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CONSTRUCTION NEWS The Industry’s Newspaper
July 4th Independence Day
www.constructionnews.net H (210) 308-5800 H Volume 24 H Number 7 H JULY 2022
Celebrating 35 years
Strength to overcome
Colton Parnes, Business Development and Project Management
Buddy Leist with his grandchildren L-R: Grant, Lucy, Kenzie, Christopher, Emilie, Violet and wife, Valerie
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hirty-five years ago, Grant Parnes stepped out on his own to start his own company. Having worked for a building engineer doing in-house remodels in a commercial office building, he knew his capabilities. Encouraged by his former employer to expanded on his talent, Grant Parnes started Parnes Construction in 1987 as a family-owned and operated general contracting company specializing in remodeling, tenant improvement and new finish-outs of commercial interiors. Of course, the ‘80s were a tough time. The economy plummeted as the savings and loan crisis reared its ugly head and the construction industry began to suffer. Financing was near to impossible, especially in the construction arena.
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elping people is all Shawn Whitley ever knew. He was a critical care nurse for 20 years. He values people and cares deeply about relationships. He thought his life was good until tragedy struck. He was rear ended by a young driver traveling 60mph. “I had no idea how my life would change and what a bad road I was going to go down,” says Whitley. “Being a nurse, I didn’t want to have back surgery. But, nine months later, my back was sliding at the top and I had to have surgery.” The surgery didn’t go well. Unable to work, Whitley was struggling. Two and half years later, Whitley was still taking pain medication. “I had no income,” Whitley adds. “I couldn’t work. I was on disability for a short time, and I got no money from the young driver who hit me; he had no insurance. I didn’t know what I was going to do.” He started praying to God asking Him to give him something. He went
Regardless of the state of the economy, Parnes Construction persevered by taking on small remodeling and interior finish-out projects for customers he knew. One job led to another and before long, Parnes Construction was on its way. For the next 20 years, much of his work came from repeat clients who he had established a strong working relationship with and who were more than satisfied with his skills and the top quality of his work. In 2013, Grant’s son, Colton Parnes, graduated from college and joined his father at Parnes Construction. “In 2013, we were in the middle of another recession. College graduates were struggling to find jobs,” says Colton. “My original plan was to go to law school, but after four continued on Page 18
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n 2010, Butch Leist started Hill Country Bridge, a thriving concrete company specializing in TxDOT heavy highway concrete for the construction of bridge structures, pedestrian bridges, concrete drainage box structures and retaining walls. A few short years after getting his company up and running, Leist’s health began to deteriorate and was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) on Apr. 13, 2013. A month later, he would undergo a double-lung transplant. Two days after going in for his transplant, Leist was breathing on his own and walked out of the hospital nine days later. “I had to learn how to walk because I couldn’t stand very long, but I did it,” says Leist. “My goal was to see my second
grandbaby. She was born on Jun. 18 and walked out of the hospital out of the hospital on Jun. 3. On Aug. 17, I walked my youngest daughter down the aisle. “My lungs are doing well. I celebrated nine years on May 25 of this year.” With his health back on track, Hill Country Bridge began to grow. Leist hired more employees and purchased 10 acres of land to accommodate his growing company. Unfortunately, in 2020, Leist would get more bad news and was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Stage Four cancer. “It really scared everybody,” he said. In April 2020, seven years after being diagnosed with IPF, Leist would once continued on Page 18
Nurse to roofer
Shawn Whitley, owner of Bear Roofing Systems
back to work for a physician he once worked for. Then in 2016, when the big hailstorm hit Texas, a friend of his asked him if he wanted to sell roofs and he said yes. Whitley admits he didn’t know anything about roofs, but his gift of gab seemed to be all he needed. He sold $2.7 million in roofs before going to work for another roofing company when Hurricane Harvey hit. Whitley spent two and half years learning the roofing trade before starting his own company. With his love for helping people as his driving force, Whitley started Bear Roofing Systems in 2018. “I just love helping people,” states Whitley. “I started in September; winter was approaching. My company is unbranded, and I had to get started. I got in my truck with a couple of the guys from my crew and drove around. We started doing rehabilitative work on apartment roofs. I continued on Page 9
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San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
Pull, aim, shoot
M&M Contracting
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lterman Inc. held their 5th Annual Sporting Clay Shoot on May 3 at the National Shooting Complex. With close to 300 in attendance, it was their biggest clay shoot to date! Alterman President Greg Padalecki and everyone at Alterman wish to thank Whiting Turner for being their Title Sponsor, as well as the other sponsors and attendees who contributed to raising well over $50,000 that will be given back to our local communities via the Alterman Foundation. Photos courtesy of Mary C. Haskin Photography. -cmw
Congratulations to the winners: Class A 1st Place: M&M Contracting, 364 Class A 2nd Place: Grubb Engineering, 324 Class B: Tool Mart Houston, 274 Class C: Ram Tool, 253 Overall Male Shooter: Kevin St. Clergy, 100 Overall Female Shooter: Laura Eckhardt, 63
Whiting Turner
Taking aim
Check-in
L-R: Jim Lambrecht, Jamie Lambrecht, Steve Verbeke and Melissa LaBlanc
Bringing it together
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Bartlett Cocke General Contractors South Texas Region team members
n Apr. 30, Bartlett Cocke General Contractors held their South Texas Region Company Picnic. The event was held at Enchanted Springs Ranch. Employees and their family gathered for a day of fun and recognition. -cmw
Tony Buentello and BCGC President James Anderson
James Anderson and BCGC Regional Manager James Caraway
Bull riding
Shoot-out
Moon bounce fun
Facepainting
San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
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th
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Aloha ‘Oe
pawGlass hosted their 24 Annual Luau Appreciation event on May 19. The industry favorite was held at the Blue Bonnet Palace in Selma. Over 400 SpawGlass friends, family and guests attended the event, dressed in their favorite Hawaiian apparel while some guests participated in the event’s best dressed competition, while others tried their skills in the hula hoop “hoop-off.” -cmw
L-R: Retired SpawGlass President Chuck Calvin and Irene Ochoa
L-R: Michelle Raley and her father, Retired SpawGlass President Fred Raley
L-R: Clint Ullman, SpawGlass; Kevin Moses, Big State Electric and Vince Real, Big State Electric
L-R: Stan Rothman, EquipmentShare and Jon Randolph, BakerTriangle
L-R: Mary Haskin, Mary C. Haskin Photography; Jennifer Sweeney, ASA; Adam Matths, Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing, Toby Martinez, Bexar Excavating & Hauling LLC and Doug Taylor
Joe Landry, Bilt Rite
Hula Hoop contest
Best Dress contest
Best Dress finalists
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San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
Golfing to give back
Great teamwork!
Bartlett Cocke General Contractors volunteered at San Pedro Springs Park, cleaning up planting beds and putting down mulch. Thank You for giving back! -cmw
Sandbox of Eden
Getting ready for a trip to the beach, Craig Noto, Quality Fence & Welding, leaves nothing to chance. Here he is brushing up on his sandcastle building skills with his 2-year-old granddaughter, Eden Walker. It looks like little Eden has the matter well in hand and is teaching Papa how it’s done. -cmw
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FA Nunnelly
akerTriangle hosted their 15th Annual Charity Golf Tournament at Canyon Spring Golf Club. The event was held on May 27 where 144 golfers filled the course. The tournament raised $36,000 with a 50/50 split between The Wounded Warriors Project and The American Heart Association. “We were excited to have a team of veterans representing Wounded Warrior in this year’s tournament,” says BakerTriangle Vice President Jon Randolph. “Thank you everyone for participating and making this a resounding success.” Photos courtesy of Mary C. Haskin Photography. -cmw
Tournament winners: 1st Place: FA Nunnelly – Greg Vaughn, Blaine Beckman, Mike Moilanen and Jamie Amoretti 2nd Place: Specified Components/Joeris – Kelly Johnson, Beau Johnson, Jenny White and Mallory Ottino 3rd Place: Bartlett Cocke – Craig Jendrusch, Victor Falcon, Adam Matthys and Rob Whitehead Closest-to-the-Pin: Tom Rascoe Longest Drive: Marcos Avila
BakerTriangle San Antonio President Mike Sireno (left) and Vice President Jon Randolph (right) present $18,000 to the American Heart Association
BakerTriangle San Antonio President Mike Sireno (left) and Vice President Jon Randolph (right) present $18,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project
San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
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First generation electrician
Filling the gap
Manuel Olague, owner of Olague Electric, is proud to be a first-generation electrician.
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fter a long and successful 35-year electrical career working for the City of San Antonio and other private entities, Manuel Olague, a first-generation electrician, decided he was ready to retire from working for someone else and start working for himself. In 2007, Olague made the leap of faith and started Olague Electric. Olague’s interest in the electrical trade began in high school when he and his buddies were choosing their classes. “At the end of our sophomore year, we had to fill out our course for our junior year,” recalls Olague. “Just a group of guys, we decided to choose a vocational class and I suggested electrical. I don’t know what made me say electrical, but I did, and we did.” After graduation he went to work for Guarantee Electric. There he learned the materials and started going out with the crews, while taking college courses in the evening. “Rudy Guerrero, who owned Guarantee Electric gave me my start,” he adds. An opportunity presented itself and Olague went to work for Central Electric.
There Alfred Martinez took young Olague under his wing. “I started out as a helper. All we did was commercial wiring,” he says. He worked at Central Electric for 11 years, and eventually earned his journeyman license. “Alfred Martinez taught me about estimating and how to take account for everything, including yourself and the quality of work I do,” Olague states. When the economy busted in the ‘80s, Olague went to work for the City of San Antonio. He would work for the city for the next 20 years before starting his own company, Olague Electric. “This is where like I see my communities,” he says. “They helped me through word of mouth. All my work comes from word of mouth.” Thinking he would be a commercial electrical contractor; Olague quickly realized the path for his company would be service oriented. “I found my niche doing service work,” he says. Olague Electric does commercial and residential service work in San Antonio and its surrounding areas. -cmw
Industry FOLKS Rhondie Louise Kanning, Office Manager/Accounting,
Dumas Hardware, San Antonio, TX
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an Antonio is where she was born and raised. She lived in Alaska for three years with a few stints in Wichita Falls while her father was in the Air Force. “Growing up in Alaska was challenging to say the least. Most kids make sure that they bring their tennis shoes to school for P.E. We had to make sure we had our ice skates. Ice skating was our recess. There were no ‘snow days.’ We had to plug our car in at night so the battery wouldn’t freeze. And we were always on guard for bears and charging moose.” A graduate of John Jay High School, class of ’88, Rhondie was on her way to being a stellar student at San Antonio College until being derailed with a T.B.I. (traumatic brain injury). Sadly, she was not able to get her degree in English. She is happily married to Greg Kanning. They met in 1995 when they were both working for Greg’s dad at Dumas Hardware. “Life took us both in different directions, but love brought us back together. We will be celebrating our second wedding anniversary this Halloween. We had a fabulous wedding on a blue moon, Halloween, on a Saturday night.” Rhondie, and Greg, have four children: Rachel 22, Rebekah, 19, Jordan 15 and Jakob 15, from her previous marriage. “Jake is indeed spoiled and heavily protected by his older sisters. Having twins is everything you have heard of and more. That twin bond is legit!” After leaving her job at USAA, she decided to go with a temp-to-hire agency. She interviewed with Carole from Dumas for over an hour and had a
message on her phone when she got home, the job was hers. Rhondie manages the office, account receivables, and any other job she can help with. “There’s something very satisfying about giving it your all and at the end of the day, when you’re exhausted, frustrated, and worn out, somehow, you’re ready to do it all over again the next day. When you believe in something with every fiber in your being, it makes the struggle worth it.” When asked who influenced her most in her life, Rhondie proudly praises her mom. “I saw her go from working part-time as a test car driver at SWRI to help support our family. She cooked, cleaned, and gave up her holidays. Eventually she went to work full-time while continuing take care of our family’s needs. She never missed a beat. She did a great job balancing work life and family life. She’s my hero and someone that I want to emulate.” To relax, Rhondie loves reading and watching movies. Her hobby, however, is anything fitness related. “I like to push myself physically. I learned long ago, when you push yourself physically, the mental aspect comes along with it. The stronger I am physically, the stronger I am mentally. My goal is to get on stage and compete in a Figure Competition. Once life settles back down, I will get back to working on that goal.” -cmw
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L-R: Dinu Mathai, Joyce Pingel and David Kash discuss the ways they will support clients in the future.
t the beginning of 2022, HOLT invested in the formation of Epiphany Industrial Technologies which is now part of the HOLT family of companies. Epiphany Industrial Technologies is a systems integrator developed to tackle the built world’s challenges by creating digital solutions for industries including heavy equipment, construction, manufacturing, energy, and sustainability. Joyce Pingel, who serves as HOLT CAT’s CIO and head of digital innovation, will lead Epiphany as president. She and her trusted team identified a gap between HOLT’s needs and the supply of current providers who were able to effectively integrate IT systems for industrial companies. “Epiphany Industrial Technologies was created to be a trusted advisor and partner to companies in the industrial sector, which includes construction, energy, oil and gas, manufacturing and more,” says Pingel. “We’re considered a systems integrator, not a provider of software. We step in and assist companies with their technology transformations.” Pingel and her team work to configure and implement software applications. They provide consulting services for customers, by working with their vendor partners to deliver software that meets their innovative business needs, while also integrating the solutions with their existing systems. Epiphany will help their clients determine what kind of change management, staffing, and operational processes are needed. “We want to arm our customers with the tools they need to run with technology after the project is done so they are not depen-
dent on the consultant,” adds Pingel. “Construction and manufacturing businesses of all sizes need a trusted technology partner to help them adapt and transform, boost productivity, improve efficiency and provide exemplary customer service. We’re a new company with entrepreneurial energy but have the stability of an industry leader.” “At HOLT, we recognize and reward employees who demonstrate our values and are committed to our mission, vision and values,” said Corinna Holt Richter, HOLT president and chief administrative officer. “Joyce’s commitment to the continuing education of our employees and to ensuring our customers can thrive was the catalyst of our investment in Epiphany.” David Kash, vice president of Solution Delivery and Dinu Mathai, vice president of Solution Engineering join Pingel. Both come from HOLT having served as part of HOLT’s digital innovation and technology team. “HOLT has a legacy of entrepreneurial innovation,” said Peter J. Holt, CEO of HOLT CAT. “Epiphany will implement solutions for HOLT as our premier systems integrator and create long-term added value and success for the customers we serve and the industry overall.” Epiphany is currently recruiting for several positions including solution architects, data engineers, project managers, developers, and more. For more information or to apply, visit epiphanyit.com. Epiphany Industrial Technologies, is a new company, specializing in systems integration. -cmw
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San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
ACCOUNTING
INSURANCE
How Contractors Can Win New Talent Amid the Labor Crisis
The Increasing Insurance Requirement Burden on Subcontractors
Cyndi Mergele, SPHR, SHRM-SCP Senior Director of Human Resources Consulting RSM US San Antonio, TX
Cole Sorota, CISR, TIIA The Nitsche Group Waco, TX
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or years, the labor shortage has challenged every U.S. contractor’s ability to be shovel-ready.
According to the 2021 Construction Outlook Survey by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America, 54% of construction firms have a difficult time filling salaried and hourly positions, while 49% of construction firms expect it will either get harder, or remain as hard, to find qualified workers in 2021. “And that’s not new,” according to Cyndi Mergele, a senior director in RSM’s national construction practice. “You’ve got an aging workforce. You’ve got jobs that are never filled. And the labor demand is driving wages higher.” According to the AGC, the average wage of a skilled construction worker is $32.93 an hour. Mergele says this leads to a crucial question: Will wages alone drive more people to the trade? Her hypothesis: There likely needs to be more to appeal to employees. We spoke with Mergele about how contractors can get creative and appeal to new talent. Q: What’s the biggest challenge of attracting new talent for contractors? CM: Part of the challenge is around benefits and the work experience. If we are going to compel students to forgo college in exchange for the construction trades, then the perceived value beyond wages has to be more comparable to what a college education and professional career look like. For example, vacation benefits. A number of contractors still don’t provide paid time off. If I’m talking to my buddy who just graduated from college, got a job, and now they’re going to get two or three weeks of vacation a year, and I’m thinking about the trades, it’s tough. Yes, I can make money—but if I don’t work, I don’t get paid. That wears thin over time. Q: How can the industry improve this? CM: That’s where union shops have an advantage, because whether it›s vacation, sick leave, pension or retirement, it’s generally been bargained. Regardless of how you may feel about an open shop or a union environment, it is being negotiated for employees. I think that’s one challenge. The other is that there isn’t always a clear path toward career progression for skilled-trades professionals in construction companies. Q: Meaning promotion? CM: Advancement and growth. Promotion is one way, but people can also grow in their roles. There should be opportunity to have progression in your career earlier and more effectively. It’s a vicious cycle when companies, including HR teams, have to spend exhaustive hours and resources to fill positions. Maybe we need to refocus the strategic effort on what can we do to enhance the long-term employee experience— perhaps through compensation, benefits or career development—so we can negate the turnover and enhance the quality of hire. Q: What can contractors learn from each other? CM: Many specialty trade contractors have Department of Labor (DOL) apprenticeship programs. Those provide clear line of sight to wage progression and training progression. You can say, “I started as an apprentice and within X number of months, I will be 25% of the way through the training program and I’ll get 25% of the journey level pay.” People clearly see their path. Companies should take advantage of those apprenticeship programs. In trades
where there’s licensing, contractors are more likely to have those programs. But I think the question is, if a trade doesn’t require journey level positions, why couldn’t they mirror something similar? Structure a program in terms of training and pay to mirror a DOL apprenticeship program. That shows employees where they can go. Q: Have any niches of the industry handled the labor crisis well? CM: Communities that have earlier outreach to high school students—such as construction trade high schools or partnerships with technical colleges that have construction trade programs—are showing some results. It’s harder in communities that don’t have these programs. For years, it’s been communicated to kids that the pathway to success is a college degree. And they have college fairs, college day and night programs. We, as an industry, should be participating in similar events to include high school vocational jobs. It’s crucial to get in front of these kids as early as possible. When they’re contemplating what’s next after high school and as a senior in high school, it’s probably too late. Imagine all the kids that are working in jobs that may not be their lifelong dream—working in fast food, for example. Why wouldn’t we get in front of them to say, “Instead of thinking about a shortterm job, why not think about a long-term career?” Q: Have any types of companies shown themselves to be adept at winning over new talent? CM: Larger companies have some resources, but I have seen smaller companies that have been creative and successful. Regardless of size, they›re able to communicate the value proposition to working—maybe just not in the industry, but for their company. Maybe it’s around their culture, their approach to developing their employees, or maybe they just pay better. At one company in San Antonio, the president started as an entry-level technician and tells the story of their journey. Imagine you’re 18 years old, you start in a blue-collar, entry-level position, and 30 years later, you’re president of the company. That’s inspiring. Q: What’s the biggest lesson contractors must take from the labor shortage, regardless of what kind of shop they are? CM: Something has to change. Somebody needs to dare to be creative. We can’t be afraid of the higher-wage earners in construction being those team members in the field. Everybody’s position is valuable, but the folks in the field are the lifeblood of a construction company. And on creativity, contractors should offer a compelling alternative for employees, especially when they’re having to work in the elements. You are going to have days where it’s hot, you’re going to have days where it’s cold, you’re going to have days where it’s wet, where it’s icy. What compels people to say, “This is a really good job”? If I can help people understand the lifestyle they could have in entering a construction career, it would definitely change the landscape. Cyndi Mergele, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is Senior Director of Human Resources Consulting at RSM US in San Antonio. She can be reached at 210-828-6281 or cyndi.mergele@ rsmus.com.
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n a constantly evolving environment of both construction costs and the threat of litigation, there is an increasing trend of general contractors broadening the contractual insurance requirements of their subcontractors to include coverages that fall outside their normal scope of operations. Gone are the days of the handshake and verbal agreement in the business world. Today’s economic, legal, and competitive landscape are forcing tougher contractual and insurance requirements. Examples of this include professional liability insurance, pollution insurance, or higher umbrella limits than they otherwise feel they need to carry. While general contractors are trying to protect themselves from both the unexpected and the litigious, this can create additional costs for business owners. For years, increases in insurance costs have outpaced similar inflationary trends in other sectors of the economy propelled by external influences in replacement, material, and labor costs. Advancements in vehicle technology have contributed to higher repair costs in auto claims. What was once a $500 bumper repair from a “fender bender” can now cost upwards of $3,000 to $5,000 to replace, due to newer vehicle models having sensors and back up cameras that make repairs more complex. Similarly, dramatic increase in the cost of labor and materials now requires contractors to have higher insurance limits in order to remain properly protected. Attorney involvement in injury claims is more prevalent than ever, driving up judgments as sympathetic juries place extraordinary monetary encumbrance on insurance companies. As a result, insurance renewals can regularly be 20% to 30% more costly than the prior year as carriers struggle to keep pace with the financial burdens of the current environment. In the past, a subcontractor performing a portion of a larger job might have been able to convince a general contractor to accept their current insurance limits if they were less than the coverages required in the contract. They were likely willing to accept the additional risk provided by the discrepancy in limits, or perhaps were inclined to stick to the subcontractor’s low price point. However, general contractors are now starting to dig in their heels to the insurance requirements of the contract, demanding that subcontractors provide proof of all coverages before authorizing both job site access and payment. Mishandling these requirements can not only cause you to lose job bids, but result in not getting paid after the work has been completed. For those subcontractors that don’t carry the additional insurance coverage, this can result in a problematic situation. If they back out of the contract, they may
default on bonds or open themselves up to other legal ramifications, but if they purchase the extra coverage, they may reduce or even eliminate the profitability of the job because it was not factored into their initial bid. A general contractor may be willing to cover the additional costs in a change order, but there is no guarantee. As insurance requirements become stricter and higher, small operations may be pushed out of the marketplace entirely as they simply are not able to afford the overhead of the insurance costs needed to work in their community. Communication is key in combating these unexpected costs. Subcontractors should thoroughly review any contractual agreement before signing it, and work with their insurance agent to identify possible gaps in their coverage compared to the requirements of the contract. It may still be possible to get a waiver or have a contractor accept the insurance you currently carry, but the answer is always “no” if you don’t ask. Pinpointing these exposures upfront can allow them to be addressed before undertaking the legal weight of signing on the dotted line. Your insurance agent is the invisible employee in your business that can make a visible difference—utilize their knowledge to address your concerns about why you may or may not need a particular policy and, if you do, the best way to secure quality coverage that will be acceptable to all parties. The sticker shock of insurance can be detrimental to your business if you are unprepared for today’s environment. The old adage that “it takes a village” is more relevant than ever. A resilient team supplemented by your insurance agent can help prepare you for the world ahead. Your success is our success, and a strong partnership with the right insurance agent can make all the difference to your company’s bottom line. Cole Sorota is a commercial relationship manager at The Nitsche Group in Waco, Texas— one of the leading independent insurance agencies in the state. He has worked directly in both commercial and personal lines insurance since 2015, and currently holds CISR and TIIA designations. He is a Baylor University graduate, a self-proclaimed movie aficionado, an eagle scout and was born and raised in Dallas. Cole can be reached by email at: ColeS@TNGins.com or phone directly at (979) 540-2249.
San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
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OSHA
LEGAL Notice is as Notice Does: Do your written notices comply with the Texas standard? Grant J. Nicar Allensworth Austin, TX
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t’s no secret that construction projects do not always go as planned. When things go sideways, the controlling contract typically requires the non-breaching party to notify the defaulting party of default. For example, the owner is often required to provide the general contractor with advance written notice if the owner plans to correct the contractor’s defective work, supplement the contractor to keep schedule, or terminate the prime contract. Likewise, a general contractor usually must provide similar notice downstream to its subcontractors. Construction contracts may specify the form and substance of any written notice (e.g., certified mail, email, timing, to whom it should be addressed). If a lawsuit materializes down the road, the judge or jury will have to determine whether the non-breaching party complied with the contract’s notice requirements. The Supreme Court of Texas recently issued an important opinion in James Construction Group, LLC v. Westlake Chemical Corp. that clarified the standard for compliance with contractual notice requirements.
James then discontinued its work and demobilized.
In James Construction, the Court held that in construction contracts, parties may substantially (rather than strictly) comply with contractual notice requirements. But when a contract requires written notice, the Court reasoned that notice must be in writing to satisfy the substantial compliance standard. The Court also explained that absent some waiver of contractual requirements, oral notice alone cannot satisfy a contract’s written notice requirement. The Court concluded that the parties’ negotiated desire for written notice should be honored, as it helps eliminate after-the-fact swearing contests or speculation about whether notice was provided and what details were discussed.
Put simply, if the contract requires written notice, but you do not provide written notice, you may be jeopardizing your ability to enforce contractual remedies. With those stakes in mind, you may find yourself wondering whether any slight deviation from the contract’s notice requirements will result in your notice being defunct—for example, if you only send written notice via email instead of certified mail like the contract requires, or if the written notice was sent to the correct address but not the correct recipient.
The owner in James Construction had to send three separate notices before it could terminate James as the general contractor: (1) notice that the owner determined serious safety violations occurred, (2) notice that the owner was not satisfied with James’s efforts to remediate the safety violations within seventy-two hours of the first notice, and (3) notice that the owner elected to terminate the contract or part of the work. Each notice needed to be in writing. For the first “notice,” the owner copied James’s site manager on an email chain discussing a recent on-site injury. The owner emphasized the injury’s preventability, warned of a safety review, and stressed that James needed to adopt a proper safety-oriented mindset. But the email did not reference the contract’s termination clause. It did not contend a serious safety violation occurred. Nor did it inform James that the seventy-two-hour cure period would begin to run, and that James would default if its efforts to cure were insufficient. For the second “notice,” the owner sent another email discussing James’s remediation efforts. But again, the email did not reference the contract’s termination clause, an alleged default, or termination. Nor did it state that the owner was dissatisfied with James’s remediation efforts (which is what the contract required). Finally, the owner sent no written statement to satisfy the third notice requirement. Instead, the owner met with James in-person to discuss safety concerns and informed James that its remaining work was reassigned to another contractor.
The Court held that the owner had failed to comply with at least two of the written notice requirements, and therefore James was not obligated to reimburse the owner for the cost to complete James’s scope. Although there was little factual dispute that James had engaged in repeated safety violations, the Court held the owner had no remedy due to its own failure to comply with the termination notice provisions.
Fortunately, application of the substantial compliance standard likely means that minor deviations from notice requirements will not invalidate the notice. In other words, minor deviations might be okay if they do not seriously impair the purpose of the notice provision or put the recipients of the written notice at some disadvantage. Here are a few key takeaways from the James Construction case that construction professionals should consider: If the controlling contract requires written notice, notice must be in writing to substantially comply with the contract. Conversations on the telephone or during project meetings alone probably fall short of substantial compliance with written notice requirements. When sending a notice of termination, supplementation, or default, the notice should reference the specific contract provision, reasons for the notice event, and any time constraints. For example, if you send a written notice to supplement a subcontractor’s work and the subcontractor has three days to increase manpower and cure its default, the notice should reference the threeday period to cure. The best practice is to send written notice any time you are supplementing work, terminating a contract, or notifying a party about defaulting on their contractual obligations. These events usually lead to increased costs, and you’ll want to make sure you are preserving all remedies and your ability to recover costs of supplementation or termination. Grant J. Nicar is an attorney at Allensworth in Austin, Texas. He works with architects, engineers, contractors, and owners on complex, multi-party cases involving design and construction defects and contract disputes. You can reach Grant by email at gnicar@allensworthlaw.com.
Lightning Safety When Working Outdoors Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX
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ntroduction: Lightning is a dangerous natural force. Annually in the United States, cloud-to-ground lightning occurs 20 to 25 million times and over 300 people are struck by lightning. Workers whose jobs involve working outdoors in open spaces, on or near tall objects, or near explosives or conductive materials (e.g., metal) have significant exposure to lightning risks. Worker activities at higher risk for lightning hazards include: • Logging • Explosives handling or storage • Heavy equipment operation • Roofing • Construction (e.g., scaffolding) • Building maintenance • Power utility field repair • Steel erection/telecommunications • Farming and field labor • Plumbing and pipe fitting • Lawn services/landscaping Reducing Lightning Hazards When Working Outdoors Lightning is unpredictable and can strike outside the heaviest rainfall areas or even up to 10 miles from any rainfall. Many lightning victims are caught outside during a storm because they did not act promptly to get to a safe place, or they go back outside too soon after a storm has passed. Prior to beginning any outdoor work, employers and supervisors should check NOAA weather reports (weather.gov) and radio forecasts for all weather hazards. OSHA recommends that employers consider rescheduling jobs to avoid workers being caught outside in hazardous weather conditions. When working outdoors, supervisors and workers should continuously monitor weather conditions. Watch for darkening clouds and increasing wind speeds, which can indicate developing thunderstorms. Vehicles as Shelter: If safe building structures are not accessible, employers
should guide workers to hard-topped metal vehicles with rolled up windows. Remain in the vehicle for at least 30 minutes after hearing the last sound of thunder. Phone Safety: After hearing thunder, do not use corded phones, except in an emergency. Cell phones and cordless phones may be used safely. Employers should have a written Emergency Action Plan (EAP), as outlined in 29 CFR 1910.38 or 29 CFR 1926.35. The EAP should include a written lightning safety protocol for outdoor workers. This lightning safety protocol should: • Inform supervisors and workers to take action after hearing thunder, seeing lightning, or perceiving any other warning signs of approaching thunderstorms. • Indicate how workers are notified about lightning safety warnings. • Identify locations and requirements for safe shelters. • Indicate response times necessary for all workers to reach safe shelters. • Specify approaches for determining when to suspend outdoor work activities, and when to resume outdoor work activities. • Account for the time required to evacuate customers and members of the public, and the time needed for workers to reach safety. Employers should also post information about lightning safety at outdoor worksites. All employees should be trained on how to follow the EAP, including the lightning safety procedures. natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232
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San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
Adam Sabel,
Owner, Redemption Roofing, Bulverde, TX
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ollege isn’t for everyone, and Adam Sabel knew it wasn’t for him. After dabbling in various type of jobs searching for the one that would make a difference in his life, Sabel never thought roofing would be his calling. Where were you born and where did you grow up? I was born in Houston and raised in the Spring, North of Houston. I lived there until I was 21. What was it like growing up there? It was awesome. There were nine boys on the street I grew up on. They were all within two years of age of me. We had basketball games, baseball games and football games. It was awesome and funny enough, about half of those nine are in the roofing industry. Three of us work together. What did your parents do? My dad was a business owner. My grandfather started an electronic shop after he got home from the war in either ’46 or ’47. At some point, my dad took it over. We had that business until ’95 when my dad’s multiple sclerosis got to a point where he couldn’t run the company anymore. My mom worked for my dad until I graduated high school. Then she got into the coin business and has been doing that since. She now owns her own coin business and sells rare coins. Did you go to college? I went for a short time. College just wasn’t not for me. I’m a people person and I wanted to be around people talking and not sitting in a classroom. How did you get started in the construction industry? It’s kind of a long story. I’ve done everything. I was a golf pro, worked for my dad before he closed his business, built fluorescent light fixtures, and I was a driver for FedEx. I was driving for FedEx when I ran into Bill, one of my childhood buddies, who’s now my sales manager in Houston. At the time, he was working for a roofing
company and asked me to come work with him selling roofs. Then I hurt my back after getting hit while driving for FedEx. I was on worker’s comp for about six months when I started going stir-crazy and need to do something. I started praying about it and decided to call Bill and give roofing a chance, but Bill’s number had changed. I was upset because I really needed something to do. I’m not the kind of person to just sit around all day. I was going through rehab for my back, but I didn’t know what to do so I started praying. I felt like I was supposed to get with Bill, but I didn’t know how to get in touch with him. Two days later, I got this text about a party. Scrolling through the list of names on the text, I finally recognized a name I knew and asked who was texting about the party. The text was from Bill. I couldn’t believe it. I called Bill and asked if he still had that job opening. As it happened, he had left that company and started his own. I decided to give roofing a try and went to work with him. Adam Rod, another buddy from the old neighborhood and my top salesman, had just started working with Bill as well. Was the roofing business hard to learn? Yes, but I recognized that I’m good with people. I’ve always been good with solving problems and putting out fires. I recognize very quickly, where my strengths are and where my weaknesses are. I’m not a salesman. I hate selling. Adam Rod is an amazing salesman and I relied on him to sell, while I hired others to fill the gaps we had in other areas. Cooper, who runs our South office he studies the intricacies, the numbers, and the statistics. He fills that hole for me. Taylor is very good at the processes and is very good at keeping everyone on task. Jake, my General Manager in Montgomery, is the production monitor. Everyone works together as a team. When did you start Redemption Roofing? After about six months, Adam Rod and myself left and started Redemption. It was tumultuous. Bill hated us. But it is funny how God turns things around. Now Bill works with us and we’re great friends again. What has been the secret to your success? God. We are a faith-based company. Every Tuesday morning, we have a bible study. About half the people in our company come to it via Zoom with our Montgomery and Galveston offices. Our core values are love, serve and care. Is that how you came up with the name, Redemption Roofing? When we started the company, my father-in-law helped me get everything started in the beginning and prayed about the name. I think it was my father-
in-law who came up with the name. I love the name. It’s great, but it helps us in business too, because people are constantly asking about it. So, it gives us the opportunity to share our faith. You mentioned you were a golf pro. Tell me about that. That was a long time ago – 20 years ago. I wasn’t on tour or anything like that. I was a club Pro for a couple of years and gave lessons. I had always been very athletic. I played baseball and basketball growing up. When I graduated from high school, I started playing golf and quickly got good at it. I loved it. I enjoyed it. I quit for a while once I got married and having kids. Not going to college made things difficult. I was working tough jobs. I have no problem working but I was working hard jobs that sucked and I thought I would I go back and be a golf pro. I started playing again and working on improving my game. I passed the PAT, Players Ability Test, to become a club pro. After about a year and a half, there just wasn’t any money in it and with four kids, it was time to move on.
Jennifer and Adam Sabel
Tell me about your wife. How did you meet? It’s kind of a funny story. We went to different high schools, Adam Sabel with his family at his but a group of my friends were daughter’s wedding. L-R: Olivia, Adam, friends with a group of her Baileigh Hardin, Son-in-law Seth Hardin, Jennifer, Ty and Kameron friends. We met at a party in Conroe, and I thought we had a good time. The next morning, she just left. She we’re gone. We’ve been to California, Sedidn’t say bye or anything. I was like, attle, Jamaica, San Diego. I’ve been to Caliwhatever. fornia twice this year and I’m leaving for Three days later I got this phone call New York on Wednesday. at my house. It was a girl and she said was coming over. She asked if I knew who she What do you do when you’re not travelwas? I wasn’t going to tell her I didn’t ing and not working? have a clue and just told her I’d see her in I’m either working or traveling. I enjoy a minute. When she showed up, I couldn’t hanging out at the house with the kiddos believe it was her. and with my dog. We also have a new That was November of ’97. We were granddaughter, Bexleigh, she is the light of married in July of ’98. We had friends at our lives! We spend a lot of time with her. our wedding taking bets that our marriage wouldn’t last six months. We’ll be What would you like our readers to celebrating 25 years next year. know about Adam Sabel? What is your wife’s name? Does she Redemption Roofing isn’t about me. work at Redemption? Redemption is about our customers and My wife’s name is Jennifer. She’s a the people that work for me. We want to registered nurse. She works from home under promise and over deliver. Our motnow filling out medical charts remotely to, like I said, is love, serve and care. We for a hospital in Houston. want to be upfront with our customers. If you look at our reviews, you see that we’ve How many children do you have? taken care of our customers, and we’re alWe have four children. Baileigh, who ways going to. That is number one for me. works here, is our oldest. She is 23. Ty is I think I learned that from my dad. I think 22. He also works here. Kameron is 17 and about some of the things he did, and I rejust graduated from Smithson Valley member as a kid thinking, why would he High School. Olivia, our youngest, is 15. do that? Why would he be okay with that. That’s now right. But now I know, no matWhat are you interests? ter what others do or try to get over on I love to travel. We travel at least once you, if you are a good person, God takes a month. One week out of the month, care of those who do right. -cmw
San Antonio
CONSTRUCTION NEWS
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San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
Page 9
Giving back
During its first giving round of 2022, the Sundt Foundation, a subsidiary of Sundt Construction, awarded grants to five local non-profits – Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Texas, Central Catholic High School, Cibolo Center for Conservation, Eva’s Heroes and the San Antonio Zoological Society. Big Brothers Big Sisters, Central Catholic and the Cibolo Center each received $3,000 to assist youth mentoring programs. The grant Eva’s Heroes received will aid in impacting the lives of children with special needs and the San Antonio Zoological Society’s grant will continue to allow students to visit the zoo with no admission fee. -cmw
Growing from the ashes
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San Antonio office grand opening
t only makes sense that technology is second nature to Cory Brymer having been around it his entire life. Growing up, his family owned and operated their own IT company. His entrepreneurial spirit kicked in at an early age. Wanting to make his own money, he worked in the family business while most kids enjoyed their summer breaks, swimming, riding bikes or just hanging out with their friends. At the age of 26, Brymer watched his parents lose everything when the president and now estranged family member financially mismanaged the company, driving it into bankruptcy. With a strong desire to pull his parents up from the ashes, so to speak, Brymer went on to start an IT company of his own after going to work for the company who had bought his family’s business. Through the years, Brymer built a lot of relationships in the industry. He knew what worked and didn’t work. In 2008, he started BryComm LLC. BryComm started out providing network cabling. It is still one of the biggest services they provide. They install the in-
frastructure allowing their client’s technology networks to operate. The network cabling cascaded into the other systems such as - video surveillance, access control and alarm systems. They also provide audio visual services for conference room setups, digital signage, digital displays, public address systems, and outside plant network infrastructure. Setting BryComm apart from other companies, according to Brymer, he made an intentional effort to make BryComm a people first focused company. “We are not a product company. We are a people company. Customers are vitally important, but we took an employee first approach knowing that if we created a culture where people felt they could come to work with an opportunity to grow and develop with competitive compensation, the great customers would follow. That, combined with accountability, leads to having the best people in the industry.” BryComm LLC specializes in the design, installation, service, and maintenance of network infrastructure. -cmw
continued from Page 1 — Bear Roofing Systems had $300 to my name. By December, we were starting to make a little bit of money.” Bear Roofing Systems is experienced in every roof type on the market including asphalt shingles, standing seam metal, Euroshield® recycled rubber tiles, slate tiles, clay tiles or slats, wood roofing, and composite roofing. They are skilled in roof extensions as well as complete roof replacement, and new construction for both residential, multi-family and commercial. Additionally, Bear Roofing Systems specialize in working with insurance companies to help make sure they understand the full extent of the damage ensuring roof claims are accurate and comprehensive. Furthermore, in relation to insurance claims, Bear is skilled in taking care of other related items that may have been dam-
aged in addition to the roof. Whitley and his crew service San Antonio and its surrounding areas, although he says, “Care has no bounds.” Having said that, Whitley also says it must be financially feasible. They are currently doing work along the I-35 corridor up to Austin, Medina County, Sabinal and down to Corpus Christi. “It’s never just a roof for me,” adds Whitley. “My desire to help and serve others is what kept me working in the nursing field for as long as I did. It is that same drive that is reflected in my roofing values, and I build my team to hold those same values.” Located in San Antonio, Bear Roofing Systems is a professional roofing company serving San Antonio, Central Texas, and the Coastal Bend area. -cmw
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San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
Industry FOLKS Janet Frerich Office Manager
Redondo Manufacturing San Antonio, TX
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anet, a true Texan, was born and raised in San Antonio. She attended St. Pius X kindergarten through eighth grade, then graduated from MacArthur High School. After high school, she attended UTSA San Antonio in the mornings and worked in the afternoons. She received a BS degree concentration in industrial management. “When I was growing up, the town was a lot smaller. You could drive from one end of town to the other in 30 minutes. UTSA was in the country. My grade school had only 30 kids in each class, so we all knew each other well. Everyone played all the sports just to make up the team. I can remember Hemisfair ’68 and all the fanfare. We would have birthday parties at MacArthur Park. In high school, we had ‘pasture parties.’” We played baseball in the street with the neighbor kids and caught fireflies in the back yard at night.”
Janet chose her field of study because her family owned a manufacturing facility named Monroe Industries (named after her dad). She thought her degree would be beneficial to the business. She started working there at age 16 helping out by sweeping floors. She took basic accounting in high school and was a member of the Vocational Office Education program learning basic business skills. When she was a senior, she went to school half a day and worked the second half at Monroe. After high school she went to work there full time along with her father, mother, two brothers and two sister-inlaws until the business was sold in 2001.
“My mentors are my parents, Monroe and Pauline Frerich. They taught me everything about business. To this day, I still ask for advice when I need it. They were in business for 28 years and have a lot of experience. I was very fortunate to work with them and my siblings.” After Monroe, Janet worked at Martin Marietta in the credit department dealing with people in the asphalt and concrete world. Her department approved credit, collected money, and filed liens. She learned how to “perfect a lien” and bond notice. This led me to my present job at Redondo. I’ve been with them for 17 years as their office manager. The accountant at my family’s business was also the accountant at Redondo Mfg. He was also a personal friend and when he found out that Redondo was looking for an office manager, he recommended me. So I applied and got the job.” At Redondo, Janet oversees all aspects of the office. She works with two other employees, Janet and Veronica, and, together, they perform all the duties necessary, from G/L, A/R, A/P, HR, Insurance and so on. She says she enjoys working at Redondo because of the people she works with. There’s a lot of camaraderie and friendship there. She likes the variety in the work she does. Also, she
says the Schoenfelds are a wonderful family to work for. Janet is currently single and has no children. However, she has three brothers, one sister (and their spouses), eight nieces and nephews and five great nieces and nephews that she is very fond of. Her other family includes a dachshund named Heidi who is 14-years-old. Outside of business, Janet says, “I love to go salt water and freshwater fishing and will never turn down an invitation to fish. I do bass tournaments with friends in a club called C.A.S.T.. I’ve also done some women’s national fishing tournaments. My best win was first place as a non-boater on the Kentucky-Barkley Lake. I love to go to the coast, especially Rockport, and hang out on the beach with friends. I also like to spend time at my friend’s pool along with other friends. “I also like to travel. I’ve been to Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Ireland, Canada, and many Caribbean locations.” Janet is proud of being the Secretary-Treasurer for a branch of Catholic Life Insurance, a fraternal organization for over 35 years. -rd
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San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
Page 11
Snapper Season is Upon Us 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
O
ne of the most highly prized saltwater species, the red snapper, is found throughout the Gulf of Mexico and all the way up the Atlantic, but is absent from the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Although some law makers consider the species overfished, red snapper numbers have increased significantly in recent years. Fish weighing 5 to 25 pounds are caught frequently in the waters near our Coastal Bend. The private recreational angler red snapper season in federal waters opened June 1, 2022. Bag and size limits will remain unchanged. The regulations are two fish per person daily with a 16-inch minimum size limit in federal waters. Texas does allow yearround snapper fishing out to nine miles, but that can be a sketchy call. For consistent state-water keeper snapper action, you would need a fairly secret (GPS) number, which is a dicey proposition within sight of land. The best time for state water action is the off-season, like November through March, when boat traffic is greatly diminished compared to summer. There are small, natural rock formations off Padre Island only a mile or two off-
Connor Schultz was lucky enough to be on the boat on my last excursion offshore. He caught the first couple of snapper, both weighing 10+ lbs. Photo by Capt. Steve Schultz
shore, their best kept secret, or they could be cleaned out. State snapper limits are four fish per person daily with a 15-inch minimum. Red snapper caught in federal waters count as part of the state bag limit of four fish. No more than two red snapper in federal waters and four red snapper in state waters may be in your possession while fishing. As the name implies, the body and fins are reddish, with the underside showing white. At smaller sizes, red snapper feature a dark spot on the upper sides below the anterior soft dorsal fin. Other characteristics include a long and triangular snout, a sharply pointed anal fin and distinctive red eyes. Juveniles are found offshore over sandy and muddy bottom in the same habitats as the shrimp and crabs they favor as prey. As they grow older, they move to hard structure such as ledges, wrecks and oil rigs. Adults are typically found in large schools of similar-size specimens at depths of 30 to 200 ft. Larger, older fish opt for deeper areas with generally cooler water temperatures. Once settled in an area, adult red snapper exhibit limited movement other than that necessary for spawning and finding suitable water temperatures. Snapper trips are not uncommon with me but the winds need to be light and seas calm. It’s really not something we can plan. It’s just an option that I usually suggest to my clients if the conditions are right. I really enjoy the change when heading out to the big water from the regular everyday grind in the bay. I look forward to taking my long time and some of the newer clients out snapper fishing because it’s not something we can do every often. I’m starting to work on my fall dates for fishing. Still have fishing dates in August, September and October. I’m also booking South Texas whitetail hunts for the coming 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.
The folks from Turner Construction in Houston made catching look easy on this recent Team building trip to the Coastal Bend. Steve Schultz Outdoors can arrange any size trips to fir your corporate needs.
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San Antonio Construction News • JUL 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
It was nice while it lasted!
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e had almost seven years of nice stable lake levels and messed around and got used to it. Now the lake level on Lake Buchanan is plummeting by a foot a week and the rain we need to help us out has been a long time coming. We have some relief forecast in a little cooler temperatures and a chance for a little rain coming up. Now we wait and pray the weatherman is right. Not since 2011 have we seen the high winds and 100 degree temperatures crank up so early. The year 2011 is one we don’t like to think much about around here. We don’t need another one like that. It has been said that the weather in Texas is one long drought punctuated by occasional flash floods. That about sums it up, so back into drought mode we go. The effect of drought on a lake is to make it smaller. A fisherman hears this and understands the fish have no place else to go, so fishing is about to get easier. There is some truth to that. One year we had unbelievable topwater stripers in the late summer and fall due to extreme low water levels. The only problem is that in shallow places the water heats up to where even catfish can’t tolerate it very long. If you fish jug lines or trotlines in the hottest part of summer, be sure you run those lines more often. Plenty of catfish die from the heat and you’ll miss out on some good eating.
Fishing right now takes a lot more effort. Just finding a place to launch and park can be a challenge with so many ramps drying up. When you launch your boat be sure to take it easy and feel your way down the ramp in case of unknown potholes that may have eroded. Be sure you have your phone with you in case you run into trouble and be sure to keep a watchful eye while you are on the water. There are islands and rockpiles coming up along with who knows what logs and stumps. If you are a hunter you need to get started checking out the places you want to hunt when fall comes around. Most places are terribly dry, and you may draw a lot of game right now to a good water source. If you deer hunt, remember those does are trying to nurse fawns and they need plenty of water. A good water hole keeps your does and fawns in place, so they don’t have to go elsewhere to survive. Now is the time to start getting your blinds bug sprayed and de-crittered and get your feeders up and running. Don’t be stingy with the feed either, there isn’t much out there for game to live on right now. Helping them out now will pay off for you later down the road. Don’t be that guy who misses opening weekend because he fell out of a deer stand swatting at wasps and getting hurt, or only gets a shot at a scrawny dusty little yearling passing through. Sometimes hunting and fishing takes more effort, but most people still think it beats just another day at work!
San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
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Going fast, enjoying the thrill
No boat, no problem
Thirty-three drivers. Two hundred laps. Five hundred miles. The race is on…
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Sullivan poses with fellow Indy 500 fans
ssociated Builders & Contractors’s (ABC) Membership Director Lucinda Sullivan hit the road with her season ticket to the Indy 500. The 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 was held May 29 and Sullivan was in true Indy form sporting her Indy gear. Sullivan along with ABC member, Rob Crow, Alpha Building Corp. and his wife Rachel, witnessed the exciting first-time win of Marcus Ericsson Sullivan, the Swedish driver who finished the 500-mile race in 2:51:00.6432. -cmw
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Lucinda Sullivan (front), Rachel Crow (back left) and Rob Crow at the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500.
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Preston Wiatrek with his 28-inch speckled trout
reston Wiatrek, Altex Landscape Construction LLC, and his cousin didn’t let a little thing like no boat stop them from getting in some fishing on May 21. The two cousins parked their truck around 6:30am and just started walking into the bay to fish. It didn’t take Preston long before snagging a 28-inch speckled trout. The two had a great time fishing together and ended their fishing adventure with a good stringer of trout. -cmw
Preston and Nathan Wiatrek with their stringer of trout
Gone huntin’
ichelle Seward-Davis and her husband, Ben Davis, can’t seem to get in enough hunting. They have had a busy summer so far hunting alligators in Eagle Lake, TX and various fowl in Argentina. Seward marked another item off her hunting bucket list. Seward, 5 ft. 4 in. tall, showed this 11 ft. 2 in. American alligator who was boss. Seward harvested this beast of a gator in Eagle Lake, TX, Pintail Hunting Lodge on May 12. A few weeks later, they spent six days hunting in Argentina where many of the birds harvested do not migrate and become a nuisance to the farmers and their crops. I wonder where they will go next? -cmw
This gator’s head is bigger than the woman who did him in.
An amazing day of hunting. Michelle Seward-Davis with her bounty of doves and pigeons.
Michelle Seward-Davis and Ben Davis (far right) with Ben’s brother and nephew (far left) and a family friend (center) helped farmers in Argentina thin the nuisance of ducks, geese, perdiz, parrots, parakeets, doves, pigeons, and rheas.
I wonder what will be next on her bucket list?
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San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
Memorial weekend enchantment
Limit caught Memorial weekend, L-R: Colby Lewis, Alpine Contracting and his triplet brother, Zac Lewis, had a great time fishing in Baffin Bay. They each caught their limit in trout and redfish, three trout and three redfish. -cmw
Enchanted Rock
The wilds of Chichagof Island L-R: Kurt and Yvette Robinson at Enchanted Rock’s visitor check-in center.
E Chichagof Island has the highest population of bears per square mile of any place on earth.
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n May 7, Colton Parnes, Parnes Construction went hunting on Chichagof Island in the Alaska Panhandle. There he harvested this beautiful, yet massive grizzly bear. -cmw
Grizzly bears are not measured like deer, so they could only guess that it weighed around 700lbs.
The measurement from paw to paw was 8’8” and it had a 24” skull.
ighteen miles north of Fredericksburg, sitting on Big Sandy Creek at the Gillespie and Llano County line borders is Enchanted Rock State Natural Area where a massive pink granite dome rises about Central Texas. The Nature Conservancy of Texas purchased the property from Charles Moss in 1978 and was later sold to the State of Texas. In October 1978, Enchanted Rock opened as a state natural area and is now listed as a National Natural Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places as an Archeological District with more than 400 archeological sites found within the park. More than 250,000 people visit the park to experience the magic of Enchanted Rock. This year, on Memorial Day weekend, Yvette and Kurt Robinson of Robinson General Contractors made the trip to Enchanted Rock. While the hike was a “hot” one, the Robinsons took in the many splendors of Enchanted Rock. -cmw
A view from atop Enchanted Rock
An enchanted trail heading up to Enchanted Rock
And the real winner is . . . In last month’s San Antonio June 2022 issue, we misidentified the winner in this photo in the ASA Subfest event coverage.
ASA Subfest 2022 1st Place Brisket: Alpha Insulation & Waterproofing Company
San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
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Seeing the target
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n Jun. 2, members and guests of the Associated General Contractors (AGC) emerged upon the National Shooting Complex for AGC’s Annual Fun Shoot. With 150 shooters, the event was well attended. “We’d like to thank everyone for participating and Red Course Lewis Class A winners: 1st Place: Steve Thode, Howell Crane & Rigging Inc. 2nd Place: Steve Thode, IBTX 3rd Place: Edward Paper, IBTX Red Course Lewis Class B winners: 1st Place: Ryan Silbernagel, Sundt Construction Inc. 2nd Place: Joe Witherell, Sundt Construction Inc. 3rd Place: Scott Reed, Maldonado Nursery & Landscaping Inc.
A new style in golf
making this event a great success,” says Member Services Director Kelly Wilson. “We’d like to also thank our Title Sponsor, Alterman Inc., for their continued support.” Photos courtesy of Mary C. Haskin Photography. -cmw Yellow Course Lewis Class A winners: 1st Place: Martell Adams, Alamo Crane Service Inc. 2nd Place: Jeremy Walker, TNT Crane & Rigging Inc. 3rd Place: Lonnie Knight, Guido Construction Yellow Course Lewis Class B winners: 1st Place: Ted Dunnam, ESC Safety Consultants Inc. 2nd Place: Nathan Roberson, Four Seasons Disposal LLC 3rd Place: Frank Moravits, T&D Moravits & Co.
Steve Thode
Martell Adams
Best Overall Score: Austin Luchak
AGC Fun Shoot Committee
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Alamo System Industries/Superior Essex
he Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects (I-LinCP) held its Crazy Pants Golf Tournament on May 13 at the Olmos Basin Golf Club. Proceeds from the golf tournament will be used to fund architecture, engineering and construction college scholarships. At the celebrity breakfast held before the start of the tournament, participants got the opportunity to meet with local celebrities - Kedrick Wright, SAISD; Amy Story, Boerne Kendall County EDC; Josh Schneuker, Seguin EDC; Mark Price,
Alamo Colleges; Craig Smith, Valero Texas Open and Rahul Patel, Patel | Gaines. -cmw
RVK Architecture/Cram Roofing
Method Architecture
Crazy Pants Tournament winners: 1st Place: Alamo System Industries/ Superior Essex 2nd Place: Quiddity 3rd Place: Stantec Highest Score: Method Architecture Best Dressed Team: RVK Architecture/ Cram Roofing
Industry FOLKS Jorge Villarreal, Jr. Superintendant
Alpha Insulation & Waterproofing, Inc. San Antonio, TX
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hen Jorge Villarreal, Jr. decided he would seek a career in construction, his family and friends were not surprised. After all, his father was heavily involved in construction and following in his footsteps seemed to be the natural thing to do. “My father always pushed me to become a hardworking individual. Since I was a teenager, I was always helping him at work. Working with my dad is where I first got to experience the life of construction. I’ve pursued it ever since.” Jorge spent two his first two years of college at San Antonio College before transferring to the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) to finish his undergrad. He graduated from UTSA with a bachelor’s degree in Construction Science and Management with a minor in Business. “I really enjoyed my time at SAC because I didn’t have to fight for a parking spot nor walk over a mile to get from my car to campus. However, UTSA connected me with an array of people from all over who I have good memories with.” Jorge started working for Alpha Insulation & Waterproofing Inc. as an estimator but realized early on that the fun happens at the job sites. “Being fluent in Spanish and full of energy, I quickly transitioned into the role of Superintendent after only eight months of estimating. I do see myself transitioning back into estimating, but I’m currently living the dream out in the field. Being a people-person, people is what Jorge enjoys the most about his job. “I really enjoy the people I get to work with. Work will always be work, so
it is important to get along with my co-workers and see them as a family.” Jorge’s father is his life mentor. He is reason he is who he is today. “My father is the reason I am the man I am today. He raised me to be a hardworking individual who can achieve anything I put my mind to. I am proud to carry on his name.” Single, Jorge says he has been fortunate to live the same house his entire life. His childhood friends were his neighbors and they remain great friends to this day. He is the proud godfather to his nephew Mateo. “He is an energetic, soon-to-be 3-year-old who one day will become a professional soccer player with the help of his uncle.” Jorge and his girlfriend, Sofia Cantu, have been dating for six years. “Sofia is a dental hygienist. We met seven years ago at UTSA.” According to Jorge, in his spare time, Jorge tends to his mini garden that he is growing so his girlfriend can take a fresh salad to work every day. He also plays a lot of soccer throughout the week. “I’ve been playing soccer since high school and am fortunate enough to have a group of friends who also enjoy playing. My goal is to win at least one championship in every soccer venue in San Antonio.” -cmw
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San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
Target #1354, San Antonio
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DR Flooring prides itself on a few things: customer service, quality and being a true turn-key contractor who self-performs the installation of VCT, LVT, tile, carpet, resinous flooring, and polished concrete. Their niche as of late has been retail remodels. These types of projects provide a set of obstacles that RDR has become accustomed
to eluding. One, the store is to remain fully operational; that is, the store is to appear back to normal every morning requiring their team to be lean, clean, and fluid to changes. They like to think of their workers as ninjas who get the work done and are gone without a trace by sunup. Two, gondolas need to be relocated for work and replaced while
Target #1354 Ladies’ Apparel Department Before
merchandise is to be protected and remain unscathed. In any case, the work is expected to meet the same QA/QC standards as any other job, but under a much more critical time crunch. In this Target #1354 San Antonio Project on 1604 at Blanco Rd, not unlike other Targets being renovated throughout the country, VCT, LVT and carpet are
Target #1354 Ladies’ Apparel Department After
being removed and replaced, often with a similar material or even polished concrete. This project is one of RDR’s smaller renovations at around 11,000sf. They’ve got a 120,000sf Target up IH-35 in Waco, TX as well. Most of the scope of work is in the back of house aside from the Starbucks and Ulta facelift. Offices will receive new resilient flooring, carpet and rubber base. Team restrooms will receive new ceramic tile. GPU (Grocery Pick Up) will receive new quarry tile, and the Beauty section will receive luxury vinyl tile. All old material is demolished with scrapers and discarded. Should the substrate be less than ideal, floor preparation may be required. In such cases, we utilize one of our Planetary Grinders equipped with metal diamonds to grind off excess adhesive, self-level, grout coat, etc. to return the floor to optimal conditions suitable for receiving the new floor covering. The floor preparation is key as failure to do so may cause the slab’s imperfections to “telegraph” through the floor covering. RDR has been gaining traction with Target renovations. When completed in the next few weeks, this will be one of over 15 Targets that RDR has successfully completed, with more to come on the horizon. RDR Flooring is a family-owned and operated flooring contractor in San Antonio. -cmw
RDR Flooring San Antonio, TX
Eden Crossing Community Park
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etal Tech is a general contractor who has served the Wilson and surrounding counties for over 27 years. While they mainly construct residential workshops in La Vernia subdivisions (Eden Crossing, Abrego Lake, Legacy Ranch, Bridgewater, the Woodlands, and many others), they also offer a multitude of services such as carports, out-
Eden Crossing Community Park walking trail bridges
door kitchens, gazebos, as well as custom projects. The walking bridges pictured are a custom project Metal Tech was asked to design and construct for the Eden Crossing subdivision in 2020. One of the largest developers in the area, Kevin Brown, reached out with a vision for Eden Crossing’s new community park. The goal of
the project was to design and construct two bridges over the creek area that would be functional, long lasting, and add an elegant look to the park. To achieve the desired look, Metal Tech built the main structure of the bridges with 4-in. by 8-in. rectangular tubing, set on concrete piers and headers on each side of the creek. They then used
4-in. by 4-in. square tubing as posts to connect the decorative handrails. They finished the bridges with cast iron caps, paint, and composite decking to increase longevity and complete the overall look. Providing metal and steel building construction services, Metal Tech is located in La Vernia, TX. -cmw
Metal Tech La Vernia, TX
San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
Page 17
Residential Concrete Tile Roof, The Dominion
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Hail-damaged roof
or over 10 years, McAllen Valley Roofing Co. has been serving roofing customers across Texas for homes and businesses alike. Throughout those locations and years, they have offered top quality solutions with professional service to provide peace of mind to every client. “This has led McAllen Valley Roofing Co. to become the community’s chosen ‘Favorite Roofer,’ six years running,” says Jose Aguilar. “There is nothing better to McAllen Valley Roofing Co. than to assure our clients that it can and will be done. From repairing leaky roofs to a brand-new commercial roof installation, there’s no job too big or small for the ‘Roofers of the People.’” This was the case in San Antonio when a major hailstorm left the homes of San Antonio residents severely damaged. In one instance, a residential home in the Dominion had its roof completely destroyed by hail damage that there had to be a complete roof replacement. From broken tiles to broken windows, there was no choice left by the project manag-
S
Existing roof tiles are removed
ers after a detailed assessment. For homeowners, this would be a paperwork nightmare with months of waiting for the necessary aid to be received. Meanwhile, finding elsewhere to live while their roof received replacement and other repairs are made. However, this wasn’t the case when the Dominion homeowner called McAllen Valley Roofing Co. Their trained team of professionals worked step-by-step with the client’s insurance, which completely covered the necessary roof repairs. With their peace of mind assured, selecting a color for their roof was their worry. Project Manager Philip Westerman, took it upon himself to ease their worries, addressing any concerns with his extensive knowledge while labor crews worked with pace to have the client’s home ready. Westerman’s trademark kindness and calmness is an example every project manager within the company has taken. “Within no time,” says Westerman, “our clients were nothing but happy with the
New roof tiles are stacked on the roof prior to installation
service provided and understood that these were ‘Roofers They Can Trust.’” After a month’s time, Boral® Saxony Country Slate Impact – Charcoal Blend Concrete Tile was installed. The chosen tile gave the roof a brand-new glow with
Dominion resident roof after Boral® Saxony Country Slate Impact – Charcoal Blend Concrete Tile is installed
advantages of long-lasting durability to face against any challenge. McAllen Valley Roofing Co. is a full-service roofing company, offering residential and commercial roofing services. -cmw
McAllen Valley Roofing Company San Antonio, TX
Shiner (Spoetzl) Brewery
ince 1982, Empire Roofing Inc. has been providing roofing services across Texas. With 700 team members throughout the Lone Star State, the folks at Shiner Brewery knew the roof replacement of their historic brewery was in good hands. The project required a complete roof replacement consisting of removing previous gravel-surfaced asphalt built-up roof assembly down to structural concrete deck. Empire team members primed the concrete deck and installed a self-adhering vapor barrier directly to the deck. They then installed a full-tapered insulation system, including gypsum cover board, all layers fully adhered in low-rise foam adhesive. Empire finished it off with a 2-ply modified bitumen membrane, attached via torch at base sheet, with the
granulated cap sheet fully adhered in cold process modified bitumen adhesive. This roof was extremely detail-oriented with a very high degree of difficulty regarding the quantity and type of penetrations, including the modification of approximately 60 steel supports that were welded and attached to the existing structure for increased strength and stability. This is above and beyond normal roofing practices and was accomplished using 100 percent Empire San Antonio personnel. Empire was able to accomplish all this and still provide a 20-year Full System Warranty from the manufacturer, Firestone. Empire Roofing Inc. is a full-service roofing contractor. -cmw
2-ply modified bitumen membrane, attached via torch at base sheet, with the granulated cap sheet fully adhered in cold process modified bitumen adhesive.
Empire Roofing San Antonio, TX
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San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
When you are stressed and need to decompress, where do you go? I listen to Christian music and go to church. Church and Christian music are my safe place. Butch Leist, Hill Country Bridge I get in my Corvette and exceed the speed limit somewhere outside of town where it’s safer. Jon Randolph, BakerTriangle I go to my backyard, smoke a cigar and mess around with my dog, Willie. Willie is my duck dog. He is a black Labrador. I retired him two years ago. Ted Dunnam, ESC Safety Consultants Inc. When I’m stressed, I go to the farm and chase cows. Vince Real, Big State Electric I go to my kitchen for some wine. Mary Haskin, Mary C. Haskin Photography I go to my truck and find the nearest parking lot and cry. Joe Landry, Built Rite I go home and spend time with my wife and kids. Shawn Wills, Acuform Architecture I go out in the woods to get away from everybody and everything. Sometimes
I hunt. Sometimes I just take in the surroundings. Mark Jones, Intertech Flooring When I’m stressed and need to decompress, I go to my horse barn and hang out with my horse. Terry Shelton, A.J. Brauer Stone I go to the lake, put my phone away and do absolutely nothing. Justin Calvin, SpawGlass/Westland Equipment Company That’s a great question. There’s a long term and a short-term answer. The longterm answer because it’s not a practical everyday thing. But my number one source of decompression is hunting trips. I try to take at least two trips a year. They are often 10-to-20-day trips. It’s such a long block that I have the space to decompress. The short-term answer is taking a trip out to my friend’s place in Uvalde, go fishing with another friend in Port O’Connor or I’ll just sit in my pool at home and relax. Colton Parnes, Parnes Construction I turn to the Bible for praise and worship. Adam Sabel, Redemption Roofing & Construction continued on Page 19
Training success
continued from Page 1 — Parnes Construction years of being in school, I was ready to be done with learning and started doing. Between that and the recession, I saw the freedom my dad had with making his own schedule and I liked it. I basically hired myself.” Joining his father by no means meant that Colton had a free ride. His dad insisted that Colton establish his own footprint with his own clients. With the guidance of his father, Colton began building his own relationships. A small father and son operation, the two men wear many hats. Most days they are receptionists, accountants, project managers and estimators. While it might be overwhelming to most, it seems to work for the men of Parnes Construction. “I can keep my prices a lot more the same than that of much bigger companies that might have to pay a cost-of-living adjustments, large overhead and
continued from Page 1 — Hill Country Bridge again be fighting for his life and started treatment for his cancer. He endured six rounds of chemotherapy. “Every three weeks I had all day chemo for about 18 weeks. As of May, of this year, I am cancer free. My doctors say they are 99.99 percent sure no dots are going to come back on my scans.” Prior to starting Hill Country Bridge, Leist worked with a civil engineering firm throughout the ‘80s who was working for bridge company. He later went on to work for Jascon Incorporated until they closed their doors. From 2000 to 2009, Leist worked for Acme Bridge. Leist started his own company after being laid off in the recession of 2008. “It was a tough time. Everybody was laying people off,” Leist said. Upon starting his company, he waited until he got his first big job to hire a crew. He wanted to make sure he could keep them busy for at least a year. He subbed out work and then in 2010 when he got his first TxDOT job, he hired a small crew that consisted of a foreman and five men. “When I got my first job, I had six people. I had the ambition and worked and worked and worked. I kept going and took care of my guys. We kept getting work. I hired an estimator in 2013
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and it’s been doing well ever since,” he insists. Like everyone in the construction industry, Leist is struggling with the labor shortage despite boosting his benefits. “I give everybody a free ride to work, holiday pay, vacation pay and insurance,” he adds. “They just don’t want to work for the little guy. They want to work for those big guys on the big highways, but the grass isn’t always greener.” Despite the many obstacles, Leist and Hill Country Bridge have endured. The company continues to prosper. The small mom and paper company is 25 employees strong and capable of taking on work across Texas. “We’ve been very successful and pleased with what we’ve got. We’re extremely blessed,” adds Leist. Valerie, Leist’s wife, plays a major role in the company as president. She owns 50 percent of the company and oversees the company’s operations and helps Leist in the day-to-day operations. “We are very blessed. I just I love my job. I love my guys. I love my company. My wife and I both work here. And we’re just thankful and grateful for TxDOT and San Antonio,” continues Leist. Based in Bulverde, Hill Country Bridge is a certified DBE, WBE TxDOT contractor. -cmw
In memoriam…
Hanson Group crew members take part in The Hanson Group’s bi-annual safety training.
he Hanson Group, a finish carpentry installation contractor, hosted their third bi-annual safety training at their offices in Schertz. The Hanson Group performs safety training for their crew and all their subs. The two-day event was held May 19-20. “It takes two full days to complete certifications for that many people,” says Tara James, president of The Hanson Group. “But, when they leave, it guarantees everyone has all the OSHA safety standards as well as practical skills, like forklifts and scissor lifts, certifications. It is our pleasure to host this bi-annual training in both English and Spanish to ensure that our installers have the necessary skills to not only work onsite, but to do so safely.” The Hanson Group’s building is large enough to host classroom instruction
such,” Colton says. “It comes in handy in times like these. I work to one or two in the morning. There’s no such thing as going home at five o’clock. But when the market does this sort of thing, supply and labor shortages, it pays off.” Today, Parnes Construction continues to specialize in remodeling, tenant improvement, new commercial finish-outs, but is also growing in groundup commercial construction. Parnes Construction built their first ground-up project in Erna, TX, where they built a frac sand plant. As Parnes Construction celebrates its 35th year in business, the father and son team are ready to see how the company will evolve as it moves forward with the second generation in full swing. Family-owned and operated, Parnes Construction is in San Antonio. -cmw
while their parking lot offers adequate space to perform both portions of lift demonstrations at the same time. This year, The Hanson Group had over 70 crew members under one roof. “Sunbelt Rentals and Tejas Equipment were kind enough to provide us with the lift to complete the demonstration portion of the training,” adds James. “In all the years I have been doing this, not one general contractor has been upset that we aren’t onsite for two days to complete training. It really is a huge effort from the equipment vendors, the training company, our HR coordinator, our general contractors, and all the crews getting hotels and traveling here to our shop. We appreciate everyone who helps make this happen every other year.” -cmw
H
ector Ricardo “Rick” Brun Torres, CEO and majority shareholder of HR Brun and Company Inc., passed away Jun. 10 at the age of 54. Rick was born on Jan. 11, 1968, in Barranquilla, Colombia. Rick’s road to success and growth has not been easy. It began with Rick fleeing Venezuela and its political unrest as Venezuela was being taken over by a communist regime. At the age of 21, Rick came to United States with lim-
ited dollars in his pocket to begin a new life which eventually led Rick to becoming a US citizen and a successful construction and government contractor. In 2001, Rick started HR Brun and Company Inc., beginning his journey in the construction and contracting business. He established his company to get involved with SBA’s Mentor and Portege program, which also enable the company to jointly participate with Mentor in a newly formed joint venture, JJ Brun Joint Venture LLC, to obtain large government contracts throughout the United State for the next five years. Beginning in 2015, Rick initiated the company to begin residential construction in the Canyon Lake area constructing and selling 10 homes. Currently, eight new approximate 3,600-sf homes are being constructed in the Timberwood, The Dominion, Terramont, The Canyons and Spring Estates by Camp Bullis. In addition, Rick has set up a residential construction project for his company to build an additional eight to 25 for 2021 through 2023. His tenacity and continued drive to succeed through various programs with the SBA gave Rick the pathway to success. There were a lot of obstacles in that path, but Rick kept his positivity, drive and ambition together, which actually brought the success that Rick Brun and his company are enjoying today. -cmw
San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
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Association Calendar Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ABC Associated Builders & Contractors Inc. Jul. 6: Breakfast Club Meeting w/Veteran Panelists, Canyon Springs Golf Club, 24405 Wilderness Oak, 7-8:30am Jul. 7: Baseball Night at the Missions, Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium Fiesta Deck, 5757 US-90 W, 6-10pm Jul. 15: LOGIC Meeting, ABC Offices, 814 Arion Pkwy. #111, 3:30-4:30pm Jul. 15: Project COOL – Box Fan Donations, ABC Offices, 814 Arion Pkwy. #111, Donate NEW 20in. electric box fan or donate $25 to benefit San Antonio seniors. Jul. 21: Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament, Greater San Antonio Builders Association Ray Ellison Ballroom, 3625 Paesanos Pkwy. #100, 4:30pm. For more contact Jennifer Galarza at 210-342-1994 or email jgalarza@abcsouthtexas.org AGC Associated General Contractors Jul. 19-20: OSHA 10 Hour (TDI), AGC Offices, 10806 Gulfdale, 8am-4pm Jul. 21: Lunch & Learn: Active Shooter, AGC Offices, 10806 Gulfdale, 11:30am1pm. For more info, call Kelly Wilson at 210-349-4921 ASA American Subcontractors Association Jul. 19: Seminar, ESC Safety Consultants, 12758 Cimarron Path #127, 1:30pm Jul. 20: Safety Update, ESC Safety Consultants, 12758 Cimarron Path #127, Members Only. Jul. 21: FREE BPI Breakfast, ESC Safety Consultants, 12758 Cimarron Path #127, 7:30am Jul. 27: FREE Tacos & Training, OSHA Record Keeping, ESC Safety Consultants, 12758 Cimarron Path #127, 7:30am. For more info, contact Jennifer Swinney at 210-349-2105 or email jennifer@asasanantonio.org CFMA Construction Financial Management Association Jul. 13-14: 360° View of Your WIP, Members $150, Non-Members $209 Jul. 27: Deep Dive & Advanced Perspective of WIP, Members $150, Non-Members $209. For more info, go to www. sanantonio.cfma.org HCAdeSA Hispanic Contractors Association de San Antonio Jul. 22: Diversity Awards Gala, Pedrotti’s Ranch, 13715 FM 1560 N, Helotes, TX, 6-10:30pm. For more info, email admin@ hcadesa.org
IEC Independent Electrical Contractors Jul. 13: Lien Laws/Subcontract Agreements Luncheon, IEC Training Center, 5511 Ingram Rd., 11:30am. Jul. 20-24: IEC of Texas Conference, Colorado Springs, CO. For more info, contact Julie Tucker at 210-431-9861 or email jtucker@iecsanantonio.com MCA-SMACNA INC Mechanical Contractors Association Sheet Metal & A/C Nat’l Association Jun. 20: Joint Industry Fund Meeting, MCA-SMACNA office, 206 E. Nakoma, 11:30am. Jul. 27: 31st MCA Texas Conference, La Cantera Resort & Spa, 16641La Cantera Pkwy. For more info, call Sandee Morgan at 210-822-3763 or email sandee@ mca-smacna.org NAWIC National Association of Women in Construction Jul. 6: General Meeting, The Petroleum Club, 8620 N. New Braunfels, 5:30pm Networking, 6pm Meeting & Dinner Jul 21: 3rd Annual Burger Bash, Koehler Pavilion – Brackenridge Park, 3700 N. St. Mary’s St., 4:30-8pm, Admission $5, Team $75. For more info, contact Shenel Rimando at shenelrimando@gmail.com or register at nawicsatx.org PHCC Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors Jul. 7-8: Plumbing Apprenticeship Competition, PHCC Buda Offices,145 Trademark Dr., Buda, TX Jul. 14: Plumbing Apprentice Graduation, Greater San Antonio Builders Association Ray Ellison Room, 3625 Paesanos Pkwy. #100, 11am. For more info, call Heidi Trimble at 210-824-7422 or go to www. phcc-sanantonio.org SAMCA San Antonio Masonry Contractors Association Jul. 27: General Meeting, Old San Francisco Steak House, 10223 Sahara, 11:30am. For more info, contact Debi at 210-3472423 or email thesamca@gmail.com TACCA Texas Air Conditioning Contractors Association Jul. 28: Member Mixer, Bolwero, 13307 San Pedro Ave. For more info, call Dawn Thompson at 210-901-4222
continued from Page 18 — On The Spot When I’m stressed and need to compress, I go running. I run at least two and half miles a day. Justine Carroll, Holt CAT Yoga and prayer are my stress releasers. Joyce Pingel, Epiphany Industrial Technologies Sometimes I go to the gun range. Sometimes I just watch sports. When I’m watching sports, everything is blocked out. Zac Patrick, EquipmentShare I got to a NUCA happy hour and chill out. LA Bankler Beck, RAM2 Utilities I walk away from whatever is stresses me and move on to something else I need to do that can draw my head away from whatever that issue is. Aaron Dahl, Acuform Architecture Every three weeks I get physical therapy at the medical center, and I get a massage through a physical therapist. It helps the body with the bones and the muscles get
back in alignment. I like the outdoors, fishing, and hunting. I like to go to the hill country and seeing nature’s beauty. I’ll take a weekend or two off occasionally just to relax and get recharged. Manuel Olague, Olague Electric I wish I had a spot where I literally could turn everything off, but my brain doesn’t work that way. Some people run and workout. I do that to stay healthy, but it doesn’t help me in that perspective. I would say I go to the golf course. I like to play golf. It’s a place where I can still challenge myself. Cory Brymer, BryComm LLC Working in my garden has always been my avenue for decompressing. There’s something about pulling weeds. It’s as if pulling the weeds is pulling the stress from within. Carol Wiatrek, Construction News I go to the gym. The gym is the best place where I can clear my head. I put my headphones on and either run on the treadmill, lift weights or both. Rhondie Kanning, Dumas Hardware
Industry FOLKS Abram “AJ” Jabbari,
General Field Superintendent,
MK Marlow Acoustics & Drywall, San Antonio, TX
A
bram “AJ” Jabbari was born and raised in San Antonio. He is a graduate of Memorial High School where he met his wife, Melinda, in 1999. AJ and Melinda have been married for four years and have three beautiful girls, another on the way and a rabbit named Hershey who brings happiness to Nadia. Madelyn, 18, wants to become a firefighter. Nadia, 16, wants to be a nurse, and 10-year-old Ava would like to become a veterinarian. As for Xyla, AJ and Melinda, are anxiously awaiting her arrival. College was not a desire for AJ. Instead, he went to work out of state where he could make a little more money. But being away from his family took a toll on AJ. That’s when his oldest brother, Joel, told him that the company he was working for, MK Marlow Acoustics & Drywall, was hiring. While the money he was making was good, being around his family, was more important than AJ would have ever thought. “I was already home sick, so I decided to take the pay cut and became a laborer for MK Marlow so I could stay in San Antonio with my family.” Today, AJ is the general field superintendent and, oversees the entire field operations for MK Marlow. “The best thing about my job is the company itself. I’m treated like family. I’ve been given the opportunity to grow within the company without a degree. From laborer to general field superintendent, I learned the operations of the field and
now, I’m able to show others.” Mark Marlow, Dennis Biediger, and Gabriel Spear are AJ’s mentors. “Mark Marlow gave me the opportunity of a lifetime by allowing me to join Mk Marlow. He took me under his wing and has been guiding me since the day we met. He has taken me in as family. Dennis Biediger was a foreman for MK Marlow who saw potential in me and moved me up. Dennis taught me how to move workers and work them efficiently. He taught me how to read project plans, engineered shop drawings, and specs. Dennis would always tell me, ‘There is no job too big. Always remember every job is a square with metal studs in it. Some are big, and some are small.’ Gabriel Spear was a superintendent for MK Marlow. He showed me how to be a superintendent. Gabe taught me how to create man loading chart, project start up – quick tools, material and equipment need to start a project, and to be calm and collective when speaking with workers and general contractors. Still to this day, they are by my side helping me succeed.” AJ is a family man through and through. He loves going on vacation and camping with his family. Family is everything to him. He enjoys relaxing on the beach and for fun, he enjoys fishing and attending company events. -cmw
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San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
Clay busting fun
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n May 20, the Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) San Antonio Chapter hosted their 14th Annual Sporting Clay Fun Shoot. The event was held at the National Shooting Complex with the association’s largest shoot ever of 187 shooters. The shooters were split up into two courses, red and yellow. The shooters started shooting at 1pm and shot 100 targets each. The later enjoyed fajita tacos, rice and beans catered by Taco Cabana. Photos courtesy of Mary C. Haskin Photography. -cmw Red Course winners: 1st Place: Hill Country Electric Supply 2nd Place: Rexel 3rd Place: IES Commercial #2 Overall Shooter: Ryan Barring Yellow Course winners: 1st Place: Ancira Fleet #1 2nd Place: Suberg Electric 3rd Place: The Reynolds Company Overall Shooter: Stephen Ethridge Overall Top Team: Ancira Fleet #1
Hill Country Electric Supply
Ancira Fleet #1
Stephen Ethridge
Ryan Barring
San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
M
embers of the San Antonio Masonry Contractors Association (SAMCA) were filled with anticipation on May 26 as the winners of the 2022 Golden Trowel Awards were revealed. Distinctive and outstanding masonry projects in San Antonio and surrounding areas were showcased during the event which was held at Magnolia Halle. Nominated projects incorporate brick, CMU, custom CMU, and stone as their main components. The versatility of these products allows architects to design industrial, commercial, and residential buildings using their innovative designs, all of which, come to life through the outstanding craftsmanship of masonry contractors, leaving their footprints for ages to come. -cmw
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Golden trowel
Patron of Masonry Architect of the Year: Don B. McDonald Architects (Not pictured)
Block: Alamo Heights High School Masonry Contractor: Ericstad Inc. Foreman: Marco Leija Architect: LPA Architects General Contractor: Joeris General Contractors Suppliers: Acme Brick/Featherlite; Best Block; Christopher Stuart Cast Stone; and I-10 Building Materials Ltd./Stone Source
Educational Facility K-12: Holmes High School Fine Arts Addition Masonry Contractor: Rick Stone Masonry Inc. Foreman: Gary DeWinnie Architect: Alamo Architects General Contractor: Bartlett Cocke General Contractors LLC Suppliers: Acme Brick/Featherlite; Best Block; San Antonio Masonry and Steel; and Spectrum Cement
Educational Facility College/University: Texas A&M San Antonio Administration BuildingMasonry Contractor: Shadrock Williams Foreman: Jorge Cerda Architect: PBK Architects General Contractor: SpawGlass Suppliers: Acme Brick/Featherlite; Best Block; Capitol Aggregates Inc; I-10 Building Materials Ltd./Stone Source; Kennison Forest Products; Prosoco Inc.; Spec Mix/Quickrete; and Spec Rents
Government/Institution: Boerne City Hall Masonry Contractor: Lundberg Masonry Inc. Foreman: Gregorio Hernandez Architect: Randall Scott Architects Inc. General Contractor: Lee Lewis Construction Inc.Suppliers: Best Block; Christopher Stuart Cast Stone; and I-10 Building Materials Ltd./Stone Source
Industrial/Commercial: Albert R. Davis Water Treatment Plant Masonry Contractor: Custom Masonry Corporation Foreman: Charles LaFoeArchitect: CasaBella Architects General Contractor: Matous Construction Ltd. Supplier: Acme Brick/Featherlite; Best Block; Christopher Stuart Cast Stone; Oldcastle APG, a CRH Company; and Wire Bond
Patron of Masonry General Contractor of the Year: Malitz Construction Inc.
Patron of Masonry GeneralContractor of the Year: Joeris General Contractors
Patron of Masonry Outstanding Associate Member of the Year: San Antonio Masonry & Tool Supply
Hardscape/Landscape: Veramendi HOA Amenity Center Masonry Contractor: Ericstad Inc. Foreman: Jose L Martinez Architect: Luna Middleman Architects General Contractor: Seidel Construction LLC Supplier: Best Block; I-10 Building Materials Ltd./Stone Source; and Pyramid Cast Stone Co. Inc.
Everyday Excellence: University of Texas Hall of Fame Masonry Contractor: Shadrock & Williams Masonry Foreman: Jorge Cerda Architect: Page General Contractor: Turner Construction Company Supplier: Best Block; I-10 Building Materials Ltd./Stone Source; and Spec Mix/Quickrete
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San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
Battue bustin’
he Texas Air Conditioning & Cooling Contractors Association (TACCA) held their Annual Sporting Clay Shoot Mar. 25. The event was held at the National Shooting Complex where 160 shooters enjoyed a great day of shooting and camaraderie. Trane’s Brent Patterson was the lucky winner of the shoot’s raffle drawing. -cmw
1st Place Class AA: Austin Luchak, FA Nunnelly
1st Place Class A: Michael Guillory, Riteway Service Co.
1st Place Class B: Derek Garza, Ridout Barrett
1st Place Class C: Brian Houghton, Comfort-Air Engineering
Top Team Red Course: Vaquero Group/IBTX
Top Team Yellow Course: A/C Technical Services LLC
Hitting ‘em long & straight
M
Corey Holmes
embers and guests of the Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors (PHCC) Association had a great time at PHCC’s Nineth Annual Golf Tournament held at the Brackenridge Park Golf Course. The tournament maxed out with 144 golfers. With beautiful weather, spirits were high, making for a great time for all. -cmw
1st Place: GUNN Fleet - Willie Nelson, Mike Baird, Cody Murphy and Brandon Gaston 2nd Place: Chambliss Plumbing - Justin Chambliss, Deric Dunn, Corey Holmes and Alex Sessums, Hughes Supply Closest to Pin: Corey Holmes Golden Throne: Corey Holmes Putting Contest: Brenner Gold
GUNN Fleet
San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022
Page 23
Fifteen candles
JOB SIGHT
Alpine Contracting team members start construction on a new warehouse at Space Center and I-35 North. -cmw
F
G.W. Mitchell Construction welcomes 2022 interns Zach Dorsey and Andy Nieto to the Mitchell team. T he two young men are at the South Antonio Buick GMC project where G.W. Mitchell is the general contractor on the project. -cmw
Meet n’ greet
O
NUCA VP LA Beck visits with guests
n Jun. 16, the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA) San Antonio Chapter hosted a Happy Hour Meet & Greet at Alamo Beer Company. This was an opportunity for members and industry contractors to meet the board members of San Antonio’s newest trade association geared towards utility contractors. “We celebrated one year in January,”
says NUCA Vice President LA Beck, RAM2 Utilities. “We’re very excited. These events, whether it be a small group or a large group, gives everyone a moment to take a break and get to know the people they work with in the industry.” NUCA is not a general, all trades association. It’s for anything that touches underground, the specialty contractors that go around it. -cmw
Buyers Barricade
Vermeer and United Rentals
SpawGlass
L-R: Shawn Willis and Aaron Dahl
ifteen years ago, Aaron Dahl, AIA and Shawn Willis started Acuform Architecture in Dahl’s living room. For eight long months, the dynamic dual provided their services from Dahl’s living room before moving into their first real office space by the airport. Growing out of space, the firm moved into another office, again by the airport, a few years later. As the company approached it’s 15th year in business, Dahl and Willis purchased a piece of property and built their own facility, fulfilling a dream of owning their own building. Last spring they moved into their new building. “It’s always been our desire to have her own building,” says Dahl. “We wanted to build something that can express our own creativity and what we’re capable of as an architecture firm.” Founded on the principles of family first, they wanted to create an atmosphere where their people felt at home.
“We want to make sure our family, our employees, feel like family,” adds Willis. Celebrating 15 years in business, Acuform Architecture hosted an anniversary open house for their employees, clients and guests on Jun. 16. Guests were treated to a catered dinner, refreshments and good camaraderie. “We are so appreciative of everybody that’s been involved in our success - our clients, consultants, and employees, both past and current employees” says Willis. “It’s thanks to a lot of the people. It wasn’t just Shawn and me,” Dahl adds. “It takes employees, it takes consultants, contractors, people who had faith in us from when we started, giving us little projects. They had the faith to refer us to other people.” Acuform Architecture is located in San Antonio. -cmw
Guests enjoy a catered dinner
Shawn Willis visits with guests
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San Antonio Construction News • JUL 2022