Large and licensed senior living Woman in charge Kickin` ash, takin

Transcription

Covering the Industry’s News
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CONSTRUCTION
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Volume 18
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Number 4
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APRIL 2016
Woman in charge
Kickin’ ash, takin’ names
The Tejas Premier executive team L-R: (front row) Roxane Higareda, Julissa Carielo,
Irene Chavez, (back row) Rudy Carielo, Andrew Wallace, Oscar Carielo,
Gilbert Hernandez, John Cayton
Jon Marek is breaking into the barbecue biz with this handcrafted pit
that he built himself from American-made steel.
C
elebrating its 10th anniversary this
year, Tejas Premier Building Contractor has grown and evolved
with many changes that have taken effect in just the last few years.
Established by Julissa Carielo and
two employees in 2006, the general contractor has more than 55 employees today and hires more than 200 small business vendors. As a business owner, Carielo has learned to use her voice as a
leader in the small business community.
“I have talked to so many small businesses who ask me what I’m doing and
ask for advice on how they should do
things,” she says. “I don’t know everything, but I know that I have made it
against all odds and have done it very
strategically. It’s important to keep growing as a person and as a company.”
While staying active in the community and serving on the boards for several
organizations, Carielo has grown her
company through four locations. Last
year, Tejas purchased the Johnson Center, an old SAISD elementary school campus next door to its old location, and relocated its offices.
In partnership with the San Antonio
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, she is
developing the Maestro Entrepreneur
Center (MEC), which will be based at the
new Tejas campus. The MEC will be a
A
t the end of this month, barbecue
enthusiasts from across the area
will be able to enjoy delicious,
award-winning barbecue at what’s sure
to be the hottest new restaurant in the
San Antonio area. Jon Marek, MEMCO,
is inviting everyone to check out the
grand opening of his own barbecue
place, aMAREKan BBQ, Apr. 30 in New
Braunfels.
Marek will be keeping his job at
MEMCO while operating aMAREKan BBQ
on the weekends, open for lunch and
dinner on Saturdays and Sundays. On
Saturday nights, aMAREKan will host live
music with Texas Renegade taking the
stage for opening weekend. On Sunday
continued on Page 24
nights, there will be karaoke.
The barbecue pitmaster has taken
his secret family recipe and come up with
a special barbecue sauce and rub, the secret of which he is guarding closely. (Believe me, this reporter tried to pry some
spice information out of him, but he is
not giving it up.)
The menu will include brisket, ribs
and chicken, and every month, there will
be a different, un-advertised mystery
meat, about which Marek notes, “They’ll
just have to come and check it out.” But
when you do visit, be sure to bring cash,
because it’s cash only – no credit cards
will be accepted. You can, however, bring
your own steak, and he will add his dry
Large and licensed senior living
W
hile Elan Westpointe in New
Braunfels represents the first of
the Elan brand for owner Titan
Senior Living (TSL), the project also represented several firsts and unique aspects for the Reid & Associates (R&A)
construction team.
Elan Westpointe is the first Large
Type B senior assisted living facility certified for Alzheimer’s patients that Matt
Schumann, project manager, has ever
built. It’s also the first facility he has built
that is considered hybrid construction.
These unique facets of the job came with
separate challenges.
In only 13 months, the R&A team
built the flagship senior assisted living facility, which is just under 92,000sf with
113 patient rooms, a bistro with full wet
bar, theatre room, party room and full salon. Schumann notes that the amenities
and finishes are a big selling point as they
are not typical of a senior living facility.
The Elan Westpointe senior assisted living facility in New Braunfels was a unique project
for Reid & Associates, utilizing hybrid construction and adhering to strict life safety code
requirements.
In order to be certified for Assisted Living and Alzheimer’s residents, there were
several factors in meeting life safety code
and satisfying UL systems requirements.
UL is a science company that sets a standard for fire protection systems, including
fire detection and extinguishing, smoke
control, and systems that assist emergency
responders. All of these systems had to be
incorporated into the building.
The construction process was already complex with the hybrid nature of
the building. The center of the building,
which includes the assisted living dining
room, is all cold-form metal framing and
structural steel. The three-story side of
the building, which is all the assisted living units, is cold-form metal framing with
EpiCore concrete decks. The single-story
side of the building, which houses 38
units for the memory care portion of the
facility, is all stick frame. This meant taking the time to evaluate structural and
Page 2
San Antonio Construction News • Apr 2016
At home in the Hill Country
Construction News JOB SIGHT
Sealed and delivered
Wheeler Paving did the sealcoat in the parking lot of Forum Crossing. Alpine
Contracting was the GC on the project, which included the façade renovation. Colby
Lewis is project manager on the job and Brandon Brysch is superintendent.
Phase II is expected to be completed this month. –mh
Greg Greget, president of Greget Brothers Construction, is currently working on this
residential project, a 900-sf pier and beam home.
W
hen Greg Greget moved out to
the Hill Country about threeand-a-half years ago, he began
transitioning his company, Greget Brothers Construction, to the Hill Country, too.
Formerly located in Schertz, Greget
has relocated north of San Antonio to
Spring Branch. Frustrated with all the driving and traffic in San Antonio, Greget loves
his new location in the Hill Country. He’s
currently building a warehouse and shop
for his business as well as his residence.
Today, most of his business is in that
area, and his customers in San Antonio
are only about 20 minutes away. Though
the projects he takes on are almost exclusively residential, his jobs aren’t always
homes. He did a 7,500-sf warehouse for a
rancher client of his, who also lives in the
Hill Country.
With an average of three people, including himself, Greget’s jobs are mostly
kitchen and bathroom remodels, updating the appearance and fixtures in these
areas of the home.
Everyone in Greget’s family has either been carpenters or masons. After
working 18 years in management for a
heavy equipment construction company,
Greget was ready to go out on his own.
Having grown up with a knack for
building homes, he and his brother started Greget Brothers Construction in 2002.
Greget’s brother is no longer involved in
the business. Early on, Greget did multifamily, apartment complexes and condos, but soon he returned to doing mostly residential.
At 50 years old, Greget likes to fish
when he gets the chance and used to
love to go hunting, though being in the
process of building the company’s facility
and his residence along with his workload, keeps him pretty busy these days.
Greget Brothers Construction specializes in custom cabinetry, complete remodeling and new construction, focusing on
residential projects. –mh
Straight from the heart
I
1st Place Gross
n honor of its patriarch, Galaxy Builders held the inaugural Arun Verma Memorial Golf Tournament Feb. 22 at The
Club at Sonterra on the North Course.
Verma passed away Dec. 7 due to
complications from pulmonary fibrosis.
With 128 golfers attending, the event,
held the day after what would have been
Verma’s 74th birthday, raised an estimated $45,000 donation to the American
Heart Association. –mh
Gross
1st: Triple Cross – Bobby Davis, Chris Palumbo, David Hebner, Nick Meadows
2nd: Jimmy Evans, Denny Huesser, Vince
Reinhart, Adam Fiebig, Kade Kemnitz
3rd: Norman Longoria, David Hernandez,
Ray Pena, Phillip Pena
Net
1st: – Tri Star Utilities – Jason Howell, Barrett Branson, Larry Courtney, Keith Mayfield
2nd: RVK – Steve Grau, John Nelson, Eva
Ramirez, Greg SanMarcos
3rd: Insurance One – Vince Wysong, Mark
Massey, Bill Ryan, Wade Gerloff
1st Place Net
Page 3
Stewards of a legacy
Brother and sister team Peter John Holt and Corinna Holt Richter have stepped into new
executive leadership roles at HOLT CAT, taking up the next phase of the succession plan in
their family’s company.
R
epresenting the fifth generation of
the HOLT CAT family tree, Corinna
Holt Richter and Peter John Holt
have taken the next step in the succession plan towards their ownership of the
heavy equipment dealer.
In her new role as executive vice
president/chief administrative officer,
Holt Richter will be responsible for the
administrative divisions, including HR,
safety, IT, organizational development,
facilities management, continuous improvement, environmental, legal, marketing and strategy, and transportation.
In his new role as executive vice president/general manager, Holt will be responsible for all enterprise operating divisions, including HOLT CAT, HOLT AgriBusiness, Texas First Rentals, HOLT Crane
& Equipment and Sitech Tejas.
Both of them joined the HOLT CAT
team in 2011 and note that in those five
years, they have learned a lot from their
experience and ascension through the
ranks. They also emphasize the significance of starting on the product support
L
side of the business, which Holt Richter
says, “is really what we see as the heart of
what a dealer does.”
Holt, who bears the name of their father, Peter M. Holt, owner and CEO of
HOLT CAT, says, “This is truly a formal step
for my sister and I to move into being
owners of the business and head operators of the business in our partnership.
So, this is a really important time in
HOLT’s past, present and future in the
fact that we’re moving into roles that we
will stay in for our entire careers. So, it’s
vitally important for us to build and grow
our teams, and then use a balanced approach to continue on our operations excellence journey, but also to find areas for
growth and diversification.”
Holt Richter adds, “It’s really humbling to be a part of this legacy that my
family’s built. We’ve outlined what our
sibling partnership mission statement is,
and it’s essentially to be a steward of that
legacy and to grow the business. We’re
really excited about the future.” –mh
Asked and answered
ast month, we featured questions
submitted by students in the Builders Exchange of Texas’ Pre-Employment Architecture Construction Education (PACE) program. We received one
more response to the student inquiries.
Chris Otto, director of hydrology
and hydraulics at KFW Engineers + Surveying answered the question, “Is it true
engineering is only crunching numbers? If I like working outside or hands
on, which engineering field should I
go into?”
He replied, “There is a lot more to engineering than crunching numbers. Engineering is about designing the best solution for your client and the public, while
adhering to the rules and regulations applicable to the project.
“Engineers write many technical reports. We interpret regulations and reports
to apply them ethically to a given project.
As you advance your career, you will also
manage budgets, schedules and client expectations. Engineers will even negotiate
on behalf of their client in some cases.
“If you like to work outside and being
hands on, I would recommend construction engineering or civil engineering.
Construction engineering can be very
hands on and keeps you on the construction site most of your day.
“In construction engineering, you
will analyze plans prepared by someone
else and determine the best way to build
it. Sometimes you will design alternatives
that can be constructed more efficiently.
“In civil engineering, you will prepare
the construction documents and then
perform construction observation. In this
regard, you make periodic site visits to
confirm the construction is generally following the plans. You will also review materials submittals, request for information,
payment applications and address constructions concerns as they arise. For me,
civil engineering provides the best balance of office work and field work.” –mh
Page 4
Page 5
Rising to the top of the roof
Last year, Beldon Roofing Company received an award for Top Work Place. L-R: (standing) Curt
Cote, Mark Sobotik, Ryan Shutt, Pat Franks, Danny Mendez, (sitting) Kelly Schumacher, Tricia
Peebles, Brad Beldon, Rebekah Mora-Palumbo, Sandra Medina
E
merging after an Army colonel and
MIT graduate decided to settle
down in San Antonio after World
War II, Beldon Roofing Company is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year.
With the third generation now leading the family business, one big change
is that in January of last year, Danny
Mendez became the first non-Beldon
president of the company.
Starting part-time with Beldon in
1993 as a mechanic while still in high
school, Mendez came on full-time after
graduating. Early on, he did a lot of government work for the company from
Florida to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, and he went on to become an assistant superintendent, production manager and COO before rising to his current
position.
“My whole goal as president has
been and will be continuous education,”
Mendez says, adding that they’ve invested in a new training room. “I’m a big be-
T
liever that if you don’t educate your
workforce, then it’s only as good as you
put into it.”
Noting that attracting the new generation to roofing is one of the biggest
challenges the business faces, Mendez
estimates that Beldon currently has an
average of 125 employees between the
office and field. The company’s current
projects include two jobs at Port Authority, the new Red McCombs Toyota, and
re-roofing the entire facility for the Witte
renovation.
Founded in 1946, Beldon Roofing
Company was originally established by
Morry Beldon and A.A. Shepherd as
AAA Roofing and Supply Co. Morry’s son,
Mike Beldon, followed in his footsteps at
the head of the company. Today, Morry’s
grandson and Mike’s son, Brad Beldon, is
CEO.
Beldon Roofing Company provides residential and commercial roofing services
and products as well as waterproofing. –mh
In memoriam
heresa Knight,
the family matriarch at Allen & Allen
Co., passed away Mar.
17 at the age of 84.
She was born Aug. 13,
1931 in San Antonio
to Leonard and Connie Wheeler.
When ownership
transitioned
from the Allen family to the Knight family
in the early 1980s, Knight served as the
company secretary. She played an integral role in the success and growth of the
company over the years and made a difference in many lives.
Survivors include her daughters,
Dara and Connie; four grandchildren,
Wes, Maegan, Ashley and Andrea; six
great-grandchildren, Hudson, Harper,
Berkley, Presley, Luke and Camilla; sister,
Nancy Vic; and a niece and a nephew.
San Antonio
CONSTRUCTION NEWS
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Keeping that small town air
The Air-Tex team at the Pre-Rodeo BBQ Cook-Off for the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo
L-R: Sharon Winter, Melissa Guenther, Matt Guenther, Beau Rodriguez, Mike Owens,
Keith Winter, (front) Kevin Kenney
T
wo years ago, Keith and Sharon
Winter took over Air-Tex when the
previous owner, Gary Bacon, retired. Since then, the couple has enjoyed
running the HVAC company that has
been a part of its neighborhood and local
community for nearly 65 years.
Founded as Tex’s Air Conditioning in
1952 by a man named Tex, the company
was passed down to Bacon when its original founder passed away. Keith began
working with Bacon in the early 2000s,
and Sharon came in a few years later. Today, they run operations, and Sharon
holds the license.
“I’m one of a handful of women in
the State of Texas that hold a Class A license,” she explains. “Ideally, we could do
anything. With a Class A license, you can
do any tonnage, commercial, residential,
anything.”
Though they do not have a limit on
what they can do, they prefer to keep the
company small. With five employees, the
Winters focus on their residential cus-
tomers while doing work for the small
delis and other businesses in their neighborhood on Callaghan Road near Bandera.
“Of course, we want to grow, but we
don’t want to lose that small town feel
that we have in such a big town,” says
Sharon. “Most of my customers can call
in, and I don’t have to be in front of the
computer or in the office to know who
they are, where they live, what kind of
system they have, because we have a relationship that we’ve built with all of our
customers. It’s a very friendly environment.”
Sharon credits Rich Bowen, the lead
service tech who has been with the company for more than 30 years, with being
an asset to the company and their relationships with the customers.
Air-Tex offers air conditioning and
heating services in the commercial and residential markets, including service, maintenance, repairs, change outs and new construction. –mh
Page 6
Shane Hans
President
Hansco
A
t 34 years old, Shane Hans has built
his experience and his business
working on his own, learning the
various aspects of operations in the field
and the office along the way.
Today, his company, Hansco, does
demolition, excavation and site work
with about 23 employees handling a 60
percent residential workload. Originally
leasing a property he demoed for a client, he relocated the business to Rail
Drive about two years ago.
Born and raised in San Antonio, Hans
has made his own way in the construction
community. He has kept his family close
with his parents working for Hansco and
photos of his children all over his office.
How did you get started in the construction industry?
I started out in ’98 doing landscaping. Then I bought a Bobcat and started
doing commercial landscaping. I really
enjoyed working with the machine and
with that, grew into doing small demos.
Finally, in 2002, we got into the heavier
equipment, and kept growing from there.
Did you start out working for another
company?
I’ve actually never held another job
other than working for my uncle. I worked
with my uncle when I was really young as
a plumbing helper for Harrell Plumbing,
but that was about it, really just a parttime job.
I had the drive to want to start something from the ground up. I was driven to
do something different and unique.
When did you start working as Hansco?
Hansco was incorporated in 2005.
What do you like about what you do?
I like being in the field, and the reason I
tried to keep it small was so I could be hands
on working in the field. Now I’m more in the
office than I find myself in the field.
Because I started out doing everything, I am able to operate all of the
equipment I own and drive the CDL
trucks. That’s where my passion is, out
working, but as it evolved, I saw that I was
needed more in the office overseeing
things than actually performing the dayto-day tasks.
You taught yourself how to operate
everything you use in the field. How
long did it take to learn all of the
equipment?
That was quick, because I’ve always
been mechanically minded, so the oper-
ating came quickly.
I’ve had one person with me, who
still works for me today, Tim Bailey, who
started out in the beginning.
We were neighbors in Bulverde, and I
was kind of growing at that time. I had a
burn house to do out on Blanco Road. It
was one of the first houses that we actually did, and I was talking to him about it,
and he said, “Well, I can run an excavator.”
So, I learned a lot of my operating skills
from him. Pretty much right off the bat,
we were working together most of the
time in the field. And he still works for me
today.
I learned the majority of what I know
on the operating end from Tim. He is also
the one who unearthed all the coins
downtown.
What is the story about the coins?
We were doing the dirt work for the
Marti’s Mexican Imports downtown. We
were doing the site work, and the building had been torn down years prior, but
in the ground under the building, they
had basically buried chests with gold and
silver coins. So, as we were excavating
along, we started unearthing a bunch of
silver coins.
Of course, the job got shut down.
The archaeologists came in. They had police there overnight watching it. It kind of
slowed things down. They wanted to unearth as much as they could.
We haven’t discovered a whole lot of
things. We come across a tremendous
amount of safes, and people are always
like, “There’s something in the safe.” But
there usually never is. We found one floor
safe in all these years that I think had 50
$1 bills in it and a small gold antique ring
that I gave to my wife that she enjoys
wearing.
What motivated you to start out in the
industry on your own?
I was just kind of an ambitious kid. I
knew I enjoyed working with my hands.
So, I just started working, and it just kind
of took form after that. I knew how important it was to look and listen to others
that had experience. I also listened to
what my customers were wanting.
Why did you choose to start in landscaping?
I was appreciative of lawns that
looked pristine. When I was young and
looking for a part-time job I knew I wanted to be a part of making something better and working for others. That excited
me more than working at a mall or in the
fast food industry.
What was the hardest part of starting
out in the industry on your own?
The challenging part was starting
out in my early 20s and getting my foot in
the door. I worked diligently at making a
name that others would recognize in the
line of business. In our big city of San Antonio, we of course have many competitors.
For the first few years, we primarily
focused on residential work. We were demolishing homes, houses that had been
burnt, and pools. We wanted to be able
to grow at a steady pace, not too fast or
slow.
Our biggest market today is the Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills area. The majority of the work in these municipalities
is high-end demos for new construction
Shane Hans started out in the construction industry on his own, teaching himself along the
way. Last year, his company, Hansco, celebrated its 10th anniversary.
of residences.
It was not difficult but did take patience to get in with some of the general
contractors and then work our way up.
Malitz Construction was one of the first
contractors that gave us a break into the
commercial industry. We’ve now completed projects with SpawGlass, Joeris
and other larger contractors in our city.
But I do know our niche is light commercial and heavy residential contractor.
You built this up without any training
in business management. How did
you learn to operate your own business?
Staying small for so long really facilitated in being able to take the time to
understand the ins and outs of the business. Trying to grow at a steady pace and
not biting off more that we could chew.
The administration of the office was the
most difficult part, trying to set up an office and processing all of the jobs in the
correct manner. Making sure at the end
of the day everything was organized, up
to code, payroll, advertising, etc. All of
the different aspects of the business
were being taken care of at the same
time and learning how to juggle it all.
What spurred the decision to grow the
business beyond staying that small?
In the housing boom back in 2007,
we had so many high-end custom builders, we were kind of just forced to grow.
We also had many clients that had helped
us get started so we wanted to keep their
business at the same time. So, we grew
with the economy. We have actually retained our size throughout the recession,
if not grown during that time.
What community or construction organizations are you involved with?
Associated Builders and Contractors
(ABC), Associated General Contractors
(AGC), and the National Demolition Association. I used to do a lot of the cook-offs.
We are interested in starting to get back
into that this summer. We just got too
busy, and it fell to the wayside, but trying
to phase it back in if we can.
It helped on the marketing end to
get the name out there. I knew we just
had to get to the point where there was
name recognition amongst the contractors. Just trying to get out there to where
they would recognize the name and be
comfortable. That’s where we got into a
lot of the cook-offs, handing out cards,
and meeting and greeting people.
What do you like to do outside of
work? Do you have any hobbies?
I enjoy hunting and fishing. I love to
be out in nature or on a boat. I have three
boys and enjoy keeping them active with
recreation and sports.
We also have a home in Port Aransas,
and we enjoy trips to the coast.
Tell me about your family.
My wife, Laura, works for Northside
Independent School District as a reading
specialist. She was a first grade teacher
for her first five years. She went back and
completed her master’s degree, and now
this is her fifth year as a reading teacher.
We have a 14-year-old, Tyler, who is a
freshman in high school. We have a
3-and-a-half-year-old son named Jackson, and then we have a 6-month-old
baby boy named Weston.
We are currently building a home
and moving out to Helotes.
How did you meet your wife?
We actually met at a dance hall back
when she was 20 and I was 21. We met 13
years ago and have now been married
11-and-a-half years. Our birthdays are
also two days apart.
What about your parents?
My dad, Jim Hans, runs a lot of the
outside operations, and my mom, Janice
Hans, runs the office and the administration side of the business.
Dad is a licensed plumber by trade.
He worked for Harrell Plumbing, for my
uncle. My mom has been an office manager.
What are your long-term goals?
I’d like to try and find more family
time than what I get now. I say quality is
better than quantity but now with three
sons and my lovely wife, more time
would be wonderful.
I would like our company to stay at
its current size, without being forced to
grow any larger. I would hope my sons
would have an interest in it – if they want
to. That would be the ultimate goal to
give them something they can step into
after college. –mh
Page 7
Many disciplines, one celebration
T
he Texas Society of Professional Engineers (TSPE) Bexar Chapter celebrated Engineers Week 2016 Feb.
23-27 with several opportunities for
members to have fun and network.
The week of activities kicked off
Tuesday with the Proclamation Breakfast
and Engineer-for-a-Day, honoring the
Young Engineer of the Year, Lorena Carter. She started as an intern at Bain Medina
Bain, graduated from UTSA in 2009,
passed her PE exam in 2013 and has
worked her way up within the firm to the
role of project engineer. She has worked
on projects with clients including Alamo
Colleges, the City of San Antonio and
Bexar County.
On Wednesday came the sporting
clays tournament at the San Antonio Gun
Club, which was followed later that evening by the Structural Engineers Association of Texas (SEAoT) Scholarship Social at
the Hofbrau Beer Garden in the Quarry. A
past presidents luncheon was hosted at
Paesanos Restaurant on Thursday, and
the Society for Marketing Professional
Services Happy Hour was held that evening at Little Woodrow’s.
The golf tournament at Canyon
Springs got everyone out onto the green
on Friday, and then it was hitting the pavement Saturday morning for the Family Fun
5K Walk/Run at Lady Bird Johnson Park.
That evening, at the banquet and casino night at the Norris Conference Cen-
W
ter, the chapter honored its Engineer of
the Year, Coy D. Armstrong, PE. A principal with Bury Inc., Armstrong has been a
member of TSPE’s Bexar Chapter for a decade now and he has been in the civil engineering industry for more than 21
years. In addition to being active in the
industry, he has volunteered with the San
Antonio Children’s Museum and Habitat
For Humanity, served as a mentor to third
through fifth graders at Jackson Keller Elementary School through the YMCA as
well as the Fall 2011 UTSA Business and
Development senior design class. –mh
Engineer of the Year: Coy Armstrong, Bury
Golf Tournament 1st Place Net
Your company up front
and in the spotlight
hen our readers pick up Construction News, there are a few
articles and sections about
which they often ask, “How do they decide who is profiled in this article?” and
“How can I be featured in one of these?”
In this article, we’ll answer those
questions regarding two of our primary
features, our Front Page GC and Spotlight
articles.
Front Page GC
Every month, we feature a general
contractor’s recent project on the front
page. The size and scope of the project
range from small tenant finish out or renovations to large ground up construction.
If you are a general contractor with
an office located within our coverage
area for that city and its surrounding
counties, you are eligible to have one of
your projects featured on the front page
of that paper. The project should be one
that has been completed within the last
year and is located within our local paper’s coverage area.
We will need any information about
the build that you can share including
but not limited to the project duration,
square footage, approximate cost, design
team and subcontractors on the job, and
details about the build and building process. We will also need a few photos, exterior and interior.
Can your company be featured in
this article multiple times? Yes, but when
you are featured as our Front Page GC,
you must wait five years from the publication date of that article to have another
project featured on our front page. This is
to ensure the opportunity for general
contractors of all sizes and markets to appear on the front page.
Spotlight
Another monthly feature in our paper is a profile of the head of a company
that we call Spotlight. This article is an indepth interview with the person who
serves at the very top of a company as its
owner, president, principal or CEO. The
company can be a general contractor,
subcontractor, supplier, architecture or
engineering firm, equipment dealer or
service provider of any size or specialty.
To qualify for a Spotlight article, the
featured person’s company must have an
office located within the coverage area
for the paper in which he or she would
appear. The Spotlight can only run in the
city in which this person is based. We
only do a Spotlight once per individual
and per company.
The Spotlight focuses on the individual, not the company. The profile covers
the interviewee’s background, career,
family, community involvement, hobbies
and interests, and other personal details.
The interview is presented in a question
and answer format along with a photo of
the person being featured.
If you feel you qualify for one of
these articles and would like to be featured in a future Front Page GC or Spotlight, please contact your San Antonio
editor, Mary Hazlett, at [email protected] or 210-308-5800, ext.
142. –mh
Young Engineer of the Year: Lorena Carter,
Bain Medina Bain
Golf Winners
1st Net: Pape-Dawson (4) – Bruna
Spengler,
Chris
Chaffee, Will Buzzelli
2nd Net: HDR Inc.
– Brandon Hilbrich,
Ron Branyon, Mike
Mann, Ron Bowman
3rd Net:
PapeDawson (2) – Matt
Johnson,
Lee
Mangum, Ben Ruby,
Brad Triesch
Sporting Clay Tournament 1st Place
1st Gross: Primero
Engineering
–
Chase Hodges, Will Bernard, Matt Rothe, Sporting Clay Winners
1st: Pape-Dawson Engineers
Mark Marlow
2nd: Cude Engineers
3rd: LNV
Page 8
Grand gathering in Alamo City
T
he Associated General Contractors
(AGC) held its National Convention
Mar. 9-11 at the Grand Hyatt in San
Antonio. Approximately 2,300 people attended the three-day event.
The convention coincided with the
AGC Charities Operation Opening Doors
extreme build project, Morgan’s Inspiration Island, which will be the first-ever
ultra-accessible water park when it opens
in spring 2017.
While in San Antonio for the convention, national officers visited the Inspiration Island jobsite, where 31 local member companies were working on the
most ambitious community service project in the history of AGC. An appreciation
lunch was held for volunteers and contributors to the five-day build effort.
A video about the project was shown
at the convention’s opening session, and
in that same session, Lane Mitchell, vice
president of San Antonio’s own G.W.
Mitchell Construction, sang the National
Anthem. He also led the gathering in an
uplifting rendition of “God Bless America” at the session’s close.
The AGC Technology and Construction Solutions Expo, which was open all
three days, hosted breakfast and lunch
for attendees.
Some of the notable events were a
contractor’s prayer breakfast, a luncheon
for AGC spouses and guests, an AGC PRO
& Glenfiddich VIP Event, a first-time attendee reception, the Construction Safety Excellence Awards and the Alliant
Build America Awards Luncheon.
Sundt Construction, which has offices in San Antonio and Fort Worth, won
two awards for safety excellence: first
place in the Highway Division among
contractors with more than a million
man-hours, and the prestigious Grand
Award.
Among the educational sessions offered were “How Do Owner’s Define Value in Their Construction Projects? A Lean
Perspective,” “Future Forecast: How
Drones, Sensors and Integrated Apps Are
Rewriting All the Rules,” and “Are Your
New Hires Ready to Work?”
The AGC also offered its own version
of TED Talks, ConstrucTED Talks, such as
“Meeting Diversity Hiring Goals in your
Trade Workforce” for the association’s
Federal and Heavy Construction Division.
The Building Division’s discussion,
“Understanding Multigenerational Perspectives: The Key to Developing Enduring Organizations,” featured two members of the San Antonio construction
community: Maryanne Guido, CEO of
Guido Construction, and Blaine Beckman, project manager at F.A. Nunnelly
Co.
On Thursday evening, Zachry Construction, the Texas Building Branch, and
the AGC San Antonio Chapter held a reception at the Hilton Palacio del Rio for
members of the local legislative delegation, welcoming guests State Sen. Carlos
Uresti, State Rep. Rick Galindo, State Rep.
Justin Rodriguez, State Rep. Ina Minjarez
and State Rep. John Lujan. –mh
Paul Levin, Sundt’s corporate director of safety and quality, accepts the Grand Award
at the AGC National Convention in San Antonio.
Clara Cordova, Galaxy Builders, holds up
a shirt commemorating the monumental
effort of the Morgan’s Inspiration build blitz,
which coincided with the convention and
welcomed attendees for a tour.
Left: Lane Mitchell, G.W. Mitchell
Construction, sang the National Anthem and
“God Bless America” at the AGC National
Convention.
Patrick Byrnes, Linbeck Group, managed the
extreme build effort at Morgan’s Inspiration
Island, which national officers arrived ahead
of the convention to tour, and he spoke at a
lunch for those working on and contributing
to the project.
Page 9
50 years of subcontractors
Submitted to Construction News
Snow place like home
T
he American Subcontractors Association (ASA) held its national convention, SubExcel, Mar. 3-5 at the
Hyatt Regency in Miami, FL. The annual
conference also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the association, for which the
association created an anniversary book
detailing its history.
Highlights included the president’s
welcome reception, a city tour of Miami
and an outing to the Vizcaya Museum &
Gardens for spouses, the ASA-Political
Action Committee’s South Beach Culinary Walking Tour, a tour of Little Havana
for executive directors, and the Biscayne
Lady Dinner Cruise 50th Anniversary Celebration with a reception, banquet and
awards gala on the final night.
The three-day event also offered
many educational programs. At the
opening general session, “The Economist
Who Loved Me,” Anirban Basu provided
data on the performance of the global,
national and relevant regional economy,
focusing on trends in financial, real estate, energy and labor markets.
Other education programs included
“Outpacing Technology, Trends and Rising Expectations in the Trades,” an “Ask
an Attorney” workshop with the ASA Attorney’s Council, “To Manage Stress, Rekindle Your Spirit,” and a workshop on
compliance communications. –mh
Beth and Kenneth Moore settled into the
ASA SubExcel in Miami at the President’s
Welcome Reception. Moore, president of
KCM Cabinets, attended as vice president of
the ASA San Antonio Chapter.
While contractors in San Antonio dealt with several thunderstorms passing through
the area in March, San Antonio-based Treco Enterprises was buried under heavy
snowfalls at its La Quinta jobsite in Denver, CO. –mh
Right: While in Miami for ASA’s annual
conference and 50th anniversary
celebration, Beth and Kenneth Moore took
the opportunity to do some fishing.
What should people
try at least once?
Deep sea fishing. It’s fun. You get to see
the ocean, which is just a humongous
wonder of the world. It’s an experience
that you can’t duplicate. We love it. If you
ever get a chance to go down to Seadrift,
TX, it is a small town. It’s just there for
fishing, but we have caught 4-ft, 5-ft
drum, and it’s an awesome place to go,
and it’s kind of a secret down there. Not
many people know about it.
Sharon Winters, Air-Tex
I’m always big on trying to get people to
try different food, stuff their uncomfortable with. A lot of people won’t eat seafood. My wife won’t touch anything that’s
kind of wild game, but I’m a big foodie. I
think you should try something different.
Shane Hans, Hansco
I’d challenge people to step out of their
box. I think that some people are content, and without challenging yourself,
you don’t really know how much you can
succeed in something.
Matt Schumann, Reid & Associates
Ride a horse. There is nothing like it. I
know people like riding motorcycles, but
for me, it’s like riding a motorcycle that’s
alive, that is just living that experience
with you. I enjoy it so much that when
people say that they’ve never ridden a
horse in their life, I can’t imagine ever
having lived this life without getting on a
horse. It’s the most exciting, exhilarating,
wonderful experience you can have out
in nature.
Hilda Ochoa, 8A Electric
I think people should travel. Sometimes
people don’t ever get out of their comfort zone, where they live or where they
grew up. And I think getting out as far as
you can get at least once in life is so beneficial to just grow. I think you grow as a
person when you travel with the things
that you learn about how other people
live or other cities and those dynamics.
Bunmi Collins
Bartlett Cocke General Contractors
Ziplining. It’s just very exciting, hanging
from a cable 100 feet, going from tree to
tree. My wife and I did it in the original
ziplining country of Costa Rica about a
year ago.
Ronnie Bitterly
Central Air Conditioning
I would say walking in somebody else’s
shoes. Ultimately, I think it’s one thing
that’s gotten me through some hard
times. Even through the worst times, I’ve
always known that no matter how hard I
may have it, somebody’s always got it
harder. I try to keep that in the back of my
mind.
Mike Morin, The Reynolds Company
Jump out of an airplane. I’ve done it a few
times. It has to be one of the scariest
things I’ve ever embarked on the first
time you do it, but the pure adrenaline,
exhilaration. You just don’t know what
you’re capable of until you’ve just let go
of everything and fallen for about a minute or so and then have a parachute ride
to just kind of settle yourself back down
and realize what you just did.
Todd Calder, Sundt
They should try doing their tax return at
least once. They’ll come to a CPA after
they get done with it.
Tony Ridout, Ridout Barrett
Page 10
10 things every construction
company should do to control
their E-Mod
What you need to
know about compilations, reviews
and audits to obtain a loan or line
of credit
Tom Spencer, Construction Practice Leader
INSURICA
San Antonio, TX
PKF Texas
Houston, TX
Chris Hatten, CPA
M
any business owners looking for
their first loan or line of credit face
the daunting task of picking the right
financial institution and subsequent
credit agreement that best fits their
current and future needs. Unfortunately,
this can be a challenge for many owners
who do not have experience in finance or
accounting.
Signing a loan that is not properly
negotiated can cost tens of thousands of
dollars per year, while choosing the
incorrect loan can be an expensive
mistake that cuts into your bottom line
for years.
Most loans or lines of credit come
with different covenants, and many
require the borrower to provide yearly
financial statements. These range from
internally prepared financial statements
to compilations, reviews or audits. Many
first-time borrowers don’t understand
the differences or the costs of producing
these reports.
Financial statements prepared by a
CPA firm assist with the assurance banks
look for when they issue a loan. Typically,
the larger the loan, the more assurance
the bank will require. Some loans only
require a compilation, which technically
provides no assurance, while loans which
appear riskier to the bank may require a
financial statement audit.
Compilation
A compilation is a financial report
put together by a CPA firm that follows
AICPA guidelines to assure the financial
statements are presented in accordance
with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles (GAAP) or other standards
recognized by the AICPA. This is a
relatively inexpensive report, compared
a review or audit, but it also provides no
assurance.
Review
A review is the next step up and
provides limited assurance. This report
must be done by a qualified CPA firm, but
unlike a compilation, the firm must be
independent; meaning, the firm has no
financial interests in the business,
relations with owners or elected
members of management, or with the
area of the business it reviews. A review is
typically two or three times more
expensive than a compilation, with an
increase in the level of work for the review
process, and the increased risk the
accounting firm assesses in preparing the
reports. Reviews are like compilations, in
that they are the representation of
I
Sam Razmandi, CPA
management and not the CPA firm, and
follows standards set by the AICPA.
Audit
This is typically a much more involved
process and provides reasonable
assurance the financials are presented
fairly, in all material respects, and are in
accordance with the stated financial
framework, such as U.S. GAAP or
International
Financial
Reporting
Standards (IFRS). Audit procedures
include an examination, substantive
analytics, confirmations, and for some
companies, the testing of internal
controls. Audits can be two or three times
the cost of a review and can even get into
the six figures, depending on the
company, its size and the complexity of
the transaction involved.
There can be a major price difference
between the procedures banks may
require, so it is important to note, like
other aspects of your loan, these
requirements can be negotiated. As with
interest rates, collateral and other
important factors of a loan, the financial
reporting requirements are just as
substantial. At times, a bank may be
asking for an audit when a review might
suffice and be a better fit for your business
needs.
Yet, after obtaining a loan or line of
credit, it can be a painful lesson to learn
of the costs associated with preparing
the required financial statements, and
the subsequent charges incurred by the
CPA firm. It takes proper planning to
prepare for a compilation, review or
audit, which adds to the costs incurred if
the company is not ready for the process.
Most business owners do not like
surprises. Always read the fine print and
make sure you understand all of the
covenants and reporting requirements
that come with a debt obligation. Discuss
these items with your banker and CPA to
ensure you understand and can meet
them.
In addition, find out if any of the
three can be interchanged from one year
to the next. For example, getting a review
one year and an audit the next can save
time and money and may still be able to
satisfy the financial institution and allow
the business owner to grow into the
reporting process.
Chris Hatten, CPA, and Sam Razmandi,
CPA, at PKF Texas can be reached at
[email protected] or srazmandi@
pkftexas.com.
t is a beast that goes by many names: Experience Modification Rating (EMR), Experience Modification Factor
(EMF), experience modifier, and many others. I call it the
“e-mod.” Many people in the construction industry are judged by their e-mod, but
most owners and operators think their rating is out of their control. Here are 10 tried
and true ways anyone in the construction industry can take back control:
1. Understand how your e-mod is calculated.
Understanding how your e-mod is
calculated is the foundation for building
a plan to control it. Once a basic understanding is achieved, all efforts with loss
control, claims control, and safety planning can be specifically targeted to have
the biggest impact on your bottom line.
2. Understand the financial impact of
your claims.
When you understand how individual claims affect your e-mod (and ultimately, your Workers’ Comp premium), it
is easier to allocate resources where they
can be most helpful. Claims trends can be
analyzed to understand the impact of
specific types of claims. This information
can then be used to foresee problems
before they get out of control.
3. Invest in your company’s safety culture.
Creating a strong safety culture is an
investment in the future success of your
operations. It is well documented that a
strong safety culture has far-reaching
benefits, including increasing employee
retention, increasing employee morale,
creating a team atmosphere, and drastically reducing workplace injuries.
4. Make Return-to-Work work for you.
Early Return-to-Work, or “light-duty,”
programs have been shown to have tremendous benefits, when implemented
correctly. While some employers have
mixed feelings about Return-to-Work,
nearly every best-in-class construction
company has some form of a Return-toWork program—and for good reasons.
5. Work with loss control and risk management experts.
Loss control and risk management experts can do more than keep you in compliance with OSHA requirements. A skilled professional can assess your current operations
and make recommendations based upon
best-in-class status. Pro tip: check with your
insurance carrier to see if they offer free loss
control services to policyholders.
6. Help control the cost of claims.
Controlling the cost of claims goes beyond timely claim reporting. Develop a procedure for injured employees to follow, and
work with your insurance carrier to communicate with injured employees. Routine claims
reviews can keep you up-to-date on claims
before they spiral out of control. Claims costs
are directly related to how your e-mod is calculated, and the lower your claims costs are,
the lower your e-mod will be.
7. Communicate with your insurance
carrier.
Develop relationships with the
claims managers and adjusters at your insurance carrier. Most carriers have a limited number of claims people, so it is
common to work with the same people
over many years on multiple claims. Let
them know you take your safety culture
very seriously, and communicate with
them about resources at your disposal,
such as your Return-to-Work program.
8. Hire the right people.
Construction is hard work. Ensuring
that capable, skilled workers are being
hired is one of the easiest ways to prevent
fraudulent claims and control overall
claims costs. Best-in-class companies utilize pre-employment screenings and
physicals in order to avoid potentially
problematic hires. Additional resources
available include reference checks, motor vehicle record checks, criminal background checks, and integrity testing.
9. Create safety goals.
Having employees buy in to your safety culture is paramount for your success.
Creating achievable short- and long-term
goals is a way to engage employees and
give them ownership in the safety process.
10. Celebrate safety success.
Adding to number nine, it is important to celebrate team safety successes.
Many companies choose to do monthly
catered lunches for loss-free months,
while others provide things like new
work boots to their employees to reward
successes. Regardless of what your specific incentive program consists of, it is
important that the message is well-communicated and all mid-level managers
support all safety goals and celebrations.
Tom Spencer is the Construction Practice Leader for INSURICA’s Texas offices. His
experience as a life-long construction insurance professional gives him a unique understanding of managing the risks facing
the construction industry. Tom can be contacted at [email protected] or by
phone at 210.805.5901.
Page 11
Assignment issues in
construction contracts
What Is Work-Related Asthma?
Joann Natarajan
Compliance Assistance Specialist
OSHA
Austin, TX
Ben Wheatley , Title
Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr
Austin, TX
A
s construction, design and real estate professionals
(and their lawyers) know, the following clause is
found in most standard AIA contracts: Neither Owner
nor Architect [or Contractor] shall assign this Agreement as a whole without the written
consent of the other, except that Owner may assign this Agreement to an institutional
lender providing financing for the Project.
Because the only explicit exception
to the consent prerequisite in the AIA
Contract is for institutional lenders,
courts have questioned whether this provision actually prevents the assignment
of contract performance or related
causes of action. For example, design and
construction professionals want the right
to choose who they work for. On the other hand, a developer may have a difficult
time selling a newly completed project if
the design and construction teams cannot be held accountable for defects that
are discovered after a sale.
In addressing this question, courts
generally interpret this provision to prohibit the assignment of contract performance, but not the assignment of a postperformance cause of action relating to
that performance. The primary purpose of
clauses prohibiting the assignment of contract rights without permission is to allow
the party to select the persons with whom
he [or she] deals. When a contract is performed prior to the assignment of a breach
of contract claim arising therefrom, assignment of the claim does not require consent
because a general anti-assignment clause,
one aimed at prohibiting the assignment
of a contractual performance, does not
necessarily prohibit the assignment of a
breach of contract cause of action.
The legal distinction between the
“right to assign performance under a
contract and the right to receive damages for its breach” is the right to assign performance of the executory contract. There
are two reasons for this distinction:
First, is the general rule that causes of action are freely assignable
Second, references not only the distinction between executory and non-executory contracts, but between contracts
pre- and post-breach
Even though an executory contract
may be non-assignable because of its personal nature, after an event that gives rise
to a liability on a contract, the reason for
the rule disappears and the cause of action
arising under the contract is assignable.
Thus, claims for money due under a contract, which is non-assignable because of
its personal nature, may be assigned to a
third person and enforced by the assignee.
Courts have traditionally made this
distinction between an assignment of a
right or thing before a loss or breach has
occurred, and an assignment of a right or
thing after a loss or breach has occurred.
This is because pre-breach assignments
involve the potential creation of new
contractual relationships, which could
materially increase the risk of the nonconsenting party, whereas the postbreach assignment is supported by the
law concerning the free alienability of
causes of action that do not materially increase the risk of the non-consenting
party because, in theory, that risk has
been fixed by the breach or loss. Last,
when the anti-assignment clause prohibits assignment “as a whole,” assignment
of the right to sue only constitutes a partial assignment.
The AIA language above will not prevent the assignment of a contract, even
while executory. Rather, a party seeking
to enforce the anti-assignment provision
will simply have a breach of contract
claim for damages arising from the
breach. If a party wants to prevent assignment while a contract is executory, it
should include language in the clause
noting that any assignment without consent is void and unenforceable.
Finally, when reviewing a design or
construction contract, which contains an
anti-assignment provision, carefully consider the long term implications of such a
clause, in the context of your project role
as a designer, builder or owner. Each project constituent will have a different view
on what it actually wants as a result of
such a provision, and ensure that the language plainly states your ultimate goal.
Ben Wheatley has more than 23 years
of experience litigating complex construction and environmental matters, negotiating and drafting construction and design
contracts, serving as in-house counsel for
an international A/E firm, and working on
issues concerning the practice of architecture, engineering, and project construction
in all 50 states, Mexico and South America.
In addition to construction law matters,
Ben handles administrative matters related
to the construction and design industry, as
well as environmental and commercial litigation. [email protected] www.
munsch.com
W
ork-related asthma is a lung disease caused or made
worse by exposures to substances in the workplace.
Common exposures include chemicals, dust, mold, animals, and plants. Exposure can occur from both inhalation (breathing) and skin contact. Asthma symptoms may
start at work or within several hours after leaving work and may occur with no clear
pattern. People who never had asthma can develop asthma due to workplace exposures. People who have had asthma for years may find that their condition worsens due
to workplace exposures. Both of these situations are considered work-related asthma.
A group of chemicals called isocyanates
are one of the most common chemical
causes of work-related asthma. OSHA is
working to reduce exposures to isocyanates and has identified their use in numerous workplaces. See table below for
common products (both at home and
work) and common jobs where exposure
to isocyanates may occur.
Common Products
• Polyurethane foam
• Paints, lacquers, ink, varnishes, sealants,
finishes
• Insulation materials
• Polyurethane rubber
• Glues and adhesives
Common Jobs and Job Processes
• Car manufacture and repair
• Building construction (plaster, insulation)
• Foam blowing and cutting
•Painting
• Truck bed liner application
• Foundry work (casting)
• Textile, rubber & plastic manufacturing
•Printing
• Furniture manufacturing
• Electric cable insulation
Why You Should Care About
WorkRelated Asthma
Work-related asthma may result in longterm lung damage, loss of work days, disability, or even death. The good news is
that early diagnosis and treatment of
work-related asthma can lead to a better
health outcome.
What To Do If You Think You Have
WorkRelated Asthma
If you think that you may have work-related asthma, see your doctor as soon as
possible. Take a copy of the safety data
sheet for the product you suspect of
causing the asthma with you to your doctor.
Work-Related Asthma Quick Facts
• Work-related asthma can develop over
ANY period of time (days to years).
• Work-related asthma may occur with
changes in work exposures, jobs, or processes.
• It is possible to develop work-related
asthma even if your workplace has protective equipment, such as exhaust ventilation or respirators.
• Work-related asthma can continue to
cause symptoms even when the exposure stops.
• Before working with isocyanates or
any other asthma-causing substances,
ask your employer for training, as required under OSHA’s Hazard Communication standard.
For more information on isocyanates,
visit OSHA’s web page:
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/isocyanates/
index.html
[email protected]
512-374-0271 x232
Craftsman brings home the gold
A
t the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) 29th annual National Craft Championships, a South
Texas Chapter member took home the
prize at the top of the winners list. Juan
Palafox, Joeris General Contractors,
won the 2016 gold medal in the carpentry division.
At the national competition, held
Mar. 4 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, Palafox, a
fourth year apprentice, competed against
six others in the Carpentry: Residential/
Commercial division and was awarded
first place.
The South Texas Chapter has participated in the carpentry division of the
championship since 1998, and past competitors from the chapter have placed
with silver and bronze medals in various
construction trades. Palafox has the distinction of being the first local participant to achieve a gold medal.
“I never imagined winning a gold medal,” says Palafox, who says that he framed
the medal and it is hanging in his living
room. “I went to the competition for an opportunity to show my skills as a carpenter.”
On the experience of winning, he recalls, “At first, I was really nervous when
they were calling out the names of the
winners, and when I heard my name, I felt
like everything went silent. I had an amazing feeling. I feel so proud of myself.”
More than 200 craft professionals
representing 35 states competed in the
National Craft Championship, which was
held in conjunction with the ABC National Workforce Conference.
The two-day competition includes
Juan Palafox, who is in his fourth year of
ABC’s apprenticeship program, made history
for the South Texas Chapter at the National
Craft Championships.
an intense two-hour written exam and a
hands-on practical performance test
where the competitors demonstrate
their skills and best safety practices. This
demonstration for carpentry consists of
completing a small house using blueprints given to them at the start of the
competition. With no time to preview or
prepare, the competitors had to complete the build that included stairs, crown
molding, baseboards and rafters.
“We are very proud of Juan bringing
the gold medal home to San Antonio!”
says Steven Schultz, president of the
South Texas Chapter. “Juan’s accomplishment reflects highly on his employer, Joeris General Contractors, and our apprenticeship program! Way to go, Juan!” –mh
Page 12
Spice masters
T
he Associated General Contractors (AGC) San Antonio Chapter held its 13th annual Salsa Taste-Off at
Architectural Division 8. With live music, a photo
booth and refreshments, guests sampled all the salsa
they could eat out of 29 entries. –mh
1st Place: Construction Leadership Forum (CLF)
San Antonio Masonry & Tool Supply
3rd Place and Showmanship Award: Baker Triangle
Allen & Allen Company
Turner Construction
2nd Place: Architectural Division 8
MK Marlow Company
Terracon
Left: NAWIC
Watson Nunnelly
People’s Choice: Alterman, Inc.
A gallery of sustainability
Photos displayed at Rosella Coffee for
the Images of Sustainability exhibit were
selected for their portrayals of San Antonio’s
sustainability concerns and artistic quality.
T
he American Institute of Architects
(AIA) San Antonio Chapter’s Committee on the Environment (COTE)
hosted the opening of its Images of Sustainability Photography Exhibition Mar. 4
at Rosella Coffee for members and the
public. –mh
Left: Stephen Brady Dietert, an architect
with Overland Partners, took to the mic at
the Rosella Coffee during the photography
exhibition opening.
Page 13
Meant to rent
O
The Schertz branch of We Rent It opened in 2014.
riginally owned and operated as
Allied Equipment Rentals, We
Rent It (WRI) began in Bryan, TX
when then-owner Charles Mancuso acquired that Allied location in 2001. For
nine years, WRI operated under the management of Allen Housley until it was
acquired by Cobra Equipment Rentals in
2010. The WRI name, Housley, and the entire family of WRI employees were retained. Housley is head of operations for
all stores. Grant Dillon is district manager.
“We Rent It strives to provide the
best customer service for any project one
may need to accomplish,” says Hal
Hawkins, director of marketing. “We
Rent It ensures the best products are
available to rent and purchase and quick
and reliable responses are made to any
service needs.”
WRI opened a new store in 2012 in
Pleasanton, added three new stores in
2013 by acquiring Derrick Equipment
Rental’s locations and assets in Caldwell,
Bastrop, and Elgin, and expanded to two
more stores in 2014, acquiring Longhorn
Equipment Company’s assets and locations in Buda and Schertz.
According to Hawkins, the stores and
employees sponsor a cook-off competition, as well as baseball teams, fairs and
rodeos in the specific locations.
In Schertz, Clint Mackerer has been
with WRI as branch manager since the location opened in 2014. There are 12 employees and Mackerer says personal relationships are what he strives for with customers.
“I believe if we take care of our customers, they will take care of us,” he says.
“We take care of their needs as if they
were our own.”
Working at WRI has been great, he
said.
“I definitely plan on retiring with the
company,” he says. “I couldn’t imagine
working anywhere else.” –cw
Getting connected
T
The ACI Cabling team in the company’s San Antonio office has grown
to approximately 24 people.
hough ACI Cabling opened its office in San Antonio about eight
years ago while doing work for one
of its clients, the company has grown in
the San Antonio market as it gained more
projects and clients.
“The office has probably more than
quadrupled in size since it originally
opened and we gained a number of other large accounts in the San Antonio market,” says Liz Sinnett, business development associate for the San Antonio office,
which is run by its operations manager,
James McNeil.
The company has three divisions:
telecommunications, which deals with
voice and data fiber; security access control; and audio visual. Each division is broken into two crews, service calls and
ground up construction installation.
The Methodist Hospital System is the
client that brought ACI to San Antonio,
and the company maintains their systems. ACI also maintains all the fiber for
Natural Bridge Caverns.
Sinnett points out that the company
has assembled its crews with relevant
background and training. In the security
department, ACI has retired police officers who have a unique mindset in doing
security analysis. ACI also has a number
of engineers on staff for the design aspect of the systems.
She adds that they have all the required industry certifications, including
RCDD (Registered Communications Distribution Designer). ACI takes this certification a step further and also trains for
these courses. This means they can train
the internal staff of large companies to
install, maintain and repair the systems
and cabling ACI sells.
ACI Cabling is the cabling arm of Advanced Connections Inc., a technology
company. The company does structured
cabling and security, offering service, installation and maintenance. –mh
T
Terracon acquires BES
erracon recently announced it has
acquired Building Exterior Solutions LLC (BES) of Texas.
Terracon is a provider of environmental, facilities, geotechnical, and materials engineering services with many
locations throughout Texas.
Terracon will retain BES’ 20-plus employees and offices in Houston, Dallas,
Austin and San Antonio areas.
Founded in 2008, with the experience of professionals from architectural,
engineering, and construction industries,
BES provides investigation, evaluation,
and construction solutions for exterior
building systems. BES’ experience resolving existing building enclosure problems
and developing new integrated building
enclosure designs reinforces Terracon’s
facilities capabilities and strengthens the
firm’s ability to service clients across the
country.
“BES adds significant bench strength
to our building enclosure practice and
we are excited to have them join Terracon’s Facilities Division,” said David
Gaboury, PE, president and CEO of Terracon. “The depth of their expertise allows us to further demonstrate our commitment to bringing even greater value
to our clients.”
The BES staff includes licensed engineers and certified roof and waterproofing consultants who provide design for
new facilities or rehabilitation of existing
building enclosures that exhibit distress,
deterioration, and air and/or water infiltration. BES clients include owners, developers, architects, contractors, and organizations such as Kirksey, Memorial
Hermann, Lincoln Properties, and
Gensler.
BES operates as Building Exterior Solutions, A Terracon Company, as of the Jan.
31 closing.
David Gaboury
“Terracon is well-known in the marketplace and gives BES clients the benefit
of an expanded network of resources
and capabilities,” said Jerry Abendroth,
BES president. “The facilities services capabilities of our firms align perfectly, enhancing our ability to serve clients across
the country.”
The acquisition strengthens Terracon’s Texas presence as BES joins a network of more than a dozen offices in the
state. Engineering News-Record ranks Terracon as the third largest General Building design firm in Texas and Louisiana,
and 11th on the Top Texas Design Firms
list.
Terracon is an employee-owned engineering consulting firm with more than
3,500 employees providing environmental,
facilities, geotechnical, and materials services from more than 150 offices in 42
states. Terracon currently ranks 35th on Engineering News-Record’s list of Top 500 Design Firms. –cw
Page 14
Electric energy
Texas-sized acquisitions
W
ith two acquisitions, Stantec has
doubled its size in Texas. The
North American design firm acquired both the Infrastructure Americas
Division of KBR last December and multidisciplinary firm Bury Inc. in March.
With Texas offices in Dallas, Austin
and Houston as well as an office in Alabama, Infrastructure Americas has added
180 professionals (120 which are in Texas)
with transportation, water/wastewater
and aviation project experience to the
Stantec team. The acquisition of the division will strengthen Stantec’s presence in
Texas and enhance its infrastructure design capabilities in the Gulf region.
Austin-based Bury Inc. boasts
300-employees in offices in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, as well as locations
in Arizona and Florida. The firm, which
has been in business for more than 30
years, offers infrastructure and buildings
design services to private and public sector clients. Bury Inc. focuses on civil, mechanical, electrical, plumbing design and
structural engineering, as well as surveying, land planning and landscape architecture.
The Bury acquisition will help Stantec gain a foothold in the transportation,
water and architectural markets, as well
as contribute to staff growth. Stantec
plans to benefit from Bury’s wealth of experience in community development, as
well as the experience of Bury’s staff.
Bury officially becomes “Stantec” in September, but will be referenced as “Bury,
now Stantec” in the interim, and will continue to operate in Bury’s current offices.
Fermin A. Diaz, Stantec’s Regional
Gulf Leader, believes both acquisitions
promise to be a good fit for Stantec.
Stantec’s Regional Gulf Leader
Fermin A. Diaz
“The asset purchase in December
2015 of KBR’s Infrastructure Americas Division, coupled with the recent Bury Inc.
acquisition, reflects Stantec’s commitment to provide a comprehensive and
diverse level of services to meet the challenges and needs of our clients,” Diaz
says. “Both firms complement Stantec’s
philosophy to ‘design with community in
mind.’ The addition of this talent to our
current Texas team provides us the opportunity to expand multi-disciplined
services and offer a full suite of professional services from local, trusted partners.”
Stantec offers professional consulting
in planning, engineering, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, surveying, environmental sciences, project management and project economics. –mjm
The newest location includes, front, L-R: Jesse Alejandro, Mike Huff, Mary Jane Neaves and
Jackie Trevino; back, L-R: Chris Babcock, Todd Persyn, Massey Brand and Mike Morin.
Not pictured: Scott George and Esrael Cantu
T
he Reynolds Company, an electrical
wholesaler distributor, was founded
in 1984 in Ft. Worth. Walt Reynolds
and Donald Reynolds Jr. are now the
president/CEO and COO, respectively.
The company, still headquartered in Ft.
Worth, has 18 locations in Texas and Louisiana, with the newest location in Selma,
serving the San Antonio area.
Massey Brand, regional manager
for Central Texas, says customer service is
a top priority.
“Our idea is to truly value the overall
customer experience,” he says. “We want
our customers to enjoy doing business
with us. We are a customer-focused company.”
Brand says the company’s goal is to
be the premier distributor in Texas and
Louisiana, and that begins with topnotch staff.
“We believe in hiring experts in our
field,” he says. “We have an outstanding
culture. We want our employees to come
to work and enjoy their jobs – and to
make progress. We understand our most
important asset is our people.”
The company believes in promoting
from within and has an internal training
program, as well as an intern program.
Brand says the company takes part in
several charity endeavors, including the
American Heart Association Heart Walk,
the Juvenile Diabetes Fund and various
trade associations.
“We understand we have a responsibility to the community and we take that
very seriously,” he added.
Brand says when he started in 1995,
the company was only in the DFW market, but over the last 20 years he has
watched the company grow into a major
regional distributor.
“It speaks volumes to the type of
owners we have,” he says. “It’s family
owned with family values.”
The Selma location opened in late
2010 and employs a staff of 10. –cw
Page 15
and set of a new moon is invisible anyway, and overcast weather often hides
the moon. Without prior knowledge of
setting and rising times, two of the best
fishing times will be missed every day!
Other Considerations
When planning your fishing by moon
phase, there are certain other factors that
should also be considered. Weath e r :
Severe weather changes have an impact
on the way fish feed. When a storm’s
brewing, or just after one has passed, is a
good time. If this happens while you’re in
place, you’ll be in for a treat! However, if
there’s a cold front approaching, the fish
are likely to move deeper into the water
and become inactive.
Using the moon to
your advantage
by Capt. Steve Schultz
Sponsored by:
Waypoint Marine, Majek Boats, Evinrude
Outboards, E-Z Bel Construction,
Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor, Aggregate Haulers, ForEverlast Hunting
and Fishing Products MirrOlure, and
Columbia Sportswear
E
very fisherman knows that the best
fishing times are when the fish are
feeding. This tends to be during
dawn and dusk, but what often goes unnoticed are the two periods elsewhere in
the day - moonrise and moonset. Because the moon has an effect on a variety
of factors surrounding the fish, these periods, combined with the moon’s phase,
are what trigger feeding. By understanding this, and choosing times when sunrise/sunset and moonrise/moonset coin-
K
Got a chance to bring my son Carson on a charter with Mike Kaiman and his daughter Kelsey.
Here are the kids with a couple of Baffin Bay redfish that were caught during the break.
cide with new or full moon phases, you’ll
increase you chance of a good fishing
catch. Assuming there are fish in the
area, of course.
Choosing The Best Fishing Times
There really is nothing complicated
about this at all; it’s just a matter of
knowing ahead of time exactly when the
sun and moon will rise and set. Fish are
most active during 90-minute windows
surrounding each of these four daily
events; that’s 45 minutes before and after
these four daily points.
Fishing during these four periods will
For the birds
risti Villanuena, HJD Capital Electric, went on a bird hunt at Serengeti Game
Ranch Mar. 6. She went to check it out after her husband, Ronnie Villanueva, discovered the Hill Country ranch on a weekend hunt excursion a few weeks prior. She
says that her family now plans to make hunting at this location an annual trip to the
Hill Country. –mh
Villanueva scored five rooster pheasant, one
pheasant hen and four Chukar on her recent
hunting trip.
Ike, a pointer who is very committed to his
job at Serengeti Game Ranch in Comfort,
goes for a dip.
help increase your fishing catch, but if
you plan wisely so as to ensure you’re at
the water’s edge on the days of new or
full moon, you can use these ‘windows’
to reel in a catch like you’ve never done
before. If you have to choose between
sunrise/set and moonrise/set, always go
with the moon as the moon is the stronger influence.
Hunters have always known that fish
and game are most active at dawn and
dusk - sunrise and sunset - but their activity surrounding moonrise and moonset is
less noticeable because these events are
likely to occur without a
f fecting any
change in the perceived light. The rise
Season: Most fish are more likely to
bite willingly during seasonal transitions
with the transition from winter to spring
and summer to fall being the two best
fishing times.
Now that you know that moon phase
fishing really works, there’s no reason
why you shouldn’t utilize this knowledge
to increase your own fishing catch by being at the ready with your rod during the
best fishing times available. It’s easy and
it works!
My summer schedule is filling quick.
Don’t wait till all the good dates are gone!
To schedule your next bay fishing trip
give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-8133716 or 361-334-3105 or e-mail him at
SteveSchultzOutdoors @ gmail.com.
Good luck and Good Fishing.
Page 16
Ken Milam’s Fishing Line
Since 1981, Ken Milam has been guiding fishing trips for striped bass on Lake Buchanan in
the Texas Hill Country,. You can hear Ken on radio on Saturday and Sunday mornings, 6-8
AM on AM 1300, The Zone – Austin, or http://www.am1300the zone.com
Liquid Resurrection!
I
just saw a sweet sight. Three generations of my neighbors just slipped
down to the boat dock to wet a hook
and see if they could catch a mess of
crappie. Now you might think that would
be a routine thing if you weren’t from
around here. The amazing thing is that
the kids of the group are just getting acquainted with the lake because it has
been dry for most if not all their lives. It’s
like that old West Texas joke about
drought that says a three year old kid
would think the sky was falling if it rained
because it never had in his life time.
After being over 34 feet low at its worst
the level of Lake Buchanan has risen to
just a little over 4 feet low! It has taken
several rises on the Colorado River since
July of last year to get the water back, but
it is finally here!
Years of drought left thousands of
acres of lake bottom dry and exposed to
the sun. The rich silt grew all kinds of
heavy brush and trees. Now all of that
structure is mostly hidden beneath the
waves again and the fish have already
moved in, just in time to spawn and raise
their young. Buchanan is poised to become a destination fishing lake once
again!
All around the lake the lights are
coming on as people come back to enjoy
their lake houses and rediscover their favorite resorts and fishing camps. We are
hearing not only from fishermen that had
been displaced by this drought, but from
long lost friends and customers from up
to 30 years ago. Everyone seems to just
want to check in on the return of the water and recapture the good times they’ve
had here and we are happy to welcome
them. We can’t seem to stop looking at
the lake either!
I can’t explain how good it is to hear
soft conversation on the cabin porches
over coffee, and smell bacon sizzling as
the sun comes up, children playing on
the beach with splashing dogs and fishing boats idling in and out of the docks in
the cool morning air or the scent of fish
and taters frying as the sun goes down.
It is so nice to have everyone around
again. It was too quiet for a long time
around here.
Already we have plenty of bait fish
that have moved back in. For the first
time in several years the white bass have
been able to make it all the way up to the
head of the lake at Colorado Bend State
Park for their spawning run. Stripers and
hybrids are back to their old spring migration patterns like nothing ever happened. Largemouth bass are starting to
find themselves good spots to nest and
the crappie are loving all the brush to
hide in. Everything seems to be settling
back into place.
I know this same scenario is being
played out all over the state with the other lakes that are returning. We are in for a
fine fishing season this year. Don’t miss
out on going back to the waterfront; after all we have learned just how precious
our water is and how quick it can be
gone.
Half or Full Day Fishing Trips
All Bait, Tackle & Equipment
Furnished
Your catch Filleted and
Bagged for You
Furnish your TPWD Fishing
License & Refreshments,
and WE DO THE REST!
Ken Milam Guide Service
(325) 379-2051
www.striperfever.com
G
uns have been a debated topic for
as long as I can remember. It
seems you are either for them or
against them and not much is in between. The fastest growing group of
handgun shooters appears to be females
between 30 and 60 years old.
We wanted to find the reason for this
dramatic increase so we headed up to
Ballistic Therapy LLC just outside of
Boerne for some answers.
Sandy and Wes Barnett opened the
facility in August 2015, but are not newcomers to the industry. The facility includes an indoor range, gun shop and a
classroom for License to Carry and other
training.
“We first went through the process
to receive our FFL (Federal Firearms License) and started selling firearms. Ladies would buy a firearm and didn’t know
anything about it and that led to training,” said Sandy. “About four to five years
ago we started thinking about our own
shop. I really enjoy training women. This
range became vacant so we met up with
a partner and took it over.”
How did she get started shooting, I
asked. Her big smile and quick response
was that daddy had no boys so he turned
his three girls into tomboys. She is the
oldest and started shooting at 9.
I turned the focus of my questions to
the driving force behind the increase in
women learning to shoot and carry a firearm for protection.
“In the last five years, it has really
gone up. I think it’s the world we live in
now. That’s what I hear from a lot of ladies. They don’t want to have to rely on
their boyfriend or husband. They want to
feel protected when they are in or out of
their home. Forty percent of our business
is women,” continued Sandy.
Wes explained that formal training
appeals to people, as well.
“Husbands are also bringing their
spouses in to have them trained as opposed to training them themselves,” he
said. “Also, after the wives learn to shoot
they can come in together. Shooting as a
sport has drawn countless numbers of
women.”
Women who walk in the range may
be uncertain, Sandy says.
“Probably one half the ladies that
walk in this door are somewhat afraid of a
gun,” she said. “It’s the unknown. They
Page 17
Protect yourself but be safe
Receiving formal training before picking up this new skill is a good idea.
L-R: Dana Calonge, and Sandy and Wes Barnett, owners of Ballistic Therapy LLC.
Beginner’s luck? Not according to Wes Barnett, who say women are more focused when
learning to shoot.
don’t know what to expect or if they will
even want to shoot. They also worry
about if they will shoot well.”
Is it better for a lady to be trained by
a male or female, was my next question
and how does she get a new shooter over
that initial fear? Also, what is the difference between the sexes when it comes to
learning about guns and safety?
“They come in and say I want to
learn from a female because I feel more
comfortable. I work with them one on
one using a nice easy approach. Safety is
first hands down. It’s the first thing I start
with and no matter what we are talking
about, we go back to safety. Over and
over again, we talk about safety,” stated
Sandy. “They come in and are usually a
little nervous. After we go though the
steps and some training sessions they are
more comfortable and their confidence is
building. Confidence plays a big part.”
According to Wes, women have different strengths than men.
“Women seem to multitask a little
better than men do,” says Wes. “They
seem to follow the process better when
they step into the lane. They do the same
thing in sequence all the time. They are
very deliberate in what they are doing.
Guys don’t necessarily do that.”
Sandy says she has a specific plan in
place for training women shooters.
“There is a strategy in the training,”
said Sandy. “When I get them in here we
take it step by step by step. Women will
spend more time in the class than the
males hands down. They ask more questions. They want to know and make sure
they get it right.
“Also we go through the process
even before we go into the range so I am
comfortable they know how to dry fire,
stance, hand placement and all of that.”
I brought Dana Calonge, our new
Construction News account manager, to
the interview since she had shown interest in learning more about guns. She had
never shot a handgun so a first training
session seemed like a good idea.
Sandy began going through the basics with Dana and I could tell very quickly that safety is the number one topic in
this classroom, along with lots and lots of
basics. After this phase was complete we
headed to the range and, here again, the
first thing out of Sandy’s mouth was safety rules.
It was interesting to watch Dana and
her initial apprehension about what she
was about to do. She was carefully guided step by step. Load one round of 22
long rifle into the pistol. Assume the
proper stance, proper grip, proper aim
and gently squeeze the trigger.
After that first shot, she said, “I wasn’t
aiming there.”
Sights from Spain and beyond
Sireno (left center) and the hunters with the haul from their red-legged partridge hunt
In February, Michael Sireno and his wife, Kari, who traveled through Spain and nearby parts of
Europe, stand outside the Capital grounds in Madrid.
W
hile in Spain for a red-legged partridge hunt at La Flamenca Ranch
just outside Madrid, Michael Sireno,
president of Baker Triangle in San Anto-
The prince’s castle in Liechtenstein
nio, and his wife, Kari, did some sightseeing in Madrid, Barcelona, Liechtenstein
and Zurich. –mh
Sagrada Familia Basilica, designed by
architect Antoni Gaudi, in Barcelona
Sireno (third left) on Lake Zurich in Switzerland
Page 18
T
he Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors (PHCC) San Antonio Chapter held the Fleet & Accessory Showcase Mar. 10 at Freeman Coliseum. Drawing more than 200 attendees, the event
offered owners and managers of contracting companies the opportunity to
visit with truck and fleet vehicle dealers
as well as vendors for fleet accessories
and services.
"It was a really good show,” says Jimmy Shafer, Shafer Services and showcase
committee chairperson. “That is because
we had a great team that worked hard on
planning. Heidi [Trimble], as usual, was
the mainstay. We also had understanding
and supportive vendors, and the Freeman Coliseum reps were easy to work
with. We had a receptive group of contractors that were open-minded enough
to realize there is more to learn in the
fleet world." –mh
Meeting new fleet options
Ancira Truck Center
Members of the committee greeted attendees of the PHCC Fleet & Accessory Showcase.
L-R: Lisa Casarez, Emergency Service Restoration; Cody Foust, Leasing Associates; Perry Beyer,
Beyer Plumbing; Maurice Fox, O’Haver Plumbing; Lisa Mochel, eESI; Kylie Ortiz, Plumbers
Choice Water; Sheila Haecker, National Wholesale; Sandy Grabill, PHCC
L-R: Brad, Don and Curtis Harrell, Harrell
Plumbing, spent some time at the show.
L-R: George Saliba, George Plumbing;
Randy Hunter, REC Industries; Gary Haecker,
National Wholesale
Lone Star Reprographics
Jimmy Shafer, Shafer Services and showcase committee chairperson, with mariachi band
Wilborn’s weekend at the ranch
Ernest Wilborn, owner of Wilborn Steel Co., took the men hunting for their annual weekend outing. Wilborn says they have always enjoyed getting away for
that one weekend, hunting, sitting by the fire, and relaxing. On this year’s trip,
they harvested 10-point buck, Aoudad ram, axis does and whitetail does. –mh
Page 19
Industry FOLKS
The power of the sun
Brandon Bendele
Regional Manager for the
Building Sciences Group
Braun Intertec
I
n October of last year, Brandon Bendele joined Braun Intertec to develop
building sciences for the San Antonio
office.
“I’m very excited to be here at
Braun,” says Bendele, noting that the
goal is to build up the building sciences
group to be strong and steady and also
to complement the firm’s other service
lines, such as materials testing, geotechnical and environmental services,
and non-destructive testing.
“We’ve got a really good start already,” Bendele says. “We’ve made
some key hires, and we’re having really
good success right now. Our goals for
this year are really to have people in
place in the Houston and Dallas markets so we can continue with the success that we’ve implemented here for
the San Antonio and Austin area.”
Bendele started in the engineering
industry as a roofing technician with
PSI in 2004. In 2006, he joined Terracon
Consultants as a project manager for
the facilities division and rising to department manager, built up the facilities group there.
Having expanded the facilities to
full building envelope consulting at
Terracon, he then made the move to
Braun Intertec to help develop the
firm’s building science region here in
Texas.
Born and raised in San Antonio,
Bendele graduated from John Jay High
School, going on to attend San Antonio
College and UTSA. He was going into
the engineering program when auto
racing began calling to him.
“My dad raced drag cars, and he
raced at the local track here in San Antonio, San Antonio Speedway,” he explains. “So I grew up in that. I started
racing go-karts when I was 14 years old
and then graduated to stock cars and
have raced pretty much for over 20
years.
“I won a couple of championships
here in San Antonio and on the regional level with NASCAR. I started racing
around the southeast part of the country. I moved up to North Carolina in
2000 to try to really make a go at it, and
I didn’t have all the necessary resources
away from home that I needed to make
it in that career path. So I had to explore
some other opportunities. And I always
liked the engineering side of the racecars, understanding angles and how
the car and components work together
to make the car handle better.”
Though he might do a race every
once in a while, today at 40, he stays busy
with work and family. He and his wife,
Kami, have a 9-year-old daughter, Karsyn,
and a 5-year-old son, Brody. –mh
A natural expansion
At a home on the northside of town, crewmembers of Solar Electric Texas finish
up installing panels and completing the wiring for the company’s first solar panel
installation project in San Antonio. L-R: Adrian Barbosa; Ruben DeAnda, crew lead;
Joseph Raymond; Wayo Talavera and Miguel Gonzalez. –mh
Construction News ON LOCATION
Inside slabs
David Rymer, owner of Delta Granite and Marble, shows the newest warehouse that he
had built a couple of years ago to house calcium carbonate-based materials, including
limestone, marble and onyx. With the market leaning more toward marble in recent
years, Delta now has more marble slabs than granite slabs. –mh
Getting Vertical
Austin-based Clayton & Little has expanded with its first branch office right here in the Alamo
City. L-R: Nicole Corwin, Derek Klepac, Cam Greenlee, Emily Little, Brian Korte, Paul Clayton,
Jonathan Card and Marc Toppel
W
ith the acquisition of Urbanist
Design, Clayton & Little Architects has expanded to San Antonio. The downtown office in the Green
Gate building, 429 North St. Mary’s,
opened Jan. 1 with Urbanist’s founder
Jonathan Card managing the local operations and serving as the firm’s director
of design.
Card describes the connection and
transition as being very natural. As the
Austin-based firm started picking up
work in the Alamo City, Clayton & Little
and Card’s San Antonio-based firm, Urbanist Design, ended up working together on several projects. Through this interaction, they saw many similarities between the two firms, which made the
transition seamless.
“It’s pretty cool,” says Card. “Because
if you didn’t know our work or Clayton &
Little’s work before we joined together,
now you look at our website and see all of
our work put together, and you really
can’t distinguish between the two.”
Card’s team went from two staff
members to an extended staff of nearly
30 with six people in the San Antonio office, which was renovated to accommodate up to 20 employees.
The location has also been a natural
fit for Card and the San Antonio team
with Clayton & Little situated in the hub
of the city, leading to business opportunities that emerge organically from
meeting other professionals in the area.
Card also brings connections from his
eight years as Urbanist to the firm.
Currently, Clayton & Little is working
on existing properties downtown, remodeling garages and office space, and
doing early conceptual planning for new
development downtown and along the
Broadway corridor.
Founded in 2001 when Paul Clayton
and Emily Little expanded Little’s 18-yearold firm, Clayton & Little is a general practice architecture firm, doing everything
from residential remodels to master planning, including office, hospitality, additions, and new residential. –mh
L-R: Tito Contreras and Adolfo Rico, Paez Construction, were framing the walls for the
Dumpster enclosure at the new 7-Eleven at Vance Jackson and 410. Paez is also doing all the
framing, sheet rock, wall panels, ceiling and ceiling grid on the job for general contractor
Vertical Construction Management. David Noah is the superintendent, and Dave
Dombrowski and Darren Lewis are the project managers. –mh
Page 20
A
Inspiration sweeps through the construction community
round 30 local construction companies donated $400,000 in construction services, including labor
and materials, for a five-day construction
blitz to help build the first-ever ultra-accessible water park, Morgan’s Inspiration
Island, right here in the Alamo City.
Volunteer contractors from across
the San Antonio area came together to
work on the expansion to Morgan’s Wonderland, the first theme park designed
for special needs individuals but built to
be inclusive of everyone. The blitz build
included five new pump houses, a restroom, and a new main building with the
signature lighthouse feature.
Chosen as the Associated General
Contractors (AGC) Charities’ Operation
Opening Doors annual project, work on
Morgan’s Inspiration Island began Mar. 7
and ran through the conclusion of the
AGC National Convention, which was
held in San Antonio Mar. 9-11. Linbeck
Group and the AGC San Antonio Chapter
organized the build and its volunteers.
“This is a large service project in
which there are many dedicated companies and talented individuals coming together to make it happen,” says Patrick
Byrnes, senior cost analyst at Linbeck
L-R: Michael Sireno and Keith Dimmick, Baker
Triangle, and Patrick Byrnes, Linbeck Group,
were excited to contribute to the project.
Galaxy Builders is one of the local
construction companies that volunteered
time, skill and materials to the five-day
construction blitz.
Members of the Sunstate Equipment Co. team stand by an artist’s rendering of Morgan’s
Inspiration Island, the first-ever ultra-accessible water park.
and a director of AGC San Antonio. “When
the construction industry can come together for such a project, it shows that
construction is not just about building
buildings, it is about building lives and
building a stronger local identity.
“There is a community of kids and
adults that deserve a place where they
can have experiences they otherwise
would not. Morgan’s Wonderland is
unique to the world. We are truly thrilled
to see the community of contractors
come together to help make Gordon
[Hartman]’s vision a reality.”
While Linbeck offered management
personnel and safety individuals on site,
Baker Triangle had men building the
walls for the pump houses, which were
prefabricated at Baker’s warehouse.
“We (Baker Triangle) believe that we
need to make a positive impact in the
communities that we work in,” comments
Michael Sireno, president of Baker Triangle San Antonio. “We are making a difference in the lives of many people that
would not have the opportunity to expe-
rience a water park, not only in our community, but across the United States and
the rest of the world. If this does not inspire you, I do not know what will!”
Baker’s effort certainly inspired Baldo Guardiola, one of the company’s
general superintendents, to volunteer on
the project.
“This is a special place in the community for children that have special needs,”
explains Guardiola. “I do have nieces and
nephews that have those special needs,
also as a community member in San Antonio, and they come out here. So for me,
it’s a way to give back to the community
and help the team.”
Meanwhile, a team of about a dozen
employees from Galaxy Builders worked
on the roof trusses, the roof sheathing,
the siding and the trim for all of the pump
houses, the restrooms and the main
building. The company provided all the
siding and trim as well as the windows
and though they did not provide the
trusses or sheathing, the Galaxy team did
the labor on those, too.
“It’s such a great cause,” says Greg
Cislo, project manager for Galaxy. “You
don’t have another facility like this in the
country, and we’re blessed to have something like this in San Antonio, and for
Baldo Guardiola (center) and the Baker
Triangle team worked to put walls up
in several buildings at the future site of
Morgan’s Inspiration Island.
them to be able to expand this and bring
more joy to the kids, it’s really great. And
something like this can’t happen without
volunteers. There isn’t money. It’s not
state funded. It’s people funded. So, we
want to be one of those people.”
In the most ambitious project AGC
Charities has taken on – this is their eighth
for Operation Opening Doors – there
were many people who also wanted to
get involved in this unprecedented volunteer effort.
Blaine Beckman, a project manager
for F.A. Nunnelly Co., was on site and noted that the general contractor was excited
to be a part of the effort and got several of
their subcontractors involved as well.
Marek Brothers Systems had several people on site helping with the framing of the
exterior walls on the main building entrance. Sunstate Equipment Co. donated
all of the construction equipment for the
project, an estimated $28,000 worth.
Dana Marsh, education director for AGC
San Antonio, got about a dozen of the students in the chapter’s YouthBuild program
helping out on site as well.
Other industry companies that participated in the blitz build effort include
Allegiance Crane, Alterman Inc., Architectural Division 8, Beldon Roofing,
Commercial Hardware, Guido Materials, Joeris General Contractors, Martin
Marietta Materials, MBCI, RSG, Safety
Supply, Sherwin Williams, Southwest
Exteriors, Texas Air Products and Turner
Roofing.
The philanthropist behind the creation of Morgan’s Wonderland, Gordon
Hartman, says “What the Associated
General Contractors are doing here will
allow us to do so much more than what
we originally anticipated here, because
the donations have been far exceeding
anything that we had planned.”
Hartman notes that Morgan’s Wonderland, which opened in 2010, has continued to experience increasing numbers
of people coming to the park. The Inspiration Island addition, which is scheduled to
open in spring 2017, will include five new
water play areas and a riverboat ride. –mh
Construction News ON LOCATION
Keeping busy at BCE
L-R: Craig Kasper, project manager/engineer, and Fernando Molina, engineering
tech, stand outside the headquarters for Briones Consulting & Engineering (BCE) on
Broadway. The firm is currently working on land development projects in San Antonio
and construction management and inspection projects in Houston. –mh
Page 21
Celebrating a woman’s place in the industry
A group of NAWIC members toured the Hotel Emma during WIC Week. L-R: (front row)
Michelle Urbanczyk; Jennifer Tobias; Debra Ruiz; Riki Lovejoy, NAWIC national president; (back
row) Hanna; Alyssa Fitz; Patty Wylie; Angela Hines; Linda Shapiro; Dawn Holmes;
and Lovejoy’s husband, Wayne Blaylock
T
Jennifer McElroy decorates her hard hat at
the WIC Week Wine Down & Design event.
he National Association of Women
in Construction (NAWIC) San Antonio Chapter celebrated Women in
Construction (WIC) Week Mar. 6-12 with
several events that put women in the
forefront of education and fun in the industry.
The Industry Awards Night was held
Mar. 2 at Petroleum Club just ahead of
the WIC Week kick off. Highlights included Wednesday’s Industry Certification
and Education Lien Law Luncheon,
Thursday’s Career Day at the Construction Careers Academy (CCA), Friday’s Golf
Tournament at the Silverhorn Golf Club,
and Saturday’s Wine Down & Design at
Stray Grape.
“The San Antonio Chapter had a remarkable WIC Week this year,” says Michelle Urbanczyk, San Antonio Chapter
1st Place Women’s – L-R: Maggie Seay, Dawn Vernon,
Laurie Montgomery, Eva Ramirez
Photo by Mary C. Haskin Photography
NAWIC members Wine Down & Design for the hard hat decorating for safety contest.
president. “A big shout out to Gretel Lott,
membership chair; Elizabeth Connally,
P&E chair; and Patty Wylie, San Antonio
vice president and golf chair, for bringing
everything together, and thank you to all
the members who helped to pull it together.
“We had hot, cold, windy and rainy
days, yet as in San Antonio style, rain or
shine, there was great attendance. Thank
you to all who participated and showed
WIC Week the support it deserved.” –mh
Golf Tournament Winners
Women’s Longest Drive: Kelsey Turner
Men’s Longest Drive: Chris Puig
Women’s Closest to Pin: Rachel Townsend
Men’s Closest to Pin: Mark Odenthal
Putting Contest: Buddy Howard
1st Place Mixed – L-R: Bill Baldwin, Rick Valadez,
Billy Baldwin, Kelsey Turner
www.constructionnews.net
publishing the industry’s news
Correction
Last month, in the article on the Associated Builders and Contractors
(ABC) Casino Night, Jon Randolph,
Baker Triangle, was mistakenly
identified as “on Randolph.” Construction News regrets the error.
Also, San Antonio editor Mary Hazlett suggests that you ask Randolph
about his hot-air balloon trip the
next time you see him. –mh
If you have Fiesta photos, send
them in for the May issue.
[email protected]
or call Mary Hazlett at 210-308-5800
Ted Dunnam, VP, ESC Consultants, received
an Industry Appreciation Award for his
support of NAWIC, its members and other
industry associations at NAWIC’s Industry
Awards Night.
1st Place Men’s – L-R: Frank Rihn, Ron Richard, Todd Meuth,
Jay Patterson
Texas
Style





San Antonio
Austin
South Texas
Houston
South Texas
Page 22
Can’t rain on this chili parade
T
he Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) South Texas Chapter
hosted its annual Chili Cook-Off
Mar. 10 at the parking lot adjacent to its
office. Despite being held on what turned
out to be a particularly rainy day, more
than 200 people attended the event and
made it the most successful chili cook-off
to date. This year, the chapter also incorporated voting via its Facebook page into
awarding the People’s Choice category.
–mh
People’s Choice Award – W.G. Yates
2nd Place – Beck Companies
Lone Star Paving came to the cook-off with
the Snoopy Cook Shack the company won in
the Construct A Kid’s Christmas Gala raffle.
3rd Place – Terracon
L&M Steel
1st Place – D. Wilson Construction
SpawGlass
Galaxy Builders
South Texas Drywall & Construction
MK Marlow Company
Koontz Corporation
Comfort-Air Engineering
HOWELL CRANE
& RIGGING, INC.
AUDIE HOWELL
President
PHONE (210) 661-8285
FAX (210) 661-7683
MOBILE (210) 862-5301
1-800-438-9814
HOME (210) 649-3726
email: [email protected]
24-HOUR SERVICE
CRANES 15 TO 500 TON
P.O. BOX 200576
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 78220
Page 23
Setting examples for excellence
T
he American Subcontractors Association (ASA) San Antonio Chapter
hosted its 21st annual Excellence in
Construction Awards Banquet Mar. 10 at
Pearl Stable with Johnson High School’s
jazz band providing entertainment during dinner. –mh
Right:
President’s Award
Scott Wiatrek
Project Superintendent of the Year: John Devaney, SpawGlass
Project Manager of the Year: Randy Deupree, Whiting-Turning Contracting
Project of the Year – Under $2.5 Million: Alterman Electric Office Expansion
Keller Martin Construction
Project of the Year – $2.5 Million to $5 Million: Bexar County Medical Society
R.C. Page Construction
Project of the Year – $5 Million to $10 Million
City of Leon Valley Municipal Office, Police Station & Fire Station
Bartlett Cocke General Contractors
Project of the Year – $10 Million to $20 Million: Windcrest Elementary Additions
Joeris General Contractors
Project of the Year – Over $20 Million: Dollar General Distribution Center
Whiting-Turner Contracting
Pioneer Award: Walter Benson
Time Insurance Agency
General Contractor of the Year: Whiting-Turner Contracting
Page 24
continued from Page 1 — Kickin’ ash, takin’ names
rub to it and cook it on a second pit.
The barbecue restaurant, which is
designed to have a real rustic feel, like an
old barn, will also offer all the typical
sides and fresh beverages, including ice
cold beer and a special Marek family favorite, his mother’s famous South Texas
Sun Tea.
Winning awards at various cook-offs
over the last five years working the pit,
Marek will be cooking the barbecue himself. David Musquiz, also of MEMCO, will
be helping to man the pit.
Marek notes that they will utilize
MEMCO for the wait staff and hire some
helpers as the barbecue business picks
up steam. For now, the only other helper
Marek will have is his clean-up crew – his
dog, Gracie. She will not only be clearing
any scraps that ravenous patrons leave
behind, but she will also be the official
taste tester. With a dog on staff, Marek
says that pets are more than welcome.
Having wanted to do this for several
years, Marek is excited for his dream to
come to fruition after a year of planning
and six months of construction. In the future, after aMAREKan is well established,
he is also planning to offer catering and
hopes to have food trucks that can come
to jobsites and enter all the ASA, ABC and
AGC BBQ cook-offs.
Opening weekend is Apr. 30 through
May 1, and Marek has just one thing to say
to everyone about his new enterprise:
Gotcha! April Fool’s! –mh
continued from Page 1 — Woman in charge
nonprofit entrepreneur center that will
help existing small businesses to grow.
In another development at Tejas two
years ago, the company added a facilities
maintenance division to help meet the
same clients’ needs on smaller construction jobs.
The Tejas portfolio includes numerous renovations for the Corps of Engineers at Fort Hood and Camp Stanley,
numerous restorations for Joint Base San
Antonio, including historical restorations
for a WWII hangar and 1930’s base chapel, and the George Gervin Wings of
Hope, a multi-family ground up project.
Having started as an accountant for a
small architectural firm, Carielo has been
in the construction industry for 23 years.
She feels fortunate to work with her husband of 16 years, Oscar Carielo, and they
have two sons, Oscar, who is 14, and Hector, 12.
“We have been blessed with growth
every year,” says Carielo. “We have continually added more staff to keep up with
our clients’ needs. We had to develop an
in-house training program that focused
on maintaining our standards of quality
while motivating the employees to do
their best. It’s a proud moment when our
clients request to keep working with the
same construction teams.”
Tejas Premier Building Contractor is a
full-service general contractor specializing
in design build, renovations and ground up
construction. –mh
continued from Page 1 — Large and licensed senior living
The assisted living dining room at Elan Westpointe has A-frame trusses and a fireplace.
General contractor Reid & Associates built this side of the facility with cold-form and
structural steel.
architectural layout to ensure that everything would line up accordingly.
While R&A aimed to deliver a high
quality product that has the aesthetics
that the architect, owner and interior designer have envisioned, Schumann emphasizes that they maintained the integrity of the life safety features in the building.
“We had to build it structurally sound
before we could do anything else,” says
Schumann. “Then, we had to start thinking about life safety and making sure that
what we put together is going to provide
the correct life safety assembly. Next, we
had to start thinking about functionability. And finally, we think about what it was
going to look like.”
Using a wall as an example, he notes
it has to be constructed in the right place
with the correct components to be structurally sound. Then, they have to install
the correct assemblies into that wall to
provide a certain UL rating so that whoever’s behind the wall has time to get to
safety. Then, they can focus on function
and after that, they can think about what
color it will be painted, etc.
Schumann gives a lot of credit to Titan Senior Living’s project manager, Brian
Vita. Citing some serious design changes
to keep the building within life safety
codes, Schumann recalls that Vita hired a
third-party life safety consultant and coordinated with the design consultants
throughout construction to catch life
safety systems and construction conflicts
before they became an issue.
This was Schumann’s first senior living project and with the help of project
superintendent Jim Tollette, the facility
receiving its license was a big victory for
R&A and the whole team. With five sur-
veyors inspecting every corner of the
building for three days, Schumann says
all of the challenges were worthwhile
when the facility received the stamp of
approval from the Texas Department of
Aging and Disability Services as a Large
Type B with certified Alzheimer’s facility.
“Everybody has a grandparent,” he
says. “It becomes a little sentimental, because one of your loved ones could be in
one of these communities, and you
would hope that whomever built that facility put as much heart and soul into it as
you would.”
The design team included D2 Architecture and interior designer Direct Supply Aptura. RLG was the structural engineer. Moeller & Associates was the civil
engineer. PE-Services was the MEP engineer. The landscape architect was Weaver Design Studio.
Subcontractors on the job included
4MC Enterprises for the drywall and
cold-form framing, Keystone Concrete,
Pro Electrical Services, AF Contractors
Group as the finish carpenter, MCS (now
Argyle Security) for the low-voltage integration, Mills Brothers for the limestone
masonry, Hull Door, Firetrol for the
building fire alarm system, and RTM Construction Company for the underground
utilities.
Reid & Associates has been a commercial/industrial builder for the past 25 years.
R&A and TSL are currently working on four
other senior living communities from New
Mexico to Florida with many others in the
pipeline. TSL is a sister company of Reid &
Associates. –mh
Photos by Patrick Coulie
125th Anniversary
April 14 – 24
Page 25
Women in Construction
Living and learning as a
woman in construction
Hilda Ochoa, Vice President
8A Electric
San Antonio, TX
L
ike many women in the construction industry, Hilda
Ochoa balances several roles in her life. She is a
mother, the vice president of 8A Electric, a director of
the Associated General Contractors (AGC) San Antonio Chapter, and chair of the AGC’s
Construction Leadership Forum (CLF). She’s also on the association’s Education Committee.
“I have to say that I am a mother first
and foremost and that will never change,”
says Ochoa. “My daughter will always
come first.”
She observes that a pivotal key to balancing these roles is having a support system, which includes her father, her mother
and other family members. One of the reasons she entered the construction industry was because her position has allowed
her to be a mother to Iza, who turns 5
years old this month, while working for
her father, the president of 8A.
She adds that friends and colleagues
serving with her on the committees are
also very supportive. They rally around
each other, and they understand and appreciate the importance of her role as a
mother. She brings her daughter with her
to industry events and functions, and the
people at the AGC know Iza.
“I think the construction industry offers a lot of opportunities for women that
women don’t know are there, because it
has been viewed historically as a maledominated industry,” she explains, noting that though it is still heavily male, she
believes more women have been introduced to the industry through various
education programs.
As part of the Education Committee,
Ochoa helps to expose women and minorities to opportunities in the construction industry. She says that construction
requires skills in areas where women
naturally excel, strengths such as organization, planning and scheduling.
“I think that project management
roles are ideal for women,” she says. “Yet
a lot of women don’t know that. That
Blazing a trail
Alexandra Wilstrom, Project Manager
McCarthy Building Companies
Houston, TX
W
hat is your background in the
construction industry?
After graduating from college, I
started working for a heavy civil general
contractor (The Conti Group) based in
New Jersey and New York City that focused on transportation projects for NJDOT and federal projects with the USACE.
During this time, I worked on a variety of different projects, with everything
from highway and bridgework, marine
work, homeland security upgrades, and
superfund site remediation.
I also worked for about a year in New
Orleans with the USACE on several hurricane protections to expand the levees,
floodwalls and floodgates after Katrina.
I worked for Conti for almost five
years before accepting a position with
McCarthy Building Companies in Texas.
Since coming to Texas, I have worked
with McCarthy’s Marine Group to construct a new layberth facility for MARAD
and reconstruct a container yard at the
Port of Houston.
Currently I am the project manager
on the Harrisburg Overpass project for
METRO, which expands the light rail service to Houston’s East End.
Why did you choose a career in the
In college I started off as a mechanical engineer but after freshman year
changed my major to civil engineering.
I always enjoyed the practical hands
on application of civil engineering and
knew I wanted to be outside and not sitting at a desk all day doing design work.
I also enjoyed the challenge of planning and executing the process of building something, so I decided to apply my
civil engineering background to the construction industry.
What are the benefits of a woman pursuing a construction career?
The construction industry needs
more gender diversity, and woman have
all the necessary skills to be successful in
the industry (particularly our ability to
multi-task).
Until more recently, I don’t think engineering and construction were career
choices that were really presented to
women as an option.
Now women are more exposed to
construction as a career choice, particularly during school, and they are realizing
that construction can provide an exciting, challenging and rewarding career.
What do you enjoy most about your
career?
I enjoy the challenge of problem solving that is required on a daily basis when
running a construction project. No two
days or projects are ever the same and
you are constantly learning something
new or a better way of doing something.
Working in construction, I enjoy the
balance between the technical side and
working with the design engineers, and
the logistics of planning and executing
the work in the field.
In your experience, are more opportunities opening up for women in construction?
Yes, I definitely think that more opportunities are becoming available for
women in construction and more women are considering construction as a career while they are in college.
Many companies are increasing their
focus on recruiting more woman now, especially new hires straight out of school.
Construction is still very much a male
dominated profession but there is no rea-
doesn’t mean that we don’t make good
workers out in the actual field, because I
think that we do. I think that there are a
lot of opportunities there as well, but I
think it’s about exposure at this point and
just letting women know that these jobs
and careers are available to them.”
Emphasizing the value of education,
for men and women, as the key to advancing in anything a person does,
Ochoa notes that she always continues to
learn “as a mother, a VP, as everything
and anything.”
One thing she has learned while
working in the industry is that some of
the adversity she has felt isn’t necessarily
because she’s a woman, but because of
the nature of the business.
When asked if she felt that it took
more time for her to be accepted or that
she has had to earn being seen as an
equal a little more, she responded that in
some instances – not always – that she
has felt she has to work a little bit harder,
but she sees a different reason.
“The construction industry is a highrisk industry, and the folks that you do
business with want to know who they’re
doing business with. So, a lot of the time,
I think that maybe I have put that undue
pressure on myself that ‘Oh, it’s because
I’m a woman.’ Well, I don’t know.
“Now that I’ve been involved with
the industry a little bit more, I think it has
more to do with the jobs that we do as an
industry and the risks that we take on in
every single aspect of the job. It has more
to do with the risk in the industry than
the fact that I am a woman. So, I have to
reel myself back in when I put myself in
that frame of mind, because I have to
definitely coach myself and say, ‘Hey, remember the job that you’re doing. It’s
about the job. It’s not about you.’”
While education helps to combat
some of the preconceptions women have
about working in the construction industry, Ochoa thinks that women hold themselves back from pursuing opportunities
in the industry because of stereotypes.
“I definitely think that the biggest
impediment to women in the industry
are women ourselves,” she observes. “I
think that a lot of these programs that are
out there are doing a good job of tearing
down these stereotypes, but we need to
do a better job. I think there is a double
standard that we impose on ourselves.
And I think that we can definitely overcome that by having more female role
models in the industry trying to pull in
other women.”
Ochoa notes that Katherine Willis,
T.H. Willis, was the one who encouraged
her to join the board of directors at the
AGC. Also crediting Doug McMurry for
being an advocate of women having a
voice and presence in the association and
industry, Ochoa says it is crucial that
women in the industry bring other women to the table to be heard too. –mh
son that driven women cannot be just as
successful in this industry as men.
a technical background but experience is
invaluable.
You learn how to put work in place
and solve problems by spending time in
the field. It’s not something that can be
taught in a class room.
Construction is still an industry where
you can work hard and, with desire and
leadership skills, you can move up to a
management position without a formal
education.
Regardless of how someone gets
their start in construction, experience is
still most important and something that
cannot be rushed. You have to put your
time in. –ab
What advice can you offer women? To be successful in the construction
industry you have to be willing to work
hard and prove yourself, which is true for
anyone but even more so for women.
Women who are successful in this industry have to be driven, have self-confidence, earn people’s respect, and not be
afraid to blaze their own trail at times.
Which is more important education or
experience?
In construction, education gives you
Page 26
More opportunities for
women than ever
Sandra Johnson, president
Edge Electric,
Driftwood, TX
W
hat is your background in the construction industry?
My parents have owned a construction company for
nearly 20 years so I grew up learning the ins and outs of
the industry. However, I only started working within the industry in 2009, when Edge
was incorporated.
Construction chose me! I was supposed to be a real estate agent, actually I
still am, I just haven’t sold anything in six
years! I got my license to sell real estate
the same year my husband and I incorporated Edge. I didn’t think the company
would grow as quickly as it did but it began to require my presence and attention
more and more often. I honestly believe
there was a time frame in which I worked
every waking second, A/P and A/R 7am to
4pm and showing houses in the evening
and weekends - leaving no time for my
family or myself. I had a tough decision to
make - Real Estate or Construction??? Obviously, I chose the latter and I’m glad I
did because it has been an amazing experience building a successful business
with my husband by my side.
Do you have a mentor? Please explain.
Common sense tells me that if you
strive to be successful your best bet is to
learn from those who are already successful. And if you find someone who is
willing to share their knowledge for suc-
cess you should listen! But the key is to
actually use the advice they give. My
business advisor doesn’t always tell me
what I want to hear - even so, I follow his
instructions. For example, a couple years
ago we were offered a $2 million project
in Louisiana - literally just needed to sign
the dotted line. Our advisor, with good
reasoning, suggested we turn it down.
And abiding by the law of common sense
and listening to words of the wise we reluctantly declined the contract.
What are the benefits of women pursuing a construction career?
Women are emotional creatures by
nature - so the fact that you are able to be
a part of something bigger, like building
a city, is pretty fulfilling. I was born and
raised in Austin so being involved with
the growth of my hometown makes me
so proud! Almost every corner you turn
downtown, I could point out a building
where we’ve worked.
What do you enjoy most?
I’ve worked in offices where the tension was so thick you could cut it with a
Time to overcome
stereotypes, teach girls
about construction
Jennifer VanBreda, Corporate Project
Manager/Pre-Construction Engineer
Tyco/SimplexGrinnell
Richardson, TX
W
hat is your background in the
I started construction in high school.
I was taking hand drafting courses and
my grandfather saw how much I enjoyed
it. He bought me a drafting table for
Christmas one year. He had me draw the
design for his kitchen that he was remodeling. The contractors used my prints to
do their work and were very impressed
that a high school student put that much
detail into prints. He then saw an ad in
the paper looking for a drafter at an electrical contracting firm. He encouraged
me to apply for the job. I got the job and
started my first job in the construction
industry at 16 years old, designing lighting plans for commercial businesses. I
have since moved into the Life Safety industry working for various companies
promoting drafting and design services,
estimating, sales and project management. I am currently employed by Tyco/
SimplexGrinnell as a corporate project
manager/project engineer.
Why did you choose construction?
I didn’t choose construction; it chose me.
Do you have a mentor?
In my current position as a corporate
project manager at Tyco/SimplexGrinnell, I have a mentor. My mentor is there
to guide me in my role and ensure I perform above and beyond what is expected of me. He is constantly encouraging
me to strive to be the best project manager in the company.
Construction is a very detailed field,
and I think most women are very detailoriented. And women are, by nature,
mutli-taskers. We can juggle things and
the balls don’t fall often. In any field, it I
important to have diversity in the workforce, as that helps bring a diverse set of
thoughts, opinions and experiences together to do the best work and deliver
the best results.
knife - I woke up every morning dreading
the day ahead of me. So when we opened
our company it was very important to me
that we create a peaceful and inviting environment for our employees and in return I walk into an amazing atmosphere
every morning. I love my job and the
people I work with!
What specific challenges have you faced?
There’s really nothing easy about
building a business from the ground up.
But I have to say that one of my biggest
challenges have involved growth. Unless
you had a rich uncle kick the bucket and
leave you a small fortune you should be
prepared for the long haul. Rapid growth
requires substantial capital, if you don’t
have the capital you can simply grow
your business slow and organically.
How did you overcome those challenges?
We didn’t have the “rich uncle capital” so we grew it slow, reinvesting every
penny of profit for several years. We set
annual goals considering the strain of
growth on cash flow and our labor force
- taking on only as much work as necessary to meet our goals while remaining
profitable. Typically we grow 20%-30%
per year.
In your experience, are more opportunities opening up for women?
Definitely!
What areas do you see the most increase in jobs for women?
There’s really NOTHING a women
can’t do in our industry! I see women of all
ages with a wide range of skill sets within
the construction industry. Business owners, upper management positions, wom-
What specific challenges have you
faced in your career? How did you
overcome those challenges?
The biggest challenge I have had in
my career is also my biggest benefit …
being a woman. Construction has been
male-dominated for years with women
as the support team in the office. We are
breaking those barriers daily. When I
started in the industry, I had women tell
me I only got the job because of the way
I look. I had men treat me like I wouldn’t
be able to do the job I was hired to do. I
worked hard to prove them wrong in every instance. Some days were harder to
get through than others, but I managed
to overcome the negativity and become
a stronger person and a better employee.
Are more opportunities opening for
women in construction?
I don’t think the opportunities were
ever not available. I think there was a fear
in some women to try a career in construction because they didn’t know all
the different fields and what the job really was. You don’t take a [required] course
in construction in college, and many
young girls are not exposed to construction at a young age. We play with dolls,
not blocks. It’s a stereotype we have to
overcome and teach the young girls today that construction is not just using
tools in the field; it’s so much more.
I don’t think there is an area where
women aren’t needed in the construction
industry. Tyco has a strong focus on diver-
en with trade certifications, etc.
What advice can you offer women who
want to pursue a construction career?
This isn’t my quote but I like it, “You
can’t force someone to respect you, but
you can refuse to be disrespected.” –unknown.
I used to think that just because I
signed someone’s paycheck they should
naturally respect me but I’ve learned that
respect must be earned (that applies to
men, too). But as a woman in a predominately male industry we have to maintain
confidence and consistence in our work
to earn the respect of our colleagues and
customers.
Which is more important for a construction career – education, or experience?
I believe experience is more important - I know lots of successful women in
our industry with no more than a high
school education.
From a woman’s perspective, has the
construction industry changed over
the years?
Things have changed dramatically in
the last 10 years - women aren’t just running the office anymore - they own the
office, they run the field, they design and
engineer projects, women are assets to
successful businesses!
What are your goals for the future in
the construction industry?
A perpetual goal of mine is to maintain a healthy business. We’re looking forward to another 20 percent in growth for
2016. –cw
sity and inclusion, and a Women’s Growth
Network that champions the value,
growth and advancement of women.
That is helping to bring more women into
construction-related jobs in our business.
Which is more important – education or
experience?
This one is tough. I would never tell
someone to not get a college education,
but I didn’t. I couldn’t afford to go to college and I didn’t want student loans and
debt. I went to work part-time after high
school and took a few college courses. All
of my money was going toward school
and I was bored with it, so I stopped going
to school and started working full-time.
Because I did that, I have the career I have
today. But I am also lucky enough to have
a great employer in Tyco/SimplexGrinnell,
who offers a tuition reimbursement program. This program is allowing me to get
my college education. I am currently taking courses to get my degree in business
focusing on project management.
What advice can you offer women?
Just do it. And never settle for your
current position, always try to better
yourself and be the best at whatever you
are doing. Always ask questions and take
on new projects and duties if you can.
The more you know, the more you learn,
the better and stronger you will be for
yourself and your employer.
Jennifer VanBreda currently serves as
president of the National Association of
Women in Construction’s (NAWIC) Dallas
Chapter. –mjm
Page 27
Plenty of opportunity for
women in construction
Riki F. Lovejoy, President
National Association of Women
in Construction (NAWIC)
San Antonio, TX
W
hat is your background?
I have been in the industry since 1985, starting
as a receptionist for a national general contractor. By the
time the company had a layoff I was a project manager. At this point, in 1990, with a
male partner, we opened a carpentry/concrete/miscellaneous specialties company. By
day I worked in the field alongside our crew on commercial projects; by night, I was
president of the company and all that entailed. Due to personal issues, both for my
family and my partner’s, we closed the business in 1992. From there, I went back to work with
a couple of local general contractors and
finished my education. In August 2001, I
opened RFL Consulting Solutions in Orlando, FL. We are a construction management consulting firm specializing in
owner and lender representation on
commercial projects and moved to the
San Antonio area in October 2012.
construction-related industry?
Prior to 1985, I had worked both in
the hospitality and insurance industries
but knew that neither of these was to be
a life-long career for me. I had also
worked as a part-time secretary/bookkeeper for a masonry subcontractor. The
VP of the company would take the office
staff on ‘field trips’ to visit the various
projects we had going. From these field
trips I found it fascinating to watch a
building literally rise from the ground. I
realized that this was a very ‘tangibly’ rewarding career opportunity. I also realized that I could make better money to
support myself (and later, others) nicely. I
love the fact that 10 years or more later, I
could drive by a building that I had a part
in and realize that the building is a part of
any city’s history and/or footprint.
Do you have a mentor? I don’t think I can honestly say I have
had A mentor, and certainly not for this
industry. What I will say is that the support I received from the ladies in the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) was probably the biggest
factor in staying in construction and continuing to pursue career goals. And to be
perfectly frank, I really did not realize the
knowledge and leadership skills I had received from being an active member until
20 years after becoming a member and
becoming a part of the national board.
Not that I want to shamelessly plug
NAWIC, but I truly believe I would not
have had the ‘moxie’ to pursue the starting of my companies, working in the field
with little skill but learning as I went
along, co-authoring in women’s issues
books, doing workshops and other presentations, or even becoming the president of NAWIC. So I say all this to say that
I believe NAWIC was my mentor – or rather the members of NAWIC!
There are sooooo many avenues in
the construction industry that can be
pursued. When someone first says ‘construction career’, the first thought is the
field/trades people, which I’ll get back to.
Architects, engineers, contractors, business owners, developers, are next in line.
But because of the very nature of construction, attorneys, CPA’s, bookkeepers,
insurance/bonding agents – all must
have knowledge specific to construction. With all this said, women can find themselves in any aspect of construction to be
able to support themselves and their
families very well. Personally, working in the field was
very fulfilling to my sense of accomplishment. I believe having a trade/skill becomes the basis for conquering anything
that is thrown in our path. Additionally,
the industry as a whole is changing…
women will have a very positive influence on these changes and there is a very
large sense of satisfaction in being a part
of these changes.
What do you enjoy most about your
career?
I would have to say still seeing that
building that I had a part in, whether as a
PM/Owner-Lender’s Rep or when I
worked in the field and knowing that my
contribution to the project was a key part
of the ‘being’ of the building. Next,
would be the people, including the men,
who I have met along the way. For the
most part they are all hardworking, honest people with the same goal of a great
building coming into existence.
What specific challenges have you
faced in your career?
Early on in my career, being taken serious that I knew what was going on with
a project and wasn’t ‘the secretary’ was
very frustrating for me. Also, with the
first GC that I worked with, I was actually
passed over for a PM position for a guy
that had literally just got out of college
and I was asked to ‘train him’. I had been doing PM work for about
a year with this company, but didn’t have
the title or money that went with this! In the field, I did have to work twice
as hard to prove that I could do the work
as well the guys and there were some un-
comfortable moments with being approached by guys with perhaps another
agenda for my being in the field. And I
think the worst challenge is the port-apotties! Uggghhh!
How did you overcome those challenges?
In the case of the PM pass-over – I let
the boss know in no uncertain terms that
this was not a fair decision. I did have support of a couple of the other PM’s in the
office so after I let loose on them and
calmed down, with their advice, I talked
to the VP (who had hired me in the first
place and knew I was looking to rise in
the company). Two things happened shortly after
this conversation – first ‘the guy/PM’ really proved himself to be near worthless…
and, because I was still covering his butt, I
finally got the promotion. I’m pretty sure
the pay scale was not the same, but I still
felt accomplished. The field work – I continued to work hard, kept up with the
crew, and, in fact, found out later that my
partner used me as a benchmark for hiring and staying employed with us. He
told all new hires, first, can’t have a problem with working with a woman in the
field and second, ‘gotta keep up with her’. For the uncomfortable moments, I
basically just had to face the issues head
on, probably taking on a little more ‘male
attitude’ and then just staying cautious
about being alone with any of the troublesome workers (none on my crew –
these would be from the other subs on
the project). And, the port-a-potties –
well, just had to hold my nose and get
through it the best I could!
Are more opportunities opening up
for women in construction?
Most definitely the opportunities are
opening up. The problem is that the
women are not taking advantage of these
opportunities. Some of this is due to societal teaching – women are teachers, nurses, secretaries, men are plumbers, electricians, construction guys! The industry as
whole has the image of being ‘dirty’ work,
‘hard’ work, a man’s world – most of which
is true! But I see the industry as being one
that will always be there (after all, it is one
of the oldest industries in existence) and,
yes, there are economic down times that
would adversely affect job opportunities,
but it also one of the first to start bounc-
ing back as the economy improves.
Quite honestly, I would say the field/
trades. As predicted in the late 90’s, we are
experiencing a trades/skills shortage. In
most cases, I truly believe that women
make great tradespeople because of their
attention to detail, their ability to learn and
adapt quickly, and their need to succeed.
What advice can you offer women?
Talk to women that are currently in
the field of choice. If a woman thinks she
wants to pursue the trades, talk to tradeswomen about the challenges they face in
the field. And whether one goes for the
office or field job, don’t be afraid to face
the challenges, i.e. comments, being
eyed as you walk by, etc. but also don’t
complain or whine about the men. There
is a fine line of ‘being one of the guys’ and
not losing your femininity.
Which is more important for a construction career – education, or experience?
Obviously, it really depends on career choice, but in general, I think experience is the greatest education. For
tradespeople, although there is an
amount of education needed, to acquire
skill it is experience. But being of the contractor persuasion, I have also always said
that architects and engineers should
have an internship period of actually
working in the field. I have had both, but I
learned more from the experience.
From a woman’s perspective, has the
industry changed over the years?
Of course, as has all other male-dominated industries. But, there is still a lot that
needs to change, specifically image and
developing a 21st century mindset. I believe as more women come in to the industry and take leadership positions, these
changes will move a little faster – maybe
even before we leave the 21st century! What are your goals for the future in
the construction industry?
To not have to have this discussion
about women in the construction industry. For not only women to realize the
benefits of choosing a construction career
but for the industry as a whole to understand the importance of having women
and their influence in making this industry
a career of choice for everyone! –cw
Page 28
Association Calendar
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News
ABC
Associated Builders & Contractors
Events are held at ABC office unless otherwise stated.
Apr. 4: Spring Golf Tournament; Fair
Oaks Ranch Country & Golf Club; email
Ruby Trejo at [email protected]
Apr. 8: Scaffolding Awareness; Harvey
Cleary office; email Chris Preetorius at
[email protected]
Apr. 15: Flagging/Traffic Control (English)
Apr. 16: Flagging/Traffic Control (Spanish); for either class, email Chris Preetorius at [email protected]
Apr. 22: Office closed for Fiesta Friday
Apr. 26: Wine Festival Benefiting UTSA
Scholarship; Boerne Wine Company email
Ruby Trejo at [email protected]
AGC
Associated General Contractors
Events are held at AGC office unless otherwise stated.
Apr. 4, 11, 18, 25: Leadership Academy,
Weeks #2-5, 12:30-4:30pm
Apr. 5: The Basics Session #2: Liens, 6-8pm
Apr. 6: The Build Your Future’s Construction
Career Day, Freeman Coliseum Expo Hall
Apr. 12: AGC/ASA Joint Mixer; VFW Post 76,
10 10th Street, 4:30-6:30pm; The Basics Session #3: Understanding Contracts, 6-8pm
Apr. 19: The Basics Session #4: Bidding &
Estimating, 6-8pm
Apr. 26: The Basics Session #5: Project
Scheduling, 6-8pm
AIA
American Institute of Architects
Apr. 9: Beaux Arts Ball; Lone Star Brewery, 600 Lone Star Blvd.; 6:30-11:30pm
Apr. 20: COTE Workshop: Sustainability
Through Integrated Design, Joeris General Contractors, 1-5pm
Apr. 25: Annual Joint Meeting of AIA/
SMPS; Plaza Club, 100 West Houston St.,
#2100; noon-1pm; RSVP required
Apr. 28-29: Continuing Education Conference; Center for Architecture, 1344 S.
Flores St., Ste. 102; 8am-5pm
Apr. 29: Product Expo, Center for Architecture, 11am-2pm, free
For more info visit www.aiasa.org
ASA
American Subcontractors Association
Apr. 6: TCCI Event, Freeman Coliseum
Expo Hall, 9am
Apr. 8: Golf Tournament, TPC Golf Course, 8am
Apr. 12: Fall Protection & Drop Test, ESC
office, 7:30am; Fall Protection & Drop
Test, ESC office, 7:30am; fiesta kick-off
mixer with AGC
Apr. 19: General Membership Meeting,
The Petroleum Club, 6pm
Apr. 22: Lunch & Learn: Confined Spaces,
Gardner Law Firm, 11am
Apr. 26: Seminar Series: HR Toolbox,
Padgett Stratemann, 1:30pm
May 6: SubFest BBQ Cook-Off, Helotes
Fairground, all day
ASCE
American Society of Civil Engineers
Apr. 7-9: Texas Section Student Symposium
in Lubbock at United Supermarkets Arena;
concrete canoe races, steel bridge building,
career fair; for info, call 512-472-8905
Submissions
Round-Up
CSI
Construction Specifications Institute
Apr. 14 – 16: South Central Region Spring
Conference and Trade Show, Hilton Houston Post Oak Conference Center, 2001
Post Oak Blvd., Houston, Continuing
Education:Leadership Education with
Heath SuddlesonAccessibility with Brad
Gaskins (McIntosh Group) and Jeremy
Murphy (ACI)CDT Exam Cram For more
information go to http://scr.csinet.org/
or email [email protected]
ECAT
Earthmoving Contractors Assn. of TX
Apr. 16: Spring Board of Directors meeting; Holiday Inn Express meeting room,
5701 Legend Lake Pkwy, Waco, TX; 3:30pm;
finalizing plans for the 2016 annual meeting for July 14-17 in Duncanville; all members and prospective members are welcome; for business with the board, contact
the executive secretary at 830-629-1620 or
visit www.earthmovingcontractors.com
GSABA
Greater San Antonio Builders Assn.
Apr. 14: Golf Classic, Canyon Springs Golf
Club; 4-person scramble; check-in and
breakfast 7am, tee-off 8am; awards/lunch
immediately following; $175/player
Apr. 11: Rock Your Sales Rally; GSABA
Ballroom, 3625 Paesanos Pkwy; 2:306pm; free to attend but reservations required; to reserve, call 210-696-3800
Apr. 21: Membership Mixer; The Tile
Shop, 5219 De Zavala; 5:30-7:30pm
Apr. 25: Top Golf Builder Speed Networking Mixer, 4pm, reservations required; to reserve, call 210-696-3800
CMAA
HCA de San Antonio
ASHRAE
Am. So. HeatingRefrigeratingA/C Eng.
Construction Management Assn.
Hispanic Contractors Association
Apr. 21: Monthly meeting; Fergusons
Showroom, 303 North Park Dr.; SAWS
Apr. 1: Casino Night; St. Joseph’s Society
Hall, 420 E. Cesar Chavez; 6-11pm; $50/
person; gaming, food, DJ, prizes, open
bar for beer/wine/set-ups and BYO bottle, silent auction
Apr. 7: VIA Bus Hop; meeting at Crossroads Park & Ride, 151 Crossroads Blvd.,
Balcones Heights; departure 8am, arrival
1:30pm; first stop is HJD Capitol Electric;
free/members; $10/non-members
Apr. 13-14: OSHA 10 in Spanish; free; to
register, email [email protected].
gov or call 512-804-4610
Apr. 27: Monthly Meeting/Mixer; The
Quarry Golf Club, 444 E. Basse Rd.; free/
members, $10/non-members
For more info call 210-444-1100 or email
[email protected]
Round-Up
Canda Jellenc has
been promoted to
vice president at PC
Sports. With the
firm since 2006, she
has more than 20
years of construction management
experience. She recently completed
the construction phase of the $485 million Texas A&M University Kyle Field Stadium Redevelopment project in College
Station. She earned her bachelor’s degree in architectural technology from the
University of Southern Mississippi and is
active in PMI and CMAA.
Design and Construction Projects, $25/
members, $30/guests; for more info,
email Brian Beach at [email protected]
John Latimer has
been promoted to
executive vice president at Project
Control. With the
firm for 28 years, he
will be integral in
day-to-day operations, including implementation
of
strategic plans, project manager training
and providing senior leadership. He
earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Lehigh University.
This is a monthly 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 (published 1st of each month).
Email info to appropriate city issue, with “Round-Up” in the subject line:
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
San Antonio:
[email protected]
Austin:
[email protected]
Dallas/Ft. Worth: [email protected]
Houston: [email protected]
South Texas:
[email protected]
IEC
Independent Electrical Contractors
Events are held at IEC office unless otherwise stated.
Apr. 6: TCCI Career Day, Freeman Coliseum, 9am-1pm
Apr. 11: Continuing Education Class,
5-9pm
Apr. 14: NEISD Career Night, Blossom
Athletic Center, 6-8pm
Apr. 16: First Aid/CPR Class, 8am-1pm;
Electrical Maintenance Technician Class,
8am-5pm
Apr. 19, 26, May 3, 10, 17, 24: Journeyman/Master Prep Class, six nights, 5:309:30pm
Apr. 24-28: IEC National Policy Conference, Washington, D.C.
Apr. 28-29: IEC of Texas Regional Meeting, Austin, TX
For more info call 210-431-9861 or visit
www.iecsanantonio.com
MCA-SMACNA
Mechanical Contractors Association
Sheet Metal & A/C Nat’l Assn.
Apr. 6: Regular & Associates meeting,
Oak Hills Country Club, 11:30am; TCCI Career Fair, Freeman Expo Hall
Apr. 13: Labor/Management meeting,
MCA-SMACNA office, 11am
Apr. 20: Joint Industry Fund meeting,
Oak Hills Country Club, 11:30am
PHCC
Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors
Apr. 6: Construction Careers Career Fair
RCAT
Roofing Contractors Assn of Tx
Apr. 20-21: RCAT Licensing Boot Camp,
Exams; International Bowling Museum
Arlington, 621 Six Flags Dr., Arlington, TX;
Wed: 2-6pm Licensing “Boot Camp,” Thu:
9am-1pm RCAT Licensing Exams
SDA
Society for Design Administration
Apr. 28: Monthly Chapter Luncheon, The
Barn Door, 8400 N. New Braunfels Ave.;
noon-1pm; topic is IT trends; for more
info, email [email protected]
TACCA
Tx Air Conditioning Contractors Assn.
Apr. 6: Construction Careers Day, Freeman Coliseum Expo Hall
Apr. 21: Monthly Member meeting; Alamo Café, Hwy 281; 11:30am-1pm; topic is
city codes update; free for TACCA GSA
members-first attendee, $20 per person
for additional; RSVP Required
May 7: Community Outreach: Special Olympics Spring Games; Blossom Athletic Center
For info, contact Dawn Thompson at dawn@
TACCAGreaterSanAntonio.org or 210-9014222, or visit TACCAGreaterSanantonio.org
Top of their league
Justin Calvin (left), San Antonio Building Services Manager at SpawGlass, and his
team, “Built Better By Us,” won first place in the Topgolf San Antonio Fall League.
L-R: Justin Calvin, SpawGlass; Ryan Friesenhahn, Virtual 1 Source;
Greg Shue, Open Studio Architecture; Jeff Young, Two Infinity. –mh
A
Page 29
National accolades
t the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) National Conference in Fort Lauderdale, FL, the
South Texas Chapter received national
recognition for its membership and two
of its member companies.
At the National Excellence in Construction Awards Mar. 2, W.G. Yates won a
National Eagle Award in the Commercial
– Less than $5 Million category for the
United Cooperative Services Hood County Office in Granbury, TX. Baker Triangle
won a National Pyramid Award in the Interiors: Acoustical, Drywall, Millwork or
Plaster category for the Tobin Center for
the Performing Arts.
The South Texas Chapter received
recognition in four categories for membership, including awards for 90-Percent
Retention, Membership Growth, Membership Goal, and the ABC-National Mullan Award for membership financial
Yates Construction
growth for its division. This year is the
third time the South Texas Chapter has
won the prestigious latter award. –mh
continued from Page 17 — Protect yourself but be safe
need to train. If you don’t train, then maybe
you shouldn’t have a gun with you.
“Buying a gun is a personal fit like
buying a pair of shoes or a purse. It has to
be what you are comfortable with and
that’s why we have you try before you
buy. And safety is always first.”
Buddy Doebbler
Publisher
P.S. After Dana left, I went to the range
and shot a box with terrible results. I
asked Wes to hide the evidence (target)
in the trash.
Her first shot was in the 8. Now load
up three more rounds and go again. This
time each of the shots hit close to the X
circle. Beginners luck, I said to myself.
Next was the step up to a Sig Sauer
P238 and six more rounds. This sweet little .380 was going to be Dana’s first experience with a little bit more recoil. All six
landed in the X circle and now I really believe in first-time luck. The gal is now
hooked on something new.
Back to the classroom and a little
more conversation and I had to ask. “Are
the ladies really better shots than men?”
Sandy says yes, but then puts in a, “I
don’t know why,” but Wes may have the
answer.
“When guys get guns our first
thoughts are, ‘I can’t wait to go shoot’
and wanting to shoot off a lot of rounds.
With the women, they are not so much
about that. They are about hitting that X
and seem to be more focused, I think.”
Proper training and fit seems to be
the key word at Ballistic Therapy and I
asked Sandy for her final comments.
“I want women to know when they
come into this range it’s different than anything you have experienced before hands
down,” she said. “Wes and I are proud to say
that. If they have never shot before we suggest a shooting course to get the basics
down, then we can go into other classes.
We tell them if they are going to carry they
Karen and Darryl Cook, pictured in Turks and Caicos, have embarked on a new adventure
with their own company, Landscape Lighting Guru.
D
Baker Triangle
Sandy Barnett spends time with Dana
Calonge in the classroom before hitting the
range.
Seeing in a whole new light
P.S.S. Next day I had an eye appointment
and found out my prescription really
needed to be changed. I knew there was
a reason.
arryl Cook has a passion for lighting design. So, when he and his
wife, Karen Cook, embarked on a
new business venture together, they decided to start Landscape Lighting Guru
Sep. 1, 2015.
Karen, who owns two different bookkeeping and accounting companies, is
the owner, and Darryl is the lighting designer. He previously built another lighting company, ran it for 18 years, and then
sold the business. Now, he has started
this new venture with his wife, and he
notes that he couldn’t be happier working side by side with her as his partner.
Darryl believes that poor lighting design can detract from a spectacular space
and that proper lighting can make a soso space look amazing. In regards to interior lighting, he does mostly retrofits,
converting older incandescent and fluorescent systems to LED, which he notes
not only saves energy and radiates less
heat, but creates color tones using an
even and clean light.
On the commercial side, the new
company has a few neighborhood entrances as well as the holiday lights for
neighborhood entrances. His former
company was responsible for the holiday
lighting displays on the River Walk. On
the interior side, the work has been mostly residential, but there was a 24-hour
taco restaurant that Landscape Lighting
Guru converted to LED.
“They were spending almost $10,000
during the summer months in electricity
bills, and the electricity bills went down
to $4,500 a month,” explains Darryl. “But
the real reason is not the low energy cost
associated with the LED. It’s the lower
heat exchange associated with LED not
forcing their HVAC system to run so hard.
Therefore, your HVAC system is not trying
to compete with your lighting.”
Landscape Lighting Guru does exterior
and interior lighting in both the commercial and residential markets. Currently, their
workload is 90 percent residential. –mh
Page 30
T
Wired
to be winners
Beans
he Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) San Antonio Chapter held
its 16th annual BBQ Cook-Off & Apprentice Wire-Off Mar. 19 at Helotes Fairgrounds. While cooks worked the pits,
apprentices competed for the chance to
represent IEC San Antonio at the national
competition for Apprentice of the Year. In
addition to lots of delicious barbecue,
there was fun for the entire family including bingo, a bounce house, face painting
and a game truck. –mh
Cook-Off Winners
Gumbo
1st: E-Tel
2nd: IES Commercial
3rd: Reynolds Co.
4th: Central Electric 5th: VA Electrical
Chili
1st: Eldridge Electric
2nd: Dealers Electric Supply
3rd: JD Martin
4th: JMEG 5th: IES Commercial
Dessert
1st: Central Electric - Orange Cupcake
2nd: JMEG - Upside Down Pecan Oatmeal Cake
3rd: IES Commercial - Strawberry Cake
4th: Summit Electric Supply - Peach Crisp
5th: Circle Electric -Peach Cobbler
Chicken
1st: Circle Electric
2nd: VA Electrical
3rd: Central Electric
4th: IES Commercial
5th: Dealers Electric Supply
Pork Ribs
1st: Circle Electric
2nd: IES Commercial
3rd: Beard Integrated
4th: Dealers Electric Supply 5th: Eaton
1st: Reynolds Co.
2nd: Good Electric
3rd: Mission City Electric
4th: Eldridge Electric 5th: JD Martin
Open
1st: E-Tel - Cajun Stuffed Pork Loin
2nd: Reynolds Co. - Bacon Wrapped Grilled Cheese
3rd: Summit Electric Supply - Stuffed Mushrooms
4th: Circle Electric - Steak
5th: Graybar Electric Supply - Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno
Brisket
1st: Hill Electric
2nd: VA Electrical
3rd: Graybar
4th: Rexel 5th: Dealers Electric Supply
Bragging Rights
1st: IES Commercial
2nd: Circle Electric
3rd: Reynolds Co.
4th: E-Tel 5th: Central Electric
Wire-Off Winners
1st: Terry McDaniel, Good Electric
2nd: Michael Brown, SCI
3rd: Josh Snodgrass, Good Electric
4th: David Vidales, Quinney Electric
5th: Kyle Reding, Central Electric
6th: Guillermo Sanchez, IES
7th: Stanley Isawode, PBNI
Wire-Off winners
Chili winner
Beans winner
Gumbo winner
Dessert winner
Open winner
Chicken and Pork Ribs winner
Industry FOLKS
Bunmi Collins
Manager of Corporate Marketing
and Branding
Bartlett Cocke
General Contractors
H
aving joined Bartlett Cocke General Contractors in August 2009 as a
graphic designer, Bunmi Collins worked
her way up, becoming manager of corporate marketing and branding in 2013.
Since then, Collins has kept very busy.
The year she rose to her current title, she started grad school at the Parsons New School for Design, pursuing
her master’s in strategic design and
management. In 2014, while in grad
school, she married her husband, Derrick, who works at St. Mary’s University.
Then, in spring of 2015, she finished her degree and, as a member of
the Society for Marketing Professional
Services (SMPS), joined a study group
for the Certified Professional Services
Marketer (CPSM) exam, which she took
in October 2015. Now, Collins has her
CPSM credentialing.
Collins moved to San Antonio
when she was about 7 years old, growing up on the Northwest side and attending the Communication Arts High
School, a Northside ISD magnate
school on Taft’s campus. She went on
to Texas State University in San Marcos
where she earned her degree in communication design.
After graduating college, she enrolled in the AmeriCorps VISTA program, moving to Boston for one year to
serve a nonprofit called Generations
Incorporated, a literacy organization
that pairs older adults who have retired
with urban schools where they help the
children improve their reading skills.
“I was their marketing and development associate,” she recalls. “It was
really great experience. It was just really
amazing to move away on my own to a
whole new city. I didn’t know anybody.
The organization I applied with and got
accepted to was phenomenal, and
[VISTA volunteers] came from different
parts of the country. Most of us were
fresh graduates from college. It was a
great way to step off on your own but
also not feel completely alone because
there was already a network there.”
She did some freelance work while
in Boston and wanted to stay there,
seeking work in graphic design. For
two years, she worked as a staff assistant for the president’s office at the
Mass General Hospital for Health Professionals. Then, she was ready to get
back into design and return to Texas.
At 32, Collins has several passions,
including trying new restaurants and
foods, wine, and reading. Last year, she
and her husband took a first anniversary honeymoon to Italy where they took
a cooking class in Rome and traveled to
organic vineyards in Tuscany. –mh
Page 31
Bringing storybook homes to life
I
n partnership with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) San Antonio
Chapter, the San Antonio Botanical
Gardens is hosting the Storybook Houses
Exhibit. The houses were designed and
built by local architecture firms and contracting companies, and they can be seen
along the paths through the gardens.
Opened Mar. 5 and on display
through Jul. 10, the exhibit displays five
entries that were selected for their creativity of design, use/re-use of weatherresistant materials, focus on recycling,
reuse or sustainability, accessibility, collaboration with others, and design appeal for all ages of visitors. –mh
“San Antonio and the Beanstalk” Based on the fairytale Jack and the Beanstalk
Designers: Overland Partners – Lucas Mackey, Esau Hernandez and Marcel Van der Maas
Special Thanks: Guido Construction and Datum Engineers
“The Little House” Based on the book by Virginia Lee Burton
Design/Build Team: RVK Architects and Joeris General Contractors
Special Thanks: L&M Steel, Urban Concrete and Systems Painters & Drywall
“Sleeping Beauty” Based on the fairytale by the Brothers Grimm
Designer: Ernest Guerrero, South San Antonio High School, Class of 2016
(Angelica Ramos, Teacher)
Construction Team: The South San Antonio Advanced Architecture
and Advanced Millwork Classes
“Oh! The Places You’ll Go” Based on the book by Dr. Seuss
Designers: Jeff Olivares and Belen Aguilar, PBK Architects
Design/Build Team: PBK Architects and Bartlett Cocke General Contractors
On the right:
“Worms at Work” Based on Diary of a Worm
Design/Build Lead: Bucrane Design Build – Christopher Drown and Lauran Drown
Page 32
Celebrating its past and future
Accounting for three decades
L-R: Paul Easley, Joseph Marshall, Tommy Price, Michelle Marshall, Southwest Research
Institute (SwRI); Donna and Vincent Real, Big State Electric; Betty Easley and Jack Ballard,
SwRI; Robert Chapman, Chapman Brothers
W
elcoming more than 350 guests,
Big State Electric hosted its
50th anniversary celebration
Mar. 17 at its Aero Street headquarters.
Vincent Real, president, was amazed to
see how many friends and partners the
company has in the industry, including
clients, suppliers, general contractors
and subcontractors, who came to celebrate the milestone.
“We’re just proud of Palmer Johnson,”
says Real of the anniversary’s significance.
“He was the founder of the company back
in 1966, starting it as a one-man show. He
worked by day, and he bid and did paperwork at night. I wish he were here just to
see the roots he established. We’re in San
Antonio and putting roots in Houston and
Austin. I’m just really proud, and I wish he
were here to see it.” –mh
Yates Construction L-R: Carlos Elizondo,
Dee Bhakta, Andrew White
L-R: Steve Becker, Eaton; Forrest Wilson, Big
State Electric; Bob Nielsen, Eaton
L-R: Daniel Tarpley, Hill Country Electric Supply; Clay Hurst, Big State Electric; Chris McCort and
Jim Martin, Bell & McCoy; Allen O’Dell and Brent Tomes, Summit Electric
L-R: Dustin Michalak, Kathleen Dvorak, Tony Ridout, Melanie Geist and Milton Barrett, the
partners at Ridout Barrett, are celebrating the firm’s 30th anniversary.
O
n Apr. 1, Ridout Barrett celebrated the firm’s 30th anniversary. Today, Tony Ridout, founder and
managing partner, has plans for the firm’s
near and distant future and insists that
the anniversary isn’t about him.
“I didn’t do it myself,” Ridout says
when asked about achieving this milestone. “I have great partners and staff. I
think my biggest accomplishment was to
make this a great place to work and to
have a fun and relaxed environment.”
Currently, the firm has about 50 employees and Ridout notes that there is a
great sense of unity within the firm. This
also carries through Ridout’s partners,
Milton Barrett, Kathleen Dvorak,
Dustin Michalak and Melanie Geist.
With Ridout’s retirement date set for
Sep. 13, 2020, his 65th birthday, all of the
partners agreed that Michalak will be the
firm’s new managing partner. As a young
leader, making managing partner before
he will turn 40, Michalak was chosen to
bring long-term stability as part of a 15year succession plan.
After working in public accounting
for seven years, Ridout struck out on his
own Apr. 1, 1986. He had a niche in the
construction industry with contractors,
and he started his firm working with contractors big and small. About 20 years
ago, his wife, Karen Ridout, came on
board, and he credits her with helping
him a lot along the way.
Though the move to its Gulfdale address was only a few years ago, the firm
has already outgrown the space and is
relocating to a nearby office at the end of
May. They sold their current building to
the nonprofit Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Ridout Barrett is a CPA and business
consultant firm that has specialized expertise in the construction industry with approximately 60 percent of its clientele in
construction or construction-related businesses. –mh

Large and licensed senior living Woman in charge Kickin` ash, takin

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