Montenero, KiKi Carmichael, Anna Poletti, Heather
Experienced in starting and running suc cessful businesses, Cantu joined forces with Villarreal and White, who have over 20 years of roofing experience each, to establish Rhino Roofers in April 2021. “As our website says, our team is ded icated to giving our clients the 5-star, white-glove experience,” says Sales Man ager Jacob LaRue. “We believe that sep arates us from all the other contractors. In addition to providing the highest quality products and workmanship, we also aim to provide outstanding customer ser vice.”Wanting Rhino Roofers to stand apart from their competition, the trio did their homework before taking on their first project. “Part of the vision of Rhino was to build a roofing company that’s com pletely different from the rest of the in dustry,” LaRue states. “When the partner ship agreement was signed and started the company, there were months of plan ning before we even started building in San Antonio. We didn’t have our first full month, actual sales, and roof build until August of 2021. A lot of that was plan ning, building the right infrastructure, determining how we could give back to
Rosenbaum, Sharmily
Rhino Roofers’ Austin and San Antonio team members Following in the wingsteps continued on Page 14 continued on Page 14 continued on Page 14Austin Butts Gotcha covered Hello Austin! www.constructionnews.net H (210) 308-5800 H Volume 22 H Number 9 H SEPTEMBER 2022 The Industry’s Newspaper Austin CONSTRUCTION NEWS
Arizona Tile Stacy Patel Jennifer Haas
Team (L-R):
There’s a new roofer in town, Rhino Roofers. Located in Round Rock, this is the company’s second loca tion after experiencing expediential growth in just one short year. The company was founded by a group of roofing industry veterans, David Vil larreal, Dante Cantu, and Misti White
If you’ve ever driven through Texas and/or Oklahoma, you know that there is a lot of land mass to cover. If your car breaks down, you had better have road side assistance in your contacts. If you live in these two states and want a new countertop or marble floor, Heather Haas has you covered better than your favorite car insurance compa ny. Haas is the regional sales manager at Arizona Tile for these two states, which is a big area to cover. She started with the company 17 years ago when she opened Arizona Tile’s first Texas branch in Dallas. From there, Haas moved to West Texas and opened up that territory before final ly coming to Austin. She laughs when she thinks about moving again. “I hope [Aus tin] is my final stop.” Covering such a large area as Texas and Oklahoma isn’t an issue for Haas, as she hails from Hereford, way out in the panhandle. “It was a great place to grow up, but,” she said, “I don’t miss the wind or the lack of trees.” Arizona Tile started in 1977 in San Di ego, but has its corporate office in Tem pe, AZ now. It deals in quartz, tile, mar ble, granite, travertine, limestone, etc., both natural and manmade. Haas stays busy, filling both remod eling and new construction needs. “It’s a competitive market,” she said. “You really have to get out in the market and sell yourself and your products. You really have to be knowledgeable about There’s no such word as “wingsteps;” we’re more used to “footsteps.” But “wingsteps” definitely applies to Austin Butts, who is the second genera tion to work at Red Wing Aerials, the photography firm founded by his father Kevin Butts Red Wing Aerials does custom eyein-the sky photography, and construc tion photography is one of its main ser vices.“The biggest thing we have on the schedule all the time is construction,” Butts said. “That, or apartment or real es tate Buttspictures.”graduated from Texas State University last year. While in college, he began working for Red Wing Aerials in the post-production area, editing photos and learning all the ropes. Now, Butts is the primary drone photographer for the company. He learned photography both from his fa ther and by studying various resources online. “He told me everything I know about camera settings and different lens es and composition,” Butts said. A most important part of the job is “what our customers are really looking for. He taught me all that.” The elder Butts used to be a banker, working for Frost Bank. But his love of fly ing couldn’t be held in check. “He always had a passion for getting up in the air,” Butts said of his father. Once he got Red Wing Aerials going in 2005, Butts found out that the con struction industry needed what he had to offer. He first had to show them that, however. He would see where the con struction was going on, go up and take pictures of it, and then show the work to the folks he just photographed from above.
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The Class A Equipment Rentals team is well known to the Fredericksburg com munity and will be joined with additional personnel to help serve an even larger area. Texas First Rentals will add sales rep resentatives, a transportation driver, and a manager to its Fredericksburg team. “As a previous customer of HOLT CAT, we recognized the value Class A Equip ment Rentals, and its employees bring to the community. We are confident the business and team built by Claudyne and Tracy Clark align well with our values and we look forward to expanding upon the success of Class A Equipment Rentals.”
Texas First Rentals®, a construction equipment rental company and a di vision of HOLT, has expanded its footprint in Texas.
Page 2 Austin Construction News •SEP 2022
Since the early 1900s, the name Chris tians has been a reputable name in the construction industry. In 1910, Chris B. Christians II founded Chris B. Christians Inc. and gained national recog nition as a pioneer in the lath and plaster industry. The second generation, Buddy and Sonny Christians, joined the family business in the 1950s continuing its lega cy. Buddy and Sonny had a keen sense for business, and through the hard work they were known for, branched out, ex panding the company with the purchase of Lynwood Brick and Tile in 1974. As ma terial sales grew at an expeditious pace, the brothers decided to separate the ma terial sales from the contracting compa ny, giving birth to Lynwood Building Ma terials in From1980.itshumble beginnings, Chris B. Christians II’s grandson, CEO Chris B. Christians III has owned and operated Lynwood Building Materials. Quality product and customer service remains a familyKeepingtradition.the family tradition alive, the fourth generation of Christians’ have joined the business and are eager to lead the company into the future. CB Chris tians and Leslie Rosales both have years of experience working at Lynwood learn ing the ins and outs of the business and industry.“Maintaining the high standards and quality customer service that our dad in stilled in us, that his father instilled in him, is our number one priority,” says CB, vice president of Lynwood Building Materials.
“We felt to service the customers bet ter, we should consider a facility with a shorter response time,” says Texas First Rentals Senior Vice President Don Myrick “We can respond quicker and continue to provide legendary customer service more efficiently if we’re in the community ver sus being an hour and a half away. Our search for a new location in Fredericks burg ultimately led us to solidify an agree ment with Class A Equipment Rentals.”
L-R: Leslie Rosales and CB Christians
On Aug. 1, Texas First announced it acquired Class A Equipment Rentals in Fredericksburg to better serve the Texas Hill Country. Serving 118 Texas counties spanning from the Red River to the Rio Grande™, Texas First Rentals offers a full line of aerial, dirt, and portable power rental equipment such as booms, scissor lifts, excavators, generators, pumps, and trench safety equipment. The Fredericksburg branch will oper ate from Class A Equipment Rentals’ cur rent location until construction on Texas First Rentals’ new facility is complete in earlyClass2023.A Equipment Rentals will as sume the Texas First Rentals name imme diately. Class A Equipment Rentals’ team members will maintain their positions and continue serving Fredericksburg and the Texas Hill Country as employees of Texas First Rentals. Prior to the acquisition of Class A Equipment Rentals, Texas First Rentals serviced Fredericksburg and the Hill Country from its North San Antonio branch off Loop 1604. Already serving this area, Texas First Rentals knew the de mand was there as they are continually evaluating the needs of their customers.
When asked how long they thought this cycle would continue, they both stat ed they weren’t sure. “People in the in dustry are saying that rate hikes are slow ing things down a bit, but San Antonio and Texas have always weathered the storm better than most,” CB continues.
Additionally, the new branch in Fred ericksburg will continue to carry its full line of heavy equipment and customize its inventory to meet the needs of the Hill Country customer base. “The acquisition provided a good mix of inventory,” adds Myrick. “The fleet for that geographical area, as well as that of the Tradesmen branch, since they’ve been servicing that area for some time, have developed an inventory that works well with the cus tomer needs in that area.”
Lynwood Building Materials contin ues to offer a full line drywall, insulation and acoustical ceiling, lath and plaster supplies. “We have products to support the trades,” adds Assistant Manager Les lie Rosales. “We also carry general con tractor supplies from paper cups to brooms, as well as most general interior finish-out supplies.”
Four generations strong
As these are unprecedented times, both CB and his sister, Leslie, admit that they are trying to survive the times of price increases and labor shortages like everybody else. “It’s funny, things we have trouble getting one month, we get easily the next. But then it changes to something else we can’t get,” CB adds.
A Hill Country footprint
CB Christians and Leslie Rosales are proud to be carrying on their family’s leg acy. The generations of keen business sense with a willingness to provide topnotch customer service is truly reflected within this fourth generation. “Supplying is our specialty,” adds Ro sales. “We will ensure our customers get what they need; when they need it. We always have, and always will.”
Lynwood Building Materials Lynwood Building Materials is a full line drywall, insu lation and acoustical ceiling, lath and plas ter supply house. -cmw
The future home of Texas First Rent als is currently underway and will be lo cated at 448 FM 2093, Fredericksburg, Texas. Texas First Rentals® is part of the HOLT family of companies. -cmw Don Myrick, Vice President of Texas First Rentals
Early on, the company started doing asphalt paving and formed a spin-off company called The Asphalt Repair Company (TARCO) which has rolled into Austin Underground. As the company continued to grow, it began doing more concrete work. Consistently needing con crete to keep crews more productive the company started Cubic Concrete, sup plying Austin Underground with 20 per cent of its volume supply of concrete. Lastly, the company has progressed into road work and started Texas Road LLC earlier this year. “I think a big part of this success is being able to bring people in and get them to stay to create this,” Vavro ex plains. “I enjoy the people that are around me and how stable a workforce we’ve been able to create. I have a lot of people who have been here for over 10 years or are very close to it as we’ve grown. I think of this as a work family because we’ve been around each other so long.”
Serving the Central Texas area, Austin Underground is a utility contractor. -cmw Austin Underground performs underground utility work at Samsung.
Evolving progress
2nd & 3rd Place: DPR Construction 1st Place: The Premier Group
Members of the Central Texas Chapter of Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) grabbed the shotguns for ABC’s Annual Clay Shoot on May 19. The event was held at Capital City Clays. Despite the warm temperatures, members and guests enjoyed a great event and camaraderie. -cmw Clay bustin’
After nearly 20 years in business, Austin Underground has seen many ups and downs in the con struction industry and has faced many challenges. But through it all, Austin Un derground continues to grow, learning along the Specializingway. in difficult underground installation in 2004, the company has emerged performing municipal utility work with six employees. Today, the com pany employs an impressive 150 employ ees, all of whom are well-experienced in bringing water, wastewater, storm, and duct bank to the high-rise commercial market.“Out of the original six, four are still with us,” says Austin Underground Presi dent Rick Vavro. ”They’ve gone from la borers to, I think, one of them is our best equipment operator. Two others are now superintendents.”Continuallygrowing, Austin Under ground evolved its services from building underground utilities in high schools to utility locating and redesigning assis tance in Austin’s central business district. “Nowadays, when we put our t-shirts on,” adds Vavro, “We have to put four lo gos on our shirts.”
Austin Construction News •SEP 2022 Page 3
Page 4 Austin Construction News •SEP 2022 Austin ©2022 Construction News, Ltd. Construction News Ltd. Home Office P.O. Box 791290 • San Antonio, TX 78279 210-308-5800 Fax 210-308-5960 www.ConstructionNews.netAustinCONSTRUCTION NEWS The Austin Construction News (ISSN 15477630) is published monthly by Construction News LTD., dba Austin Construction News, and distributed by mail to constructionrelated companies of record in Austin and surrounding counties. All submissions should be emailed to our editorial offices. We reserve the right to edit any materials submitted. No fees for materials, copy or photographs submitted will be due unless agreed upon in advance in writing. Submissions will be published at our discretion on a space available basis. Construction News, Ltd., dba Austin Construction News, will not be liable for errors in copy or in advertisements beyond the actual cost of space occupied by the error. Publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement at any time. Austin Area Counties Travis, Hays, Bastrop, Burnet, Blanco, Caldwell and Williamson counties Visit our Website to sign up for a free monthly Digital Subscription www.ConstructionNews.net SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS GO TO www.ConstructionNews.net Select “Digital Subscription”. Publisher Buddy Doebbler Editorial/Production Reesa Doebbler Managing Editor Carol Wiatrek Production Manager Judi Telenko Advertising Buddy Doebbler Managing mEditor@ConstructionNews.netEditor: Michael Melton, Owner, Power Haus Equipment, San Marcos, TX Michael Melton worked as a man ager for a local lumberyard when he was faced with the re ality of be ing out of work. As ness.ownstartingbusyMeltonofitsapproachedlumberyardthefinaldaysoperation,wasatworkhisbusi
Terrible! It was very cold and not a lot of sunshine. For a Texas kid up there, it was a hard transition with six months of no sunshine at a time. I’m glad to be back here, even with the crazy droughts. I remember in January, my last year up there, it was like negative 30 degrees, and the moving truck was frozen solid, so we had to get a torch out to thaw it out. I came down for a college visit to Texas State University and saw all the beautiful girls in bikinis out on Bikini Hill in January, and I thought, ‘What am I doing in Indi ana?’ What did your parents do as you were growing up? My mom was an occupational thera pist for like 35 years. My dad was an Episco pal priest. What made your family move to Indi ana? My dad took a job at St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church there. We relocat ed from Dallas to Indiana following his job. He got relocated again about 10 years later to Gonzales, TX. I wanted to finish high school up north. I did and then decided at that point to join them in sunny Texas.
How did you get involved in the power equipment business?
The lumberyard property was worth too much in downtown San Marcos, so the owner decided to sell the property. The outdoor power equipment was a good department within the lumberyard. It was my first pet project and we had really built up it. At that point, I talked to the opera tions manager at the lumberyard about opening Power Haus.
When you were in college, what did you major in? I was majoring in philosophy and real ized it didn’t have a lot of career prospects and then moved to business. When I was 18-19 years old, I had no idea what I want ed to do. I had no idea what was important to me. The best decision I ever made was dropping out and getting into the trades. I worked as a plumber’s apprentice for years.
Where were you born and where were you raised?
I was born in Dallas, TX. I grew up in northern Indiana, in the greater South Bend area. I came back to Texas 10 years later around the time I was graduating from high school. What was it like living in Indiana?
How did that all come together? In January 2015, the owners pulled the management team together and told us what they were planning. Liquidation started quickly thereafter. I quickly put together a business plan and started meeting with banks and lenders, trying to find someone to fund Power Haus. I was 24 years old, and I didn’t have a whole lot to my name. It was much the same thing with any bank. I was starting to get frustrated looking for funding when my immediate boss at the time asked me what I was working on. I shared it with him and about two hours later, he came back to my office and said, ‘I talked to my wife, and we’re in.’ He was my angel investor, if you will, to get started. We found a little warehouse space to rent and started with one item and slowly built our brand and inventory. That was seven years ago. Are you married? How did you meet? My wife, Alicia, and I have been mar ried for seven and a half years. At the time, she was attending school at Texas State University, and I was working at a local lumberyard. I was meeting an old friend of mine at a bar downtown and bumped into this lovely lady who was there with her friends and we just kind of started hanging out that night. I texted her later that evening and asked if she would meet me for breakfast in the morn ing, but she turned me down. So, I went to a local skate park and broke my elbow. A few nights later, we met up and we cooked dinner. I guess she felt bad for me. I was so pathetic. That kind of started us off and it’s been a bit of a whirlwind everWesince.found out in January the lumber yard was closing in February. We got mar ried in February and opened Power Haus. It was a very, very fast couple of months. I would tell her if she can stick with me through that, she can stick with me through anything. What does Alicia do? Does she work for Power Haus? She is the college graduate of the family. She’s got a master’s degree in business administration and is a senior fi nancial administrator at a local tech com pany. Do you have any children? We have one daughter. Her name is Zoe. She is going to be five years old in October.She loves anything and everything. Zoe is a very open-minded kid. When the pandemic hit, we kind of blew off school for a while with all the daycares shutting down. We got some chickens, goats, and such. She loves tending to her little back yard farm and taking care of animals. She is just a very happy engaged kid that will occasionally come up and sweep floors here in the shop for a quarter. That’s her favorite little afternoon thing. Do you have any hobbies?
Did you go to college? Did you get a de gree? I went to Texas State University my freshman year and decided that college wouldn’t be my path. I dropped out of col lege and went to work for the local lum beryard here in town and became the re tail sales manager there.
I’m kind of an introvert. I love canoe ing, kayaking, fishing, hiking, and all that good stuff. Whenever I’m not at work, I try to be out doing something outdoors, whether it’s landscaping my own yard or just being out in nature, enjoying this beautiful world we have. What would you like our readers to know about Michael Melton? I’ve learned that hard work and in vesting in relationships – customers, em ployees, and suppliers have carried us through some difficult times over the years. Turning on the news, it’s hard to not get a little cynical about current events, economic forecasts, and all that kind of stuff. I firmly believe that there’s still a small business market out there and we don’t have to let the Amazons of the world take over all the little guys. The last few years have really restored a lot of faith in that small local economy, which I think is so critical to the infrastructure and what makes America a wonderful place of opportunity. -cmw Michael Melton Zoe Melton sweeps enjoys helping her dad at the shop.
L-R: Pater Klaerner and Michael Melton started Power Haus Equipment in 2015.
The business usage of the term “over head” means “expenses associated with running a business that can’t be linked to creating or producing a product or service.” Too much overhead isn’t a good thing. Or, another business usage is when “overhead” means that’s your business to start with, such as All Area Overhead Doors, run by the husband and wife team of Neal Smith and Christina Cummings They bought the company just this past September. Neal had worked there for the past six years, while Christina was still working at her job in the restaurant business until just this past March when she retired from that to help run All Area Overhead.“Itwas definitely a very strenuous sit uation in the beginning when we first started,” Christina said. “[Neal would be] putting a garage door together and then your phone’s ringing and you don’t want to miss the Comingcall.”out of the pandemic was also hard. “You’re going to other people’s home and you really can’t do that in the middle of a lockdown, when you’re not supposed to be going out to do things,” she said.We would all agree, however, that when your garage door doesn’t open and you need to go somewhere, pan demic or not, you have to call someone, and Christina answers the call. “I am basically the office person,” she said.” I take all the phone calls, do all the scheduling, do all the invoicing, get all the estimates out to the clients who need those, and then my husband does the leg work, and he does all the installations.” Neal was doing all of this in the be ginning, but then Christina left the occu pation she had been in for the past 22 years.When it comes to picking out a new garage door, Christina likens it to the choices we have in shoes. “There’s Nike, Reebok, Adidas, New Balance. There’s [also] a variety of different brands of doors that you can get; they all have dif ferent aspects and details,” such as short squares, long squares, windows or no windows. Maybe it’s something more modern or just an everyday door. Maybe it’s the barn door look. Another factor in terms of the resi dential market is whether the house has the two-garage door look with the divid er between them, or the single, two-car garage“It’sdoor.literally just an aesthetic look and how you want your appearance of your home to be, Christina said. In other words, there is no rhyme or reason why some homes have the two separate doors or not; it’s just what the home builder decided for that particular home. A homeowner can remove the cen ter brickwork and install a single, larger garage door if he/she chooses. “I actually have a client who’s in the middle of mak ing that decision right now,” she said. All Area Overhead works with the various subdivision builders and HOAs when it comes to installing doors on new construction.“Quiteoften when you do a subdivi sion,” Christina said, “they have doors that pretty much match each other with in the variation. The general material of the door is typically all the same.” 90 percent of their work is residential and there is no shortage of work in the AustinEvenarea.though Neal and Christina are new business owners, “you have to adapt quickly,” she said. Their son works for them and it’s possible that he would take the business over sometime down the road.Too much overhead is a bad thing. But so is when your garage door won’t go up or down. Then Overhead is very good indeed. All Area Overhead Doors is a full-ser vice garage door company in Austin and the surrounding area. -dszSteel sectional doors
Austin Construction News •SEP 2022 Page 5 Good overhead
Service Providers Truck & Equip Dealers
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Almost 20 years ago, Rick Vavro ventured out on his own to build a successful utility company. Since then, his company has grown splintering into several off-shoot companies. Migrating back into road work, Vavro started Texas Road LLC in March 2022 specializing in complicated road con struction. “We want to focus more on in ner city road work,” says Vavro, president of Texas Road LLC. “Our focus will be re hab, road realignment, intersections, spot repairs, and things of that nature.” Parent company Austin Underground had just completed a $13 million job for the city of Cedar Park in which the com pany did a complete road realignment. “Downtown Cedar Park has gotten pretty busy with some big projects getting ready to start,” adds Vavro. “The realign ment was the first phase. We did a one and half-mile realignment on Hwy. 183. And it’s complicated enough that not a
L-R: Tony Franco, VP of Austin Underground and Rick Vavro, President of Texas Road LLC at a bridge on CR190 in Dripping Springs upon completion of this TxDOT project in just under two months
Coming above ground lot of people want to do that kind of work. But it ties into the complicated util ity work of Austin Underground. Texas Road LLC is not out to compete with larger companies that do 10-mile stretches of road. “We want to do smaller city streets, realignments and such,” Vav ro clarifies.Vavro, before starting Austin Under ground had years of experience in road building as do some of the people he em ploys. Valentin Gomez , a 35-year veteran of road construction has partnered with Vavro in the formation of Texas Road LLC. The company owns and operates all its machinery – milling machines, pav ers, and all the required traffic control equipment. It will service the Central Texas area from San Marcos to Waco. Texas Road LLC is a subsidiary of Aus tin Underground and is located in Jonestown. -cmw
On Jul. 16, The Independent Electri cal Contractors Central Texas Chapter (IEC CenTex) held its 2022 Apprentice Graduation. One-hundredfour apprentice electricians graduated from IEC’s program as journeymen work ers. Over 500 family members, friends, colleagues, employers, and supporters attended the event held at Riverbend Centre. Apprenticeship Manager Suzanne Johnson was awarded 15 years of service as the chapter’s Red Cross/Medic First Aid CPR and AED Instructor. Mr. Julian Al varez III, Labor of the Texas Workforce Commission, was the event’s commence ment speaker, giving an encouraging and uplifting speech on the jobs and op portunities in the electrical trade in Tex as. -cmw After attending a house-warming party, Jean-Philippe Gagnon (JP) noticed that a lot of metal strip ping was exposed at the corners. When he asked his friend about it, he realized his friend’s anxiety over the constant re pair – the mud, the drying time, the sand ing, the dust, the clean-up; it was just too much.As a project engineer, JP was accus tomed to finding solutions to big prob lems and set out to find a solution to his friend’s problem. He then takes two years of his spare time, working out of his ga rage, and developed a solution for interi or corners: no more exposed metal strip ping, no more mud, no more sanding, no moreInmess.July, CleanCo Construction was established in Liberty Hill, simplifying life by eliminating the use of metal corner beads, plaster, and the sanding that comes with it. The result is more durable with a modern look than that of the stan dard method. “It’s a PVC extrusion that is inserted and glued in the internal ma chined groove in the gypsum sheet,” says JP. “The corner is then supported by this PVC extrusion embedded in the gypsum Clean corners sheet, which is itself supported by the wall structure. In case of impact to the corner, the force applied is distributed to the wood or metal studs. This increases the durability and resistance of the cor ner. Also, the sheetrock’s external card board exposed surface is never altered so the primers and paint absorption are maximum, which gives a neat finish to the wall.”Eliminating the use of corner beads and all the time and energy needed to make a clean corner, JP believes CleanCo can be a huge saving in both labor and material costs. CleanCo can be used in residential and commercial work, for new construction and renovations. CleanCo Construction provides an al ternative to traditional interior drywall corners. -cmw Owner & founder, Jean-Philippe Gagnon shows off a CleanCo corner
Resource
Page 6 Austin Construction News •SEP 2022 For info: Buddy Doebbler - Buddy@ConstructionNews.net 210-308-5800
Overall, telematics software can help im prove driver behavior and distracted driving awareness.
• Sell or gift to a family member Sell to employees Sell or gift to both family and Amidemployeesthisrange of choices, the em ployee stock ownership plan has increas ingly stood out in recent years. Employees as owners An ESOP is a qualified employee re tirement plan governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). ESOPs function to reward employees with an ownership stake in the business that they work for, allowing them to share in the successes of the company while also providing for a tax-advantaged tran sition plan for owners and the sponsoring ESOPOncecompanies.thecompany adopts the ESOP trust, that trust can purchase shares of stock from the owner using borrowed funds from the company, a bank or the selling shareholder.
Advantages
Austin Construction News •SEP 2022 Page 7
ACCOUNTING How an ESOP can preserve a business and a legacy
The Importance of Distracted Driving Awareness
The Nitsche Group Lampasas County, TX INSURANCE
Importance of driver safety to a busi ness Without proper driver safety mea sures, businesses may be putting the welfare of employees at risk. Implement ing a fleet management safety program will help protect against liability from ve hicle accidents. Checking MVRs will help ensure that potential hires have a good driving history and are responsible em ployees.When creating a culture of distracted driving awareness, it’s important to keep an ongoing and open line of communica tion with your employees regarding a safety-first mentality. We all know how important it is to your destination— whether you’re traveling for personal reasons or for your job. Training your em ployees to stay focused on the road and avoid distractions will help them not only reach their destination quickly, but do so safely too.
ployees and coach them adequately. Managers who instill confidence in their drivers will see a difference in team col laboration and higher rates of employee retention.When implementing these rules and regulations, managers should also ask employees questions to check in on driv er history. Asking simple questions such as “Who had an accident this week?” or “Is there something happening in your life outside of work that could be affect ing your driving?” allows company lead ership to dig in and find out what’s hap pening in an employee’s personal life. Asking these questions does not serve as a punishment, but rather as a benefit to talk about what’s going on and allow for drivers to improve.
Jason Pfaltzgraff Risk Management Consultant
Jason Pfaltzgraff is a risk management consultant at The Nitsche Group in Lampa sas County, Texas. He is licensed in risk management and insurance from The Uni versity of North Texas. Pfaltzgraff is from Killeen and has 15 years of experience in insurance with five years of experience as a contractor. In his spare time, he enjoys golf ing and hunting.Jasonp@thenitschegroup.com
After two years of whipsaw change brought on by the pandemic, many business owners have decided to retire. A recent survey of business owners conducted by the Wilmington Trust found that the pandemic is behind this rush to retire, adding another unexpected wrinkle to a devastating year.
Nick Grandy, Real Estate Industry Senior Analyst RSM US Austin/San Antonio, TX But what’s the right succession plan? It’s no small consideration for an owner who has spent a career building a business and wants to see that legacy continue.For many in the construction industry, that answer is increasingly found in an employee stock ownership plan, or ESOP, which allows for continuity in the sale process, and can provide tax savings as well An aging industry Indeed, the construction industry is ripe for a transition to the next generation.
The median age of construction workers increased to 42.9 from 2010 to 2020, an increase of 1.3 years. For the economy as a whole, the increase was 0.5 years over the same time frame. And many owners of construction firms are at an age where they need to consider succession planning. According to the latest survey on ownership transfer and management succession by research firm Future Market Insights, a majority of those surveyed plan to exit their business in the next five years or so. But at the same time, more than 50% reported that they do not have an ownership transfer plan.The exit strategies usually fall into five categories: • Liquidate the business • Sell to an external third party (competitor, private equity, etc.)
Focusing on MVRs When hiring new drivers, businesses should run employee screenings and re view driver histories. MVRs allow employ ers to have a more in-depth look at an applicant to see if they have a history of following safety regulations. MVRs typi cally include driver’s license information, license statuses, violations, accidents and automatic renewal notices. MVRs must be requested annually in the annual review process to determine if the driver meets companyParticularlyrequirements.forconstruction compa nies, having a consistent system for col lecting and reviewing MVRs may help employers hire qualified drivers more ef ficiently. The Texas Department of Insur ance and Division of Workers’ Compensa tion has established the occupational driving safety program and recommends a safety checklist for employers to make sure company standards align with the law.
An ESOP can provide certain advantages to a selling shareholder, including the continuity of the existing company and tax savings. Using an ESOP can provide an owner with a structured exit over a longer timeframe, should the owner want to stay involved. This is typically achieved because the owner is not required to sell 100% of the business in the transaction, although an owner can defer tax on the gains made from the sale of an ESOP if the ESOP holds 30% or more of the stock, along with meeting other requirements. By not having to divest fully, an owner can continue to be involved with the business while determining the proper succession plan. The second advantage is taxes, and it’s not just for the owner. If the sale of the company is at least 30% of the stock from the seller—and the company is a tax-paying C corporation at the time the ESOP acquires the stock— the seller may defer paying capital gains taxes by electing Section 1042 of the Internal Revenue Code. This can lead to tax savings for the seller. Another major tax advantage results from the sponsoring company. Businesses can borrow money to fund ESOPs and repay these loans with pretax dollars because both the principal and interest are deductible when repaying an ESOP loan (as opposed to just the interest in a conventional loan). This can be a significant savings on cash flows for the company.Consider this example: A company, taxed at a 35% tax rate, wants to borrow $1 million. The firm arranges conventional financing at 10% annual interest and makes equal annual principal payments over five years. The following represents the summary of after-tax cash incurred by the company with conventional lending versus ESOP financing. There is a $350,000 difference be tween conventional debt lending versus ESOP financing. This makes the ESOP fi nancing less risky to lenders and allows for greater cash flows for the company. Disadvantages There are some disadvantages to ESOPs as well. One is a result of balance sheet leverage. If a company borrows money and then lends it to the ESOP to enable the ESOP to make a leveraged purchase of company stock, this will hurt the company’s equity position (as liabili ties will increase and equity decreases). This reduction could have an impact on the company’s financial leverage and af fect both bonding capacity and poten tial financing with third-party lenders. Another disadvantage is that the trustee of the ESOP needs to monitor the repurchase obligations of an ESOP. The timing of redemptions will need to be monitored to ensure that there is signifi cant cash or liquid assets available to meet the repurchase requirements needed for the ESOP. The price of which will be determined annually through a formal valuation process. Moreover, if the value of the company does not regu larly increase, employees may feel that the ESOP is less attractive for them than other profit-sharing plans.
The last disadvantage is that ESOPs require significant management time and resources. These resources will need to be used to meet rules related to ac counting, the Internal Revenue Code and the Department of Labor. Meeting these rules can be burdensome and will require continued annual fees, such as formal val uation and audit requirements that come with implementation of an ESOP. The takeaway It is important to note that if a con tractor is interested in pursuing an ESOP, that contractor should meet with busi ness advisors including attorneys, lend ers, certified public accountants, fiducia ries and other administrative profession als to discuss implementation and per form a feasibility analysis. This analysis will help to test the assumptions that go into an ESOP and what the expected benefits would be for employees and help to determine whether an ESOP is a viable exit strategy.
How fleet management safety programs create a healthy company culture
With construction booming in Central Texas, the need for qualified drivers and fleet driving safety programs are more important now than ever. The Nit sche Group has served communities across Texas since 1949, and we know how important safe driving is when it comes to a business’ bottom line. Dis tracted driving leads to accidents that im pact our personal and public safety, but it can also lead to insurance increases from claims that can take a heavy toll on a busi ness.Finding reliable and experienced drivers is a challenge to many businesses, yet having a fleet safety program can help ensure employee retention while showing concern for employees’ well-be ing. Construction companies should run background checks, drug tests and check Motor Vehicle Records (MVRs) before hir ing a new driver. Candidates with a poor driving history may pose a risk for busi nesses with cost inefficiencies.
Fleet safety programs Just like we train teenagers to drive, a business should ensure that its company drivers are adequately educated. Driver training programs help prevent accidents and allow for the standardization of pro cesses that establish effective driving habits and general rules of the road spe cific to a fleet’s vehicle types. A fleet safe ty program will not only establish compa ny-wide policies and procedures that are crucial to ensure a safe work environment for employees, but it can also help pro tect your business against liability from vehicleFleetaccidents.safetyprograms should clearly state company safety policies and guide lines, standard operating procedures and define accident response protocols. In the event of a trucking accident, drivers should retain evidence and documents to help the business mitigate losses. In addition, company management should adequately communicate with all drivers on how to avoid accidents and how to submit accident reviews.
Culture around driver awareness Creating a good fleet-driving culture starts with good leadership. Once em ployees are made aware of safety policies and procedures, fleet managers are bet ter able to lay the foundation for new em
While ESOPs are not for all contrac tors, they can be a great succession strat egy for the right organization to help transition the business to the next set of leaders. Retirement can be a challenge, but it would make it a lot easier knowing that the owner’s legacy will continue in the company.
Telematics Telematics systems are often used in the construction industry to help provide data on machines including GPS loca tion, fuel consumption, idle times and more. By looking at this data, employers are able to see which machines are active on a job site and adjust fleet size accord ingly.While monitoring telematics, em ployers are able to identify problems ear ly in the process to correct driver behav ior. Owners or fleet managers can also run reports to identify individuals who are overworking or misusing equipment. This allows the construction company to not only identify reduced labor costs, but also avoid excessive wear and tear on equipment.Someinsurance providers will pro vide discounts or reduced deductibles if company equipment has GPS tracking capabilities. Construction companies with a large fleet size may use telematics to streamline organizational communi cation between office staff and drivers.
OSHA Temporary Workers
is a contractual promise to do something or a written expression of an intent to act, or not act, in a particu lar way. On the other hand, a “condition precedent” is something that must occur, or must be performed, before a party may enforce a contractual obligation subject to that condition. If the express condition is not satisfied, then the party whose performance is conditional is ex cused from its obligation. For example, construction contracts often require punch walks (among other things) for a contractor to receive final payment. These can take the form of a covenant: “Contractor will perform a punch walk before receiving final pay ment.” But they can also take the form of a condition precedent: “Contractor’s enti tlement to final payment is conditioned on a punch walk.” While the differences may seem to split hairs, legally speaking, the covenant is better for the contractor because the owner may owe final pay ment even if there’s no punch walk (but the owner could have damages for the contractor’s failure to perform the punch walk). The condition precedent is better for the owner because the owner does not have to pay until the general contrac tor performs the punch walk.
In James Construction Group, LLC v. Westlake Chemical Corp., the Texas Supreme Court held that in construction contracts, parties may substantially (rather than strictly) comply with contractual notice requirements. When a contract expressly requires written notice, however, the Court explained that absent some waiver of contractual requirements, oral notice alone cannot satisfy a contract’s written notice requirement; only written notice can substantially comply with a written notice requirement.
• The staffing agency has the duty to inquire and verify that the host has ful filled its responsibilities for a safe work And,place.
Condition Precedent or Covenant: How the Texas Supreme Court interprets contractual promises Rebecca L. Quade Attorney Allensworth Austin, TX LEGAL
Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist
just as important: Host employ ers must treat temporary workers like any other workers in terms of training and safety and healthnatarajan.joann@dol.govprotections.512-374-0271x232
Rebecca L. Quade is an attorney at Al lensworth in Austin, Texas. She works with architects, engineers, contractors, and owners on complex, multiparty cases in volving design and construction defects and contract disputes. You can reach Re becca by email at rquade@allensworthlaw.
A key concept is that each employer should consider the hazards it is in a posi tion to prevent and correct, and in a posi tion to comply with OSHA standards. For example: staffing agencies might provide general safety and health training, and host employers provide specific training tailored to the particular workplace equipment/hazards.•Thekeyis communication between the agency and the host to ensure that the necessary protections are provided. Staffing agencies have a duty to in quire into the conditions of their workers’ assigned workplaces. They must ensure that they are sending workers to a safe workplace.•Ignorance of hazards is not an ex cuse.Staffing agencies need not become experts on specific workplace hazards, but they should determine what condi tions exist at their client (host) agencies, what hazards may be encountered, and how best to ensure protection for the temporary workers.
com Breaking ground
On Aug. 30, more than 40 guests came together to celebrate a private groundbreaking ceremony of Brookfield Residential Properties’ newest park, Skyline Park which will feature expansive skyline views of downtown Austin, a bridge connection that will resemble the Pennybacker Bridge, a splash pad, an open lawn, public art, and two specific planned playgrounds – one for juniors (2-5 years old) and one for older children. Joe Bland Construction is the general contractor for the project. L-R: Richard Suttle, Travis County Judge Andy Brown, Brookfield VP of Land Matt McCafferty, Mayor Steve Alder and District 2 Councilwoman Vanessa Fuentes. -cmw
Page 8 Austin Construction News •SEP 2022
the extent of responsibility un der the law of staffing agencies and host employers is dependent on the specific facts of each case, staffing agencies and host employers are jointly responsible for maintaining a safe work environment for temporary workers - including, for exam ple, ensuring that OSHA’s training, hazard communication, and recordkeeping re quirements are fulfilled. OSHA could hold both the host and temporary employers responsible for the violative condition(s) - and that can in clude lack of adequate training regarding workplace hazards. Temporary staffing agencies and host employers share con trol over the worker, and are therefore jointly responsible for temporary work ers’ safety and health. Both host employers and staffing agencies have roles in complying with workplace health and safety require ments and they share responsibility for ensuring worker safety and health.
Because the owner in James Con struction failed to send the general con tractor the contractually required written notices before terminating for default, the owner could not recover the excess costs it incurred in replacing the contrac tor on the project. This opinion, and the Court’s reasoning behind it, helps show how Texas courts interpret important construction contract provisions, specifi cally including conditions precedent, covenants, and waivers of consequential damages.A“covenant”
In James Construction, the Court held that the written notice requirements for termination were conditions precedent, not covenants. The contract gave the owner the right to terminate the contract for any reason and to assign work to an other contractor (sometimes called a ter mination for convenience). But the owner could also terminate for cause, and, if it did so correctly (that is, in accordance with the contract), the contractor had to pay the owner the cost to complete, mi nus the rest of the contract balance. So, the general contractor’s obligation to pay the owner for these excess completion costs was conditioned on the owner sat isfying the written requirements to termi nate for cause. The Court ultimately found that the owner failed to adhere to these condi tions precedent by neglecting to issue the required written notices before ter minating the contractor. As a result, the owner was not entitled to receive the ex cess completion costs from the contrac tor at all, at least under that contract. Noncompliance with a condition prece dent precludes the noncomplying party from enforcing its conditional right—in this case, the owner’s recovery of the costs to hire a replacement contractor to complete the work. Courts sometimes call this “forfeiture,” because the failure to satisfy the condition forfeits the party’s conditional right. The Court also interpreted the con tract’s consequential damages waiver to determine whether it amounted to an affirmative covenant that would be breached by a suit for consequential damages. This provision was unique in that it contained a clause commanding that “no claim shall be made” for conse quential damages. The contractor con tended that this provision was a cove nant not to sue for consequential damag es. Yet the Court sided with the owner, holding that the parties merely waived a claim to any consequential damages that might be available in a lawsuit—not that the parties relinquished the right to sue in the first place. This holding may change how you draft or negotiate certain contractual provisions. In effect, the Court provided guidance for contracting parties who want to deter future claims for conse quential damages. Parties must be very explicit if they want to ensure that prom ises not to sue are interpreted this way by Texas courts. If you want to prevent the other side from ever suing you for a cer tain type of damage, you need to say that expressly in your contract; for example, “The parties covenant that neither will sue each other for [insert the type of damage for which you want to prevent suit].”Here are two key points from the Court’s interpretation of the contractual provisions in James Construction:
OSHA Austin, TX
(1) Texas courts may enforce condi tions precedent if they are sufficiently clear in the contract—even when the consequences of doing so appear to be harsh—particularly where they include time limits and notice requirements to which the parties have agreed.
Temporary workers are workers supplied to a host employer and paid by a staffing agency, whether or not the job is actually temporary. Whether temporary or permanent, all workers always have a right to a safe and healthy workplace. The staffing agency and the staffing agency’s client (the host employer) are joint employers of temporary workers and, therefore, both are responsible for providing and maintaining a safe work environ ment for those workers. The staffing agency and the host employer must work togeth er to ensure that the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 requirements are fullyWhilemet.
(2) Texas courts will not automatically treat a contractual provision waiving consequential damages as a covenant not to sue for consequential damages. If parties intend to include a true cove nant not to sue for a certain type of damage in their contract, the provi sion must explicitly state that it is a “Covenant Not to Sue” or use words to that effect
Austin Construction News •SEP 2022 Page 9
Kim Gates of New Mexico looked like a pro angler catching trout like this healthy upper Laguna Madre beauty. Be sure to give Steve Schultz Outdoors a call before booking your next fishing outing
Fishing remains strong through the summer months with limits of trout just about everyday. Redfish, flounder and drum also have been showing up at the cleaning table which puts smiles on cli ents faces. The key to my success is start ing out the day early. This means running in the dark and being where you want to fish by gray light. Take advantage of the cooler water temps and try to make ev ery bite count. Water temperatures have
School Starts, Fishing Continues by Capt. Steve SponsoredSchultzby
Cindy Fuller showing her grandsons up on a recent fishing outing with Steve Schultz Outdoors. This 21” speck was one from her limit she caught. been in the mid to upper 80s. However, with this last rain fall, our bays have cooled down slightly. Usually, my first two stops are the most productive, most of the time catching trout. By mid-morn ing, after the bite has tapered off, I switch to looking for other species to complete the box. I like to feel out my customers and give them a chance to choose what species we target next. Certainly, if I have knowledge of some positive ac tion, I will try to encourage them in that direction.Ourwinds have finally started to set tle down a bit and this really makes me grin. Most of my clients know by late summer I am always thinking of the Gulf of Mexico, specifically fishing the surf. Usually by late July, I will have fished the beach front half a dozen times. However, the last season’s winds have deterred me from poking out the jetties. Most of you that have been out in the surf with me know how much fun it can be. For one, you never know what you may see or catch while fishing the surf. Many of the species I have hooked up on include the obvious, like trout, reds, and drum. Some of the larger species may include tarpon, sharks, kingfish, and spanish mackerel just to name a few. Fishing the surf is not for everyone and if you have a light stomach or get sea sick when going offshore, maybe you should suggest to stay in-shore. However, if the conditions are right and my clients are up to it, that’s where I will be for the next few months. My fishing will come to a halt for this season at the end of October and I will turn to hunting. If you need a referral for a guide, don’t hesitate to call me. Also, if you have a date in mind for the 2023 fish ing season, shoot me a text. 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 email me at Steve SchultzOutdoors@gmail.comGoodluckandGoodFishing.
Waypoint Marine/Waypoint Customs, Shoalwater Boats, Mercury Marine, Shimano Reels, E-Z Bel Construction, Costa Sunglasses, Simms Fishing, Columbia Sportswear, ForEverlast Fishing Products, PowerPro, Interstate Batteries, MirrOlure, JL Marines Power-Pole, and AFTCO Clothing: W ell, it finally happened!! Much needed rain came a couple of weeks ago ending what seemed to be a yearlong drought. A total of 8.6 inches fell on my yard and into our bay system, lowering water temperatures and salinity level. We had already started water restrictions in our city and lawns were starting to burn up with the sum mer heat. We were blessed to receive so much rain, I kinda wish the whole state could have gotten half as much as we did.
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
DSI in Austin Sunrise at the lake
The Sunday Sportsman: 6-8 am Sunday on 1300, The Zone, Austin All on iHeart Radio
Line
It hasn’t forgotten how to rain after all! Some of us got a little rain and some got too much rain, but that is mostly how it goes in Texas. When it rains here you are thankful for every drop at the same time you are hoping that you’ll come safely through it. Whatever kind of rain you got, at least you have something to work with! So many rivers that were just about dried up will at least get a little flush of fresh water for a few days. Any lakes or ponds that benefit from that shot of fresh water will see the catfish and bass and bluegill liven up. Think of all the bugs and worms and stuff that current is serving up to hungry fish. It is a good time to be fish ing! Our striper and hybrid fishing is im proved by fresh water this time of year too. Falling lake levels and hot weather make the water oppressive to fish that prefer cooler temperatures. Anything that stirs up cooler currents and brings nutrient rich fresh water into a lake will boost the well-being of the food chain will pay off in better fishing in the near term and bigger and better fish in the long term. The exception would be the lakes that got a heavy inflow from flood ing. If the water gets really muddied up,
Was That?!? RAIN!
it can take a few days to clear up enough for good feeding patterns to resume. It looks like we are in for some good fishing here on Lake Buchanan this fall and winter. We are already seeing some signs of a strong topwater pattern like what we sometimes see in the fall of low water years. At any rate, a lot of the not quite keepers we have been seeing throughout the year will surely be keep ers now and we know we have a lot of them!Iknow here we have been watching the deer and doves and all kinds of wild things come down from the hills to the lake to water because their usual water sources have disappeared. The rainfall around here was pretty hit or miss so there is no telling which tanks and creeks caught some water and which are still dry. Any rain on the places you hunt will help your game, but you need to be sure and check to see if you still need to be provid ing extra water sources or not. When you are busy getting your blinds and feeders established and ready for the upcoming hunting season, be sure to see what the water situation is.
Page 10 Austin Construction News •SEP 2022 Vacation this year? Send Us Your Photos and Stories Email to: mEditor@ConstructionNews.net or call:Ken210-308-5800Milam’sFishing
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:
It is nice to see rain as we turn the cor ner from summer into fall. No matter what the weather brings, at least the coming of shorter days will bring the cooler temperatures and amazing sunris es and sunsets of autumn. We can begin to enjoy getting outside to hunt and fish and play without getting scorched by the sun. Ball games, less crowded waterways, more time in the pastures, and feeling those first gentle northers chase the hu midity away are what I enjoy about Fall. After this summer, bring it on!
Atlas Design & Development,
Austin Construction News •SEP 2022 Page 11 Adrenaline rush
L-R: CEO Jacques Williams, General Manager Julie Ross, her kids Aiden Ross and Ava Ross, Jacques’ sister Alicia Huppe, brother-in-law Matt Huppe, and niece Juliana Huppe. LLC
enjoying summer fun and adrenaline rush at Plea sure Pier in Galveston, TX. Ready, set, go Nick Page, Nick’s Bricks, breaking in a new shot gun at his property in Liberty Hill AND practicing for a day at the skeet range.
Page 12 Austin Construction News •SEP 2022 Greet n’ meet Construction News ON LOCATION
L-R: Josue Sauceda Juan Prado Chris Estrada Lori Wilbanks Karen Lomba Janet Carrillo Cynthia Gonzalez , and Melissa Mireles are eager to meet Construction News readers at their Georgetown yard. -cmw
Making things happen
Jacqués Williams really isn’t carrying the weight of the entire world like the real Atlas did. But running his own business is heavy enough. “There’s still a big load on the shoul ders to keep a business rolling,” he said. Hence, the name, Atlas Design & Devel opment, which he started nine years ago. “I really liked the Atlas logo. He’s holding the world on his shoulders and looking like he’s ready to take on all the workload and make things happen.” “I’m an owner,” Williams said, “but I’m hands on. I’m in the field with the guys ev ery day. I know everything that’s going on in theTofield.”keep the office running smoothly, however, Williams counts on Julia Ross to honcho everything from the bids and pa perwork to helping design the residential projects.Even though work can be in crazy spurts, like nothing but residential for sev eral months in a row, the average is a 5050 split between the commercial and res idential. For commercial, Williams works with the architects to come up with the
Austin Landscape Supplies team members
Julie Ross, General Manager and Jacqués Williams, CEO, celebrating nine years at the office fireplace which was designed and built by Atlas final rendering. For residential, he’ll go back and forth with the homeowner, but always allowing for adjustments as the workWilliamsprogresses.started in the masonry busi ness many years ago, working with two of his uncles. When he graduated from college with degrees in ag business and economics, he was ready to start Atlas Design.His love of drawing means he doesn’t need fancy computer software. “We’re still old school,” Williams said. He uses “paper and pencils and rulers and col oredInmarkers.”theearlier days, Atlas would go as far as San Antonio, but with all the growth in the Austin area, “we’re not having to go much further than 60 miles, which re ally nice,” he said. Williams likes keeping Atlas not-too big so as to not lose the hands-on ap proach, which ensures the quality never slips. That is enough of a weight on his shoulders to be just right. Atlas Design & Development, LLC, is based in Cedar Park. -dsz Team Atlas crew hard at work on a retaining wall footing. Photo, courtesy of Jacqués Williams in the Bobcat.
Association
TSPE Texas Society of EngineersProfessional Sept. 7: Monthly Luncheon – Florida In ternational University (FIU) Pedestrian Bridge Collapse – An Ethics Presenta tion, Guest Speaker: Terracon Principal & General Counsel Risk Management Aaron Mann, Maggiano’s Little Italy in the Domain, 10910 Domain Dr. #100,11:30am-1pm. For more info, email tspe.travis@gmail.com
Sept. 28: Dove Hunt, Solana Ranch, For more info, contact Brian Bisgard at 512719-5263 or email bbisgard@abccentral texas.org
NARI National Association of the Remodeling Industry Sept. 9: Austin NARI Classic Clay Shoot Tournament, Reunion Ranch, 850 CR 255, Georgetown, TX, 1-7pm. Single Shooter $200, 4-Person Team $500, $BBQ Dinner $50, 2 Shooter Flurry $20/ shooter, Shot Gun Golf $10/shot. For more info, Kayvon Leath at 512-9976274 or email kayvon@austinnari.org
Content submitted by Associations to Construction
AGC Associated General Contractor Texas Sept. 15: AGC Texas Building Branch Outstanding Construction Awards, Georgetown Sheraton, 1101 Woodlawn St., Georgetown, 6pm. Sept. 23: CLC Clay Shoot, Capital City Clays, 8707 Lindell Ln., 8am-5pm, Team $650. For more info, email Toni Osberry at 512-994-4401 or email tonio@agcaus tin.org
Tyler Guest was born in Ojai, CA, a pristine forested town about five miles from the beach, and grew up in the beautiful coastal city of Ventura, CA. “Ventura is what California beach es are supposed to look like. It is an awesome place to grow up. It had a real sense of community and beautiful scenery. I would not have traded it for anything.”Growing up in a family of union carpenters and flooring installers, the construction industry is in his blood. He was on job sites with a broom in hand at a young age where he learned to love the environment of a job site. He went to your average American high school, Ventura High School. “After high school, I attended Cali fornia State University in Chico. College in Chico was an amazing experience. I worked for Turner Construction while in school and learned the social aspect of college life well in Chico. The con struction management program is very strong. I highly recommend them.”Having grown up on job sites, and enjoying working in teams, construc tion management was a natural pro gression for him. He graduated from California State University with clean marks and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Construction Management.
ACEA Greater Austin Contractors & Engineers Association Sept. 8: Monthly Membership Lun cheon, Norris Conference Center, 2525 W. Anderson Ln. #365, 11:30am-1pm. $40 Member, $45 On-site Member, $55 Non-member.
Balfour Beatty has welcomed Casen Novak to the Balfour Beatty family in April as a Project Engineer. Novak works closely with the team re viewing submittal packages and tracking the procurement of materials. He handles change manage ment, processes RFI’s, and communicates between our suppliers and the team. He is a recent graduate from Concordia Uni versity with a Master’s in Business Admin istration. -cmw
Sept. 13: Meet the GC, City of Austin Developmental Services Department Bldg., 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr., 8-11am, GC Booth $250, Member $50, Non-Member (ABC discretion & approv al) $75.
Tyler enjoys pool time in the Texas heat, football season, and hunting with his best bud and hunting com panion, Cojo. Cojo is a German shorthaired pointer. -cmw
News
SEAot Structural Engineers Association of Texas Sept. 27: Chapter Meeting, Casa Cha pala, 9041 Research Blvd. #100. For more info, call 512-301-2744
FGM Architects proudly announces that Jaime Palomo, AIA, has joined the firm as a principal of the firm and will be focused on munici pal projects in the Austin/Central Texas region. Previously, Palomo was a Principal/Partner at Casa Bella Architects. An active member of Austin AIA, Palomo has also served as Austin Director for the TX Society of Ar chitects, and he is a visiting critic at the UT Austin School of Architecture. -cmw Project Manage ment Advisors Inc. (PMA) welcomes Grayson Mann as Se nior Project Manager to its Austin team. With 15 years of expe rience in constructioncommercialandadeep foundation in life sciences, Grayson has handled numerous tenant improvement and ground-up proj ects within the biotech, pharmaceutical and distribution industries. In his new role, he will deliver a highly collaborative and intuitive skillset as a project team leader in numerous markets, including Texas. -cmw Specht Architects is pleased to announce the addition of Jakeb Novak to the Specht family. Novak brings two decades of de sign and project management experi ence to the firm, and has contributed to numerous award-winning residential, in stitutional, and commercial projects. He is a licensed architect in Texas and Illinois, a LEED Accredited Professional, and NCARB certified. -cmw
NAWIC National Association of Women in Construction Sept. 8: Chapter Meeting/Installation of Officers, Maggiano’s Little Italy, 10910 Domain Dr., 5:30-8:30pm. Sept. 13: NAWIC Golf Tournament, The Golf Club at Star Ranch, 2500 FM 685, Hutto, TX, 11am-7pm. For more info, contact Misti Shafer-Webb at 512-9307733 or email mshafer@compliancere sourcesinc.com
Austin Construction News •SEP 2022 Page 13
Sept. 22: Excellence in Construction Wards Gala, Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 Congress Ave., 6-10pm.
Tyler says he has had several men tors throughout his life. “I feel mentors are an integral part of anyone’s profes sional growth. My most influential mentor would be Jim Hull. He took me under his wing when I was first start ing in the general contracting world and taught me more about the indus try than I could have ever asked for.
ABC Associated Builders & Contractors
Sept. 13: Industrial Development State of the Market, Estancia del Norte, San Antonio, 11am-1pm, Member $60, Non-Member $80. For more info, go to www.i-lincp.wildapricot.org
Tyler James Guest, Project Executive, Metropolitan Contracting, Austin, TX Industry FOLKS
Sept. 29: Fish Fry Fundraiser 2022, Tra vis Expo Center, 7311 Decker Ln., 5-10pm, Table of Eight $300, Individual Member $40, Individual Non-Member $55. For more info, call Silvia Pendleton at 512-893-7067
s Submitted to Construction News Round-Up
CENTEX IEC Central Texas Chapter Independent Electrical Contractors Sept. 29: Meet & Greet, Cover 3, 2700 W. Anderson Ln. #202, 5-7:30pm, No Charge for members, Non-Member $45. For more info, contact David Johnson at 512-832-1333 or email djohnson@cen texiec.com
CLC Construction Leadership Council Sept. 23: CLC Clay Shoot, Capital City Clays, 8707 Lindell Ln., 8am-5pm.$650 Team of 4. For more info, email Toni Os berry at 512-994-4401 or email tonio@ agcaustin.org
HBA Home Builders Association Sept. 22: 2022 Fall Fest. For more info, contact Erin Scott at 512-982-9187 or email erin@hbaaustin.com
el. While I have always enjoyed the AEC community, I like most seeing projects come to life and the complex problem-solving it entails. I enjoy leading a great team and watching them continue to grow and service the Austin market on a high level.”
Sept. 13: Monthly Lunch Meeting. For more info, email Wendy Lambert at wendy@ctsaonline.org or go to www. ctsaonline.org
Gensler is pleased to announce the promotion of Faisal Naveed, and the addition of Elena Cutshall to the Gensler family. Faisal Naveed, who is celebrating 22 years with the firm, has been promoted to Co-Director of the Workplace Interiors. Before joining the Austin office in 2015, Naveed started in the DC and Detroit of fices. In his new role, Naveed will oversee operations and business development, as well as provide mentorship and talent development for the studio. -cmw Elena Cutshall joins Gensler as Co-Direc tor of the Workplace Interiors studio. Her project experience includes workplace design for firms,headquarters,corporatelawandtechnology companies such as Meta, as well as multifamily work. In her new role, Cutshall will manage day-today operations, support business devel opment, and provide mentorship & tal ent development. -cmw
I-LinCP Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects
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“Our leadership in general, includ ing myself, are all folks who have grown in this industry through the field and front-line operations. We tru ly value this experience and believe it is what separates us from our compet itors. This experience allows us to be proactive in problem-solving and pro vide honest expectations.”
Now the project executive of Met ropolitan Contracting, he is the market lead for METRO’s Austin expansion. “My job has been putting together the team of amazing professionals we have to service our clients at the highest lev
TXAPA Texas Asphalt AssociationPavement Sept. 15: TXAPA Live! Fundamentals of Asphalt Pavement Design Using the PaveXpress System. Sept. 20-23: TXAPA 47th Annual Meet ing, La Cantera Resort & Spa, 16641 La Cantera Pkwy. For more info, Beck Schaeffer at 512-312-2099 or email bschaeffer@texasasphalt.org
RCAT Roofing Contractors Association of Texas Sept. 27-29: 47th Annual Conference & Tradeshow, Fort Worth Convention Cen ter & Omni Hotel, 1201 Houston St. For more info, go to www.rcat.net or call 800-997-6631 or 512-251-7690
Haas interacts with her counterparts in other areas of operation. “There are probably eight regionals within our com pany, and we all share ideas and talk about what works and what needs to be tweaked,” she said. “We have a lot of con versation back and forth.”
I think Déjà Vu with Denzel Washington is my favorite because of the time traveling and going back and forth and what different outcomes you get with different choices. Heather Haas, Arizona Tile With a five-year-old child, I only watch animated-type movies. I really love Coco It’s been a special movie for me and my daughter. It just reminds us of what came before us and the connections we have to our past, and the sacrifices that people have made that we may never be privy to, to get where we are today.
Austin Butts, Red Wing Aerials The one I’ve probably watched the most is the whole Raiders of the Lost Ark series. The action, the history, even though the history isn’t accurate, it’s the historical context of it. Taking history and changing it a little, making it very exciting on top of all the non-stop action. It’s just fun and excitement all in one.
continued from Page 1 — Arizona Tile what our products can be used for, whether it’s exterior patios with our an ti-slip finish or decorative products in a luxurious bathroom. We just have to get out there and do presentations…and show them the products that we have to fit their business model.”
Rick Vavro, Austin Underground
Haas knows who her customers are. “We are speaking to flooring contractors, countertop fabricators, designers, archi tects [and] remodelers.”
After a nationwide search, The Na tional Academy of Construction (NAC) has selected its next presi dent and CEO. Edd Gibson will assume his new role beginning Jan. 1, 2023, as Wayne Crew steps down. Crew had been serving as NAC’s president and CEO since 2015. “Edd is an excellent choice to lead the Academy,” says Milo Riverso, NAC First Vice Chair and Search Committee Chair. “He has been involved in practically every activity undertaken since he was elected and has been a proven leader in all.” The National Academy of construc tion was developed to recognize the cap tains of the construction industry – the people who have contributed heavily to it, and to share the knowledge of those captains of industry, making them avail able to the government of the nation. The search to fill the vacancy that would be left by Crew started last sum mer. Gibson was the only internal candi date and a member of NAC. After going through the interviewing process, Gibson was short-listed and later selected to fill the position.“Thecommittee was unanimous in its selection guide which is very well re spected by all the members of NAC,” adds Riverso. He’s contributed heavily with his time and know how to further NAC along the way, so I think he’s highly respected. Gibson earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a PhD, both from Auburn University. He also holds an MBA in engineering management from the University of Dallas. He spent four years in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, four years at Texas Instruments, and one year at North Carolina State University. He has held chair positions at The University of Texas at Austin, The University of Ala bama, and Arizona State University, is a prolific author, and has supervised over 100 master and doctoral students. He served as a Fulbright Fellow in Norway and as a Visiting Academic Fellow at Cam bridge University. He is the recipient of numerous research, teaching, and service awards. In 2016, he was awarded the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Peurifoy Award for Outstanding Research. He served as president of the Architectural Engineering Institute of ASCE and is now an ASCE Distinguished Member.Gibson becomes the third leader for NAC in its 23-year history. Richard L. Tuck er served as the original general secre tary, as the position was called in its founding, from 1999-2015. Crew will re tire at the end of 2022. Current chair of the Academy, Maggi Walker states, “Edd adds to the legacy of strong leadership at NAC. His collabora tive, inclusive, and engaging approach fits perfectly with the NAC mission of rec ognition, honor, and service. ”-cmw Edd Gibson continued from Page 1 — Rhino Roofers the community, and building the right team of people dedicated to helping our customers.” With all the right pieces of the puzzle coming together, one short year later, Rhino Roofers’ team is 50-plus employees strong. “The experience from David and Misti who’ve been in the in dustry is a key component. Misti ran roof ing companies here in San Antonio and has 20 years of experience. David, too, as a supporting representative for Owens Corning and all of South Texas knew the shingle side, the manufacturer side very well. That gave us the knowledge and ability to know all inspectors and the best crews to do the installation in San Antonio. We were able to build a team of people very quickly.” With over 130-plus combined years of experience, the team at Rhino Roofers knows the ins and outs of roofing from small repairs to large roof replacements. Determined to be a game changer in the roofing industry, Rhino Roofers wants to take the stress and confusion out of resi dential roof replacements. “We don’t want to fail when it comes to communi cation, follow-through, customer educa tion, cleanliness, and of course, quality of work,” adds LaRue. Rhino Roofers specializes in every thing roofing – residential, commercial, asphalt shingle roofing, metal roofing, clay tile roofing, and the unexpected, storm damage. Residentially, they per form roof installation, replacement, and inspections. Commercially, Rhino is ex perienced in the application of spray foam roofing, commercial roof repair, commercial roof replacement, commer cial roof maintenance, modified bitumen roofing, TPO roofing, PVC roofing, coat ings, multi-family roofs, HOA-approved roofs, assisted living center roofs, and church roofs. They are Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Certified and Malar key Emerald Pro Certified contractors. This new location will serve a 50mile radius around Round Rock. Rhino’s San Antonio location has a 60-mile ser vice radius of the Alamo City. Rhino Roofers is a full-service roofing company headquartered in San Antonio. -cmw
I like 300, it gets me motivated.
The COVID situation didn’t faze Ari zona Tile at all. “We never had a day that we were closed,” she said. “Our sales number didn’t slow down,” as people who were suddenly working from home decided they need to upgrade their workspace, not to mention they looked around and decided it was time for a face lift.
I would have to say The Matrix and Fast & Furious. Both, I don’t know which one. Fast & Furious because I’m a fan of cars. I like fast cars. The Matrix I can watch over and over because it’s not reality. Both are my favorites — one for my heart and one for my head. Jean-Philippe Gagnon, CleanCo Construction Secondhand Lions It’s a nice portrayal of bringing together a nephew and two un cles who end up raising the nephew. It’s just a warm story. It has a little bit of fan tasy to it, but it’s real. They end of teach ing him a lot of life lessons. Barry Wurzel, Wurzel Builders I’ve got to go with Napoleon Dynamite It’s just the right amount of stupid with the right amount of funny. A lot of peo ple think it’s the stupidest movie they’ve ever seen. Then there’s the people that think it’s the funniest movie they’ve ever seen. And I just think it’s so funny. Jacob LaRue, Rhino Roofers Dumb & Dumber. It doesn’t matter how many times I watch it. It never gets old and is just as funny every time. So many great quotable lines in that movie. Michael Engen, Engen Contracting Inc. Pride & prejudice. It portrays a strong woman standing up for what she believes in even though she receives ridicule for it. Yet she also has compassion and cares deeply for others. It reminds me of me in some ways and other women in con struction that must work hard to be seen and heard, and still be a wife and parent. Tara Gray-Hyzak, Harvey-Cleary Builders Flying a drone
continued from Page 1 — Red Wing Aerials
Haas is very aware of her being in a business where trends or style can change over time. “We’re always looking for the next big product or the next big innovative look,” she said. “It’s a constant process because it takes a long time to get with a factory to make a certain look and then be sure that the color and the texture is tweaked properly. Then we have to produce it to sell so that we kind of stay ahead of the game. As far as de sign goes, we’ve never stopped design ing the next popular phase.” Today’s technology is a plus. “A digi tal print technology can get much more rich, natural looking items in a porcelain that looks like a natural stone or marble,” HaasArizonasaid. Tile has a wide range of both natural and manmade items. “We have a huge inventory of manmade quartz and just natural stone, whether it’s marble, granite, limestone, quartzite. But I would say that right now the manmade quartz is the most popular countertop material,” she said.The future looks bright. “We’re going to find ways to incorporate the technolo gy and make it look seamless in a kitchen or bathroom,” she said. “It’s going to be really fun and interesting.” Haas covers a big area, but she and Arizona Tile have you covered. Arizona Tile is a tile and slab distributor, with its Texas hub located in Austin. -dsz
There can be several factors motivat ing a company to use aerial photography on its construction project. One could be to show investors the progress being made. Another reason could be to docu ment the work which can hold everyone accountable to do that which is expected in the time expected. Butts uses his drone to also do what he calls “speculative work,” i.e., pre-con struction site surveying. “I just went over to San Marcus,” he said, “and there’s just a random field, out in the middle of the country. I just pulled out my drone and got pictures of it” for the person who was making the inquiries. The FAA rules for both planes and drones are so specific that companies don’t use in-house folks to send up their privately owned drones in order to cap ture pictures of their work. One has to be a licensed by the FAA to use a drone for commercial purposes. “With the license comes a whole slew of rules,” Butts said. “If you break even one of them and the FAA finds out they can tack on $1,000 with a Redpenalty.”WingAerials recently opened a branch in Dallas, employing a total of four pilots. Their market is essential, the entire state of Texas, with forays into Oklahoma and Arkansas. With Mr. Butts being the owner of the company and its primary photographer, Mrs. Butts keeps the whole ship afloat (plane aloft?) as the office manager. “She coordinates every aspect of the business from the pricing [to the] scheduling. She responds to customers and answers the phone,” Butts said of Mom Kari “Customers all rave about our work,” he said. “We have great reviews.” Butts is currently working on getting his student pilot license so one day he can fly the planes as well as the drones. Since there doesn’t seem to be any end of construction in Texas, it’s a good thing the younger Butts is following in his father’s wingsteps. Red Wing Aerials offers a wide variety of aerial photography services, with its principal office in San Antonio. - dsz
Michael Melton, Power Haus Equipment
New leadership
I’m going to have to go with Zootopia. I can literally watch that movie every day. It’s about a rabbit who wants to become a police officer.
Christina Cummings, All Area Overhead Door I would probably say The Grand Budapest Hotel by director Wes Anderson because of the stunning cinematography and the color palette that he used. Very special, very cool. You should definitely check it out.
What is your favorite “all-time” movie and why?
Jacques Williams, Atlas Design and Development
Page 14 Austin Construction News •SEP 2022
Samantha Glasscock, Texas Fifth Wall Roofing Marci Kincheloe, Tex-Mix Concrete On Aug. 10, Associated General Contractors (AGC) hosted a “speed dating” style event at Top Golf. As AGC Director of Member Ser vices, Toni Osberry, kept time, registered booth sponsors greeted the 175 attend ees as they rotated out of each bay every 10 minutes. The event proved to be a per fect success for all in attendance. -cmw L-R: Amanda Stillman, Alterman; Toni Osberry and Joseph Leon, Sunstate Trench Safety visit between rotations
President’s choice
Austin Construction News •SEP 2022 Page 15
Time to rotate…
Bri Longoria, EquipmentShare Celina Gonzales, Morrison Supply Company | Reece
In lieu of their regular chapter dinner meeting, the National Association of Women In Construction (NAWIC) cele brated “President’s Choice Night” on Aug. 3. As the last hurrah for the outgoing president, Misti Shafer, Compliance Re sources Inc., opted for a fun night at Top Golf where the ladies of the industry, sharpened their golf skills while having a ton of fun. -cmw
Seeing incredible growth in the Cen tral Texas area, enrollment is on the rise at Jarrell High School which has allowed the Cougars to move up from Class 2A to 4A competition in just seven years. Hellas Construction is also on the rise seeing incredible growth in the turf, track, and tennis court manufacturing business.Hellas, which is based in Cedar Park, TX, installed a Major Play® Matrix® turf system at Jarrell High School in 2022. Hel las employs specially trained crews, who operate company-owned heavy equip ment. Hellas is the only sports surfacing contractor that offers the full scope of ca pabilities to complete the project from start to finish as a one-stop-shop compa ny. Following the removal and replace ment of dirt, Hellas used lime stabiliza tion to prepare the subgrade for con struction. Drainstone was placed on a 30-mil liner followed by the actual Major Play turf installed by Hellas. Major Play Matrix turf is produced at Hellas’ Fibers plant in Dadeville, AL, and tufted in the Hellas Textiles plant in Chatsworth, GA. The monofilament fi bers are exceptionally strong and de signed to bounce back after use while preventing splash-out of the RealFill® in fill.
Jarrell ISD Athletic Director Marty Murr says, “It’s even better than we imag ined. It’s just a beautiful facility. The com munity will love it and we are very excited about it.” In addition to the synthetic turf, Hellas also installed bullpens, R-Panel walls along the outfield fence areas, and netting at Jarrell High School. “Hellas has done a really good job of addressing our concerns when we had questions,” says Jarrell ISD Director of Operations & Construction James Lar remor e. “Aesthetically, we couldn’t be happier.”JarrellHigh School is a return customer for Hellas, who installed a Matrix synthet ic turf football field for the Cougars in 2015. Hellas Construction builds sports com plexes, fields, and stadiums. -cmw
Aerial view of Jarrell High School’s baseball and softball diamonds
Page 16 Austin Construction News •SEP 2022
HellasCedarConstructionPark,TX
Bi-directional amplifier installation
The Austin Metropolitan area has be come a hub for many businesses and facilities. Koetter Fire Protec tion of Austin LLC (KFPA) has worked or is currently working, with many of these locations with its 20-plus years of experi ence in the fire protection industry. KFPA has completed numerous com mercial projects and jobs that involve de signs, installations, modifications, retro fits, inspections, maintenance, monitor ing, repairs, testing, and many more ser vices that can be customized on a needbased basis. As a certified installer of and trusted partner to many vendors and manufacturers, KFPA prides itself on the quality of work and products its facto ry-trained employees deliver to all cus tomers.Throughout its decades in the indus try, KFPA has built and maintained longterm relationships with these countless clients. “We want to be there for our cus tomers from start to finish,” said Jason Ferguson, Managing Partner of Koetter Fire Protection of Austin LLC, when asked about the Austin area’s growth, “But, there’s really no end to fire protection. This industry is constantly evolving and improving, and we want our customers’ systems to always be up to date because their safety is our top priority.” One such change is the increased de mand for Emergency Responder Radio Coverage systems (ERRCs) in Travis Coun ty. Large-scale buildings benefit greatly from ERRCs where radio frequencies can be dampened by size and structure, al lowing emergency responders to com municate effectively and work efficiently. Most buildings meet at least one of many conditions that require the installation of ERRCs. KFPA has many technicians that are certified to survey these areas and help determine what steps need to be taken.A recent installation required an Ad dressable Enterprise Fiber DAS, a type of Bi-Directional Amplifier (BDA), which is specifically designed for 700 MHz and 800 MHz LMR and public safety applica tions. The software is programmable and suitable for high congested RG environ ments with a centralized point of access. There are many more features to ERRCs that benefit both the building and its oc cupants. Located in Pflugerville, TX, Koetter Fire Protection of Austin LLC, and its affiliates are committed to serving Texas by deliver ing high-quality fire protection, detection, and prevention solutions. -cmw
Jarrell High School softball & baseball fields
Bi-directional amplifier battery Addressable Enterprise Fiber install Koetter Fire Protection of Austin LLCAustin,(KFPA)TX
both directly and indirectly with cities, de velopers, businesses, landscape architects, HOAs, and other contractors.
Walker Park pedestrian bridge
Rotary Park
Alamo Crane Service recently partic ipated in the erection of a steel structure pedestrian bridge for Walker Park in Austin, Texas. Alamo Crane helped lift the bridge span into place us ing a Liebherr LTM 1500 mobile 600-ton crane to accommodate the weight, reach, and height of the lift. Alamo Crane is hon ored to participate in community projects that inspire more of our fellow Texans to get out and enjoy our beautiful city of Aus tin
Alamo Crane Service Incorporated started as a need for Marvin and Marge Ohlenbusch’s refrigeration company in 1979. As word spread in the air condition ing and refrigeration contractor commu nity, the Ohlenbusches saw a niche market that they could Forty-threegrow.years later, Alamo Crane has yards on the outskirts of San Antonio and Austin, TX. There are over one hun dred pieces of mobile equipment that range from boom trucks (15-ton) up to some of the industry’s largest mobile cranes (600-ton) and all the supporting heavy haul equipment and super heavy haul Alamovehicles.Crane Service has performed lifts for high volume air conditioning (HVAC) companies, structural steel erec tors, concrete tilt wall erectors, water tow er construction, bridge spans for highway contractors, industrial plant construction/ maintenance, electrical utility contractors, cellular tower service companies, oilfield service companies, wind turbine construc tors, and some unique custom lifts. All have been within the borders of the great state of AlamoTexas.Crane Service’s affiliate com pany, Alamo Specialized Trucking Incor porated, is the heavy hauling operation that supports the crane business using 24ft gooseneck trailers up to 120-ton lowboy rear steer trailers. The larger cranes sometimes require hauling of counter weights, luffer systems, and super lift ca pabilities to and from job sites. Alamo Spe cialized Trucking also performs custom hauling for customers that also range from light to super heavy hauls. The super heavy hauls usually require special permit ting and routing. We have the capability to haul up to 240,000 lbs. Over its 43 years in business, Alamo Crane and Alamo Specialized Trucking have provided crane and/or trucking for thousands of customers. “We are thankful for those relationships,” says Marvin. “We consider our long-term customers a part of our core family. Alamo Crane Service and Alamo Specialized Trucking can pick up, haul, and put down anything that you can imagine. We love to help solve prob lems. Call us! We would love to earn your business. Questions regarding crane avail ability can be answered at (512) 282-6866, or Marvin@alamocrane.com. To learn more about Alamo Crane’s capabilities go to our website – www.alamocrane.com.” Alamo Crane Service specializes in pro viding safe, professional, efficient crane rent als. -cmw Alamo Crane used a Liebherr LTM 1500 mobile 600 Ton crane to accommodate to lift the bridge span into place.
Southwest Monument & Sign (SWM) Cedar Park, TX
Located in Cedar Park, the majority of SWM’s work can be seen throughout Cen tral Texas, especially in the Austin and San Antonio areas. However, they have work throughout the state such as the signage at the recently rededicated Rotary Park in Ennis, Texas – south of Dallas. The park im provements were a multi-year project done in phases led by the City of Ennis. With only renderings in hand, SWM was able to turn the city’s vision into reality. “Southwest Monument & Sign was great to work with,” said Ennis Parks & Rec Director, Paul Liska. “We had a vision, and they took that vision and turned it into a reality better than we ever imagined.”
Since 1985, Southwest Monument & Sign (SWM) has maintained the prin ciples of quality, hard work, integrity, and attention to detail. Founder Domeni co Fazzone formed SWM as a sister com pany to Fazzone Construction during the 1980s construction crash. Knowing he needed to find a way to utilize existing skills and assets, he turned to his knowl edge of natural stone as the answer. Gran ite headstones were the initial focus but quickly expanded to include large memo rials and boulder signs. Today, signage of all kinds including masonry, boulder, Corten steel, and cabi net signs, along with large specialty me morials are the company’s focus working
The main sign is constructed of three sandstone boulders which SWM hand se lected and worked to retrofit and mortar together to become one large double-sid ed sign – 8ft high, 14ft wide. Black pin-let ter signage, smaller stones around the base, and up lighting were all added to finish out the sign. Given the splash pad was one of the major upgrades to the park, a matching 6.5ft high by 5ft wide boulder was added near the pad with a rules plague, sandblasted city logo, and matching park signage. SWM is led by Joe Fazzone, Presi dent; Sarah Honza, Business Manager; Dwight Toth, Operation Manager; and Windy Smith, Design & Administrative Specialist.Honza spoke about the project say ing, “Although our team can make it look easy, dealing with stones of this size is ex tremely difficult and even dangerous. De sign elements must merge with structure and functionality. Luckily, we have two of the best in the business at that in Dwight and Windy. A turnkey project like this one that includes several aspects such as de sign, fabrication, and install really high lights our abilities as a company.” Southwest Monument & Sign is a full-service commercial sign contractor with a specialty in natural stones. -cmw Rotary Park splash pad rules sign
Austin Construction News •SEP 2022 Page 17
Rotary Park main entrance
Alamo Crane Service IncorporatedAustin,TX
Page 18 Austin Construction News •SEP 2022 JOB SIGHTS
Kicking for charity
Members and guests of Associated General Contractors’ (AGC) Con struction Leadership Council (CLC) took to the field on Aug. 19 for its CLC Charity Kickball Tournament. The event was held at Krieg Field where eight teams competed. The event was held to raise money for local charities. -cmw
1st Place winners, Opifex LLC, donated $3,500 to Any Baby Can Team Chamberlin Kickball tournament in play Cubic Concrete team members at block 71 in Austin. -cmw
Radiant Plumbing L-R: HVAC Installer Arturo Vences and HVAC Lead Installer Rene Aguilar, install a new HVAC system at a residence in Liberty Hill. Photo courtesy of Odalis Suarez. -cmw
Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing team L-R: Eduin Salinas David Rodriguez Jesus Chavez , Yoni Villaltoro, and Jorge Jimenez remove wall panels and Zs to reinstall waterproofing and install metal roof coping at the Zach Theater. -cmw Ner Medina, 3G Drywall LLC , builds and installs jambs at the UT Austin State Hospital project. -cmw
McCoy’s first toy
The friendliest catch
Spotlight Bob Stasswender, Owner of Stasswender’s Southwest, began working full- time at the company in 1970.
The crew at Beckett Electrical Services heading to K1 Speed in Austin for a 3-hour team building event
Owner Robert L. Case faces the Texas sun without flinching as he stands outside his location in Kyle, Rock Solid USA, which specializes in decorative concrete. –mp
Fully equipped
Allied Electric Services Inc. recently sent its foremen on the 2012 Foreman Appreciation Fishing Trip in Port Aransas.
Austin Construction News •SEP 2022 Page 19 Remember When —10 Years Ago — September 2012
A master’s lesson
David Patton, Main Street Rental, says he has added more equipment in the yard over the years.
Super-Krete founder, John Holwitz, shows a crowd how to use Super-Krete’s decorative concrete products (Kyle).
New kids on the block
Mixing team building with horsepower
Like a Rock . . . Solid
McCoy’s Building Supply marketing and advertising manager Tim Rogers shows off the first Towmotor forklift purchased by founder Emmett McCoy in 1953, which now resides in the lobby at the corporate headquarters in San Marcos. –mp
Vicki Smith, the new manager of Longhorn Stucco Masonry, is new to the team, but not as new as warehouse associate John Villanuevas; this was his first day on the job. –mp
Page 20 Austin Construction News •SEP 2022
