ODEBRECHT USA 2009-01
With all that happens in our company, it’s important that we keep everyone informed. With that in mind, this newsletter will capture the highlights of each quarter. The newsletter is organized in four main sections: O BUSINESS addresses our project accomplishments, and future opportunities we are working on; O LIFE is all about people working and living the Odebrecht life; O SOCIAL ACTION covers our efforts to impact people’s lives; and O SUSTAINABILITY features our move towards sustainable practices. This first edition, we are featuring some important events that occurred this year. In future editions, we will count on you to share both the small and the big accomplishments of the company, teams, and individuals. Your contribution is vital. Help us spread the word!
To make your contribution or learn how you can be involved in the creation of the Odebrecht USA newsletter, please contact Denise B. Cruz at dbcruz@odebrecht.com The deadline to submit content for the next edition is September 18th but don’t wait until the last minute as stories may also be featured in the Portal weekly.
BUSINESS
PHOTOS: DENISE B. CRUZ
METRORAI
MIA CONNECTIO
IL’S MIC-EARLINGTON HEIGHTS CONNECTOR
ONS
MIA MOVER
In March, Parsons-Odebrecht broke ground for the MIA Mover, a 1.27-mile Automated People Mover system that will transport passengers from the airport to the Miami Intermodal Center (MIC), a central transportation hub currently under construction across from the airport complex. Completion of the MIA Mover in 2011 will allow passengers to ride the system free of charge to the MIC eliminating the use of shuttle buses to off-site car rental lots, relieving traffic congestion, and reducing the airport’s carbon footprint. Completing the airport’s new transportation network, Odebrecht, through a joint venture with OHL, broke ground for the MIC-Earlington Heights Connector - a 2.4-mile extension of the Metrorail that will link the airport to Miami’s existing transit network. O
BUSINESS
CELEBRATING COMPLETION
NEW ORLEAN STYLE
LAKE CATAOUATCHE LEVEE
CHALMETTE LOOP LEVEE
N
NS
As Chalmette Loop Levee and Lake Cataouatche Levee approached completion, each project celebrated with a Crawfish Boil. Chalmette Loop Levee had a “Topping-Off” Luncheon on April 23rd in appreciation of the efforts that led to a successful completion of the project on budget, ahead of schedule and with excellent safety records of zero loss time. On May 14th, 2009 the project obtained Beneficial Occupancy - Substantial Completion three weeks ahead of schedule. Then on May 22nd, Lake Cataouatche’s “Team Odebrecht-Circle 1st Annual Crawfish Boil” marked the beginning of a new annual tradition. Lake Cataouatche Levee is estimated to be completed in August, within schedule. O
CHALMETTE LOOP LEVEE
PHOTO: ANDY ROMERO
BUSINESS
As the Mayor and Airport Director toured the North Terminal on June 25th, they were optimistic and impressed with the progress of the project as it continues to move in a high pace.
PHOTO: ANDY ROMERO
In June, four gates were opened: D24 and D25 were delivered on June 4th as scheduled, and Gates D31 and D32 were delivered on June 25th - three months ahead of schedule. In July, three more gates were opened and the challenge of delivering seven gates by July 28th has been successfully achieved. O
NORTH TERMINAL
FIU STADIUM On June 19th, the Field House at the new FIU Golden Panther Stadium received TCO. The project was completed within schedule . Odebrecht delivered another outstanding project to a satisfied Client. O
BUSINESS
FORWARD THINK
FIU MEDICAL CITY
On June 19th, Odebrecht submitted a proposal to develop several parcels of land for the Miami-Dade Aviation Department. Airport City at MIA’s vision is to create a landmark urban center that compliments the core aeronautical infrastructure and services with a wide variety of facilities and services that will provide tremendous value and long term sustainability, including: world-class hotel accommodations; a Central Station with services and amenities that will enhance passenger experience; an Energy Center that will provide “energy security” to the airport and other essential services; and the FIU Medical City with multi-specialty health centers – all thoughtfully integrated into the transportation system to provide multimodal access to MIA.
KING CENTRAL STATION
Our proposal considers the environmental and social issues as they relate to economic sustainability, public health & wellness, biodiversity, energy efficiency & production, and access to basic services while minimizing the overall impacts of development. Airport City at MIA’s vision is one of a signature sustainable urban environment, integrating the economic, social and environmental realms; it will embrace, integrate and incorporate sustainability to its core while maximizing the economic return and offering an innovative holistic approach to the development future of MIA. O
LIFE
CORPORATE RUN This year, we had a record number of participants in the Miami Corporate Run - the Parsons-Odebrecht JV team counted on the presence of nearly 70 runners, joggers, and walkers. Congratulations to Alex Pou (20:48) and Kimberly Perantoni (25:47), this year’s JV winners. O
IRONMAN Dimas Salvia was one of the 200 selected in a lottery to participate in the 2009 Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. “Before becoming an engineer I already practiced sports and I participated in triathlons,” says Dimas. “I wake up at five in the morning to train, go to work, and when I leave, I train a bit more.” The competition, which will take place in the big island of Hawaii in October, is made up of a 2.4mile swim, a 112-mile bike race, and a 26-mile run. Good Luck, Dimas! O
CRESCENT CITY CLASSIC On April 11th the New Orleans team participated for the first time in the 31st Annual Picayune Crescent City Classic, a 6-mile race and a New Orleans Easter weekend tradition. The Odebrecht shirts helped contribute to the Louisiana Children’s Museum, giving continuity to the work done with the museum. O
PHOTOS: STEPHANIE MEYER-SENIOR
LIFE
FAMILY DA
AY
On Saturday June 13th Odebrecht hosted the first Family Day at Jungle Island - another step in the continuous effort of building our teams, integrating our members, and creating a pleasant working atmosphere. Members and their families participated in the Odebrecht Olympics, in which teams competed in events such as the Sack Race, Balloon Toss, Beach Ball Squash, and Baker’s Relay. O
LIFE
PHOTOS: STUDIO 1791
CARYBÉ OPENING NI
IGHT
“Discovery and Settlement of the West” and “Rejoicing and Festivals of the Americas” painted by Brazilian artist Carybé, which had been on display at New York’s JFK Airport since 1960, now adorn the South Terminal of Miami International Airport. On June 25th, in a ceremony that counted with more than 400 guests, the two murals were finally unveiled to the public after 2 years of intense and complex operations. Present at the event were Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez, Commissioners Moss, Rolle, Diaz and Soto, Vice-President of American Airlines Peter Dolara, MIA Director Jose Abreu, Carybé’s widow and family members, Odebrecht’s International VP Luiz Rocha, Board member Gilberto Sá and Director Renato Martins. The legacy of Carybé can now be viewed by the millions of passengers that pass through MIA, and may that be a reminder of Odebrecht’s mission of building communities. O
To learn more about the initiative, visit www.CarybeAtMIA.com
LIFE
ONE OF THE B Odebrecht has recently been named one of Florida’s Best Companies To Work For, ranking 10th place in the middle sized companies category. One-hundred companies were recognized in small, medium and large company categories. The rankings – the first statewide Best Companies list – appear in the August issue of Florida Trend. The Best Companies To Work For in Florida program was created by Florida Trend and Best Companies Group aiming to recognize companies that strive to build better workplaces for their employees, thereby strengthening their own, as well as Florida’s competitive advantage in national and global arenas. The process consisted of two parts: Evaluating each company’s workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics; and an employee survey to measure employee satisfaction. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking. O
BEST
SUSTAINABILITY
TAKING THE In an effort to move the company in a more sustainable direction, Odebrecht has been pushing for innovation, creativity, education and new practices.
Getting as many of our members LEED Accredited as possible was the first step towards implementing sustainable practices in our construction methodology. The first group of employees just passed the exam, setting up the tone and inviting others to join the crowd. In addition, Odebrecht is working on two projects that have registered LEED, the MIA Mover and the North Terminal, both at Miami International Airport. Keep on the lookout for upcoming Odebrecht incentives to get more members engaged in sustainable building practices. O
LEED
RODRIGO ARIZA, REBECCA VIEIRA, BRAD RINZLER, RENATA PINHEIRO, ALF NEUMANN, GUSTAVO LAZARO, MARY TUDE, RODOLFO GUERRA, YVONNE MEYER, AND PEDRO ANGEL
To learn more about LEED projects and certifications, visit the US Green Building Council website at www.usgbc.org
SOCIAL ACTION
GREEN KIDS The MIA Mover team is bringing the green initiative to local students. Members of the team are teaching kids about the importance of natural resources conservation, renewable energy, and recycling while educating them on the construction of the MIA Mover and how it will impact them. So far, 120 students have been reached. The MIA Mover team expects to reach 2,000 students by the time the project is completed. O
The Metrorail project team participated in Baynanza, an initiative by Miami-Dade County as part of a larger effort to help save Biscayne Bay from pollution. A group from the Odebrecht-OHL Joint Venture volunteered to help at the event. More than 38 tons of garbage was removed from Biscayne Bay’s shores, nearby islands, and two locations in the Miami River. O
THE POETS Aiming to improve the performance of the lowest achieving students at Coconut Grove Elementary School, “The Poets” was the pilot mentoring program that led to a partnership with local schools surrounding our projects. At the end of a successful first year, “The Poets” reading FCAT scores were considerably higher. Odebrecht has adopted 9 more schools in the areas around the MIA North Terminal, MIA Mover, and MIC-Earlington Heights Connector projects. O
NEXT EDITION: OCTOBER 2009