San Antonio Construction News January 2022

Covering the Industry’s News

Texas Style

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Happy CONSTRUCTION NEWS NewYear!

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www.constructionnews.net H (210) 308-5800 H Volume 24 H Number 1 H JANUARY 2022

Christmas party kick-off

Growing a legacy

L-R: Greg Padalecki, Chris Blanton, Shelley Padalecki, Jaclyn and Ben Williams visit while greeting guests at the Alterman Holiday Open House

L-R: Chase Anderson and Jimmy Shafer

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he Christmas spirit filled the premises of Alterman’s new facility as the construction industry’s holiday party season was officially kicked off with the Alterman Annual Holiday Open House which was held on Dec. 1. More than 900 guests were shuttled to the new offices on Loop 1604 where they enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and beverages. The festivities included a toy collection for the industry’s Construct A Kid’s Christmas Toy Drive which took place on Dec. 3.

“This event gives us the opportunity to celebrate the season with customers, vendors and employees.” says Alterman President Greg Padalecki, “Ultimately, we are all partners in this business and it is a great way to show everyone the appreciation they deserve.”

The new facility was completed in early 2021. Alterman team members began moving into the new space in the spring, anxiously awaiting the company’s holiday open house for the opportunity to promote their new space. “Our growth continues to push us in new directions.

The new office on 1604 has allowed us to free up valuable space in our San Antonio office on Jones Maltsberger,” Padalecki continues.

Founded in 1923, Alterman is one of San Antonio’s oldest and largest electrical contractors. The company launched operations when a young Nathan Alterman purchased an existing electrical business at the age of 24. Since then, the company continued to grow under the

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any San Antonians are familiar with Barrett & Sons, and many are familiar with Shafer Services.

Barrett & Sons has been serving the San Antonio construction industry since the early ‘50s. Shafer Services has been serving the San Antonio construction industry since the late 1800s. 1884 to be exact.

The late Herchell Barrett started Alamo Engineering Service in the early ‘60s which would later become Barrett & Sons when his son, Arnold Barrett, joined the company. Arnold’s wife Martha and son, Todd, also joined the company until Arnold’s retirement when the company rebranded as just Barrett.

Archibald Shafer started Shafer Services as a plumbing company as air conditioning was unheard of at the time and operated as Shafer Plumbing.

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he leadership of Tecta America Corp. had always admired Empire Roofing Inc. and the company’s rise in the industry. That’s why roofing juggernaut Tecta recently acquired it.

Tecta America Corp. had good reason to admire the full-service roofing company. Empire Roofing Inc. was established in Fort Worth in 1982 by Ronnie and Sandra McGlothlin. Empire has since expanded to employ 700 team members throughout its Texas operations in Austin, El Paso, Houston and San Antonio, as well as offices in Oklahoma, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, Colorado and Mexico.

Ben Koonce is the current Vice President of Empire San Antonio, Austin, and Atlanta. Its offerings include roofing service/ maintenance, waterproofing, and all types of commercial roofing systems.

Empire Roofing is equally impressed with Tecta America. In 21 years, Tecta has grown from an original group of 10 roof-

Throughout the 1900s, the company primarily worked as a new construction contractor performing full mechanical, electrical and plumbing services. That is until the crash of the ‘80s. The 1980s were a tough time. Archibald’s grandson, Walter P. Shafer, Jr., who was running the company at the time was caught in the middle of a couple of large projects in which the general contractors were unable to pay. Giving into the chaos was not an option and pivoted the company into service work for both plumbing and air conditioning as Walter’s son, Jimmy Shafer took the reins.

From the mid-‘80s until 2017 Jimmy was president of the business and built a fabulous company. In 2017, Chase Anderson purchased the majority of the business from Jimmy and together they continued on Page 18

Empire accquired

Empire Roofing San Antonio team members

ing contractors with 17 locations to become the nation’s largest provider of commercial roofing services. With the acquisition, Tecta now has 85-plus locations in 32 states – including one in Austin – and employs 4,100 employees. Tecta leadership includes President/Chief Executive Officer Dave Reginelli, Chief Operating Officer Todd Stugelmayer and Chief Financial Officer Marc Benson.

While Empire Roofing’s San Antonio office serves the greater San Antonio area and a 50-mile radius within, the Empire team will meet the needs of their clients and perform work wherever they are need. The San Antonio office consists of 55 employees, 12 of which make up the San Antonio’s service team.

“There are a lot of good roofing companies out there, but we strive to set ourselves apart,” says San Antonio incoming Branch President Aaron Todd.

“We have a really good team here. Everycontinued on Page 18

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San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

The planner

A Christmas tradition

The Tejas Premier Building Contractor Inc. team

The Ohlenbusch clan

ulissa Carielo is known for being a planner. When she started in the construction industry 30 years ago, she started planning and working on establishing her own construction company.

Now celebrating 15 years in business, Carielo started Tejas Premier Building Contractor Inc. in 2006. “When you start a business, it’s a journey,” says Carielo.

“You don’t think of just one year, you think of your whole life. I have enjoyed every year. I’ve enjoyed the ups and downs of the economy and what has been happening in this city. I’ve enjoyed learning our role as a company in this big city, how we play and participate.

Once I grasped the role we were going to play, I knew I was going to be able to manage it.”

Tejas Premier started with three employees and the support of several subcontractors. A year after starting Tejas Premier, recession hit and Carielo, the planner, adjusted the company and moved forward. Today the company is 30 employees strong.

Since its inception, it has maintained steady growth and has expanded its interests into other avenues that support Carielo’s role in the construction industry and the city she loves. In December of 2019, just as the pandemic began to surface, Carielo along with Rene Garcia, a local leader with over 35 years of experience in real estate development and construction, establish the DreamOn Group offering an innovative and integrated approach to curating, developing, constructing, and managing projects for both public and private sector clients.

Always planning, Carielo didn’t let a little thing like COVID get in the way. No, she just pivoted again. “We had to figure out what the economy was going to do, what were the needs of our community and where we needed to adjust. Then, we wrapped our services around that,” she adds.

Tejas Premier Building Contractor Inc. is a full-service general contractor now umbrellaed under the DreamOn Group. -cmw

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arvin and Margie Ohlenbusch, Alamo Crane Services Inc., hosted their annual Christmas Party at their ranch on Dec. 11. Approximately 130 guests enjoyed food catered by Black Tie Affairs Catering, while enjoying music provided by Dana Wehrmann and the Ranger Band.

“Hosting this party has become a Christmas tradition for us,” says Marvin Ohlenbusch, COO of Alamo Crane Services Inc. “Although it has been four years since our last party, we have been hosting this party since 2000. This is our first party since the loss of our son in 2017 and then COVID hit. We’re so happy to bring family and old friends together and celebrate the holidays again.” Photos courtesy of Mary C. Haskin Photography. -cmw

San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

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Holiday luncheon

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he Mechanical and Sheet Metal Contractors Association (MCA-SMACNA) hosted a holiday luncheon for their members and friends of MCA-SMACNA on Dec. 15. The fun-filled luncheon was held at the Alzafar Shrine Temple. Photos courtesy of Mary C. Haskin Photography. -cmw

Chris Solis is presented with a plaque of appreciation for serving as the MCA-SMACNA president for the 2020-2021 year

2022-2023 MCA-SMACNA Board of Directors L-R: Director Kyle Anderson, DeWalt; President Chris Finger, Texas Chiller System; Vice President Kyle Pennington, A.J. Monier Company and Immediate Past President Chris Solis, Dynamic Systems, Inc. Not Pictured – Secretary/Treasurer Scott Heun, Brandt Companies

Oh Baby!

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ick Smith, President of Keller-Martin Construction, had a lot to be thankful for this past Thanksgiving as he welcomed the arrival of his first grandchild, Harper Emory Langston on Nov. 22, just in time to celebrate Thanksgiving with her family. Weighing 7 lbs., 5 oz., Harper has already captured grandpa’s heart. L-R: Rick Smith, Harper Emory Langston and new mom, Nicole Langston. -cmw

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San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

Christmas at the McNay

A Knowlton Christmas

The Ehrlich family

L-R: Third generation Jed Knowlton, Shakotah Knowlton, first generation Virgil Knowlton, second generation Scott Knowlton and Sam Knowlton

entral Builders Inc. celebrated the holidays with their families, employees and customers at the company’s Christmas Party held on Dec. 10. The event was held at the McNay Art Museum where everyone enjoyed a delicious buffet dinner, drinks and great upbeat music.

Extremely proud of their extended CBI family, the Ehrlich family led by Founder and President Carl Ehrlich, proudly recognized team members for their years of service for all to witness.

Following the festivities at the McNay, CBI guests were shuttle to Cowboys Dance Hall to continue the evening’s festivities. -cmw

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K Knowlton Construction & Utilities Inc. hosted their annual Christmas Party on Dec. 17 at the VK Knowlton headquarters. Employees and guests were treated to a delicious fajita dinner catered by Black Tie Affairs Catering.

VK Knowlton vendors supplied door prizes for VK Knowlton employees

throughout the evening. Among the festivities, the Knowlton family presented service awards to employees of 5, 10, 20 and 30 years of service. “You are not just employees to us,” said VK Knowlton Vice President Jed Knowlton to their employees. “You are family. We are grateful for each and every one of you.” -cwm

The Knowltons with 30-year VK Knowlton employee, Armando Ferdin

San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

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Act of service

Setting careers in motion

Propel team members L-R: Education Administrator Kevin Pringle; Cory Brunner and Director of Legal Services James Baleja Sinclair Land Surveying Inc., Saint John Lutheran Church members pictured with Texas State Troopers

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n Nov. 17 Sinclair Land Surveying Inc. teamed up with Saint John Lutheran Church of Boerne to feed Department of Public Safety Troopers, United States Border Patrol Agents, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents, Uvalde County Sheriff’s Department Officers, and the City of Uvalde Police Department Officers at the Uvalde County Fairplex in Uvalde, TX. The idea for the event came from Sinclair Land Surveying President Lemuel T. Sinclair, RPLS (Registered Professional Land Surveyor), and a member of Saint John Lutheran Church in Boerne, TX, who said “In a time when it may not be popular with a lot of people, we need to let the men and women that are protecting our border know they are appreciated. This is just a small token of our appreciation.”

Team Members from Sinclair Land Surveying Inc. and members from Saint John Lutheran Church worked together to provide brisket, green beans, potato salad, and all the fixings for lunch and dinner.

For the last 40 years, Sinclair Land Surveying Inc. has been providing land surveying services in the San Antonio/ Austin areas and the state of Texas. Sinclair is a proud member of the Texas Society of Professional Land Surveyors, the National Society of Professional Land Surveyors, and the Greater San Antonio Builders Association. Sinclair Land Surveying has 48 full-time employees including one registered professional land surveyor, 20 technicians, six administrative staff members and they are always looking for new members to join their team. -cmw

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ropel Career Academy was established in 2019 when FSG began looking for an avenue for training the types of skilled workers FSG needed. The program was started in San Antonio and New York City, and has now grown to 14 locations across the United States.

As the program entered 2020, they separated from FSG as a stand-alone entity so it could offer apprentice training to any individual who was seeking a skilled trade. The program currently offers apprenticeship training in three trades – electrical, welding and data technology with future plans of adding additional trades.

Propel Career Academy is certified with the Texas Workforce Commission and the Department of Labor (DOL) as an accredited trade school. It is also an accredited testing/assessment center for NCCER assessments and craft training, and offers proctored, secure and reliable testing and assessment services. The testing center offers a quiet and comfortable environment for test-takers to test and take assessments, keeping them cur-

rent and certified in their discipline. Additionally, the Propel Career Academy offers NCCER performance verifications which are proctored performance evaluations, each having an eight-plus hour exam.

“When we separated from FSG in 2020,” says Cory Bruner, Vice President of Propel Career Academy, “we noticed students who had gone through other programs like this did not have the skills requirements they needed to be successful. They had the book knowledge, but not the hands-on experience.”

Propel offers two types of programs.

Their night program is like other DOL approved apprentice programs in which students are sponsored by an employer or are currently working for an employer. Their day program is their fast-track program. It is a 10-month program that covers all the core education requirements for a journeyman’s license and have the opportunity to gain hands-on working experience through Propel’s pre-fab center. -cmw

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San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

ACCOUNTING Avoiding Payroll Tax Surprises Steven Bankler, Owner Steven Bankler, CPA, Ltd. San Antonio, TX

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usiness owners in the construction industry need to adjust their workforce continually, which can lead to complicated payrolls. The IRS and the state of Texas have a vested interest in you getting payroll right, though, because employment taxes are a huge source of revenue for them.

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is tasked with auditing Texas businesses over state payroll tax issues. According to TWC, businesses are usually flagged for one of four reasons: • A former worker files an unemployment claim. If no wages were reported for that claimant, an investigation may be initiated.

• A competitor or someone else reports that an employer may be misclassifying its workers.

• A random audit of the employer is performed as part of TWC’s goal of auditing 2% of Texas businesses every year.

• TWC decides to target a specific industry or geographical area (the construction industry has been targeted in past years).

As you can see, misclassifying workers as independent contractors is a significant trigger. Misclassifying a worker as a contractor when they really operate as an employee means they’re on the hook to pay their own employment taxes, which doesn’t happen as often as it should. In 2014, the Fort Worth Star-Telegraph reported that nearly 40% of Texas construction workers were misclassified.

The problem contributed to a $1.2 billion-a-year loss in tax income for Uncle Sam. So, of course, they’d like to prevent that from happening.

There could also be payroll deduction problems that cause your business to be flagged. Many of these can happen by accident. Examples include child-support garnishments ordered by the court that bring a worker’s wages below the minimum wage and employee loan deductions that aren’t approved in writing per Texas Payday Law.

So how does the IRS get involved? If TWC finds an employer failed to report wages and pay taxes correctly, back taxes and interest are assessed. At that point, TWC will likely inform the IRS that the business isn’t entitled to a federal tax credit for the wages in question, which, in turn, can lead to an IRS audit.

Payroll issues can become a huge legal issue particularly when employment taxes are collected from paychecks but not paid to the state or IRS. With the complexity of bookkeeping on construction projects, it’s a law that often trips up contractors. And when that happens, each business owner and manager in charge of payroll can be held personally responsible for the overdue bill.

The IRS assesses about 6 million civil penalties amounting to over $6 billion dollars for employer payroll tax issues each year. Some of these violations are due to what the IRS considers a “willful” failure to pay or even a “reckless disregard” for not acknowledging when bookkeeping is being mismanaged. Either way, business owners and every other person responsible for running the business or distributing payroll can be held personally accountable. In those cases, the IRS can dole out individual trust fund recovery penalties and, sometimes, even criminal charges. More than 100,000 individuals face these penalties at any given time with an average price tag of more than $90,000 a person.

The best way to avoid these surprises—big and small—is to maintain excellent payroll records and timely payments.

“Many audits result in no finding of anything wrong and are finished within a few hours, depending upon how well the employer has been keeping records of workers and payments to workers,” TWC states. Those records can include canceled checks, time cards, cash vouchers, petty cash, filed tax forms, TWC tax reports, chart of accounts, profit and loss statements, and more. Chances are, the tax examiner will not require most of these records, but it’s better to be safe (have them ready) than sorry.

Working with a CPA from the start can help ensure regulations are followed.

They can also represent you before tax auditors if that dreaded payroll audit letter does arrive. You may find that reputable payroll help on a regular basis is necessary, too. Payrolls often become unmanageable to the point where mistakes start mounting: 1. During rapid business growth. When a business grows quickly, the owner sometimes has no choice but to trust newly designated employees to stay on top of the books for them—often with little to no oversight.

2. While taking on projects outside your local jurisdiction. Are you taking on multistate or out-of-state projects? Employees are generally subject to the income tax withholding of the state in which they work (not the state in which the employer is located).

3. When adding to your temporary labor force. As stated before, the IRS has a keen eye on labor classification—especially for those in the construction industry—since employment violations in this area are common.

4. When upgrading to the latest payroll systems. Moving to a paperless payroll system can save you and your employees time and effort, but it can also lead to data security issues and other oversights.

“I thought it was happening automatically” isn’t a great excuse when facing IRS scrutiny.

5. As paperwork requirements become overwhelming. Construction businesses are often required to submit additional forms many other businesses don’t need to worry about.

Look for these indicators and take actions to correct payroll issues before it’s too late. Remember that you (the employer) are ultimately responsible for payroll taxes no matter who in your organization misses the boat.

Steven Bankler has more than 44 years of experience in the accounting industry. Steven’s expertise lies in consulting, planning, tax, and asset protection as well as exit strategy services for closely held businesses.

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

INSURANCE Are Your Tools/Equipment Properly Covered?

Reginald Mahadeo Agency Owner Reginald Mahadeo Insurance Agency, Inc. Austin, TX

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n 2020, about 4.61 million reported cases of larceny-theft occurred in the United States. The good news is the number of larceny-theft cases has decreased since 1990. However, the bad news is a BJS annual survey (Pew Research) found that just one-third of all property crimes are reported – so the actual number of thefts is underreported.

For contractors, tools and equipment are a definite target of opportunity for theft. Whether in your vehicle or equipment that is left on the job site overnight, having the appropriate property coverage is essential. Your policy should cover both large equipment as well as small hand tools – wherever they are stored. Generally, tools and equipment can be listed in two ways on a policy: First, unscheduled, or blanket tool coverage, provides a blanket amount of coverage for tools that are valued under $2,000 per item. These tools don’t need to be listed individually, rather, adding up the total value of your tools (under $2,000 in value), will provide you with a limit of insurance to cover the sum of all these tools on a blanket basis.

Secondly, scheduled tools or equipment is designed for higher value items of $2,000 or more in value. Providing a list of the tools/equipment provides each covered item and its value. Listings of these tools and equipment would include items like bulldozers, trenchers, generators, etc.

Your policy can include a mix of blanket tool coverage and scheduled tools items, so you should see both limits of insurance on your policy. Also, to assist with any future claim, you should always keep receipts and proof of your tools, including photos. This information will definitely help in the event of a claim.

Your policy could also provide coverage for tools or equipment that are rented.

Instead of purchasing this coverage at the rental store at a much more expensive rate, you can add this endorsement to your policy. This blanket amount of coverage can be used as evidence of insurance for the rental store to avoid this additional rental expense. Check with your agent to see if this coverage is available.

One other coverage that can sometimes be overlooked is coverage for contractors’ installation – that is, direct physical loss or damage to materials, supplies, equipment, machinery, and fixtures which are being installed. Coverage would be covered while at any job site while awaiting or during installation. In addition, coverage would also apply while in transit or at a temporary storage location. Unfortunately, these are common occurrences for the small businesses that should be considered when reviewing your insurance coverages.

Our agency is available to assist you with a coverage review so give us a call if you have questions. We’re here to help educate our prospective clients so you can make the best insurance decisions for your business.

Born in Jamaica, but grew up in Houston, TX. Occasionally my friends well get to experience hearing my Jamaican accent from time to time. I have learned to keep my Jamaican roots close

and so if I get a recommended Jamaican restaurants, I will make sure to try it out.

Houston has some good spots.

I attended Texas A&M University, where I acquired my Bachelor of Science Degree. I also obtained my Masters in Science Telecommunications Management from Oklahoma State University. I make sure that I always keep learning because there is always something new in my profession that helps me with my clients, business partners or even my children. If I do get an opportunity down the road, I would like to teach a class.

Personally, I have always known in my heart that I wanted to have my own business, be my own boss. I was fortunate to develop skills along the way until I found my path, Farmers Insurance. I wanted my children to see that there is a way to pave the road if you work hard enough. Also, I had them in mind when I think of what I want to leave behind as my legacy, whether it be my kids and/or grandkids.

In 2004, I started my journey as a Business Owner with Farmers Insurance in Houston. I will say that it took a lot of grit to get through a lot of trials, but things worked out for me and had amazing clients to even this day reach out to me for help. While I enjoyed the opportunity of establishing my own business, I accepted a District Manager position in 2011. I wanted to teach others this great opportunity I was given and the doors it opened for me. I will always have legacy in mind when helping others to do better for themselves and their family.

In 2019, it came full circle and I decided to rejoin the agency owner ranks with Farmers Insurance. This meant I could again own my own agency and now teach my children how to run a successful business to take over one day. I didn’t start from the ground up like I originally did. I purchased a large agency that were planning to retire. This was a new opportunity Life was providing me. I inherited the prior staff who are experienced in Personal lines (Auto, Home, Umbrella, Rentals, Boats, RVs, etc.), Commercial Business and Life insurance. I’m licensed in Farmers Financial Services, and what this means is 401Ks, college funds, retirement, etc. My future plan for my agency is to be a one stop shop for all needs my clients need. I am fortunate to add departments within my agency to better assist my clients. I have a Personal Lines Department and Commercial Department who Gerard Galvan over sees. We want to provide a satisfactory experience for all new clients and current.

Best wishes in 2022!

San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

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OSHA

LEGAL

Cold Stress Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX Hypothermia occurs when body heat is lost faster than it can be replaced and the normal body temperature (98.6°F) drops to less than 95°F. Hypothermia is most likely at very cold temperatures, but it can occur even at cool temperatures (above 40°F), if a person becomes chilled from rain, sweat, or submersion in cold water.

What are the symptoms of hypothermia?

Mild symptoms: • An exposed worker is alert.

• He or she may begin to shiver and stomp the feet in order to generate heat.

Moderate to Severe symptoms: • As the body temperature continues to fall, symptoms will worsen and shivering will stop.

• The worker may lose coordination and fumble with items in the hand, become confused and disoriented • He or she may be unable to walk or stand, pupils become dilated, pulse and breathing become slowed, and loss of consciousness can occur. A person could die if help is not received immediately.

What can be done for a person suffering from hypothermia?

• Call 911 immediately in an emer- gency; otherwise seek medical assistance as soon as possible.

• Move the person to a warm, dry area.

• Remove wet clothes and replace with dry clothes, cover the body (including the head and neck) with layers of blankets; and with a vapor barrier (e.g. tarp, garbage bag).

Do not cover the face.

If medical help is more than 30 minutes away: • Give warm sweetened drinks if alert (no alcohol), to help increase the

body temperature. Never try to give a drink to an unconscious person.

• Place warm bottles or hot packs in armpits, sides of chest, and groin.

Call 911 for additional rewarming instructions.

If a person is not breathing or has no pulse: • Call 911 for emergency medical assistance immediately.

• Treat the worker as per instructions for hypothermia, but be very careful and do not try to give an unconcon- scious person fluids.

• Check him/her for signs of breathing and for a pulse. Check for 60 seonds.

• If after 60 seconds the affected worker is not breathing and does not have a pulse, trained workers may start rescue breaths for 3 minutes.

• Recheck for breathing and pulse, check for 60 seconds.

• If the worker is still not breathing and has no pulse, continue rescue breathing.

• Only start chest compressions per the direction of the 911 operator or * emergency medical services • Reassess patient’s physical status periodically. *

Chest compression are recommended only if the patient will not receive medical care within 3 hours. natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232

Growing in construction

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fter going to school to become an administrator, Lakeisha Brown went to work for a construction company. Fifteen years later, in 2013, she started a construction company of her own, All Materials Construction LLC, with her brother, Darryl McBride, and her mother, Maxine Brown, by her side.

The family-owned construction company focused their services on federal, state and city government work performing underground utilities, paving and concrete work. In eight short years, they have made a name for themselves in the highway, street, and bridge construction industry.

In the beginning, All Materials Construction was comprised of just three of them, Lakeisha, Darryl and Maxine. Today, the company is 16-employees strong.

“We do work all over the United States. We cover pretty much all 50 states, and currently have a contract in Philadelphia with boring contracts in Denver, Michigan, Kansas and Nebraska,” says McBride, Vice President of All Materials Construction.

“We are getting into the residential and commercial markets. We have mainly focused on federal, state and city government work, but now we are doing commercial projects as well”.

The company recently brought in new partner, former San Antonio Water Systems (SAWS) inspector, Fred Levine.

With Levine’s experience and established relationships, All Materials Construction

All Materials Construction LLC

has begun making their mark in the commercial and residential markets as it has been doing work for federal, state and city governments.

“We are a very good company,” says All Materials Construction President Lakeisha Brown. “We take safety and the quality of our work very seriously.”

All Materials Construction LLC is located in New Braunfels, TX. -cmw

Third-party Adjudicators are Arbitrators?

Alfredo Montelongo, Associate Cokinos Young Austin/San Antonio/Houston, TX

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our construction contract may be subject to arbitration even if it never mentions arbitration.

Anyone who has done construction work for a city in Texas is familiar with clauses that designate the city engineer as a third-party adjudicator of any and all claims and disputes. While unfair (after all, it is the city’s engineer), the Texas common law has held that the parties are free to designate whomever they wish as a third-party adjudicator as long as his decisions are binding on both parties. Tex. Dep’t of Transp. v. Jones Bros. Dirt & Paving Contractors, Inc., 92 S.W.3d 477, 482-83 (Tex. 2002). Thus, to obtain government contracts, contractors often have to perilously agree to waive the right to litigate claims and to instead agree to submit them to a biased party.

That is not to say one cannot challenge a third-party adjudicator’s decision. One can. However, it is difficult to overturn such a decision. A third-party adjudicator’s decision is “final and conclusive: unless in making it he is guilty of fraud, misconduct, or such gross mistake as would imply bad faith or failure to exercise an honest judgment.” City of San Antonio v. McKenzie Const. Co., 136 Tex. 315, 326, 150 S.W.2d 989, 996 (1941). One example of gross mistake would be departing from the terms of the contract in reaching a decision. Jordan Paving Corp. v. Tex. Dep’t of Transp., 03-04-00782-CV, 2009 WL 1607916, at *4 (Tex. App.—Austin June 3, 2009, no pet.).

In an ongoing case against the City, our client argued that the City Engineer’s decision regarding our termination claim should be set aside for the gross mistake of misapplying the contract. To our surprise, the City responded with a Motion for Res Judicata, claiming that the matter had already been decided by a court of competent jurisdiction, i.e. the City Engineer. Baffled, we responded simply that the City Engineer is obviously not a legal court. The district court agreed with our assertion that the City Engineer is not a court of competent jurisdiction and denied the motion.

Nevertheless, the City appealed, arguing that the City Engineer is considered an arbitrator, and its decision an arbitration award, thus making it a court of competent jurisdiction for the purposes of res judicata.

First, the City relied primarily upon a case in which the court referred to the third-party adjudication provision as an “arbitration procedure . . . [,] which provides the Engineer was referee in all question arising under the contract.”

Austin Bridge Co. v. State, 550 S.W.2d 135, 137 (Tex. Civ. App.Waco 1977, writ refd n.r.e.). The City also relied upon a case in which the court actually called the city engineer an “arbitrator.” City of San Antonio v. McKenzie Constr. Co., 150 S.W.2d 989 (Tex. 1941) (“the contract ... in a very comprehensive and certain way, constitutes the engineer Col. Crecelius, the arbitrator

or umpire . . .”). In these cases, the courts deemed the city engineer’s decisions on contractual questions to be “final and binding” and “given the same effect as the judgment of a court of last resort.” Id. This, the City argued, meant that the City Engineer was the same as an arbitrator, and that his findings cannot be set aside, except for limited circumstances.

The City also argued that our client had agreed in the contract that the City Engineer would be an arbitrator, despite the words arbitration and arbitrator never showing up in the contract. The City argued that a clear designation was unnecessary and that merely saying that the City Engineer would make “final and binding” determinations on claims meant that our client agreed the engineer was an arbitrator.

There are obvious flaws in the City’s argument. The City’s own case law discusses successful challenges to city engineer’s decisions based on fraud, misconduct, or gross error, so even though the decisions are “final and binding” in name, in practice they are anything but.

Also, if a city engineer’s decision could satisfy the elements of res judicata, it would effectively negate accepted jurisprudence that such decisions can be challenged for fraud, misconduct, or gross error.

But if the City’s appeal is successful, it would mean that a city engineer’s decision is indeed an arbitration award and that the only way to challenge such a decision would be to vacate the “award,” in accordance with arbitration law. According to the Texas Supreme Court, arbitration awards may be overturned for fraud and misconduct (among other causes), but not gross error. Hoskins v. Hoskins, 497 SW 3d 490 (2016). Given that gross error includes a city engineer’s misapplication of a contract’s provisions, such a change would remove the most common cause for overturning a city engineer’s decision. Thus, the odds of successfully challenging a city engineer’s decision would decrease from unlikely to near-impossible.

While it is unlikely that the Fourteenth Court of Appeals does designate the City Engineer as an arbitrator, it will be interesting to see if the court does rule on the issue and, in doing so, eliminate the confusion of whether a third-party adjudicator is considered an arbitrator.

Alfredo Montelongo’s practice focuses on commercial litigation and construction law. Alfredo was born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas and grew up around his parents’ law firm. Alfredo is a graduate of Harvard University and Stanford Law School.

Alfredo can be reached via email at amontelongo@cokinoslaw.com or by phone at 713-535-5561.

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San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

My mom has served as a youth minister assistant at Trinity Baptist Church in Kerrville since 1997.

Mark Baublit

President & CEO, Marksmen General Contractors, San Antonio, TX

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orn and raised in Kerrville, TX, Baublit grew up with a strong Christian faith and work ethic. From a young age, he knew he would run his own business and while working his way through college, he mastered a trade that laid the path before him.

What was it like growing up in Kerrville?

It’s a small town with not much to do as a youth. We spent a lot of time with our youth groups in the area through events and playing sports.

Tell me about your parents. What did they do for a living?

My father spent his career in the telephone industry running phone lines across Texas. Eventually he was promoted to a desk job within the Kerrville Telephone Company office becoming a cost separationist. He was then hired by a consulting firm where he remained until retirement doing cost separations analysis for multiple telephone companies.

In addition to his day job, my dad was an ordained minister and held a fulltime lead pastor role from 1980-1984 for a church in Fredericksburg, an interim pastor in San Benito for about half a year in 1985, and then as an associate pastor in Kerrville until his passing. In his “retirement” years, he ran Marksmen Millwork doing custom cabinetry and home remodels. We spent a lot of time together, which made his passing less devastating as there are no regrets. We were able to spend the last six years of his life working nights and weekends together fabricating in our shop to generate income while building Marksmen General Contractors.

Tragically, while my father was successfully fighting cancer in his last year, COVID took his life during his stem cell treatment during his stay in the hospital in July 2020. We know he was ready to see his Savior and his reward in heaven is substantial for the hundreds of lives he led to Christ during his lifetime.

My mother was a stay-at-home mom, which was a blessing for us children. She was our rock and was an incredible support to my father and us. Her intercessory faith for the family as well as our extended church family was an influential example to us kids towards living with a servant heart and sacrificially loving others.

Did you go to college? What was college life like?

I graduated from Texas A&M University with a Construction Science degree in the College of Architecture.

I worked full time throughout college and was financially independent. I worked for Keystone Millwork where I was the lead detailer for their commercial cabinet and millwork designs, optimization, procurement of materials and shop cut-listing. I did not have much free time as my sole focus was on my career and education.

Why did you choose that field of study?

I applied to Duke University to be a surgeon, medicine being another passion of mine, in my senior year of high school. At their financial aid seminar halfway through the application process, they informed us only a small percent of students received financial aid and the cost was five times as much as a state school in Texas. With no scholarships, I changed course and began a search statewide.

I visited Texas A&M alongside my oldest friend and fell in love with the values of the campus. My second passion had been architecture. I enrolled in the College of Architecture and quickly discovered the construction classes were a more intriguing path. Having worked at the telephone company as a PBX and mobile phone installer, and also for a custom cabinet shop for two years, my foundation in construction work was rooted and established.

How did you come to work in the construction industry?

I always loved building things. My father was very mechanically inclined and I definitely inherited his problem solving skills. All my jobs have been in the construction industry, first starting in subcontracting work and then ultimately in the general contracting.

How did you come to starting Marksmen General Contractors?

I knew from a very young age that I would run my own business. I spent most of my adult career after college at an incredible firm where the foundation was developed in mastering my trade in every capacity from superintendent, project management and ultimately as project executive overseeing a third of the construction volume. What was so enjoyable about my time there was the family of employees that to this day are a vital part of joy from my career. I love the people and more importantly having the opportunity to be an influential mentor to many of them. Like me, many of them have since moved on to other businesses of their own. I started there when the company was the same revenue size as Marksmen Companies is today and enjoyed being a vital part of a strong team that grew that company to something much greater in size with a huge footprint in the region. Leaving something so secure and stable is never easy, but I

Mark Baublit with his late father, Roger Baublit

found my heart constantly being drawn to a purpose of my own that my family could fully benefit from the hard work and strengths that God placed within me.

The highest reward of having my own businesses is being able to give - to our team members, our community, the church, ministries and to those in need.

To date, my greatest joy has been Marksmen starting our first Endowment Scholarship at Texas A&M University for Construction Science students in 2020. Our focus at Marksmen is to walk in purpose, with the primary focus taken off material things, so we can effectively influence our community and to focus on doing something greater beyond ourselves.

Marksmen’s ownership has always stood on the sole principle that if we can change one life during this journey in business, before we hand it off to the next generation, by helping them find their faith and purpose, then it would be worth all of the sacrifice. This is our WHY. Are you married? How did you meet?

How long have you been married?

Mandy and I met at the end of my high school journey in band as I was the drum major and she was a flutist. We dated long distant for two years and then married in 1994 after my sophomore year in college and following her high school graduation.

Do you have any children?

We have three daughters. Mallory, 22, is the oldest. She graduated from Texas A&M in Dec. 2021 with her bachelor degree and is currently enrolling for the Fall 2022 semester for a master’s degree in communication. She is passionate about serving others, particularly in special needs. Mattie, 20, our second daughter is a sophomore at A&M. She is pursuing a elementary education degree which is something she has always been passionate about. Megan, our youngest, will turn 15 in January and is a high school freshman at Anne Frank Inspire Academy.

She is creative and very artistic with passions in dance, art and music.

What are your interests/hobbies? How do you relax?

My hobbies are woodworking, sports, working out multiple times a week, and taking time away with my

San Antonio

small circle of friends or my family to explore the world and create lasting memories. I relax best out of phone service and where I can read, meditate and pray to grow myself personally. My favorite time away was at Zion National Park with Mandy a few years ago where we climbed Angel’s Landing and hiked the Narrows River Trail. Both were invigorating because the challenge presented the same mental and physical perseverance it took to start a business. Learning to enjoy the journey more than the end game is key to any fulfilment in life.

Do you have a mentor?

My father. His passion for serving and leading others to Christ was his most influential trait. My ability to mediate and adapt to many differing personalities and types of people came from my father. He taught me how to solve problems effectively while always respecting every one of whom those decisions impact. While you cannot please everyone, he taught me to always pursue walking in respect of everyone so you can to make the most impact on the most lives with the decisions you are placed in charge of in leadership. In his last year he told me something that was very impacting and affirming to me as his son. “Mark,” he said. “I now know after working with you for many years that your ability as a business leader to influence lives for eternity far exceeds any impact I could have ever had behind a pulpit.” May we all as business leaders remember that statement as a charge to each of us the responsibility that we bear for those we lead. What we do daily is our mission field.

What would you like our readers to know about you?

Marksmen expanded its business in the residential sector at the beginning of 2020 by hiring an operations leader for that separate company who brings many decades of experience to carry on the legacy my father built in our Marksmen Millwork and Construction firm over the last decade. This residential sector is about 10% of our total umbrella’s corporate revenue. Stay tuned for the full roll out of our trademarked Marksmen residential brand this April 2022. -cmw

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Page 9

A gala for the kids

he Construct A Kid’s Christmas Gala continues to bring unexpected holiday cheer to the children in our foster care system. From its humble beginnings at Retama Park to the Freeman Coliseum, the gala returned to the Alzafar Shrine Temple for a sold out event on Dec. 2.

This year’s evening included the great sounds from Finding Friday, food stations complete with a fabulous display of desserts catered by Heavenly Gourmet, beer, wine, dancing and chance to

win spectacular prizes at the ever-popular casino games.

The ever-popular silent and live auctions and grand gala raffle were again an astounding success. Three checks totaling $60,000 were presented to the Friends of the Bexar County Child Welfare Board, Child Advocates of San Antonio (CASA) and Child Advocates of South Texas (CASA) Board bringing an accumulated 21-year total of $1,082,881. Photos courtesy of Mary C. Haskin Photography. -cmw

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San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

Construct-a-elves

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s the effects of COVID linger on, the big hearts of the construction industry, once again, gave Santa a helping hand. Our construction community brought boxes and pallets of unwrapped toys to the Construct A Kid’s Christmas (CAKC) Toy Drive Dec. 3 held at the Construction News office.

Construction companies and associations throughout the city, in addition to the many toys collected at the CAKC Gala the night before and the Alterman Open House toy drive brought this year’s toy collection total to 2,435 toys. Total gifts and toys collected since the very first Construct A Kid’s Christmas toy drive held in 2000 is 32,906.

None of this would be possible without the overflowing support from the construction industry. Thank you everyone who donated your time and energy to help bring Christmas cheer and happiness to the many children in the Bexar County foster care system. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all! –cmw

CAKC Committee presents checks to Bexar County Child Welfare Board, Child Advocates of South Texas (CASA) and Child Advocates of San Antonio (CASA)

Thank you for another great year!

Sara Tolvanen delivers bikes on behalf of Joy Beck

Alterman delivers six pallets of donated toys from Sea World of Texas

CFMA

Joeris General Contractors

Alterman delivers four boxes of toys collected during their Holiday Open House

WJE

Penny McDonald, The Fetzer Companies

Buddy Doebbler, Construction News and Mike McGinnis, Allen & Allen Co.

What’s Your Outdoor Adventure?

San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

Page 11

Kicking off the Year on the Water

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

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inter weather patterns seem to be getting later and later in the year as time goes on. As I write this column, it’s mid-December and we still have not had a freeze in South Texas. Actually, I really don’t think the temperatures have been in the 30s at all. Winter weather usually starts in January and lasts through the end of February here in South Texas. Last year’s devastating freeze occurred the week of February 15 and lasted five days with below freezing conditions. Scientists say it’s unlikely that another cold spell like the one that swept across the state in February will happen this winter.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts a warmer-thannormal winter for Texas due to continued dry La Niña conditions — although last winter was also during a La Niña year.

Air temperatures tend to fall and rise quickly after cold fronts hit the Coastal Bend. We may have a couple of days in the low to upper 40’s and then we see a rise into the upper 60’s after a front.

Water temperatures don’t usually recover

Marv Klein was on a roll on this cold winter morning. This redfish measured 26.5” and gave him on heck of a fight. Photo by Steve Schultz Outdoors.

that quickly and need longer warmer days to raise the temperatures several degrees. Fishing these cooler waters can be challenging to say the least so here are a few tips to take into consideration when setting out these next few months.

1. Look for areas where water temps are slightly elevated. Channels that drain flats are a good example. Following a high tide early in the day, sun-warmed waters coming off of a flat late in the day, can draw in trout like a magnet.

2. Look for weedbeds and rock structures. These areas absorb heat on sunny days, and can be noticeably warmer than the surrounding waters.

3. Leave the topwater lures in your tacklebox, and work near the bottom.

After significant cool-downs the specks will often shuffle off to deeper areas and the topwater bite can be completely shut down. Bouncing jigs along bottom is of-

ten going to be a much better bet.

4. Up-size your offerings. When it gets cold out, the fish want to minimize their caloric expenditure and maximize their potential caloric reward. They become much less inclined to go chasing after small prey, and instead focus on larger meals when they need to feed. As a result, the four-inch lures that were so effective a while back but may go untouched, while the six-inch lures that you normally reserve for larger predators may become a whole lot more effective.

5. Slow down your retrieve. This doesn’t necessarily mean you should work your lures any less vigorously and, in fact, specks often continue to respond to very erratic retrieves when the water temps drop. However, how quickly you move that lure over long distances does make a big difference. Again, this is because the fish don’t necessarily want to go on a wild goose chase that may or may not end up

Up-sizing to larger lures during winter months may entice larger fish to feed once or twice a day instead of chasing smaller offerings, therefore saving valuable energy.

with them burning off more energy than they’ll gain. So continue to work that rod tip, but slow down your cranking hand.

Here’s another tip to remember when fishing cooler water conditions.

Trout and redfish will sometimes reduce the tidal window they feed in. What was once a two-hour bite can turn into a 45-minute bite. So if you catch some fish in quick succession and then the bite totally dies off on a change of the tide, consider targeting a different species until the next feeding times occur.

I have already started to fill the calendar for the upcoming 2022 season.

Don’t wait till all the good dates are gone! To schedule your next bay fishing or hunting trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-813-3716 or e-mail him at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.com.

Good luck and Good Fishing.

Page 12

San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

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

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ell, here we are, standing on the front porch of a whole New Year!

After the last couple of years and all the surprises and challenges contained in them, you may be like me – one part cautious, one part curious and one part exited to see what’s next!

It’s time to check out your nice new calendar and write in some important dates and things to do.

January is time to shift gears. Hunting season is mostly done for now, so clean and put away your guns and other hunting gear for easy access when hunting season rolls around again. Don’t stop feeding the deer though! Just because you aren’t going to be hunting doesn’t mean life stops in the pasture. On the contrary, there are a lot of does out there who are gestating your future deer herd.

Keep them fed until spring rolls around so they don’t have to go hungry.

If you are a fisherman, now is the time to get your equipment ready. You do not want to be they guy at the boat ramp in April whose motor won’t start because the carb is gummed up, etc. That will make you they guy who can’t go fishing because he’s in line waiting for boat repair during the busy season. Check it out now and get it ready in the off season.

Same goes for maintaining your rod and reels. You don’t want old line to snap under the strain of a nice fish. Be sure you have fresh line and smooth working reels and check for damaged rod eyes that can nick your line.

February will be time for white bass to run upstream to spawn in any water body they inhabit. That might even be earlier this year since the weather has been mild

There You Go! so far. I know a lot of anglers love to chase the white bass run because they are easy to catch, (fantastic for beginning anglers!), and good to eat. Crappie are easily caught around structure and in shallow water on sunny days too. They are lots of fun and the very best eating fish there is.

Stripers and hybrids should be schooling and feeding good too. Watch for the birds to show you where.

As the weather warms back into spring and summer, watch for the fish that ran upstream to spawn to be working their way back downstream. Stripers and hybrid fishing is at it’s best about then, so put it on your calendar to catch them while they are hot! Be sure to keep an eye out for the deer to be dropping their fawns too. Those little guys will be everywhere.

Enjoy those nice warm days on the water, because along about the time summer sets in hard and you start to have had enough of the heat, you need to get back to work in the pasture to get ready for the return of hunting season!

Get on out there to clear the wasps and spiders out of the blinds, check out and repair the feeders in case the squirrels and raccoons and hogs have messed them up in the off season. Most important that time of year is to be sure your deer can find enough water to stay nearby. Feed brings them in, but lack of water will draw them away.

There you go! Now that you have your priorities straight and your calendar marked, you already have a jump on this new year! You can fill in the rest of the incidental stuff as it comes. At any rate, have a great New Year!

San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

Buck management

Page 13

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Duckgiving

t’s not uncommon to see folks, well men, take a nap, plop down in front of the tube to watch a good college football game or even head out to the woods after a good Thanksgiving meal. Keeping in true manly Thanksgiving fashion, Stan Rothman, Texas First Rentals, did just that. He headed out to Anahuac, TX for a couple of days of duck hunting with the guys. -cmw

Sunrise in Anahuac.

Curtis Stoddard, JC Stoddard Construction had an exciting start to his 2021 whitetail deer hunting season. He shot this beauty at the family ranch in Red Rock, TX at a distance of 509 yards. -cmw

Baja trophy

Duck blind in wait

Stan Rothman shows off two greenheads harvested on Black Friday.

Ellis Ridout with South Texas Drywall shot this 12-point buck the opening weekend of deer season at the Baja Ranch owned by Tony Ridout of Ridout Barrett & Co. Congratulations Ellis! He’s a trophy. -cmw

What a way to start the day.

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San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

Central Library, Achieve Pediatric Behavioral Therapy, South Texas Blood & Tissue Boerne Donation Site, and Medical Spec Suite

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he last quarter of 2021 has been remarkable, to say the least. Everyone wants to have their Certificate of Occupancy or Letter of Completion before Christmas, but no one likes to hear the lights they want are backordered or the flooring they chose is having severe shipping delays. The supply chain problems aren’t something we read about in the paper, rather something we live every day. Colton Parnes, president of Parnes Construction, had to go to Boerne to find paint for a job in Canyon Lake. And here in San Antonio, “Development Services’ system being offline for 4 business days, without them making up for it the last week of the year, has made things extra… exciting, shall we say,” says Parnes. “I’ve had suppliers validate pricing not for 30 days, but for 30 hours. Nevertheless, I am very proud of our team’s enthusiasm to work and also to say, we are as busy as ever and working with our clients to make their deadlines a reality, while simultaneously staying on budget.”

This quarter, Parnes Construction completed San Antonio’s first Osteostrong franchise, began a large contract working as a sub for a national general contractor renovating two floors of the Central Library, completed a project on base at Fort Sam Houston, are in the middle of a two-phase remodel of a title company in Canyon Lake, began a first generation interior project, and at the time of writing this, the week before Christmas, are days away from completing a medical spec suite for a real estate

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n Nov. 19 & 20, over 200 Rotarians (Rotary Club of San Antonio members), City Year members and volunteers joined together to complete a new reading amphitheater, a refurbished playhouse, two new playgrounds, a soccer field, a new basketball court, a gazebo garden and decorative wall murals at the Child Advocates of San Antonio (CASA) facility located on S W.W. White Rd. CASA is a non-profit organization that recruits, develops and leads court-appointed volunteer Advocates for children who have experienced abuse and neglect. Advocates amplify the voices of the children and work towards their best interest on court-appointed child welfare cases, while advocating for needed services and safe and permanent placements. CASA’s new campus has ample space but no play facilities currently exist on site.

company here in San Antonio and a satellite donation center in Boerne for the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center. “ I am excited for the projects we have on

the schedule for 2022 and want to wish everyone reading this a Happy New Year!

Here’s to 2022,” adds Parnes. -cmw

South Texas Blood and Tissue Center Boerne Donation Site ready for ceiling cover

Central Library, 3rd floor post demo Medical Spec Suite ready for ceiling cover

Osteostrong reception area

Parnes Construction San Antonio, TX

Achieve Pediatric Behavioral Therapy – plumbing roughed in

Playgrounds for kids

The materials are donated and workmanship is volunteered. “We have had great support from Allen & Allen Co.,” says Chairman Rick Cavender, Cavendar Auto Family. “Mike McGinnis is a really good friend of ours here. Thank you Mike McGinnis for providing all the precut lumber for the reading theater. “We have also had great support from Playground Inc. in procuring the play structures along with great support from the folks at Courts Unlimited who helped us with the basketball court. Many thanks to you all and the volunteers that help accomplish this feat in the allocated two days.”

A Children’s Fair and ribbon cutting ceremony was hosted once the playgrounds were completed cutting ceremony at which time the children were allowed to play on new structures. -cmw Toddler playground (2-5 years of age)

Play structure for 5-11 year olds

Basketball court

Reading amphitheater Volunteers paint a mural on the CASA walls facing the playground

Refurbished playhouse

Rotary Club of San Antonio, City Year, CASA, Allen & Allen, Mike McGinnis, Playground Inc., Courts Unlimited San Antonio, TX

San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

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Page 15

Central Catholic High School Dressing Room and Coaches Locker Room Renovation

n early 2021, Central Catholic High School decided the school’s abandoned basketball locker rooms could be better utilized and were past due for a much needed face-lift; and sought out some of their alumni within the construction industry to perform the work.

BlueRock Construction Group owners, Daniel and Steven Garcia are both graduates of Central Catholic High School - Daniel, class of 2003, and Steven, class of 2007. Daniel was part of the school’s Football State Championship Team in 2001. They have continued to stayed involved with the school by participating in several alumni events, galas and other fundraising events.

The brothers have come full circle in returning back to the school to perform one of the school’s most awaited projects. Central Catholic hired 1718 Architecture Marcello Martinez, class of 1989, to design the project. BlueRock kept the brotherhood and spirit of Central Catholic alive, utilizing other alumni owned construction companies to partner with

ing, mechanical, electrical, and interior finish out. The BlueRock team was tasked with converting old basketball locker rooms into new and improved dressing room and coach’s locker room. The work also included the addition of two new water closets, four new sink areas, modification of five existing showers to include floor coating, full length mirrors, sitting areas, ventilation, and MEP improvements. -cmw

L-R: Steven and Daniel Garcia, Central Catholica High School alumni and BlueRock Construction Group co-owners

in the project - Galindo Plumbing, Will Galindo, class of 1982; Central Electric, Chris Martinez, class of 1996; and Dumas Hardware, Greg Kanning, class of 1987.

With a strong team behind them, BlueRock was able to successfully complete

the project and convert the once abandoned basketball locker rooms into a fully functional cheerleading dressing room and coach’s locker room.

The commercial interior renovation project consisted of demolition, plumb-

Showers

Dressing room

Renovations underway

BlueRock Construction Group San Antonio, TX

New water closets and sinks

Endeavors Veterans Wellness Center

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omez Floor Covering (GFC) is a woman-owned, minority, small business with its corporate office located in San Antonio and a regional office located in Dallas. On Oct. 22, GFC celebrated 25 years of providing top quality installation “covering” for Texas. GFC is recognized for its attention to detail each project receives and its ability to meet the challenges of the construction process while often exceeding the expectations of its clients.

In recent years, more notable projects include the San Antonio International Airport, First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, and the San Antonio City Hall renovation, all in GFC’s South Texas region.

This past year, GFC was proud to participate in the Endeavors Veterans Wellness Center in Northwest San Antonio.

Endeavors is a national nonprofit service organization that connects vulnerable populations to a wide range of helpful services. GFC partnered with general contractor, F.A. Nunnelly and RVK Architecture, bringing to life the first of its kind veterans center which offers veterans access to services designed to meet their physical, mental, and spiritual wellness as well as the opportunity to connect with other people.

RVK designed the Veterans Wellness Center to reflect the six pillars of wellness: Mind-Body, Connectedness, Spiritual, Environmental, Economic and Knowledge.

F.A. Nunnelly executed the design, constructing the facility to exhibit the “circle of wellness” that Endeavors believes is a never-ending journey. GFC’s challenge was the installation of over

4,800sf of 12 different tiles with 12 different grouts with the size of the main elevations and complexity of wall patterns, bringing the architect’s vision and Endeavors’ mission into reality.

The visual effect of the 48 in. x 48 in.

Imola porcelain tile “Concrete Project” provides the durability of concrete with an earthy contemporary mood. The same “Concrete Project” was used in wall clad-

ding in the elevator areas. Restrooms showcase various sizes, patterns and textures to bring the outdoors in. Crossville Nest - Mindful Oak in both 8 in. x 36 in. plank and 12 in. x 12 in. mosaic visually create the look of teak and are beautifully offset by Crossville - Handwritten wall tile. Subway wall tile in other bathrooms and the lobby area were set by hand to create unique looks that draw the eyes

directly to the beauty of the tile itself.

Throughout the process, GFC’s project management and production teams efficiently executed the project specifications completing this project within time and budgetary constraints. GFC is proud to have had a hand in providing our veterans with the services that maintain their health and safety as they have so selflessly provided the same to us. -cmw

Endeavors Veterans Wellness Center lobby

Gomez Floor Covering (GFC) San Antonio, TX

Page 16

San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

NAWIC Christmas

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he National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) held there annual Christmas dinner at The Petroleum Club in conjunction with their general membership meeting on Dec. 8. The women also enjoyed a fun white elephant gift exchange. Back Row L-R: Deb-

orah Rutherford, Patricia Wylie, Christina Gonzalez, Shelley Rappmund, Gabriela Cadena and Vikki Berg. Middle Row L-R: Stephanie Garcia, Sara Aranda, Eloina Benavides, Trisha Castro, Shenel Rimando and Kat Kelley. Front Row L-R: Lisanna and Courtni Navarro. -cmw

Christmas socks!

Breaking ground

On Nov. 18, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for The Rock at La Cantera project. The Rock, a human performance campus including a research center, a 22-acre park, and space for medical, hospitality and commercial use in San Antonio.

The project is expected to bring nearly 2,000 jobs to San Antonio and become a resource for the community. Contractor services will be provided by Joeris General Contractors and The Sabinal Group. Photo courtesy of HOLT CAT. -cmw

Merry Christmas everyone!

Lady Logic members at Little Woodrow’s

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ssociated Builders & Contractors’ (ABC) Lady Logic group, a peer group for women within the construction industry, gathered together at Little Wood-

row’s for its first ever Christmas Party on Dec. 15. The event included a Christmas sock themed white elephant gift exchange and an ugly sweater competition. -cmw The folks at A-1 Fire & Safety wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year while enjoying a little holiday festivities at the A-1 offices. -cmw

HAPPY NEW YEAR! From Ugly sweater candidates

Lady Logic members show off their Christmas socks

FROM

CONSTRUCTION NEWS

San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

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he San Antonio chapter of The American Institute of Architects (AIA) announced the winners of the 2021 AIA San Antonio Design Awards at the People + Place Celebration on the top floor of the SOTO Building on Nov. 10. The Place Awards celebrate design excellence and help increase public awareness of the importance of architecture in everyday life. The People Awards celebrate professional achievement and community leadership of four distinguished individuals.

Awards presented included a 25-Year Distinguished Building Award for a building that has withstood the test of time; the Mayor’s Choice Award for a publicly funded building; and a Community Impact Award attention to social equity in publicly funded projects. -cmw Merit Award winners: Pine House, San Antonio, TX; Cotton Estes Architect Ishawooa Mesa Ranch, Cody, WY; Lake|Flato Architects USF Biomedical Sciences & Engineering, Rockville, MD; Lake|Flato Architects + Cooper Carey

Page 17

People + place

Honor Award: Verde Creek House, Centerpoint, TX; Lake|Flato Architects

Mayor’s Choice Award: San Antonio City Hall Renovation Ford Powell & Carson & the East Entry Plaza - Beaty Palmer Architect Honor Award: Courtyard House, El Paso, TX; Lake|Flato Architects

Inaugural Allied Member of the Year: Terry Tucker, Acme Brick (photo unavailable) Legacy Award: Robert G. Hanley, AIA (photo unavailable) Community Partner Award: Gordon Harman (photo unavailable)

Community Impact Award: Children’s Shelter Harvey E. Najim Hope Center 2 designed by SYNCRO Architecture Studio

Citation Award: Ghost Hanger, Uvalde County – John Grable Architects

Citation Award: San Antonio City Hall East Entry Plaza, San Antonio, TX – Beaty Palmer Architects

People Awards Rising Star Award: Aline Yoldi, B & A Architects

Citation Award: Hotel Magdalena, Austin, TX – Lake|Flato Architects

Twenty-Five Year Award: Paseo Del Alamo

Page 18

San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

What would you like to be different in 2022?

I would love to see this whole virus pandemic thing go away and to stop being so political. It is starting to cause too much division in our country and making things a lot harder for everyone.

Clint Wurzbach, Comfort-Air Engineering Inc. | Primo Plumbing Inc. As a company, we have done so well. I would like to see us stay on that track.

Personally, I just want to continue watching my kids grow and develop into the amazing human beings I know they will be.

Karen Johns, Alterman For 2022, I would like to see our country go back to the work value that we had back in the ‘50s and ‘60s – getting back to where hard work is admirable and to not work hard is cheating the system.

Albert White, Raba-Kistner Consultants Inc. I would like to see more innovative technology.

Dan Belfort, Turner Construction Co. I would like our supply chain to catch up first and foremost. For us personally, we would like to do a better job of reaching out to our community and letting young individuals know about the trades and the true career opportunities that exist within our industry. A big part of what has driven me is that I have worked beside a lot of men and women who are just incredible at what they do and have a very rewarding career. There are a lot of young individuals in our community that could build an amazing career within the skilled trades. It is up to us to educate them on what those opportunities look like.

Chase Anderson, Shafer Services Inc. Apart from needing all of the supply chain issues to go away, I would like to see us grow here and have all the same people here that I have today. They are the best!

Aaron Todd, Empire Roofing

I would like to see more kindness in the world.

Tiffany Nunis, Mobile Mini Solutions I would like for construction companies and all industry professionals to choose to sell the value of their people in their proposals over bottom feeding, further diluting a very risky and low fee market.

A passion of ours is to educate owners and designers on the value of buying quality, resulting in the better execution of their projects. That follows without ever having to buy cheap. The full project cost is always less when value is over price. When money is the only focus, we are probably not be the right partner for you. May we all join together in being a part of the solution by consistently educating the industry in realizing the bottom dollar is the largest and most substantial contributor to the reduction of the integrity of our industry’s work, devaluing of the incredible professionals that work within it and want to enhance their benefits, and the biggest frustration of all parties involved in the success of a project for owners, designers, business consulting partners, contractors, subcontractors and suppliers.

Mark Baublit, Marksmen General Contractors I hoping that I continue to grow as a person because I enjoy learning. I’m constantly learning. When you are a business owner, you’re a community leader. You have the opportunity to get involved and I want to continue being involved, using my voice. As a woman in construction, I want to see more women get into the industry.

Julissa Carielo, Tejas Premier Building Contractor Inc. No COVID and a return to normal. PreCOVID normal would be really nice.

Cory Bruner, Propel Career Academy I would like to see continued growth all the way around for my employees both personally and professionally.

Tara James, The Hanson Group

continued from Page 1 — Shafer Services have been growing the company.

In June 2021, Todd Barrett reached out to Shafer Services about acquiring Barrett & Sons after learning that they had acquired a couple of plumbing and air conditioning companies around town.

“Todd had heard about some of the successes that we have done and reached out to Jimmy Shafer, who is my business partner,” says Anderson, president and CEO of Shafer Services. “He told Jimmy, ‘we heard you guys are working with some other companies that are looking to sell. Can we get together and see if there might be an opportunity?’ Todd was looking for someone to partner with that would make sure to take care of his customers and take care of his employees, and we were looking for an opportunity to continue to grow our business.

Barrett & Sons has just built an incredible legacy, brand name in the commercial market. Our commercial division has been growing pretty fast so it ended up being a great partnership.”

As the Barrett & Sons name is in the process of being sunsetted, Shafer Services has already been communicating with Barrett & Sons’ customers assuring them they will continue to get the same quality of service they have come to expect from Barrett & Sons but will now be doing business with Shafer Services.

Barrett & Sons employees are now all working out of the Shafer Services location. A few of which have taken on new leadership roles within Shafer Services.

“All and all, it has been an awesome partnership. We’re happy to have them all as part of the Shafer Services family,” Anderson adds.

Shafer Services acquired Steve’s Plumbing in September of 2020, and Watson Heating & Air in June 2021. With these acquisitions, Shafer Services has grown from a company of one in 1884 to where it is today, a company of almost 70 employees.

“At one point it was Jimmy and just a few employees in the mid-‘80s,” adds Anderson. “Then in 2017 when I took over, we had about 22 employees and today we have just under 70. We’ve experienced a lot of growth just in the last four years which has been so exciting. It’s all about the people that we’ve got on our team. We have built a really, really solid team. Fortunately, there are a lot of folks that believe in what we are doing and want to be a part of our journey.

“There are a lot of acquisitions going on in our industry right now and we have a little different approach to it. We look at these as opportunities to partner with owners who have done a really great job of building their businesses, their brand and their customer base. Our arms are open looking for ways we can help other business owners like Mr. Shafer for example. He was, at a point in his career, wanting to make sure his customers were taken care of and we were able to accomplish that, Now we are able to do that with these three other companies as well.

As opposed to looking at dollars and cents, we have a different approach. We are focused on the people aspect of it, which has proved to be a pretty good way to do things.”

Shafer Services is a plumbing, heating, cooling, air quality, drains, commercial and residential contractor. -cmw

continued from Page 1 — Empire Roofing Inc. body you see on the jobs are full-time employees. We don’t like to sub things out. We hire and train our guys. We pay them well and take care of them because you are only as good as your employees.

Nothing happens without them. We try to set ourselves apart by being honest and doing the very best we can. If we make a mistake, we own it, we fix it. That’s the bottom line.”

Staying true to their roots, Empire’s mission statement says it all - “Empire endeavors to use quality products and workmanship, provide timely service, utilize high safety standards and competitive pricing; and strives to present a pro-

R

fessional appearance to achieve ‘Total Customer Satisfaction,’ all while setting roofing industry standards. As a team, we make this commitment; ALL customers will be satisfied.”

Notable local projects for Empire Roofing in San Antonio include O’Connor High School, Archdiocese of San Antonio and the Battle of Flowers organization.

Going forward, the acquired business will operate as Empire Roofing, a Tecta America Company.

Both Tecta America Corp. and Empire Roofing Inc. have offices in Austin and San Antonio. –mjm/cmw

In memoriam…

obins & Morton Chairman Emeritus and former CEO, Barry Morton passed away Dec. 3. at the age of 83.

Morton was instrumental in the growth of the Birmingham-based construction company that bears his name, guiding its growth into one of the country’s top commercial builders and a leader in healthcare construction.

Morton began his career at Robins Engineering as an apprentice carpenter, working alongside his father, Boyette Edgar “Sunshine” Morton, a concrete finisher. After graduating from Auburn University in 1960 with a degree in Building Science, Morton joined Robins Engineering full time.

Over the decades, company founder Todd Robins saw in Morton the hardworking and ethical qualities to lead the company in the future. As a result, Barry became part owner of the company in 1975, and was named president of the company in 1982. In 1991, The Robins Corporation came to bear his name. He became Chairman/CEO of the company in 1996 and moved into the Chairman Emeritus role in 2015 when his son, Bill Morton, who had taken on increasingly higher levels of responsibility within the company over two decades, was named Chairman and CEO. “Barry Morton shaped Robins & Morton into the company we are today, including our expertise in healthcare construction and collaborative approach,” said President and COO Robin Savage. “Equally important, Barry had a profound and personal influence on so many of us in the company. He instilled in us the founding values established by Todd Robins – our client-first focus, our fair treatment of our business partners and our organization’s unique

Barry Morton

culture. All of us at Robins & Morton will honor him through our continued commitment to our company’s values and culture.”

Morton also left a lasting mark on the construction industry and Birmingham business community as President of the Alabama Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors; Chairman of the Birmingham Construction Industry Authority Board; Chairman of Auburn University’s Construction Industry Fund Board; member of Birmingham Metropolitan Development Board; and member of Birmingham Business Leadership Group.

Through his private philanthropy, Morton helped establish the UAB School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, called the Morton Family Endowed Lectureship in Vascular Sciences. He also supported organizations that assist children and families, as well as establishing Sunshine Farm, named after his father, as a camp facility where children and young guests could experience nature. -cmw

San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

Page 19

Welcoming the holidays

I

n the spirit of the holiday season, the San Antonio Chapter of Associated General Contractors (AGC) welcomed the holidays with a Holiday Open House on Dec. 9. Association members and AGC

friends gathered at the AGC offices where they visited with one another while enjoying hors d-oeuvres and refreshments provided for their pleasure. -cmw

L-R: AGC Board Vice President Chris Thiel, Alterman; Ron Caccamese, Alterman Executive Vice President and AGC Board President Luis Berumen, Bartlett Cocke General Contractors

Association Calendar

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News AGC Associated General Contractors Jan. 10: General Membership & Installation of Directors Luncheon, The Red Berry Estate, 856 Gembler Rd., 12-1:30pm, Member $95, Non-Member $110 Jan. 13: AGBI – Specialized Tax Incentives for Construction Industry, AGC Offices, 10806 Gulfdale, 11am-12pm Jan. 25-26: OSHA 10 Hour, AGC Offices, 10806 Gulfdale, 8am-4pm. For more info, call Kelly Wilson at 210-349-4921 ASA American Subcontractors Assoc Jan. 18: Safety Lunch & Learn – Defensive Driving, Joeris General Contractors, 823 Arion Parkway, 11:30am Jan. 25: General Meeting, The Petroleum Club, 8620 N. New Braunfels Ave. #700, 11:30am Jan. 26: Lien & Bonds Seminar, The Petroleum Club, 8620 N. New Braunfels Ave. #700, 1:30pm Jan. 28: Bash at the Rodeo BBQ Mixer, Rodeo Grounds, 6pm. Park at AT&T Center for Shuttle. For more info, contact Jennifer Swinney 210-349-2105 or email jennifer@asasanantonio.org ASSP American Society of Safety Professionals Jan. 17: Chapter Virtual Monthly Meeting, Microsoft Teams Meeting, 11am-1pm. For more info, go to www.southtexasasse.org CFMA Construction Financial Management Assoc Jan. 12: Stand Out Leadership, 3pm Jan. 19: Contracts, 3pm Jan. 25: All Things Banking, CFMA SA, 11:30am. For more info, go to www.sanantonio.cfma.org GSABA Greater San Antonio Builders Assoc Jan. 21-22: 2nd Annual BBQ Cook-off & Washer Tournament. For more info, call 210-6963800 or email hking@sabuilders.com

Edgar Garcia, E. Garcia Law PLLC and Stephanie O’Rourke, Cokinos | Young

Enjoying some social time with friends and colleagues

Industry FOLKS Clint Wurzbach,

Vice President Construction Operations

MCA-SMACNA INC Mechanical Contractors Assoc Sheet Metal & A/C Nat’l Assoc Jan. 26: Joint Industry Fund Meeting, MCA-SMACNA office, 206 E. Nakoma, 11:30am. For more info, call Sandee Morgan at 210-822-3763 NAWIC National Association of Women in Construction Jan. 5: General Meeting, The Petroleum Club, 8620 N. New Braunfels. For more info, contact Shenel Rimando at shenelrimando@ gmail.com PHCC Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors Jan. 6: Broiler Training w/Chief State Boiler Inspector-Heat & Treat Vendor Jan. 13: PHCC Member Tour & Material Collection – NISD Construction Careers Academy. For more info, call Heidi Trimble at 210-824-7422 or go to www.phcc-sanantonio.org SAMCA San Antonio Masonry Contractors Assoc Jan. 26: Membership Meeting, Old San Francisco Steakhouse, 10223 Sahara Dr., 12pm. For more info, contact Debi at 210-347-2423 TACCA Texas Air Conditioning Contractors Assoc Jan. 22: TDLR-CE, Hilton Garden Inn, 12828 San Pedro Ave., 8am-5pm, TACCA Members – Free, Non-Member $159; Returning participant $143. For more info, call Dawn Thompson at 210-901-4222

Round-Up

San Antonio, TX

ccording to Clint Wurzbach, growing up in San Antonio was like living in the biggest small town in the country.

He had a lot of close friends growing up through high school. Several of which he went to collage with and is still very close with to this day. A couple of them are peers in the construction industry here in San Antonio.

Clint graduated from Churchill High School before earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas Tech University.

“Growing up, I loved working on anything mechanical whether it was a RC car that stopped working or tearing apart and rebuilding a carburetor on a dirt bike. I just really like taking things apart and fixing them or finding a better way to make them work. I wanted to be a third-generation engineer, following in the footsteps of my father and grandfather.”

Clint started working for Comfort-Air during summer, winter and spring breaks in high school, mainly working on construction projects as a helper and eventually running smaller projects during the summers. He is now responsible for all of Comfort-Air’s construction operations in both the plumbing and HVAC trades. “Coming from a family that has a construction back ground that goes back into the 1800’s, it just kind of came naturally to me.

“I love watching everyone grow within our company and take on more responsibility to enhance our company

I-LinCP Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects Jan. 19: Austin/San Antonio Joint Luncheon, Embassy Suites Convention Center, 1001 E. McCarty Ln., San Marcos, TX, 11:30am-1:30pm, Member $45, Non-Member $60 Jan. 28: 6th Annual Invest in Women Forum – Reinvention Evolution, Embassy Suites Conference Center, 1001 E. McCarty Ln., $175 Member, $200 Non-Member, $126 Government/ Non-Profit. For more info, contact Carla Bingaman at 512-263-5521 or email Carla.bingaman@i-lincp.org

Submitted to Construction News

Comfort-Air Engineering Inc. | Primo Plumbing Inc.,

A

HCAdeSA Hispanic Contractors Assoc de San Antonio Jan. 19: Free Webinar – SAISD Quarterly Workshop Series, 10-11:30am Jan. 19: January Meeting & Board Installation Dinner, Location TBD, 5:30-7:30pm Jan. 28-29: SA BBQ Rodeo, Private Party, Call HCA Offices for details. For more info, call Victoria Rodriguez at 210-444-1100 or email vrodriguez@hcadesa.org

IEC Independent Electrical Contractors Jan. 22: Distracted Driving Luncheon & 20222023 Board Installation, IEC Offices, 5511 Ingram Rd., 11:30am-1pm, Member $30, Non-Member $60. For more info, contact Julie Tucker at 210-431-9861 or email jtucker@ iecsanantonio.com

as a whole. Getting to see the end products of our projects is also a lot of fun. I also love bugging my wife and pointing out all of the projects I have been involved in as we drive around town.”

Clint and his wife, Nicole, will be married 10 years this coming March. Nicole works for H-E-B as an ABDM in the produce department and is responsible for all the stores’ apples, pears and mushrooms. They met while they were at Tech in Lubbock through Clint’s cousin who went to high school with Nicole.

They have two young boys, 4-year-old Beckett and 3-year-old Jax. “They are so full of energy and love going to our family’s ranch in Uvalde to hunt for ‘bad’ deer and ‘bad’ hogs. Nicole and I are looking forward to getting them into organized sports next spring.”

Bill Wurzbach, Clint’s father, is Clint’s mentor, both in life and business. “He has worked in construction just about his entire life and has an exponential amount of knowledge in the field. He currently owns CFC Engineering and before that he was an owner of FAS Construction Management. As my dad and also because of his current and prior business roles, he has taught me how to be patient and how to be humble with the respect that you can’t do everything on your own.”

Clint enjoys family time with his wife, boys and their two dogs, Winston and Osa, whether at the family ranch or touring the Texas hill and wine country and getting in an occasional round of golf. -cmw

Terracon announces the promotion of Melynne Wulff to the position of Senior Associate. With more than 16 years of experience, Wulff leads the business development efforts in Terracon’s South Texas Division.

As the Client Development Manager, her day-to-day responsibilities are to manage and guide group efforts to achieve the corporate strategic plan. -cmw

Skanska is pleased to announce the promotion of Matt McCaffrey to Vice President – Project Executive.

McCaffrey joined the Skanksa family in 2003 as an intern. He most recently served as a project executive and has successfully led several high-profile projects across Texas, including City Tower in San Antonio. In his new role, he will oversee Skanska’s projects in downtown San Antonio. -cmw

Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc. is proud to announce the promotion of Erik Murray to Principal and Unit Manager.

Murray specializes in the design of roof systems and building envelopes, building investigation and repair, and architectural peer review. He has over 22 years of architectural design and construction experience, leading teams of professionals on complex and detailed projects of the highest quality. -cmw

Pape-Dawson Engineers Inc. is proud to announce the promotion of Jocelyn Perez, P.E., LEED AP to Vice President. In her new role as vice president, she will continue to lead land development projects in the New Braunfels region. Perez has 20 years of civil engineering experience covering a broad range of project types including large scale single and multifamily residential developments and major commercial and mixed-use land development projects. -cmw

LK Design Group is pleased to announce Beverly Alatorre, AIA, LEED AP has rejoined the LK Design Group team as Director of Architecture. Alatorre brings 14 years of architectural design experience and will help lead the growing firm. Her a portfolio includes educational, healthcare, hospitality, commercial, public, corporate, and residential projects. -cmw

Page 20

San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

continued from Page 1 — Alterman Electric leaderships of Richard Alterman, Jerry Kolinek, Don Kuykendall, John Wright and now, Greg Padalecki, laying the path for the future of Alterman, its valued em-

ployees and clients. “Stay tuned,” says Padalecki, “for upcoming developments as we continue to accommodate our plans for the future growth of Alterman.” -cmw

Resource Guide Associations and Construction Education

Service Providers

General Contractor

Suppliers

San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

Page 21

JOB SIGHT

Complete solace

Alejandro Martinez, Lasco Acoustics & Drywall Inc., frames out the openings for wall partitions at the NEISD new School of Science & Technology campus. -cmw

Bill’s Total Comfort

Main Glass & Mirror Company of San Antonio team members, L-R: Henry Casas, T.J. Gonzalez, Pete Arguello and James Landeros, visit with Construction News before going on break at the NEISD’s new School of Science & Technology campus. Bartlett Cocke General Contractors is the general contractor on the project. -cmw

Holiday party

SAMCA members gather for the SAMCA Holiday Party

T

he San Antonio Masonry Contractors Association (SAMCA) and its members gathered together at Ajuua Mexican Grill for the association’s SAMCA Holiday Party. Everyone enjoyed a won-

derful fajita and enchilada dinner, and homemade sugar Christmas cookie by Sarah Pruski. Evening festivities included a reverse raffle and door prize drawings. -cmw

A

s a young man, Bill Curtis set out to find his way in the world and decided to pursue a career in the air conditioning arena. He enrolled in a local trade school where he graduated at the top of class.

Curtis couldn’t be happier or prouder of himself.

He was quickly employed and began his career in air conditioning. After getting his licenses and securing the necessary tools to do the job, Curtis was ready to venture out on his own.

“At that time I started my own business,” says Curtis. “I just got tired of watching air conditioning companies take advantage of their customers and riffing them off. I wanted to save people money.

“It was 1997. I wanted to make sure I had everything I needed to take care of customers before striking out on my own. I obtained my license and purchased all my tools.”

With a just himself, and another tech, Bill’s Total Comfort was up and running,

with a simple goal of saving people money on their air conditioning needs. Serving both the residential and commercial markets, Bill’s Total Comfort is a Trane and Carrier dealer.

Bill’s Total Comfort is a local HVAC contractor serving clients in and around the San Antonio area. “We strive to provide the best quality repair and installation services for your heater or air conditioner at a price that’s affordable,” adds Curtis. “Our technicians have the necessary knowledge and experience to get the job done right the first time to make your home or office is a more comfortable place to be.”

Curtis is extremely proud to be a part of a great savings project for a church in Boerne. “We installed a Carrier Communicating system for a church in Boerne which has reportedly lowered their electric bill by 50 percent. It makes you feel good inside to know you are doing right by people.”

Bill’s Total Comfort is air conditioning contractor in San Antonio. -cwm

Page 22

San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

A heavenly sleep

Eat, drink & be merry

M

embers of The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) gathered together at Maverick Texas Brasserie on Dec. 3 for the association’s

Annual Christmas Dinner. Members and their guests enjoyed a spectacular dinner, followed by a fun-loving white elephant exchange. -cmw

F

ounded in 1994 by Patrick Fetzer, The Fetzer Companies Inc., located in San Antonio, is a full-service general contracting company specializing in commercial and industrial ground-up, and commercial and industrial interior.

For several years, Fetzer has been volunteering for Sleep in Heavenly Peace,

a volunteer organization that builds beds for children who don’t have beds to sleep in. These children would otherwise be sleeping on the floor. This year, Patrick invited all his employees and their spouses, significant others and children, 12 years of age and older, to participate in this heart-warming cause. -cmw

NECA members together at their annual Christmas dinner

The spirit of The Fetzer Companies Inc. family comes together to build beds for the Sleep in Heavenly Peace organization.

Greg Padalecki, Alterman, advertises his 15 days of Christmas socks white elephant gift

San Antonio Construction News • January 2022

Page 23

Smokin’ pits & clays

T

he South Texas Chapter of Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) held their 2021 Sporting Clay Shoot & BBQ Cook-off Nov. 4 at the National Shooting Complex. One hundred ninety-one shooters and 16 cooking teams braved the chilly weather to come enjoy the day’s events. The association raffled off 15 items in addition to a gun raffle with two great guns. -cmw

IBTX Risk Services

Red Course winners: 1st Place: IBTX Risk Services - Bruce Culver, Clyde Culver, Edward Pape and Tom Quintero 2nd Place: Joeris General Contractors Ltd. - Ryan Doege, Chris Eyhorn, Wade Mayfield and Hubert McBride 3rd Place: RSM US LLP - Chris Christensen, Andy Day, Kane Wells and Ryan Rummel 1st Place Women’s Single Shooter: Julie R. Richardson, Aries Building Systems LLC

Ridout Barrett & Co.

Travelers Bond

1st Place Men’s Single Shooter: Rudy Bazan, Terracon Consultants Inc. Yellow Course winners: 1st Place: Travelers Bond - Robbie Carmichael, Drew Addison, Waylan Brannan and Rudy Ramos 2nd Place: Pro Star Roll-Off Dumpsters LLC - Eric Bernal, Cody Engel, Stephen Ethridge and Fred Wakefield 3rd Place: Beck Companies - Grant Norman, Jose Martinez, Keven London and John Robertson

1st Place Women’s Single Shooter: Rhonda Largehennig, San Antonio Masonry and Steel 1st Place Men’s Single Shooter: Rudy Ramos, Travelers Bond Brisket Category winners: 1st Place: Ridout Barrett & Co. 2nd Place: Sunstate Equipment Co. LLC/ Masters Electric 3rd Place: Joeris General Contractors Ltd.

Joeris General Contractors Ltd.

Chicken Category winners: 1st Place: Joeris General Contractors Ltd. 2nd Place: Beck Companies 3rd Place: HVAC RNTL Ribs Category winners: 1st Place: Sunstate Equipment Co. LLC/ Masters Electric 2nd Place: HVAC RNTL 3rd Place: T&D Moravits and Company

Sunstate Equipment Co. LLC/Masters Electric

Page 24

San Antonio Construction News • January 2022