San Antonio Construction News October 2020

Covering the Industry’s News

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CONSTRUCTION NEWS The Industry’s Newspaper

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www.constructionnews.net H (210) 308-5800 H Volume 23 H Number 10 H OCTOBER 2020

Family legacy continues

A new store in town

L-R: CGC General Contractors’ Paul Gambill, Ben Cleary and William Cleary.

The Lone Star Decorative Concrete Supply team L-R: Chase Valadez, Treymane Williams, Hector Peralta and Felipe Carstens.

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e loved construction. He loved building. He loved architecture and engineering. He worked for large construction companies, both local and national, before Charles G. Cleary started his own. He started the company to build his way with honesty and to build relationships with his customers. High quality was important to him and that is why he started Charlie & Company.

“Maintaining those missions continue to be our driving force. My father started CGC General Contractors as Charlie & Company in 1992. He passed away in 2011.

It was no longer Charlie & Company, so I changed the company to his initials, CGC,” says Cleary’s oldest son, Vice President and Project Manager William “Bill” Cleary.

Charles started the company working out of his garage. He started with

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his past July marked Brenda Romano’s 41st year in the plans room business.

What’s even more impressive is, 2020 marks the 120th anniversary of the Virtual Builders Exchange, formerly known as The Builders Exchange of Texas, and formerly known as The Builders Exchange of San Antonio, which is now ran by Brenda Romano, Chief Operating Officer and Michael Tollette, Chief Executive Officer.

“Builders Exchange was just that, exchanging information among themselves in a very informal way,” says Romano. Builders Exchange started in 1900 with 28 members. Most of them were masonry contractors. It started out in San Antonio and it was a classic builders exchange. Builders Exchanges, themselves, started back around the end of civil war. They were designed to help contractors organize themselves to bid on projects. They would gather at a central loca-

himself and his wife and president of CGC, Janet Cleary. Soon after starting the small mom and pop construction company, Cleary hired a superintendent and estimator. The company began to grow and was able to move into another facility before moving into their current location, which they have been in for just a over a year.

Today, the company has 10 employees that includes four superintendents, estimator, office personnel, project managers and controller. Bill, younger brother Benjamin Cleary and Paul Gambill oversee the operations of the company.

CGC specializes primarily in commercial and government construction. “We have a pretty consistent school work base. Once a school knows and trusts continued on Page 18

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n Aug. 7, Felipe Carstens held a grand opening for his new store for decorative concrete supplies, Lone Star Decorative Concrete Supply.

“This is the third decorative concrete store in San Antonio. We are a source in San Antonio for decorative concrete materials, equipment, sales, rentals and overall technical support and expertise for concrete polishing, staining, stamping and epoxy flooring for commercial and residential needs,” says Carstens.

This vision started 15 years ago when it became apparent that materials and tools were not readily available in the San Antonio area. As the owner of an installation company himself, Carstens realized over time he had been purchasing materials and tools from different places all over the country. He decided it was time

that San Antonio was equipped with a supplier of products, tools and equipment needed specifically for the decorative concrete industry.

“San Antonio is a very tight knit community especially when it comes to the flooring industry. Particularly this type of flooring. There are probably at least 200300 tile and carpet floor companies in town. We really started thinking about the need for something, a distribution facility that is specifically tailored to what we do, especially on the industrial and commercial side.

“Because we are installers, we understand time, and how important it is. We know what it takes to get the job done efficiently and in a timely manner. We understand how hard it is to run around continued on Page 18

Physical to virtual

Michael Tollette, VBX CEO, stands in front of a little of The Builders Exchange’s 120-year history.

tion or building, write on the black board what kinds of projects they had and what trades were going to be needed. Tradesmen came in and physically looked at the black board to see what trades were needed and who they needed to talk to in order to get a bid.

The Exchange today, has several members that are still active and have been active as far back as 1904. American Roofing & Metal, Albert Sterling, Samuel Dean Sheet Metal, Redondo Manufacturing, Samuels Glass and F.A. Nunnelly, to name a few.

Around the 1920s, Builders Exchanges got a little more organized implementing the use of post office boxes. One would come in and from your construction company’s postal box, you would physically take out notices from people that were looking for bids from you.

“Builders Exchange of San Antonio published its first bulletin in 1920,” adds Tollette. continued on Page 18

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San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

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Flooring San Antonio

When one door opens

The Commercial Surfaces team Bottom L-R: Kurt Fielden, Emmy Walter and Rommy Cubillo. Top L-R: Emily Robles, Milo Cubillo, RJ Cubillo, Bethann Walter, Raul Valadez and Tony Valadez.

Hull Door Leadership L-R: Owners John & Valerie Hull and General Manager Jay Adams

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n 2001, four flooring professionals put their expertise to work to form a flooring company of their own. Specializing in commercial flooring, they named their new company, Commercial Surfaces Inc. Just a few short months after starting up their new company, the unforgettable happened. It was 9/11. “Of course, we thought what a great time to start a new business. It’s kind of like everything right now with COVID. Everything just stopped,” says Commercial Surfaces President, Kurt Fielden.

It was slow at first for the new commercial flooring company. They ran their operation lean and warehoused out of the freight lines. Little by little the company got bigger and bigger.

Today, two of the original four partners have retired leaving Fielden and Rommy Cubillo of the original team.

Raul Valadez has since joined the Commercial Surfaces team and is in line to be the next partner and oversees the company’s medical division.

“Being in business almost 20 years, we have a lot of loyal customers. That has kind of kept us going. The customers that we have, we have had for 30 years. These are businesses we served before we were Commercial Surfaces,” Fielden says.

“All of us have been in the business longer than the company’s 20 years. I think most of us are each at 35-40 years a piece.

“We take a lot of pride in our labor,” says Valadez. “Everybody compares their labor to ours. A lot of our guys are second and third generation installers.”

“We are known for quality installation. Our installers have been with us.

They are all kind of getting up in age too because there is no training or schools for installation. They’ve learned it from their fathers and uncles. It is kind of a trade passed down from generation to generation,” adds Cubillo.

“We get a lot of projects even if we are not low bidder because they want the installation to be correct and don’t want to worry about it,” Fielden adds.

Commercial Surfaces offers a wide range of materials for all types of commercial flooring needs. The company’s vast knowledge base and expertise help their clients get the right product for the right performance in the right application, consulting with architects, general contractors, interior designers, building owners and property managers from idea to installation.

“We assist clients in determining the right type of floorcovering for their application with regard to budget, performance and aesthetic issues,” says Fielden.

Commercial Surfaces Inc. serves all of San Antonio and its surrounding areas to include Boerne, Hondo, Seguin, Floresville, New Braunfels, San Marcos and on occasion, Austin.

“We try to stay in an area where we can service our customers’ projects. Our target is a zero punch list. A lot of times we will run a punch list before our clients run a punch list, so we are not on their punch list,” says Valadez.

Commercial Surfaces Inc. is a flooring supplier and contractor in San Antonio. -cmw

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ince 1996, Hull Door LLC has been serving San Antonio contractors.

The commercial door, frame and hardware supplier strives to provide quick service for mostly finish-out and tenant finish-out projects. “We do hospitality projects and hospitals, but most of what we do is office finish-outs and highrise condominiums,” says Jay Adams, Hull Door General Manager.

According to Adams, who started with Hull Door in 2008, the door and hardware industry has changed some over the past 20 years. “99.9 percent of the time, packaged door frames and hardware are now supplied to the contractor. Before they would buy hardware from one supplier, doors from one, frames from another. Over the last 15 years it has really evolved with the contractors who are using one supplier for all Division 8 material for a particular project. This cuts down on a lot of problems

because you are only dealing with one person, rather than tracking down three different suppliers if there is a problem or issue with a project,” Adams adds.

Additionally, Adams says more electronic and electrified hardware is going on jobs. With the onset of COVID, more and more projects are adding automatic operators to reduce the amount of personal contact. “The doors are automatically opening. If they don’t want to go that route, they are going with other hardware in which you can use your foot to open. People are being more touchless. I think you are going to see a lot more of that right now to really cut down on germ transfer.”

Hull Door continues to service their core based customers, going where they need them to go. Providing the best customer service, the quickest response for fast-pace projects continues to be Hull’s main objective. “We strive every year to exceed what we did the year before and try to grow our customers.

We have customers that have been with us for 25 years, since we opened.

That’s a testament right there. When you have the same customers coming back for that long that means you are doing something right. We are looking for new customers as well.

Hull Door LLC is a division 8 supplier in San AntoThe team behind Hull Door LLC. nio. -cmw

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San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

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his has truly been an eventful year for all of us. So many things are up in the air about jobs, projects, school for the kids and just daily life. It’s very frustrating and sometimes we all feel that we just can’t make a difference. But we can!

The construction industry has proven this repeatedly in all the good things we do for the foster kids in the San Antonio area through the Construct A Kids Christmas Gala and toy drive. Year after year, we have opened our hearts and unite together. This cannot stop!

“I remember like it was yesterday,” recalls Buddy Doebbler, Construct a Kid’s Christmas President. “Debra Nicholas, Chairman of the Bexar County Child Welfare Board, coming to my office. This was sometime in October 2000. She was concerned because so many foster kids in the system would not receive any gifts at Christmas. Her question to me was, ‘Do you think the construction industry can help?’

Live Auction hard hats designed and painted by children within the foster care system (Photo 2019)

“I asked Steven Schultz of ABC and Doug McMurry of AGC to meet with Debra and I to see what could be done.”

Construct A Kid’s Christmas was created at that meeting, and the first toy drive was launched. In true construction industry fashion, we all rolled up our sleeves, kicked butt and in about nine weeks had the first successful event on Dec. 15. The following year, the first Construct A Kids Christmas gala was held.

The key element for success during all of those years has been the big hearts of the construction community and the commitment of the volunteers and the Construct A Kids committee members.

This year the Construct A Kids gala will be different due to necessity, but it will be an exciting adventure for

Wheelbarrow raffle (Photo 2019)

Open your hearts

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all of us. We can’t have a physical gala at the Expo Hall this year, but we will not let that stop us. We are taking everything online - Live and silent auctions, and raffles including the huge Bling and Bang Raffle and much more.

Will this be a format for success? Yes it will and the reason will be the same. Big hearts of the construction industry and commitment from volunteers and committee members.

As we remember how fortunate we are that construction has remained essential and able to flourish during these difficult times, let us not forget the children in foster care. Let us remind them that they too are essential!

The need is up twice as much. For one, CPS and CASA have not been able to do their regular fundraising because of COVID. Two, more children are being taken in right now due to the abuse they encounter as they had to remain at home during shut downs.

Registration for sponsorship and raffle ticket purchases begin online Oct. 1 and run through Dec. 3 at https://www.cakc-sa.org. The event will offer the same fun-filled activities as it has in the past, but with a bit of a twist. The winners of the grand gala raffle, wheelbarrow raffle, live and silent auction winners will be announced online, Dec. 3.

The grand gala raffle has been revamped to the Bling & Bang raffle. This is one raffle you don’t want to miss. The winner will receive a stunning pair of 2-ctw, round brilliant diamond earrings that are GIA certified, I color rating, Si2, 14k gold screw back setting; AND your choice of a Barrett 82A1 50BMG with Leupold Mark 5 scope or a 3-gun bundle which includes Benelli 828U 12ga over-under shotgun, Christensen Arms MPR 6.5PRC rifle and a Staccato STI XL 2011 pistol.

Let us not forget the ever-popular wheelbarrow raffle. It’s better than ever to include a $1,000 Specs gift card. There will plenty live and silent auction items available once again this year, but online. Be sure to participate in the live streaming of the live auction which will take place Dec. 3. If you have items that you would like to donate to the silent or live auctions, please contact Sandee Morgan or Jennifer Swinney. Your support is appreciated.

Hard hats will again be personally decorated by some of the children who have had difficult circumstances this year.

Each hard hat is beautifully designed to showcase the talent of a precious child and their story of anguish to victory is shared. Accordingly, these featured items are always the most popular on the live auction list.

Let’s make this year’s hard hat live auction a record breaking year.

While we will not gather together in one place in the name of Construct A Kid’s Christmas, every effort is in

San Antonio

place to make this 20th anniversary event as successful as it has ever been. Collection boxes will be available for unwrapped toys and gift card donations and will be collected for the annual toy drive which will be held Friday, Dec. 4 at the Construction News of2ctw diamond earrings fice.

Please consider your part in making this event a huge success again this year. The compassion and generosity of the San Antonio construction community is what makes this event successful each year. The following sponsorship opportunities are available. The $2000 Diamond Sponsor includes lunch for 15 catered by Heavenly Gourmet delivered to your office, a wine basket, appreciation plaque, photo recognition in Construction News, 15 commemorative 20th Anniversary Tumblers, 15 wheelbarrow raffle tickets and five Bling & Bang raffle tickets. This year’s $1,500 Corporate Sponsorship includes lunch for 15 catered by Heavenly Gourmet delivered to your office, a wine basket, appreciation plaque, photo recognition in Construction News, 15 commemorative 20th Anniversary Tumblers and 15 wheelbarrow raffle tickets. Additional Supporting Sponsors in the amount of $500 includes lunch for 10 catered

by Heavenly Gourmet delivered to your office and 10 wheelbarrow raffle tickets.

Associations participating in this year’s gala include the American Subcontractors Association of San Antonio (ASA), Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC), Associated General Contractors (AGC), Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA), Hispanic Contractors Association de San Antonio (HCAdeSA), Mechanical & Sheet Metal Contractors Association of San Antonio (MCA-SMACNA), National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors (PHCC), the Surety Association of South Texas (SAST) and Texas Air Conditioning Contractors of America (TACCA). –cmw

Toy Drive (Photo 2019)

CONSTRUCTION NEWS

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San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

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Don’t just cover it up

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Seizing an opportunity

K-Stone Co-Owner and Vice President, Rick Stone

tarting out in the janitorial business in 1997, Rick Stone and his wife, Dana, moved from Phoenix to San Antonio, started K-Stone and quickly landed H-E-B as one of their clients. The company then branched into a janitorial distribution business.

“We were cleaning 130 stores a night for H-E-B and some other grocery chains here in town. Do you remember Handy Andy? That is where the management side of our business comes from. We would find the business and then we would find contractors to do the work and we would manage the work,” says Stone.

By 2003, the company evolved once again into the decorative concrete business when one of their vendors who made the buffing machines got into grinding machines. “We got interested in that, brought in some of the grinders and started doing polished concrete on the side. Now it has evolved into 80 percent of our business. Distribution is the other 20 percent,” adds Stone.

As a subcontractor, K-Stone brings life to concrete whether it is freshly laid

concrete or concrete that has flooring applications previously applied.

“We used to get a lot of projects where people who were remodeling wanted a nice concrete floor and didn’t want the hassle of carpet and tile. We would rip it all out and polish the concrete and turn old, ugly concrete into something dazzling.

There is a lot of character in concrete. Why cover up a perfectly good floor with carpet and tile?

“As for new construction, we like to get into a project at a particular point before sheetrock is installed. That way we can give the owner a nice clean looking floor with sharp edges. With sheetrock, it is hard to get the edges just right,” Stone continues.

Stone adds that the company does very little residential and has noticed the trend in commercial and industrial is leaning towards more matted-finished concrete.

K-Stone is a polished concrete contractor and janitorial supply distributor.

They are HUB, WBE certified and have been locally owned and operated since 1997. -cmw

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Dalia and Chris Treviño, Better Bilt LLC owners at the One Twin Oaks Office Building (Photo taken 2010).

n 1992, after 15 years in the heavy structural steel industry, Chris Treviño took advantage of a golden opportunity and started Better Bilt LLC. He started the company alongside his wife, Dalia.

Working 16-hour days, seven days a week, Chris worked non-stop to move his company forward. He worked out of his house with a few pieces of machinery until the company moved into its current location with a fully furnished sheet metal shop.

“We grew this company establishing a great client base. No advertising, just growing our client base and taking care that client base,” says Trevino.

Better Bilt LLC specializes in a variety of areas. On the ornamental side, they specialized in stainless steel, aluminum, copper and brass handrail systems; wall panels of all kinds and various architectural designs as specified, and they provide light structural to decorative mild steel.

The company has built a reputation in the restaurant market for their skills in creating vent hoods of all types, stainless steel counter tops and dish tables to name a few, as well as, providing architectural design and consulting.

As one might expect, being a sheet metal fabricator, Better Bilt LLC has found a niche in commercial HVAC supplies which includes DX systems, package units, split systems and chillers.

In Better Bilt’s 28 years in business, Trevino still marvels the GSA East Travis Street Parking Garage as his most memorable project. “The size and decorativeness still just stands out to me. It is a beautiful parking garage,” Trevino says.

The six-story parking garage was built to complement the Hipolito Garcia Federal Build and U.S. Courthouse.

Trevino and his team at Better Bilt LLC serve San Antonio and its surrounding areas. Better Bilt LLC is HUB, SBE, MBE and WBE certified. -cmw

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San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

SURETY BONDS Critical Steps for PPP Loan Forgiveness Steven Bankler, Owner Steven Bankler, CPA, Ltd. San Antonio, TX

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f you were lucky enough to secure a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, you may feel like the hard part is over.

But now you need to apply for loan forgiveness or you’ll be on the hook to pay back your loan, with interest. To get 100% of the funds forgiven, you may need to jump through some critical hoops.

Loan forgiveness applications are available online for download at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) website at sba.gov. You can then submit your application to your PPP lender. A simplified 3508EZ form is available for small businesses that are a self-employed individual with no employees, a business that did not reduce employee work hours or salaries by more than 25%, or an entity that experienced reductions in business due to health directives related to COVID-19 but did not reduce the salaries or wages of employees more than 25%.

As far as PPP loan forgiveness criteria goes, Congress amended the law in June and the SBA also issued rulings that clarified some important points. Some of these details weren’t available or have changed since you received your PPP loan, so be sure to review your terms and assumptions about how and when the money can be spent.

Some tips to get started on your path to PPP loan forgiveness are to:

1. Keep the money in a separate account. If you haven’t done so already, move the money you received as part of your PPP loan into a completely separate bank account from your other finances.

This will help you maintain the records you’ll need to prove forgiveness eligibility.

2. Double check your payment terms. For any funds that aren’t forgiven, you’ll need to pay back at an interest rate of 1%. If your loan was issued prior to June 5, you have two years to pay it back.

Loans issued after June 5 can be repaid within five years.

3. Recalculate how much of the funds you can use if you reduced your workforce. The Small Business Administration points out that forgiveness is based on an employer maintaining or quickly rehiring employees and maintaining salary levels. If your full-time headcount declined, or if salaries and wages decreased, forgiveness may be reduced.

4. Understand your coverage period. The original eight-week coverage period was extended to 24 weeks or through December 31, 2020, whichever date arrives first. These options for using an “alternative payroll covered period” is meant to align with your payroll cycle, if needed.

5. Know the limits. As of early September, a $100,000 cap per compensated employee was in place. These payroll costs can include all forms of cash compensation paid to employees, including tips, commissions, bonuses, and hazard pay, but only up to that limit.

6. Understand your owner compensation cap. Eligible owner compensation is determined differently for C Corporation, S Corporation, general partner, LLC owners, and sole proprietors. The formulas used are generally based on 2019 compensation, but can be confusing computations.

7. Carefully track how you spent the money. Nonpayroll costs like mortgage interest costs or rent/lease costs and other expenses may be forgivable if they amount to up to 40% of the expenses only. So it’s important to keep track of exactly how the funds are used.

8. Consider your timing so that it doesn’t interfere with tax deductions.

Congress has explicitly stated that PPP loan forgiveness would not be treated as income, while the IRS issued a Notice that these funds offset “deductible” business expenses when forgiven in the same year the funds were borrowed. For this reason, you and your tax advisor might consider delaying filing your forgiveness application so that the loan is forgiven in 2021.

Keep in mind, also, there may be more than loan forgiveness at stake. The IRS is actively auditing those who received a large amount of PPP funds and have already shown signs of misusing the money. One Texas business owner, for example, was caught using his $1.5 million PPP loan to pay off his personal mortgage. A safe harbor rule is in place to generally protect anyone receiving less than $2 million in PPP loans from an automatic audit, as long as they use the funds responsibly for the business “in good faith.”

Outside those parameters, it’s not just a loan payback with 1% interest hanging in the balance. A misuse of the funds could result in heavy penalties and possible criminal prosecution.

PPP loan forgiveness is out there, but it requires several hoops to jump through—perhaps even more than receiving the funds in the first place. Don’t delay in finding out what you need to do to receive the full forgiveness you expected.

Steven Bankler has more than 43 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.

Don’t Be Behind the Curve: Understand Today’s Construction Climate to Ensure Your Surety Program Can Withstand the Shifts in Construction Jeremy Pendergast, Surety Producer TSIB Inc. Austin, TX

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n these unprecedented economic times, the ability for Contractors to have a Surety Bond program that both meets their need to bid work and sustain their overall capacity to build a backlog is paramount to successfully navigate this changing environment.

Anyone who has worked with a Surety in the past understands that information and communication is King when it comes to maintaining a solid relationship between Contractor and Surety. This has never been truer than right now. Surety Companies are extremely cognizant of timely reporting of financial statements, job progress reports and the overall composition of their Contractor’s balance sheets.

Recently during a conversation with a Surety Underwriter I was told, “Now is the time to be careful, dig in and understand what our Contractors’ plans are… not to do things on the come and take unnecessary risks.” There is no time like the present when it comes to taking the steps necessary to secure the ability to bond work and ensure that you have the support of your Surety. Below is an overview of trends from past economic cycles and the steps to take to successfully anticipate these changes and thrive.

Subcontractor Requirement to Provide Bonds

For a number of established subcontractors, bond requirements are often waived due to long standing relationships with GC’s or Owners, history of performance, and/or the ability to provide a proven track record. In times of economic uncertainty, GC’s and Owners become leery of subcontractor failure, and we begin to see Performance and Payment bond requirements on contracts that otherwise would have been waived.

This is not necessarily due to the existing relationship having any doubts about a Firm’s ability. Rather, it may be the result of Construction Financing Lenders adding these requirements, GC’s tightening up their risk management strategies, or the General Contractor’s Surety becoming more stringent on their requirements to bond back subcontractors. Requiring bonds is a logical way for these entities to mitigate risk and feel more comfortable with the undertaking.

We have already started to see this unfold in the marketplace and the likelihood of these scenarios continuing to play out make it important to start preparing your company now.

Don’t let a requirement create “a fire drill”, which could put your Firm in a position where you are left getting bonds from a secondary market with less desirable requirements and rates, or simply being disqualified from participation on a bid.

Increased Competition on Bid Lists Historically when we see signs of economic uncertainty or recessions areas such as residential and private construction project starts begin to diminish. As a result, an influx of Contractors, who would otherwise work in those sectors, begin to invade the Public Works space.

Put simply, you can expect to see bid list double and triple.

Although these contractors may have the technical know-how to build a

job, often times there are struggles with the office administration, paperwork, wage requirements, reporting, and delivery method on a public works project. As this starts to happen, we begin to see bid results that have not been estimated properly which result in the low bidders driving down profits for all involved.

During these times we typically see an inverse correlation between the number of bidders on a project and the size of the project; meaning the larger the project, the fewer the bidders. With this in mind, those who have existing Surety relationships should begin to work with their surety broker to position themselves for bids that may be larger than their standard bonding capacities in an effort to separate themselves from the pack.

Larger Contract Values in Public Works

Projects for larger dollar amounts is another trend seen during economic down turns. This is an attempt by Project Owners to keep unqualified contractors from being able to easily bid on their work. In the past, we have seen this approach across different trades, whether it be adding extra scope to increase contract values, combining multiple sites under one contract or pre-qualifying potential bidders based on past completed projects of a minimum dollar amount.

With this in mind, having the capacity to bond work of a greater size and scope should generally limit competition in bids and be an overall competitive advantage.

Most indicators show the ability to bond work will be vital to the success for most construction companies. Take steps now with your surety broker and other trusted advisors (CPA, insurance agent, banker, and attorney) to ensure you capitalize your balance sheet, retain earnings within the company, secure lines of credit, cut overhead, and discuss your plans, both short and long term. It is important to make sure that everyone is on the same page so that you can navigate these times smoothly. You deserve it, your employees deserve it and your customers deserve it!

Jeremy Pendergast has been a Surety Producer since 2006. In his current role at Turner Surety & Insurance Brokerage, Inc., he oversees new client acquisition and managing a book of existing Surety business in Texas that ranges from first time bond users to Firms with annual revenues in excess of 100 Million. He can be reached to discuss any Surety related questions at: Turner Surety & Insurance Brokerage, Inc.

12600 Hill Country Blvd, Suite R-275

Austin, Texas 78738

Phone: Office 512.329.2614

Cell 512.808.9601 Email: JPendergast@TSIBINC.com

Website: TSIBINC.com

San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

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SURETY UNDERWRITING Five Opening Day Lessons for Legal Disputes

Common Risk Factors in Surety Underwriting

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

Eric Schmalz, Principal Schmalz & Associates Surety Bonding Liberty Hill, TX

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eptember 1st marks the opening day of dove season in Texas, and dove hunting, along with the return of football, marks my personal favorite time of the year.

Some of my fondest memories are from hunting trips with family and friends. As we look forward to opening day with enthusiasm and anticipation, there are a number of lessons that can be learned from opening day which are applicable to all legal disputes.

Preparation for the Hunt While not everyone prepares the same way for opening day, some amount of preparation is necessary for all of us.

We must usually get a license, make sure our shotguns are ready for action, pack a cooler, and get directions to the hunt.

Like preparation for the hunt, preparation is essential for success in any legal dispute.

If your business is new to a legal dispute, consult with your attorney and get a detailed roadmap of what you can expect during the dispute and its various phases, such as discovery, mediation, and final hearing or trial. Armed with this information, you will be prepared to assist your attorney and be in the best position to champion your position throughout the dispute. Whether your business is involved in litigation or arbitration, you will be required to provide documentation and other tangible things to your opponent in the discovery phase. It will assist your attorney, and be more cost effective, to gather and organize all relevant documents and evidence early on.

The sooner you and your attorney know what the documents hold, including emails and text messages, the better.

It is also important where claims have been asserted to let your lawyer know about any applicable insurance policies. If you are a Defendant and have a right to a defense, then your carrier should be picking up the tab for the defense. Significantly, by not timely reporting a claim or demand to your insurance carrier, you could be prejudicing your carrier’s rights and therefore waive coverage.

Communication In The Field

Communication with fellow hunters is crucial to ensure safety and to allow everyone the opportunity to shoot a limit.

Similarly, it is essential during any legal dispute to quickly establish open lines of communication with your lawyer and your employees. Your attorney is an extremely important resource for you and your business, and you should not hesitate to contact your lawyer as the need arises. Additionally, the attorney-client privilege generally applies to confidential communications with your attorneys, so there is comfort in knowing that, subject to some exceptions, what you and your attorney discuss will remain confidential. Your employees with personal knowledge of the dispute should be contacted and such communications, if made during or in anticipation of litigation, may also be privileged.

It is also important to communicate expectations which you may have relevant to any particular matter for which you are represented. In litigation, where fees and costs can increase quickly, it is important that goals, costs, and any change in circumstances be fully discussed throughout the representation. If there is any confusion or uncertainty, ask lots of questions. Legal issues are often complex, and if you are not fully informed, you may not make the correct decisions for your business. Given the opportunity, your attorney will help you understand the complex issues at hand

and help you make the best decisions under the circumstances.

Patience Is Essential We all miss a bird or two. Despite these misses and the resulting frustration, there’s almost always another opportunity. Remaining calm, staying focused, and sticking with your routine are key to a successful hunt. Legal disputes, as they meander through the process from initial filing to final resolution, pose many challenges for the litigants. While frustration is a natural reaction, remain patient and trust in your counsel and the process. Losing a battle or two along the way is not unusual. Staying focused on winning the war is essential.

Watch Out for Snakes This age-old admonition remains important for every hunter as a snake bite can have deadly consequences. Remaining vigilant and not letting your guard down mitigates the chances of a bad outcome.

Construction disputes, by their nature, are often document and expert intensive which leads to increased fees and costs. Ending up as the victor, only to learn that the cost of the battle exceeded the prize is not the outcome most seek.

And while you may view your side of the dispute as black and white, rest assured that your opponent will likely view its side of the dispute with the same sense of clarity and conviction. The truth is that many gray areas typically exist which allow for credible arguments to be made on both sides. And since most construction disputes involve counterclaims, risk is always part of the equation. Given these circumstances, litigants should remain vigilant throughout the dispute. By knowing the costs and making a candid assessment of the risks involved throughout the process, your business will be able to make a sound business decision of whether to continue the fight or to settle.

Enjoy the Hunt

Shooting a limit of birds is always exciting, but even on days when the birds just aren’t flying, hunting provides golden opportunities to spend quality time outdoors. While legal disputes will undoubtedly be a source of frustration, there is much to take away from the process as a participant. Involvement in a dispute will reward you with first-hand experience with the legal process and result in your business being better prepared for future disputes, should they occur. You may also be able to implement changes in your day-to-day operations to reduce the risk of future disputes.

Happy hunting!

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

hen I began my surety underwriting career in 2002 as a trainee, one of the foundational books I was given to read was “Construction Contractors’ Survival Guide” by Dr. Thomas C. Schleifer. The book was written for construction contractors to learn from, but the parallels to surety underwriting make it a tremendous asset in learning about elements of contractor failure that remain unchanged over time. The underlying theme Thomas points out across the various risk factors is that the project will likely get done, but will it get done profitably? This is a very important question. I will focus on two of the most common risk factors outlined in this book and I highly recommend visiting Thomas’ website letstalkbusiness.net for many more helpful resources.

Increase in Project Size

Most contractors can build a project that is two, three, or even four times their largest project to date. But it is easy to underestimate the strain a very large project puts on the companies’ resources. A contractors’ balance sheet that is set up to handle their normal project size and backlogs, can be strained significantly if slow pay occurs on a much larger project. This large project is often longer in duration, which creates a heavier impact on cash-flow from retention held and is more complex to finalize. A large project requires greater management supervision and likely requires an increase in oversight from owners, engineers, and architects. The last point I’ll note is the opportunity cost – the very large project will require dedicated management from key people who could have otherwise managed a couple of smaller projects, and your bonding company may be fairly conservative in supporting additional projects of size until the large project is complete. The best advice is to take measured, incremental increases in project size while expanding your company resources to meet those demands.

Change in Geographic Location A change in geographic work location can change many risk variables for a contractor. Travel, housing, site conditions and weather are just a few factors that add cost, risk, and require a well thought out plan. Finding local subcontractors, labor, equipment, and material supply can all present challenges not dealt with in your normal operating territory. At a minimum you may not receive the best pricing quotes available and less than optimal service. Bidding and winning a project in a small town that is new to you can also present political and bureaucratic challenges. You are not around

to hear how the local government and residents view the project. There may be some unfair treatment by locals who do not like or want the project built. The regulatory oversight and inspection process can be very different than with owners you are used to working with. A prudent course of action to expand geographic footprint would be to operate on the fringes of current territory and branch out further in a measured fashion.

In the surety industry we have experienced contractor failures as a result of a contractor taking on a job with one or both of risk factors, amongst other reasons. If you are exploring a job that will require a surety bond and the job is significantly larger than anything you’ve completed previously or in a new geographic location, you can expect questions to be raised. These issues can be overcome with proper planning and good communication with your surety agent and surety company. Often this communication is no more than letting your bonding agent and underwriter see the planning and risk management process a contractor would undergo even if a bond wasn’t required.

Dr. Thomas C. Schleifer has vast experience in the construction industry and serves as a turnaround expert for sureties and contractors. He has written extensively on a variety of construction related issues. I would highly recommend picking up one of his books or reading some of his articles.

Schmalz & Associates is an agency exclusively supporting contractor’s bonding needs. Eric Schmalz was an underwriter and manager for over 15 years working for Top 10 surety companies and now helps his contractor clients establish and maximize their surety bonding. Please call 512-640-6444, email eric@schmalzsurety.com or visit the website at www.schmalzsurety.com

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San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

being an electrician. I started out in the field digging ditches and worked my way up to project management until I left and started my own company. It’s been great.

I support my family. It is a great career to get into.

How long have you been married?

What is your wife’s name?

My wife, Sheri and I have been married for 28 years.

Don Watson

Owner & President CORE Electrical Group New Braunfels, TX

W

ith dreams of being a rock star, Don Watson put away his bass and picked up a pair of linesman pliers to become the owner of his own electrical contracting company. While he may not be a rock star in the music arena, he’s one in the electrical trade.

Tell me a little about Don Watson.

I was born in San Antonio. I grew up on the northeast side of town. I’ve always loved living here in San Antonio.

Where you go to high school?

I went MacArthur High School back in the ‘80s.

Did you always want to be an electrician?

My dad was an electrician. He always encouraged me to get into the trade, but I had other ideas. I wanted to be a rock star. I played in a band in high school.

When I got out of high school, I did maintenance jobs by day and played in a band by night.

What was the name of your band?

The Texas Storm Band. It was a country band with a little bit of a rock flare, like a Bob Seger type band. It was a lot of fun.

I learned a lot and grew up fast.

What instrument did you play?

I played bass guitar. I still play bass and I also play guitar. I don’t perform anymore. I play for my own enjoyment now.

How long was your band together?

Around six years. It was a good time, but it was time to move on.

Why is that?

My dad tried to encourage me which was great. I try to encourage my kids too, but you want to do your own thing. Then I got married and started having kids that’s when I told my dad, “let’s talk about this.”

I got registered at the JATC and went to school there. I got a job and started

How did you and Sheri meet?

I was doing the music thing and I was doing maintenance. She was working in a building that needed a maintenance man and they called me up for an interview. I started working there. We started talking and the rest as they say, is history.

Is she from San Antonio as well?

She is from Edinburg, TX. How many kids do you have?

We have three children and two grandbabies. They all live here in San Antonio.

How old are your grandbabies?

My grandson is going to be three in October. My granddaughter is going to be one in November. They are a lot of fun.

Was your dad excited when you decided to go into the electrical trade?

He was excited that I had decided to follow in his footsteps. He pointed me in the direction to get started.

When did you know you wanted to own your own company?

When I got into my 40s, I had done almost 20 years with Alterman Electric. Working for them was great. They taught me a lot over the years. I tried dabbling in the general contracting world, but I just didn’t care for it. I’m more of a trade person, so I decided to get out and instead of going to work for somebody else, I decided to try it out for myself and make it work.

Was it difficult getting your business up and running?

It was difficult finding the manpower to perform the work with good mechanics/electricians to actually do the installation. Getting the work has always been easy because I have relationships that I had built over 25-plus years and they wanted to see me succeed, but finding qualified electricians isn’t an easy task.

When did you start CORE Electrical Group?

I started the business in 2015.

This is going to be our biggest year yet. We started out too fast and I had reel it back in and do it at our own pace and not at the pace that everybody else wanted me to do it. People want you to succeed but sometimes, as one of my old mentors once told me, “You never go out of business with too little work, you always go out of business when

Don Watson, Owner & President, CORE Electrical Group, New Braunfels, TX

you have too much work.” I believe him. We’ve been pretty steady, but this year we shot up.

With the corona virus, a lot schools opened up work when the shutdown occurred because there were no students in school so we could work in the schools. All of sudden people are wanting to get stuff done which was very fortunate for us.

How many employees do you have now at CORE Electrical Group?

We have 38 great electricians.

During the summer, May and June, we were able to put other electricians to work from my competitors. We are members of the IEC programs and a lot of times when my competitors in the program don’t have any work, they will advertise they need a place for X-amount of guys to go so I was able to bring them on.

I had a need and they had a need and we were able to get through this together and didn’t have to lay people off.

You live here in San Antonio on the northeast side of town, but your offices are in New Braunfels. Why New Braunfels?

Growing up, part of our vacation was spent going to Landa Park swimming in the ice cold water there. We’d go to Schlitterbahn before Schlitterbahn was there. I just fell in love with New Braunfels.

New Braunfels is the middle guy of the I-35 corridor. The I-35 corridor is one of the fastest growing areas of the country. I thought as a business, I could service that corridor that is growing so fast. We do work all over San Antonio. Eventually, I want to retire in New Braunfels. My wife and I would like to live there.

You mentioned retirement. Are you planning to retire anytime soon?

I think I have a good 15 years left in me. We are building the company. When I say we, I have a director of operations, project manager and an assistant project manager and as a team, we are trying to build the company. Eventually, we are going to sell to the employees, hopefully.

That’s the plan. We want to keep the company growing so they can start building their legacy. That’s the way I see it and that is what we are working towards.

How did you come up with the name CORE Electrical Group?

When trying to come up with a name for the company, I really didn’t want to put my name on it. I want to leave it like a legacy and I’d rather leave it with a name that fits the company. Basically, our tagline is, “Your strength begins with your core.” Working out, your core is your basic strength and the rest comes with it.

When you don’t have a strong core, it’s tough. It’s the same way with electricity.

In your building, you have to have a good

core for the building to not burn down for the client. The same with the employees at CORE Electric, you have to have a good core to provide for that client. In my head, it all just went back to that core strength.

Celebrating five years in business, what are your plans for the next five years?

We want to grow steadily and smart.

We are trying to diversify more. When COVID hit, we were starting up our service department and it kind of opened my eyes. We would like to work in other markets like federal so when the private sector is slow, we are able to keep going because federal work tends to keep going.

All my work is relationship built. Every client I work with, I have a relationship somehow that I have known over the 25 years or have worked together with. We do work for the county and the city. I want this company to last a hundred years, even when I’m gone.

Did you always know you would end up being an electrician?

No. I still want to be a rock star.

I can do this in my sleep. The electrical industry is always growing and always changing. Drywall is drywall, but with electricity, you have renewable energy, solar power and electronics changing all the time. The world is becoming more tech savvy, so you have to change the electricity to do that. We are always learning something.

What makes Don Watson tick?

I love doing what I do. I love being in the electrical business in the construction world. I’m a people person. I love the people I deal with. I like going out and getting work, performing, succeeding and moving on to the next job. It’s all I’ve known for a longtime and I enjoy it.

What do you do when you are not being an electrician?

I’m always an electrician. It seems like I’m always working. I like going out hunting and eating what I hunt. I like to go fishing. We try to go to the coast at least once a month and spend a weekend to relax and fish. That was working out for a while but this year it hasn’t worked out so well. The corona virus kind of slowed that down, but we’re going to start doing that more often again.

What else would you like our readers to know about the man behind CORE Electric?

It’s been a tough five years, but it has been rewarding. I built a great team. This is our fifth year and because of them, we can breathe.

Do you have any regrets?

Maybe the rock star thing. -cmw

San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

Page 9

Lighting with flare

Industry FOLKS Rose Rodriguez

Administrative Assistant

Santex Painting & Construction LLC San Antonio, TX

R

Rachel and Tim Eckermann at the stain glass lighting reveal at Christus Santa Rosa Hospital.

I

n 2015, when Del Lighting owner Diane Long retired, Rachel Eckermann’s life- long dream came true. “Neither of us could see Del Lighting closing. I had been with her for about nine years at that time, and she was kind enough to pass her baby on to me. I’ve been running it ever since,” says Eckermann.

Ten years ago, the company was selling nationwide with only a handful of local customers. Most of their sales were done over the phone and through emails.

As San Antonio grew and evolved with technology, Eckermann changed the focus of the company in 2015 when she took the reins.

“We began focusing on recruiting architects, builders and electricians locally.

And not just locally, we’ve gone to Houston, down to the Valley and along the coastline. We work with a lot of electricians,” Eckermann adds.

Word of mouth has been Del Lighting’s avenue to success. Locally, homeowners used to be their highest percent-

age of work. But through word of mouth, one electrician talking to another electrician, the company has continued to expand and flourish its lighting field.

“Electricians would tell another electrician, ‘You’ve got to go find this shop.

They’ll get you whatever you need.’ We’ve always been, even with Diana, very customer service oriented. We’ve always worked on specialty projects, ones that other companies would say, ‘No that can’t be done.’ Diane taught me that yes it can be done. If there’s a will, there’s a way.

We’ll make it happen,” she continues.

Eckermann has taken that philosophy and with it, has grown the company locally, while still holding onto their nationwide customers. “We get to light up some really cool things,” says Eckermann.

Del Lighting has a strong residential following and is continuously growing their commercial customer base. Familyowned and operated, Eckermann’s husband Tim, oversees the install of many of the company’s projects. -cmw

osemary Rodriguez was born in San Antonio in 1971 and grew up on the southside of the Alamo city.

“Growing up on the southside was great. My family never had any problems in the neighborhood we lived in.”

She graduated from South San Antonio High School in 1990 and from there, she attended college off and on.

“I’m looking forward to returning and receiving my degree.”

Rose has three beautiful, loving children and two wonderful grandchildren. “My oldest child is Megan Perez.

She is 27 years old and has two children of her own, Jaythen and Josiah.

My middle child is my son Michael Perez and he is 23. My youngest, Melanie Rose Perez is 17 years old. She is a junior at S.T.E.M. Early College High School.”

Rose started working in the construction industry in 1997 for her uncle off and on. Her uncle, Gerry Elizalde, worked in the construction industry for 40 years. He founded Santex Painting & Drywall Inc. and gave Rose the opportunity to work for him at Santex Painting & Drywall Inc.

“My cousin, his son, Jay Elizalde, is now the new owner of Santex Painting & Construction LLC. Jay approached me in late 2018 before his father was about to retire in early 2019. Jay asked if I would join him as he took over the company. I was thrilled and honored that he would ask me and of course I did. I was happy to join him.”

Rose joined her cousin Jay at Santex Painting & Construction LLC at the beginning of 2019 and is celebrating the company’s first year under its new name and ownership. “I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the future.”

As the company’s administrative assistant, Rose wears many hats and has become the face of the business, taking care of all the office duties including going out to job sites making deliveries when needed.

“What I like best about my job is how it continues to evolve every day, and the learning opportunities and leadership my boss continues to invest in my development and growth so that I know all aspects of the business.”

Rose’s mentor is her uncle, Gerry Elizalde. He introduced her to the construction industry and gave her the opportunity to learn the business. “He allowed me to grow and learn different aspects of the business. By that, I earned his trust and that of his son.”

Her interests and hobbies are going to the gym and working on herself for better health. “I need to be around for a long time for my kids and grandbabies. I have been on this journey for over five years and I feel great about myself.” -cmw

Page 10

San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

For the long run

I

An education culture

John Gargotta, Service Mechanical Group

n 1997, a group of six mechanical tradesmen got together to form Service Mechanical Group (SMG). Two have retired and one, sadly, recently passed away.

They all met while working for Honeywell and have grown the company to 45 employees strong. Their business approach is simple; performing work in existing buildings only; answer the phone by the second ring; employ the best technicians; develop business solutions that best meet their customers’ needs; and charge a fair price, and communicate.

“We service, repair and replace equipment in existing buildings. We don’t do any new construction. San Antonio, compared to other cities, is a relatively young city. A lot of San Antonio’s growth happened in the ‘80s with the explosion of the oil business in the late ‘70s and ‘80s. A lot of the buildings on Loop 410 were all built around the same time,” says Service Mechanical Group Vice President John Gargotta.

SMG first started out working in the chiller plants of buildings. “Typically a

building would have a lead engineer and two or three support staff. They would pretty much do the work on the rest of the building. They would change motors, thermostats and such. We focused on the larger equipment,” recalls Gargotta.

Overtime, Gargotta believes that building owners began to realize they could get by with one person on site and contract the rest. Today, SMG has expanded their services to do just that.

“Understanding our customers and what their needs are and to being empathetic to what their needs are is essential.

We understand that they have other systems in their buildings they are dealing with such as elevators, fire, security, safety, electrical, etc. We have to understand what is practical and what can they budget? We try to help them understand what their immediate need is or is it something they will need to look at in two to three years. We are not just about what we can we do for you right now; we are about what can we do for you in the long run,” concludes Gargotta. -cmw

Steven J. Schultz is the chapter president of the Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) South Texas Chapter.

F

or some, there is never a “best time” to conduct or participate in construction and safety education programs. When it’s a slack period individuals may be laid off or furloughed, and when it’s a boom time everyone is too busy. In reality education should be a continuous endeavor for any company, large or small, whether it is safety related, acquiring new tasks, or skills assessment and upgrades.

The supply of a younger and capable craft professional has continued to decline with the advancement or retirement of older craft professionals. And this is not something new. For the last twenty five years the line has been “… the construction industry is losing 250,000 craft professionals every year to either leaving the workforce, career advancement or retirement, and only 50,000 are enrolled in construction education programs across the country…”

Part of the problem is the misperception the construction industry is low wage, low skill and unsafe, when it is just the opposite. For years high school students were pushed towards the college track, and were told if they weren’t careful, they could end up on a construction site schlepping two by fours across the yard. Never mind the construction craft professional is making more than many with college degrees, and no debt to boot. And it’s a career with more advancement opportunities than most economic sectors.

The other part of the problem is more internal – a Corporate Education Culture. There is a resistance to look at education as an investment. The fear of losing a bid due to an added training cost. The fear of losing trained craft workers to competitors. Fear of investing in a training program and not seeing an immediate, quick return. Lack of em-

ployees’ acceptance of formal education programs. A Corporate Education Culture is more than just on-the-job training. It’s a commitment to helping everyone to rise, to go beyond what they think they can do to achieve what they are capable. It is to encourage, provide the necessary tools, recognize accomplishments, reward improvement, and repeat.

Numerous studies have shown that for each dollar invested in craft training can yield $1.30 to $3 in benefits. Absenteeism rates decline. Turnover rates decline. The OSHA recordable rate declines. The rework rate, waste and offquality product production declines.

And the labor productivity rate – the amount of craft hours used to complete a given quantity of work INCREASES. Training can also have a positive impact on recruitment. With the acquisition of additional skills there can be increased pay and annual income. There is increased career satisfaction. With job advancement there is increased social status and pride in work. And these craft professionals help attract others to their employer and the construction industry.

Additionally they can become future mentors and instructors for the company and the industry.

There are numerous construction education programs, just too many empty seats. During our high school counselors industry tour, at 3:00 p.m. I say – “Give me a student with good math skills, good communication skills, a good work ethic and can pass a drug test, and I can get them a job in construction by 5:00pm.” The industry can create a skilled craft professional. The fear is having too many students and not enough companies. Are you willing to take a chance?

San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

Page 11

odds, if I have to say so myself.

Experts say that the tarpon populations are on the incline in our waters, and by the looks of our day, I would have to agree. If you’ve never had the opportunity to fight one of these acrobatic fish, add it to your bucket list.

They are a blast to fight!!

My 2021 fishing calendar is open, and I am starting to book trips for the upcoming year. My whitetail hunts are almost full for this season, I still have a few dates to book if interested. 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.

Follow me of Facebook and Instagram at Steve Schultz Outdoors. Good Luck and Good Fishing.

Adventures Beyond the Bay

by Capt. Steve Schultz Sponsored by:

Waypoint Marine, Shoalwater Boats, 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.

continued on Page 13

M

any of you that read my column know that I always write about fishing the surf or beach front in late summer. As the year lingers on, our bays get so much pressure and a lot of the popular fishing spots get fished out. During August thru October, if the conditions are right, I like to change it up a little and venture out into the big water for trout and redfish action along the beach front. These days are limited, and it takes an experienced fisherman to be able to stand on the deck of a rocking and pitching boat and fight a fish.

This August was limited to only a few days offshore due to the active hurricane season we had. September has been about the same, but I have been able to log a few more days in the blue water. On one of the days in late August I was fishing near the packery jetties with a couple of guys from San Antonio. We were steadily catching trout and redfish when we were surprised with a quick hook-up with about a 3-foot tarpon. As quick as it was on, it spit the hook after one jump.

Here are a few of the pictures from the tarpon caught last month.

Bart and Debra Johnson caught and released six total tarpons ranging from 3 to 4 ½ ft. All fish were released after photos by Steve Schultz Outdoors.

Fast forward to mid-September, the seas calmed down just enough to get out for one day. Fishing with my close friends Michael and Cheryl, we were having a pretty successful trip when I hooked up with another tarpon. This one made it to the net after about a 15-minute battle on our light tackle. After a few pictures and some quick measurements, the fish was released safely back to its habitat. This was my first Texas Tarpon that I have ever caught. I’ve caught big tarpon in Costa Rica before but never in my home state.

Bucket list checked!!

About five days later, as Hurricane Sally was moving to shore on the Alabama/Florida coastline, I was able to catch another calm day in the gulf. This

day I was lucky and had another good friend and client Bart and Debra Johnson of Brownwood, TX. They had heard the stories of my previous days offshore and were willing to give it a try. Needless to say, the day turned out to be one of the best days I have experienced on the water in my 22 years of guiding. The morning started off as soon as we cleared the jetties and encountered a school of tarpon. Bart was first to hook up and land his first ever tarpon as we watched the school ease down the beach front. Soon after the release, Debra hooked up and another fight was on. Debra ended the day catching five silver kings and Bart only had the one. A total of eight hookups and we landed six of them. Not bad

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San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

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

How to get to be a Big Bass

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ne thing big bass are not is stupid. They may be slaves to their reflexes if you happen to drop a lure right on the top of their head, but if they get a chance to see something coming at them, they may just choose to pass it up. You can ask anybody who fishes for largemouth. They are territorial and they know what is out of place and they learn from their mistakes.

Every once in a while, we will have bass in the local structure around our dock that we get to know.

Max will play with them when he gets a little down time. I ask him about using different lures and the answer is “She’s seen it.”, or “She took it once, not falling for it again”. Fish can be smarter than we imagine. The smarter they are, the bigger they get. I guess that’s why we love chasing them!

I swear that deer can be the same way. I don’t know how they know, but one day you see deer all over the place, can hardly get home without them running in front of you. The next day, and for several weeks, they just seem to disappear. It happens every year when deer season starts. Deer season ends and guess what? They’re back again! How do they know? I don’t think they carry a pocket calendar or get a text notification, because I never met a deer with pockets. Somehow, they sense the subtle changes that alert them that people are in the woods and they vanish out from under the feeders before the first ATV hits the dirt! Big bucks don’t get that way by being stupid.

We are still dealing with Covid-19. How do we adapt so we can get on with our lives in times like these? We have holidays coming up before long.

Halloween will be a challenge, but we better figure it out. I know my daughter is already building a sewer pipe chute that she can just dump candy straight from the sack from the store down into the waiting goodie bag of the little goblins without touching it.

Someone else suggested that Halloween be done in

reverse. Kids stay on their porch in their costumes and people drive by and chuck candy at them!

Christmas? Whole different can of worms. I bet you we see ugly mask competitions instead of ugly Christmas sweater contests!

We need to revise our deer camp habits too. We probably don’t want to sleep a bunch of guys in the same little camper this year. Same goes for crowding in together to play cards or catch a ball game.

We need to be smarter.

We have already learned that things can take a turn for the worse if we get too comfortable with improving statistics and start to let our guard down. I heard one expert say that masking up properly, staying at least 6 ft apart and keeping our hands clean might even be more effective in stopping the spread of Covid-19 than any vaccine we come up with, if everyone would just do it.

Go ahead and start enjoying things, but just be smart about it! Use your head and trust your instincts. Think about that old bass and don’t make dumb mistakes.

That’s how you get to be a Big Bass!

San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

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continued from Page 11 – Capt Steve Schultz

Bart and Debra Johnson

Tarpon

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The Soto

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he area along Broadway in San Antonio is undergoing a dramatic change. The Soto, a six-story office building with ground floor retail, is the anchor project for the 8.5-acre mixeduse redevelopment which will include a renovation of older buildings and ground-up, new buildings for a new livework neighborhood that relies heavily on sustainability.

The Soto, Texas’s first mass timber framed mid-rise building and only the fourth in the country, includes 140,600sf of office space on five levels above a ground floor that will potentially include a coffee shop and high-end restaurant.

The building also uses a raised floor system with under-floor air distribution for heating and cooling. The project, is anticipated to receive LEED Certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

DLT and column detail.

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Column base hinges at entryway.

Rendering of The Soto

“This is a special project for us,” said Tony Battle, President of Byrne Construction Services. “We have the privilege of building one of the most unique projects in the country right here in our own backyard, and with a great group of owners and architects. It doesn’t get much better than that.”

Byrne Construction Services, a 97year old contractor located in San Anto-

The Soto interior during construction.

nio, is providing construction manager services on the project with San Antonio’s Lake Flato as the Design Architect and BOKA Powell listed as the Architect of Record. Hixon Properties is developing The Soto along with the remainder of the neighborhood.

Sustainability is core to design and construction of The Soto. This project will be the first carbon-neutral project in

5th floor open office area.

San Antonio. This means the building is removing more carbon from the air than it emits. The building has approximately 640 cubic meters of wood that can hold over 540 tons of carbon dioxide.

“It’s the equivalent of taking 290 cars off the road for a year or enough energy to operate 129 homes for a year,” said John Beauchamp, development manager for Hixon Properties.

The mass timber structure utilizes laminated wood as columns and beams while the ceiling decks are Doweled Laminated Timber (DLT). Made from spruce, pine and fir, each DLT panel is 8ft by 60ft and weighs approximately 10,000 lbs. The timber structure was fabricated in Canada and Austria and shipped to San Antonio.

The Soto is certainly a unique project for San Antonio and will provide a beautiful foundation for the redevelopment of the old Cavender dealership and the surrounding area.

Byrne Construction Services is a Texasbased general contractor offering construction management services. -cmw The Soto Byrne Construction Services San Antonio, TX

New Jaguar and Land Rover of Boerne dealership

reedom Solar, the leading turnkey solar energy installer in Texas, is continuing to expand their presence in the San Antonio market. In 2019, Freedom Solar partnered with San Antonio based automotive group, Barrett Motors, to complete a landmark installation at their new Jaguar and Land Rover of Boerne dealership. This project was part of the largest solar power initiative of any automotive group in Central Texas.

The installation included 386 high-performance SunPower solar panels which produce more than 237,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of solar power annually, a 37 percent energy offset that removes more than 168 tons of carbon dioxide from the air each year. This is equivalent to the amount of energy required to power 28.4 homes for a year. With an eight-year payback period, Barrett Motors is estimated to save more than $434,000 over the 25-year lifespan of the panels, or roughly $17,360 in utility savings annually.

“This project is a great example of how industries such as automotive, commercial real estate and retail can incorporate solar into their sustainability models and, ultimately, slash the cost of their energy bills,” said Bret Biggart Freedom Solar CEO. Freedom Solar has seen a growing trend among auto dealers going solar and cites a number of reasons as key motivators. A recent study by Energy Star determined that dealerships consume roughly 18 percent more energy per square foot than the average office building. Unsurprisingly, lot and display lighting account for much of this consumption, as well as the growing demand for electric vehicle charging stations.

Freedom Solar has found that the

SunPower solar panels atop Jaguar and Land Rover of Boerne.

building configuration of dealerships offers ideal circumstances for solar installations.

Dealerships are usually owner-occupied real estate with ample roof space to accommodate a solar panel system that will produce a meaningful amount of energy.

“A major motivating factor for our customers to go solar is the financial return,” said Biggart. “People are continuing to understand that solar is an investment that generates cash in a very real sense by producing kilowatt-hours of energy. No different than pulling oil out of the ground, it’s an ongoing annuity that allows homeowners and companies alike to fuel future investments.”

Most recently, Freedom Solar completed a 296,000 kWh installation at Bob Tomes Ford in McKinney, Texas and has previously worked with Covert Auto Group, Austin Subaru, Lost Pines Toyota, Sames Automotive, and Keating Toyota.

-cmw New Jaguar and Land Rover of Boerne dealership Freedom Solar San Antonio, TX

Closeup of solar panels atop Jaguar and Land Rover of Boerne.

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Northwest Vista College’s new Cypress Campus Center

K Marlow Company LLC completed work on the Alamo Colleges District Northwest Vista College’s new Cypress Campus Center (Welcome Center) and connecting parking garage in Jun. 2020. Designed by Alamo Architects, the construction began in Feb. 2019.

The facility consists of 50,000sf on two stories with a connecting parking garage. MK Marlow Company contracted with SpawGlass to provide the metal stud interior and exterior framing, insulation, sheetrock, acoustical ceilings, specialty wood ceilings / wood panels and custom metal column covers.

The beautiful entryway work included a high drywall ceiling. Reveals in the ceiling align with the walls

from the top, all the way to the first floor, with wood panels and matching acoustical ceiling tiles.

Built to accommodate the future enrollment of more than 20,000 students, the finished center includes welcome and admissions services, financial aid, counseling, testing and other services to assist first-time college students and those seeking to continue their education.

To accommodate visitors, students and faculty, the garage provides four levels of parking. Conveniently connected to the Cypress Campus Center, the two structures provide an entrance and welcome to the campus grounds.

Due to the pandemic, the building is currently closed, with the college providing remote services. The Northwest Vista College campus, however, is located in one of the fastest growing areas of San Antonio. Its future will be a gathering space for students, as well as housing for a multitude of needed services to thousands of incoming students. MK Marlow was honored to part of this important educational project. -cmw Northwest Vista College’s new Cypress Campus Center MK Marlow Company LLC San Antonio, TX

Acoustical ceiling tiles and wood panels.

Main entryway with high drywall ceiling and wood panels with matching acoustical ceiling tiles.

Interior walls and ceiling grid for ground floor of the welcome center.

Exterior cold form metal framing construction of welcome center.

Black rifle coffee

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odern Day Concrete was contracted to do the polish and resinous concrete flooring at the new Black Rifle Coffee Company located at Bitters Rd. and Hwy. 281 by Metropolitan General Contracting Company (Metro).

This being their first project with Metropolitan Contracting, Modern Day Concrete was excited to be part of the project.

Black Rifle Coffee and Metro, both have prestigious names in markets in which they conduct their business.

Modern Day Concrete was eager to show Metropolitan General Contracting and Black Rifle Coffee the design

Polished concrete flooring in Black Rifle Coffee.

Black Rifle Coffee after previous flooring system removed.

planning, craftsmanship, and project managing Modern Day prides themselves in.

The project was a complete remodel requiring the removal of the facilities’ previous flooring system. Once the old flooring system was complete, the project team discovered that the concrete was in a less than desired condition. After walking the project, Metro Project Manager Nick Wickersham, Modern Day Project Manager Albert Goss and Modern Day Operations Manager Mark Pardo, put together a solution for the back of the house resinous flooring and the front of the house polished concrete.

To get a beautiful looking polished concrete and seamless resinous floor, the Modern Day Concrete team had to do extensive prepping, patching and handwork.

The final product was a work of art. Lone Star Decorative Concrete Supply Coatings Sales Representative, Chase Valdez was a great help making sure materials we are on site, on time, during an uncertain time due to COVID.

The beautiful results of this project were not easy. The project management and team management between customer, general contractor and subcontractor shows that any project can be achieved when all three parties are working in the same direction.

“Our slogan, the concrete floor experts, says it all. We feel we can do our scope on any concrete slab with the

proper specifications, planning and communication. We pride ourselves in working with veteran run companies. To learn that this was Black Rifle’s first brick and mortar, free standing shop was an honor for us, and we were very grateful Metropolitan General Contracting gave us the opportunity to be a part of this project,” says William Gutierrez, Modern Day Concrete Director of Sales & Estimating.

Modern Day Concrete is a decorative concrete subcontractor in San Antonio. -cmw Black rifle coffee Modern Day Concrete San Antonio, TX

Resinous flooring system.

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San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

Bearing the heat

embers of the American Subcontractors Association (ASA) caught a break from three digit temperatures as they advanced upon the National Shooting complex for their annual Sporting Clay Shoot. While the temperatures were still in the upper 90s, the 150-plus shooters didn’t seem to mind the heat and being outdoors on Aug. 20 visiting with one another and busting a few clays along the way. “This industry is so awesome,” says ASA Executive Director Jennifer Sweeney. “Even with COVID and the regulations, they still came out to support our event.” -cmw Red Course – Divison A Winners : 1st Place: Austin Luchak, FA Nunnelly 2nd Place: Jacob Sireno, Baker Triangle 3rd Place: Jay Gable, SSFCU

Red Course – Division B Winners: 1st Place: John Thimons, Mission Ridge 2nd Place: Rick Nanez, Bridging Construction 3rd Place : Preston Jordan, VA Nunnelly

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Awareness to falls

eing in the scaffolding business, Big City Access takes fall protection seriously. So much so, they joined forces with the American Subcontractors Association (ASA) to bring awareness to fall protection for Fall Protection Awareness Week throughout San Antonio. -cmw

Yellow Course – Division A Winners: 1st Place: Clyde Culver, IBTX 2nd Place: Bruce Culver, IBTX 3rd Place: Brade Moore, KCM Cabinets Yellow Course – Division B Winners: 1st Place: Kurt Rogers, Bexar Excavating & Hauling 2nd Place: Shannon Young, Robes1 3rd Place: Jason Hennesey, Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing Leading Lady: Carissa Flores, Robles1 Gave it Your Best Shot: Blaine Ash, Team Mechanical of Texas L-R: John Aviles, Oscar Monreal, Edis Munoz, Jose Perez and Rodolfo Lopez at the TPC Cortland project.

Red Course Top Team: Big State Electric

Yellow Course Top Team: IBTX

L-R: Juan Aguilar, Abel Sandoval, Jorge Reyes, Byrom Moreno and Edgar Sanchez at the Nustar Project.

L-R: Omar, Garza, Luis Sanchez, General Manger Ben Cantu, Tony Martinez, Martin Balcazar and Thomas Torres.

L-R: Daniel Northern, Jorge Rivas, Agapito Lozano, and Chris Monreal.

San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

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Helping small businesses

he Associated General Contractors (AGC) San Antonio Chapter hosted a graduation event Sept. 21 for the mentors and protégé of the AGC/Bexar County protégé program designed to help small construction businesses. This marks the program’s fifth, two-year cycle which began in 2009. County Commissioner Justin Rodriguez congratulated the participants on their completion of this two-year program.

L-R: Renee Watson, Bexar County; Mentor Jon McKelvain, Sundt Construction; Mentor Patrick Byrnes, Turner Construction Company; Protégé Lindsay Sutherland, GD Interior Construction; County Commissioner Justin Rodriguez; Protégé Joe Monroe, Consolidated Installation Support LLC; Joe Linson, Bexar County SMWBE Advisory Committee; Protégé Francisco Ruiz, ProMasters Remodeling LLC; Mentor Mike Sireno, Baker Drywall and Mentor Ben Wilson, Frost Bank. -cmw

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In memoriam…

alter E. Benson, age 71, passed away Sept. 7 in San Antonio, TX. Walter was born on Sep. 15, 1948 in San Antonio to Dr. Walter E. and Elsa P. Benson. A proud Army “brat”, Walter lived all over the United States and Japan.

He graduated from Robert G. Cole High School, Ft. Sam Houston, TX. United States Army Veteran (1971-1972), Walter served in the 140th Military Police Company, Ft. Gordon, GA. He is an Alumni of the University of Texas at Austin: B.A. Anthropology, B.B.A. Accounting.

Walter practiced as a C.P.A. in public accounting in Washington D.C. and Texas before finding his true calling as a Surety Bond Agent in San Antonio.

In 1993 the Simpson, Benson, Douglas Insurance Agency was formed and in 2012 they sold their business and he joined Time Insurance Agency.

He was actively involved with the American Subcontractor Association (ASA) and on the board for many years.

He was honored to have been the recipient of the President’s Award and Pioneer Award during his time with ASA. He loved to hunt, fish, and attend Texas Longhorn football games, but his true passion was as an amateur archeologist digging for artifacts and arrowheads in Central and South Texas. He filled his home with “rocks” from his many digs.

After being diagnosed with cancer in 2001, his many friends and family offered unwavering support and en-

Walter E. Benson, Time Insurance Agency

couragement over the years. He was grateful to the many doctors and nurses that treated and cared for him throughout the years. The years were filled with many good days punctuated with radiation and chemotherapy treatments, but he never lost his cheerfulness and positive outlook.

He was preceded in death by, parents Dr. Walter E. and Elsa P. Benson and in-laws Ray K. and Laura Davis. Walter is survived by his loving wife of 36 years Margie J. Benson; son Matthew S. Benson; brothers Dr. Paul M. Benson (Betty Jean), Charles J. Benson (Cheri), John L. Benson; sister Carol E. Ohlstein; nieces and nephews Dan, Chris, Kristen, Jonathan, Katherine, Rob and Leslie.

A memorial service was held on Sept. 9 at Porter Loring North Chapel in San Antonio. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer. -cmw

The Resource Guide Associations and Construction Education

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For Info on Resource Guide: Buddy@ConstructionNews.net or call 210-308-5800

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San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

Portable Fire Extinguishers Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX

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orkplace fires and explosions kill hundreds and injure thousands of workers each year. One way to limit the amount of damage due to such fires is to make portable fire extinguishers an important part of your fire prevention program. When used properly, fire extinguishers can save lives and property by putting out a small fire or controlling a fire until additional help arrives. A fire is the most common type of emergency for which small businesses must plan. A critical decision when planning is whether or not employees should fight a small fire with a portable fire extinguisher or simply evacuate.

Portable fire extinguishers apply an extinguishing agent that will either cool burning fuel, displace or remove oxygen, or stop the chemical reaction so a fire cannot continue to burn. When the handle of an extinguisher is compressed, agent is expelled out the nozzle. All portable fire extinguishers must be approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory to verify compliance with applicable standards.

In construction, fire extinguishers rated at least 2A or greater, must be provided for each 3,000 square feet of the protected building area. The travel distance to reach a fire extinguisher must not exceed 100 feet. One or more fire extinguishers with a rating of at least 2A, must be provided on each floor of the structure. In multistory buildings, at least one fire extinguisher must be located adjacent to a stairway.

A fire extinguisher rated 10B or greater, must be provided whenever more than 5 gallons of flammable or combustible liquids or 5 pounds of flammable gas are being used on the jobsite, and located within 50 feet of the flammable r combustible. Fuel tanks of motor vehicles are an exception to this requirement. Portable fire extinguishers must be inspected periodically and maintained in accordance with Maintenance and Use of Portable Fire Extinguishers,

NFPA No. 10A-1970.

If fire extinguishers are available for employee use, it is the employer’s responsibility to educate employees on the principles and practices of using a fire extinguisher and the hazards associated with fighting small or developing fires.

Using a Fire Extinguisher:

• The following steps should be followed when responding to incipient stage fire: • Sound the fire alarm and call the fire department, if appropriate.

• Identify a safe evacuation path before approaching the fire. Do not allow the fire, heat, or smoke to come between you and your evacuation path.

• Select the appropriate type of fire extinguisher.

• Discharge the extinguisher within its effective range using the P.A.S.S. technique (pull, aim, squeeze, sweep).

• Back away from an extinguished fire in case it flames up again.

• Evacuate immediately if the extinguisher is empty and the fire is not out.

• Evacuate immediately if the fire progresses beyond the incipient stage. natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232

continued from Page 1 — CGC General Contractors you, they like to use you on repeat projects,” says Vice President and Project Manager Gambill.

“K-12 is a big client as well as higher education and municipal work. We do work with the City of San Antonio and other municipalities, government, healthcare, retail, religious, hospitality and private commercial construction as well.

We are just wrapping up a car wash. We really have a diverse set of clientele. We did some high-end residential projects in the past, but we have elected to steer clear of that,” adds Bill.

As the company nears its 29th year in business, it finds itself in the midst of a succession. “The three of us, Paul, Ben and myself, are going to be equal owners of the company here very soon. We are buying my mother out. We are very enthusiastic and very aggressive. Our imaginations are driving us heavily to grow the company in much of the same spirit it was founded.

“We are eager to expand and grow and continue to solidify our reputation as a high-quality contractor to deliver a high-quality product. We truly have a

genuine willingness to work with owners and design teams. We are very customer focused and driven,” continues Bill.

“Moving into this new location was a big jump for us. Now that we have the capacity here at the office, we are expanding our client base and putting people in the right position to get us the work. We are being really careful to keep unchecked growth from happening so we can grow as organically as we can without getting out of control. It is a slow growing process. It’s a slower process, but we are working up to that as fast as we can,” adds Gambill.

CGC provides a complete range of

general contracting services, start to finish to include early planning and design, construction, project completion, and closeout. They are licensed and certified by the SCTRCA as SBE, ESBE, WBE, and the State of Texas as HUB.

“Every day is an adventure. We look forward to continuing the legacy our father laid before us with his values which are all very much our own,” concludes Ben Cleary, CGC Senior Superintendent.

CGC General Contractors, located in San Antonio, is a family-owned and operated general contracting company servicing Central and South Texas. -cmw

continued from Page 1 — Lone Star Decorative Concrete Supply looking for materials when you are pressed for time. That is why what we are trying to put together here is something that is made for the installer. This was put together by installers for installers.

We recognize what it is to be out in the trenches and what it is like to work for the general contractor who is also on time constraints as well. This can be problematic for all parties involved if you have to gather and wait for materials from various places or cities. We are trying to make this a one-stop shop for all the installers out there,” Carstens continues.

In addition to offering stains, epoxies, gloves, hard hats, knee pads, tools, diamonds, squeegees, everything a decorative concrete contractor needs to perform their work, Lone Star Decorative Concrete Supply has the supplies and the equipment needed to do the job to include concrete grinders for every need, concrete vacuums, and dust control and collection systems.

“We have equipment for rent as well as for sale. We service the equipment we carry, and the type of materials that we have are going to be spec grade materials. Specifically, we are going to be carrying very heavy duty industrial type

materials. In addition, we will be equipped with all floor coverings. Workshops will be conducted here once a quarter for all customers/installers. At Lone Star Decorative Concrete Supply, we want our customers to be knowledgeable in the products they are installing. Training classes like the ones we are going to offer will allow for all San Antonio installers to be able to offer expertise advice and industry knowledge to their own clientele. Ultimately, we strive every day to ensure that customer service and industry knowledge is the leading forefront for all that we accomplish at Lone Star Decorative Concrete Supply. We are here for you, San Antonio,” adds Carstens.

Lone Star Decorative Concrete Supply is located off Loop 410 and Perrin Beitel Ave. Store Manager Hector Peralta, Director of Sales Chase Valdez, Store Specialist Tremayne Williams and Lavina Repair Manager James make up the sales team at Lone Star Decorative Concrete.

“Our goal is to service San Antonio,” says Carstens.

Lone Star Decorative Concrete Supply is a supplier in San Antonio. -cmw

continued from Page 1 — Virtual Builders Exchange This went on through to the early ‘30s. The early ‘30s is when bulletins began being mailed. Staff was hired in the late ‘20s and actually started putting bulletins together.

In 1923, construction began on The Builders Exchange Building, which is still standing today on Pecan Street. Upon completion of the building in 1925, the staff of The Builders Exchange of San Antonio moved in. Unfortunately, the crash of ’29 happened and The Builders Exchange of San Antonio lost their beautiful 10-story building, which is now a historic residential building that offers 40 attractive apartments overlooking the San Antonio Riverwalk.

“Builders Exchange history mirrors the construction industry. I think it got down to the point, I think in the ‘20s and early ‘30s, when the question of survival of the Builders Exchange was very much at stake. But it still managed to pull itself through and moved forward,” Romano adds.

During the boom years, war years, and through the ‘50s and ‘60s, construction was heavy. “Per board meeting minutes, The Builders Exchange of San Antonio officially started using the name The Builders Exchange of Texas, Jul. 2, 1962 as it was now the only Builders Exchange in the state of Texas,” Tollette offers. At that point people came into a physical location. Most of them were estimators. They gathered at The Builders Exchange location which had an actual plans rooms where these men worked all day long.

“They sat there and pulled actual blueprints and specifications. Everything was mailed to our members by the US Postal Services so everyday a bulletin went out. You got your mailed bulletin, read it, and physically went to the building to look at the plans and specs. This

went on all the way through the ‘70s, ‘80s and then in the ‘90s, the whole world changed with the advent of the internet,” Romano continues.

By the late ‘90s, Tollette decided to take a crack at developing technology for an internet based plans room service. This was the result of The Exchange receiving it first cd from the US Army Corps of Engineers. He looked at and everyone who was in the business at the time and said, “Now what do we do?”

Once again, their world was evolving.

They were getting CDs, and thus the emergence of an online service.

“We went online in February ’97 for the first time as an online plans room service,” says Tollette.

By 2000 it was pretty clear this was going to be a success. People were using it heavily and as time continued to pass, it was used even more heavily. This led the way to the birth of Virtual Builders Exchange (VBX).

From black board to mailed bulletins, from mailed bulletin to fax, from to fax to where we are today with everything electronic, from hands-on plans and specifications to CDs, The Builders Exchange, now VBX, continues to evolve.

The industry is much more complicated today and so is the bid process. It too is more complicated today.

“The competitive bid process has changed, and it is now more RFQ, RFP and that whole proposal process, qualification process is vastly different from the all traditional bid-build kind of thing.

We are adapting yet again and will be coming out with more news products in January this coming year. We’ve got a brand new service coming out that is aimed at that because that’s the key to survival. The ability to constantly adapt.

That is what we have worked hard to be able to do,” Romano concludes. -cmw

San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

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Reaching silver

ven though 2020 has been a trying year for our nation and the world, RCO Construction has much to be excited about.

You see, they are celebrating 10 years in business. Roland Davila started RCO in 2010.

“We started as a civil subcontractor. Over the past 10 years, we have grown into a general contractor. We specialize in new con-struction, design builds and renovations,” says RCO Vice President of Operations, RJ Delagarza.

RCO began transitioning into general contraction around 2014 with the project L-R: RCO Construction’s, Rosa Garza and RJ Delagarza located at Brooks City Base.

Through Brooks Development Authority, “We currently have 35 employees RCO received their first general contract- who are all very skilled in what they do,” ing contract for the renovation of one of adds Garza.

With the onset of COVID, unfortuthe facilities at the former Brooks AFB. The company has grown internally nately, RCO was unable to celebrate the through the assistance of Rosa Garza, way they would have liked to. For now, RCO’s chief financial officer and office they are just focusing on the projects manager. “With the help of Rosa, we got they have and will schedule something our policies and procedures set up, and for their employees once everything converted from one system to another to slows down. “Being a company for 10 make our processes run more efficiently. years is a pretty big milestone for a small Our revenue has been going up every business. We are Texas HUB, HUB Zone, year as well as our client base, which has SBA, 8(a), ESBE, HABE, MBE, SBE and DBE certified,” adds Delagarza. also been increasing,” add Delagarza.

With a civil construction background, RCO Construction is currently perRCO performs everything from civil work forming 70 percent commercial and 30 on up. “We have a mixture of skilled field percent federal work, which varies up to personnel, supervisors, project managers, 50-50. administrative assistants and specialized When asked what is next for RCO trades like welders and mechanics. I think Construction? Garza said, “We just want that is one of the reasons we are able to be to continue to grow at a steady pace. so competitive in the field right now. With Increase our projects and continue to smaller to mid-size contractors, it has manage them more efficiently.”

RCO Construction, LLC. is a multibeen our competitive advantage to be self-performing with the personnel we service general contractor based in San Antonio. -cmw have,” Delagarza says.

If you could be anyone/switch places with someone, who would it be and why?

I would be a baker. I always wanted to be a baker. I enjoy baking cakes.

Rosa Garza, RCO Construction LLC I would trade places with Stephen Hawking. I am fascinated by physics. I would never be able to do a fraction of what Stephen Hawking did, but if I’m trading places with him, I’m assuming I’m getting his brain and to have that kind of a mind and his approach to the world, looking at the bigger picture…I would love to climb inside his head for a while to see how it works.

Brenda Romano, Virtual Builders Exchange I can’t think of anyone that I would want to switch with.

Mark Gonzalez, Power Source Electric This may sound a little selfish, but I’ve always been very interested in space. I would have to say Neil Armstrong, to be the first man to step on the moon. I think that was huge.

Felipe Carstens, Lonestar Decorative Concrete Supply I don’t think I would want to trade places with anybody. I would just want to be myself and not have to worry about eating right and working out.

Don Watson, CORE Electrical Group Right now, it would be a politician or senator. I never wanted to get into politics, but I truly believe that most of the congressmen and women and senators are out of touch with reality and what the majority of Americans are going through.

Most of them have not worked in the real industry, they’ve been in politics most of their lives. When you see people who has

been if office 35, 40, 50, 60 years, that’s not somebody who understand the needs and wants of the average American. I like helping people so if I was going to do something, I would be in some kind of politics to try and make a change.

That’s a loaded question. I love what I do and I’m not looking for a change.

Jay Adams, Hull Door LLC continued on Page 20

Association Calendar

Content Contentsubmitted submittedby byAssociations Associationsto toConstruction ConstructionNews News ABC

Associated Builders & Contractors Inc.

IEC

Independent Electrical Contractors

Oct. 7: ABC Breakfast Club, Alamo Café, 14250 San Pedro, 7:00am. $20 Members, $35 Non-members.

Oct. 9-10: Fishing Tournament, Rockport, TX. Dinner, Check-in, Captain’s Meeting and Calcutta Oct. 9, Paws & Taws. Fishing at daylight Oct. 10, Paws & Taws; Judging 3pm. For info, contact Leah at Leah@ abcsouthtexas.org or 210-342-1994

Oct. 1-2: IEC of Texas Quarterly Meeting, Austin, TX. Oct. 2: 20th Annual Golf Tournament, Canyon Springs Golf Course, 24405 Wilderness Oak, Registration 12:30pm, Shotgun Start 2pm. For info, contact Julie Tucker at 210-431-9861 or email jtucker@iecsanantonio.com

AGC

Mechanical Contractors Assn. Sheet Metal & A/C Nat’l Assn.

Associated General Contractors

MCA-SMACNA INC

Oct. 10: 27th Annual Safety Fair and BBQ Cook-off - CANCELED. Oct. 26 – Dec. 17: AGC’s CM-Lean Construction Education Program, Online via Zoom, 11am-1:30pm, Every Monday, Tuesday & Thursday. Members $245, $335 Non-members, Unit Books included. For more info, call 210-349-4921

Oct. 7: Regular & Associates Meeting CANCELED Oct. 28: Joint Industry Fund Meeting, MCA-SMACNA Offices, 12500 Network Blvd., #410, 11:30am. For more info, call Sandee Morgan at 210-822-3763

AIA

Oct. 7: Virtual Membership Meeting, Zoom Meeting. For more info, call Heather Osborn at 210-216-9676 or email heather@memcostaffing.com

American Institute of Architects

Oct. 1: 11th Annual Clays & Q, National Shooting Complex, 5931 Roft Rd., 1:308pm. For more info, email Torrey Carleton at torey@aiasa.org ASA

American Subcontractors Assn.

Oct. 29: Tailgate Taste-Off Mixer, Mays Family Scout Ranch, 3445 Fest Rd., 3-7pm.

For more info, call Jennifer Swinney at 210-349-2105 or email Jennifer@asasanantonio.org ASCE

American Society of Civil Engineers

Oct. 28-30: ASCE 2020 Virtual Convention. For info, go to www.saasce.org ASSP

American Society of Safety Professionals

Oct. 19: Regular Meeting, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Rd. 11am1pm. For info, go to www.southtexas. asse.org GSABA

Greater San Antonio Builders Assn.

Oct. 16-17: Saltwater Fishing Tournament, Port Aransas Civic Center, 710 W. Ave. A, Port Aransas, TX. For more info, contact Feliz Moran at 210-696-3800 or email fmorin@sabuilders.com HCA de SA

Hispanic Contractors Assn. de San Antonio

Oct. 9: Golf Tournament, SilverHorn Golf Club, 1100 W. Bitters Rd. Oct. 14: Monthly Virtual Meeting & Mixer, Zoom, 6-7:30pm. For more info, call Victoria Rodriguez at 210-444-1100 or email vrodriguez@hcadesa.org

NAWIC

National Assn. of Women in Construction

PHCC

Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors

Oct. 1: Nominations for PHCC-SA Board 2021 accepted.

Oct. 1: Golf Tournament Early Bird Registration Deadline. Golf Tournament Nov. 4, Hyatt Hill Country Resort, 9800 Hyatt Resort Dr. Oct. 8: PHCC Zoom Membership Meeting, 11am. For more info, call Heidi Trimble at 210-824-7422 or go to www.phccsanantonio.org SAMCA

San Antonio Masonry Contractors Assn.

Oct. 7: Golf Tournament, SilverHorn Golf Club, 1100 W. Bitters Rd. For more info, contact Debi Solis at 210-347-2423 or email thesamca@gmail.com TACCA

Texas Air Conditioning Contractors Assn.

Greater San Antonio

Oct. 15: Member Mixer, Old San Francisco Steakhouse, 10223 Sahara St., 11:30am.

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

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uality Fence & Welding held their annual fishing trip, Aug. 22, in Port Aransas, TX. The event was a little different this year as they did their best to social distance. As a result, they rented three separate houses and a few hotel rooms to accommodate the team.

“We decided this year to have everyone go down to the beach on Friday afternoon to have some fun. We had six boats with 24 great team members consisting of mangers, PMs, superintendents, and a select few top skilled employees,” says Craig Noto, CEO of Quality Fence & Welding.

Around 180 fish were caught, mostly in the Lower Laguna Madre. Social distancing didn’t stop the Quality Fence & Welding team from sharing some great memories. -cmw

Fishing quality

Fun on the beach.

San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

continued from Page 19 — On the Spot

If I could be someone else, I would trade places with Diane who has retired already and enjoying those later years after growing a successful business. Seriously, I’m living my dream. I always said that I wanted to own my own company and to be a mom and a wife. That is what I am doing, and I am at that point in my life where I am so happy and thankful for everything I have. I can’t imagine doing anything different than what I am doing right now.

Rachel Eckerman, Del Lighting It would be Lewis and Clark, to go and explore the unknown and all that they were tasked to discover. It would fun to see this country in a pristine state for the first time.

Michael Tollette, Virtual Builders Exchange I would like to be a scientist to help get rid of this corona virus.

Rick Stone, K-Stone I would have to go way back and say Daniel Boone. To live back in that time, a simpler time. The outdoor lifestyle is something that I think would be a kick in the teeth. I’ve always admired Daniel Boone and I think that would be a nice time to live in when a man’s handshake was all you need, and people said, “yes sir and yes ma’am.” Respect was given when it was needed to be given.

Ric Braun, AC Masters Inc. I would trade places with somebody who is retired and has all of their children out of college. I have one that has graduated and is having a hard time finding a job, one in the middle with two years into college and one that has just started college.

John Gargotta, Service Mechanical Group

San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

Page 21

Leaders for 2020-2021

Industry FOLKS Jay Petrilla Security Operations Manager

Advanced Connections Inc. San Antonio, TX

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n the quiet little sleeping steel mill town of Kensington, PA known as “Little Italy,” Jay Petrilla was born and raised.

The small laid-back town got its nickname because just about everyone that lived there was Italian. Throughout Petrilla’s childhood, during the ‘60s and ‘70s, everyone knew everyone. You could leave your doors unlocked, your windows open at night and not worry about anything. Once the steel mill closed down in the ’80s, everything changed.

Petrilla graduated from New Kensington, PA Valley High School and later graduated with a Bachelors of Technical Education from the National University in San Diego, CA while stationed in San Diego for instructor duty. “I planned to help potential employers. Instead of employers sending their employees to class for eight hours a day and lose production hours, I would teach their employees for four hours, allowing them to work four hours. This way the employer would not lose out on employee production.”

Petrilla has been happily married for almost 20 years. He met his lovely wife, Athina, in a convenience store in Summerville, SC. “We each have two children of our own who are all grown up and out on their own. We also have three rescue dogs – Sonny, a 100-lb American Bulldog; Lady, a Great Pyrenees/Anatolian Shepard; and Popeye, a Chihuahua who keeps the bigger dogs in line.

Petrilla entered the construction industry after 16 years in the Navy as an electrician. There, he dabbled in cameras and access control. He decided after he finished his tour in the Navy that he

A

wanted to pursue working in the security field. He got a job with ADT and his career just grew from there.

As Security Operations Manager, Petrilla designs and quotes all the security projects that come out of Advanced Connections’ San Antonio office. “I like being able to watch projects develop from start to finish. I also love seeing my technicians grow as they gain knowledge.”

Petrilla’ grandfather has been his life mentor. He was a veteran both of the military and with the Pennsylvania State Police. He went on to work in the Pennsylvania coal mines before he finally retired. “He taught me patience and to be proud of what I do. He also taught me to not dwell on something that you can’t control.”

In Petrilla’s spare time, he and his wife are resellers. “We shop at thrift stores, yard sales, etc. and resell on Facebook Market Place, eBay and Mercari. “As a hobby, I am a bladesmith, leatherworker. I make knives from blank carbon steel and make sheaths for the knives. Being a bladesmith allows me to clear my head and separate work from life in general.

Standing next to a grinder/sander, shaping the metal, allows me to create my next creation. As I grind the metal, I see what I can do to make the next creation more unique than the last creation. Forging steel is an art of its own.” -cmw

Who ya gonna call

local hotel by the airport encountered a most unpleasant situation recently. As guests and employees passed through the doors of the main lobby, they were greeted to a very unusual and unpleasant odor. It did not take long before hotel management gave Advanced Door Control a call.

“We received a call that the hotel entry automatic door stinks,” says Brad Maze, Advanced Door Control’s Pedestrian Automatic Door Sales & Service.

They immediately sent two service

technicians over to the hotel to take down and dismantle part of the door system.

After beginning the work, it wasn’t long before they discovered the root of the stench, a 5ft-plus bull snake.

“Hotel staff said they tried to run off the snake sometime before. Apparently, he decided to hide in the door, got trapped and died. It was pulled from the stile of the door.

“In 24 years I have seen dead rodent animals stuck in and around doors before, but nothing like this,” says Maze. -cmw

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he National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) inducted their new board during their September meeting. The new board will take office effective Oct. 1. Front Row L-R: Kelly LaCalli, Skanska; Courtni Navarro, Rogers-O’Brien Construction; Immediate Past President Elonia Benavides, Tone Custom Signs; Vanessa Miller, Rogers-O’Brien Construction and Shenel Rimando, Berridge Manufacturing.

Back Row L-R: Stacey Quesenberry,

Clean Air; Stephanie Fothergill, Clean Air; Treasurer Susan Hailey, Ridout Barrett & Co. PC; President Heather Osborn, MEMCO Staffing; Vice President Jessica Quintanar, Q-Safety; Stephanie Garcia, Rogers-O’Brien Construction; Liz Carraway, Middleman Construction Company and Secretary Pollyanne Johnson, Northside ISD (not pictured). Photo courtesy of Mary C. Haskin Photography. -cmw

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San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

JOB SIGHTS

The JJ Brun Joint Venture LLC team L-R: Edwin Gallegos, Jose R. Vazquez, Mark Vazquez, Rick Brun, Manuel Sotelo and Leopoldo Herdandez. - cmw

Beni Ortiz with SpawGlass at the Texas A&M University at San Antonio project. -cmw

Smokey Torres, LJC Painting, paints window sills at the new San Antonio Eye Clinic. -cmw

Ready to go

Texas First Rentals loads a 323 excavator with breaker attachment for delivery to a local jobsite. -cmw

San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020

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Building better together

Industry FOLKS Chet Oncken

Custom Millwork and Hardwood Solution Sales Engineering Manager

Allen & Allen Co. San Antonio, TX

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Builders FirstSource CEO Chad Crowe

BMC CEO Dave Flitman

wo of the largest and well-known names in building materials have merged to become a building supply and service powerhouse: Builders FirstSource Inc. and BMC Stock Holdings Inc. merged in late August Dallas-headquartered Builders FirstSource is the country’s largest supplier of building products, prefabricated components, and value-added services to the professional market segment for new residential construction and repair and remodeling. The company manufactures, supplies, delivers and installs a full range of structural and related building products. It also distributes dimensional lumber and lumber sheet goods, millwork, windows, interior and exterior doors, and other building products. Builders FirstSource operates with approximately 400 locations in 40 states and has a presence in 77 of the top 100 Metropolitan Statistical area. The company previously acquired ProBuild. Builders FirstSource CEO Chad Crowe will retire and be suc-

ceed as CEO of the combined company

by BMC CEO Dave Flitman.

Raleigh, NC-based BMC Stock Holdings is one of the leading providers of diversified materials and solutions to new construction builders and professional remodelers in the U.S. It’s products and services spans building materials, including millwork and structural component manufacturing capabilities, consultative showrooms and design centers, value-added installation management and an innovative eBusiness platform. BMC primarily serves the South and West regions in 45 metropolitan areas across 18 states.

The merger creates a company that will become the nation’s largest supplier of building materials and services, with sales in excess of $11 billion and approximately 26,000 team members. Combined, it will operate a network of 550 distribution and manufacturing locations and have a presence in 42 states; both companies have Austin-area locations. –mjm

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orn in San Antonio, Chet Oncken grew up on the southeast side of San Antonio.

“It was great. I would grab my bike and be gone all day. If I needed some money, all I had to do was sand some deer plaques in the shop. I got paid .25 for each plaque. The only worry I had was being home on time for supper.”

Oncken was married for 34 years.

“Sometimes life will throw you a curve ball and you must step back and regroup. One night at a BBQ cookoff, I downloaded a dating app. After setting everything up, the last thing it asked for was a distance I wanted to search. Me being a conservative, I didn’t want to go farther than south Austin. The next day I met my soulmate, Wendy Stern, in south Austin. Our first date we met for breakfast. I knew I had a winner our second date when Wendy looked at my 4x4 truck and asked me how to get in.

We will be married this fall, two and a half years later.”

Oncken has two children. His daughter Heather is 34. She works at La Vernia High School. She has special needs and lives with Oncken 2/3 of the year. She loves animals, especially dogs. “She always puts a smile on my face and love in my heart.” His son Kyle is 31 and works for EOG. He and wife Eryn have a daughter named Kenzie Jo. Kenzie Jo is Oncken’s first granddaughter. “I’m very proud of the man, hus-

band and father my son turned out to be. I love both my kids very much.”

Oncken started in construction in 1978 at the family cabinet shop (Oncken & Sons Cabinet). “I didn’t care much for building cabinets. Then my dad put in a mill with a molder, rip saw and a planer. I had a passion for making wooden moldings and other components for the cabinet shop. I left the cabinet shop to go to work for Allen & Allen Company in Feb. 1989 and was able to select the new equipment to update the mill at Allen & Allen.

“I started as a mill supervisor for 15 years. Then I moved to outside millwork sales. For the last year and a half, I’ve started purchasing all hardwood lumber, Azek decking and Windsor one primed boards and moldings, and still in outside millwork sales.

“Allen & Allen is my second family.

I enjoy working with my fellow coworkers. Millwork is my passion. I like handling tough millwork orders and helping customers figure out their millwork needs. For some reason, God gave me the ability to make or design any moldings straight or curve. And if not, I know someone I can call for help.

“I have strong conservative values.

I live a simple life. No drama needed. I believe all lives matter. My favorite charity is St. Jude’s.”

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San Antonio Construction News • OCT 2020