TDSpirit At the Heart of Your Building
ANNIVERSARY EDITION 2021
Timing & Teamwork The Link’s impeccable design-build choreography
th
Ann ive rs ar y Stadium Pros Celebrating decades of touchdowns and home runs
Future Forward Adventures in construction technology
75TH ANNIVERSARY
L E T T E R f rom the C E O
Letter from CEO Harold MacDowell
D
ear Valued Customers and Partners, We are honored that you’re a part of our journey as we celebrate our 75th anniversary. Entering into a season filled with thanksgiving, I want to express my sincere gratitude for your partnership and support. Without you, we would not be the successful, culture-driven brand that we are today. The last two years have been demanding, with COVID-19 disrupting our communities and challenging the health and safety of all. We are grateful for the strong relationships we’ve built with our customers and the strength and resilience of our Partners, who continue to demonstrate their commitment as we navigate this uncertain time. This year has brought excitement and challenges with the launch of our new enterprise software. It has been incredibly difficult to implement in a pandemic, and we apologize for any negative impacts that you may have experienced. We remain confident that our data transformation today will keep TD at the forefront of advancing technology to better serve you for years to come. We’ve accomplished much together over the decades, with strong growth across various geographies and businesses. I am extremely excited and eager for what’s on the horizon as we lead the way in facility maintenance solutions and embark on the innovative future of construction. I hope that throughout this edition of TDSpirit, you will be inspired by what is ahead. We are thankful for each of our 75 years, and with partnerships like yours, we’re eagerly anticipating many more. I look forward to seeing you in early 2022 to celebrate together! Sincerely,
Harold MacDowell
CONTENTS Future of Construction
Value 02 Building Construction technology
7 5 t h An n ivers ar y Issue
Life-Cycle Solutions
07 Timing and Teamwork
elevates quality and efficiency.
Office tower spotlights design-build solutions.
Skids 03 Pump Prefab products save time, on-site labor.
11 Multifamily Serving the DFW area, Denver and Austin with excellence.
Safety
on the Go 04 Safety TD leverages technology
12 Customer
Testimonial Celebrating 30 years with Denton ISD.
to protect everyone.
06 Pandemic
Safety Focus
Hospital storage area transformed amid health crisis.
13
Keeping It Fresh TD’s Service team is a true partner for local food bank.
75th Anniversary
Lowe Jr. 14 Jack Reflecting on TD’s culture, favorite projects and more.
16 Stadiums & Arenas
A look at some of our favorite – and largest – projects.
Culture
18 Compass
Rose Academy Pandemic project wins ABC award.
19 Advancing Diversity
How TD supports women in construction.
19
14
07
THE FUTURE OF CONSTRUCTION
Building Customer Value Through Technology By Randee Herrin, Sr. Vice President, Construction Technologies and Manufacturing
A
t TDIndustries, we’re in business to relentlessly pursue customer value. Heading into 2022, that means fully investing in our goal as an engineering- and technology-driven construction company to meet the growing demand from owners and general contractors for better, more efficient and safer construction. According to Dodge Data & Analytics, about 90 percent of companies who use prefabrication and construction technology report improved productivity and quality as well as increased schedule certainty. At TD, we see the same results as we invest in construction technology that allows us to offer closer customer collaboration as well as transparent data, precise models, designs and project schedules. Why the shift?
TD’s Construction Technology Journey
2
Construction technology is transforming the construction industry to solve some of our biggest problems, including: 1. Skilled-trades shortages 2. More control of the job site through fewer deliveries 3. Certainty in cost and schedule 4. The transition to a digital asset, life-cycle model and process 5. Safer, more controlled manufacturing work environments It doesn’t happen overnight. Our journey to invest in construction technology is four-plus years in the making, and we are still learning how best to reach our goals. To shift with the needs of the industry, we started by developing a database that’s our single source of truth used in models in estimating and in VDC, where our BIM modelers design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA). With this change, the model facilitates the shift from the job site to a manufacturing environment that leverages prefabrication and productization of building components, removing some of the variability and risk in traditional schedules. The future of construction is here. Taking a data- and model-based approach to design — connected to project schedule and supply chain — advances our opportunities to drive customer value. Our technology investments today ensure that TD, as a united force of field and manufacturing expertise and engineering vision, remains at the forefront of industry innovation. Watch Randee Herrin on Bridging the Gap podcast
2017
2018
2019
2020
Design an integrated system and roadmap strategy
Develop a database creating a centralized data source
Streamline data flow through software integrations with ERP design and development
Transition from CAD to Revit
TDSpirit 2021 / 75TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
2021 ERP go-live date and Stratus rollout
2022 Scaling standards and productization within off-site manufacturing
Manufacturing Innovation Prefab Pump Skids Save Time, On-Site Labor for Data Center Project
W
ith a tight deadline on a high-priority data center, the Arizona Special Projects team planned early with the customer and owner to design and prefabricate key cooling system pieces. The successful endeavor is a sizable step for TD to serve its customers by advancing its productization and design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) goals. Customer benefits of advancements in construction technology include cost and schedule certainty, product quality and reduced on-site duration. In this example, four pump skids that combine mechanical equipment and piping into a single system were prefabricated in TD’s state-of-the-art manufacturing shop. Arizona Project Manager Beau Wright listed the customer benefits for this project: The prefabricated skids reduce crane and installation time needed in the project schedule The steel skid structure saves time and potential material shortage delays on building supports in the field to mount the pipe On-site labor and material savings Quality assurance with building in prefab shop space Arizona VDC Manager Bob Wright started the design process with a Stratus drawing to clarify the scope. Manufacturing Product Manager Dan Walker’s team engaged a local steel fabricator for the skid design, which the VDC team incorporated into the final digital design. Pipe Shop Foreman Randy Mox’s team built the four skids directly from the digital 3D model with three simple tie-ins for the on-site team to complete. Walker says that the collaboration is an important step for TD toward Design for Manufacture (DfM) and productization. “This is how we would like to package modules going forward,” he says. “We’re incorporating more equipment in an integrated structure that allows for easy transport and a simple connection for the on-site team. This project demonstrates that it can be done here.”
Advancing construction technology for mechanical contracting requires vital changes in the design and manufacturing mindset, including: 1. Shifting the planning, design and decisionmaking on mechanical scope closer to the owner and the start of the project. 2. Developing the right product solutions that are useful and compatible for many projects and then locking down or freezing that scope. “Our general contractor customers and the owner on this site have always been impressed with TD’s innovation, quality and ability to meet deadlines,” says Arizona Special Projects Vice President Chris Brown. “Our shop and Partners (TD employees) in the field have done some amazing things on this site, completing many technically complex projects with very aggressive schedules. The success of this effort across TD is a testament to planning, communication, innovative digital prefabrication processes and teamwork.”
WATCH VIDEO
The four pump skids were designed in Stratus and built from a digital 3D model.
Dallas manufacturing Foremen Randy Mox and Chris Noel stage the prefab pieces for transport. PLAN NORTH
75TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE / TDSpirit 2021
AZ7 PUMP SKID 1" = 1'-0"
3
SAFETY
Leveraging Technology
SAFETY ON THE GO By Jamie Dabbs, Vice President Safety, Health and Environmental
All TD employees are required to complete training hours each year to develop new skills. Roughly 60 percent of all TD training hours are for safety training and education.
TD’s Safety App, SmartTagIt SmartTagIt is an integrated, customizable Safety App that allows employees to share pre-task safety plans, inspection details and observations while receiving notifications and safety alerts on their smartphones — in the palm of their hands. SmartTagIt offers robust reporting and safety metrics with the ability to record conditions through photos, video and safety process engagement. One function allows the rating of risks and behaviors in real time through safety observations.
How SmartTagIt Makes TD Safer
Their dedication to on-site safety, support around safety culture and investment in technology are the backbone to their world-class safety performance.
4
T
D’s safety culture is recognized industrywide for its innovative use of technology and best practices to keep employee-owners safe in the field and life. These achievements are supported by our ongoing attention to training and practicing safe behaviors every day. Our safety focus ensures peace of mind for our customers, vendors and colleagues as we work on projects across Arizona, Colorado and Texas. TD’s team of more than 20 safety professionals works diligently each day to enhance safety practices aligning with our ZERO Harm safety vision. TD leverages safety technology to ensure awareness of potential risks on each job site and educate ourselves and our customers on the latest safety protocols and guidelines.
TDSpirit 2021 / 75TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
1. It identifies better KPIs for safety, leadership performance and safety system health and capability while connecting TD teams across business units and locations. 2. It increases visibility of safety performance in specific teams and projects, offering detailed reporting and tracking. 3. It accelerates TD’s safety engagement; in 2021 we are on pace to exceed 200,000 electronic safety processes including pretask safety plans, work permits, safety inspections and safety observations.
Samsara GPS/Camera System TD uses Samsara vehicle GPS systems and front-facing dash cams across the fleet. The cameras record in real-time, offering drivers an analysis of their driving behaviors.
How Samsara Makes TD Safer
1. AI-based software notifies the supervisor and safety team immediately if a collision occurs
and offers weekly reporting on high-risk behaviors such as following too closely and harsh braking that could lead to future incidents. 2. Immediately allows TD to identify vehicles in need of service through data alerts directly from the on-board diagnostics port to spot issues like failing batteries and engine faults. 3. Fewer incidents overall mean safer driving. Companies that are using Samsara are showing an average 50 percent reduction in harsh incidents and accidents and a 34 percent reduction in claims. 4. Cameras protect TD’s drivers in the case of an accident or incident, providing instant video evidence that can exonerate drivers not at fault, eliminating disputes and bypassing lengthy claims processes.
TD’s Mobile Medic Provided by Medcor One of TD’s recent safety innovations includes a partnership with Medcor Onsite Health Services in Texas. Medcor, a third-party safety services provider and wellness advocate, offers full-time mobile medics to TD in north and central Texas.
Medcor Mobile Medic Benefits Include
COVID-19 testing, on-site rapid and PCR First aid, advanced first aid and essential life support Wellness checks including blood sugar, blood pressure and vital signs Mental health services and recommendations
CPR training Respirator fit testing Safety meeting updates and best-practice tips in English and Spanish Post-incident reviews Job placement, post incident and random drug screenings Hepatitis B, flu and tetanus vaccinations Epinephrine services Safety job walks to help identify Partners under heat duress, etc. TD’s two mobile medics have been critical in supporting all staff. With TD’s “Zero Harm” safety vision for all, this partnership with Medcor will only continue to grow as TD looks to expand the service to additional regions. A strong safety culture benefits not just TD employees, but also ensures excellence and a safe working environment for customers and vendors on every job site. “We have a great partnership with TDIndustries and are proud to work closely with them on projects,” said Tim Kuykendall, Director of Safety for The Beck Group. “Not only do we rely on them to provide services in a timely manner with exceptional quality, we lean on TD to support our safety culture and ensure all workers on our project have a safe working environment. Their dedication to onsite safety, support around safety culture and investment in technology are the backbone to their world-class safety performance.”
MISSION:
We are committed to providing outstanding career opportunities by exceeding our customers’ expectations through continuous aggressive improvement.
CORE VALUES: Build and Maintain Trusting Relationships Fiercely Protect the Safety of All Partners L ead with a Servant’s Heart Passionately Pursue Excellence Celebrate the Power of Individual Differences
75TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE / TDSpirit 2021
5
SAFETY
TD Safely Supports West Texas Hospital During Height of Pandemic By Caroline Jerome
There were a lot of challenges and pressure on this project, and our team had the courage to do the job with excellence.
D
uring the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, one West Texas hospital treated 90 percent of COVID-19 cases in the Midland/ Odessa metro area. Many hospitals reserve their top floor for storage space, but with a massive number of patients coming through the doors, this hospital set out to create a sterile critical care patient floor as quickly as possible. TD stepped in to support this fast turnaround while keeping patients and work crews safe throughout the project.
TD SCOPE Roughly 40 TD skilled technicians were brought in to transform the ninth floor of the hospital in six months. Working six days a week, the team completed all areas of the project on time, adding 48 beds for critical and progressive care in the Critical Care Unit. TD brought in more than 43,000 pounds of ductwork and 27,750 linear feet of piping to work around an existing storm drain and two air handlers. To support the expedited schedule, TD’s Dallas manufacturing shop preassembled sink risers and shower valves for all bathrooms on the floor.
6
TDSpirit 2021 / 75TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
“There were a lot of challenges and pressure on this project, and our team had the courage to do the job with excellence,” said TD Senior Superintendent Randy Smith. “They knew it was an important job for the community and they worked hard with a mission-first mindset.”
TD SAFETY One of TD’s core values is to “fiercely protect the safety of all Partners,” of critical importance when working on a healthcare facility amid a global health crisis. TD employees on-site used badges to enter the building and completed a health questionnaire and mandatory temperature checks before working. Workers also wore masks and practiced social distancing. “The ninth floor expansion and renovation at this hospital placed our Partners (employees) near direct exposure of many COVID-19 cases during the first peak of the pandemic,” said TD Safety Manager Cameron Williams. “That challenge, along with limited resources due to supply chain bottlenecks, limited in-person interaction from other parties due to social distancing, and many other unforeseen factors, proved difficult for our Partners. However, the project team pulled together and stepped up in a big way to battle through one of the toughest projects to date to support our communities in a time of need.”
LIFE-CYCLE SOLUTIONS
Timing and Teamwork Elegant office tower The Link at Uptown spotlights TD’s design-build solutions By Donna Stokes
T
he Link at Uptown office tower is aptly named, connecting Uptown, Victory Park and Downtown Dallas with approachable sophistication and amenities that promise tenants luxurious suites, stunning views and easy commuting access. As one of TDIndustries’ largest design-build projects, with full core and shell mechanical design and construction — including HVAC, plumbing and building controls — The Link is a milestone accomplishment for TD. “Kaizen Development Partners has a commitment to the design-build process,” says Gary Roden, VP Design-Build Business Development. “We embrace the collaboration of the entire design and construction team using design-build methods to enhance owner value.” Approaching the job site each day and seeing The Link’s distinct profile emerge through the neighboring high rises gives Ken Luong, Dallas Construction Senior Project Manager for TDIndustries, a rush of pride and excitement. “It’s always great to contribute to the skyline of Dallas. From I-35 South or going down Harry Hines Boulevard, The Link is one of the first things you see,” he says. “It’s a landmark goal achieved for us to celebrate this success with Kaizen, BOKA Powell architects and Balfour Beatty, the general contractor.”
TIMING Early planning in 2019 allowed TD to get onto the job site, understand the project and reduce
schedule durations, especially critical given the COVID-19 disruptions no one knew were coming, Luong says. The immersive design-build experience and partnership in decision-making added tremendous value to the project, says Elizabeth Welch, Mechanical Engineer. “Ken and I went to all of the design meetings together, starting from the beginning when we were just issuing a narrative.” That allowed the construction team to help shape design from constructability, safety and maintenance standpoints to drive client goals. TD provided A3s, or system comparisons, on equipment such as the chiller types, for the owner to consider during the design phase, offering available options suited to the footprint,
75TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE / TDSpirit 2021
7
LIFE-CYCLE SOLUTIONS
pricing tiers and environmental and performance benefits. Welch noted that because sustainability and energy efficiency are essential to the owner, Kaizen chose air-cooled chillers based on the analysis. The team, collaborating early with Balfour Beatty, explained the challenge of mounting the selected chillers on the roof downtown in a tight footprint. That influenced the type of tower crane needed to save money and potential risk on a helicopter lift.
8
TDSpirit 2021 / 75TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
The TD team’s challenges included location limitations and the COVID-19 pandemic. “As complex as the location is with the tight footprint and high visibility, TD ran its processes very lean,” Luong says. “All of that collaboration early on influenced the success of the project in ways that are hard to understand and describe,” Welch says. “The project team managed all of the material acquisitions with enough lead time to avoid delays, which is kind of shocking. And what enabled the team to feel comfortable ordering equipment earlier than we would have on a bid-build project was that we worked together on those decisions.”
Photos by BOKA Powell Architects
As complex as the location is with the tight footprint and high visibility, TD ran its processes very lean.
LIFE-CYCLE SOLUTIONS
L
IF
CL Y C E-
We were able to bring to the table a large, collaborative effort to be a true design-build partner, ensuring premier quality and innovation while speeding up the schedule.
E SOLUT
ENGINEER
IO
NS
Design-Build Design Assist Services
CONSTRUCT MAINTAIN On-demand Service Maintenance Programs Capital Improvement
New Construction
ERGY EN
Preconstruction Services
Building Solutions
Special Projects
EN
“On a core and shell office tower, the primary design challenge is providing for the future unknown,” Welch says. “You don’t want to bring in a tenant and have them rip out what you just put in. With the plumbing, you want to offer flexibility for a break room at the far end of the floor or a private restroom for an executive, yet still execute cost-effectively.” TD relied on its finish-out construction experience to inform how to run the loop ductwork that serves the floor and where to put future tenant sanitary risers or chilled water provi-
sions. And our service and facilities maintenance expertise influenced design decisions that will save repair and maintenance costs throughout the life of the building. The controls team anticipated owner and tenant needs with the latest technology-agnostic building controls system customizable to tenants’ comfort and sustainability goals. TD’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility prefabricated all the restroom batteries, which were 3D modeled for The Link. Additional fabrication pieces included mechanical room ductwork, air handler connections, hydronic piping and more. “By having that full-scope building experience — estimating and precon, engineering, construction, manufacturing, controls, service — we were able to bring to the table a large, collaborative effort to be a true design-build partner, ensuring premier quality and innovation while speeding up the schedule,” Luong says.
VI
Multifamily
T
Collaborations on solutions added excitement and growth through innovative digital design and fabrication through Revit. The lessons learned in this process and how they’ll influence future design-build projects helped the team gain an understanding of that intricate choreography and communication flow necessary to design-build project success. “The team environment that Kaizen fostered and that Ken led through construction from the beginning of the project was collaborative, it was open and it was safe,” Welch says. “When we came up against issues, we all came together to solve it as a team for what was best for the project — and that was an incredible experience. Kaizen made the best decisions for the building based on the recommended expertise of the people they hired because that was how they put together their team. They had goals they wanted to accomplish to make their building high-end, sustainable and unique, and we just found a good balance of partnership to help achieve those goals.” Luong and Welch emphasized that TD’s softskill advantage in performing as a trusted adviser is significant in a project like The Link at Uptown. “We exhibit those values we have as a company — building trusting relationships and continuous aggressive improvement — with everyone we work with, from the GC to the architect, to our early collaboration and communication with electrical contractor Cummings,” Welch says.
RONME
N
TEAMWORK
Off-site Manufacturing Modular Building Process Solutions Controls/Building Automation
OPERATE Controls
Facilities Management
Analytics Fire-Life Safety
Energy Solutions
75TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE / TDSpirit 2021
9
LIFE-CYCLE SOLUTIONS WHAT IS DESIGN-BUILD? Design-build is a project delivery method where the team works under a single contract with the owner to provide design and construction services — one unified flow of work from initial concept to completion.
WATCH
VIDEO
High-Rise Controls
THE LINK AT UPTOWN
BY THE NUMBERS
25-STORY
CORE AND SHELL OFFICE BUILDING
292,041
SQUARE FEET
11
AIR HANDLER UNITS 1 per office floor and amenity floor
900 TONS
OF COOLING (Three 300-ton chillers on the roof) CORE RESTROOMS ON OFFICE FLOORS (9 each women’s and men’s)
6
18
RESTROOMS + MEN’S AND WOMEN’S LOCKER ROOMS ON AMENITY LEVEL (14th floor)
Mechanical Engineer Elizabeth Welch and Senior Project Manager Ken Luong lead a tour at The Link.
TD’s full design-build capabilities in The Link project in Uptown Dallas benefit the building owner and every future tenant. Controls Senior Project Manager Kevin Haughey and Senior Operations Manager Randy Heidrich recently shared more about the value TD’s Controls team contributes to this project.
Was Controls part of the initial design-build package for The Link? How did that come about? KEVIN: TD brought the whole package to the table, the design and installation of the mechanical and plumbing systems and a means of controlling them. In this case, it was a ground-up building. It’s exciting to be a part of a design-build project like this where TD brings multiple trades or contributions to new building construction. When we’re doing all the plumbing, mechanical work and the controls, it brings substantial value to the customer and a sense of pride. RANDY: What made this project different, and we think much better, is that Controls was an equal partner at the table discussing design considerations and the owner’s needs from a very early point in the project design and on into construction. This allowed our Controls team to help make sure that the control system would add value to the overall building and positively contribute to attracting tenants to the building, all while helping keep costs in line with the budget.
What was the pitch for including Controls in the project? KEVIN: By going with TDIndustries, the same company has the building mechanicals designed and installed. Controls optimizes the performance of the major equipment and takes that build into the future.TD is a Siemens partner. On top of Siemens controllers, we build a Tridium-based
10
TDSpirit 2021 / 75TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
system, which gives building owners and tenants an open architecture for integration with other devices and flexibility for growth.
When did your team start working on The Link and when will work be complete? KEVIN: Controls design started mid-2020, just behind the mechanical design. The core and shell phase is complete. Yet as tenants move in and finish out floors or partial floors to their specs, we’re well-positioned to support those installations long-term.
How did the potential for so many future tenants affect setup? KEVIN: We built our own network infrastructure so that each floor can be easily expanded. That keeps their building management system (BMS) separate from any other IT needs in the building. There will be connectivity between the BMS system and other offices the building operator has in the building to control and monitor the building seamlessly, even remotely.
What key building performance benefits of the Controls system you’re creating for The Link would be a selling point to attract new tenants? KEVIN: Key benefits for tenants are the assurance of comfort, reliability, energy savings and indoor air quality. Our Controls group is highly detailed in documenting the process. We know the building, and know how to control the building. An environment like that is incredible for the customer in that you have that corporate knowledge, why things are the way they are. We know how to add on to the system and understand its capabilities. We look forward to a mutually beneficial long-term relationship with this building.
Multifamily at TDIndustries
TDIndustries shifted the Texas multifamily construction paradigm in 1968 by installing the first unitary air conditioning units instead of central plants. Since entering the multifamily market more than 57 years ago, TD has been a leader in the industry with an impressive portfolio of varied projects across the country.
Geographies COLORADO
Denver, CO
TEXAS
Dallas/ Fort Worth, TX Austin, TX
Project Specialties Luxury High-Rise
Multifamily Capabilities
PLUMBING Residential tank-type water heaters, centralized hot water (tankless, TEAL, etc.), and commercial boiler systems Piping systems generally consist of PVC, CPVC or PEX and commercial systems utilizing cast iron, copper and stainless steel ProVent single stack sanitary systems Storm, elevated courtyard and garage drainage Residential domestic water piping
Senior/Assisted Living Hotel/Motel/Campus Housing
Wrap/Podium Style
Custom Design-Build
Mixed-Use Facilities
Special Projects
100% on-time delivery Multiple years of zero OSHA recordables & zero lost time injuries Industryleading training and safety atest L prefabrication capabilities ean L construction practices
HVAC Garden Style
THE TD DIFFERENCE
DX split, individual vent and fresh air ventilation systems VRF AC, aquatherm heating and commercial water source heat pump systems Fiberglass duct board, insulated flexible duct, sheet metal or spiral duct systems
Financially stable with proven results & efficiency ighly skilled H workforce
75TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE / TDSpirit 2021
11
LIFE-CYCLE SOLUTIONS
Celebrating a 30-Year Facilities
MANAGEMENT PARTNERSHIP Integrated Facilities Management – Valued Customer Testimonial Dr. Jamie Wilson, Superintendent of Denton ISD WHO Denton Independent School District and TDIndustries
WHAT 30-year partnership including Integrated Facilities Management services and trades training for the district’s high school students
WHERE 45 buildings across 65 square miles in Denton, including: 24 elementary schools 8 traditional middle schools 4 comprehensive high schools 3 schools of choice 2 early childhood centers
Brian Lillard, TD’s Senior Vice President of Facilities Management Services, and Dr. Jamie Wilson, Superintendent of the Denton ISD, talk about their organizations’ three-decade partnership on Valerie Sokolosky’s “Doing It Right” video podcast.
GROWTH Denton ISD has built 11 schools in the past 10 years
WATCH VIDEO
The biggest hidden expense in any school district is deferred maintenance. If your equipment isn’t working the way it should, it’s a drain on the resources. For us, it’s about maximizing taxpayer dollars by ensuring we’re operating efficiently. And we do that by having a good partner in TDIndustries that can be there with you to understand your system and proactively manage that every day. —Dr. Jamie Wilson, Superintendent of Denton Independent School District
12
TDSpirit 2021 / 75TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
Keeping it Fresh Service team is a true partner for Fort Worth Community Food Bank
T
he Fort Worth Community Food Bank has served its neighbors for 40 years by providing boxes of high-quality food and other staples to those in need six days a week, no questions asked. Unlike many food banks that offer only shelf-stable foods like canned soup, they provide fresh and frozen meats, dairy and produce. “We believe if you’re going to make a box of food for someone, we make it the way we’d want to receive it,” says Rudy Taylor, who with his wife, Regena, runs the facility with the support of donors. “And I want to have dairy products, I want to have meat, I want to have vegetables, and I want to have fruit.” This presents the unique challenge of maintaining large commercial freezers and coolers, among other operational priorities for TDIndustries’ mechanical Service team. The food bank receives and distributes more than 1 million pounds of food every year, relying on its equipment to keep donated food fresh and ready for distribution. If the equipment breaks down or becomes faulty, the food bank’s charitable mission of serving the hungry is compromised. For many years, the food bank operated with no backup systems, says Larry Zollinger, TDIndustries Service Account Manager in Fort Worth. Now that the Fort Worth Community Food Bank
has a service agreement with TDIndustries, that’s no longer a concern. “Whenever they have an issue, our TD team responds quickly,” Zollinger says. “If it breaks, they fix it,” Taylor says. “They’re the only ones we trust to take care of our equipment. If it’s broken, we know we can pick up the phone 24/7 and TD will be there to take care of it the right way, the first time. … And now TD volunteers with us, which is also a great thing. We have total trust, and the relationship is important to us.”
Fort Worth Community Food Bank relies on volunteers to sort and inspect food, pack boxes and serve clients. In addition to providing professional Service support for the food bank customer, TD Partners volunteer quarterly.
BY THE NUMBERS 4,000+
6,000 SQ. FT.
Families served on holidays
of freezer space
1 MILLION+ Pounds of food donated per year
6,000 SQ. FT.
39,585 SQ. FT.
of cooler space
600+
Families per day served
of office and warehouse space
75TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE / TDSpirit 2021
13
75TH ANNIVERSARY
Ref lection from
JACK LOWE JR. By Caroline Jerome
Q A
TD is celebrating 75 years in 2021 — an incredible milestone! What are some of your earliest memories of TD when your father was getting started in the business? My earliest memory was the large military trucks in our backyard with tires taller than me when I was about 6 or 7 years old. Dad had just gotten out of the Army and could get surplus trucks inexpensively. He was starting TD in the back of his aunt’s automotive supply store near downtown Dallas — very close to where city hall is now. I remember riding a streetcar down to the warehouse that Dad was calling Texas Distributors. He wanted to distribute something, but you couldn’t get anything to distribute after World War II; there was nothing available. So, we started with services like water coolers and window unit air conditioners.
When did you join the TD family and how did your roles and positions evolve? I went to Rice University in Houston for an engineering degree and then enlisted into the U.S. Navy. Fast forward a few years later to 1964, I gave Dad [Jack Lowe Sr.] a call saying, “I’d like to work for you.” And he said, “Well, let me think about that.” He called me back a few days later with a position for me. I started
14
TDSpirit 2021 / 75TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
working for TD in the Service Department for about a year, checking invoices. Soon after, I transferred to the distribution side of the business and worked for Fred Addison. After taking on a good deal of work from Fred, he surprised Dad and said he was retiring at age 50, saying he had trained me to be his replacement — this was around 1967. One of my main goals was to get us into the apartment business. Apartments at the time only had a central plant, and we wanted to implement change. That was our mission, and in 1968 we partnered with the Lincoln Property Company to be the first in Texas to shift to unitary air conditioning units for multifamily developments. In the mid-1970s, we started securing bigger jobs, and Dad had me move over to that side of the business. Dad passed away unexpectedly in 1980. We had changed the name of Texas Distributors to TDIndustries right before he passed, and at 41 years old, I became CEO.
Do you have a favorite project or initiative that you worked on at TD? One significant project was Campbell Centre near NorthPark Center off I-75 in Dallas. Back then, all construction was built with union contractors. When
they decided to build the second tower, Austin Industries, the general contractor and a good friend, brought us on. We were thrilled to finish the project in two-thirds the projected time and at 20 percent less cost. The Anatole Hotel in Dallas was also a major project win for us. We received the green light for that project on July 7, 1977. Of course, it was special to work on all of the stadiums and healthcare facilities around the country — they all contributed to our overall growth and diversity in project scope.
How did the implementation of Servant Leadership come about? From the beginning, Dad always cared more about people than he did about money. He always said, “I want them to have a loving place to work,” so he started employee ownership in 1952. He thought we likely wouldn’t be super profitable but that we would be a caring community. Later on, Ben Houston, Bob Ferguson and I thought that maybe we could be a profitable company paying top wages and still hold our own as a caring company. In the mid-1970s, Dad stumbled on a pamphlet “The Servant as Leader” by Bob Greenleaf and was immediately interested in leadership training for all employees. He (Jack Lowe Sr.) started hosting spaghetti dinners, and that’s where our first mission statement was drafted. At the time, we called it a People Objective.
What keeps you inspired and motivated during challenging circumstances? Specifically, during the 1989 collapse? I’m a pretty optimistic guy — not much of a quitter. I’ve had bumps in the road, including Dad’s passing. The most challenging time for TD was in 1989 when we lost half of our net worth. Businesses were collapsing in Texas, which is a big reason we took on any jobs we could get around the country. I am inspired by our Partners who stepped up during that crisis. We were the only Texas mechanical contractor that survived intact, and it’s because of our Partners. We needed about $2 million to survive and raised $1.3 million that saved the company. The relationships are what got us through. The few customers we had kept us in business, and our suppliers kept supplying us, even if they didn’t know what would happen next. They all wanted us to succeed.
What’s the “secret sauce” behind TD’s culture? Employee ownership is one of the key ingredients of TD’s culture. When you have blue-collar workers retiring with $1 million, that’s pretty cool. Yet each piece doesn’t work without all the others, including our core values of building and maintaining trusting relationships, valuing
individual differences, servant leadership, safety and this idea of continuous aggressive improvement. We also have a commitment to charitable organizations — our word is our bond, and our community has always trusted us to do what’s right.
What are you most proud of during your career with TD? I am most proud of the succession plan we implemented. When I was about 50, I had to address a couple of longtime successful executives in their late 60s and suggest it was time for them to retire. Some were reluctant, but we eventually all agreed that the year you turn 65 is the year you retire as an executive. We shared our leadership on succession planning with many companies, and about 10 years later, I was approaching that number. I joined the board, and since then, Harold [MacDowell] has done an incredible job. We have a lot to be proud of, looking back to all of the accomplishments, the buildings we’ve built and the businesses we’ve supported with service and maintenance. People often ask me, “What would your Dad say?” and I would always say, “I think he knows about all of it. And he is really proud of what’s happened here at TD.”
WATCH VIDEO
I’m a pretty optimistic guy—not much of a quitter.
75TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE / TDSpirit 2021
15
75TH ANNIVERSARY
TDIndustries Timeline
STADIUMS + ARENAS 2005 1994
THE COMPAQ CENTER
CHOCTAW STADIUM Formerly known as Ballpark at Arlington (Arlington, Texas)
2000
2009
Former home of the Houston Rockets converted to Lakewood Church
ALLEN EVENT CENTER
(Houston, Texas)
(Allen, Texas)
RECKLING PARK at Rice University
2014
(Houston, Texas)
MCLANE STADIUM at Baylor University (Waco, Texas)
2009 AT&T STADIUM Home of the Dallas Cowboys (Arlington, Texas)
2002 AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER (Dallas, Texas)
2006 STATE FARM STADIUM Home of the Arizona Cardinals (Glendale, Arizona)
16
TDSpirit 2021 | 75TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
2009 H-E-B CENTER (Cedar Park, Texas)
2018 ALAMODOME (San Antonio, Texas)
2017 MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM Home of the Atlanta Falcons (Atlanta, Georgia)
2019 DICKIES ARENA (Fort Worth, Texas)
2018 AMON G. CARTER STADIUM at Texas Christian University (Fort Worth, Texas)
2020 GLOBE LIFE FIELD Home of the Texas Rangers (Arlington, Texas)
WATCH VIDEO
75TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE | TDSpirit 2021
17
C U LT U R E
2021 TD AWARDS
Compass Rose Academy Wins ABC Excellence in Construction Award
AGC National Construction Safety Excellence Award: First Place, Specialty Contractors Category
TEXO Distinguished Building Awards 1st Place: Medical City North Hills
AGC Texas Building Branch Outstanding Construction Awards: Medical City North Hills
TEXO Distinguished Building Award Merit Winner: Globe Life Field
ABC National Safety Excellence Award
ABC Top Performing U.S. Construction Company: #1 Plumbing/HVAC Contractor, #2 Trade Contractor, #2 Electrical Contractor, #8 Overall Contractor
ABC Greater Houston Chapter Diamond STEP Award: TD’s Houston business
18
TD set up a hand-washing station on-site.
T
DIndustries’ San Antonio Special Projects team received an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) South Texas Excellence in Construction award for their exceptional work mid-pandemic on the Compass Rose Academy project. The design-assist project at Brooks City Base in San Antonio involved converting the Air Force Civil Engineering Command building to a tuition-free, public charter middle school. “Throughout this project, I witnessed and experienced the first-class professionalism and abilities of TD, from the company leadership all the way through to the Project Manager, field teams and office support,” said Project Control’s Vice President Andrew Hunt. Project Control was the owner’s representative throughout the project.
TDSpirit 2021 / 75TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
Hunt continues, “The tremendous success of the entire project team, with TDIndustries on the team, allowed this project to finish on time in nearly impossible circumstances. Without hesitation, this project would not have been a success without TDIndustries.” Through Turner Construction, TD was contracted to provide design-assist mechanical and plumbing services for this two-story, 72,000 square foot renovation that added classrooms, a cafeteria, science labs and two main restrooms per floor.
CHALLENGES INCLUDED:
Extremely aggressive schedule that other general contractors and bidders were unable to meet The limited budget required creative engineering solutions and evaluation of existing equipment for reuse with minimal effect on building performance Substantial additional scope handled with no effect on timeline or budget COVID-19 protocols including temperature checks to enter the building, tool disinfection and quarantine requirements that required continuous manpower replacements The ABC South Texas Chapter’s Excellence in Construction Awards recognize outstanding construction projects and honor innovative and high-quality construction projects, safety and diversity programs.
Celebrating Diversity –
Women in Construction By Mark Joseph, Director of Diversity and Inclusion
F
or 75 years, TD has supported women in the construction industry by providing equal opportunities to grow their careers and our business in construction, technology, manufacturing, facility services and maintenance. TD Founder and CEO Jack Lowe Sr.’s mother, Florence Lowe, and aunt, Julia Lee Greer, played critical roles in launching TD as Texas Distributors in 1946. Earlier this year, we celebrated Women in Construction Week and International Women’s Day with a special blog series that recognized female Partners (TD employees), their contributions to the construction industry, and what it means to be a woman in a male-dominated profession. These women are diverse in their roles, experiences and tenure at TD, where women make up 28 percent of TD’s Board of Directors and 26 percent of the Senior Leadership Team. In addition to Women in Construction Week, TD has played an active role in the Women’s Workforce component of Southern Dallas Thrives, a United Way of Metropolitan Dallas initiative. TD is an Employer Partner
Welder Kaylin Leas Named Tradeswoman of the Year.
PARTNER RESOURCE GROUPS As part of TD’s diversity and inclusion plan, Partner Resource Groups (PRGs) are active for individuals across the company to join and celebrate the power of individual differences.
that provides CORE for safety scaffolding training. This program will provide job training in high growth industries to women in southern Dallas over the next three years, focusing on construction-related pathways, soft skills development and industry certifications. Participants and students in the program will be enrolled in formal training with the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER). They will obtain 40 hours of workforce readiness and life skills training through Dallas College. TD is thrilled to be part of a local initiative that will advance employer engagement and aid women in accessing quality positions, resulting in deeper employer partnerships, more workers on career pathways and improved job access. These factors aid in the overall commitment to helping Black and Hispanic women access better jobs, leading to increased workforce equity. At TD, we value diversity and inclusion and support women interested in trades careers.
TD currently has four PRGs (African American, Hispanic and Latino, Veterans, Women) to foster communication, awareness, development and engagement. The groups are open to all TD Partners.
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
BY THE NUMBERS
88.6% LATINO
WHITE
30%
10.9%
WOMEN
BLACK
6%
2%
ASIAN
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2020 data
75TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE / TDSpirit 2021
19
C U LT U R E
TD Supports Veterans Cause with Volunteer HVAC, Plumbing Work
T
he One Tribe Foundation, which incorporates the 22KILL initiative, supports and empowers U.S. veterans’ and first responders’ mental health through clinical programs, nontraditional therapies and family support systems. The foundation’s mission is to create a community that combats suicide and raises awareness of health challenges such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The 22KILL initiative started in 2013 as a social media campaign to raise awareness and became an official 501(c)3 nonprofit in 2015. This summer the organization rebranded to the One Tribe Foundation, expanding its services to include police, firefighters and medical frontline workers. TDIndustries’ Partners (employees) donated their expertise this year along with general contractor DPR Construction, Page Southerland Page Architects, Cherry Coatings and TD suppliers to renovate much-needed meeting, office and therapy space in Farmers Branch, Texas, for the nonprofit organization. The project, completed in six months, involved renovating a former vitamin factory and warehouse into more than 5,000 square feet of usable space. All subcontractors and vendors donated their time, material, labor and equipment rentals. The TD team replaced two air handlers and installed new ductwork and plumbing. “Organizations like 22Kill play a vital role in protecting our veterans,” said Gary Fanning, Project Superintendent, Fort Worth Construction and U.S. Marines Staff Sergeant. “Transitioning from military to civilian life can be
20
TDSpirit 2021 / 75TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
extremely difficult, and the selfless sacrifice from the folks at 22Kill means a lot to the community. It was an honor to be a part of this project.” TD has a long relationship with DPR, including data center projects, the Charles Schwab campus, the Medical Center of Arlington, and more.
Vendors on the 22Kill renovation included: Ferguson Plumbing Supply — plumbing fixtures Texas Air Systems — grilles, registers and diffusers Sharp Insulation — insulation H3 Construction — saw cutting, hauling materials Sunstate Equipment — equipment rentals TDIndustries actively recruits candidates with military experience and supports its veterans, including through a Veterans Partner Resource Group, encouraging a strong culture of diversity and inclusion and upholding its core value to “Celebrate the power of individual differences.” The statistic that 22 veterans take their own lives every day originated with a Veterans Affairs Suicide Data Report in 2012. A 2016 report updated that number to 20 suicides a day and noted that 65 percent of all veterans who commit suicide are aged 50 or older.
Visit 1tribefoundation.org to donate or volunteer.
The In
News
1
3
2
TDIndustries Breaks Stigma That Construction Is a Man’s Job TD’s Women in Construction Week Partner profiles light up the internet with bold and brilliant tradeswomen, proving that there’s an equal playing field for all to succeed at TD.
TD Lands Placement in Contractor Magazine Book of Giants
Safety on Wheels: TDIndustries’ Mobile Medics Deliver Job Site Health Support
For 75 years, TD’s employee-owners have provided services that support a building’s total life-cycle needs, from engineering and construction to service, maintenance and integrated facilities management, with safety and quality as the priority.
TD eclipses industry safety standards and fiercely protects field crews with rapid COVID-19 tests, wellness checks, quick response treatment and even counseling through Medcor Onsite Health Resources in Texas.
4 ABC Recognizes TD as Top Performing U.S. Construction Company TD received recognition this year as the #1 Plumbing/HVAC Contractor, #2 Trade Contractor, #2 Electrical Contractor and #8 Overall Contractor. The Top Performers list recognizes ABC member contractors’ in safety, quality, diversity, project excellence and special designations, all ranked by work hours.
CONTACT US Editor: Donna Stokes donna.stokes@tdindustries.com
Media Contact: Caroline Jerome caroline.jerome@tdindustries.com
TDIndustries Headquarters: 13850 Diplomat Drive, Dallas, TX USA 75234-8849 • 972-888-9500
13850 Diplomat Drive Dallas, TX 75234
Thank You for an Amazing Years
Visit us at tdindustries.com
And connect with us on social media!
Austin | Dallas | Denver | Forney | Fort Worth | Houston | Phoenix | Richardson | San Antonio | Tucson | West Texas TDSpirit is a publication of TDIndustries, Inc.
