January - Construction News

Transcription

Covering the Industry’s News
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CONSTRUCTION
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New Year
Austin
The Industry’s Newspaper
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(210) 308-5800
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Volume 16
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Number 1
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JANUARY 2016
Buildings are for people
Multiple disciplinarians
Austin staff includes, L-R: David Negrete. Bruce W. Menke, Jesse Martinez and Jason George.
The Austin office of Stanley Consultants celebrated the firm’s 100-year anniversary with cake.
N
S
egrete & Kolar Architects began
in 2003 when David Negrete and
Roger Kolar, architects who have
practiced in south and central Texas for
more than 30 years, combined forces.
The firm has offices in Austin and Edinburg.
When Kolar retired in 2011, Negrete’s
wife, Diana, bought Kolar’s remaining
shares and became a partner. She handles human resources and accounts payable.
“After Roger retired, we reorganized
as Negrete and Kolar LLP,” David says.
Austin is the firm’s principal location
and they currently have five employees,
but David says he is evaluating recruitment of talented, passionate people.
“I’m always looking to find passionate
and intelligent people,” he says. “The rest
can be taught. The most difficult shortand long-term issue is to have the right
personnel in line with what we are doing.”
Austin office senior project manager
Bruce Menke has been with Negrete
since the beginning.
“He is a critical element in making everything work,” Negrete says.
The Austin office relocated from
downtown to North Austin three years
ago, and he says the firm has had continuous and steady work.
The firm is both a state-certified HUB
(Historically Underutilized Business) firm,
continued on Page 14
tanley Consultants, an employeeowned firm operating since 1913, is
a provider of engineering, environmental and construction services in 30
locations worldwide. The Austin office
opened in 1998 and houses 40 highly
technical professional engineers, designers and construction managers providing multi-discipline engineering services.
They create innovative solutions for complex energy, environmental and infrastructure projects.
Stanley Consultants has successfully
completed more than 25,000 engagements for more than 2,500 educational,
healthcare, utility, government agencies,
industrial, commercial and private clients. The Austin office continues to ex-
pand project capabilities for power generation, power delivery, environmental,
thermal utility plants and building services.
“I take great pride in our continued
client success that we attribute to quality
work, on-time performance, customer attention and competitive pricing,” said
Randy Schrecengost, PE CEM operations manager of the Austin office.
When Stanley celebrated it’s 100th
anniversary in 2013, the firm chose to
give back through community service.
Austin’s employees donated their time to
the Texas Ramp Project by building multiple wheelchair ramps for low-income,
Highlighting your project
E
The Gracy Title interior by RG Tate & Associates
The Rabb House by John King Construction Ltd.
ach month we reserve this premium space in our
publication to feature a recently completed project by an Austin general contractor.
Our goal is to vary the project and contractor size to
afford everyone the opportunity to participate. We feel
a small- or medium-sized project constructed by a smallor medium-sized contractor is just as important as the
high profile projects that seem to receive all the attention by other media.
Finding those small to medium projects can be difficult at times. Some contractors might think we would
not be interested in their project because it may be a
modest one. Some may think because they are not a
huge company with a full-time marketing staff they
don’t have a chance to make the front page of our paper.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Since we began our first paper, the San Antonio Construction News in October 1998, we have always reached
out to everyone big and small.
In this tough economy we want to highlight our
Texas-based general contractors who are in the game
and competing with the out-of-state contractors who
have come to our great state.
The Boardwalk trail by Jay-Reese Contractors
Sonesta Bee Cave by Zapalac/ Reed Construction Co.
Page 2
Austin Construction News • Jan 2016
Page 3
Ugly sweaters
and beautiful purses
N
ational Women in Construction (NAWIC) Austin Chapter combined a Tacky Sweater Christmas party with a purse drive to benefit SafePlace. –cw
Spirit of Christmas
A
ssociated Builders and Contractors
(ABC) Austin Chapter got into the
holiday spirit with a Christmas Party at Abel’s On The Lake on Dec. 2. The
event was well attended and no “grinches” were allowed! –cw
L-R: Carson Fisk, Ford Nassen; Jeff Chapman,
The Chapman Firm; and Clayton Utkov, Ford
Nassen
Tacky Sweater winners were L-R: Toni Osberry, Ugly Sweater; Chaundra Callaway, Uglier
Sweater; and Britanie Olvera, Ugliest Sweater! All of the sweaters were homemade!
Autumn Eastus, Harvey Cleary Builders
L-R: Rick Rushton, Anchor-Ventana Glass;
and Roland Rios and Becky Moose with
Southern Demolition LLC
Three boxes of purses will go to help women escaping abuse in Austin.
Construction News JOB SIGHT
Smile in Kyle
L-R: Sarah Johnson, controller, Wurzel Builders; and Tim Bentley, vice president,
Wurzel Builders, and his guest.
GOT CHIPPED TUBS?
BATHTUB & SHOWER SURFACE REPAIR
Perfect for New Construction Punch List
CHIPS • SCRATCHES • RUST STAINS
512-923-3933
AllSurfaceRenew.com
CSI Hose Services employees work on the ventilation system going into the Kyle ER
project, owned by Dr. Tom Vo. The GC is Huffman Builders, Cedar Park. –cw
Austin
CONSTRUCTION NEWS
Austin Editor — [email protected] — 210-308-5800
Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buddy Doebbler
Editorial/Production . . . . . . Reesa Doebbler
Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cyndi Wright
Production Manager . . . . . . . . . Sue Johnson
Sales Representative . . . . . . . . Kent Gerstner
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Page 4
Business is a game! Play to win!
Part 1 of a 3 part series
Carrie D. Bradshaw, C.P.A.
Brown, Graham & Company P.C.
Georgetown, TX
K
now your score
Business is a game and your financial statements are
your scoreboard. Do you know your score? Are you
winning or losing the game? In order to answer this
question, you must first understand the financial
management of your company and the story your financial statements tell about your
company. Consider your monthly balance sheet as the score at the end of a period; a
quarterly balance is your score at the end of the game; and an annual balance is your
score at the end of the season. You can make adjustments to the game plan during the
quarter if you are paying attention during the game. When you get to the end of the
game you will see if your strategic adjustments worked to win the game. If it worked,
maintain that strategy for the next game. If it did not work, the strategy needs to be
adjusted for the next game to have a winning season.
In a nutshell, your balance sheet is Association
(RMA),
Construction
composed of assets, liabilities and equity. Financial Managers Association’s annual
Assets are what you own. Liabilities are survey, and many others. Compare the
what you owe. Net worth is what is left ratios you calculated on your balance
over.
sheet to your peers and see how you
measure up. Are you consistent with
Ratio analysis – understanding your your peers?
scoreboard
A word of caution in using industry
Financial
managers
use
a benchmarking: You cannot be sure the
methodology referred to as ratio analysis comparison is “apples to apples”. There is
to understand the scoreboard. You are no standardization of information
probably familiar with some of these submitted to the groups gathering this
ratios as you have been in conversation information. You also do not know the
with your bonding agent or banker. level of success of the companies
When you evaluate your ratios related to submitting this information. We
your balance sheet, consider the recommend finding industry publications
following:
that publish “Best in Class” benchmarks
Current working capital: This ratio as well. The purpose of benchmarking is
measures your solvency - the number of to identify potential targets at which to
dollars in current assets for every $1 in aim.
current liabilities. In other words, can you
pay your bills today?
Internal financial trends
Debt-to-worth: This ratio measures Another important aspect of
your financial risk - the number of dollars understanding your score is monitoring
of debt owed for every dollar of net your internal performance over time. Is
worth. In other words, does the bank your business seasonal? How does that
own more of your company than you do? seasonality impact your score (and more
Accounts
receivable
turnover: importantly your cash!)? Perform your
Measures the rate at which accounts ratio analysis on a monthly, quarterly and
receivable are collected on an annual annual basis to help you identify trends
basis. How many days from the time an within your company.
invoice is generated until it becomes a Part 2: Know your costs
deposit in the bank?
We will discuss a break-even analysis
Accounts
payable
turnover: tool.
Measures the rate at which accounts Part 3: Know your cash flow model
payable are paid on an annual basis. Is every dollar of revenue created the
How many days from the time an invoice same?
is received until the bill is paid?
By beginning to implement a
Something to consider: Should you disciplined system of monitoring your
be paying accounts payable at a slower score, you can develop the strategy to
rate than you collect accounts receivable coach your team to greater success!
to conserve cash? Maybe. That question Carrie D. Bradshaw, CPA and CCIFP
will be addressed in part 3 of this series.
with over 20 years of construction
contractor coaching experience, is the
Industry benchmarking
Managing Shareholder of the Brown,
Now that you understand your Graham & Company, P.C.’s Georgetown
score, how do you measure up against office. You can contact Carrie at
the competition? There are many sources [email protected] or call 512-930for obtaining industry benchmarks: 4090.
industry associations, Risk Management
Product Recall Insurance should
be part of your Product Risk
Management Plan
Julie Davis, CIC
IBTX
San Antonio, TX
here may be no word that strikes greater fear in the
hearts of individuals in the manufacturing/
processing industry than “recall.” Mere consideration of
the term may mean that someone has been made ill or
possibly died from consumption of or exposure to a product. The response must be
inordinately fast and include coordination with federal government agencies, and
state governmental agencies, as well as other companies who sit both upstream and
downstream of your position in the distribution chain of the product at issue. The
aftermath can leave injured consumers and damaged reputations. The monetary
costs may include lost profits, recall expenses, civil damages and potential criminal
action. Despite excellent quality control, you may find yourself swept into a recall.
Advance planning for recalls can make the difference in the survival of your company.
While a written recall plan has long different than another.
been a regulatory requirement, planning Coverage details
for a recall should include much more The following are key issues of the
than a template form in a file. Recall policy, and policies may differ on the
planning should include record-keeping definitions. Each policy must be carefully
steps to be taken well in advance of any read and understood by policyholders to
concerns, but which will make any recall insure they are purchasing what they
effort more effective. A team of advisors need.
who will serve in various roles in the • Loss of sales revenues
planning, execution and post-recall • Customer loss of gross profits
process is also a necessity. It should also • Government recall
include Product Recall insurance • Voluntary recall
coverage.
• Adverse publicity
Cost of Recall
• Rehabilitation expenses
The next step to consider after • Extra expense
internal procedures are consistently • Defense costs
implemented is how much will this cost • 3rd Party coverage
the company? Loss of sales, not only the • “Pay on behalf” or reimburse
company’s lost profit, but that of your language
customers should be considered. Also Depending on who you speak with,
consider the damage to the company’s the chance of having a serious product
reputation and possible effect on future recall occurrence is not a matter of if, but
sales, the added expense for disposal, when. Serious consideration of a proper
replacement product, time and mental game plan in the event could be crucial
anguish by management and employees; for the company’s survival. Is this a cost
these are all part of the cost.
that the company can absorb or is it more
Many companies look at funding this cost effective to purchase an insurance
possible exposure with an insurance policy for the risk? Recently, many large
policy, but in today’s market, most distributors and retail corporations are
Commercial General Liability (CGL) requiring Product Recall/Contamination
policies will not cover a loss in a Product coverage in their contracts. In any event,
Recall scenario. Do not mistake Product as part of your company’s recall
Liability coverage for Product Recall procedure, add an insurance policy
coverage, they are not the same. Some review by a competent insurance
insurance carriers may offer a sub-limit to professional and review all contracts with
cover the expense of removal and suppliers and clients regarding the
disposal of the product as part of the insurance expectations.
CGL, but these amounts may only cover a Julie Davis, CIC has worked with the
fraction of total cost.
food processing industry for over 15 years,
Product Recall/Contamination
coordinating risk management plans and
Insurance
insurance policies to reflect the food
There are insurance carriers that industries’ changes to new exposure and
have policies that pertain specifically to heightened responsibility. IBTX understands
the issue of product recall, contamination your potential risk exposure and stands
and/or tampering. These stand-alone ready to help you make informed decision
policies may also include crisis about how to protect your customers, your
management consultants.
Product supply chain, and your bottom line. Contact
Recall/Contamination policies are not us at 800-880-6689 or visit us at www.ib-tx.
standardized policies, so one insurance com for more information or to setup your
company’s coverage may look drastically policy today.
T
Construction News ON LOCATION
Smile power
L-R: Korina and Beatrice Jaimes take care of the office at PCW Construction Inc. in Austin.
The contracting company provides excavation, foundation and engineering work. –cw
Texas Mechanic’s and
Materialman’s Liens on
private projects in Texas
Janet Townsley, Senior Associate
The Cromeens Law Firm
Dallas, TX
C
redit is the lifeblood of the construction industry. By
the nature of a construction contract, the contractor
extends credit to the owner to the extent the contractor
performs labor or services and supplies materials before being paid. When
construction funds are withheld, the impact is felt throughout the construction chain.
On even a small project, a payment default by an owner can have disastrous
consequences for dozens of contractors, subcontractors and suppliers (and their
employees). Just as most lenders will not loan money without adequate security for
payment, contractors, subcontractors and suppliers need security when they extend
credit on a construction project. Such security is the right to secure and enforce a lien
on real property for the value of work performed. Mechanic’s and Materialman’s Liens
(M & M Liens), when executed properly, elevate a subcontractor or material supplier
from an unsecured creditor to a secured creditor. 1
Because the M&M lien operates like with the owner, you may have the right to
an involuntary mortgage on the, Texas lien the owner’s property. To perfect a
law requires specific steps to create a lien, certain notices must be sent prior to
valid lien. One misstep in complying with filing the lien. This gives the owner and
strict notice deadlines or omission of a general contractor a chance to resolve
sentence required in the notice letter, your claim prior to filing the lien.
invalidates the M & M Lien.
All notices must be sent Certified
Anyone who provides labor or Mail Return Receipt Requested to comply
supplies materials for the construction, with statutory notice timelines. These
repair of a house, building or timelines are strictly enforced and
improvement is entitled to an M& M lien. missing a timeline date even by one day,
After recent changes in Texas law, invalidates the lien. Therefore, do not let
architects,
engineers,
surveyors, anyone stall or push you past outside
landscapers, demolition trades that your deadlines.
provide temporary workers may have an The notice timelines differ between
M&M lien when not paid.
a commercial and residential project, and
on whether you have a contract with the
The Homestead Pitfall
General Contractor. Thus, it is good
One of the great things about Texas practice to calendar a deadline for
is the protection of homesteads found in sending notice of unpaid invoices for the
Article 16, §50 of our Texas Constitution. 15th day of the second month after the
This means you cannot have a lien against labor was performed or materials
a property unless there is a construction supplied, as in many instances, this is the
contract signed and notarized by the first deadline you will have to meet. An
homeowner(s) and filed in the real attorney should be consulted to address
property records prior to any work. deadline and notice requirements in
Typically, this means you cannot file a lien specific instances.
for a small repair. This is because it is Janet Townsley is a Senior Associate at
unlikely a contract has been filed of The Cromeens Law Firm.
For more
record unless you filed one. But, if you’re information on our services, please visit
doing a large repair or remodel, it would www.thecromeenslawfirm.com or call
be worth the investment to hire an (713) 715-7334.
attorney to draft and file the contract to
1
ensure you will be protected!
Public property is not subject to lien, and
A homestead is regarded as a is beyond the scope of this article.
residence owned by an individual that is 2A spec home is one owned and being
being OCCUPIED by that individual. A built by a company. It is not a homestead
person and spouse may have only one and is considered commercial conhomestead. Hence, an owner building a construction.
residence while currently living in a
homestead, cannot call the new
residence a homestead. However, if the
individual does not currently have a
homestead and is building a new
residence intended as a homestead, the
new residence is considered a homestead
although the individual does not live in
it.2
Notice, Notice, Notice
M&M liens are an involuntary lien
against someone’s property and
although you may not have a contract
Did you
know?
Past editions can be
downloaded at
www.
ConstructionNews.
net
Page 5
Electrical Lock Out and Tag Out
Joann Natarajan
Compliance Assistance Specialist
OSHA
Austin, TX
E
nergy sources including electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, or other
sources in machines and equipment can be hazardous
to workers. During the servicing and maintenance of
machines and equipment, the unexpected startup or release of stored energy can result in serious injury or death to workers.
Failure to control hazardous energy
accounts for nearly 10 percent of the serious accidents in many industries. Proper
lockout/tagout (LOTO) practices and
procedures safeguard workers from hazardous energy releases. The OSHA standard for The Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) (29 CFR 1910.147)
for general industry outlines measures
for controlling different types of hazardous energy. The LOTO standard establishes the employer’s responsibility to
protect workers from hazardous energy.
Employers are also required to train each
worker to ensure that they know, understand, and are able to follow the applicable provisions of the hazardous energy
control procedures:
Proper lockout/tagout (LOTO) practices and procedures safeguard workers
from the release of hazardous energy.
The OSHA standard for The Control of
Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) (29
CFR 1910.147) for general industry, outlines specific action and procedures for
addressing and controlling hazardous
energy during servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment. Employers are also required to train each
worker to ensure that they know, understand, and are able to follow the applicable provisions of the hazardous energy
control procedures. Workers must be
trained in the purpose and function of
the energy control program and have
the knowledge and skills required for the
safe application, usage and removal of
the energy control devices.
● All employees who work in an area
where energy control procedure(s) are
utilized need to be instructed in the purpose and use of the energy control
procedure(s), especially prohibition
against attempting to restart or reenergize machines or other equipment that
are locked or tagged out.
● All employees who are authorized to
lockout machines or equipment and perform the service and maintenance operations need to be trained in recognition of
applicable hazardous energy sources in
the workplace, the type and magnitude
of energy found in the workplace, and
the means and methods of isolating and/
or controlling the energy.
Specific procedures and limitations
relating to tagout systems where they
are allowed.
Retraining of all employees to maintain proficiency or introduce new or
changed control methods.
The control of hazardous energy is
also addressed in a number of other
OSHA standards, including Safety and
Health Regulations for Construction;
Electrical (1926 Subpart K), Concrete and
Masonry Construction (1926 Subpart Q),
Electric Power Transmission and Distribution (1926 Subpart V), and General Industry; Electrical (1910 Subpart S), Special
Industries (1910 Subpart R), and Electric
Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (1910.269).
[email protected]
512-374-0271 x232
Page 6
sities, but Purdue offered me a scholarship. I got three degrees there – the first
in electrical, the second in mechanical
and the third in structural engineering.
I decided to stay in school after my
second degree because I was dating
someone special, so I went for a third degree.
Then my dad told me I needed to finish being a student!
Ragu Sada
Owner
G2 Builders
Y
ou could say that Ragu Sada grew
up in the construction industry: His
father worked for Turner Construction in Chicago for 45 years.
Now, Sada and his wife are raising
their daughter in Austin – where he started G2 Builders in 2013.
Watching and learning from his father gave Ragu the tools he needed to
run a successful construction company
with ethics and moral values.
Tell me about your early life.
I grew up in Chicago in a suburb
called Lombard. I am an only child. I went
to Glenbard East High School.
I played baseball and tennis – and I
played flute in the band for three years. I
wanted to play the drums but my mom
pushed me into flute. It turned out to be
a good thing, I believe learning the flute
made me more sensitive to design.
Your mom sounds pretty smart! Tell
me about your parents.
My daddy is my hero. His name is Narayan Sada and he was born in India. He
came to work for Turner Construction in
Chicago and worked there for 45 years.
During that time, he had 11 projects –
each one of them lasting an average of
4-5 years. That’s what inspired me to go
into construction.
My mom, Hema, is an office manager. She is the most loved person in the
world! She taught me the value of being
energetic and happy. I learned from her
the value of bringing a certain energy
level to everyone you meet.
Up until last year, all four of my
grandparents were living.
Tell me more about your dad.
This business is tough – it’s easy to
get discouraged, but man, he never did.
He never left. He said, “Turner took a shot
on me.” His loyalty and honor withstood
everything.
In construction, there are so many
opportunities for corruption – he never
participated in any of that. He never
compromised his principles.
What did you do after high school?
I got accepted at three good univer-
After college, where did you go?
Well, I had decided I wanted to go
visit Australia for six months before I settled into a job, so I called a couple of companies and looked into a job with them,
but they weren’t having any of the taking
six months off to go to Australia! (laughs)
I called a structural engineering company I had done an internship for and
they agreed to letting me have my six
months and gave me a signing bonus of
$3,200 – that seemed like more money
than God to me at that time!
When I got back I had $12 and my
mom bought me a ticket to St. Louis
where the job was.
Tell me about that job.
It was with Clayco Construction. I feel
like it was so necessary – the firm’s reputation is all about ethics and quality.
In 1997, I was one the guys who went
to start up the firm’s Chicago location.
They knew I didn’t like St. Louis. I’d like to
think we had moderate success at that
venture.
What happened next?
In 1999, I was sitting in my favorite
barbershop (which I still go to by the way
and have been for 40 years) and some of
my friends from high school, Jimmy and
Oscar Garcia, were there as well and we
were just doing the guy thing, kind of
complaining about our jobs, etc.
We decided to start our own company, G2 Builders. We maxed out all of our
credit cards to start it up.
Where did the name G2 come from?
My friends call me “Gu.” Combined
with the last name Garcia, it became G2!
Tell me about the early years of your
company.
It took us almost two years to get our
first big jobs. In the beginning, we did
anything we could.
Our volume steadily grew, even
though we went through two downturns
in 2002 and 2009. We had to let people
go.
At one point, we decided to not only
be a general contractor but to do concrete and masonry as well. We found out
that we couldn’t really manage it.
We made mistakes but we learned
from them. We decided to just be really
good builders.
We were there between 2005 and
2009. It was great. Our daughter, Ava, was
born there.
When that slowed down we were
trying to decide if we should move back
to Chicago.
Ragu and Pam Sada and their adorable daughter, Ava.
Well, somehow you ended up in Austin, right?
We visited a lot of cities – Portland,
San Diego, Austin, Boston and more.
When we visited Austin, we could
not believe how mice everyone was and
how beautiful it was.
We found a beautiful home in Westlake Hills. I was commuting to Chicago
every week. I’d leave on Monday morning
and come home of Friday. By 2013, I was
getting exhausted by the travel and there
were so many opportunities in Austin.
I sold my shares in Chicago to Jimmy
and Oscar and took 100% of the Austin
office.
We are still the best of friends.
one who wants to follow your path?
I would say to 100% really spend the
time learning the science of construction.
Once you do that, it becomes much easier and enjoyable.
Things are going well for G2 in Texas,
right?
We went from $3 million to $68 million in two years. G2’s vice president of
operations, Paul Maurer, came with me
from Chicago. The company has steadily
grown even though we’re not making
any money yet!
We have four projects in the Dallas
area, six in the Austin area, three in Houston and we’ve finished a couple in San
Antonio.
My goal for 2016 is to become really
good at construction before any more
growth.
What do you do when you are not
working?
We both have a huge group of
friends so we do a lot of things with our
friends.
We both play tennis and golf, so we
play against each other.
We spend the majority of our time
doting on our daughter!
I like to do Yoga and Pam does Pilates. She is definitely the extrovert.
Did you have any mentors along the
way that helped you?
All the past companies I have worked
with have helped me.
I can also say that Guy Martin, Martin-Harris Construction, and Victor Suchs,
Helix Electric, have been mentors. I reach
out to them regularly to get their perspective.
You must have relatives in India. Have
you visited there?
I still have uncles, aunts and a grandmother in India. Our firm has an office
with three employees in India, so I go
there once a year. We took Ava there last
Thanksgiving. It was great for her to see
how different it is.
Before we got married, I had to take
Pam there to ask permission to marry her
– it’s tradition in that culture. –cw
What advice would you give to some-
How did you meet your wife, Pam?
Pam was working at a client’s office.
She actually asked me out and I said no
because our firms were working together
and all that. I woke up the next morning
and said, “What am I doing?” Who cares
about that? We got married one year later!
Pam has an MBA from the University
of Chicago and works for offers.com. We
have one daughter, Ava, who is 9.
Where have you gone on vacation?
We’ve been to Disneyland, Portland,
Denver.
Submitted to Construction News
Ale to the holidays
Over 100 years of
building relationships
Since 1913, Fisk has been one of the nation’s leading
providers for the design, installation and maintenance
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Houston, TX (1913)
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Miami, FL (1997)
305.884.5311
Los Angeles, CA (2011)
818.884.1166
Customer Support Center
713.868.6111
Austin’ Chapter’s Construction Leadership Council (CLC), an Associated General
Contractors (AGC) organization, had a holiday networking hour at the Austin
Alehouse on Dec. 9. –cw
Page 7
look forward to a long working relationship with them and the entire staff at
Waypoint Marine. They are a full service
marine dealership that services all of the
major brand outboards and have an array
of new and used boats to choose from.
Stop by and see them at 3033 S.P.I.D. in
Corpus for all your marine needs.
For the past several weeks I have been in
a hunting mode, traveling all over South
and West Texas hunting and guiding
white tail and mule deer hunts. I must
say it’s been a good break from the salt
life I live on the water. There is something
about the South Texas brush country, the
mountains in West Texas and the serenity
of the Laguna Madre that make my job so
enjoyable. I can’t think of anything else
that I would enjoy doing.
New changes for
a New Year
by Capt. Steve Schultz
Sponsored by:
Waypoint Marine, Majek Boats, E-Z Bel
Construction, Power Pole Shallow Water
Anchor, Aggregate Haulers, ForEverlast
Hunting and Fishing Products and
Columbia Sportswear.
Fishing remains good in the Laguna
Madre/Baffin Bay complex. Both trout
and redfish are still being caught on live
shrimp and lures along the King Ranch
shoreline and rocks of Baffin Bay. Best
bet this time of year is still wade fishing
with artificial lures.
W
ell I can’t tell you how excited I
am to announce the changes
that are in store for the 2016 season for Steve Schultz Outdoors. For those
of you that have fished with me in the
past five years, you already know that the
Majek Xtreme is the boat that got us to
and from our fishing spots in comfort and
style. I consider the 25-ft. Xtreme the
best hull on the water for the everyday
guide and recreational angler. One
change that most people will notice immediately will be the new Evinrude E-TEC
G2 300hp outboard on the back of my
2016 Majek. Evinrude has stepped up
their game recently on the introduction
of the E-TEC G2 and I have spoken with
several guides that have run the outboard, and they are extremely happy
with the performance, fuel efficiency and
speed not to mention the savings of
maintenance. Here is a statement from
Evinrude: “The new Evinrude E-TEC G2
isn’t just built to last. It’s built to outlast.
Run it right out of the box for 500 hours
with no dealer scheduled maintenance.
David Wyatt shows off his 26-inch redfish caught on live shrimp under
a popping cork with Steve Schultz Outdoors.
Less time in the shop means lower ownership cost, less hassle and much, much
more value over the lifetime of your engine.”
I have already started to fill the calendar
for the upcoming 2016 season. Don’t
wait until all the good dates are gone! To
schedule your next bay fishing trip give
Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-813-3716
or 361-334-3105 or e-mail him at [email protected]. Good luck
and Good Fishing.
STEVE SCHULTZ OUTDOORS, LLC
BAFFIN BAY –– LAGUNA MADRE –– LAND CUT
SPECKLED TROUT –– REDFISH –– FLOUNDER
FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS
Along with the change of the new Evinrude E-TEC G2 will be the new relationship I look forward to being a part of with
the staff at Waypoint Marine in Corpus
Christi. I’ve known owners Jim and Jared
Poole for many years now. I also know
many of the pro-staff and guides that
they have established relationships with
them throughout the years, and really
(361) 813-3716
www.baffinbaycharters.com
[email protected]
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Chaundra Callaway, equipment sales and rental at Equipment Depot in Austin,
took this blackbuck on Nov. 21 on a guided tour with Trapper Burkett Pro Hunts
in Stonewall, TX. –cw
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www.ConstructionNews.net
Page 8
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
Fishing Calendar
of Events!
cooler weather. Catching catfish is still
steady over baited holes and will come in
to chum. The white bass begin to migrate upstream again. Stripers can be
slow when it’s still hot because they find
our water temperatures in Texas to be excessive. Once the shorter days and cooler
nights start to cool off the water, they
turn back on and feed like crazy because
they don’t feed much in the heat. You
will catch a lot of smaller stripers, lots of
action. Larger stripers begin their swim
upstream.
T
he water has finally made it back to
our lake and several others! For the
first time in years we get to look forward to all the fishing and catching the
New Year will bring. Last year we were
trying to clean and clear up the scary wild
lake bed to protect ourselves from wildfires, rattlesnakes and cactus. This year
its all about the fish!
Just in case you have forgotten what our
lakes have to offer, or are new to the area
of a recently returning lake, here is an
idea of what you can expect.
In the Spring the catfish are loving the
cold water. If you want a trophy cat, now
is the time. White bass are running up
the rivers to spawn again. For several
years this hasn’t been possible, but now
they are back, and catching them is a lot
like eating popcorn. Their big cousins,
the stripers, can also be found upriver
trying to spawn. Look for crappie to be
moving up river in their pre-spawn pattern. Warm, sunny afternoons draw them
up into shallow murky water around
brush and trees because this water
warms up first.
As spring warms into summer, smaller
catfish become easier to find in shallow
water. White bass begin moving back
down the river channel after spawning
and all they want to do is chase shad and
eat anything they can catch. Stripers are
moving back down stream forming big
schools of fish that form feeding frenzies
that anglers dream of in early to mid
Winter sees all the fish staging for next
year, heading upstream to spawn. We
get some really nice fishing days mixed in
with the winter chill. It’s worth checking
out if only to take a break from hunting
and get out of the house.
summer. Once it gets hot they begin to
slip into deeper cooler water, but still like
to feed on top on cool mornings. Crappie
go back to being their elusive selves once
it warms up. I have always thought that is
why we consider them so delicious, they
can play hard to get. A good crappie
guide can still get you on them though.
Fall comes in with a mix of blazing leftover summer heat and the promise of
I think we are in for exciting times on the
water in these returning lakes. We have
lots of new trees and vegetation improving our fisheries now, plus there are plenty of fish out there that haven’t been exposed to human fishing pressure or as
long as five years in some places. That
means they have had plenty of time to
get big and bold. I can’t wait!
Let’s Go!
Page 9
Talking turkey
15 to 500 Ton
Capacities
Paul Marriott, Resfloor Concrete Solutions in Austin, bagged this
turkey just in time for Thanksgiving dinner! –cw
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License & Refreshments,
and WE DO THE REST!
Shawn Young, branch manager
for H&E Equipment in Hutto, shot
his largest whitetail buck with his
Recurve on Dec. 3 in South Texas
on the Uno-Mas ranch. He has been
hunting on the ranch for 17 years,
and the buck scored 157 3/8’s and
was 200 punds on the hoof. –cw
Ken Milam Guide Service
(325) 379-2051
www.striperfever.com
from
El Paso to Beaumont
Amarillo to Brownsville
36 Years of Service to Texas
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Page 10
Landscaping Austin with a mission
Raba holiday cheer
T
hings got a little crazy at Raba Kistner’s Christmas party in the Austin
offices. About 90 people attended
between the infrastructure office and the
geo/cmt/env group. The event was held
at the Golf Club at Star Ranch. –cw
L-R: Juan Villarreal, Bryan Wood, Howard Holland, Bryan Raschke (hidden somewhat)
and Russel Lenz goof around at the event.
S
hauna Mroski was in construction
sales and estimating for 15 years,
specializing in erosion control with
Matoka and later started the commercial
division for Andy Howard Pest Control –
it became the number #1 pretreat firm in
Austin. This broad based experience gave
her the confidence to embark upon starting her own landscaping & irrigation firm,
Enviro Touch Properties in Cedar Park.
“I began it with small residential
projects, never borrowed money, and I
remain debt free. I am very proud of that,”
Mroski said.
Customer service and attention to
detail is the strength of Enviro Touch
Properties and as a result she was able to
build her business through referrals.
“I have carefully managed the
growth to ensure customer service remains at the highest level,” she says.
She handles sales, estimating, daily
operations and runs both the residential
and commercial crews. The firm has an
impressive portfolio of banks, restaurants,
retail centers, office locations and more.
Her most current endeavor is a Starbucks
and the Shadowview Retail Center in
Maynard. She has also added Christmas
lighting projects recently – check out the
Oasis and Soile restaurants.
This single mom has two terrific
young ladies (Hanna is 14 and Dakota is
8). Hanna recently took first place FAA’s
Central Texas Junior Creed for public
speaking. Mroski utilizes her “spare” time
as the director of Texas Stem Cell Research, fundraising for clinical trials for
children with brain tumors. Hanna and
Dakota both participate in her fundraising activities and events for FFA.
“I would like our business to continue with carefully managed growth and
set an example for giving back. We will
always remain focused on our core values of relentless customer service. I love
my work and love showing my girls what
they can accomplish with hard work and
a giving heart,” she concluded. –lh
Helping Santa
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Austin Chapter collected toys for Blue Santa at
the annual Christmas Party Dec. 2. Ono Dec. 9, the toys were delivered to the Austin Fire
Department and are guaranteed to make the holiday bright for some lucky kids. –cw
Neat sales meeting
Rock
star!
Ken
Simonson,
chief economist at
the Associated General Contractors Association (AGC) in
Virginia, took time to
be a rock star while
visiting in Austin to
speak on the construction forecast
with the Austin city
council. –cw
Equipment Depot held a sales meeting in December at the University of Texas. As an
Official Corporate Sponsor, the company is allowed some special privileges here and
there. The sales teams from across all of the Southwest Region had a two-day meeting at
the university with the BIG "Welcome Equipment Depot" on the Jumbotron all day! –cw
Photo by Meg Long
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Ron Vorndran, senior project manager for GC R.J. Allen & Associates Inc., is busy on
the site of a new CST Corner Store in Austin. –cw
Page 11
Construction Forecast
Lending small business
owners a hand
Debra Ruiz, Vice President - Construction Loan
Manager
Wells Fargo
San Antonio, TX
P
art of Debra Ruiz’s job at Wells Fargo is to assist the
small business owner by working with them on
loans to purchase or build a space for their operations. These small business owners
are the clients of the construction companies and contractors who build or renovate
those spaces. So, we asked her what she sees in the construction loan forecast for
small business borrowers in 2016.
What does your position as construction loan manager of the SBA Lending
Group in San Antonio entail?
I manage and oversee an SBA portfolio of close to $40 million in construction-related loan volume. While overseeing this portfolio, I am maintaining excellent customer service to both my internal
and external clients of Wells Fargo Bank. I
have the entire State of Texas under my
management.
My specialty is in Small Business Administration, working with various general contractors, architects and the small
business borrower on a day-to-day basis.
We like to say that we are making dreams
come true in the small business world.
ume, all awaiting on their architects’
plans, zoning, replatting, permits, and
just construction bids from their selected
general contractor.
These are already in the closing
group and just waiting. This does not account for the new loans being approved
[in December], and this is just the one
month forecast in January 2016. I forecast
we are just going to get busier in the construction industry in 2016.
With that said, I foresee an increase in
construction material and costs, as this
happens every year. With activity in the
market and throughout Texas, I would also
hope for an increase in overall appraisal values for the small business customer/client.
What do you expect will be the biggest
changes to construction lending in 2016?
On my desk and what I have seen approved in our Texas market, are more and
more ground up construction projects.
We have a lot of land in Texas, so building
and owning your own building is key.
With the year’s end wrapping up and
winding down, I already have approximately $20 million in approved loan vol-
Are there any expected shifts in the
market that would affect construction
loans next year?
I have seen historically the overall vacancies rates in existing real estate/condos improve a great deal. I know some of
our Texas cities do not have enough inventory to sell, or the real estate seems to
be purchased quickly with cash by a seller versus waiting on financing.
Construction Outlook:
Sweet (and Sour) ‘16
Ken
Simonson,
AGC of America
Chief
Economist
Arlington, VA™
T
exas contractors are facing a varied landscape in
2016. Overall, the outlook is favorable, but the slump
in oil and gas drilling will be a major drag.
The state continues to benefit from
one of the highest population growth
rates in the nation. That keeps demand
high for both single - and multifamily
housing, schools, stores and many other
categories of construction.
The U.S. Census Bureau reported in
March, “Two Texas metro areas -- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington -- were the only
ones in the country to add more than
100,000 residents over the 2013-2014 period. Within the Houston metro area, Harris County alone gained almost 89,000
people, more than any other county in
the nation. The Lone Star State also had
four metro areas among the nation's 20
fastest growing by rate of change: Austin-Round Rock (third), Odessa (fourth),
Midland (ninth) and Houston (11th).”
For 2016, population growth is likely
to remain especially strong around Dallas, as three major national firms relocate
thousands of employees to new office
space there: Toyota and Liberty Mutual in
Plano, and State Farm in Richardson. Even
in areas of the state where population
growth is slowing, there will be a lot of
school construction to accommodate recent inflows of students.
The planning for an expanded Panama Canal, currently expected to open
sometime in 2016, has already triggered
billions of dollars of investment in ports,
pipelines and other transportation infrastructure, natural gas liquefaction plants,
and storage and distribution facilities.
More such investments will occur in the
coming year. In contrast, railroads are expected to cut back on construction, after
years of investing in new track and yards
to serve ports and to haul crude oil from
drilling areas without enough pipeline
capacity to refineries and terminals.
Low natural gas prices may encourage construction of more petrochemical
plants and gas-fired power plants. But
those same prices will hold down drilling,
related service and materials supply businesses, and investment in wind and solar
generation—all of which had contributed
to construction in Texas in recent years.
With the enactment in early December of a five-year federal highway and
transit funding bill, Texas and other states
will see a slight boost in federal dollars
Do you expect any increases or decreases in business or interest rates?
They have been stable. I do not think
they will go up. You hear about it from
the Fed, but nothing has happened. I
think since we are in an election season,
that will come down the road. Lenders
are being very aggressive and competitive in rates to secure deals. So, it is the
time for a small business to request a
loan, if they plan to expand, purchase a
building or build a new building for their
small business.
the paperwork the bank has required.
Then, the longer processed loans can
take up to six months-plus. Keep in mind,
this is based on all of the replatting, zoning and permitting processes involved.
The loan approval process is the first step
of a long process. The six months estimate
is the beginning phase of loan application
up to the close date. And the close date is
based on when the building permit is issued. So, the overall process is truly up to
the borrower and how fast they really
want to close their overall project.
What should clients expect when applying for construction loans?
With my job role as a construction
loan manager-SBA lending, I am working
with the borrower on their approved
loan to get them to the closing table as
well as making sure their selected general contractor has met the bank’s and SBA
requirement to minimize the construction risk.
The contractors are not applying for
the loan, but once I ask for their financials
for bank review, they feel like they are applying themselves. The overall goal is to
waive the payment and performance
bond fee for the small business owner.
This is the fee the contractors pass over
to the borrower/owner on the contract.
My goal is to try to eliminate this fee, to
benefit the small business.
What changes have you seen in construction lending, as a market or in terms
of business, over the last five years? And
what would you like to see change?
Projects are getting bigger and busier.
As I stated earlier, if the inventory for real estate is scarce, then small businesses are
wanting and needing to purchase their own
building or building a new one for business
expansion. So, it will only get busier.
The overall appraisal values have
bounced back since the lull we had back in
2008-2009. So again, I have to repeat that
it is the time to borrow, especially for the
small business. And keep in mind, the
small business has to be profitable and not
in the red or negative (net losses). I forecast more and more borrowers want to be
their own boss, and then be a small business owner themselves versus working for
a big corporate company. And I believe
the city fees will increase year after year.
I would like to see the building permit process throughout the major cities
of Texas move a bit faster to benefit the
small business owner.
Debra Ruiz began her banking career in
1996 and has been working with small businesses since 1999. She has been with Wells
Fargo Bank, NA-SBA Lending for 12 years. –mh
What does the process involve and
how long does it take?
The SBA-Small Business Lending process is not fast. So, that is a very openended question. We have some small
leaseholder deals that have historically
closed as quick as 10 days or less. But keep
in mind, the borrower has to be on spot
and proactive on their end in providing
for transportation infrastructure. State
funds also will be more abundant for
highways and universities.
Healthcare spending has picked up
nationally in 2015 after lagging ever since
the 2008-09 recession. Compared with
earlier periods, fewer patients are being
admitted overnight to a hospital, and
they are staying for fewer days. Consequently, hospitals are building more
emergency, diagnostic and treatment
rooms, and fewer recovery rooms. A larger share of healthcare construction
spending is going into standalone urgent-care facilities, outpatient surgical
centers and clinics in stores and shopping centers. These trends appear likely
to continue in 2016 in Texas as elsewhere.
Construction downshifted in Texas in
2015 while accelerating nationally. From
November 2014 to November 2015, U.S.
contractors increased their employee
count by 4.2%, whereas construction job
growth in Texas slowed to 1.6% from a
7.7% growth rate a year earlier. In the latest 12 months, the state tied for 36th out
of 50 states and the District of Columbia.
For 2016, national construction employment and spending growth should
continue, albeit slightly less robustly than
in 2015. Texas also will add construction
activity, but the growth will vary widely
by region and sector, with the totals
again falling short of the nation.
In the Austin-Round Rock metro
area, construction employment grew by
5% from November 2014 to November
2015. That rate outpaced the state and
the nation but was less robust than the
8% increase a year earlier. (Data for Austin and most other metro areas includes
mining and logging with construction.)
Thanks to population growth, tourism,
government and university spending,
construction in the capital area should
continue to outperform the state as a
whole in 2016.
In the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
metro area, construction employment
has plummeted from some of the highest
growth in the nation—a gain of 11,500
jobs between November 2013 and November 2014—to among the largest declines—a loss of 2,800 jobs between November 2014 and November 2015. (Because the data actually combine mining
and logging with construction, the gains
and losses to construction employment
alone are probably overstated.) In 2016,
Dallas and its immediate suburbs are likely to experience moderate-to-strong construction growth but construction
around Fort Worth will be dragged down
by oil-industry woes.
In the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro area, construction employment growth slowed dramatically in the
past year, from 16,600 jobs added between November 2013 and November
2014 to 4,000 in the following 12 months.
Continuing population growth, expanded school construction and the windup
of some office and industrial projects
may keep construction from losing jobs
overall in 2016, but further expansion is
unlikely for the time being.
Construction activity expanded
sharply in the San Antonio-New Braunfels
metro area in 2015. Construction employment jumped by 10% from November
2014 to November 2015, more than double the national rate or the local rate a
Page 12
Holiday spirit
Industry excellence
T
he Austin Chapter Associated General Contractors (AGC) annual Holiday Party was Dec. 15 at The Long
Center for Performing Arts Kodosky
Lounge. Austin AGC teamed up with
Capital Area Food Bank and guests
brought canned goods to help fight hunger. Everybody had fun, food and great
conversation! –cw
Contractor of the Year: Realty Restoration, LLC.
L-R: Kayvon Leath executive director NARI Austin; Christopher Davison; Kamie Manders;
Laurie Roberson; and David Davison
T
he Contractor of the Year (CotY)
awards for remodeling projects
were announced at the National Association of the Remodeling Industry
Austin Chapter (NARI) Evening of Excellence event on Nov. 12. Congrats to the
winners! –cw
Entire House $750,001 to $1,000,000:
RisherMartin Fine Homes
Entire House Over $1,000,000:
Realty Restoration LLC
and Twelve Stones Designs
Entire House Under $250,000:
Don Boozer Construction Inc.
Entire House $250,000 to $500,000:
Austin Impressions Inc.
Landscape Design/ Outdoor Living
$60,000 and Over:
Residential Addition $100,000 to $250,000:
CG&S Design-Build
Residential Addition Over $250,000:
CG&S Design-Build
Residential Bath Under $25,000:
Residential Bath $25,000 to $50,000:
RRS Design + Build
Bartush Design LLC
Residential Exterior $100,000 to $200,000:
Residential Historical Renovation/ Restoration $250,000 and Over:
Avenue B Development LLC
Residential Interior Element under $30,000:
President’s Award Winner:
Jason Crabtree, Premier Partners
with Chris Risher, Risher-Martin Homes and
2015 Austin NARI President
Residential Interior Under $75,000:
Residential Interior $75,000 to $150,000:
Clark | Richardson Architects
Residential Interior Over $150,000:
Texas Construction Company
Residential Kitchen Under $30,000:
Kitchens By Bell
Residential Kitchen $30,000 to $60,000:
Bartush Design, LLC
Adams Company
Kitchens By Bell
Residential Kitchen Over $150,000: CG&S
Design-Build
Residential Detached Structure:
Universal Design Project – Bath:
Grand Contractor of the Year:
Spirit Award: Savana Schroeder Beckman, Schroeder Carpets.
L-R: Chris Risher, Kayvon Leath and Savana Schroeder Beckman
Page 13
Round-Up
Helping children
year earlier. In 2016, growth is likely to
continue but at a more subdued pace.
Construction activity was mixed in
South Texas in 2015. Year-over-year employment growth had matched or exceeded the national average through
early 2015 in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metro area but stalled beginning in
April. Employment has been nearly flat in
the Brownsville-Harlingen area after slipping throughout 2014 and 2015. (Data for
these and most other metro areas includes mining and logging with construction.) In 2016, both areas are likely to
record small increases in construction.
Association Calendar
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News
CTSA
PMI
Central Texas Subcontractors Assn.
Project Management Institute
Jan. 12: Monthly meeting from 5:308pm at Embassy Suites, 5901 N I H 35.
Topic: Cyber Security Issues for Subcontractors
Jan. 12: Lunch & Learn at Any Baby Can,
6207 Sheridan Ave from 12-1pm
IEC
Feb. 4-6: RCAT Winter Membership
Meeting in Houston. Registration is open
at (512) 251-7690.SFPE
Independent Electrical Contractors
Jan. 30: IEC of Texas meeting in Austin
RCAT
Roofing Contractors Assn. of TX
NARI
SFPE
Nat’l Assn. of the Remodeling Industry
Society of Fire Protection Engineers
Jan. 14: 5-7pm, Steve Plevak, regional director of Metrostudy, presents the “Market Outlook For Remodeling in Austin” at
the first meeting of 2016. This free event,
sponsored by Prosource & Austin NARI,
will kick off with a members’ mingle at
5pm and the presentation will begin at
6pm.
Jan. 13: Chapter meeting at San Marcos
Activity Center, 501 E. Hopkins St., San
Marcos. Topic: Fire Safety in Tall Buildings
& Performance=based Design Solutions
NAWIC
Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
Jan. 6: Mix…Mingle…Network! Begins
at 5:30pm at Big Daddy’s Burgers & Bar,
9070 Research Blvd. Speed networking
event with a photography team on site
taking headshots.
TACA
TX Air Conditioning Contractors Assn.
Jan. 6-7: Basic and Advanced TACAMP
for TACA members with less than five
years in the industry or advanced for
members with more than five years in the
industry. Call 512-451-5100 for more information.
Every month
people across Texas read
Construction News...
Dallas/Fort Worth
Austin
San Antonio
Houston
South Texas
It pays to
advertise!
Submissions
continued from Page 11 — Focus
Round-Up
Austin National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) partnered with Wonders
& Worries for the Tour of remodeled Homes. Fifteen percent of tickets sales goes towards
the charitable WW organization. L-R: Meredith Cooper, middle, executive director of
Wonders & Worries; Dolores Davis, CG&S Design Build Committee Chair for the Tour of
Remodeled Homes; Kayvon Leath, right, executive director of Austin NARI –cw
Raba Kistner Consultants Inc. announced
that
James Dedrick, PE,
has accepted the
position of manager,
Construction
Materials Engineering and Testing Services for the Austin
office. He brings more than 20 years of
experience in engineering consulting, including construction management, geotechnical engineering, and construction
materials engineering, testing, and inspection. Dedrick holds a Master’s of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in Geotechnical Engineering and a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Steve Holton has
joined Stanley Consultants as a project principal in the
company’s Energy
Business Unit. Stanley Consultants, a
global consulting
engineering firm,
provides program
management, planning, engineering, environmental, and construction services
worldwide. Based in the firm’s Austin office, Holton will focus on business development in the energy market. He has an
MBA Professional Diploma in Management from the Open University in Milton
Keynes, England, and a diploma in Electrical Power Equipment from the City &
Guilds of London Institute at East Warwickshire College in Rugby, England. 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:
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constructionnews.net
Page 14
Addition to division
continued from Page 1 — Buildings are for people
as well as a certified MBE (MinorityOwned Business) and DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) firm, which
Negrete says helps with being involved
with bigger projects.
“For example, we were the architects
on the City of Austin Water Treatment
Plant #4 under prime consultant Carollo
Engineers,” Negrete says. “That was an
approximately $400 million project with
$40 million in architectural work.”
The firm also works with Austin ISD,
some private clients and public work. Negrete says the majority of the work is
from repeat clients, although he’s always
on the look out for new opportunities.
“Our philosophy is to listen, interpret
and define their needs so we can provide
them appropriate and durable solutions,”
he says. –cw
continued from Page 1 — Multiple disciplinarians
The Cadence McShane team is leading the way at the general contractor’s new San Antonio
office L-R: (bottom row) Ron Wood, Lexy Stecker, Surbhi Usrey, Kevin Cummings, (top row)
Don Watkins, Srinath Pai Kasturi
W
hile celebrating its 30th anniversary, Cadence McShane Construction Company opened its
fourth office, breaking into the San Antonio market with a location at 3512 Paesano’s Parkway, Suite 300.

The expansion broadens the general
contractor’s Central Texas Division, which
also includes the Austin office. Srinath
Pai Kasturi, vice president and general
manager for Central Texas, oversees the
San Antonio office, which opened Oct. 1.

Kasturi started with the company as
an intern in 2001 and joined full-time after graduating from college. He earned
his master’s degree in construction management from the University of Oklahoma, and then, he was offered a job at the
corporate office in Dallas. After spending
10 years there, starting as a project engineer and working his way up to vice president, he relocated to Austin.

“It has been one of my personal objectives to broaden the Central Texas Division to include San Antonio,” says Kasturi. “So, since I moved to Austin in 2012,
that’s been one of the things that I’ve always wanted to do, and we were finally
able to achieve it as a team here.”
Currently, he has five people working in the San Antonio office with all of
the administration, including accounting
and human resources, supported from
either Austin or Dallas during the growth
process.

Diverse by design to weather changes in the market, the company’s core market sectors are corporate end user, food
and beverage, commercial, industrial and
multi-family, which includes student
housing, apartments, condos, senior living and assisted living. K-12 and higher
education are other big components of
their portfolio. Their strategy is to maintain the same mix of core sectors in their
newest market, San Antonio.
Current projects in San Antonio include Doerr Lane Industrial Park, a
213,864-sf Class A speculative industrial
building located in Schertz, and Villas at
the Rim, a four-story, 427-unit luxury
multi-family project, as well as Vitre, a
mixed-use project.
The culture inside Cadence McShane’s offices includes encouraging
charitable initiatives spearheaded by employees through events such as Canstruction or ideas such as Jeans Fridays, where
employees contribute $5 to the charity to
be able to wear jeans that day and the
company matches up to $1,000.

Established in 1985, Cadence McShane
Construction Company is a commercial
general contractor that also does design
build and construction management.
Headquartered in Dallas, the company also
has offices in Austin and Houston. –mh
physically-challenged families. Company
wide, employees donated over $150,000
and volunteered over 10,000 hours of
their own time to lend a hand to those in
need.
“These types of projects exemplify
their commitment to the communities
where we live and work, that have sup-
ported us and our continued growth,”
Schrecengost said.
Ranked #66 in Engineering News Record listing of the top 500 engineering firms,
Stanley Consultants is a recognized leader
in answering the world’s engineering challenges in energy, environmental, water, and
transportation. -lh
continued from Page 1 — Highlighting your project
Do you have a recently completed
project you would be proud to see on our
cover?
Give me a call or send me an email
and let’s get you covered.
Cyndi Wright, Editor
[email protected]
210-308-5800 (Home office)
Cheers!
At Bartlett Cocke General Contractors Central Texas office in Austin, employees know
how to start the holidays off right! Ugly sweaters and good cheer! –cw
Want your company in Construction News?
Fore Christmas
Call or Email us!
There is no charge for stories or photos.
[email protected]
(210) 308-5800 (Home office)
Lone Star Materials had its 2015 holiday party at Top Golf Austin. –cw
Page 15
40 years and honors
A win-win for busy people
Efficient Air Conditioning & Electric employees believe they work
in one of the best places in Austin.
L-R: Dan Caine, Megan Hodges, Nick Kennedy and Clynt Taylor invite busy professionals to try
a more efficient way of moving around Texas.
N
ick Kennedy founded RISE with a
laser focus on transforming air
travel for frequent travelers. Cofounder Clynt Taylor had been involved
in numerous start-ups and entrepreneurial ventures since leaving IBM. Both had
traveled extensively, and suffered
through the valuable time lost dealing
with airport lines and delayed flights. Together they assembled a world-class
team and leveraged their skill sets to revolutionize private air travel to make it accessible through membership.
RISE (iflyrise.com) is a game changer
with no lines, VIP treatment and bringing
back dignity to flying.
Flying out of Austin, Dallas, Houston,
and soon San Antonio, their members
spend very little time in airports and they
have them flying within minutes of their
arrival. The only thing worse than spending hours in traffic is spending hours
stuck in lines. RISE airports have free
parking and are outfitted with a con-
cierge, Wi-Fi, snacks, a comfortable lobby
with bathrooms, charging outlets and
much more.
“Somewhere in my two million miles
of commercial air travel, I determined
that I would find a way to make travel
better for time starved executives,” Kennedy says. “The solution had to be affordable, accessible and a justifiable expense,
not a luxury. It had to be safe and convenient as well as recover what has been
lost in commercial air travel – time and
dignity. I hope you'll join the RISE community of successful frequent travelers.
We created it with you in mind."
Reclaiming hours of busy executives
lives is critical professionally and personally, and RISE affords them that opportunity.
“Monthly membership dues are
fixed, no matter how much you fly – five
times or 20 times a month. So your CFO
will never complain about your travel expenses again,” Kennedy said. –lh
E
fficient Air Conditioning & Electric
was founded in 1976 as Comfort Engineering and later became known
as Comfort Mechanical, and most recognizably, RM Mechanical. In 2008, owners
Molly and George Drazic rebranded the
company as Efficient Air Conditioning. In
2014, they added “& Electric” to the name
to recognize the company’s growing
electrical division.
Recently, the company learned that
an employee nominated the company to
the Austin American Statesman's Top
Workplaces Program.
“All of the company's employees
were asked to complete a third-party survey that asked them about the leadership, ethics and values of the company,
and whether they feel they are well-treated and given opportunities for advancement,” says marketing manager Kate Villacis. “Nearly 25,000 other local workers
took the same survey, and based on the
results, the Statesman published a list of
the top 55 small businesses to work for in
Austin. Efficient Air Conditioning & Electric, a first-time participant in the program, was ranked #26.”
The company performs mechanical
and electrical construction, residential
and commercial HVACR and electrical
service, and sheet metal fabrication. “They’re willing to give you a chance
to prove yourself and see what abilities
you have, whereas other companies are
all about the numbers,” said service manager Dustin McCauley, who began
working for Efficient Air Conditioning &
Electric eight years ago as a service technician and advanced into management.
George Drazic said teamwork is essential.
“We don’t stick to one thing. We all
do a number of things, and we all step up
and do what we need to do to get
through that day, that week, that month
and really keep our customers happy,” he
says. –lh
Page 16
Triad holiday bash
Apartment department
T
riad Mechanical in Austin celebrated a holiday party for employees and families
on Dec. 4. Everybody had a great time! –cw
Neal and Gabriel, with subcontractor MFC Construction, stand in front of the back of a
264-apartment complex going up in Austin. The GC on the project is Oden Hughes, Austin. –cw
L-R: Triad’s owners, Everett Hicks and Marvin Gattis
Construction News ON LOCATION
Solid calling
Jose Hernandez with Rock Solid USA in Kyle gets ready to deliver
a load of specialty products to a job site. –cw
The whole group got together for a company photo.
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