Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News May 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 5 H MAY 2019

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On the road again…

Specialty contractor recognized

Kenneth Looney, owner of JBN Electric

L-R: ABC President & CEO Mike Bellman, Mike Holland and ABC 2019 National Chair Tony Rader

enneth Looney got into the electrical trade quite by accident. After his hitch in the Army, Looney was working as an aircraft mechanic at Love Field. When the 747s came out, their engines were too big for Looney’s shop.

During the six-week period of remodeling to accommodate the bigger engines, Looney was laid off.

His brother-in-law got him a job at his place, a company that did electrical, plumbing and HVAC. This firm asked Looney which of the three areas he’d like to work in, and he chose electrical. When he was asked to come back to the aircraft business, he decided to stay where he was.

“There was so much new stuff to learn about electricity,” Looney said. He learned it well, becoming a journeyman

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in a year and a half. Moving along to other companies, Looney was a foreman on a particular job and impressed them so much that they asked him to work for them exclusively and not for an electrical company. Looney had to hire a master electrician while he studied to become one and get his contractor’s license.

When he did, JBN Electric was formed in April 1974.

(It was originally J & N Electric at first: Jason is his son and Nancy his wife. When daughter Brooke was born in 1981, Looney changed the name to JBN.) “It was just me and a helper when I first started out,” Looney said. That and his used truck, used tools and used ladder.

But JBN grew quickly. “Before I knew continued on Page 14

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onstruction companies all over this great nation of ours strive to be the best at what they do by creating quality projects, a safe work environment and a team of outstanding craft professionals. From its early days as a small residential drywaller founded by three brothers to its current stature as one of the largest specialty contractors in the South, MAREK has always relied on the power of its people. The company now has more than 1500 employees in seven regional offices.

Recently, at the Association Builders & Contractors (ABC) National Convention, MAREK was awarded the 2018 Contractor of the Year for embodying the core values and philosophy of ABC through MAREK’s corporate integrity,

commitment to their employees, dedication to outstanding craftsmanship and their esteem in the industry at large.

As the ABC convention approached, Mike Holland, MAREK COO, was notified they were going to be awarded this distinction. “We were ecstatic from the moment we heard. This is a huge honor and knowing it ahead of time didn’t diminish from the moment,” says Holland. “We did not nominate ourselves. I’m sure there were criteria on ABC’s end, but we did not fill out a narrative or send pictures or programs.”

Across four generations, MAREK leaders have built a business that prides itself on repeat clients. The 81-year-old family business has an impressive project portfolio, a stellar safety record, a revercontinued on Page 14

Unique shopping experience

oeris General Contractors Ltd., originally founded as Joeris & Clauss Company in 1967, began business by matching its construction expertise with its clients’ need for high quality, cost-effective institutional facilities in Texas. Because most of its work comes from repeat clients, Joeris’ project scope has continually expanded and changed in response to clients’ needs. The company is vastly experienced in higher education facilities, multi-story office buildings, restaurants, hotels, churches, retail, renovation and restoration, and complex health care facilities. With the same company bonding them throughout its 52-year history, Joeris has a current bonding capacity of $500,000,000. This allows Joeris to construct large, single- or multi-phased projects.

Tom Thumb is one of the first retail spaces to take root at the newest, 30-story, mixed-use campus, The Union. Locat-

The new Tom Thumb located at the corner of Field St. and Cedar Springs Rd., Dallas, TX.

ed at the corner of Field St. and Cedar Springs Rd. in Dallas, TX, this dual-tower project connects the surrounding neighborhoods with the 70,857sf grocery store.

The store is conveniently located on the first floor, featuring integral colored polished concrete, white painted concrete deck, porcelain and ceramic tile, plastic and laminate wall paneling, epoxy flooring, stainless steel trim and the latest Tom Thumb décor.

The sales floor is covered in a 4-inch integral colored polished concrete slab.

Deli, Bakery and Meat departments feature Stonhard epoxy floors, while the Pharmacy and store entrances have carpet. Exterior walls have plastic laminate wainscot. Department walls highlight white 3’’x6’’ tile with color accent bands and stainless steel. The Union Tap bar area has Crossville Cava tile at a fourscreen TV wall. Cloud hanging ceilings at the floral, cheese and fresh cuts bars continued on Page 14

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • MAY 2019

Mr. Green builds on green grass

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or Damion Green, what was a pastime became a career. About 20 years ago, he started building storage sheds, patio covers and decks within his home’s perimeters. Green has always been interested in how home revamps come together. He learned by experimenting and building on his own. Measuring and cutting wood is a phase in the building process that he particularly enjoys.

Green moved to Dallas, TX due to his military service and decided to settle in Dallas as well. He was born and raised in Jamaica. In his early Green Building & Construction owner Damion Green adult life, he moved to Chica(purple shirt) with siblings Jason and Khalil go to be closer to family.

Neighbors paying Green constant The company’s expertise is in outcompliments on his craft inspired him to door projects, such as decks, gazebos and start Green Building & Construction two fences. Building decks and customizing a years ago. The business serves all of Dallas beautiful outdoor space is what Green enwith the assistance of friend and co-work- joys. A challenging project completed by er (Scott) and several private contractors. Green was one from last summer.

“We custom-made this pergola to fit Green knew Scott from playing on the same soccer team. Scott has experience in the original shape of the patio, which was remodeling, so Green knew he would be a already a unique built,” Green said. “The great addition to Green Building & Con- owner was impressed how we were able to make it work.” struction.

Reaching out and expanding on marketing such as exposure is Green Building & Construction’s focus. Green emphasizes that his company does not take customer satisfaction lightly. They do what it takes to meet customers’ needs and oftentimes develop friendships along the way.

“We receive many recommendations and repeat business because we become friends with our clients,” Green said. “The other day, I was eating cookies and drinking coffee with a longtime customer of mine.”

Green Building & Construction is an outside renovations contractor in Dallas, TX. –tnp Green Building & Construction work truck

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • MAY 2019

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Page 3

Oldies but goodies

Ingram new NAWIC exec admin

Design in process for double French doors by Urban Pioneer Construction & Remodeling owner, Kam Khadivi.

Crissy Ingram poses next to photo of one of NAWIC’s founding lady members, Ida May Bagby.

hen Kam Khadivi is in the process of remodeling an older builder or home, he can’t help but be transported to the past.

“I always think about the American people who built these houses and how they are not around anymore,” the Owner/ President of Urban Pioneer Construction & Remodeling Company says. “They were great contractors, great builders, and great carpenters. They did the job with a nail bag, hammer, screwdriver and handsaw. They have done such wonderful work and the framing is fabulous. The woods are so good and so strong. It’s always been gratifying to let these homes live another 100 years or so.”

Khadivi first fell in love with older structures as an architecture graduate student at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Without possessing a work visa in his possession but needing to make money, Khadivi bought aging buildings and houses, restored them and sold them to make money to pay for his schooling.

“Being an architecture student in graduate school, I was able to design, and I had a good taste for space and color and how to efficiently fix the building,” Khadivi says. “It was always successful.”

After graduation, Khadivi was finally able to work for an architect, but realized he wasn’t an indoor person and that he preferred larger cities. Khadivi moved to Dallas, where he continued to buy and restore older buildings in Oak Cliff. After working for an architecture firm designing commercial high rises, he established Urban Pioneer Construction & Remodeling in 1985 and officed out of his home, placing ads for his burgeoning business in newspaper ads and the Yellow Pages.

“It was hard work, but I was always a hands-on person,” Khadivi says. “Older buildings don’t have the circulation and function for modern life, so It was about creating a good atmosphere. I’m still doing the same thing after almost 40 years in

Dallas H Fort Worth

Dallas – but I’m still young! My life is very fun. We have good people to work with.”

Khadivi is having so much fun, he inspired three important women in his life – his two sisters and his daughter Shadi Khadivi – to establish architecture careers as well.

As for help in the office, Khadivi says he has two full-time employees that he works alongside seven days a week. He needs the help: there are plenty of old buildings in North Texas that could use his remodeling expertise.

“We bought an old gas station in Fort Worth that had been abandoned for 30 years but we fixed it. We got a lot of compliments from a city council member in that neighborhood,” he says. “Then, I have another project in a hospital that we are going to be working on.”

Khadivi says he treasures all of the people who help him bring the past into the future.

“I appreciate them because remodeling is not an easy thing to do!” Khadivi says with a chuckle. “You never know when you open that sheetrock what is underneath it. I really appreciate what they are doing; they do fabulous work, they have a very good spirit doing that, and they may not know what kind of a service they are doing to our community.”

As Khadivi thinks back to all of the hands that contribute to the workmanship of these old buildings, he is grateful to leave his thumbprint on it too, and hopes it adds years to the structures.

“The most gratifying part of my work is giving life to these old houses,” Khadivi says. “We don’t cut corners and we don’t use cheap material. It’s like a doctor giving someone a few more years to live. I think I’m giving more to these buildings to keep them for the next generation to enjoy.”

Urban Pioneer Construction & Remodeling Company is a full-service new construction and remodeling company in Dallas. – mjm

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ast October, the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) in Fort Worth named Crissy Ingram as its new executive administrator. Not only can Ingram feel pride wearing the glittery hard hat she accepted along with the role, but also the honor of guiding her fellow women in construction.

Born and raised in Alvarado TX, Ingram moved to Fort Worth in 2009 and previously worked at Bank One, where she oversaw conversions and consolidations. The birth of her daughter in January 2011 inspired Ingram to reevaluate her career path.

“I took the whole year off to just be a mom to this new little amazing thing in my life,” Ingram says. “I just happened upon NAWIC by accident when I started looking for a job when I was ready to go back to work. I fell in love with their mission and what they do. I love meeting the ladies that I meet; they are so inspiring.”

Ingram began working at NAWIC in January 2012 as an administrative assistant. She then moved into a bookkeeper role in 2015, managing human resource matters.

“Then, I was fortunate enough to get to move into this spot as an executive administrator last October,” Ingram explains. “What a great ride!”

Through her years of experience at NAWIC, Ingram has identified areas that she hopes to create a lasting impact.

“A huge thing that I am working on is awareness,” Ingram explains. “One of our major points in our strategic plan is creating awareness of NAWIC. We are here and we don’t want to be a best-kept secret anymore. We also want to be working with younger groups in middle school and high school to help girls understand that construction is not one thing or another. There is a wide range of opportunities in the field that are greatpaying, lifetime opportunities. Raising

that awareness, growing us and growing the industry are my main outlooks right now.”

Ingram also hopes to implement more women-centric career day events such as Project Accelerate, an annual, nocost, hands-on training in different construction areas. She also plans to update and translate NAWIC’s marketing materials, which are printed in English, into Spanish. Another major area of focus is securing partnerships.

Ingram says she has had the good fortune to observe others in the executive administrator role and learn from their excellent example.

“I’ve learned [from them] to never let them see you sweat!” Ingram says with a laugh. “I just learned to be [present] and be honest. If someone asks you a question and it’s something that they don’t want to hear, you just have to tell it like it is. They respect that. You are helping them rather than pushing rainbows and butterflies. You’re helping them with real answers.”

Ingram is excited to serve NAWIC in this new role.

“I love NAWIC’s sisterhood, the closeness, the caring, taking care of each other and literally living what we say we are going to do by building each other up and being there for each other. I love that culture. It’s really something to see,” Ingram says. “My quest is just getting that word out and getting that awareness out there. I want to let people know that we are not just a club, we’re not just a group of girls, we are a group of professional women who want to raise up more professional women.”

Headquartered in Fort Worth, NAWIC is an international non-profit association that promotes and supports the advancement and employment of women in the construction industry. NAWIC boasts 81 members in Fort Worth and a total membership of 4,400. –­ mjm

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • MAY 2019

Benchmarks provide contractors valuable path to improvement

What every construction company needs to know about fleet safety

Ryan Rummel, CPA, Manager RSM US LLP San Antonio, TX

Stan Gregory, Safety & Risk Consultant INSURICA San Antonio, TX

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n today’s highly competitive construction market, it’s not enough for any contracting business to be just good enough. To stay ahead of competitors, a contractor has to work continuously to get better. One of the most effective ways to do this is by means of benchmarks that track how well the contractor is doing compared to others in the industry.

While benchmarking has been used to some degree in the construction industry for many years, interest has surged in recent years because of the availability of national performance data. This information allows companies to more easily measure their performance and set targets.

Today, construction companies can find a great deal of useful benchmarking information from organizations such as the Construction Financial Management Association (cfma.org), Associated General Contractors of America (agc.org) and Construction Industry Institute (construction-institute.org). These organizations conduct annual financial surveys, and most break the information down by region, specialty, company size, etc.

One of the easiest ways to find benchmarking information is to go to www.financialbenchmarker.com. The site is a treasure trove of industry benchmarks.

For contractors who are not actively using benchmarks, a great way to learn the process is by talking to colleagues experienced in the process. Assistance is also available from financial partners and sureties, who are particularly interested in benchmarking data because they are providing loans and bonding.

The basics of successful analysis are fairly simple: Contractors choose important functions and practices that can be tracked over time, then use the data to measure their progress against that of competitors, including best-in-class companies.

Setting up benchmarking documentation, including charts and graphics, is much easier than in past years. On the market today are several software packages that allow contractors to easily establish, update and analyze benchmarking data. Most can be found by means of a simple internet search.

When beginning the benchmarking process, contractors should first prepare a financial analysis of the company. For best results, and to make certain accounting and tax issues are taken into account, contractors should seek assistance from their certified public accountant.

When developed properly, benchmarks can give contractors a revealing new perspective on long-time practices.

In doing this, they offer a valuable guide to weaknesses and opportunities. If, for example, a contracting company learns its debt-to-equity ratio is rising, this tool can alert the company early on so it can bring debt back in line.

So that benchmarking works to optimal benefit, the best construction companies review their data at least monthly.

Trends that show up in the data are addressed quickly, either to improve newly discovered weaknesses or to accelerate strategies that are showing the most success.

When it comes to choosing ratios, there are scores contractors can use.

However, there are a few that are most popular, including: • Working Capital Turnover: This ratio is a product of total revenues divided by working capital (the net of current assets minus liabilities) and indicates the

amount of revenue being generated by the available working capital. A ratio exceeding 30 may indicate a need for additional working capital to support future revenues.

• Current Ratio: This measurement indicates the extent to which current assets are available to satisfy current liabilities.

They usually are stated in terms of absolute values (i.e., 2 to 1 or simply 2.1). Generally a minimum current ratio is 1, which indicates that current assets at least equal current liabilities.

• Debt to Equity: This ratio equals total liabilities divided by total equity. The higher the ratio is, the greater the risk the creditors are assuming. Generally a ratio of 3 or lower is considered acceptable.

• Profitability Ratio: This measurement demonstrates the profit generated by the total assets employed. A higher ratio reflects a more effective employment of company assets. This ratio is generally stated in terms of percentages, such as 10 percent of return on assets.

• Days in Receivables: This indicates the number of days to collect accounts receivable. A lower ratio indicates a faster collection of accounts receivables, therefore more liquidity. In general, a ratio of 60 days or less is desirable.

• Days in Payables: This ratio indicates the number of days it takes to liquidate trade payables. Usually a ratio of 45 days or less is considered adequate.

• Months in Backlog: This measurement tells managers the number of months it will take to complete all side or committed work. A ratio of less than 12 indicates a need to secure new contracts in the next year to maintain a constant level of annual revenue.

onstruction companies, because of the nature of the work they do, and the variety of vehicles they use in their work, have unique concerns, exposure and liability when it comes to their fleets. Too often, however, fleet safety does not get the attention it deserves until there is an accident. When that happens, matters of fleet safety can suddenly reach crisis mode. A good fleet safety program does the obvious – improving safety – while also minimizing the exposure of company vehicles and the employees who drive them. In my experience, over 90 percent of companies have significant fleet exposure because they do not have an effective fleet safety program in place.

To understand the importance of a fleet safety program, consider its goal: to prevent the loss of life, injury, and property damage for employees as well as the public. A benefit of having a good program is minimizing the legal exposure that results from accidents. Any safety and risk consultant can share examples of the consequences that companies have faced for failing to have adequate fleet safety programs in place.

What a Good Fleet Safety Program Consists of A comprehensive fleet safety program should include policies and procedures, make provisions for regular employee training, and have accountability mechanisms built in.

• Policies A comprehensive fleet safety policy will detail what rules to follow, what training is required, what hiring practices to follow, what vehicle inspections are mandated, what records must be kept, what road tests must occur, what audits will take place, as well as other things. For example, a policy might dictate minimum acceptable driver qualifications.

• Procedures

A comprehensive set of fleet safety procedures should describe how policies will govern operations by outlining a process and timetable or frequency for each policy. Every policy will therefore have one or more documented procedures.

For example, a procedure might describe

a testing process to ensure drivers meet minimum qualifications.

• Training Training can encompass a broad range of topics including accident reporting, defensive driving, DOT audits, drug testing, hazardous materials, driving hours rules, and legislation surrounding commercial driver’s licenses. For example, training should encompass helping drivers maintain qualifications.

• Accountability Without some accountability mechanisms, a fleet safety program is little more than window-dressing. For most construction companies, creating accountability means setting the expectation that it will rigorously enforce standards, and conduct its own spot checks and audits to ensure compliance.

About Stan Gregory Stan brings more than three decades of experience to his current role as Safety and Risk Consultant on the Risk Management Services team at INSURICA. He provides risk management solutions for customers in all industries, with a special emphasis on behavioral safety solutions.

Stan’s primary focus is working with large employers to improve their risk profiles and implement custom-tailored safety and risk management plans. He is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and has been a member of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) for 25 years.

If you could own any animal as a pet, what would it be?

• Under-billings to Equity: This indicates a level of contract volume being financed by the stockholders. Usually stated as a percentage, a ratio of 30 percent or less is considered acceptable.

Just got our family a Goldendoodle puppy two weeks ago, a male named Willis, 11 weeks old.

Reed Swenson, SFI Compliance

are awesome. My mother raised them and bred them. It was the coolest animal I’ve ever owned.

Walter Vaughn, Vaughn’s Floors and More

• Backlog to Equity: This ratio indicates the relationship of signed or committee work to total stockholders’ equity. In general, a ratio of 20 or less is considered acceptable.

A white tiger.

I probably would have a pig.

Gino Gamez, Vision Enclosure Walls

A grizzly bear. That would be very unique.

Levi Hall, Innovative Construction Services

I would have a black mouth yellow cur dog. Black mouth cur dogs are great at hunting hogs.

Bill Deyling, Sundt Construction

Whether a contractor uses general or highly technical benchmarks, information derived from the process provides a valuable map for improvement. And it makes decision-making dramatically easier in an industry ruled by tough decisions.

But for any of it to work, the contractor must be willing to change and adapt based on the findings derived from the process.

Ryan Rummel, CPA, is a manager at RSM US LLP in San Antonio. He can be reached at 210-828-6281 or Ryan.Rummel@rsmus. com.

Olivia Hall, Innovative Construction Services

I like giraffes. There is just something about the way they walk around.

Ray Rodriguez, Brandt I’ve always wanted an Australian shepherd.

Carlos Ripley, Binford Supply I would have to say a dog. There are no pets better than a dog.

Kenneth Looney, JBN Electric My favorite would be a sugar glider. It’s an Australian squirrel, and they’re called flying squirrels. I owned one before; they

It would be a pig. My wife used to raise pigs, it was a big part of her life and that would make her happy. She always wanted our grandkids to raise them. When we go over to the rodeo, the first thing we do is go over to see the pigs.

Tony Buentello, Bartlett Cocke General Contractors A giraffe. I’ve always wanted a giraffe since I was a little kid. I just think they are awesome.

Bill Venable, SpawGlass

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • MAY 2019

Page 5

Lien law fundamentals every contractor should know

May is electrical safety month Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX

West W. Winter, Attorney The Winter Law Firm, PLLC San Antonio, TX

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rguably one of the most significant remedies in construction law is the Mechanic’s and Materialman’s Lien. Governed by Chapter 53 of the Texas Property Code and the Texas Constitution, mechanic’s and materialman’s liens, if timely and properly perfected, secure a contractor’s right to payment against the project. This article discusses some general fundamental concepts of Texas mechanic’s and materialman’s liens.

Mechanic’s and Materialman’s Lien Basics While the specifics of proper statutory lien perfection are complicated and beyond the scope of this article (in fact, Texas has often been said to have some of the most complicated lien laws in the entire country), perfection of a statutory lien claim generally requires timely and proper written notice of the unpaid debt, timely recording of a proper lien affidavit in the real property records in the county in which the project is located, and timely giving notice of the filed lien to the owner and general contractor. While the mechanic’s lien statutes are to be liberally construed for the purpose of protecting laborers and materialmen, the deadlines and requirements for proper lien perfection should be closely followed to ensure that this powerful remedy is not lost. It is also critical to know that a lawsuit must actually be filed to enforce/ foreclose the lien claim within the limitations period mandated by Chapter 53 (typically one or two years, depending on the type of project) or the lien will be extinguished. Significantly, Section 53.156 of the Texas Property Code mandates an award of costs and attorney’s fees “as are equitable and just” in any proceeding to foreclose a lien or to declare that any lien is invalid, in whole or in part.

Contractors having an agreement directly with the project’s owner may, depending on the type of work involved, further possess constitutional lien rights which exist independently of any notice or recording requirements. Rights may alternatively exist under a payment bond if work is performed on a public or bonded private project. Strict time and notice requirements also exist for the proper perfection of a bond claim and will differ depending on whether the project is state or federal.

A Sham May Save You if You Missed the Notice Deadlines There are some nuances in the law which may apply to salvage mechanic’s lien rights in certain situations where a subcontractor or supplier has missed the required pre-lien notice deadlines. One such situation involves Sham Contracts where the purported owner and general contractor are essentially one in the same. As set forth in Section 53.026 of the Texas Property Code, when a person contracts with another, and that other person controls or otherwise is controlled by the owner “through ownership of voting stock, interlocking directorships, or otherwise”, the person performing the labor or furnishing materials is deemed to be in a direct contractual relationship with the owner and has a lien as an original contractor. The same result occurs when the contract was made by the owner “without the good faith intention of the parties that the other person was to perform the contract.”

When the Sham Contract provision applies, the unpaid subcontractor or supplier should be considered to be in a direct contractual relationship with the owner and gains original contractor status. Along with original contractor status, the unpaid subcontractor or supplier also has lien rights as if it were an original

contractor. Accordingly, the mandatory notice requirements generally applicable to subcontractors and suppliers for perfecting statutory mechanic’s liens should not apply, and the unpaid subcontractors or suppliers may be able to perfect their lien rights as original contractors despite a failure to comply with the Property Code notice requirements. According to recent case law, another benefit which can be derived from the Sham Contract statute is the potential availability of a constitutional lien to a person performing work or supplying materials to a sham contractor if such work or materials are covered by Article XVI, Section 37, of the Texas Constitution (i.e. buildings and articles).

Lien Preferences and Removeables

While Chapter 53 of the Texas Property Code grants a preference to mechanic’s liens, the preference granted is limited to “removeables”. A mechanic’s lien on removeable improvements has priority over a deed of trust lien. “Removeables” are improvements that can be removed from the property without material injury to the land and pre-existing improvements, or to the improvements removed. Some examples of removeables include carpets, appliances, air conditioning and heating components, and light fixtures.

Leasehold Liens

If your company provides labor or materials to tenants, it is essential to understand that your lien rights are generally limited to the leasehold estate. A mechanic’s and materialman’s lien attaches to the interest of the person contracting for construction. As such, if a lessee contracts for construction, a mechanic’s and materialman’s lien arising from that construction attaches only to the leasehold interest and not to the fee interest of the lessor.

Fraudulent Lien Statute Caution should be taken when asserting mechanic’s and materialman’s liens as a law exists which provides a cause of action against someone who records a fraudulent lien with the intent to defraud. Codified in Chapter 12 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, the “Fraudulent Lien Statute” provides for liability for asserting a fraudulent lien with the intent to defraud for the greater of (A) $10,000; or (B) the actual damages caused by the violation, plus court costs, reasonable attorney’s fees, and exemplary damages in an amount determined by the Court.

West W. Winter, a LEED Green Associate, serves on the board of the Construction Law Section of the San Antonio Bar Association and has been listed as one of the Best Lawyers in San Antonio for Construction Litigation. The Winter Law Firm represents general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers, in all phases of the construction process, from contract formation through dispute resolution, litigation, and collection. West may be reached via email: west@thewinterlawfirm.com.

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any workers are unaware of the potential electrical hazards present in their work environment, which makes them more vulnerable to the danger of electrocution. The following hazards are the most frequent causes of electrical injuries Contact with Power Lines, Lack of Ground-fault Protection, Path to Ground Missing or Discontinuous, Equipment Not Used in Manner Prescribed, and Improper Use of Extension and Flexible Cords.

Overhead and buried power lines at (GFCIs) on all 120-volt, single-phase, 15your site are especially hazardous be- and 20-ampere receptacles, or have an cause they carry extremely high voltage. assured equipment grounding conducFatal electrocution is the main risk, but tor program (AEGCP). burns and falls from elevations are also • Follow manufacturers’ recommended hazards. Using tools and equipment that testing procedure to insure GFCI is workcan contact power lines increases the ing correctly. risk.

• Use double-insulated tools and equip How Do I Avoid Hazards? ment, distinctively marked.

• Look for overhead power lines and • Use tools and equipment according to buried power line indicators. Post warn- the instructions included in their listing, ing signs. labeling or certification.

• Contact utilities for buried power line • Visually inspect all electrical equiplocations. ment before use. Remove from service • Stay at least 10 feet away from over- any equipment with frayed cords, misshead power lines. ing ground prongs, cracked tool casings, • Unless you know otherwise, assume etc. Apply a warning tag to any defective that overhead lines are energized. tool and do not use it until the problem • De-energize and ground lines when has been corrected. working near them. Other protective If the power supply to the electrical measures include guarding or insulating equipment at your site is not grounded the lines. or the path has been broken, fault cur• Use non-conductive wood or fiber- rent may travel through a worker’s body, glass ladders when working near power causing electrical burns or death. Even lines. when the power system is properly Due to the dynamic, rugged nature grounded, electrical equipment can inof construction work, normal use of elec- stantly change from safe to hazardous trical equipment at your site causes wear because of extreme conditions and and tear that results in insulation breaks, rough treatment. Removing the ground short-circuits, and exposed wires. If there pin from a plug to fit an ungrounded outis no ground-fault protection, these can let not only means your work area is uncause a ground-fault that sends current safe, but makes the cord unfit for future through the worker’s body, resulting in work where there is grounding. electrical burns, explosions, fire, or death.

How Do I Avoid Hazards? natarajan.joann@dol.gov • Use ground-fault circuit interrupters 512-374-0271 x232

Class in session

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onstruction News’ newest member is editor Tracy Peters. But you can call her “Mrs. Peters,” as she is an official teacher as well.

“I am a fully certified teacher in Texas to teach 4-12th grade English and reading, and any level of special education,” she said.

Peters got her degree in English at Texas A & M San Antonio, with a minor in special ed. After graduating in 2015, she went through a teaching agency that took care of the certification.

The San Antonio native has a rich background in writing. “When I was in college,” she said, “that’s what I did - write.” Peters found that in order to accomplish what she wanted, she had to create her own lessons and materials. “I custom made a lot of my own tests Tracy Peters, newest editor at Construction News and worksheets, poems and stories,” she said. more, but I would like to see what comes

As a full-time teacher, Peters taught out of the first two,” she said. one year of 8th grade English and one “For my children’s books, I think it’s year 9th grade English. important to have some sort of moral or Peters met her husband when they lesson to the story.” had the same advisory class in the 10th Peters likes writing for Construction grade at Madison High School. To make News. “I enjoy working here more than I things simpler, they got married on her do teaching,” she said. She likes to meet birthday, in Cocoa Beach, FL, in 2011. and get to know the wide variety of folks

Peters reads to their young son, Bradly that comprise the construction industry. a lot, and has seen a lot of children’s Off the job, Peters likes to play Ninbooks. After reading them, she thought tendo 64 and poker. She enjoys water she could do just as well. “In my down- parks, running, llamas and Pomeranian time, I wrote two children’s books. The dogs. main character is J.J. Jellyfish.” For now, When it comes to writing for Construcit’s just a hobby, but, “I would like to do tion News, Peters gets an “A.” -dsz

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • MAY 2019

Where did you go to school?

I went to high school in Mesquite. I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in history from a military college in West Virginia. I chose a degree in history because every part of history is associated with some sort of military conflict.

Clint Pingleton Founder and Owner Crimson Landscape Plano, TX

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lint Pingleton is no stranger to construction. His father taught him the industry and took Clint on a variety of remodeling jobs from the business he owned. Born and raised in the Dallas area, this fearless army veteran started Crimson Landscape in Plano, TX. The business continues to grow with many successful constructed landscapes.

Where are you from?

I am from Mesquite, TX, which is close to Dallas. I grew up in the Dallas area all of my life.

What is your family life like?

I met my wife in Mosul, Iraq. We were both in the army. She spent her high school years in Greenville, TX, east of Dallas. We have three kids. I wouldn’t mind seeing my kids join the military or getting involved in the family business. My 13-year-old son has been out with me on a few jobs. He has already seen how production and installation works, even meeting customers.

What were your interests growing up?

I was interested in cars. It was an interest that I shared with my dad. I did not have any intentions of owning my own landscaping company when I was younger.

What types of jobs did you have?

I spent 11 years in the army. I also worked on construction related projects with my dad. My dad owned his own remodeling company. I remember vividly a time when I was 12 or 13-years-old helping him with sheetrock and hated it. My dad taught my brother and I to be the “jack of all trades” when it came to construction. I learned how to do projects related to remodeling, concrete and landscaping.

What is your service area?

Dallas and Fort Worth.

What is the general overview of your business?

We focus on immense construction landscaping - a designing and building firm that takes on huge terrain overhauls.

Important landscape undertakings include concrete, earthwork, irrigation, drainage and landscape lighting. Crimson Landscape is not a lawn mowing service company; the concentration is on construction landscaping.

There is uniqueness in what we do with irrigation, drainage, plants, landscape and lighting. All of these aspects have to come together in a specific way.

There is an order to the way we do it and a reason behind it. Certain details in an overall project need to be done a certain way if it is going to be done correctly Crimson Landscaping does just that.

What are some examples of the company’s services?

When it comes to pools, we partner with a luxury pool builder who builds high-end custom pools. We do the finishing out, landscaping around the pool.

Our company will complete all the things to make the pool area pretty once the pool is installed, like completing the irri-

Clint Pingleton with his family

Crimson Landscape owner Clint Pingleton working in office

gation, drainage and turf side of the project. We do pretty much anything outdoors not attached to the building.

Our company makes it possible and practical for irrigation conservation. Watering systems include drip irrigation and nozzle sprays. People are able to manage their irrigation controller using Hydrawise from the web. The predictive watering schedules are based on anticipated weather changes. This feature provides maximum water savings and a healthy, beautiful landscape.

What is your work team like?

We have about 12 employees. We do not subcontract at all. You won’t see us hiring individuals to complete different parts of the project. It is all done in house, which customers love. Crimson Landscape is a low-risk company because we are all trained and unified as a team. Customers know exactly what they are getting with us.

What is your most requested service?

Designing and installation of landscape.

What are some examples of completed projects that stand out to you?

Last year we received 65 days of rain during the time we were working on a large project in South Lake. Battling rain for three months was not fun, with lots of starts and stops to different jobs. Rain hits my company hard because we work strictly outdoors. As a construction company, we are dependent on dirt. If the dirt is too wet to work with, there is not much we can do on our end.

At a hotel we were hired to fix a significant drainage problem. This particular hotel went through several contractors trying to find the right one. They chose us to relocate drainage irrigation and put in a soft pump system. We also needed to deal with the adjacent property to ensure correct water flow.

What phase of the project do you particularly enjoy?

I enjoy working with customers and designing for them, 3D designing and video.

Did you have a mentor when starting your business?

Not really. My wife is the one who kept me going. She has always been supportive.

There is no book that can tell you how to own your business or how to prepare for owning your own business. Thankfully, everything came together naturally.

What is the hardest part about your job?

The hardest part would have to be the stress of learning the ins and outs of the construction industry in order to be compliant. There are so many government and legal requirements, as well as employee regulation laws and restrictions.

What is the greatest part about your job?

The end result would have to be the greatest part because of the multiphase process, starting from creativity to execution. I spend countless hours on designing, which is a part that I love about the job. Customers trust us to spend six figures of their money into our company. It is exciting to earn their trust and for us to see the end result come together with happy customers.

What does the family like to do together?

Traveling is a great way for us to spend time together. We take about two to three big trips a year usually in an RV. Our favorite trip was near the mountains in the Midwest of Colorado. To get away from the Texas July heat, we go anywhere in the mountains.

Crimson Landscape is a construction landscape contractor in Plano, TX. - tnp

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • MAY 2019

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most dependable reels built for saltwater. Each and every reel on my boat is spooled with Power Pro Super Slick V2 braided fishing line. It out casts any other braded fishing line on the water.

When it comes to wading, there is only one brand of wader that 95 percent of the anglers use SIMMS. Their waders cost more than any other brand because they last. In fact, everything they make is top quality from their jackets to flip flops.

Another choice for Steve Schultz Outdoors is the ForEverlast product. The Baffin stalker wading boot is my favorite product with all day comfort. They also have a huge selection of wading belts, pliers and landing nets for all your needs.

Top notch equipment is a must

by Capt. Steve Schultz

Protecting myself from the sun is always on my mind while on the water. Being in the sun 8-10 hours a day can take it’s toll on your body. My Aftco line of clothing has SPF ratings that keep harmful sun rays off my skin while keeping me cool on the water. They also make great gloves to protect your hands. Costa sunglasses are the only sunglasses you will see on my head. The 580 lenses enhance colors and allow me to see objects in the water when most other glasses fall short.

Don’t settle for anything else. See what’s out there!!

Sponsored by: Waypoint Marine, Shoalwater Boats, Evinrude Outboards, Fishing Tackle Unlimited, Shimano Reels, E-Z Bel Construction, Costa Sunglasses, Simms Fishing, ForEverlast Fishing Products, PowerPro, Interstate Batteries, MirrOlure, JL Marines Power-Pole, AFW and AFTCO Clothing.

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here are some things you can be frugal on, but when it comes to fishing, the harsh conditions of the coastal bend, you better have some quality equipment that will hold up. I’ve learned over the past 21 years of guiding in saltwater water that you get what you pay for from the boats that you run to the sunglasses around you neck. I’ll review several of the brands of tools and equipment I use and the reasons why I use them.

Let’s start off with the platform I fish from day to day. Shoalwater boats and Evinrude outboards have been my choice of boats/motors for the past several years. They may not be the most expensive rigs on the water, but it’s what Waypoint Marine sells and they are my preferred dealer and the best in the area, period!! Keeping my boat positioned at

My summer months are almost full, so don’t hesitate in booking your fishing trips. Here are some open dates available in July (4,8,12,22,25,28,29).

David Wyatt of Portland landed this 27-inch redfish last month fishing with Steve Schultz Outdoors. David’s red came on a live shrimp and popping cork combo.

my favorite honey hole or anchored while I’m out wading are dual 10 ft. power pole blades.

Fishing rods and reels may be the most important tool on the boat. Let’s face it, we are out on the water to fish and what good is it if you can’t depend on your rod and reel to get your fish to the

boat.? This captain’s choice on rods is the Fishing Tackle Unlimited Green Rod and Grey rod series. Both rods are built on the same blank using high modulus graphite and titanium or stainless guide with top grade cork handles. Shimano reels, both bait casting and spinning, have recently joined my arsenal of tools and everyone knows they have the smoothest and

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.

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • MAY 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

Fish or catch?

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ishing is not an exact science, but then maybe that’s what makes it fun.

No two fishing trips are the same, even if you really want them to be. We are so used to doing a set of actions and getting a consistent result now days because everything is programmed and measured and prescribed, that we sometimes forget that the natural world doesn’t care what we expect. Nature has the ultimate and infinite programming that we will never fully understand and can only barely begin to affect. There are so many variables in water and weather and fish and people and things we are not even aware of that you never get the same result twice.

Worst of all are the NO trips. Sometimes even if you have the time to go fishing and get to go with the right companions and have made the trip to the lake, weather will just not cooperate with you.

This is where you have to listen to good sound reasoning and overcome your desire to make the trip happen. If you are booked with a guide and he tells you the wind is too high to go out, etc. please listen! He wants to take you fishing and earn his pay, and if he cancels you, it is money out of his pocket that he can’t get back, but he knows all too well the cost of going out when he should have stayed home. He doesn’t want to see anyone get hurt in rough water and he doesn’t want to spend time and money getting his boat repaired from rough water damage. The same thing holds true if you are fishing on your own. If you get to the ramp and nobody else is parked there, or launching, you better check radar and forecast on your phone and reconsider.

The very best outcome of all fishing trips is getting safely back home!

You can’t look at going fishing as just going to get some fish. I sometimes tell people that if they want a sure thing when it comes to fish, they need to go to the supermarket. Even that can be uncertain though from day to day. What day were they caught? Are they supposed to look like that?

You see, there is a difference between fishing trips and catching trips. A fishing trip is a learning trip. You or your guide may have to really work at figuring out how find the fish and get them to take your bait. This is where all the time spent on the water pays off. This is where remembering past trips with all their successes and failures become valuable.

Knowing how to read the conditions and provide the right compensation for them to get that fish’s attention is what patterning is all about and it’s more impor-

tant than anything in the tackle box. On the other hand, a catching trip is the stuff dreams are made of. You are there, the fish are there and they want your bait.

They hit you like a slimy tornado, empty out your bait or tackle box and leave you breathless with broken lines and a big smile on your face. Just be sure to double count your limit so you don’t have to explain too much of a good thing to a game warden! Most trips are a little bit of both fishing and catching where you get to work for a nice reward.

Boats, fish & veterans Ken Milam Guide Service (325) 379-2051 www.striperfever.com

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2nd Annual Invitational Team Bass Tournament winners.

orty-one boats took to the water at Eagle Mountain Lake for Ridgemont Commercial Construction’s 2nd Annual Invitational Team Bass Tournament. The event held on Mar. 30 raised over $16,000 for the Wounded Warrior project.

The brutal conditions of the day did not prevent some impressive catches. Several teams came close to a 6lb. bass for a chance to claim a $10,000 bounty. Ten Skeeter Pro Staff anglers teamed up with Wounded Warrior veterans, showing them a great time.

Ridgemont’s very own, Dan (Hank Hill) Tolleson prepared smoked brisket sandwiches for everyone to enjoy as the boats rolled in for the weigh-in. -cmw Tournament winners: 1st Place: Ryan Donaldson/David Donaldson with 24.47lbs. $1400 (Total win: $1400+$800BB=$2200!)

2nd Place: Arthur Tucker/Wess Adair -Wounded Warrior with 24.43lbs. $700 3rd Place: Branden Hollingshead/ Rodney Sparks - Wounded Warrior with 16.51lbs. $600 4th Place: Justin Keithley/Justin Prather with 14.22lbs. $500 5th Place: Gene Devore/Chris

Butterfield with 12.53lbs. $400 6th Place: Kenny Line/David Durham with 11.89lbs. $300 7th Place: Keith Ivy/Johnny Phillips -Wounded Warrior with 11.08lbs. $200 8th Place: Tommy Murray/Michael Fachko - Wounded Warrior with 11.05lbs. $100 Big Bass: Ryan Donaldson/ David Donaldson with 9.07lbs. $800 Biggest Junk Fish: Brian Kirby/Fred Nazanio with 8.52lbs. Catfish $300

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • MAY 2019

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A bold, new Concept

Memorial Day, May 27 A day to remember the fallen who died in active military duty

L-R: Danny Hendrix and Adria Findley overlook and discuss plans for an upcoming project.

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or many, Memorial Day means a day off of work, barbecue cookouts, family picnics, and community pools opening for the summer. But as we all know, the true meaning of Memorial Day is much more than an “opening day” for summer fun.

It’s a calling to honor those courageous men and women who have served and given their lives for the causes of freedom, liberty, and peace.

Memorial Day is a Federal declaration and is observed on the last Monday in May. At dawn on this day, flags are lowered to half mast on state and government buildings, and American flags are placed on gravesites at national cemeteries. At 3pm, traditional ceremonies include the sound of TAPS and the 21-Gun Salute. In Washington, DC each year, a Memorial Day Parade is held, as well as other parades throughout the country.

Veterans Day, usually observed on Nov. 11, is many times confused with Memorial Day. This day is designated to thank the retired Veterans who have served in the armed services - the difference being they came home. Veterans were also willing to dedicate their lives in service to prepare and defend our nation when necessary.

We remember those who didn’t come home on this Memorial Day and thank those Veterans on Veterans Day who were also willing to dedicate their lives in the protection of our nation and protection of our freedom and way of life. –rd

ay didn’t just bring flowers – Concept Surfaces LLC President Geoffrey Gross ushered in a new way of experiencing tile. On May 1, Gross opened a 40,000sf facility located at 1300 Crampton St. – around the corner from Concept’s previous three-building complex – and the new space showcases tile inside and out. Interior Architects (IA), LPA Design Studios and general contractor Abstract Construction helped Gross bring his vision to life.

“In this facility, we have truly turned a home for our business into something we’re excited about,” he says. “There is a 7,000sf showroom and a state-of-the-art workspace. The warehouse allows us to optimize our business; we can get client customers in and out in a much more timely manner. We’re showing product in a way that we’ve never been able to. It’s a venue that has set forth something completely different than other tile showrooms with a focus on commercial interiors, designers and architects.”

One highlight is the exterior of a

ventilated façade system. Another is an abundance of light, thanks to large windows and solar tubes. Color temperature lights are also positioned above the design area so that, when clients from a certain market sector choose tile, that sector’s typical color temperature is used over it.

Except for the ceiling, every space in the new facility is covered in porcelain tile – even the party-friendly roof, which boasts 2cm tiles and an unobstructed view of downtown Dallas. There is also now room for the much-needed 5ft. by 10ft. porcelain slab conference table.

Gross says that the venue is the perfect place to host industry events, and he plans to host his own open house soiree in the fall.

“It is amazing to see it come to life,” he says. “It not only represents the people we have here but where Concept Surfaces is going. We want those we work with to come and experience this. We believe that once they do, they won’t want to go anywhere else.”

Concept Surfaces LLC is in Dallas. –mjm

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • MAY 2019

Following into the wood

W hat’s Trending in Tile and Stone

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L-R: PCI Enterprises Founder Rob Selleck, Directors James Morris and Daniel Milkie

kena Millwork has a loyal following, not just of customers but employees. When the company transplanted its headquarters from Orange County, CA to Clarksville, TX over a year ago, 27 families made the move with them.

“Many of us have known each other for a long time; our relationships started before we worked together,” President Robert Sellek says. “The core of us met in church. A lot of us have been working together from a young age.”

Sellek’s youth wasn’t just spent getting to know future employees, but also learning the millwork trade.

“I grew up working with my dad who ran a woodworking shop,” Sellek says.

“He did high-end custom pattern and molding work for large companies that are in the industry; they would go to him to get their molds made when they were developing products. I developed relationships with a lot of larger millwork companies as a kid.”

In 1998, Sellek capitalized on his skills and established Ekena Millwork. The company specializes in custom and specialized decorative millwork, such as 10ft.-tall, rose-and-leaf-patterned crown molding for historical buildings. However, Sellek wanted to take his offerings to the next level by creating a website, which was, he says, “kind of a foreign concept in 1998, especially in millwork. We wanted to start selling custom millwork online so that people could go in and select various designs and wood finishes.”

Director of Business Daniel Milkie, says Sellek’s vision took Ekena from a woodcarving focus to so much more. To set itself apart from the competition, Ekena Millwork progressed into rustic wood, urethane and PVC manufacturing.

Sellek’s website idea also came to life: Using the site’s online custom builder; consumers can design products, track prices, and send their designs to the company’s machinery, which makes the products for the consumers as ordered.

“One goal is to be a one-stop shop

for specialty millwork that lumberyards go to for everything they don’t have in stock,” Sellek says. “It puts the design of products in the hands of the consumers.

They can modify any part of it – the part number, the price – and it develops a spec sheet. There’s not another company that is doing this. They’ll have 10 different styles to pick from where ours offers billions of combinations.

“We feel we’re in an excellent spot,” Sellek adds. “We work primarily with lumber yards and builders, so we feel like our brand is known. People have started using our products. Those in architecture are more familiar with us; we continue to push special-ordered products through lumberyards and develop with them.

Much of what we make is custom and high-end, so to make that process easier for the lumberyard to understand what their customer is looking for, we manufacture it through the lumberyard back to the builder in the needed specification.”

Ten years ago, Ekena Millwork moved its manufacturing operations from Placentia, CA, setting up shop in two Clarksville Walmarts. As the company created its carving and polyurethane inventory and processed big timber, it also expanded into metal manufacturing.

Sellek liked how Texas did business and proposed moving Ekena’s headquarters to Texas a decade later. Within six months, Sellek helped transplant 27 families before school started – without a workday missed.

“We really enjoyed moving to Texas,” Sellek says. “The business environment here is a little more conducive and friendly to our business. We had a really strong buy in of people who wanted to move with us. I would say the families that recently moved down with us are 100% content.“ “We thought it would be a culture shock moving to Texas, but we fit in nicely,” Milkie agrees. “In fact, I think we fit in better here than in California.”

Ekena Millwork manufactures urethane, wood, metal and PVC millwork. –mjm

Michael Mortensen, RECON Stone

igger is better in 2019. While 12” x 24” tiles are still popular, there is a desire for larger sizes. Sizes in stone are available as large as 18” x 36” and even 24” x 48” but not all stones are able to come that large. The material will dictate what sizes are available from a manufacturing standpoint.

Grey has been one of the most popular color trends and continues to be popular, not just flooring, but homes in general. Cabinets, doors, trim – every shade of grey is hot. The neutrality of grey makes it a complement and easy to accessorize with.

Mediterranean Pearl

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are getting longer and wider with a push for realistic wood and concrete looking surfaces. Darks, lights and high variations top this year’s color trends according to some experts.

There is also a push for new patterns to mix things up and give a new twist to common materials. Geometric, Chevron, and modular patterns are being used in leiu of the standard square, especially on floor choices. The herringbone is classic alternative to the chevron and many use it because it is much more accessible and available in more options and colors. The chevron requires “A” and “B” pieces to make the pattern. Experts feel the chevron trend will likely fizzle out in the next few years, with kitchen installations being the longest hold-out.

Thin tile panels and slabs are becoming popular. Porcelain options can come as large as 5’ x 10’ and as thin as 1/8” to 3/4”. The new technology gives a very realistic look of marble, travertine, limestone and concrete. Some larger formats are more difficult to install and will require qualified/certified installers.

Rectangular subway tile is still very popular, though the trend is also larger formats. 4” x 8” has replaced the popular 3” x 6” and there is a strong desire for longer, more modern sizes, such as 4” x 12”.

The wood look is in and here to stay for a while. Modern techniques have given porcelain manufacturers the ability to produce realistic wire brushed, hand scraped and distressed looks. The advantage to the porcelain alternative to wood is the maintenance. There is virtually no maintenance involved with porcelain, other than normal cleaning. The material also won’t scratch like natural wood. According to experts, the wood looking trend will likely be around for years, maybe even decades to come.

While some manufacturers have done a really good job with their porcelains to look like marble, marble itself, is a timeless material. Specifically, Carrara and Calacatta Gold. There can be sticker shock when pricing the natural stones in comparison to the porcelain alternatives, but there is an elegance to natural marble. Some experts suggest the investment is worth every penny when considering it for your home.

Concrete has been associated with contemporary/industrial design for many years, and the trend is getting a lot of traction; however, some experts feel this trend will not last more than a few more years as the trend shifts to warmer color pallets.

The encaustic concrete tile with bold colors and patterns are becoming more popular and experts suggest that this will continue. It is being used on floors to add a fun dimension to bathrooms, utility rooms, mud rooms, as well as accents for fireplace surrounds, backsplashes, and outdoor living spaces. You will also see it used in many of the new hip bars and restaurants.

Mediterranean Shellstone

Tundra-Grey Pavers Recon Stone is a natural stone supplier.

16027 University Oak • San Antonio 78249 • 210-580-1501

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • MAY 2019

Page 11

Awards, hard hats, ambassadors

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t was a busy month for the Regional Hispanic Contractors Association (RHCA).

First, they held their 12th Annual Pillar Awards. This year’s event was held at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas on Mar. 1 Winners were announced in six categories, recognizing the impact made by the Hispanic construction community in North Texas.

Over 400 attended the event and heard keynote speaker Carlos F. Aguilar, President and CEO of the Texas Central.

They also participated in the 2019 Hard Hat Construction Expo hosted by the Dallas/Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council at Eddie Deen’s Ranch on Mar. 5. Following the Hard Hat Expo, on Mar. 6. RHCA held a luncheon to honor their ambassadors, which were

The floor’s the thing

formed in the early spring of 2018. -cmw Pillar Award Winners: Project of the Year: TEXRail Commuter Rail Archer Western Herzog Joint Venture General Contractor of the Year: Turner Construction Company Subcontractor of the Year Class 1: Magna Specialty Contractors Corps Subcontractor of the Year Class 2: NTD Mechanical Contractor Architecture/Engineering Firm of the Year: Alliance Architects, Inc. Service Firm of the Year Award: All Janitorial Professional Services, Inc. Public Entity of the Year: North Texas Tollway Authority

Texas Central President & CEO Carlos Aguilar and Ruben Landa, RHCA Board Chairman at the RHCA Pillar Awards

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alter Vaughn started laying carpet with his father early on, and that was all it took for him to find his calling.

“I love to do it,” he said. “Dad got me started.”

Since all dad did was carpet, Vaughn would tag along with the guys who did tile and other flooring installations, learning the craft from them. Even though he learned, Vaughn also just has a bent for it.

“It comes natural,” he said.

Vaughn’s Floors and More was incorporated around 2014. Vaughn had worked plenty as a sub-contractor for others, and it was time to call his own shots.

“I love changing a house,” he said. “I make a difference.”

With his design skills and knowledge of the many materials from which one can chose, Vaughn loves helping the customer not be so overwhelmed with it all.

“90% of the time, they take my advice,” he said. “I’m a people person. Once you talk to somebody and get to know them, I can tell them what they really want.”

Very often, a simple job snowballs s

Hard Hat Expo

Richard Backus was awarded RHCA Ambassador of the Year at the Mar. 6 Ambassador luncheon

RHCA Ambassadors group shot

Benefits of golf

Adolfson & Peterson Construction (AP) hosted their fourth annual Charity Golf Classic at Cowboys Golf Club Mar. 29. Over 140 golfers participated in the event helping to raise funds for local charities. -cmw

Walter Vaughn, owner of Vaughn’s Floors and More

into many jobs on a house. The reason: the contrast between the new and old.

“One you do something new, it makes the rest look older,” Vaughn said.

When Vaughn bids on a job, he’ll pad the time so as to make sure he isn’t rushed, which could lead to him missing important details, which might compromise quality.

“I’m an honest person,” he said. “I’m not trying to gouge you for every penny, because that’s not what it’s all about.”

What it is about is going home at the end of the day knowing he served his customers, not to mention the feeling Vaughn gets when the floor is just right.

“It’s not finished until the floor is done,” he concluded. So while Vaughn does more than floors, it always comes back to the floor. “It’s very satisfying,” he said. “I love it.”

When the die-hard Cowboys fan attends a game, maybe he looks at the field and thinks some new tile would be what Jerry really wants.

Vaughn’s Floors and More services the Metroplex from Midlothian. -dsz

Submitted to Construction News

Round-Up

John Halpin has been promoted to Director of Human Resources for Structure Tone Southwest. A retired Sergeant Major in the U.S. Marine Corps, he will lead strategic staffing plans, compensation, benefits and training for the company’s four offices across Texas. -cmw Steven Janeway, AIA, NCARB, LEED BD+C has joined the Hoefer Wysocki team as design principal and commercial practice leader. Janeway brings more than 30 years of leadership and design experience. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the Univ. of Tennessee School or Architecture and attended the Harvard Univ. Graduate School of Design, Professional Development Program in Boston, MA. -cmw Wesley Weaver has joined MYCON General Contractors as vice president. He will focus on developing and managing key client relationship and projects in commercial and municipal markets. Weaver brings 18 years experience and holds a bachelor’s degree in construction science and environmental design from Texas A&M Univ. -cmw

JQ is pleased to announce the following: Amanda Smayda, PE, ENV SP has been promoted to associate in JQ’s Fort Worth office where she leads the Infrastructure team.

With nearly 20 years of structural engineering experience, Smayda brings expertise in structural analysis and design, construction management and client interaction for water and wastewater facilities across the state. -cmw Darin Jennings has been promoted to associate in JQ’s Dallas office. Jennings has 25 years of experience in project management and civil engineering design and has been an asset to the firm’s public and private clients. His responsibilities include site investigations, project coordination with owners and A/E design teams, quality control and client development. -cmw Laci Rosas has been named an associate in JQ’s Dallas office. As the firm’s controller, she oversees JQ’s financial and administrative teams that serve JQ’s offices throughout Texas.

Her more than 17 years of experience, including financial controls expertise and analysis, have been invaluable in supporting the firm’s revenue growth and projections. -cmw

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • MAY 2019

THIS MONTH 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

Sharing the knowledge Michael L. Tholen, Managing Director of Engineering & Professional Development, American Concrete Institute (ACI), Farmington Hills, MI

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he American Concrete Institute (ACI) is a global concrete knowledge center. Its members gather to discuss and produce the most up-to-date resources for the concrete industry, including contractors, engineers, educators and students. ACI has recently produced two invaluable resources that address repair and quality concrete construction.

The first article in an ACI technical journal on the repair of concrete structures appeared in the 1920s. Since that time, ACI’s expert members have been developing technical guidance on concrete repair and rehabilitation.

Continuing to build on the nearly 100 years of ACI’s concrete repair knowledge, ACI has launched a new Concrete Repair Subscription. The online subscription includes digital access to the American Concrete Institute’s technical and education content on concrete assessment, repair, rehabilitation, and more.

Subscribers receive 12 months of access to ACI’s existing concrete repair-specific code requirements/commentary, specifications, guides, reports, symposium volumes and on-demand courses, plus new materials as they are available.

Specific contents include 65- plus codes, specifications, guides, and reports, including “ACI 562-16: Code Requirements

for Assessment, Repair, and Rehabilitation of Existing Concrete Structures and Commentary,” “ACI 563-18: Specifications for Repair of Concrete in Buildings,” “ACI 364.1R-07: Guide for Evaluation of Concrete Structures Before Rehabilitation,” and more. It also features 16-plus educational publications and documents, including “Guide to the Code for Assessment, Repair, and Rehabilitation of Existing Concrete Structures” and the Repair Application Procedures series; 33plus on-demand courses through ACI University, including all courses required to earn the “ACI Repair Application Procedures” certificate. It also includes recorded webinars and self-paced courses featuring ACI 562 design examples, guidance for incorporating ACI 563 into concrete repair projects, materials selection for concrete repair, and more; and 25plus symposium volumes containing 500 total papers on a diverse range of con-

Concrete repair industry programs Stephen Grelle, P.E., Senior Associate, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc. President North Texas Chapter of the International Concrete Repair Institute, Irving, TX

R

ecent advancements in the concrete repair industry have changed the way repair and maintenance of concrete structures is approached. New technologies developed, refined, and widely implemented over the past few decades include cathodic protection systems for reinforcement corrosion mitigation, fiber reinforced polymers for strengthening and repair of structural concrete, and high-performance concrete mixes, such as self-consolidating concrete repair materials. These all expand the limits of what is possible for a durable and constructible repair.

As tends to happen with the introduction of any new technology into an established market, usage of the latest and greatest products and techniques

National appointment

Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) has named Tony Rader, Vice President of National Roofing Partners as the ABC 2019 National Chair. -cmw

comes with its fair share of challenges, which can be difficult to anticipate. Many building owners and property managers have little, if any, exposure to best practices for concrete repair. How can they be sure that a qualified contractor is performing the work, especially when the repair technologies are relatively new?

From a public safety perspective, how can specifying engineers and building officials be confident that structural repairs, which often require project-specific repair techniques and careful attention to detail and workmanship, are being performed in a safe, effective manner?

When it comes to new construction, structural inspection requirements have been codified for decades. For example, welding inspection requirements for structural steel connections are very clearly described in the International Building Code and its adapted reference documents. Additionally, a Certified Welding Inspector program is in place to ensure that the persons performing those inspections are qualified and knowledgeable. Historically, the same hasn’t necessarily been true for the concrete repair industry. However, recent developments of concrete repair certifications developed by the International Con-

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

crete repair topics.

Additionally, new concrete repair content developed by the Institute will be made available to subscribers through the life of the subscription.

ACI also recently released the first edition of a new concrete repair specification: “ACI 563-18: Specifications for Repair of Concrete in Buildings.” ACI 563-18 joins ACI’s growing family of concrete repair industry documents aimed at demystifying concrete repair and facilitating the delivery of high quality, well-executed, cost-effective concrete repair solutions. Together with ACI 562-16 Code Requirements for Assessment, Repair, and Rehabilitation of Existing Concrete Structures and Commentary, and many other concrete repair resources, the Concrete Repair Subscription has the essential documents that the concrete repair professional needs.

Recently, ACI has also published jointly with the American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC) a new edition of The Contractor’s Guide to Quality Concrete Construction. The new guide provides up-to-date knowledge of quality concrete construction practices. It also contains extensive coverage of construction topics making this an invaluable document for concrete contractors, ready mix producers, testing technicians, specifies, engineers, and other concrete industry professionals.

The guide includes full-color photos and illustrations, a new, easier-to-read layout, and substantial content updates.

Also included in the fourth edition are 43

Position Statements from ASCC, details on ACI Certification programs, and an appendix introducing several legal issues of interest to concrete contractors. A summary, review questions, and additional recommended reading list accompany each of the 12 chapters.

Written by and for contractors, and referenced by many licensing authorities, this guide details proven practices to produce quality concrete construction. Contents include planning for quality, concrete mixtures, specifications, foundations, formwork, reinforcement and embodiments in structures, joints and reinforcement for slabs-on-ground, preparing for concreting, concrete placing and finishing, common field problems, safety, and legal issues.

The American Concrete Institute, founded in 1904 with a world headquarters in Farmington Hills, MI, USA, and a regional office in Dubai, UAE, is a leading authority and worldwide resource worldwide. It concentrates on the development, dissemination, and adoption of its consensus-based standards, technical resources, educational & training programs, certification programs, and proven expertise for individuals and organizations involved in concrete design, construction, and materials. It serves those who share a commitment to pursuing the best use of concrete.

Learn more about the Concrete Repair Subscription, The Contractor’s Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, and more concrete resources at concrete.org, or call 248-848-3800. -cmw

crete Repair Institute are becoming more widely accepted as the industry standard.

The first of these certification programs was the Concrete Slab Moisture Testing (CSMT) certification, which was developed in response to a rising number of moisture-related flooring and coating problems. The program has gained widespread acceptance in the industry as a means for evaluating the moisture in concrete slabs prior to flooring or coating installation. In fact, many project and manufacturer specifications now require that an ICRI-certified moisture-testing technician perform testing.

The other certification program introduced by ICRI within the past few years is the Concrete Surface Repair Technician (CSRT) program. This exciting new program provides valuable training for those interested in gaining knowledge on best practices for concrete repair, as well as a means of certifying qualified individuals to perform those inspections. An example of this is the development of ACI 562: Code Requirements for Assessment, Repair, and Rehabilitation of Existing Concrete Structures. It indicates that those certified by the CSRT program can be considered “qualified inspectors.” The program is well on its way to becoming an industry standard by which concrete repair inspectors are qualified and selected.

In addition to the certification aspect

of the CSRT program, it provides a great training resource for the industry’s contractors and specifiers. The program involves two tiers of certification. Tier 1 requires certification applicants to view an interactive online course reviewing types of concrete deterioration and the requirements for quality repairs, and to pass a course overview test. Tier 2 requires a performance examination, where the applicant must perform various field tests relevant to concrete repair, such as slump flow of self-consolidating repair materials and tensile bond strength testing of repair materials.

The CSMT and CRST programs are helping to provide an established protocol for concrete repair-related inspections as well as a pool of qualified inspectors. More information on these programs, including certification applications, can be found under the “Certification” tab at www.icri.org.

Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) is an interdisciplinary engineering, architecture, and materials science firm specializing in delivering practical, innovative, and technically sound solutions across all areas of new and existing construction.

The International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI) is a non-profit organization with a mission to improve the quality of concrete restoration, repair, and protection. -cmw

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • MAY 2019

Page 13

NEXT MONTH

HVAC & PLUMBING

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

Sustainable coatings for concrete Felipe Carstens, President Modern Day Concrete Inc. San Antonio, TX

C

arstens has been working in the concrete coatings industry for over 16 years. He was born in St. Louis, MO and lived his childhood in Santiago, Chile. His family moved back to the states in ’94. He has been in business for over 10 years and is very excited about what’s to come.

What are the “hot button” issues in the concrete industry?

The hot button issues right now in our industry are the lack of general standards for companies to get into our trade.

I would also say it is the general contractor and the terms they set for the subcontractor on draws and payments. At the end of the day, the subcontractor takes the financial burden of the project and has to wait anywhere from 30 to 90 days to get paid. This causes a burden on the subcontractor. The products we are using as installers need to be more userfriendly with zero voc, and sustainable, for the long-term installer and our overall health.

How would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms? Have you experienced an increase in business? Slowdown?

The state of construction in San Antonio is booming. We have been experiencing great amounts of growth on a yearly basis.

What factors are driving this increase/ slowdown?

The factors driving growth are the economy and the population spike in Texas. This is all good for business.

How has this increase/slowdown affected your company and how you conduct business?

We are capitalizing on our growth and branching out as much as possible.

We have opened up an office in Dallas and will be opening up offices in Houston and Austin by the end of the year.

What are the major changes in the concrete industry in recent years?

Major changes in the industry for us are that our customers have been educated on our products and can make better decisions. We lead them every step of the way to choose the correct flooring system for their needs.

dustry relating to transportation or the environment?

No major changes, but we are talking about legislation for better terms for subcontractors.

What is the most significant challenge your industry faces? Labor shortages?

Other?

The most significant challenges are skilled labor, payment terms from general contractors and educating customers on the different concrete flooring systems.

How are you dealing with these challenges?

Dealing with one issue at a time such as proper training for employees, certifications, and the management of accounts to better serve our customers.

What are the cost increases (if any) relating to your industry?

Everything is going up from materi-

als to skilled labor to operating costs.

What is on the horizon for your industry? (Changes in technology; equipment; other) I think the industry is evolving into more sustainable and zero voc products.

Long term we need products that will not harm installers.

What are the rewards of the industry?

The rewards are we get to make a difference in our communities. We’re creating jobs and creating long-term relationships. There’s no better reward than that.

What are keys to being successful?

Good management of your resources, keeping a high quality standard and creating lasting business relationships make a successful business.

Modern Day Concrete is a concrete coatings subcontractor in San Antonio, TX. –cmw

ASA Houston goes to Nashville

M

embers of the American Subcontractors Association (ASA) traveled to Nashville, TN for ASA’s national convention, SubEXCEL, held Mar. 6-9. SubEXCEL brings subcontractors in the industry to learn and network. -cmw

Have there been any recent changes in legislation affecting the concrete in-

ASA North Texas members enjoy dinner at the Southern during SubEXCEL.

M

any of us have seen the poster of construction workers casually taking a break while working on the Empire State Building. There are about a dozen of them, sitting on a girder many, many stories up as nonchalant as can be –without any safety gear on. Yikes.

We’ve come a long way, baby. And it’s good thing Luis Cuevas of SFI Compliance didn’t catch those guys. His philosophy is simple: “When you care about people going home safely, that’s more important than anything else.”

Cuevas’ background was in the refinery field, and crossing over to construction was easy. Cuevas had plenty of experience and safety training in the refinery industry. A big plus is Cuevas is bilingual, which is a huge factor in Texas. Cuevas is SFI’s consultant Austin and San Antonio.

“He was a great find for us and is an outstanding safety consultant,” said Reed Swenson, director of operations out of SFI’s Dallas office.

SFI started in 1990 in Denver and originally was called Safety First Incorporated. It has had a presence in Texas since 1995. Good thing too, because Texas in number one in the nation for construction industry mishaps, and falls on the job are a big part of that.

“It’s our job to know what the standards and [regulations] are,” Swenson said.

Cuevas not only does off-the job training, but also enjoys doing worksite visits.

“You see all kinds of different haz-

Bringing ‘em home

Reed Swenson (director of operations, left) and Luis Cuevas (safety consultant, right) of SFI Compliance

ards,” he said. “I try to get to a single person at a time.”

“The majority of our clientele are coming to us,” Swenson said, “because they are seeking services from a consultant level to help them manage their safety.” Many companies use consultants such

as SFI because it is more efficient than having an in-house subject matter expert. SFI provides comprehensive safety programs, inspections, audits, training and OSHA accident investigations in 13 states and has consultants in Denver, Dallas, Houston, Austin/San Antonio, Phoenix and Orlando.

The key is to not only reach the worker bee in the field, but also have total buy-in from management in order to create a safety-first culture. Cuevas says a big problem he sees are “people taking shortcuts when they shouldn’t have.”

With the overall labor shortage, it’s possible to get a lot of untrained personnel in order to meet the job’s demands.

With many non-English speakers, that can create a problem.

“One person at a time is how I like to do things,” Cuevas said.

Swenson recounts the difficulty that comes from having many layers of subcontractors through which the safety culture must permeate. What he likes is a host-employer with the attitude that having any preventable injury is unacceptable.

If that weren’t enough, you have the extreme heat of Texas being a factor in safety. Cuevas reminds folks to not only hydrate with water, but to lay off the coffee and energy drinks, which are heavilycaffeinated.

“I do training and inspections,” Cuevas said. “I can tell when someone’s trying to put on a show and get a good report.”

“Safety has come a long way,” Swenson said, recalling the guys on the girder poster, but “there’s still a way to go.”

Hopefully those guys all made it home safely.

SFI Compliance provides comprehensive job site safety programs and training, with offices in Austin and Dallas. -dsz

Page 14

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • MAY 2019

Association Calendar

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News AIA

American Institute of Architects Dallas Chapter

May 20-23: North Texas Building Professional Institute, Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas, Irving, TX. For more info, contact Katie Hitt at 214-742-3242 AIA

American Institute of Architects Fort Worth Chapter

May 2: AIA/CSI FW Acme Brick Golf Tournament, Waterchase Golf Club, 8951 Creek Run Rd., Fort Worth.

May 10: TCC Building Sciences Expo, TCC South Campus, SETC Energy Technology Center, 5301 Campus Dr., 8:30am-3pm.

For more info, email aiafw@aiafortworth. org or call 817-334-0155 APWC

Assn. of Professional Women in Construction

May 15: Ladies’ Luncheon, Tour & Lunch, Champion Waste & Recycling (Tour) 2250 N. Preston Rd., Celina, TX, Lucy’s on the Square (Lunch), 127 N. Ohio St., Celina, TX. For more info, visit www.apwc.us or email info@apwc.us ASA

American Subcontractors Assn.

May 18: 16th Annual Poker Run & Cook Out, Mobile Modular, 2849 E. Main St., Grand Prairie, TX. May 23: Monthly Membership Meeting, Las Colinas Country Club, 4400N. O’Connor Rd., Irving, TX. For more info, call Beverly Reynal at 817-640-8275 ASCE

American Society of Civil Engineers Dallas Branch

May 13: ASCE Dallas Branch Meeting, Vouv Meeting & Event Space, 4445 Sigma Rd., Dallas, TX, 11am-2pm. For more info, visit www.dallasasce.org ASSP

American Society of Safety Professionals Fort Worth Chapter

May 8: Chapter Meeting, TDIndustries, 2601 Northern Cross Blvd. #201, Fort Worth, TX, 11:30am-1pm. For more info, visit www.fortworth.assp.org CSI

Construction Specifications Institute Dallas Chapter

May 9: Chapter Meeting, Addison Conference Center, 15650 Addison Rd., Addison, TX. For more info, email info@dallascsi.org CSI

Construction Specifications Institute Fort Worth Chapter

May14: Chapter Meeting, The Blue Mesa Grill, 612 Carroll St., Fort Worth, TX 5pm.

For more info, contact Susan Robinson at 817-202-5744 or email rsvp_evening_ meeting@fwcsi.org DACA

Drywall Acoustical Contractors Assn.

May 2: 3rd Annual DACA Austin Golf Classic, Falconhead Golf Club, 15201 Falcon Head Blvd., Austin, TX. For more info, email Eddie McCormick at eddie@dacadfw.org IEC

Independent Electrical Contractors Fort Worth/Tarrant County

May 3-4: IEC Trade Show & BBQ Cook-off, United Rentals, 5930 E. Loop 820 S, Fort Worth, TX, 9am-5pm. For more info, call Jo Britt at 817-496-8422 NARI

National Assn. of the Remodeling Industry

May. 21: NARI Night, Kohler Signature Store on McKinney,5:30pm New Member Orientation, 6pm Networking. For more info, call Kim Savelsbergh at 214-9436274

NAWIC

National Assn. of Women in Construction Forth Worth Chapter

May 16: Business Meeting, Diamond Oaks Country Club, 5821 Diamond Oaks Dr. N, 5:30pm.

May 18: Blue Book Expo, Ranger Stadium, 1000 Ballpark Way, Arlington, TX. For more info, email Lori Donnell at lorid.nawic@gmail.com NAWIC

National Assn. of Women in Construction Dallas Chapter

May 8: Annual NAWIC Dallas Golf Classic, Texas Star Golf Course, 1400 Texas Star Pkwy, Euless, TX. May 21: NAWIC Dallas 2019-2020 Board Elections by invitation only. For more info, go to www.nawic-dallas.org NTRCA

North Texas Roofing Contractors Assn.

May 8: Elevate Fall Protection Training, Texas Star in Euless.

May 13: NTRCA 2019 Golf Tournament, Trophy Golf Club, 500 Trophy Club Dr, Trophy Club, TX. For more info, call Kristen Harford at 817-996-6853 or email Kristen@ntrca.com NUCA

National Utility Contractors Assn.

May 15: Safety Learn @ Lunch, Ferguson Waterworks, 2650 S. Pipeline Red., Euless, TX, 11am-1pm. For more info, email Lisa Ferrand at lisa@nucanorthtexas.com PDCA

Painting & Decorating Contractors of America Texas DFW Council

May 10: PDCA/Group 6 Training, Automatic Weapons Shoot, TSDA Outdoor Range, Ferris, TX. For more info or to participate, contact dallaspdca@gmail.com PHCC

Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors Assn.

May 21: Table Top Tradeshow, Ferguson Lewisville, 514 Bennett Ln., Lewisville, TX, 11:30am-1pm. For more info, call Alicia Baron at 817-554-2314 or email Alicia@ phccnorthtexas.org RCAT

Roofing Contractors Assn. of Texas

May 2-4: 16th Annual Fishing Tournament, Woody’s Sports Center, Port Aransas, TX. For more info, call 800-997-6631 or4 512-251-7690 or visit www.rooftex. com RHCA

Regional Hispanic Contractors Assn.

May 18: Day of the Construction Worker, The Briscoe Carpenter Livestock Center – Fair Park, 1403 Washington, Dallas, TX. May 24: Annual Golf Tournament, Trophy Club Country Club, 500 Trophy Club Dr., Trophy Club, TX. For more info, Scott Finley at 972-595-8859 or email scott@regionalhca.org

continued from Page 1 — JBN Electric it, I have a half-dozen people,” he said. Looney kept getting calls from one company after another.

“I went from one helper in six years to about 40 employees in the North Texas area,” he said.

In 1982, things got even crazier. Walmart called JBN to retrofit their stores and install the infrastructure for their new point of sale system. This is when Looney hit the road, to oversee all this work. He had some 160 employees working for him from Florida to Colorado. (At that time Walmart didn’t go further west of Colorado.)

Not to be outdone, K-Mart decided to do the same type of upgrade, and it too hired Looney to do their stores. He laughs in describing this: “I never knew how to say no.”

“I lived in airports and I didn’t like that because I was traveling a lot,” he said.

By ’92, Looney had done so well that he decided to scale back and semi-retire. He stayed local, and JBN went down to around 20 people.

So he thought. In 2004, Looney was called by a mall in his area to do work for it. This outfit then asked him to do a mall in New York, then St. Louis. Before he knew it, Looney had hit the road again, supervising work from coast-to-coast.

This lasted until 2014 when Looney’s

first grandchild was born, and he decided to stay put once more. Now, JBN has a dozen employees. Looney has done nothing but supervising all these years and not the hands-on work. Commenting on his being rusty, Looney laughed and said, “I’d fire myself in two seconds if I had to depend upon myself with what I can do with tools!”

But the road warrior electrical veteran has no plans on stopping. “I like what I do,” he said. In his time, Looney has seen a lot of changes in the electrical field.

“The code book when I came into the trade wasn’t very thick,” he said. “Now, it’s a large volume.”

“The business will go away when I’m gone,” he added. Until then, Looney enjoys getting new talent that is willing to learn the trade and make a living from it, something that is had to find these days, he says.

Looney sums it up when he says, “I’ve lived a lucky life.” It’s pretty good luck when Sam Walton calls you up and asks you to do some work for him at his private hunting lodge near Kingsville.

Not too many people get a call like, and Looney didn’t even have to travel very far to get there.

JBN Electric is a full service electrical contractor in DeSoto. -dsz

continued from Page 1 — MAREK end workforce development program and a dedication to the communities in which they work.

Commenting on the presentation of this award, Phil Restivo, Vice President, Turner Construction had this to say about MAREK, “We have become accustomed to having motivated, trained and highly skilled MAREK professionals, executing safe, high quality work on our projects. As a partner, MAREK helps reduce our risks and enhances our value proposition for the client. Each morning at jobsites, MAREK employees lead their fellow workers in an important safety practice – stretch and flex. This is just one of several innovative safety, productivity and development measures implemented by MAREK.” MAREK lays the foundation for the future of the industry by supporting topnotch industry educational programs such as NCERR, The Construction Education Foundation (CEF) in Georgia, the Construction Education and Maintenance (CEM) in Houston and school districts across MAREK’s markets. MAREK is also an ABC Accredited Quality Contractor (AQC) and has achieved ABC’s S.T.E.P. Diamond status.

Holland speculates it’s their engagement of ABC and active involvement in all

ABC chapters where MAREK operates.

“There’s a lot of alignment between ABC’s principals, around free enterprise and the merit shop, workforce development and safety. If I had to guess, we’re big on all those things and that is what ABC stands for.

“I don’t want to portray us as we’re better than everybody else, it’s our people. We focus on our people because that is what we are proud of and if we’re safe, it’s because of our people. If we do good work, it’s because of our people. I suppose, it acknowledges that people also value that whether it be our customers or ABC chapters.

“Its obvious that the folks at MAREK care a lot about what they do. We want to acknowledge and thank our MAREK team, our employees everywhere and also our partners, our ABC chapters, all of our workforce partners, everybody that supplies material to us and certainly our customers. If they didn’t give us the platform, the work and value what we do, there wouldn’t be a story. Again, we are just filled with gratitude for the people that helped us get there. No company, no person does it themselves. Again, it’s our people, our partners and our clients.

That’s our story,” adds Holland. -cmw

continued from Page 1 — Joeris General Contractors Ltd.

SAM

Subcontractors Assn. of the Metroplex

May 2: Dinner Meeting, MCM Elegante Hotel, 2330 W. Northwest Hwy., Dallas, TX, 5pm. For more info, call Carrie Edomm at 817-266-1909 TEXO

The Construction Assn.

May. 13: 2019 TEXO Golf Tournament, Gleneagles Country Club, 5401 W. Park Blvd. For more info, contact Emily Baker at 214-389-4659 UMCA

United Masonry Contractors Assn.

Dallas/Fort Worth

May 15: UMCA Bricklaying Contest, North Lake College, 5-7pm. For more info, email Lindsey Geeslin at umcadfw@ gmail.com

★★★★★

Interior view Tom Thumb eatery

showcase oiled olivewood laminate.

To maximize retail space for customers, fitting mechanical, electrical, plumbing and refrigeration (MEPR) in tight spaces was a challenge faced by the experienced Joeris team. Coordination with the onsite core and shell GC was critical. The Joeris team had to schedule work to accommodate shell work underway by another contractor while completing the interior finish out.

Just like any other grocery store, the

Joeris team had to be flexible because of the amount of changes that take place during construction. Store managers often saw an improved vision as construction took place. A “Drive Up & Go” station, the new way to buy groceries, was added midway through construction.

After opening its doors, Tom Thumb provided Dallasites living in The Union or traveling through the chance to stop for continued on Page 15

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • MAY 2019

T

Construction stewards

he official papers may say that Levi and Olivia Hall are the owners of Innovative Construction Services, but the reality is, they merely see themselves as good stewards of what God has entrusted them.

Levi started ICS in January 2014 with his brother Jeremy, who had his own company but helped Levi get rolling with his. Jeremy was soon called to the mission field to pursue that calling.

Levi grew up in all things construction, being proficient in most every skill. After working for enough other companies, he decided to take the plunge and start his own business.

“I was pretty shocked,” Olivia said. They had just sold their house and had their fifth child, but Olivia remained steadfast. “Okay, Lord,” she said, “I’m trusting Levi and Olivia Hall, owners of Innovative Construction You for the leadership of my Services and their six kids. Number seven is on its way. husband.”

Her faith has paid off. ICS works all managing his crews. over Texas and even into Tennessee, act- The real joy for Levi, however, isn’t ing as a sub contractor to various GCs doing actual construction, it what he they have known over the years and who does with it. “Just helping people” is what asks for their services. ICS also acts as the he likes, he said. “The opportunity to help GC for many of their projects, 70 percent people and serve them.”

“I am amazed how balanced Levi reof which are commercial and 30 percent residential, such as any type of home re- mains between work and home,” Olivia said. “He truly is a born leader with a modeling.

Olivia (now expecting their seventh huge heart. We are merely stewards of child in October), uses her business ad- ICS and we continue to try and be open ministration degree to essentially be the to whatever growth the Lord brings our way in life and through this business.”

CFO of the company.

Running ICS means Levi has to do Well done, good and faithful serjust that. “I would love to be out in the vants.

Innovative Construction Services bases field,” he said. While he does put his hand to the plow on occasion, Levi spends its operations out of Venus. -dsz most of his time designing projects and

Page 15

continued from Page 14 — Joeris General Contractors Ltd. a coffee from its in-store Starbucks, pickup pharmacy prescriptions, and enjoy a beer or glass of wine from the bar on the outdoor patio while snacking on freshmade meals like burgers, sandwiches and sushi. The “Drive Up & Go” station for busy parents and working adults is located below the parking garage. Despite having a number of parties involved in the project, Senior Project Manager Aaron Kuhl, Project Manager Robert Woys, Project Engineer Joseph Traino, Superintendent Terry Boatwright and Assistant Superinten-

dent Ben Lawrence proved to be a strong team for the project.

“We worked with RED Development, Tom Thumb, Heights Venture (Tenant Finish out Architect), and HKS (Shell Architect). I give them credit for making quick decisions and having a team mentality through adversity,” says Woys.

Joeris General Contractors Ltd. Is a fullservice general contractor with offices in San Antonio, Austin, Houston and Dallas, TX. –cmw

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • MAY 2019

Page 16