San Antonio Construction News December 2019

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Celebrating 25 on 25

Anniversary lifts

The Fetzer Companies employees at the company’s 25th anniversary celebration.

Marge and Marvin Ohlenbusch

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lot of things happen in a span of 25 years. For Patrick Fetzer, watching his company grow was like watching a motion picture.

Fetzer started working construction out of his house as a one-man show.

While he put in many hours, it didn’t seem to matter. It was a dream and a passion, not to mention it seemed like the perfect way to provide for his family.

With the ground up construction of The Gerloff Companies’ corporate offices in 1994, The Fetzer Companies Inc. was officially opened. Specializing in commercial and industrial ground up, interior finish-out, and remodels including restaurants, medical, office buildings, retail and residential, Fetzer Companies has constructed a multitude of projects over

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ost remember the push in schools, over 20 years ago, encouraging every high school graduate to forgo getting a job or learning a trade and going straight to college to pursue that four-year degree. While that may have made sense to some, the construction industry saw it a little different. You see, countless construction company leaders and owners were not college graduates. Many of them learned a trade while in high school and went on to become their own boss as owners of successful construction companies. They made a great living and provided well for their families without a huge debt while pursuing that four-year degree.

On Oct. 21, the North East Independent School District (NEISD) held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Construction Technology Academy (CTA) at the NEISD’s Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) and will offer pre-appren-

the company’s 25-year history.

On Oct. 25, Fetzer Companies celebrated the company’s 25th anniversary with a big party honoring their employees, clients, subcontractors, family and friends. The timing was perfect, giving The Fetzer Companies an opportunity to show off their new offices they had moved into just a short year earlier.

“We are so excited to be celebrating 25 years,” says Office Manager Penny McDonald. “It’s been a lot fun planning this event.”

“I had my first anniversary party when we hit five years, so this has been a long time coming. We started planning this in August. The employees put a lot of thought into this evening,” says Fetzer. continued on Page 21

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his year, Alamo Crane Service Inc. celebrates four decades of helping the Austin and San Antonio construction industries do their heavy lifting. However, the company actually had beginnings in another cool industry.

“Originally, my wife Marge and I had a refrigeration company that we started in 1969,” Marvin Ohlenbusch says. “In 1977, a 7-11 franchise was awarded in San Antonio and the surrounding cities of New Braunfels, Seguin, and the South Texas area. The 7-11 representatives came to town and interviewed different refrigeration companies to do the installation of equipment in the new stores they were going to build, and our company was chosen. In 1978 and the beginning of 1979, we built 115 7-11

stores in the San Antonio area.”

It was a boon for the Ohlenbusch’s refrigeration business, but the couple soon realized one obstacle was getting in the way of their work.

“Every building had seven pieces of equipment that had to go on the roof, and they ranged anywhere from 115 lbs. to 750 lbs. – they were not something we could carry up a ladder,” he explains.

“Originally, we relied on assigned companies; at one time, there was one crane company in San Antonio. Well, it rained a lot in ’78. To build one of these buildings was easy for the contractors because the exterior walls were concrete block with a wood truss plywood roof and the front was enclosed in glass. They continued on Page 21

Hope for the future

Ribbon cutting at the new NEISD Construction Technology Academy

ticeship construction trade programs. This new addition incorporates classrooms and labs for each program and a 10,000sf common work space for all programs to use. Programs include carpentry, plumbing, electrical, welding and HVAC. The classes will have state-of-the-art industry tools, equipment and curriculum.

Each class accommodates 20 students per class period, with there being three twohour class periods each day. Students will be bussed from their home campuses to the CTA campus to take their chosen class and back again to their home campus. All the classes will be counted as two-hour credit electives. The students will have the opportunity to earn industry-recognized trade certificates, including six OSHA safety certifications.

Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Sean Maika, addressed students of the construction programs and guests. He expressed to the students his excitement continued on Page 15

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San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

Continuing the legacy

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L-R: Greg Vaugh and Blaine Beckman

.A. Nunnelly General Contractor is under new leadership. The announcement was publicly made on Nov. 1. Blaine Beckman has been named F.A. Nunnelly’s new president.

Greg Vaughn is the company’s new CEO. When Beckman and Vaughn joined the F.A. Nunnelly family, they knew they would be partaking in the ownership and become stakeholders in the company.

What their exact roles would be at the time, they could only speculate. “I came to F.A. Nunnelly to fill a specific role and to provide some leadership in some other areas, but as things evolved, it just made sense,” recalls Vaughn. “We have been successfully transitioning leadership over the last few years.”

Having an ownership stake in the company has been a primary goal for Beckman who has been a part of the F.A. Nunnelly team for eight years. He had always dreamed of owning his own company. His dad owned a commercial general contracting company in California and it always drove him to want to own his own business.

“Timing is really important in an organization in rolling things out correctly. As Greg mentioned, the ownership transition has been taking place for several years,” says Beckman. “We made the decision that the announcement was ready to be made to the community and our team. It was announced to the team first. We wanted to

have our team’s best interest first and then we announced it to the public.”

“I think it was pretty well received by all. Our priority is to provide the kind of leadership for them that will allow them to thrive and continue to grow in their positions,” adds Vaughn.

Doug and Phillip Nunnelly will continue their involvement as executive board leadership. Having formed a board of directors, they are both directors. Phillip took the position of chairman of the board and Doug is secretary/treasurer.

“Our ultimate goal is to allow them to retire the way that they deserve to retire.

They put in a lot of years and built up a real good organization. Our goal as leaders now is to continue the legacy,” says Beckman.

Moving forward, the company will continue to diversify their portfolio in healthcare, K-12, office/retail building and light industrial. They want to continue to position themselves for growth and adding strong team members.

“In 2022 we will be celebrating 100 years. Plans are already in early development now. 100 is a big one and we’re going to make sure that we have something that the community can come to because the city of San Antonio and the surrounding areas have given this organization a lot and we want to recognize the whole community for that,” Beckman concludes.

F.A. Nunnelly is a full-service general contractor is San Antonio. -cmw

Seaso ns Gr eet i n gs

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Construction vs. college

oy Spence says, “Marketing can be a force for good,”– and he would know. The co-founder of Austin-headquartered advertising firm GSD&M has helped create memorable ads for Southwest Airlines, Wal-Mart and Dreamworks, as well as the acclaimed “Don’t mess with Texas” campaign. These days, he’s turning his creative focus on the construction industry with the “Make It Movement,” a multi-tiered public awareness campaign designed to educate people about construction trade careers.

The marketing campaign seeks to elevate skilled labor professions in Texas, encouraging young people, job seekers and the underemployed to consider pursuing a construction career. In a society that glorifies the four-year college degree and the future income and opportunities it promises, Spence’s mission is to show people that construction is an equally sound path to success. For Spence, it’s not unusual to address a room full of parents who are unaware that their high schooler can learn a trade instead of racking up college debt. They also don’t realize that, after completing their training, these young people will be heavily recruited to work in an industry with 137,000 skilled job openings last year. As the cherry on top, they will earn an impressive salary rather than paying off college debt.

Spence first got the idea when he started working with the Promiseland Project, a marketing campaign that uses “purpose-inspired” messaging to “Make It” by learning a skill.

“What I started hearing from everywhere is that people are saying, ‘I’m worried about my kids’ futures,’ or ‘We have a construction company, but we don’t have skilled workers,’” Spence says. “It was about what America really needs. I spoke all over the country with The Promiseland and everywhere I went – whether it was the machinists or the bankers, or the builders – everyone started talking about this massive, highskill shortage in America. I kind of knew it – but I didn’t really know it. I started thinking about how we need to walk in each other’s shoes and respect the dignity of all work. I decided to start a campaign to inspire, change perception that a four-year college is the right path for many but not the only path for success, and I wanted to do the first test right here in Texas.”

With financial support from apparel

Ad man Roy Spence hopes his “Make It Movement” inspires others to pursue construction careers.

and footwear company VF Corporation and its Dickies workwear brand, The Promiseland Project and Hunt Consolidated Inc., the plan is to significantly spread Make It Movement’s message in 2020. Recently, the Make It Movement premiered an ad during the Texas vs.

Oklahoma University and Aggie football games.

One obstacle the initiative overcomes is pulling back the curtain on how to “break” into the industry. While applying for college isn’t simple, most people can identify application resources through school counselors or college websites. “Applying” for a construction career isn’t as straightforward, however. To solve this, The Make It Movement’s website, www.makeitmovement. com, provides a range of information such as current Texas career opportunities in listed by region, information on education requirements and resources, and employment listings and their salary potential.

Spence, whose father worked in construction, has an enormous respect for the industry and says the hardest job he ever had was roofing as a 16-year-old.

He is excited to get the message out about how construction careers can change lives.

“We’re going to start changing perception, and we’re hoping eight years from now we will have done a lot to inspire young, the young at heart, and the underemployed to not only make a living, but they can make a great life,” Spence says. –mjm

GOOD NEWS!

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San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

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Beyer golf

Celebrating success

he folks at Beyer Mechanical had perfect weather for their Relay for Life Golf Tournament. This year the tournament hit close to home as they were “Playing for Perry.” Perry Beyer, Jr. was recently diagnosed with kidney cancer. The event was held at Canyon Springs Golf Course on Oct. 17 and raised over $42,000. -cmw

Ridout Barrett, 19th on San Antonio Express News’ Top Workplaces

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idout Barrett (RBC) staff spent the afternoon of Oct. 15 having a good time and celebrating being placed as 19th for small businesses in the San Antonio Express News Top Workplaces.

This is the fourth year in a row that RBC has been awarded Top Workplaces.

The afternoon was spent, enjoying fajitas, drinks and desserts. Along with games such as connect four, a friendly game of basketball between tax and audit, competitive musical chairs and socializing. Ridout Barrett celebration held true to the “Top Workplace” form. -cmw

Low Gross Team: Fuquay Inc. – J.D. Fuquay, Richard Corbell and Danny Oldani

1st Place Net: Gunn Fleet & Commercial – Mike Baird, Jason Horn and Luke Legrand

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San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

Lucky 13

From NASA and beyond

Alpha Building Corporation employees, past and present pose for a group photo.

Sherill Stanush

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fter Steven Stanush graduated from high school, he went to work for a plumbing contractor as a plumber’s apprentice. He worked there for a couple of years before getting out of the plumbing trade. After a few years, he returned to plumbing, once again as an apprentice.

This time he stayed with it. Stanush worked his way up and got the hours he needed to get his journeyman’s license.

He worked in all aspects of plumbing from residential new construction to commercial new construction. He did service work to include various plumbing testing and moved his way up to become a project superintendent for new commercial construction and soon got his master’s license.

The day came when Stanush approached his wife. “I really want to do this on my own. I want to make this my business.” Steven’s wife, Sherill, did not know a lot about plumbing but wanted to support her husband. She had some business experience, not a lot, but enough to get them started. Together they began the planning process of starting their own business.

In July 2006, Steven and Sherill Stanush became proud entrepreneurs with the establishment of S&S Plumbing Contractors LLC .

“We started off at a desk in our bedroom and a little warehouse for storing material. A year later we got an office and warehouse, and added more employees

and office staff,” says Sherill.

Today, S&S Plumbing has three office personnel including Sherill who acts as office and HR manager, a construction assistant, and service dispatcher and receptionist. Steven oversees the estimating when he is not in the field working as a plumber. They have three new construction crews and one service crew that handles service calls from warranties to commercial and residential service.

With Steven focusing on securing and performing work for the company, Sherill knew she needed to surround herself with people that knew what to do. If she didn’t know the answer in this new endeavor, she needed to know who to go to get the answers.

She did this through association membership joining the Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors (PHCC) association. She started going to some of their meetings where she got to know many different people from owners of plumbing companies to owners of HVAC companies who were willing to help guide her along the way.

The company has come a long way.

Coincidentally, the 13-year-old company has 13 employees. Their primary service area is San Antonio where they have found their niche focusing on new commercial construction.

S&S Plumbing LLC is a full-service commercial plumbing contractor in San Antonio. -cmw

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lpha Building Corporation is celebrating 50 years of construction throughout Texas and several contiguous states. Their founder, Gordon Kovich, was part of what some believe to be the greatest generation of our time and as such, he believed he could do whatever he set his mind to. After serving his country, he chose construction to pay for school and feed his family. His plan was simple: Focus on the client, deal with honesty and integrity, provide quality work and keep a safe jobsite. He led them through 17 years of service contracting at NASA – Johnson Space Center performing thousands of work orders to support the Apollo and Shuttle programs.

After NASA, the company picked up JOC and SABER contracts at Ft. Sam Houston, Brooks AFB, Lackland AFB and Randolph AFB. From 1990 until almost 2000, Alpha served our country’s military in Texas, Georgia and Mississippi. During this period, the company relocated its home office to San Antonio. Soon after, second generation family member, Kathleen Acock stepped in as president. She now serves as CEO and third generation, Jonathan Rogero, is managing the company.

Alpha was able to leverage the military work to the programs being led by the nation’s colleges, universities, community schools and school districts, starting in 1993 with Texas A&M University.

Following the same strong sense of purpose, mission, procedures and values developed at NASA, Alpha has performed academic work for over 30 years.

Beginning in February, the month of Alpha’s formal incorporation in 1969, Alpha Building Corporation began celebrating its 50th birthday in a big way.

“We designed a new logo in honor of our 50th anniversary,” says Rob Crow, Alpha’s vice president of business operations, “It’s a great time for Alpha.”

Alpha is particularly grateful for the clients, the subcontractor and professional firms that have been with them, many for over 20 years. In the spring, Alpha projects made a point of saying thank you to their clients with a visit and small gift. This fall each project took time to thank long-term subcontractors and suppliers.

On Oct. 24, Alpha Building Corporation hosted an appreciation lunch at Alamo Café in recognition of the gratitude they have for their subcontracting partners.

“This is monumental,” says Acock.

“Some of these folks have been with us since 1990. That is a long time for relationships to last. There is a lot of camaraderie in the community of contractors here and that is one of the things I love about San Antonio. We work together at the various associations like ABC and AGC, we bid against each other and then we play together.

“This was our chance to say thank you for being there during the tough times and the good times, when the jobs were great or when the jobs were not.

They were there and we stuck together.”

During Alpha’s final quarter of celebration, the company will be giving back to the community participating in various charity events.

And to put the icing on the cake, so to speak, Alpha will host a company-wide party on Feb. 21, 2020 when all employees and their families will gather in San Antonio for fun, games, food and lots of stories, about their experiences working for this company. Congratulations.

Alpha Building Corporation is a fullservice general contractor. –cmw

San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

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Coming next month - January 2020

P•R•O•J•E•C•T S•H•O•W•C•A•S•E Subcontractors & General Contractors Construction News will be featuring projects in the San Antonio and Austin areas each month, no matter how big or small.

Each month, we will contact subcontractors and GCs about on-going or finished projects.

However, if you would like to participate and “showcase” your project, call us at 210-308-5800 (for Austin/San Antonio).

Below is one Project Showcase submitted by Texas Cutting & Coring.

Comal County Bridge

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ust a few years shy of its 100th birthday, the San Antonio Comal River Bridge across Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels is getting a facelift. The bridge was built in 1923 with seven spans and is about 410 ft. long.

To help with its reconstruction, Texas Cutting & Coring (New Braunfels) preformed the first stage of work. “It has some structural deficiencies along with functional deficiencies because the bridge has no shoulder. It has 10 ft. wide travel lanes with a narrow sidewalk on each side. We are cutting and removing the deck, the sidewalk with the railings and the beams for the new structure that will be going back in,” says San Antonio General Manager Greg Burley.

To keep the original design and look of the bridge, portions of the original bridge will be kept intact. “Certain sec-

San Antonio

tions are going to be cut out and replaced with a newer portion while adding on to the bridge. The bridge will be widened and the weight limits will be increased because technically, right now, the weight limits on the bridge create issues for certain emergency vehicles being able to cross the bridge. It currently could take them longer to get around certain sections of town in responding to emergencies,” adds Burley.

Texas Cutting & Coring began work on the bridge, cutting and removing the deck, sidewalks, rails and beams on Sept. 25. Removing nine to 10 sections a day, the first stage of the project was completed by Oct. 3.

Portions of the bridge’s railing and drops will be saved to be displayed by the City of New Braunfels at designated locations. -cmw

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San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

The CGL Mark Gaskamp, Sr. Vice President Marsh Wortham Austin, TX

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hat were you doing in 1986? Listening to the latest tunes from Van Halen or Hank Williams, Jr., watching “The Fridge” do the Superbowl Shuffle, wishing you had gone to flight school so you could be like Tom Cruise in “Top Gun”, or saddened by the “Fire Fred” sign flying above Memorial Stadium. Maybe you were wondering how a nuclear power plant could explode in Chernobyl or the Columbia space shuttle disaster could ever happen? Or maybe you were beginning your risk management career like me.

Of course, many of you millenials out there were not around to fully appreciate the ‘80s, but I think you may get the picture that times have changed. You may not find it in the history books or Wikipedia, but 1986 was a big year in the insurance world.

In 1986 ISO introduced the new Comprehensive General Liability (CGL) policy. This marked a significant change in the way liability coverage was afforded and much of the terminology used in today’s insurance policies.

Why bring up the history lesson?

Well, many attorneys crafting subcontracts and lease agreements have failed to appreciate these changes and continue to reference coverages and terms that no longer exist. It is a cycle of using the same contract verbiage year after year without looking at the changes required to match today’s coverage terms. Even the millennial attorneys out there continue this practice by “borrowing” verbiage from old contracts.

This practice becomes problematic because it becomes impossible to technically meet the requirements of the contract, which means technically you may be subject to being in breach of the contract you just signed.

There are a few common provisions that are typical in contracts with outdated verbiage. #1 it’s not a “broad form comprehensive” policy. It is simply a “commercial” general liability policy.

There is no such thing as “broad form property coverage” or “broad form contractual liability”. The requests to delete the “contractual liability exclusion”, “employee exclusion”, or include the “cross liability endorsement” are not possible because they no longer exist on the CGL. These coverages were incorporated into the 1986 CGL rather than added by endorsement. It makes it very difficult for you or your insurance agent to prove something that does not exist. In most cases what the requirements should reflect is a request that there be no exclusion that would take away these cover-

ages, which is essentially the exact opposite of how many contracts are worded.

A couple of my other favorites… a reference to “public injury” or requiring a “combined single limit” on the CGL. The term “public injury” does not exist in the insurance world. This term should be replaced with “bodily injury,” “property damage”, and “personal and advertising liability” coverage as outlined in the CGL policy. The coverage limits should also be specified for each area of coverage as outlined in the CGL (per occurrence, general aggregate, products / completed operations and personal and advertising liability). As an aside, there really is no need to require a medical payments limit as this does not restrict the coverage afforded by the per occurrence limit on the CGL policy.

This may sound like a list of pet peeves from an insurance agent that reviews these poorly worded contracts on almost a daily basis, but when it comes to contracts, words matter. At the time of the lawsuit or claim, vague or inaccurate wording must be vetted to determine liability exposure and potential insurance coverage, especially in today’s world when most insurance endorsements stipulate “as required by written contract.” The beauty of the process (tongue in cheek) is the only party that wins with a poorly worded contract is the attorney who may well have drafted the contract in the first place, spending (i.e. billing) countless hours litigating who should be responsible for damages based on the contract’s specifications.

The solution to this problem is to update contracts with the appropriate wording and if you receive a contract that is poorly worded by today’s standards, communicate this to the upstream party so they can address these concerns. It will save everyone time and money… well almost everyone.

Mr. Gaskamp is responsible for developing partnerships with clients to implement risk control strategies to reduce the organization’s overall cost of risk. He has over 25 years of insurance and risk management experience and is very active in the safety and risk management community. He is a national faculty member of the National Alliance Certified Risk Manager’s program and serves on the safety committees for the Association of Building Contractors, Association of General Contractors, Texas Aggregate, Concrete Association (TACA) and the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) Construction Specialty Practice. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Risk Management and Finance degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Mark can be reached at mark.gaskamp@marsh.com

When to consider outside payroll help Steven Bankler, Owner Steven Bankler, CPA, Ltd. San Antonio, TX

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very thriving business experiences growing pains when it comes to “keeping the books” at some point.

It doesn’t take much for payroll and other expenses to get complicated. In fact, one of the first things we do when small businesses hire us is to help the business owners regain control of their books and payroll. Doing so can help you find money you’ve left on the table. It can help you avoid steep IRS penalties and even criminal prosecution, too.

The IRS assesses about 6 million ed tax filings and other efficiencies—can civil penalties amounting to over $6 save you and your employees time and billion dollars for employer payroll tax effort. But it can also lead to data security issues each year. Some of these viola- issues and other oversights if not hantions are due to what the IRS considers dled correctly. “I thought it was happena “willful” failure to pay” or even a ing automatically” isn’t a great excuse “reckless disregard” for not acknowledg- when facing IRS scrutiny. ing when bookkeeping is being mis- 5. As paperwork requirements managed. Either way, the IRS can hold become overwhelming. Construction business owners and every other person businesses are often required to submit responsible for running the business or additional forms many other businesses distributing payroll personally account- don’t need to worry about. U.S. Departable by doling out individual trust fund ment of Labor WH-347 forms for federally recovery penalties and, sometimes, funded jobs, union reporting, job cost even criminal charges. reporting and more often come with the

It’s the federal government’s way of territory in addition to I-9 Forms and othsaying “you should have known better” er payroll and employee onboarding paand it can result in years of personal fi- perwork. As a construction business nancial turmoil and even prison time. The owner “in the weeds” on these tasks, you Journal of Accountancy reports that may overlook other payroll and financial 128,000 individuals are currently facing issues that need your attention. outstanding trust fund recovery penalties due to a failure to pay payroll taxes.

Enlisting outside assistance, whether The penalties average $93,750 a person. from a full-service payroll provider or a

Of course, this is the worst-case sce- more traditional CPA or bookkeeping nario of not being on top of your payroll. firm, can help you avoid payroll and other But mistakes can begin mounting and federal violations due to the above comthe worst can happen in the blink of any plications. But, the IRS warns, it’s imporeye. It’s during the following stages pay- tant to work with a reputable company roll can become unmanageable: and to keep the following points in mind:

1. During rapid business growth. When a business grows rapidly, the owner sometimes has no choice but to trust newly designated employees to stay on top of the books for them—often with little to no oversight. That can lead to big problems down the road. Inexperienced payroll administrators often put employment taxes at the bottom of the list of bills to pay when cash flow is low, assuming it’s more important to pay employees and vendors. Those decisions can lead to a steep trust fund recovery penalty for all involved: the administrator and the business owner alike.

2.

While expanding outside your usual jurisdiction. Are you taking on multistate or out-of-state projects? Employees are generally subject to the income tax withholding of the state in which they work (not the state in which the employer is located) so, unless your in-house payroll manager is an expert in every state and jurisdiction’s income tax laws, employing out-of-state workers can get very complicated very quickly. Add localized employment laws like overtime and discrimination rules, and the logistics and HR issues of managing remote workers become exponentially more complicated.

3. When adding to your temporary labor force. The IRS has a keen eye on temporary labor—especially for those in the construction industry—since employment violations are common. Making workers independent contractors and responsible for their own payroll taxes when they should be classified as employees, for instance, is one area the IRS watches closely. The IRS will also crosscheck Form I-9s against payroll tax submissions to uncover violations such as paying workers in cash “off the books.”

4.

When upgrading to the latest payroll systems. Moving to a paperless payroll system—which can include direct deposit, digital timesheets, automat-

• You (the employer) are ultimately responsible for the tax liabilities. If the third party fails to make payments, you’re liable, not the third party.

• Don’t change your address of record to the payroll provider. If there are any issues with your account, you’ll want the IRS to notify you, not them (so you’re not potentially left in the dark).

• Be sure your payroll provider uses EFTPS (Electronic Federal Tax Payment System). You should also register on the EFTPS system to get your own PIN and use that PIN to periodically verify payments.

“There have been recent prosecutions of individuals and companies who, acting under the guise of a payroll service provider, have stolen funds intended for payment of employment taxes,” the IRS states on the small business and selfemployed section of its website. “Remember, employers are ultimately the parties responsible for the payment of income tax withheld and both the employer and employee portions of social security and Medicare taxes.”

Most of the time, employers are unaware that their bookkeeping is off until it’s too late. As the business owner, you have too much to lose not to seek out responsible, reputable payroll assistance and to pay attention to the books, no matter how well the business seems to be doing.

Steven Bankler has more than 42 years of experience in the accounting industry. Steven’s expertise lies in consulting, planning, tax, and asset protection as well as exit strategy services for closely held businesses.

He also provides litigation support (both as a testifying expert witness and a consulting expert), business negotiations and estate planning. Visit www.bankler.com for additional tax strategy tips and to learn more about Steven Bankler, CPA, Ltd.

San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

Page 7

Waiver and notice-related traps for the unwary R. Carson Fisk, Shareholder Andrews Myers, P.C. Austin, TX

OSHA inspections Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX

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n construction, few things can be as frustrating as having a legitimate claim for additional time to perform work or additional cost only to see it disappear by operation of legal principles. That, however, can and often does happen. Contracts are regularly drafted in a manner to require timely notice of a claim as a condition to it being considered. A failure to provide such notice may result in the claim being waived.

In general, the law seeks to construe contract language in a manner that will not result in a forfeiture. Basically, if a party is entitled to be paid based on the merits of the claim, the law prefers that outcome. But unambiguous contract language is enforced as written, and if the parties agreed to certain outcome in the event processes are not followed, often that language will be enforced. Thus, for example, if a contract states that notice of a delay claim is required within seven days of the delay commencing, untimely notice may still allow for recovery. However, if a contract states that that notice of a delay claim is required within seven days of the delay commencing or such claim is waived, the notice issues will pose a greater challenge to recovery.

Waiver is generally defined as an intentional relinquishment of a known right. It can be expressed or implied by actions or inactions, and can result in a claim effectively disappearing. However, it exists as a legal defense, raised by a person in response to someone else seeking relief. Such a concept can be wielded with devastating effectiveness when applicable. Thus, all parties involved in a construction project should have an understanding of the concept of waiver and how best to use it to their advantage when appropriate and avoid it when not.

At the contract negotiation stage, parties should be aware of whether there are waiver-related provisions contained in the applicable contract tied to notice.

If so, efforts can be made to negotiate their removal or lessen their potential impact. For example, one addition may be to include that waiver applies “to the extent the [party] is actually prejudiced by the failure to receive timely notice.” The underlying logic is that if a party already has actual notice of a claim, the formality of (additional) notice from a claiming party may not be necessary.

Furthermore, any time frames for notice should be reasonable. A provision that requires quick notice will have a claiming party scrambling and is less likely to be complied with. The widely used AIA Document A201-2017 form of agreement provides in section 15.1.3.1 that “Claims by either party … shall be initiated within 21 days after occurrence of the event giving rise to such Claim or within 21 days after the claimant first recognizes the condition giving rise to the Claim, whichever is later.” The ConsensusDocs 200 form of agreement provides in section 8.4 that “for any claim for an increase in the Contract Price or the Contract Time, Constructor shall give Owner writ-

ten notice of the claim within fourteen (14) Days after the occurrence giving rise to the claim or within fourteen (14) Days after Constructor first recognizes the condition giving rise to the claim, whichever is later.” These time frames may serve as a useful guide in negotiations.

Also at the contract negotiation stage, be wary of blanket language in a contract that provides that any change order operates as a waiver of all pending claims or existing claims through the date of the change order. Efforts can be made to negotiate the removal of such language or to clarify that any claims known by the parties remain intact.

During the course of a project, the parties are stuck with whatever notice provisions have been agreed to. Parties should understand what notice is required and what contractual ramifications, if any, are set forth for non-compliance. At this stage, ensuring compliance is not only advisable, it may be critical.

For example, the AIA Document A2012017 form of agreement provides in section 9.10.5 that “[a]cceptance of final payment by the Contractor, a Subcontractor, or a supplier, shall constitute a waiver of claims by that payee except those previously made in writing and identified by that payee as unsettled at the time of final Application for Payment.” The ConsensusDocs 200 form of agreement provides in section 9.8.7 that “[u]nless Constructor provides written identification of unsettled claims with an application for final payment, its acceptance of final payment constitutes a waiver of such claims.”

Similarly, during the course of the project, documents that are generated— such as change orders and administrative documents—should be carefully reviewed. Language that a change order operates as a waiver of claims through a given date should be carefully considered, and rejected or modified if appropriate.

Waiver is a potentially powerful defense that can be fatal to otherwise legitimate claims. The defense often arises in the context of contract language, particularly with respect to notice, or other project-related documents. Contractors of all tiers should be cognizant of the obligations they are undertaking when entering into contracts and change orders and when signing project administrative documents.

R. Carson Fisk is a construction attorney, mediator, and arbitrator and shareholder at Andrews Myers P.C. in Austin, Texas. He may be reached at cfisk@an-

drewsmyers.com

E

nforcement plays an important part in OSHA’s efforts to reduce workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.

When OSHA finds employers who fail to uphold their safety and health responsibilities, the agency takes strong, decisive actions.

Inspections are initiated without advance notice, conducted using on-site or telephone and facsimile investigations OSHA has a priority system for inspections. The priorities are imminent danger, catastrophes, fatalities or hospitalizations, worker complaints and referrals, and targeted inspections.

Current workers or their representatives may file a written complaint and ask OSHA to inspect their workplace if they believe there is a serious hazard or that their employer is not following OSHA laws. Workers and their representatives have the right to ask for an inspection without OSHA telling their employer who filed the complaint. It is a violation of the OSH Act for an employer to fire, demote, transfer or in any way retaliate against a worker for filing a complaint or using other OSHA rights.

The on-site inspection begins with the presentation of the compliance officer’s credentials. The compliance officer will explain why OSHA selected the workplace for inspection and describe the scope of the inspection process, walkaround procedures, employee representation and employee interviews.

Following the opening conference, the compliance officer and the representatives will walk through portions of the workplace covered by the inspection, inspecting for hazards that could lead to worker injury or illness. After the walkaround, the compliance officer will hold a closing conference with the em-

ployer and the employee representative to discuss the findings.

When an inspector finds violations of OSHA standards or serious hazards, OSHA may issue citations and fines. A citation includes methods an employer may use to fix a problem and the date by which the corrective actions must be completed.

Employers have the right to contest any part of the citation, including whether a violation actually exists. Workers only have the right to challenge the deadline by which a problem must be resolved.

Appeals of citations are heard by the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC).

All employers must report to OSHA the death of any worker from a work-related incident within 8 hours of learning about it; and all work-related inpatient hospitalizations, amputations and losses of an eye within 24 hours. For more information, visit www.osha.gov/report.

In addition, employers must report all fatal heart attacks that occur at work.

Deaths from motor vehicle accidents on public streets (except those in a construction work zone) and in accidents on commercial airplanes, trains, subways or buses do not need to be reported. These reports may be made by telephone or in person to the nearest OSHA area office listed at www.osha.gov or by calling OSHA’s toll-free number, 1-800-321-OSHA (6742). natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232

Page 8

San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

sprinkler company for almost a year.

While I was designing, the salesman quit, and while I was only 19 or 20, they asked me if I knew anything about sales. I said yes; when I was 16, I was a driver for an office supply company and when I finished early, I would go in and sell products for the rest of the day. So, I had a little bit of sales experience and I lucked into getting into sales for a small period of time.

Rusty Young

President Young Bros Fire Protection Helotes, TX

R

usty Young has been in the fire protection industry nearly four decades, and has owned his company, Young Bros Fire Protection, most of those years. In that time, he has built a business focused on quality work and great employees (including his wife and sons). When he manages to stop racing around for work, he can be found racing on the track – literally.

Share about your background.

I mostly grew up in the area of Helotes; I’ve been here for about 48 years.

I had some relatives in the [fire sprinkler] business, but I did something different. In high school, I took a threehour drafting class that they were offering for the first time, and my mom worked for an architect, so that sparked my interest in drawing and sketching.

Right out of high school, I got a job designing air conditioning ducts for a supply company in town for a year. Then, a job opportunity came up doing fire sprinkler design for a local company my relatives worked for. I worked for them for a year, and then for a worldwide

What motivated you to start your own company?

It was announced that by September 1984, you had to have an RME license (Responsible Managing Employee) to operate a company. Before that, the sprinkler contractors weren’t licensed and there were only about three or four in our town who were doing this type of work, so that requirement knocked out a lot of my competition. I saw an opportunity there; I had already been taking some courses online to try and get my engineering degree in fire protection.

I continued to do that and opened Young Bros Fire Protection in December 1983. It was good timing, I guess you could say.

That’s a great story of preparation meeting opportunity! Did you feel ready for business ownership?

It was pretty scary, and a blur the first couple of years. My mom was then working for Tom Frost with Frost Bank, so she gave me a little guidance on the business aspect of it because I didn’t know anything about business. I jumped in with both feet and then took it real slow for a few years.

I ended up selling, designing, fabricating, and installing every job – pretty much the works. I was working 12 to 14 hours a day for the first two years. I had to teach myself how to get everything done in a little bit of time. There were some slim times in the late 1980s, but we just tried to do good work and work for

Young says racing “is in my blood.”

Young Bros Fire Protection’s Rusty and Lori Young

good general contractors. We tried to pick and choose rather than go after volume. I was hoping it would pay off over the years. Next thing I know, it’s 35 years later.

How has the company evolved in the past 35 years?

We did a lot of things by hand back then and now everything is pretty much automated; design is all computer automated and for our fabrication, we pretty much went into an all-automated shop. There are only a few of us in Texas that do their own fabrication in-house, and we’re probably one of the larger ones.

We’re actually currently expanding our shop; we’re in the midst of adding on 17,000sf right now.

What challenges do you face?

We could do three or four times as much work but there aren’t enough experienced workers these days. Our reputation for doing quality work got us where we are today, so I’m careful about who I hire.

It’s always a small challenge in construction. It’s hard for me to change to the new technology; I still bring that old-school instinct into what I do here.

We used to have paper plans that we would deliver every day to our job sites and now it’s all on iPads. That’s a good thing though.

How do you connect with your employees?

One thing I learned over the years is to surround yourself with good employees; we currently have over 50 employees.

I have two sons, Clay and Coby, who have been working here since the first time they could pick up a broom. They’re heavily involved. Also, my wife, Lori, works here as the office manager. They all work for the business and have been a

great asset to the success of our company today.

We consider all of our employees like family. I have employees that have been here a very long time. For example, Luke Williamson, our sales director, has been here 28 years. We are pretty blessed with all of the people we have working with us. We get along real well and we do a lot of functions together. Last week, we went to the Witty Museum game dinner.

Sometimes, we go to concerts and associations cookoffs. We try to stay together.

How did you celebrate your company’s 35th anniversary?

We incorporated our anniversary with our holiday party at Christmas for all of the employees. We had some T-shirts made and did a little celebration in our office.

Do you have future plans for the company?

Technology is kind of dictating everything right now. I think we have found our niche and will stay the same size that we’ve been the last five years.

We did take on more work before that, but we found that you can sleep at night a little better and do just as well by knowing what you can handle.

We have expanded out a little bit by working with some different groups, some developers and general contractors. We want to expand our base of where we work and who we work with a little bit.

We’re now trying to do larger jobs; before, we stayed away from the larger jobs. We have some really large ones right now.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Right now, it’s a lot of kid stuff and grandkid stuff. We have the two sons and daughter-in-laws and four grandkids – three boys and one girl.

I have a lot of hobbies and have gone through a bunch of hobbies over the years. Racing is in my blood; I used to run top fuel drag boats in the 1990s until I actually crashed. After the crash, I realized that’s not what I want to do on the water anymore! It was a wake-up call, and that’s why I currently race cars – it’s a little safer.

I have a handful of cars right now. I build and work on them and then go race. I race locally, and then go to some national events. I race Legend cars; they’re a 5/8 scale race car with the motorcycle motor in them. I occasionally race at NASCAR during the races.

I do a little fishing, though not as much as I used to. I like to go down to Corpus for trout and redfish. I used to do a bunch of tournaments a few years back but there is no time for it lately. I try to get there a couple of times a year.

It sounds like you have a pretty good life.

I do. I have a good family and a good team at work and that makes life a lot easier.

Young Bros Fire Protection Inc. offers certified design, professional installations, remodeling and maintenance, system inspections, backflow testing and 24-hour service for automatic fire sprinkler systems.

–mjm

San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

Page 9

No news is what’s new

Paving the way

The HCDT team Front Row L-R: Jeremy Diller, John Poettgen, Rick Jeter, Back Row L-R: Nevada Martinez, Therese Iglesias, Paul Poetgen, Lisa Tafolla and Maryanna Christensen.

Pro-Line Paving LLC’s Mike Crawford, hard at work.

F

or over 100 years, Harding-ConleyDrawert-Tinch Insurance Agency (HCDT) has been in operation in one form or another. Starting out as Harding & Company, the company merged with Conley & Drawert Insurance and later, when the late Ace Tinch became a shareholder, the firm became known as Harding-ConleyDrawert-Tinch Insurance Agency as we know it today, partnering with clients to help them build their businesses and protect their company’s assets.

“Not much has changed over the years,” says President Paul Poettgen. “and that’s a good thing because we pride ourselves on being stable.”

HCDT has added to their staff and is looking to grow without losing focus on their number one priority which is their customer service and the retention of their existing clients. “We are just so fortunate and thankful for our clients, many of whom we have dealt with for decades,” adds Poettgen.

While HCDT continues to focus primarily on insurance and bonding for the

construction industry, one of the firm’s newest staff members, Jeremy Diller, came on board two years ago and is expanding HCDT’s expertise into new directions.

“Jeremy is concentrating on a number of different areas. One of which happens to be in the benefit area that we never really were involved in before. He has access to a number of different new products available for health benefits that are not the typical standard programs you find with Humana, BlueCross BlueShield and those types of programs,” says Executive Vice President Maryanna Christensen.

“While our regular insurance and bonds clients are almost all San Antonio and South Texas based, he’s pursued and successfully obtained clients in the public entity sector from across the state, border to border,” adds Poettgen. “It’s been a good diversification for us because prior to Jeremy coming on board we were 95 percent construction by choice – not that we couldn’t do something else.” -cmw

S

ince 1995, Pro-Line Paving LLC has been steadily laying a path – no pun intended – for growth. Starting out as a two-man show, the company has grown to a company of 55 employees.

In 1997, Pro-Line moved into their own office space and have been there since. But as you can imagine, the office space didn’t necessarily grow as the company grew. The time had come to expand.

“We’ve been growing every year. We had eight people in a three-office building. It got a little crowded to say the least, not to mention noisy,” says owner Mike Crawford.

With a tight and busy work load, there was no time to build for the much needed space. The decision for more work space was needed and quickly.

That’s when Crawford made the decision to expand his operation with a new modular office building.

“We are moving estimating, myself and my brother into the new building. HR and admin will remain in the original building.”

The new office space is not the only

thing new with Pro-Line. Earlier this year, the company incorporated. It is no longer a sole proprietorship. Additionally, Pro-Line’s milling division, which took off in 2014, has expanded as well. The milling division added a 7.6-footer milling machine. This will continue to allow Pro-Line to control their schedule for milling along with asphalt as they pave whatever they mill.

“Business is fantastic. We can’t do enough work. We have a bunch of city contracts coming up for reconstruction of streets. We have a highway class paver where we can do subdivisions. We have done plenty already. We’re bring a new tri-axle dump into service next week.”

Crawford says he continues to work non-stop and loves what he does. “We do anything to do with parking lots or city streets and county roads. We can build it from ground up or repair it.”

In short, Crawford just wants to keep “earning his stripes,” keeping everyone’s travel safe and smooth.

Pro-Line Paving LLC is a paving subcontractor. -cmw

Page 10

Merry Christmas W to all

San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

30 years of counsel

hen Gregory Cokinos, Marc Young and Brian Bosien teamed up 30 years ago to create their own law firm, Cokinos | Young, their vision was clear in whom they wanted to represent.

“I got involved in representing folks in the construction industry,” Cokinos says. “I really liked the practice, and I wanted to build a firm that focused almost entirely on construction law. I wanted to build a firm that could address any legal need that a construction company has.

Sometimes, it’s labor employment or corporate mergers and acquisitions. You have real estate needs and lease negotiation and have all types of bankruptcy needs. I wanted to build a firm that could address all of those requirements of any construction company. In October 1989, when I said we were going to build a verticallyintegrated construction firm – Gregory Cokinos celebrates the 30th anniversary of meaning that we were going to his construction-focused law firm, Cokinos | Young. be able to address any legal need of a construction company – I think established ourselves as a go-to firm in we have stayed true to our practice.” the state on any construction-related The firm now employs nearly 80 issue. We’re Texas-based and take a lot of lawyers in Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, pride in our Texas heritage. A lot of firms Houston, San Antonio and San Francisco. who come in from out of state and try to Cokinos | Young is recognized as the get in on the construction practice here third-largest law firm focusing on are good competition. We welcome it, construction in the U.S., and the largest but if you’re looking for a Texas-based Texas-based construction law firm. construction law firm, we’re your firm.”

Cokinos says the open, collegial, Cokinos says he and his team look client-centered atmosphere is a key rea- forward to growing and evolving in the son for the company’s success. years to come.

“We really focus on team effort, and I “We’ve quietly grown to this size, and think that the lawyers that we have with I think we’ll get bigger,” he says. “We us today – some have been with us 25 enjoy what we do and want to continue years – understand the commitment to to do it. We’re going to emphasize more the practice of law. We’re basically a of our corporate practice because we’ve service industry, and we’re here to developed a very strong section on address any needs our clients have. We negotiating contracts. We’ll also help on have to be responsive. I think our entire the corporate side, whether it’s corporate office has that kind of can-do attitude. governance, mergers and acquisitions, Everyone tries to support each other.” the employment side, establishing em Cokinos says he has enjoyed ployment policy manuals and regulating celebrating this 30-year milestone with employment. We’re also going to get the lawyers and staff. more into immigration. There’s always

“It is a significant anniversary; that’s a something new popping up that impacts long time in business,” Cokinos says. “I construction companies. We want to be honestly don’t know what the normal life there to jump on it and respond at the of a law firm is, but I suspect it is well highest level for our clients, and I think below 30. I think any time you’ve been in we do that.” business for 30 years, you’ve established With a focus on construction law, yourself with some degree of credibility. Cokinos | Young provides statewide and We’ve been a leader in this industry of national coverage for all aspects of construction law practice, and we’ve corporate law and civil litigation. –mjm

In memoriam

C

from everyone at Construction News

harles Lugo, a longtime member of San Antonio’s construction industry, has gone to join our Lord and Savior on Oct. 21.

After a long and courageous battle with Myasthenia Gravis and related health issues, his body slowed down from his illness, but his brain never did.

He was born on Jan. 5, 1937 in Temple, TX. Charles had a zest for life and adventure, enjoying music, dancing, fishing, hunting, water- and snow-skiing, to name a few hobbies. He was a successful businessman, and he loved giving back to his community. He founded Lugo Steel in San Antonio. He donated many materials to the community including rebar for the first Habitat for Humanity build in San Antonio. He later joined the L&M Steel family to become a valuable team member. He was a respected volunteer to several associations

within the construction community where his kindness and service will be forever remembered.

He is survived by his wife Mary, five children, eight grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service was held on Nov. 12 at St. Anthony de Padua Catholic Church. -cmw

San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

Page 11

Change of pace

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.

T

welve times a year, I write this column for the Great Outdoors section of their papers that reach many folks in the construction industry. This network of individuals are some of the most friendliest, generous, and hard-working people who love fishing, hunting and many other outdoor activities in our great state of Texas.

I am honored to say that for the 19 years that I have been writing this column, I have made some incredible relationships, either on the boat or in the field that have contributed to my success. Many of you I consider friends over clients now, and I am so thankful for those of you and what you have done for me and my family.

Last month, I transitioned from the waters of the Coastal Bend to the brush of South Texas. It’s a time for me to really reset my mind after a long year on the water and do something that is just as enjoyable as fishing and that was a big part in my childhood. Typically, I spend most of November and December guiding South Texas free range whitetail deer hunts, hog and javalina hunts and a few quail hunt on the legendary Chaparrosa ranch near La Pryor, TX. This ranch encompasses nearly 100,000 acres of western Zavala county and is one of the

Trevor Boatright and Brandon Dewbre both kill nice bucks on their visit to the Chaparrosa Ranch. Trevor’s 10-pt. buck scored 154 in. and Brandon’s 8-pt. buck scored 156 in.

Couple of great deer gentlemen.

Photos by Steve Schultz Outdoors.

few large ranches that offer free range, low fence, native deer hunting at an affordable price.

Although I am not on the water everyday this winter, I am still in contact with some of my guides that I network with and they keep me informed on what is happening on the water. I am still able to fish in between some of my hunts as long as the weather permits, so don’t hesitate calling to check on availability. Fishing should stay consistent through December as long as it doesn’t get too cold or stay cold for an extended period of time.

I’m already looking forward to the 2020 fishing season and can’t wait to get back on the water. Hopefully, we can avoid a hard freeze this winter and our bays stay healthy for the upcoming season. I’m anxious to get on the water and will keep everyone in the loop on what kind of season it will be.

I would like to take this time to wish all of you friends

and clients a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year. Thank you for the continuous support of Steve Schultz Outdoors and I really look forward to seeing you again next year.

If you are interested in booking a whitetail deer hunt on the renowned Chaparrosa Ranch in South Texas, give me a shout. There are still some good deer that need to be shot.

My 2020 fishing calendar is also open and I have already started booking for next season, so don’t hesitate. To schedule your next bay fishing trip or hunting trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-813-3716 or e-mail him at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.com.

Good luck and Good Fishing.

Page 12

San Antonio Construction News • DEC 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

Year-end wishes and lots of fishes

W

ell, here we are slowing this year’s pace down into the Holiday Season once again! This time of year always gets me remembering holidays past and time spent with all the people that helped me to learn and grow to be who I am today. I owe a tremendous debt to my Dad and other kinfolk who took the time to take me hunting and fishing. I guess that is why it is so important to me to try and get other people to not just go hunting and fishing, but load up the kids and take them too.

It’s going to be their world someday and it’s our job to help them learn about it while we can. If nobody was there to teach you, then come on out and discover it with them. I promise you it will be time well spent!

When I was a kid, Christmas holidays meant getting to load up with Dad and the rest of the older boys to go off to camp out in South Texas and go deer hunting and varmint trapping. We celebrated Christmas too, I guess, but that was just a formality. Those days spent at the deer camp with Dad gave me a lifelong love for South Texas and for hunting in general. My best memories of my Dad were there and I feel close to him when I hunt, even if he is no longer with me.

The same thing was true of summer vacation. When Dad wasn’t working or putting us to work helping with the big garden that helped feed our brood, you could bet we would be heading out to find someplace to go fishing. Summer was more of an all-family affair in those days. You just can’t beat a fish fry on a

river bank with homemade ice cream and the guitars coming out after everyone had eaten their fill.

So I just ask you to reflect a little bit here on what you are leaving your kids to remember of the holidays and time spent with you. I know it’s harder now. Things move too fast, places to go fish and hunt are hard to come by and expensive and kids grow so fast.

But you have the internet! You can find over ninety state parks to discover in Texas. You can find places and opportunities to hunt and fish and guides are easily found to show you the ropes. The holidays are coming and you are going to have some time, so…

Right now we are seeing our white bass, stripers and hybrids here on Lake Buchanan starting to school up into their winter patterns. That means we are finding plenty of hungry fish to give us good fast action. If you are bringing kids, fast catching is good because it keeps things interesting. This time of year, we get into a lot of fish that are below keeper size and need to be released, so you get to keep fishing for your limit. It makes for a fun trip!

I hope you have a wonderful Holiday Season and make some fine memories!

San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

Submitted to Construction News

Honeymoon hunt

Page 13

Submitted to Construction News

Happy Birthday!

Construction News’ managing editor shared this photo of nephew Nathan Wiatrek’s first deer of the season. He shot this 12-point buck at his family’s deer lease in Uvalde on his 19th birthday. It scored 132 5/8. ”I made a good shot on the deer but hit him just a tad back, so I waited 30 minutes or so before I started tracking it. He only went 150 yards.

I spent many hours sitting in the same stand hoping for this deer to come out and give me a chance. I sure am proud of this one,” says Wiatrek. -cmw

Last month, Lynwood Building Materials’ Chris Christians IV and Ashley Fousek tied the knot. For their honeymoon, the two outdoor lovers went hunting.

While on their honeymoon, Chris shot this beautiful Axis buck. -cmw

Page 14

San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

All-year cheers to 20 years

Industry FOLKS Jason Christa

Purchasing Manager

Gibson Plumbing Company San Antonio, TX

J

ason Christa grew up in the small community of Adkins, TX just southeast of San Antonio. There, he always had something to do and people to see. The majority of his family lived within 10 minutes of each other and he spent a lot of time with them. He especially enjoyed fishing and hunting in the back pasture behind his childhood home and spent a lot of weekends working cattle with his stepdad.

Every summer, his family vacationed at the coast. The coast became a part of him. He graduated from East Central High School in 2006. Following graduation, he made his way south to attend Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi.

“The minute I stepped on the campus for my college visit, I knew it was the right place for me. I met some lifelong friends during my time in Corpus.”

Jason had wanted to follow his father’s footsteps and started his college career with the intention of getting a degree in accounting, followed by taking the CPA exam. “After my first accounting class, I immediately knew it was not the right choice for me. I enjoyed writing so I enrolled into some entry level journalism classes to become a writer. I still enjoy hard copies of the paper on Sundays! After much consideration, I decided that, too, was not the right path for me.

“Once I really sat down and thought about what I wanted to do, business was the right choice. It’s a degree that could open many doors, giving myself the best opportunity for employment. I went back to the College of Business and received a degree in Business Management.”

The construction industry has always been a part of Christa. His father and mentor was the CPA for DR Horton homes for over 20 years. He and his brother spent many Saturdays making copies at the office and filing for his dad. Christa went to work in an entry level position out of college for one of his dad’s old co-workers who had been working for a home builder. After two years, he was ready and eager to move on when Gibson presented the perfect opportunity.

Christa became the multi-family purchasing manager for Gibson Plumbing Company when he started in 2015. At that time, they had a total of six apartment projects in and around San Antonio with a goal of doubling that number.

“Today we manage over 50 apartment projects in San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and Houston. The basic overview of my job is to purchase material from start to completion within budget. Tracking submittal packages for each project, maintain good relationships with our suppliers, work hand-inhand with the job foremen and project managers on all materials.

“My favorite thing about working at Gibson is that it still has that ‘familyowned’ vibe. Although we have increased work substantially since 2015, I still get to work side by side with upper management. I feel this is a big reason that Gibson Plumbing has been successful for 65 years.” -cmw

GeoSolutions President and founder Carey Witt is celebrating his company’s 20th anniversary.

G

eoSolutions is celebrating its 20th year, all year!

“We included our milestone achievement as part of our holiday celebration and plan to have several highlights at events throughout 2020, President and founder Carey Witt says.

“It’s worth celebrating all year long!”

The Austin-based geosynthetic solutions firm spread to Corpus Christi, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Oklahoma. It offers expert planning, design and engineering services for development projects, as well as environmental services including SWPPP plans and inspection services. It also provides products used in soil stabilization, erosion control and earth retention projects.

“I believe it’s true that quality and great customer service speak for themselves.” Witt says. “That being said, we are unique in providing engineering solutions, not just products. We have the ability to diagnose and custom-treat problem areas instead of just one-sizefits-all mentality. We believe in building

relationships. We also offer unique products that I invented and patented, including the GeoCurve, which is a stormwater curb inlet filter.”

GeoSolutions also created a “GeoMinistries” initiative that includes projects such as drilling water wells for Rwandan orphanages and rebuilding homes for hurricane-impacted families. It also supports organizations such as Ben Hur Shriners and Austin AmVets.

Excited about the future, Witt says, “We are grateful to our loyal customers, partners and dedicated employees. Quality and attention to detail with every project, big or small, has built GeoSolutions into a solid reputation and repeat business is our greatest compliment. We are continuing to grow and have plans to expand to neighboring states, which is exciting to see. I started this company with just two employees in our Austin office and have had the honor of seeing my vision take shape and be able to stand here now, 20 years later.”

GeoSolutions is a geosynthetic solutions firm. –mjm

San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

Page 15

Perfect weather?

continued from Page 1 — NEISD

for the opening of the CTA. “This facility really does have a special place in my heart. Students, all the way through high school and through my college career, I built homes. That’s how I paid my way through college. My father had 13 brothers and sisters. All of them knew a trade. I learned how to plumb, do electrical, pour a basement, frame a roof and even put in septic tanks.”

While Maika chose a different path for himself, he went on to address the need to replenish the construction industry’s workforce, stating that the average age of a plumber today in San Antonio is 62 and the average age of an electrician is 58.

“The construction industry is desperate for workers. The fact that we now have a facility that is potentially helping fill those jobs is felt with pride for the North East Independent School District.”

According to CTEC Director Justin Missildine, “MacArthur High School’s electrical program relocated to the CTEC CTA. We opened up a welding program for the 2018-2019 school year and now we have, for the 2019-2020 school year, begun our carpentry, HVAC and plumbing programs.”

North East ISD teacher Shawn Jensen added, “We are hoping that programs like this will inspire these young men and women to either follow the path of college and major in construction science or follow the path to trade school, where they will get the opportunity to take these skills and the free education they are getting here to a company or trade school and become a journeyman, or master plumber or master welder.”

Since the mid ‘90s, Steve Albert, now NEISD’s Director of the Construction Technology Academy, has been working endlessly to get trades back into schools.

“This is kind of a 25-year dream of mine to get this stuff back into the school districts. It’s a crying shame it took 25 years, but we‘re here and that’s what matters,” says Albert.

Sybel Pici, Fortitude General Contractors and Rodney Lyles, Alamo Cement, were on hand to celebrate the grand opening of the Construction Technology Academy as well. Both have been instrumental in providing construction camps for the students.

“This summer and the summer before, we did a construction camp and brought kids that they recruited over to jobs that we were working on and put them to work. They brought two teachers with them. They participated in demos, installed sheet rock, tape and float, a little bit of painting, lots of carpentry, and they were so ready. They understood the process, timing, [and] the need for teamwork,” says Pici. “It’s a great opportunity.

Anytime we can work with the youth in our area and make awareness to the trade and skilled labor, it’s awesome.

Good things are happening,” adds Lyles.

After the ribbon cutting, the students were eager to get to work in their labs as guests watched on. Their attention to detail and safety was impeccable. Their willingness to speak about their chosen trade and the program was inspiring.

“As a kid, working with my grandpa, I always wanted to be a plumber. Grandpa

always had some plumbing or construction work for me to do. Now I am learning for my future,” says Madison High School sophomore Michael Speciale, who hopes to start working for Quarter Moon Plumbing when he turns 16.

Roosevelt High School student Senia Gonzales is in the electrical program.

She entered electrical program because of her brother who told her it would be great for her future.

“I’m really loving it,” Gonzales says.

“The program here is very hands-on.

We’re learning something every day. I’m so glad I listened to him.”

With programs like these returning to our schools, there’s hope for our industry after all.

If you have a child or know of someone that would be a good candidate for one of these programs, go online at, www.neisd.net/ctec. Fill out the online registration form. This would be for the 2020- 2021 school year. -cmw

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1st Place Gross: MEMCO Staffing

ith temperatures not too hot and not too cold, the weather was perfect for the American Subcontractors Association (ASA) Fall Golf Tournament held on Oct. 8. The event was held at TPC’s Canyon Course. Members and guests enjoyed a great day of golf, fun, friendship and memories. Photos courtesy of Mary C. Haskin Photography. -cmw

Tournament winners: 2nd Place Gross: KCM Cabinets 3rd Place Gross: Bolero Ventures 2nd Place Net: Baker Triangle 3rd Place Net: ESC Safety Consultants Closet to the Pin: Eric Anderson, Buyers Barricades Women’s Longest Drive: Kathy Bower, The BlueBook Men’s Longest Drive: Bryan Ehrlich, Central Builders Inc.

1st Place Net: The Blue Book and Western States Fire Protection

Page 16

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San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

If money was no object, what would you buy?

Submitted to Construction News

Round-Up

Yantis Company is pleased to announce the following promotions: Mike Schaeffer has been promoted to Executive Vice President and General Superintendent. Schaeffer has been part of the Yantis team for 11 years. He will oversee the day to day operations of the excavation, asphalt and concrete divisions and will be responsible for management of all Yantis Company personnel in the division.

He will also manage the majority of the company’s projects from start to finish. -cmw

Fernando Figueroa has been promoted to Vice President of Operations and Safety Officer. He brings extensive experience from his former role as president at Curv Compliance. In his new role, he will be responsible for the overall management of project administration and will be heavily involved in field operations, safety management and business development. -cmw

Apostolos Pavlioglou has been promoted to Vice President of Estimating. In his new role, he will oversee all aspects and staff in the company’s estimating department.

Pavlioglou joined the Yantis family as an estimating takeoff technician seven years ago. -cmw

TDIndustries is pleased to announce the promotion of Justin Beard to Vice President of its San Antonio office.

Beard is a 15-year partner and has led several successful high-profile projects for TD. He is a 2004 graduate of Texas A&M. -cmw

Mike Moilanen has joined the F.A. Nunnelly General Contractors team as Operations Manager.

Moilanen brings over 17 years of experience and will oversee the company’s day to day operations. He is a graduate of RECSA’s Leadership Development Program and North Chamber’s Leadership Lab. -cmw

Round-Up Submissions

I would buy an original Optimus Prime. I always wanted one as a kid and I never got one! I can’t tell you that I want for much; I have a great family and situation.

I’m certainly not rich, but I’m happy.

Charles Carranza, Carranza Restoration My family and I love camping, boating and outdoor activities like that. It would probably be a lake house for my family and I to spend weekends in and do what we love to do.

Bryan Sublett, McMillan James I would have to buy a longer life to spend all the money that I don’t have to worry about.

Wade Turner, Texas Disposal Systems It’s always an object. I would buy a lake house on Lake LBJ. It’s where my family always goes.

Alex Tipps, Keystone Concrete Placement I would buy a high-end Ferrari and enjoy it.

George Salinas, Absolute Power

and host retreats for them at no cost. I would do this to get them back into society because I’m a veteran. It’s a rough transition when you get out of the service after fighting a war. If I could bring them home and give them a little bit of hope and let them see that civilian life is not that bad and you can transition and feel normal again and cut down the suicide rate, that’s what I’d do.

Mike White, C&F Construction I would buy a ranch in Texas with a lot of land just to be out there, alone.

Vilma Martinez, Jungman, Elley, Williams & Johnson CPA I have no idea. I have never thought about it.

Weedi Sweet, WS Steel Structures If I could buy anything, I would buy a winery. I’m a wine maker in search of a winery. I have a winery, but I would like a bigger one.

Jesse Villarreal, JV Electric LLC Time!

Denise Bendele, RSM US LLC

Richard Carlucci has joined the Sundt Infrastructure Development Group as a bid director.

He will be responsible for public-private partnership (P3) bids and private development opportunities. Carlucci holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his juris doctorate from Brooklyn Law School in New York. -cmw

A house somewhere where it is not so hot.

Lisa Ramirez, Ed Boyle & Associates If money were no object, I would research a way to have the best of both worlds to be a working mom and to have more time with my kid! I love what I do, but for females it comes with a heavy feeling of guilt that we aren’t doing enough for our kids on a daily basis. I know you can’t buy time, but maybe I could buy or create an organization catered to working moms.

Stefanie Catalani, F.A. Nunnelly General Contractors

If I had unlimited money, I would give it to someone smarter than I am to solve some world problems. I would probably do something along the lines of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. If I had unlimited money, I wouldn’t spend it on myself, I would use it to help my team or folks in the community. Not everyone is as lucky as I am … actually, I might buy myself a little ranch in South Texas.

Maybe the King Ranch, or the YO Ranch, it’s closer!

Nathan Rizzo, Rx Technology

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

I would buy a large ranch, probably here in Texas somewhere. I would fill it with cabins and bring all my veteran friends out

I would buy a ranch so all my family and friends could enjoy it with me.

Stan Rothman, Ahern Rentals

Submit Info & Photo: SAeditor@ConstructionNews.net

(210) 308-5800

Welcome aboard

Hispanic Contractors de San Antonio’s (HCSdeSA) outgoing President Edward Pape and Joeris General Contractors’ CEO Gary Joeris welcome new HCAdeSA Executive Director Victoria Rodriguez on Nov. 14 at the association’s last membership meeting and mixer of 2019. -cmw

New headquarters

Child Advocates San Antonio (CASA) celebrates the opening of their new headquarters with an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony. The event was held on Nov. 13 at their new headquarters on S.W.W. White Rd. -cmw

San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

Page 17

Understanding your industry

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ver 150 people were in attendance at RSM US LLP’s 2019 Texas Construction Industry Conference. The annual event was held on Nov. 6 at the J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. RSM clients and friends from across the state attended the event.

“We host this conference every year,” says RSM Partner, Denise Bendele. “We have several speakers lined up to talk about everything from the economy to the latest new IT trends. We have a CFO panel and other topics regarding accounting and taxes for contractors. Our team works on this, attending national conferences to find the right speakers.

We are very proud that we are able to offer this every year and bring national quality speakers to our local market.”

Topics at this year’s conference included: the U.S. economic outlook; transform your operations through robotic process automation; bridging the gap in organizational risk management; surety indus-

try update; tax update; accounting update and preparing for HR 2020.

RSM US LLP is an audit, tax and consulting firm. -cmw

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Barbecue & tools

nce a year, United Tool & Fastener hosts a “One-Day Sale.” This year the event was held on Oct. 15. The event is United’s blowout sale and includes a variety of vendors that bring their newest products to demonstrate to customers. PIP, Motorola, Werner, DeWalt and Milwaukee were all in attendance this year demonstrating their latest and greatest. United Tool & Fastener’s customers were treated to a delicious barbecue lunch with all the trimmings. cmw

Denise Bendele, RSM US LLP partner

Miwaukee Tools displays their new products at the United Tool & Fastener One-Day Sale.

New arrival

Lauren Daniel with Alpha Building Corporation welcomed baby boy Sutton Steven Daniel on Oct. 6 at 11:59am. The little bundle of joy weighed 8 lbs. and was 20 inches long. Sutton has a big sister, Evelyn Rose who is excited about her new baby brother.

Photos courtesy of Kaitlyn Hansen Photography. -cmw

Page 18

San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT BOBCAT

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he Bobcat T76 R-Series compact track loader is one of the industry’s most powerful, comfortable and versatile pieces of equipment. The T76, which will replace the T650, boasts a new and unique design that offers improved quality, reliability and durability. Overall, this newly released machine provides a better operator experience and efficient performance.

The R-series lift arms are manufactured from cast steel, and with an operating capacity of 2,900 pounds at 35% of tip, this compact track loader provides the unmatched strength and durability that Bobcat is known for. With larger, more powerful components, the cooling and heating system offers extreme comfort in the enclosed cab. The cab also includes a suspension seat, cup holder kit and an engine throttle located directly in front

of the operator. The strong, ergonomic design combined with the compact track loaders enhanced visibility positions this machine as a market leader in the track loader space for 2020. The T76 offers many optional technology and comfort-enhancing features that make the equipment more convenient and easier for users. These optional features include a 7-inch, full-color touch display, a USB power connection and active noise canceling for phone calls.

With 11 convenient locations across Texas, Compact Construction Equipment is your trusted name for Bobcat equipment. We offer a wide range of new and used Bobcat equipment, rentals, parts and in shop and field service.

Call, stop by or visit us online at www. bobcatcce.com to learn more.

JOHN DEERE 550K Dozer

VACUWORX RC12

Vacuworx RX12 vacuum lifter demonstrates the ease of handling fiberglass pipe sections

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he Vacuworx RC 12 is a powerful vacuum lifting attachment capable of handling materials up to 26,400 lb (12 tonne). Designed to work with largercapacity host machines, the RC 12 can handle materials for energy and infrastructure projects, as well as highway and heavy construction applications. Pads are available for both pipes and flat materials in a wide variety of sizes for the ultimate in versatility.

All RC Series Vacuum Lifting Systems feature wireless remote operation from the cab of the host machine and 360° rotation to position materials without the need for tag line operators on the ground. In addition, vacuum lifting allows faster load and unload cycles with less downtime than conventional methods since there are no slings and chains to hook and unhook, and the technology virtually eliminates damage to materials and coatings without having to take

extra precautions.

The principal components of the RC Series Vacuum Lifting Systems are a vacuum pump driven by a diesel engine or hydraulically powered by the host machine; a vacuum reservoir and valve to provide vacuum even in the event of a power failure; interchangeable pads designed to handle different materials; and visible and audible vacuum alerts.

The vacuum pump maintains a constant vacuum in the pressure reservoir.

When activated, the system pulls a vacuum between the pad and the pipe or material to be lifted, providing a powerful positive seal. Specially engineered Tough Seal™ pad seal is used on the vacuum pad to cover the object to be lifted and create the necessary suction. The vacuum seal will hold until the operator activates the release.

For more information, contact H&E Equipment Services at 877-700-RENT.

Link-Belt® 145 X4 MSR EXCAVATOR

John Deere 550K Crawler Dozer with 4.5L Final Tier 4 diesel engine with 92 hp and 104 hp respectively

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he John Deere 550K Crawler Dozer, featuring an updated electro-hydraulic (EH) control system, not only meets Final Tier 4 emissions standards but also incorporates value-enhancing features such as an Eco mode. The 550K provides contractors a Final Tier 4 product that affords higher productivity, increased uptime and lower daily operating costs than other earthmoving and grading applications.

The 550K incorporates a PowerTech™ 4.5L Final Tier 4 diesel engine with 92 hp and 104 hp respectively. The 550K also introduces a new Eco Mode feature that optimizes fuel economy while maintaining ground speed by automatically adjusting engine speed and transmission settings based on load. This feature has the potential to save customers upwards of 20 percent in fuel with no loss in pro-

ductivity in many applications.

A push button throttle controls engine RPM, as opposed to a rotary dial.

Speed increase and decrease buttons will cause engine RPM to either go to wide open throttle or to low idle. Pushing and holding the button will allow the operator to find the desired speed range.

Operators don’t have to worry about diesel particulate filter (DPF) cleaning as it still occurs automatically with no impact to machine operation. Additionally, the 550K features excellent total fluid economy (diesel fuel and DEF), updated machine hydraulics and a blade shake feature with EH controls for improved performance and response. All of these features make the 550K an ideal crawler dozer for any job site.

For more information, contact H&E Equipment Services at 877-700-RENT.

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Link-Belt 145 X4 MSR Excavator is sized right for compact work areas)

ink-Belt 145 X4 Spin Ace excavator performs well in confined work spaces. It delivers up to 3% faster cycle times, increased lifting capacity and up to 6% better fuel economy than previous models. Smooth and nimble, it’s perfect for urban construction or working safely near moving traffic.

A 102 HP Tier 4 Final Isuzu engine is paired with two electrically controlled Kawasaki variable-displacement axialpiston pumps, delivering power and control in tight working conditions. 7-inch LCD color monitor lets you easily navigate a full menu of user-friendly control

options.

Standard rear-view camera displays a panoramic view of the worksite, with sight guidelines that can be turned on or off by the operator. Add rear and side lights for more visibility. RemoteCARE® GPS-enabled telematics system allows 24/7 remote monitoring and security.

The system tracks and records routine and major service intervals, as well as machine health, providing more flexibility and control.

For more information, contact H&E Equipment Services at 877-700-RENT.

San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

Page 19

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT LINK-BELT CRANES presents the 175|AT – 175-ton all-terrain crane.

• 42.7–197.3 ft 6-section pin & latch boom • Seven boom extend modes provide superior capacities • Optional 10-32.5-55’ 3-piece, bi-fold, on-board lattice attachment available in hydraulic or manual offset • (3) 18 ft lattice fly extensions • 315.1 ft maximum tip height • Modular counterweights; 90,000 lbs counterweight • 23,622 lbs maximum winch line pull • 397 fpm maximum winch line speed • New generation operator’s cab and driver’s cab • LED night time work light package The 175|AT is Link-Belt’s newest 5-axle all terrain crane and is loaded with features that crane owners have come to expect from Link-Belt. The 175|AT offers great reach, great capacities, and most notably, efficient transportability!

On the road, the 175|AT is the class leader in displacement and power with the 15liter, 535hp Cummins X15 engine.

The chassis also features all-wheel ABS disc brakes, engine and powertrain braking, 8-wheel drive, and speed dependent all-wheel steering.

At the jobsite, five steering modes makes it easier to maneuver into position. There are 81 outrigger positions to choose from with 78 of those being asymmetric V-CALC (Variable Confined Area Lifting Capacities) positions. A wireless rigging remote makes outrigger placement and releasing the hook block from a bumper tether a whole lot easier.

Another great new feature is the counterweight detection system (CDS). The counterweight is weighed as its being lifted off the carrier deck. All the operator needs to do is verify the amount is correct! Call HOLT Crane and Equipment for more information – 1-877-275-1520.

2020 Load King 503/554 SSSF • • • • •

• • • • • • • •

• •

55-ton Capacity (3) 27,500# Axles with 54” Spacing Polished Outside aluminum wheels 255/70R22.5 H Radial Tires 24” Loaded deck height with 8” Ground Clearance 12 ‘ 9” Neck 110” and 86” Swing Clearance1 13HP Honda Pony Motor Self Contained or Wet Kit operated 26 ft deck 30”Spring assisted front ramps Boxed main beam at deck approach 60” Pierced Steel Toolbox in front center deck Bucket well at rear Upper flange reinforcement

• • • •

• • •

Wide load package Full depth fabricated outriggers Removable Load bearing wheel covers 4 pairs of D-Rings on subframe at transi tion, crossmembers and rear Beehive lights at rear corners of trailer (3) Taillight package with Strobes Connections and reinforcement for spreader bar and flip axle

Since 1956 Load King has been producing first-class trailers and other heavy equipment using cutting-edge innovation and engineering excellence. For more information contact HOLT Truck Centers at 1-855-564-4658

524L WHEEL LOADER

John Deere 524L, featuring EH loader controls with integrated third and fourth function auxiliary hydraulics provide faster cycle times )

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owerful and productive, the John Deere L-Series 524L wheel loader is ideal for projects that require agility and versatility on the job site. Designed with the operator in mind, the 524L incorporates several key features, including improved cabs for more comfort and visibility, electrohydraulic (EH) loader controls for easier operation and redesigned near-parallel linkage, and enhanced performance buckets.

The 524L design increases visibility to the coupler, bucket or forks, reducing overall cycle times, material spillage and equipment damage. Smoother boom and bucket hydraulic kickouts reduce operator fatigue, while new standard parallel lift linkage improves load leveling, lim-

its bucket spillage and increases fork operation speed.

Behind the wheel, EH loader controls with integrated third and fourth function auxiliary hydraulics provide faster cycle times, resulting in more material moved in shorter periods of time. Two multifunction buttons integrated into the hydraulic controls allow the operator to assign a function to each button, improving operability and productivity. The 524L features a fuel-efficient Final Tier 4 John Deere diesel engines (6.8 liter) and boast 152 (113kW), 166 (123kW) and 192 (143kW) net peak horsepower, respectively.

For more information, contact H&E Equipment Services at 877-700-RENT.

Construction News would like to thank these advertisers HOLT CAT H&E Equipment Services Bobcat of San Antonio for the information regarding their product lines for Focus.

Please contact them for additional information.

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San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

Construction News ON LOCATION

Fresh brewed

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Games and awards

he Associated General Contractors (AGC) held their annual Casino Night & Construction Awards Dinner Nov. 14 at The Club at Sonterra. Members and guests enjoyed an open bar, a delicious Italian buffet dinner and a full array of casino games with great prizes. AGC of America 2019 President Dirk Elsperman served as master of ceremonies. –cmw

Michael Salinas with Ferguson Fire & Fabrication Inc. offers Construction News a warm cup of coffee while taking care of business. -cmw Ace Tinch Service Provider of the Year: Curv Compliance

Specialty Contractor of the Year: Alterman Inc

Bubba Moeller Award: Mike Grendell, Midco Sling of San Antonio

Supplier of the Year: Architectural Division 8

General Contractor of the Year: Guido Construction

San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

Page 21

continued from Page 1 — The Fetzer Companies

The Fetzer employees truly wanted to make this a memorable celebration. The 150-plus guests in attendance enjoyed live music, great food and drinks. Games like a ring toss were available for guests to try their luck, but perhaps the evening’s most intriguing part was the “Chicken Shit” bingo. Unknowingly, guests were handed a number as they arrived, and it didn’t take long for everyone to figure out what the number was for. You never saw so many people gathering around a chicken, rooting it on to do its business.

A true host, Patrick Fetzer visited with each of his guests, thanking them all

while they reminisced and share a good laugh or two.

“This just happened to happen with our 25 on 25. I’m really glad we did this.

None of this would be possible with the support of my family, employees, customers and subcontractors. Some of my oldest customers are here. I’m thankful for each and every one.”

Happy 25th Anniversary and here’s to another 25!

The Fetzer Companies is a full-service general contractor in and around San Antonio. -cmw

Association Calendar

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ABC

Associated Builders & Contractors Inc.

Dec. 5: Construct A Kids Christmas, Freeman Expo Hall, 5:30-11pm. For more info, contact Leah Villarreal at leah@abcsouthtexas.org or call 210342-1994 AGC

Dec. 5: Construct A Kid’s Christmas, Freeman Expo Hall, 5:30-11pm.

Dec. 10: Holiday Open House, AGC Offices, 10806 Gulfdale, 4:30-6:30pm.

Dec. 11: Productivity & Cost Control + Skills, AGC Offices, 10806 Gulfdale, 8am-12pm.

Dec. 12: CLC Membership Drive, Spurs Game, AT&T Center, 1 AT&T Center Pkwy., 5pm. For more info, call 210349-4921 AIA

could work on those pretty much any kind of weather, but refrigeration work can’t be done when it’s damp – the type of equipment used can’t have moisture in the system. We were getting behind because when we had a good day to work, we couldn’t get someone to put our equipment on the roof.”

To solve the problem, Marvin and Marge bought a small crane, which helped them complete the project on time. It also inspired a new business venture for them: On April 24, 1979, they secured their first paying crane job and founded Alamo Crane Service Inc.

Since then, the company has grown in size and expanded to include all-terrain, hydraulic and conventional cranes, forklifts, tractors and trailers.

“We have 38 cranes, 32 of which we are using at the present time, and we’re employing 70 employees,” Marvin says.

“Our yard is located in Selma on a 7½ acre lot. We have cranes ranging in size from 15 tons up to 600 tons. We have 18 truck tractors and 77 trailers of different sizes, two of which are rear-steer trailers – one is

an 80 ton and the largest is 120-ton trailer – and we primarily have them for hauling large construction machinery. We bought the trailers for the primary purpose of city public service transformers that weigh up to 220,000 pounds. We recently hauled in the 100th transformer that CPS brought from a company in Europe.”

Marvin and Marge have been married for more than 50 years and enjoy overseeing the company together. Their son Brian in Austin and their daughter Regina, who is the manager of accounting in the billing department, also help the family business thrive.

Marvin looks forward to celebrating the company’s 50th anniversary with his family and employees, saying, “There are a lot of people who have done the same, more, or better than our company, but I’m proud of what we’ve done. I want to continue what we’ve been doing for 40 years and let the good Lord let me stay here as long as possible.”

Alamo Crane Service Inc. offers crane and trailer rental for construction projects.

–mjm

Here’s to you

I

t was member appreciation night for the folks at the Texas Air Conditioning Contractors Association (TACCA) as they hosted a Member Appreciation Mixer at Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling. Members and guests gathered at the brewery on Oct. 24 where they were treated to guided brewstillery tours, pint glass with full-size beer samples and Texas Bourbon tasting and evaluation. Additionally they enjoyed great food and camaraderie. “This was TACCA’s special thank you to its members for making TACCA-GSA a stronger chapter by leading the local HVAC community in professionalism and excellence,” says Executive Director Dawn Thompson. -cmw

IEC

Independent Electrical Contractors

Dec. 6: Member Appreciation Casino Night, IEC Training Center, 5511 Ingram Rd. For more info, contact Julie Tucker at 210-431-9861

Associated General Contractors

American Institute of Architects

continued from Page 1 — Alamo Crane Service Inc.

more info, call Dave Sanchez at 210444-1100 or go to www.hcadesa.org

Dec. 5: Architects Black Friday on a Thursday, SAC Downtown Campus, 1819 North Mall, 8am-5pm.

Dec. 5: Construct A Kid’s Christmas, Freeman Expo Hall, 5:30-11pm.

Dec. 6: Gingerbread Competition, AIA Center for Architecture, 1344 S. Flores #102, 4:30-6:30pm.

Dec. 12: Holiday Party, AIA San Antonio Center for Architecture, 1344 S. Flores St. #102, 6-9pm. For more info, call 210-226-4979

MCA-SMACNA INC

Mechanical Contractors Assn.

Sheet Metal & A/C National Assn.

Dec. 5: Construct A Kid’s Christmas, Freeman Expo Hall, 5:30-11pm.

Dec. 6: Construct A Kid’s Toy Drive, Construction News Offices, 4047 NacoPerrin Blvd., 8am-2pm.

Dec. 18: MCA-SMACNA, Chama Gaucha, 18318 Sonterra Blvd., 11:15am.

For more info, call Sandee Morgan at 210-822-3763 NAWIC

National Assn. of Women in Construction

Dec. 5: Construct A Kid’s Christmas, Freeman Expo Hall, 5:30-11pm.

Dec. 12: Chapter Holiday Party, The Petroleum Club, 8620 N. New Braunfels #700, 6pm. For more info, email nawicsatx@gmail.com NECA

National Electrical Contractors Assn.

Dec. 5: Construct A Kid’s Christmas, Freeman Expo Hall, 5:30-11pm. For more info, go to www.necanet.org

ASA

American Subcontractors Assn.

Dec. 5: Construct A Kid’s Christmas, Freeman Expo Hall, 5:30-11pm. For more info, call Jennifer Swinney at 210349-2105 ASSE

American Society of Safety Engineers

Dec. 10: Chapter Holiday Party, The Well, 4439 UTSA Blvd., 6-10pm. For more info, go to www.southtexas.asse. org

PHCC

Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors

Dec. 5: Construct A Kid’s Christmas, Freeman Expo Hall, 5:30-11pm.

Dec. 12: PHCC Christmas Party, SA Zoo Lights, 6pm.

Dec. 16-Jan. 3: Christmas Break PHCC Plumbing Apprenticeship School. For more info, call Heidi Trimble at 210824-7422 SAMCA

San Antonio Masonry Contractors Assn.

CFMA

Dec. 5: Construct A Kid’s Christmas, Freeman Expo Hall, 5:30-11pm.

Dec. 12: Holiday Party, Pedrotti’s North Wind Ranch, 13715 FM 1560 N, Helotes. $75 per person includes Casino games, prizes & dinner. For more info, contact Debi Solis at 210-347-2423

Dec. 5: Construct A Kids Christmas, Freeman Expo Hall, 5:30-11pm. For more info, email cfmasatx@gmail.com

Texas Air Conditioning Contractors Assn.

Greater San Antonio

BCA

Black Contractors Assn.

Dec. 5: Construct A Kids Christmas, Freeman Expo Hall, 5:30-11pm. For more info, call 210-349-4921 Construction Financial Management Assn.

HCA de SA

Hispanic Contractors Assn. de San Antonio

Dec. 5: Construct A Kids Christmas, Freeman Expo Hall, 5:30-11pm. For

TACCA

Dec. 5: Construct A Kid’s Christmas, Freeman Coliseum Expo Hall in Exhibit Hall C, 3201 E. Houston St., 5:30-11pm.

For more info, call Dawn Thompson at 210-901-4222

Construction News ON LOCATION

Sealing with a smile

SSI Inside Sales Rep Pat Pennington takes a moment between customers to pose for a photo. -cmw

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San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

Trick-or-treat

hen Construction News ventured out on Oct. 31, we weren’t sure what would be waiting for us. After all, it was Halloween. Were we going to get a trick or a treat? What we found were some pretty serious trick-or-treaters. While some were a bit on the scary side, one thing is for sure, it brought team spirit to the workplace. -cmw

Benchmark Plumbing

Benchmark Plumbing

Catto & Catto

Buyers Barricade

Joeris General Contractors

Allied Fire Protection

Virtual Builders Exchange (VBX)

BizDoc Inc.

Quality Fence & Welding

Beyer Mechanical

MEMCO

Alterman Inc

Alterman Inc

MAREK

continued on Page 23

San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

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continued from Page 22 — Trick-or-treat

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It’s a keeper

he South Texas Chapter of the Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) held their 2019 Fishing Tournament Oct. 11 and 12 in Rockport, TX. The tournament’s Calcutta was held Friday evening at the La Palma Event Center. Tournament weigh-ins were held Saturday afternoon at Cove Harbor Marina.

Despite cool and windy weather conditions out on the water Saturday, it was a great turnout with nearly 40 participating teams. -cmw

Middleman Construction Co. LLC

1st Place Trout: MAREK

1st Place Guided Calcutta Payout: Cokinos Young

Ridout Barrett

1st Place Red and 1st Place Unguided Calcutta Payout: RSM US LLP

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G.D. Interior Construction

Meeting and shotgun shoot

he Texas Crane Owners Association (TCOA) conducted its Fall Membership Meeting and North Texas Shotgun Shoot at the Defender Outdoors Clay Sports Ranch in Fort Worth. The event was held on Oct. 21. Approximately 100 members and guests of the association from around the state attended the event.

“Our membership meeting combined with the shotgun shoot is a unique event and wonderful for networking among our membership, for spending time with friends and customers,” says TCOA President Marvin Ohlenbusch, Alamo Crane Services, San Antonio. -cmw

Baker Triangle

Construction News ON LOCATION

An electric welcome

The folks at Big State Electric gave Construction News an electric welcome and wish to say “Hello, San Antonio” to the CN readership and construction industry. -cmw

1st Place Shotgun Shoot team Sporting Clays and team Flurry Competitions: Davis Motor Crane Services – L-R: Marvin Ohlenbusch, Gary Madigan, Will Chissum, Jason Foshea and Curtis Green.

Annie Oakley Individual Competition winners L-R: Marvin Ohlenbusch; 1st Place Will Chissum, Davis Motor Crane Services; 2nd Place Jason Foshea, Davis Motor Crane Services and 3rd Place Mark Durso, Alamo Crane Services.

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San Antonio Construction News • DEC 2019

Buck of a lifetime

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iznik Concrete’s Lori Hidy started the 2019 Deer Hunting Season with a bang and the envy of hunters far and wide. Hidy shot this beautiful specimen as the sun came up Sunday morning of opening weekend in McMullen County.

“We’ve been watching him for several years. I have a shed horn from two years ago. He really blew up this year,” says Hidy. “My husband Trey was with me as I took this incredible 8-year-old, low fence, monster buck. With an unofficial gross score of 205 6/8, he’s definitely a buck of a lifetime.” -cmw