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CONSTRUCTION NEWS The Industry’s Newspaper
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www.constructionnews.net H (210) 308-5800 H Volume 24 H Number 4 H APRIL 2021
Celebrating 75
60 years, cooling transition
L-R: Mike and Brad Beldon, 2nd and 3rd generation owners of Beldon Roofing Company
Arnold Refrigeration owners L-R: Dean Lindstrom, Lee Livingston, Sheri Kitchen and Guy Kitchen. Ron Malek not pictured.
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hile on General Patton’s staff, Morry Beldon came to San Antonio twice. During those trips to San Antonio, Beldon fell in love with the Alamo City and eventually moved his family to San Antonio. Not knowing anyone in San Antonio, Beldon asked around, looking for work when he met AA Shepherd. Shepherd told Beldon that San Antonio needed a good roofer and started a roofing business, AAA Roofing. That was 1946. In 1955, the company renamed as Beldon Roofing & Supply Co., steadily growing, making its mark on San Antonio. In 1960, Beldon’s son, Mike Beldon, joined the company, taking an active role in the continued growth of the company. As the company continues making its foot-
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hirty years ago, three brothers set out to make a difference in not just the lives of their families but in the lives of San Antonians alike. In 1988, Jeff Beyer, who had once worked for RC Mechanical, was asked if he might be interested in purchasing RC Mechanical. It was a decision that took little consideration, and in 1990, the company was incorporated as Beyer Mechanical. Upon starting Beyer Mechanical, Jeff’s brother, Perry, was starting his own plumbing company, working out of his garage. “We were all working for different companies. I was in Houston, Perry and Jeff were living in San Antonio,” said Pat. With the purchase of RC Mechanical, The Beyer boys moved into the RC facilities, with Perry moving his operation as well. Jeff handled all commercial new construction on the air conditioning side. At the time of the purchase, Beyer Mechanical was doing 99 percent commercial new construction. Pat came in and
print, tragedy hits the company. Beldon Roofing & Supply burns to the ground on a Friday night in Feb. 1963. Fortunately, Guido Construction had just moved out of their building into their new facilities. Beldon Roofing & Supply was up and running by Monday morning, operating out of the old Guido Construction office building. By 1968, the Beldons moved into their current location. In the mid ‘70s, Beldon adds a remodeling division to the ever growing company. The company, still growing and changing with the times, rebrands the company name to Beldon Roofing Company in 1994. Two years later in 1996, the innovative company began their LeafGurad® Division and shuts down the remodeling division in 1997. continued on Page 18
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n 1961, Joe Arnold and his wife, Virginia, started Arnold Refrigeration as a small air conditioning and refrigeration service contractor. With less than ten employees, the small company eventually picked up a distributorship with Friedrich Refrigeration, transforming the company into a new level of cooling and refrigeration. Five short years later, in 1966, Lee Livingston joined the company as the company began expanding into the supermarket side of the business. Ten years later, Ron Malek joined the Arnold Refrigeration family. That year, Livingston and Malek purchased Arnold Refrigeration. Sheri Kitchen, a receptionist for Joe and Virginia Arnold, worked summers for the company. In 1981, she came onboard full-time. Her husband, Guy Kitchen,
joined the company in 1987. “When Guy joined the company, he and Ron thought we should get involved in the industrial market and we started working with the insulated metal panels, doing cold storage warehouses. Ron had the vision and because of Guy’s construction background, Guy had the knowhow. They headed that up and it took off. For the longest time we were doing supermarkets, convenient stores and cold storage,” says Kitchen. In 2018, Sheri and Guy also became part owners of Arnold Refrigeration. Dean Lindstrom joined the Arnold family as part owner in 2020. Today, Arnold Refrigeration is owned by five partners – Lee Livingston, Ron Malek, Sheri Kitchen, continued on Page 18
A Beyer future awaits
Beyer Mechanical ribbon cutting Mar. 15. One of three cuttings for Beyer Mechanical, Beyer Heating & Air Conditioning, and Beyer Plumbing Co.
focused on growing the service side of the business. Perry, of course, was focused on plumbing. With two companies under one roof, the three brothers, all having their area of expertise, began working on growing the two companies. “We did that for 30 years. When our kids started coming into the business, we decided to split Beyer Mechanical into two companies as part of our succession plan,” says Jeff. “My family, Jared, Jordan, and I run the commercial side of Beyer Mechanical. Pat, Jonathan, and David run the residential company, now Beyer Air Conditioning & Heating, and Perry’s family – Cindy, James, and Liz run the Beyer Plumbing Co.” They are known throughout San Antonio as “The Beyer Boys.” Growing in all three areas, commercial HVAC, residential HVAC, and plumbing, the companies had outgrown their 30-year home. The decision was made to move to a new continued on Page 16
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San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
No Z’s about it
Taking the next step
Team Z Electrica Inc. at the Bethesda Christian Institute project
L-R: Rick Burnight and Amy Jones
ince Fernando Rodriguez was a young man in Mexico, he had always had a passion for working on cars, but his high school did not offer auto mechanics. “I’m from a little town in Mexico and the only thing they offered was electrical mechanical engineering. It was my only choice unless I wanted to move out of town, so I chose electrical mechanical engineering.” After high school, Rodriguez took electrical engineering while attending college in Mexico before coming to the United States. Rodriguez initially called Dallas, TX home. There, he began working for an electrical contractor until the recession hit in 2006. As the work slowed down, Rodriguez and his wife decided to open a Mexican restaurant but the long hours kept him and his wife away from their young children. After a few years, he convinced his wife to sell the restaurant with the stipulation they would move to San Antonio. “For two years after moving to San Antonio, I went back and forth to Dallas. When I had had enough, I stayed here in San Antonio working for different electri-
cal contractors,” says Rodriguez. “When I got my Master License, I decided to start my company.” In September 2017, Rodriguez started Z Electrica Inc. naming his company after the first letter of his daughter’s name. “The first six months were rough,” he adds. “It was all estimating and no work. I spent a lot of paper, ink and time with no real work. Finally a guy contacted me through Blue Book. I signed up for Blue Book and started bidding work. That’s when I started getting calls and building relationships.” After one year, Rodriguez hired Mike Benke as Z Electrica’s Senior Estimator. Benke had a lot of experience in and around San Antonio with many great relationships. He was well known and well respected. “The calls from the Blue Book were from out of town contractors that would come to town for one job and then leave. You can’t build relationships like that. Now we have the opportunity to build relationship with local contractors.” As a commercial electrical contractor,
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ick Burnight began his career in architecture in 1977 as an architectural intern at a large national firm in South Dakota. Less than five years later he was named office director and tasked with establishing a new regional A/E office in Wyoming for the firm. In 1986 he relocated to Austin as part of the corporate transition team when the firm acquired O’Connell Robertson Grobe Inc. Just two years later, the national group decided to leave Texas and Burnight chose to stay and became one of four principals who reacquired O’Connell Robertson Grobe Inc., known today as O’Connell Robertson. Five years ago, Burnight provided a vision, strategy, and coaching for an executive leadership transition designed to support future growth, innovation and enhanced expertise at the firm, which celebrated 70 years in continuous business in 2020. The initial steps in the transition included distribution of leadership responsibilities with Amy Jones as President, the first woman to serve in that
role in the firm’s 70-year history, and Kim Cochran as Chief Operating Officer in 2016, while Burnight remained CEO. The next step occurred in 2018 when Burnight resigned his CEO role but continued to work full time at the firm as a principal, key client liaison and senior advisor to the leadership team. As Burnight transitions from his fulltime position at O’Connell Robertson to a principal-level consulting role, he will continue to work in 2021 on several key projects with existing clients and in other special areas. These include high profile and long-time healthcare and education projects, service on a national AIA committee, participation in identified pursuits and community engagement opportunities. As President/CEO, Jones will lead corporate strategy and vision, guide talent and people issues, and manage operational activities with the O’Connell Robertson’s senior leadership team. O’Connell Robertson is a full-service architecture firm in Houston, Austin and San Antonio. -cmw
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A century-long legacy
Photo caption correction in March 21 issue.
The G.W. Mitchell Construction Leadership L-R: Lane Mitchell, Bill Mitchell, Melvin Mitchell, Controller Leah Mitchell, Andy Mitchell, and Matt Mitchell
San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
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Thriving at 75
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Chili time about 400 in attendance.”
ssociated Builders & Contractors (ABC) South Texas Chapter had a record-breaking event Mar. 18. Forty-six cooking teams participated in the association’s Annual Chili Cook-off. Over 400 people throughout the industry filled the parking lot of Cowboys Dancehall to partake in the festivities. “The weather is perfect. We couldn’t be more excited to see so many coming out to participate,” says Chapter President Steven Schultz. “Chili entries haven’t been turned in yet and we already have
In addition to sampling some of best chili in town, attendees were eligible to win door prizes and participate in the silent auction and gun raffle. -cmw Chili Cook-off winners: 1st Place Team: Texas Disposal Systems Inc. 2nd Place Team: Ram Tool & Supply Company Inc. 3rd Place Team: Equipment Depot Best In Show: T & D Moravits and Company
In the company’s new podcast, Jack Lowe Jr. will reflect on TDIndustries’ years in the industry.
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hree quarters of a century ago, Jack Lowe Sr. founded Texas Distributors Inc.– now TDIndustries (TD) – as a small air-conditioning supplier in Dallas. By 1952, his business had evolved into an employee-owned firm and 20 years later, Jack Sr. began embracing the Servant Leadership philosophy espoused by Robert Greenleaf that the company is renowned for today. After Jack Sr.’s passing, his son Jack Lowe Jr. became CEO and was named Chairman of the Board in 1990. Its rebranding as TDIndustries came in 1983 along with a focus on mechanical construction and commercial service. While filled with many successes, the past 75 years have not been without hurdles. The company faced impending devastation when the 1980s banking crisis shut down five of Texas’ six largest mechanical contractors. TD Partners invested $1.25 million of their personal
retirement funds, restructured the business and consolidated operations to steer the company clear of the iceberg. The pandemic also caused the company to pull more focus on the safety and health of its employees and customers. Next on the list for TDIndustries was the offering of facility management services in 1998 and a new CEO, Harold MacDowell, in 2004 to guide the company into the future. Along the way, the full-service mechanical company built offices in Austin, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Tucson, Phoenix and Denver. To celebrate 75 years of history, success, service, and hard work in the construction industry, TDIndustries has themed months planned for each office to participate in, as well as a podcast featuring the wisdom of Jack Jr. Given the 75 years of backstory, there should be much on which he can reflect. –mjm
Texas Disposal Systems Inc.
T & D Moravits and Company
TDIndustries (established as Texas Distributors Inc. in 1946, pictured) celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.
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San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
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Can’t keep these youngsters down
espite all the complications due to COVID 19, the 5th Annual Ag Mechanics Marketplace Auction was a big success. Held on Sunday, February 28 as the finale to the Ag Mechanics Show at the San Antonio Livestock Show, and Rodeo, attendees were excited to support the youth from FFA and 4H chapters from all across the State of Texas. A lively group of bidders made the auction an interesting place to be. The live auction brought in $140,450.00 and the silent auction added another $17,924.00 for a combined total of $158,374.00 “Considering all the factors and everything going on we were a little bit worried coming in, but all in all, everything worked out really great this year,” said Ruben Martinez Co-Chair of the event. “We were happy to see a lot of buyers from previous years and the new buyers as well. “The construction industry has a huge impact and helped us out tremendously for the sale this year. We had a record year for the 5th consecutive year, so it just keeps getting better. “Letting other bidders add on to the winning bid really took off this year. We are also trying to get more ideas how we can get more add-ons through the silent auction as well.” Travis Cody, the other Co-Chair for the event, said some changes to the silent auction this year also helped
make the process run smooth. “We adopted a new online format for the silent auction this year. We had a great deal of participation and it raised more money that it had in the past with fewer projects. We hope we will be able to improve more things in the future to make it an even better experience.” When asked about the increasing number of young ladies involved with ag mechanics, he explained this is a growing trend. “We have always had a great deal of participation from females in ag mechanics and I think that is reflective in our skilled trades as well and in the construction industry. We have heard from some of the ag teachers that they bring a different point of view to the table with detail and instructions and, with that, you get a nice end product in most cases. It’s just a good thing to have more participation across the board.” “We want to thank Urban Concrete Contractors for again being our title sponsor, Joeris General Contractors for their sponsorships and others from the construction industry who helped,” stated Martinez. “We had a great turnout and we are looking for many more years of continued success.” Ruben Martinez and Travis Cody are both with Joeris General Contractors. -bd
Buyers ready for action
Grand Champion team from Shallowater FFA, buyer Ronnie Urbanczyk
Reserve Champion from Marble Falls FFA, buyer Ronnie Urbanczyk.
Grand Champion Project
Reserve Champion Project
San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
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Desire to succeed
Joey Suarez, owner A&A Plumbing
n spring break when Joey Suarez was in high school, he and a friend decided to go to work for his friend’s uncle who owned a plumbing company and found his calling. Not long after, he dropped out of high school and began concentrating on the plumbing trade he had begun to enjoy and respect. After six years in the trade, Suarez obtained his license and continued working. In 2007, after 10 years working in the plumbing trade, Suarez was ready to venture out on his own. He started A&A Plumbing in November that year. “I’ve always had an entrepreneur mind set, always wanting to find ways to generate extra money,” says Suarez. “I had family and friends that wanted me to do little jobs for them on the side. I got my Master License so I could do work on the side. I guess I’m a bit of a risk taker. I decided one day to tell my wife I’d rather try and fail than say I never tried. I told her I was going to go out on my own. And I did” Finding work was no problem. He had established many great relationships over
the years. But Suarez admits the business aspect of getting his company up and running was a bit difficult. “First, I didn’t graduate high school. Second, when you are an employee working for someone, they don’t teach the business side of running a company.” But that didn’t stop Suarez. His wife, who had a finance job, did the books for him in the evenings. He started reading a lot of books and looking throughout the industry where he could get the knowledge he needed. Over time, he obtained the help of business coaches who helped him really understand business and how to run a successful business. “I’ve been in the plumbing industry for 24 years. I’ve owned my company for 14. I started out as a one-man operation. We now have about 22 employees. We had our ups and downs. We did a lot of commercial construction work in the beginning. Around 2014/2015, we restructured and got out of new construction work and began focusing on residential service. We have been a strictly residential service since 2015.”
Suarez participated in the AGC Mentor Protégé program and were even awarded subcontractor of the year while going through that program. “AGC program helped us learn construction business better. They actually provided a couple of mentors that actually helped us make the decision to transition into service,” adds Suarez. “We are a family-owned business. If I can do this, anybody can. A lot of people think you have to go to college and have a degree to run a successful business. Maybe I’m an exception to the rule, but you really don’t have to. You just have to have the drive to succeed. You have to go and search out the knowledge to be able to do it. You can’t expect it to just come to you. The knowledge is out there through several organizations. You just have to go after it and find it. It’s all there for you. There really isn’t any need to recreate the wheel in starting a
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business and getting it up and running if you find the right mentors and coaches to help you do it.” A&A Plumbing currently has a 20-30mile service area from their location in Schertz, TX. As the company grows, they continue to expand their service area. “We are mainly on the northeast side of town. That is the majority of our business,” states Suarez. “We used to service all of SA when we first started service, but it was kind of hard when you only have three or four trucks. We shrank our service area down so we could better serve our clients. As we grow, so will our service area. Right now, it just so happens that the northeast side (Schertz, Cibolo, Converse, Universal City and northeast San Antonio) is pretty much our service area.” A&A Plumbing is a residential plumbing service contractor located in Schertz, TX. -cmw
Virtual legislative address
With the 87th Texas Legislative Session underway, our Texas Capitol will most likely not have the foot traffic of concerned Texans as it has seen during past sessions. The American Subcontractors Association (ASA) members met with Senator Bryan Hughes via Zoom to discuss issues of concern. -cmw
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San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
ACCOUNTING Tax Policy Outlook for the New Administration Christian Wood, Principal RSM US LLP San Antonio, TX
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resident Joe Biden’s tax plan gained new life on Jan. 5, when Democrats swept the two Senate runoffs in Georgia. The victories positioned the Democratic Party to control the White House and Congress beginning Jan. 20, albeit by narrow majorities in both chambers. With unified Democratic control, the Biden administration can pursue its agenda President Joe Biden’s tax plan gained new life on Jan. 5, when Democrats swept the two Senate runoffs in Georgia. The victories positioned the Democratic Party to control the White House and Congress beginning Jan. 20, albeit by narrow majorities in both chambers. With unified Democratic control, the Biden administration can pursue its agenda and ambitious spending plan on a clearer path than it would have if Republicans had maintained a Senate majority. That increases the likelihood of tax changes, although the extent, nature and timing of them remain uncertain due to continuing public health and economic crises as well as moderates’ influence in a Senate that is split 5050. (Vice President Kamala Harris is positioned to cast a tiebreaking vote.) Despite lingering uncertainty at the onset of Biden’s term, his tax plan warrants in-depth consideration now that his party is positioned to control the legislative agenda and support it with Congressional majorities. Key areas and highlights of Biden’s tax plan from his campaign and administration have expressed include the following: Increase corporate tax rates Biden proposes to increase the corporate income tax rate from 21%, as enacted through the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), to 28%. He stated in a September TV interview: “I’d make the changes on the corporate taxes on day one.” However, his transition team has since downplayed that as a priority. Biden’s proposal also includes a 15% minimum tax on corporations with global book income of $100 million or more. In essence, this would reinstate AMT repealed with the passage of TCJA for those qualifying businesses. Under the proposal, corporations may claim deductions for net operating loss carryforwards and foreign taxes paid. When determining corporate tax liability, corporations would pay the greater of their regular corporate income tax liability or the 15% minimum tax. Section 199A deduction TCJA introduced the section 199A deduction, which is a below-the-line deduction available to owners of sole proprietorships, partnerships, S corporations, and some trusts and estates engaged in qualified trades or businesses. Under the current guidance, the deduction is limited to the lesser of 20% of qualified business income plus 20% of the combined real estate investment trust dividends and qualified publicly traded partnership income, or 20% of the taxpayer’s taxable income minus net capital gains. While the section 199A deduction is set to expire at the end of 2025, the Biden proposal would maintain the current deduction for those making under $400,000 per year and phase out the deduction completely for those making $400,000 or more. That is on top of Biden’s proposed tax plan to restore the top marginal tax rate for non-corporate taxpayers to the pre-TCJA rate of 39.6%. Tax proposals affecting individuals’ returns for flow-through entity consideration Under Biden’s proposal, the top individual income tax rate of 39.6% would be restored. The current top individual income tax rate is 37%. The Biden proposal would also tax capital gains as ordinary income for taxpayers with over $1 million in income. The Biden proposal increases social security taxes by imposing social security taxes on earnings over $400,000. Currently, social security taxes of 12.4% are imposed on wages or self-employment income up to $137,700 for 2020 (this is indexed for inflation). The proposal would
create a donut where the social security tax would stop on income over the normal threshold (i.e., $137,700 for 2020) and then apply to amounts above $400,000. This increased tax would apply only to the employee at a rate of 12.4%. The Biden proposal would reintroduce the Pease limitation on income that exceeds $400,000. That limitation reduces itemized deductions by 3% for every dollar that income exceeds $400,000. In addition, the plan could cap the benefit of itemized deductions to a tax benefit of no more than 28%. So if a taxpayer was in the 39.6% bracket, a dollar deducted would reduce taxes owed only by 28% instead of 39.6%. In 2019, Biden indicated that he would eliminate the $10,000 cap on the deduction for state and local tax. This item has not been officially included in his proposals. Biden’s proposal could affect the taxfree transfer of property on death in two ways. Under current law, the first $11.58 million of an estate is not taxed, and estate beneficiaries or heirs receive the property with a basis equal to the fair market value of the property. That means an estate’s beneficiary could immediately sell the property with appreciation never being taxed. Biden’s proposal could reduce the estate tax exemption to $3.5 million, the exemption that was in effect in 2009. He has further suggested that he would consider eliminating the so-called “step-up in basis” or tax unrealized gains. These potential changes could lead to a substantial increase in taxes on estate beneficiaries, complicating business transfers on death. Under section 1031, taxpayers may exchange real property held for productive use in a trade or business or for investment for real property of like kind to be held for productive use in a trade or business or for investment without recognition of gain or loss. The TCJA amended section 1031 to exclude exchanges of personal or intangible property from like-kind treatment. Biden’s proposal allows for taxpayers with income under $400,000 to make a tax-free exchange of real property held for productive use in a trade or business or for investment for property of like kind. However, taxpayers with income greater than $400,000 must recognize in taxable income the capital gains from the sales of real property. Global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI) Companies headquartered in the United States currently pay a 10.5% minimum tax on the unrepatriated low-tax
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INSURANCE The EXCEPTION to the rule; CG 2294 Exclusion and the General Contractor Douglas Lynch, Senior Vice President Brookstone Insurance Group Addispm, TX
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o you remember when you were young and just learning to spell? There were so many rules and then “exceptions to the rules such as: I before e, except after c or when sounded as ‘a’ as in ‘neighbor’ and ‘weigh’ unless the ‘c’ is part of a ‘she’ sound as in ‘glacier’ Or it appears in comparatives and superlatives like ‘fancier’ …. Likewise, insurance for contractors also has exceptions to the rule. I will begin a series of three articles based on my pick of the three most harmful and misunderstood exclusions of the CGL OF WHICH business owners may not be aware. Based on 35 years in the industry, the first exclusion introduced is the most detrimental commonly used exclusion in the overall builder industry. It is CG 2294....... let us see why... CG 2294 holds the number one position. Actual endorsement below: THIS ENDORSEMENT CHANGES THE POLICY. PLEASE READ IT. EXCLUSION - DAMAGE TO WORK PERFORMED BY SUBCONTRACTORS ON YOUR BEHALF This endorsement modifies insurance provided under the following: COMMERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY COVERAGE PART Exclusion I. of Section I - Coverage A - Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability is replaced by the following: Exclusions: This insurance does not apply to: Damage To Your Work. “Property damage” to “your work” arising out of it or any part of it and included in the “products-completed operations hazard.” CG 2294 Exclusion Damage to Work “Excludes Property damage for Work Performed by Subcontractors on Your Behalf in the Completed Operations Exposure.” This exclusion was introduced by ISO (Insurance Services Office) as the 10/01 version of the CGL Policy. It is now widely by insurers of contractors, especially home builders. This endorsement removes nearly all coverage for virtually any claim involving the damage to a General Contractor’s work (see attached wording) When an insured loss happens after the policy term, and the Occurrence form does allow this. If subcontracted, there is no coverage for the property damage. A claim after the policy refers to Completed Operations, and with the CG 2294 attached, there is no coverage. Please note that most home builders and general contractors sub out 100% of their business . . . and . . .there is NO coverage for their work that was sub-contracted! Think about that ……The CG 2294 endorsement takes away the completed operations, which is where many, if not most, claims fall. Here is something you may not know and is commonly referred to as the “Exception to the rule:” Exclusion I. Section 1, Coverage A. Damage to Your Work gives this coverage back to the GC. It states: this exclusion does not apply if the damaged work or work out of which damage arises was performed on your behalf by a sub-contractor.” • The CG 2294 goes back in and REMOVES the “exception to the rule,” which is WHERE 100% of GCs gain coverage for their work. Builders and GCs sub-contract 100% of their jobs. Given that, this exclusion renders the policy coverage deficient at best and should be avoided 100% of the time.
Example 1: Let’s assume six months after completion, water leaks in the home and all the damaging wood drywall, paint, and wood floors. Upon closer inspection, the cause was a Trim carpenter’s nail that had hit a pipe and wiggled loose. This resulted in significant water damage on the house’s wood floors. Can you see my point? Precisely . . . it IS excluded in full because the work was subcontracted, and the policy has the CG 2294. So, the “Exception to the rule” and where a GC obtains coverage under the CGL is reversed, rendering coverage null and void. You can use this scenario with almost any example of property damage, and the outcome of claims denial is commonplace. Example 2: A home burns down two years after completion. The electrical inspector infers that the electrical malfunction is the fault of the electrician. The homeowner policy pays the claim and subrogates (goes back against) The electrician. But wait, this gets even better – the electrician is no longer in business and GL policy was canceled. His policy was supposed to cover the GC by Additional Insured (another topic to discuss) and contractual liability for the Hold Harmless per their written agreement. The GC must now pay a claim of fire damage 100% – So, the GC is left holding the bag. No coverage due to...MY NUMBER ONE PICK FOR MOST HARMFUL EXCLUSION, namely the CG 2294, was in force. Is there a solution? Agents are supposed to abide by a code of conduct / ethical practices. Therefore, the agent should specify those exclusions at the forefront of their proposal and have the insured sign that they understand this exclusion will be on their policy and the agent has explained the ramifications in full. And that is done even if it voids the sale of a policy. Each policy needs to be presented to the insured, and the exclusions that substantially alter coverage should be made clear. Unfortunately, my experience on this is that it is NOT the norm in the industry as I review all my potential customers’ policies and routinely find CG 2294 in the policy. The customer seldom knows it unless they have a claim. Solution? AS AGENTS, let us all step up to the plate and give this industry the honestly and integrity they deserve. I review the current policy of all new potential customers and go through the exclusions in detail. This REVIEW is before any business being written. Then once I propose my plan, we go over the difference in the exclusions and talk about why I have them removed. I also do this same service for any that as with no obligation for business. Next month we will explore Harmful Exclusion #2: Subsidence Douglas Lynch, Senior Vice President, Austin Branch Office, Brookstone 512-626-0329 dlynch@brookstone-group.com www.brookstone-group.com www.doublaslynch.com
San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
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OSHA
LEGAL So, you think you have trapped the retainage funds, now what? Edgar Garcia E. Garcia Law, PLLC14400 San Antonio, TX
OSHA’s Fall Stand Down Week Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX
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ften, subcontractors who perform early in a construction project do not think about trapping construction funds for the payment of their contractual retainage because retainage is seldom paid until the end of the project as a whole, which may be many months away. However, as the end of the project approaches, subs begin to worry if their retainage will be paid. They begin to hear rumors about the souring relationship between the general contractor and the owner of the project. So, what should they do? Send a funds trapping notice letter to the owner in hopes of trapping those funds still in the owner’s possession? Because, after all, they are trust funds available to be paid to subcontractors only. The owner cannot keep the funds for themselves; nor can the general contractor, for that matter. But what if there aren’t enough funds to go around because the job is not yet finished and the owner and general contractor are fighting over the funds necessary to complete the job. Under those circumstances, who has first dibs on the retainage funds? Although it would only seem fair that the owner pay the subcontractors the contractual retainage held back from them by the general contractor, owners are reluctant to come out of pocket for the completion of the job and the contractual retainage if the 10% that the owner held back from the general contractor just isn’t enough to cover both.
waited longer than 30 days after the subcontractor finished their work to send their fund trapping notice letter to the owner. See section 53.057 of the Texas Property Code. But all is not lost. There are plenty of owners and their lawyers, who in recognition of the equity owed to the subcontractor who labored to complete their work in total, understand that the subcontractor’s likely profits are contained in the 10% retainage that was withheld from them by the general contractor and thus, payment of their retainage is what keeps them in business. Although there may also be other legal maneuvers available to the unpaid subcontractor (beyond the scope of this article), throwing itself at the mercy of the owner who received the benefit of their labor at a 10% discount, may reveal that the owner has a heart and some of the retainage left after paying all timely perfected liens. Moreover, any monies left over cannot be kept by the owner without violating the trust fund statute. Moral of the story
Send out your funds trapping notice letter for contractual retainage to the owner and general contractor immediately, but certainly no later than 30 days of the earlier of, completion of your portion of the work or the termination or abandonment of the general contractor’s contract. Then, record your lien not later than 30 days of the completion of the So, the owner or its lawyer will scruti- overall project. These are deadlines, not nize those fund trapping notice letters it dates. You can do either or both well bereceived from the various subcontractors fore the deadlines. trapping their share of the retainage Real moral of the story funds in the hands of the owner and compare the date of the notice letter to the Please, rely on your favorite lawyer to date the subcontractor completed its share of the work on the project. If it is get the funds trapping notice/lien perfection of contractual retainage right, and more than 30 days, watch out! not just on the simple straightforward in sights expressed in this article. For all your Perfecting the funds trapping lien hard work, the certitude of legal dead Soon, the lawyer for the owner will lines can be humbling as some of you send out a Dear John letter to the various may have experienced the hard way in subcontractors who believe they have the past. trapped the retainage funds still in the hands of the owner via their funds trap- Edgar Garcia has practiced as a conping notice letter and their recorded lien struction attorney in his own law firm for on the property in completing the pro- the past twenty years at E. Garcia Law, PLLC. He may be reached at his office at: cess. The owner’s lawyer will point out to 210) 308-6677 the subcontractor that their attempt to Edgar@egarcialaw.com perfect their lien is deficient due to having
SHA’s falls stand down week is May 3rd to 7th, 2021. OSHA is encouraging employers to train workers on fall hazards. Fall hazards exist whenever a worker can fall from one level to a lower level, such as off a scaffold or ladder, or falls off a structure. OSHA requires that falls of six feet or more be controlled in construction. Carrying out the training Short and direct Toolbox Talks can be a very efficient way to reach workers with health and safety information. Like all training, delivering the information effectively takes preparation and a desire to involve the workers in health and safety at the workplace. Employers may train workers to lead the training or have supervisors provide the training. Studies have shown peer-to-peer training is effective, participatory and well-retained. Follow these three steps to prepare and present a Toolbox Talk: 1. Read and become familiar with the next section, “How to use Toolbox Talks.” 2. Give one of the Toolbox Talks. 3. Get feedback from the other workers. Did they understand the material? Was it well presented? How could the training be more relevant to their work? Advice for trainers Safety meetings work best if the whole crew actively participates. This makes it more interesting and more likely that people will remember the information you’ve given them. Here are some ways to encourage everyone to get involved: Ask questions instead of simply giving them the information. After you ask a question, wait a short time to let people think. Then, call on volunteers to answer. Ask about personal experience. This can help the group see how the topic is
relevant to them. You could ask: Has anyone here fallen off a ladder? What happened? Make sure everyone has a chance to talk. If a crew member is talking too much, invite someone else to speak. Never make fun of anyone or put anyone down, especially for asking questions. Don’t fake it. If you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t guess. Write the question down and promise to get back to them. Stick to the topic. If the crew’s questions and comments move too far from the topic, tell them that their concerns can be addressed later, either privately or in a future safety meeting. OSHA has free tool box talks for fall hazards in English at https://www.osha. gov/Publications/OSHA3666.pdf and also in Spanish at https://www.osha.gov/ Publications/OSHA3727.pdf OSHA provides additional training resources at https://www.osha.gov/stopfalls/trainingresources.html The Center for Construction Research provides free training materials as well at https://stopconstructionfalls. com/online-ordering-form/. Both printed materials and downloadable training materials are available. natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232
Continued from Page 6– RSM US LLP Tax Polity Outlook for the New Administration profits earned by their foreign subsidiaries from intangible assets such as patents, trademarks, and copyrights. The TCJA introduced the GILTI tax in an attempt to discourage corporations from shifting intangible assets and related profits to low-tax jurisdictions. Biden’s proposal doubles the GILTI tax rate to 21% and applies it on a country-bycountry basis. Additional Biden proposals Much of Biden’s proposal focuses on moving the United States towards more reliance on renewable energy and away from fossil fuels, as well as encouraging investment in the United States. In order to achieve these objectives, Biden released limited details regarding the establishment or expansion of certain tax incentives including, but not limited to, the Manufacturing Communities Tax Credit, New Markets Tax Credit and Solar Investment Tax Credit. The Manufacturing Communities Tax Credit, originally proposed during the Obama administration, targets communities that have suffered economic disruption due to manufacturing plant closures or government office closures that provided the community with significant employment opportunities. The New Markets Tax Credit currently provides investors with a federal tax credit in exchange for investment in
low-income communities. The Solar Investment Tax Credit rewards businesses that invest in solar facility construction. Congress extended the credit in 2015; however, the deduction in 2019 was 30% and will be further reduced in 2020, 2021 and 2022, without additional action. In addition to the like-kind exchange limitations, Biden has also proposed to eliminate certain tax incentives for the real estate industry, including eliminating the passive loss rules for $25,000 of rental losses and accelerated depreciation on rental housing. Takeaways President Biden’s campaign promoted a $5.4 trillion spending plan over the next decade and a framework to generate $3.4 trillion in new tax revenue, according to an analysis by the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business Budget Model. It remains to be seen how successful the Biden administration will be in pursuing its agenda, but having the support of a Democratic-controlled Congress will certainly help. While numerous uncertainties shape the environment at the dawn of this new era in American policy, taxpayers should familiarize themselves with Biden’s plan, remain vigilant for developments and position themselves to act at the appropriate times.
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San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
working for the electrical contractor, I started working overtime and making some decent money. In New Braunfels at the time, if you had two years of experience, you could get a journeyman license. The owner of the company and myself had a little side bet that I couldn’t pass the journeyman test. I took the test and passed it. After passing the test, I got put on a scale job making really good money and decided I wasn’t going to go to college. Here I am 40 years later.
Gary Weddle President/Owner Masters Electrical Services Ltd. Seguin, TX
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young Gary Weddle had different career plans than that of his grandfather. He enjoyed the metals trades that he took in high school and set out to be a machinist. Unfortunately, or fortunately for the construction industry, he became an electrician. Tell me about you. Where were you born? Where did you grow up? I was born in Orlando, FL. When I was 10 years old, I moved to Seguin. During my sixth grade Christmas break, my grandparents brought me to live with them. I’ve been here since. What was it like growing up Seguin in comparison to growing up in Orlando? I really don’t remember Orlando to be quite honest with you. The only thing I remember about Orlando was that Disney World was being built during that time. It was nowhere near the size it is today. I loved growing up here. When my grandparents picked me up to move here, I honestly thought when we got to the Louisiana/Texas border we would stop and get on horseback to ride in the rest of the way. That’s how I envisioned Texas, just what I saw on TV. What did your grandparents do? My grandparents were in the military and went all over the world. They ended up at Kelly AFB in civil service when they bought a place here in Seguin and eventually moved here. After I came to live with them, they continued to work for another 10-15 years before they finally retired. I owe my whole upbringing and who I am to both of them. They were my parents and the greatest influence. I lost both of them in 2017 within three months of each other. That was a rough, rough year for me. How did you get started in the electrical trade? My grandfather wanted me to join the military, but I didn’t want to do that. In high school I took metal trades. I wanted to be a machinist. I worked nights and weekends for an electrical contractor here in Seguin. I had no desire to be an electrician, but I couldn’t get a job as a machinist. While
Do you have regrets not going the college route? No, not really. When we were getting out of high school, college wasn’t as important as it is now. I had friends that went to college and ended up working for me doing electrical work. I wasn’t a school person. I didn’t make bad grades, but I wasn’t honor roll material either. I enjoyed working with my hands so I would work nights and weekends doing electrical work for an electrical contractor here in town. After I went to work with him full-time, something sparked in me. I knew I could make a career out of doing electrical work. Once I got my journeyman license, then I was goal- orientated. I decided I had to get my master license. Once I got my master license, I knew it was time to start making plans to start my own business. When did you start Master’s Electrical Services Ltd.? Before I started Masters, I was partners in another business. I worked at Gerard Electric for 18, maybe 19 years. We started SCI, a controls company and I was a partner there. After that, I just decided I wanted my own electrical business. In 2006, we bought out a small electrical company, Anderson Electric, here in town. The owner of Anderson Electric wanted to retire. It’s funny because he was a year younger than me in high school and he was already retiring. I bought the company and we have been in business since July 2006. We moved to this location in March 2008. Are you married? Tell me about your wife. I am married. Annette and I actually went to high school together. After school, we took separate paths. We both ended up back here in Seguin. Annette is the company controller. She handles all the bills and the fun part of collection. How long have you and Annette been married? We got married in December of 2012 so we will be celebrating nine years together this December. Do you have children? Annette has two daughters and I have two sons. We were both previously married and divorced. We got together after all of our kids were already grown. Now we have a nice, big blended family. They all work here – both daughters, both sons. We love it. Tell me about your children. Justin, my oldest son, graduated from The University of Texas with a degree in
Gary and Annette Weddle
City Government/City Management. He is in charge of the estimating department. Alyssa, Annette’s oldest daughter, went to Texas State University and got a business degree. She is in charge of HR and payroll. Dylan, my youngest son, went to UTSA where he earned a construction science degree. He handles all of our BIM and AutoCAD, computerized drawings and such. A year and half ago, after trying every avenue not to join the family business, Andrea, Annette’s youngest, finally decided to come to work here. She takes care of our accounts payables and is doing a fabulous job. Additionally, Alyssa’s husband, Josh, is one of our project managers. Justin’s wife, Jennifer, just started working here about six months ago and is a project coordinator assisting the project managers. Do you have any regrets going the electrical route? No. Once I got fully vested into it, it peaked my interest. It is an ever changing field. The way we did things back then has changed a lot; materials have changed a lot. Installation practices have also changed a lot. Back then, it was more of a pride and passion trade for individuals and you just don’t see that today. I don’t care what trade it is, getting qualified guys to work today is difficult. We have about 125 guys working for us and about 60 of them have been with us since we started in 2006. Ten additional guys were with Anderson Electric when we bought the company. Do you have any plans for retirement? Annette and I have a house down in Corpus on the Channel. We love going there and fishing. I don’t know that we will ever fully retire, but when we are at a point to where we can turn everything over to the kids, hopefully in less than ten years, we will be here as consultants. What are you most proud of being an owner of your own electrical company? I have numerous ex-employees, eight at the top of my head that I can think of, that all have their own electrical business now. Four of those eight, I constantly talk
San Antonio
to. They call me and discuss different situations that they are in with me. I take pride in the fact that these guys have learned enough to go out on their own and chase their dreams. What are your interests and hobbies? When we were getting ready to move into this building, I did a lot of woodworking. I built this conference table, the drafting tables and all the trim work. By the time, we were moved in, I was done. Now, Annette and I enjoy fishing and going down to Corpus as often as we can. We enjoy taking the Jeep on the beach, driving up and down the beach and just relaxing or sitting on the back deck watching the boats and barges go by. We enjoy spending time with our grandkids here and at the coast. We have two grandsons that are six years old, one grandson who is 3 years old and an 18-month-old granddaughter. What would you like our readers to know about you? I love what I do. I treat everybody in my company, all the way down to the lowest laborer, like family. My goal is to have everybody in my company succeed in whatever way they consider success. I love that my former employees who have gone on to start their own business look to me as a mentor. I had to learn running a business the hard way, taking some bumps and bruises along the way, and I wouldn’t trade any of that because it was a way to learn. This is our life, mine and Annette’s. Every penny we have is invested into this company. We want it to be successful, but not for us. We want it to be successful for all the 130 plus electricians and office people we have working for us. We take pride in that. We are a decent size company, but I try to run it as a family business. Anybody in this company, I don’t care who it is, can walk through that open door and sit in that chair to talk to me about whatever is on their mind. I will try to do what I can to help them out. -cmw
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San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
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Making strides in construction
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Serving Central Texas
Kaisha Plambeck, Monica Martinez and Nadine Mireles
nowing she was not interested in a traditional desk job, Nadine Mireles wanted a career that was active, switched up her routine often and made a positive impact in the community. “When Keith Sitzman, Project Executive for Skanska, came and spoke at my high school, I was fascinated by their projects and company culture. After that presentation, I made it my goal to become a part of the Skanska team.” She went to trade school, Construction Career Academy, through the Northside ISD where she trained in being a handson builder and construction manager. She landed her first construction job at Habitat for Humanity working on residential construction as a carpenter. Mireles is currently a mentor for the ACE Mentor Program. “As a woman in the construction industry, it was important for me to take part in an organization that promotes industry diversity,” adds Mireles. “I’m currently working with a group of girls to help them identify their strengths and pinpoint passions that could be applied to a career in the industry.” Monica Martinez grew up in the construction industry. Her father owns a residential construction company in Monterey, Mexico. Her siblings have careers in civil engineering, architecture and design. Not working in construction never crossed her mind. Martinez graduated from UTSA with a double major in Construction Science and Management and Architecture. “There are a lot of benefits of women pursuing a career in construction. I think we naturally do a good job at assessing risks associated with projects, which helps ensure that the project runs smoothly and safely,” says Martinez. “We look at projects through an analytical lens and help to complete multiple tasks in order of priority. This industry can be very fast paced and the
ability to multitask and prioritize helps keep the team on track.” An interest in bridges sparked Kaisha Plambeck’s passion for construction, fascinated by the magnitude of the structures and their role in moving society. “The construction industry allows you to get to know so many different people from different backgrounds,” adds Plambeck. “I feel free to speak my mind and be myself. I also love that I’ve been given the opportunity to travel around the country. Working for a global company means I have access to resources from all over the world. For example, recently I traveled to Florida to visit a Skanska project I was interested in seeing firsthand and learning more about. Shared information is a powerful tool, and by leveraging the insight of my colleagues from across the country, I am able to bring that knowledge back and share it with my team and ultimately with the San Antonio community.” Mireles says, “Every career has its challenges, but at the end of the day, it’s about doing your job well.” “The construction industry is always evolving.” Martinez adds, “I think that it is important to show the younger generation that there are many different roles in this industry where you can excel. There is something out there for everyone.” Plambeck states, “The construction industry is unique in the way that we have individuals whose experience comes from trade schools, on-the-job training and all levels of college education. Ultimately, it is important for any individual in this industry to understand their role and scope no matter their background.” Mireles, Martinez and Plambeck whom all work for Skanska USA, agree: if you are a woman interested in a career in construction, “It starts with you.” Skanska USA is a multi-national construction and development company. -cmw
ARCO/Murray recently opened an Austin/San Antonio office, which will be helmed by Vice President Paul Wagner.
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ith offices nationwide, design build contractor ARCO/Murray has added another, this time in Central Texas. Located at 3636 Executive Center Drive #201 in Austin, the new Central Texas location will serve the Austin and San Antonio market and continue to serve national clients. As of the new year, the Central Texas office is open and operational. A local team is ready to bring the firm’s design build methodology to life. Over the last several years, ARCO has completed numerous projects in the market and they currently have a handful under construction. ARCO/Murray saw a need to bring their design build methodology to the Austin/San Antonio market. The firm’s expertise spans across all product types. From industrial to tenant improvements, ARCO/Murray’s approach leads to faster timelines and lower overall costs. Numerous self-storage projects, industrial buildings and tenant improvement projects have been completed in the market, as well as entertainment spaces like Topgolf, Chicken and Pickle, and Andretti Karting. ARCO/Murray’s consistent work in the market revealed a gap the company’s turnkey approach could fill. Having a local team to service clients both in the Central Texas market as well as nationally was extremely important. In addition to industrial, tenant improvements, self-storage and entertainment projects, the company performs work on manufacturing, multifamily, controlled environments agriculture, laundry, life sciences, mission critical, multisite, process, and specialty.
ARCO/Murray has named Paul Wagner the Vice President of the Central Texas office. Wagner, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, joined the firm in 2014 as a project manager and has experience running numerous jobs in multiple product types. Currently, four team members staff the Central Texas location to serve clients, and the company plans to expand the group with the best and brightest. ARCO/Murray promises to make the construction process enjoyable and beneficial to both its associates and clients. The firm prides itself on its ability to design and build the most demanding construction projects and works hard daily to distinguish itself in Austin’s dynamic and competitive construction market. A key distinguishing factor is the firm’s design build methodology, which provides a complete, turn-key solution from conception to completion. From the start, ARCO/Murray’s integrated team of architects, designers, and engineers collaborate with clients to bring their vision to life. This approach transfers into projects being completed faster, more cost effectively, and with greater customer satisfaction. In rapidly increasing numbers, clients across a range of industries are choosing ARCO/Murray because of their collaborative and efficient approach to construction. ARCO/Murray is proud and excited to continue to play a role in building an even more vibrant and prosperous central Texas economy. ARCO/Murray is a national design build contractor. –mjm
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San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
The Resource Guide Associations and Construction Education
Service Providers
Suppliers
Subcontractors
General Contractor
For Information on the Resource Guide Contact Buddy Doebbler buddy@ ConstructionNews.net 210-308-5800
Groundbreaking blessing
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Giving back
ith a purpose for building environments where its clients, employee-owners and communities prosper, Sundt Foundation awarded $14,000 in grants to five Bexar County non-profits. “Being able to donate $14,000 to local charities in San Antonio is very rewarding,” said Terri Pasley, Sundt Foundation’s San Antonio region board member. “We’re proud to support these organizations and help them achieve their mission.” Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Antonio received $3,000; Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio received $2,700; ChildSafe received $2,650; Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio received $2,650 and San Antonio Lifetime Recovery Inc. received $3,000. -cmw
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atholic ministry began in Helotes in 1896 and a wooden chapel was built shortly thereafter. In 1943, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church constructed a church on their present grounds with only 125 people present to celebrate mass. Since that time, OLG has grown to a large non-profit parish that serves Helotes and the surrounding area with over 7,100 registered families, approximately 24,000 plus parishioners. With Archbishop Gustavo GarciaSiller’s blessing of the site, Metropolitan Contracting (METRO), broke ground Mar. 2 on Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church’s new Family Center building. The
new building, scheduled to be completed in 18 months, will be built on the church’s 20-acre annex property located at 11762 FM 1560N in Helotes, TX. The three-story, 25,000+ sf building will provide much needed space for the parish’s ever-growing family and surrounding community. The 13 classrooms in the building will allow Our Lady of Guadalupe to have in-person religious education for all ages and provide meeting space for the many ministries of the parish. The third floor hosts a banquet hall with a balcony that will be available not only for parish functions, but for rent for special occasions. -cmw
San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
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Coastal Bend Fish Freeze Report 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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Here are a few pictures of the last couple of days on the water. Limits of black drum are a regular with several reds to fill the cooler. Contact Steve Schultz Outdoors to book your nex outing on the water.
OW!!
A lot has changed since my last article. By now, everyone has semi-recovered from the devesting blast of cold Mother Nature through at us last month. It is very evident by the bronze and brown colored trees and shrubs, and also the many pictures of dead fish along the shorelines that the Coastal Bend was hit very hard. For many years I have heard of anglers talk about the freezes in ’83 and ’89. Although I was a fisherman during those years, it was not my profession and means of income. I can’t tell you how troubled and worried I was during the week of freezing temperatures. Worried that what I heard from those “Ol Salts” about what happened in ’83 and ’89 was happening again, and I couldn’t do anything but wait and hope for the best. Thank God we never lost power at our house, so I spent countless hours watching the NOAA buoy website which gives your hourly readings on tide, wind and water temps along select spots in our bay system. I watch these temperatures slowly creep lower and lower with
no rise during the daytime hours, and I knew we would have some sort of fish kill. Rumors quickly started to spread and early signs revealed that the damage wasn’t so bad. I, on the other hand, had other suspicions. The first chance I got, after the weather started warming up, I was in my boat headed south to assess the damage for myself. When the water gets cold, fish go deep. These fish died in deeper water and it wasn’t until the water started warming up, that they
begun to surface. The devastation was so sickening, I couldn’t wait to get off the water. Now that it has been several weeks and most of the fish carcasses are gone, it’s not so depressing being on the water. Texas Parks and Wildlife is assessing the damage and I’m sure we will see some sort of regulation changes in the near future. For now, myself and many of the guides are doing our part and releasing what trout we do catch so that the recovery of our fishery is speedy. Redfish, Flounder and Black Drum were not hit as hard as the Speckled Trout were, so we are focusing our efforts towards those species and giving trout a break until we see what the real damage is. For the past several weeks, we have been battling the last of the cold fronts of spring. High winds and rough bays have made it challenging getting out on the water. The days that we do go have been very productive with limits of drum and some redfish to complete the box. I look for the same action for the month of April. Maybe we will get an influx of trout when the Spring equinox tides roll in. This will be a tell-tell sign of what the trout fishing will be like for the year. 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 361813-3716 or e-mail me at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.com. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @Steve_Schultz_ Outdoors. Good Luck and Good Fishing.
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San Antonio Construction News • APR 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
Spring Break Wrap-Up!
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e just finished a Spring Break week that was better than we have had in several years here on Lake Buchanan. Most years Spring Break seems like more a human event than a fishing event. People are happy to celebrate milder weather and a chance to get outside with the kids. The fish usually don’t seem to care about that because they run on a feeding and spawning agenda. A lot of years the two events just don’t coincide to make up a strong fishing week, and we won’t even talk about the wild weather we can get that time of the year. This year was a really good one though. The stripers and hybrids seemed to have gotten the memo to show up! Last year, the looming pandemic had everyone concerned about travel and isolation, so we didn’t see as many anglers. By
April last year, everything was closed down, even the lake. April is one of the best fishing months of the year. A lot of fish that would have been swimming in someone’s frying pan just didn’t get caught. They stayed in the lake for another year and grew some more! This year we are getting to catch more and bigger fish! It was good to see our kids getting back on the water too. This is the kind of year we will get to see the kind of fast catching that kids love! The weather has been weird and wild so far, but that is normal for this time of year. Even with all the wind and that terrible bout of freezing, somehow, we are seeing a nice strong crappie bite this year. Some years just when it warms enough to lure the crappie into shallow water, we will get a cold snap or a bit of flooding to disrupt their
Spring Break Kickoff
spawning pattern. If the weather knocks them back repeatedly, you just won’t get much of a bite out of them. This year has been good for crappie though. We got the cold weather out of the way then it settled into a warming spell that has really had them biting steady. Once again, less fishing pressure last year may be letting us catch bigger fish this year. Catfish have already been biting good too at times. They seem to just be beginning to come on strong in keeping with their seasonal patterns. We are seeing the return of our yellow-catfish continue too. Nothing gets your heart to racing like coming face to face with a 50 lb. yellow-cat on your jug line! I am looking forward to good fishing this year. As we begin to overcome the pandemic and get out and about again its nice to know that the fish have been here all along just carrying on and getting bigger and hungrier. I figure that hunters will find a similar situation this year too. Deer, turkeys and birds will have had some extra growing time! I’m excited! Let’s go fishing!
San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
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Drum-tastic fishing
ebastian from The Little Mermaid told the curious Ariel, “We got no troubles…life is the bubbles, under the sea.” That was before Ruben Martinez, Joeris General Contractors and three compadres planned a fishing trip in Baffin Bay for Garrett Fox’s, Embrey Partners, bachelor party. Setting out for a day of trout and redfish fishing, the
foursome ended up changing their plans. Due to the unfortunate freeze, the four fishermen changed plans and set out to hook black drum. Hooking black drum they did. It seemed as if they couldn’t miss. Four shorts hours later, the four guys snagged at least 20 black drum, all of which were caught and released. -cmw
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Utopian hunt
ro-Line Paving LLC owner Mike Crawford and his wife, Michelle, both of which are big supporters and donors of Adapt A Vet (AVV) were invited to participate in AVV’s annual hunt this year. Adapt A Vet (AAV), based out of San Antonio, is a nonprofit 501 C (3) organization that adapts the lives of disabled U.S. Veterans across the United States. Each year, Adapt A Vet co-founders, Mike and Roxann Cotugno, sponsor an annual hunt with several of the AAV ambassadors at Record Buck Ranch in Utopia, TX. The sponsored hunt is their way of showing
their appreciation to the AAV ambassadors, giving them time to learn about the veterans in the program, up and coming events for the year, and to do some marketing videos, etc. Crawford and his wife had purchased a hunt during one of AAV’s annual fundraising events. This was the perfect opportunity for them to learn more about AAV and see how their contributions help to adapt a veteran’s life. It also gave them the opportunity to spend some time with one of the veterans and to meet some of the AAV ambassadors. -cmw
Mike Crawford, Pro-Line Paving LLC poses with his trophy black buck. L-R: Martinez shows off a 40 inch black drum; James Bump, Tietze Plumbing, shows off a 38 inch black drum
Mike Crawford shot this trophy oryx during the AVV annual hunt.
Have an Outdoor Story or Photo? Ruben Martinez holds up a 44 inch black drum before releasing it back into the water.
SAeditor@ConstructionNews.net or call at 210-308-5800
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San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
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Mama’s Café
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hen Cappy Lawton decided to take back ownership of Mama’s Café and restore it to its former glory, Lawton wanted to ensure things were done as environmentally-friendly as possible, especially when it came to the café’s landscaping and parking situation. Pro-Line Paving LLC was contracted to perform their first ever environmentally friendly parking lot. Established in 1995, Pro-Line Paving LLC provides complete asphalt paving services, seal coating, parking lot striping and thermo plastics markings. The Pro-Line team, which has decades of experience, takes pride in offering highquality work. From commercial parking lots, city streets, HOA walkways for parks, airplane runways, helipads and more, team Pro-Line is experienced in new asphalt installation, overlays, repairs, milling, parking lot striping and of course, seal coating. Originally contracted to repave the parking lot of newly restored Mama’s Cafe, the Pro-Line team was ready to mill and then re-pave. However, it wouldn’t be that simple as Lawton decided he wanted all materials to be recycled and reused on site.
Mike Crawford, president of Pro-Line Paving LLC, took the role of project manager for the project and subcontracted James Hester with R Hester Construction to pulverize the existing asphalt and existing
base material with a bomag recycler. Once the process was started, Crawford and Hester quickly discovered there was more dirt than base. To overcome this obstacle, Lawton brought in someone with a soil binder.
Parking lot stabilization
Parking lot striping
Parking lot with gravel drain
Parking lot striping
The team of experts yielded 700psi in 28 days mixing dirt and base together with the soil binder and water – 55 gallons of binder to a 2000 gal water truck. That was part of the recycling project. Part two of creating this green parking lot entailed utilizing gravel to allow water to drain back into the earth. Knowing that would not pass by the city, not to mention the amount of parking that would be lost due to no defined parking spaces, Crawford offered a solution. Half of the space would be in gravel and half would be paved to include the driveways allowing the ProLine team to stripe the fire lane and parking spaces. After the Hester team bladed and compacted the parking lot, the Pro-Line team began laying the asphalt, striping the asphalt, and installing all the rock/gravel. At the owner’s request, trap rock was used to closely match the asphalt. Pro-Line Paving LLC is a paving subcontractor. -cmw Pro-Line Paving LLC San Antonio, TX
Aerial view of completed parking lot
Woodlake Estates Event Center
Woodlake Estates Event Center
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IB Contractors Inc. was founded in 2000 by the Culbertson family and has consistently been listed in the top of interior finish contractors by the San Antonio Business Journal Book of Lists. While they specialize in retail and restaurant finish outs, they are just as capable of handling ground-up projects. The Woodlake Estates Event Center, completed in 2019 and built for Roberts Communities, is 9,000sf under roof with roughly 5,200sf of enclosed space. It features an exercise room with equipment, a catering kitchen, and a large meeting/ event space. Designed by Root Architecture of Austin, the building has a classic Texas Hill Country style with a metal roof, limestone and stucco walls. It sports a covered porch supported by wood columns and beams on three sides. New site features include a shade structure, splash pad for the kiddos and parking.
Playscape area
The EIB team faced a few challenges during the construction of this project including a previously undetected source
of ground water that required the addition of a French drain system with sump pump. An additional challenge was coor-
dinating with owner’s sub to install a new splash pad and the relocation of the existing playset and pool equipment into a new separate building. The interior of the building features painted open structure, large ceiling fans, limestone and painted walls, and a limestone clad fireplace. The community could not wait for the building to be completed. It has already hosted wedding receptions, birthday parties, as well as community events. EIB Contractors is honored to be part of a project that is such a big part of the Woodlake Estates community. EIB Contractors is a nation-wide general contractor located in San Antonio. -cmw EIB Contractors San Antonio, TX
Woodlake Estates Event Center interior
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Palmetto Pointe Luxury Apartment Homes
emand for upscale multi-family residences in San Antonio’s northwest quadrant continues to boom. Nestled between USAA and the South Texas Medical Center, the city’s two largest private employers, makes this part of the city appealing not only to the tens of thousands working at those facilities, but also to millennials and young professionals in the wide range of fields represented by scores of other nearby businesses. Palmetto Pointe Luxury Apartment Homes, located at 4835 USAA Boulevard, is the crown jewel of multi-family residential developments in this burgeoning area. This multi-family gem was developed and constructed by San Antonio’s own Koontz Corporation and was completed in Feb. 2021. This new-construction, 13-building urban development features 328 luxury one and two-bedroom garden apartment homes in a gated community with the convenience of covered and detached garage parking. The residences range from 653 to
poolside cabana with wireless internet; have a cookout in the outdoor kitchen with gas grill and food prep area; or lounge by the multi-sided grand outdoor fireplace, also appointed with flatscreened TVs. Palmetto Pointe offers all the luxuries of a new apartment home, combined with an über-convenient, time-saving location. Its proximity to all major arteries including Interstate 10, Loop 410 and Loop 1604, place it squarely at the center of the bustling business hub of USAA, the Medical Center, Valero, NuStar Energy and Security Service Federal Credit Union. It is in close proximity to the main campus of The University of Texas at San Antonio, The Shops at La Cantera and innumerable retail and restaurant venues. Headquartered in San Antonio, Koontz Corporation develops and constructs commercial and multi-family properties across Texas. -cmw
Palmetto Pointe Luxury Apartments
Koontz Corporation San Antonio, TX
1,451sf. All apartments feature island kitchens with stainless steel appliances. Class A finishes include quartz countertops, custom cabinetry and brushed nickel hardware, nine-foot ceilings, simulated wood and ceramic tile flooring, garden-style bathtubs, full-size washers and dryers, ceiling fans with lighting kits, oversized walk-in closets, ample storage space, and private patios and balconies. Palmetto Pointe is as much a lifestyle as an address. Residents enjoy an array of community amenities such as a luxurious resident entertainment room with fully equipped kitchen, billiards table and multiple flat-screen televisions; a business center with high-speed internet, fax and copier; an internet café and coffee bar; a state-of-the-art fitness center and tanning beds. Palmetto also offers an abundance of outdoor options for relaxation. Residents can refresh in the resort-style swimming pool; relax at the
Luxurious resident entertainment room
Palmetto Point Clubhouse interior
Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio Renovation
“All projects start with a great client and are anchored by a great design team. The relationship between owner, design team and contractor makes for a seamless and successful project. I have been fortunate to work on many projects with Insite Architects and KCI (MEP). The collaborative teamwork, overall responsiveness and professionalism they provide are second to none in the industry,” says Matt Lovell, Senior Project Manager, G. W. Mitchell Construction.
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W. Mitchell Construction has a passion for constructing healthcare facilities and when asked to remodel the Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio (CCSA), they were excited to do so. Designed by INSITE Architects and KCI (MEP), and located at 4411 Medical Drive, this 46k-sf project consists of a two-story, multi-phased remodeled clinic and office space. This is CCSA’s main clinical hub so this project is almost triple the size of their normal clinics. Each floor is 23k-sf, which is an anomaly for typical medical clinic space. This project consists of a two-phase demo and remodel of the first floor. The third floor is a six-phase, full floor occupied remodel.
Unique to this project is the overwhelming size of each floor. There are five pods on the first floor, which includes 61 patient rooms. The third floor consists of four pods, with associated patient rooms, offices, main check in waiting area and a large boardroom. The layout and functionality of the space is key to accommodate the influx of cardiology patients from main Methodist hospital next door. Healthcare construction is more than just knowing how to build. The construction management team needs to understand the business and practice of healthcare. Multiple phases add challenges from a logistics standpoint, moving people
“Having a long history with the Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio, we are honored to provide design services for the clinic’s premier San Antonio location. Dedication and skill are key components of a successful project and GW Mitchell’s attention to detail and understanding of the end goals for this leading heart clinic ensures our vision becomes a reality,” states Judy Henderson, INSITE Architects.
around during phase changes. Working in an occupied building with an ambulatory surgical center on the 2nd floor limits how and when you can operate, and requires an awareness of staff needs and patient comfort. Certain daily tasks must be coordinated with the surgical schedule on a regular basis. Also, due to the current pandemic, certain COVID screening precautions are set in place when entering the building and the jobsite. “Our expertise and performance mean a clean bill of health for every project,” says Matt Lovell, Senior Project Manager, G.W. Mitchell Construction. “Healthcare construction is anything
but “cookie cutter” and is very complex. When the result of each project is a space that has literally been constructed to contribute to the wellbeing of all, it becomes very easy to remain extremely passionate about what we do,” adds Bill Mitchell, President, G.W. Mitchell Construction. This project is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2021. G.W. Mitchell Construction is a general contractor in San Antonio. -cmw G.W. Mitchell Construction San Antonio, TX
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San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
continued from Page 1 — Beyer Mechanical
Industry FOLKS Jordon Brown
Marketing Coordinator / Automatic Gate Assistant Manager
Quality Fence & Welding San Antonio, TX
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country girl at heart, Jordon Brown grew up in the small town of La Vernia, TX located on the south bank of Cibolo Creek at the junction of U.S. Highway 87 and Texas Farm to Market Road 775, about 25 miles east of San Antonio. For Jordon, she could not have asked for a better place to grow up. “It was peaceful and country life is so amazing.” She went to school in La Vernia before transferring and graduating from East Central High School. After high school, Brown decided to further her education and attended Texas State University in San Marcos, TX. Being a science nerd, as she often referred to herself, Jordon pursued a science degree. She earned her Bachelor of Science (Chemistry and Biology) with a Minor in Marketing. Growing up in the country, college life was a great adventure for Brown and one that she will always cherish. “College life is something everyone should have the chance to experience. It is where you learn who you are as a person.” Jordon entered the construction industry when an opportunity opened at Quality Fence & Welding. Through her diligent work ethic, loyalty and dedication to the company and the people she calls family, Jordon continues to grow within the company. “Our company CEO, Craig
Noto, has put his faith in me. And for that, I am truly blessed and grateful. “I love everything about Quality Fence & Welding. I work in our Automated Gate Division - Access Control Solutions and enjoy every moment of it. I really like what I do.“ In addition, Jordon also handles the marketing for the company. Since entering the construction industry, Jordon credits two individuals for the success she has experienced. Craig Noto taught Jordon that hard work pays off. With that, she puts all she can into her work. Secondly, Gate Department Manager, TJ Howard, saw Jordon’s potential. “TJ took me under his wing to flourish.” As a young and single woman, Jordon has no children unless you are referring to her dog. Her baby is her King Shepard. “He is my fur baby and very well loved. In other words, he is borderline spoiled.” To relax, she enjoys a good glass of wine. She believes in giving back. “I try to give back to the community as much as I can whether it is through Quality Fence or personally. I am very charismatic. I treat people with respect. I love to learn about other people’s experiences.” -cmw
location. One that would allow all three companies to grow independently but together on one campus. “We have always known that we needed to do something. We had outgrown the facility on Broom about five to six years ago,” says Jeff. “We squeezed everything we could out of that facility,” adds Pat. In 2020, the Beyer Boys broke ground on their new home. The timing could not be better. The new location allows the three companies – Beyer Mechanical, Beyer Air Conditioning & Heating, and Beyer
Plumbing to coexist together on one campus, each with their own facility. In Dec. 2020, with the completion of their new campus, The Beyer Boys moved in. “We built these facilities to allow for our children to have the needed space to continue to grow and move the companies forward,” says Jeff. Beyer Mechanical is a full-service commercial mechanical contractor. Beyer Air Conditioning & Heating is a full-service residential HVAC contractor. Beyer Plumbing Co. is a full-service plumbing contractor. All are located in Selma, TX. -cmw
Beyer Air Conditioning & Heating ribbon cutting Mar. 15.
Beyer Plumbing Co. ribbon cutting Mar. 15.
San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
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Fun in the snow
he construction industry, fortunately deemed an essential industry, has been able to keep working but when Old Man Winter decided to make a call in mid- February, work came to a halt. The arctic blast of 2021 brought San Antonio to her knees closing roads, power outages and in some cases, no running water. The construction industry had no choice but to stay at home. So what did the construction industry do the week of Feb. 15-19 while snow continued to fall with temperatures in the teens, the likes of which San Antonio hasn’t seen in decades? We played in the snow, of course. -cmw
Rhino Design Group
George Salinas, Absolute Power Electrical Contractors, and his family show off their snowman building ability.
Bryan Ehrlich’s, Central Builders, daughter, Carsyn, perfects the art of snow angels while his son, Walker initiates a snowball fight.
Jay Elizalde, Santex Painting & Construction LLC builds a construction snowman with his son.
Baby’s first snow – Justin Krobot, Tree Mann Solutions with son, Cameron.
Page 18
San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
continued from Page 1 — Beldon Roofing Company A family business from the start, Mike Beldon’s sons start working at the company at the tender age of 12. Taking his place in the family business, Brad Beldon joins the company full-time in 1988, becoming the company’s CEO in 2004 as his father, Mike, takes on the role of Chairman of the Board. Jonathan Beldon takes his place in 2010 serving as General Council. “Over the years, we’ve had a lot of family work in the business. Our second child, Mackenzie Beldon, joined the business in 2019. She works in business development. We’re hoping more will join the business.” Celebrating 75 years in business, Beldon Roofing is a fourth generation, familyowned business with licenses in 45 states. In any given year, Beldon affectively performs work in six to eight states, currently working in Oklahoma, Montana, Florida, Ohio and of course, Texas. Brad, who recently changed his title to Chief Culture Officer, believing that it is his responsibility to ensure that everyone at Beldon enjoys their day at work, says “We are a family business based on integrity. We treat every roof as if it were our own home or building. The one thing that my grandfather taught me, that my father taught and that
we have passed down to our kids – always do the right thing. If you do the right thing, they can never question you. Sometimes the right thing may cost you money, but you still need to do the right thing. It’s hard to teach people to do that. When I put my head on my pillow at night, I know I didn’t take advantage of anybody, and to me that is really important. It is important to instill that into our team members across the board. “We are currently working on an EOS (Entrepreneur Operating System), pushing that ownership down to every level so people can make decisions at whatever level they need to. That’s a big change in a family business. In a family business, family members tend to want to make all the decisions. You can’t grow a business if you are making all the decisions. We are only as good as the weakest link in our chain.” From a small mom and pop shop 75 years ago, Beldon Roofing Co. has 180 team members strong. Seventy-five of their employees have been with Beldon over 20 years. Of those 75 employees, 30 of them have been with Beldon 30 years. Beldon Roofing Company is a full-service roofing contractor located in San Antonio. -cmw
continued from Page 1 — Arnold Refrigeration Guy Kitchen and Dean Lindstrom. In 2020, Arnold Refrigeration began to rebrand itself as it approached its 60th year in business. “As we embrace our 60th year in business, we have developed a 60/60 vision plan,” says Lindstrom. “Part of it is our journey going from a refrigeration contractor to a world class team dedicated to improving the cold chain’s ability to feed and sustain humanity. Today, it is about transforming cold. So that’s what we are kind of doing. We are transforming ourselves internally. We are transforming the industry and we are helping our customers transform.” “Cooling/refrigeration is more sophisticated today,” adds Sheri. “Now you have to prove the temperature has stayed consistent. A lot of our customers are in the produce business. If you have a cold storage warehouse and you are receiving products, you have to be able to show that it is maintained and left at a certain temperature.” Arnold Refrigeration may not be the only refrigeration contractor in town, but
they are the only one that does what they do. “All the independents are gone,” says Livingston. “There aren’t many that do what we do. Some may do one part of what we do. Somebody else might do another part of what we do, but no one else does everything that we do.” “In this business, it is a little bit different. When we build a cold storage warehouse, we are your partner for life. After we build it, we maintain it. So our relationships are very important to us. We are with them for a long time,” says Guy. From a mom and pop shop with five employees, Arnold Refrigeration has grown to a company serving all of Central and South Texas. The company expanded and has a full-service office in McAllen. As a whole, Arnold Refrigeration has projects throughout Texas and its reputation has required their expertise across various areas in the United States as far away as Colorado and California. Arnold Refrigeration is a full-service refrigeration and cooling company in San Antonio. -cmw
Association Calendar
Content Contentsubmitted submittedby byAssociations Associationsto toConstruction ConstructionNews News ABC
Associated Builders & Contractors Inc.
Apr. 1: Spring Golf Tournament, SilverHorn Golf Club, 1100 W. Bitter Rd., 12pm Check-in, 1:30pm Shotgun Start. For info, contact Leah Villarreal at leah@abcsouthtexas.org or 210-342-1994 AGC
Associated General Contractors
Apr. 7: CM-LEAN Unit 1 Part 1, ZOOM online, 11am–1pm Apr. 12: Leadership Academy Week #1, AGC Chapter Offices, 10806 Gulfdale, 12:30–4:30pm Apr. 14: CM-LEAN Unit 1 Part 2, ZOOM online, 11am–1pm Apr. 19: Leadership Academy Week #2, AGC Chapter Offices, 10806 Gulfdale, 12:30–4:30pm Apr. 21: CM-LEAN Unit 2 Part 1, ZOOM online, 11am–1pm Apr. 19: Leadership Academy Week #3, AGC Chapter Office, 10806 Offices, 12:30– 4:30pm Apr. 28: CM-LEAN Unit 2 Part 2, ZOOM online, 11am–1pm. For more info, call Kelly Wilson at 210-349-4921
SA Offices, 2391 NE Loop 410 #206, 7am1pm. For info, contact Victoria Rodriguez at 210-444-1100 or email vrodriguez@ hcadesa.org IEC
Independent Electrical Contractors
Apr. 22 – May 27: Journeyman/Mater Preparation Course, IEC Chapter Offices, 5511 Ingram Rd., Thursday nights 5-9pm. Journeyman 20-Hr Class $300 Member, $350 Non-Member; Master 24-Hr Class $400 Member, $450 Non-Member. For more info, contact Julie Tucker at 210431-9861 or email jtucker@iecsanantonio.com MCA-SMACNA of San Antonio Mechanical and Sheet Metal Contractors Assn.
Apr. 28: Joint Industry Fund Meeting, MCA-SMACNA Office, 206 E. Nakoma, 11:30am. Apr. 29: MCA-SMACNA Annual Golf Tournament, SilverHorn Golf Club, 1100 W. Bitters Rd., 1:30pm Shotgun Start. For info, call Sandee Morgan at 210-822-3763 or email sandee@mca-smacna.org NAWIC
ASA
American Subcontractors Assn.
Apr. 8: ASA Annual Spring Golf Tournament, The Golf Club of Texas, 13600 Briggs Ranch, 6:45am Registration, 7:45am Shotgun Start, $175/player; $600 Team of four. Apr. 22: ASA 26th Excellence in Construction Virtual Awards. Apr. 27: General Membership Meeting, Alamo Café, 14250 San Pedro Ave., 5:45pm, $35 Member, $45 Non-Member on or before Apr. 23; $45 Member, $55 Non-Member after Apr. 23 Apr. 29: Lien & Bond Claims: Avoid the Tricks & Traps, Alamo Café, 14250 San Pedro Ave., 1:30-4:30pm. $40 Member, $55 NonMember before Apr. 15, $50 Member, $65 Non-Member after Apr. 15. For info, call Jennifer Swinney at 210-349-2105 ASSP
National Assn. of Women in Construction
Apr. 7: General Membership Meeting, Alamo Café, 14250 San Pedro Ave., 6pm, 25ppl limit, Over 25 Zoom. For more info, contact Heather Osborn at 210-216-9676 or email heather@memcostaffing.com PHCC
Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors
Apr. 9: Membership Meeting, Alamo Café, 14250 San Pedro Ave., 11am. Apr. 22: After Word Par-Tee Mixer with Golf Par3 Optional, San Pedro Golf Bar & Grill, $10 Appetizers & Golf Simulator; $25 Appetizers, Golf Simulator & Par 3 Golf. Registration Deadline Apr. 5. Apr. 30: Golf Tournament Registration Deadline. For more info, call Heidi Trimble or Heather Foster at 210-824-7422 or go to www.phcc-sanantonio.org
American Society of Safety Professionals
Apr. 19: 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.
Apr. 13: 2021 Rally Day. For more info, email Jennifer Starr at jstarr@sabuilders. com or ksutterfield@sabuilders.com HCA de SA
Hispanic Contractors Assn. of San Antonio
Apr. 13: Capacity Development Series Module 6 Responding to a Bids & Request for Proposals via Zoom 12-2pm Apr. 21: Inaugural Spring Golf Classic, SilverHorn Golf Club, 1100 W. Bitters Rd., 2pm Shotgun Start Apr. 27: Capacity Development Series Module 7 Legal via Zoom 12-2pm Apr. 28: Virtual Monthly Meeting, Presentation from Bexar County via Zoom, 5:30 -7:30pm Apr. 28-29: OSHA 10 in Spanish, HCA de
RCAT
Roofing Contractors Assn. of Texas
Apr. 29-May 1: RCAT Fishing Tournament/Spring Board Meeting, Woody’s Sports Center, Port Aransas, TX. For more info, 512-251-7690 or email rcat.admin@ rooftex.com SAMCA
San Antonio Masonry Contractors Assn.
Apr. 15: SAMCA Sporting Clay Shoot, National Shooting Complex, 5931 Roft Rd. For more info, email Debi Solis at thesamca@gmail.com. TACCA Texas Air Conditioning Contractors Assn. Greater San Antonio
Apr. 22: General Membership Meeting, Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, 1400 Pantheon Way (Hwy. 281 S), 11:30am-1pm. To register go to Visit taccagreatersanantonio.org. For more info, call Dawn Thompson at 210-901-4222 or email info@taccagreatersanantonio.org.
Construction News ON LOCATION
The nicest guy
John Keller, is showing his “team” attitude and why he is one of the nicest guys you’ll meet. Here, he visits with Construction News at the Winco Contractors’ offices in Garden Ridge, TX. -cmw
San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
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What was your favorite Super Bowl LV commercial? It’s kind of goofy, but I liked the Matthew McConaughey Doritos Commercial. It’s silly, but it hit my funny bone. Lane Mitchell, G.W. Mitchell Construction
wall, there’s a party going on and they start helping themselves to the beer, and then give homage to the magic fridge! Daniel Boddie, Mission 1 Contractors
I don’t have one for this year, but one of my favorite ones from a fewer Super Bowls back, was a Doritos commercial where a young boy built a time machine out of a box in his neighbor’s yard. As another neighbor walks buy eating his Doritos, he asks him if he wants to try out his time machine. Being a good neighbor, he says yes and steps inside handing the young boy his Doritos. As the young boy eats his Doritos and pounds on the box with his feet so he thinks it is working, the elderly neighbor comes out of the house demanding the young boy gets out of his yard and then the man inside steps leaving the elderly neighbor in disbelief. Jay Warnke, Mission 1 Contractors
I honestly can’t remember. None of them really stood out this year. Alan Locke, Locke Construction
It’s not a commercial made just for the Super Bowl, but I love it. It is the he Geico commercial – “…Scoop there it is. Scoop there it is.” Jesus Gonzales, J&M Electrical Services Doritos in 3D with Texas boy, Matthew McConaughey, is the one that just seems to stand out the most. The rest of the commercials just didn’t have that extra flair to them that Super Bowls of the past have had. Jeff Beyer, Beyer Mechanical The commercials were not that good this year. I have to go with the Bud Light Secret Magic Fridge commercial, also from a few Super Bowls back. A guy stocks his refrigerator with Bud Light as his buddy reminds him that the rest of the guys are coming over and will drink all the beer. He tells his buddy not to worry as he pulls down on a sconce causing the wall with the refrigerator to spin around exposing a table of chairs. Unbeknownst to him, on the other side of the s
Submitted to Construction News
Round-Up JR RAMON Demolition is pleased to announce the addition of two new team members. Tina Weeks joins the JR RAMON family as the company’s new Safety Training Officer. She brings with her over 25 years of experience in the construction safety industry. -cwm Ryan Medlin joins the JR RAMON team as a Project Superintendent to oversee our field projects. Ryan has worked in demolition for 20 years and brings a wealth of knowledge to the team. -cmw continued from Page 2- Z Electrica Inc. Z Electrica does new construction, remodels and light industrial. They perform work across Texas from Dallas down to Corpus Christi. “I love everything I do. I want to be out in the field. It’s hard for me to sit behind the desk. We take a lot of pride in our work. Our logo says it all – people, power, solutions. We take pride in serving our customers, providing them with SATISFACTION, TRUST, POSITIVITY, CONVICTION, LOYALTY, COMMITMENT, FEELING, and EXPERIENCE (CUSTOMER). Z Electrica Inc. is a full-service commercial electrical contractor in San Antonio, TX. -cmw
We didn’t watch the Super Bowl this year and the commercials must not have been that great because there isn’t a whole lot of talk about them this year. Sheri Kitchen, Arnold Refrigeration Inc. Unfortunately, I was on the road traveling to see one of my kids and didn’t watch the Super Bowl but I did go to USA Today and watch them. My favorite was the Jeep commercial until they pulled it. Brad Beldon, Beldon Roofing Company There wasn’t one this year. They were pretty bad. Everything was so political. They were so political. The one that I laughed at was the Tom Brady and Grownkoski T-Mobile commercial. Gary Weddle, Masters Electrical Services Ltd. I don’t remember any of them. They just weren’t very memorable this year. Greg Wiatrek, Alpha Insulation & Waterproofing I did not watch the Super Bowl. I’m really not a fan of football. Fernando Rodriguez, Z Electrica Inc. My favorite Super Bowl commercial was the M&M’s commercial. M&M’s, they make everything better. Ray Fehner, KCM Cabinets Inc.
Industry FOLKS Benton Terry Operations Manager Fire Alarm Control Systems San Antonio, TX
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ipe Creek, TX, a small town in the Texas Hill Country is where Benton Terry was raised. “Pipe Creek is so small,” says Terry, “you could see a car going down the road and know who was probably driving it and where they lived. Growing up here gave me a deep and meaningful love for the natural landscapes found only in the Texas Hill Country. The solitude and peace I found here is perfectly suited for the introspective.” Terry went to school in “Bantucky, TX.” “It’s actually Bandera, but there is a running joke, unspoken contest, where this name is sneaked into print whenever possible.” Both Terry’s dad and granddad were electricians for most of their lives. Although he can’t say that he consciously thought about following their career choice, he ended up in the fire alarm systems industry after his dad introduced him to Joe Ebrom, one of the owners of Fire Alarm Control Systems (FACS). “They just happened to be looking for a technician to meet their growing workload at the same time that I happened to be looking for a direction in life. “I’ve been managing operations at FACS since 2014 which includes a little bit of everything: estimating, drafting, system programming and design, staff recruiting and training, and infrastructure development and support systems. I love the idea of a silent machine that’s designed to protect lives. A fire alarm system is a life safety system that’s been designed to help people survive a potentially tragic or life altering event. For most of its existence, that system runs tirelessly and diligently, watching and waiting to
act. In the rare case when it is put to the test, the creativity and workmanship of the teams that put it together make a powerful impact on people’s lives.” Although many people have mentored Terry, Terry’s very first mentor is his dad, Sam Terry. “To this day, he continues teaching me. His influence over the person I’ve become can’t be overstated. His intellectual curiosity about how and why things work is something that I inherited from an early age and it has served me in countless ways throughout my life. How he was able to acquire a working knowledge about everything on this entire planet just amazes me.” Terry met his wife, Lorraine, at a family party. They stayed up talking far into the night, far beyond when everyone else had gone to sleep. They watched the sun rise together the next morning. Although they have been together for about 12 years, they have only been married for three. He has two stepchildren whom he loves as if they were his own. “I’ve got a pretty diverse set of hobbies that I rotate around, depending on the time of year, and my moods from motorcycles to long distance running, creating different kinds of art, and a reader and music connoisseur. My libraries for both are substantial. I hope that last part doesn’t come off as pretentious as it reads ... It’s not like I sit around a fireplace in a fluffy robe with fine wines and cheeses.” -cmw
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San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
Industry FOLKS
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Beki Hutchison
Senior Vice President of Human Resources
HOLT CAT
San Antonio, TX
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orn and raised in San Antonio, Beki Hutchison didn’t feel like she really grew up until she moved to the east coast in her early 20s. “I was exposed to so much more diversity there just outside of Washington, DC. DC was fun in the 90s. There were lots of people my age enjoying new technology and the rapidly expanding global economy. It is also beautiful. The seasons are amazing, not like anything I had experienced in South Texas.” Beki earned her Bachelors in Humanities and Sociology from Trinity University here in San Antonio and an MBA from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA. “I chose Humanities because it was the curriculum for teaching, and I had wanted to be a teacher. I liked Sociology because it helped explain so many things about people and communities, how they behave and interact. I’m still fascinated by this area.” Beki worked for TRW/Northrop Grumman for roughly 20 years before a deep desire to be closer to her parents brought her to Texas in 2015. Looking for a new company home, Beki began working with an executive search firm where she learned about HOLT CAT. “Once I met Corinna Holt Richter and understood the company’s commitment to ‘Values Based Leadership,’ I was hooked. I actually couldn’t believe that a heavy machine company could have such a rich, values-oriented culture. I am so humbled by the opportunity to work at HOLT CAT, given the history of innovation, values and incredible people I get to work with every day. Such a blessing!”
As Senior Vice President of Human Resources at HOLT CAT, Beki is responsible for all aspects of human resources, including Talent Management, Talent Development, Total Rewards and Safety and Environmental Culture. “I love the values the best. They provide our leadership team with a common language for making thoughtful decisions about our business. Peter and Corinna are amazing. “Throughout my life, I have been blessed with a few, very strong mentors. My parents were the most influential. They are kind of like the yin and yang of what makes me. Mom, steadfast and caring, ensured that we didn’t miss the beauty and joy that life provides. Dad, humor first, kept it real and without prejudice. Larry Mills is my current spirit guide. He’s awesome and helps me keep perspective in all of the complexity of my current role at HOLT.” Her best advice is to “say yes.” She says that saying “yes” leads to incredible lessons about people and what things are tangibly important every day. She challenges others to live life completely and without regret. “Find that thing that makes you jump out of bed every day, ready to make things happen. Do that.” Beki is happily married to Craig Hutchison. She and Craig have two boys from his previous marriage and two daughters-in-law (almost). They love to travel and look for great places to visit. And if that place has golf, wine and craft beer, even better. -cmw
In memoriam
andy Joe Rehmann passed away Feb. 9 after a hard fought battle with cancer. He was born to June and Herb Rehmann Apr. 8, 1956 in San Antonio, hence the selfgiven nickname, at age 4, of Randy Joe San Antone. Randy graduated from Samuel Clemens High School in 1974 and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Building Construction from Texas A&M University in 1978. Randy met the love of his life, Debbie Ann Lee, in high school and married her on Jul. 21, 1979. Together, they have four children: Ryan, Holly, Aaron and Adam. They were blessed to enjoy 41 long and fruitful years together. There was no one Randy adored more than his Deb. Second only to Jesus and his family, Randy loved the outdoors: hunting, fishing, hiking, and simply spending quiet time with the Lord. He was passionate about teaching future generations about wildlife conservation through youth hunts, hosting youth retreats and inner city high school weekends. Randy’s career started as Assistant
Project Manager for the Emde Company in Houston, Texas. In 1988, he was instrumental in the formation of Dynamic Systems Incorporated (DSI). Today, Dynamic Systems is headquartered in Austin with branch offices in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, College Station, Atlanta, Boston, and Poughkeepsie. He was involved in many non-profit organizations. Randy was President, Council Member, and Elder at Bethany Lutheran Church, past President of Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA) Texas, MCA Austin, Texas Wildlife Association (TWA), TWA Foundation, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), a member of the Construction Industry Advisory Council for Texas A&M’s Department of Construction Science, and the Senior Austin Aggie Leadership Council. Among the many awards he was honored with were Texas Outdoorsman of the Year, Texas A&M University Construction Science Outstanding Alumni Award, and nominee for Entrepreneur of the year. -cmw
San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
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Fired up!
embers of the Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) were fired up and ready for fun. Participating members fired up their grills Feb. 26-27 for IEC’s 21st Annual BBQ Cook-Off & Apprentice Competition. Due to COVID restrictions, IEC offered up their parking lot for the two-day event which turned out to be a great success for IEC and its members. -cmw Chicken winners: 2nd Place: Masters Electrical Services Ltd. 3rd Place: Rexel Beans winners: 2nd Place: Brandt Companies, LLC 3rd Place: Mission City Electric Co. Unique Drink winners: 2nd Place: Western States Fire Protection (Blackberry Smash) 3rd Place: The Reynolds Company (Takes Two to Mango)
1st Place Unique Drink: Brandt Companies LLC (Fishbowl)
1st Place: Brisket Masters Electrical Services Ltd.
Pork Ribs winners: 2nd Place: Western States Fire Protection 3rd Place: Mission City Electric Co. Brisket winners: 2nd Place: Brandt Companies LLC 3rd Place: Mission City Electric Co. Bragging Rights winners: 2nd Place: Western States Fire Protection 3rd Place: Rexel Apprentice Competition winners : 2nd Place: Zachary Just, Central Electric 3rd Place: Brian Garrett, Quinney Electric
21st Annual BBQ Cook-off Bragging Rights winner: Masters Electrical Services Ltd.
1st Place Beans: Western States Fire Protection
Apprentice Competition winner: Joshua Pogue, Central Electric
1st Place Chicken: The Reynolds Company
1st Place Pork Ribs: Masters Electrical Services Ltd.
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San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
JOB SIGHTS
Sanders Spangler, Catamount Constructors Inc. Business Development/PE Commercial Division, at the recently complete Antonian College Prep High School Pettit Family Center for Academic Excellence Phase 1 project. Phase 2, Indoor Activities Center, which includes four indoor courts with locker rooms and training room has been just released to Catamount for construction. -cmw
Servpro Northwest team members, L-R: Art Cano and Raul Garcia, doing remediation monitoring due to the big freeze of 2021 at the Cordi-Marian Missionary Sisters project. Keller-Martin Construction is the project’s general contractor. -cmw
Structura Senior Superintendent Derek Medina and Assistant Superintendent Leonardo Ornales walk the Bethesda Christian Institute jobsite. -cmw
L-R: Absolute Power Electrical Contractors’ John Lopez, Jason Centeno, Juan Lobato, Jorge Laureano and Angel Hernandez complete electrical work on the new sales building for the Land Rover / Jaguar Phase 2 project located off IH-10 and UTSA Blvd. The work includes new lighting system and fire alarm system. G.W. Mitchell Construction is the general contractor for the project. -cmw
San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021
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he National Association of Women (NAWIC) celebrated WIC Week across the nation Mar. 7-13. The San Antonio NAWIC Chapter had a very successful WIC Week with great turn outs at all of their events. Kicking off the week on Sunday, the San Antonio NAWIC Chapter hosted a movie night at The Lonesome Rose Honky-Tonk & Backyard. Monday evening, they hosted a power tool use and safety program at Q-Safety. On Tuesday, they enjoyed a tour of D’Hanis Brick & Tile company and a scavenger hunt. Wednesday, NAWIC San Antonio member built robot lamps at CRS Marble & Granite. On Thursday, they volunteered at the San Antonio Food Bank. On Friday, they hosted their annual golf
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WIC Week 2021
tournament on at Canyon Spring Golf Club with a great success. Closing out the 2021 WIC Week, they enjoyed a Pinterest wine down. Golf photos courtesy of Mary C. Haskin Photography. -cmw
1st Place NAWIC Men’s Team: Michael Cervera, Zach McManus, Scott Wunsch and Sean Villegas
1st Place NAWIC Mixed Team: Trichia Stoddard, Ginger Goddiess, Zach Warren and J C Stoddard
Robot lamp building
1st Place NAWIC Women’s Team: Jamie Lambrecht, Ashley Orndorff, Amanda Stillman and Patti Rutherford
Power tool safety
Movie night at The Lonesome Rose Honky-Tonk & Backyard
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San Antonio Construction News • APR 2021