San Antonio Construction News March 2021

Covering the Industry’s News

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www.constructionnews.net H (210) 308-5800 H Volume 24 H Number 3 H MARCH 2021

Creating art

It’s up to you

L-R: Greg Scott, Sherwin Williams; Gabriel Deleon, painter; Victor Puentes, foreman; Luis Garza and Roland Garza, owner

Monica and Jesus Gonzales pose for a photo with their company’s first service van.

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he painting world, metaphorically speaking, is beautiful according to Roland Garza, owner of Roland Garza Painting.

As a third-generation painter, Garza started painting at the youthful age of 10.

“My grandfather was a painter. My dad was a painter and all of my uncles were painters.

It just kind of stuck with me,” says Garza. “In high school, I started helping my uncles out. I took to it like a fish to water.

“I really did not think I would be a painter for life. Like the rest of my family, we all had different ideas and aspirations, but you go with the hand that you are dealt. I always knew it was something I could fall back on and, at the time, the money was good.”

About three years into working with

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elebrating 100 years in business, G. W. Mitchell Construction is, to their knowledge, the oldest general contractor in San Antonio with Guido Construction and F.A. Nunnelly close behind.

In 1921, George W. Mitchell started G.W. Mitchell Construction as a home builder for small cottages in south San Antonio off Hot Wells and mid-San Antonio in the Tobin Hill area. Many of these houses are still inhabited today. His first big break was in the late ‘20s with the building of the Atkisson Mansion which is known today as the McNay Art Museum. “I think he started it in ’27 and completed construction in ’29,” says Bill Mitchell, third generation and president of G. W. Mitchell Construction.

For the next several years before WWII, G.W. went on to build a number of large houses in Olmos Park and Terrell Hills. He continued to build in the Tobin Hill and Monte Vista areas.

his uncle, Garza felt he was ready and decided it was time to do his own thing. Afterall, he had been painting since he was 10.

Garza started Roland Garza Painting in 1997. He started with nothing, slowly painting his way up, one brush stroke at a time. He started out by himself. Within two or three months, he brought on four additional painters. “The work aspect of it was not hard. Finding the work was not hard. I knew a lot of people. Right now, we don’t really have to look for work. It just kind of comes to us. Even to this day, I get bombarded with calls. We turn away at least six to eight jobs a week,” he says.

“I was taught to be a worker. I was not taught to be a businessperson. That took trial and error. There were a lot of hard lessons learned over time.” continued on Page 18

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ince 1987, Jesus Gonzales has been doing electrical work. When he married his second wife in 1999, he told her that someday he was going to start his own company and he was going to name the company J&M Electrical Services for Jesus and Monica, his wife.

When his youngest son started high school, he knew that time had finally come and told his wife he was going to get his Master License.

“I started J&M Electric Electrical Services in 2014. The first two years were a little rough, but it got easier. I have clients that I have been working for since 1994 when I was a journeyman doing side jobs,” recalls Gonzales.

Gonzales did not go to a trade school. He says, “I was one of those kids

that when I was young, I thought I was real badass. Now I tell every other kid that thinks he knows it all, I used to be like that. When I was in high school, I went to Kennedy High School, I got suspended from the district and my mom had to go fight it. I ended up going to another district, a year behind and graduated in ’85.

Young and dumb, I got married to my high school girlfriend. In ’87 my oldest son was born.

“I started in the electrical trade in ‘87.

At the time, I was working for a company that did demolition. A guy named Gilbert Cervine who was an electrician for the complex saw me walking by his truck.

When walking by his truck, I looked into the bed and saw all that copper. He told me in Spanish, ‘The truck smells a rat.’ In continued on Page 18

A century-long legacy

The G.W. Mitchell Construction Leadership L-R: Lane Mitchell, Bill Mitchell, Melvin Mitchell, Andy Mitchell, Controller Leah Mitchell and Matt Mitchell

G.W. expanded into primarily commercial work with the onset of WWII. Some of his early commercial projects were Floresville school in 1925 and the building of the H & H Coffee factory in the early ‘30s. “The H & H Coffee factory was the job that pulled him through the depression,” adds Lane Mitchell, third generation and vice president of G. W. Mitchell Construction. Like many of Mitchell’s early homes, the H & H building is still there and in use by new owners.

“We get to see some of these old buildings that are now getting rehabbed which is really cool to see,” Bill adds. “Anyway, the commercial business was started during WWII and we really haven’t looked back. We do some single-family high-end residential work and also townhome work, but our business is primarily commercial construction.”

In the late ‘40s, G.W.’s two older sons came to work at G.W. Mitchell Construccontinued on Page 18

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Down-to-earth

Joan Spruell, Retail Sales Representatvie and Branch Manager, Empire Countertops, Garden Ridge, TX.

riginally a cabinet maker, Mitch Mahoney ventured into countertops and started Empire Countertops in 1989 as a family-owned business specializing in the fabrication and installation of granite, marble, quartzite, soapstone, limestone, quartz, and solid surfacing. Empire’s turnkey services and experienced team of skilled professionals has allowed the company to successfully expand into the San Antonio and Austin markets.

Headquartered in Pilotpoint, TX, Empire Countertops purchased Artistic Counters, located in Garden Ridge, TX three years ago as the company’s third location.

Empire has had a presence in Austin for over 10 years.

“We are very blessed to work for such a down-to-earth, family-oriented gentleman,” says Joan Spruell, Retail Sales Representative for Empire Countertops. “Empire Countertops is really geared to customer service and building long-term relationships with our clients, and doing right by them. At the end of the day, we want our customers to walk into their kitchens and/or bathrooms

and be 100 percent satisfied with the outcome and choices provided to them.”

While the Garden Ridge branch is smaller in size in comparison to the company headquarters, about 20 percent of their projects are commercial. “Dallas does a lot more commercial than we do at this location because all the bidding is done out of the Dallas location. The good thing about the company is we share responsibilities up and down the I-35 corridor. It’s a really great network within our operations.

If we need help or assistance or they have something, we can reach out to Austin or Dallas,” adds Spruell.

“We are a fabricator and installer. We fabricate the tops, cut the sinks and we put them in. We are very cost effective. We’re not the cheapest company around, but we are not the most expensive. We believe in quality and we are driven by following through with our word. Bottomline, do right by the client and all else will fall into place as needed. We are open to anyone, no matter how small or big. We won’t turn any project away.” -cmw

San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

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Rockin’ and rollin’

onald Butterworth developed a love for paving and sealcoating as a young boy. “I developed a love for it growing up around it with my stepdad,” says Butterworth. “My passion developed into what it is now. I started my own business when I was 16 years old and have been doing it ever since.”

After dropping out of high school when he was 17, Butterworth started his own business with a lot of determination. “I always had it in my mind just how bad do you want it? I was growing up fast. I just kept moving and pushing forward,” recalls Butterworth. “I started out in the back of a 1985 Ford F-150 pickup truck, banging on people’s doors to sealcoat driveways with 5-gallon buckets of asphalt sealer.

I didn’t have a seal tank or anything at the time. Slowly and surely, I got it up and going.

I had some hard times and even had to go

Donald and Kirstin Butterworth of Kickin' Asphalt Paving and Sealcoating

Kickin’ Asphalt

work with a friend to keep going. I broke off and got back out there doing my own thing again. I’ve been rockin’ and rollin’ since.”

Butterworth started Kickin’ Asphalt Paving and Sealcoating in 2003. He started buying equipment when he was around 19 years of age. By the age of 26, he had a crew up and going. “Once I started serving the Lord, that’s when things really started falling into place. It’s been pretty amazing since. I was about 26 years old.”

Kickin’ Asphalt is a family-owned and operated business. Butterworth, his father, brother and wife, all work at Kickin’ Asphalt.

“We concentrate on residential driveways and ranch roads, and we do some commercial work. We pave, sealcoat, stripe, patchwork and chip seal. We can do it from the ground up. We can go in, knock down your house and put up a parking lot if you want one. We have state of the art equipment now. We have brand new equipment and are set up now, so we don’t have to turn down work because we don’t have the necessary equipment to do the work.

“We strive on honesty and integrity.

We have a love and passion for what we do.

We do every job as if we were doing it for ourselves.”

Kickin’ Asphalt Paving & Sealcoating is a full-service paving contractor in Saint Hedwig, TX. -cmw

San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

Partnering for success

Industry FOLKS

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Shawn Porto

Telecommunications Technician

Alterman Inc.

San Antonio, TX

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ike so many of us, Shawn Porto was born and raised in San Antonio. He grew up on the south side of town. Growing up on the south side of town, Porto always found adventures and fun activities that made his childhood fun and exciting. “There were lots of stuff to do no matter what you like to do.”

Porto attended South San High School where he graduated from in 2012. Knowing that attending a major college or university was not for him, Porto decided not to go to college after graduation. Eventually, Porto would go back to school to continue his education.

Porto’s brother was working in the telecommunications field and got him work in telecommunications. It is there his interest was piqued and he his future was in sight.“ I like the hands on work and seeing your work results at the end.”

Sponsored by Alterman Inc., Porto began attending classes through the South Texas Electrical Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee (JATC). Upon completing the six year program, Porto would be recognized as JATC’s 2020 Top Graduate in telecommunications.

“The apprenticeship school was a really fun learning experience for me. When I learned I was recognized as the top graduate I was excited and glad that all the work I was putting in didn’t go unrecognized.

It really paid off.”

Wired for excellence, Porto works for Alterman Inc. in the telecommunication’s side of the company. Using the skills and knowledge he gained both on the job and through the JATC apprenticeship program, Porto is involved in the installation of numerous applications like data, security, audio video work and much more. “Each day offers new challenges and I like that. Every day I learn something new to improve upon. As a telecommunications technician, it is very rewarding to me and my company.”

Porto gives credit to his brothers for being his mentors. “Each one of them have taught me a thing or two whether it be about work or personal situations.”

Although Porto is not married, he does have a companion. His pet Yorkie named Max. According to Porto, Max is very, very playful and energetic to the max. One might wonder if that is how Max got his name.

Porto, like most young men, is a big sports guy. Whether he’s watching sports or participating, that is what Porto does to relax and have fun. -cmw

Julissa Carielo with new Tejas Premier Building Contractor Inc. partner, Rene Garcia.

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quipped with plenty of management skills and experience in the construction industry, Julissa Carielo made her dream of owning her own company a reality in 2006 by starting Tejas Premier Building Contractor Inc. Since then, Tejas Premier Building Contractor Inc. built a reputation on construction know-how and exceptional service tailored on meeting and exceeding expectations, goals, and operational priorities for each client.

In late 2019, Tejas Premier became a subsidiary of DreamOn Group after joining forces with Rene Garcia, a local leader with over 35 years of experience in the construction and real estate development to create DreamOn Group.

On Jan. 21, Tejas Premier announced that Tejas Premier entered into a partnership agreement with Rene Garcia. This partnership allows Garcia to play an increasingly critical role in the day-to-day operations and overall strategic growth plans of the company. He has served as

Tejas Premier’s vice president of operations for the past year and will continue this role as partner.

“As a community builder, the DreamOn Group has unique opportunities to transform lives and build stronger communities to provide their neighbors with a better quality of life,” agrees Carielo and Garcia.

Today, the DreamOn Group is a fullservice firm that encompasses a family of development, construction, and property management companies, including the DreamOn Development Company, Tejas Premier Building Contractor Inc., and DreamOn Property Management.

“Tejas Premier has continuously pushed the limits in our pursuit to expand and grow our business. We are excited to bring Rene on board as a full partner. This partnership will serve to continue the goal of pushing our limits to grow our presence in the market,” adds Carielo. -cmw

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San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

Locke for success

aised farming and ranching, Charles Locke built his first pole barn for hay when he was 13 after his elder brothers went into the service and he was left to keep the family farm running.

Growing up in a small town, he was very involved in Ag and put his skills to work doing construction work throughout high school.

In the ‘80s Charles got into building houses with a buddy after an 11-year career as a teacher. He later went into the insurance business for several years until 2010 when he decided to get back to his roots and start his own construction company, Locke Construction.

In 2012, Locke’s son, Alan left his job and joined his dad.

Seven and half years ago, Charles was diagnosed with cancer. “I have stage 4 cancer.

Alan has been an integral part of the company ever since.

Father and son team of Locke Construction I’m very proud of the way he L-R: Charles Locke and Alan Locke. has developed and grown.”

According to Alan, Locke Construc- BBB. Above all, we really just want to give tion is primarily residential with some our customers a great product that we commercial. “We perform just about ev- know they are very satisfied with and an erything when it comes to remodeling. affordable price.”

“We get blown away when we give a We don’t do a whole lot of buildings from ground up, but we do outbuildings, ga- customer a pretty decent price and they rages, outdoor offices and stuff like that. want to know why another other contracWe do a lot of bath and kitchen remodels, tor wanted thousands of dollars more,” roofing, painting, decks, sliding on houses adds Charles. “We just tell them, we don’t and garage doors. Right now, we are know why?” handling a big water damage project for Locke Construction services San Antonio and a one-hour radius within, Madison Hills Baptist Church.

“We are a family-owned, Christian and is looking forward to expanding, havbusiness,” Alan continues. “We are an A+ ing just added another truck to their fleet.

Locke Construction is a self-performing contractor with the City of San Antonio and we are an A+ contractor with the contractor in San Antonio. -cmw

Roofing reach

A friendly reminder: The Volkert Roofing team serves Austin, San Antonio and beyond.

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s more people and companies move to the area, New Braunfelsbased Volkert Roofing wants to remind new and current customers of its extensive reach.

“We’ve always worked in the Austin and San Antonio area,” General Manager Gary Grumbles says. “We go as far Marble Falls and Lockhart, and I’ve worked as far as Corpus Christi and Fort Worth.”

Volkert Roofing’s staff of nine most often serves San Marcos, New Braunfels, Buda, Canyon Lake, McQueeney, Kyle, Cibolo, Schertz and Seguin. The company offers high-quality roofing solutions including TPO membrane roofing, asphalt shingles, metal panels (standing seam and exposed fastener), tile, spray-inplace polyurethane foam, and several roof coating systems. Its services include roof repairs, roof inspections and maintenance, gutter installation, waterproofing and spray foam insulation (open cell and closed cell).

The company was founded in 1990

by Ken Volkert, who moved to New Braunfels from Houston and brought his contracting and remodeling experience

with him. Deciding to focus on roofing repairs, remodeling and reroofing, he purchased land at 8159 Old Bastrop Rd. and put a warehouse on the property.

Although Volkert recently retired, the company continues to plan for how it can best serve customers. Having worked on historical buildings, manufacturing plants, churches, and non-profit complexes such as Elks Children’s Center in Luling, Volkert Roofing hopes to add to its scope.

“We’re looking at some builders to see if we can fit their bill for new construction in some of the new neighborhoods and commercial going in between San Antonio and Austin. We’re trying to tap that market that might be out there,” Grumbles says.

Volkert Roofing wants current customers and customers coming their way to know that, wherever they are, Volkert is ready to reach them.

“We’re trying to make sure our customers are getting the best that they can get, and keeping a good service going out there for all of our customers,” Grumbles says.

Volkert Roofing is in New Braunfels. –mjm

San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

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Manning up for trees

Tree Mann Solutions Tree Mann Solutions LLC team members L-R : Tristan Clayton, Mark Mann and Justin Krobot focus on the three Ps – Planning, Permitting and Preservation

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rowing up in the tree-sparse panhandle, Mark Mann developed a deep appreciation for them. As a teen, Mann mowed lawns and did landscape construction, and earned a BS in Horticulture after originally pursuing landscape architecture at Texas A&M. During college, he interned within the arboriculture industry and found a passion for trees and their care.

“I worked eight years for one of the nation’s largest tree care companies in Denver, San Antonio and Austin. I started as a plant healthcare technician, assisted in tree care operations and quickly became a sales arborist prescribing, selling and managing jobs, and then a district manager overseeing large operations. In Austin, I transitioned to a tree care focus primarily on commercial real estate development and construction per market needs and tree ordinance regulations,” he says.

Mann discovered he had a knack for planning, permitting and tree reservation solutions. Wanting to share his expertise while working in a way that allowed for family time, he founded Tree Mann Solutions LLC in 2020.

With three full-time employees between Austin and San Antonio, TMS helps clients plan with existing trees on new commercial and residential development, assist in obtaining the proper permits, and helps provide plans and resources to preserve trees designed to remain with a new development. It provides preliminary Heritage Tree mapping, select to full-scale tree inventories and tree survey verifications. TMS helps clients understand what numbers, species and conditions of trees they are by work-

ing to design around and through and coordinate with city arborist staff to obtain site development permits. Mann, a board-certified Master Arborist, loves trees and helping people while maximizing investments in properties.

“We tell folks that we’re Tree Lovers, not Tree Huggers. We want to plan smart to maximize their goals while being good stewards of urban forests – there is a happy balance between saving every tree and clear cutting a site. We help people pursue their goals within the context of tree species, health and size and municipal regulations.”

TMS stays busy with multi-family sites, but it assists with all projects with tree issues. TMS helped finish planning/ permitting work at ACC Highland and Jacob Fontaine Plaza Park and assisted with planning and consulting along the Waller Creek Redevelopment. A dedicated professional consultant in San Antonio was recently added.

In 2021, TMS expanded to San Antonio with Arborist and Operations Manager, Justin Krobot. “We will be working with single- family residential, multi-family and commercial developers. Basically, anybody who is developing in the San Antonio city limits and the ETJ (Extra-Terratorial Jurisdiction), you have to have a tree permit. So we can help anybody who is required to have preservation requirements we can help them to save time, money and trees,” adds Krobot. “We have a very wide range and spectrum of services that we can offer anybody who needs a consultant arborist.”

Tree Mann Solutions LLC is a Texas arborist consulting services firm. – cmw/mjm.

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San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

ACCOUNTING

BONDING Succession Planning & Bonding

Business Valuation & Maximizing Value

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

Cristina R. Baumgardner CPA/ABV, CFE, CIA, Partner

Bryan Gooden Senior Associate

Ridout, Barrett & Co., P.C. San Antonio, TX

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hen was the last time you valued your business, if ever? If you are like most business owners, you’ve probably never had a valuation performed. If you are one of the many individuals wondering why a valuation would ever be needed, there are several reasons.

Perhaps you are in the beginning stages of estate and/or succession planning, or maybe you are a business owner and would like to eventually position your business to be acquired by an employee, partner, or third-party financial or strategic investor. Or maybe you are going through a divorce and a business valuation is required by the court. While these scenarios represent a fraction of the many reasons business owners come to us for a professional valuation, Ridout, Barret & Company’s team of highly qualified CPAs and Valuation experts deal with some of the most complex situations on a daily basis.

Why Now?

Depending on your personal and/or business situation, there is a high probability you may have been in need of a business valuation yesterday. Statistics show the largest group of today’s business owners are “baby boomers” and rapidly approaching retirement age.

Many business owners are faced, not only with what to do with their business, but equally important, how to properly handle their overall estate going forward.

If you want to be smart about handling your affairs, the best course of action is to be proactive and know where your business stands in terms of its financial valuation. As a business owner, you’ve worked years, if not decades, to build your business to where it is today; furthermore, your business is most likely the largest asset you own – so why wouldn’t you want to know what it is worth?

How to Maximize Business Value Other than the obvious, increasing bottom-line earnings is not the only sole factor in which a company can increase its value. While earnings may be the most important variable from a quantitative standpoint, there are additional qualitative variables that must be and should be addressed if a business owner is seeking to improve not only its intrinsic valuation, but also its perceived value. From a risk standpoint, the higher the associated/ perceived risk of a company, the lower the valuation. In other words, perceived risk and business value have an inverse relationship. Based on this relationship, it is important for business owners to think about whether or not the following statements apply to them:

(1) Do you keep a clean set of books and financial records? When there is very little integrity behind a company’s financials, it creates a difficult climate for others to properly assess the true earning capacity of the business.

(2) What would happen to your business if you as the owner/operator were to suddenly disappear tomorrow – do you have safeguards in place regarding secondary leadership to absorb your duties – has a solid operating plan been established and adopted by all personnel to ensure continuity of the company?

(3) Do you have a documented set of policies and procedures regarding your company’s operating plan? This is essen-

tial if you’re looking to bring on investors for the purpose of expanding your business and scaling it into various markets.

Although there are many other factors to consider when valuing a company, it is important to know, as a business owner, none of these areas can easily be changed overnight. However, with a roadmap in place, coupled with diligence, persistence, and the right advisor, it is possible to achieve many of these goals in the short and long-term.

Hire a Professional – Don’t Wing It! Yes, over the years, you may have heard several “techniques” and “rules of thumb” as to how you can personally value your business, but it is important to know what you are doing in order to avoid common mistakes and pitfalls, given that many critical components are typically overlooked by a non-professional. Our team members hold CPA licenses, highly recognized valuation certifications, and extensive backgrounds in accounting, finance and forensic accounting.

It is also important to note the purpose of why you are seeking a business valuation. Is it required due to marital dissolution? If so, there are certain valuation rules and guidelines that must be adhered to when, which are mandated by the court. Are you involved in a shareholder/partner dispute and in need of a business valuation? If you are seeking a valuation for the purpose of “gifting”, it is highly imperative proper steps are taken into consideration when conducting the analysis, given the IRS not very forgiving when it comes to valuation errors.

Ridout Barrett will guide and support you in All Stages of your Business Lifecycle. We offer guidance and support from startup, to daily operations, to succession planning. We deliver comprehensive, flexible strategies that address the issues affecting your business. We can help you identify areas that are negatively affecting profitability and growth, and develop practical solutions.

Cristina Baumgardner is a member of the Ridout Barrett Forensics and Litigation Support Services team and specializes in providing forensic accounting, fraud investigation, internal control assessments, litigation support, and business valuation services. She has over 15 years of experience and holds the following designations: Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). Cristina joined Ridout, Barrett & Co., P.C. in 2017 and became a partner with the firm in January 2020. Ridout, Barrett & Co., P.C. has been providing professional accounting, tax and business advisory services to the South and Central Texas construction industry for over 34 years.

Bryan Gooden is also a member of the Ridout Barrett Forensics and Litigation Support Services team and focuses primarily on business valuation engagements. He has over 10 years of experience as an M&A advisor. Bryan joined the firm in December 2020 as a Senior Associate and is currently in the process of pursuing the Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) designation. Visit www.ridoutbarrett.com for additional information about Ridout, Barrett & Co., P.C. and the services we offer.

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hen planning any business venture, it is important to think with the end in mind. Considering your exit strategy does not mean you are not committed to your business. It shows you care about the business and brand you have created living on into the future after you have decided cease involvement or are unable to continue in day-to-day operations.

Many construction companies are closely held family businesses, often with ownership residing with one or two founding members. In my experience, continuity discussions can be challenging primarily due to the daily demands of running of the company taking energy and focus. Secondarily the discussion of exiting the company due to death or retirement can be a sensitive topic not easily discussed, especially with outside vested interests like banks and bonding companies.

Current ownership has held important operational roles during the inception and growth phases of the company, so it is important to identify the next generation of key leadership and involve them in the planning process and development of a timeline.

In a situation involving death, disability, or retirement of a shareholder, management can rely on terms outlined in a Buy-Sell agreement to transition ownership to other existing owners or key management. In the event of death, this is often funded by a life insurance policy. In the event of disability or retirement, acceptable financing terms should be outlined in the Buy-Sell agreement.

5 common transition methods: • Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). ESOPs can have tremendous tax advantages and might be a great option for your company. As it relates to continuing bond credit, key areas to concentrate on are high costs & fees, over-valuation (linked to next point), overleveraging the balance sheet, and possible loss of personal indemnity.

• Private Equity. Also referred to as recapitalization, is when a financial partner is brought in to acquire a majority stake in the company. From a bonding perspective, private equity sales can over leverage the balance sheet depending on how the purchase is structured, siphon off a significant amount annual profits from the Company, offer too short of an exit horizon for the investor, and may not continue to maintain culture or retain key employees. The private equity firm also represents inactive shareholders lacking in construction industry knowledge.

• External/3rd party sale. This is often the best way for shareholders to maximize value and liquidity while minimizing ongoing risk. Some downsides to external sales are the buyer may be a competitor and require burdensome noncompete commitments, as well as exposure to future change in operations and culture.

• Old Co/New Co plan. This is a good option when the goal is maintaining financial strength for bonding. The strong existing company would remain in place while a new company is formed by the new shareholders. Oldco maintains an agreed upon amount of financial wherewithal and indemnifies the surety while Newco closes out existing backlog via subcontract agreements or assignments.

New contracts are signed and executed

by Newco. Over time, Newco’s balance sheet is built up via retained earnings so that is can stand on its own allowing Oldco to distribute capital to outgoing ownership.

• Internal Sale. This is a common structure for family-owned construction companies needing to maintain banking and bonding credit. The next generation of competent key employees and/or family members are identified, and a bank loan or seller financing is structured to purchase the stock from exiting ownership.

The balance of the note and interest is paid down using future cash-flows. A bank loan can be obtained by the new ownership group. This is a good option when favorable terms and flexibility can be negotiated. Seller-financing can often offer a greater level of flexibility including more creative responses to poor performance and changing market conditions.

To comfort the bonding company during this period of transition, the seller can subordinate the Note to the surety allowing them to view the Note balance as equity in their analysis instead of debt. As part of this structure the seller can maintain personal indemnity to support the bond program during the first couple years of the transition. For his or her indemnity the seller often receives additional fee compensation.

Ongoing success of the company is of paramount importance when developing your continuity plan and that means preserving bonding capacity to bid and secure profitable work. Please remember to involve all appropriate advisors in your continuity planning, like your attorney, CPA, tax advisor, banker, and bonding agent.

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 bonding. Please call 512-640-6444, email eric@schmalzsurety.com or visit the website at www.schmalzsurety.com

San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

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LEGAL Contractual Risk Mitigation: Three Tips for Solving PROBLEM$ in 2021 Shelly Masters Principal Cokinos Young Austin, TX

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hile the pandemic’s effects did not magically disappear upon the arrival of 2021, new projects out for bid and high profile corporate relocations to Texas have estimating teams and preconstruction departments buzzing with activity. Many savvy contractors recognize tough, unpredictable times call for more, rather than less, scrutiny of contracts to avoid problems on these new projects. Based on 2020’s lessons learned, these contractors know it is not if, but when, a problem will arise. When contracting this year, parties should consider including three provisions aimed at: (1) curing problems; (2) terminating problems before they get bigger; and, (3) resolving disputes over problems as quickly as possible.

Opportunity to Cure. In this post-COVID-19 world, both contracting parties

have a reasonable expectation of difficulties in performing their respective contractual obligations. As such, the best solution would undoubtedly be to find a common agreement and thus avoid litigation altogether. OTCs typically include written notice requirements, circumscribed time allotted to cure, steps required to fix the issue and clarification of when a failed cure warrants termination.

A well-drafted OTC clause can set parties up to solve and/or collaboratively mitigate the risk of problems.

Terminations for Convenience and Cause. The COVID-19 pandemic has burdened subcontractors with workforce shortages, supply chain issues, and financial difficulties. General contractors and others who subcontract a portion of their scope of work will want to be in the best position possible in the event they have

to terminate a subcontractor. The contractor’s first line of defense is always a subcontract that spells out the parties’ rights and obligations when a problem arises. Attention should be paid to clearly defining the scope of work to be subcontracted, when an agreement can be terminated for no reason and what actions or inactions will give rise to a termination for cause. Further, the provision should clearly define the terminated contractor’s rights to final compensation (e.g., reimbursement for labor and materials completed, overhead and profit, limitations commensurate with upstream contracts, etc.). Without TFC provisions, healthy project participants may all be at risk when the weakest link fails.

Mediation/Arbitration. As a career litigator, a contract without a dispute resolution provision arming clients with the power to file a lawsuit upon breach has given me concern on more than one occasion in the past. Much has been written even in the pages of archived versions of this fine newsletter about the pros and cons of litigation versus arbitration – such as, cost, efficiency and the ability to appeal faulty decisions. However, given COVID-related suspensions of pending judicial proceedings and the likely impact of delays to new litigation at least in the short term, it is worthwhile to consider the options Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms can offer to help parties achieve a more expeditious solution to potential disputes.

As courthouses get back on schedule, contractors should at least temporarily opt for arbitration clauses with a mediation chaser. Mediation gives parties an informal, nonbinding and relatively cost effective approach to solving disputes with the help of a neutral third party. The joint benefits of committing to such a process are particularly important when the parties intend to maintain their commercial relationship despite the existence of a conflict. If mediation fails, the contract should require arbitration which confers powers and responsibility to an impartial and independent party for solving the dispute through a final and binding decision. Unlike trials, arbitrations stayed on schedule better during the pandemic and transitioned with relative ease to a virtual format.

For those who lament the likelihood for success of contract negotiations, keep in mind many companies are more responsive now than ever to proposed contract clauses like these when the mutual benefits are clearly articulated and drafted.

Shelly Masters is a Principal in the Austin office of Cokinos Young. She represents clients in the areas of construction, labor and employment, commercial and products liability law. Cokinos Young has been representing the construction industry for over 30 years. She can be reached by e-mail at smasters@ cokinoslaw.com or by phone at (512) 615-1139.

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Chuck Gregory, PE

Vice President, Senior Principal Regional Manager Terracon Consultants Inc. San Antonio, TX

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ell me about Chuck Gregory.

I grew up in Three Rivers. I was born in Kenedy, TX because my hometown of Three Rivers didn’t have a suitable hospital at the time.

What was it like growing up in Three Rivers?

It was a great place to grow up. It was a small town. You knew everybody, and everybody knew you, so you got away with very little.

What did you do for fun?

Finding things to do could be a bit of a struggle but I did go to a lot of dances back in the day in Kosciusko, Poth, and Panna Maria. The popular band back in those days was Crossover. We rode minibikes and drove a homemade go-cart my dad built for us. I played a lot of sport and, once I got my driver’s license, “cruising” helped to keep us busy.

San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

high school when ESPN first came out and I thought it was really cool. I spent most of my time outside with my friends and three brothers playing sports. We would play baseball and football in the vacant lots across the street and basketball in our driveway. We were lucky if we could get the school gymnasium opened for a pickup game.

We rode bikes a lot too. My buddies and I would ride them all over the neighborhood. Back in those days, just as long as you were home by supper, nobody worried about where you were nor your safety and well-being. It was a different world then.

My brothers and I had a small business mowing yards. We mowed a lot.

While in high school, I went to work in the local grocery store bagging groceries back when you used to sack groceries in paper bags and carry them out for the customers. When I was in college, I went to work for TxDOT during the summers.

Tell me a little about your education.

Where did you go to school?

I went to Three Rivers High School. Our class was one of the smaller classes. There were only 33 of us when I graduated.

I wasn’t ready, financially or academically, to go straight from high school into a large four-year university so I went to Bee County College in Beeville which is now known as Coastal Bend College. I spent two years there and got my Associate degree before transferring to Texas A&M in College Station where I got my Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in ’81. I stayed there and got my Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering in ’83.

After the army, did your dad get into farming like so many others in the area?

No. We lived in town with a regular house on a regular lot. He grew up on a farm, but never worked or owned a farm after getting out of the service. He spent part of his career with the telephone company and the larger part of his career with oil and gas companies working in what we call “the oil patch,” in South Texas. He retired from Valero.

Why did you choose civil engineering as your field of study?

When I was a senior in high school, I was pretty good friends with our principal’s son. That spring, the TxDOT office in nearby George West had four openings, two in engineering and two in maintenance. TxDOTcontacted the Three Rivers and George West High Schools. They gave two openings to Three Rivers and two to George West. The request came through the principal. The principal picked his son and because we were good friends, he told me about it. I ended up in engineering and my friend ended up in maintenance.

That was the first of four summers I spent with TxDOT while going to college.

I learned a lot about surveying, some civil engineering as it had to do with roadway design, and a lot of testing of concrete and hot mix whether it be on the job along the highway right-of-way or at the batch plants where TxDOT had a lab.

I was a lab technician and an inspector.

Back in those days, we were finishing up I-37 between Mathis and just south of Pleasanton. One summer we worked on rerouting Hwy. 72 around Choke Canyon Dam and Reservoir and my interest grew from there.

What were some of your interests growing up?

Sports, schoolwork and working. I got the “worker gene” from my dad. I’ve been called a workaholic from time to time.

I was always a big sports guy. I was in

Did you immediately go to work for Terracon after getting your degree?

No. For about a year and a half, I worked for the Texas A&M Research Foundation before leaving and going into the consulting business. I came to

What did your parents do for a living?

Mom was a homemaking teacher at the high school and then a third-grade teacher at the elementary school in Three Rivers. She grew up on a farm near Elgin, just east of Austin. She got her degree at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos.

She moved to the area in the late ‘50s.

My dad grew up in Three Rivers. He spent some time in the army and was stationed in Germany during the Korean conflict. He met my mom after returning from service.

Chuck and Maricia Gregory.

work for a company here in San Antonio in ’84.

Is that when you started at Terracon?

No. I started working for Terracon in 1992.

Do you have a mentor?

I have several. Chester Drash taught me the importance of clients. A professor in college, Dallas Little, took me under his wing when I was in graduate school. My geometry teacher back in high school, Frank Neffendorf, really instilled “structure.” He was the assistant head football coach. He was very strict and a great teacher. I look back on that training a lot.

Dick Kistner has been a great sounding board over the years as well.

Here at Terracon, George Cozart, who is now retired, was a great mentor.

He kept me out of trouble and guided me along the way.

When you first came to Terracon, did you ever think that you would be Regional Manager, much less be a part of the company for 25 years?

Day one, no. I didn’t know that much about the company. Terracon bought the firm I was working for. It’s been one of the best things to ever happen to me professionally. We are an employee-owned company so I own stock. Most importantly, the relationships that I have built are priceless.

Our former CEO, David Gaboury, told me, “Chuck if you work hard enough, long enough, do good things and take initiative, sooner or later somebody is going to notice and become your champion and advocate.” Sure enough, that is what finally happened.

What is your advice to someone who wants to someday run a company?

My advice would be, you don’t have to be your own cheerleader all the time - you just need to have someone you know recognize what you bring to the table.

Sooner or later, they are going to realize they need to help you because somebody helped them. Also, be willing to walk through the doors of opportunity when they open. Don’t live life wondering, “What if?” Never be afraid to ask just one more question.

Tell me about your wife. What is her name? How long have you been married?

My wife’s name is Maricia. We are going on 34 years of marriage in December.

She is a Texas State/Trinity grad and worked 33 years for Northside ISD as a teacher and then an elementary school principal.

I still like sports. I was always better at baseball than football, but that stopped after Little League because our high school didn’t have a baseball team. I tore up my knee two years ago playing basketball so now I just play golf. Beyond that, it is walking and maybe a little jogging.

I really like working and everything that goes with it. I spend a lot of time working at home whether it is Terracon business or opportunities around the house. I like being outside working in the yard and enjoy cooking on my outdoor grill/smoker. I’m not comfortable sitting around doing nothing. I like driving vacations and family vacations. They are a lot of fun.

I have some friends that are into handguns and rifles. I am starting to develop an interest.

I spend a lot of time on the water. We have a lake house and a boat. I used to waterski and kneeboard, but I’ve morphed into boat captain.

What is the greatest part of your job?

What is the hardest part of your job?

The greatest part of my job is when we succeed as a team and really “amaze” our clients. I guess the most challenging is managing my emails effectively. I still look forward to going to work every day. Our motto, “Work Hard, Play Hard,” helps to keep it enjoyable.

Do you have any regrets?

I do have one. I was a big sports guy growing up. When I was in junior high, my goal was to be the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. After two years of playing quarterback in junior high to two more in high school, I was only 5ft 5in and not as skilled as I needed to be. I knew I wasn’t the quarterback our team needed so I decided not to play my junior and senior years. Between my junior and senior years, I grew about six inches. By that time, I was out of shape and had gotten involved in other interests. Anyone who has ever played on a high school sports team, especially in a small town, knows the camaraderie that you build with your teammates. I don’t think that you can recreate that anywhere else. I really regret missing out on those two years of “eligibility”.

However, “quitting,” and learning that I should not have quit, has kept me from ever quitting anything again. -cmw

Do you have children? How many children do you have?

We have two kids. Our son, David, just turned 29. He has a Petroleum Engineering degree from Texas A&M. He and his wife, Jordan, just bought a house in Conroe. She is a schoolteacher.

Our daughter, Alicia, is 25 years old.

She attended Abilene Christian and graduated with a degree in Interior Design. She is currently working in the Dallas/Fort Worth area for a small interior design firm and really loves it.

What are your hobbies and interests?

Chuck Gregory with his daughter, Alicia and son, David.

San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

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Topping out

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dolfson & Peterson Construction (AP) along with Northside Independent School District (NISD) hosted a topping out celebration for the new Marshall Law and Medical Services Magnet High School Feb. 2. The $22.1 million project is located on the district’s oldest high school campus, Marshall High School. The project includes the construction of the 80,000sf magnet high school, new soccer and football fields and a parking lot. AP is also renovating Marshall High School’s career and technology building and administration area. The new magnet school project is expected to be completed November 2021.

“We’re excited to reach this milestone on our first project in San Antonio,” said

Brandon Gaeke, regional manager for AP. “Construction has gone smoothly, and we’re slated to complete the project on time. We couldn’t be happier that our initial foray into this market is a project that will help young San Antonians become esteemed members of the community.”

“The project underway at Marshall High School and Marshall Law and Medical Services Magnet High School is a sign of our district’s commitment to ensuring a first-rate education for our students in state-of-the-art facilities,” said Dr. Brian Woods, superintendent for Northside ISD. “We are grateful to the voters of Northside who have made this work possible through their support of School Bond 2018.” -cmw Adolfson & Peterson employees raise the final beam, the American flag and a pine tree at the highest point of the new Marshall Law and Medical Services Magnet High School.

Front L-R: NISD Board VP Karen Freeman, NISD Trustee Gerald Lopez, Marshall High School Principal Susan Cleveland, NISD Superintendent Dr. Brian Woods, and AP Central Texas Regional Manager Brandon Gaeke. Back L-R: Pfluger Architects Principal Andrew Perez, Marshall Law and Medical Services Magnet School Principal Margaret Bray, NISD Director of Facilities Construction James Evans and NISD Executive Director of Facilities Construction and Engineering Services Jacob Villarreal.

Sanders’ mittens

L-R: Pfluger Architects Construction Administrator Frank Amaro, Andrew Perez, AP Project Manager Natasha Kay, AP Superintendent Jeremiah Chapman, James Evans, AP Project Manager Jason Axtel, Jacob Villarreal, AP Assistant Project Manager Steven Jackson and AP Project Engineer Melissa Montiel.

San Antonio

CONSTRUCTION NEWS

Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buddy Doebbler Editorial/Production . . . . . . Reesa Doebbler Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carol Wiatrek Editorial & Copy . . . . . . . Melissa Jones-Meyer Production Manager . . . . Helen Greenwood Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buddy Doebbler Editors

AustinEditor@ConstructionNews.net SAeditor@ConstructionNews.net San Antonio Area Counties Atascosa, Bexar, Bandera, Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall, Medina and Wilson counties Having fun with Sanders’ mittens, L-R: CB Christians, Lynwood Building Materials; Ted Dunnam, ESC Safety Consultants; Chelsey Luster, Boy Scouts Alamo Area Council; Courtney Bukowski, Boy Scouts Alamo Area Council; Michael McGinnis, Allen & Allen; Bernie Sanders; Stephanie Woods, USAA; Sean Wedige; Toby Martinez, Bexar Excavating and Hauling; and Carleton Spears at the Boy Scout Clay Shoot, Sept. 4. -cmw

Construction News Ltd. Home Office P.O. Box 791290 • San Antonio, TX 78279 210-308-5800 Fax 210-308-5960 www.ConstructionNews.net

Free Monthly Digital Subscription www.ConstructionNews.net The San Antonio Construction News (ISSN 1547-7630) is published monthly by Construction News LTD., dba San Antonio Construction News, and distributed by mail to construction-related companies of record in Bexar and 7 surrounding counties.

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San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

The Resource Guide Associations and Construction Education

Service Providers

Subcontractors

Suppliers

General Contractor

For Information on the Resource Guide Contact Buddy Doebbler buddy@ConstructionNews.net 210-308-5800

OSHA

• Implementing protections from retaliation for workers who raise COVID-related concerns; and

OSHA Issues New COVID-19 Guidance for Employers

• Educating and training workers of COVID-19 policies and procedures in a language they understand.

Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX

The guidance provides additional details on key measures for limiting the spread of COVID-19, starting with:

O

n January 29, OSHA took the first step towards improving protections by issuing updated guidance to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace.

The guidance is designed to help businesses decrease risk and improve worker safety, so they can re-open and stay open, safely.

The biggest takeaway from the updated guidance is that implementing a COVID-19 prevention program is the most effective way to reduce the spread of the virus. Employers should implement COVID-19 Prevention Programs tailored to their workplace.

The most effective programs engage workers and their representatives in their development, and include the following key elements: • Conducting a hazard assessment; • Identifying a combination of measures that will limit the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace; • Adopting measures to ensure that workers who are contagious (or potentially contagious) are excluded from the workplace;

• Separating and sending home infected or potentially infected people from the workplace; • Implementing physical distancing;

• Suppressing the spread by using surgical masks or cloth face coverings; and The use of personal protective equipment.

Employers are responsible for recording work-related cases of COVID-19 illness on their Form 300 logs if the following requirements are met: (1) the case is a confirmed case of COVID-19; (2) the case is work-related (as defined by 29 CFR 1904.5); and (3) the case involves one or more relevant recording criteria (set forth in 29 CFR 1904.7) (e.g., medical treatment, days away from work). Employers must follow the requirements

in 29 CFR 1904 when reporting COVID-19 fatalities and hospitalizations to OSHA. Employers may not discriminate against employees for raising a reasonable concern about infection control related to COVID-19 to the employer, the employer’s agent, other employees, a government agency, or to the public, such as through print, online, social, or any other media; or against an employee for voluntarily providing and wearing their own personal protective equipment, such as a respirator, face shield, gloves, or surgical mask. Section 11(c) of the OSH Act prohibits discharging or in any other way discriminating against an employee for engaging in various occupational safety and health activities.

OSHA will continue to update this guidance over time to reflect developments in science, best practices, and standards, and will keep track of changes to ensure transparency.

The guidance can be located on the OSHA website at: https://www.osha.gov/ coronavirus/safework natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232

San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

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such as paddle tail soft-plastics and spoons. If using soft-plastic tails, it is usually best to use a bit heavier (1/8 or 1/4 ounce) jig head than may generally be utilized for a given water depth in order to get a bait down and keep it in the strike zone while being rapidly retrieved from a fast-moving boat. Try these techniques on your next outing and see if your catch ratios improve.

My 2021 fishing calendar is starting to fill up, so don’t hesitate in booking your next fishing outing. To schedule your next bay fishing trip or hunting trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-813-3716 or e-mail me at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.com.

Springtime Drift Fishing Tactics

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram@ Steve_Schultz_Outdoors. Good Luck and Good Fishing.

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

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oday, February 15, 2021, is going to be easy to sit at my computer and write this column. Corpus temperatures at daybreak were 18 degrees with a wind chill close to zero. I know San Antonio and many parts north of us received a blanket of snow last night and lower freezing temperatures. We who live in South Texas are not accustom to this harsh weather and neither is the wildlife.

I am hoping and praying that we don’t have a fish kill like we experienced in the 1980s. Drastic drops in water temps can be detrimental to some fish species. This artic cold snap had a gradual drop in water temperatures and falling slowly for several days giving fish a chance to seek deeper and warmer water.

Looking forward to tactics and techniques in spring fishing, we typically do a lot of drifting fishing. Probably the one

Springtime fishing can produce a varity of species which include speckled trout (pictured above), redfish, flounder and black drum. These trout came off a wade using a topwater lure in spring. Photo by Steve Schultz Outdoors.

thing drift fishermen struggle with the most under high wind conditions is being able to thoroughly cover an area with repeated casts. Essentially, a quick drift speed means fewer casts in a given area, as the boat passes over the area too quickly to allow multiple casts. Of course, there are various ways to slow the boat in order to get more casts in over a productive stretch of water. Anchoring and power poling at various intervals along a flat will accomplish this.

And most every seasoned bay fisherman knows to employ a drift sock to help slow their drift and stabilize the boat. But, at times these measures can be more trouble than they are worth.

Typically, by late March, the water has usually warmed sufficiently to make fish more aggressive, meaning “power fishing” tactics are in play. So, rather than spend too much time and energy trying to fight the wind, anglers should learn to adapt their fishing style in order to take advantage strong spring winds. A very simple solution to many high wind situations is something many fishermen

refer to as “power drifting.” This is basically a mad dash across a flat while fan casting and trying to cover as much water as possible. Power drifting is effective in two situations: 1) fish are scattered making it necessary to cover massive amounts of water or, 2) fish are very aggressive and willing to swim a pretty good distance to attack a bait. One or both of these conditions is often present during April.

In order to be effective with power drifting, there are a couple of things that need to be considered. For starters, the right type of bait or lure is essential. Because you will be moving a quick clip during a power drift, finesse baits or any other lures which require a slow retrieve are a poor choice. It is far too difficult to maintain line contact with a slow sinking or suspending bait when drifting rapidly toward it. Also, baits which require a lot of angler manipulation to impart action are not good choices. Twitching baits at a high drift speed usually results in line twists and tangles. Rather, it is better to use simple cast and reel retrieve baits

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San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

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

Well, that was something!

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week ago, today we woke up in a 40-degree dark house covered up with everything we could find only to step out into snow half-way up to our knees and one degree on the thermometer. Today, it is over 80 degrees and I have sweat running down my back as I haul melt water to the house to keep the plumbing going.

If you stay still long enough in Texas, just about every kind of environment will stop by to visit you. Spring can bring lush fields of wildflowers, summer can bring endless stretches of one hundred plus degree dry heat, fall can turn a droughtstricken lake into a great swamp that attracts migrating fowl of all unusual kinds and winter can bring renegade blizzard conditions or hardly be more than a few cold fronts. Just for excitement, add in a flood here and there, hold on to your hat for the dust storms, and be sure you know where to go in case of a tornado. I think that is why weather is always a topic of conversation. How is it, enjoy it if it’s nice and how long before what happens next.

The winter storm was nothing to make light of. It was a hard and serious time, and some people are still trying to get their lives back to near normal. If we can set aside blame and hard feelings about the hardships we faced and just focus on the way people came together to help each other out, that might be a good place to start. I’m sure we will be picking things apart and understanding what worked and what didn’t for perhaps years to come.

Now it is time to see what we could have done better individually to face

Fishing anyone?

such a trial. I know we will be buying sleeping bags, storing water, revamping the old wood heater and dragging Granny’s old oil lamps out of storage. Even though we did our best to get ready, I can see a lot of things we should have thought of. We should have thought about what happens when the power goes off and stays off. Then we need to imagine going through this in summer.

I’m not going to get depressed because Nature taught us a lesson. I’m not going to get all mad about who may have dropped what ball. I am going to try to be ready for next time. Next time may not ever come…but I bet it can.

As for the lake, it did freeze over in the backs of the sloughs and anywhere the water would hold still. It did get cold enough to have killed some of the bait fish, but we will just have to wait and see if it will affect our spring bite for the better or worse. Sometimes it makes for hungry fish! Fall Creek falls did freeze over this time, someone had drone pictures on Facebook. This wasn’t the first time however. Here is the picture from the time it froze up in 1986! It has done it before and will do it again, but I’m getting better long johns!

Spring Break is upon us, let’s go fishing!

San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

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New Year’s Eve snow

ith the possibility of seeing snow, Construction News Editor Carol Wiatrek decided to ring in the new year in Doss, TX at Indian Cave Ranch with longtime boyfriend Stan Rothman, Texas First Rentals. Wiatrek would not be disappointed. Upon arrival, it began to snow.

“At first the snowflakes were very small, but within mere minutes the snowflakes were the size of my

thumbprint. It was an amazing sight,” says Wiatrek.

Wanting to experience the beauty of the falling snow and the reaction of the surrounding wildlife, the couple rushed out to the blind. The snow fell for about six hours. By morning, Indian Cave Ranch was covered in a fluffy layer of thick snow. Unfortunately, in order to take part in the morning hunt, no photos were taken. -cmw

Photos taken from the deer blind.

Ten minutes after the snow started falling.

Within minutes, the nearby cave is barely visible with the heavily falling snow.

Photos taken while crossing the creek.

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Life Flight Network New Emergency Response Hangar

ver 40 years ago, Mike Schweiss invent “The bifold door works great,” says Justin ed his first bi-fold door and the birth of Dillingham, Life Flight Chief Customer OffiSchweiss Doors. Since then, Schweiss cer. “It’s heavy-duty and easy to operate. A and his innovative team of designers have manusmall amount of education was required so factured doors of all shapes and sizes by literally staff know not to leave it open during windy listening to their customers. days, but the door is exactly what we needed.

Averaging 300-400 emergency flights a year, We had windows installed to let light into the about one flight per day, the Life Flight Network building and make sure the area outside is (LFN) and the nation’s largest not-for-profit air free from obstructions. It works great for us.” medical service decided to construct a new han “What I like best about Schweiss Doors, is gar of their own. The 108-ft by 85-ft hangar would that they have it figured out. Schweiss knows house two aircraft, a helicopter and a fixed wing how to build a bifold door and not trying to turbine aircraft and quarters for the crew. figure it out on the fly,” says Mark Hewett Similar to a fire station where firefighters General Contractor’s senior project manager reside during their shift, the hangar has sleep Chance Chacon. “The install went well withrooms, TV lounge area, restrooms, showers, a out any issues and we were pleased with kitchen, maintenance tool area and an office. how everything came together. We had The Life Flight “Koala” helicopter stands ready at the landing pad at

Coming highly recommended by the general clear instructions and the pieces were where Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport in Lewiston, Idaho.

Behind it is the new 108-ft by 85-ft hangar that sports a contractor, Mark Hewett General Contractor Comthey were supposed to be. One of the things Schweiss Doors 70-ft by 17-ft bifold liftstrap door. pany, Schweiss Doors did not disappoint. AtI really appreciated while working with Brent tached to the hangar is a Schweiss Doors 70-ft by at Schweiss Doors was that I could put him 17-ft bifold liftstrap door. The custom-made door directly in the email with myself and the is equipped with autolatches and was framed for four 4-ft square windows which allow metal building company. It was important that we all could work and look at things a considerable amount of natural light into the hangar. It is also wind-rated at 120 mph. together, eliminating any possibility of something getting lost in translation. The The well-insulated door was clad with 26-gauge metal sheeting. shop drawings matched exactly.” -cmw Schweiss Doors Supplying doors nationwide

The Life Flight liftstrap door with autolatches is well insulated. Inside the hangar are 24/7 crew quarters for flight crew and local administrative staff.\

The Schweiss bifold 70-ft by 17-ft liftstrap door is equipped with autolatches and is wind-rated at 120 mph.

The bifold hangar door is mostly kept closed. Aircraft are usually kept outside during good weather for faster response times which average about one a day.

New elementary school #22 and middle school #7, Pflugerville ISD

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rury South Inc. of San Antonio is beginning the 2021 year full throttle. They are working toward the completion of installing the Lightweight Insulating Concrete (LWIC) roof insulation systems on two schools for Webber Construction LLC and Pflugerville ISD. After a 2020 gangbuster year, despite the logistical obstacles created by COVID-19, the new elementary and middle schools are in the drying-in phase with Drury South pouring both schools simultaneously. The work for Drury began in mid-November and wrapped up in February for both schools.

During a two-month installation duration for each school, Drury installed 250,000sf of LWIC roof deck. This includ-

ed 1.5 million board feet of insulation (36 truckloads), 2,500 CY of cellular concrete and over 1,000 tons of Portland cement (42 truckloads).

Drury South has been in business in San Antonio since 1987 serving the south, central and west Texas markets of LWIC installations. Re-roofs as well as new construction of schools has been the primary LWIC opportunities due to the superior wind uplift and fire resistance ratings, thermal and energy performance, longevity and sustainability.

The Drury affiliated firms have been in the LWIC business since the 1950’s covering a multi-state region. -cmw Drury South Inc. San Antonio, TX Mixing and pumping equipment used to batch LWIC onsite.

The LWIC is floated after screeding to the proper thickness and slope.

The LWIC is pumped through hoses to the rooftop point of placement.

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Concepts Construction new office building

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xcalibur Remodeling Construction Contractors is proud to be a part of the enhancement of our very own San Antonio community. Excalibur owner, Richard Gomez, a native San Antonian. He has been in business since 1998 and has worked on numerous projects such as Santana No. 3, Select Portfolio Management, multiple new structures, as well as renovating residential homes within our fair city.

Having maintained a great business relationship with Concepts Construction, it was without hesitation when selected by Concepts Construction that Excalibur Remodeling head up Concept Construction’s highly anticipated project – the construction of Concept’s new office building. Gomez willingly accepted the challenge to construct the new offices for Concepts Construction located on Greyrock Dr.

The 2,700sf building includes a reception area, four offices, conference room, gym, kitchen, warehouse and storage. Ground breaking began on Sept. 9. With

“We are very pleased with the final product of the build out and very appreciative of the character that Excalibur displayed throughout the entire process,” says Mark Lopez, president of Concepts Construction LLC. Excalibur Remodeling Construction Contractors is a full-service contractor in San Antonio. -cmw Excalibur Remodeling Construction Contractors San Antonio, TX

Office building during construction hard work, dedication and round-the-clock hours the project was completed Dec. 17 just in time for Concept Construction’s grand opening.

Grand opening festivities and inauguration were held on Dec. 18, with the attendance of State Representative Armando Walle and County Commissioner Justin Rodriguez, congratulating Gomez for his great accomplishment and Concepts Construction on their new facility.

Reception counter

Concepts Construction new office building

In-house gym

Conference room

Granny flat in Alamo Heights

D

anny Garcia, Rhino Design Build LLC, started off building custom homes in 2004. Around 2010, Garcia transitioned into doing residential and commercial. With more than 15 years of experience,

Rhino Design Build will focus on changing with the world as the world changed overnight with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rhino Design Build took this detached garage located near Alamo Heights and converted it into a mother-in-law suite for one of their clients. There were many challenges that came with this project since the garage was built back in the 1950s. “Building codes and setbacks have since changed and we had to apply for variances in order to make this project happen,” says Garcia. “We were able to design a very functional and high-end look with the existing space.”

Since the kitchen and living area was going to be small, the Rhino Design team opted for a cathedral ceiling look to really open up the space and maximize on the wow factor. “Since our client is an avid gardener, we chose large windows to overlook her garden. Choosing to build a granny flat is a great way for our clients to keep their parents/grandparents close to the kids AND still maintain independence and privacy.”

Rhino Design Build LLC is a full-service residential and commercial general contractor in San Antonio. -cmw Rhino Design Build LLC San Antonio, TX

Page 16

San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

Your mission, if you accept

Industry FOLKS Bill Eaves

Inventory Manager

Lynwood Building Materials San Antonio, TX

A

native San Antonian, Bill Eaves grew up in the Highland Park area in the ‘60s, which is known today as Highland Hills. “It was a great area to grow up in back then. You knew your neighbors and they would visit each other often.

We had some great neighbors, especially one named Charles Winterborn.

He retired after selling his foundry next to Alamo Iron Works when IH-17 was being built. He was a hoot! I learned a lot from him, starting with building birdhouses and feeders to metalwork, skateboards and hula hoops. He was a great teacher and the first to get me interested in building things.”

Bill and his wife, Jeannie, have been married for 28 years. They met at a bar Jeannie’s mother was running after her father passed away. Bill decided to introduce himself to Jeannie by breaking a confetti egg on her head, while she and her mother were playing darts.

As their marriage is the second for both of them, they have three boys between the two of them. BJ and Corey from Bill’s first marriage and Jason Baker from Jeannie’s previous marriage. “They got lucky and gave us three great daughter-in-laws. Between them all, we have seven grandchildren – six boys and one girl. I always tell my granddaughter, Eve, she’s my favorite.”

A builder at heart, as a kid, Bill would take things apart just to see how they were made. His father was a surveyor and worked highway construction and would go to work with his dad on weekends and during the summer. He ran his first loader, a 977L track loader, when he was about 8 years old.

Eaves went to work at Lynwood Building Materials as a truck driver/yard

man before moving to Lynwood’s north store which he ended up running for the better part of 19 years until Chris decided to sell the property.

“When I started at Lynwood, it was about meeting new people and seeing all the different projects that I would be delivering to. When I was running my store, I liked helping my customers with their needs and meeting even more people over the years. I have met some really great people and some are like family now. I’m back downtown waiting for our new southside yard which is in the works.

I am currently the inventory manager, checking loads coming in and going out.

I check stock and look for ways to cut down on mistakes. I like making sure we get the right stuff and send out the right stuff. I also like that CB knows that I will do what it takes to get the job done. I try to keep up with all the people, employees and customers. I believe a good relationship is the ground floor where respect and attitude will do a lot.”

Hank Hannasch, Kevin Brown, Jeff Thompson and Rodney McDonald are a few of Bill’s mentors. Kevin taught me to be patient and just do my best. He was a great company man and a great friend.

He is missed often.”

Family, living and dead, is Bill’s biggest interest having gotten into genealogy. He and his wife also enjoy hiking and camping with all their kids and grandkids. -cmw

L-R: Daniel Boddie and Jay Warnke, Mission 1 Contractors

N

ine years after Daniel Boddie and Jay Warnke graduated from Texas A&M University, the dynamic duo started Mission 1 Contractors in 2017.

The two young men, who didn’t really know each other in college eventually began working in the construction industry together before deciding to start their own business. Daniel, who is president of Mission 1, gained a wide range of experience in higher education, historical renovations, banking, institutional, warehouses and manufacturing facilities prior to starting the company. As vice president and chief estimator, Warnke’s experience, prior to starting Mission 1 included marine harbors, bridges, roadways, commercial, institutional and medical construction. Together, the duo makes a strong leadership team, providing quality workmanship and service to their clients.

Mission 1 Contractors performs almost anything and everything commercial. They perform tenant renovations and medical projects, where they specialize in imaging projects like MRIs, CT scanners and radiology clinics. They designbuild and construct anything from offices and warehouse to resorts.

Daniel says he would like Mission 1 Contractors to be known not just as a construction company, but a company that can be trusted. “I would like us to be known as honest. We have a lot of integrity. We pride ourselves on being very open and forthright with our pricing. We honor each and every one of our commitments.”

“We like to think that we provide a service that goes above and beyond most contractors,” adds Jay. “We treat all

of our clients as if they are all our number one client, giving them all the same amount of service and heart. We make sure we are hiring the right people. We are set up in a way that when we are on a job and the owner or architect/engineer has a question, they can call our office.

Whether it is me or Daniel, we are so involved in the day to day operations of the company, we know what is going on and can give them a direct answer. They won’t have to wait for an answer. We are willing to help them out no matter who it is.”

Serving San Antonio and South Texas, Mission 1 Contractors will go where they are needed for the right client. “It has to be right for the client, and it has to be right for Mission 1 and its team members,” Daniel states. “Most of our work has been a little north of San Antonio, Boerne, and as far south as Laredo. Like Daniel said, if it is the right fit, we will go just about anywhere,” adds Jay. While having the responsibility of owning and operating a construction company is of real importance to Daniel and Jay, their interest in serving their community and giving back is of even more importance. Daniel is an active board member of the American Cancer Society. Jay is an active volunteering member at St. Jude’s Ranch for Children in Bulverde. “Giving back to the community is extremely important and we encourage our employees to do the same.

It is something that we feel very strongly about as we grow as a company to give back to the community we serve,” says Jay.

Mission 1 Contractors is a general contractor located in Garden Ridge, TX. -cmw

Construction News ON LOCATION

Heavy equipment & smiles

Winco Contractor mechanics Fred Solis and Enos Jones take a moment to smile for the camera while working on heavy equipment in the Winco Contractors shop in Garden Ridge, TX. -cmw

San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

It’s a win-win

Page 17

Industry FOLKS Matt Bright

Estimator/Project Manager

Turner Roofing San Antonio, TX

G

R

ick and Dana Stone set out to be entrepreneurs after moving to San Antonio from Phoenix, AZ in 1997.

The dynamic duo started K-Stone, a janitorial business. After acquiring H-E-B as a major client, the company branched into janitorial distribution. By 2003, evolving once again, it branched into the decorative concrete business.

Coincidentally, with a desire to be entrepreneurs in control of their own future, Amy and Frank Wagner knew it was just a matter of time before they found just the right business for them. In 2000, Amy started Wagner Interiors, specializing in residential decorating. She eventually started doing commercial jobs which steered her and Frank into doing commercial flooring. The company then evolved into Wagner Interiors d.b.a. Allegiance Floors in 2006.

For about the past 10 years, K-Stone and Allegiance Floors have worked together on various projects. “Allegiance Floors specializes in carpet and tile. K-Stone specializes in diamond polished concrete and coatings.

Sometimes they come across cracked floors or coatings that need removal, so we have been able to help them out,” says Stone. “This past August, Frank and I once again got together on a project. Being 63 years old and looking for an exit strategy

that would work for K-Stone, I asked Frank if they would be interested in purchasing K-Stone.”

A no-brainer for Allegiance Floors, the Wagners jumped on the opportunity and purchased K-Stone in December 2020. What does this mean for Allegiance Floors? Well, Allegiance Floors is now capable of offering diamond polished concrete, epoxies, seal coatings, staining as well as carpet, resilient/rubber flooring, ceramic and specialty flooring.

“It’s a win-win for all. I wanted K-Stone to continue to grow. Operations will resume as usual except that now Allegiance offers the services of K-Stone. The company name is actually Wagner Interiors/Allegiance Floors d.b.a. Allegiance Floors/ K-Stone, so we are now Allegiance Floors/ K-Stone.

“K-Stone will continue to distribute janitorial supplies,” says Stone. “We are a division of Allegiance and the janitorial distribution is a division of K-stone.”

As for Stone, he isn’t going anywhere. He plans to stay on board for at least the next five years. During that time, he will help Amy and Frank transition into the decorative concrete business.

Wagner Interiors/Allegiance Floors d.b.a.

Allegiance Floors/K-Stone is a flooring contractor and supplier located in San Antonio. -cmw

rowing up in San Antonio is all Matt Bright has ever known. He grew up here in San Antonio with his mother and four siblings. They lived in the same house his entire childhood where his mom still lives today. “It’s nice to be able to go back and see how everything has changed and continues to change over the years.”

Matt attended and graduated from James Madison High School where he raised show steers for the school’s Ag program. Matt did not go the college route after graduating high school, but he has always had a good work ethic. As a young adult, he was interested in working and learning the way of the trade world. During high school and directly after, he began working in the construction industry, eventually transferring into the roofing industry in 2011.

In 2012, he met his beautiful wife, Kaitlin Bright, while they were both working part-time at H-E-B in New Braunfels. They dated for six years while she attended college at Texas State University and earned her bachelor’s degree in Interior Design. They married in March 2018 in Gruene, TX and became the proud parents of their first child, Rylie Rose, who was born in January of this year. With hopes of adding to their family dynamic in the near future, they are content watching their sweet little baby girl grow for now.

Matt and Kaitlin have three dogs; two blue nose pitbulls, Blue and Cobalt; and one English bulldog named Oxford. “Before Rylie, people joked that our dogs were our children. They are very spoiled. My wife even designated and decorated a room in our house just for them.”

Matt began working for a general

www.constructionnews.net

publishing the industry’s news

contractor, focusing on residential remodels, at the age of 14. He stayed with that company until he was 22. After that, at the age of 23, he started his career in the roofing industry. He is currently an estimator/project manager for Turner Roofing. He also owns and operates a residential roofing company, Bright Roofing.

“I like the fact that every day is different with my job. Each day I am faced with different challenges to overcome to make projects successful. I also enjoy the overall process of bringing a job’s plans/drawings to life.”

Growing up, Matt had several people directing him, giving him the tools and knowledge needed to become a successful business owner.

However, Kally Holstead and his late father, Ed Holstead, were and still are the most influential of them all. “I began working for them while I was in middle school. I learned a lot over the years. From reading a tape measure to building a home, they taught me everything I know. The time and energy they put into teaching and directing me, can never be repaid. I owe a lot to them.”

Matt is a pretty simple man. He doesn’t have a ton of hobbies. “As cliché as it sounds, I really enjoy and am interested in my job. I love what I do.

When I am not working, I like to cook/ grill and entertain at our house. My wife and I enjoy hanging out in our backyard/pool with friends and family, having a few whiskey drinks, every chance we get.” -cmw

Texas H San Antonio Style H Austin

Page 18

San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

Association Calendar

Content Contentsubmitted submittedby byAssociations Associationsto toConstruction ConstructionNews News ABC

Associated Builders & Contractors Inc.

Mar. 18: Chili Cook-out, Cowboys Dancehall, 3030 NE Loop 410, 7am Team Setup.

Mar. 7-11: ABC National Convention, Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, Grapevine, TX. Mar. 25 : Happy Hour, Location TBD. For more info, contact Leah Villarreal at leah@abcsouthtexas.org or 210-342-1994 AGC

Associated General Contractors

Mar. 4-25: OSHA 30 Hour, AGC Offices, 10806 Gulfdale, Thursdays 8am-5pm.

Mar. 22: AGC Annual Golf Tournament, The Club at Sonterra, 901 Sonterra Blvd., 10:30am Registration, 12pm Shotgun Start, $200/player, $750/team. For more info, call Kelly Wilson at 210-349-4921 ASA

American Subcontractors Assn.

Mar. 10: Excellence in Construction Awards, The Mays Family Center, 3801 Broadway, 6pm.

Mar. 23: General Membership Meeting, Alamo Café, 14250 San Pedro Ave. 5:45pm. For more info, call Jennifer Swinney at 210-349-2105 ASSP

The Petroleum Club, 8620 N. New Braunfels, 7th Flr. - CANCELLED Mar. 24: Joint Industry Fund Meeting, MCA-SMACNA Office, 206 E. Nakoma, 11:30am. For more info, call Sandee Morgan at 210-822-3763 or email sandee@ mca-smacna.org NAWIC

National Assn. of Women in Construction

Mar. 7-13: WIC WEEK Mar. 7: Movie Night, The Lonesome Rose Honky-Tonk & Backyard, 2114 N. St. Mary’s 7pm, $5.

Mar. 8: Power Tool Use & Safety, Q-Safety, 9504 N. 1-35 #205, 6:30pm, $25.

Mar. 9: D’Hanis Tour, D’Hanis Brick & Tile Company, 7734 CR 429, D’Hanis, TX, 10:30am, $40.

Mar. 10: Build a Robot Lamp, CRS Marble & Granite, 3011 NE Loop 410 #101, 6pm, $40.

Mar. 11: The Hunt, Week-long Event, Free Mar. 12: Annual Golf Tournament, Canyon Springs Golf Club, 24405 Wilderness Oak, 11am-12:30pm Registration & Lunch, 1:30pm Scramble, 5:30pm Awards & Dinner; $600 Per Team, $165 Per Player, Sponsorship Available. For more info, contact misti@compliancesourcesinc.com or 512-801-8143

American Society of Safety Professionals

Mar. 15: Regular Chapter Meeting, Southwest Research Institute (SWRI), 6220 Culebra Rd. For more info, go to www.southtexas.assp.org GSABA

Greater San Antonio Builders Assn.

Mar. 25: Million Dollar Circle Awards – Let the Good Times Roll, GSABA Ballroom, 3625 Paesanos Pkwy. #100, 8:3010:30am. For more info, email info@SABuilders.com MCA-SMACNA of San Antonio

Mechanical and Sheet Metal Contractors Assn.

Mar.10: Regular & Associates Meeting,

PHCC

Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors

Mar. 4: Protect the Health of the Nation Sporting Clay Shoot, National Shooting Complex, 5931 Roft Rd., 10am. Nonshooters $5, Single Shooter $150, Team of Four $600. For more info, call Heidi Trimble at 210-824-7422 or go to www.phccsanantonio.org SAMCA

San Antonio Masonry Contractors Assn.

Mar. 24: SAMCA General Meeting, Old San Francisco Steakhouse, 10223 Sahara Dr., 12pm. For more info, email Debi Solis at thesamca@gmail.com.

Industry FOLKS Jeremy Jones

Garza was once quoted as saying that “when the work is done, it is like a piece of art” and he still feels that way. “You have to take pride in your work. You have to own it.

It’s your legacy. Your craftsmanship is a reflection of you and your work, and if you feel so strongly about your work, it is going to show and repeat work will come your way. Most importantly, you have to treat people as if they are family and that is what we do,” he adds.

Since the company’s inception, Garza says he has seen a drastic change in the painting trade. As with every trade, there are fewer and fewer skilled, experienced painters. “We’ve been very blessed. Most of my guys are older gentlemen who really know what they are doing and take pride in their work. Unfortunately, they will be retiring, and the younger workforce’s work ethic can be a little questionable. Honestly, I think we need more trades in our schools including painting. While schools are starting to bring trades back into the schools,

there is a shortage of skilled painters, plumbers, electricians. We need more.”

Garza is also quick to express what a profitable and lucrative business to enter.

The key he says, “It’s all about relationships and building those relationships. Sometimes it’s not about price if the quality of work is there. You have to treat people as if they are family and that is what we do.”

Proud to be serving both the residential and commercial markets, Roland Garza Painting is a full-service painting company specializing in interior/exterior painting, specialty coatings, waterproofing, cabinets, and anything that has to do with any kind of coating, paint or sealer. The company’s service area encompasses a 60-mile radius around San Antonio. Although Roland Garza Painting is located in San Antonio, they can be actively found in and around their current hot spot of Boerne.

Roland Garza Painting is a residential and commercial painting contractor in San Antonio. -cmw

continued from Page 1 — J&M Electrical other words he thought I was going to steel his copper. When he made that comment, I laughed and kept on going.

During our lunchtime, he asked me what I like doing best. I told him I like taking the fixtures off and removing the wires.

He needed a helper and asked the lead guy if he could have me as his helper. He taught me how to do electrical work. It’s been a blessing since.”

Gonzales grew up on the Westside.

His wife lived in the Projects and says, “We lived in poverty. We knew poverty.

When we met in ’95, she had two kids and I had two kids. In ’99 we got married and in 2000, my youngest Tony was born.

Monica was a single mom with two kids, a high school dropout who got her GED and then went to school to get her MA (Medical Assistant). After she got her MA, she worked for WellMed for 12 years and then went to get her LVN license. She now works for the government at BAMC.

“When I go to my mom’s house, there are these youngsters who say there is no way you can leave (the Westside or the Projects). I’m proof of it. I’m proof you

can do better for yourself. I lived their life.

Look us now. My wife and I made it. It’s up to you if you want to do better for yourself. It’s up to you if you want to move up, especially if you have a family. You have to want to leave and do better.

“Coming from people who said that I was never going to be somebody, and that I would end up in prison or six feet under, it feels real good to here. I’m successful, my wife is successful, and our kids are successful.”

J&M Electrical Services does work in both the residential and commercial markets with an unlimited service area. “My service area is anywhere I am wanted.

We do good work. The reviews on my website are real reviews. I don’t buy my reviews like some companies do. If a customer is not happy, I’m going to go that extra mile, find out why and make it right.

I want my customers to be happy. What I want is what I expect if somebody came to my house,” adds Gonzales.

J&M Electrical is an electrical contractor in San Antonio. -cmw

continued from Page 1 — G.W. Mitchell Construction

Business Development Associate

Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing San Antonio, TX

J

eremy Jones has fond memories growing up in San Antonio. He and his brother rode their bikes everywhere.

“We spent a lot of time in Port Aransas fishing and hunting deer, turkey and quail in South Texas.”

He attended Texas Military Institute, Choosing a business management field of study with a minor in computer science, Jones returned to school in his late 20s attending Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX. There he earned his Business Management Degree with a minor in Computer Science. “I felt this degree was most applicable to my sales management career, and you can never focus too much of your time learning current and new technologies in the computer field.”

Before coming to work in the construction industry, he worked adjacent to the construction industry in oil and gas pipeline construction. Looking for a change from the ups and down of that industry, Jeremy discovered Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing where he performs the role of business development for San Antonio and South Texas.

“I like Chamberlin’s values and the people I work with on a daily basis. That’s what makes this job interesting. I enjoy building relationships and helping our clients protect their assets.”

Two people have influenced Jeremy through his career. The first is his grandfather. Jeremy worked with his grandfather developing their family’s companies until his retirement. “He taught me to watch my pennies, and the dollars will take care of themselves.

continued from Page 1 — Roland Garza Painting

Also to never underestimate the value of hard work and determination. He started his career as a medical doctor before coming back to run our family’s candy companies. He had a lucrative career in medicine but decided that family was more important and came back to the family business with my great grandfather and my great uncle.”

The second mentor is Chris Reiter.

Jeremy worked with Chris at two separate companies – first as an inside sales manager and then as a regional sales manager. “Chris taught me about marketing strategies and strengthened my ability to cold call. He is a situational leader and can change his style based upon what is needed.”

Jeremy has been married to his wife, Erin, for 14 years. They have four children; 12-year-old Claire, 8-year-old Luke, 7-year-old Cody and 4-year-old Lane, all of which enjoy playing sports, baseball and most of all, soccer.

Jeremy enjoys fishing, hunting, skiing - water and snow. He enjoys riding his horse when time permits and, most of all, spending time with his family. He actively participates in all of their children’s sports and academics. “I like to teach my children to never settle and to always try their hardest. There is no shame in coming in second place if you know you gave it your all; just work harder and always try to be better.”

-cmw

tion introducing the second generation of Mitchells. G.W. Mitchell Chairman of the Board, Melvin Mitchell, 89, joined the company in the late ‘50s after graduating from Texas A&M University. One of the brothers decided to leave the family business and moved to Colorado with his wife and family. Melvin and his older brother, Robert (Bob) Mitchell, began transitioning into leadership roles.

Melvin and Bob ran the company from the ‘50s with G.W. still heavily involved. G.W. remained active in the company until two weeks before his passing in the early ‘80s. He was 91.

Melvin Mitchell jumped in with both feet. “It was pretty busy time. I came on board after I graduated from A&M in ’52, a stint in the army, getting married and obtaining a master’s degree from MIT for a couple of years, so it must have been around ’58. At that time, they had a pretty good back log. I immediately started estimating work. One of the first things I estimated and was a project manager on, was the La Villita Assembly Building. It was an interesting job. It is still there and in use today.”

By the early ‘80s, the third generation of Mitchells joined the family business.

Lane was the first of the third generation to come over. He started in ’82 with Bill starting in ’83. “We started with dad as Uncle Bob was kind of retiring. He continued to work part-time. We have been running the company, the three of us – dad, Lane and myself, since the early ‘80s.

In 1995, younger brother Andy Mitchell, who had taken a different career path, also joined the family business.

Completing the third generation of Mitchells to join the company, Andy is the company’s Chief Financial Officer. “I was an ac-

counting major and got my CPA. I worked in public accounting, and then as a controller for a public company here in San Antonio, the Lancer Corporation.”

In November 2020, the fourth generation of the Mitchell legacy, Matt Mitchell, joined the company. Like his grandfather, father and uncles before him, after graduating from Texas A&M in 2013, Matt went to work for a large construction company headquartered in Atlanta. He moved to Atlanta where he lived and worked before moving to Dallas and eventually Oklahoma City to complete construction projects before joining the family business. “It’s great to be a part of the family business.

As a project manager, I am currently working under Kim Williams, director of special projects on a renovation project.”

Ever active in the community, the G.W. Mitchell family encourages all its team members to give back to the community they serve. They are currently active in working the Wounded Warrior program, Habitat for Humanity, school supply drives, Angel Giving Tree, Snack Backpacks, the Rotary Club, The Texas Cavaliers, Rey Feo Consejo, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and many more.

The G.W. Mitchell Construction family is currently working on celebration plans which most likely will take place in the fall due to concerns of the COVID pandemic.

The company attributes the success of the company to long term relationships with architects and subcontractors who partner with them. “We obviously couldn’t get where we are today without all of our wonderful subcontractor partners,” says Andy. “This goes across all the trades. Obviously as a GC, along without the other good GCs, you are only as good as your subcontractor team.” -cmw

San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

Page 19

What do you mostly watch on TV?

Industry FOLKS Brianna Maldonado

Office Manager/Preconstruction Administrator

Bandy Constructor San Antonio, TX

C

ountry life in Pipe Creek was wonderful for Brianna Maldonado. She lived next door to her grandparents who had a garden, a pool and animals on the property. They had chickens, rabbits, a horse and a pony. “I enjoyed helping my Grandma gather vegetables from the garden and summers were spent in the pool. My grandfather built us a fort, so we rarely spent time indoors.”

When Brianna was about 10 years old, she and her family moved to Converse and went to school in the Judson School district from third grade through the 10th grade. When she was a junior in high school, her family moved back to the country and she graduated from Bandera High School.

She attended college the non-traditional way. “I graduated from San Antonio College with an Associate Degree in Social Work and was interested in pursuing Social Work as a career. I was a young parent who had married young. I continued college as a distant learner with many of my courses online. My husband was in the Army and we were stationed at Ft. Hood. At the time, the closest University was a small substation of Tarleton State University. The campus was all portable buildings and classes were limited.

My husband was deployed twice to Iraq.

While he was away, I took evening and online classes where I could. Unfortunately, my husband returned from Iraq in my last year of school with some health issues.”

Her husband’s health issues resulted in him needing surgery, and Brianna, her-

self, had been diagnosed with cancer. As a result, she changed her degree plan to earn her bachelor’s degree in a shorter time frame. She transferred from Tarleton State University to Excelsior College and completed her schooling online as she started chemotherapy. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts. It wasn’t the degree she had planned for but was thankful to have completed it.

Brianna joined the construction industry when a friend told her of an opening at D.L. Bandy Constructors who were in need of an office manager.

Brianna currently serves as the Office Manager/Preconstruction Administrator where she handles the front of the office answering phones, greets visitors, orders supplies for the office and projects in the field, and the sending and receiving of mail. As the preconstruction administrator, she assists with the issuing of contracts, gathering and tracking of insurance from their subcontractors, sending/receiving change orders for their projects, assembling proposals for bid day, and sending/receiving lien waivers to subcontractors. She also provides support to all the departments in the company on an as needed basis.

“I truly like feeling as though I am a valued member of the team. I feel connected to each job. Our field teams work diligently to get the projects completed in a timely manner and I am happy to contribute to their efforts in any way I can.”-cmw

Ensuring a good experience

I am a science nerd. I watch more medical and murder mysteries, personally. Familywise my kids and I are somewhat old school. We watch the old Twilight Zone.

My son just started watching the Fresh Prince of Bellaire – all those things that I grew up watching. We’re really not into the newer shows. Somewhere around episodes three to four, those political, personal and ethical values start wheel themselves into conversation.

Joan Spruell, Empire Countertops American Pickers. I like that they travel all over to find antiques and things like that.

It’s just a good show to watch and they seem to be real honest guys. They’ll have people tell them a price and if they think they are too light on the price, they’ll tell them and offer them more. They just seem to be good, honest people.

Donald Butterworth, Kickin’ Asphalt Paving & Sealcoating I don’t watch any news. I quit watching the news early last year. It just became too negative. I read skim through the paper and read what I want to read. My wife and I watch the “feel-good” movies, whether it is a comedy or a feel-good drama. We have enough stress, negativity and problems out there in the world without going home to watch on TV. Bill Mitchell, G.W. Mitchell Construction Everybody loves Raymond. He’s a man that reflects the reality of being a man; all our mistakes, the dumb things that we say and having his wife save him from his stupid mistakes like a good woman does.

The reality of it is about 80 percent of it is true because we do do things without thinking and our spouses 80 to 90 percent right.

Jesus Gonzales, J&M Electrical A lot of fishing and hunting shows. I watch a lot of Mountain Men and Swamp People. I find it very fascinating how these individuals survive on Mountain Men without all the luxuries of today. Hunting s

alligators and Burmese pythons, like they do in Swamp People, is something I think I would really enjoy doing. As a kid, my brother and I used to catch water snakes in the bayous in Houston.

Stan Rothman, Texas First Rentals I watch a lot of series. My favorite series is a Spanish series, but I also watch a lot of Forensic Files and Criminal Minds. It’s interesting to me how people’s minds work.

Lizette Mena, Mena Stone Surfaces The Walking Dead. We’ve been watching it since the beginning. There is a real cool story behind it. We are in our ending the eighth season getting ready to go into the ninth.

Rick Stone, Allegiance Floors/K-Stone The First 48 Hours. It just amazes me that people think they can get away with their crimes and the lives they destroy, including their own.

Roland Garza, Roland Garza Painting Old westerns are my go to shows.

Bill Eaves, Lynwood Building Materials I like to watch Texas Aggie football games. I also like watching Fox News. I really find Tucker Carlson to be worth the time. My wife and I have service series that we enjoy on Netflix and Amazon Prime as well.

Chuck Gregory, Terracon Consultants Inc. My wife and I are really into treasure hunting shows. We watch a lot of Discovery and History Channels on all the different types of treasure hunting. We are also into all the CSI type of shows because it is kind of like a treasure hunt, but in a different way if you think about it trying to figure out who did what.

Mark Navarro, Fisher Heck Architecture

Submitted to Construction News

Round-Up

Sharp Glass proudly welcomes Lauren Knuffke to the Sharp family and the promotion of Jose Alejandro.

L

Mena Stone Surfaces team members Top L-R: Juan Mena, Lizette Mean, Marie Elena Mena, Jessica Mena.

izette Mena was a co-owner of a stone countertop business in Chicago before moving to San Antonio.

After moving, Lizzette partnered with her brother, Juan Mena, who had worked for his sister in Chicago to start Mena Stone Surfaces. “Juan had been working in the stone countertop industry since he was 15. He knows all the ins and outs,” says Mena. “Mena Stone was started two years ago in 2019, but we have been in the stone business since 2003.”

Starting a new company just before the onset of a world-wide pandemic, Mena was not sure what to expect. Surprisingly, she says they have had received a lot of support.

Mena had gone to school for interior design before going into business with her ex-husband, whose family had been in the stone business for 35 years in Chicago. “Learning the business was hard because it is a specialty craftsman trade.

It’s not like drywall work where you tape and float. It takes years of learning and you keep learning because new techniques develop. There are new stones with new techniques for polishing and installing,” Mena adds.

Mena Stone Surfaces buys from

wholesalers. They fabricate and install their products. “We do floors, back splashes and countertops. We can do complete kitchen and bath remodels.

Our specialty is countertops. We recently started doing whole remodels because many of our clients have started asking us to basically, change the layout of their kitchen or bath. Having said that, we do subcontract the plumbing work, electrical work, tape and float, etc. Here, we do countertops and pre-order ready to assemble cabinetry.”

Mena Stone Surfaces performs both residential and commercial work. About 80 percent of their work is residential and 20 percent commercial.

A small, young and family-owned company takes a tremendous amount of pride in their work. “A lot of our business is word of mouth, so we make sure our customers are happy and have a good experience. We do background checks on all of our employees, so we know we have good people going into their homes. We treat your home like we treat our homes.”

Mena Stone Surfaces fabricates and installs stone surfaces in San Antonio area.

-cmw

Lauren Knuffke has joined the Sharp Glass team as Business Development Manager.

With her skills and knowledge in the financial advising sector, hospitality, franchise sector and most recently, the large commercial sector, she will lead marketing and sales efforts the company, driving new client relationships and business growth while promoting the company to a wider audience. -cmw

Jose Alejandro has been promoted to Superintendent. In his new role, Alejandro will oversee the layout and planning for current and upcoming projects and manage jobsite teams while ensuring the quality and safety of each installation project. Skilled as an iron worker, Alejandro honed his skills in the glazing and fabrication industry with Arrowall Co. before joining Sharp Glass. -cmw

Steven Bankler CPA Ltd. is pleased to introduce Laura Lieck, CPA. Lieck provides accounting and tax planning for closely held and family-owned businesses. Prior to joining the Bankler team, her experience includes nearly 10 years in public accounting and two years in the private industry sector. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting from the University of Texas and her Master of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Texas at Dallas. -cmw

Round-Up Submissions

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

Submit Info & Photo: SAeditor@ConstructionNews.net (210) 308-5800

Page 20

San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

Popping in

JOB SIGHTS

Residential crew members for Beldon Roofing Company are hard at work at a residence in Alamo Heights. L-R: Fermine Garcia and Elifonso Martinez install hot asphalt and granulated cap sheet. -cmw

After doing an interview in the area, Construction News popped in on KCM Cabinets Inc. to say hello. Visiting with CN was L-R: Jack Magee and Brad Moore. -cmw

Making sure everything is precise, Guido Construction team members L-R: Bill Farrell, Jack Gibbs and Jacob Baxter discuss details at the Alamo Colleges St. Philip’s Welding + Autobody Collision Center jobsite. -cmw

Kickin’ Asphalt Paving & Seal Coating team members, L-R: Tim Butterworth, Jr.; Tim Butterworth, Sr. and Marshall Ivey, take a moment to pose for CN after finishing up a project in Saint Hedwig, TX. -cmw

JC Stoddard Construction shared this photo of JC Stoddard team members at work at the Cathedral of San Agustin project in Laredo, TX. -cmw

San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

Page 21

Verifying a strong leadership

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Growth amidst COVID-19

Rob Crow assumes new role.

ast year, Alpha Building Corp. celebrated 50 years in business. Since then, Alpha Building Corp. has continued its legacy set forth from founder Gordon Kovich of being a premier contractor in South Texas with a strong leadership base.

In January, the leadership of Alpha Building Corporation excitedly announced a leadership change. Long-time team member, Rob Crow assumed the role of Executive Vice President for the company, a promotion from his previous role as Vice President of Business Operations. Over the past few years, Rob has been taken on increasing responsibilities for various operation and support functions. In this role, Rob will focus on process improvement across Alpha to increase companywide synergy and growth.

Crow graduated from the Virginia Military Institute with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1988.

Upon graduation, he was commissioned in the United States Air Force, where he served as a C-130 flight examiner navigator, then as a flight instructor at the Undergraduate Navigator Training school.

After ten years of honorable service, he

transitioned into civilian life and joined Johnson Controls, where he held various operations and sales roles during his seven-year tenure there.

Crow joined the Alpha team in 2006 as project manager on Northside ISD’s job order contract (JOC) in San Antonio.

When Alpha was awarded the City of San Antonio’s first JOC the following year, he managed that contract until 2010, when he was promoted to Area Manager. In 2012, he transitioned to the corporate team in the Business Development Manager’s role, followed by Vice President of Business Development in 2015. He had served in his previous role as Vice President of Business Operations since 2018.

An active member of the construction industry, Crow serves as Vice-Chair for the Associated Builders and Contractors South Texas Chapter. He is involved with the Center for Job Order Contracting Excellence (CJE) and several other industry trade associations. His diverse professional experience lends a unique perspective in driving Alpha forward in today’s everchanging business environment.

Alpha Building Corp is a general contractor headquartered in San Antonio. -cmw

Industry FOLKS Mark Patiño

Commercial Service Account

Shafer Services San Antonio, TX

W

hen Mark Patiñno was a little boy growing up in San Antonio, the San Antonio Airport was in rural San Antonio.

“I was very fortunate to have had the childhood I had. Both my parents worked full time. My Dad, Max Patiño, was a furniture salesman for more than 50 years largely at Karotkin’s (McCreless) and Stower’s behind “the mall” (North Star Mall).

My Mom, Pauline Patiño, retired after 47 years of civil service having risen from a 16-year-old supply clerk during WWII at Kelly Field to a “Public Affairs Specialist” with a job she loved as the liaison to Civilian Aides. I’m the youngest of three and I had a childhood filled with the love of a close family with many cousins, and friends from the children of my parent’s compadres.”

Patiño, who didn’t complete a traditional degree studied diligently and successfully obtained several licenses and certifications necessary to work in the highly regulated investment and financial industry. He spent 20 years in the financial industry both with investment firms and banks. After the punishing years of the financial/housing crisis, he found his way into the world of HVAC when his brother-in-law, Vince, invited him to join Vince’s newly formed company, Veselka Environmental. In 2014 he was introduced to Jimmy Shafer and found a home with Shafer Services a residential HVAC company. This business model of client-focused superior service was a great fit for Patiño

“In 2017, after 50 years, Shafer Services Plus reincorporated commercial HVAC into their scope of work. After a brief 18-month sabbatical from Shafer while I supported a high school friend

in his business, I returned to the rejuvenated Shafer Services Plus in early 2018 to help build the commercial department. We’ve been fortunate with that successful initiative. From a fledgling endeavor in 2017 dealing with mostly five to 20-ton split systems and package units (light commercial) to where we’ve evolved to the ability to support much bigger equipment: chillers, boilers, cooling towers…”

Patiño loves the ability to assist their clients in navigating an industry that is fraught with complex decisions directly impacting their employees, customers and profitability.

“Pat Easley with IDS American Express Financial Advisors taught me that we have a duty and responsibility to guide our clients, prioritize their interests and only recommend courses of action that keep those interests our primary consideration. My father, a “people first” man, taught me to always engage with people in a way that makes a positive difference in their lives. Treat people exactly how you wish to be treated. Make every effort to commit to those things you are capable of executing and then make every effort to execute them flawlessly. My brother’s lesson was simple; when you’re done, the work should be perfect and look like you were never there.

“When it’s all said and done, when people remember, I hope they remember me as a good guy. “ -cmw

C

L-R: Core Vice President Art Salinas, Jana Clarke and Don Watson

ORE Electrical Group started 2020 with a vision and strategy for growth.

That became more of a challenge than anticipated as the impact of the pandemic created a unique set of obstacles.

With families being affected by school closures, and a growing number of cases in March, CORE made the decision to have office personnel work from home. “We had to immediately be prepared to mobilize and work remotely while still being available and accessible for our partners and employees,” said Jana Clarke, Treasurer. “We started rotating schedules to have someone be here to check mail, receive deliveries, and so forth. The show must go on!”

CORE continued to work both in the field and in support of field operations as the construction industry was deemed essential. Work remained steady and CORE worked hard to secure more projects during this time. It was important to Don Watson, CORE’s president, that he sustain and provide jobs in a time of economic crisis and uncertainty. “We were very fortunate that we had everything in place to handle something like this,” Watson stated. “Work started quicker for us due largely in part to schools being closed to students. It allowed us to work safely in those spaces with no one else occupying the building.”

During the early months of COVID-19 (February–July) CORE hired 11 employees, a total of 26 from Jan. 1, 2020 to current date. They also borrowed tradesmen from our IEC (Independent Electrical Contractors) cohorts to help bridge the gap between projects by providing job opportunities to prevent layoffs. Watson also found solace in observing how quickly his clients/ general contractors were able to implement safety protocols and preventive mea-

sures. He said, “We all worked together – our clients, our CORE family and our suppliers who faced and continue to face manufacturing constraints.” CORE was vigilant in their procurement and distribution of all necessary PPE items to their staff and kept a constant stream of communication with field employees to relay the importance of wearing their masks, keeping a six-foot distance, and self-checking daily for symptoms of COVID-19 19. It was also crucial to them that they remain flexible with staff, particularly for those whose families were directly impacted by the pandemic.

Though the challenges of COVID have yet to cease, CORE is confident in both theirs and the industry’s ability to mitigate them with a proactive approach. “From an operational standpoint, I was and continue to be impressed with how quickly we, as well as our trade partners, were able to adapt to the ever-changing challenges brought forth by COVID-19. We are all working together to maintain momentum and keep the industry moving forward,“ adds CORE Vice President Art Salinas.

The change of pace and environment ultimately provided an opportunity of expansion for CORE’s office in New Braunfels.

Clarke states “We realized the office environment was too small for us to socially distance appropriately, so we began plans of expanding. It was something we had planned on doing for some time but given the pandemic, this helped to propel that.”

CORE continues to welcome growth while balancing and adapting to the “new normal” with the support of their peers, partners and their CORE family.

CORE Electrical Group is a full-service electrical contractor located in New Braunfels, TX. -cmw

Page 22

San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

F

or the past six years, Lewis Fisher and Jim Heck, the founders of Fisher Heck Architects, have been planning for their retirement. For over 36 years, the architectural icons have graced San Antonio projects through their historical preservation creativity as seen in the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts to religious structures like Concordia Lutheran Church to educational facilities such as Salado Outdoor Classroom Pavilion and multiple projects at UTSA, and so much more.

As Fisher and Heck have officially retired, the founders have passed the reins to Mark Navarro, president; Marc Johnson, vice president and David Hannan, vice president. The three were named principals in 2015 with their new appointments in 2017.

Navarro who has been with the firm for nine years has led the religious architecture side of the firm. Johnson has been with Fisher Heck Architecture for 13 years. He oversees the higher education market. Hannan leads the firm’s historical preservation sector of the firm. He has been with the Fisher Heck family for 11 years.

“We are all equal partners,” says Navarro. “We value each other’s different

New leaders take reins

Fisher Heck Architecture leadership L-R: Mark Navarro, Marc Johnson and David Hannan.

viewpoints and talk through things to make the right decision for the firm. I think that is what makes us great as a group and will help the firm to succeed.”

Agreeing, Johnson added “We want to continue to provide the quality of services and the quality of architecture that Lewis Fisher and Jim Heck set forth.”

Having started the transition several years ago, the new leadership has been preparing by streamlining procedures, updating the firm’s technology, renovating offices and revamping the firm’s website and marketing materials. “We are continuing to fine tune to make us, as a

firm, as strong, relevant and appealing as possible,” adds Hannan.

As Fisher and Heck begin their new life of leisure, the new leadership fully expect to keep things “business as usual” with same attention to detail, customer relations and services as before. “The quality of services should not change.

The expertise should not change. But we would like to increase some of our capabilities by implementing new technology to the work that we do within the office and for our clients through renderings, animations and the use of drones,” Navarro adds. “We are a smallish firm, and

Leadership of 2021

T

he Hispanic Contractors Association de San Antonio (HCA de SA) installed their 2021 Board of Directors at their January membership meeting on Jan. 20. L-R: Abraham Vazquez, HEB; Larry Mathis, Architectural Division 8; Justin Rodriguez, Installation Officiant & County Commissioner Pct 2; Rafael Llera, SHORM Safety Consulting; Steven Garza, Skanska; Fernando Herrera, Equipment Share; Christian Cortes, Bartlett Cocke; Tom Quintero, IBTX; Henry Villarreal, Turner Construction, (Board Treasurer);

Estela Garcia-Perez, Fairway Landscape and Nursery; Edward Pape, Vaquero Group, (Board Ex-Officio); Jose Trevino, CPS Energy; Chris Valot, Valot General Contractors; Daniel Salinas, Central Builders Inc,(Board President); Lisa Casarez, United Water Restoration, (Board Secretary); Mark Price, Alamo Colleges; Patricia Ramirez, A-Ram Plumbing; Fernando Keller, Pro Landscape Solu-tions, (Board Vice President); Victoria Rodriguez, HCA de SA Executive Director. -cmw

even though we are on the smaller end, we still offer a lot of the same types of services, quality and technology that the larger firms offer.”

With 2020 behind us, the firm was able to bounce back from a slow start to 2020. The firm has been able to continue to grow by adding to its talent base.

“From pandemic start to now,” says Navarro, “we have a 40 percent increase in staff.”

Growing the talented leadership of Fisher Heck Architecture is also looking to grow in other markets. With that said, they want to make sure that the markets they are known for are taken care of first.

As stated by Navarro, “Once we are sure that we have the staff to meet the quality that we are known for on those projects, we can start to expand.

Fisher Heck Architects is a familyoriented firm, eager to design their community as they grow. “As owner, we want our team members to enjoy their families. We have good project managers, good schedulers and a good overall team. We know they know how to do their work within their 40-hour week,” agrees the new leadership.

Fisher Heck Architects is a full-service architectural firm in San Antonio. -cmw

Cementing a footprint

A

CEMEX RMX Truck

s a part of the CEMEX’s growth initiative, the company expanded its Texas footprint with the acquisition of Beck Readymix Concrete Co. Ltd. This acquisition includes three strategically located ready-mix concrete plants and one portable plant servicing the San Antonio and surrounding areas.

“Texas is experiencing explosive growth, and CEMEX has repeatedly shown it is ready to make moves to help fuel it,” said CEMEX USA Texas Regional President Scott Ducoff. “By acquiring these facilities, CEMEX will be able to deliver the high-quality products that many Texans are already familiar with to satisfy the high demand of customers in one of the state’s most dynamic markets. We welcome our new employees and look forward to a smooth transition for them.”

The Beck Readymix operations sit roughly 25 miles from CEMEX’s Balcones Cement Plant and Balcones Quarry in New Braunfels, TX, both of which have been owned and operated by CEMEX since 1994. The Balcones Quarry, the largest aggregates quarry in the United States by volume per the U.S. Geological Survey, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary.

“CEMEX is proactively looking for opportunities to grow our operations and adapting to meet the needs of our customers,” said CEMEX USA President Jaime Muguiro. “We are excited that this acquisition will expand our product offering to customers in a market that’s been our neighbor for more than 25 years.”

The last major expansion of CEMEX’s Texas footprint was in 2018 when CEMEX acquired its Chico Quarry which supplies the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The Beck Readymix acquisition allows for CEMEX products to be available to customers in San Antonio, Houston and Dallas/ Fort Worth, the state’s three largest metropolitan areas along with the Rio Grande Valley.

CEMEX is a global materials company.

-cmw

San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021

Page 23

10 Years Ago

March 2011

All photos taken and content assembled in February 2011 for March 2011 Issue

10 YEARS AGO (Feb 4, 2011) Snow in SA Bruce Johnston, SA Quality Fence Ltd., enjoys a snow sled ride in his driveway in Bulverde.

Alan Petlin (Gourmet Floors) and Peggy Arnold (interior designer) partnered their talents and launched Footprint Commercial Flooring. –dn

2011 San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo Barbeque Cookoff

Spawglass Leadership Transition Fred Raley (left) , chairman and chief executive officer of the commercial contracting firm, has named Joel Stone as the next CEO, effective Dec. 31, 2011.

L-R: Russell Prevost and Donnie Kincaid, Koetter Fire Protection of San Antonio LLC, stand before Kincaid’s prized jackalope. Neither would give up the details on how the beast was brought down. –dn

Jason W. Barrett, project manager at FSG Electric, and his 3-year-old son, Case, show off the deer they harvested in Atascosa County Dec. 9, 2010. The deer scored 154 4/8” at the Los Cazadores deer contest in Pearsall, TX. –dn

Besides supporting a combination team for the cook-off, these ladies were the epitome of barbeque chic at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo Bar-B-Que Cook-off.

L-R: Adrian Lindsey and Christy Rhone, Raba-Kistner Consultants; Rachel Brehm, Cleary Zimmermann Engineers; Abby Deras and Maggie Seay, Cude Engineers; and Melodye Tomsu, Cleary Zimmermann Engineers. –dn

Alterman Electric BBQ Cook-Off Team at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo

David Wonder, P.E., President Persyn Engineering

The beginning of a Luau!

Shawn O'Haver, president, O'Haver Plumbing, Ltd. shows off his recent feral hog kill. The beast weighed in at 175 lbs of meat! –dn

Curtis Rodriguez and Irma Iris Duran, Cabinets Plus Ltd, welcome Councilman David Medina (center) during the company’s open house Feb. 8 celebrating the expansion of their showroom at the Union Stockyards. –dn

Jesus Cazares, Longhorn Construction, is working hard at the jobsite located at 6526 Bandera Road. Pecco Construction is the general contractor for the project. –dn

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San Antonio Construction News • MAR 2021