Covering the Industry’s News
Texas Style
P.O. Box 791290 San Antonio, Texas 78279-1290
PRSRT. STD. U.S. POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT #1451
Change Service Requested
San Antonio H Austin
Austin
CONSTRUCTION NEWS The Industry’s Newspaper
www.constructionnews.net H (210) 308-5800 H Volume 24 H Number 4 H APRIL 2022
Extreme clean team
Texas stone
Eric Martin, VP/GM and Amy Teykl, President, on jobsite at FC Soccer Stadium
L-R: James Hanson and Teri Shelton
A
my Teykl, President, and her team at ATX Construction Clean celebrate their 15th anniversary this month. The company is a woman-owned/ HUB. It all began with a vision to become one of the only woman-owned construction cleaning companies in Austin. Teykl saw a need for this business in Austin about 14 years ago. She had a friend in the business in Dallas and thought she could do it as well. “I was in educational sales and I saw the writing on the wall; I didn’t want to do that the rest of my life. Austin was the ideal market.” “I started with about four people, including myself, and it’s been quite the ride. It’s really awesome and has become
A
t an early age, Barry Roe learned what it meant to be a good concrete contractor. He started doing concrete work with his dad when he was 10 years old. “It’s all I’ve ever done,” say Roe. “I started working during the summer in Michigan. Every summer that’s what I did. I worked beside my dad, learning everything he knew. When I got out of school, that’s what I did.” Before moving to Texas, owned his first concrete company for over 20 years in Michigan. When the economy crashed in 2008, so did the auto industry in Michigan. Work in Michigan dried up and Roe moved to Texas. After getting settled in Texas, Roe went right to work and started his second concrete contracting company, JB Concrete Services, in 2010 with his wife Jennie Roe. They hit the ground running, adver-
a family affair. Now, we’ve grown to be one of the biggest construction cleaning companies in Austin,” says Teykl. “I have really good people on my team, and I couldn’t be more proud. Everyone loves their job and they are very good at it.” The core team begins with Amy’s sister, Tina Parish, who is the Vice President of Operations. She thrives on the hustle and bustle of the construction industry. Teykl says she is really positive and brings great customer service to the table for ATX Construction Clean. Megan Byrd, Administrative Operations Manager, is Teykl’s cousin. She is honored to work for such an amazing company who puts the needs of its employees and customers at the forefront of continued on Page 8
L
ooking for an avenue to obtain a reliable supply of stone for his masonry business, professional stone mason, A.J. Brauer, Jr. began a quarry operation at the site of one of the company’s existing quarries and founded A.J. Brauer Stone in 1976. Eventually, Brauer closed his masonry business and focused on his new passion of quarrying natural Texas stone. Ten short years later, Brauer passed away. He left the company to his wife and 18-year-son, A.J. Brauer III. The younger Brauer and his wife, Cindy, purchased the company from his mother in 1988. The company was acquired by Materials Marketing Limited in 2012 and the tradition of high quality and fine service continues.
Operating out of Jarrell, TX, A.J. Brauer Stone produces high-quality natural stone products for over 45 years. The company extracts high-quality limestone blocks from its open-pit quarries; then processes them for sale. Clients include building contractors, landscape contractors, stone masons, pool contractors, wholesalers, and retailers of building products. A.J. Brauer Stone also operates a stone fabrication facility for manufacturing specialty architectural products such as mantles and hearths, fireplace surrounds, door and window surrounds, decorative caps, pool coping, bull-nose pieces and other finely detailed elements. “The product sells itself,” says A.J. Brauer Texas Territory Sales Director continued on Page 8
Concrete true to the core tising their services. “Once we got the advertising going, it was like a green light. It never stopped,” recalls Roe. Now, with a successful track record spanning nearly 30 years, JB Concrete Services is proud to be a resident concrete specialist. “We help homeowners, local businesses, and the communities of Austin enhance their property with professional concrete installation.” Knowing the ins and outs of concrete work has allowed Roe and his company the ability to meet the needs of their clients no matter how big or small. “We combine our large project capabilities with the signature service of a small company, ensuring our projects are completed with unmatched service and craftmanship,” adds Roe. As a family owned and operated business, JB Concrete Services delivers detailed artistry and skill with a personalJB Concrete Services team members hard at work
continued on Page 8
Page 2
Austin Construction News • APR 2022
Slow and steady
EPI Electrical Enclosures & Engineering CEO Rudi Rodriguez
A
s EPI Electrical Enclosures & Engineering welcomes its 55th year in business, CEO Rudi Rodriguez reflects upon the history of the business. In 1967, a small company was established by an electrical contractor who wanted to supplement his electrical work by building electrical junction boxes. They began producing everything from barbecue pits to steel building components and electrical junction boxes. In 1969, Ted Rodriguez joined the company in the role of management consultant. He was given one-third of the stock. By 1974, Ted’s stock ownership increased to 50 percent and the company began to change focus. It began branding itself within the electrical industry, giving rise to EPI-Electrical Enclosures. That was a great year for EPI. Current owner Rudi Rodriguez joined his father Ted that very year as vice president of product development and sales. The company launched their first NEMA 1 & 3R enclosures and wireway groups. They were on their way to establishing themselves as a full-line electrical manufacturer.
A year later, the father/son duo bought out the remaining shareholder of the company to own 100 percent of the company’s stock. The company began expanding into the Austin, Houston and Corpus Christi markets by the late ‘70s. With substantial growth, the company purchased 15 acres in 1981 to build a new plant and offices, making way for further growth. By 1985, they had succeeded in developing all of the five different NEMA Product Groups. The addition of the NEMA 4, 4x and 12 Industrial product group laid the ground work for continued growth and development. The ‘90s brought industrial product accomplishment to the company. During this era, EPI’s engineering group made it possible to provide significant contributions to state of the art NEMA Industrial Product Applications with projects as the “World’s Largest Robot” for the USAF, “Seawolf II” for the USN and “Spacecraft Endeavor” for NASA. EPI introduced their third product group in the mid-‘90s, NEMA 3R Buss Sec-
ondary products, Pad-mounted Buss Secondary, Wall-mounted Buss, Tap Boxes & Buss Wireways – all designed by EPI’s engineering department. In 2014, EPI rebranded, adding engineering to their corporate brand – EPI Electrical Enclosures & Engineering as they are known today. “Our engineering team is widely sought after by many engineers to provide design and specifications ,” says Rodriguez. “Today, we offer a complete array of industry product applications for the commercial, industrial, utility, institutional, telecom and medical industries. Our internet presence has allowed us to develop a national marketplace that will continue to provide a growth into the future. Perhaps, one of the most important part of our history, is the fact that most of our distributors have been buying from
us for as long as we have been in business such as Consolidated Electric Distributors, Crawford Electric , Dealers Electric , Elliott Electric , Graybar Electric Supply, Hill Country Electric Supply, Rexel, Reynolds Company, Winsupply and Westinghouse Electric . ”The other important part of our success has been the men and women from our administration and plant employees who have contributed greatly to our success. Our firm is very grateful to them for their continued work and contribution to our industry, community and our country! “To date, we have manufactured millions of products with hundreds of thousands of destinations state-wide and nationally. We also thank all our customers and vendors for providing us with our past, current, and future business.” -cmw
Austin Construction News • APR 2022
Page 3
Earth-friendly demolition
E
arth-friendly demolition? Yes, the two can co-exist! This Earth Day, it’s critical to witness just how far the demolition industry has come when it comes to environmental stewardship. According to the Construction and Demolition Recycling Association (CDRA), more than 583 million tons of recoverable construction and demolition materials are generated in the U.S. annually. Thanks to reputable demolition contractors, much of that waste is recycled and handled with the environment in mind. “Most demolition contractors will engage in at least basic recycling of metals,” says Timothy Ramon, president of JR RAMON Demolition, which has been providing commercial, residential, and industrial demolition and support services across Austin, San Antonio, and South Texas for more than 50 years. “But materials such as concrete, asphalt, asphalt shingles, gypsum wallboard, and wood are notoriously more difficult to recycle. Finding demolition contractors committed to responsibly recycling these materials isn’t easy, but it’s a commitment worth making.” And efforts don’t stop there. Thanks to innovations and advancements, environmental stewardship can be extended from recycling to deconstruction and waste reduction in the following ways: Recycling JR RAMON can now recycle 98% of materials calculated by weight from an average job site. This level of recycling can only be achieved by recycling the aggregate and inert materials mentioned above. One aspect, in particular, is making a big difference: recycling concrete block brick. JR RAMON operates its own San Antonio concrete crushing yard where the material is separated, crushed, cleaned, and then made available as an aggregate for resale. According to the CDRA, recycled concrete aggregate per-
forms better, is higher-yielding, and weighs 10-15% less than comparable virgin quarry aggregates. It’s also a meaningful way to reduce landfill waste streams while minimizing the environmental impact of urban quarries. Deconstructing Some demolition projects are spectacular displays of force. Others require extreme finesse. For these latter projects, deconstruction is an art form. In San Antonio, deconstruction projects are an environmental effort steered heavily by the Office of Historic Preservation. The Deconstruction & Reuse Program was launched in 2018 to recapture building materials from the waste stream and redirect them into our communities for reuse. Reducing Hazardous Waste The third environmental priority for the demolition industry is in reducing pollutants and hazards to the environment during the demolition process. Demolition contractors can carry out this commitment in several ways: • Properly categorizing, identifying, handling, and disposing hazardous waste, whether it be asbestos, lead, chromium, mercury, PCBs, or other dangerous materials. • Pollution mitigation. Water conservation during dust collection and dust suppression on a demolition site, in particular, has become a top priority. • Investments in cutting-edge technology for heavy equipment and vehicle energy efficiency and emission reduction. The adoption of electric and battery-powered equipment is one example. As Ramon points out, though, there’s one benefit that surpasses all others. “This is our community, too. Whatever we can do to preserve the environment is for the benefit, health, and safety of our families,” he says. “That’s why we champion these efforts.” -cmw
Show enough
R
Assistant Branch Manager Stephen Larsson
edco Distribution and Flooring Showroom is keeping Austin floored! The company recently moved to a new location at 2306 W. Howard Ln. which boasts a 6,000sf showroom offering carpet, tile, wood, laminate, and luxury vinyl. Also at the new store is a ready-toassist Austin team consisting of Assistant Branch Manager Stephen Larson, Area Sales Manager Troy Price, Inside Sale Representative Kindra Walker, and Inside Sales Support Representatives Lisa Rangel and Irma Rivera. Together, they help designers, builders, contractors, and trade members choose from an extensive collection of commercial and residential flooring and assist with installation as well. In addition, Redco offers a full range of sundries including adhesives, maintenance products, sound barriers and underlayment. If clients need something unique, the team can special
order it from dozens of manufacturers. Customers also have access to online tools to aid in space design. The Austin location is Redco’s third, and it also serves the San Antonio market. The company has locations in Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth. Red Ford and Richard Christ founded Redco Distribution in 2010, and together bring more than 50 years industry experience to the company. Redco Distribution has warehouses in Austin and Houston and mainly serves Central and South Texas, but ships products throughout North America. Redco not only serves customers, it serves the community; the company is an approved flooring supplier for the Federal Emergency Management Agency for disaster assistance, and a Habitat for Humanity partner. Redco Distribution and Flooring Showroom is in Austin. –mjm
WATCH VIDEO
Page 4
Austin Construction News • APR 2022
stuff. I had an early interest. I just had the knack, I guess. I can see things in three dimensions–and even internal parts, like I can look at this table, or something more complicated, I can see all the wood joined here. I can see the screws, and all the fittings in the legs and all that. I can see it in my mind and blow it up.
Barry Wurzel, President, Wurzel Builders, Austin, TX
I
n the middle of the nineteenth century, strong young men were advised to “head west,” and many did–in search of gold. These days, the winds of fortune are blowing south, and every Austinite knows at least one California transplant. Enter Barry Wurzel, President of Wurzel Builders, who traveled to the Lone Star State in the 1990s to be an Aggie–and never looked back. You have been in Austin since 1996, and the city has changed quite a bit since then. What do you think about those changes? Well, in general, it’s been positive for us because of my industry. It’s been fast. San Antonio has grown together with Austin, and now Pflugerville has more or less become part of Austin. For our business, it’s been good–but lots of traffic comes with it. What are your three favorite things about Austin? The vibe is cool, of course the land area is beautiful, and the people in our industry are nice to work with. They are hard-working, honest folks to work with. Where did you grow up? I grew up in the Bay Area, in Northern California. I actually came out to Texas in 1995 and went to school at Texas A&M. I’m one of those that got here as soon as I could. When I was old enough to know better, I left California. I was just born in the wrong place. I grew up there, but I chose to move here because I had been working here for years in my previous position and I liked it. I’m more of a country guy. I’ve always been that way. This is more my cup of tea. Tell me about your childhood aspirations. I always wanted to be a builder. When I was a kid, I think what solidified it for me was this: I built a three-story fort on the side of my mom’s house. I was 12, probably 13 years old at the time. I had to scrounge up a bunch of materials to build that three-story fort. I also built a sailboat when I was a kid. I was always building
So your mind is always going, and as you’re driving around town, you’re estimating and thinking about numbers and calculating everything? It’s one of my few natural talents. Have you had any mentors throughout your career? One boss, when I was a construction manager at Mervyn’s and Target during the early years when I first came here to Texas, he was a building contractor and he always challenged me. He helped me to grow and to think reasonably. He was my early mentor. Also Robin, my wife, because she encouraged me to start the business in ’98. She gave me the platform and support and everything that your partner can do. Robin mentored me in the beginning, and she still does. I still ask her questions, “What do you think of this? What do you think of that? I’ve got this situation that I think I’m too close to, I need another perspective.” So she’ll help me with that. She works in the business as well? She actually manages our 1st Home & Commercial Services company. Her office is next to mine! She’s only been here about three years. She’s very sharp. She’s got intuition and thank goodness for that. I don’t have that, but she helps me answer those questions. Looking back over your career, do you have a favorite project? My favorite project is probably the hospital we just finished up in Nebraska. We built a two-story surgical facility hospital in the Omaha area which was good and challenging because it was ground up. It was through COVID–from the beginning and into the middle of COVID. We opened it in June of last year. It went on through a couple of winters up there. It was a little bit of a different product to build, so that was probably my single favorite. I like projects that are difficult and unusual–like a renovation project where you’ve got a facility you’ve got to keep open for business. That’s where my retail work and industrial project management skills were really well-used, because you’ve got to keep the facility open, and keep it clean, but you’ve still got to build it and get it done on time and let it operate. What is it that you love about this business? Every project is different. I love the variety. What do you like to do in your free time? My wife and I like to travel a lot. Our
kids are grown up now, so we like to travel, go camping and sailing. Do you tend to travel regionally or internationally? What’s your favorite place that you’ve been to? Before Covid, my wife was a flight attendant, so she had some really good travel benefits. We did like traveling internationally and we’ve been to a number of places and we have some good friends in Europe that would go sailing with. Now, it’s really local. We have a camper-trailer and we ride motorcycles. We’ll load up our toy hauler and go camp for a week and meet up with some friends. That’s really replaced our international travel, until it opens up again. Do you have any favorite camping spots close to home? Most of the camping here in Texas is really good like Big Bend. There’s some of those newer, resort-type campgrounds that we’ll meet some friends at. Otherwise, Tennessee is really nice, or Wyoming, Montana and out that way. You mentioned your grown kids–tell me about them. Our youngest is Kyle. He’s a Marine right now serving in Japan. He’s 26. Our second oldest is Haley. She currently works here at Wurzel Builders. She’s also a competitive horse rider and trainer. That’s her other professional job. Our oldest, Jessica, is out on her own. She’s a mortgage lender, married with a couple of kids. They’re all doing well. What kind of advice would you give to young people starting out in this business? If you can, when you’re younger, identify what you think you want to do because there’s a difference in jobs. There’s accounting jobs, which have a different set of skills and mindset. An accountant and an estimator, for example, those jobs are typically a little more sterile. They generally work with a smaller group of people and they like having all the information in front of them with little distractions. There’s also the individu-
Austin
al who likes to be in the field, like a superintendent. They tend to thrive in that environment of chaos and change. If you think you might want to be in construction, I would go work with a couple of different firms and not just general contractors. Go work with some subcontractors that you think you might like and shadow someone in one of those firms for a week. Don’t be afraid to try different things, because if you can figure out more closely what type of environment you want to work in, you’ll shorten your curve. Tell me, what are you working on right now? We’ve got a hotel in Marble Falls, the Tapestry Hotel, that we’re about ready to start on. We’re building a Hotel Indigo in Irving, in the Dallas area. We’re about ready to start on a senior living center in Flower Mound and a wedding venue in Lago Vista, on Lake Travis. We do a lot of work for QT and Target. We’ve got three QT fuel stations under construction in this area, and we’re about ready to start on five renovation projects for Target. We’ve been doing work for Target for 20 years or so. We always do several projects with them every year. QT is another regular customer of ours. We’ve been working with them for about four years. We build three to five fuel stations or truck stops for them as well. We’re negotiating a project for an industrial technology firm that does some work for the government. That project is up in the Round Rock area. Tell me about Barry Wurzel, the man. What do you think has made you so successful? I think my transparency has been key. That and owning my own mistakes. I’ve been told that I’m a quiet change-maker. I’m also a team player. I know that any success that I have, that we have as a company, is not just me. I’m obviously a piece of it, but it’s everybody that works here and offers their brainpower and their blood, sweat and tears to make the business successful. It’s really a team effort. -sae
CONSTRUCTION NEWS
Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buddy Doebbler Editorial/Production . . . . . . Reesa Doebbler Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carol Wiatrek Austin Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carol Wiatrek Production Manager . . . . . . . . . . Judi Telenko Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buddy Doebbler Editors
AustinEditor@ConstructionNews.net SA: Meditor@ConstructionNews.net Austin Area Counties Travis, Hays, Bastrop, Burnet, Blanco, Caldwell and Williamson counties Construction News Ltd. Home Office P.O. Box 791290 • San Antonio, TX 78279 210-308-5800 Fax 210-308-5960 www.ConstructionNews.net
Visit our Website to sign up for a free monthly Digital Subscription www.ConstructionNews.net The Austin Construction News (ISSN 15477630) is published monthly by Construction News LTD., dba Austin Construction News, and distributed by mail to constructionrelated companies of record in Austin and surrounding counties. All submissions should be emailed to our editorial offices. We reserve the right to edit any materials submitted. No fees for materials, copy or photographs submitted will be due unless agreed upon in advance in writing. Submissions will be published at our discretion on a space available basis. Construction News, Ltd., dba Austin Construction News, will not be liable for errors in copy or in advertisements beyond the actual cost of space occupied by the error. Publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement at any time. ©2022 Construction News, Ltd.
SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS GO TO www.ConstructionNews.net Select “Digital Subscription”.
Austin Construction News • APR 2022
Page 5
Committed to evolving needs
Video News
WATCH VIDEO
HOLT Trucks Centers team members check out HOLT’s first Nikola Tre Bev truck
I
t was all the buzz at HOLT Truck Centers Feb. 24 when the company received its first on-highway, zero-emission, battery-operated class 8 truck. The Nikola Tre BEV will be joining HOLT’s fleet for parts delivery, with plans to have the truck available to customers through HOLT Truck Centers later this year. “We are so excited to jump into this market,” says HOLT Truck Centers Vice President Brandon Acosta. “There’s a lot to share around how this is going to impact our customers, our opportunities to be a little less of an impact on the environment and the ability to provide them with another tool in their tool belt to serve their end customers.” The Nikola Tre BEV can travel up to 350 miles on a full charge, delivers zero-emissions and is charged through a non-proprietary CCS type 1 connector and charging station. The benefits of Nikola vehicles are lower operational cost, improved safety, more power and less noise. Another feature is regenerative braking, which slows the vehicle down and generates energy back into the battery. In the coming months, HOLT will be setting up their drivers on regional and local routes to better understand the range of the vehicle. “We don’t know what the future looks like, but we do know that we want to be a part of the energy transformation that’s happening in the market so we can support our customers regardless of their preference,”
adds Acosta. “Diesel power is an innovation that has helped our world get where it is today, and we have been a part that for years. But we also know that customers will always need new solutions. We strive to be on the cutting edge and be a part of those solutions.” When asked about the feel of the truck, Acosta had this to say: “The cab is very roomy. I bet David Robinson could stand up in this cab. The pickup is pretty significant because there is no transmission. It gets up to speed relatively quickly without having to shift through gears. There is very low cab noise. You only hear the external wind noise.” HOLT expects to have more Tre BEV trucks in their fleet by the third quarter of this year. “We’re using this first truck to validate what we think the value proposition is for all customers,” adds Acosta. “We want to make sure we can support them and give them an idea of what they can expect on a mile-per-mile cost. We want to ensure the next trucks we get will be ready for partnering with customers.” Nikola Corporation is the leading designer and manufacturer of heavy-duty commercial battery-electric vehicles (BEV), fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEV) and energy infrastructure solutions. In July of 2021, HOLT Truck Centers became the only authorized dealer of the Nikola class 8 (33,000+ lbs.) trucks in Texas. HOLT Truck Centers® is part of the HOLT family of companies. -cmw
Page 6
Austin Construction News • APR 2022
Resource Guide Truck & Equip Dealers
Service Providers
Subcontractors
For info: Buddy Doebbler - Buddy@ConstructionNews.net 210-308-5800
Banquet call
Anali Martinez Gonzalez EIT accepts TSPE’s Young Engineer Award.
A
feast full of information and recognition was hosted Feb. 23 at Austin’s Holiday Inn Midtown. The Travis Chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers held its 2022 Engineers Banquet, which is the chapter’s largest event each year and its greatest fundraising source. Sponsor contributions support the chapter’s MATHCOUNTS Competition series, the annual Christmas party for Ortega Elementary students and scholarships for local engineering students. Hosted during Engineering Week, this year’s program featured a panel on “Women in Engineering: Past, Present, and Future.” The panel included K. Friese + Associates Founder/President Karen Friese, Austin Area Research Organization CEO Sandy Guzman, TXDOT Austin District Program Manager for the Mobility 35 Program Susan Fraser PE, City of Marble Falls City Engineer Kacey Paul PE, TxDOT Director of Design Division Marisabel Ramthun PE and Dr. Harovel Wheat PE, Associate Professor Emeritus of UT Austin’s Department of Engineering. In addition to the panel, the event recognized the Engineers of the Year award recipients. 2TM Consulting
Engineers President/Owner Timothy J. Martin PE was named Engineer of the Year, MWM Design Group’s Anali Martinez Gonzalez EIT earned Young Engineer of the Year and Pape-Dawson Engineers’ Tyler Dube PE was awarded Branch Engineer of the Year. Scholarship recipients were also announced. –mjm
TSPE Engineer of the Year Timothy J. Martin
The program’s panel featured notable women in the industry.
Austin Construction News • APR 2022
Page 7
LEGAL
ACCOUNTING Preparing Your Business Exit Strategy
Unfinished Business: Challenges with Design-Build in Texas
Cristina R. Baumgardner Partner Ridout Barrett & Co., PC San Antonio, TX
R. Carson Fisk, Shareholder Andrews Myers, P.C. Austin, TX
Y
ou have built it from the ground up and spent years perfecting your product or service, but now you are thinking about selling your business. It is a significant undertaking that requires foresight, thoughtful planning, and an honest look at yourself and your business. If done correctly, it is one of the most exciting times for a business owner that results in the funds and freedom to begin a new adventure in life. Below are points to consider during the planning stage for exiting your business. When is the right time to sell? “When is the right time to sell?” is the first question to ask when thinking about exiting your company, and it’s both financial and personal. Financially, a significant amount of your income and wealth is likely tied to your business. Will the sale of your company provide the funds necessary for your next adventure? Has your business reached maturity, or is it still growing? Before selling an income-generating asset, it’s important to project what you may receive for the business versus what you will personally need in the future. Plan in advance Planning several years in advance is key. Depending on whether or not you plan to sell to a key employee, or a third party will determine the time frame for planning. This will enable you to take measures to increase your company’s value, make the operations less dependent on your efforts, find the best options for exiting your business and plan for taxes. Not planning in advance will result in a longer timetable, a lower valuation, and increased stress for the entirety of the transaction. Keep your financials and documents in order It’s nearly impossible to value a business or identify opportunities for improvement without accurate financials. You should keep all your financial statements updated on a regular basis. Sales forecasts and financial projections should also be updated. Projections can be a powerful tool for making well-informed decisions and showing a suitor the business’s future potential. All corporate documents should be centralized. Keeping your financials and documents in order will help you assess the current state of your business and be ready to engage with a suitor. Having everything in order not only speeds the process but will help build a suitor’s confidence in buying the business. Discuss valuation and strategies with your CPA Estimating the value of your company is an important first step. It helps to set your initial expectations, enables you to identify opportunities to increase value. Companies in your industry may be valued based on revenue and income metrics such as monthly recurring revenue, historical revenue, historical EBITDA, and or future projections. Other metrics such as the number of customers, average customer lifetime value, gross margin, customer acquisition costs, and customer attrition may affect valuation. You can identify which metrics are important and find industry comparisons by researching industry reports. Investment firms and business brokers often publish research that includes metrics on completed transactions. This research can also provide valuable information on industry trends.
You may benefit from a professional valuation. There are many reasons why a company might be interested in buying your business, and thus, your business may be worth more or less to different buyers. An expert advisor can help identify the strategic and synergistic value a business may provide to different buyers and adjust the valuation accordingly. This can help you focus on potential buyers who might be willing to pay the most for your business. Maximize your company’s value Businesses that are dependent on an owner are not as valuable as businesses that aren’t. A suitor may decrease an offer, hold back sale proceeds or require that an owner remains with the company post-sale for a certain amount of time. Ideally, the owner should take steps to decouple themselves from operations. Business owners may create a plan for increasing value, and that plan may include short-term and long-term tactics, all depending on the time horizon. Trimming unnecessary expenses, cutting unprofitable customers or low-margin products, investing in sales, and investing in management are all ways to drive value. Management should document all critical business processes and the resources needed for each. Employees should be cross trained so that no process is dependent on just one employee. These steps will decrease the risk for a buyer, ensure a smooth transition and thus, increase the amount they are willing to pay. Plan for taxes ahead of time Tax planning should not be an afterthought of your sale process. It should be one of the first things you consider. Tax optimization strategies go beyond just the business because they must consider both the company and the owner(s). Depending on the situation, there may be steps you should take from an estate planning perspective well before starting the sale process. The type and structure of the transaction may play a significant role in the timing and amount of income an owner realizes. Each situation is unique, which is why owners should work closely with their advisors. They can help maximize both the enterprise value and the net proceeds from the transaction. If you are thinking about selling your business, please contact our office to discuss your situation. Our expert advisors can help provide the guidance needed to maximize the value of your business, minimize your tax consequences and maximize your wealth. Cristina R. Baumgardner, CPA/ABV, CFE, CIA cbaumgardner@rbc.cpa Cristina graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio with her Bachelor’s in Accounting followed by her Master’s in Finance. As well as being a CPA, Cristina holds the Accredited in Business Valuation credential, the Certified Fraud Examiner, and the Certified Internal Auditor credentials.
I
n August 2020, I wrote in this column about “A Unique Disadvantage for the Design-Build Process” in Texas given the enactment of Senate Bill 1928 in the 86th Legislative Session. While design-build has several advantages over traditional project delivery methods such as design-bid-build (e.g., single source of accountability for the owner, enhanced communication among project participants, and faster project completion times), Texas law had added a serious disadvantage in connection with certificate of merit requirements for disputes. As described in that article: In Texas, for years “the plaintiff” has been required to obtain a certificate of merit—a presuit affidavit signed by an appropriately qualified person—in order to pursue a claim arising out of the provision of professional services against an architect, a professional engineer, a professional land surveyor, a landscape architect, or their respective firms. In 2014, the Texas Supreme Court held that a third-party plaintiff—a party generally seeking to pass derivative liability to others (known as third-party defendants) by mechanisms such an indemnity and contribution—need not obtain a certificate of merit as it is not “the plaintiff” and, in any event, requiring such would be illogical [as it would odd to require such defendants seeking to pass liability downstream to file a certificate supporting the merits of the plaintiff’s claim, thus requiring the defendants to abandon their denial of the merits]…. With the above as the controlling law, where an owner sued a design-builder and the design-builder sought to join its subcontracted design professional (whether an architect, an engineer, or otherwise), the design-builder would not have to obtain a certificate of merit. SB 1928 fundamentally changed the process, as statutory references to “the plaintiff” were replaced with “Claimant,” and “Claimant” became a defined term meaning “a party, including a plaintiff or third-party plaintiff, seeking recovery for damages, contribution, or indemnification.” As required by SB 1928, where an owner sues a design-builder and the design-builder seeks to join its subcontracted design professional, the design-builder would now have to obtain a certificate of merit—an affidavit stating that the design-builder, through its subcontracted design professional, did something improperly. This is the illogical result that Texas Supreme Court sought to avoid. The inequity of this is obvious, and seriously undermines design-build as a preferred project delivery method. But certain state representatives have recognized this issue, and House Bill 3162 was filed as part of the 87th Legislative Session. The “Author’s / Sponsor’s Statement of Intent” for the engrossed version of the bill provided as follows: In 2019, the Texas Legislature enacted legislation that extended the certificate of merit requirement for plaintiffs who file suit against certain licensed or registered professionals to all claimants who file such suits. An unintended consequence of that legislation was that it created problems for design-build projects because it forced some parties to admit liability in order to deny liability and has led to insurance coverage issues. H.B. 3162 seeks to address this unintended consequence by exempting design-build projects from the certificate of merit requirements in certain suits. To address the issues, HB 3162 sought to add a new statutory subsection providing that a third-party plaintiff that is a design-builder or design-build firm is not required to file a certificate of merit in connection with filing a third-party claim or crossclaim against a design professional claim arises out of a design-build project in which a governmental entity serves as the owner. While limited to design-build projects where a governmental entity was the upstream party, this was a significant step in the right direction to mitigate the negative impact of SB 1928 from 2019. Unfortunately, while HB 3162 was reported favorably out of the Senate Committee on State Affairs, it never made it to a vote by the Senate. Thus, the “unintended consequence” of SB 1928 remains in place with respect to design-build projects in Texas: Some design-builders will be forced “to admit liability in order to deny liability.” This odd and absurd result will have to wait until a future legislative session, or other legal challenge, to be rectified. In the meantime, those involved in design-build projects or considering a design-build project should be aware of this significant legal disadvantage. My comments in this column from August 2020 still hold true today: [I]f an owner contends that a design-builder did something wrong that implicates the design, the design-builder will be placed in the uncomfortable position of either: (1) defending against such a claim without the design professional as a party or (2) having to obtain an affidavit that the design professional (and the design-builder by extension) did something wrong in order to join the design professional. The first scenario potentially leaves out a party who is appropriately joined in the case, and may inhibit settlement. The design-builder and its subcontractor may understandably be reluctant to work towards resolving an issue that they believe is at least partially caused by design-related matters in the absence of the architect or engineer. The second scenario results in the design-builder effectively aiding the owner in proving the owner’s claims against the design-builder. The appropriate approach in one matter may very well be inappropriate for another. And such decisions must be made at the outset of the case to ensure that parties are timely joined. Owners and contractors/design-builders and their subcontractors should tread carefully in these uncharted waters, balancing the advantages of the design-build process with the disadvantages inherent in evolution of Texas law on the subject. This issue is a known problem and, unfortunately, an entire legislative session has come and gone since SB 1928 was enacted. Perhaps the next legislative session will provide relief. R. Carson Fisk is a construction attorney, mediator, and arbitrator and shareholder at Andrews Myers P.C. in Austin, Texas, and is board certified in Construction Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He may be reached at cfisk@andrewsmyers.com
Page 8
Austin Construction News • APR 2022
OSHA National Work Zone Safety Awareness Week Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX
T
his year, work zone safety awareness week is April 1115th. There must be a traffic control plan for the movement of vehicles in areas where there are also workers conducting other tasks. Drivers, workers on foot, and pedestrians must be able to see and understand the routes they are to follow. The authority in charge, Federal, state, or local, will determine the configuration of the temporary traffic control zone for motorists and pedestrians. The construction project manager will determine the internal traffic control plan within the construction/demolition worksite. When there are several projects, coordinated vehicle routes and communication between contractors will reduce vehicular struck-by incidents. Standard highway signs for informa- visibility clothing with a background of tion, speed limits, and work zones will fluorescent orange-red or yellow-green assist drivers in identifying, in designat- and retroreflective material of orange, ed traffic paths, such directives as: EVAC- yellow, white, silver, or yellow-green. In UATION ROUTE; DO NOT ENTER; RE- areas of traffic movement, this personal DUCED SPEED AHEAD; ROAD CLOSED; protective equipment will make the and NO OUTLET. Using standard highway worker visible for at least 1,000 feet, so signs for internal construction worksite that the worker can be seen from any ditraffic control will assist workers in recog- rection, and make the worker stand out nizing the route they are to use at the from the background. Flagger stations construction site. should be illuminated. Flaggers should Standard traffic control devices, sig- be trained/certified and use the signaling nals, and message boards will instruct methods required by the authority in drivers to follow a path away from where charge. Check the label or packaging to work is being done. The authority in ensure that the garments are perforcharge will determine the approved traf- mance class 2 or 3. Drivers should be fic control devices such as cones, barrels, warned in advance with signs that there barricades, and delineator posts that will will be a flagger ahead. Flaggers should be used as part of the traffic control plan. use STOP/SLOW paddles, paddles with These standard devices should also be lights, or flags (flags should be used only used inside the work zone. Work Zone in emergencies.) The STOP sign should be Protections Various styles of concrete, octagonal with a red background and water, sand, collapsible barriers, crash white letters and border. The SLOW sign cushions, and truckmounted attenuators is the same shape, with an orange backare available to limit motorist intrusions ground and black letters and a border. into the construction work zone. For more information, see https:// Flaggers and others providing tem- www.workzonesafety.org/ porary traffic control should wear high natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232
continued from Page 1 — ATX Construction Clean its business practices. Kerry Collie-Watson, Accounting/HR, is Teykl’s best friend and has worked in accounting and construction since 2006. Her co-workers call her “BBK” – Bossy Book Keeper. Ashley Herrera is the team’s Field Operations Manager. Teykl says she’s a quick thinker and fast on her feet. She’s been with the company for 10 years. Eric Martin, Vice President and General Manager, joined the team five years ago. He brought a wealth of industry sales experience and project management. Marlen Baez Herrera and Marisol Rodriguez Vasquez are Cuban American citizens and are the heart of the company’s field operations. Their work ethic is rivaled only by the joy they bring to job sites day after day. ATX is averaging 12 to 15 projects per day, and has 85 field access employees and subs. “We have been working on the Google Building downtown which will probably last for six to seven months,” says Tekyl. “We are also working on the Moody Arena, which has a concert in one month.
The biggest job to date is the Kalahari, an indoor water park and hotel, which lasted almost a year. One of our coolest jobs was the FC Soccer Stadium.” The company’s newest addition to the team is a sweeper truck. Teykl recently purchased a sweeper truck for construction site sweeping and enables them to expand services into parking garages. Teykl says she’s always thinking of different ways to branch out. Her next step may be adding parking lot striping. She says she envisions sweeping, power washing and striping – the whole works. She moved to Austin in ’92. “It’s so awesome to see how much it has changed the past 30 years”. Teykl feels very fortunate to be surrounded by such a cohesive team. “We treat our people really well and some have been with me for over 10 years. I treat people the way I would want to be treated. Understanding goes a long way. We’re all adults here so there is no need to micromanage anyone. To top it off, we all love what we do.” -rld
continued from Page 1 — A.J. Brauer Stone
Stone quarried from A.J. Brauer Stone, Jarrell, TX
James Hanson. “It’s beautiful. We do a lot more specialty stuff architecturally, specialty sizes and veneers.” “We are very competitive with other quarries,” adds Architectural Sales Representative Texas Territory Teri Shelton. “We offer our chopped stone, home sawn and chatter stones, but we’re able to do different textures for landscaping, exterior buildings, the big butter sticks and then we can cut and using are CNC machines produces products like thin veneer, stone tile, door surrounds, fireplaces, pool surrounds, stairways, wall veneer and window surrounds to name a few. We supply stone all over the United States. People want Texas stone. “We’re centrally located and with freight prices the way they are, we are
competitive with our quarry pricing especially with our ability and craftmanship.” Adding to that, Hanson says, “It’s like our Director of Operations Robert Copeland always says, ‘If we want to disappoint somebody, it’s going to be with our lead times.’ We don’t want to disappoint anyone. So we stick with the lead times. And I think that is important. “It’s all about tracking. Once the general contractor is awarded the project, then the mason is awarded. We want to get with that mason to find out when he will needs the stone and make sure he has the stone when he needs it.” A.J. Brauer Stone, a subsidiary of Materials Marketing Limited is a supplier high-quality Texas limestone products in Jarrell, TX. -cmw
continued from Page 1 — JB Concrete Services ized touch. “We want unparalleled satisfaction on every job,” says Roe. “We’re a family based company. My is also works for the company. We keep everything in house. We don’t sub everything out. When our clients hire us, we don’t say, ‘We know some guys that can do your job.’ It’s our company and our company only that does that job. Everybody that works for me, works for me every day of the week. I don’t send anything out. Our crew members are carefully selected. They work hard and have a great attention to detail. We’re licensed, bonded and insured.” Roe and his talented team members are skilled in a wide array of concrete services - decorative concrete, stamped concrete, concrete form systems, insulated concrete, foundations, flagstone, driveways, patios, sidewalks, retaining walls and roads. They install, repair and replace. Commercially, JB Concrete Services
has served a wide range of local businesses and multi-family communities across Austin. “Because commercial properties tend to experience a much higher volume of traffic, durability is essential,” states Roe. “We want their investment to last for years to come so we offer the strongest materials and skills to ensure they are getting what they have invested in.” JB Concrete Services is pleased they have the capability to service both the residential and commercial clientele with 50 percent of their work dedicated to residential and 50 percent dedicated to commercial clients from Austin, across to Cedar Park, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Jollyville, Leander, Wells Branch, Brushy Creek and more. JB Concrete Services is a residential and commercial concrete contractor in Austin, TX. -cmw
Austin Construction News • APR 2022
Page 9
world, we must be conscious of whatever we catch and put into our cooler because there is zero percent survival in there. Think about what you will do with all those fillets. Will you eat some fresh and then freeze the rest? Are there frozen fillets in your freezer from previous years we are just going to add too? I’m not saying to not keep fish, just be mindful and take what you will eat while we are in the re-building stage. My effort will be that I will give a discount to all catch and release clients that do not keep any fish on their day on the water.
Catch And Release In Today’s World
I have already started to fill the calendar for the upcoming 2022 season. Don’t wait until 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.
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.
H
oly Cow!! Seems like a few days ago I was writing this column for the March edition and now we are fixing to turn the calendar to April. The first quarter of this year has flown by so fast. I’m still trying to catch up on things I’ve been trying to accomplish in February. Time, please slow down so I can catch a breath. I’m not as young as I used to be and certainly am a lot more forgetful! One thing I haven’t forgotten is how devastating the freeze was in February 2021. It’s still on my mind everyday. I’m on the water and I can’t seem to forget the images of all those dead fish I saw with my own eyes days after the freeze. The new restrictions have been reimplemented for the 2022 and 2023 season on speckled trout, and I truly believe we are on our way to a fast recovery. On a good note, I am seeing large numbers of speckled trout already in our bay system. I’m talking about fish from 7 in. to 22 in. daily being brought to the boat. This is a great sign this early in the season. We are catching these specks and we are not even targeting them. The drum bite has been on fire lately and, with the constantly changing weather patterns, we have focused on fishing for drum more than the other species. By now, most guides and anglers know the importance of releasing large, speckled trout. It’s a practice I’ve been preaching and following since the limits were changed back in 2014. Any trout
Customer Jamie Ruby poses with one of the drum we caught on last weeks trip. This has been one of the best years I’ve seen in many for the drum run. Photo by Steve Schultz Outdoors
over 24 in. in good condition is photographed and released - period. There is a concern amongst a good number of the older guides seeing most all of the newer younger guides hanging multiple species of fish on the board at marinas just to get the picture for their social media page. I get it because I am guilty of doing the same thing when I started my guiding career. We killed every fish that was legal and didn’t think twice about it. It
was all about the image at the dock, except we didn’t have Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat to exploit it. We took our pictures with a digital camera and emailed them to our clients, hoping they would spread your name to all their friends. I never thought we could hurt our bay system with rod and reels and certainly didn’t think we could have such a devesting fish kill in my career. Boy, was I wrong! In today’s conservation-minded
Page 10
Austin Construction News • APR 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
Any Which Way the Wind Blows
S
ometimes it almost seems like springtime weather is determined by slot machine. This year has been a perfect example of this! Some days it feels like hot sweaty summer and others we go back to “where’s my jacket” winter. Other days it’s summer on a steep decline back into winter. The good news is that most of the cold extremes are having shorter duration as the milder weather takes hold. This weather pattern is just as trying for fish as it is for us. Maybe even more so because the weather is such a driving force on fish behavior. Temperature, barometric pressure, wind and length of day and amount of light all tell fish when to feed, when to lay low, when to migrate and when to spawn. This kind of weather must be like having six crazy bosses yelling at them at once! When we have a stretch of calm easy weather for a few days, the fish get the signal that its all systems go to move upstream to spawn. Fishermen start to find some good fish and then the weather takes a turn, and all bets are off. When the weather settles back down the fish start to spawn again. That is what makes springtime fishing so inconsistent. One day the crappie can’t seem to wait to be caught, the next day you can’t even find one!
Season Ender
Marvin Ohlenbusch, Alamo Crane Service, had a great deer season at his lease north of Menard, TX where he has been hunting these past seven years. This 10-point, 20-in. spread trophy buck was harvested on Dec. 5. Marvin shot it from 115 yards. It scored 149.5. -cmw
If you don’t feel like a gambler taking his chances with catching fish, it pays to learn a little about fish behavior. You’ll learn that there are just some days when you will do a lot more fishing than catching. The one thing that will turn the fish off the fastest is high barometric pressure. When cold fronts come in bringing high north wind and clearing the clouds out of the sky you have high pressure. Even if the fish are biting when it hits, they will usually just stop biting and disappear. After a day or two, when the clouds start to come back and the southern breeze picks up, the bite is back on. They haven’t eaten for a while so fishing gets good again. The high wind and waves brought in by cold fronts are also apt to move the bait fish around. Bait fish are plentiful but mostly delicate fish that can’t handle rough conditions so they will move to calmer, deeper water until things settle down. Remember that the fish you are after are likely to be following those bait fish, so they may not be right where you left them either. All of that aside, here on Lake Buchanan we are beginning to see plenty of action from the white bass. The crappie are getting better every warm sunny day and we are seeing some larger stripers coming in. There was a catfish tournament last weekend that had lots of fish brought in and our cabin guests caught all they could eat too. Fishing’s getting good!
Ken Milam Guide Service offers half day or full day guided striped and hybrid bass fishing trips on Lake Buchanan in the beautiful Hill Country of Central Texas. We furnish all bait, tackle and equipment and we will dress and bag your catch for you. All you need to bring is your Texas Parks and Wildlife fishing license and refreshments and we will take care of the rest.
Austin Construction News • APR 2022
Page 11
ABC National Convention in San Antonio
Excellence in Construction Eagle Award Winner
Mechanical: Commercial, Up to $2 million Capital Industries – The University of Texas at Austin Student Union Building Renovations
program helps them to do. It builds these men and women up. It, gives them the skills, life skills, so that they can be successful. “We are facing a huge shortage of people, and the best way we can fill those spots is by getting these kids, these young apprentices, into the trades. “I think one of the biggest things that has helped to get the younger people more interested and involved is how much technology has started to come into construction. That’s a huge bonus for somebody who’s comfortable running a tablet or iPad or smartphone. You’re starting to see a lot of our equipment, a lot of things that we do in a similar for-
Excellence in Construction Eagle Award Winner
General Contractor: Community/Public Service Harvey Cleary Builders – Pease Park Kingsbury Commons
Q
Electrical Industrial
Q
Fire Sprinkler
Q
Q
Q
“I started with my company and began going to the ABC’s apprenticeship program. That’s where I learned my trade,” said Shon. “I spent four years in both the classroom and on-the-job training settings. From there, that gave me the opportunity to go to San Juan, Puerto Rico and compete for the National Championships in 2008 where I won a gold medal in the sheet metal category. “I’ve been on the National Craft Championships Committee for 12 years. I joined in 2010 as the project manager for sheet metal. “In our industry, it’s extremely important that we train and get people ready. That’s what the apprenticeship
Q
A
ssociated Builders & Contractors (ABC) held their 2022 national convention in San Antonio from March 15-17. The convention included meetings, sessions, programs, and events events, including its National Excellence in Construction Awards banquet. The last time the convention was held in San Antonio was 2012. One of the major events was the National Craft Championships with 176 entrants competing in 15 different competitions in 13 trades. Shon Smith with ACI Mechanical in Ames, IA is the Chairman of the committee and was our guide around the competition.
mat. So, I think that’s a big help. I also think there’s been kind of a change, you know, 20 years ago, 30 years ago, construction had a bad connotation to it. It really did. And there was the thought that if you couldn’t do anything else, you’re going to do construction. Well, I think that is starting to change now that people see the skills that are really involved, and the paychecks that come with it.” -bd
WATCH VIDEO
Carpentry
Excellence in Construction Eagle Award Winner
General Contractor: Health Care, $10 to $25 million Lott Brothers Construction Co. – Dell Children’s Specialty Pavilion
Page 12
Austin Construction News • APR 2022
Austin Construction News • APR 2022
Page 13
Association Calendar
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ABC Associated Builders & Contractors Apr. 6: Membership Mixer, Abel’s on the Lake, 4-6pm Apr. 13: Membership Breakfast, Headliners Club, 7:30-9am, Attendee $37.50, With Parking $45. For more info, call Brian Bisgard at 512-719-5263 or email bbisgard@abccentraltexas.org Apr. 21: ABC Careers in Construction Day, HEB Center in Cedar Park, 9am-2pm, Lunch provided for student and adult chaperone. Must RSVP by Mar. 1. For more info, call Kelley Cope at 512-719-5263 or email kcope@ abccentraltexas.org ACEA Greater Austin Contractors & Engineers Assn. Apr. 1: Construction Expo, City of Austin Public Works, 901 Dalton Ln., 10am-2pm Apr. 14: Membership Luncheon, Speaker: Daniel Grimsbo, City of Leander Executive Director of Infrastructure, Norris Conference Center, 2525 W. Anderson Ln. #265, 11:30am-1pm. Apr. 25: Spring Swing Golf Tournament, Forest Creek Golf Club, 99 Twin Ridge Pkwy., Round Rock, TX, 11am Registration, 12pm Tee Time, $150 Individual Player, $600 Foursome. For more info, call Silvia Pendleton at 512-893-7067 ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers Apr. 19: ASCE Virtual General Meeting, Zoom Webconference, 11:30am-1pm. For more info, go to www.texasce.org/student-symposium or contact Jenni Peters at 512-910-2272 or jpeters@texasce.org AGC Associated General Contractors Apr. 8: “Build a Great Life,” Mural Celebration & AGC Austin Open House, AGC Offices, 609 S. Lamar Blvd., 7:30-9:30am. For more info, contact Toni Osberry at 512-9944401 or email tosberry@agcaustin.org CTSA Central Texas Subcontractors Assn. Apr. 12: Lunch & Learn, Maggiano’s in the Domain, 10910 Domain Dr., $35 Member, $45 Non-Member. For more info, email Wendy Lambert at wendy@ctsaonline.org or go to www.ctsaonline.org DACA Drywall Acoustical Contractors Assn. Apr. 21: Member Meeting, Maggiano’s at the Domain, 10910 Domain Dr., 11am. For more info, contact Eddie McCormick at eddie@dacaaustin.org HBA Home Builders Assn. Greater Austin Apr. 13-14: Austin Build Expo, Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd., 10am-3pm, Classes begin 9:30 each day
Submitted to Construction News
Round-Up
Michael Hsu Office of Architecture is pleased to announce: Apr. 21: Spring Golf Classic, Teravista Golf Club, 4333 Teravista Club, Round Rock, TX, 9am-3pm, $150 Individual Player, $600 Foursome. For more info, contact Erin Scott at 512-982-9187 or email erin@hbaaustin.com I-LinCP Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects Apr. 12: The Future of Supply Chain Management, Embassy Suites Landmark, 5615 Landmark Pkwy., San Antonio, TX, 11:30am1:30pm, Member $40, Non-Member $60. For more info, contact Carla Bingaman at 512-263-5521 or email Carla. bingaman@i-lincp.org NARI National Assn. of the Remodeling Industry Apr. 13: Build A Team that Takes Ownership, Sunshine Camp Zilker Lodge, 2225 Andrew Zilker Rd., 8:30-4pm, $249 Member, $299 Non-Member. For more info, contact Kayvon Leath at 512-997-6274 or email kayvon@austinnari.org NAWIC National Assn. of Women in Construction Apr. 21: 2022 Austin NAWIC Clay Shoot, Reunion Ranch, 850 CR 255, Georgetown, TX, 8am-3pm. For more info, contact Danielle Dlugosh at ddlugosh@henselphelps.com RCAT Roofing Contractors Assn. of Texas Apr. 28-29: RCAT Fishing Tournament, Fisherman’s Warf, 900 Tarpon St., Port Aransas, TX. For more info, 512-251-7690 or email rcat.admin@rooftex.com SEAot Structural Engineers Assn. of Texas Apr. 28: Monthly Meeting. For more info, call 512-301-2744 or visit www.seaotaustin. org TSPE Texas Society of Professional Engineers Travis Chapter Apr. 6: TSPE Monthly Lunch Series, Maggiano’s Little Italy, 10910 Domain Dr., Member $40, Non-Member $50, Government Official or Full-time Student $30. For more info, go to www.tspetravischapter.org/monthly-luncheons TXAPA Texas Asphalt Pavement Assn. Apr. 4: Engineer Asphalt Essentials, 9am12pm. Apr. 5-21: Inspector Asphalt Education, Tuesdays & Thursday, 8-10:30am. For more info, contact Emily Adams at 512-312-2099 or email eadams@texasasphalt.org
Ken Johnson has been promoted to Partner. Johnson joined the firm in 2014 and has overseen a range of both architecture and interiors projects. Ken’s notable projects include Habitat for Humanity Row Homes, Plaza Saltillo, Home Slice North Loop, Academy residence, 907 South Congress, and Uptown Sports, which is about to begin construction. -cmw
Tracie Gesch has been promoted to Partner. Gesch leads the interior design team and has managed a variety of projects, including the Westlake Dermatology locations, Terminal at Katy Trail, the W Penthouse, Fareground, Shake Shack Headquarters, Fifth & West, Lamar Union, as well as Uchiko Houston and 44 East, both currently under construction. -cmw
Justin Gesch has been promoted to Partner. Since starting with the firm in 2016, Gesch has overseen a variety of architecture and interior projects including The Terminal at Katy Trail, Foundry II, Tecovas, Walden Retreats, The LINE Austin Hotel and, most recently, Il Bracco Houston. Additionally, Gesch is the team lead for professional development and supports asset management within the firm. He provides executive oversight of the firm’s Dallas area projects. -cmw
Jeff Clarke has been promoted to Partner and started with the firm in 2013. He has overseen a variety of master planning, architecture, public realm and interior projects. Notable projects include South Congress Hotel, MKT, Montrose Collective, and Austin Transit Partnership. Clarke is the team lead for Quality Control and serves on the firm’s Sustainability leadership team. He additionally provides executive oversight of the firm’s Houston projects. -cmw
Maija Kreishman has been promoted to Principal of Michael Hsu Office of Architecture. In addition to executive oversight and design visioning for a broad range of architecture and interior projects, Kreishman manages the firm’s strategic visioning, human resources, studio culture, operations, marketing and business development. She has led MHOA’s growth into Houston and Denver. -cmw
O’Connell Robertson is pleased to announce the promotion of Jayna Duke to the firm’s Senior Leadership Team. Duke joined the O’Connell Robertson family as a summer intern 14 years ago. Working her way up to the Interiors Practice Leader, Jayna has led the design on numerous projects including Lake Belton High School, San Antonio College Fletcher Administration Building, Shannon Health, and the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders. -cmw
Page 14
Austin Construction News • APR 2022
Women celebrated
T
he National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) celebrated WIC Week across the nation the week of Mar. 6-12. WIC Week highlights women as a visible component of the construction industry and raises awareness about their opportunities. The Austin Chapter celebrated by hosting fun activities throughout the week. These events included a happy hour at Finley’s in Round Rock, a membership appreciation and membership drive with a casino cruise on Lake Austin, an educational presentation on geology at Balfour Beatty, a community service project at the Central Texas Food bank and a jobsite tour at one of DPR Construction’s projects. -cmw
Happy Hour at Finley’s
Casino Cruise on Lake Austin
Why Geology Matters presentation at Balfour Beatty
Central Texas Food Bank community service project
Industry FOLKS Katherine Teel, Limestone Resource,
Continental Cut Stone, Florence, TX
B DPR jobsite tour
orn in Beaumont, TX, Katherine Teel grew up in Lufkin for stint, Austin for a stint, Dallas for a stint and then back and forth between Austin and Dallas. “They say, once you live in Austin, that is where your heart stays. It’s so true! I kept coming back to the Austin area…If not in Austin proper, within shouting distance.” Katherine graduated from Highland Park High School. After graduation, she went on to attend Texas Tech University with a summer session at Oxford University and then Brasenose College. “College life taught me to be independent and self-sufficient. I had lots of fun but also learned from mistakes while I was forced to grow from an insecure, inquisitive kid into a semiadult.” She earned a degree in Mass Communications | Public Relations. “I love to write, create community engagement and to help promote relationships.” Katherine became reacquainted with her husband while working for a pharmaceutical company whose dad was one of the doctors she called on. “My husband and I went to the same high school, graduated the same year and had many of the same friends. Twenty-plus years later, while calling on a doctor as a pharma rep, I had one last question for the doctor before I left the appointment. I asked him, ‘are you related to Rob Teel?’ He responded, ‘that is my son.’ Now Rob is my best friend. We are spend our lives navigating through life’s joys, celebrations, sadness and pain together. After her pharmaceutical days, Katherine decided to go work with her
husband at Continental Cut Stone in 2007. They have been working together since. Katherine oversees the marketing of Continental Cut Stone and says her role is more about industry promotion in the stone world. “I love working with our customers. Some are designers that inquire how to design with stone while others are mason contractors who require accuracy for their craftsmanship and the ability to be on time.” When Katherine first started in the industry, there were not a lot of women. Today, women are on the move. “I consider my mentors to be ‘the team’ industry experts working together to solve issues and develop best practices.” “Having worked in corporate America, international corporations are great breeding grounds for diverse and new experiences. Unlike my experience with large corporations, the construction industry is comprised of large and small companies and firms that feel like family. From design to execution, teams pull together to produce living breathing environments that we all have a chance to experience. Commercial office buildings, churches, hospitality, athletic, educational, government, museums and residential are all environments we experience. What other industry can touch the lives of so many people. We all pull together to make life a little better, a little easier.” -cmw
Austin Construction News • APR 2022
Page 15
Hermosa Village Apartments
H
ermosa Village Apartments was completed by Cadence McShane Construction in November 2020. Designed by Humphreys & Partners Architects LP, the 329,418-sf apartment complex includes modern farmhouse inspiration and incorporates 238 garden-style apartment units. “We are excited to provide the community of Leander a wonderful luxury multi-family community to call home,” remarked Srinath Pai Kasturi, Executive Vice President of Cadence McShane. “The development has a wide variety of unique amenities that make it stand out among nearby residences.” Floor plans include one-, two- and three-bedroom options ranging from 684 to 1,450sf. Apartment amenities include custom European cabinets, in-unit
washer and dryer, oversize walk-in-closets, spacious bedrooms, generous private patios, stainless steel appliances and quartz countertops. Community amenities include a fitness center, large resort pool and community farm on the grounds in addition to a one-acre dog park and space for outdoor games. Tenants also have access to 482 parking spaces. “In the past five years, we have completed or are underway with 20 multifamily housing projects totaling 4,426 units valued at $611 million,” adds Kasturi. “Cadence McShane is ranked #7 Top Multifamily Contractor by Multifamily Executive and the #8 Top Multi-Unit Residential Contractor by ENR Texas & Louisiana.” -cmw
Hermosa Village Apartments, Leander, TX
Cadence McShane Construction Austin, TX
Texas Department of Transportation Stassney Campus
T
he steel spans 29,065sf, a little over 5.5 miles. That’s the number the Marek team was faced with when evaluating a major architectural detail on the brand new, $300 million Texas Department of Transportation Stassney Campus in Austin. In September 2020, commercial and residential specialty contractor Marek, partnered with Vaughn Construction to provide drywall, acoustical ceilings, framing, window coverings and rough carpentry on the project. Designed by San Antonio-based architect Marmon Mok, the five-story administrative building posed a unique and
challenging feature spanning the length of the building, commonly referred to as the “Eyebrow.” Traditional construction of the eyebrow would require crews stick framing 29,065sf of steel, at times over 100 feet in the air, resulting in weeks, if not months of work. Factor in unreliable Texas weather with heavy use of boom lifts and it becomes obvious why a project manager would seek out other options. Marek Project Manager, Brendan Burke-Phillips noted, “Early in the pre-construction phase, 30-plus year Marek veteran and Austin Production Manager, Clark O’Briant, in collabora-
tion with Lead Foreman, Juan ‘Kallyman’ Mendoza, spotted an opportunity to incorporate off-site, pre-fabrication production style framing, for the eyebrow feature. This process ultimately proving to maximize efficiency while promoting safety, at the highest levels.” The eyebrow feature required extensive collaboration between Marek and commercial wall system fabricator, NOW Specialties, to ensure the critical dimensions met the architect’s design intent. Following meetings, Marek then crafted an off-site production process that would prove most beneficial to both the project’s schedule and bottom line.
Spearheaded by Clark O’Briant, a production facility was set up in Marek’s Austin warehouse. The result was a resounding success, eliminating weeks of on-site labor, providing greater quality control, a safe work environment, and less material waste. “The ability to prefab this in a shop setting and have ready for an on-time delivery was a huge success to getting our building done on time and crucial to us getting a roof installed without any delay and ahead of schedule,” said Vaughn Senior Superintendent, PatrickGriffin. -cmw
Eyebrow framing of the new Texas Department of Transportation Stassney Campus Prefabbed eyebrow framing
Marek Austin, TX
Page 16
Austin Construction News • APR 2022