Subcontractors USA Journal 16

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TEXAS JOURNAL

W W W . S U B C U S A . C O M

Architecture | Construction | Education | Energy | Engineering | IT | Manufacturing | Oil and Gas | Petrochemical | Transportation

July 2017 | Advocating for Certified Women, Veteran & Minority-Owned Subcontractors | 16th Edition

A

Leader

in the Construction Industry Jim Rice, President of Rice & Gardner Consultants, Inc.

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INSIDE

08

How to Give Your Contractor an Early Start with Building Permit – These Three Simple Ways

21-28

METRO Congratulates the 2017 Class of the Interagency Mentor Protégé Program

20

TxDOT PAVED Transportation Summit

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Publisher’s Message

MR. D-MARS

Here at Subcontractors USA Texas, we value the importance of opportunity for everyone, especially minority-owned, veteran-owned, and women-owned businesses. The small business community relies on each other for continued growth and success. We strive to connect small businesses with each other and larger firms in the hopes of them achieving great opportunities and staying persistent in their ethic until every goal is met. As long as we are here to advocate for the success of these businesses, we hope to strengthen partnerships and community with the help of those we serve.

Rice & Gardner Consultants, Inc. is one business in this industry that values partnership and coming together for a greater cause. The two owners, Jim

Behind the Journal

Vice President, Marketing Anita Bates

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08 Construction 08 How to Give Your Contractor an Early Start with Building Permit – These Three Simple Ways 10 2017 Construction Outlook 11 Dallas News 11 Air Quality Programs 12 Education 12 The Associated General Contractors of America: Education & Training

PHOTOGRAPHY L.C. Poullard Grady Carter

14 Engineering 14 Society of Women Engineers

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18-19 Cover Story Rice and Gardner

Project Coordinator Taelor Smith

20, 30 in the Subcontractor USA Community 20 TxDOT P.A.V.E.D. Transportation Summit 30 Turner Construction’s Opportunity Day

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Helen Callier Lea Bogle Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Subcontractors USA News Provider

• Business Journal • Health & Wellness Journal • Community Journal • Black Pages Online Business Directory • Top 50 Black Professionals & Entrepreneurs • Top 30 Influential Women of Houston • Top 25 Prime & Subcontractors for Diversity • Graphic Design • Photography • Printing • Web Design • Online & Email Marketing • Public Relations • Social Media • Advertising • Writing • Promotional Marketing

16 Houston News 16 Mayor Turner, Climate Mayors Vow To Honor Paris Climate Agreement Goals 17 Corps Visit Highlights Houston Ship Channel’s Importance to Nation

LAYOUT & GRAPHIC DESIGN Angel Rosa

DISTRIBUTION Booker T. Davis, Jr. Rockie Hayden

ADVERTISING | MARKETING MEDIA | COMMUNICATION

06 Austin News 06 2016 Mobility Bond Funds Intersection Improvements Citywide 06 Anderson Mill Road Project

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES C.T. Foster Tiffany Black

MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Andrea Hennekes

our services

04 Architecture 04 Made/UnMade Houston: Technology, Fabrication & Design

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Dawn Paul ACCOUNTING MANAGER Eugenie Doualla

—Mark Cuban, Entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” Judge

contents

Publisher & CEO Keith J. Davis, Sr. Chief Operating Officer Kimberly Floyd

“It’s not about money or connections. It’s the willingness to outwork and outlearn everyone when it comes to your business. And if it fails, you learn from what happened and do a better job next time.”

Rice and Kevin Gardner, Jr., each owned their own companies, yet served many of the same clients. This sparked the idea to work together in providing commissioning, project management, and MEP engineering services while also serving their communities. Over the past 12 years, RCGI has proven to be an ally in moving minority businesses forward as they frequently partner with such small businesses. Their teamwork and dedication to diversifying the construction industry is why they are featured as this month’s cover story.

As always, thank you for your continued support of Subcontractors USA Texas Journal.

When you support us, you are supporting more than just our company; you are supporting the communities in which we live and work. Working together, we can succeed in making positive things happen.

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21-28 Metro Congratulates the 2017 Class of the Interagency Mentor Protégé Program 32 IT 32 Millennials Driving Change 32 Manufacturing 32 Mill Steel Co. Opens Facility in Houston, Texas 36 Oil and Gas 36 EY Poll Finds Oil and Gas Industry Faces Talent Problem in Young American Perceptions 40 Petrochemical 40 Kirby Corporation Signs Agreement To Purchase Inland Tank Barges And Towboats

42 San Antonio News 42 San Antonio Selected to Develop New Market Prioritization and Metropolitan Economic Partnership Strategies as Part of the Brookings Institution’s Global Cities Initiative

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MAIN OFFICE 7322 Southwest Fwy., Suite 805 Houston, TX 77074 Phone: (713) 272.9511 | Fax: (713) 272.6364 Email Us: contact@subcusa.com

44 Transportation 44 High-Speed Train Reaches Milestone on Land Option Program to Clear Way for North Texas-To-Houston Route

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Architecture

Made/UnMade Houston: Technology, Fabrication & Design

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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IA Houston is the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects. AIA Houston is a community of architects coming together to accomplish things in their practices and in our communities that no single architect can do alone. AIA has recently come together for Made/UnMade Houston: Technology, Fabrication, and Design.

Made/Unmade Houston: Technology, Fabrication, and Design is an exhibition and series of public programs connecting and promoting Houston designers, craftsmen, and their work. The project includes furniture, objects and installations designed and fabricated in Houston, with an emphasis on materials, process and craftsmanship. Narratives exploring the concepts as well as history, place and personalities behind the work are explored in graphic displays, videos, lectures, panel discussions, tours and studio visits.

Featured designers include: 1.618DesignWorks, Logan Beck, Alan Bruton Studio, Cobalt Office, Andrew Colopy, David Costanza, DMD Studios, Eklektic Jewelry Studio, I/O Studio, Jason Logan, Shawn Lutz, māk studio, Metalab, Noëlle Mulder, RE:site, and Root Lab. This exhibit is curated by Eric Arnold, Assoc. AIA, and Michael Gonzales.

Video production is by Kathryn Way. Jeffrey Liao and Mat Wolff are members of the exhibitions staff.

This exhibit and related programs are sponsored in part by the Architecture Center Houston Foundation, a grant from the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design.

AIA Houston gives special thanks to Fernando Brave, FAIA; Brochsteins; Eklektic Jewelry Studio; Jeff Feng; Meg Jackson; the Keeland Design Center; Yonis Kintero; Bob Martin; Roman Mendez, Joe Meppelink; Post Studio; Rice School of Architecture; TXRX Labs; the University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design; and Westlake Chemical Company.

ExhibitEvent EventCalendar: Calendar: Exhibit • July 15 3D Printing Workshop @ TX/RX Labs • July 29 Laser Cutting Workshop @ Post Studio • August tbd Opening Reception @ 902 Commerce St Gallery • August 26 East End Studio Crawl • September 9 Made/UnMade Exhibit Day at 902 Commerce St Gallery • September 11 Donna Kacmar presents Made in Texas • September 20 Made/UnMade Keynote Lecture: Dror • September 28 Made/UnMade Houston: Generations Panel & Closing Party • September 30 Exhibit Closes For more information about Made/UnMade Houston: Technology, Fabrication, and Design, please visit www.aiahouston.org.

Source: AIA Houston

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Austin News

2016 Mobility Bond Funds Intersection Improvements Citywide t

Anderson Mill Road Project

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Timeline and Where We’re At Now

he Austin Transportation and Public Works Departments are reviewing Anderson Mill Road between Spicewood Parkway and US 183 for opportunities to enhance safety and mobility for all road users.

The 2016 Mobility Bond, approved by voters in November 2016, included funding for preliminary engineering, design and construction of improvements on Anderson Mill Road. Currently, staff is preparing to move forward with project development, starting with preliminary engineering. The effort will include community engagement, in addition to public input that has been received thus far, as well as review of constraints such as right-of-way and utilities, and coordination with the City’s adopted transportation plans and policies.

This project started as a grassroots, community-led effort to address safety and mobility issues along Anderson Mill Road in northwest Austin. For more information about the community-led initiative, click here

Staff kicked off the Preliminary Engineering effort in February 2017. Preliminary Engineering includes evaluating existing conditions based on community input and transportation metrics such as vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle counts, speed, driveway analysis, crash pattern analysis, right of way width and availability, drainage, sidewalk condition, utilities, etc.

Staff will develop draft recommendations and present them to the community in fall 2017 for review and input.

Preliminary Engineering – 2017 to 2018 Design and Permitting – 2018 to 2020 (includes right of way acquisition if needed) Construction – 2020 to 2021 (includes utility relocation if needed

Bethany United Methodist Church

Austin Aquarium

ad ill Ro M n rs o Ande

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The Crossing Sp i c ewo od Pk w

Spicewood Elementary

United Church of the hills

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he 2016 Mobility Bond provided $15 million in funding toward safety improvements at high-crash locations throughout Austin as part of ATD's Transportation Safety Improvement Program. Construction of improvements at the first three intersections is anticipated to begin in the next few months.

First up, a new traffic signal will be constructed at the intersection of Slaughter Lane and Alice Mae Lane, near the Southpark Meadows Shopping Center. The need for this signal was identified in the safety study of Slaughter Lane and South 1st Street. The improvements at Slaughter Lane and Alice Mae Lane will help increase safety of the road network and positively impact safety and mobility at Slaughter Lane and South 1st Street. Construction of the signal is anticipated to begin by the end of June. Other improvements at Slaughter Lane and South 1st Street are still in design and would likely be constructed in fall 2017.

ATD anticipates construction to begin at the intersection of Pleasant Valley Road and Elmont Drive by September 2017. Improvements will include a dedicated left-turn lane and center median on Pleasant Valley Road, a shared use path for pedestrians and cyclists necessary to accommodate the new turn facilities, enhanced pedestrian crossings and connectivity to crosswalks, ADA-compliant curb-ramps, and a new center median on Elmont Drive, east of the intersection.

Finally, staff is finalizing design plans for improvements at South Congress Avenue and Oltorf Street.

Design is anticipated to be completed in the next few months, with a goal of beginning construction in fall 2017.

At Thursday's City Council meeting, Council approved funding for construction contracts related to these improvements. In total, staff anticipates the 2016 Mobility Bond to fund improvements at 15 to 18 of the intersections on the high-crash intersection list. For more information, visit the Transportation Safety Improvement Program webpage.

Source www.austintexas.gov

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Source www.austintexas.gov

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Construction

How to Give Your Contractor an Early Start with Building Permit – These Three Simple Ways

Ask for help – City plan reviewers are open to meeting with you during various stages of your project to answer any questions you may have about building codes and your permit. Depending on the jurisdiction, you can speak with plan reviewers on the phone, and you can schedule time to meet to review any issues you may have in complying with building codes.

In addition, engaging permitting experts that stay to-date with changes in building codes and city permit processes is a wise decision. Expediters can help from start to finish to make sure you obtain your building permit fast. Some services that Permit Expediters provide are below:

By Helen Callier Contributing Writer

How many hours has your Contractor lost waiting around for a building permit?

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f you cringed just thinking about this question then you have lost a lot of hours waiting until the last minute to obtain a building permit. From our experience, 99% of Contractors like to have a building permit early for their commercial, residential or government project before their construction schedule is impacted. Also having a permit well enough in advance means less headaches and the Contractor can focus their energy toward construction.

• Review plans • Complete documentation including pre-requisites • Research zoning • Meet with plan reviewers • Package electronic or manual to submit • Track and help respond to any plan rejections • Facilitate inspections • Expedite Certificate of Occupancy • Provide regular updates on permit

There are proven ways to eliminate delays in obtaining a building permit and three simple ways are noted below.

Start Early - Most Project Owners and Architects begin thinking about obtaining a building permit when the construction plans are being wrapped up.

From our experience, the best time to start planning for a building permit is during the programming phase. This maximizes the opportunity to save time and money in obtaining a building permit where concerns can be addressed in advance. This also better

position Contractor to start construction on time.

Check for any changes in city permitting processes – Slight changes in the way the city permitting department accepts plans or reduction in plan reviewers or staff hours can cause significant delays. Checking for any changes in process can save a lot of time and eliminate headaches.

In conclusion, there is a lot of construction activity across the country and these three simple ways: starting early, checking for changes in permitting process and asking for help are valuable to your Contractor getting started. Do you have any questions on how to obtain a building permit fast? I would love to hear them. Connect @PermitUsNow.

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Construction

2017 Construction Outlook

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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n 2017, construction was expected to regain momentum after an underwhelming performance in 2016. Just don’t anticipate an economy running like a high-performance racer.

It will remain more like the “gets you where you need to go” family vehicle. A recovery now seven years and counting has moved incrementally, allowing some construction sectors to fully recover and others to move near post-recession levels. Some sectors will remain nearer to those post-recession levels than others in this year.

This time, how it felt in 2016 for construction was what it was—tempered gains (overall) as growth slowed. According to Dodge Data & Analytics, total construction starts as of September 2016 rose 1 percent ($676 billion), building off an 11 percent increase in 2015. Removing the influence of the poorly performing utility/gas plant market, growth translated to 4 percent.

Breaking it down, residential grew 7 percent, nonresidential grew 3 percent, and nonbuilding fell 10 percent. Nonbuilding is public works, electric utilities and gas plants. A sharp drop from a

strong 2015 among utilities—gas plants in particular—pulled down this sector.

So, are we facing a period of economic weakness and decline? Dodge and others see us in a maturing but modest recovery cycle that has not yet peaked.

Encouragingly, Dodge’s Momentum Index rose to 133.2 in November 2016, its 10th gain over 12 months, and another 2.9 percent to 136.7 in December, the 11th gain over 12 months. That equates to an 18 percent advance year-to-year.

Looking in 2017, construction starts have been forecasted to rise to 5 percent ($713 billion), though closer to 8 percent without nonbuilding. That equates to an 8 percent gain in both residential and nonresidential, and a 3 percent decline for nonbuilding.

Leveling enrollments and the Great Recession stalled education construction, which in 2001 represented 272 million square feet. Much of the recent upturn has come from K–12 projects. From 2009 through 2013, starts dropped 59 percent from 2001. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) found K–12 school enrollments in 2002–2009 increased less than 1 percent (446,000).

The NCES predicts growth in the 2017 fall school term as children of older, married millennials are ready for preK and kindergarten. From 2016–2024, K–12 enrollments could increase 2.8 million students (5.1 percent) to a total of 57.9 million students.

Manufacturing construction starts have been fighting volatility on several fronts, including a drop in oil prices,

cooled energy-related projects, and a strong U.S. dollar adding expense in sluggish economies for overseas buyers.

A retreat for this sector began in 2015 where it dropped to 64 million square feet (18 percent) and $24.1 billion (32 percent). In 2016, starts tumbled to 58 million square feet (10 percent) and to $17 billion (29 percent). Things are looking up in 2017 as this sector attempts to regain some ground. Expect growth of 7 percent to 62 million square feet and a 6 percent rise to $18.1 billion.

In 2016, the capacity utilization rate stood at 75 percent, holding back plant construction. While oil prices may have stabilized, the upturn won’t necessarily lead to strong petrochemical plant construction. Several projects broke ground in 2016. Three were in Louisiana: a $3 billion ethane cracker plant, a $750 million methanol plant, and a $717 million alpha olefins plant.

In 2016, a lack of highway and bridge projects contributed to a drop in public

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works of 3 percent to $120.1 billion. In 2017, better funding should allow for an increase of 6 percent, driving public works to $127.5 billion. The FAST Act, the expected passage of the Water Resources Development Act, new investment in airport construction (if Congress approves a new Federal Aviation Administration bill), and bond measures ought to help generate starts.

Since President-elect Trump is a proponent of additional infrastructure funding, it may increase federal spending.

In some states, bond measures passed a few years back will kick in, translating into construction activity. For example, Proposition 7 in Texas is set to provide as much as $2.5 billion of funding through sales and use tax. Public-private partnerships are also on the rise. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced a private firm’s $899 million proposal to replace and maintain 558 bridges over the next three years.

With 2016’s slight growth in construction starts, and poor performance in nonbuilding, 2017 is forecast to be a better year in residential and nonresidential building. Questions remain about the new presidential administration’s effect on infrastructure, but most authorities are confident in a boost to this market.

Overall, 2017 might not feel like the Indy 500, but slower speeds also mean a crash is less likely.

Source: www.ecmag.com

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Dallas News

Air Quality Programs

• Bicycle and pedestrian facilities

NCTCOG Clean Construction Activities

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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he North Central Texas area has been designated nonattainment for the pollutant ozone under the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). Therefore, the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) Regional Transportation Council (RTC) has developed a broad range of air quality programs that seek to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), which lead to ground-level ozone formation.

Great strides have already been made in reducing ozone concentrations, but much work remains to be done.

NCTCOG’s air quality strategies seek to reduce emissions in a variety of ways, from energy and fuel efficiency to advancing clean technologies to encouraging changes in daily behavior. Such strategies are being implemented throughout the region to reduce emissions from different types of sources; however, most of the programs implemented through NCTCOG target mobile source emissions due to the fact that transportation-related activities account for nearly one-half of all ozone-causing pollution in North Central Texas.

NCTCOG strives to be at the forefront of air quality planning and is constantly reviewing potential new programs and policies. One of the Heavy-Duty Vehicle and Equipment Programs is the Construction Fleets Initiative.

As of 2012, construction equipment was estimated to produce approximately 10 percent of all ozone-causing emissions in North Texas. To improve air quality, the Regional Transportation Council (RTC), through the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCT-

COG) is working to reduce emissions from this source.

NCTCOG staff has developed a model Clean Construction Specification which may be incorporated into public works construction contracts. The specification is intended to increase the use of the cleanest available construction equipment and establish best operational practices. Additionally, NCTCOG has occasionally offered grant funding to replace, repower, and/or retrofit construction equipment.

To assess how “clean” your transportation related construction efforts are NOW, check out the Federal Highway Administration’s Infrastructure Carbon Estimator. The tool be used to compare strategies for reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions associated with existing or planned transportation infrastructure. For instance, it allows planners to estimate the relative impact that alternative fuels, alternative vegetation, used of recycled materials, preventative maintenance, etc. can play in reducing a project’s environmental footprint. The tool is designed for use by planners and to help policymakers determine project priorities.

Some transportation project examples are: • Roadways and parking facilities • Bridges • Public Transportation (rail infrastructure and dedicated bus infrastructure)

In March 2010, RTC approved a one-year Clean Construction Demonstration Project which evaluated the potential impacts of implementing the Clean Construction Specification, both for industry and local governments. NCTCOG staff partnered with local governments across the region on a voluntary basis to incorporate the Clean Construction Specification into public works contracts and/or collect responses to the Contractor Questionnaire. Resources for the Demonstration Project are outlined below.

Clean Construction Demonstration Project • Model Clean Construction Specification • Local Government Participation Guide • Contractor Fact Sheet • Template Documents and Forms

o Documents for Data Collection • Existing and Proposed Equipment Detail • Contractor Questionnaire

o Documents for Implementing Specification • Equipment Inventory • Low Use Exemption Weekly Reporting Form

For more information, please visit www.nctcog.org.

Sources: www.airnorthtexas.org www.nctcog.org

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Education

The Associated General Contractors of America: Education & Training t

an opportunity for them to share information on industry trends and initiatives in the areas of construction education, training and workforce development.

Forum members are also kept informed of any related AGC of America products and services. The Forum is led by a chair person and a steering committee of AGC members and chapter staff.

he Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) develops and delivers a number of educational programs that address key issues throughout the construction industry.

Designedto to be be delivered delivered in-seat, Designed in-seat, AGC Curricula offerings cover: AGC Curricula offerings cover: • Building Information Modeling • Lean Construction, Supervisory Training • Project Management.

These courses can be held by AGC Chapters, within a construction firm or through other organizations.

National programs on Project Management and Advanced Management provide an intensive learning experience for those looking to advance their knowledge and career. Safety Management training courses teach construction professionals what they need to know in the essential areas of safety and health.

For those interested in learning from their desk, AGC offers web based education (WebEd) throughout the year on a wide-range of industry topics, as well

EDForum Forummembers membersreceive: receive: ED

as Online OSHA courses and Safety Trained Supervisor exam preparation.

AGC is an authorized provider of Continuing Education Units. Look to AGC to earn your CEUs for license renewals and career development. No matter the size of your firm or the type of work you do, AGC of America has

education and training programs designed for you.

• The ability to participate in an e-Forum discussion group focused on training, education and workforce development; • Information about AGC’s professional development, curriculum, credentialing and workforce developing initiatives, products and services; • The opportunity to contribute through task forces or other leadership positions.

Training, Education & Development (TED) Forum

Forum members can be kept informed and engage at the level that works best for them.

The TED Forum brings together AGC members and chapter staff by providing

Source: www.agc.org

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TSUTexans2016.indd 1

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Engineering

Society of Women Engineers

Aspire / Advance / Achieve

By Subcontractors

havior as evidenced by honesty and dignity in their personal and professional relationships and responsibilities.

Women Engineers

USA News Provider

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ore than sixty years ago, when women identified themselves by their marital status, and newspaper help wanted ads placed employment opportunities into separate categories for men and women, a group of more than sixty pioneering women engineers and engineering students gathered to build a national organization.

They met in New Jersey, at The Cooper Union's Green Engineering Camp, on May 27-28, 1950 to officially form the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), and to make their way into a profession that did not necessarily welcome them. They did so not out of a desire to agitate or to rock the boat, but rather because they wanted the opportunity to develop their abilities, to give expression to their potential, to contribute to society.

Groups of women engineers and women engineering students had been meeting informally in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington, D.C. They understood the value of sharing encouragement and information; of the strength that comes from solidarity with like-minded peers. And they knew that as a group they could accomplish so much more that isolated individuals to make large-scale change, to open the halls of engineering to women.

Inclusive Environment SWE embraces diversity in its broadest interpretation and commits to creating an inclusive environment for all of their members and stakeholders.

SWE values the contributions of a diverse membership, which enables it to achieve its full potential.

Mutual Support SWE provides an organization that fosters mentoring, and the development of professional and They were women who swam against the tide personal networks. of their time. When a survey of women engineers was conducted in 1919, there were only 139 known Professional Excellence SWE conducts their activities in a professional women engineering or architecture students in manner, demonstrating and demanding the highest U.S. history. The labor shortage during the Second standards of business practices.

World War did lead some women to explore engineering and pursue technical careers. However, when SWE was founded far less than one percent Trust SWE shares a common definition of success with of working engineers were women, many employopen, transparent access to common information, ers remained skeptical of their abilities, and the building mutual respect and confidence in the comgeneral public still considered engineering to be a petence of those with whom the organization leads, masculine profession unsuitable for women. serves and partners with.

Since its founding, SWE has focused its efforts on introducing young women to careers in engiSWE stimulates women to achieve full potential neering, demonstrating to employers and the pubin careers as engineers and leaders, expand the imlic the critical role women engineers play in creative age of the engineering profession as a positive force teams, and providing support to women engineers in improving the quality of life, and demonstrate as they advance in their careers. the value of diversity.

SWECore CoreValues Values SWE

For more information about the Society of Women Engineers, please visit Integrity SWE aspires to the highest level of ethical be- societyofwomenengineers.swe.org.

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Houston News

Mayor Turner, Climate Mayors Vow To Honor Paris Climate Agreement Goals

60 Mayors representing 35 million Americans will lead fight against climate change A Message from Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner

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n response to President Trump’s decision withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement, Mayor Sylvester Turner joined over 60 “Climate Mayors” from across the U.S. in vowing to honor the Paris Agreement’s goals to fight climate change.

"Cities are front and center in the fight against climate change and we have to take action,” said Mayor Turner. “We must not let the President’s decision today slow our efforts. As the energy capital of the world and the nation’s largest municipal purchaser of green power, Houston is leading by example and living proof that large, industrial cities can have a robust economy and also fight climate change.”

Houston has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 35% since 2007 and was named the nation’s largest municipal purchaser of green power for 2017 by the U.S. EPA. Mayor Turner is Vice Chair of the Climate Mayors, a network of U.S. mayors working together to strengthen local efforts for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting efforts for binding federal and global-level policy making. In response to the President’s decision, over 60 mayors representing more than 35 million Americans have vowed to honor and uphold the goals of the Paris Agreement in the statement below.

The President’s denial of global warming is getting a cold reception from America’s cities.'

"60 Mayors representing 35 million Americans, we will adopt, honor, and uphold the commitments to the goals enshrined in the Paris Agreement. We will intensify efforts to meet each of our cities’ current climate goals, push for new action to meet the 1.5 degrees Celsius target, and work together to create a 21st century clean energy economy.'

"We will continue to lead. We are increasing investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency. We will buy and create more demand for electric cars and trucks. We will increase our efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions, create a clean energy economy, and stand for environmental justice. And if the President wants to break the promises made to our allies enshrined in the historic Paris Agreement, we’ll build and strengthen relationships around the world to protect the planet from devastating climate risks.'

"The world cannot wait — and neither will we."

For more information, please visit www.houstontx.gov.

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Houston News

Corps Visit Highlights Houston Ship Channel’s Importance to Nation D

uring a recent meeting of the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority, Chairman Janiece Longoria shared highlights of a briefing and tour of the Houston Ship Channel provided last week to Lt. General Todd Semonite, Commanding General and Chief of Engineers for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. During his visit, Chairman Longoria outlined the economic impact of the Port of Houston and made the case that dredging the Houston Ship Channel is an investment that generates jobs and economic benefit for the nation.

Lt. General Semonite came to Houston to see first-hand all the activity at the Port of Houston, and review the progress of improvements being considered during the current Corps mega-study. Conducted in partnership with Port Houston, the study is looking at potential future improvements to the channel. Following a briefing with leadership and staff, Lt. General Semonite was given a waterside channel tour, highlighting opportunities of the project.

Chairman Longoria shared that Lt. General Semonite was “very impressed” with what he saw and learned. He featured his visit to the Port of Houston in an ongoing series “On the Road Again with LTG Semonite.” His comments about the port can be seen at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=oSzwlbCeiHo.

In his report to the Port Commission, Executive Director Roger Guenther said that Port Houston “continues to perform well operationally,” handling nearly 13 million tons of cargo for the year, an increase of nine percent over last year. Total container volumes have also grown, by 12 percent. “A majority of this increase is due to loaded units, which showed an increase of 16 percent compared to the same time last year,” he said.

During his report, Mr. Guenther also commented on “tremendous investments” being made along the channel by the private sector, in addition to the ongoing investments by Port Houston. Mr. Guenther highlighted that several items on the agenda for the Port Commission’s consideration, including a permit for dock construction as well as barge leasing facilities, would support private sector investment efforts that would in turn help create growth opportunities for the region.

Those items were approved by the Port Commission today. Other items approved included the purchase of nine new rubber tired-gantry cranes to handle the continued growth in Port Houston’s container volumes.

During the meeting, Mr. Guenther acknowledged the passing of Environmental Affairs Director Leah Oberlin. Mr. Guenther commented that Ms. Oberlin was a valued member of the Port Houston family and touched the lives of all who knew her and would be greatly missed.

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Trusted Experts

Proudly Serving the Community

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

w

hen Jim Rice and Kevin Gardner started Rice & Gardner Consultants Inc., they saw an opportunity to merge their complimentary services: a program management firm owned by Jim Rice and an MEP engineering firm owned by Kevin Gardner. However, more importantly, they shared the same common vision: to truly serve the communities in which they worked, both in the Houston area and throughout the state of Texas. They wanted their business efforts to also be an influence for positive change. This can be seen through both their business ventures and the way they spend their personal time.

of Houston Business Journal’s fast 100 (#37 with a 135.95% revenue growth since 2012) for being one of the fastest growing companies in Houston. RGCI successfully provides core project management, commissioning, and MEP engineering services, adapting to diverse client needs and offering further services as required.

RGCI serves clients in Houston and throughout Texas with dedicated engineering and construction support services on new construction, renovation, and retrofit“Every successful person ting projects of varying sizes and scopes. or firm has been given an While they offer a wide variety of services, they tailor their services to suit each client. opportunity to succeed by Their wide scope of expertise along with someone. We always keep this specialized staff in each area means that they can meet all project needs. in mind and remember our RGCI makes it a main focus of their roots and early beginnings, business to work with and mentor HUBs and MWBEs. One major way they have and in turn seek to provide utilized HUB business is through their opportunities to deserving longstanding working relationship with HISD. RGCI was selected as a Program persons and firms.”

Manager for the 2012 HISD Facilities —Jim Rice, President of Capital Program with a budget scope of Rice & Gardner Consultants, Inc. $528 Million. The program included renovations at 15 campuses which ranged from additions, to renovations, to upgrades and Established in 2005, RGCI has expanded in several cases total replacement. Looking impressively over the past 12 years: what to incorporate HUB businesses as much as started out as a 2 man team is now a pros- possible, RGCI reached their goal with a perous firm staffing over two dozen ex- 50% HUB utilization for their contract. perienced engineers, program managers, “RGCI wanted to make sure we utilized at commissioning agents, and other key staff least 50% HUB business for this large scale members. RGCI has been recognized as one project, proving our commitment to inte-

RGCI Awards: • 2016 – Inc5000: Fastest-Growing Private Companies, Ranked #1304 • 2014, 2015 – Subcontractors USA Award: Top Prime Contractors, Architects, & Engineers for Diversity Award • 2010, 2015 – Inc5000: Fastest-Growing Companies, Ranked #1735

RGCI Certifications: • Texas Board of Professional Engineers AABC Commissioning Group (ACG) • 2006 to Present – U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Member grating underutilized businesses into the industry,” expresses Rice.

RGCI frequently partners with HUBs and minority-owned firms in the area on many projects of all size and scale. To mention a few, RGCI has established a longterm business relationship with Molina Walker Almaguer Architects, a City of

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Houston MWBE and State of Texas HUB certified architectural firm; and HUB certified firm, Project Management Group, LLC, whose owner, Vladimir Naranjo was recently featured on the February cover of SubContractors USA for his contributions to the Houston business community.

“Every successful person or firm has been given an opportunity to succeed by someone. We always keep this in mind and remember our roots and early beginnings, and in turn seek to provide opportunities to deserving persons and firms.” – Jim Rice Another way that RGCI demonstrates their passion for serving their community is through their involvement with multiple school districts. They have secured major bond contracts with numerous local districts, including HISD, Galena Park ISD, and Lamar CISD. This is certainly no coincidence, as founder Jim Rice is very passionate about public education: he strongly believes that America’s public education institutions are what makes us unique amongst the nations of the world. “Receiving a "free" public education is the foundation of our democratic republic. Teaching reading, writing, and reasoning to every child enables our children to grow into intelligent adults capable of critical thinking and forming a literate electorate. Our public schools are America's best hope for the future. By ensuring that the built environments that students learn in are conducive to learning, we are assisting students to perform at their best,” Rice said.

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RICE & GARDNER FEATURED PROJECTS GALENA PARK INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 2016 Bond Program RGCI was selected as the program manager to manage the istrict’s $290 million bond for the 2016 Capital Improvement Bond Program.

LAMAR CONSOLIDATED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 2014 Bond Program Vanir-Rice & Gardner, A Joint Venture, was selected as the Program Manager team to oversee $244 Million for the 2014 LCISD Facilities Capital Program.

DEBAKEY HIGH SCHOOL FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONS Houston Independent School District RGCI is currently serving as the Commissioning Authority for the new DeBakey High School located in the Texas Medical Center in Houston.

However, one school district RGCI won’t be involved with is Fort Bend ISD. Certainly not because it’s an undesirable district to do business with, but because Rice is a long-time resident of Fort Bend County and wanted to give back to his own community in a more personal way by serving as a school board trustee for the Fort Bend Independent School District. Rice’s pivotal role in the Fort Bend community precludes RGCI from conducting any business for the district, something that would certainly be within their wheelhouse. Rice is also one of the founding members for Fort Bend Cares, a charitable organization established in 2004 to service the needs of underprivileged youth in the county. Simply put, Rice’s care for his community far supersedes his financial and business interests.

RGCI views their responsibility to their community as one that takes into account its future wellbeing. In today’s world, environmental concerns should be at the forefront of most industries. However, the construction industry in particular needs to be especially proactive when it comes to sustainability as they are the top global consumer of raw materials: the industry generates between 25 to 40 percent of the world’s carbon emissions. RGCI has been mindful of this for years, and consider themselves industry leaders in this arena. The firm has been a member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) since 2006, and Rice is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Envi-

ronmental Design) accredited professional.

RGCI is also proud to have provided project management, commissioning, and MEP engineering services for numerous projects that have earned LEED. They have completed 5 LEED certified projects, 5 LEED silver, 2 LEED gold, and currently have 11 that are pending certification.

Moving forward, RGCI’s goals are to continue to provide their existing clients with the same quality services they have come to expect from them, while also servicing the needs of new clients as well as upholding their commitment to the people and environments they serve.

“The RGCI team were professional and hard working in their approach while working alongside our staff and management team in a collaborative manner.”

HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE PERFORMING AND VISUAL ARTS (HSPVA) Houston Independent School District, 2012 Bond Program RGCI is providing Project Management services for the new construction of the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. The RGCI Project Team is currently working to acquire LEED Silver Certification for this new, state-ofthe-art high school.

With an estimated

—Andreas Peeples, General Manager of Construction Services HISD

For more information about Rice & Gardner Consultants, Inc., please visit www.ricegardner.com. For additional questions, email info@ricegardner.com or call (713) 482-2300.

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final construction cost of $80 million, the largest project element for this building is the main theatre with a 3½-story seating area and a 5-story high fly loft. This project will also include a recital hall, black box theatre, and mini theatre. Left: HSPVA Rendering; Right: HSVPA under construction.

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In the Subcontractors USA Community...

To View More Photos, Visit Our Website www.subcusa.com and Click on ‘Photo Gallery.’

TxDOT PAVED Transportation Summit

The Texas Department of Transportation, the Regional Hispanic Contractors Association, the National Association of Minority Contractors - Houston, the Associated General Contractors of Texas, and the Tri-County Regional Black Chamber of Commerce sponsored PAVED, an event highlighting upcoming highway construction projects in the Beaumont/Houston area.

The PAVED program allows participants to learn from TxDOT staff about project specific opportunities, and network with prime and sub contractors and consultants.

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SUBCONTRACTORS

USA

TEXAS JOURNAL

W W W . S U B C U S A . C O M

Architecture | Construction | Education | Energy | Engineering | IT | Manufacturing | Oil and Gas | Petrochemical | Transportation

July 2017 | Advocating for Certified Women, Veteran & Minority-Owned Subcontractors | 16th Edition

2017 InterAgency Mentor Protégé Program INSIDE

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METRO Congratulates

SUBCONTRACTORS USA

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the 2017 Class of the Interagency Mentor Protégé Program H

ouston is aptly known for being a city with many business opportunities for large corporations, but for some small businesses in the area it is much tougher to grow. In some cases, small businesses are not equipped with the proper tools and resources to take their company to the next level. The Interagency Mentor-Protégé Program is the course these companies need to succeed. With the guidance of local agencies, twenty-one small businesses are now on the path to discovering new resources and taking their companies to new heights after completing the 2017 Interagency Mentor-Protégé Program.

Comprised of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO), The City of Houston, Houston Independent School District, Houston Community College, Houston First and the Port of Houston Authority, the Interagency Mentor-Protégé Program provides massive opportunity to small businesses who are ready to grow and achieve success through connecting with these agencies. IMPP serves the purpose to enhance the business skills and broaden the base of historically underutilized businesses (HUB) by provid-

ing the knowledge and experience of established firms.

By the end of this program, small businesses (protégés) will have strengthened effective working relationships and created long term stability between their companies and local agencies by being paired with established firms (mentors).

For the 2017 IMPP Class, the 21 protégés will be mentored by Brown & Root, Dominion Commercial Credit, Facility Interiors, Freeman Company, Gilbreath Communications, Gunda Corporation, HNTB Corporation, HOK International, Horizons International, Levy Restaurants, McConnell Jones LLP, MBN Enterprises LLC, Page Southerland Page and Parsons Corporation. These mentors have extensive background, experience, and leverage in their fields, making them prime leaders for the 2017 class to learn from.

During this fifth year of the program which lasts for 8 weeks, protégés engaged in workshops that educated them on the various aspects of being in business with large agencies. These sessions included:

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CONTINUED on page 26

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SUBCONTRACTORS USA

Class of 20

Alex Dawotola Heneco Oil and Gas

Lynette Valentine Brand IQ Inc., LLC

Charles Mgbeike Apex Consulting Group, Inc.

Roxanne Morrison THE Hawkmorr Group, LLC

Darrell Groves DWG CPA PLLC.

Susan Griswold Recovery Professionals Inc. dba Security Professionals of Texas

Kevin Calvin TPMG Construction, Baker-Calvin, LLC

Sonya Kelly K Staffing LLC dba Kelly Staffing

Shawn Withers Garcia & Wright Consulting Engineers, Inc.

Vicki Semander Adventus Technologies, Inc.

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Intera Mentor Pro

Dante H. OnTim

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017

ragency r-Protégé ogram

Bonnie Moss MBCO Engineering, LLC

Oliver Salgado B2Z Engineering, LLC

Maria Tapias The Voice Society, LLC

Timothy Jones T & M Jones Services, Inc. dba T&M Services

Demetria Jones Training & Leadership Consulting

Martinez me BI

Vikki McCullough The Spearhead Group, Inc.

Venkat Maddekayala V3Main Technologies Inc.

Nooshin Yazhari Optimum Consultancy Services, LLC

Sam Merchant Infodat International, Inc.

Virginia Myers Signature Electric Services, LLC

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CONTINUED from page 23 Week

Session Topic

Week 1: May 2

Doing Business with Government Entities

Week 2: May 9

Back Office – (HR/ Compliance/PO’s/ Invoices etc.)

Week 3: May 16

Learning To “Market” Your Company

Week 4: May 23

How To Price Your Product/Project

Week 5: May 30

Financial Management

Week 6: June 6

Mock Request for Proposal

Week 7: June 13

Mock Request for Proposal (2)

Week 8: June 20

RFP Presentation and Evaluations

Things to Know About the IMPP The goals of the IMPP: • Enhance business skills • Broaden the base of small businesses • Provide knowledge and experience of established firms to small businesses Protégés benefitted from participating in the IMPP in the following ways including but not limited to: • Understanding business financials and bidding • Creating and strengthening working relationships between established and emerging companies • Understanding how to do business with local government agencies • Gaining technical assistance in specific areas for protégés Program Requirements: • Currently certified as a Small, Woman-owned, Veteran-owned, Minority-owned, or Disadvantaged Business Enterprise by the City of Houston, METRO Small Business or hold a current registration from the Port of Houston or the Houston Independent School District (H.I.S.D.) • In continuous operation for at least 24 months • Revenue between $150,000 and $4 million in the most recent fiscal year • Minimum of four (4) employees • Must be able to commit to eight (8) workshops • Must be able to identify the type of guidance needed for development

This partnership between METRO, The City of Houston, Houston Independent School District, Houston Community College, Houston First and the Port of Houston Authority serves a wonderful purpose and is fundamental for the growth of small businesses across the city. It is key in encouraging disadvantaged businesses to move forward in creating opportunity for themselves and amongst each other. This is just one of many of the METRO Office of Small Business outreach programs strategically designed to assist small businesses

in reaching their goals. For more on the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, please visit www.ridemetro.org.

2017 Interagency Mentor Protégés Program • Received 160 Online Applications • Interviewed 33 firms • Selected 21 of the 33 interviewed Industries

No. of Firms

A & E’s (Professional Services)

5

Construction

3

General Services

8

Information Technology (IT)

4

Professional Services

1

Source: Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

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In the Subcontractors USA Community...

To View More Photos, Visit Our Website www.subcusa.com and Click on ‘Photo Gallery.’

Turner Construction’s Opportunity Day

Turner has nearly $200 Million worth of construction project opportunities for construction subcontractors in the Houston market.

Turner is placing construction bid packages out for HUB, MWBE, PDBE, and Super subcontractors who can help Turner build the future and

meet its 25 to 35 percent participation goals. Subcontractors received detailed information about the projects, had an opportunity to ask questions, met with Turner Project Managers and Architects, and met potential teaming partners.

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IT

Manufacturing

Mill Steel Co. Opens Facility in Houston, Texas

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

M

Millennials Driving Change

By Lea Bogle Contributing Writer

I

n today’s workplace, where management often sees Millennials as spoiled and lazy, Millennials often see management as out of touch and inefficient. Technology is often at the core of this great divide.

Take for example the conversation that I witnessed between a Millennial and her manager just the other day. The conversation was light and lively, fun and spirited, but at its core was the challenge facing so many leaders today: How do you blend the generations to maximize productivity for the company?

The Millennial employee is in the office, completing her paperwork from her previous activities. She looks up and says to her boss, “Why do I have to fill out all of these forms? Wouldn’t it make more sense if we just completed these forms while we are out in the field on our phones or something? This way you wouldn’t be bugging me all the time, and I wouldn’t have to waste my time coming into the office just to hand you a bunch of paperwork and enter my time into the computer.”

The manager looked at his employee and said, “That’s the problem with you Millennials. You’re all lazy, and you lack a strong work ethic.” Half joking, the manager said, “You know, I really should just fire you.”

The Millennial replied, “Yes, but you won’t. I’m really good at my job, I know more, and I get more done than anyone else.” And she was right.

The reality is that Millennials really are great employees. However, their life experiences have taught them to use technology for almost everything. Older adults sometimes perceive them as lazy, but on the other side of that, Millennials can view older people as out of touch. Millennials don’t use a Franklin planner, they use the calendar on their phone. They do their schoolwork on a computer and use a calculator for their math exam. Google is their dictionary and encyclopedia. They rarely, if ever, go into a library, but they download information constantly.

Then, when they show up at work, their boss gives them a pen, a pencil, a piece of paper, and tells them to get to work. So is it really surprising when Millennials seem out of place in the workforce at times?

Today’s savvy leaders know that the best way to

maximize the Millennial and to get maximum productivity from them and others on their team is to engage and empower the Millennial through the use of technology. Let them identify your needs, and let them take the lead on your mobile technology initiatives. Millennials want to be a part of the bigger picture. They want to be a part of the team that brings modernization and efficiency into their company.

Millennials are amazing when they feel they make a difference. Let them improve your operations and the overall efficiency of your organization by bringing in fresh ideas and leveraging resources that didn’t exist even 5 years ago.

You’ll be amazed at the results hiring Millennials. You’ll enjoy: • Improved Collaboration • Increased Employee Retention • Streamlined Processes • A More Agile Organization • Increased Team Productivity • Increased Profitability

The business structure is changing. It’s no longer top down, but much more bottom up. If you let them, the Millennials will implement the change you need to ensure your competitive edge.

Lea Bogle is a wireless industry expert and president of Premier Wireless™, a company that proudly serves Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and other areas. For more information about how Premier Wireless™ can help you, please visit them on the web at www. premierwirelesstx.com.

ill Steel Co., one of the nation's largest distributors of flat-rolled carbon steel, expanded its operations and geographic presence with the opening of a new facility in Houston, Texas.

Mill Steel is now operational with slitting and cutto-length capabilities in their 100,000 square-foot facility. This premier building houses three production lines with the capability of slitting 50,000 lb master coils up to 60" wide and .015-.250" thick. The company plans to add additional production lines in the near future. With these aggressive expansion plans, this will become one of Mill Steel's flagship service centers.

Mill Steel will distribute its entire product line from this new location, including hot-rolled, coldrolled, painted, and coated steel. It will maintain a large painted product inventory, with a full complement of paint systems and codes. This development will support Mill Steel's construction, automotive, oil country tubular goods (OCTG), agriculture and HVAC business in the Southern United States and Mexico. Furthermore, the geographic advantages and strategic proximity to the Port of Houston will enhance Mill Steel's distribution efforts.

"The addition of this location represents Mill Steel's entry into the significant Southern United States market and furthers our customer and product diversification," said Mill Steel Chairman and CEO, David Samrick. He continues, "We are very pleased to enter this robust commercial territory, which allows us to grow and support our existing customer base."

About Mill Steel Co.: Founded in 1959 by Harry Samrick, Mill Steel Co. is one of North America's premier flat-rolled steel suppliers. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, MI, Mill Steel operates six service center locations including Grand Rapids and Melvindale, MI, Anderson and Jeffersonville, IN, Birmingham, AL, and now Houston, TX. Mill Steel excels at serving some of the world's most demanding industries with its steadfast dedication to superior quality, delivery, and performance. The company continues to grow by consistently operating with integrity, putting its customers and associates first. For more information about Mill Steel Co., visit www. millsteel.com.

Source: Mill Steel Co.

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Oil and Gas

EY Poll Finds Oil and Gas Industry Faces Talent Problem in Young American Perceptions

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

w

hile more than half of adults (51%) would be happy if their child chose a career in oil and gas, only 26% of Generation Z and 45% of millennials without a set career path find industry jobs appealing, according to EY's US Oil and Gas Perception poll. A majority from the younger generation also perceive oil and gas jobs as blue-collar, dangerous and physically demanding.

"Oil and gas companies need smart, capable employees now and for as long as the industry exists," said Deborah Byers, US Energy Leader, Ernst & Young LLP. "But younger generations' perceptions of oil and gas are leading them elsewhere. There are a couple of contributing factors to these views: a disconnect between what oil and gas executives think young people want from a career and what they actually want, a lack of awareness about the industry and the careers that power it, and a substantial gender gap. Young women's views on jobs in oil and gas are particularly concerning."

In fact, the industry's lack of job appeal among young people is largely driven by the degree to which young women find oil and gas jobs unappealing. According to the US Oil and Gas Perception survey, only 24% of women between 16 and 35 find industry jobs appealing while 54% of men in the same age range find them appealing.

Further, executives do not seem convinced of the industry's ability to deliver on some of the leading factors that attract young people to a career. While 92% of executives agreed salary is a strength of the industry, 37% said good work-life balance is an industry weakness and 61% said job stability is an industry weakness.

"There are a number of changes companies can make to improve their ability to recruit and retain quality employees, but overcoming this perception challenge will require much more substantial transformation," said Rachel Everaard, US Oil & Gas People Advisory Services Principal, Ernst & Young LLP. "Companies need to embrace the workforce of the future and evolve to better serve current and prospective employees."

"Each company's workforce and their strategy to efficiently deploy that workforce is a differentiator," Byers said. "At a time when energy abundance threatens a permanent oversupply and low prices, the oil and gas industry has a call to action to solve this perception problem for the sake of their future workforce and their success."

Aboutthe thesurvey survey About To better understand the differences between reality and perception around oil and gas, EY conducted a nationwide poll of more than 1,200 consumers and 100 industry executives in the US in the first quarter of 2017.

A total of 1,204 American consumers aged 16 and older were interviewed online nationwide, including: 1,004 Americans aged 19 and older and 200 Americans aged 16 to 18. A total of 109 oil and gas executives based in North America were interviewed online.

In the survey, net responses were calculated by subtracting the percentage of negative responses from the percentage of positive responses.

Study findings and illustrations can be found at ey.com/oilandgas/perceptions/talent. Additional analysis is forthcoming on the topics of climate change, regulation and tax reform.

AboutEY EY About

Disconnectbetween betweenexecutives executivesand younger Disconnect and younger generations generations

Usingtechnology technologytotoaddress Using address workforceworkforce issues issues

Interestingly, younger generations actually hold fairly traditional career priorities. When asked which three considerations are the most important in selecting a future career, both Millennials and Generation Z, as whole, prioritized salary (56%), good work-life balance (49%), job stability (37%) and on-the-job happiness (37%).

In contrast, oil and gas executives expected the leading careers drivers for young people to be salary (72%), technology (43%), good work-life balance (38%), and the opportunity to try new roles (28%). They overestimated the allure of technology for young people while undervaluing work-life balance and stability.

Technology will play a crucial role in revolutionizing the industry's workforce – impacting both the number and type of employees needed.

For example, companies can implement digital automation to do a range of repetitive tasks that currently require staff time. In turn, they can quickly and inexpensively adjust to a smaller hiring pool by focusing their recruiting efforts on qualified individuals for key roles.

Oil and gas executives are already adapting to this mindset. Eighty-one percent of executives surveyed said the industry will need to develop an educated, highly skilled workforce over the next ten years, in contrast to a mass pool of employees.

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

Source: EY

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FLUOR SUPPLIER DIVERSITY PROGRAM

Connecting for Opportunities Fluor is committed to excellence in supplier diversity.

As a global company, Fluor operates across highly diverse markets that are best served by correspondingly diverse resources, including suppliers and subcontractors.

Visit us at www.fluorprocurement.com for a list of the products and services that Fluor buys and create your company profile.

© 2016 Fluor Corporation.

ADAV133416b

AV20160111-003 ADAV133416b.indd 1

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Petrochemical

Kirby Corporation Signs Agreement To Purchase Inland Tank Barges And Towboats land-based oilfield service and oil and gas operator and producer markets.

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

Forward-LookingStatements Statements Forward-Looking

K

irby Corporation ("Kirby") (NYSE: KEX) recently announced the signing of an agreement to purchase certain inland marine assets from an undisclosed competitor for $68 million. The asset purchase will consist of nine specialty pressure tank barges, four 30,000 barrel tank barges, and three 1320 horsepower inland towboats. The closing of the asset purchase is expected to occur by July 15, 2017, and is subject to certain customary conditions. The acquisition is expected to be paid for using funds available under Kirby's revolving credit facility.

David Grzebinski, Kirby's President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "The purchase of these pressure barges and accompanying towboats boosts our ability to meet our customers' transport demands for specialty cargos such as liquefied petroleum gas. The addition of these recently constructed, well maintained pressure barges will enhance the performance of our inland barge fleet. The four 30,000 barrel tank barges will fit seamlessly in our clean fleet which primarily moves

petrochemicals and refined products. We expect the transaction to be $0.01 - $0.02 per share accretive to 2017 earnings."

AboutKirby KirbyCorporation Corporation About Kirby Corporation, based in Houston, Texas, is the nation's largest domestic tank barge operator transporting bulk liquid products throughout the Mississippi River System, on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, coastwise along all three United States coasts, and in Alaska and Hawaii. Kirby transports petrochemicals, black oil, refined petroleum

products and agricultural chemicals by tank barge. Kirby also operates offshore dry-bulk barge and tugboat units engaged in the offshore transportation of dry-bulk cargoes in the United States coastal trade. Through the diesel engine services segment, Kirby provides aftermarket service for medium-speed and high-speed diesel engines and reduction gears used in marine and power generation applications. Kirby also distributes and services diesel engines, transmissions and pumps, and manufactures and remanufactures oilfield service equipment, including pressure pumping units, for

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Statements contained in this press release with respect to the future are forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management's reasonable judgment with respect to future events.

Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated as a result of various factors, including cyclical or other downturns in demand, significant pricing competition, unanticipated additions to industry capacity, changes in the Jones Act or in U.S. maritime policy and practice, fuel costs, interest rates, weather conditions and timing, magnitude and number of acquisitions made by Kirby.

Forward-looking statements are based on currently available information and Kirby assumes no obligation to update any such statements. A list of additional risk factors can be found in Kirby's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Source: Kirby Corporation

Final HEB Diversity Red ads.qxp SUBCONTRACTORS USA

4/7/08

11:24 AM

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At H-E-B, each and every Partner is responsible for upholding our commitment to diversity. Our daily actions value both the differences and similarities that make our Customers, Communities and Partners so unique.

®

For more information on diversity at H-E-B, visit

www.heb.com

©2008 H-E-B Food Stores

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San Antonio News

San Antonio Selected to Develop New Market Prioritization and Metropolitan Economic Partnership Strategies as Part of the Brookings Institution’s Global Cities Initiative

S

an Antonio recently announced it has been selected to join a group of eight city-regions seeking to develop and amplify the impact of trade strategies through research and strategic development problem-solving. This initiative will also determine how city-regions can best prioritize and execute international economic partnerships with international metro counterparts. This new effort, part of the Global Cities Initiative (GCI), a joint project of Brookings and JPMorgan Chase, builds upon the foundation of San Antonio’s participation in the Global Cities Exchange, for which the city was originally selected in 2012 to develop an export plan, and in 2014 was one of only six pilot communities selected to take the next step and develop a foreign direct investment strategy.

“Even with strong trade and investment strategies, all metros face resource and capacity constraints to engaging internationally. In the global market haystack, metros need tools to focus on where they are most likely to find the needles,” said Marek Gootman, Brookings fellow and director of strategic partnerships and global initiatives. “We selected this diverse group of metros to test new approaches to identify, prioritize, and structure economic connections with specific foreign counterparts for maximum returns.”

Selected by Brookings through a competitive application process, San Antonio will join Atlanta, Columbus, Louisville/

Lexington, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, and Wichita in producing a locally-tailored market prioritization assessment and initiating or expanding at least one metroto-metro collaboration, coupled with a detailed work plan for building out those relationships and establish an approach that can be replicated by other metropolitan areas.

“Data and professional collaboration with peer cities has been a focus of ours since joining the Global Cities Initiative,” said Rene Dominguez, Director of the City of San Antonio’s Economic Development Department. “We are confident that through our participation in this cohort San Antonio will further strengthen and solidify our City’s global trade and investment efforts.”

“We’ve been successful implementing San Antonio’s Trade and Investment Strategy, developed in Brookings’ Global Cities Exchange,” said SAEDF president & CEO Jenna Saucedo-Herrera. “To reinforce international relations as a top priority and elevate San Antonio’s global competitiveness, we’re proud to partner once again with Brookings to continue evolving our strategy.”

In the first phase, GCI metros will apply a new evidence-based methodology to prioritize international markets for highpotential economic relationships. Through an assessment, each metro area will identify existing and potential market connections, sector synergies, and growth trends (global market prioritization). Following this phase,

the cohort will examine different models to operationalize international metro–level economic partnerships targeted through prioritization, based on testing bilateral and multi-lateral sectoral, geographic, and intermediary relationships (metro-to-metro economic collaboration).

Since its launch, the GCI has raised awareness about the importance of international economic connections and competitiveness for growth and job creation, and spurred dozens of metropolitan areas to reorient their economic strategies toward engaging world markets. GCI has become a hub for coalitions of metro leaders across public, private, and civic sectors to connect with their counterparts for peer learning, problem-solving, and economic collaboration.

“San Antonio is becoming a more global city, and this partnership of the public and private sectors will develop growth strategies that can have a powerful impact on our region,” said Morris Camp, Market Leader for JPMorgan Chase in San Antonio. “This effort will create international economic connections for local businesses, and that will create greater economic opportunity for our residents.”

San Antonio’s co-chair organizations for this initiative will be the City’s Economic Development Department and the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation with research support from the SABÉR Research Institute. However, many of San

Antonio’s economic development community partners, including the City’s Office of Innovation, the Free Trade Alliance of San Antonio, la Asociación de Empresarios Mexicanos (the Mexican Entreprenuer Association), Brooks City Base, Port San Antonio, the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the University of Texas at San Antonio’s Institute for Economic Development and the U.S. Commercial Service will serve as an advisory board for the San Antonio effort.

San Antonio supports and promotes key initiatives that raise the profile of international business engagement and the importance it plays in competitiveness and economic vitality. An effective economic development marketing strategy is guided by solid data and the analysis of this data provides focus, direction and insight to create the strategies and tactics needed to reach the desired objectives. Through the GCI, San Antonio had the opportunity to create the San Antonio Trade & Investment Strategy (SATIS) 2015, which has guided the City’s current global trade and investment strategy. This high-level strategy developed is expected to be built upon through this initiative to provide more specific and results-oriented strategies that will lead to increased job and investment in our community.

Source: www.sanantonio.gov

Setting Us Apart

projects on 1 Delivers time and on budget to 2 Committed delivering quality &

meaningful service

3 Financial stability bonding 4 Strong capacity

5

Excellent safety record

6

Experienced project teams

About Us Horizon International Group, LLC is a certified SBE/MBE/WBE/HUB construction manager with a proven history of providing clients impeccable contracting services since 1994.

Certified MWBE/SBE/HUB Contractor Horizon is a certified MBE, WBE, SBE and State of Texas certified Historically Underutilized Business (HUB). As such, Horizon is always striving to expand business opportunities, provide added value to our clients, and is actively engaged in procuring goods and services from other talented SBE/MBE/WBE/HUB subcontracting firms. We believe that diversity strengthens the community and the overall small business environment.

Services Horizon provides a range of services including: • Construction Management

• Estimating

• General Contracting • Design/Build

• Owner Representation & Feasibility Studies

• Project Management

• Development Services

• Job Order Contracting

• Program Management

years of industry 7 30+ experience size to deliver 8 Right flexibility of services

and effective responses

Houston First 9 Hire Houston based

company hiring Houston based subcontractors

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Help Us Shine.

CenterPoint Energy values its diverse suppliers.

Our suppliers include minority-owned and women-owned businesses, as well as small businesses.

We choose diverse suppliers for their capability, safety, innovation, agility and competitive pricing.

In turn, our suppliers create positive economic impact throughout the communities we serve.

Mutually beneficial relationships and forward-thinking approaches offered by quality, diverse suppliers are integral to CenterPoint Energy’s vision to lead the nation in delivering energy, service and value. This is why we welcome and are committed to including diverse suppliers in competitive bid opportunities. Our beacon shines brightly as we guide diverse suppliers to the shores of business opportunity. Learn more at CenterPointEnergy.com/SupplierDiversity.

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Transportation

High-Speed Train Reaches Milestone

on Land Option Program to Clear Way for North Texas-To-Houston Route

By Subcontractors USA News Provider • Land option program has resulted in contracts for about 30 percent of parcels estimated to be needed for entire project • Option agreements have been reached for 50 percent of the parcels for the proposed route in Waller and Grimes counties • Texas Central withdrawing requests for courtordered survey access to focus on continuing dialogue with landowners and stakeholders and to advance environmental work • Bullet train continues progress on many fronts, including infrastructure engineering design, development of world-leading safety prac3ces and rules, design of the interior of the trains, best practices for the customer/rider experience, minimizing environmental impact and more

Texas Central, developers of the state’s high-speed train, announced today that it has marked a significant milestone in its land option program, the result of collaborative and ongoing engagements with property owners and stakeholders along the project’s potential route.

The company said it has reached option agreements on about 30 percent of the parcels estimated to be needed for the bullet train’s route in the 10-county stretch between North Texas and Houston.

Negotiations have resulted in option agreements in all 10 counties, including 50 percent of the parcels for the proposed route in Waller and Grimes counties.

Grimes County is the site of a Brazos Valley passenger station, a midway stop on the 240-mile line between the state’s top metro areas.

Texas Central’s option program compensates owners today in exchange for the right to acquire a parcel at a future date at an agreed price. The option offers are being made in select areas of alignments that are under review as part of the project’s environmental assessment.

To date, options have been negotiated representing about 30 percent of the parcels estimated for the potential route.

“This is a significant step in the progress of the highspeed train and it reflects the positive dialogue we

have had with landowners along the route,” said Texas Central CEO Carlos Aguilar. “Texans see the many benefits of a system that will provide a safe, reliable and productive alternative to the state’s transportation demands.”

Since the beginning of the project, Texas Central has pledged to engage in personalized, open and collaborative discussions with landowners, listening to concerns, outlining the project’s benefits and answering questions. Texas Central so far has hosted 28 information meetings throughout the 10 counties, allowing for additional individual conversations with project managers and subject matter experts.

As a result of this cooperative approach, the company said more than 3,000 families and businesses signed letters giving surveyors access as part of the environmental assessment. A substantial portion of the initial survey work has been completed and is continuing where needed.

In those few cases in which Texas Central sought a court decision to allow survey access, conversations with landowners later resulted in a favorable resolution reached out of court in a majority of these instances.

Because of the positive collaboration with Texans along the route and the progress of the environmental assessment, Texas Central has withdrawn the remaining 17 cases to allow it to work with all landowners on an amicable approach for permission to survey.

The Texas bullet train continues to progress every day with action on many fronts, including infrastructure engineering design, development of world-leading safety practices and rules, design of the interior of the trains, best practices for the customer/rider experience, minimizing environmental impact and much more.

Source www.texascentral.com

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