lb speck recently while fishing the Upper Laguna Madre. Jim was slow reeling a Corky Fat Boy over shallow grass while fishing with Steve Schultz Outdoors.

Here is a sample of just a few of the custom Corky’s and Soft Dine lures you can find at some retailer’s along the coast. You can contact Steve Schultz Outdoors for specific locations near you.

Never again

Shot at Indian Cave Ranch in Doss, TX Rothman with this nice 19-1/2 in. wide eight-pointer.

T

he conditions were perfect. The weather had been rainy and cold during the two days prior. There was no moon the night before. All indica-

tions meant that the deer would be moving.

Stan Rothman with United Rentals had just climbed into his blind at half past

three o’clock in the afternoon, Dec. 8. Before he could even get settled in, he looked up to see a young buck coming in from the north. Grabbing his binoculars, he stopped to check out the future stud more closely. Just a six-pointer, he was a beauty.

A few minutes later another deer entered the scene, this one just a young spike. Watching the two deer feasting on corn and acorns, a young doe made an appearance. Meanwhile, off in the distance, something caught the attention of the six-pointer. Obviously intimidated, he trotted off into the brush.

Seconds later, a nice 10-pointer made his presence known. He would be a shooter next year, Rothman thought watching the deer. Then came another buck and another. “What is going on?” thought Rothman. He could not believe his eyes.

Before four o’clock, Rothman had seen at least nine bucks all varying in size and age. He watched the deer come and go. “I’ll probably never experience that again. The conditions were perfect. There would be two to three bucks hanging around at a time, all shooters.” –cmw

trying to eat a mullet over 8 inches. to 10 inches. During these winter months, anglers can score on big trout by fishing slow-sinking mullet imitations around mud flats adjacent to deep guts and drop offs.

There is a wide variety of mullet imitation baits on the market today and most all of them are effective for catching fish. As a young boy fishing in the early ‘80s, one of my favorite lures was a 51MR and the TT lure made by MirrOlure. These hard plastic baits mimicked wounded mullet and would hold up to countless fishing trips that we made on the Lower Laguna Madre. Those baits are still available and very effective. However, there are some new baits that have gained popularity and seem to have taken over the market. In the early ‘90s, Paul Brown, a Houston tackle manufacturer, introduced the Corky. The Corky is a soft plastic bait that has an elongated body which suspends in buoyant salty water and can be twitched and coaxed with almost magical trout-catching appeal. In 2010, L&S Bait Company, the makers of MirrOlure, bought the designs from Mr. Brown and now produce a wide variety of the baits in several different styles and colors. There are also some custom painted designs that have gained popularity that are available in local tackle shops. This has become a favorite lure of mine and there are not many trophy trout aficionados that will not wade without several in their box.

For the next few months my goal will be to put my clients in the best possible situation where they have a shot at catching a speckled trout they can call their personal best and perhaps be a trophy they can mount on the wall and enjoy for the rest of their life.

I still have a few spots available for both management and trophy whitetail hunting in January. My 2019 fishing calendar is now open. Don’t hesitate in booking your fishing trips because my dates usually go pretty quick, especially during the more popular months. To schedule your next bay fishing trip or hunting trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-813-3716 or e-mail him at: SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.com.

Good Luck and Good Fishing.

Page 10

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • JAN 2019

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

Back to normal

I

guess it is time for things to get back to normal. With the close of deer season and the aftermath of the holidays, somehow the old humdrum routine we were so ready to escape a few weeks ago is sort of nice to slip back in to, like a favorite old coat.

The pastures will quiet down with all the hunters having left, and the deer can go on about the business of raising their little ones and growing even nicer racks of horns for us to lust after next year.

Until then, we just have to keep ourselves busy as best we can. Clean and oil and put your rifles to bed now. While you were slipping around the pasture, the fish were still here doing their thing. Just where did you leave your fishing stuff?

On Lake Buchanan, we are beginning to see people bring in nice stringers of catfish from up the lake. Local fishermen are doing equally well on trotlines and jug lines with live bait or on rod and reel with stink bait, cheese bait being a favorite.

Crappie are showing signs of making a strong showing this year. On the warmer sunny afternoons, we are seeing them sneaking into brush piles and stacks of submerged driftwood along the shorelines. Some anglers prefer the old standby live minnows for bait, others prefer artificial baits. Everyone agrees on one thing about crappie though…they are the best freshwater fish to eat!

We are seeing good sized schools of white bass forming and beginning to work their way up the lake. One morning very soon I will look out my window and see wall to wall pickups and boat trailers that will mean the word is out. The annu-

al white bass run has begun! This seems to happen usually a couple of weeks either side of Valentine’s Day depending on the severity of winter. On Lake Buchanan, the upper end of the lake is the place to be. Many fishermen grew up fishing the white bass run up at Lemon’s Camp near Bend, Texas. Lemon’s Camp has become Colorado Bend State Park, but the spring fishing up there is still legendary.

Stripers are picking up too, now that the water temperature has fallen into their optimum range. The shad population of the lake is good and the stripers are taking full advantage of it, feeding hard and getting strength built up toward their own spawning spree in the mid to late spring. We have good fishing now and even better fishing on the way!

Largemouth bass are still on the slow side which is just as it should be. They won’t be getting into a good pre-spawn pattern until a little later on in the spring.

You might find some success with them by fishing windy points on the main part of the lake. Try slow rolling spinner baits in shad colors across these points and you might hook one up. The key word is SLOW; they are too cold to move quickly!

Even though my report is from Lake Buchanan, the basic information will translate pretty well to most lakes in our region. It always amazes me how fish behave so similarly from lake to lake.

Looks like we have a good year to look forward to!

Half or Full Day Fishing Trips All Bait, Tackle & Equipment Furnished Your catch Filleted and Bagged for You Furnish your TPWD Fishing License & Refreshments, and WE DO THE REST!

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

Have an Outdoor Story or Photo?

Send to: DFWeditor@ ConstructionNews.net

or call 210-308-5800

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • JAN 2019

Page 11

Point of sail

Terror on Black Oak Ridge

Dale Hargrowe was not pleased. At all. Everything had been going so well. He had just graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with his Ph.D in the new field of nuclear physics this past June of 1944.

In August, he had been asked to stay on with MIT in charming Cambridge to teach first-year students as well as to continue assisting Dr. Ronald Tupper, the department chair, in research. Dr. Hargrowe had a bright future. It was going even better than had he planned it. Most importantly, he was in perfect control of his life. Despite America being involved in a world war on two fronts, Dale was doing well. Life was going well. Until now.

O I

Jim Oursler, owner of Granite Foundation Repair

n the words of the iconic Christopher Cross song, sailing took Jim Oursler away to where he was going – inadvertently, of course. Oursler had just finished up a job in the electronics industry and was enjoying some muchdeserved time in his sailboat when his friend suggested Oursler look into a foundation repair career.

“It was a complete change for me,” Oursler, who holds an electrical engineering degree from Purdue University, says. “He was an engineer in foundations and an excellent mentor and I caught on quick. I was very fortunate to have such a good mentor.”

With his wife Betty, Oursler established Granite Foundation Repair Inc. built it into a nearly 25-person staff, including operations manager Duane Mallory, a 25-year veteran of the industry. The company has expanded from servicing strictly residential jobs to including apartment projects. It has grown geographically as well, with offices in Rowlett, Plano, Dallas, and Arlington.

“We’ve offered more services, too,” Oursler says. “At first, we were only installing the pressed concrete piling which was the most commonly used piling to underpin a foundation in Dallas.

Since then, we have added both straight steel and helical steel piers and drainage correction. I primarily now work the apartment side of the business.”

Oursler, a board member, treasurer and member of the National Foundation Repair Association Granite Foundation Repair Inc., says his company has earned the Angie’s List Super Service Award for seven years running.

“I enjoy the satisfaction of doing the best possible job for my customers,” he says.

Oursler hopes to continue growing Granite Foundation Repair Inc., and if he keeps on the current course, he will likely succeed.

Subcontractor Granite Foundation Repair offers commercial and apartment repair services through its Rowlett, Plano, Dallas and Arlington offices. –mjm

ur very own Construction News’ editor, Dan Zulli, has just published his book, “Terror on Black Oak Ridge,” a novel from the top-secret days of the Manhattan Project.

When asked how he chose this subject and why is it set in Oak Ridge, TN, Zulli said, “I had the basic idea in my head for years, but didn’t begin until March 2015.

“I was born in Oak Ridge, TN and lived there during the height of the Cold War. My father and step-grandfather worked for the Atomic Energy Commission. All my schoolmates’ dads worked in one of those three main plants. Oak Ridge was one of the three sites chosen for the Manhattan Project, which began in Sept. 1942. By the war’s end, it was a full-blown town of 75,000 people. Sadly, not many know of Oak Ridge or the role it played in the war. I thought it was an ideal setting for a suspense thriller, and I wanted to give it a good shout out.

Zulli said he hired two professional editors and a professional book designer who took his idea for the cover and made it look great. Aside from the professional editors, he had lots of people proof read it and give him suggestions along the way.

He’s hoping to get good reviews and be the next “great American novelist.”

When asked if there will be a sequel,

Author Dan Zulli Construction News Editor

Zullie says, “You bet. It’s called “Terror on Proctor’s Ledge. It’s set in Salem, MA where my two protagonists, Dale and Brenda, can’t seem to stay out of trouble!

I hope to have it out by this time next year.

The book is available at Amazon in Kindle and paperback.

Page 12

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • JAN 2019

Industry Christmas

t was the Twelve Days of Christmas at the Arboretum for the joint Regional Hispanic Contractors (RHCA), American Asian Contractors Association of Texas (AACATX), National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC), Women in Transportation (WTS) and Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) holiday celebration on Dec. 12.

Attendees showed their generosity by participating in RHCA’s annual toy, food and coat drive. –cmw Photos courtesy of Samuel Hsu Photography.

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • JAN 2019

Page 13

THIS TH MON Jan: Construction Forecast Mar: Construction Education May: Concrete Industry July: Electrical Industry Feb: Construction Safety Apr: Women in Construction Jun: HVAC & Plumbing Aug: Service Providers

2019 Texas contractors be wary Ken Simonson, Chief Economist Associated General Contractors of America Arlington, VA

T

exas contractors had a generally strong year in 2018 and can expect a repeat in 2019. However, there are three reasons for caution: rising materials costs, an evertightening labor market, and increasing interest rates.

Nationally, construction employment increased 4.6 percent from October 2017 to October 2018, nearly triple the growth rate for total nonfarm employment, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In Texas, construction employment in October reached a record high of almost 770,000, an increase of 60,000 or 8.5 percent from a year earlier.

Unemployment increased in all of the state’s major metro areas over that span. The Dallas/Fort Worth/Arlington metro area added 13,600 jobs but gains were uneven. The Dallas/Plano/Irving division added 14,100 jobs, a 10 percent increase, while employment in the Fort Worth/Arlington division slipped by 500 jobs or 1 percent. (The BLS data for D/FW

include mining and logging with construction to avoid disclosing information about industries with few employers).

Despite these hefty employment increases, contractors overwhelmingly report difficulty in filling positions. Construction industry job openings at the end of September were the highest for any September in the 18-year history of BLS’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, while the number of unemployed workers with construction experience was the lowest since BLS began presenting that data in 2000. Thus, it is no wonder that 78 percent of Texas contractors that participated in AGC of America’s 2018 workforce survey reported difficulty filling hourly craft positions.

publishing the industry’s news

Anirban Basu, Chairman & CEO Sage Policy Group Inc. & Chief Economist, Associated Builders & Contractors Inc. Baltimore, MD

I

t would be easy to argue that U.S. economic performance in 2018 was better than it has been in 13 years.

While there has been abundant negativity this past year regarding the propriety of tariffs, trade skirmishes, abandonment of various treaties, shifting immigration policy, recently announced layoffs at GM, and rapidly expanding national debt, there can be little debate regarding whether near-term economic performance has been solid. It has been.

During 2018’s third quarter, the U.S. economy expanded 3.5 percent on an annualized basis. Growth this year has been broad-based, encompassing a combination of consumer spending, business investment, and government outlays, including on water systems, transportation, and other forms of infrastructure.

In November 2018, the nation added another 155,000 net new jobs, while the official rate of unemployment remained at 3.7 percent for the month. This is effectively the lowest rate of unemployment since December 1969 when the U.S. was just entering a recession that would last for 11 months.

Data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that the U.S. construction industry added 5,000 net new jobs in October. This was a bit soft, but could be due to a range of non-economic factors ranging from weather to wildfires. The industry has added 282,000 net new construction jobs over the past 12 months, representing a robust 4.0 percent increase. Nonresidential construction added more than 150,000 net new jobs during this period, of which nonresidential specialty trade contractors added

93,000 and heavy/civil engineering chipped in another 44,500.

This year may very well be remembered as the year that infrastructure investment roared back in America. The most recent nonresidential construction spending numbers released by the U.S. Census Bureau confirm sizeable increases in spending related to water supply, flood control, and transit options over the past year.

The fact that employment in the heavy and civil engineering segment continues to expand is consistent with ongoing growth in spending on public works. The surge in public investment is attributable to a number of factors, including rebuilding from certain catastrophes that have occurred over the past two years and significantly improved state and local government finances as the recovery works through its 10th year.

Given the elevated backlog that currently characterizes the nonresidential construction industry, the expectation is that demand for construction workers will remain elevated in 2019. Accordingly, per worker compensation is expected to expand further next year. These pressures working in conjunction with more expen-

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

Tight labor availability seems sure to continue, if not intensify, in 2019. The number of individuals reaching retirement age keeps growing, while the number of people entering the labor force has stagnated. Meanwhile, restrictive immigration policies are reducing the availability of foreign-born workers, a group that has historically been a major source of employees for the Texas construction sector. The stiff competition for qualified workers amid flat or falling supply is likely to drive labor costs higher in 2019, either directly through higher pay or indirectly through higher expenditures on recruitment, training and overtime.

Materials costs also appear headed higher. From October 2017 to October 2018, BLS’ producer price index (PPI) for materials and services used in all types of construction jumped 6.6 percent. That was before the full effect of tariffs on steel, aluminum and thousands of Chinese products had been felt. Costs may rise even more in 2019 once items that were in inventory or ordered before the tariffs were imposed are used up. The tariffs and countermeasures that U.S. trading partners have imposed may also reduce demand from manufacturers, logistics firms and ports for facilities they

www.constructionnews.net What’s in Store for Construction in 2019

CONSTRUCTION FORECAST would otherwise have built.

Although interest rates have fluctuated in late 2018, the Federal Reserve’s determination to keep inflation in check, along with the federal government’s need to finance much larger deficits in 2019 and beyond, suggest that interest rates will increase. That may keep some home buyers from qualifying from mortgages, cause developers to decide some income-producing buildings will not “pencil out,” and reduce the number of projects that school districts and other municipal bond issuers can finance.

Despite these challenges, U.S. contractors appear to have enough backlog and prospects for new orders that 2019 will be another positive year. Thanks to high population growth, a strong energy sector, and ongoing recovery from the 2016 hurricane and flood, Texas contractors will be even busier than most.

Ken Simonson is the chief economist for Associated General Contractors of America since 2001. He is a fellow and past president of the National Association for Business Economics and holds a B.A. in economics from the University of Chicago. He also holds as M.A. in economics from Northwestern University. -cmw

Texas Style

sive materials, rising tuitions, healthcare costs, and potentially expanded tariffs on Chinese goods suggest that economywide inflationary pressures will continue to mount going forward, which would tend to drive borrowing costs upwards.

Higher costs of capital would ultimately translate into more expensive financing for construction projects and potentially fewer construction starts.

These dynamics could also further suppress industry profit margins. But for now, it is all systems go for the U.S. nonresidential construction industry from the perspective of demand for construction services.

Recent volatility in equity prices may represent a foreshadowing of the types of asset price dynamics that could characterize much of 2019 and eventually produce a broader economic downturn.

This is of course highly speculative, but

    

San Antonio Austin South Texas Houston South Texas

recent earnings warnings by large corporations such as Fluor and PPG indicate that some of the shine is coming off corporate performance and the broader economy. Layoff activity appears to be drifting higher, with a recent announcement by General Motors garnering much of the attention.

One of the economy’s major vulnerabilities takes the form of significant U.S. corporate debt, which has mounted over recent years due in part to an abundance of stock buybacks as well as merger/acquisition activity. These elevated debt levels could cause many firms to rapidly reduce expenditures when signs of the next downturn become apparent in earnest. This dynamic would be consistent with rapid deceleration in business investment and economic activity by the latter stages of 2019 or perhaps in 2020/2021.

Page 14

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • JAN 2019

THIS TH MON

CONSTRUCTION FORECAST

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

NEXT MONTH (FEBRUARY 2019) CONSTRUCTION SAFETY

Continued healthy growth Jane Feigenbaum, Chief Executive Officer Metropolitan Contracting Company San Antonio, TX

A

s Chief Executive Officer of Metropolitan Contracting Company, Feigenbaum brings over 25 years of construction experience. She is responsible for strategic planning, employee and leadership development, operations, and profitability. She oversees all hiring/recruitment decisions, project selection and ensures that client expectations are being satisfied and all projects are completed safely and in a timely manner.

Feigenbaum leads her team of project managers and strives to help clients understand each phase of the development and construction process. In this role, she serves as a communicator and educator whose honesty and integrity frequently result in long-term relationships with repeat clients.

How would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms?

The construction industry is continu-

ing to see healthy growth through 2019.

We are seeing new projects in every market type and they are located throughout the San Antonio region.

In your perspective, what is your projection for 2019?

It appears that the market will maintain a steady growth throughout 2019.

The specific construction types we expect to see more significant growth within are industrial, medical and office.

What will be some significant challenges for the construction industry in 2019?

The labor market continues to tighten and will only be more challenging with continued growth in the construction industry. We do not see any relief to the labor shortage in the near future.

What is your projection concerning the cost and/or supply of materials?

We are not aware of any sharp increases in material prices, and if that’s the case, it shouldn’t affect construction cost significantly.

How will recent steel tariffs affect the construction industry in 2019?

The recent tariffs placed on steel initially had a large impact on the cost of steel but, since they were first announced, we’ve seen the prices level out. We expect prices to remain fairly level with normal price increases in 2019.

What is your projection for construction industry employment?

The U.S. as a whole has a low unemployment rate causing a tighter labor market, and the construction industry is

Simply described

W

hen you talk to Clifford Alan Short you may or may not get a whole lot of words out of him that are related to his business. In other words, Short is very simple. Honestly, he says so too. Oh, and he also prefers to be called Alan. Short lives in Fort Worth, TX and is the owner of, wait for it…Alan’s Door Repair.

He established his business in 1995. “I Knock, knock, is Alan Short there? started out working with a company for a couple of years name Alan because, wait for it…Yellow Pages and then proceeded out to doing my own and everyone knows him as Alan. thing and have been ever since then,” said Short shared a workplace memory Short. when asked if there were any unique door Short installs the item that can be projects he may have recently worked on. noticed first on a building or home. He There were no unique projects that came does both residential and commercial to mind, but there was a project that had projects. “We install doors that go to local Short feeling pretty lucky to be on. He was banks, post offices, schools or your front working at the Air Force Base because he or back doors to your house. I install all did a lot of work for them there. “It was these doors, hardware and everything pretty neat being out there working on a that goes with them,” he explained. And job surrounded by a lot of good people Short is the one, actually the only one on who serve our country,” said Short. his crew because he likes to keep things Now looking at what the future may simple. Now that doesn’t mean Short bring, Short just wants to keep things never had any help. In fact, before it was simple. He is not looking to expand the just Short, he had experimented with a business because he has kept it to where couple of helpers here and there. But he can manage and do it all himself, aside from that, Short has still been suc- which he enjoys. On another note, the cessful from 1995 to today. Short is a reli- free time he does make for himself he able repair professional. likes to spend with his daughters. “I do “Since I started I would buy parts sponsor a lot of local stuff at our schools,” from local supply [stores] for residential he said. When asked if he thinks one of and commercial parts. They all threw my his daughters will continue what he startname out there,” shared Short. With all ed he said, “Not likely.” the word-of-mouth things got even sim- So, there you have it. Alan’s Door Repler for Short. “It created repeat custom- pair is on top of its game as a locally ers and everybody seemed to be happy owned and operated company. Short with me.” Indeed, Short is the friendly may be simple, but he is also precise in well-known face that installs doors in the making a door look like a door model.

Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.

Alan’s Door Repair is an installation

Another simple move for Short was the and repair door contractor for residential decision on his company name. Rather than and commercial projects located in Fort using his name Clifford, he chose his middle Worth, TX. –lv

no exception to this. As the current generation is entering the labor force, fewer than ever are choosing the skilled tradesperson route. As long as the overall unemployment rate remains low and fewer new workers enter into the construction market, we will continue to see difficulty in employment.

Will we see a change in the number of available workers and/or available jobs?

There is a growing recognition for the need for new skilled workers. There are an increasing number of training programs for various skilled trades, some even in-house at companies. There has also been a rise in the number of scholarships associated with skilled trades. There are lots of smart kids who don’t choose to go to college and the construction industry needs them. There are great opportunities in the construction industry for smart hard workers and it’s important that the industry gets that message out to high school kids.

Metropolitan Contracting Company is a full-service general contractor with over 30 years experience in San Antonio, TX. -cmw

Christmas at Gilley’s

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he Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) held their Christmas party and Las Vegas casino night at Gilley’s Dec. 7. One hundred-eighty-five members and guests attended the event. –cmw

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • JAN 2019

K

Page 15

Glazed over

An entry to a new career

L-R: Josh Helm, Hunter Stone, Edward Longard, Heather McNabb, Dylan Turner, Chase Wood, Roger Cantrell, and Kevin Carey of Dynamic Glass

Ross Walker, with his wife Heather, son Fox and daughter Cassidy

evin Carey, executive vice president at Dynamic Glass’ Metroplex office, has what you might call a Golden Rule: like your job and do it well.

Their vision statement is: “Create a people-first culture where we love what we do and execute at the highest level.”

Carey’s philosophy is, “You treat your people right, and they’ll treat your clients right.”

The Chicago native (who loves the Bears but doesn’t miss the cold) was hired by Dynamic Glass (out of Houston) to expand its footprint in the Dallas area.

Carey has been in construction all his life prior to majoring in business in college.

The Grand Prairie office opened in Sept.

2016, and has already established itself as a major player in the glass/glazing industry, working out of a 55,000-sf facility.

“We started from scratch,” Carey said. From there, his goal was to bring on those folks who bought into his work vision and produce high-quality products for their customers. Dynamic Glass’ values are People, Passion and Execution.

Dynamic Glass will buy the glass and aluminum used for the frames, and then cut the glass to fit and install the finished product into the structure. They work closely with the architects at the designbuild phase to ensure what was drawn on paper can exist in reality.

“Our goal and responsibility it to bring that dream to life,” Carey said.

When it’s done (and they have projects booked up through 2020), everyone at Dynamic Glass gets a charge out of looking at the final product. “It’s the best,” he said, as the team takes a lot of pride in a job well done.

Bottom line: it’s not just building buildings that Carey likes to do, but people and lives as well. His number one job is to build a culture where people succeed, have fun and stay safe. “It’s the most important thing to me,” he said.

And along the way, if a super-cool structure goes up in the Metroplex, that’s all right too.

Dynamic Glass operates out of Grand Prairie. -dsz

Paving souls

Bill Blythe, owner of Bill Blythe Asphalt Service, and friend, building a church in Brazil.

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t 88 years young, Bill Blythe has done it all, seen it all, been everywhere and knows just about everybody (like Conway Twitty, Rocky Marciano and Randy Travis).

Back in his native Arkansas, Blythe said he “was born into bricklaying,” citing his grandfather, father and uncle. “We didn’t have a nickel but we didn’t know we were poor,” he said.

Blythe continued to do bricklaying on the side while he did some bartending and ran a couple of nightclubs in Wichita, KS.

When being a nightclub owner didn’t work out, Blythe moved to Tulsa, OK. He remembered that “bricklaying’s too hot, so I wanted to get into something else.” He saw an ad in the paper to work at an asphalt company. He applied and got the job.

Blythe then moved to Oklahoma City and started his own asphalt company in 1970. He continued to do asphalt on the side when he moved to Baton Rouge, LA, when he owned his own baseball team and started a six-team minor league.

When the league folded, Blythe

made his way to the Dallas area and formed Blythe Asphalt Service in 1988.

Because Blythe knows everyone, he got connected with folks whose mission it was to build churches in the Rain Forest of the Amazon. One church led to another. Blythe’s goal is to build 54 churches.

He’s up to 43 now. But since he had his heart attack, Blythe concentrates now on raising the funds for them instead of the actual construction. He’s asked God to give him two more years to do this. Seven more churches are projected to be built in the near future.

He’s also built a youth center, a missionary training center, and a cocaine rehab center in Brazil.

Blythe’s son Tom works with him in his asphalt service. “My son is my right hand man,” he said. Some day Tom will get the company.

“I intend to keep laying asphalt until Jesus calls me home,” Blythe said. When that day comes, there will be a lot of friends from Brazil there to greet him.

Bill Blythe Asphalt Service, Plano - dsz

W

hen Ross Walker worked in marketing for the private country club industry, he found himself surrounded by successful, financially comfortable clientele. Wishing to be successful and financially comfortable himself, he noted what they all had in common.

“Most of them were self-employed or had created a business and had done very well with it,” Walker says. “That was one of the things that influenced me the most to go into business for myself.”

Walker says he had “zero experience” as an entrepreneur – and even less in the door and window industry – but after a broker connected him with a door and window business seeking a new owner, Walker was intrigued and began his research.

“I felt this was an opportunity to get into something that would be semirecession-proof. If your door breaks, you’re always going to make the repairs; as naïve as I was, that was my logic behind it,” he explains. “I also just felt that doors and windows have very few moving parts, so it was something I would be able to learn fairly easily.”

After he took on the business, Black Hawk Door & Window Enterprises LLC in 2002, he realized it would be a bigger learning curve than he anticipated.

“It was a huge learning curve,” Walker remembers. “I bought the business from another guy and at that particular point in time, they were fairly new to the commercial construction side of things.

They had some success in the residential end but there was still a lot of learning to go in figuring out how to do panic hardware, door closers, and store fronts.

I’d say a good 50-60 percent of our business was residential which is just a whole other mindset and operation.

“Also, the business was in Granbury and I wanted to bring it to Fort Worth where most of our work was – in the D/ FW metroplex. So in addition to buying a company, within six months we’re packing our bags and moving to Fort Worth from Granbury and then branching out

more and more into the commercial marketplace and really not focusing as much on the residential.”

Walker’s strategy paid off for Black Hawk. Sales have improved every year, and the company has found a solid positioning in the hotel market. The company has also formed strong relationships with general contractors including Southwest Contracting, DDG and Benchmark.

Walker has had the satisfaction of proving himself in a new field as well.

“I’ve always had a creative drive,” he says. “I’m not a real numbers cruncher, but I love driving down the road and saying we did that. It can be a hotel that is built on the side of the highway or a new office building for somebody, but I can look at it and say that and 50 years from now there is a good chance it will still be there. It’s a job that is fulfilling because you are kind of leaving your mark and helping the city grow.

“For example, The Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth is a very wellknown building; architects from all around the world worked here and created this masterpiece and then the art that’s inside is of very expensive, very exclusive and very high-end,” he continues. “I joke with my friends that my work hangs in the Museum of Modern Art – it’s doors and windows!”

As for the future, Walker hopes his company continues its growth and success.

“These last couple of years especially have exceeded my expectations that I had with this business,” he says. “When I think we can’t do more, we end up doing more, and it’s been really exciting. I hope we see that continue in a sense. Also, the creative end of it, the projects that I probably would have shied away from early on, now we look at and say that we know how to do that and can do that.

Those kinds of things are very exciting, as well as seeing the city grow.”

Black Hawk Door & Window Enterprises in Fort Worth offers installation and repair.

–mjm

Christmas at Babe’s

Brick Doctor Corp. held its 29th Annual Brick Doctor Christmas dinner Dec. 17 at the new Babe’s Chicken in North Richland Hills. -cmw

Page 16

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • JAN 2019

Latinos and clays

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t was beautiful weather for the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Dallas Chapter’s Latinos in Architecutre (LiA) Sporting Clay Shoot, held Sept. 28 at the ACME Brick Ranch with over 100 registrants in attendance. Everyone had a wonderful time and shooters had the opportunity to vote for the “Shooters Choice” award at the LiA Sporting Clay Classic BBQ Cook-off.–cmw

Team winners: 2nd Place: CallisonRTKL 3rd Place: WRA Individual winners: 2nd Place: Charles Dodson, CallisonRTKL 3rd Place: Jason Dean, Y Designs Collaborative

1st Place: Y Designs Collaborative

Top Gun: Ronnie Smith, Y Designs Collaborative

continued from Page 1 —Light Gauge Solutions and customer-project management. Michael is the lead designer.

Liz must be doing something right, as Light Gauge’s biggest competitor went out of business around three years ago.

“There are not a lot of people who do what we do,” she said.

Light Gauge Solutions has done work in Florida, Louisiana and the Virgin Islands. The company was involved with the rebuild in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. It also built a house there that was still standing after 240 mph hurricane winds hit it. Light Gauge Solutions built a women’s clinic in Africa as well.

Steel framing is more expensive than wood, but, as Liz said, “If you build a building and intend to keep it, steel is a much better way to go.” One might even get some insurance breaks as well. The framing is more precise, and the studwork is much more straight.

Right now, Light Gauge Solutions is doing a lot of five- and six-story hotels.

For her day-to-day operations, Liz does all of the bid work, the accounting and payroll, and helps with production as needed. She has a shop foreman and

hires out when the project calls for it. All in all, Light Gauge Solutions has nine fulltime employees. They fabricate the frames and trusses in their shop and then ship them out. Liz uses a regular installer.

“The challenge [of their work] is we’re on the front end, which is nice,” she said.

“On the other hand, we’re on the front end, which means everybody is waiting on us.”

“We do a lot of consulting on the front end of a project,” Liz explained. “We focus on making sure it’s done right.” Liz will stay in a hotel and sometimes wonder who made it and what’s it made out of.

With the type of software available today, precise calculations and designs can be made, further ensuring that when you stare at the ceiling of your hotel room, the ceiling will stay in place. Of course, that’s assuming that Light Gauge Solutions made the steel framing for it.

“We see it through to the end,” Liz said.

The end of your stay in the hotel, that is. So get a good night’s rest.

Light Gauge Solutions has its shop in Arlington. -dsz

continued from Page 1 — Tiger Painting and Remodeling up their sleeves to do physical work, but now have the means to hire subcontractors to assist when needed.

“Arturo is good at everything; he’s like Superman,” Mary says. “Arthur helped us early in the business and is good at carpentry – and bossing around!

He likes to be the head person! He’s pretty strong and helps in almost everything.

I deal with customers, manage the office, the paperwork, communications, and also on the job site I do the walk-throughs and check for quality. When I get involved physically in the work, I do the finishing touches.”

A recent project of which the family is proud is the work they completed on the post office in McKinney.

“We painted all of the walls, replaced lights, completely redid the bathroom and also their fences,” Mary says.

Walking into a space they have made over never gets old for Mary and her family, especially when they see their clients’ reactions.

“I enjoy the transformations,” she says. “We complete each project to the impeccable final product, which our customers love. Sometimes, they hire us to fix to fix the space so that they can sell it,

and after we finish, they say, “Oh, it looks so beautiful! I don’t want to move now!”

The steady stream of transformations keeps the family working in close proximity much of their days, but when the Magdalenos have rare free time, you will often find them together as well.

“We work so much, we only have time to go to the movies or just go cookout and invite the family over; Arturo loves cooking! He has great taste, and I think he would have been a great chef if he had gone that route,” Mary says with a laugh.

There are no plans to slow down the workload any time soon. Mary says she hopes the company will expand its commercial maintenance and new residential construction side and has other plans on the horizon as well.

“We would like to implement development into the business,” she says. “We enjoy being a family-owned business but we would like to formalize it more and structure it in a better way where we can.

We’d like to get information out to new prospects, not that our business is suffering, though – thank God we are busy all of the time!”

Tiger Painting and Remodeling is located in Mesquite. –mjm

continued from Page 1 — Bartlett Cocke General Contractors Shooters Choice: Baker Triangle takes home the Champion Belt

Golfing at Timarron

T

he 16th Annual Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) Golf Tournament turned out to be a successful event for the association. Everyone had a great time while enjoying the beautiful weather Mother Nature provided. The event was held at Timarron Country Club in Southlake, TX on Oct. 29. -cmw

Construction

1st Place: Tim McGinnis, Jeff Fritts and Brian Walls

was in progress. In addition to overcoming the weather challenge, the construction team had to manage, track, inspect and insure delivery of a tremendous amount of custom-made props, materials and one-of-a-kind items that could not easily be replaced.

Centered around research, the Academy takes learning beyond the four walls of a classroom and promotes literacy and numeracy development in an active, exploratory, engaging and open environment. Huckabee Architects created a unique project for the BCGC team. The Academy was modeled to function like a children’s museum. The Jandrucko Academy provides an interactive, engaging and highly visual learning experience for its young students.

“Over the last 20 years, BCGC and

Huckabee have partnered together on 30 educational projects totaling over $500M. Our two firm’s values align well and our experience together has spanned across 12 districts across Texas. When our firm was selected as the CM-at-Risk for the Academy for early Learners, it was our hope to forge a lasting relationship with Mansfield ISD and continue to expand our 20-plus year relationship with Huckabee – two relationships built on trust, interdependence and a firm resolution to deliver only the best educational facilities for the Mansfield community,” says Brandon Patton, BCGC North Texas Regional Manager.

Bartlett Cocke General Contractors is a full-service San Antonio-based general contractor with offices in Austin, Baytown, Houston and Fort Worth. –cmw

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • JAN 2019

Page 17

Association Calendar

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News AIA

American Institute of Architects Dallas Chapter

Jan. 9: Allied Members Appreciation Breakfast, AD EX, 325 N. Saint Paul St., 8-9:30am. For more info, email sche@ aiadallas.org or call 214-880-1508 APWC Assn. of Professional Women in Construction

Jan. 10: APWC Book Look, Ida Claire, 5001 Belt Line Rd., Dallas, TX. 6-7:30pm.

For more info, go to www.apwc.us ASA American Subcontractors Assn.

Jan. 21: Monthly Luncheon Meeting, Las Colinas Country Club, 4400 N. O’Connor Rd., Irving, TX. Jan. 29-30: 2019 TCA PAC Roundup & Walk on the Capitol. For more info, call Beverly Reynal at 817-640-8275

mit 2019, Riverside Hotel, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. For more info, call Jo Britt at 817-4968422 NARI National Assn. of the Remodeling Industry

Jan. 15: NARI Night, California Closets, 2208 Dallas Pkwy., Plano, TX, 6pm. For more info, call Kim Savelsbergh at 214943-6274 NAWIC

National Assn. of Women in Construction Forth Worth Chapter

Jan. 17: Monthly Business Meeting, Diamond Oaks Country Club, 5821 Diamond Oaks Dr. N, 5:30pm. For more info, email Lori Donnell at lorid.nawic@gmail.com NAWIC

National Assn. of Women in Construction Dallas Chapter

ASCE

Jan. 15: January Dinner Meeting, 6-8pm.

For more info, go to www.nawic-dallas. org

Jan. 14: Branch Meeting, Vouv Meeting & Event Space, 4445 Sigma Rd., 11am-2pm.

For more info, go to www.dallasasce.org

North Texas Roofing Contractors Assn.

American Society of Civil Engineers Dallas Chapter

ASSE

American Society of Safety Engineers Dallas Chapter

Jan. 24-31: Seminarfest, Las Vegas, NV. For more info, go to www.fortworth.asse.org ASSP

American Society of Safety Professionals Fort Worth

Jan. 24-31: Seminarfest. For more info, go to www.fortworth.assp.org CFMA Construction Financial Management Assn.

NTRCA Jan. 9: Lunch & Learn, Texas Star Golf & Conference, Gaylord Texan Resort & Conference Center, 1501 Gaylord Trail, Grapevine, TX. For more info, call 817-734-8373 NUCA National Utility Contractors Assn.

Jan. 16: Safety Learn@Lunch, Ferguson Waterworks, 2650 S. Pipeline St., Euless, TX, 11am-1pm.

Jan. 30: NUCA Texas Capitol Visit, 9am5pm. For more info, call Lisa Ferrand at 817-980-5590 RBCA

Regional Black Contractors Assn.

Jan. 24: AIA/TEXO Economic Update, Rosine Hall at the Dallas Arboretum, 8525 Garland Rd., 4-7pm. $55 AIA/TEXO member; CFMA member – email ashlyn@ texoassociation.org; $80 non-member

Jan. 22: Lunch & Learn, Dallas ISD Education Center, 9400 N. Central Frwy., 13th Flr. #1350 Rm. 2, 11:30am-1pm. For more info, email info@blackcontractors.org

CSI

Subcontractors Assn. of the Metroplex

SAM

Construction Specifications Institute Dallas Chapter

Jan. 3: January Meeting/Tax Law Update, MEM Elegante Hotel, 2330 W. Northwest Hwy., 5-8pm. $35member; $45 nonmember. For more info, call Carrie Edomm at 817-266-1909

ICRI

The Construction Assn.

Jan. 17: Chapter Meeting, Addison Conference Center, 15650 Addison Rd., Addison, TX. For more info, email info@dallascsi.org International Concrete Repair Institute

Jan. 21: 2019 ICRI Kick-Off Party, Chateau Paris at Paris Las Vegas Hotel, 3655 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas, NV. Jan. 22-25: World of Concrete, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV. For more info, email Gigi Sutton at gigij@icri.org IEC

Independent Electrical Contractors Dallas Chapter

Jan. 28-30: IEC National Business Summit 2019, Riverside Hotel, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. For more info, email susan@iecdallas.com IEC Independent Electrical Contractors Fort Worth/Tarrant County

Jan. 28-30: IEC National Business Sum-

TEXO

Jan. 24: AIA/TEXO Economic Update, Rosine Hall at the Dallas Arboretum, 8525 Garland Rd., 4-7pm. $55 AIA/TEXO member; CFMA member – email ashlyn@ texoassociation.org; $80 non-member Jan. 31: Colleagues + Cocktails, Location TBD, 4:30-6:30pm. $25 TEXO member; $40 non-member; $45 walk-in. For more info, contact Emily Baker at 214-389-4659 UMCA

United Masonry Contractors Assn.

Dallas/Fort Worth

Jan. 8: UMCA Regular Meeting, Mi Camino Restaurante, 3830 W. Northwest Hwy., 5-8pm. For more info, email Lindsey Geeslin at umcadfw@gmail.com

s

Submitted to Construction News

Round-Up

Freese and Nichols Inc. is pleased to announce: Freese and Nichols Inc. welcomes Jimmy Gibson, PE to lead the firm’s environmental practice. Gibson has 27 years’ experience in environmental service. He holds a master’s degree from Southern Methodist University and Bachelor in Civil Engineering from Texas Tech University. –cmw Theo Chan, PE has rejoined the firm as senior project manager in the firm’s Transmission and Utilities Group. He brings extensive experience in managing water and wastewater treatment and utilities projects. He holds a Bachelor and Masters Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. -cmw Dave Carter, PE, PTOE has joined the Stantec family as their Traffic Engineering Manager bringing more than 25 years experience. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and a Master’s degree in Engineering from Texas A&M University. -cmw

MYCON has named Timothy Keys as Vice President of Operations. Keys will oversee efforts to continuously improve operational performance and to proactively inspire excellence throughout the company. A graduate of Boise State University, Keys brings over 31 years of industry experience to MYCON. -cmw Mark Duvall has been promoted to Vice President of PreConstruction Services for Bob Moore Construction. Starting his career at Bob Moore as an estimator in 2012, he quickly became an invaluable member of the team and became head of estimating. He graduated with honors from the University of Oklahoma. He received his Masters of Business Administration from Texas Christian University in 2017. -cmw TDIndustries has promoted Sheri Tillman from Corporate Counsel to General Counsel taking on a broader role of providing legal advice for the firm. She joined the TDI family as a contract specialist in 2013. She attended Texas A&M University School of Law and received her Juris Doctor law degree in 2003. -cmw

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • JAN 2019

Building cabinets forward

Enjoying the journey

The C&S Cabinets Inc. team.

Jonathan Kinzler at the multifamily job site in Houston.

ike business owners’ children often do, siblings Rachel ChristensonPowell and John Christenson worked as teens at dad Dale Christenson’s company, C&S Cabinets Inc. – but with different results.

“My brother started working in the shop when he was 13 and grew up in the shop. I tried working there one summer and it didn’t work out. I ended up lasting about two days; I built about 50 drawers – backwards! So my dad said, ‘You know what? This isn’t for you,’” ChristensonPowell says, laughing.

Both Christenson-Powell and her dad eventually changed their minds about that. She returned to C&S seven years ago at her dad’s request, and John left C&S to attend college and pursue an accounting career. Now, she is an expert in pretty much all things cabinet-related.

“I do a bit of everything – human resources, public relations, accounts payable and receivable, sales, and customer service. I’m involved in everything except purchasing,” she says.

She easily lists the perks of her job:

Working in a 40,000sf-facility with 40 amazing employees (including her dad’s wife Suzanne, a bookkeeper at C&S), the flexibility it provides her as a working mom, and time with her dad, whom she deeply admires.

“My dad built his entire legacy and C&S on his core beliefs, which are his faith, family and honesty,” she says. “He’s truly the most honest, loyal person you will ever meet. He knows everybody by name and speaks to everybody in the shop daily. He’s a good guy.”

Those qualities have helped C&S thrive since her dad founded it in 1979.

She hopes to continue that legacy, as well as help C&S expand and create an online catalog. She also wants to plan C&S’s 40th anniversary party next year.

“I was nine months old when he began the company; I turned 40 and the company turns 40 a few months later.

Since I didn’t have a blowout party for myself, I want to do something for the company. To me, 40 years is amazing!”

C&S Cabinets Inc. is a custom cabinet designer and installer in Fort Worth. –mjm

H

e ended up in Texas because he fell in love with a Texas gal, but that’s a love story you’ll have to ask Jonathan Kinzler to tell you about.

Kinzler actually grew up in Georgia and at the age of 22, his professional background began with a company from his home state. “There was a crew working at the local VA Hospital that needed general labor help. They hired me to drag a vacuum cleaner around behind the electricians because we couldn’t leave a mess,” remembered Kinzler.

He ended up working and traveling with that company for nine years. Then in 2006, Kinzler ended up in Dallas and in 2009, he received his Master Electrician license. “I always wanted to have my own business.” Well that day came in the fall of 2012.

Today Kinzler owns his own electrical contracting company called Kinzler Electrical Contractors LLC. The company focuses on commercial construction, remodeling and service work, as well as residential service work and light industrial. “We do a lot of work for a few retail

chains and perform those renovations all over Texas,” said Kinzler. The company is based in Dallas, so their service area is the DFW Metroplex. But, Kinzler assures, “for good customers and good money we will go wherever we need to.”

With a full time employee count of eight, three journeymen and 5 apprentices, Kinzler and his crew have stayed busy. The biggest thing for them in 2018 was a multifamily project of 156 units in Houston, which had flooded during hurricane Harvey.

As the company welcomes the new year, Kinzler is working to implement a product to dispatch their service calls through their cell phones. It will start with the customer contact and take the process through to invoicing. He would like to get this service fully implemented in early 2019. They are always trying to offer ”Service that will shock, but prices that won’t.”

Kinzler Electrical Contractors LLC is a commercial, residential and light industrial electrical contractor. –lv

Christmas 2017 in Review Here comes Santa Claus

Winning yarns

Jeans for Christmas

Regional Hispanic Contractors Association’s Yolanda Tafoya, Frost Bank’s Mario Quintanilla, Phillip/May’s Chris Escobedo, Santa, All Janitorial Professional Services’ Evelyn Molina, RHCA’s John Martinez and City of Dallas Former Mayor Pro Tem’s Monica R. Alonzo were merry and bright at RHCA’s holiday party hosted Dec. 14 at the Dallas Arboretum. –mjm

Pitts Roofing’s Sidney Curtis, North Texas Roofing Contractors Association’s (NTRCA) Ronnie Crowley, Restoration 1’s William DeLoatche, Classic Superoof’s Roger Wallace and Preston Dugas’ Law Firm’s Jill Cunningham won NTRCA’s ugly holiday sweater contest at Arlington’s Legal Draft Beer. –mjm

Trench Plate Rental Company’s Ann Marie Olmos and Veronica Barron celebrate the season with a beautiful tree and by gathering donated jeans for the Tarrant County Homeless Coalition. –mjm

Santa’s helpers

Brunch with ornaments

Seasons eatings

Aspenmark Roofing & Solar participated in the Santa’s Helpers charity drive. –mjm

The ladies of Ridgemont Commercial Construction celebrated the season with brunch and an ornament exchange. –mjm

The Dallas and Fort Worth offices of Pape-Dawson Engineers Inc. gathered at Las Colinas’ Cool River Café for season’s eatings. –mjm

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • JAN 2019

Page 19

Sit back and relax

R

Randy Watson and son Steve, owners of At-Ease Plumbing

andy Watson’s love of classic movies inspired his plumbing company’s name, At-Ease Plumbing.

There’s a scene in 1953’s Stalag 13 where one of the prisoners barks at the others, “At ease. At ease!” in order to deliver their mail. It means to calm down because it’s time to get to business.

Watson used to replay this scene with his boys when they got too rowdy.

When it came time to name his plumbing company in January 2012, this phrase was easy to recall as having a special meaning to Watson. Plus, it would appeal to anyone with a military connection.

Lastly, it means to the customer: Just sit back and relax and be at ease--I’ll take care of things and it will be all right.

Watson has been doing plumbing going on 36 years now. Married at 18, Watson went to work at his wife’s parents’ plumbing outfit. He took to this trade because it got results and Watson felt accomplished whenever he did A and got B. After seeing other plumbers who

worked for companies branch out on their own, Watson said, “Shoot, I can do that,” and he did.

Watson’s eldest son Steve is his partner. Steve used to work in a bank, but that wasn’t cutting it. Now, Steve runs the office and tasks like advertising and paperwork. Also working at At-East is Watson’s daughter-in-law and a helper.

Watson goes in about a 15-mile radius from his shop in Plano. He said he does a lot of slab work with leaks under the house and in the yard. He doesn’t do the amount of toilet repairs he used to, as this has become more of a do-it-yourself job. But, he also admits, work comes in waves and he could be doing nothing but hot water heaters at any given stretch of time.

Watson hopes his other son in Florida will come back to Texas some day and work with his loyal clients. “We’ve been real lucky with our customers,” he said.

That’s because they’re at ease now and everything’s all right.

At-Ease Plumbing is in Plano. -dsz

W

Everything from A to X

e use the expression “A to Z” to mean the complete deal, the sum totality of something.

A & X Masonry is just two letters short, but that doesn’t mean it’s less than complete. It just means Alonzo Andrade’s 9-year old son’s name isn’t Zachery, it’s Xavier.

A & X Masonry is named for Andrade’s two sons: Alexander (13) and Xavier (9). Andrade started his masonry company in 2009. The Dallas native had a friend who invited him to work with him in construction. Andrade started out as a laborer. He then slowly weeded out Alonzo Andrade, owner of A & X Masonry what he wasn’t good at or didn’t like (plumbing, roofing) and settled on masonry. color matching for brick and stone, etc.

Some conflict and shenanigans with- If a person wants to incorporate the in the company for which he was work- other trades in a project, like a waterfall ing caused Andrade to leave them and in the bricks, or lights or wood parts, A & start his own. He started by doing brick X Masonry has a full compliment of taland stone mailboxes. Andrade said mail- ent. “We have all trades in our company,” boxes run from $750-$1,000 apiece, de- Andrade said, among his 10 full-time empending on what the customer wants. ployees.

Andrade likes working with clients Even though this figure can fluctuand seeing their dream come to fruition ate, at the moment, Andrade does 50 as a completed project. When he meets percent commercial and 50 percent resiwith someone new, he has a woman who dential. His estimates are good for six hand draws on the spot designs and con- months while people await their income cepts, to get the project rolling. tax returns.

Sometimes, the client has some very Andrade’s two sons will follow in his high-end ideas, but only a medium-end footsteps and get the company some budget. That’s when the back-and-forth day. Keeping the name as A & X Masonry exchange takes place. should be the easy part, as the two boys Andrade will do anything in the ma- will be the complete deal then. sonry spectrum: new construction, repairs, A & X Masonry is in Garland. -dsz

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • JAN 2019