San Antonio Construction News February 2013 Issue

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Covering the Industry’s News

Texas Style
San Antonio Dallas/Fort Worth Austin Houston South Texas

P.O. Box 791290 San Antonio, Texas 78279-1290 Change Service Requested

PRSRT. STD. U.S. POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT #1451

San Antonio

CONSTRUCTION
www.constructionnews.net (210) 308-5800 Volume 16 Number 2 FEBRUARY 2013



The Industry’s Newspaper
Pre-Rodeo Laser Show SA Rodeo 2/7 - 2/24 2013

Knock, knock

ST: the next generation

Armando Cruz comes a-knockin’ with his new business, AC Door Specialties.

Two generations of Traugotts: Michael Traugott Jr. and his father Michael Traugott Sr.

ho’s there? Armando Cruz as he answers the call of opportunity with AC Door Specialties. “I worked for a general contractor for almost 12 years, and did a lot of interior work, and every time I needed doors and hardware, it was like pulling teeth,” recalls Cruz. “So, I decided there’s a need for this.” Just like that, Cruz opened the door to starting his own business in October. “I’ve been real blessed,” he notes. “I started my company a couple months ago and hit the ground running – picked up a lot of work at the University of Texas in Austin and picked up some work here in San Antonio from different contractors.”

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Even though he only just crossed the threshold into this business, 85 percent of his jobs are public, and of the jobs he is doing for the private sector, 90 percent of them are through the general contractors. AC has taken on work at government facilities and all kinds of commercial buildings where contractors call upon him for the exterior doors. “The stuff that we specialize in is the hollow metal doors and frames for commercial buildings,” he explains, adding that he doesn’t do residential-style doors. “Industrial is available, also. I can get up to ballistics doors, security doors, chemical-resistant doors – they’re made out of continued on Page 25

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s far as Michael Traugott Jr. knows, Richard Mudd has gone fishing. Mudd, who partnered with Michael Traugott Sr. to start South Texas Drywall & Construction in 1995, retired in October. “We were surprised,” says Traugott Jr., vice president. The elder Traugott is president, having opened South Texas Drywall as the 51-percent owner while Mudd ran the business since its founding. But Traugott Jr. says that Mudd wasn’t around the office much before retiring, because he didn’t really need to be. The younger Traugott and the 20 to 25 employees were handling everything on their own. Traugott Jr. says that his role is the

same essentially; it’s just that now he has more responsibility. “Basically, I’m taking the lead,” Traugott Jr. explains, noting that at 36, he has a lot of experience, having grown up in the construction world along with his father’s company, Traugott Painting, and the other businesses that followed for Traugott Inc. While in college, one of the jobs he did was installing acoustical ceilings for the company he is now running. After getting his business management degree at Southwest Texas, he came into the office full time and started learning the rest of the drywall business. continued on Page 25

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Gateway to MHS
while the first anchor tenant, Broadway Bank, ran in the $900,000 range for its 5,000sf finish out, accounting for approximately half of the first floor. The first challenge was clearing the site of trees and known hazardous materials in the soil, namely insecticides and lead paint that remained from houses that had occupied the land for more than 60 years before being demolished. Testing along the way to ensure complete removal, the amount of soil the team had to strip from the site varied from six to 12 inches deep in some areas, and under the building, about two feet of topsoil had to be removed. Once work began, the construction team had to manage street closures on varying sides of the property in order to do roadwork, put in curbs and sidewalks, and a turn lane to open up access since Broadway Bank has a drive-thru on the side of the building.
Koontz-McCombs Construction overcame several challenges to build the Methodist Metropolitan Gateway medical office building on an accelerated schedule.

hen Koontz-McCombs Construction was hired by Methodist Healthcare Systems (MHS) to build the Methodist Metropolitan Gateway, they were actually taking on two simultaneous jobs – the ground up construction of the office building and the finish out for inaugural tenant Broadway Bank. In 10 months, the crew brought a contaminated, demolished lot along I-35 to the level of a three-story, limestone clad tilt-wall 35,460sf medical office building. “I think it’s got an incredible frontage,” says Henry M. Serry, project executive. “Sitting on 35 like that, just north of downtown, it’s right on the freeway, so I think the stone and the towers making it a very dramatic-looking building.” Serry explains that MHS will lease the offices, which were designed with medical purposing in mind. The shell building came at a project cost of $4.5 million,

continued on Page 25

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San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

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Through rose-colored glass

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MIKE & MARK CRAWFORD

fter Diann Reina retired from teaching, she went to work for her husband Roy Reina, Triple R Contracting, which does digital HVAC controls. But soon, she found her own niche in specialty contracting with Stained Glass Craftworkers Bench.

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Diann and Roy Reina opened Stained Glass Craftworkers Bench in 2001.

When she decided to open her own business in 2001, she and her husband shared their rented office, but they soon wanted a workspace that was their own. Six years ago, they bought the 1950s farmhouse across Eckhert Road, off Bandera Road, and two years later, the stained glass shop relocated across the street to the new idyllic setting with only one piece of glass broken during the move. Reina does commission work for anyone and any type of need, but many of her clients are churches or residential. She notes that people come into the shop with the misconception that she has pieces ready to be taken home, but each piece has to be a unique shape and size, so the products are created for clients’ specific needs. “Once everything’s determined that they like the pattern and the glass choice, then we start the production,” she says. She points out that the biggest expense on stained glass is actually the time it takes to create a piece. For instance, she recalls church windows that were 35x56, and after the glass was cut, they took her four days working from 8am to 9pm to assemble. The wait sometimes worries clients, but she explains that the window doesn’t need to be ready to go in during construction. She recommends to clients that they put in a traditional window to safeguard against the elements, seal the house for heating and air conditioning, and then put the stained glass window in from the inside, protecting it, making it easier to clean, and preventing any delays in construction. –mp

San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

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PUTZ AROUND TOWN
JC Putz here . . . Oh man it’s February in San Antonio and the rodeo and Valentine’s Day are heavy on everyone’s mind. Just take for instance Ed Allen, branch manager for H & E Equipment Services. The boss snapped this photo at the pre-rodeo cook-off. When asked what he was doing in that big “Easy Chair” Ed just leaned back a little further and said, “I’m just contemplating the world around us, the great smell of barbeque, next months sales and what to get my sweetie for Valentine’s Day.” Such a profound statement really got me off my butt to create the perfect list of Valentine gifts for the guys this year. Thanks Ed. Best gifts for the guys 1. Location of the ammo dealer who has a stock of cheap 9mm, .380, .40, .45 and .223’s. 2. Hitch mounted toilet seat (in oak, of course) 3. A $1,000 gift certificate to CAMO World.com 4. One get out of the doghouse card from wife or girl friend.

The bigger the better Late January brought the grand opening and open house for HOLT CAT’s new ProTech Technical Training Facility. One of the honored guest speakers was State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte. While on the podium she noticed and pointed out the large fan.

Her comment was “That says it all.” We agree with you completely Senator.

With that, I’m out’a here.

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San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

Ahead of the housing curve
he Greater San Antonio Builders Association (GSABA) called upon prognosticator Jack Inselmann, Metrostudy, for the 2013 San Antonio Housing Forecast. So, what does the housing horizon hold? A promising light, actually, Inselmann says. For starters, 2012 saw the first increase – 17 percent – in single-family home starts since 2006 with a total of 8,077. This was accompanied by a 5-percent increase in single-family closings compared to 2011 with a total of 7,430. The market picked up slowly, but gained momentum due to improved job numbers and lower interest rates. Homes in the lower price ranges accounted for the majority of the market activity, breaking down to 39 percent priced under $175,000, 23 percent between $175$225,000, 18 percent in the $225$300,000 bracket, 16 percent in the $300$500,000 range, and 5 percent above $500,000. The homes under $225,000, accounting for 62 percent of the 2012 housing market, lost market share from the previous year, while there was no change in the share for those homes $500,000 and up. Slicing the housing pie chart by geography, the west grabbed the biggest piece of the San Antonio market, accounting for 35 percent of new home construction. Northeast followed with 19 percent, and the far north accounted for 15 percent. New Braunfels held 10 per-

Eat your heart out, San Antonio!
he construction industry was well represented again this year at the 17th Annual Pre Rodeo Cook-Off & Concert at Seaworld. The weather was good and the “My Barbecue is Better Than Yours” attitude was everywhere and my feet hurt like hell from walking for four hours to get all these pics, but the BBQ was great! –bd

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cent of the greater San Antonio market, beating out the far northwest corner of the city, which came in at 8 percent. The Schertz-Cibolo area made up 7 percent of the market. And the southwest, east, and south sections of San Antonio tied for the smallest slice, each holding 2 percent. New home inventory was holding steady and strong with 4,186 units at the close of the year. Looking back at the third quarter of 2006, there were 10,499 new homes in inventory. At the time of the forecast, 2,482 units were under construction, 1,334 finished homes were vacant, and 370 furnished models were on the ground. “I expect new home inventory to remain very tight and healthy throughout 2013,” Inselmann proclaimed. “I expect lot delivery to once again lag behind lot absorption during most of 2013 as we play catch up due to the influence of tight credit.” Year’s end left a standing inventory of 25.8 months’ supply of vacant developed lots and 17,357 developed lots on the ground, down 1,246 lots from the end of 2011. The forecast boasts that the city is ahead of the curve as the nation begins recovering from the economic downturn. Inselmann concluded, “San Antonio has done comparatively well considering the challenges, and I expect the new home market to continue to improve in 2013 especially with the projected job growth forecasts in the local area.” –mp

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NOTICE OF PLUMBER, PIPEFITTER, HVAC APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITY
Local 142 J.A.T.C. will be accepting applications for Apprenticeship February 25th thru March 8, 2013. Monday–Friday from 8:00–11:30 am, and 1:00–4:00 pm Minorities and Women are encouraged to apply. PLUMBERS AND PIPEFITTERS J.A.T.C. 3630 BELGIUM LANE • SAN ANTONIO, TX 78219 (210) 226-2661
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Must be 18 years of age at time of applying. Must have a high school diploma or GED or be a graduating senior in May 2013. Must have a certified birth certificate, official sealed high school transcripts and diploma or GED grades to complete the application process. DD-214 required for Veterans.

continued on Page 18

San Antonio

CONSTRUCTION NEWS
The San Antonio Construction News (ISSN 1547-7630) is published monthly by Construction News LTD., dba San Antonio Construction News, and distributed by mail to construction-related companies of record in Bexar and 7 surrounding counties. All submissions should be mailed to our editorial offices. We reserve the right to edit any materials submitted. No fees for materials, copy or photographs submitted will be due unless agreed upon in advance in writing. Submissions will be published at our discretion on a space available basis. Construction News, Ltd. , dba San Antonio Construction News, will not be liable for errors in copy or in advertisements beyond the actual cost of space occupied by the error. Publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement at any time.

San Antonio Editor: Mary Paul — [email protected] — 210-308-5800 Publisher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buddy Doebbler Editorial/Production . . . . . . . Reesa Doebbler Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miles Smith Production Mgr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sue Johnson Sales Representative. . . . . . . . . Kent Gerstner Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kevin Hughes

Specializing in Surety and Insurance programs for all facets of the Construction Industry
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San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

Page 5

Toned up

Submitted to Construction News

Changing of the guard
The Associated General Contractors (AGC) San Antonio chapter held its 2013 Board of Directors installation Jan. 7 at Sunset Station. Councilwoman Elisa Chan spoke about the city’s Capital Investment Program and officiated the ceremony. –mp

echnically, Antonio “Tone” Gonzalez, has been doing remodels and air conditioning for about 17 years, but his dba, Toned Homes Southwest, is only two years old. It’s not only clever; it landed him a better website. Gonzalez, 38, was the general manager of three different air conditioning companies over the last decade, and all the while, he never stopped remodeling. “I started making countertops when I was 19 years old,” says Gonzalez, who adds that he will still take on commercial work for countertops and flooring. “Initially, we were all subcontractors working for different, larger companies, and in the last two years, we have reorganized, and now we are the general contractor, remodeling, and air conditioning,” he explains. “We have been selfemployed and self-contracting for different areas of construction for the last 15 years, and it was a group of people that would really help each other out if they

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Antonio Gonzalez started running his business, Toned Homes Southwest, two years ago.

needed work. We had a small network of contractors that worked tightly together – we had countertop people, painters, air conditioning people – and a couple years ago, we reorganized where they all came to work for me.” Gonzalez honed his skills through studying and learning by doing. Though he attended Texas A&I University in Kingsville, he didn’t finish college. There is one particular thing he says he picked up in his time at Texas A&I, working for the Medina Valley Times. “I’m really a stickler for the truth,” he states. “I worked for the newspaper when I was in college as a reporter … and I guess that must have instilled that in me.” When Gonzalez isn’t running Toned Homes and managing his 10 employees, he stays very involved with his church and, of course, his family. He has been married for the last two years, and he has four daughters and two stepchildren. –mp

L-R: The 2013 AGC-San Antonio Board of Directors, President: Fred Galvan, Zachry Construction Vice President: Sam Nunnelly, Core Continuum Secretary/Treasurer: Kristian Pearson, Joeris General Contractors Directors: Mike Kaiman, Turner Construction; Tony Battle, Byrne Construction Services; Julissa Carielo, Tejas Premier General Contractor; Luis Berumen, Bartlett Cocke General Contractors; Mike Sireno, Baker Triangle; Sean McNelis, McNelis + Winter, PLLC; Katherine Willis, T.H. Willis Company; Immediate Past President: Maryanne Guido, Guido Construction

Construction News ON LOCATION

It’s always green in the Sunbelt

The crew at Sunbelt Rentals on Austin Highway was buzzing around the shop working – and buzzing about the new Selma location opening. L-R: John Stevens, Rene Almanza, Kenneth Rogers, Junior Stevens, George A. Gamez, Ray Birmingham, and David Kennedy. –mp Construction News ON LOCATION

The primer suspects

L-R: Brad Peery, Esteban Leija, Carmen Vogt, Alfonso Morales, Allen Friedeck, Jason Calandres, Elliot Sanders, and Cindy Baete, Glidden Professional, supply clients with what they need to paint the town – for the holidays, and as always. –mp

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San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

am now. They were there for me when I needed them, and it was pretty cool. What scared you the most about putting it all on the line like that? Not having anything to fall back on if it didn’t work out. My husband – he’s got a really good job, but to support both of us and my stepdaughter – whom we have half the time – I had to have a job and the security of that money. That was the only thing that scared me. After about three months, things started happening, and the money started coming in and workers going out, and everything kind of balanced out, and I haven’t looked back. I’ve been getting bigger and bigger every day, landed some really big jobs, and just opened up in Austin in August, which I never thought I would do. I just didn’t. I was San Antonio, and I don’t know that many people in Austin, but I got to Austin, and things were really rockin’ and rollin’ up there. It’s incredible that I’ve been so blessed, and to make it in this time when the economy is so bad. I opened in Austin, and Austin is going strong. I’ve got a good person there running the office. I do sales still. I go back and forth every Wednesday, and then I stay here the rest of the time and do sales while my other two girls are in the office for me. I’ve got some good help where it’s freed me up a lot to get out more and get in front of my customers. Is it stressful being the boss now, or is it liberating? The only stress I feel is if I let one of my customers down, because they’re trusting me to get it done. They helped me get started, and they’re trusting me to make it right. In my industry, you’re going to have a problem. It’s not if; it’s when. And it’s how you deal with that problem. I always make sure that my customers are happy. If I mess up and a worker walks off, the next day, they have an extra worker on my dime. I’m like, “Here’s an extra guy. That’s my guy. I pay for him. Just to help you catch up and help you keep going.” And I couldn’t do that when I was with the other companies, because they were all about profit, and they would say, “You’re giving a free worker away? Are you out of your mind? Those guys expect this to happen.” And then I’m like, “Well, yeah, I don’t. I don’t.” So, it is very liberating to be able to do that without having a hatchet over your neck. Or losing a customer because you can’t make it right. But yeah, I think it’s liberating. What about your personality do you think makes you well-suited to your work and business? I relate really well to just about anybody and any situation. I really love people. It doesn’t matter who you are or what background you’re from. If you’ve got a story, I usually figure it out and find a way to connect with someone. It’s really, like they say, six degrees of separation between everybody in the world. Once you start really talking to somebody on a personal level – I don’t do what most salespeople do. I don’t go in and go, “Hi, I’m so-and-so. Who are you using? How many guys do you need?” I don’t talk business at all. I get to know that person first. I don’t ask for a sale. I talk to them, find out about them. You talk about learning about other people’s background, but what’s your story? I was raised with three brothers, so I had that tomboy element. So, I could duck and jab with the best of them. I was raised in the country, so we just have a different set of rules when you grow up that carefree. I’ve had horses and animals all my life, which I still do to this day. But I actually started out as a horseman’s bookkeeper for Manor Downs in Austin right out of school. Worked at that for about a year and a half, and then end-

Bell Crisp, President
Absolute Resourcing

t seems like every time you go to a construction industry event in San Antonio, you run into Bell Crisp, president and founder of Absolute Resourcing. You probably know her, because just about everybody does. You might know she started her staffing company in San Antonio in August 2010 and just opened a second location in Austin last year. It’s also possible you know that she runs about 200 guys out a day and still does sales because she has a passion for her job and people. But if you think that’s all there is to this smart as a whip trailblazer, you don’t know Bell. How did you get started in the construction business? I actually have been in the construction business for 13 years now in the staffing industry. I started out with LaborReady for several years, and then I went to Able Body Labor. Able Body had some problems. I was their regional sales manager over Texas, and things started to go downhill. My commission checks were getting later and later, and I was like, hmm, this is not good. I’d always wanted to go out on my own, but my non-compete was rock solid even though Texas is a right-to-work state. So, I figured I would just be an Able Body employee forever, and then when that started, it was a $250 million company, and I never thought that would happen. So, I went out and got some things together, got everything ready to go. Then, in August of 2010, my workers didn’t get paid one day, and that was it for me, because if they didn’t pay them, how was I supposed to get them to go to work? I pretty much quit that day, because I had workers coming up to the car upset, saying, “We can’t get paid.” And I said, “I’m so sorry.” I went out on my own, and two weeks later, they filed for bankruptcy. The timing worked out that I was proactive instead of reactive. I had offers to work for other companies, but I was done with that. I wanted to do something on my own. I knew I had enough backing with my clients to do it, so they gave me the kick in the pants that I needed. They said, “You need to do this yourself, and we’ll support you.” I did everything on my own with my own money. Unfortunately, in the staffing industry, you don’t have any assets, except for your receivables. Well, if you’re new, you don’t have receivables, because you don’t have people out yet. So, I could not get a loan even though I was with the same bank since ’98, I had $100,000 in the bank in savings, and I had an 830 credit score – I could not get a loan. So, I just grabbed my money and plopped it out there, and on a wing and a prayer, things just started happening. The first three months were pretty stressful, because it’s your money and I skinned my knees a couple of times on a few things, but with the help of the customers that I’d had for years, they made sure I got paid quickly in the very beginning so I could get some cash flow. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be where I

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Along with her stepdaughter KJ, Bell Crisp’s goals for 2013 include doing well with her show horses.

ed up living with the top female jockey in the world, and she was my best friend forever. Tammy Purcell – I just reconnected with her. She’s back in Austin, and we just reconnected after, I don’t know, 20 years? But we were inseparable, and I started riding racehorses – I’d always ridden. I was riding before I could walk. I was in diapers when mom had me on a horse – but the racehorses? That was new, that was fun, it was daring. It was a high, and so the bookkeeping went away, and I moved to California, and the rest was history. I started riding racehorses for some of the top trainers in the world. Then, I decided that I wanted to be a jockey too. So, for 15 years, I rode and trained. In that industry, I didn’t have an agent. I was my agent, and it was just my gift of gab that got me on horses, because I’d pick a horse that ran dead last the day before and laugh and tell the trainer, “Before you send him to the glue factory, let me work him for a week. I guarantee that horse will finish better than last.” They’d say, “Oh, you can’t do anything with this nag,” and I would light the board every time. I would run either first through fifth every time with a long shot. And then they were like, “Wow.” And it was tough back then being a female jockey in a male-dominated sport. But the guys loved me. The other jockeys encouraged me to become a jockey, because I would exercise horses, and then I’d say, “This jockey would fit this horse … You’ll win on him.” Knowing how to get the right personality for the right horse, they asked, “Why don’t you just ride?” So, the top jockey at Sunland Park, where I first started out, gave me his old saddle to use, because I was afraid to spend the money – I didn’t know if I was going to like it or not. He gave me a saddle, and the second leading rider gave me some jock pants – that still had his name on the back. The only thing I had to buy were my boots. That was it. So, I was pretty much funded by the other jockeys to get out and try something. Which is pretty incredible, especially back then, because if you were a female wanting to be a jockey, those guys tried to scare you and run you off, because you were dangerous. They didn’t want you out there. And with me, they knew that I was safe, even though I’m blind in my left eye. Even knowing that, they knew that I was a smart rider, and so, just having to present myself in that way, I got tough and had a blast and decided after 15 years of traveling all over the country from the east coast to the west coast and everywhere in between, I was ready to settle down. But I got all my fun out first. Then, I came back to San Antonio and was playing competitive softball and met my husband. I love to play golf. I play golf with my customers quite often. I play in tournaments, such as ABC, AGC. My stepdaugh-

ter and husband are playing now. So, we do the family thing. I’m still in horses, only it’s showing horses now with my stepdaughter. I look forward to going out of town and taking the paint horses and going to shows. We have a blast. That’s probably my favorite thing I do now, go with her, go to Waco and College Station, Fort Worth, Tulsa, and drive the horses up to go show. Have you been blind in one eye since birth? Yes. And you didn’t find that challenging, being up on a horse racing? No, because I have extra sensitive ears, and I can feel when something’s coming and the direction. Unless it just comes so fast, like a rock coming up. I’ll know it’s about to hit me, but I can’t do anything because I don’t know where it’s coming from. I just had an optical nerve in the back that, according to the doctors, never connected. They said, “We can operate, but she really won’t get any eyesight, because I didn’t have a lot of control over my eye when I was younger. But they said, eventually my eye would get strong and just move with the other one. But to this day, if I get really tired and I’m talking to my customers or somebody, like at night when we’re at the functions, several times I’ll be talking to somebody, and they’re looking behind them. And I’m like, “No, no, I’m looking at you. My eye’s getting tired. I can always tell when it starts to drift just a little so it looks like I’m looking behind your shoulder, because I’m tired. What do you see in the future ahead of you? Is there something you’d like to do that you haven’t done? No, I think I’ve lived a pretty darn good life, because I waited so long to get married that I took the trips. I went to Cabo, I went to Cancun, I went to the Cayman Islands, and I did it all on my own. I didn’t need to drag somebody with me. I loved the freedom of being out and doing what I wanted to do, because I knew at some point, I was going to settle down, and then I did, and we travel. The goal that I have this year is to win at the world level with the paints. In June, my stepdaughter and I will be going to the Pinto World Show for two weeks in Tulsa, and then the two weeks after that, we’ll be at the Paint Show, so we’ll be gone the whole month of June, showing horses. As far as goals, my show at the Paint level will be in November, so I’m looking forward to seeing how my new horse does. That’s the goal on the personal side – to do really well at the horse shows this year. Business-wise, just to have more free time in Austin and really get Austin going. It’s fixin’ to break open up there, and I’m really excited about that. –mp

San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

Page 7

Ton slinger

Business as usual, but simplified

idco Sling & Cable, founded in Dallas by Doug Dry, came to San Antonio in 1979, and branch manager Mike Grendell has been aboard the wire rope ride for the last 32 of those 34 years. At the San Antonio branch, Midco fabricates slings, custom manufacturing them for a wide variety of projects, including underground utilities, telecommunications, heavy highways and bridges, and of course buildings. Currently, the San Antonio office has 13 employees. Grendell credits the branch’s size with its successful diversification. “We do some business in the oil field like everybody else, which has helped a little bit,” Grendell says. “As far as other diversification that we have, we sell fall protection. We specialize in that; fall protection and rigging – harnesses, lanyards, horizontal lifelines, anchorage, connectors. We do a lot with cranes as well.

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Mike Grendell, 50, has been the branch manager of Midco Sling of San Antonio almost since it first opened 34 years ago.

“One thing that we have is 150,000-pound test bed, so if people want their slings proof tested, we’re able to do that for them. We have two 500-ton hydraulic presses, a reeling machine to transfer wire rope from one spool to another for shorter cut lengths. We have a full line distributorship with Crosby.” Grendell enjoys his job, handling the wide range of supplies and services and helping customers resolve issues, as he notes, “It is ever changing. It’s challenging. Everybody that walks in the door doesn’t have the same problem. Everybody has rigging issues, and they need answers.” When he’s not selling wire rope sling, Grendell can often be caught slinging a fishing reel along the Gulf Coast and going offshore. Last year, he traveled to the Sea of Cortez off the coast of Mexico on a fishing adventure. He also took a recent trip to Argentina to bird hunt, and he has a deer lease near San Saba. –mp

L-R: Shane Harrell, project executive for the Commercial Division; Scott Reynolds, president; and Mark Haynie, project executive for the Federal Division

Construction News ON LOCATION

Chipping away at the Hill

even years ago, Scott Reynolds, president of Catamount Constructors, and his partners bought MCC Construction. But since MCC is a federal sector contractor, and Catamount is a private sector contractor, the two companies have continued to function as separate entities. “They were being successful, and we didn’t want to rock the boat, if you will,” Reynolds remarks. “So, we just managed from afar for about six years.” Three years ago, Reynolds says they started running as a joint venture company called MCC Catamount, and they’ve done over $200 million of work under that name, but still the companies functioned separately. “We kept them separate for the management styles,” he explains. “The federal market is quite different than the private sector; different type of people, different type of work, different type of everything. Then, when I moved here two years ago to open this office [in San Antonio], it was

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our first try at co-mingling the two cultures and the two companies.” But after cohabitating in the San Antonio location since January 2011, Reynolds decided to bring the federal umbrella under Catamount to exist as one company. “Mark Haynie has run the MCC operation of San Antonio – or as they call it the Southwest – for the last 15 years, so now Mark Haynie still will run our federal work, but he’ll report to me.” He notes this merger simplified internal functions and did not result in any layoffs. “We’ve actually hired about five more people in the last two weeks,” he proclaims. “So, it wasn’t a cost-cutting measure by any means.” In San Antonio, Catamount added the 20 MCC employees to the 25 working under the Catamount name. Reynolds has high hopes for his company’s post-merger outlook, expecting the San Antonio office to grow in revenue by 26 percent in 2013. –mp

Started in 1985, Rocky Hill Equipment Rental specializes in heavy equipment, including rock saws, trenchers, backhoes, and excavators. L-R: Wes Clark, Ruben Rossette, Keno Urbina, Shannon Defries. –mp

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San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

Industry FOLKS
Brad Tellander
Outside Sales Representative

35 and still growing

A1 Fire & Safety
Editor’s note: Who says newspaper stories should be reserved for the highest ranking officials in companies? Our Industry Folks piece allows you to get to know the people you deal with every day on the phone, behind the counter, and at the job site. Contact us at [email protected] if you know someone who would make a great interview!

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mokey says it best, but it’s not just forest fires that you can prevent; it’s structural fires, too. Brad Tellander helps create awareness of fire safety and understanding of those fire safety systems as an outside sales representative for A1 Fire & Safety. Based in A1’s office in San Antonio, Tellander’s territory is South Texas and the Eagle Ford Shale area. His sales job challenges him to get out and meet potential clients and close the sale. You could say fire safety is something Tellander, 34, holds near and dear. He also works as a Balcones Heights firefighter. He’s been with the Balcones Heights Fire Department for two and a half years, since graduating from the San Antonio College Fire Academy program as a structural firefighter. He says he’s proud to be in a position to save lives. “Sometimes, it’s being up all night running EMS calls, or spending

four or five hours or longer at a structure fire, trying to put the fire out and save lives,” Tellander describes. “The nature of the beast is sometimes you save them and sometimes you don’t.” As a salesman, selling fire extinguishers and systems as well as doing safety tests and training, he hopes he gets to try to prevent some of those incidents from happening, saving lives before they can become in danger. “The reasons for the laws that are in place for having fire suppression systems, whether it be fire hoses or fire extinguishers in high rise buildings or in a home, or over cook systems in restaurants and schools is to protect the life and property of a place of inhabitants,” he says. When he’s not educating contractors and others about fire safety – or saving lives – Tellander likes to hunt and fish, and of course, spend time with his soon-to-be fiancé Mandy Kresta. The couple met through mutual friends at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo BBQ in January 2012. –mp

cKim & Creed, Inc., an engineering, surveying and planning firm that operates SURVCON, a division in Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Fort Worth, is celebratMichael Creed ing its 35th anniversary this year. Chairman and CEO Michael Creed, Ph.D., PE, said the firm was pleased to have reached the milestone, and would continue to improve and grow as it looked ahead to its future. “In our 35 years of operation, McKim & Creed has grown from a two-person structural engineering company to a 400-person infrastructure consultancy with offices throughout the United States,” Creed said. “Most recently, we’ve added LiDAR to our services, which is particularly strong in our Texas market. We’re also expanding into the “green” market, providing services for micro grids and renewable energy projects. “These are things that Herb McKim and I never dreamed of when we started the company in 1978. It’s exciting to reflect upon the technological advances

that have been made during the past 35 years, and to plan the future direction of McKim & Creed.” As it reaches the noteworthy milestone, the company is getRoger Woods ting bigger, acquiring the assets of North Carolina-based United Engineering Group, which is a leader in the design of solar photo voltaic systems and containerized energy storage systems for solar and wind energy production. UEG Chairman Roger Woods, PE, will oversee McKim & Creed’s energy and electrical design services. As it amasses more professionals with energy expertise, the company plans to be involved in the extensive shale areas of South Texas. “We are not yet involved in this area but plan to be in the near future,” Creed said. “Right now we’re expanding our Texas staff to include more professionals with extensive backgrounds in the oil and gas industry, and these people will help us grow into this specific area of the energy market.” –ms

Submitted to Construction News

Wellspring of this year’s leaders

Around 75 guests attended the Hispanic Contractors Association (HCA) of San Antonio’s Board of Directors induction dinner Jan. 16 at San Antonio Water Systems headquarters. L-R: Tomas Larralde, executive director; Danny Oliver; Betty Myrvang; Debbie Harris; Estela Garcia Perez, vice chair; former Mayor Ed Garza; Jeff Balthrop; Lisa Varen Vorphahl; JR Trevino; Adam Silva; Kevin Jones; Josh Hill, treasurer; Dan Barrett; Henry Vera, secretary; and Art Luna. Not Pictured: Trisha Ramirez, chair, and Wayne Terry –mp

Independent Electrical Contractors, Inc.

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San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

Page 9

Pioneer in the mist

A merger fastened together

Chris Davie built his business by helping to take mist-based cooling systems to a level of ubiquity.

L-R: Patrick Pulliam, Karen Metzger, Kyle Anderson, DeWalt; and Mark Ross, Powers Fasteners

he easiest way for Chris Davie to explain what his company Aquality does is to explain that he specializes in the kinds of the misting systems people see on the sidelines at football games. “We’ve been in misting, as far as this type of application goes, since it’s infancy,” Davie says, noting that before he founded the company in 1993, the lowpressure misting systems were agriculturally-based for animals. Now, as his company nears its 20th anniversary, high-pressure misting has broken into residential, commercial, and industrial markets. But it wasn’t easy in the beginning. “We got a lot of doors shut in our face, saying that it could never work here with the humidity and so on,” he remembers. “Then, we worked with a few restaurants where we actually put the equipment in free of charge as long as they would allow us to bring people to show them.” Starting the company at only 21 in his garage after earning his business

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management degree from Texas Christian University, Davie knew the odds were against him and took the risk anyway. Today, his company manufactures, installs, and services high-pressure cooling and ventilation systems. They rent the cooling systems for events from backyard parties to the Austin City Limits music festival, and they have a wide range of other uses, from concrete curing to dust and particulate control. “We actually worked with one of the government agencies in Houston,” he recalls. “They were having an issue with the dismantling of a nuclear reactor core, and they called us, because they were having a huge dust issue while they were drilling and breaking apart this containment unit. That was one of the cool ones. It was fun. They all assumed that I was an engineer, but they were cracking their skulls, so to speak, for about three to four months trying to figure out a way to do this, and we did it in about three to four hours.” –mp

his is a story about power tools and the fasteners they fit. Actually, it’s about two companies that were a perfect fit for a merger – Dewalt and Powers Fasteners. Since the merge in October, DeWalt Powers, has been dealing in both product lines and is more focused on construction. “I think that Stanley Black & Decker [DeWalt’s parent company] decided to take the opportunity to combine the two brand names together,” says Mark Ross, branch manager for Powers Fasteners in Stafford, TX. “The idea is providing the entire package to the construction industry.” Ross says that before the merger, he couldn’t make recommendations to contractors or distributors who actively call on jobsites regarding tools that would work best with their the anchors. Now, he says the knowledge of the power tool end from DeWalt’s side has given him a better understanding of his end users

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needs. “I think you’re helping the contractor in the end, because you can make a recommendation on the entire package, so I think you reduce the chances of error on the contractor’s part.” Kyle Anderson, account manager at DeWalt’s San Antonio location, is excited by the synergy between the two companies, believing it will allow sales and customer service representatives to help their customers get their jobs done more efficiently. “The neat thing is that now we’ve got more guys out in the field where we can solve more opportunities,” Anderson says of the merger. “There’s more of us working together.” DeWalt has Factory Service Centers in San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Carrolton, and McAllen. Powers Fasteners has branch offices in Dallas and the Houston area with outside sales covering the state from those two locations. –mp

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Page 10

San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

Simple tax deferral steps that can increase cash flow this year
Paige Heard, CPA, Tax Manager Van Houten & Associates, PC Round Rock, TX n today’s economy, most construction companies are actively looking for ways to increase their cash flow. A simple and low cost way to achieve this is to request to change your company’s method of accounting with the IRS. This can accomplish significant tax savings now, and result in that much needed increase in cash flow. The IRS requires Form 3115 for this purpose, and it can still be filed for ‘automatic changes’ effective for the 2012 tax year up until the due date (including extensions) of your 2012 tax return. Discussed below is two such ‘automatic’ accounting method changes of which you may be able to take advantage this year. Excluding Retainages in Accrual Method of Accounting for Short-term Contracts If your company uses the accrual method of accounting for its short-term contracts (those contracts started and completed in the same year), then you may request an automatic change to the accrual method excluding retainages. This entails the reporting of the retainage portion of a contract to be deferred until the work is “completed and accepted” by the owner. If this does not occur until a subsequent year, then tax on this retainage portion will not be due until that subsequent year. This change in accounting method also requires that any retainages payable to subcontractors must be excluded from deductions for that project until such time that the work is “completed and accepted” by the owner. Segregating Property Costs of Real Property Used in your Business This tax deferral strategy involves the accelerated depreciation deduction of components of property owned by and used in your business. It can be used when property is constructed or purchased, even if the construction or purchase occurred in previous years. Usually, a relatively inexpensive engineering study must be done that segregates the total cost of the real property into categories, such as personal property, land improvements, building components, and land. Once the engineering study is complete, then the various categories of property segregated may be available for shorter useful lives rather than the standard 39-year useful life to which real property or building improvements are normally subject, which will most likely result in significant accelerated depreciation deductions currently. Another advantage of this automatic change in accounting for depreciation is the ease of writing off the un-depreciated cost of an asset that becomes damaged or needs replacement. An example of this is a roof that needs replacement. Under the traditional method of accounting for real estate improvements, there would be no disposition and tax loss for the roof if the costs of the original building were not segregated. If cost segregation was applied, then the replacement of a roof with un-depreciated cost would be reported for tax purposes as a disposition and a loss would be allowed for that remaining amount. Paige Heard joined Van Houten & Associates, PC (VHA) in 2007, and has been a CPA for over 23 years. Her experience includes ten years as an Internal Revenue Agent in the Austin IRS office, and six years in public accounting with VHA, with primary emphasis on tax preparation and tax planning provided to constructionrelated companies and their owners. Paige can be contacted at paige.heard@vhacpa. com or 512-310-9277.

Contractual Liability Insurance for third party over actions
Charles E. Comiskey, Vice President Brady, Chapman, Holland & Associates, Inc. Houston, TX

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exas House Bill 2093, the Construction-Related Anti-Indemnification and Anti-Additional Insured Act (the “Act”, and my title, not theirs), has been in effect for over a year now. This Act declared any requirements to defend, indemnify or hold harmless another party for their negligence (whether joint, concurrent, sole, strict, gross, etc.) or that of anyone for whom they are responsible (agents, employees, anyone under the control or supervision of the Indemnitee) are void and unenforceable. It further declared that any additional insured requirements covering the same issues are also void and unenforceable. So unless you are in one of the types of business excluded by this Act (residential or municipal work), you’re in the clear, right? Well, not exactly. The Act contains an important exception applicable to injury or death of employee of the Indemnitor (the downstream party), its agents or subcontractors. Indemnification and additional insured requirements that remain permissible under Texas law include the required assumption of the Indemnitee’s (the upstream party) joint, concurrent and/or sole negligence with regard to this exception. What is the significance of this? Assume a subcontractor’s employee is injured on the job. He makes a workers’ compensation claim and is prohibited by law from suing his employer. He can, however, bring suit against upstream parties, who then tender the suit back to that employer for defense and indemnification under the employer’s general liability insurance. This process is commonly referred to as a “Third Party Over Action”. Contractual indemnification arises from liability assumed in a contract. It applies to liability not normally imposed by law – you are liable only because you have agreed to be liable. There are a variety of insurance issues pertinent to this exposure that require your attention. From the standpoint of the contractual liability insurance provided by a general liability policy, there are four: 1. An “Amended Definition of Insured Contract” endorsement (CG 24 26) limits coverage to bodily injury and property damage “caused, in whole or in part, by you or by those acting on your behalf”. By definition, that excludes injury or damage caused solely by an upstream party. The effect is to exclude coverage for the assumption of that party’s sole negligence even though permitted by law. 2. A “Contractual Liability Limitation” endorsement (CG 21 39) is one of the most hazardous exclusions in the insurance industry, completely deleting coverage for

most liabilities assumed in an indemnification provision. 3. Sneakier are numerous endorsements that modify or delete the exception to the general liability policy’s Employer’s Liability exclusion. Coverage for Third Party Over Actions is provided by this exception, and it’s deletion exposes a contractor to one of the most common types of construction litigation with no coverage. 4. Even when the contractual liability coverage hasn’t been modified in any manner, it’s important to recognize that defense costs paid in behalf of an Indemnitee are not paid outside of, or in addition to your limits of liability, but are paid inside of limits, eroding those limits. If you have a $1,000,000 per occurrence limit and spend $400,000 defending an Indemnitee, you only have $600,000 left for payment of any damages. In this last example, who wins? Not the Indemnitee, who thought it was getting the benefit of a full $1,000,000 limit, only to find that the remaining limit is substantially reduced. Not the Indemnitor (a/k/a the downstream contractor) who (1) not only paid dearly for this coverage, but (2) is now having to share its limits with the upstream party, and (3) even worse, is having those limits rapidly eroded by defense costs. Who wins? The insurance company, who now is having to pay far less, saving money with every dollar paid to defend an Indemnitee. What’s the moral to this story? There are two: 1. Do not permit any endorsements to your coverage or that of a downstream contractor that might limit or eliminate coverage for the liability assumed in an indemnification provision; and 2. Require consistency in your coverage. If you agree to indemnify for sole negligence, obtain additional insured coverage that provides that same scope of coverage. Defense costs paid in behalf of an additional insured are paid outside of limits of liability. Additional insured issues abound, but there’s good news on the horizon. More on that next month. Charles E. Comiskey, CPCU, CIC, CPIA, CRM, PWCA, CRIS, CCM, is Sr. V.P. of Brady Chapman Holland & Associates. Comiskey is a nationally recognized expert and frequent speaker on risk management and insurance issues to various legal, construction and real estate associations and similar groups across the country. He has served as a pre-trial consultant/expert witness in approximately 200 matters in State and Federal courts, serving in behalf of both the defense and plaintiff. He can be contacted at 713 979 9706 or [email protected]

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San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

Page 11

I did the work; now how do I get paid and can I recover my attorney’s fees?
West W. Winter, Partner McNelis + Winter, PLLC San Antonio, TX

OSHA issues final rule on digger derricks
Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX

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ood questions! A number of avenues and causes of action exist in Texas to assist contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers in obtaining payment for work properly performed and materials provided for a construction project. ments and loan receipts are trust funds if they are made to or borrowed by a contractor or subcontractor under a construction contract for the improvement of real property. Contractors, subcontractors, or owners and their officers, directors, and agents who receive or control the trust funds are considered to be trustees of these funds. Those who furnish labor or material for the construction of the improvement are the beneficiaries of the trust funds. A trustee who retains, uses, disburses, or otherwise diverts the trust funds without first fully paying all obligations to the beneficiaries, is deemed to have misapplied the trust funds. While certain exceptions, exclusions, and defenses apply, criminal penalties exist for misapplication of these trust funds, and the courts allow for a civil cause of action. Prompt Payment Act Another statutory tool to assist in compelling payment is the Prompt Payment Act pursuant to Chapter 28 of the Texas Property Code. This statute requires payment of contractors and subcontractors within the timeframe specified in the Act and allows for the recovery of interest on unpaid amounts. Notably, the Act also provides for the right to suspend work in certain circumstances following proper written notice. Attorney’s Fees With the exception of a trust fund claim, a prevailing party asserting any of the causes of action discussed herein has the ability (in some cases an award of fees is discretionary with the court) to recovery reasonable and necessary attorney’s fees. West W. Winter is a partner at McNelis + Winter, PLLC. A LEED Green Associate, West serves on the board of the Construction Law Section of the San Antonio Bar Association and is listed as one of the Best Lawyers in San Antonio for Construction Litigation. His firm aggressively represents general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers in all phases of the commercial and residential construction process, from contract formation through dispute resolution, litigation, and collection. West can be reached via email: [email protected].

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Mechanic’s and Materialmans Lien Perhaps the most significant tool in your arsenal will be the Mechanic’s Lien. Governed by Chapter 53 of the Texas Property Code, statutory mechanic’s liens, if timely and properly perfected, secure your right to payment against the project. While the specifics of proper lien perfection are complicated and beyond the scope of this article, perfection of a lien claim generally requires timely and proper written notice of the unpaid debt, timely recording of a proper lien affidavit in the real property records in the county in which the project is located, and timely giving notice of the filed lien to the owner and general contractor. Be aware that suit must also be filed to enforce/foreclose the lien claim within the limitations period mandated by Chapter 53 (typically one or two years, depending on the type of project) or the lien will be extinguished. Contractors having an agreement directly with the project’s owner may further enforce constitutional lien rights which exist independently of any notice or recording requirements. Rights may alternatively exist under a payment bond if work is performed on a public or bonded private project. Strict time and notice requirements also exist for the proper perfection of a bond claim and will differ depending on whether the project is state or federal. Breach of Contract, Quantum Meruit and Sworn Account Whether or not a mechanic’s lien has been perfected, you may also assert a cause of action for breach of contract as a result of non-payment. In some instances, such as when there is no express contract, where the work performed is outside the scope of the agreement, or when the work is partially performed, an equitable cause of action may exist for quantum meruit. Typically, suppliers to construction projects will also be able to avail themselves of a suit on sworn account and in instances where they have secured a personal guaranty, suit against the individual guarantors. Violation of the Texas Construction Trust Fund Statute Chapter 162 of the Texas Property Code mandates that construction pay-

“digger derrick” or “radial boom derrick” is a specialized type of equipment designed to install utility poles. A digger derrick typically is equipped with augers to drill holes for the poles and with a hydraulic boom to lift the poles and set them in the holes. Employers also use the booms to lift objects other than poles; accordingly, electric utilities, telecommunication companies, and their contractors use booms both to place objects on utility poles and for general lifting purposes at worksites. When OSHA promulgated subpart V (Power Transmission and Distribution) in 1972, it excluded digger derricks from certain requirements of the OSHA crane rule in construction. When the Agency promulgated the final Cranes and Derricks in Construction rule, OSHA’s primary concern about extending the digger-derrick exemption beyond pole work was that such an extension would provide employers with an incentive to use digger derricks on construction sites to perform construction tasks normally handled by cranes - tasks that are beyond the original design capabilities of a digger derrick. The utility industry determined that the exception in the crane rule covered 95% of their work with digger derricks while installing electric utilities, but did not cover several routine tasks for which digger derricks are used. These other tasks would require digger derrick operators to be certified operators under the crane rule. Fully exempting digger derricks from the scope of the standard also eliminates costs for other activities besides

operator certification, such as inspections and power-line safety. If an employer uses a digger derrick for subpart V or telecommunications work without complying with all of the requirements in subpart V or Sec. 1910.268, then the work is not exempt, and the employer must comply with all of the requirements of subpart CC of 29 CFR 1926 (the Crane Rule). OSHA is proposing to exclude all uses of digger derricks from coverage by the crane rule, when used in accordance with subpart V for power transmission and generation. Digger derricks when used for augering holes for poles carrying electric or telecommunication lines, placing and removing the poles, and for handling associated materials for installation on, or removal from, the poles, or when used for any other work subject to subpart V. To be eligible for this exclusion, digger-derrick use in work subject to subpart V of this part must comply with all of the provisions of that subpart V, and digger-derrick use in construction work for telecommunication service (as defined at Sec. 1910.268(s)(40)) must comply with all of the provisions of Sec. 1910.268. The final rule is available on the OSHA website: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_ table=FEDERAL_REGISTER&p_id=23516 [email protected] 512-374-0271 x232

Construction News ON LOCATION

Sealing the deal

L-R: Bobby Estes and David Zimmerhanzel were busy behind the desk at waterproofing supplier SSI, processing orders and handling invoices. –mp

Page 12

San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

Whistling while they work

Keeping their memories alive

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ood news, industry jobseekers! Four of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For are construction companies with locations in Texas. Balfour Beatty Construction and TDIndustries, both headquartered in Dallas, came in at 85 and 86 on the list respectively. TDIndustries has been named to the same list for 16 consecutive years, which gives them a distinction shared by only 12 other companies; they’ve made the list every year since its inception in 1998. Balfour Beatty has made the list four times in a row. DPR Construction, a general contractor with offices in Austin and Houston, achieved position number 15 on the list. PCL Construction Enterprises, a civil engineering design/build firm with offices in Dallas and Houston, came in at 73. Bob Richards, president of Central Texas operations for TDIndustries, stated, “We are committed to providing outstanding career opportunities

by exceeding our customers’ expectations through continuous aggressive improvement.” More than 20 percent of the employee-owned company’s partners are still with the firm since it first appeared on the list. Robert Van Cleave, chairman and CEO of Balfour Beatty, commented, “I’m very proud about what it says about the quality of people we have here. Our company has endured a tough economy and weathered the challenges of being a rapidly growing business; and yet, our employees continue to be positively engaged in our business, their communities, and each other. They are the ones who make this a great place to work, consistently striving to earn the repeat trust of their coworkers, partners, and clients.” Businesses are ranked based on questions about pay, benefits, hiring practices, internal communication, training, recognition programs, and diversity efforts. –mp

The Beneath the Flag image is a mosaic of photos of men and women of the Armed Forces who died in service to their country.

hen you see a story on the news so often there are parents and family about a fallen soldier, are you members out there who have lost a loved left wanting to know more one, and we don’t realize that we could about that person who made the ulti- be standing next to them in line at the mate sacrifice for our coungrocery store or sitting next try? Who were these individto them at a restaurant and uals? What were their pasnot have any idea that these sions and interests? How do people have sacrificed so their families remember much,” explains Hatton. them? “This project is as much to Questions such as these honor the individuals who motivated Rob Hatton to inihave sacrificed on the battletiate the Beneath the Flag field as well as their families project, a book series and and their loved ones.” documentary film as well as While support from mema website and Facebook bers of the military has been Rob Hatton is compiling page. These avenues allow extremely strong, Hatton the stories of fallen the stories of men and womsays he will start with one combat soldiers into a series of books and a en of our Armed Forces that book and gauge the redocumentary film. were lost in combat to be sponse. told more intimately through the memoSince all the books are being printed ries and photographs of their loved ones. here in the U.S., the significant cost of When Hatton learned the story of printing will be a factor in continuing the Marine Lance Cpl. Luke Holler, a San An- series. tonio resident killed in action in Iraq in But, Hatton assures, “We have the exNovember 2006, through his family, perience to understand what it takes to friends, and brothers-in-arms, Hatton pull something of this magnitude off and knew that experience established a per- do it effectively and successfully.” sonal connection beyond that of name, Since the age of 17, Hatton has run rank, and serial number. his own business in one form or another, Starting with the launch of the first working in the fields of marketing, pubBeneath the Flag coffee table book in Fall lishing, and design – all skills he is apply2013, Hatton will be giving our fallen he- ing to ensure the project’s physical maniroes depth and dimension that tran- festations in print and on video. scends the fleeting coverage of an eveMeanwhile, Hatton continues to call ning news clip. upon those who have lost someone in “We just want people to know that Iraq or Afghanistan to share their stories so the project can include as many of our nation’s lost warriors as possible. For more information or to contribute to the Beneath the Flag project, call Rob Hatton at 210-849-9786 or e-mail him at rob@beneaththeflag.com. –mp

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Trophy trout game plan
by Capt. Steve Schultz Sponsored by: Majek Boats, Premier Yamaha Boating Center, Fishing Tackle Unlimited, Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor, Interstate Batteries, Pure Fishing, Pflueger Reels, All-Star Rods, Mirr-O-Lure and Columbia Sportswear.

ne of the most popular questions I get throughout the year is, “When is the best time to go fishing?” My answer is always the same, “Any time you can.” Second most asked question is, “What do I have to do to catch a trophy trout?” Well the answer to that question can vary a bit. First, you have to ask yourself, “How committed am I to accomplishing such a task?” Trophy trout are similar to trophy whitetail deer. You’re not going to sit in a deer blind and have a 180-class whitetail come out during every hunt, unless you are on one of those high fence ranches that grow monster deer and release them into the wild. It takes countless hours and, in most cases, countless days spent in the field or on the water to see such a trophies much less harvest them. For the next few months, we will spend many days walking countless miles wading the shallow waters of the Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay in search of one of the most sought after trophies that roam the inshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Most anglers know that win-

tertime is when speckled trout are at their peak weight. A 30-inch trout caught in the middle of the summer may only weigh 6-1/2 to 7-1/2 lbs; whereas that same fish may be 9-1/2 to 10 lbs in the winter. These heavier trout make your catch that much more gratifying. One of the most important tools to have before you venture out for your day on the water is something that can’t be purchased. A GAME PLAN must always be one of the first things you should have before you leave the dock. If you’ve kept logs in the past like most serious anglers do, review them. Think back to previous years or outings that were successful. What lures did you throw and which ones did you have the most success with? What were the weather conditions like cold, windy, cloudy, sunny, etc? Try to predict what your day is going to be like and look back to find a similar day in your logs. Don’t be like most routine fishermen who go to the same spots over and over because they caught a good fish there 11 years ago. Now that you have arrived to your

pre-designated fishing spot, your next decision should be which lure to throw. My suggestion to most of my clients is to throw a lure you have confidence in. I always start out with a lure that has been a producer for me in the past. Don’t get caught up in some new item that came in a fancy package and costs a small fortune or a lure that your buddy gave you and said these are what I catch all my fish on. If I have a group of customers, I always try to mix it up. I start everyone off with a different lure. This helps me determine what the fish are wanting on that given day. After we have established what the fish want we can all go to the same type of lure. If you would like to plan a trophy trout fishing trip in the next month or so, don’t procrastinate it any longer. Now is the time! Also, those of you that are waiting for spring and summer to get your fishing in, my calendar is rapidly filling. I can be reached by phone at (361) 8133716 or by e-mail at [email protected]. Good luck and good fishing.

Submitted to Construction News

Deerful symmetry

STEVE SCHULTZ OUTDOORS, LLC
BAFFIN BAY –– LAGUNA MADRE –– LAND CUT SPECKLED TROUT –– REDFISH –– FLOUNDER FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS www.baffinbaycharters.com [email protected] U.S. Coast Guard & Texas Parks and Wildlife Licensed

(361) 949-7359

Matt Schultz and his dad Mike Schultz, Capital Concrete Pumping, shot these two 11-point deer from different blinds within seconds of each other. Matt’s deer was 145in and Mike’s was 160in. This was Matt’s first hunt since his return to Texas from the Navy, and the LaSalle County trip was courtesy of the Phil Hunter family, PHI Construction. –mp

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San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

Ken Milam’s Fishing Line
Sponsored by Tropical Marine and Honda Marine My name is Ken Milam and, for the past 26 years, I have been guiding fishing trips for striped bass on Lake Buchanan in the Texas Hill Country. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity of getting to know a good many folks in the construction trade.

Hiding places

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t this writing, we are having a welcome stretch of warmer weather. The warm days after a cold spell just get me itching to get out and do something! I figure I’m not the only one who feels that way, so let’s get cracking! Spring is coming! Now that we are finished with deer season and have put the rifles away, it’s time to look forward to spring and summer fishing. You know how you used to say you liked going to Lake So-and-So, but you are getting bored with it and need to go try somewhere else? Well, this year you are in luck. If you are like so many of us and are surrounded by lakes that have below normal water levels, you just got yourself a brand new lake without having to travel somewhere else. I know you have seen and heard me say this before, but it is still true. Low lakes are lakes that are giving up their secrets! Before they fill up again, you need to get yourself out there with your camera and GPS and in some cases a good pair of hiking shoes. Go find the places you have had good fishing and get an up close look at why it has been productive. Look for points, drop-offs and rock piles, any place for fish to hide or hang around. Take pictures, make notes and get GPS coordinates. Now you are ready to go exploring the lake bed and finding other places that have the same traits, places you haven’t been aware of with the lake full. I can drive across the empty lake bed and see a lot of spots that I have caught fish on for years. Now I can see why those places hold fish. You can know of a place and know how it looks by fish finder, but still be surprised at the way it looks when you actually get to see it with your own eyes.

Bluebonnet diamonds

Make a day trip of it. Stuff the ice chest with good stuff to eat and drink and load up the kids just like you were going fishing, but instead of bringing the boat and all the tackle, let the kids bring their own entertainment. One thing a low lake has to offer is lots of open space to run. They can fly kites, have room to play with the remote control toys they got for Christmas, or just have fun exploring. Meanwhile, you get in some fishing research and get a chance to look for good places to launch your boat and such. That way when you are coming to the lake to fish, you already have the hard part done and can focus on fishing and having a good time. If you are not comfortable with taking your own boat to a low lake, then seek out a good fishing guide. They are on the lake frequently and familiar with it as it changes, and how the fish have been moved around. Also, don’t forget all the little lake area businesses that support your fishing trips. From the bait shops to the convenience store you used to fuel up at, to the little fishing camp where you used to spend the night and the little café that fed you breakfast, all these folks would be happy to see you too! If you don’t do this now, you might be kicking yourself when the lakes fill up!

So many places for a fish to hide

If I had a nickel for every fish I caught here. . .

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March 7, 2013

Submitted to Construction News

Bringing home the big buck

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Make checks payable to: Alamo Chapter NWTF • 3635 Sumantra Cliff • San Antonio, TX 78261 Consolidated Electrical Distributors

William Friesenhahn, 10-year-old son of Holly L. Friesenhahn, a project coordinator at Bartlett Cocke General Contractors, shot this 8-point buck at Broken Blade Ranch, outside Menard, TX, with his dad, Robert. –mp

San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

Page 15

Submitted to Construction News

Two of a kind

SEND IN YOUR PHOTOS . . .

Jason Barrett, FSG Electric, caught up with the other of a pair of bucks that he’s been pursuing for years now. He shot Old Johnny a few months ago, and now, he got the other one, which he believes was about 9 years old and he called High-Horn Buck. –mp

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The family that hunts together
RC Contreras, Trico Lift, was very proud of his family’s hunt in Cotulla, TX. –mp

from El Paso to Beaumont Amarillo to Brownsville

Contreras’ brother, Tom, shot a deer that scored 208 5/8 B&C, the biggest anyone in his family has ever taken down.

33 Years of Service to Texas

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Woman-Owned Business City–94–020011/WBE State–13580/WOB

His dad, Johnny, landed a management deer scoring 153 5/8 B&C.

San Antonio (210) 344-7370 Austin (412) 282-6866 Toll Free (800) 880-0134

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San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

Submitted to Construction News

Catching reds away from the green

Submitted to Construction News

Where the CPA and the antelope play

Kasen Schneider, son of Stephen Schneider, Albert Sterling & Associates, had a great Saturday in January catching redfish in Rockport. Kasen is a senior and 4-year letterman on Churchill High School’s golf team, and he recently received a scholarship to play golf for Sam Houston State University where he will be starting in the fall, majoring in criminal justice. –mp

Tony Ridout, RidoutBarrett, nabbed this black buck antelope on a hunting trip guided by Tom Snowden at the Serengeti Ranch near Junction, TX. –mp

Constructing talent in the Hill Country
By 1986, the theater was built and named “Krause House,” in honor of her great grandparents who came from Germany to settle here in America. Originally, Jahnsen and her husband owned the property, and they wanted to make sure that the theater had a permanent home. “We established a non-profit family foundation and have given S.T.A.G.E. a long-term lease so no one could come along and sell it. It would have to go to another non-profit organization.” Today, there is a full house for most performances. One has an option to have dinner there before the play, or go to the play only. Optional meals are available before the performances at 6:30pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Sunday matinees offer a 1pm lunch with curtain time at 2:30 pm. It is best to make reservations. This year, there will be two comedies, one drama, and one musical play. The first show of the season, “Interruptions,” was October 11. This comedy is about a writer of romance novels who suddenly suffers from a bad case of writer’s block and accidently deletes the first eight chapters of his book. He is continually interrupted by a host of visitors to include a cantankerous plumber, a homeless woman selling magazines, a nervous pizza delivery person, a Girl Scout, an irate boxer, etc. –rd The Krause House Theater is located at 1300 Bulverde Road., 830-438-2339. For a lineup of the 2012-2013 season, go to stagebulverde.org.

“ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE”

Zada Jahnsen

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f you’d like to try something different, go to a dinner theater - Hill Country style. The Bulverde S.T.A.G.E. (Spotlight Theater & Arts Group Etc.) offers live theater entertainment and home style cooking. All the aspiring actresses and actors are from the surrounding areas. Some have gone on to win competitions and scholarships. One actress is now at Universal Studios in Florida, and is only one of five that has permission to perform Lucy. Another actress, the first to receive a scholarship (A&M), went on to work with Pixar Dreamworks, Disney. Each year in August, awards are presented to the actresses and actors for the

previous year’s performance in various plays. At the 33rd annual awards in August 2012, 10 awards were handed out; there were 41 performers. The theater season is from October through August. Last year, there were five plays, 11-13 performances each. Acting classes are also offered, for ages 6-12 and age 13 to adult. Some of the performers today started as children in the classes. Amazingly, the theater is totally run and operated by volunteers, approximately 141, 11-12 per night. Even more amazing is the lady responsible for all this, Zada Bremer Jahnsen, corporate manager. She began

acting in German plays at age 5. She attended elementary school in Bulverde and finished high school in New Braunfels. She went on to marry Earl Jahnsen and had two sons, James and David. Jahnsen herself has won acting awards for stage roles, has directed many productions and always produces and directs the entertainment for awards and annual meetings. After many years, trials and tribulations, Jahnsen asked her husband to build her a theater in 1985. She saw so much potential in the performers in the area and wanted to give them a home, a place to display their talents.

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San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

Construction News ON LOCATION

continued from Page 4 — Eat your heart out, San Antonio

Step inside

Thad Ziegler Glass on 410 boasts shower door displays you can slide and fit inside. L-R: Laura Montalvo, Yvette Perez, and Jim Bendele. –mp

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L-R: Chris Schultz and Paul Lampe take to the co-pilot chairs at Raba Kistner Consultants.

aba Kistner Consultants, Inc. has two co-pilots taking the controls, helping to fly the engineering firm into 2013. Chris Schultz PE, PMP and Paul Lampe have accepted co-leadership of Raba Kistner Consultants, a whollyowned subsidiary of Raba Kistner, Inc. Schultz and Lampe will be overseeing operations and financial management of eight Texas locations from the division’s headquarters in San Antonio: Austin, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, McAllen, and New Braunfels. Schultz has been promoted from senior vice president, a position he rose to in 2004, to president and chief operating officer of Consultants, and he will remain practice leader for geotechnical engineering. Lampe moves from senior vice president, a role he too assumed in 2004, to executive vice president, and he will re-

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tain his responsibilities as practice leader for construction materials engineering, testing, and construction inspections. “Paul and I have a lot of our time, heart and energy invested in this company,” stated Schultz. “We know that we are taking over leadership of an exceptionally dedicated group of employees.” Lampe commented, “Chris and I have worked together at Raba Kistner for 22 years, providing services to both regional and San Antonio area clients. We look forward to an expanded role in supporting operations and clients in all of our offices. “One area that I really look forward to is working with our clients to use more recycled construction materials.” William Raba, president of holding company Raba Kistner, noted, “This action is to support expanding the company’s reach and growing our staff and service capabilities over the coming years.“ –mp

San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

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continued from Page 18 — Eat your heart out, San Antonio!

continued on Page 23

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San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

Submitted to Construction News

Gifts for a Warrior’s family

New leaders for a new year

Melissa Flathers and Dawn Holmes, Workplace Resources, dropped off gifts for an anonymous Wounded Warrior family that were collected at the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) holiday party. More than $800 was raised to help a family with four children; two girls and two boys. –mp

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If you have any questions, contact the SA home office at (210) 308-5800

ith 2013 getting underway, Bartlett Cocke General Contractors is shaking things up. The employee-owned company has made some changes in leadership as the Texas construction forecast promises opportunities for growth. Randy Pawelek is making the move from president to chairman, but he will retain his position as CEO. He has served the company as president since 2008. As Pawelek steps up, Harry Moeller will take his place as president. Moeller’s new position will require him to oversee daily operations at the company’s local and regional offices. “This ongoing, planned leadership transition is not about letting go or handing off, but allowing others to step forward,” Pawelek said in a statement. “Since 1959, many have stepped forward to help lead our organization forward. It is the result of vision, planning, hard work, working smart, and most of all, great teamwork.”

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L-R: Randy Pawelek and Harry Moeller have stepped up into new positions to lead Bartlett Cocke into 2013.

As Moeller assumes the role of president, a position that has been held by Bartlett Cocke Jr. and Duane Pozza, he comes with a long history of experience with the company. Starting in 1985 as a field engineer, he worked his way up to project manager, vice president of estimating, and his former position, executive vice president. Others have been promoted as well. Kevin Byrd is the new vice president of operations for Central Texas. James Anderson has become the new South Texas regional manager. Mark Christensen is now the East Texas regional manager. And Nathan Olson, who has been serving as interim director of preconstruction, has been officially promoted to the position. Regarding the many changes in leadership, Moeller commented that the Texas economy is poised for growth and Bartlett Cocke is ready for those emerging economic opportunities. –mp

How did you meet your significant other?
She lived in the same apartment complex as a friend of mine. All the college boys called her MILF, and she did not know what it meant. She actually pursued me, because out of all my college friends, I kind of stuck out. I wasn’t just the goofy college boy. We had some really interesting conversations. Michael Traugott Jr., South Texas Drywall & Acoustical Almost right across the street from our office, a friend had a little party and that’s where we met. That was back in ’72. We got married in ’73. Jerry Williams, A-1 Fire & Safety I met my wife in 1995 at the Copper Tank in Austin, TX playing foosball. How’s that for exciting? It was a microbrewery back when the microbreweries were big in Austin. Mark Ross, Powers Fasteners I was playing competitive softball, co-ed, when I met my husband. Although, all my friends and I were never going to get married – and most of them were my guy friends – so then, they got an invitation to the wedding, and they were laughing, “Is it April Fools?” We’ve been together ever since. Bell Crisp, Absolute Resourcing I met my spouse, Linnea, while I was getting my hair cut actually … One day, she walked by, and we noticed each other, and then of course, the matchmaking happened … We went out on a date four days later, and we’ve been together ever since. We dated for a long 11 years, and we got married last year, and we just had our first baby, Connor, in September. Love at first does, evidently, exist. Chris Davie, Aquality My girlfriend is my next door neighbor. We met just running into one another as neighbors. Kyle Hammock, Rock Engineering We met as students at Trinity University in 1985. I was a freshman, and he was a senior – I caught him right before he left. Cynthia Schluter, Beckwith Electronic Engineering I did some landscaping for a really nice Christian woman in Mystic Shore subdivision, and she said, you should really meet my decorator, Polly, and I said okay, so she went to her decorator and said that she should talk to her lawn guy. I talked to her. We were already seeing different people at the time, but a year later, I went to talk to her again, and we started dating. We’ve been together nine years now. Sam Sitterle, Green Grow Organics We met each other in 1996 at a Little League Baseball game. My brother was playing and he was umpiring the game. Kelly Wilson, Associated General Contractors Catherine and I were going to same school since middle school, but we never had any classes together. We had some of the same friends, but we never hung out … Fast forward eight years, we had a mutual friend who was visiting from Alaska, and his last day here, his plane was delayed, so he called me to get dinner. So, we went to Mamacita’s, and Catherine was there, and Colin called her over to have dinner with us … We made plans to hang out, and we went to Hofbrau for dinner. That was one of the greatest nights of my life, because we just talked and had an amazing time. I always tell her that she was my high school sweetheart, but we just didn’t know it yet. John Valderrama, Virtual Builders Exchange

San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

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Construction Safety
Safety matters
Juan Mendoza, Safety Director Lasco Acoustics & Drywall Inc.
Austin, TX training we do is in-house; however, sometimes when we are required to have a specific training on specific equipment, we call the providers and have them do the training for us. “For us to actually to get employees on the jobsite, we do what is called a new hire safety orientation. The orientation lasts anywhere from four to five hours. We train our employees before they even step foot on the jobsite.” According to Mendoza, there have been advances in personal protective equipment (PPE) in recent years. “In 2008, there were changes in the OSHA regulations,” he said. “It is required that employers provide PPE. Since the change in the OSHA regulations, we now provide all the PPE, which include safety glasses, hard hats, gloves, safety harnesses, earplugs and more. “In the future, I think construction safety will continue to improve. In the past, our industry had a tremendous problem in the Hispanic population be-

uan Mendoza is the safety director at the Lasco Acoustics & Drywall Inc. Austin, TX location but also travels to work in Dallas and San Antonio. He manages all the safety programs for the company. “I train our guys on how to work safe on a daily basis and I provide bilingual training because I can speak both English and Spanish,” Mendoza said. “I do training on first aid, CPR, boom lift and scissor lift equipment, scaffold and fall protection.” Looking at the numbers, Mendoza says he has read fatalities have slowly but surely decreased in the past few years. “I have seen a lot more training in the commercial construction industry lately,” he said. “If you look at the data, the fatalities in 2012 were less than the year before and the previous year. “I think there has been an improvement this past year because there has been more emphasis on the safety training for the industry. “It is very important for construction related companies to not just have a good safety program, it is important to implement the program. In addition, there are requirements that workers on the job have to have some level of training. That has been helping companies to step up and provide the required training to their employees. “Here at Lasco Acoustics & Drywall, we have a safety program in-house. We develop and update the program on a yearly basis. “We go back and review it and change things as required. Most of the

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cause the workers weren’t getting trained before they were sent to the jobsites. “Thanks to the push on the OSHA regulations and inspections, it has been changing little by little. There are more and more people out there getting together, focusing on goals and making a difference.” Mendoza says he really enjoys his job as safety director. “At the end of the day, when I see the workers are going home the same way they left in the morning, it is rewarding to know that they are going to go back to their families and see their children,” he said. “That is my biggest joy. “It is very important to me that the workers are going to be safe on the job. It is not just a job, it is my passion.” Lasco Acoustics & Drywall Inc. provides drywall, acoustics and plastering in the commercial construction industry. The company has a corporate office in Dallas and also has offices in Austin and San Antonio. –ab

Important to have fire safety plan on construction sites
Chris Jelenewicz, P.E. Society of Fire Protection Engineers
Bethesda, MD usually the kinds of things that make the news. It’s just something that you need to be aware of.” Jelenewicz says key steps in implementing a plan to bolster fire safety on your construction site include: 1) Making sure you get your superintendent involved. Make sure he is properly trained to deal with potential problems that might arise. 2) Get with the local fire department involved with the plan to ensure that their needs are properly met, and make sure that there is an established water supply. Being aware of their water supply is the part that some construction companies overlook, Jelenewicz said. “It’s the most important thing – the fire department needs to have water if it’s going to put out a fire,” he said. “I think that’s the part that is most often forgotten about. You’ve got to get those hydrants in place as soon as possible, and you’ve got to make sure the fire department has a way to access the site with its ladder trucks.” 3) Technology and the prevalence of cell phones can be used, too. “You can put in place some sort of text messaging system so that people on the site can be notified immediately,” Jelenewicz explains. 4) Make sure everyone knows the escape routes and that it is understood how to exit the building or site in case of an emergency. 5) If it’s a high rise project, two words: standpipe system. “These are simple vertical pipes that allow the fire department to reach each floor. On each floor, there is a connection so that the fire department just has to pump water into the pipe and haul a hose up to the floor where the fire is present. “It’s not rocket science, and it doesn’t cost you too much money, but it really does make things safer,” Jelenewicz said. –ms

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o to most construction sites these days, and you’ll see a safety-conscious bunch of workers. People are wearing their hard hats, they’re wearing harnesses when they’re going up in lifts, and they comply with safety practices and procedures. But another important tool for construction companies to keep their workers safe on the job site is a plan in place that prevents and protects against fire emergencies, says Chris Jelenewicz, P.E., with the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. “It’s very important on a construction site to make sure that you have a plan so that you know exactly what to do in case of an emergency,” Jelenwicz says. Things to cover in your plan include knowing whom to call in case of a fire,

prevention of potential hazards involving flammable materials and liquids, and having access and water for the fire department to put out any blazes should they occur. “You want to make sure that when the fire trucks get to the scene, that they’ll be able to provide support,” Jelenewicz said. “Make sure fire hydrants are in place as soon as possible before starting the construction process, or make sure there is an alternative way that the fire department can get water.” While fires don’t seem to be a particularly large problem these days, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. “It’s not something you should get complacent about,” Jelenewicz notes. “Fires do happen. You don’t usually hear about these fires because they aren’t

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San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

Construction Safety
A safe way is the best way
W. C. Bill Blayney, Owner and President W. C. Blayney & Associates
Humble, TX nies that I worked for, we enjoyed the benefit of ability to be self-insured. Refunds to a self-insured contractor resulted profits in excess of production savings on the jobs. We were able to determine cost in detail, able to count on less expenses on overhead and labor costs. “On years that we completed $50 million in production, we expected a refund of excess workers compensation premium of more than $650,000 to add back to the bottom line. With a good safety program, and with supervision's blessing, we could count on this year-end treat annually.. With clear instruction, and use of experienced management, we always came in under estimates.” Blayney says to increase safety awareness and create a safe working environment, give job supervision a corporate safety culture and ensure executive and supervision must be sold on safe behavior. He added that personal protective equipment (PPE) has always been there and every construction supplier has had all types of safety equipment on their shelves. “Organizations such as the AGC, ABC, ASSE, NSC are regularly and frequently holding meetings, open to the public on how to utilize and use safety equipment to the company’s greatest benefit, along with saving limb, fingers, and lives.” Looking ahead, Blayney thinks the industry will use more and older people, more experienced seniors, people with on the ground experience, knowledge and ability to communicate it. “The most significant challenge to the safety industry and 40,000 professional safety specialists is the sale of safety benefits to owners and contractors. How much better planning, execution, safe operations, lack of lost time and enhanced production and well planned and budgeted a project can be brought to fruition and good final payday, with no lost- time injuries. “I still get a thrill out of seeing a good project come together. I love seeing concrete poured starting before daylight. Framing wood, steel, masonry going up at fantastic rates. I like to see two-year projects finishing in 18 months, and experienced crews planning and executing error free jobs. “Working from the experiences of their grandfathers, dads and now we are in to the third generation of builders, building faster, safer and more productive than ever.” W.C. Blayney & Associates provides loss control services and jobsite safety inspections. The company specializes in communication towers, excavation, trenching, concrete placement, framing, trim carpentry, electrical, roofing, masonry and drywall safety programs. –ab

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.C. Bill Blayney is a professional safety consultant. During his career, he has shared his construction experience with more than 1,500 construction companies. “I started in construction as a laborer, office clerk, purchasing agent, superintendent, general superintendent, head of cost department, specializing in workers compensation cost reduction and refunds, scheduling and organizing multiple projects for most cost effective completion and sale,” Blayney said. “Along with the inception of OSHA in 1971, I received a new title of safety director.” Blayney says he has 52 years of active construction experience and 41 years attempting to stay in compliance with the OSHA. He says the major risks in construction are workers misunderstanding instructions and supervision in a constant rush, with incomplete information to perform tasks at hand safely. “Additional risks in construction are operators not reading and understanding limitations to heavy equipment and architects and engineers avoiding safe design out of fear of liability. “Many owners and managers do not want to give full information to their front line supervision. Supervision needs clear and complete instructions to line management and supervision. Also, a clear company mandate for safe operations, use of experienced safety director, foreman, superintendent, with full authority to identify and eliminate risk and errors. “Results of a good safety record, gives you a competitive edge over unsafe competitors. Employees would rather work for a company with a corporate culture of being safe. Your insurance rates are lower, because you can reduce costs, because of safe behavior and can under bid your competition. You get more work, and more year end rebates from your insurance company. “Of the major construction compa-

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Triple-S Steel

G

ilbert Pena says he mostly spends time working in Austin and San Antonio these days. “There is no typical day when you are a driver,” Pena said. “Every day is different. “For example, I unloaded material and drove in the pouring rain yesterday. Today, I am driving in beautiful weather. It is a great day. I am glad I to be outside on days like today. I have never wanted to be cooped up in an office or a building. I prefer to be on the road. “After high school, people asked me what I wanted to do, and I gave it a lot of thought. As a teenager, I used to love to drive and I remember thinking I wanted to be a truck driver. So, that’s what I did. “I think to be a good driver, you have to have experience. Everyone starts green. The more time you put into it, the more experience you get and the better you are at it. “My job responsibilities nowadays are to drop off customers orders, load the material on the truck, and make six or seven stops during the day.” Pena says he started driving small vans in the ‘70s. He received his Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) in 1991 and started driving large trucks.

Pena says on the side, his hobbies include going to San Antonio Spurs games. His favorite basketball player is Manu Ginobili. “I go to the game, especially during the playoffs,” he said. “I am hoping they make it all the way in 2013. Last year, I thought they were going to win the play-offs.” Pena says he also enjoys photography as a hobby. “Sometimes I will be driving and I will see something I want to photograph. I was recently in Kingsland near Marble Falls, TX. Right before you get into Kingsland there is a granite hill with a great view of the Colorado River at the top. “I thought it was so beautiful I had to stop. I love taking photos in the Hill Country. I have been interested in photography since the ‘80s. “I am already in my mid-‘50s and I plan to keep driving for many years to come. Maybe one day I will submit my photography and get published!” –ab

eller Roofing & Remodeling LLC has operated since 2000. The company has locations in Austin and San Antonio. Scott Feller is the owner and his sister Ami works as an estimator. Cindi Morin is the office manager, bookkeeper and she keeps everyone's schedules in order. “Scott is a construction engineer by degree and worked his way through college in the roofing business,” Morin said. “He taught his sister Ami at a young age how to estimate and do roofing work. They both went to college at Iowa State University. “When Scott isn’t at the office, he is very involved with his family of four children ranging in ages from 10 to 16-yearsold. He is the basketball coach for his two youngest daughters and doesn't miss a football or basketball game for Hutto High School or Hutto Middle School for

F

The Feller Roofing & Remodeling family

his two oldest children. “He got married last year in April to Stacie, who is also an integral part of the roofing company from behind the scenes.” According to Morin, Feller is a great piano player and his sister is a talented photographer and an avid runner. “On the side, I love to cook and garden at home,” Morin said. “Scott will eat just about anything I bring to the office!” Morin says Feller Roofing & Remodeling gives back to the community as much as possible. “We are currently donating a roof to a victim of the Bastrop fires and we also do small roof repairs for low income families many times at no charge,” she said. Feller Roofing & Remodeling provides residential and commercial roofing and also does remodeling projects from kitchens to bathrooms, flooring, counters and cabinets. –ab

San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

Page 23

continued from Page 19 — Eat your heart out, San Antonio!

Construction News ON LOCATION

Lights, lights everywhere

The showroom at Turney Lighting & Electric contains floor-to-ceiling displays of light fixtures big and small. L-R: Roland Morales, Russel Busey, Albert Alvarez, owner Ron Turney, and manager Chris Andrews. –mp

Submitted to Construction News

Ready to go to work

continued on Page 28

Twenty-six students graduated from the fall Pre-Employment Architectural and Construction Exploration (PACE) program. As part of the educational wing of the Builders Exchange of Texas, the program gives each student their OSHA 10-Hour plus 30 hours of classes about the construction industry and trades. “They will be looking for jobs and apprenticeship programs,” says Cherie Foerster, head of the workforce development program. She notes that many of the students are seniors who will graduate high school in May ready to start their careers as apprentices or inentry-level positions because f this program. –mp The fall graduating class of PACE students Photo by Mary C. Haskin Photography

Page 24

San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

Round-Up
Vickrey & Associates announces the following promotions to associate for the company: Brady Baggs is a professional engineer holding a Fair Housing Section 504 certification. He has more than nine years of experience in civil engineering, specializing in project management and design. Kenneth Rogers joined the firm in 2005 and has more than 19 years of experience in civil engineering. His specialties include hydrology and hydraulics, natural channel design, and geotechnical engineering.

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ABC
Associated Builders & Contractors

Association Calendar

Feb. 4: New Employee Orientation, 8:3011:30am, ABC office; UTSA Student Mock Interviews, conducted by the ABC Future Leaders Task Force, 3-5pm, ABC office Feb. 18: New Employee Orientation, 8:30-11:30am, ABC office Feb. 19-20: OSHA 10-Hour Safety Certification Course, 8am-2pm, ABC office Feb. 28: Green Environment, 1-6pm, ABC office

Submissions
Kara Heasley joined the firm in 1999 and has more than 13 years of civil engineering experience. Her specialties include linear parks, land planning, utility engineering, and sustainable development. This is a section for brief company announcements of new or recently promoted personnel, free of charge as space allows. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Email (w/digital photo, if available) by the 15th of any month, for the next month’s issue Email info to appropriate city issue, with “Round-Up” in the subject line: ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

AGC
Associated General Contractors

Feb. 20: Membership recruitment dinner, members $15, non-members $20, Café College, 131 El Paso, 6-8pm, Omar Garcia (STEER) will discuss opportunities for Eagle Ford Shale, Zachry Construction to discuss opportunities for the Convention Center expansion; RSVP 210-4441100 or www.blacktie-sanantonio.com/ rsvp, event code: hcam213 Feb. 28: Members benefit breakfast, free to all, featuring VIA purchasing department, Absolutely Everything Catering, 8:30-9:30am, RSVP 210.444.1100 or email [email protected].

San Antonio

[email protected] Austin [email protected] Dallas/Ft. Worth [email protected] Houston [email protected] South Texas [email protected]

Construction News ON LOCATION

They’re there to help

Feb. 1: Train the Trainer for Lean EP, AGC office Feb. 5: CLF PD Committee meeting, AGC office, noon Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27: LEED AP BD+C Exam Prep, AGC office, 6-8pm Feb. 8: Education Committee meeting, AGC office, 8:30am Feb. 18: President’s Day Mixer & Salsa Taste-Off, AGC office, 5-7pm; to submit your salsa or be a sponsor, call 210-3494921; prizes will be awarded; deadline is Feb. 15 Feb. 19: CLF Service Committee meeting, AGC office, noon Feb. 21: Safety Committee Meeting, AGC office, 11:30am Feb. 22: Board of Director’s meeting, The Petroleum Club, 8am Feb. 26: CLF Steering Council meeting, AGC office, noon

IEC
Independent Electrical Contractors

Feb. 4-7: National Leadership Conference, Memphis, TN Feb. 18: Continuing Education Class, IEC office, 5-9pm Feb. 19: A&T Committee meeting, IEC office, 11am Feb. 20: Board of Directors meeting, The Barn Door, 11am Feb. 23: Electrical Maintenance Technician Class, IEC office, 8am-5pm Feb. 26: NFIB Small Business Day at the Capitol, Austin, TX For more information, call 210-431-9861 or www.iecsanantonio.com

MCA–SMACNA
Mechanical Contractors Association Sheet Metal & A/C Nat’l Assoc.

AIA
American Institute of Architects

Feb. 25: Meeting, The Fiesta Room of Luby’s, 911 N. Main Ave; Realizing CoSA’s Mission through the Built Environment; speaker: Carol Warkoczewski, architect for the City of San Antonio; no RSVP necessary; $25 per person.

Feb. 6: Regular and Associate Members meeting, Oak Hills Country Club, 11:30am Feb. 20: Joint Industry Fund Forum and Business meeting, Oak Hills Country Club, 11:30am Feb 26: Texas NEBB Board of Directors meeting, Embassy Suites, 6pm Feb 27: Texas NEBB Annual Requalification Seminar, Embassy Suites

NAWIC
Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction

ASA
American Subcontractors Association

Alex Puente, store manager, and Lance Thompson, assistant manager, were keeping quite busy helping customers at Northern Tool + Equipment. –mp

Feb. 12: Seminar: Am I at Risk? Learn about potential shortfalls in the areas of insurance, human resources, contracts, and cyber liability; Padgett, Stratemann, 1:30-4:30pm, $150 for members, $165 for non-members Feb. 19: Healthcare Reform: What does this mean for my business?, Old San Francisco Steakhouse Feb. 28: 18th Annual Excellence in Construction Awards Banquet; The Jack Guenther Pavilion at the Briscoe Western Art Museum; $85 per person. For more information, email contact@ asasanantonio.org or call 210-349-2105

Feb. 6: Meeting, The Petroleum Club, 5:30pm networking, 6pm dinner; members and first-time guests $35, nonmembers $45, includes dinner; for more information, contact Ginny Horrell at [email protected]

PHCC
Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors

Feb. 14: Meeting, Earl Abel’s Restaurant, 11am; speaker: City of San Antonio Developmental Services For information on Plumbing Apprenticeship Programs & PHCC-TX Plumber, HVAC Continuing Education & Specialty Class, call 800-992-7422

CFMA
Construction Financial Management Assn.

SDA
Society for Design Administration

Feb. 26: Chapter Luncheon; 11:30am1pm, Old San Francisco Steak House; for more information contact Stephanie at 210-828-6281, ext.1575 or stephanie. [email protected].

Feb. 28: Meeting, The Barn Door, noon, HR Implications of New Healthcare Reform by Joanna Antongiovanni, guests welcome, $25 person, RSVP to monica. [email protected]

GSABA
Greater San Antonio Builders Assn.

USGBC
U.S. Green Building Council

Feb. 1: Chili Cook-Off, Kendall County Fairgrounds Feb. 20: Rally Day, Austin, TX

HCA de San Antonio
Hispanic Contractors Association

1415 West Poplar Located at I-10 & Colorado M-F 8:30–5:30 Sat 9:00-3:00

www.toucanrecycling.com

737-2267

Feb. 7, 14, 21: HCA Help Desk Thursdays: free for members, HCA office, 203 Norton, Suite 156; 9-11am; [email protected] Feb. 16: Free Home Improvement Seminar, St. Mary’s University, AT&T Center for Technology, Gate 4 on Memorial St., 9am2pm, light breakfast and lunch provided Feb. 19: Business Opportunities for Texans (BOTS) luncheon, $12 online RSVP, $16 walk-ins, Absolutely Everything Catering, 3915 San Pedro, 11:30am-1pm; RSVP at www.bots-sa.com

Feb. 6, 13, 27: LEED Green Associate 6-Week Exam Prep Course, AGC office, Waco, TX, 5-7pm Feb 6: LEED AP BD+C Exam Prep; every Wednesday through Mar. 13, AGC office, San Antonio, 6-8pm Feb 19: LEED 251 Full Day Workshop: Understanding LEED NC 2009, AGC office, Austin, 8am-5pm, earn 7 GBCI CE and 7 AIA CES/LU hours Feb 21: Lunchtime Learning Series, Principles of LEED: LEED Implementation, AGC office, Waco, 11am-1pm, earn 1.5 GBCI CE hours

San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

Page 25

continued from Page 1 — Knock, knock kind of a hard plastic – and we provide those as well.” AC does wood doors for the inside of buildings, too; for example, high-finish quality wood doors for the University of Texas along with the hardware, such as panic bars. Cruz, 41, has been in construction all his life and grew up around it in Carrizo Springs, and now with three employees, he’s already planning for the future of his company. “I’m hoping, within five years, to be where I have up to five or seven project managers and maybe up to 15 or 20 employees, maybe five trucks running out in the field.” Meanwhile, Cruz and his wife of two years, Leticia, are trying for kids. He credits her with a great amount of support in what he has accomplished. “I’m also trying to get my bachelor’s degree in business management as well – at the same time as running my own business,” he proclaims. “I’ve got one more year at the University of Phoenix. I’m trying to live the American dream.” –mp

continued from Page 1 — ST: the next generation “An estimator/project manager is what my first position was,” he remembers. “And now I’m still doing estimating and project management, but now I’m doing more of the financial stuff. “Now, instead of only being focused on the jobs I’m project managing or estimating, I’m keeping track of all the jobs, and our manpower, and I used to pay attention only to specific job costs, and now I’m paying attention not only to all the job costs, but the overall cost for the company. Before I wasn’t really concerned about insurance or anything like that. Well, now, that’s a high priority.” One bonus to running the show is that Traugott Jr. can bring some tech to the table; he has thought for a while that the company could use a website, but it has never had one. Now, he has plans to build a website next year, along with changes to the data systems and new software upgrades. “I’m excited and optimistic about our future,” he states. “We have a really good company. We’re strong. And we have really good people.” –mp

continued from Page 1 — Gateway to MHS

As the first tenant, Broadway Bank’s finish out was a project within the project.

The project also saw approximately 50 days of inclement weather, and the rain was another challenge the team constantly worked to overcome. Despite all the hurdles, Koontz-McCombs’ team cleared the finish line on schedule due to an accelerated timeline, and the results were a functional building, a new bank location ready to open for business, and a striking aesthetic. “It’s the limestone, the metal roofing – the mansard roofs and the tower roofs,” observes Serry. “Mansard roofs give the appearance from the outside that it’s a sloped metal roof, but actually, it’s a perimeter effect, and back inside the mansard is a flat roof where mechanical equipment and things like that sit. It serves a purpose architecturally, but also, it hides all the mechanical equipment.” The Gateway is an aptly named, welcoming first impression, as Serry points out, “It’s kind of a front door to [the MHS] metropolitan complex down there. Their hospital sits behind it along with some other medical office buildings.” Ernest Gibson, project manager, comments, “I was really happy with the way everything turned out, especially on

the exterior of the building. Everything just turned out really nice.” Gibson describes the relationships with the owners’ supervisors Jeff Wilson, MHS, and Barry Ivy, Broadway Bank, as extremely beneficial and supportive. Superintendent on the job was Darrell Jackson along with assistant superintendent Jeremy Taft, and Bill Rhodes was chief estimator. Serry commends the strength of the construction team and emphasizes the great work the subcontractors did on these two projects, noting that there was not a single incident on the jobsite and they came in at budget and on time. The Design Team on this project included Project Control, Chesney-Morales architects, ESA as MEP engineer, Beicker-Martinez as structural engineer, Pape Dawson as civil engineer, and L.H. Bell landscaping. Headquartered in San Antonio, Koontz-McCombs Construction was founded in 2000 by Bart Koontz and Red McCombs to serve the construction needs of their development, business, and third-party private projects. –mp

210-587-7634 www.GPSofTexas.com

Changing Roles
he Texas Masonry Council (TMC) has hired Jennifer Wilkins as the new community planner for the Houston/South Texas region. Wilkins brings with her a vast understanding of the non-profit industry as well as an extensive background in marketing, management and business development. For the past four years, she was owner of Jennifer Wilkins and Associates Business Services, a business that provides outside marketing, event planning and business development. In her role as community planner, Wilkins will help cities and communities by providing education and information about masonry. –ab

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San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

Rock the house

For the technicians of tomorrow

ock isn’t just Mark and Roetta Rock’s last name; it’s their business. Rock Engineering & Testing Laboratories started in Corpus Christi in 1998, and then, expanded into San Antonio in 2005. Rock specializes in geotechnical drilling, geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing, and special inspections. The company does constructionrelated consulting as a service provider, performing tests on soil, concrete, and asphalt at both of its locations. Kyle Hammock, PE, vice president of operations in San Antonio, says that Rock does a lot of commercial as well as residential development projects. “When they’re building something, we take samples of soil and we analyze it, and we give recommendations for foundations and roads and buildings and bridges,” explains Hammock. “And during construction, we test the concrete while they’re placing it to make sure it’s the right compressive strength.

R

L-R: Matthew Oliver, Nathan Ruckstuhl, and Kyle Hammock stand in the moist cure room at their new location.

President and COO Allyn Archer opened HOLT CAT’s new ProTech Training Facility.

“That’s our standard bread and butter, our standard business, but over the past two years, realistically, the Eagle Ford Shale work is the main contributor to our rapid expansion,” he notes. “From San Antonio and Corpus, we can cover the Eagle Ford Shale-related work from both the north end and the south end, which gives us a very good advantage. We can split the work up. We can service the clients from both directions.” In that region, Rock does frack sand terminals, railroad spurs, oil storage tanks, and central delivery stations, working for major gas and oil exploration and transmission-type companies. Hammock isn’t kidding when he says the firm is rapidly expanding. His branch in San Antonio just moved into a new building the company purchased at 10856 Vandale. The new office is double the amount of space with 6,000sqft to accommodate 25 employees. The headquarters in Corpus has approximately 30 on staff. –mp

echnical training with $2 million pieces of equipment is crucial for both efficiency and safety in this business, and now HOLT CAT has opened a new ProTech Technical Training Facility on East Southcross Boulevard in San Antonio. The LEED Silver facility will train technicians from across the state, including HOLT CAT’s Dallas, Austin, Corpus Christi, Laredo, and Victoria, and of course, San Antonio. Allyn Archer, president and COO, and Guy Clumpner, senior vice president, were onsite for the grand opening and open house Jan. 24. “HOLT sees a serious, industry-wide need for skilled workers and this state-ofthe-art facility demonstrates our commitment to future growth, professional training and development for technicians,” Archer said in a statement. Clumpner stated “This is a very sophisticated business. The technical acumen required to be successful in this field requires digital, computer and electronic

T

skills and knowledge, as well as the ability to accurately diagnose and make repairs. Our focus is to hire and develop professional technicians who can build successful careers in one of the most critical areas of our business.” At the official opening, Sen. Leticia Van de Putte and Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon both spoke about the significance of this training center to the youth entering the workforce. “Without the strong voices of HOLT CAT and others in our business community, we cannot craft an education system that meets the needs of a future workforce,” Van de Putte commented. HOLT CAT and the Caterpillar Dealer Excellence Fund recently contributed $54,000 in scholarships to nine Texas schools to support training of specialized technicians. Students and faculty attended the grand opening from two of those schools, St. Philip’s College and MacArthur High School, which are both located in San Antonio. –mp

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San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

Page 27

Job Sights

Submitted to Construction News

Footprints in the desert sand

Mary Paul, San Antonio editor for Construction News, traveled to White Sands National Monument in New Mexico, where dunes of fine gypsum cover 275 square miles of the Tularosa Basin, bracketed by two distant but breathtaking mountain ranges. –mp Brian Becina, working under Journeyman Randy Baker, Keller Custom Signs, is lifted high in the sky to repair a commercial sign for PNF Properties. –mp

Enrique Pena and Juan Salazar, Niznik Concrete, begin digging the foundation for a new AutoZone on Blanco Road. Project manager and superintendent is George Games for general contractor Texas Alliance Group. –mp

Joe Rodriguez and Bret Zampese, J. Anthony Electrical Contractors, were putting the power in the dental office of Dr. Robert Rodriguez. Superintendent is Mike Nelle for general contractor MedTech Construction. –mp

A worker for Gonzalez Concrete, under supervisor Armando Marroquin, is busy with the drive-thru for the new Lone Star National Bank on 1604, being built by Cantu Construction. Oscar Falcon is the project manager. –mp

Page 28

San Antonio Construction News • Feb 2013

continued from Page 23 — Eat your heart out, San Antonio!

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