Covering the Industry’s News
Texas Style San Antonio H Austin Dallas/Fort Worth H Houston
P.O. Box 791290 San Antonio, Texas 78279-1290
PRSRT. STD. U.S. POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT #1451
Change Service Requested
Dallas/Fort Worth
CONSTRUCTION
™
The Industry’s Newspaper www.constructionnews.net H (210) 308-5800 H Volume 17 H Number 9 H SEPTEMBER 2019
T
Goal post
Forward glass
Post-Tension Services of Texas’ Justin Zuckerbrow
Jason T. Merritt, recently promoted to Sr. Vice President at Admiral Glass Company, is excited about the next 35 years.
wo years into co-owning PostTension Services of Texas, Justin Zuckerbrow is still caught off guard when someone calls him “boss.” “Sometimes, I have to pinch myself and say, ‘It’s my company.’ Sometimes I don’t even think it’s my company, because I’m just working hard,” Zuckerbrow says. “People say, ‘Hey, boss,’ and I think, ‘Oh, yeah, I guess I am!’” One thing that he always knows for sure is his work in post-tension. “I have a rich family history being in construction,” Zuckerbrow says. “My father started in construction after moving from New York in 1977; he met my mom and I was born in 1978. He was already in the post-tension business at that time, which was really new tech-
P
roudly celebrating 32 years of operations providing architectural, engineering and building enclosure consulting services across the globe. Conley Group was founded by Bill Conley in 1987. Conley Group delivers successful restoration, repair and remediation for client’s facilities both public and private. Conley Group has performed evaluation, design, and management on over 6,500 roofing and waterproofing projects representing over $2.7 billion in completed remedial construction in 34 states and 19 countries worldwide. The original construction value of the Dallas Municipal Building at 106 Harwood was reported at around $400,000 before furnishings. Today, the building is in the final stages of a $14,000,000 exterior restoration. Constructed in 1914, the 106 Harwood building falls under two periods of historical significance ac-
nology at that time. I’ve been around it all of my life.” After earning a Business Management degree from Ouachita Baptist University in 2001, Zuckerbrow worked in sales at Acme Brick and Suncoast Post-Tension. He then served as Vice President of Business Development for Tella Firma and focused on the commercial market. Still, he dreamed of striking out on his own in the industry. With his dad’s business partner’ son, Derek Tuttle, he founded Post-Tension Services of Texas. “I went back to my roots of what I really know: post-tensioning,” Zuckerbrow says. “I have so many contacts and relationships that I had cultivated over the years, from residential to multi-family.” continued on Page 14
I
n 1984, Les Craft opened a commercial and residential glass and glazing company in League City. He knew, after working in the glass and glazing industry for years, that he could create a new and better kind of company. Thirty-five years later, Admiral Glass Company has grown to nearly 300 employees and multiple Texas locations. The company eventually headquartered in Houston but kept the original League City location for small commercial, residential and auto work. “Nowadays, we prefer large commercial work; major projects, utilizing unitized curtain wall, over storefronts,” Senior Vice President Jason T. Merritt explains. “We opened a satellite branch in Austin about five years ago, which
made it easier to manage our work in the Austin area. Since then, the Austin location has grown; it now has fabrication capabilities as well and houses about 14 office and shop employees. Plus, any work we do in the San Antonio area is done through the Austin office. As we continued to expand, we opened a Dallas facility 14 months ago; it is just an office space with no fabrication. We opened that office to house project managers and estimators working on projects in the Dallas area. Nick Lindsay is the General Manager of the Austin branch location, and he oversees Dallas as well.” The company also boasts two other divisions based out of its Houston office. “We have an interiors division that continued on Page 14
Historic icon refurbished cording to the Texas Historical Commission and the National Register of Historic Places. Additionally, the building is nationally recognized as the site of the 1963 Lee Harvey Oswald assassination. Following his arrest for the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald was taken to the 106 Harwood Municipal Building for processing. On Sunday, November 24, Jack Ruby shot Oswald in the basement of the Municipal Building as he was being transferred to the Dallas County Jail. The City of Dallas launched a substantial adaptive reuse effort for the historic Municipal Building in downtown Dallas. Clad in Indiana limestone and decorative terra cotta ornamentation, the 100-plus-year-old Beaux-Arts style structure will continue for many years to come, as it becomes the new home for the University of North Texas Law 106 Harwood
continued on Page 14
Page 2
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • SEPT 2019
Senior class
(L-R:) In a FaceApp before-and-after, podcasting pals/senior living influencers Joshua Crisp and Lucas McCurdy grow old together.
W
hen FaceApp – the application that digitally ages people in photos – went viral, Lucas McCurdy couldn’t wait to try it. With his pal and podcast partner Joshua Crisp, McCurdy posed for a photo, and, through the app, he got a glimpse into what his future might hold. It also gave him insight into the population that he devotes his work to: senior citizens. Helping seniors live their best lives is his passion, and in January, McCurdy established The Bridge Group Construction, a general contracting company devoted to renovating existing senior living environments. McCurdy is the third generation of construction company owners on both sides of his family. After graduating from South Carolina’s Winthrop University with an Integrated Marketing and Communications degree in 2002, McCurdy tried other careers, including a seven-year run in real estate sales. But after joining the construction company owned by his dad, who was a senior living pioneer in Florida, McCurdy realized he had found his calling. Born in Uvalde and raised in San Antonio and Arlington, McCurdy wanted to bring that calling back to Texas, and recently moved his family to Flower Mound to start his business. “I love construction, but I didn’t open a construction company so I can do construction,” he explains. “I opened a construction company because I felt a burden and a responsibility to purposebuild a business tailored to the senior living existing urban market space. I want the industry to have options.” McCurdy also wants to dispel people’s negative perception about senior living. Rather than the institutionalized environments from 50 years ago, seniors can now live in resorttype environments catered to them. McCurdy also wants construction industry members to join him in this niche. He says there is plenty of work to do, as many senior living facilities are decades old and in desperate need of a refresh. Technology, a trend reaching this
market, will need installation. Plus, there are not enough units available for the next influx of aging residents. “I have a team, jobs, a big pipeline and the industry has embraced me with open arms,” McCurdy says. “There are not general contractors in particular on the Innovation ‘capex’ existing building side that exclusively focus on this industry. That was really one of the big reasons I wanted to do this. I want to become a champion of the construction industry to encourage other contractors to get into this work because that only raises the bar for everybody, like the way a rising tide rises all boats. If there were other contractors that were exclusively focused on this industry, it would actually be good, not bad, for me.” To educate others and influence the future of senior housing and services, McCurdy and senior living owner/ operator Crisp host the podcast “Bridge the Gap.” They interview some of the biggest senior living industry stakeholders as well as seniors. “I’ve joked with people that, after a year of doing ‘Bridge the Gap’, I now have a master’s degree in senior living because I’ve been exposed to some of the best minds in the business,” McCurdy says. “I’ve had a chance to sit down with them one on one, look them in the eye, and ask them questions. I’ve learned about the industry on a much deeper level, and I feel very connected to it. It’s become a part of my DNA.” McCurdy knows the impact of his work isn’t just a coat of paint deep. “I love the opportunity to go in and positively impact the environment that seniors live in,” he says. “I believe that the space that they live in, the home inside that community, is synergistic with their quality of life and care. It’s very rewarding to go in and reposition, refresh, and remodel a community and get the feedback from the residents who say, ‘I love living here now even more.’” General Contractor The Bridge Group Construction specializes in renovating existing senior living facilities. –mjm
Construction News ON LOCATION
No “slo” in show
Joe “Slo” Slowick with Zimmerer Kubota Inc. shows Construction News the Kubota SVL 75-2 in Cleburne, TX. -cmw
W
The Oregon Trail
hen Paul and Julie Guidry met over a shuffleboard game at Austin’s Horseshoe Lounge, they instantly connected. Both had dogs with colorful names – “Blue” and “Azul” – and both remodeled houses. “I grew up remodeling houses and building with my dad. I always had a full-time job as a draftsman and I would help him on the weekends,” Paul says. “We also owned several properties that we rented out and there was always something to fix. Going through college, part of the way I paid for school was remodeling houses I would live in. I cut my teeth on remodeling. When I go to a house, it’s kind of second nature to me.” Paul also earned drafting and Environmental Science From Texas to Oregon and back again, degrees, worked for the Texas Julie and Paul Guidry (pictured with their children) Commission of Environmental leave a trail of construction. Quality for five years and estabwork to new builds and larger commercial lished an Austin-based remodelprojects managing a larger team,” Julie ing business called Full Circle. “While Paul grew up learning the says. “However, we still enjoy both trade,” Julie says, “I discovered the joy of projects large and small. I prefer the remodeling houses while looking for a design aspect while I believe Paul likes line of work that utilized my desire to working on site, finding the best solutions work with my hands, incorporate busi- to keep projects running smoothly. We pride ourselves in quality work and ness strategy and design skills.” Paul and Julie also shared a desire to happy customers. My goal is to continue apply their remodeling talents to markets to work together doing what we love.” outside of Austin. With their canine In the meantime, Paul says he has “Blues Brothers” by their side, the couple apologized to his Oregon born-andmade their way to Bend, OR, where Paul raised children “for not getting them used to race on the cycling circuit. The back here” sooner. “I really like Texas and I like the work Guidrys earned contractor licenses and Julie also earned a real estate license. ethic here. It feels like home when I’m They established Black Butte Builders Texas,” Paul says. Staying true to their modus operandi, and landed a lake lodge remodel and the Guidrys bought a fixer-upper in a Fort boat house restaurant project. Five years of success followed, and Worth neighborhood. “The kids are so happy here,” Paul says. the Guidrys found Bend to be beautiful, “They love all of the things we get to do but the couple missed Texas. “Some amazing projects came our now. We’re within walking distance to the way and we enjoyed the work, the museum and we can go to the Trinity Trails. environment and most of all the arrival of When we moved back to Texas, we wanted our two children, Faye and Grayson,” Julie to be in a big city. It’s perfect for us.” says of their time in Oregon. “But, as time One thing Paul doesn’t miss? passed, we felt the draw to return to the Snowboarding weather. “We come from a big snowboarding fabulous state of Texas. We love the people, the attitude, the work ethic and community. I would ask new employees love and pride that Texans have for their is if they were snowboarders. If they weren’t, I would think, ‘Good, maybe state.” Seven months ago, The Guidrys you’ll be here on snow days,’ because moved to North Texas based on the area’s when it would snow, my snowboarding strong construction market. They estab- employees would be gone!” he says. Unfortunately, the flip side is teachlished 817 Construction and with their newly-assembled team of go-getters, they ing his kids that Texas has more sweltering tackle medium-budget commercial and days than snow days. residential projects. Paul says he and Julie “My son is just now learning about are happy to be testing their skills in a new sweat. He’ll say, “I’m all wet!” Paul says, market and they are both excited to see laughing. 817 Construction in Fort Worth offers how the professional growth they experi- general contracting and remodeling for enced in Oregon will translate here. “We have grown from remodeling commercial and residential projects. –mjm
Construction News ON LOCATION
A United front
The front guys at United Rentals in Irving take time to visit with Construction News. L-R: Melvin Rodriguez, Salvador Arenas, Tate Guidroz and Shaun Murray. -cmw
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • SEPT 2019
Page 3
Trophy Club golfing
T
he Trophy Club Golf Course was the site for the Regional Hispanic Contractors Association’s (RHCA) 15th Annual Golf Classic. Over 230 players signed up to play the two-course tournament. -cmw Hogan Course winners: 1st Place: United Rentals – Keith Brett, Konner Kyser, Jared Strawn and Matt Marquez 2nd Place: United Rentals – Trent Immel, Doug Gaither, Dave Plog and Tyler Womack 3rd Place: Rosas Brothers Construction
LLC – Domino Barbosa, Mariano Barbosa, Anthony Rosas and Francisco Rosas Whitworth Course winners: 1st Place: Pitts-Birdsong – Ben Bolton, Alfredo Barbosa, Jason Harris and Jodan Pitts 2nd Place: Sunstate Equipment Co. – Craig Brakhage, Williams Conrad, Randy Evenson and Eric Thombaugh 3rd Place: Clifford Power Systems Inc. – Andre Martin, Darian Ruiz, Cesar Ruiz and Zack Wiggins
1st Place Team Hogan Course
1st Place Team Whitworth Course
Prim breaks ground
Prim Construction LLC along with SkyWalker Property Partners began site work for a $7.9 million medical office building on the last commercial tract in the Edwards family’s Clearfork West development in southwest Fort Worth. L-R: Trent Prim, Prim Construction; Steven Halliday, 97w; Tony Holzbach, Frost Bank; Jason Eggenburger, 97w, Gary Walker, SkyWalker Property Partners, Dr. Amber Lesley and Dr. Nathan Lesley. -cmw
Dallas H Fort Worth
CONSTRUCTION NEWS
Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buddy Doebbler Editorial/Production . . . . . . Reesa Doebbler Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carol Wiatrek Production Manager . . . . Helen Greenwood Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terri Adams Account Manager . . . . . . . . . . . Dana Calonge Editors
AustinEditor@ConstructionNews.net DFWeditor@ConstructionNews.net HoustonEditor@ConstructionNews.net SAeditor@ConstructionNews.net DFW Area Counties Dallas, Tarrant, Collin and Denton counties. Add’l Counties for Digital Subscriptions: only Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker & Rockwall. Construction News Ltd. Home Office P.O. Box 791290 • San Antonio, Tx 78279 210-308-5800 Fax 210-308-5960 www.ConstructionNews.net
Visit our Website to sign up for a free monthly Digital Subscription www.ConstructionNews.net The Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News (ISSN 1547-7657) is published monthly by Construction News Ltd., dba Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News, and distributed by mail to construction related companies in the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area. All submissions should be mailed to our editorial offices. We reserve the right to edit any materials submitted. No fees for materials, copy or photographs submitted will be due unless agreed upon in advance in writing. Submissions will be published at our discretion on a space-available basis. Construction News, Ltd., dba Dallas ★ Fort Worth Construction News, will not be liable for errors in copy or in advertisements beyond the actual cost of space occupied by the error. Publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement at any time. ©2019 Construction News, Ltd.
SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS GO TO www.ConstructionNews.net Select “Subscribe” and choose city(s).
Page 4
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • SEPT 2019
Creating cyber warriors from employees
Managing Certificates of Insurance
Lee Ann Collins, Managing Partner Lane Gorman Trubitt, LLC Dallas, TX
Jillian Duzan, Certificates Tracking Services Mgr. Catto & Catto LLP San Antonio, TX
I
U
recently sat down with our IT professionals to have a discussion about what types of cyberattacks are out there and how we can protect the company we love. This lead to me staying up late that night reliving the numerous ways that a malicious attack could impact a business. I am the leader of a company that supports many families, not only our employees and their families, but also our clients and their employees. Being well-informed is the first step to a stronger cyber defense. Unfortunately, cyberattacks are not so obvious. They can often happen quietly in the background, and you won’t know it’s a problem until your information is breached and available to the public. Also, many companies don’t understand how important it is to be vigilant until it’s too late. Below are statistics, compiled by Varonis, about cyberattacks and its impact on businesses, individuals, and our nation. • In 2017, 147.9 million consumers were affected by the Equifax Breach. The total population of the United States is currently 329.09 million adult consumers. • In 2017, cybercrime costs accelerated with organizations spending nearly 23 percent more than 2016—on average about $11.7 million. • The financial services industry will spend, on average, $18.3 million to resolve a cybercrime. The loss of data represents 43% of to - tal costs. • Ransomware attacks are growing more than 350% every year Ransomware damage costs will rise to $11.5 billion in 2019, and a business will fall victim to a ransomware attack every 14 seconds. • The United States and the Middle East spend the most on post-data breach response. Costs in the U.S. were $1.56 million and $1.43 million in the Middle East. • 21% of all files are NOT protected in any way. (https://www.varonis.com/blog/cybersecurity-statistics/) All of these are terrifying, and they don’t just affect large corporations. According to Smallbiztrends.com: • 43% of cyber-attacks target small businesses • 60% of companies will go out of business following a cyber-attack • Most cyber-attacks are the result of a negligent employee or contractor (https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/01/cybersecurity-statistics-small-business.html) How can your business be attacked? The goal of every cyberattack is to gain access to your system. It can be malicious like we saw with the 2016 Mirai Botnet, which attacked the service provider Dyn and ultimately shut down a large section of the internet including Netflix, Twitter, and CNN. In May, the City of Baltimore was one of several municipalities that were attacked by ransomware this year. Hackers demanded that the city pay almost $80,000 in bitcoin to release the city’s servers that control everything from email to billing. This attack prevented city employees from accessing the system for more than a month and the city was unable to distribute the June utility bills. Just to recover from this attack the city had to set aside $10 million in emergency funding. Remotely accessing internet-connected devices is not the only way your network is at risk. Physical in-person attacks can be just as harmful. In fact, an unattended workstation with a USB port is a prime opportunity for malware and keystroke logging to be introduced to the network.
Once they are connected to your network, malicious individuals can bombard your servers with information causing them to shut down, called a denial-ofservice attack. Your network can also be held captive by ransomware that sections off access to data until an undetermined amount of money is paid to the “bad guy”. Unfortunately, there is no assurance that once the ransom is settled that the information will be restored. How do you prevent it? Turn your employees into cyber-warriors for the company. Train them on how to identify threats within emails and websites. Explain proper password procedures, and institute a multi-factor authentication process when vital information is being accessed. Protect your physical assets by creating a visual database that is regularly maintained so that employees are easily identified. A visual database can be anything from photo ID badges to a seating chart with headshots on your local intranet. The best defenders for your company are the people that work for it, but former employees who left on bad terms can become also malicious agents. When an employee is terminated or leaves the company for another opportunity, protect your information by immediately removing access to any system and changing their passwords. I know that your company is as important to you as Lane Gorman Trubitt is to me. Empowering your employees with training and tools to defend the company they work for is the best line of protection. To better safeguard your business, it is always good practice to contact your local security firm. If you require any additional cyber security information or resources, you can always check out the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) website. About Lee Ann: A long-time authority in the construction industry with more than three decades of experience in public accounting, Lee Ann Collins is the managing partner at Lane Gorman Trubitt, LLC. During her tenure with the firm, she has collaborated with clients of all sizes consulting on business planning and taxation strategies, financial analysis, and the preparation of compiled, reviewed, and audited financial statements. Lee Ann often serves on boards of industry organizations working toward effective solutions for members, and she is a frequent speaker on financial reporting and taxation matters within the accounting community.
nderstanding risks is a crucial part of operating a successful business. Certificates of Insurance (COIs) from subcontractors, vendors and suppliers help reduce risk by ensuring that insurance coverage is in place and that it meets the requirements outlined in subcontract agreements. Collecting and checking COIs to ensure compliance standards have been met—reviewing for key endorsements and dangerous exclusions—is a tedious but necessary task. There are four common endorse- and coverage is excluded by their insurments that are considered essential: Ad- ance carrier, the reality is that as the hirditional Insured, 30-Day Notice of Cancel- ing contractor you would ultimately be lation, Waiver of Subrogation, and Prima- held liable. ry & Non-Contributory. Additional Insured status provides coverage to other The task of monitoring certificates individuals/groups that were not initially can be overwhelming. Employees are exnamed on the policy. If you are endorsed hausted by the tedious process of screenas an Additional Insured on a vendor’s ing COI’s and endorsements for complipolicy, coverage will be extended to you ance and the time consuming communion their policy so that you will be covered cations needed to resolve compliance isif a claim arises. A 30-Day notice of can- sues. They may not have extensive cellation endorsement is crucial, because knowledge of insurance language, and it’s important that you are notified when there is little margin for error. Even the a policy lapses. Even if you have marked simplest oversight can lead to financial a subcontractor compliant, that doesn’t repercussions. guarantee that coverage will remain in effect until the expiration date. There are Catto & Catto’s concierge certificate many scenarios in which policies are can- tracking service is designed to protect clicelled midterm. A Waiver of Subrogation ents while simplifying certificate manis a provision in which the insured waives agement. Our professionals handle comthe right of their insurance carrier to seek pliance reviews and communicate directcompensation for losses from a negligent ly with subcontractors’ insurance agents third party. A Primary and Non-Contribu- to address non-compliant certificates. tory endorsement is used to determine Clients can check compliance statuses the order in which policies will respond if and reports online integrate this data there are multiple policies involved in the into their accounting software. same loss. If this endorsement is applied, Renewals are also important to monthe vendor’s policy must pay before any other applicable policy without seeking itor. In the construction industry, many contribution from other policies. The insurance policies are written through Waiver of Subrogation may sound similar Excess and Surplus lines, in which case to the Primary & Non-Contributory en- policies do not renew automatically. dorsement, but there is a major differ- Once a policy expires, coverage is not ence between the two. Waiver of Subro- bound for renewal unless payment has gation prevents the insurance company been made. Our cloud-based automated from seeking reimbursement from the communication tool allows us to start reAdditional Insured’s policy after a claim is questing renewals through the system handled, while the Primary and Non- 30 days prior to policy expiration, giving Contributory endorsement prevents the the agents plenty of time to submit upAdditional Insured’s policy from contrib- dated certificates. uting towards the payout during the The system that we use is also helpclaims process. ful to keep track of subcontractor’s insur In many cases, there can be exclu- ance information to prevent a failed ausionary language within policies that can dit. If an audit occurs either on your Genprevent the policy from paying out in the eral Liability policy or Workers Compenevent of a claim. Policy exclusions are not sation policy, you will be asked to provide listed on a Certificate of Insurance, but verification that any subcontractors you they can be detrimental to your organiza- used were adequately insured. If you tion. A few major examples of exclusions cannot show proof, the insurance comare: Subsidence and Earth Movement Ex- pany will have a right to charge additionclusion, Silica or Silica-Related Dust Ex- al premium to cover their work under clusion, and Residential New Construc- your policy. Our system allows you to tion Exclusion. If you subcontract con- refer back to documents and communicrete work, the Subsidence and Earth cations with subcontractors and their Movement Exclusion can be very harm- agents for up to 10 years. ful. If there is shifting and settling of the foundation after construction is complet- Improper management of certified, this could wreak havoc on your com- cates could ultimately result in costly litipany’s finances. A Silica or Silica-Related gation, out of pocket expense, and an inDust Exclusion can be harmful anytime crease in your own insurance premiums. you are working with construction mate- Being proactive in the management of rials like sand, stone, concrete, brick, and certificates of insurance can help prevent mortar. If workers cut, grind, drill, or crush these costly situations. Having your cermaterials containing silica, dust particles tificates reviewed by licensed and experiare created. It has been proven that re- enced professionals provides an added spiratory exposure to Silica can lead to peace of mind so you can rest assured lung disease or lung cancer. If a bodily that compliance reviews are completed injury claim is filed against your subcon- accurately and efficiently. tractor due to silica exposure, a silica or silica-related dust exclusion could be a Jillian specializes in commercial lines nightmare. Residential New Construc- and surety, and also has a vast knowledge tion Exclusions can vary with regards to of personal lines. Jillian is currently pursuwhat is excluded. In some cases single ing the Commercial Lines Coverage Spefamily homes are excluded, or perhaps cialist (CLCS) designation. Her role as part multifamily projects such as apartments of the Risk Management team is to assist or condominiums can be excluded. If the Commercial Lines clients by providing exunfortunate event occurs in which you pert management of certificates. have a claim for a subcontractor’s work
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • SEPT 2019
Page 5
Risk management strategies for cost plus contracts in Texas
Personal protective equipment
Name, Brandon L. Rutledge Peckar & Abramson Houston, TX
Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX
T
he release of the AIA A102™–2007 Cost of the Work Plus a Fee with a Guaranteed Maximum Price (“AIA A102™–2007”) marked a turning point for cost-plus construction contracts by formally standardizing a guaranteed maximum price (“GMP”). The change followed an inauspicious trend of owners reallocating risks for cost overruns back to contractors. Consequently, today’s most common cost-plus contract forms all but guarantee that owners pay the lesser of the final GMP or the actual costs of a project plus a negotiated percentage-fee. However, several cases in recent years beg the question: How much risk did the AIA A102™–2007 shift to contractors? Across the country, courts in other jurisdictions, including states such as Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Mississippi, have ruled that certain cost-plus contracts vested contractors with an obligation to protect an owner’s financial interests and to keep costs to a minimum. Courts in these states largely based rulings on language found in Article 3 of the AIA A102™– 2007 and the AIA A102™–2017, which purports to establish a “relationship of trust and confidence.” In other states, several courts have construed the language in Article 3 to impose even stricter “fiduciary” duties on contractors. This development should serve as a cautionary tale to Texas contractors who frequently operate under cost-plus contracts. A fiduciary duty involves far more than just an obligation to avoid committing fraud. Namely, the imposition of a fiduciary duty carries with it a legal obligation to always act in the best interest of another party— even when an action entails negative consequences for the fiduciary. As a result, the imposition of fiduciary duties on Texas contractors could effectively preclude contractors from obtaining any benefits at the expense of the owner. Would Texas courts actually impose this type of harsh and far-reaching obligation on contractors? The AIA A102™–2017 Standard Form of Agreement between Owner and Contractor, the contract most commonly used in the construction industry, does recognize an obligation on the part of contractors to not act solely in their own self-interest. Specifically, the section describing the relationship of the parties, Article 3, states, in relevant part: The Contractor accepts the relationship of trust and confidence established by this Agreement and covenants with the Owner to cooperate with the Architect and exercise the Contractor’s skill and judgment in furthering the interests of the Owner; to furnish efficient business administration and supervision; to furnish at all times and adequate supply of workers and materials; and to perform the Work in an expeditious and economical manner consistent with the Owner’s interest. Article 3 not only expressly establishes a “relationship of trust and confidence”, but also references the “owner’s interest” twice—first stating that a contractor must exercise judgment to further the interests of the owner, and secondly directs the contractor to perform work in a manner consistent with an owner’s interest. In fact, in instances
where courts in other jurisdictions found that an express fiduciary relationship existed between a contractor and an owner, they often focused on these exact words. Yet, courts across all jurisdictions seem to believe that this language does modify the typical contractor-owner relationship, though the degree of such a change varies significantly depending on the jurisdiction and the facts of each case. For instance, while some states treat this language as imposing as a duty on contactors to reasonably control or minimize costs, other states interpret this language to merely obligate contractors to keep owners aware of cost overruns. The Texas Supreme Court has never addressed whether this language creates a fiduciary relationship under Texas law. However, on one occasion, in a case involving a residential construction dispute, the Austin Court of Appeals treated contractual language creating “a relationship of trust and confidence” as forming a fiduciary relationship. In that case, the owner claimed that the contractor owed a fiduciary duty and breached that duty by overstating the amount of a draw request. The issue on appeal was not whether the contractor owed a fiduciary duty under Texas law but whether sufficient evidence existed to support the jury’s finding that the contractor did not breach that duty. Therefore, the case is not instructive of how Texas court will decide future cost-plus fiduciary duty claims. Given the prevalence of Construction Management at-risk and other costplus type contracts, particularly in connection with public projects, this issue is likely to come to the forefront in construction law. As a result, contractors should keep in mind the following suggestions for managing some of this risk in cost-plus contracts: 1. Contractors should consider striking the above-referenced contract language during contract negotiations, which could help remove any doubt should a fiduciary duty be alleged by the owner. 2. Accounting records, including job cost details and backup documents may be subject to production in discovery. For this reason, contractors should be mindful and maintain consistent and accurate job cost records. This means keeping clear, accurate, and itemized records that account for the supplies and labor expended on every cost-plus project.
P
ersonal protective equipment, or PPE, is designed to protect workers from serious workplace injuries or illnesses resulting from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards. Besides face shields, safety glasses, hard hats, and safety shoes, protective equipment includes a variety of devices and garments such as goggles, coveralls, gloves, vests, earplugs, and respirators. As an employer, you must assess shoes, leggings (e.g., leather, aluminized your workplace to determine if hazards rayon, or other appropriate material) can are present that require the use of per- help prevent injuries by protecting worksonal protective equipment. If such haz- ers from hazards such as falling or rolling ards are present, you must select protec- objects, sharp objects, wet and slippery tive equipment and require workers to surfaces, molten metals, hot surfaces, use it, communicate your protective and electrical hazards. equipment selection decisions to your Besides spectacles and goggles, perworkers, and select personal protective sonal protective equipment such as speequipment that properly fits your work- cial helmets or shields, spectacles with ers. side shields, and faceshields can protect You must also train workers who are workers from the hazards of flying fragrequired to wear personal protective ments, large chips, hot sparks, optical raequipment on how to do the following: diation, splashes from molten metals, as • Use protective equipment properly well as objects, particles, sand, dirt, mists, • Be aware of when personal protective dusts, and glare. equipment is necessary Wearing earplugs or earmuffs can • Know what kind of protective equip- help prevent damage to hearing. Expoment is necessary sure to high noise levels can cause irre• Understand the limitations of personal versible hearing loss or impairment as protective equipment in protecting well as physical and psychological stress. workers from injury Earplugs made from foam, waxed cotton, • Put on, adjust, wear, and take off per- or fiberglass wool are self-forming and sonal protective equipment and usually fit well. A professional should fit • Maintain protective equipment properly. your workers individually for molded or preformed earplugs. Clean earplugs reg Hard hats can protect your workers ularly, and replace those you cannot from head impact, penetration injuries, clean. and electrical injuries such as those Workers exposed to harmful subcaused by falling or flying objects, fixed stances through skin absorption, severe objects, or contact with electrical con- cuts or lacerations, severe abrasions, ductors. Also, OSHA regulations require chemical burns, thermal burns, and employers to ensure that workers cover harmful temperature extremes will benand protect long hair to prevent it from efit from hand protection. getting caught in machine parts such as belts and chains. natarajan.joann@dol.gov In addition to foot guards and safety 512-374-0271 x232
DACA clays
M
embers of the drywall and acoustical industry had a great day Aug. 1 as The Drywall & Acoustical Contractors Association (DACA) had a great showing at the Annual Roy Neu Clay Shoot. The event held at the Dallas Gun Club was the association’s largest shoot to-date with 82 registered shooters. -cmw Team winners: 2nd Place Team: 3rd Place Team: Action Gypsum Supply, score 316 ISC Building Products, score 307
1st Place Team: Adam’s Supply, score 322
Brandon L. Rutledge is an Associate in Peckar & Abramson’s Houston office, where he focuses his practice on litigation matters, complex commercial transactions, and construction law. He may be reached at: brutledge@pecklaw.com
Hello September 1st Place Shooter: Steve Argo, Action Gypsum Supply, score 91
Page 6
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • SEPT 2019
Kevin Jones
Owner All Commercial Floors Inc. Irving, TX
K
evin Jones has been involved in flooring pretty much all of his life, thanks to his dad’s industry origins and his own drive to create a successful flooring business. Celebrating All Commercial Floors Inc. (ACF)’s 20th anniversary this year, Jones reflects on its evolution. How were you introduced to the construction industry? My dad was one of the original six members that started Evans and Black Carpet Mills, which is now a division of Shaw Industries. My father began integrating me into the floor covering industry at a young age. From that vantage point, I suppose flooring has always been a part of who I am. When did you strike out on your own? Family businesses have their own dynamic. In 1994, I felt that in order to make my own mark, I needed to leave the family business – which really surprised my family! Consequently, I left our family’s business to become a salesperson for another floor covering company. I did
well, and that’s where I gained a deep understanding of the special needs in the healthcare floor covering sector. This experience set the stage for the company I formed, All Commercial Floors Inc. (ACF). The mid- to late-90s saw the beginning of certain floor covering manufacturer’s purchasing commercial flooring dealers (which was commonly known as “roll-ups”). While profitable for the owners of the floor covering dealers, many sales and other front-line staff lost their jobs. I saw the writing on the wall and decided to pursue the idea of owning my own dealership. What happened after you left? Two general contractors, who were friends and business associates of mine, had been asking me for four years to start a flooring division to complement their general contracting business. Within two years, we grew that business from zero to projected sales of about 15 million for the third calendar year. Despite this success, two years to the day from when I started – one day before my birthday and without warning – they locked me out of the building. Ironically, and to this day, they have never formally terminated me. So, I decided then and there to build my own company, success being the best revenge and tonic for a challenging business experience. Knowing the strong relationships I had with key suppliers and installation partners, I decided that day to start ACF. We started ACF out of the garage of my house in Las Colinas on March 2, 1999, which was my birthday. I called my sister, Staci, who agreed to join ACF. I did the selling and she did the rest. What were those first years like? Incredibly challenging. Like many successful small business owners in their early years, making payroll each week can be, shall we say, stressful. Sitting down every Thursday evening or Friday morning signing paychecks, knowing
L-R: All Commercial Floors Inc.’s Kevin Jones and Wade Pasch
you weren’t necessarily paying yourself on occasion… Yes, I’d be lying if I didn’t acknowledge that it was a very stressful first two to three years. Fortunately, we are well past those days today and I am thankful to all my friends and family who helped ACF during those early days! As we grew, I remember getting ACF’s first commercial bank line of credit with a small local community bank who was willing to take a risk on this “kid” who was growing a floor covering business and needed more inventory and working capital. They gave me a $1,000,000 line of credit, which I thought at the time, was an enormous sum of money. I quickly learned that whatever amount of money that I thought it took to operate a successful, growing business, I needed to multiply that number by at least ten – and that may not even be enough. Less than a year later, my banker said, “I have a million-dollar legal lending limit, and with your growth, you will need more than that. I hate the idea of losing you as a client, but I had no idea how fast you would keep growing and I’m truly excited for you.” He referred me to a new bank where we obtained our first traditional line of revolving credit. While the stress of growing a business never ends, with our terrific banking relationships, fantastic vendor partners, great customers and the best employees, the stress of making payroll each week has subsided. How has the business evolved? Our philosophy is simple: Recruit/ Communicate/Purchase better than our competitors. My father taught me a lesson early in my career. He said “Son, it is really easy…just be sure to hire people smarter than you.” With that in mind, in 2002, we expanded to Nashville and set up our first remote branch location. In 2003, we won a large HCA acute-care facility in Conroe, Texas, and opened another branch location in Houston. ACF kept these locations and we grew our revenues to approximately $20,000,000 by 2010. Given the tremendous U.S. economic dislocation from 2008-2010, I’m quite proud of the fact that, we while we did not grow at the same level during that time, we stayed steady and never lost money. In 2011, we decided that we needed to grow the company by adding branch locations that would be operated like a traditional floor covering dealership and focus on growth outside of our traditional healthcare vertical integration. Frankly, we did not have outside salespeople in prior years – I was the top salesperson – and we focused on our main for-profit healthcare owner network customers. We were concentrated at about 98% healthcare business from 2003 to 2011. I thought we needed to diversify, and we did. While current revenues are much higher, today our revenue mix is approximately 60% to 65% healthcare, with the balance encompassing virtually all other sectors of the commercial floor covering sector. We have marquee general commercial customers in sports and entertainment, Corporate, Tenant
Improvement, Multi-Family, Education and Hospitality, including the Dallas Cowboys, The University of Alabama, the Gaylord hotel chain, Omni Hotels, The American Airlines Center. We have over 150 dedicated employees, and at least double that number through our longterm subcontractor relationships. Several of our installation crews have been with ACF since the beginning, over 20 years ago. ACF now has nine branch locations from Los Angeles to DFW to Nashville and Birmingham. We have installed flooring solutions in 37 of the 48 continental United States, and have completed jobs as far north as Palmer, Alaska and as far as south as the Caribbean islands. While we are concentrated in the southern region of the U.S., we have completed projects all over this great nation and beyond. What future plans do you have? In the short term, my plan is to add at least two large regional branch offices, targeted for South Florida and Atlanta. We may add more to support larger customers but, at that point, we will have the direct coverage we desire from coastto-coast. In 2018, ACF joined the FUSE Alliance, a member-owned organization of professional, commercial flooring contractors with 103 companies in 163 locations across the U.S. and Canada to further augment our own branch and vendor network. In addition, we feel the educational resources that Fuse provides will assist our own efforts in continuing to sustain the very best operations and installation teams across the country. This partnership helps ACF and our customers. My long-term goal is to maintain at least our last four years CAGR of 20% or greater, for the next five years, through organic and acquisition driven growth. We are engaged in making strategic acquisitions and will be announcing our second acquisition later this month. We also plan to continue to hire the very best people and give them a platform to grow and succeed. Our recent hire of industry veteran Wade Pasch is an excellent example of this philosophy. We hired Wade, who worked with Tandus for the prior 21 years, as our Executive Vice President of Operations. We also hired Denise Perry as Vice President of Marketing, a recognized leader among Architects and Designers, who is doing a great job of increasing the visibility of the ACF brand nationally. I am very proud of where ACF is today. When our customers hear the name, ‘ACF,’ my hope is that this brand, our company, puts a smile on their face. But as proud as I am of our team and our company today, this is a big industry and the sky is the limit. Our ultimate goal is to be recognized as the leader in the industry, providing the very highest quality floor covering and other surface solutions at a fair price. If we are able to maintain our past and current practices, I think we will achieve these goals. Subcontractor All Commercial Floors has Texas branches in Irving, Houston and San Antonio and nationwide. –mjm
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • SEPT 2019
Page 7
The fishing line dilemma by Capt. Steve Schultz 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.
O
ne of the biggest debates in the fishing world often plays out between monofilament and braided fishing lines, between the old veterans who have been using mono all their lives to the up-and-coming anglers who claim that braided fishing line breeds better catches. Certainly, both types of lines have their pros and cons and you will have to decide which is best for you based on your own fishing preferences and on what characteristics are most important to you in a line.
My dear friend and client, Dr. Leggett of Houston, had his hands full with this 42-inch redfish. The fight lasted approximately 15-20 minutes and it’s still up in the air which one was most exhausted. Fish wad released successfully after photo.
On one side of the spectrum, there is a monofilament fishing line, which has been around for considerably longer and is what many of us grew up with. For many, mono lines are also still the more user-friendly option and the best type of line to learn on. For one thing, monofilament lines are significantly easier to knot. Teaching a kid to fish with a braided line can become a frustrating process because, in order to be a successful braid fisherman, you need to possess a much wider arsenal of fishing knots than you need if you are utilizing a more traditional monofilament line. Knowing how to tie a wider variety of knots is never a bad
Submitted to Construction News
Go there for the bear!
thing, and may come in handy in any number of situations over the years. But if you don’t want your child to spend most of his or her fishing time mastering every knot in the book, then monofilament lines may be the better place to start. With all that said, braided fishing lines have a lot of benefits that outshine those of monofilament lines for many anglers. For one, braided lines have smaller diameters than monofilament ones, making it easier to fit more line on your reel and giving you a greater casting range when you are out on the fishing boat. Many anglers consider that boost in range an invaluable advantage for catch-
ing more fish, and they certainly have a point. In many situations, scoring a trophy catch with a braided line is simply a less strenuous affair. Of course, you pay for what you get, and braided line is considerably more expensive than monofilament line. If you are an angler looking to keep all of your purchases in the most economical range possible, you will likely be seduced by the more budget-conscious costs of monofilament line. However, you should also keep records of how frequently you are buying new line. Traditionally, braided lines have been known to be considerably more durable than monofilament, and if you find yourself replacing your mono line every few weeks, you may consider making the switch to braided line just as an experiment to see which line is indeed more economical. Finally, if you are an angler who has grown accustomed to fishing with monofilament line but want to see what all the fuss is about in the braided world, be aware that you are going to need some time and practice to get used to the new line. Braided lines boast a completely different feel than monofilament lines, thanks largely to their lack of give and stretch. While this difference can make the transition difficult, it’s well worth it. If you are interested in discussing this topic in detail, feel free to book a fishing trip with me. Here are some open dates available: September 3,5,10,19,25 and October 7,9,14,15,21,24,25,28,29,30. To schedule your next bay fishing trip or hunting trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-813-3716 or e-mail him me at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail. com. Good luck and Good Fishing.
Night shift, early start
Webber LLC Safety Manager Michael Barefoot took his youngest son, Garrett, to a Pine Bluff job site. Ready to lend a hand, Garrett asked if he could help the paving crew as they started their night work. Garrett is now a bull float pro! –mjm
Blake Maddux, Sales Account Manager at Spectra Contract Flooring, recently enjoyed a black bear hunt with his brother in Bathurst, Canada, which he advises is “the perfect place to take clients with their customer service and set up!” –mjm
Hello September
Page 8
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • SEPT 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
nally after an extended bout of tug of war she decided to just go for broke and she got the old fish up close enough to just throw both arms around him and fall back into the boat with him. That’s when he gave one last hard flop on top of my mother-in-law and spit the hook out of his mouth. She was tired, beat up and stinky, but the lady had just landed a seventy-four pound yellow catfish! In those days there was no such thing as replica fish mounts. All taxidermists did skin mounts of fish. Catfish were difficult to make trophies out of because of all the oil in them. My mother-inlaw simply plopped the massive head of her trophy into a large plastic bag and dropped it in the freezer. Every time she told her fish story it meant a trip to the freezer and out she came with that beast’s frozen head under her arm. And that is pretty much how I remember meeting my future mother-in-law. She was this sweet, outgoing little lady with a dead fish head under her arm. (I should have taken that as an omen!)
Trophies!
O
ne of the most notorious characteristics of a fisherman is that he almost certainly lies. At least that’s what the common wisdom says. You gotta have proof. You need to at least have a picture, but even better, you need to have your trophy fish on the wall! There is no better proof than that! Just look at that baby! One of the funniest trophies I can remember belonged to my mother-in-law. One day she was taking old friends on a sight-seeing boat ride to the scenic upper end of Lake Buchanan. Just for kicks on the way back home she wanted to show them what a trot-line was and how it worked. She stopped by one of our best old trot-lines and pulled up the pickup jug and she could feel the trot-line start moving the whole boat around. There was a real good fish on the line. Fi-
continued next page
1945
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • SEPT 2019
Page 9
continued from Ken Milam Deciding to mount a fish as a trophy is like gambling. A good taxidermist’s fish mount can be a little pricey, so it is an investment. A fisherman looks at the fish like this. How special is it? Should he wait and see if he catches a bigger one? It is an agonizing decision, and one that we as guides often see being fretted over at the cleaning table while we have a knife poised over the fish awaiting an answer. Some people just see “big fish = big fish fry,” while other people can just see that fish on the wall. That trophy decision is all
yours folks, but I can tell you this. I have more than once seen a guide almost cry as he starts to cut into the biggest fish that ever was landed on his boat! It doesn’t really matter what your trophy is. It could be a three-inch perch dangling from a kid’s Snoopy fishing pole, a crumpled old photo or a straightened out hook from the one that got away. The important thing is that those trophies remind us of good times had. Have you got your trophy yet?
H
Bowling subs
osting their 2019 Bowling Tournament, the American Subcontractors Association North Texas Chapter had a spinning good time as their members sent pins flying at Bowlero in Euless, TX. The fun-filled event was held on Jul. 18. -cmw Bowling tournament winners: Scott Gordy and Blake Grewing 2nd Place: Walker Engineering - Eric “Dead Ass Last”: Trade Management Lugger, Joe Rivas, Justin Davis, Sky ShaBecky Fletcher, Genesis Sorto, Katya nahan and Wayne Ray Reyes, Mercedes Perez and Elizabeth 3rdPlace: Lane Gorman Trubitt - Judson Orozco Southwell, Megan Barron, Eric Motte,
1st Place: City Wide Mechanical - Jace Layton, John Ivy, Rick Mitchell, Jonathan Todd and Troy Skinner
1945
King Pin Contest: Lane Gorman Trubitt - Megan Barron
Page 10
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • SEPT 2019
A career in pier
T
Graduating tradesmen
he Construction Education Foundation (CEF) North Texas Chapter hosted commencement ceremonies for their 2019 graduating apprentices. The event was held at the Westin Hotel in Irving. Family members, friends, employers and colleagues were on hand to congratulate the graduates. -cmw
P
Pier Pressure Foundation Repair’s Kyle Goudy
ier pressure is a feeling Kyle Goudy knew all too well at one time. When he started flipping houses in 2009, he kept running into the same frustrating problem. “We had so many issues with foundations and kept on getting different opinions on how we should fix them from different foundation companies,” Goudy remembers. “Finally, I just went out and bought the equipment and we did it all ourselves. We started Pier Pressure Foundation Repair in 2013.” Six years later, the company has added a sales and office team, and revenue is higher, but the scope of services still focuses exclusively on foundation repair, with 98 percent of the work devoted to concrete. Pier Pressure Foundation Repair works on residential and small commercial, and services all of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex and up to 30 miles in the surrounding areas. With the company’s 5-year anniversary under his belt, Goudy reflected on what he has learned since starting the
T
business. “I learned to kind of keep it simple,” he says. “[I’ve learned] how to streamline, how to sell to people, to make them understand what I’m doing, how I’m doing it and making sure they understand everything along the way.” Goudy also feels ready to expand the company’s scope of services. “We’re going to probably start offering plumbing – since it works handin-hand with what we do – within the next year,” he says. When that happens, he has a team he can count on, including his oldest son, Ahren, who focuses on repairs, office work and communication with investors. His middle son, who is 21, has also shown an interest, and his 13-year-old is always welcome anytime he is ready. “I would like to keep the business in the family,” Goudy says. “With three sons, one of them will probably end up staying there.” Subcontractor Pier Pressure Foundation Repair is in Carrollton. –mjm
2019 CEF Plumbing Graduates
2019 PHCC Plumbing Graduates
Golfing at Sherrill
he Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC) North Texas Chapter had a great time at their May 16 golf tournament. The 20th Anniversary PHCC North Texas Golf Tournament was held at Sherrill Park Golf Club. -cmw Overall Top Graduate: Adam Burns, Humphrey & Associates
2019 CEF & PHCC Sheet Metal Graduates
1st Place: TDIndustries
2019 CEF HVAC Graduates
Ladies’ Longest Drive: Shelby Rawlings and Men’s Longest Drive: Aaron Jackson
2019 PHCC HVAC Graduates
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • SEPT 2019
Page 11
What are you thankful for? I am thankful for all of the people in my life both personally and professionally that have taken their time to be a positive influence in my life. Positive outcomes are achieved through positive attitude, and I have been fortunate enough to be surrounded by people that consistently reinforce this principle with me. Allan Throneberry, DMI Technologies I am thankful for so many things, all stemming from our Father in heaven that sends blessings on a daily basis! Jamie Gambino, Signs: A JJ N J Co. I am most thankful for my wife and my four children who have allowed me to do pretty much anything I want to do. They have given me an amazing life. Jason T. Merritt, Admiral Glass Company
ownership, logistics, operations, safety, and office personnel. All are instrumental in every project. It’s why I believe the company I work for has excelled in DFW for 30 years and will into the future. Art Hutchinson, Jeff Eubank Roofing Co. Inc I am thankful for the life God has blessed me with. My father gave me opportunities and lessons in life that built me, but God has always been there to bless my family and give us things that many people never understand. He is present everywhere and all you have to do to see Him is to believe. This provides so much! Lay everything at His feet, including your complete dependence. Thank God! Donny Baker, Bradley Construction Management
I am thankful for family, friends, a booming economy and a great place to work! Chuck Beasley, Kevco Electrical Construction, Inc.
I’m most thankful for health and the health of family. I recently buried my mother who died of ovarian cancer. It really made me appreciate life and not take loved ones for granted. She was the picture of health and within three months of being diagnosed, she was gone. She didn’t really like going to the doctor. Maybe early diagnosis would have helped prolong life, but who knows? I’m most thankful for the life she gave me and the health God gives me to make a living and take care of my family. Donald Smith, Don Smith Concrete LLC
I am thankful for my team at my company and my sports background, which allows me to see how I fit within the team. Every project from identification of the opportunity to handing off the warranty documents is a coordinated effort involving every member of the organization: sales,
I’m grateful for the growth in my business and the personal relationships that I have developed throughout the years with my customers. I am also thankful for my YouTube channel! Freddie Lopez Freddie America LLC
I’m thankful for my wife, Keri, and the support that she gives us and how, as their stepmother, she has accepted my kids as her own. She would do anything for them. Justin Zuckerbrow, Post-Tension Services of Texas
Hitting the clubs
S
ubcontractors teed off to raise funds! Nearly 50 members of the Subcontractors Association of the Metroplex (SAM) swung around Dallas’ Topgolf Jul. 11 and enjoyed an evening of Topgolf, dinner, a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle. –mjm Highest scoring team: Facility Construction Services’ Paul Holden, BB&T Bank’s Brett Lamm and Ken Limage, Plains Capital Banks’ George McGraw and Aon’s Josh Saunders Highest scoring individual: Aon’s Josh Saunders Lowest scoring individual: Powerhouse Consulting’s Tonya Watson
Highest scoring individual Josh Saunders ➤ of Aon and lowest scoring individual Tonya Watson of Powerhouse Consulting
L-R: Aon’s Josh Saunders, BB&T Bank’s Brett Lamm, Facility Construction Services’ Paul Holden, BB&T Bank’s Ken Limage and Plains Capital Bank’s George McGraw won highest scoring team.
Industry FOLKS Arthur “Art” Hutchinson Commercial Roofing Sales Jeff Eubank Roofing Co. Inc
A
rthur “Art” Hutchinson, 49, wasn’t always the lean running machine people see today, although he was always sports-oriented. He swam competitively at age 14 and then swam and ran throughout college but he admits he physically “lost his way” in adulthood. That all changed three years ago. Out of shape from living a sedentary life style, Hutchinson rediscovered his love of running. He didn’t have to look far for inspiration to tie on his running shoes: His 74-year-old dad runs 9-minute miles. “As my two kids got older, I needed something to do, so like most sane people I said, ‘Hey, let’s train 25 hours a week and get up at 3:45 to train for a 70.3 or 140-mile event that’s months away,’” Hutchinson says. “I had always wanted to do a triathlon since I was in high school. I wanted to prove to myself I could do it. I’m just a hyper-competitive person.” That “hyper competitive” quality is why he works in commercial sales for Jeff Eubank Roofing Co. Inc. What drives him in running drives him in his work. “Effort in leads to effort out. No effort, no results. Want a raise? Sell something,” Hutchinson says. As for running, he started small. Focusing on building his core strength and running 5k and 10k races, he lost 48 lbs. Two years later, he began swimming again and purchased his first road bike. “[I was] clueless about biking,” he says. “I enlisted the help of friends who rode and joined a local club of riders to learn the ins and outs of the bike. To my surprise, I enjoyed it immensely and was pretty decent at it. Still not a fan of the spandex outfits to be honest, but supposedly they’re aerodynamic.”
Even working full-time, Hutchinson trains six days a week. He alternates between swimming 2400 meters or more, running varying distances and intensities or biking followed by running. “The key is regulating and monitoring your heart rate,” he says. “Spike too high and you’re likely toast. Maintain a good pace with your heart rate in the green and you’re okay.” While he says training at this pace has enormous physical benefits, including eating whatever he wants without weight gain (“Seriously, it’s the best,” he says) the mental impact has been equally beneficial. “Training for a triathlon has had the ancillary benefit of making me focus on the moment – every moment,” he says. “There’s a sense of peace, too, that comes over me knowing that I have met the day’s physical challenge and a confidence knowing if I put in the work, I can improve. My days are structured. I have a greater sense of purpose. I enjoy the process or the journey, not the destination.” It affects his work life, too. “I have more energy, greater focus, and I’m generally in a better mood even when things go wrong. Triathlon training instills a mindset of ‘no obstacle is greater than my will to overcome it.’” Hutchinson is currently conducting a fundraiser for the Waco Half Ironman. His goal is to do well enough to qualify for the Kona (the Ironman race seen on TV) but he says he has more miles to go. –mjm
SAM Executive Director Carrie Edomm (center) makes sure City Wide Mechanical knows the score.
Page 12
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • SEPT 2019
THIS TH MON Jan: Construction Forecast Mar: Construction Education May: Concrete Industry July: Electrical Industry Feb: Construction Safety Apr: Women in Construction Jun: HVAC & Plumbing Aug: Service Providers
Environmentally responsible building Matt McCaffrey, P.E., LEED AP Project Executive Skanska USA San Antonio, TX
M
att McCaffrey, P.E., LEED AP, joined Skanska USA in 2003. A key team member on healthcare, high-rise office, and entertainment projects across Michigan and Texas, he is currently the project executive overseeing the construction of a renovation project in downtown San Antonio. What is “green building?” In general, I think “Green Building” represents the design and construction of buildings that are environmentally responsible by limiting the impact the building will have on the surrounding environment in the short and long term. Skanska USA is on the leading edge of green building practices, supporting the evolution of existing standards. From office buildings and schools, to transit lines and highways, our team is well-versed in the green standards that are helping build resilient communities. What is the history of green building in the U.S.? At some level, green building has always been a part of the design and construction fields, as energy and water use are large drivers of the cost of building operations and cost savings are always in demand by building owners and developers. However, the “green building” movement didn’t formally begin until the early 1990’s with the founding of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and sev-
eral local and federal government initiatives (including the Energy Star program). With the establishment of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), there is a formal rating system for buildings which owners, architects and contractors can use as a guide. Over the past 25 years, the LEED program has evolved, as has our understanding of how building affects the environment. While LEED is still the overwhelming standard, there are now other ratings systems and certifications (WELL, Living Building, etc.) which approach the concept from different perspectives. How has the “going green” trend affected the construction industry? I think “going green” has affected the construction industry positively. There is now a focus not only on what we are building, but how we are building it. Every aspect of the construction process is now looked at through the lens of sustainability and it has also slowly impacted the supply chain. It is no longer sufficient to just make a product which meets
Economic benefits of green Allan Throneberry, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, DMI Technologies Fort Worth, TX
T
hroneberry leads the sales and marketing efforts for DMI Technologies. He began his career in the early ’90s with a regional telecommunications company and has spent the last 20 years in various leadership roles for Telecom and Software companies. How would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms? Have you experienced an increase in business? Slowdown? We can’t speak for the state of the national industry, but I can tell you that construction is big business in Texas right
now. The industry has never been stronger, and we are seeing more projects every month. DMI and many other companies in our market are experiencing a major growth cycle this year that should trend into late 2021.
Green Building
Sept: Green Building Nov: Architecture & Engineering Oct: Specialty Contractors Dec: Construction Equipment
codes and performs well. The product now needs to be efficient or renewable. With the number of projects either achieving green building certifications or designing to the standards, a product that is not compliant will be overlooked immediately. From Skanska USA’s perspective, it has forced us to look at ways to reduce waste. This includes more adoption of prefabrication and modular construction to reduce things like “packaging” and transportation costs. The focus on green building is having an effect on not just sustainability, but also productivity and safety by pushing us toward more efficient ways of construction. What are the benefits of green building? Constructing a building that is efficient will result in lower cost of operation over the life of the building, which is often an easy sell to owners. However, “green building” is also related to the user experience and buildings that have embraced this are typically more favored by occupants. How is green building related to smart growth and sustainable development? All of these go hand in hand. There has to be a commitment from all parties in order to truly produce a sustainable building. As more data becomes available, we are beginning to see more quantitative information about the benefits of sustainable buildings, and this will further inform decisions being made at the master planning and development stages of projects. Is there federal or state legislation related to green building? Please explain. While building and energy codes are including more stringent standards for
What are the economic benefits of green or sustainable building and development? The economic benefits of sustainable buildings are truly hard to capture. There are many studies that show the benefits of cost savings on utilities for buildings that are developed to be green. What DMI is interested in however, is harder to capture. Our focus is on the actual use of the building and its inhabitants. How can you capture the happiness of an employee who benefits from daylight harvesting technology? Is it possible to trace how many extra kilowatt hours of energy can be used in urban shelters due to a drop in usage of the commercial building next door? These are the hard questions, and I think that as the industry can learn to grasp these measurable items and present them, we can then start to see real growth in sustainable development. Where can I find more information about the components of green building, like energy efficiency or reduced waste? There are many local chapters dedicated to green building technology. Agencies such as LEED or USGBC provide readily available information on how green buildings are scored. Alternatively, many consumers are reaching out to their construction tradespeople and product manufacturers for this knowledge.
energy and water use, most local, state and federal projects now require some level of LEED (or other) certification. What are the economic benefits of green or sustainable building and development? Costs associated with energy and water savings over the course of the project are obvious benefits. However, that can be eroded somewhat by the cost for additional equipment or more expensive products to achieve certification. Less obvious and quantifiable benefits are the impacts on the supply chain. The requirements for material certification are forcing companies to reduce shipping and transportation (and cost associated with both) and utilize more renewable materials to be competitive. How are buildings certified as green in the U.S.? There are many rating systems, most of which use a point-based system which dictates a level of certification. Examples include LEED, Envision, Living Building Challenge and WELL Certifications. The selection of one or more of these certification systems is often driven by the experience of the owner or architect. Achievement is completed by documenting compliance with credits and submitting that documentation for review and approval. Upon completion, a number of credits or points are achieved indicating the level of certifcation. Skanska USA has constructed hundreds of LEED certified projects and is a platinum member of the USGBC. Skanska USA is a full-service general contractor specializing in building construction, civil infrastructure and developing self-financed commercial projects. - cmw
How do buildings affect natural resources? In every way imaginable. Every brick, stick, cable, and piece of glass used in construction is derived from some natural resource. Most people realize this, but many overlook the use of natural resources by just choosing a location for the development. Any time that the environment is changed, even in a small way, there is a change to the local ecosystem. Clearing dirt for a mid-rise building, for instance, changes the natural flow of rainwater run off for an area surrounding that development. This is a major reason that development planners must be aware of and care about sustainability in their project. What standards exist for green building? Standards for green building can be found in multiple places depending on the part of the world you are developing. In the U.S. there are standards published by the USGBC that outline specific building requirements for gaining accreditation and LEED Point. DMI Technologies is a woman-ownedsmall-business and is a provider of network infrastructure, security and smart building technology located in Ft Worth, TX. Their mission is always to deliver the highest quality of connectivity through the use of innovative solutions. -cmw
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • SEPT 2019
Page 13
NEXT TH MON
Specialty Contractors
To represent your company in an upcoming FOCUS, contact DFWeditor@ConstructionNews.net 210-308-5800
Green building in the United States of America is a victim of its own success Omar David Land, MEP Systems Manager Bartlett Cocke General Contractors, San Antonio, TX
F
lash back to 1894: refrigeration systems dedicated primarily to producing large blocks of ice, have begun to revolutionize the way that industrial processes function and have opened incredible new ways to preserve and transport food. Engineers decide that a committee should be formed to standardize and regulate these systems and the American Society of Heating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHAE) was founded. In 1902, a commercially viable air conditioning system for commercial buildings was invented, and by 1959 these systems and their derivatives were so widely adopted that ASHAE joined with American Society of Refrigerating Engineers (ASRE) to form the now internationally influential American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). As one might expect with a new technology, the focus of these groups was primarily on safety, comfort, reliability, and maintainability for building occupants, owners, and service providers. Energy efficiency was readily sacrificed in favor of these more immediate considerations. In the early 1990’s in response to growing concerns about greenhouse gas emissions, The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Environ-
mental Protection Agency’s “Energy Star Program” were formed. While Energy Star focused on consumer goods and residential construction, the USGBC formed with a broader ambition of “promoting sustainably focused practices” in the construction industry. By 1998, the USGBC strategically launched a program to achieve this objective by providing awards to developers and institutional owners who could design and construct buildings that operate 10%, 20%, 30% efficiently than the code standards promulgated by ASHRAE and/or the International Code Council. The USGBC program was known by the acronym LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED certifications for buildings and for construction and design professionals alike became a badge of honor synonymous with all things positive in the design, development, and construc-
Designing responsibly with green in mind Robyn Popa, AIA, LEED AP, Partner Pfluger Architects San Antonio, TX
R
obyn Popa, AIA, LEED AP,is a Partner at Pfluger Architects’ San Antonio office. Her experience includes master planning, facility assessment, programming, design, production and construction administration. She is currently President of the Association for Learning Environments’ South Texas chapter. What is the history of green building in the US? Green building has been around since humankind first built and inhabited shelters. The early shelters used local materials, were sited/positioned to maximize the natural environment (shading, prevailing winds, etc.) and reused resources wherever possible. In that sense, “green building” is nothing new. What is new is addressing the negative impact that construction has had on the environment. The invention of building systems, such as indoor heating, cooling and plumbing, has allowed us to build wherever and however we wanted. As a result, now we have to refocus on responsible design and construction to build smarter, conserve resources and consider lifecycle impacts on the environment. How has the “going green” trend affected the construction industry? “Going green” has prompted the entire construction industry to be more conscious of their trade and the resultant impact the built environment has on resources. There is more scrutiny on material and product selection to source renewable, regional resources that won’t negatively impact the building occupants. There is more oversight and quality control — for example, more control
over where waste goes, or what products are used in construction, etc. More monitoring is required in material production to control the environmental effects of the manufacturing process. How has “green building” affected the type of work you do? Primarily, we are more thoughtful of and selective through all aspects of design. As architects, we feel a sense of obligation to design responsibly, even for clients or jurisdictions that don’t require any level of “green building.” We also look more critically at the act of construction—how we can minimize waste, reuse building elements, and how the systems can be efficiently and environmentally maintained, etc. Is there federal or state legislation related to green building? Explain Legislation varies from state to state; however, most jurisdictions require architects and engineers to adhere to specific building or energy codes. These codes have evolved to emphasize green building for energy savings, efficient systems and enhanced performance. Most entities require that architects and engineers demonstrate that the design meets the applicable building code’s requirements by using the US Department of Energy’s COMcheck program. Building codes,
tion world. Buildings proudly displayed LEED certification badges in lobbies, “LEED Accredited Professional” was exuberantly added to the signature block of professionals throughout the design and construction industry. From 2003-2009 the LEED program was enjoying broad growth and acceptance; but the LEED program’s inclination toward a broad holistic approach to “green” design and construction pushed it beyond a mandate for energy efficiency, and into the realm of urban planning, material sourcing, and waste management. The result was occasionally buildings that were impractical or unwieldy from a maintenance perspective, or that lacked optimal functionality from the user perspective. The proverbial pendulum swung from sacrificing efficiency for comfort, to something quite the opposite in some of these LEED certified buildings. Concurrently, in the year 2000 the International Energy Conservation Code became a part of the prescriptive package of codes adopted not only by the major municipalities in the United States, and several other countries around the world. Recognizing the surge in green building and responding to demand for standards requiring that buildings operate more efficiently, ASHRAE and the International Code Council started to significantly increase the requirements for energy efficiency in the baseline building codes and by 2009 the standards were so stringent, that many municipalities deferred adoption of a code update until
COMcheck and other codified requirements don’t address all aspects of green building though. They are tools and resources that only focus on building system performance. It is the designer’s responsibility to address the project’s green building goals. How are buildings certified as green in the US? Buildings can be certified “green” based upon location, how “green” they are and how vital certification is to the owner or architect. The most familiar certification program is the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, or LEED. This program requires thorough documentation from all parties involved in the project, including the architect, engineers, contractor, subcontractors and the owner. This program also requires documentation to be
2012. A review of construction costs during this time will reveal construction costs rising at a rate that is significantly faster than the rate of inflation and much of this can be attributed to these code changes. Frustrations with the earlier versions of the LEED program, in conjunction with the increased requirements of the baseline code, have cause many owners to strike what might be the best balance between the two options, incorporating what they perceive as the best of LEED standards and requirements to build sustainably and produce an energy efficient project, without pursuing the actual LEED certification and thereby mitigating the expense associated with the administrative costs of obtaining a formal certification. Aided by changes in federal, state and municipal law, building codes, and technology the USGBC has been so successful in their mission to make buildings more environmentally friendly, that exceedingly few buildings pursue the actual LEED certification anymore. This isn’t bad news however for the USGBC or for the construction industry; the USGBC’s World Green Building Council is pursuing similar success in countries around the world, and the IECC and ASHRAE continue to refine the building codes in the United States to strike the right balance between green building and meeting the needs of business decision makers. Bartlett Cocke General Contractors is a full-service general contractor headquartered in San Antonio, TX. -cmw
collected during the entire course of design and construction, and even after the owner has occupied the building. Other location-based certifications are available through local jurisdictions such as the Austin Energy Green Building program for projects for the areas in and around Austin, Texas. Ultimately, any project designed to current building codes of IBC 2015 or higher has achieved some level of “green” through its building systems and envelope requirements, although there is no explicit certification for that. Pfluger Architects has long incorporated principles of environmentally responsible design into their projects using the latest standards established by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program to achieve the highest possible levels of health and wellness for their clients. -cmw
Excavating future talent
A&J Excavation and Demolition LLC’s CEO Juan Valles speaks to kindergartners in his sister’s class during West Handley Elementary’s career day. Valles made a PowerPoint explaining his job, the industry and the importance of education, saying, “Even as simple as earthmoving seems, it takes a lot of science and math.” –mjm
Page 14
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • SEPT 2019
Association Calendar
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News AIA
American Institute of Architects Dallas Chapter
Sept. 6: Tour of Corgan Office Expansion & Renovation, Corgan, 401 N. Houston St.,12-1:30pm. Sept. 11: ENLACES 2018, Latino Cultural Center, 2600 Live Oak St., 5:30-8:30pm. Sept. 24: Healthy Materials Workshop & Fair, AD EX, 325 N. St. Paul #150, 7:45am12:15pm. For more info, email sche@ aiadallas.org or call 214-880-1508 AIA
American Institute of Architects Fort Worth Chapter
Sept. 29 – Oct. 13: CANstruction, Northeast Mall, 1101 Melbourne Rd., Hurst, TX. For more info, email Alesha Niedzela at aiafw@aiafortworth.org ASA
American Subcontractors Assn.
Sept. 26: Membership Meeting, Las Colinas Country Club, 4400 N. O’Connor Rd., Irving, TX, 11am. For more info, call Beverly Reynal, 817-640-8275 CFMA
Construction Financial Management Assn.
Sept. 19: Membership Meeting, Hackberry Creek Country Club, 1901 W. Royal Ln., Irving, TX. For more info, contact Kelly Dando at 615-440-7486 or email cfmadfw@gmail.com DACA
Drywall & Acoustical Contractors Assn.
Sept. 18: Annual Table Top, Courtyard Marriott Grapevine, 2200 Bass Pro Ct., Grapevine For more info, contact Eddie McCormick at 214-557-0356 or email eddie@dacadfw.org ICRI
International Concrete Repair Institute
Sept. 12: Chapter Membership Meeting, Las Colinas Corporate Center, 4th Flr. Meeting Rm., 6363 N SH 161, Irving, TX. For more info, contact Steve Grelle at sgrelle@wje.com IEC
Independent Electrical Contractors Fort Worth/Tarrant County
Sept. 19: Lunch & Learn, IEC Training Facility, 5809 E. Berry St., Fort Worth, TX, 11:30am-1pm. For more info, call Jo Britt at 817-496-8422 NAWIC
National Assn. of Women in Construction Dallas Chapter
Sept. 17: Monthly Meeting, Wyndham Garden Dallas North, 6-8pm. For more info, email Lindsay Lauderdale at LLauderdale@BrasfieldGorrie.com NAWIC
National Assn. of Women in Construction Forth Worth Chapter
Sept. 19: Monthly Business Meeting, 2019-2020 Board Installation, Diamond
Oaks Country Club, 5821 Diamond Oaks Dr. N., 5:30pm. Sept. 21: 2nd Annual Ruffolution, NAWIC Fort Worth Chapter 1 Foundation Fundraiser, Trinity Trails at Waterside. For more info, email Lori Donnell at lorid.nawic@ gmail.com NECA
National Electrical Contractors Assn.
Sept. 14-17: NECA Convention & Trade Show, Las Vegas, NV. For more info, . For more info, go to www.ntxneca. NUCA
National Utility & Excavation Contractors Assn. North Texas Chapter
Sept. 20: Live Trench Training Event, Bob Jones Park, Southlake, 8am-1pm. For more info, email lisa@nucatexas.com NTRCA
North Texas Roofing Contractors Assn.
Sept. 11: Lunch & Learn, Texas Star Conference Center, 1400 Texas Star Pkwy., 11:30am-1pm. Sept. 25: NTRCA Clay Shoot, Elm Fork Shooting Sports, 10751 Luna Rd., Dallas, TX, 8am. For more info, call 817-734-8373 PHCC
Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors Assn. North Texas Chapter
Sept. 17: September Luncheon, TDIndustries, 13850 Diplomat Dr. 11:30-1pm. For more info, contact Alicia Baron at Alicia@phccnorthtexas.org RCAT
Roofing Contractors Assn. of Texas
Sept. 18: RCAT Golf Tournament, Bear Creek Golf Club, 3500 Bear Creek Court, Dallas, TX. Sept. 18-20: RCAT 44th Annual Event, Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center. For more info, email rcat.tradeshow@ rooftex.com RBCA
Regional Black Contractors Assn.
Sept. 26: 16th Annual Golf Classic, Bear Creek Golf Club, 3500 Bear Creek Ct., 6:30am Registration, 8am Shotgun Start. For more info, call214-565-8946 or email monica@eviscg.com or bproctor@blackcontractors.org SAM
Subcontractors Assn. of the Metroplex
Sept. 5: First Annual Clay Shoot, Dallas Gun Club, 11:30am. 4-Shooter Team $800; Individual Shooter $250; Happy Hour Only $50. For more info, call Carrie Edomm at 972-438-1110 TEXO
The Construction Assn.
Sept. 12: TEXO Clay Bird Shootout, Dallas Gun Club Sept. 17: Women’s Forum Networking Event, Myx Blend Bar, 3699 McKinney Ave., 4-8pm. Sept. 26: Colleagues + Cocktails, Fixture Kitchen & Social Lounge, 401 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, TX 4:30-6:30pm. TEXO Member $25; Non-member $40; Walk-ins $45. For more info, email Emily Baker at emily@texoassociation.org TLPCA
Texas Lath & Plastering Contractors Assn.
Sept. 20-21: Annual Fall Weekend Larry Trusty Memorial Fishing Tournament, Lake Texoma, Tanglewood Resort, 290 Tanglewood Cir., Pottsboro, TX. For more info, call 817-461-0676
continued from Page 1 — Post-Tension Services of Texas Zuckerbrow’s father is not involved in Post-Tension Services of Texas, but as Zuckerbrow handles the company’s sales and marketing, he now has a whole new respect for his father’s early days in sales. “I thought he just drove around talking to people,” Zuckerbrow says with a chuckle. “He was actually a very good salesperson. I learned a lot from him.” Even with Tuttle overseeing operations and accounting, Zuckerbrow worked hard to kick off the company. “It was very difficult at first trying to go back to my old customers because I was gone from Suncoast from two years,” Zuckerbrow admits. “It was a bit of a time lapse, but I started bidding commercial and multi-family type projects. I got a couple here and there. Then, what is really driving us to keep us busy is the residential market. I just plugged away and finally we have a good steady amount of work. The start of year two has been really good. We’ve been growing quite rapidly this year and we’ve added a number of employees, equipment and trucks.” The company’s success has made Zuckerbrow and Tuttle comfortable enough to consider future plans. “We want to steadily grow in the
next three to five years and have a good market share of the post-tension industry business in the Dallas/Fort Worth area,” Zuckerbrow says. “We eventually want to open up a location in the San Antonio and Austin market; we see that as a big area. I think we want to eventually expand into the elevated post-tensioning business. We want to do a little bit of it, but not much. We really want to get into the higher-end commercial [projects]. We are doing some parking garages, but we want more high-rises.” At the moment though, Zuckerbrow is just wrapping his head around being a company owner. “Sometimes I don’t even know I own the company because it’s just what I know, in that I’m here to make sure that the 30 people who work here now have jobs,” he says. “I enjoy that this is my business. I worked hard for other corporations and I’m doing the same thing [for myself] and I’m enjoying it. It’s what I know and love. I’m doing it for my family, and my family will benefit from it one day.” Subcontractor Post-Tension Services of Texas is located in Dallas. –mjm
continued from Page 1 — Admiral Glass Company specializes in decorative glass, heavy glass, marker boards and glass handrails,” Merritt says. “We also have a City Services division that takes care of small projects and building maintenance. We just added City Services last year; we’re continuing to find new ways to increase our market share.” Les continues to serve as Admiral’s CEO, while his son, Lane Craft, operates as the company’s president. Roger Putz is Admiral’s Senior Executive Vice President, and Merritt, after coming on as a Senior Estimator just over four years ago, was recently promoted to Sr. Vice President. Together with the Admiral team, they are ready to help the company evolve for the next 35 years. “The plan is to continue to expand and grow our market share and develop new markets as needed,” Merritt says. “One of the things we’re doing right now is following clients into markets in which we would not normally work. We’re currently completing Bank OZK’s new corporate headquarters in Little Rock, AR. That is not a market in which we would typically pursue work but, due to a relationship with the contractor on the project and due to the size of the project,
it made sense to go to Little Rock. We plan to continue to grow and expand as needed.” Closer to home, Admiral is currently completing the lobby renovation at Fountain Place in downtown Dallas, which features 10ft. wide by 29ft. tall glass panels and a custom cast-glass art wall. Admiral is also working on the campus expansion of Collin College in Wylie. It is work in which everyone at Admiral Glass Company takes pride. “I love the building industry,” Merritt says. “I love looking at a set of plans, an architectural rendering, somebody’s vision and knowing that I was a part of bringing that to fruition. The building of things has always fascinated me. “There are so many things that glass can do, but we do more than glass,” Merritt adds. “We’ve really grown into an envelope and façade contractor as much as we are a glass company. If we can find a way to incorporate it into our scope, then we want it to be part of our contract.” Subcontractor Admiral Glass Company has locations in Austin, Dallas, Houston and League City. –mjm
continued from Page 1 — Conley Group School. The structure had suffered significant deterioration of the ornate, exterior decorative elements. As a result, an extensive exterior wall remediation, interior demolition, structural stabilization work, interior remodel, renovation and tenant finish-out was required. The project required sensitivity and adherence to The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties & Texas Historical Commission’s “Period of Significance” guidelines. Critical restoration elements included all entry doors, copper chapeau, mansard roof, tile, limestone, granite and terra cotta cladding. The first phase involved repair/replacement of the fourth floor decorative terra cotta cornices and frieze elements, clay tile roofing and copper ornamentation, provision of new waterproofing for the basement and sub-basement levels, cleaning the exterior façade, window replacement, as well as ADA compliance. Conley Group successfully facilitated this complete historically-correct exterior renovation. Conley’s extensive cleaning and restoration of the exterior wall components returned the exterior to its original glory. Their services also upgraded MEP/cooling
functions and separated metered utilities. Conley Group was selected by the City of Dallas to serve as prime contractor on this project. Conley Group’s Principal & Senior Architect, Ken Paar led this historic restoration alongside City of Dallas Senior Project Manager, Carl Janak. Paar provided the City of Dallas with a complete project masterplan. He also worked closely with the Texas Historic Commission to ensure that all restoration efforts were historically accurate and respected the original architecture. Conley Group worked with Phoenix 1 Restoration who served as general contractor. Design Team members included Structural Consultant Jaster Quintanilla; MEP Consultant Morning & Associates; Environmental Consultant Resource Environmental Consulting and Preservation Consultant Quimby McCoy. Conley Group continues to depend on their subconsultant team that was used for this project for their respective expertise in their related field. Conley Group has worked with the City of Dallas since 1990. “We are very appreciative of the opportunities we have had to restore some of the City’s most iconic and historic buildings,” says Paar. -cmw
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • SEPT 2019
E
Page 15
The signs are there
ager to establish her commercial signage design and installation business 12 years ago, Jamie Gambino hired a designer to create her website. Almost immediately, the designer begged her not to name the company what Gambino had planned: “Signs: A JJ N J Co.” Gambino, clear in her vision, simply put on her boss hat and stood firm by her decision. “I get asked all of the time what is up with all of the Js and the Ns and the As!” Gambino explains with a laugh. My company was formed by me, – ‘Jamie’ – my son Jason and my daughter’s family, whose last name was ‘Jefferson.’ When I started, my son would cut all of my vinyl for me. I bought him a plotter and I would buy all of the vinyl that I needed, and he would go out and install any vinyl that I had. My Jamie Gambino says the right signage, daughter was married to a very unlike her dog, is no small thing. outgoing, go-getter husband who would bring me some sign business. So I named with land developers, business develmy company Signs: A JJ N J Co. It stands for opers and mom and pop shops to deter‘Jamie, Jason and Jefferson Company.’ It’s mine the needed signage, design it and to recognize all of us that started this install it. She says business owners too together and we were all working hard to often underestimate the need for proper get it up off of the ground.” signage, often at their peril. Her company’s unique name has “I told one start-up company that helped, rather than hindered, her before he put up any product in his store, business. But then, Gambino knows how he needed to install signage,” Gambino to sell her ideas; before getting into the remembers. “He said that his friends signage business, she had a successful knew where he was, and that signage career in sales. After helping a signage wasn’t important. I told him that his company owner revitalize a business, landlord and the city were going to Gambino was encouraged to start her demand that he have a sign up before he own signage company. She was a natural, took possession. He is now on the verge earning more in the first two years than of being evicted because he didn’t think she ever had. signage was necessary. I can’t stress it Today, Gambino works out of the enough to people: you have to have World Trade Center, with business signage! It amazes me how people will partners in Garland and Dallas and a set up a brick and mortar business and home office in Forney. She collaborates not know that they need to have signage
to fall within the criteria of the landlord and the city. They don’t want to spend the money, and they don’t think it is necessary.” For the ones that do, Gambino is happy to ensure that they have the right signage to fit their needs. “We do everything,” she says. “I help them break down the criteria if they don’t understand it. I help clients with logos if they don’t have one. I consult with them in when they can get a temporary banner and how long they can have it. I educate them about their permits, and then we go to build the signage and install it. I educate them on everything there is about their signage and how important it is because it represents your company. If it’s a torn-down, broken-down, worn out
sign, do customers want to go into your business? How are you going to treat their belongings? Is it an establishment they want to be with?” Gambino, who is working on a Denton project and has future signage to install in Plano and Houston, enjoys beautifying Texas through signage and has no plans to change the letters on her own. “I’m very comfortable with where I am. I think that the business is strong enough to keep me afloat until I just can’t float anymore!” she says. “I enjoy helping the business owner get up and running. My future is as bright as the next person who opens up a business.” Subcontractor Signs: A JJ N J Co. is located in Dallas and Forney. – mjm
Crossing the bridge
L-R: The Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects (I-LinCP) Founder Carol Warkoczewski and Executive Director Carla Bingaman welcomed City of Fort Worth Assistant City Manager Jay Chapa to keynote the Texas Public Owner’s Conference, MC’d by City of Garland’s David Trevino. The “Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Project Delivery to Operation” event was hosted Aug. 8-9 at Fort Worth’s Sheraton Downtown Hotel. –mjm
Page 16
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • SEPT 2019