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CONSTRUCTION NEWS
TAll the Way to the Top
he San Antonio SpawGlass team celebrated a major milestone at the Judson ISD Cibolo Creek Middle School project with a topping out ceremony! The team welcomed representatives from the school district to join in the ceremony and celebration, which marks the placement of the new structure’s final beam. SpawGlass is excited to see this state-of-the-art facility take shape and can’t wait to see the positive impact the new school will have on JISD students, faculty and the community. Stay tuned for more updates as they move closer to the finish line!
Child Advocates San Antonio (CASA) was recently voted Best Non Profit to Work/ Volunteer in San Antonio! CASA is a life changing organization, whose mission is to recruit, develop, and lead highly impactful court appointed volunteer Advocates who provide consistency and support for children and youth who have experienced abuse and neglect. CASA also celebrates another milestone in 2024- 40 years of serving the children of Bexar County! Their volunteers donate thousands of hours of their time and drive thousands of miles to help children have a voice. Advocates speak up for children in court, connect them to the resources they need to succeed, and are a constant presence in the children’s lives.
Their powerhouse team of employees keep the mission alive and the operation running, and they love what they do. Their dedication to all of the essential internal work has direct results for Volunteer Advocates, who experience staff members who truly care about them as people, and an agency that is centered around the best interests of children in foster care.
VP of Mission Advancement, Blair Ortmann, says they were blown away when they heard about the nomination, and so honored when they found out that they had won. This win came on the heels of some changes over the past three and a half years. In February 2021 CASA’s new CEO, Angela White, came on board. Within the first year her goal was to get the agency moving forward to be more effective. She achieved this by implementing an Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to systemize what was happening within the agency, such as streamlining
Mi CASA es su CASA
meeting times from top to bottom, set days a week, so everyone knows what to expect and can communicate effectively.
At the same time, their wonderful, dedicated Board of Directors decided to reexamine the CASA mission and values. These remain the same at the core, but after 40 years, it was important to make sure that they were on track, and really define what their values meant, and what actions represent those values for the agency. Blair says, “It’s really brought us all onto the same page when it comes to the behaviors that model those values. When you think about living your values, it really comes down to, how do you show up every day? For us at CASA, the expectations are defined clearly and our CEO and Leadership Team strive to be a good example of them.”
Volunteerism in the US suffered a major hit during the last few years due to Covid, dropping 67% in 2021. This has presented a unique challenge for CASA in training new Court Appointed Special Advocates. This is not your average volunteer experience- it requires training, and a yearlong commitment. However, as many current and former volunteers will tell you, you get so much more out of it than your typical volunteer experience. Knowing that you have been a voice, and made a difference in the life of a child in a difficult situation is priceless.
Construction News is proud to support CASA and the foster children they serve by being part of Construct a Kid’s Christmas. Construction News Founder Buddy Doebbler and then chairman of the Bexar County Child Welfare Board, Debra Nicholas, started the organization in 2000 with a toy drive with donations from many in the local construction industry. The next year, they continued the toy drive and held the first “Construct a Kid’s Christmas Gala”, which quickly became a beloved annual event. Since then, the San Antonio construction industry has come together through both the Christmas Gala and the Toy Drive to contribute more than $1,200,000 in cash and well over 33,000 toys to the Construct A Kid’s Christmas project. -ndw
ABC South Texas Chapter has Been Busy
Counsel Bob Kilgore, also of Gardner Law Firm. Foster provided insight into succession planning and increasing employee loyalty while Kilgore lent insight into compliance with proper wage requirements, project labor agreements and how high dollar projects invite union scrutiny.
ABC South Texas recent networking event “Refine and Unwind “boasted two great cocktail offerings of wine from Daniel Lane Vineyard and bourbon from Chapline Distillery. Members enjoyed supporting two local businesses, one of which is owned by veteran Mike Chapline, a retired Navy submariner.
Members of ABC South Texas, who hold senior level leadership positions, completed an executive coaching program with Ted Turner, one of Intelligent Leadership Executive Coaches. This group looks forward to implementing what they have learned and making their companies and teams even better. Congratulations to the 2024 Graduates!
The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) South Texas Chapter hosted its quarterly Happy Hour Mixer Jul. 17 at The General Public. With over 50 people in attendance this was a great opportunity to visit with current members and share the value with prospective members as well.
2024 CONSTRUCT A KID’S CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE
It is that time of year again! YOU can make sure each child in foster care experiences the “Magic of Christmas” and receives a gift at Christmas WE NEED YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!
Holiday Hard Hat Hero - $5,000
Exclusive Decorated Hard Hat in Case & Story
Lunch for 10 at your office
Photo in Construction News
Plaque
Marketing on all social media and raffle tickets for the Raffle Extravaganza
Christmas Crusader - $2,000
Acknowledgement in Construction News
Plaque
Marketing on all social media and raffle tickets for the Raffle Extravaganza
9:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. NEW LOCATION: IN THE PARKING LOT OF BURLINGTON COAT FACTORY ON HWY 281 NEAR BITTERS TOY DRIVE SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE AT www.cakc-sa.org
Angelic Advocate - $3,000
Lunch for 10 at your office
Photo in Construction News
Plaque
Marketing on all social media and raffle tickets for the Raffle Extravaganza
Cheerful Champion - $1,000
Acknowledgement in Construction News
Plaque
Marketing on all social media and raffle tickets for the Raffle Extravaganza
SAVE THE DATE: CONSTRUCT A KID’S CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6TH
It seems just like yesterday the San Antonio construction industry found out there was a huge need to help foster children in our area at Christmas. It was November 2000 when the Chairman of the Bexar Country Child Welfare Board, Debra Nicholas, came to the offices of San Antonio Construction News.
The message was simple - “Most of these kids are not going to get presents at Christmas.” The question was, “Do you think the construction industry could help?”
A meeting was quickly scheduled with industry leaders, and the consensus at that meeting was a resounding HECK YES, the construction industry could help!
Days later, the first toy drive was held December 15, 2000 and the event was named Construct A Kids Christmas. Although there was limited time to execute the event, the heart of the San Antonio Construction industry came out in full force. As always, show them a worthy cause and they will make it happen.
Construct A Kids Christmas “Magic of Christmas” Toy Drive 2024
The following year in 2001, the first Construct A Kid’s Christmas Gala was held in conjunction with the Toy Drive. This event was held the day before the Toy Drive and added another huge opportunity to raise funds and gather gifts for this worthy cause. The Gala has been a huge success for the past 23 years and a ton of fun each year.
However, with prices of catering, venue, casino games and entertainment all skyrocketing, much of the funds raised at the event were going toward covering expenses rather than back to the kids. Therefore, this year our board members and volunteers decided to put the Gala on hold and focus our attention to bringing back “The Magic of Christmas” by making the annual Toy Drive the biggest and best ever. This change allows all funds raised to be used for the children and focusing on our original core purpose… ensuring each child in the foster care system receives a gift at Christmas and to help improve the lives of all abused and neglected children in Bexar County and the surrounding areas. Construct A Kid’s
Christmas has been able to contribute donations to CASA San Antonio, CASA South Texas and Bexar County Child Welfare Board from the proceeds of the live auction and raffles. But with increased costs, those donations would have been seriously impacted.
But don’t think the fun is gone this year! Our board of directors and volunteers put on their elf hats and came up with a plan to super-size the Toy Drive and make it a huge event for our Industry. The goal for this year’s Toy Drive is supporting the same great cause with less expenses, collecting more toys than ever, and continuing to support those organizations that provide critical services to children in foster care.
Construct A Kid’s Christmas is a 501(c)3 and, with the generosity of the construction industry, has donated over $1,250,000 in cash and more than 36,500 toys and gifts to area foster children. But with more children than ever in the foster system, we need your continued support to reach the goal to collect 5,000 toys and raise $100,000 for the kids this year. Sponsorships and raffle
tickets are available at www.cakc-sa.org and you can bring your toys to the Toy Drive on December 6 and/or reach out to your participating construction association to coordinate a toy collection box for your office!
For the last 24 years, the toy drive has taken place on the 1st Friday of December, this year that date is Friday, December 6. We have a new location to accommodate the super-sized Toy Drive. It will be held at the parking lot of Burlington Coat Factory at Hwy 281-S just South of Bitters Road. All of the usual elves will be on site to collect toy donations and celebrate your generosity. Raffle ticket winners will be pulled at the Toy Drive and check presentations will be made to our supported agencies. Let’s continue to show the huge heart of the San Antonio Construction Industry. Construct A Kid’s Christmas Board
Buddy Doebbler, President
buddy@2doebblers.com
Sandee Morgan, Vice President sandee@mca-smacna.org
Jennifer Swinney, Treasurer jennifer@asasanantonio.org
Summer Conference Appreciate the Journey
The 2024 Mechanical Contractors Association of Texas (MCA) 64th Annual Conference and Product Show was held Wednesday, Jul. 24-29 at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort. Approximately 670 contractors and vendors attended the fourday event which included a session with MCAA President Rick Gopffarth and United Association General President Mark McManus, Project Service Managers Series, Products Show, Casino Night, Golf Tournament and concluded with a concert by Kyle Park. Southwest Pipe Trades 250+ attendees held their summer conference concurrent with the MCA Texas Conference and participated in several education sessions, casino night and the trade show. Outgoing MCA of Texas President John Anthony of Anthony Mechanical was presented a plaque by Glenn Rex, MCA of Texas.
During a recent foreman meeting Masters Electrical Services LTD. presented awards to 9 team members who have honored the company with their loyalty and commitment for 23-32 years! Masters was excited to reflect back on their individual journeys with Masters Electrical throughout the years.
An incorrect photo was published that was titled: Leading ASA 2024-2025 (print copy, page 4). Upon being informed of the error, the correct photos were replaced in our online publication. We apologize for any inconvenience this caused.
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San Antonio CONSTRUCTION NEWS
Thomas Noll - 32 Years of Service
Merit Brass
Johnie Riddle - 26 Years of Service
Nibco
Annette Weddle - VP & Owner/Controller25 Years of Service
Texas Air Products
Jamie Pawelek - Quality Control Supervisor24 Years of Service
John Anthony and Glenn Rex
Dewalt
Lonnie Harper - General Superintendent30 Years of Service
Milwaukee
Perry Winchester - General Superintendent25 Years of Service
Pepco
Mike Riley - Estimator - 24 Years of Service
Victaulic
Ruben Rodriguez Jr. - 24 Years of Service Viega
Industry FOLKS
Valerie Niver, Branch Manager
Texas First Rentals-Belton Jarrell, TX
Valerie Niver is the sole female Branch Manager at any Texas First Rentals location in the state of Texas. Her leadership role in the traditionally male-dominated heavy machinery sector defies the stereotypes often associated with people who work in the skilled trades.
At the Texas First Rentals location in Belton, Valerie manages a diverse team of 15 men, ranging in age from their early 20s to early 60s. Under her leadership, the stores she has managed have broken records for equipment on rent, with her current
branch doubling in size. This has not been without its challenges, but as she has learned more and more about this fast paced business, her confidence has grown exponentially. She is proud of her team and feels at home with Texas First Rentals.
After Valerie and her husband moved to the Austin area in the beginning of 2020, she applied to work at the Pflugerville Texas First Rentals location. With a background in sales, she applied as an inside sales representative. Upon hiring her, management decided that she would be better suited for the role of Service Writer. A few months into her time there, her work ethic had people taking notice, and her manager showed her all the ins and outs of the business. It wasn’t long before she was promoted to Operations Manager for that branch. In May of 2023 she was promoted to Branch Manager of the Belton location.
Valerie’s husband works for HOLT
CAT as a Field Service Supervisor. HOLT CAT and Texas First Rentals are both HOLT Group operating companies. Her appreciation of how her husband’s company was led, and the investments they made personally and professionally in their staff was what originally prompted her to apply for a position at Texas First Rentals.
When asked about what she loves most about her position now, Valerie says “I love the fact that I wake up in the morning and I know I’m going to work, but I have no idea what’s going to happen. It will literally shake out so many different ways throughout the course of the day. Equipment rental is a very fast paced business, and you have to be ready to react to what happens, quickly. I love that part of it because it’s challenging. I also really love the group of guys that I have here with me now, this branch is awesome. The people I work with are fantastic, I can’t say enough good things about them. They are dedicated to getting the job done. They are committed to taking care of our customers, that’s our number one thing, but also taking care of each other and working as a team. I couldn’t be prouder.”
When she’s not out in the yard moving machines around, towing equipment to job sites or working to help her team, Valerie enjoys the outdoors. She loves to go on hikes, and travel with her husband as much as possible. Together they have two dogs, a Labradoodle named Maggie and a Boston Terrier named Brody. Being a native of Buffalo, NY she appreciates the lack of snow in Texas. She also loves football and says, “I can’t wait for football season. Since I’m from Buffalo, I’m a huge Buffalo Bills fan. Everybody teases me mercilessly about it down here. I don’t care. That’s still my team.” -ndw
The Great Outdoors
Ken Milam’s Fishing Line
Since 1981, Ken Milam has been guiding fishing trips for striped bass on Lake Buchanan in the Texas Hill Country. You can hear Ken on the radio as follows:
The Great Outdoors:
5-8 am Saturday on 1300, The Zone, Austin and The Great Outdoors:
5-7 am Saturday on 1200 WOAI San Antonio
The Sunday Sportsman:
6-8 am Sunday on 1300, The Zone, Austin All on IHeart Radio
Eyes in the Sky
Have you spent any time playing with the amazing satellite images you have at your fingertips these days? I don’t just mean checking out how many swimming pools are behind the privacy fences in your neighborhood either. This technology is a sportsman’s dream. The best part is that you can zoom in to get quite a bit of detail. In one of the images of my place I can even make out how many of our black barn cats were lounging in the parking lot! Drones are fun too and they have their place, but to really study a place you need the satellite images.
Got a new deer lease this season? Load up the satellite images for those pastures. Zoom in close and you can see the features of the land and the locations of water that your game will be coming to. Look closer and you can see the way the contours of the landform natural funnels that the game travel through and even the very trails they use. Now you know where you want your feeders, and your deer stands to be located. Couple this with some good game cameras and you get a head start on really making the most of your lease. It used to take years of hunting to get this kind of familiarity with a place, and now you can do it with an evening at your computer.
Satellite imagery is even more of an advantage for fishermen. Pull up the images of your favorite lake, or the one you plan to visit next, until you find
RQuality Weekend
Quality Fence & Welding (QF) held their 28th Annual Quality Fence & Welding Fishing Tournament and Beach Party in Port Aransas, TX. The event was held the weekend of Aug. 23 and they kicked off the weekend with a BBQ cookout & cornhole tournament. The fishing tournament had six guided boats to accommodate 24 QF team members which included managers, PMs, superintendents, and several key skilled employees. Winners from both the fishing tournament and cornhole tournament won Bluetooth stereos.
the link that lets you also see the historic images for that area. I know that on Lake Buchanan they have several sets of images that go back for years. Some of the images show the lake full, others half empty and one even shows that lake during a flood. Older images might not have quite as good resolution as newer ones but studying them can give you great information on how the river channel travels through a body of water, what places keep water and where islands will come up. This and just the general picture of how a body of water is laid out should give you some good places to start fishing, even if you are visiting a lake for the first time.
There are two other very important sources of free information that every sportsman should have preferably on his phone, (no, don’t leave it at home…mute it, but have it in case you need it). Now days there is no reason for you to ever go out on the water without a last-minute check of weather forecast and a look at current radar. You just don’t have any excuse for putting yourself in harm’s way anymore, yet we see people do it all the time because they just don’t bother to check the weather first. The last valuable tool to have and learn to use are the maps and gps on your phone. Even if you are lost your phone probably can show you exactly where you are and how to get back to the boat ramp or deer camp.
Check it out and get on out there now and make the most of our great Texas outdoors this fall!
Get the Official App of Hunting, Fishing & Boating in Texas
ecently, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will launch an updated version of the official mobile app used by hunters and anglers across the state for harvest reporting, electronic onsite registration, digital license display, and more.
Formerly named My Texas Hunt Harvest, the mobile app will have an updated look and a new name, Texas Hunt & Fish, but will have all the same great features users are familiar with from the previous version of the app.
With the Texas Hunt & Fish mobile app hunters and anglers can satisfy mandatory reporting requirements for wild turkey, white-tailed deer and alligator gar harvest, as well as complete electronic on-site registration for most public hunting sites accessed when using the Annual Public
Hunt (APH) Permit. Fully digital license holders must use the Texas Hunt & Fish app to execute digital tags for deer, turkey, oversized red drum and spotted seatrout.
One of the newest features, launched during the 2023-24 hunting season, is the app’s ability to show Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) zones relative to the hunter’s location if they have the location services turned on.
A full list of features includes:
• Online and offline functionality –use the app regardless of data service once it has been installed and your account is connected
• Connect and display your hunting and fishing license (note that paper license holders must still carry physical tags when pursuing tagged species)
• Perform mandatory hunt harvest
reporting for wild turkey, white-tailed deer, and alligator gar
• Digitally tag harvested game and fish (requires purchase of an appropriate digital hunting and/or fishing license)
• Track and view your harvest history
• Perform electronic onsite registration (eOSR) for many public hunt areas
• Download maps of many public hunt areas for use with or without data service
• View CWD Zone boundaries and, with location service enabled, determine your position in relation to the nearest zone
• Reportar su cosecha en español o en inglés — report your harvest in English or Spanish
Users not wishing to use the app can
complete mandatory harvest reporting online.
Users that already have the old version of the app downloaded on their devices will need to update to the new version starting on Aug. 15 to get all the latest features and to ensure proper app functionality.
Get the free Texas Hunt & Fish app in Apple and Google Play stores (links to download also available at tpwd.texas. gov/huntandfish.
Ken Milam
Quality Fence & Welding team members in Port Aransas for the company’s 28th Annual Quality Fence & Welding Fishing Tournament and Beach Party
Kasen Schneider (Moore Plumbing Supply Conroe) took his dad, Stephen Schneider, (Dillard Associates Texas) fishing in Laguna Madre where they limited out on Speck’s and Drum’s and still made it back in time for lunch.
BLife’s Short, Hunt Big
ig Time Texas Hunts kicks off another season with 10 premium guided hunt packages representing some of the very best hunting opportunities in Texas, including a new chance to take an aoudad ram in the Trans-Pecos region.
In addition to the annual suite of offerings, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has added several new categories to the conservation fundraising drawing. New this year: the Trans-Pecos Aoudad Adventure, offering a challenging free-range hunt for a mature male ram in the Chihuahuan Desert in the fabled Texas Trans-Pecos region.
“In our 28th year, we are extremely excited to continue offering hunters an affordable chance at once-in-a-lifetime hunting opportunities and raising important wildlife conservation funding at the same time.” said Janis Johnson, TPWD’s marketing manager.
Also new this year, Jesse Griffiths, acclaimed wildgame chef, hunter and author of three hunting books, will join the Big Time Bird Hunt. Jesse will spice things up by leading the turkey hunt and giving a private cooking lesson to the winner. The Big Time Bird Hunt consists of three bird hunts in three locations. It will include two afternoons of dove hunting with three guests, a goose and duck hunt with three guests, and a three-to-five-day turkey hunt with one guest.
Some of the most popular hunts in this year’s drawing include the Texas Grand Slam, where one lucky winner will get four separate big game hunts: desert bighorn sheep, white-tailed deer, pronghorn and desert mule deer. Another
The Great Outdoors
popular hunt, the Exotic Safari, offers the winner and a guest a chance to hunt gemsbok and scimitar-horned oryx at Mason Mountain Wildlife Management Area. The Ultimate Mule Deer Hunt offers a three-to five-day hunt for mature mule deer in the Texas Panhandle.
Big Time Texas Hunt participants have helped raise more than $21.3 million over 27 years to fund wildlife research, habitat conservation and public hunting access. The 2023-24 hunting season raised more than $1.3 million and was the fourth year in a row with sales exceeding $1 million.
Conservation efforts funded by Big Time Texas Hunts include desert bighorn sheep restoration work in West Texas, thousands of acres of brush control work across the state for the benefit of species like mule deer, pronghorn and quail and multiple grassland restoration projects. Public hunting efforts include the funding of numerous public hunting leases and the purchase of hunting equipment such as ADA-accessible blinds for several Wildlife Management Areas.
“Revenue generated from the sale of BTTH entries cover the cost of next year’s hunts, provides funding for wildlife habitat work and improves the quality of public hunts across the state,” said Kevin Mote, TPWD’s private lands and public hunting program director.
Big Time Texas Hunts entries are available online for $9 each, at license retailers or by calling (800) 895-4248 for $10 each. The deadline to purchase entries is Oct. 15 and winners will be announced within two weeks.
TCatch Me If You Can
he fishing on Choke Canyon has been phenomenal. The summertime Crappie bite is in full effect. Crappie have been stacking up on brush piles and hardwoods near major creek and river channels. Most trips have been averaging limits 45 to 65 keeper crappie with a mess of small ones in the mix. We have been catching them on minnows and jigs with soft plastics anywhere from 10 to 18 foot of water.
The bass bite has been slower than usual for this time of year. Normally, I spend my summers fishing deep water in search of trophy sized bass. But this year, due to the low water conditions and the “mildly” cooler summer we have had, these bass have gone from deep to shallow and then back to deep again. But not so much in the sense of being on the bottom where you can drag a bait or grind a crank bait for
them type of deep. They have started to suspend out deep and roam while chasing shad. One can catch them shallow in isolated grass stretches with a top water or moving bait, like a buzz bait, chatter bait, or a fluke. The typical summertime pattern of dragging a C-rig or a Texas rig and grinding a crank bait will still work. It’s just not as effective as it usually is. To target the suspended bass effectively, an angler who is proficient with livescope might be able to put a nice 5 fish limit together.
The White Bass are still playing “catch me if you can” as they continue to be very nomadic and roam the humps on the main lake. Gorging themselves on shad as they meander through the depths. A 3/8 oz to 1/2 oz spoon is still the ticket this time of year. Jigged off the bottom with a sharp snap of the wrist.
Captain Clendon Taylor Casting & Catching Guide Service
Sponsored by:
As always, go early, stay late, and tight lines y’all.
Back to School
Collecting school supplies for local schools whose students might come up a little shy in their supply needs was the August goal for Construction Leadership Council (CLC) members on Aug. 1. CLC members met at McIntyre’s North Star for happy hour and an opportunity to donate needed school supplies for a worthy cause. Thank you to San Antonio ISD Foundation for accepting our donation & making sure all the students in need are taken care of.
Kaycee Govett, CLC Steering Council Member & SpawGlass Project Accountant and Mary Flannigan, Finance & Programs Manager for SAISD Foundation
JR RAMON Demolition Sets New Standard with Certified Demolition Supervisors
In a significant step toward enhancing safety and professionalism in the demolition industry, JR RAMON Demolition is proud to recognize two employees who successfully achieved the National Demolition Association’s Certified Demolition Supervisor (CDS) badge, demonstrating their commitment to safety, industry best practices, and environmental responsibility: Gillermo Zertuche, Project Mgr/Estimator, and Clayton Russell, Vice President.
Gillermo Zertuche, Project Manager/Estimator joined JR RAMON six years ago with a 10-year background in construction. He recognizes this certification as a building block to learn more and do more. He says, “Going through this program is the next step to help me broaden my knowledge and bring more value to our company and customers. With this experience, I can walk on a jobsite and confidently know I possess the knowledge and experience to address the situation.”
Clayton Russell, Vice President, joined JR RAMON nearly 7 years ago and views the certification program as a key opportunity to expand the company’s collective knowledge. “By increasing the number of Certified Demolition Supervisors on our team, we expand our capabilities and scope of work, and are able to assist with more projects,” Clayton
says. “In addition,” he explains “the certification is valuable to the industry as a whole by standardizing the knowledge required for specific positions within the demolition industry.”
“We are incredibly proud of our team members who have achieved the CDS certification, including the 3 employees recognized earlier this year” said Timothy Ramon, JR RAMON Demolition president. “This accomplishment underscores our company’s unwavering dedication to providing safe, responsible, and sustainable demolition services.” As the demolition industry continues to evolve, the demand for qualified professionals with the expertise to manage complex projects safely and responsibly will continue to increase. Timothy says, “By continuing to invest in the personal and professional development of our employees, JR RAMON Demolition is ensuring that we have the necessary talent to meet future challenges and provide exceptional service to our partners and customers. We are able to not only improve our own operations but also contribute to a safe and environmentally friendly demolition industry.”
To learn more about the NDA Certified Demolition Supervisor Certification Program, visit ramondemolition.com
Lawrence Di Filippo
The Venice Art Terrazzo Company
Lawrence Di Filippo is the Vice President of The Venice Art Terrazzo Company. Established in 1934 in San Antonio, this family company has entered their fourth generation, and their work can be found in many prominent Texas Landmarks.
Construction News: The Venice Art Terrazzo Company is only 10 years away from celebrating 100 years! That’s amazing. Can you Tell me about your family’s history and how the business came to be?
Lawrence Di Filippo: My grandfather, John Matthew Di Filippo, came from a little town in Italy called San Daniele. He was born there in July of 1894, and when he was 18, he came to America through Ellis Island by way of a French ocean liner. After New York, he ended up settling, initially, in Minnesota. He had already learned about carpentry and construction in Italy, and he found work in Minnesota with a marble company, (Venice Art Marble) that also did some terrazzo. In 1929 that company sent him down to San Antonio and he established a branch office of Venice Art Marble. In 1934 he bought enough shares to turn the branch into the Venice Art Terrazzo Company. So, we’ve been in San Antonio as Venice Art Terrazzo since 1934, and we’ve had this location at 200 Caldwell Street ever since. He was married to my grandmother, Rose, and they had five children. Three daughters and two sons, John Henry Di Filippo, was a fighter pilot in World War Two, and sadly, he was shot down in the Pacific. And then there was my father, Richard Victor Di Filippo, who went into business with my grandfather. He married my mother, Mary Jo Di Filippo, and they had five children just like his parents did. I have one sister, and the rest are brothers, and we all grew up working here at one time or another because it was a
family business. Richard Victor Jr, my oldest brother, and I chose to carry on the family business. I went to Texas A&M University and received a business degree to help with the business here, so we’re the third generation. My Mom, Mary, came to work here in the late 60’s, and then she and my father became partners with my grandfather. My mom is now the President. My father has passed away and so has my brother, Richard, so I’m currently running things alongside my mother. And then my son, Matthew Lawrence Di Filippo is here working with us now, so with Matthew it’s gone on to the fourth generation.
CN: Amazing, what a legacy. What is Terrazzo exactly?
LDF: Terrazzo is a mixture of crushed marble aggregate, mixed with fillers, cement and or epoxies. Once hardened, it’s ground and polished. At one time we also did tile work, but we’re focusing on terrazzo currently. Terrazzo is a durable flooring, and yet very beautiful, it is an elegant and timeless flooring versatile in color and design. It’s used in airports, courthouses, schools, hotels, and museums. But it’s also appropriate for homes and so today, especially, it seems popular for residential again, as well as the commercial and public venues.
CN: What is the process for installing Terrazzo?
LDF: It starts with preparing a structural slab by shot blasting or grinding the slab which could also include remedial repairs, such as filling up holes, leveling or other corrections. The actual terrazzo is a mixed material. So, we take marble aggregate, which has a variety of colors, (creams, whites, grays, tans, yellow, reds and greens etc) and create a formula or a mixture. A custom recipe is created for each of our customers. So, for example, we might put 50% white, 25% beige, and 25% gray or any number of combinations to create the mix they desire for the intended project. Then those dry marble aggregates are mixed according to the recipe on a slab, and then re-bagged. Then at the jobsite they’re mixed with either cement, and or with epoxy resin primarily used today. We use a two-part epoxy resin, which is made up of an A side and a B side, we mix them together, and add fillers and along with the filler we add the blended aggregate. Then the mix is placed in a mixer or small batches with a hand drill, and then poured out on the floor, shoveled out on the floor, and spread by hand with a trowel. So, the crew gets down there and spreads the mix out and flattens it. Once it hardens, we come back the next day with grinder machines that use diamonds to
cut and polish the poured mix. In the early days, they used carborundum stones, and in the very, very old days, it was spread out the same way, but then it was ground with handheld pumice stones.
CN: That’s fascinating. Sounds like very hard work. They are so beautiful in the end, truly works of art. How is the detail work done, like when you see a big design as a focal point in a Lobby or something?
LDF: The way we create designs often involves the use of metal divider strips to keep the colors separate. We put these dividers down in a pattern, often a square or a triangle or a diamond pattern, and then fill the divided areas with a custom mix that’s similar in consistency to pancake batter. Then it’s spread out with hand trowels, and you spread it into those designs, those patterns. And so, if you had a checkerboard, or you had a border and a field in the middle, you know, you could do the beige border around the outside and a white in the middle, or you could do a black and white checkerboard or any number of design combinations. On our website, you can see some examples of this in completed project pictures. One project (the Randolph Credit Union headquarters) involved a very intricate design. All those little intricate divisions of divider strips are bent and soldered onto a mesh, and then we fill each section with its designated color. The Randolph Credit Union emblem incorporated 50 different colors and was very detailed.
CN: It must be so amazing to see all the work your family has done over the years in such prominent spaces.
LDF: It is. One fun story I have is from the 80s. I was working on a job doing some restoration work at the State Capitol. There were additions being made,
renovations. I knew my grandfather did some work back there in the 40s and 50s. When we were there, one of the contractors was tearing up the base of a wall. And the metal divider strips I mentioned earlier? Those are manufactured for us and come shipped to us in a box that is stamped with ‘Venice Art Terrazzo’ on the lid. And so, during the remodeling we found some of our box lids, nailed on the wall, with Venice Art Terrazzo stamped on the back of the wood, from many years before. That was special, being the third generation that was restoring the capital, and we found a sort of a time capsule.
CN: So cool. Tell me more about your immediate family.
LDF: I met my wife, Sandra, at Texas A&M, she is a Physical therapist. We got married in 1985, so we are getting ready to Celebrate 40 years of marriage next year. We have three children. Our oldest is Matthew, our middle child is Rebecca, and our youngest is Andrew. They are all married, and they have children of their own now. By the end of the year, I’ll have 9 grandchildren. My daughter went to school to become a speech pathologist. Matthew went to Texas A&M and got a Construction Science degree and he’s working at Venice Art here with me now. And my younger son, Andrew, has worked here part time in the past but is a firefighter for Bexar County.
CN: When you aren’t working, what do you enjoy doing?
LDF: My wife and I both enjoy hiking, camping, kayaking, canoeing, outdoor things like that. And I, not so much her, enjoy going fishing and hunting. But we both like to go to the State parks and National parks. There’s a peak called the Guadalupe, the tallest peak in Texas, it is 8,751 feet above sea level. My wife and I climbed that a few years ago enjoying the hike with its spectacular view. I like going on backpacking trips and canoe trips, too. One trip I went from Dawson, Canada to Circle, Alaska. We traveled the Yukon River about 260 miles, canoeing with my son Matthew. And then a few years later, I went on a second trip along the Yukon River that was about 450 miles and this time we were canoeing from Whitehorse, Canada to Dawson. So, I got to do about seven or 800 miles of the Yukon River. Another special trip, this time, a climbing trip with both my sons. Together we climbed Mt.Rainer in Washington State. I love adventure.
Mary Di Filippo, Lawrence Di Filippo, Mathew Di Filippo
There’s a new light shining on the Texas coast. The Frazier Lighthouse, situated in the North Beach neighborhood of Corpus Christi is a part of a 24 million dollar project, which includes the Lighthouse Pointe apartments. “I’ve traveled all over the world. I see what life could be and we have that potential here, if people will just have a vision to do some of these things,” said Lynn Frazier of Frazier Companies, whom the lighthouse is named after. The project is a partnership between Frazier and Jeff Blackard of Blackard Global. The lighthouse will not serve any actual navigational purposes, but the light emitted from the top will be decorative and changed for holidays. Eventually, the hollow base of the lighthouse will serve as a private entertainment space for the restaurant
The Frazier Lighthouse
that’s set to be built next to it. Developers are considering adding an elevator in the future to enable people to tour the lighthouse. The only way to the top right now is a ladder.
The vision for this project was to create a beautiful landmark that would greet visitors to the area and serve as a focal point for the adjacent luxury apartments. The design inspiration was drawn from the aesthetic of a ‘rugged seaport village’. The Fraizer Lighthouse is made entirely of stone, and stands 142 feet tall, making it the tallest lighthouse in Texas. Its other claim to fame will be that it’s also the only one built of stone in the Western Hemisphere.
Imperial Products Supply played a pivotal role in the construction of this monumental project. As the trusted source for top-quality construction
supplies and materials, Imperial Products played a crucial part in bringing this monumental and historically significant project to life, providing 2,000 tons of stone. Using hydraulic scaffolding, a crew of around 40 men worked painstakingly to place each stone by hand, using rubble stone for its durability and to achieve the “rugged” look that the developers sought. Rubble stone, also referred to as rough stone, is a type of building material that consists of irregularly shaped and rough-hewn pieces of stone. The stone can be defined as the leftover product or scrap from quarrying and processing. This rough stone is made from a variety of different types of stones, including granite, limestone, sandstone, and slate, among others. The use of this type of stone dates back to medieval times when cathedral walls had ashlar as their outer
shell with inner backfilling of mortarless rubble and dirt. Imperial Products supplied the stone for the lighthouse and for the landscaped areas around the Lighthouse Pointe apartments, bringing the design together seamlessly.
The Fraizer Lighthouse may be new, but the beauty of the rugged stones that it’s made of give it an old-world feel. A cozy little chapel that sits by its side adds to the reverent beauty of this remarkable monument, and provides a perfect space for a gorgeous wedding venue. As both were built, Bible scriptures were embedded within the rocks, and a Bible was placed at the center of the base of the lighthouse. Designed by men of faith, and built to last- this stone lighthouse will be a beacon of light that shines out from North Beach for many, many years to come. -ndw
A 1957 Campus Welcomes Modern Additions and Renovations
Cotulla Independent School District (ISD), a South Texas district of nearly 1,200 students, recently began construction on renovations to the 1957 high school buildings. Designed by Pfluger Architects, the renovations and additions to the sprawling campus will work around existing buildings to integrate seamlessly into the site plan in two phases, bringing the total campus area to 137,000 square feet (12,300 square feet of renovations). The additions and renovations are to be completed in December 2026.
Cotulla High School’s disconnected campus buildings, with limited interior corridors and many outdoor access points, creates logistics challenges. Recognizing the urgent need for modernization and connecting the entire campus, Cotulla ISD sought a design solution that strikes the right balance between modern facilities and preserving the school’s tradition and charm. The community approved a $65 million bond in May 2022 to fund the additions and enhancements for the 400-student campus.
“The age of the existing buildings and a modest budget for modernization were some of our biggest challenges, but they tested our creativity to really give Cotulla a thoughtful design that resonates with the community. By applying Pfluger’s HealthySafe holistic approach to educational facilities planning, we were able to create a campus design that embraces openness and an inviting atmosphere, incorporating constant visual connections to the outdoors and discreet layers of security,” said Anthony Plascencia, Principal and Project Designer at Pfluger Architects. “For Cotulla High School, this means a thoughtful campus redesign to create a secure and supportive environment where students can learn and grow confidently while honoring the history and community that makes the school unique.”
To create a HealthySafe school, the architects looked at everything: the layout, the design of entrances, the use of technology and how people communicate. This layer-by-layer exploration of the campus establishes a healthy environment inside and out. Pfluger’s design reflects the district’s focus on student safety and wellbeing, with a layout that thoughtfully incorporates the existing buildings while promoting student interaction and awareness, fostering a sense of
community and belonging. Among the renovations and enhancements is an enclosed campus with a reimagined entry, establishing a clear and prominent entrance fitting within the context of Cotulla’s rich agricultural heritage. In addition to a second level covered outdoor balcony classroom, the layout promotes outdoor circulation while providing continuous internal circulation. Taking inspiration from the region’s cowboy iconography and ranching industries, Pfluger’s design incorporates a palette of textures, colors and materials that nod to livestock, rope, leather, iron and the weathering effects of the sun. The overall design encourages collaboration and flexibility, shaping an environment where students can flourish creatively and think critically, all in a space specifically adapted to meet their needs.
Faced with a challenge to create adaptable spaces that could serve multiple purposes, in particular a community/assembly space for up to 1,000 people for large periodic events like graduation, Pfluger created innovative solutions that make responsible use of budget and space allocation. An auditorium will open to a dining hall to expand capacity as needed without increasing unnecessary academic square footage. The creative
design encompasses inventive solutions to the space’s acoustic separation, line of sight, AV systems, control booth location, cafeteria serving line location and other spatial challenges. The multifunctional, flexible venue enables an overall footprint that waxes and wanes depending on the scheduled use, while incorporating safety considerations like closing the academic wing for community events.
At the heart of Cotulla High School is a dining commons that doubles as an outdoor courtyard, an area that engages all students every day, encouraging student interaction and creating meaningful experiences. Pfluger’s design encloses the courtyard and creates shared space between the academic wing and the addition of a Commercial and Technical Education (CTE) and fine arts building with sightlines to an existing pond at the back of the property that is often used for science experiments and an outdoor classroom. The CTE/fine arts building brings career tech programming to the forefront, integrating seamlessly with other buildings and enclosing the courtyard in a protected outdoor space with mature trees already on the site.
“Our community prides itself in tradition and the memories so many former students forged on this campus.
We needed a partner who could help navigate this challenging landscape and turn our vision of a safe and inspiring learning environment into a reality, and we found that in Pfluger,” said Dr. Ramiro Nava, Superintendent of Schools at Cotulla ISD. “The entire Cotulla community is excited to see this transformation of a school we are so deeply connected to – this is a building the community will be proud of for the next 50 years.”
The design enhancement and campus modernization rethink the site to bring a new vision to life for Cotulla High School. By selecting maintenancefriendly and highly durable local materials and traditional building forms, Pfluger’s design reflects Cotulla’s unique character, strengthening the campus’ bonds to the community and preserving connections to the outdoors.
Photos courtesy of Pfluger Architects
Cotulla High School’s new entrance, designed by Pfluger Architects, is part of Phase 1 renovations to be completed in August 2025
Breaking ground
Reaching YOU to new heights!
Since 1979, Alamo Crane Service has been a leading provider of crane rental and transportation services in Central and South Texas.
We have a fleet of over 30 cranes, ranging from 15-ton to 770-ton capacities, as well as a fleet of tractor trailers to help you with all your hauling and transport needs. Our diverse fleet of state -of-the art heavy equipment and related crane services include crane accessories, associated rigging, haul ing equipment, and project consulting.
When Alamo Crane Service is on -site, both our equipment and our operators are ha rd at work for you Our operators are professional, setting the standard for great service. We will go to any length to make sure you are satisfied with Alamo Crane Service.
Safety:
Alamo Crane Service is proud to be the recipient of Texas Mutual’s 2017 Platinum Safety Award, Texas Mutual’s 2021, 2022, and 2023 Award of Safety Excellence, the American Subcontractors’ (ASA) 2022 National Safety Award, and various other trade association awards for its outstanding safety record. Alamo Crane Service has an EMR of .73
Our Fleet:
We take pride in our equipment and our service. We provide the best in well -maintained, dependable cranes and transportation equipment. Each rental project comes with a certified operator to ensure that the job is done right! Here are a few of our most popular rentals:
Hydraulic cranes
Heavy -Haul Service:
300-ton conventional crane Personnel Basket Service Forklifts Tractor Trailers
Our heavy-hauling service keeps your job moving. Not just a crane rental company, we have a fleet of tractor trailers ranging from the standard gooseneck trailer to our 120 -ton heavy-haul trailer.
No project is too large or too small for Alamo Crane Service :
Alamo Crane Service offers crane rentals for hourly, daily, weekly , and monthly time allotments. Our fleet of heavy -duty hydraulic and conventional cranes is suited for service in many sectors of work including:
Commercial HVAC installation
Structural and pre-cast concrete erection
Commercial building and construction Highway and bridge
Industrial restoration projects
Residential construction projects
City, Municipal, and Government projects Oil and Gass
Other Equipment and Services:
Alamo Crane Service provides a variety of other equipment and services to help you get the job done efficientl y and on time to include Gooseneck Trailers, Tandem Axle Tractor s w/45’ float, Tandem Axle Tractor s w/50’ float, 4 -Axle Tractors w/60-ton Lowboy; 4 -Axle Tractors w/80-ton Lowboy, 100 -ton Lowboys, 120-ton Lowboys, Pilot Escort Vehicle, Trailer Steerman, Mechanic, A&D Director, Front End/Man/Oiler, Certified Rigger, Qualified Rigger, Certified Signal Person, Qualified Signal Person, OSHA 10 Personnel, OSHA 30 Personnel, Lift Plans, Spread Bars, Crane Mats, H2S Moni tors, Barrier Clamp, Skip Pan, Concrete Bucket, 2 -Way Radios, Travel Crew/Operator, Tilt Wall Rigging 8 -Point, and Outside Storage.
When you need a lift in life, call Alamo Crane Service!
Class Dismissed
SpawGlass wrapped up another successful internship session, and they couldn’t be prouder of this summer’s group of interns. After giving individual presentations showing what they learned during their internships, these students took a tour of their SpawGlass San Antonio, Judson ISD jobsite and enjoyed a meal together to celebrate their success. We wish them all the best of luck as they head back to school and can’t wait to see what the future holds for this talented group!
You Name It
You Name It Specialties (YNIS), Inc. a leading provider of promotional products and branded apparel, is excited to announce its partnership with Cedric Spring & Associates, a historied distributor of promotional products in the Chicago area. This strategic alliance will allow YNIS to expand its reach to the Midwest region and will provide the long-term members of the Cedric Spring team with additional resources, a broader range of services and enhanced support to elevate their marketing.
YNIS, Inc was founded in 1990 and was recently recognized as a PPAI Top 100 distributor, ASI #1 Best Places to Work in the nation, Facilis Group Distributor Partner of the Year and a San Antonio Business Journal Fast Track Awardee. By joining forces with Cedric Spring, YNIS continues its commitment to strategic growth in the promotional product industry. Cedric Spring clients can look forward to the continuance of a relationship-based, local business model with the additional benefit of the resources of a larger organization.
Cedric Spring & Associates was founded in 1960 by former jazz musician Cedric Spring. Prior to starting his own company, Cedric had been Chicago District Manager for The Shaw Barton Company, a nationwide promotional firm. His son Randy joined the company in 1976 and became President upon Cedric’s Retirement in 1985. Randy’s wife, Laurie Spring joined the company in 1989 as CEO and the company became a Certified Woman Owned Business. Cedric’s grandson Chris Spring joined the firm in 2005 as VP of Operations as the firm embraced a truly family business model. Over the
years Cedric Spring & Associates has earned the reputation as a recognized leader in the promotional products industry, winning multiple Pyramid Awards acknowledging outstanding promotional campaigns.
“It is important to recognize and respect the history and legacy of the Cedric Spring & Associates organization. There is so much the YNIS team can learn from the team at Cedric Spring. It is an honor to all of us at YNIS that the team at Cedric Spring chose to associate themselves with YNIS.” – Josh King, CEO, YNIS, Inc
“I have known Josh King for several years through the Facilis Group and have always been impressed with the level of success his company has enjoyed. The Cedric Spring team is very excited to partner with YNIS and join in their creativity, company culture, and commitment to excellence.” – Randy Spring, President, Cedric Spring & Associates
Randy Spring will assume the role of President of the Midwest Region at YNIS, with Chris Spring assisting him as the Vice President of the Midwest Region. Also joining the YNIS team will be Jeff Schmitt, Amanda Kilinski and Haylee Meaker in varied leadership roles. After the merger, the Cedric Spring team will be able to offer warehousing and fulfillment services, enhanced company store options and the benefits of the extensive supplier partnerships of the YNIS organization.
The entire YNIS team, in the San Antonio Headquarters and across the nation, is excited to welcome the Cedric Spring team and look forward to leveraging the years of experience and new perspectives this partnership brings to the YNIS brand.
Expansion Celebration Clay-bustin’ Subs
S. Watts Group is thrilled to announce the official ribbon cutting at their new office in the heart of the Greater San Antonio Area! As a trusted partner in Central Texas, expanding into the San Antonio area was a natural progression. This new chapter not only marks their growth but also reaffirms their commitment to delivering top-notch commercial construction services across the region. S. Watts Group is excited to bring their expertise and dedication to the vibrant and rapidly evolving San Antonio market. The ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new San Antonio office was a testament to their commitment to this thriving market. Joined by local developers, architectural firms, and community leaders, they were warmly welcomed by the Shertz-CiboloSelma Area Chamber of Commerce.
Eagle Award
The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) South were honored to present Representative Mark Dorazio with the ABC Texas Eagle Award. Rep. Dorazio has been a tremendous advocate for ABC Texas and during their visit together, they gained valuable insight into his upcoming initiatives that will greatly benefit the construction industry starting in January.
The American Subcontractors Association (ASA) hosted their annual Sporting Clay Shoot on Aug. 15. The event was held at the National Shooting Range were ASA members and their guests sported their best clay-bustin’ apparel, bustin’ pigeons, and a great day of camaraderie. Photos courtesy of Mary C. Haskin Photography.
Highest Overall Team MEMCO
Highest Overall Lady
Kathy Culver, Acrisure
Red Course
Top Team - Guido Construction Company
Red Course A
1st Place: Doug Mercer, Merchants Bonding Company
2nd Place: Martell Adams, Alamo Crane Service, Inc.
3rd Place: Nick Vasile, G.W. Mitchell
Construction
Red Course B
1st Place: Noe Benavidez, MEI rigging & Crating
2nd Place: Spencer Gonzalez, White Rock Construction
3rd Place: Justin Klinksiek, Joeris General Contractors
Yellow Course
Top Team - Acrisure
Yellow Course A
1st Place: Ryder Brown, Big State Electric
2nd Place: Kevin Vera, ISC Building
Materials
3rd Place: Zac Patrick, Broken Ground Equipment Auctions
Yellow Course B
1st Place: Clyde Smith, TNT Crane & Rigging
2nd Place: Tyler Mann, Ella Contracting
3rd Place: Rod Frausto, Frausto Castillo
Construction Group
HOA - MEMCO
Leading Lady - Kathy Culver
Red Top Team - GUIDO
Yellow Top Team - ACRISURE
ACCOUNTING LEGAL
Explore
5 Critical Components for your Construction Business Strategy
Jon Caforio, Principal RSM US LLP
Chicago, IL
new ventures and set the stage for growth and diversification
Revising your business strategy is an opportunity to innovate and explore new ventures, setting the stage for growth and diversification. Your strategic pivot can create a resilient and forward-thinking enterprise that responds to the needs of both customers and employees.
Here are five aspects to keep in mind as you refine your business strategy.
1. Quantify value
This concept emphasizes diligent measurement of the value of your products or services, enabling more informed decision making and stronger value propositions.
• Craft your value metrics: Establish metrics that quantify value from multiple dimensions. For example, a software company might measure customer value through user engagement metrics, subscription renewal rates and customer feedback scores to guide product development and customer support enhancements.
• Measure performance: Assess how strategic decisions affect financial indicators that matter. Rather than relying solely on traditional EBITDA metrics, you might quantify a broader understanding of your company’s value by assessing its mix of revenue types in the context of its overall target market valuation, including debt.
• Visualize value communication: Use digital dashboards and mobile apps that provide real-time metrics on the performance and impact of your products or services. These tools streamline access to financial health indicators while supporting informed strategy execution.
• Implement value-based pricing: Align your pricing strategy with the value that your customers perceive. Premium brands use this approach to price their products according to perceived quality and prestige.
• Optimize resource allocation: Use value metrics to guide investments in projects and initiatives that offer the highest return, ensuring the efficient use of resources. For example, a company might use value metrics to prioritize a new product line projected to meet emerging market needs.
By quantifying value, companies can make informed decisions, prioritize investments and communicate their value proposition better.
2. Modernize Modernization transcends digital transformation to encompass the broader integration of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and advanced analytics. This strategic shift reimagines your business model, processes and customer experiences.
• Embrace AI and automation: Integrate AI-driven technologies. Predictive analytics are personalizing customer interactions,
driving efficiency in internal processes and optimizing supply chains.
• Upgrade technology infrastructure: Modernization of your business means modernizing your technology and infrastructure. This involves cloud computing for flexibility and scalability, cybersecurity measures to protect data, and IoT/5G-enabled devices for better connectivity and insights.
• Foster digital culture: Embrace continuous learning, innovation and agility. Encourage teams to experiment with new technologies and methodologies to drive forward-thinking solutions.
• Transform your people experience: Focusing on your people creates a competitive advantage. Modernizing your human resources function or enhancing the employee experience can drive business success.
• Leverage data analytics: Use advanced data analytics and AI to enhance customer engagement.
• Adapt rapidly to consumer trends: Leverage technology to meet evolving expectations. This could mean developing new business models, such as subscription services or on-demand products, that cater to the consumer’s desire for convenience and personalization.
Understanding and investing in modernization means positioning your company at the forefront of innovation, ensuring agility and enhancing operational efficiency. This creates an organization that adapts to current trends and anticipates future shifts, leveraging technology to drive growth, optimize customer engagement and maintain a competitive edge.
3. Cultivate resilience and agility
This strategic pillar emphasizes creating a flexible organization that swiftly adapts to market shifts, technological advancements and unforeseen challenges.
• Foster a culture of adaptability: Integrate change management into the core of your operations. Encourage teams to embrace innovation and flexibility, facilitating quick pivots in strategies when facing new market conditions or challenges.
• Invest in versatility technology: Implement systems and technologies that support rapid adaptation and scalability, ensuring your business responds to changes without significant delays or costs.
• Build a robust contingency plan: Develop comprehensive contingency plans that address potential risks and outline clear response strategies, minimizing downtime and maintaining operational continuity in crisis situations.
• Empower decision making at all levels: Streamline decision making processes to enhance responsiveness, allowing frontline employees to make quick decisions within a strategic framework.
INSURANCE
InThe Game Changing-Power of a Benefits Program
David Rodriguez, Employee Benefits Insurance Specialist
The
Nitsche Group Giddings, TX
the competitive world of construction, securing and retaining skilled workers isn’t just a necessity— it’s the backbone of a thriving business. It also remains a critical challenge for the industry.
To tackle the issue, construction companies often focus on the tools, technology, and materials required for projects to better position themselves. However, an impactful strategy that often goes unnoticed and underutilized is offering a robust benefits program.
In an industry known for high turnover rates, a labor shortage, and challenging working conditions, employee benefits can have a huge impact on a construction company, leading to long-term success, stability, and growth.
Here’s why prioritizing employee benefits should be at the forefront of your business strategy.
Retain Your Best Workers and Cut Costs: High turnover rates are a constant challenge in the construction sector, and the costs associated with hiring and training new employees can quickly add up. According to a study by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the cost of replacing an employee can range from six to nine months of that employee’s salary.
The Impact: If a construction worker earns $50,000 per year, replacing them could cost anywhere from $25,000 to $37,500. By offering competitive and attractive benefits packages, you can reduce turnover, retain your best employees, and avoid these costly disruptions.
Slash Hiring and Training Expenses: When workers feel valued, well-compensated, and supported through benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off, they are more likely to stay with your company for the long haul. This not only saves you from the constant cycle of recruiting, hiring, and training new staff but also provides stability within your workforce. Long-term employees bring a wealth of experience to the table, which reduces errors, decreases the chance of accidents, improves efficiency, and boosts the overall quality of work.
The Impact: Seasoned workers who have been with your company for years are more likely to be familiar with your safety protocols, reducing the likelihood of costly accidents and legal claims. Reducing these factors contribute to a good safety record which can help reduce commercial insurance terms and premium rates: including worker’s compensation rates.
Boost Safety and Productivity: The construction industry is one of the most dangerous sectors in the workforce, with high rates of workplace injuries and fatalities. Experienced
employees are your first line of defense against these risks. By offering benefits that help attract and retain quality workers, a company can boost operational safety and productivity. They understand the importance of adhering to safety protocols and can serve as mentors to newer workers, helping to instill a culture of safety on the job site.
The Impact: With a fully staffed team of experienced workers, your projects move faster and more efficiently, with fewer delays caused by accidents or the need to constantly train new hires. This leads to higher productivity, better project outcomes, and a more positive reputation in the industry.
Stay Ahead of Compliance: The construction sector is subject to a wide range of regulations, from OSHA safety standards to state and federal labor laws. Staying compliant with these everchanging regulations can be a headache for business owners, but offering comprehensive employee benefits can help you stay ahead of the curve and avoid costly penalties.
The Impact: By staying ahead of regulatory changes and communicating these efforts effectively, businesses can turn compliance into a competitive advantage by avoiding costly fines and unexpected operational changes.
Master Regulations with Ease: Employee benefits, such as health insurance, retirement plans, and workers’ compensation, are not just nice-to-haves; they are often required by law. Ensuring that your business complies with these regulations is crucial to avoid fines, legal disputes, and reputational damage.
The Impact: Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), companies with 50 or more full-time employees are required to offer health insurance to their workers. Failure to comply can result in substantial penalties. By proactively offering comprehensive benefits, you ensure that your business stays compliant with current laws and regulations, keeping your operations running smoothly.
Build Trust and Reputation: Taking care of your employees goes a long way in building trust and enhancing your company’s reputation. Workers who feel valued and supported are more likely to speak positively about your company to others, becoming ambassadors for your brand. This positive word-of-mouth can attract not only more top-tier talent but also new clients and business partners.
The Impact: In a field as interconnected as construction, your reputation is everything, and investing in employee benefits is one of the best ways to build and maintain that reputation.
page 18
OSHA
For a construction contractor, receiving notice of a claim for damages associated with the contractor’s work can be a daunting prospect. Particularly if the contractor’s first notice of the claim is a lawsuit naming the contractor as a defendant. Fortunately, most contractors do (and all contractors should) maintain commercial general liability (CGL) insurance to cover claims for damages or injuries related to the contractor’s work. CGL insurance (typically) covers allegations of damage because of defective work, defending the insured against potentially covered claims and settling covered claims. Of course, many factors can affect this basic coverage analysis. For example—what happens when bodily injury or property damage occurs after the policy in place while the contractor did its work expires?
Many contractors maintain CGL insurance on an ongoing basis, renewing or replacing each policy as it expires with a new policy. Over time, a contractor may have had multiple different CGL polices in place, through multiple different insurance companies. When faced with a claim involving allegations of defective work or other liability, contractors often notify only the CGL policy in force as of the date of the alleged wrongful act. Often, especially if the claim arises while the work is still ongoing, this commonsense approach is enough. The insurance carrier acknowledges the claim, appoints defense counsel, and
tries to settle the claim against the insured contractor. But sometimes—to many contractors’ surprise—the CGL carrier instead denies coverage for the claim.
Counter-intuitively, the CGL insurance policy in place when a contractor does its work is not necessarily the policy that covers bodily injury or property damage because of that work. This is because one of the conditions of coverage under a typical CGL policy is that “[t]he ‘bodily injury’ or ‘property damage’ occurs during the policy period ….” What that means is that property damage or bodily injury is normally covered by the CGL policy in effect when the damage or injury occurs, not the policy in effect when the underlying work was performed.
By way of example, suppose an insured contractor worked on a construction project in 2018. A lawsuit against the contractor alleges property damage resulting from the contractor’s work occurred in 2021. The contractor’s 2021 CGL policy may cover the claims against the contractor, rather than the 2018 policy. In cases of ongoing damage or injury, or where no date is specified, coverage might be available under multiple policy years.
The insurance policy in force when a contractor’s work was performed is not the only policy that contractor should consider when seeking coverage. Instead, contractors should consider whether coverage may be available under another CGL policy.
Suicide is a leading cause of death among working age adults in the United States. It deeply impacts workers, families, and communities. Fortunately, like other workplace fatalities, suicides can be prevented. Below are 5 things to know about preventing suicide.
1. Everyone can help prevent suicide. Mental health and suicide can be difficult to talk about—especially with work colleagues—but your actions can make a difference. When you work closely with others, you may sense when something is wrong.
2. Know the warning signs of suicide. There is no single cause for suicide but there are warning signs. Changes in behavior, mood, or even what they say may signal someone is at risk. Take these signs seriously. It could save a life.
3. Ask “Are you okay?” If you are concerned about a coworker, talk with them privately, and listen without judgment. Encourage them to reach out to your Employee Assistance Program (EAP), the human resources (HR) department, or a mental health professional.
4. If someone is in crisis, stay with them and get help. If you believe a coworker is at immediate risk of suicide, stay with them until you can get further
help. Contact emergency services or the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
5. Suicide prevention resources are available. • Call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. • Visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (www. afsp. org) to learn more about suicide risk factors, warning signs, and what you can do to help prevent suicide.
Resources
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org/chat for 24/7, free, and confidential support, including prevention and crisis resources for employees. Veterans may call 988 and press 1 or visit veteranscrisisline.net.
Crisis Text Line: Text “TALK” to 741741 or visit crisistextline.org from anywhere in the USA to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor for free, 24/7.
For more information, visit osha. gov/preventing suicides, osha.gov/ workplace-stress, Or American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (afsp.org) • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov/suicide) • National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (theactionalliance.org) • National Institute of Mental Health (nimh.nih.gov) • Suicide Prevention Resource Center (sprc.org)
This focus on resilience and agility ensures your business is not just prepared to face disruptions but is also positioned to capitalize on opportunities that arise from changes.
4. Consider conscious capitalism
In their book, Conscious Capitalism, John Mackey and Raj Sisodia emphasize the importance of businesses adopting sustainable practices as a core aspect of their operations. The book positions sustainability not just as a regulatory requirement but as an integral part of a conscious business strategy that drives long-term value creation for all stakeholders.
In light of the evolving regulatory landscape, particularly with the California climate laws and published SEC rules mandating disclosures and corporate sustainability reporting, it’s crucial for businesses to adapt their sustainability strategies accordingly. This adaptation isn’t just about compliance; it is an opportunity to innovate and align with the growing consumer demand for responsible business practices.
• Embrace sustainability: Emphasize ethical, sustainable and socially responsible business practices in response to buyer values and in line with regulatory changes. For example, verifying that your supply chain does not include child labor or forced labor is both appealing to the consumer and in line with an ethical procurement policy. Supply chain reporting is also required by the Canadian Supply Chains Act and is in line with U.S. forced labor prevention laws.
• Adapt to regulatory requirements: Understand and integrate the requirements set by the recent California climate bills (SB253 and SB261) into your business operations, ensuring all sustainability reporting is comprehensive and transparent. If you operate in the European Union, you may be subject to global compliance reporting based on the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.
• Transform your supply chains, systems and data: Overhaul your supply chains and core systems to efficiently track, manage and report on sustainability data, ensuring compliance and operational efficiency.
• Leverage sustainability for market advantage: Use your compliance initiatives as a marketing tool, highlighting your commitment to sustainability to attract consumers and business partners who value environmental and social responsibility.
• Invest in sustainability: Implement sustainable practices that increase your positive impact on the environment and your community. These policies and practices enhance your brand’s value,
reputation and appeal.
Through strategic adaptation and a proactive approach to sustainability, businesses can turn challenges and investments into competitive advantages, building a more sustainable and profitable future.
5. Design for experiences
The emphasis has shifted toward human-centered design and radical empathy, guiding customer interactions, product development and sustainable growth. This approach is about more than just products; it’s about creating meaningful experiences that resonate on a personal level with consumers and employees.
• Prioritize empathy: Engage directly with users to understand their needs, challenges and desires on a profound level. Use these insights to guide the design process, ensuring products and services not only meet functional requirements but also resonate emotionally with users.
• Enhance the customer experience: Design your customer interactions to be as intuitive, enjoyable and fulfilling as possible. This includes tailoring your communications, optimizing your touchpoints and ensuring your products and services provide discernable value.
• Ignite product innovation: Identify unmet needs and areas for innovation. Develop products that not only solve problems but also delight users, creating memorable experiences that set your brand apart.
• Pursue predictive personalization: Use advanced data analytics and AI to not only personalize products, services and experiences but also to predict consumer needs before they are even aware of them. This involves analyzing engagement metrics and analyzing behavior patterns and preferences to forecast future desires, enabling you to offer solutions and experiences that meet consumers’ needs preemptively.
• Build meaningful connections: Engage with your community and stakeholders through initiatives that demonstrate understanding and commitment to their wellbeing. This may involve sustainability efforts, community services or programs that address specific societal issues, all of which build an emotional connection with your customers.
Takeaway
By embedding these five principles into every aspect of your operations, you can create more meaningful, lasting connections with customers and employees. Revising your business strategy to reflect these principles can be a differentiator in today’s competitive landscape, ensuring your brand remains relevant and competitive in the future.
Outshine the Competition: In today’s construction industry, where skilled labor is in short supply, exceptional benefits can be your secret weapon for standing out in a crowded market. Companies that go the extra mile to support their employees through comprehensive benefits are more likely to retain their workers and attract new talent, giving them a significant advantage over competitors.
Invest in Health and Happiness: Benefits packages that include health insurance, retirement plans, and wellness programs demonstrate that you care about your employees’ long-term wellbeing. Healthy, happy workers are more productive and take fewer sick days, which means your projects stay on schedule and on budget.
The Impact: Offering a wellness program that encourages regular exercise and healthy eating can reduce the risk of chronic health conditions, leading to fewer missed workdays and lower healthcare costs for both employees and the company.
Promote Work-Life Balance: Construction work is physically demanding, and burnout is a real concern for workers who feel overworked and underappreciated. Offering benefits like paid time off, flexible hours, and family leave helps employees maintain a healthy work-life balance, reducing stress and preventing burnout. Workers who feel
supported in their personal lives are more loyal, motivated, and committed to delivering high-quality work.
The Impact: This not only improves employee retention but also enhances the overall performance of your business. If quality and productivity suffer, so does your company’s chance of landing jobs.
Stand Out in a Crowded Market: In an industry where skilled labor is in high demand and short supply, offering exceptional benefits can be the key to attracting and retaining top talent. Workers will choose and stay with an employer who provides comprehensive packages, giving you a competitive edge. In a marketplace crowded with companies competing for the same skilled labor, your commitment to employee well-being will set you apart as a top employer.
The Impact: Companies unable to attract or retain a skilled workforce can face challenges including
The Game Changing-Power of a Benefits Program: Investing in employee benefits is more than a compliance checkbox; it can be a gamechanger for construction companies. By prioritizing employee well-being, employers pave the way for a thriving, successful company ready to tackle the challenges of the construction industry. Embrace the power of employee benefits, and watch your business build a brighter future.
September
9/1 – Gerard Orta / Mazzella Midco
9/2 – Patty Wylie / JCI
9/13 – Kenneth Moore / KCM Cabinets
9/13 – Tony Ridout / Aprio
9/14 – Harmon Hamann / INSURICA
9/15 – Nick Metcalf / Forbes Hever Wallace
9/19 – Rhonda Chadwick / Aprio
9/21 – Casey Bartek / Bartek Construction
9/22 – Zac Patrick / Broken Ground Equipment Auctions
9/26 - Jenn Munoz / AGC SA
9/26 – Penny McDonald / The Fetzer Companies
9/30 – Dustin Michalak / ATKG
9/30 – Carlos Galvan / CG Steel Solutions
JOB SIGHTS
Association Calendar
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News
ABC
Associated Builders & Contractors
South Texas Chapter
Sept. 5: Luncheon: Suicide Prevention, 11am, Alamo Café
Sept. 12: Lunch & Learn: Culture Index, 11:30am, ABC Office
Sept. 17: Fall Golf Tournament, 9am Start, Olympia Hills, 12900 Mt Olympus, Universal City
AGC
Associated General Contractors San Antonio
Sept. 19: Membership Meeting & Happy Hour, 4:30-6:30pm, Weathered Souls Brewing Co. Free to attend and open to Prospective Members. Registration/ RSVP: alexandria@sanantonioagc.org)
Sept. 19: CLC Golf Mixer, 3:30pm Registration, 4-10pm, San Pedro Golf Course Par 3, Title Sponsor - Milwaukee Tool, Registration on website
ASA
American Subcontractors Association
San Antonio
Sept. 5: Free Safety Update, 11:30am
Sept. 10: General Meeting, 5pm, Petroleum Club of SA,
Sept. 11: National Webinar: Maximizing your ASA Membership, 11am, Webinar
Sept. 11: Board Meeting
Sept. 12: Master Builder Class Session 1, Invitation Only
HCA de SA
Hispanic Contractors Assocition
Sept. 13: 25th Annual Fall Golf Tournament, The Golf Club of Texas, 13600 Briggs Ranch, San Antonio
Sept. 18: September Member Monthly Meeting/Mixer hosted by Hill Day and the Game Warden, at Architectural Division 82425 Brockton St. #103
Sept. 27: Safety First, Safety Fair at the Independent Electrical Contractors
IEC
Independent Electrical Contractors
Sept. 9: 2024-2024 School Year begins, 5pm
Sept. 10: A&T Committee, 11am
Sept. 18: Board of Directors Meeting, 11am
Sept. 24: Electrical Maintenance Technician Class - $150 Per Person - 8am5pm
MCA-SMACNA INC
Mechanical Contractors Association
Sheet Metal & A/C Nat’l Association
Sept. 11: Regular & Associates Meeting, 11:30am, The Petroleum Club, 8620 N New Braunfels Ave # 700, San Antonio
Sept. 21: Joint Industry Fund Meeting, 11:30am, MCA-SMACNA Office
Sept. 28: 46th Annual Hunters Symposium, 11:30am, Bexar Community Range, 15391 Bexar Bowling, Marion
NAWIC
Sept. 12: *FREE* Tacos & Training, 8:30am, Aprio’s Office
Sept. 19: Master Builder Class Session 2, Invitation Only
Sept. 26: Master Builder Class Session 3, Invitation Only
Sept. 26: Annual Pour Off Mixer & Speed Networking, 5pm, Aggie Park
GSABA
Greater San Antonio Builders Association
Sep. 12: PWB Bingo Night, 5-7pm, GSABA Ballroom
Sep. 17: Board of Directors Meeting, 11:30am-1pm, GSABA Ballroom, 3625
Paesanos Pkwy #100, San Antonio
Sep. 19: Building Science & Codes Class, 11am-1:30pm, GSABA Ballroom, 3625 Paesanos Pkwy #100, San Antonio
Sep. 23: StrucSure Home Warranty ProAm Golf Tournament, 8am-3pm, Canyon Springs Golf Club, 24405 Wilderness Oak, San Antonio
Sep. 27-29: San Antonio Fall Home & Garden Show, Alamodome
National Association of Women in Construction San Antonio
Sept. 4: NAWIC General Meeting: Solar Solutions for the Construction Industry, The Barn Door Restaurant & Meat Market, 8400 N New Braunfels Ave, San Antonio
Sept. 27: Friendship Friday, Los Barrios Mexican Restaurant, 4223 Blanco Rd, San Antonio
SAMCA
San Antonio Masonry Contractors Association
Sept. 26: Mixer/Auction, 6-9pm, Helotes Country Club, 14687-1 Old Bandera Rd, Helotes
TACCA
Texas Air Conditioning Cooling Contractors Association
Sept. 13-14: 31st Annual TACCA Fishing Tournament, Corpus Christi, TX, For more Information: taccagreatersanantonio.org
Pro-Line Paving LLC performing nightwork mill and overlay in downtown San Antonio on Main and Pecan.
0 % $ 0 FOR UP TO 48 MONTHS UP TO $500 TOWARD + DOWN
