Subcontractors USA Journal 37

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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

April 2019 | Advertising for Certified Women, Veteran & Minority-Owned Subcontractors | 37th Edition

ABUNDANT OPPORTUNITY Texas A&M System’s Construction Vendor Expo Opens Up Opportunities in HUB Community LEFT TO RIGHT: JEFF HEYE, JEFF ZIMMERMANN, RUSS WALLACE, KEITH WILLIAMS

19-26

INSIDE

10-11

Houston Community College EXPO

16-17

IWA Expands Their Impact with Opening of New Beaumont Location

30-31 UH 2019 HUB Forum & Workshop

2 | April 2019

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PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE

Keith J. Davis, Sr. CERTIFIED:

HMSDC

The Subcontractors USA Texas Journal highlights opportunities and news relevant to the construction, energy, architecture, manufacturing, education, engineering, oil and gas, transportation and IT industries we serve. We hope you find this issue not only informative, but inspiring and educational as well.

This month’s issue highlights the Industrial Welding Academy and the grand opening of their new facility in Beaumont.

IWA provides welding training in the Houston, and now

Port of Houston

COO & MANAGING EDITOR Kimberly Floyd ACCOUNTING MANAGER Eugenie Doualla EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Tiffany Brown

-Barack Obama

Metro

BEHIND THE JOURNAL PUBLISHER & CEO Keith J. Davis, Sr.

The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something.

Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.

06 CONSTRUCTION 06 Taking Control Of The Future Brings Success Training And Access To Resources Are Key 06 Construction Employment Increases In 44 States From January 2018 To January 2019; 33 States Add Jobs In Latest Month As Association Calls For Investment In Training

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Helen Callier Karalynn Cromeens Subcontractors USA News Provider

16-17 16-17 COVER STORY 16-17 Iron Sharpens Iron: IWA’s Mission to Shape Metal…and Their Students’ Futures

19-26

10-13, 30-31 IN THE SUBCONTRACTORS USA COMMUNITY...

10-11 Houston Community College EXPO 12-13 HMSDC Procurement Matchmaking Luncheon 30-31 UH 2019 HUB Forum & Workshop

DISTRIBUTION Rockie Hayden

VBE

DBE

ADVERTISING | MARKETING MEDIA | COMMUNICATION

PROJECT COORDINATOR Lindsey Ford

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kendra Wiseman

HUB

OUR SERVICES

04 ARCHITECTURE 04 Let’s Keep it Complicated

07 ANNOUNCEMENT 07 Texas Southern University Exceeds State HUB Goals

ART DIRECTOR Angel Rosa

HISD

CONTENTS

STAFF WRITER Carly Hammack

PHOTOGRAPHY Grady Carter L.C. Poullard

City of Houston

Beaumont, area. While welding is the focus of the academy, founders Andre and Miranda Horn have made it their mission for this school to be a place of ministry and complete life change. IWA is bringing jobs, hope and growth to the state of Texas.

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.

14 IT & TECHNOLOGY 14 Mayor Turner Creates Smart Cities Council to Speed Tech Adoption 14 Premier Wireless Delivers High-Speed Internet to Stafford Civic Center in time for STEAMinecraft Educational Event 18 5 Reasons Why Construction Companies Need a CRM Today

19-26 SPECIAL EDITION 19-26 Abundant Opportunity: A&M System’s Construction Vendor Expo Opens Up Opportunities in HUB Community 28 LEGAL 28 Debt Collection, Part 2: Collecting the Debt 32 PERMITS 32 Five Practical Tips to Punt Frustrations and Obtain Your Building Permit 34 SAFETY 34 Top contractors partner with AI firm to prevent jobsite accidents before they happen

GRAPHIC DESIGN • Logos • Flyers • Ads • Folders • Brochures • Door Hangers PRINTING • Business Cards • Flyers • Folders • Pull-up Banners • Step and Repeat Banners • Brochures • Door Hangers • Letterhead • Envelopes PHOTOGRAPHY • Headshots • Event Photography Online & Email Marketing Social Media Advertising

38 TRANSPORTATION 38 Houston Airport System and Edge4Vets Partner to Provide FREE Job Prep Workshop for Veterans:

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ARCHITECTURE

Let’s Keep it Complicated

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

E

quity. Diversity. Inclusion. I heard these powerful, complicated words reduced to the acronym “EDI” for the first time last week at a meeting — and while this signal of ubiquitous discussion encourages me, I felt the abbreviation packages them up a little too neatly. What does it mean for an organization to value diversity? How does equitable practice weigh history and lived experience? Whom do we, as architects and designers, seek to include, and how does that adjustment impact the design process?

In January of this year, colleagues from across the state gathered in Austin to wrestle with questions about equity, diversity, and inclusion at the Texas Society of Architects’ first annual Community Design Summit.

Compared to traditional practice, where hiring patterns and high-level policies tend to check the EDI boxes, community design gets straight to the heart of designing with equity and inclusion in mind. TxA hosted the Summit as a touchpoint for practitioners actively engaged in serving underrepresented people and causes through design application: some who do so full-time, and some who make ways to serve either in or adjacent to careers in mainstream architecture.

We met Thursday evening for an Equity Dinner (sponsored and organized by the AIA Austin Design Voice committee), which featured local speakers and guided dialogue shared together over a delicious meal. All day Friday, Summit attendees shared their own experiences, identified gaps in the system, and discussed actionable ways that TxA could support community design in the state of Texas. Summit attendees now sit on a TxA action team that will start work on some of these proposals.

So what is community design? Many people apply phrases like “communitybased” and “public interest” in an attempt to make nested concepts more specific, and in so doing identify a range

of specialties and actors. Dr. Barbara Brown Wilson of the University of Virginia School of Architecture (and past professor at UT Austin) developed an incredibly helpful graphic that charts these ideas as part of a continuum, illustrating that community or social impact design approaches might be as varied as the problems they seek to address. At the Summit, we discussed the importance of sharing these unique tools at our disposal and using them to their best effect.

Community design in practice usually indicates diverse, equitable, inclusive methods.

Its true strength, however, comes not just from checking these boxes, but from the stories that emerge from a process that’s not often linear or predictable.

Stories help us engage with that richness and complexity, especially if we’re not afraid to talk about struggles and mistakes along the way. To that end, the action team plans to document and disseminate case studies of community design across the state.

Community design, like any diverse, equitable, inclusive initiative, requires that we surround ourselves with people who think differently than we do.

They’ll challenge our preconceptions, for better and for worse. But the more we practice, the better we’ll become at listening, asking good questions, and getting comfortable with dissonance.

Let’s keep it complicated.

Source: Texas Architect Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

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CONSTRUCTION

Taking Control Of The Future Brings Success

Training And Access To Resources Are Key

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

he construction industry is dynamic — ever changing and evolving through technology.

The way contractors work today is clearly much different than 50 years ago — or 20 years — or even five years ago. The big difference is due to advances in technology in the machines and tools that enable greater productivity, reduce time and provide better results.

There’s a great John F. Kennedy quote that captures the essence of the construction world: “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”

Successful contractors and construction workers recognize that they must take control of their future or risk being left behind. This spirit of paying attention and taking control of the future plays into the notion of being prepared with the right knowledge and skills.

“Technology in earthmoving and site work changes too frequently to be ignored,” states Ron Oberlander, vice president, global professional services for Topcon Positioning Group, an AGC of Missouri and Constructors Association of Western Pennsylvania member. “Contractors must continually seek out new information, learn from others and take advantage of training opportunities as often as they can to remain competitive.”

Successful construction contractors view training as a necessary and beneficial investment in their business and point to numerous reasons why the investment is worthwhile: • Improves safety – Contractors acknowledge that the safety of their workers is critical. The right training can ensure that the equipment is operated correctly and that health and safety practices are being followed in the workplace.

• Improves productivity – It makes sense and is proven that well-trained employees are more confident

in their abilities to perform their work. The right training gives workers the necessary skills and knowledge to carry out their work to the best of their ability, thus increasing productivity and quality of the results.

• Keeps current with technology – The pace of technology changes and advancements in construction come fast and furious. Regular training means the business and employees don’t get left behind and they stay working at their best, both today and in the future.

• Attracts and retains key employees – In today’s market, contractors cannot afford to hire or carry work-

John F. Kennedy quote that captures the essence of the construction world:

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” ers who are not super competent or are firmly on a path to proficiency. Training and development programs not only attract, but they can engage current employees and keep them committed to the company.

• Gives company and workers the edge – Training employees can provide a genuine competitive advantage over competition. The only way to be better than competitors is by employees being better than the rest, and training is a direct route to achieving this.

“The key attributes of good training are that it is repeat-

able, consistent and offered frequently so workers can commit to learning regularly,” Oberlander says. “Both managers and workers will never know everything about the products and systems they use, so training helps everyone be smarter and more productive. I tell the people we train that if you feel you are pretty productive now, you’ll be even more productive after training.”

To be effective, training needs to be concise and specific to a contractor’s needs. Construction contractors are extremely busy and do not have the time or patience for superfluous information.

One of the benefits of good training is to teach learners how to be resourceful and effective after the trainer is gone. Knowing when, how and where to go for help can reinforce the content and skills acquired during training.

Markets are diverse, but they share a common necessity of highly precise measurements, increased automation and workflow solutions to improve productivity.

Clearly, as the labor market continues to tighten, and as more and more baby boomers head into retirement, construction companies will need to sharpen their recruiting, hiring and training capabilities. Younger millennial and Generation X workers expect more than their older counterparts ever did, but in exchange they bring an acceptance, expectation and appreciation of the role technology is playing in construction today. They are also willing to seek out and tap into available technical resources to help them complete their tasks.

By being committed to ongoing training, a construction firm can build a sense of connection, which can help create the positive environment where employees are willing to go above and beyond to help fuel organizational success.

As John F. Kennedy pointed out — change is the law of life — and clearly, the investment in training can keep a construction company fresh, up-to-date, and better prepared to adapt and succeed in the face of change.

Source: Associated General Contractors

CONSTRUCTION

Construction Employment Increases In 44 States From January 2018 To January 2019; 33 States Add Jobs In Latest Month As Association Calls For Investment In Training

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

F

orty-four states added construction jobs between January 2018 and January 2019, while 33 states added construction jobs between December and January, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data released today. Association officials cautioned that the employment gains may not last without an increase in the number of people trained for construction careers.

“Contractors began 2019 by adding employees in nearly all parts of the country,” stated chief economist Ken Simonson.

“These figures are consistent with the optimism contractors expressed about workloads and hiring plans in our association’s recent survey. But finding workers to execute those projects is likely to be an ongoing challenge.”

Nearly four out of five construction firms expect to add employees in 2019,

the economist said, based on the 2019 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook Survey the association conducted with Sage and released on January 2. At the same time, 78 percent of the survey’s 1,312 respondents said their firm was having a hard time filling positions, and two-thirds of the respondents reported they expect it will as hard or harder to hire workers in 2019.

California added the most construction jobs over the year (28,500 jobs, 3.4 percent), followed by Florida (26,600 jobs, 5.1 percent), Texas (24,700 jobs, 3.4 percent), West Virginia (17,500 jobs, 51.6 percent), New York (16,400 jobs, 4.2 percent) and Arizona (15,800 jobs, 10.3 percent). West Virginia added the highest percentage of construction jobs over 12 months, followed by Nevada (12.9 percent, 11,100 jobs), Connecticut (11.0 percent, 6,300 jobs) and Arizona. Construction employment reached a record high in six states: Colorado, Nebraska, New York, Oregon, Washington and West Virginia.

Six states and the District of Columbia

shed construction jobs over the latest 12 months. The largest decline occurred in South Carolina (-3,900 jobs, -3.8 percent), followed by Louisiana (-1,600 jobs, -1.1 percent) and Maine (-1,300 jobs, -4.5 percent). Vermont had the steepest percentage job loss over the 12-month period (-4.6 percent, -700 jobs), followed by Maine, South Carolina and Mississippi (-2.1 percent, -900 jobs).

Among the 33 states with one-month job gains between December and January, North Carolina had the largest pickup (6,200 jobs, 2.8 percent), followed by Illinois (5,800 jobs, 2.6 percent), New York (5,200 jobs, 1.3 percent) and West Virginia (3,900 jobs, 8.4 percent). West Virginia added the highest percentage of construction jobs for the month, followed

by Connecticut (3.8 percent, 2,300 jobs), New Hampshire (3.7 percent, 1,000 jobs) and Maine (2.9 percent, 800 jobs).

Construction employment decreased from December to January in 15 states and was unchanged in Hawaii, Minnesota and D.C. Texas lost the largest number of

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construction jobs for the month (-4,800 jobs, -0.6 percent). The largest percentage losses of construction jobs—1.1 percent— occurred in Rhode Island (-200 jobs) and Oklahoma (-900 jobs), followed by losses of 0.9 percent in Mississippi (-400 jobs) and Alabama (-800 jobs).

Association officials said that the widespread job increases may not be sustainable unless more potential workers have the chance to learn construction skills.

They called on federal officials to double investments in career and technical education programs to expose more high school students to construction opportunities.

“Contractors continue to struggle to find enough qualified workers to hire in order to keep pace with demand for construction,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “Getting federal officials to boost investments in career and technical education will put more people to work in high-paying construction careers.”

Source: Associated General Contractors

April 2019 | 7

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ANNOUNCEMENT

Creating Meaningful Connections.

Delivering Impactful Growth.

LET’S DO BUSINESS

Strategic Imperatives focused on Minority Business Inclusion Why D/FW MSDC?

Become a part of the premier leader in North Texas to connect Buying Entity Members (corporations and public sector agencies) with certified ethnic minority-owned businesses in order to deliver innovation, supply chain excellence, a competitive marketplace advantage and economic impact to our communities.

Building business relationships focused on minority inclusion

Certification

Gold Standard for certifying MBEs

Innovation

Innovative & disruptive supplier solutions

Customer-Focused

Matching supply chain to customer base

Connections s

Buying Entities with MBEs and MBE-to-MBE

Competition

Competitive supply chain options

Operated by the D/FW MSDC

Expand Your Business

$401,184,327 of Awarded Contracts

$28,063,290

Financial Transactions

Training

Revenue Protection Economic Impact

Phenomenal business Protecting “at-risk” development opportunities revenue streams

Multiplier dollar impact within the community

214

Total Jobs Created & Retained Ranked as an Outstanding MBDA Center

Texas Southern University Exceeds State HUB Goals

506 47,926 $14.6 750 Buying jobs Billion MBE Certified Entity created or Revenues Texas Southern University’s Office of Procurement is exceeding state goals while MBEs Members retained Reported

working with Historically Underutilized Businesses. As a state agency, TSU is required to have a HUB program that facilitates the continued growth and usage of HUBs. “The TSU HUB Program has made great strides with our outreach efforts,” said Kisten Rhodes, senior buyer, and HUB coordinator. “As the HUB coordinator, it has been my goal to become more visible in the community, begin the dialogue and establish community alliances.”

TSU has consistently ranked among the top state agencies who spend the most money with HUBs for the last several years. Tasked by the Statewide Procurement Division (SPD), the HUB Program must report the expenditures made by state agencies and institutions of higher education. By using the HUB Report, agencies can track their expenditures and utilize it as a benchmarking tool to meet or exceed MBE MBE Build Access heavy Improve Advance their HUB utilizationIncrease in each of theBuild following categories: construction, buildBusiness Capacity To Quality Organizational Diversity ing construction, special trade construction, other services, and Opportunities Through Tieredprofessional (Capable) services, Infrastructure Programs Programming Minority Focused On commodity purchasing.

Suppliers Minority

1

2

3

4

5

Inclusion

Over five years, TSU has surpassed HUB spending goals in the following areas: • Fiscal 2018 – Specialty Trades and Commodities • Fiscal 2017 – Building-Construction and Commodities • Fiscal 2016 – Heavy-Construction, Building-Construction, Specialty-Trades and Commodities • Fiscal 2015 – Commodities • Fiscal 2014 – Building-Construction and Commodities TSU’s HUB Program is the recipient of many accolades including the 2019 Supplier Diversity Champion Award, 2018 Excellence in HUB Dedication Award and the Community Outreach Award for Career Exploration. In October of 2018, the office had its first editorial feature in Subcontractor’s USA Trade Journal, which assisted in exposure and getting the word out about how the university serves underutilized businesses.

“It is important for TSU to work with HUB vendors, not only because we are an HBCU; however, we need to continue the legacy of entrepreneurship and investment in our community,” said Rhodes, “We need to show our support to those that support us.”

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6 Recognize and Use Board Members’ Subject Matter Expertise

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MORE THAN BRICKS AND MORTAR

As one of the nation’s largest commercial builders, Turner is dedicated to providing avenues of opportunity for Minority- and Woman-Owned Businesses in Houston to achieve entrepreneurial success.

Our commitment to social responsibility and fair play is not just on paper; it is ingrained in our corporate culture. We are devoted to making sure the contributions that strengthen the local economy reflect the demographics of the community at large.

w w w. t u r n e rc o n s t r u c t i o n . c o m

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Houston Community College EXPO Houston Community College’s Small Business Development Program held its 4th Annual “Access to HCC” event recently. The Small Business Development Program is dedicated to providing education, training and resources for small businesses in the community. This event brings vendors together and provides them with the opportunity to network with representatives and procurement officers from different departments at HCC in hopes of doing business together. In addition to the various department representatives, HCC also invited 26 outside agencies to exhibit, including NASA, Houston Independent School District and Houston Minority Supplier Development Council, just to name a few.

This event is part of the several initiatives of the Small Business Development Program. One of the Program’s key initiatives is allowing access into HCC and helping local businesses gain a better idea of navigating the system and how to do business with HCC. “Access to HCC” has grown over the past four years and is now held at the West Houston Institute and averages more than 250 attendees.

HCC works hard to promote this event through their database, eblasts and various chambers of commerce in order to reach and invite as many vendors as possible.

“We do this event to let the community see that we do have programs in place,” Veronica Douglas, Manager of the Small Business Development Program, said. “We are reaching out to the local business community to show them we want to do business with them, and we are helping to provide the resources necessary for that to happen.”

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HMSDC Procurement Matchmaking Luncheon The Houston Minority Supplier Development Council held its Procurement Matchmaking Luncheon recently at the Omni Houston Galleria Hotel. Attendees had the opportunity to network with businesses and organizations before the luncheon. Tony Sampler, President of American HVAC, gave the invocation for the program, which was then followed by an awards presentation for Accountability Champions, Helping Hand Award and Procurement Champion of the Year.

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IT & TECHNOLOGY

Mayor Turner

Creates Smart Cities Council

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

M

ayor Sylvester Turner established a Smart City Advisory Council this week comprised of city and regional partners. The council was announced at a smart city planning workshop hosted by the Greater Houston Partnership.

The advisory council is charged with engaging community stakeholders, governments, academia and industry to develop a roadmap that will speed the adoption of technology and data-driven practices in the public realm. The planning workshop held on March 7 was facilitated by Amy Chronis, chair of the Partnership's Sustainability Advisory Committee and Houston managing partner with Deloitte.

A Smart City is one that uses data and emerging technologies to improve the quality of life for citizens, share information with the public, drive economic growth and build a more inclusive society. Governments and utilities across the globe are leveraging technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, digital services, advanced mobility and drones to improve citizens’ lives and solve the challenges of today while preparing to address those of tomorrow.

The Advisory Council will include representatives from public and private entities and will be chaired by Elizabeth Brock, director of external engagement for CenterPoint Energy.

The primary aim of the Advisory Council is to establish a roadmap of strategies, processes and standards to drive Houston’s Smart City efforts forward. The council

to Speed Tech Adoption

will seek to align the roadmap to the Resilience Strategy the City is currently developing as a member of 100 Resilient Cities – pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation.

Marissa Aho, the newly-appointed Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Houston, said “Technology is a great enabler for resilience but can also pose a significant risk as society becomes more technology-dependent.

The Smart City Advisory Council will help the City leverage technology to its maximum resilience benefits while minimizing risk.”

Houston has been a pioneer in the usage of Smart City technology and recently launched a Smart City webpage to showcase many of the projects underway. These ef-

forts and others led Smart Cities Dive, a government technologies publication, to declare Mayor Sylvester Turner the 2018 Leader of the Year.

The City is also considered a flagship city by partnering with Microsoft - for the Microsoft Innovation Alliance initiative, and Verizon - which made Houston home to the first 5G implementation in the nation.

This announcement comes amidst growing momentum in Houston’s burgeoning technology and innovation ecosystem.

Last month, Partnership executives traveled with Mayor Turner and local technology leaders to Silicon Valley to meet with major tech companies about opportunities in Houston. Recently, financial technology company Bill.com announced plans to open an office in Houston that will eventually employ 125 workers. Boston-based business accelerator MassChallenge also said it’s opening an office in Downtown Houston that will help support up to 25 early-stage startups. And last fall, Houston Exponential, a nonprofit aimed at growing Houston’s tech innovation ecosystem, closed a $25 million round for a fund of funds aimed at helping bolster the city's tech scene.

“The age of technology is here and we cannot afford to sit idle,” Turner said. “We must leap, not stroll into the future. The advisory council will set the stage for Houston to become the Smart City of the world.”

Source: Greater Houston Partnership

IT & TECHNOLOGY

Premier Wireless Delivers High-Speed Internet to Stafford Civic Center in time for STEAMinecraft Educational Event

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

he Stafford Civic Center was buzzing with the STEAMinecraft in EDU workshop for instructional technologists, tech coaches, STEAM teachers and more on Thursday, Feb. 28.

For the first time in the civic center’s existence, high-speed Internet access was available and enabled attendees to work on the web. Internet access was established by Stafford-based Premier Wireless.

Jeff Oberlin of Premier Wireless worked closely with Jorge Rodriguez, Stafford Municipal School District (MSD)’s tech-

nology director, to provide highspeed data at the Stafford Civic Center. Oberlin installed a Sprint Magic Box, which tripled Sprint’s network speed and capacity, along with a Cradlepoint™ router to provide Internet access for all of the STEAMinecraft participants.

With Internet access addressed, the attendees learned how to integrate Minecraft into classroom curriculum and instruction, how to make a STEAM lesson plan and how to provide formative assessments.

Premier Wireless has a long history of supporting Stafford MSD as well as many

to the Internet for its students who don’t have it at home, enabling them to complete homework assignments.

Read the press release online.

About Premier Wireless

other school districts across the country.

In January 2019, Premier donated more than $39,000 to SMSD to provide access

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For over 25 years, Premier Wireless, a Sprint Mobility Solutions Partner, has been delivering innovative solutions that enable safety and transformation through technology for schools, governmental agencies and businesses of all types. Learn more at www.PWBTS.net.

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T

exas has more welding jobs than any other state in the United States, with an estimated total of 50,000 employed welders and a growing number of jobs needing to be filled. This demand has made Texas the land of opportunity for welders, and the Industrial Welding Academy has made it their mission to properly train and produce the best welders in the state.

The Industrial Welding Academy (IWA) held the grand opening of its new Beaumont location recently. This is the second IWA location to open since the company’s start in Houston 12 years ago. Beaumont was chosen for the new location in response to the city’s booming refinery, petrochemical and manufacturing industry and lack of skilled craftsmen.

“This organization is more than just a welding company. Anybody can teach you how to weld, but they cannot always teach you how to take care of the whole person. And if you are looking for a company that will reach out and help your loved ones and friends get into an industry to make good money and change their life, you’re looking at this organization.”

—Robert Turner President, Turner Chevrolet

IWA is owned and operated by Andre Horn and his wife Miranda. Horn is originally from the Golden Triangle area and has over 29 years of experience in welding and welding training. He chose to pursue the untapped welding education market in the Golden Triangle, knowing there was great opportunity for growth and success, not only for IWA, but also for the refinery industry in Beaumont and surrounding areas. Bringing IWA to this new location helps the community by providing more jobs at the facility and providing the skilled and qualified workers needed to keep up with the various in-progress and upcoming expansion projects in the area.

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At IWA, there are several variations in the program for students to choose from, ranging from different class hours to different skill levels they can complete, with the end goal being employment.

They offer a six-week program that runs from Monday th with three varying, four-hour time to choose from. With a 15 to 1 stu tor ratio, students get much-need training. During the course, one h to theory and the other three hou hands-on training. IWA also cho program like an actual job.

“We want our students to becom so we run our Academy just like job,” CEO Andre Horn said. “If y than twice without excuse, that you. There will be disciplinary ac job. If you can’t do this for four h do you expect to do it in the real to ten hours a day? It is all about for the real thing.”

Apart from the basic six-week co option to continue training to bec welder. To become a specialty wel must complete an additional 18 we Becoming a specialty welder ensu leads to a higher value within th munity.

hrough Thursday slots for students udent to instrucded one-on-one hour is dedicated urs are practical ooses to run the

me professionals, they are on the you are late more counts against ctions just like a hours a day, how l world for eight preparing them

ourse, there is the come a specialty lder, the student eeks of training. ures a higher pay he welding com-

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“I am the Sheriff of Jefferson County. This program is very important for two reasons. First, when people have jobs, they are less likely to commit crimes. When I look at the population of my jail, it is predominantly African American men who are unemployed, so I am so excited to bring a company here who can prepare young men for a future that does not involve incarceration.

Secondly, for those in my correctional facility, this is an opportunity for re-entry programs to partner with this local business, to do some training and get people on their feet and to let them know that they have value.”

—Zena Stephens Sheriff, Jefferson County

“The more training you do in this industry, the more valuable you are,” Mr. Horn said.

“The welding industry is vast but lacking the skilled workers it needs. Once you become a specialty welder, your value in this industry is outstanding at that time, as long as your skill is accompanied by impeccable work ethics.”

In addition to the welding training they offer, IWA hosts “Certification Day.” Before getting employed, every welder must take a test to prove their ability meet the welding code requirements. This can range from a structural welding test, which primarily involves buildings and bridges, all the way to a specialty welding test, which includes working at refineries and plants.

“Certification Day is something we started with the American Welding Society about 12 years ago in the Houston area,” COO Dan Jones said. “We had high-school students and post-secondary students who finished their training at school but could not get a job because they were not certified welders. We

wanted to give them the opportunity and tools to bridge that certification gap.”

In Houston, the Certification Day started with around 300 students and has since grown to over 800 students. This opportunity was brought to Beaumont in 2018 where they had close to 45 students participate. Their goal is to grow to over 400 participants this year.

Apart from the obvious welding training goal at IWA, they also have another greater goal for

this academy, and that is to impact the communit y and use their school as a ministry to its people.

“To us this is a ministry,” Miranda Horn said. “We see individuals come in who are actually broken, and we try to do as much as we can to mentor them to make sure when they leave here, they do not leave as the same person.”

IWA’s goal is to focus on training up the whole person. While the main emphasis is on their welding skills, students learn the importance of strong interview skills, time management and overall professionalism. They even work with the City of Houston in assisting those who have been incarcerated and are released with no skill or trade by helping reintroduce them into society with the knowledge and training that can prevent them from ending up back in prison.

“We come in to inspire, empower and educate,” Mr. Horn said. “Any time you are working on yourself, you are going to encounter some hardships and that is the ministry side of what we do. When you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, you come to IWA, and we are going to help you out.”

On the outside, IWA may seem like any other training academy, but once a student enrolls into the program, their lives immediately begin to change.

Mr. and Mrs. Horn have made it their purpose in life to positively impact the life of every individual to walk through their doors. At the Industrial Welding Academy, welding is just a stepping stone to changing lives, and with the opening of the Beaumont location, the number of lives being changed can only increase.

“This is a ministry,” Mr. Horn said. “And the best way I know how to teach is to lead by example. Iron sharpens Iron.”

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IT & TECHNOLOGY

5 Reasons Why

Construction

Companies Need a CRM Today

2. Build Relationships and Boost Productivity

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

echnology is rapidly changing the game in the construction industry, and the firms who are paying attention and embracing the change will be the ones who win.

KPMG’s annual report, "Building a technology advantage — Global Construction Survey” reports that 55 percent feel the industry is ripe for change with 74 percent of respondents saying that technology will significantly transform their business in less than five years.

Within that technology space is CRM software which is the fastest growing software market in the world.

Across all industries, CRM has proven to make a positive impact on sales and the customer experience. As construction leaders seek ways to differentiate their businesses, stay competitive, improve service and boost the bottom line, they’re turning to CRM software as a big bet. Here are the top benefits they cite.

Paper is a way to jot down notes. Spreadsheets may be a way to track results. Neither build relationships.

A CRM tracks customers and your every touch point with them. This functionality also extends to all business partners from subcontractors, architects and financial institutions. A CRM gives you one source of truth for details on any customers, companies, contracts or bids.

For each account, an unlimited number of contacts can be added so every stakeholder at a company can be identified.

1. Track a Sales Pipeline Effectively Every business needs to know where its sales pipeline stands. A sales pipeline is defined as a way to track the progression of deals that your sales team is working on and can expect to close within a certain amount of time.

In the construction industry, too many contractors are going after projects that simply aren’t worth it. This is a waste of time and takes focus away from opportunities that are worth it and can boost growth. Take a look at these questions below.

With all the information you’d need about a customer or partner available with the click of a mouse or a scroll on your mobile phone, your sales teams can concentrate on what they do best — selling. As a result, construction companies can manage their business by leveraging important relationships. That’s a much better plan than simply reacting to calls or emails.

CRMs also integrate with other useful and productive cloud-based tools from email, communication to marketing software. As a result, construction companies have the ability to interact with customers in convenient and efficient ways.

3. Improve the Customer Service Experience

• What projects is my sales team bidding on right now?

• What part of the sales process is each sales rep in right now?

• What is the bid due date?

• What activities have been completed (emails, phone calls, meetings)?

If you can’t answer those questions right now, then you aren’t tracking your sales pipeline effectively. You need a CRM.

When customer information is readily available, your entire team can handle all types of interactions in the right manner. Having client data when you need it is critical to a better experience.

A CRM also gives you accountability. When you lack the tools to manage customer relationships — customers are going to fall through the cracks. As you grow

your business, naturally your customer base will too, and a CRM can ensure no one is left behind. Anyone who should follow up with a customer will be notified.

A CRM also has a simple way to assign responsibilities to your team. If tasks aren’t met, you can know what went wrong and who needs to improve. With the right information, you’ll have a way to improve your processes.

4. Improve the Sales Process A CRM is the best way to either create a sales process or improve the sales process you have in place already.

Your sales team needs a consistent approach to bidding and winning work to truly succeed. The sales process typically falls into these buckets: • Qualifying Leads — Identifying the scope, timeframes and decision maker • Bids — Pricing and takeoffs • Proposal development — Estimates and proposals • Negotiation — Finalizing contracts • Close — Closing deals With a CRM, you can know about each part of your sales cycle and work on improving your process to close faster or boost your win rate. As you improve your sales process you’ll get rid of manual processes, automate the mundane and save time so you can focus on selling and work on building relationships.

5. Make Informed Decisions CRMs contain key information about any deals or opportunities in your sales pipeline including everything from the value of an opportunity, key dates about a bid, construction details, associated tasks and all involved players from architects to subcontractors.

When you have access to historical and interactive data and can actually pull that data into a report to analyze opportunities, you can make informed business decisions. With deeper insight into your business, your sales strategy will be much more effective.

With the right CRM, construction companies can impress customers with more than the jobs they complete out in the field. When a sales team can manage their relationships, build their pipelines, stay organized and make informed decisions, the entire company benefits in what has become an increasingly competitive and crowded marketplace.

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Source: Associated General Contractor

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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

April 2019 | Advertising for Certified Women, Veteran & Minority-Owned Subcontractors | 37th Edition

Creating Connections:

The A&M System’s

Construction Vendor Expo Helps Form New Business Connections 19-26 Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

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The Texas A&M University System Office of HUB and Procurement Programs

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

he Texas A&M University System Office of HUB and Procurement Programs recently collaborated with the Office of Facilities, Planning and Construction, SSC and general contractors to host a Construction Vendor Expo in an effort to ensure that HUB subcontractors are aware of upcoming opportunities and ways to do business with the A&M System.

The Office of HUB and Procurement Programs seeks to provide equal access and opportunity to HUBs in the areas of construction, professional services as well as other services and commodities. With most opportunities at the A&M System Office being through major construction projects, the Construction Vendors Expo was an opportune event for networking with general contractors and subcontractors.

“The purpose of this event was to allow subcontractors the ability to network with the general contractors that were invited to display, so they could potentially partner with those companies or at least understand how each of those general contractors solicit their subcontractors,” Jeff Zimmermann, Director of Procurement & Business Services, said.

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“We are targeting businesses that are HUB certified in the state of Texas and the subcontractors that are looking for opportunities to work on our building and construction projects, and it is important for them to help grow their business and get those opportunities that are hard to come by. We’d like to give them as much opportunity as possible by making them aware of how we do business, who all we do business with and what projects we have coming up that they could work on.”

—Jeff Zimmermann

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20 The event started off with short presentations by representatives from both the Facilities, Planning and Construction Department at the Texas A&M University System as well as SSC. Russ Wallace, the Executive Director of the Facilities, Planning and Construction Department, discussed how the A&M System procures its building and construction projects and gave an overview of the process, the different construction methods they utilize and current projects the System has going on. Projects handled by the Facilities, Planning and Construction Department are typically over $10 million. The second presenter was Jeff Heye, the regional director of operations for a company called SSC, an outsourced provider of facilities maintenance and construction projects under $10 million for each of the A&M System’s campuses. He discussed how they do business and how to become a vendor or subcontractor of theirs.

After the presentation, attendees had the opportunity to network with the general contractors at the booths they had set up. There were eight general contractors in attendance including: • Austin Commercial • Flintco • Gilbane • Hensel Phelps • Skanska • Spawglass • Sundt Construction • Vaughn Construction

“Getting contractors involved is normally a challenging part for these general contractors. If we can have more submittals, we can have more projects awarded to HUBs.” —Keith Williams

Having the individual general contractor booths set up gave the subcontractors in attendance the chance to speak one on one and gain more detail on what the companies are looking for and how their business could be of service to them.

“If the subcontractors can get to know the ins and outs of what the prime contractor is looking for or what their needs are, they can better understand how to prepare for proposals when they submit those,” Zimmermann said.

While both Zimmermann and HUB Coordinator Keith Williams were pleased with how their first event turned out, they both agree there are changes and improvements to be made to promote the further growth of the System’s HUB Program impact.

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"This was the first Texas A&M University System’s Construction Vendor Expo that I attended. It was by far one of the best. I made some great connections with suppliers and learned of more opportunities with TAMU.” —Monika Diaz Flintco LLC

“The event was informative and well organized. Thank you for providing a forum for HUB subcontractors to learn about the opportunities within the TAMU System and a place for HUB vendors to network. Looking forward to the next event.”

—Steve Hughes Gonzales Commercial Electric, Inc Experience Our World of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Communication

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22 “We will always strive for more attendance,” Zimmermann said. “While we were pleased with the turnout, we always want more people to show up. I think we had a good mix of subcontractors attending, but I think there were some areas I was hoping to see better attendance from.

Maybe in certain trades like electrical or MEP subcontractors, drywall, concrete, some of the bigger trades.”

In the future, the System has plans to continue pursuing their growing market in the Houston area. With nearby campuses like Texas A&M University in College Station and Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View pulling the majority of their subcontractors from the city, Houston is on top as their biggest market. Plus, the A&M System has new facilities planned in Houston adding even more opportunity.

“Look at our event as a different type of opportunity and a different type of outreach event, because we are really looking at connecting you with general contractors on our jobs, and you may not get that at some of the other events you go to throughout the year. But here you get one on one interaction with those companies and the chance to understand how they do business, how they procure the buyout packages on jobs and what they have coming up…you can get that all right here.”

“We plan on having more outreach events like this in the future,” Williams said. “Maybe once or twice a year, we can break down the specific skill trades and market to them individually. Having one Prime Vendor to really focus in on what they are looking for and give them some one on one time with the subcontractors is one way we are looking to improve our outreach events.”

Zimmermann says this is just the start of the A&M System hosting events targeted at helping HUBs get their foot in the door for some great opportunities, and his previous statement on their mission to “make a difference” still stands.

“We feel like this event was a success,” he said. “I think it was a step forward in our goal to make a difference and show the HUB community we are here, ready to connect them with all the opportunity we can.”

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“It was a pleasure to join Russ Wallace and the TAMU Facilities Planning and Construction team in Houston at the Mays Business School. Outreach is a critical part of the University’s and our business plans, and it is always a pleasure to interact with those that take advantage of these opportunities. My statement to those who do not see value in these events is simple: Take the time to participate, and come with a plan, because the results speak for themselves, as we are already engaged in a business deal with one potential subcontractor based on our meeting at this event.”

—Todd Calder Sundt

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LEGAL

Debt Collection, Part 2:

Collecting the Debt

By Karalynn Cromeens Contributing Writer

W

ell, you know what they say about the best laid plans.

You carried out the due diligence and performed all of the required background checks, application steps, and safety protocols before extending credit. Now that individual has balked on payments, so it’s time to step up your game.

In Part 1, Reducing Your Risk, we took a look at ways to ease the headache of debt collection prior to extending credit to a business. In this article, we’ll examine the ways you can actually go about collecting on a debt.

work, or if you’re more of a phone person, keep in mind that there are “convenient” and “inconvenient” times and places to locate a consumer.

Contacting them at their place of business is a no-no unless the court expressly consents to it. Also, when you call them at home, be sure that it’s between the hours of 8 am and 9 pm in the time zone of your choosing. Just kidding. It must be the debtor’s time zone—which may happen to be your time zone.

Harass Me Once, Shame On You Even though Joe or Jill Schmoe’s company owes you a ton of money, it’s against the law to harass the individual.

Who defines harassment? Well, in this case, it’s the good ol’ Lone Star State of Texas and the United States of America.

Harassment is defined as: • Annoying or abusing consumer via telephone • Using obscene or profane language • Contacting unlawful third parties regarding consumer’s debt • Using misrepresentations as a means of collecting a debt • Implying that nonpayment will result in imprisonment • Implying that consumer committed a crime by non-payment • Threatening consumers • Behaving in other unfair or unconscionable ways

All of these seem pretty clear cut, but you’d be surprised. If the person claims that you or one of your associates harassed them during an attempt to collect a debt, you could surrender your ability to collect the money owed to you for the work you have done.

Follow the Steps When attempting to collect a debt, you must first notify the debtor in writing, stating the following information: • Amount of debt • Name and address of creditor • Statement that consumer has 30 days to dispute the claim • Statement that debtor can request verification of debt within 30 days

If contacting them in writing doesn’t

The Right Way to Collect Possessory Lien: allow you to maintain in your possession any item you have improved until you get paid. For example, if you repair the alternator on a sports car, but the owner doesn’t pay up, you keep the sports car until you get paid.

Mechanic’s and Materialmen’s Lien: allows you to recoup loss of payment by attaching a lien to a property, making it more difficult to sell or forcing a foreclosure to pay the debt. Also known as the M&M lien.

Both the possessory and M&M liens contain restrictions on when and where to file. This depends on whether the property is residential or commercial and whether you are the prime contractor, subcontractor or laborer, the supplier, or something else. All notices must be sent via certified mail.

As with all construction law matters, it is best to consult with the legal experts at The Cromeens Law Firm to determine a best course of action. Cromeens knows when and where to file so that you can get paid in a timely manner.

The Cromeens Law Firm provides clients with expert navigation of Texas law in regards to debt collection. Contact one of our experienced attorneys today by calling 713-715-7334 or contact us online to discuss your options.

This article is intended as a general educational overview of the subject matter and is not intended to be a comprehensive survey of recent jurisprudence, nor a substitute for legal advice for a specific legal matter. If you have a legal issue, please consult an attorney.

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In the Subcontractors USA Community...

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

UH 2019 HUB Forum & Workshop The University of Houston System held the 2019 Historically Underutilized Business Forum and Workshop. This forum was an opportunity to provide certified HUBs and potential HUBs information about universities and state agencies procurement practices and current bid opportunities. There were also various breakout sessions on topics such as How to Prepare a Capabilities Statement, Understanding Brand Awareness and Cooperative Contracts Used by State Agencies and Universities.

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PERMITS

Five Practical Tips to Punt Frustrations and Obtain Your Building Permit

By Helen Callier Contributing Writer

W

hile on an elevator the other day at one of the jurisdictions in Texas, I noticed a Contractor looking flustered attempting to review some documents. I said, “hang in there” as he replied that he was bouncing around from floor-to-floor and was determined to make progress in obtaining his permit as he was behind schedule on starting construction. The Contractor hopped off the elevator at the next floor and I offered him my business card to call any time for assistance on future permits.

This Contractor, like plenty of other Contractors and Architects that handle their own permits, probably could use a good pat on the back and cheering up right about now. Many get started late in submitting for permits and others simply had poor planning and now are scared about the possible impact on their construction project.

When failing to plan and getting started late with permitting, below are five practical tips to resolve your permitting dilemma.

1. Review Permit Package: Take the time to make sure your application is properly filled out and all information is provided. Also, make sure prerequisite documents, such as surveys or asbestos reports depending on your project, are included with your package to prevent the package from being rejected by jurisdiction.

2. Schedule a Pre-Submittal Review Meeting: In

our world today, face-to-face meetings are still preferred and are a valuable approach to ensure your concerns are addressed. They also help in gaining a better idea of what the Plan Reviewer will be looking for. Also, this kind of meeting helps boost your confidence and reassure that you are on the right track with your plans and permit package.

Note that with some jurisdictions, due to budget constraints and limited staff, pre-submittal meetings may take a long time to get scheduled and some Authority Having Jurisdictions (AHJ) may charge a fee.

3. QA/QC Permit Package: It is a fact that Contractors and Architects wear multiple hats and manage many projects at the same time, which presents an opportunity to miss fields on the permit application or fail to include all the required documents. We understand Contractors and Architects are busy and that is the reason that some of our clients use our permitting services: so they can focus on their core – design and/or construction.

After completing your permit package, ask one of your knowledgeable staff members to perform a quality check.

Doing so can assist you in catching any deficiencies.

4. Using Electronic Plan Review (EPR): Due to AHJ’s across the country facing greater budget challenges and with a goal to provide conveniences to customers, EPR’s is an option at some AHJ’s and note that is the only way

to submit with others. Just know that while there are benefits on using EPR, one big change is that once submitted electronically, your permit package stays electronic. This means that for those Contractors that like to talk with a Plan Reviewer over the phone or want to schedule a meeting, EPR may be a shock.

5. Ask for Help: Often times getting started late in permitting is due to the Contractor or Architect not being familiar with changes in processes at AHJ or some area (permit application, building codes, etc.) in the process is not clear and there is a fear of making a huge mistake.

Keeping up with all the latest building codes, AHJ process changes and resources handling the plan reviews is time consuming and can be confusing. Identifying third parties like PermitUsNow to assist in handling your permits is a good decision that allows you to maximize your resources on construction and minimize frustrations.

Conclusion: Many markets like major metropolitan areas in Texas are teeming with opportunities to grow your business.

From roadway to residential to commercial to industrial, Contractors can enjoy steady work. The reality is that if the market is hot or considered to be slow, obtaining a building permit in a timely manner is vital for starting construction as planned. The above-mentioned five practical tips are offered to help you obtain a permit to punt frustrations and obtain a permit after getting started late. Like the Contractor I met in the elevator, call 1.844.PERMIT.4 any time for assistance with your next building permit. Build Safe.

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SAFETY

Top contractors partner with AI firm to prevent jobsite accidents before they happen

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

F

ollowing up on a study in which Smartvid.io’s artificial intelligence engine “Vinnie” learned from contractor Suffolk's data to predict roughly one in five safety incidents with 81% accuracy, nine major construction firms are partnering with the software company to further develop predictive analytics and therefore prevent incidents and reduce risk across the industry, according to a Smartvid announcement from CEO and Founder Josh Kanner.

Suffolk will chair the Predictive Analytics Strategic Council, which also includes Barton Malow, Clayco, DPR Construction, JE Dunn, Messer Construction Co., Mortenson, Shawmut Design and Construction and the Bouygues Group, as well as insurance broker Aon. The council is still accepting member applications.

During the first, 12-month phase, Suffolk fed 10 years of photo and project data from internal systems like Autodesk, Procore, Oracle and Oxblue into a machine learning predictive model. Partners in this phase will continue to expand this

model by contributing data anonymously, Engineering News-Record reported, and will also discuss the operational, social and business impacts throughout the process, Kanner said in the post.

Vinnie is likely to sharpen up as he quickly “learns” from millions of images to identify objects and interpret their context in order to flag risks to workers. The AI system can alert teams to standing water, for example, helping to prevent them from slipping or coming across an electrical hazard.

According to the Suffolk and Smartvid case study, Vinnie’s warning system predicted 20% of all incidents over a three-year period with 80% accuracy, which comes out to four alerts per year with one of those being a false alarm. Managers willing to receive more alerts, though, could get predictions for 40% of all incidents over that period with 66% accuracy, the companies said, with one in three being a false alarm.

Taking the conservative assumption that only 25% of predicted accidents are avoided, Smartvid says that a company with 50 projects each year can avoid 40 to 100 incidents annually, saving between $1.4 million and $3.6 million. In 2018, according to the company, safety-related costs for contractors averaged $36,000 per incident.

Given these promising results, Smartvid continues to attract interest from both contractors and onlookers who see this as a way to advance the AEC field as a whole.

“This work is not about one company’s risk,” said Jit Kee Chin, chief data officer at Suffolk, “it’s about reducing risk across our industry.”

Smartvid closed a funding round last month led by Suffolk, Building Ventures and Leawood Venture Capital, which includes a number of owners and executives from top engineering, design and construction firms in the Midwest.

The funds, along with the council’s contributions, “will accelerate development for the predictive analytics module and more,” said Kanner in the post.

Source: Construction Dive

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What We Do POSITION

ADVOCATE

CONVENE

our region to secure critical transportation funding at the local, state and federal levels.

for ALL modes of transportation to promote a healthy state of mobility.

our region’s industry experts, community leaders and elected officials to build consensus and unity on tr transportation needs.

EDUCATE . COMMUNICATE . ADVOCATE 1160 Dairy Ashford Suite 500 Houston, Texas 77079 832.459.5116

TAGHouston.org

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CALL

Alonza

“THE GRASS LADY” FOR ALL YOUR GRASS NEEDS

281.499.7545

brokergrasshouston.com 15205 Main Street - Houston, Texas 77035

SERVING HOUSTON & SURROUNDING AREAS FOR OVER 15 YEARS

Quality Experience Service COMMERICAL & RESIDENTIAL DELIVERY & INSTALLATION

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TRANSPORTATION

Houston Airport System and Edge4Vets Partner to Provide FREE Job Prep Workshop for Veterans:

Event will connect participants with recruiters and employers from the airport system and affiliated business partners

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

he Houston Airport System, in partnership with the Edge4Vets team and other local sponsors, will provide training and job opportunities for some of our nation’s service personnel who are returning to the civilian workforce. It’s all part of the effort to identify talented personnel for local aviation jobs, while ensuring that the right consideration is given to those who have fought and served.

“Veterans have made great employees for the Houston Airport System and our process for hiring is open to all and is competitive,” said Harleen Hines-Smith, HAS’ Chief Human Resources Officer. “The Edge4Vets program provides clarity to our vets about what employers are looking for, so that they can articulate how their skills translate into real assets for the right company.”

“Edge4Vets is excited to expand our operation across the U.S. through partnership with the Houston Airport System,” said Edge4Vets Founder Tom Murphy.

“Our veterans consistently bring a lot to the table for any workforce, especially at airports where their teamwork and ability to take on tasks with calm during emergency makes our airports safer.”

The Edge4Vets program consists of two components, the first is the “PREP” phase. It involves an online preparation program that helps veterans translate their military skills into terminology that resonates with recruiters and HR specialist. During this phase, veterans create their own personal “Plan4Success” which helps identify their most important skill sets and leadership experiences that help them stand out.

After the “PREP” phase, participants are invited to “CONNECT” with recruiters and employers from the airport system and affiliated business partners. The airport system and the business partners provide supervisors who act as mentors providing guidance for veteran applicants.

The goal is to hold c onv e r s a tions and help the veteran understand where their skills may best be utilized, in this case in the air travel industry.

Edge4Vets was developed by the Human Resiliency Institute at Fordham University in New York and comes to HAS in partnership with Airport Council International – North America following successful applications on the East and West Coasts.

For more information about Edge4Vets, visit: http://www.edge4vets.org.

TRANSPORTATION

Texas high-speed train named top global infrastructure project

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

he Texas highspeed train has been named among the top global infrastructure projects

by CG/LA, a national infrastructure advocacy group, in its 2019 Strategic 100 Global Infrastructure Report.

Designed to identify projects with the most potential opportunity in the upcoming year, the CG/LA reports select projects with widespread benefits and stra-

tegic importance in 30 targeted counties.

The Texas train is already generating attention among infrastructure experts who recognize it as a catalyst for creating jobs, boosting the economy and providing a much-needed transportation alternative.

Texas Central has brought on board several industry leaders: international railway company Renfe is the train’s operating partner; multinational firm Salini Impregilo ¬– operating in the U.S. market with The Lane Construction Corporation – is leading the civil construction consortium that will build the train; and Bechtel, with operational headquarters in Hou-

ston, is on Texas Central’s project management services team.

In addition to seamless, safe and convenient travel between the fourth and fifth largest economies in the United States, the Texas project is

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estimated to create 10,000 direct jobs for each year of construction and support 1,500 full-time jobs when operational.

L a st yea r, CG/LA recognized the Texas train in its Strategic 100 North American Infrastructure Report, calling it a crucial option “in advancing public and business interests.”

Source: Texas Central

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Houston supports small businesses & entrepreneurs Learn how certifications, classes and other tools from The Office of Business Opportunity can help you start and grow your enterprise Web: houstontx.gov/obo

Call: 832-393-0594

Email: OBOSC@houstontx.gov

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HUB OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT

For more information about how to do business with the University of Houston, bid opportunities or to be kept abreast of events, workshops and seminars, visit www.uh.edu/hub or email us at hubevent@uh.edu

THE HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESS (HUB) Program at the University of Houston was established to identify and encourage HUBs to participate in the competitive bid process with the objective of increasing the number of contracts and subcontracts awarded to HUB vendors.

THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON HUB PROGRAM is committed to expanding business opportunities available in order to promote the successful development of growing businesses, to have a positive impact on improving our local economy and to give back to our community.

We encourage solicitations from HUB vendors in an effort to award more contracts to those businesses.

WWW.UH.EDU/HUB