July - Construction News

Transcription

Covering the Industry’s News
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CONSTRUCTION
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Volume 13
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Number 7
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JULY 2016
Explore, dream, discover
Pedal to the metal
studioMET Architects won Firm of the Year Award from the American Institute of Architects
(AIA) Houston Chapter for 2016.
Tommy Cloy loves spending time in Bolivar when he isn’t working.
E
mployees at studioMET Architects
feel lucky to get to do what they really enjoy and help grow the practice to include more residential and small
commercial work.
The firm's partners, Yoon You, AIA,
Stephen Andrews, AIA, and Shawn
Gottschalk, AIA, are licensed architects
and registered in the state of Texas.
Associate Florence Tang, AIAA, says
the firm works on projects in Houston
and is starting to do projects beyond the
city including in Austin, Brooklyn, NY and
India.
The early days at the company were
lean, as it is with any firm starting out.
“We grew and were able to balance
the quality of design and construction by
tailoring the practice to offer design and
build services,” Tang said. “We have always worn multiple hats. We also offer
real estate services, which allows us to be
a boutique shop with the expertise of acquisition to turn key.
“Our referrals have taken us from initial multi-family projects to custom single
family projects. We take pride in working
with repeat clients. To us, a satisfied client
is the best outcome of our work.”
The firm believe it's important to get
into the community and support design
awareness.
“Good design, coupled with quality
construction, can affect how people live
and work,” Tang said.
continued on Page 18
S
tarting out welding for a living in
the ‘70s, owner Tommy Cloy and
his wife Brenda opened Magnoliabased MWS Inc. in 1983.
Cloy says he enjoys what he does today because he makes a good living and
also has fun.
“I really enjoy building things and
helping people,” he said.
According to Cloy, last year the company had many projects on the books
and has finally caught up with all the
work.
“Sales have been very consistent for
the past few years,” he said. “Right now,
as bad as the weather has been and as
wet as it is, we are doing about anything
we can get to that is dry.
“With all the flooding and high water
in the area it is so wet it is hard to get a
building started.”
Every year around November, the
company has an employee Thanksgiving
party the Wednesday before the holiday.
“We like to have a fish fry at the
shop,” Cloy said. “We also have a Christmas party in December. Sometimes we
will all go out to eat too.”
When Cloy isn’t working he loves
spending time outdoors. He likes going
salt water fishing near his his place in Bolivar.
“I have spent time in Bolivar for
about three years now,” he said. “I like to
go to Bolivar just to be by the beach.
Reaching the finish line
L
ocus Construction LLC completed
12,000sf Louetta Road Retail project
located in Spring in February. The
owner is NSHE TX Penguin Tetra LLC.
Project manager and Locus Construction owner Jeff Nuche says the approximate cost of the new ground up
construction retail project is $1.3 million.
Locus Construction self performed
all the metal framing and drywall for the
project.
According to Nuche, the primary
construction materials used were steel
structure with CMU exterior walls, storefront glazing system with EIFS façade and
single ply roof membrane.
The major challenge the construction team met and overcame was the
rainy weather.
“We have had so much rain this year
and this delayed things during the project,” he said. “There weren’t many other
challenges other than the weather.”
Nuche says Locus Construction had
a great experience working with Heights
Venture Architects.
“We have had the opportunity to
work with Heights Venture Architects for
the past few years,” he said. “They are a
very skilled architecture firm working in
the retail market segment of construction.”
Locus Construction also enjoyed
working with the owner.
“This was our first time working with
the owner,” he said. “Since the owner
was a single person development company, there was a streamlined decision
making process throughout the project,”
he said.
Based in The Woodlands, Locus Construction provides pre-construction services, general contracting, construction management and design build services. The
Louetta Road Retail
Page 2
C
Houston Construction News • July 2016
All stars
hamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing recently held a customer appreciation event at a Houston Astros game at Minute Maid Park.
More than 350 clients and friends
participated in a raffle at the event. Raffle
prizes included a fiddle signed by Charlie
Daniels, a CZ-USA Bobwhite Side-by-Side
shotgun and a night at Minute Maid Park.
The raffle raised $10,240, all donated to
WorkFaith Connection.
Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing
provides commercial roofing and sheet
metal, waterproofing and caulking, building and garage restoration services. –ab
Spicing things up
E
ighty electrical contractor customers gathered for lunch at the Graves Winlectric Crawfish Boil May 20. Employees Evan Reed and Justin Wiens prepared the
crawfish for attendees.
Based in Spring, Graves Winlectric sells electrical supplies and products to electrical
contractors in Houston and the surrounding areas. –ab
Matt Sullins and James Clements,
Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing
L-R: Justin Wiens and Evan Reed, Graves Winlectric
Gilbert Avila, WorkFaith’s Courage the Chicken and Ernest Sandoval, Chamberlin Roofing &
Waterproofing
David Neal, Art Canales and John Kafka, Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing; WorkFaith’s
Courage the Chicken and Sandy Schultz, WorkFaith Connection President/CEO
The Graves Winlectric staff
Welcome to the Lone Star State
DLR Group employees and friends gather at the Houston location.
D
LR Group opened its doors in
Houston in May. The location is on
the ground floor corner of 919 Mi-
lam.
Architect and Principal Filo Castore,
AIA, LEED AP, leads operations in the office and oversees project delivery and
business development. He is also the
leader of DLR Group’s Workplace Studio
in Texas, working with developers and
clients throughout the state.
“Since opening in May, we are
continuing to add key staff members that
will allow us to grow in several markets,
from workplace and civic to education
and hospitality/retail,” Castore said.
The firm has already completed
the TDECU Stadium and Guy V. Lewis
Development Facility at the University
of Houston and installed a renewable
energy system at NRG Park.
Castore says, outside of work,
employees at the firm have hobbies such
as riding motorcycles, photography,
cooking and there are even talented
pastry experts.
“We also have a barbecue certified
judge on staff,” he said. “We are
leveraging our street front location in
downtown to promote our connection
to the community.”
According to Castore, DLR Group
is celebrating its 50-year anniversary in
2016. The firm has 750 employee-owners
in 21 U.S. offices and three international
locations in Shanghai, Dubai and Nairobi.
“We are planning to grow a profitable
Texas practice that will bring us in other
markets around the state, such as Austin
and Dallas, by staying true to our core
business strategy,” he said.
DLR Group serves clients through integrated delivery of planning, architecture,
engineering, interiors and building optimization for new construction, renovation
and adaptive reuse. –ab
Page 3
Into the blue
D
espite the rainy weather, The Blue Book hosted
its Who’s Who in Building & Construction Showcase at the Minute Maid Park in late April. Attendees had the chance to get face-time with Houston
area construction industry professionals. –ab
Houston
3
CONSTRUCTION NEWS
Houston Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Abby BeMent
[email protected]
832-595-0091
Construction News Ltd. Home Office
P.O. Box 791290 • San Antonio, Tx 78279
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Construction News ON LOCATION
Work mode
L-R: Jose Moreno and Juan Castillo, D.F. Systems Inc., prepare to load equipment on a
trailer. The company is a telecommunications subcontractor based in Conroe. –ab
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© 2016 Construction News, Ltd.
Page 4
years, I have handled marketing and
sales.
Erin Hooper
Owner
Gray-Walker Inc.
F
ounded in 1954, Gray-Walker Inc. is
one of the oldest construction supply distributors in Houston.
Erin Hooper’s father, Leonard Pizalate, purchased Gray-Walker in Houston
in 1973. The company opened a second
location at 1420 Avenue H (Highway 90)
in Rosenberg in Dec. 2015. Hooper and
her husband Jack operate the store.
The Hooper’s interact with track
builders, custom homebuilders, commercial contractors, masonry contractors
and retail customers on a daily basis.
Gray-Walker sells foundation steel,
concrete block, bagged cement, fireplace
supplies, natural and manufactured
stone, stucco supplies, masons tools,
wire, masonry accessories and sand.
Where were you born and raised, Erin?
I was born and raised in Houston. I
attended Westfield High School in
Spring.
What were your interests in high
school?
Early on I started off participating in
the drill team. Next, I pursued business
classes.
I did a work program my junior year. I
worked for GTE Mobile Net in the legal
department.
I helped with a lot of bankruptcy cases. I went to school in the morning and
worked in the afternoon.
Where did you attend college?
I went to Southwest Texas in San
Marcos. It is very beautiful there.
I took business classes and changed
my major to Criminal Justice my sophomore year.
What did you do after you graduated?
At first, I could not find a job. My
mother said they had a job for me at
Gray-Walker working Monday through
Thursday and I could look for a job on Fridays.
This turned into a permanent job in
1992.
I helped out in the office and soon
become the office manager. Over the
When did you met your husband Jack?
My husband and I went to high
school together. We went to the prom
when we were seniors.
We went our separate ways after
high school. We did not have any contact
for 23 years.
We found each other through Facebook and reconnected. Neither one of us
had been married or had any children.
So, at the age of 40 we got married in
Houston and had a reception at Brenner’s
on the Bayou. We have been married for
five years.
What does a typical day look like for
you these days?
I am involved in all aspects of the
company. Jack and I are focused on getting the Rosenberg store up and running.
Before Jack joined the company, he
worked in the oil and gas industry. He
traveled quite a bit for work at the time.
I will eventually travel between the
two stores and Jack will run the Rosenberg store.
What advice would you give someone
interested in working in your industry?
I think it would be a good idea to
have a strong leader guide and teach you
the ins and outs of the industry.
You have to be patient and persevere. Know your industry and know your
products.
Stay involved in the industry. Know
your customers more than anything.
What are a few positive happenings at
the company lately?
Every day we get a new customer, so
that is always exciting! We are growing
each and every week.
We are learning so much about the
area. Several of our customers live in Fort
Bend County.
They mentioned to us there weren’t
many masonry supply businesses here.
I thought we would have lots of customers in the Richmond and Rosenberg
area but we have also seen customers
come in from Needville, Bay City and
Sealy, too.
What is your perspective about the local construction industry?
I think things are up and down. We
have seen lots of rain this year and that
shuts everything down.
I’d say right now the local construction industry is steady and there is new
construction in Houston and the surrounding areas.
The summer months are usually our
busiest months and the winter months
things slow down.
Has Gray-Walker had any annual
events?
We have offered stucco classes and
our manufacturers will bring in lunch for
L-R: Leonard Pizalate, Jack and Erin Hooper
the customers.
What types of changes in your business have you seen over the years?
There have been many improvements especially in the manufactured
stone realm. Manufactured stone came
out in the ‘90s.
Now they have come out with manufactured stone that looks like real wood.
They have definitely come a long way
since I started working in the industry.
I stay up-to-date with all the changes in the industry by staying involved in
associations, organizations and reading
publications.
Describe a few important lessons your
father taught you about the business.
My father and I always worked well
together over the years because we are
opposites.
He is a very conservative businessman and goes over everything thoroughly before he reacts.
I am more of a reactive person so I
watched how he handled things and
how he was successful.
He built a wonderful reputation in
the construction industry. I want to follow in his footsteps.
Does your father still work at the company today?
My father is not as involved at the
company as he once was, but he still
comes in from time to time.
He doesn’t want to retire yet. He
likes having something to do.
What hobbies do you and your husband enjoy when you are not at work?
When we have free time we enjoy
spending time in La Grange and Galveston and going to church on Sundays.
We love going to the beach house
where we go fishing, kayaking and paddle boarding. It is always a relaxing way
to spend the weekend.
In addition, my husband ride motorcycles and loves to do anything outdoors. I am his side kick. I don’t ride motorcycles but I will ride a four-wheeler.
Jack likes to play golf and I drive the
golf cart.
Do you like to cook?
I learned how to cook late in life. It is
very enjoyable for me. I wish I had started
cooking years ago.
My husband likes to cook with me,
too. I like the challenge of following a
brand new recipe.
Jack is my best cheerleader. I haven’t
mastered how to cook excellent chicken
but I can cook steak.
When we have relatives over at the
house, they always want me to cook
steak.
Have you traveled outside of the Gulf
Coast area lately?
My husband just got back from Destin, FL. I haven’t traveled in a while
though.
It is hard to get out and go somewhere when you have a family business.
As soon as we get things stable and
steady, we will probably start taking
more weekend trips.
We enjoy going to see family in San
Antonio when we get the chance. We like
to go to the River Walk while we are there.
Why do you enjoy working in Rosenberg?
We still live in Houston but my husband wants to move out here eventually.
It is nice that there is not a hustle and
bustle in Rosenberg. The atmosphere
and people are very friendly.
For some reason, lots of people stop
in our Rosenberg location to ask for directions.
We seem to be the hub for people
looking for directions.
It is comical because we tell people
we live in Houston and have only been
here for a year. We do our best to guide
them.
What are your plans for the future?
In the future, we want to make the
Rosenberg location as big as the Houston
location, if not bigger. –ab
Construction News JOB SIGHT
Submitted to Construction News
Detail oriented
Time to network
Danny Schmidt, AT Design Team, installs architectural fixtures at the Triumph
Pharmacy project. The GC is Roy Villerreal Jr. –ab
The American Subcontractors Association Houston Chapter (ASA-HC) held a Schmooze
and Mingle event with Teal Construction at Refinery Burger in May. –ab
Page 5
Investing in the future
Photo by Steve Huedepohl
Among HOLT’s leadership and members of the local government present for a significant
moment in HOLT CAT history were L-R: Dave Harris, president and COO, HOLT CAT; Tommy
Calvert, Bexar County Commissioner; San Antonio Councilwoman Rebecca Villagran, Dist.
3; Hazel Holt, Peter’s older daughter; Peter J. Holt, executive vice president and general
manager, HOLT CAT; Penny Holt, Peter’s younger daughter; Lauren Kate Holt; San Antonio
Mayor Ivy Taylor; Judge Nelson Wolff; Holt Richter, Corinna’s son; Corinna Holt Richter,
executive vice president and chief administrative officer; J.B. Richter
W
ith state, county and local dignitaries in attendance, HOLT CAT
hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Jun. 14 for a new state-of-the-art
headquarters building at its San Antonio
campus. The expansion represents more
than a $20 million property investment.
Dave Harris, HOLT president and
COO; Peter J. Holt, HOLT executive vice
president and general manager; and San
Antonio’s Mayor Ivy Taylor were among
the speakers who addressed more than
200 attendees at the groundbreaking.
The three-story, 84,000-sf building
will include integrated technology, traditional offices and multi-functional conference facilities. RVK Architects designed the new headquarters, and Joeris
General Contractors is the GC for the
project.
The new building will also feature a
large lunchroom with a fresh food vending area and a connected outdoor patio,
and an employee fitness center with full
locker rooms and shower facilities. Ex-
pected to open in the third quarter of
2017, once completed, the new headquarters building will consolidate administrative and corporate functions.
With 39 locations across North,
Northeast, Central and South Texas and
more than 2,300 employees, the San Antonio campus is home to more than 700
of the company’s employees. While the
heavy equipment and Caterpillar dealer
has a presence statewide, HOLT is based
in San Antonio.
“The HOLT organization has been
part of San Antonio since 1933, and this
groundbreaking ceremony was in celebration of the last 83 years,” says Joe
Carreon, corporate marketing manager
for HOLT CAT. “Our investment in this
new facility marks the company’s commitment to the community and to the
southeast side of San Antonio. We are
very excited about this new facility, as it
will include state-of-the-art amenities to
accommodate the needs of our employees and our customers.”–mh
Making waves
F
ire protection contractors from
across the state played golf and
went fishing at the Skins & Fins Tournament held at South Shore Harbour Resort in League City in Jun. 9-12.
Folks also attended continued education classes, a table top vendor show, a
buffet style dinner and a pool party.
The Fire Sprinklers Contractors Association of Texas (FSCATX) hosted the
event. –ab
Impact Fire Services
The table top vendor show
Carol McCain won the Champion of the
Industry Achievement Award.
Meet the new board
Fully equipped for construction
The Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors (PHCC) Texas annual meeting was held Jun.
10 at St. Philip’s College in San Antonio, and the new PHCC Texas board was elected
and installed. L-R: Tony Dixon, Ferguson; Craig Lewis, R.E.C. Industries; Greg Bolin, Bolin
Plumbing; Sam Dowdy, S&D Plumbing; Randy Hunter, R.E.C. Industries; Rick Shelton,
Shelton Plumbing; Patrick Freund, Primo Plumbing; Dickie McCurdy, MMM Plumbing,
Heating, A/C; Chris Sproles, Central Texas Plumbing Solutions; Jessica Burden, Milton
Frank Plumbing; Stephen Cox, Cox Plumbing; Carter Ramzel, Benchmark Plumbing;
Milton Frank, Milton Frank Plumbing –mh
Sergio operates equipment in the yard.
S
alesman Andy Kleppel says Magnolia-based Windstar Equipment
has began to focus on the construction industry in recent years. The owner is
Michael Patrick.
“Right now we are selling the most
equipment to folks in the construction
industry,” Kleppel said. “Our customers
include contractors and small construction related companies.
“I have enjoyed meeting people in
the construction industry. Everyone has
an interesting story and there are quite a
few characters! I never know who is going to walk in the door.”
The yardman, Sergio, loads and assembles equipment and gets everything
ready for customers.
“My job is to interact with customers
on a daily basis,” Kleppel said. “I try to figure out what they need and get them the
best piece of equipment for their job.”
According to Kleppel, the company
has operated for 19 years in the Magnolia
area.
“Michael purchased the company
from the previous owner about five years
ago,” he said. “We have operated at the
same location on FM 1488 since that
time.”
When employees have free time,
they like to spend it outdoors with their
friends and families.
“We are all ready for rest and relaxation by the time Friday gets here,” he
said.
Future plans for the company are to
continue to sell more equipment to construction-related companies in the area.
“It is a tough economy right now,”
Kleppel said. “We are going to hang in
there!”
Windstar Equipment is a locally owned
and operated company serving Magnolia
and the surrounding area. –ab
Page 6
Internal fraud and controls
Heat-related illness
Cari Takao, shareholder
Fisher Herbst & Kemble PC
San Antonio, TX
Wes Pitts
USI Southwest
Austin, TX
“O
h what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive. But once we’ve practiced for a while,
oh my, how we have improved our style.” – Unknown perpetrator
Occupational fraud is a deception
deliberately practiced in order to secure
unfair or unlawful gain by employees,
managers and/or executives/owners.
The main ingredients for fraud is best illustrated as a triangle with three sides
known as opportunity, pressure and rationalization.
Some common mistakes an owner
or manager make in relation to fraud:
• Trusting an employee implicitly
with no oversight of their activities;
• Not requiring approval on significant transactions;
• Having an over reliance on outside
auditors or tax accountants to catch
fraud; and/or
• Giving complete control with no
segregation of duties or review processes put in place.
Most fraudsters are long time employees that are well trusted, well liked
and have had no prior criminal history.
Anyone can commit fraud! No business is
immune to fraud! Some common types
of fraud to be on the lookout for:
• Skimming (taking money and never recording)
• Check-tampering (forgery)
• Billing schemes (creating and paying fictitious vendors)
• Payroll schemes (paying fictitious employees or giving unauthorized pay rates)
• Inappropriate expense reimbursements
• Non-cash and other schemes (stealing tangible equipment or inventory)
• Collusion or management override
So you know why, how and who, now
what can you do?
Opportunity is the only thing a business owner or management can control
in the fraud triangle. However, they
should try to be alert for pressures and
perceived rationalizations an employee
might be experiencing. Opportunity is
mainly controlled through internal and
compensating controls. Owners should
understand the perception of deterrence
and prevention. Controls are developed
to deter fraud and to keep honest people
honest! Remember power perceived is
power achieved. Controls should be implemented at any size organization.
Internal Controls are defined as the
process by which management structures an organization to provide assurance that an entity operates effectively
and efficiently, has a reliable financial reporting system and complies with applicable laws and regulations. A successful
system of internal control is not built
overnight, but is an ongoing process of
fine tuning the inner workings of an organization. Many organizations summarize internal control systems in operational handbooks and manuals so it can
be an easy referral point.
A system of internal control is necessary to help employees and other partners understand the attitude and objectives of the organization as a whole. Internal controls provide reasonable assurance to customers and other parties that
transactions are recorded properly in a
timely manner. Internal controls help
provide a “trust but verify” environment.
Some basic controls that should be considered are as follows:
• Establish communications on the
importance of controls starting at the top;
• Conduct monthly reviews of bank
statements (with images) by owner or
governance group ensuring timely bank
reconciliations are completed;
• Establish employee educational
programs and incentives to proactively
reduce fraud by: Establishing a “fraud
hotline” using a professional service firm;
and having a Code of Conduct policy
with all employees required to adhere to
the requirements therein.
• Ensure computer access controls
are implemented on the accounting system and bank cash management system
at a minimum. Administrative rights
should be limited to just a few.
• Conduct background checks prior
to starting work for all employees in sensitive positions (controller, CFO, high level managers, etc.);
• Conduct analytical reviews of financial reports by owner/governance group
within 30 days of the month end selected
searching for anomalies or unexpected
budget variances;
• Conduct monthly reviews of manual adjustments to financial records by an
independent person;
• Ensure segregation between preparer and signer of checks/payments.
Additionally, upon check signing, the
signer should review invoices for reasonableness in relation to the business; and
• Ensure segregation between deposit money into the bank and recording
the receipts in the accounting system.
Hopefully, this gives you some simple and efficient ways to manage the opportunity that is present in your company.
Cari Takao, CPA is an assurance shareholder for FHK. Contact her at 210-477-2712
or at [email protected]
S
ummer heat can be more than uncomfortable; it can
be DEADLY. Every year thousands of workers become
sick or worse from heat exposure. Heat illness is
preventable, and many corporate safety policies and/or
employee manuals do not address heat related illness.
Symptoms vary in intensity but can
include:
• Dizziness, weakness, nausea, headache,
and possibly vomiting
• Blurry vision
• Body temperature rising to 100 to
104.9°F
• Sweaty skin
• Feeling hot and thirsty
• Difficulty speaking
A person suffering from heat
exhaustion must move to a cool place
and drink plenty of water.
Heat Stroke
Heat stroke is the result of untreated
heat exhaustion.
Symptoms include:
• Ceasing of sweating
• Body temperature rising rapidly to
above 104.9°F
• Confusion or delirium
• Loss of consciousness, seizure
Call
911
or
seek
medical
professionals. Keep the person cool until
help arrives. Place cold compresses on
the neck, armpits and groin (where
blood vessels run close to the skin). If the
person is awake and able to swallow,
administer fluids.
Normally, the main source of heat is
generated internally by your body. The
body exchanges heat with its
surroundings mainly through radiation,
convection, and evaporation of sweat.
Radiation is the process by which
the body gains heat from surrounding
hot objects, such as hot metal, furnaces,
or steam pipes, and loses heat to cold
objects, such as chilled metallic surfaces,
without contact with them.
Convection is the process by which
the body exchanges heat with the
surrounding air. The body gains heat
from hot air and loses heat to cold air,
which comes in contact with the skin.
Evaporation of sweat from the skin
cools the body. Evaporation occurs more
quickly, and the cooling effect is more
noticeable with high wind speeds and
low relative humidity. In hot and humid
workplaces, the cooling of the body, due
to sweat evaporation, is limited because
the air cannot accept more moisture. In
hot and dry workplaces, the cooling, due
to sweat evaporation, is limited by the
amount of sweat produced by the body.
Heat related illnesses occur when atrisk workers build up metabolic heat
faster than their bodies can release it and
cool down. In a limited study of 20 cases
investigated by OSHA, in which 13 deaths
occurred, it was found that four of the
deaths occurred on the first day of work
in a new job, or after returning from time
away from the job. Three deaths occurred
on the second day, and two on the third
day (9 deaths within the first three days).
Long-term workers made up the other 4
deaths. In cases that involved heat illness
but not death, the number of days on the
job did not appear to have an effect.
Studies have found that the failure to
support acclimatization appears to be
the most common deficiency for
employers that have employees at-risk,
and the factor most clearly associated
with death. Employers need to provide
time for workers to acclimate when they
have been absent from work more than a
few days (for new workers or workers
returning to a job, where exposure to
heat related illness may occur).
Important elements for employers to
consider when addressing heat related
illness include assigning a responsible
person for developing and executing a
heat related illness prevention program
within the company. Goals for the
program should include plans for:
1. Gradual acclimatizing of workers;
2. Monitoring the temperature (e.g., heat
index and wet bulb globe temperature)
of their worksite;
3. Worker hydration (water) before,
during, and after work;
4. Providing shaded and cool areas for
rest breaks;
5. Modifying work schedules to reduce
workers’ exposure to heat;
6. Training workers on the signs and
symptoms of heat illness;
7. Monitoring workers for signs of heat
stress;
8. Planning for emergencies and
response; and
9. Documenting the above with Safety
Training Sign-In Log
Discuss ideas with your agent about
creating a customizable Heat Illness
Prevention Program that can be easily
incorporated into your safety and
employee manual.
Wes Pitts is a Sr. vice president and
Southwest Regional Construction Practice
Leader for USI Southwest - Austin, TX, USA.
Wes can be contacted at 512-651-4107 or
[email protected]
Making the grade
Class of 2016
Construction professional graduates received recognition for their achievements at
the Construction and Maintenance Education Foundation (CMEF) graduation at
Brady’s Landing May 26. CMEF is an educational affiliate of the Associated Builders
& Contractors (ABC) Houston Chapter. –ab
L-R: SpawGlass Houston office project executive Jerry Vandervoort, State Senator Robert
Nichols, Lamar State College-Orange president Dr. J. Michael Shahan, State Representative
Dade Phelan and Alan Stilts, PBK Architects, took part in a groundbreaking ceremony for
the new Lamar State College-Orange Multipurpose Education Building Jun. 2. –ab
Page 7
Are attorneys’ fees still
recoverable in successful
contract actions?
Bethany F. Thompson, shareholder
Gardner Law
San Antonio, TX
C
onstruction lawyers in Texas have been relying on
certain statutes to recover attorney fees and expenses for their clients in contract claims for decades. However, within the last couple of years two courts have issued decisions that substantially
narrow the application of one of the most frequently used attorney fee recovery statutes regarding contract claims.
The first of the two cases is Fleming &
Assocs. LLP v. Barton, 425 S.W.3d 560 (Tex.
App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2014) and the
second case is Hoffman v. L&M Arts LLC,
3:10-CV-0953-D, 2015 WL 1000838, (N.D.
Tex. Mar. 6, 2015). This shift is significant,
as an important part of the decision by
subcontractors and suppliers on whether
to pursue legal action is whether or not
they can recoup their attorneys’ fees.
In Texas, a party cannot recover their
attorneys’ fees unless a statute or contract expressly gives them that right.
Many times, parties rely on Section
38.001 of the Civil Practice and Remedies
Code which states that if there is a recovery of a claim based on an oral or written
contract, “a person may recover reasonable attorneys’ fees from an individual or
corporation.” Previously, the statute referred to “any person or corporation”
where “person” is defined to include
“partnerships, among others.” See section 1.002 of the TCPRC providing the
Code Construction Act applies to the
TCPRC. However, the word “person” was
changed to “individual” in 1985 when the
statute was recodified. Both of these recent cases turn on the use of the word
“individual” as opposed to “person.”
In the Fleming case, the court considered whether 38.001 allowed for recovery of fees against a limited partnership. Unlike the previous term, “person,”
the court noted the term “individual” is
not defined in the Code Construction Act
and determined the ordinary meaning
did not include a limited partnership.
Based on this, the appellate court concluded the trial court erred in awarding
attorneys’ fees.
In the Hoffman case, the court considered whether 38.001 allowed for recovery of fees against an LLC. Defendants challenged the application of this
statute based on their status as an LLC, as
opposed to a corporation. The terms “individual” and “corporation” are undefined within the statute. After considering the legislative history of the statute
and various applicable arguments, the
Court concluded an LLC is an “other legal
entity” not within the scope of Section
38.001 and denied the request for fees.
In the 2015 legislative session HB 230
was introduced and passed by the Texas
House of Representatives which would
have modified the statute to include the
terms “or other legal entity” however the
bill did not make it through the Senate.
As a practice point, construction industry
parties need to remember that attorneys’
fees in Texas can also be recovered if a
contract provision allows for them. Parties who typically furnish labor or materials pursuant to contracts, should be especially vigilant to always include terms
allowing for the prevailing party to recover their fees.
Bethany F. Thompson is a Shareholder
with Gardner Law in San Antonio, Texas,
and her practice focuses on construction
litigation. In a time when many cases settle
before trial, she has first chair state court
jury trial experience, arbitration experience,
and bench trial experience in federal court.
Ms. Thompson represents general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers on a variety of issues including contract drafting
and negotiation, lien and bond payment
claims, delay and defect claims, and contract default and terminations. She has presented seminars for a variety of organizations throughout the state, guest lectured
on construction contracts at Texas A&M,
and is active in both her local chapter of the
American Subcontractors Association and
the Attorney Council for the national level
of ASA. Contact: bthompson@gardnertx.
com.
Teen workers
Joann Natarajan
Compliance Assistance Specialist
OSHA
Austin, TX
Y
outh who are under 18 years old can be an asset to
your workforce. They are enthusiastic and eager to
learn. However, like other new and inexperienced workers, these young workers can be injured on the job
when they don’t receive adequate safety training and
supervision. Some injuries have a lifelong impact, and some are even fatal. Furthermore, on-the-job injuries to young workers can be costly.
Young workers get hurt when:
• They take on jobs for which they’re not
trained — sometimes without being
asked
• They don’t have appropriate supervision
• They work with dangerous tools or
equipment
• They perform tasks that violate youth
employment laws
Work on a construction site is especially
hazardous. In fact, the construction industry, which employs less than 3% of all
young workers, ranks 3rd in the number
of work-related fatalities to youth — at
14% of all occupational deaths to youth
under 18.
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
The federal FLSA establishes minimum
wage, overtime pay, record keeping, and
child labor standards affecting certain
full-time and part-time workers in the private sector and in federal, state, and local
governments.
Age and Hour Restrictions under FLSA
Youth under 16 years of age may only
perform office or sales work in the construction industry. The federal rules also
limit the number of hours and times of
day that such youth may be employed.
Youth age 16 and 17 may work in the construction industry and on construction
sites, but there are several tasks or jobs
that are too hazardous for them to per-
form. There are no federal laws that restrict the number of work hours per day
or per week. However, several states do
restrict the number of hours and times of
day that this age group may be employed. Be sure to check with your State
Department of Labor.
FLSA Exemptions
If certain conditions are met, 16- and
17-year-old apprentices and student
learners may be allowed to perform
some of the above prohibited jobs. Youth
enrolled in such programs are trained in
occupational safety and health. You may
wish to consider recruiting these young
workers — you’ll be providing them with
work experience and may be rewarded
with a safety-conscious employee.
Some other young workers are not fully
covered by FLSA. For example, youth of
any age are generally allowed to work for
businesses entirely owned by their parents, except no one under 18 may be employed in the prohibited jobs that are
partially listed above.
Even if FLSA doesn’t apply, if you employ
workers under 18 years old, be sure that:
• Tasks are appropriate for a worker’s age
• Young workers are properly trained
• Young workers are supervised
•You know what tasks are prohibited for
youth
[email protected]
512-374-0271 x232
Projecting ahead
T
he American Subcontractors Association (ASA) Houston Chapter held it’s annual
election of officers and directors and networking event at the HESS Club May 19.
Attendees listened to a presentation focused on upcoming work and thoughts
on the construction industry in Houston over the next six months.
David Zebold, vice president, E.E. Reed Construction LP; Raylena Browning,
preconstruction manager, Manhattan Construction Co. and Chris Desko, project executive, Clark Construction Group - Texas LP, discussed how best Houston area GCs
and subcontractors can work together for all to be successful. –ab
Good eats
The Arrowmont Constructors crew builds a Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
on FM 1488 in Magnolia. –ab
Directors Elected for 2016-18: Bud Walters, president, Pieper Houston Electric; Andy Adams,
Adams Insurance Service Inc.; Tyler Althouse, Texas Moisture Protection; John Glaze, Fast
Track Specialties LP; Mark Johnson, Briggs Equipment; Ron LaRicci, vice president, Camarata
Masonry Systems Ltd. and Tyler Althouse, Texas Moisture Protection. Not pictured, Craig
Peterson, secretary/treasurer, Peterson Beckner Industries Inc.
Page 8
Sharing stories
E
njoying brunch and mimosas, ladies
in the construction industry gathered at a 60th Anniversary Celebration event held at The Tasting Room Wine
Café Jun. 18.
The National Association of Women
in Construction (NAWIC) Houston Chapter held the event.
Back in the ‘50s, Owner K.S. Gregory, Gregory-Edwards Inc., a Houston
mechanical contractor, encouraged his
female employees to attend a meeting
for women in the construction industry.
L-R: Sandy Field, Luci Roberts and Riki
Lovejoy
The first organizational meeting of
what was to become the NAWIC Houston
Chapter was held in the home of Florence Harrison.
In addition to Florence, Grace Dockal, Patsy Minor, Frances Galvin, Carrie
Ann Marquette, Jane Harris, Ouida
Rouse and Ann Judice attended this
meeting.
These eight ladies called their friends
and 44 women signed the charter to establish the Houston chapter on Jun. 21,
1956.
NAWIC gave K.C.’s granddaughter
Theresa Gregory the signed charter at
the 60th Anniversary Celebration. NAWIC
had a display of many of the historical
moments of the chapter and recognized
some key players in the association’s history. –ab
NAWIC Houston members share stories about the past 60 years.
The 60th anniversary cake
L-R: Ruth Humphrey, Nancy House
and Trish Kato
Trish Cato talks about the early days at
NAWIC Houston.
L-R: Becky Richter and Theresa Gregory
L-R: Theresa Gregory, Rozaliya Karakhanova
and Ashley Williams
L-R: Terry Nesch and Susan Marks
Page 9
Cautions while
wading
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.
S
ummertime has arrived folks, and
you will start to see larger crowds
on the water through Labor Day
weekend. Fishing has remained consistent throughout the month of May even
with all the rains and inconsistent wind
directions throughout the month. June
finds us continuing with the same weather patterns we had last month, even with
a little more bizarre weather patterns. I
always welcome Texas summer rains, but
Flounder have been showing up in good
numbers. Randy Wyatt of San Antonio
caught this 5-lb. flounder last month while
fishing with Steve Schultz Outdoors.
it seems this season we’ve had more
than our share, especially central and
northern parts of the state.
I would like to share an incident that
happen to me the last week of May while
wade fishing with some clients. I woke
up on a Saturday morning with a burning sensation on a spot near my ankle
after a day of wading the King Ranch
shoreline a few days prior. Thinking it
was a spider bite or some other insect
bite, I dismissed the irritated foot and
went on my day’s charter with my clients.
Shortly into the morning I started to feel
chilled and aching all over my body. I
knew something was not right but was
determined to finish my day with my clients. As the day progressed, so did the
pain in my leg until I had had enough. By
the time I got back to the dock, my leg
was swollen and the redness had spread
from my ankle to my calf. That afternoon
I went to the Physicians Premier ER to get
checked out. After explaining to the
doctor that I had been wading in the Laguna Madre, he didn’t take any chances
and started me on an IV antibiotic. He
then informed me that I was being transferred to the hospital. Later that evening
I went to Bay Area Hospital where they
continued with the antibiotics intravenously. Doctors were not sure where the
infection started because I had no open
wounds on my leg and I was sure that I
had not been poked by a fish or anything
else.
After a few days in the hospital with
continuous antibotics being run through
my body, they determined that it was a
bad case of “Cellulitis”. Cellulitis is a com-
mon but potentially serious bacterial
(streptococcus or staphylococcus) infection of the skin and underlying skin tissue. Cellulitis develops when bacteria invade the skin, often when skin is broken
or open. When bacteria spread under the
skin and into the soft tissues, the body reacts by creating inflammation. I was released after four nights in the hospital
and put on oral ABX. After several days I
went to see my family physician and he
immediately took one look and admitted
me back to the hospital. Long story short,
I spend a total of 12 days in the hospital
continuously receiving ABX through an
IV. What started as a small irritation on
my leg turned into a major infection in
my leg that I wouldn’t wish on my worse
enemy.
I am sharing this info with you so that
everyone that fishes or is exposed to the
water in ours or any bay system need to
be aware of the dangers that can occur.
This infection probably started with a
wading boot that rubbed my skin raw
and infection set in after that. Things can
progress so quickly, you really have to
keep an eye on any open cut or wound
you have. If there is the slightest sign of
irritation, don’t hesitate getting it
checked out by your physician.
Summer schedule is filling quickly
but fall dates are still available. Don’t wait
until the last minute to book your dates.
To schedule your next bay fishing
trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call or text
at 361-813-3716 or 361-334-3105 or e-mail
him at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.
com. Good luck and Good Fishing.
Page 10
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
think there was no better way to learn
the bottom of the lake you fish because
every time you make a mistake and get
hung up, it costs you money in lost tackle
and lost time. I still remember the first
time I watched a big fish make a run at
my bait! I really resisted giving up my
X-15s with all their rolls of paper and
stylus replacements.
I finally changed over to the new
fish-finders with display screens and gps.
I never looked back because now I could
see things in color and with more detail.
No more on the water maintenance
of the graph and no more having to
remember my fishing spots by visually
triangulating with landmarks. I love that
I can dependably find my favorite places,
but that is balanced by knowing that if it
fails for any reason, all I have to do is look
around me and get home the low tech
way like my grandpa did.
I never used to take my cell phone
fishing because I didn’t want the
distraction. Now I always have my phone
on me. I like to be able to pull up real
time weather radar when I need it, but it
doesn’t replace the good weather sense
passed down to me by my Dad from his
father.
Now days my son Max runs the
charter trips. He has added a big trolling
motor with gps that can keep up with
where you are, put you where you want
to be and hold your spot without having
to throw an anchor. That sure beats
hauling in anchor lines, but you couldn’t
appreciate how nice it is unless you’d
done it the hard way!
I love how far we’ve come, but it’s
nice to always know the way back!
Technology and
the fisherman
H
ere I sit in my lawn chair with my
toes in the water at the edge of the
lake trying to type this in. Fishing
is all done for the day. I have a cold
beverage at hand, the beginning of a nice
sunset before me and a cool breeze on my
face. My little laptop computer is waiting
on my thoughts and all I can think about
is I hope some mad little nesting perch
doesn’t take a swipe at my toes and make
me jump, upsetting the whole apple cart.
Such is the relationship of a
sportsman and his electronics. Our
whole way of looking at the outdoors we
love so much can be greatly enhanced by
our new technology…as long as we can
keep it working. Don’t drop it, wet it, run
over it or forget where you left it (Heaven
help you if it was camo colored!). Most
importantly though, don’t become overly
dependent on whatever the gizmo is.
When I started striper guiding on
Lake Buchanan in 1981, my first piece
of electronic fishing equipment was a
Lowrance X-15 chart recorder. For the
first time in my whole fishing life I could
finally see beneath the waves, look at
the contours of the lake bottom and
even see fish! (Even if they didn’t really
look like fish!) Next were the electronic
downriggers and learning the process
of combining the downriggers ability to
deliver the baits to the fish I could see
down there without getting all tangled in
the treetops the fish love to lurk in. I still
D & W Painting
Ferguson
Play ball
Heavy!
L-R: Vivian Chang, Oliver Szymczyk, Ghulam Ali, Joseph Harvey, Rick Harenberg, Scarlett Torres
Caitie Beth Truitt, Weisser Engineering, (left) went fishing with Bill Dampier, CityBank
Texas, Captain Tom Brown (guide), and Waylon Themer, CityBank Texas, at the
Association of Commercial Real Estate Professionals (ACRP) Inshore Invitational Fishing
Tournament at TopWater Grill in San Leon May 13. –ab
L
JA Engineering Inc. Houston office employees demonstated their athletic skills at
the Westchase Corporate Cup Challenge in April. They had had fun competing in
NBA 2-Ball, soccer kick, football toss, dodgeball and a briefcase relay. –ab
Half or Full Day Fishing Trips
All Bait, Tackle & Equipment
Furnished
Your catch Filleted and
Bagged for You
Ken Milam Guide Service
(325) 379-2051
www.striperfever.com
Furnish your TPWD Fishing
License & Refreshments,
and WE DO THE REST!
The LJA Engineering team plays dodgeball.
The briefcase relay
Page 11
Sultans of swing
S
No shortage of birds
ales team member Tim Snow, The Nut Place Inc., and his dad Stuart had fun
traveling to south Texas for a recent dove hunt.
They got into the action near the King Ranch close to Kingsville, TX.
“We had a great time shooting and watching the bird dogs do their thing,” Tim
Snow said. “The guides were great too!” –ab
Geoscience Engineering & Testing Inc. employees recently participated in a golf
tournament for the Texas Honor Ride, which helps wounded warriors.
L-R: Judge Craig Doyal, Amy Doyal, Tom Robson, Jeremy Herron, Todd Calvin,
Ron Falan, and Sheriff Tommy Gage –ab
Reel therapy
ParkUSA held its annual Ladies Offshore Fishing Trip in Galveston Jun. 5. Back row, L-R:
Candi King, Jenny Casto, Lisa Puffer, Vanessa Romo, Vala Pearson, Haley Hixon,
Yoanna Amezcua and Caylee Cowgill; front row, L-R: George Eberly and Greg West –ab
Rain, rain, go away
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Houston Branch held a Sandcastle
Team Post Rain-Out Barbecue at Lawrence Park in early June. The American Institute
of Architects (AIA) Sandcastle Competition they were supposed to participate in was
rescheduled to Aug. 20 due to rain. –ab
L-R: Outdoorsmen Stuart and Tim Snow
L-R: Stuart and Tim Snow have a successful dove hunt.
Avid angler
Randy Cox, Regency Plumbing, caught
this four and a half lb. bass at Fayette
County Reservoir May 29. –ab
Page 12
Electrical Industry
Learning all the time
Daniel Baez, Master Electrician
and Owner
Baez Electrical Services
Houston, TX
W
hat is the current state of the
Houston construction industry?
We have had so much work here in
Houston in the past six months. Things
have been crazy for us!
We have stayed very busy with government work, especially in the past few
months. We have also had several commercial jobs as well.
I don’t think things will slow down in
the Houston market any time soon.
Why did you decide to become a Master Electrician?
I saw an opportunity to become an
electrician after I spent time at Gary Job
Corps, a career technical training program in San Marcos.
After taking the training program, I
decided I wanted to do electrical work for
a living. I am glad I made the decision!
I felt it was important to become a
Master Electrician. I wanted to excel in
my career so made sure to achieve this as
soon as possible.
What are a few major changes in your
industry in the last few years?
I haven’t really seen many changes in
the industry in the past few years.
It seems there are always improvements in both the equipment and technology in the industry.
What advice would you give a young
person who wants to do what you do
today?
My advice is to go to a trade school
and finish all your classes at once and not
spread it out over the years. Then gain
experience at a good company. Learn
from the best electricians you can find. It
also helps to develop long-standing relationships along the way.
In your opinion, what does it take to
be successful in the construction industry?
I think on-the-job experience is key
in the construction industry.
You have to be dedicated to execute
each project with precision and timeliness.
I also think it is important to take
ownership of the project from start to finish, including obtaining all necessary
electrical permits and coordinating inspections with local inspectors.
What is the best part about what you
do today?
I really enjoy owning my own company. No two days are ever the same and
no two projects are ever the same. I enjoy
being challenged daily.
One of the best decisions I ever made
was to earn my Master Electrician license.
I really enjoy learning new things all the
time and problem solving.
What is on the horizon for your industry?
I think there will be plenty of electrical work in the Houston area for years to
come.
As for me, I want to continue doing
lots of electrical work for government
and school projects. I love it here in Houston and this is where I plan to stay.
Baez Electrical Services provides electrical repairs and installations for commercial, residential and industrial projects. The
company is a certified MBE/ SBE and HUB
Contractor by the City of Houston. –ab
Page 13
Electrical Industry
Facing the eye of the storm
Chris Martinez, President
Central Electric
San Antonio, TX
W
hile the oil boom in the Eagle Ford Shale and the
bonds for local municipalities and independent
school districts have taken the construction industry by
storm over the last few years, Chris Martinez, president
of Central Electric, believes we’re in the eye of that storm
now, waiting for the whirlwind to pick up again.
Two or three years ago, Martinez recalls that San Antonio, Northeast and
Northside ISDs had projects out for bid
every month, spinning out about 15 to 20
projects. Now, in the last quarter, he observes that the only schools that went
out for bid were in New Braunfels. Municipalities are concluding their bonds
from a few years ago, also.
Citing the projects that are under
construction, such as hospital work in
San Antonio that is currently on the road
to completion, Methodist Stone Oak for
example, Martinez says that while everyone sees work going on, those projects
are wrapping up or already under contract. It’s the new opportunities, he
points out, that are few and far between
as contractors look to the horizon in
search of work for the future.
“We are approaching a lull, and we’re
waiting for that next wave to come
through,” says Martinez. “I’ve heard that
from designers to manufacturers that
study the market to general contractors
and to our trade contractors.
“For the current industry trends,
needless to say, I think the oil money has
impacted various industries through a
ripple effect. We’re in a unique situation
where multiple things are affecting the
market, and so it’s not just oil. I think oil is
one piece, and investors now are going
to get tighter with their money.”
Along with the funds that drive public, private and government projects drying up, construction companies that focused on doing work south of San Antonio in Pleasanton and other outlying areas are coming back because work in
their niche in the Eagle Ford Shale is drying up, too. With competition returning,
Dealing with challenges in
electrical industry
John M. Grau, CEO
National Electrical Contractors Association
(NECA)
Milwaukee, WI
A
s the voice of the $130 billion electrical construction industry that brings
power, light, and communication technology to buildings and communities
across the U.S., the National Electrical
Contractors Association (NECA) is tasked
with finding solutions to the problems
facing the industry. There are always
challenges to address, but we’ve managed to make tremendous progress on
several fronts in the past year. I’m optimistic NECA will continue to be a leader
moving forward.
Two of the biggest issues impacting
the industry today are dealing with the
shortage of workers at both the craftsperson and management levels and
keeping up with technology. NECA has
made inroads in both areas.
First, we’re addressing the shortage
of workers in several ways. Through the
jointly sponsored National Labor Management
Cooperation
Committee
(NLMCC), NECA and the International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, there
has been more than $1.75 million committed in the past 16 months to the manpower development effort through job
fairs and recruiting events.
The Electrical Training ALLIANCE, a
joint training program sponsored by
NECA and the IBEW, has been ramping
up its efforts at the local level in both
growing and diversifying its student
population.
This year alone, NECA employers
have brought in more than 8,000 new
employees (more than a 30% increase)
from outside the construction industry
into apprentice and other entry-level
programs. NECA and the IBEW contribute
almost $180 million annually to deliver
training through their local joint apprentice programs. The NECA/IBEW partnership is currently training more than
30,000 apprentices nationwide.
NECA is reaching out to two groups
in particular: young people and women.
there are more fishing poles in the local
waters and fewer fish.
“You’ve got all these constructionrelated markets,” he says. “You’ve got the
private sector, which is, some people say,
driven by oil and gas money, but also the
banks determine when they release
funding for projects to go through. Then,
you’ve got all these buckets, and they’re
not drying up, but the opportunities in
them have decreased, and that impacts
every trade in the construction industry.”
Injecting some hope for the future,
Martinez notes that some local school
districts are looking at launching upcoming bond initiatives, and everyone is waiting for the next wave to come along.
Meanwhile, what can a contractor do to
keep up the pace until the lull passes? At
Central, Martinez says the solution has
been shifting focus to other niches and
markets.
“Three years ago probably, my competitors and I could see the opportunities
on the horizon,” he says. “Where we
stand today, the opportunities on the horizon are few and far between. So then,
you need to strategize your approach on
what you pursue and don’t pursue, and
you evaluate – how far outside your niche
do you go? Because you’re stepping into
somebody else’s niche. You’ve got to
evaluate that and make the best decision
for your team.”
Continuing to beat the path and
overturn the rocks in search of opportunities, Martinez notes that Central is still
in the same markets that have made up
its portfolio over the last five years, but
the share of the pie its niches account for
is shifting. As one slice shrinks, another
grows to fill in the gap.
As the industry has transitioned into
the eye of the storm, Central Electric has
shifted its workload from being approximately 50-percent government to around
50-percent private.
“Our design-assist, design-build
portfolio, which was the majority government, has given us the opportunity to
open doors on the private side doing design-assist, design-build,” he explains.
“That has probably helped the ship continue to move forward. Having those capabilities that we’ve really done well in
the government world, we now do very
well in the private world.”
Being able to translate the skills Central honed working in its government
niche to the private market has now allowed them to do design-build for hotels
and design-assist for high-rise living complexes.
Fred Martinez founded Central Electric
in 1975. Today, his sons, Chris Martinez and
Ernie Martinez run the company as president and vice president, respectively. –mh
By 2019, it is estimated that the projected
shortage of skilled workers in the U.S. will
number 1.5 million, and part of that gap
can be made up by bringing more qualified women and young people into the
fold.
Women In NECA, also known as WIN,
was established in 2009 to provide a collaborative forum for women affiliated
with NECA-member companies, chapters
and LMCCs. WIN works to make NECA –
and the industry as a whole – stronger by
advancing women’s goals for professional growth. NECA also supports student
chapters at universities that that promote
working in electrical contracting, and we
regularly host Industry Nights for job
seekers as well.
Our apprentices – and apprentices
across the board – have embraced the
technological advances occurring in recent years. We see members starting to
adopt many new technologies, such as
drones, and experimenting with augmented reality devices, tracking devices
and 3D printing. The construction industry is being greatly impacted by augmented reality with real-time visualization of projects, better collaboration and
communication, increased safety, greater
implementation of Building Information
Modeling (BIM), and projects being delivered on time and within budget.
Augmented reality technology and
research is providing exciting solutions
to improve overall construction quality
and efficiency. Cloud-based document
management for improved real-time
communication and mobile solutions for
punch lists and subcontractor management are being enhanced by augmented
reality overlays. Technology in this area is
enhancing the world of construction in
many ways. As integrating technology into business operations is one our members’ major concerns, we have launched NECA
Technology, the Project for Applied and
Disruptive Technology, as a new initiative.
It explores the world of technology and
keeps members informed of what is happening today and what will be launched
in the not-too-distant future. It is spearheaded by Joey Shorter, NECA director of
research, who has an extensive background in education and experience in
translating the work of academics into
understandable, practical ideas. NECA remains focused on finding the
nation’s top talent for the electrical contracting industry and equipping them
with the skills they need to succeed. Technology will always be a part of the equation, and I look forward to opportunities
that allow us to expand our reach and
continue to grow.
Mr. Grau became NECA’s chief staff officer in April 1986. Previously, he was executive vice president of the Milwaukee Chapter, NECA, and served as a field representative associate with the NECA Western Region. –cw
NEXT MONTH
August 2016
Service Providers
2016
Schedule
Jan: Construction Forecast
Feb: Construction Safety
Mar: Construction Education
Support Your Industry’s Feature Issue
Call for Ad Space
Reservations
Apr:Women in Construction
May:Concrete Industry
Jun: HVAC & Plumbing
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Page 14
GCs and
subcontractors unite
H
ouston area construction professionals gathered
at a General Contractor’s Expo and Crawfish Boil
at the Redneck Country Club in Stafford May 19.
Participating GCs not shown include: Austin Commercial, BE&K Building Group LLC, Brewer Construction Services LLC, Craig & Heidt Inc., Epoch Construction Services LLC; Gildart Construction Co., HTX Industrial, International Plant Services LLC, JACOBS,
Mundy Companies, Ref-Chem LP, SpawGlass Construction Corp., Structure Tone Southwest Inc., Turner
Construction and WT Byler Co.
The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC)
Houston Chapter held the networking event. –ab
Garney Companies Inc.
EXCEL Contractors Inc.
E.E. Reed Construction LP
Satterfield & Pontikes Construction Inc.
Burrow Global Services LLC
S&B Engineers and Constructors Ltd.
Bartlett Cocke
Teal Construction Co.
Partnering up
Golf champs
L-R: Jerry Nevlud, AGC Houston; Jim Springer and Dan Gilbane, Gilbane Building Co.; Mark
Briggs and Joann Figueroa, OSHA and Kevin Virag, Gilbane Building Co.
Golfers braved the heat at the 21st annual Associated General Contractors (AGC)/
American Institute of Architects (AIA) Golf Tournament at Champions Golf Club Jun. 20.
The tournament helped raise $25,000 for the ACE Houston Mentor program. –ab
C
ongratulations to Gilbane Building Co. on signing an Occupational
Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) Strategic Partnership.
The recent signing ceremony was officiated by Mark Briggs, OSHA Area director, Houston South Office, and Joann
Figueroa, OSHA Area director, Houston
North Office.
The official agreement between Associated General Contractors (AGC)
Houston Chapter and OSHA was signed
on Sept. 4, 2014.
“It’s an invaluable cooperative relationship between OSHA and the partners,” Figueroa said. “We appreciate being part of the AGC Houston Safety Committee and commend Gilbane Building
Co. for qualifying for this partnership.”
Briggs says this has been a longstanding partnership between the AGC
and OSHA. Other AGC Houston members
that have signed an OSHA Strategic Partnership include: Allstate Commercial
Floors, Anslow Bryant Construction Ltd.,
W. S. Bellows Construction Corp., Brookstone, LP, Keystone Concrete, Linbeck
Group LLC, SpawGlass Construction Corp.,
TAS Commercial Construction LLC, Tellepsen and Trio Electric Ltd.
“There are not too many partnerships left in OSHA (in the United States)
because the organization is moving more
towards alliances,” Briggs said. “Having a
relationship with OSHA and doing the
right thing is important. We all benefit
from sharing best practices information
and solutions.” –ab
Page 15
What was the last thing
you splurged on?
I went scuba diving in Cozumel with my
wife Latricia in May. We looked forward
to going all year!
Milt Court,
Lonestar Contracting Services
mower going too.
Bob Ray, Ray Glass Co. Inc.
My husband and I love going to the Hill
Country. We always have a great time in
Dripping Springs.
Paulette Woody, 1488 Mulch Yard
I took a trip to San Antonio with my family. My two boys loved going to Sea
World.
Edwin Rendon, The Perfect Painting
A new sign machine so I can make residential and commercial signs and banners.
Richard Allen, SS Signs
I went on a fishing trip near the Texas and
Louisiana border with my family. Good
times!
Joel Kieffer, A&A Stone and Masonry
I went on a girls trip to New York City with
my mom and niece. We had a great time
exploring the city.
Chandra Franklin,
Aran & Franklin Engineering Inc.
Going to Europe with my wife Renee was
my last splurge. I loved traveling to
Prague, Vienna, Salzburg, Venice, London
and Paris.
Steven Crews, C & C Surveying Inc.
My most recent splurge was taking a
cruise to the Caribbean with my husband
Marcos. We loved it! We are ready to go
on another cruise together soon.
Maritza Ramirez,
Payless All Points Garage Doors
Attending a drag boat race at the Brazos
River in Waco.
Steve Patch, American Brick & Stone
Playing golf is my favorite indulgence.
Rodney Dean,
Magnolia SkidRow Rentals
Taking my granddaughter Addi fishing in
San Leon.
Chris Walters,
Extreme Air Conditioning Services Inc.
Tickets to a Houston Astros game!
Robert Randall, Charter Drywall
Traveling from Houston to Brazil once a
year.
Artoosh Voshanian, Avanti Stones
Spending time on my five acres. I love
piddling around my shop when I am not
at the office. I always keep the tractor and
Ready to dig
My son’s college tuition!
Roderick Sobere Yu, SealMaster
Dmac Construction & Development Inc. and Method Architecture representatives
attended a recent groundbreaking ceremony at the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater
Houston project. –ab
Wish is granted
Spending quality time with my children
ages 10 and 5. They are so much fun and
I love being their dad.
Bryan Melton, Monster Flooring
VLK Architects attended
Clear Creek Education
Foundation’s Sur-Prize
Patrol May 19. L-R: Amelia
Garrett, VLK Architects,
presents a grant to Vicki
Magnum of Landholt
Elementary who plans to
implement her grant called
“Precept Project-Producing
Great Writers Through 180
Days of Character Building.”
–ab
Spending time outdoors with my family
is one of my favorite things to do.
Alex Briseno,
Lone Star Clearance Doors
New tools!
Miguel Elias, E & M Construction
I went fishing in Rockport. Fishing is my
passion!
Doug Provazek,
Logan’s Roofing & Exteriors
Relaxing at the beach in Florida with my
kids.
Monica Gonzales, Mustang CAT
Cooling the city
Circuit stars
T
he Independent Electrical Contractors (EIC) Texas Gulf Coast Chapter
held the 2016 Annual Wire Off Competition at SPJST Lodge 88 Jun. 1.
The winner will be announced at
graduation on Jul. 23 and will advance to
the national competition at the IEC National Convention in October.
This year’s participants included
Preston Dengler, Prism Electric; James
Ramsey, TAG Electric; Enrique Nava,
Walker Engineering; Jose Moya,
Pieper/Houston Electric; Cory Boston,
Lakey Electric and Justin Goudeau,
VANCO Electric. –ab
Technician Sylvester Brocato and President Michael Scogin, Scogin-Aire Mechanical
Inc., are ready to spend the day going to HVAC jobs in The Woodlands. -ab
Justin Goudeau, VANCO Electric
Cory Boston, Lakey Electric
Enrique Nava, Walker Engineering
Page 16
Lift off
Ranger Lift Trucks employees gather at the new Baytown facility.
T
he early days Ranger Lift Trucks
was like most startup companies.
Todd Ford, co-owner, says there
was no office, very little office furniture, a
couple of phone lines and minimal yard
space to park a few used forklifts.
“Our customer base was very small
and we did whatever it took to get someone to buy a forklift,” Ford said. “As business improved over time, we added a few
technicians and offered the ability to recondition forklifts. This pushed our sales
upward and we expanded our customer
base to those who wanted a quality, used
forklift that was thoroughly inspected.”
Ford says it is important to make customers feel as if they are reaching out to
a good friend no matter the time of day.
“The real key to our success is being
a large enough company that provides a
variety of products and services our customers want while still being small
enough that our customers can reach out
to any of our management team one-on-
one,” he said.
Ranger Lift Trucks recently expanded its operations with a new facility in
Baytown and a satellite office in New
Braunfels.
“This strategic expansion allows us
to enhance the services our customers
receive,” Ford said. The 6,500-sf facility in Baytown is located near Interstate 10. It features seven
new bays with 18’ doors that allow service technicians to work on equipment in
any type of weather.
The new office in New Braunfels will
serve customers in the Central Texas area.
On the side, Ranger Lift Trucks employees support the community. The
company has donated to the Ranch Rodeo at the Houston Livestock Show and
Rodeo.
Ranger Lift Trucks specializes in sales
and service of pre-owned forklifts of all
makes and models. –ab
Showing their Allegiance
Cheers to 20 years
C
CFI Mechanical employees and friends taste Saint Arnold Brewing Co. beer.
FI Mechanical Inc. celebrated its
20th anniversary in style at Saint
Arnold Brewing Co. in May.
President Chuck Fell says 350 guests
enjoyed dinner catered by Pappasitos
Cantina, tasted different beers and
shared stories about the past 20 years at
CFI Mechanical.
Founded in 1996, CFI Mechanical provides management and labor services to
the HVAC and plumbing construction industry. –ab
CFI Mechanical’s Ron Bukowski, vice
president, and Chuck Fell, president
Ron Bukowski received a platinum
anniversary plaque at the event.
Attendees enjoy fajitas for dinner.
All under one roof
Gary Campbell, vice president of operations for Allegiance Crane & Equipment, recently gave
a training session at the company’s newly expanded and remodeled Houston location.
H
aving celebrated the company’s
fifth anniversary in December, the
Allegiance Crane & Equipment
Houston office recently completed an expansion and remodeling of its facility. Located at 4000 Oats Road, internal growth
and the need for training space led to Allegiance more than doubling the size of
the Houston office.
When Allegiance was first formed,
the company purchased the assets of
General Crane, which was in the existing
location that Allegiance occupies and has
improved upon today. Gary Campbell,
vice president of operations, notes that
the recent changes included building a
training facility.
Though based in Houston briefly,
Campbell oversees the 52 people in the
Houston office from the company’s San
Antonio-area location. The Houston office
has done a project for a Carnival Cruise
ship that required two 300-ton units and
one 650-ton unit to lift equipment being
loaded onto the ship, and they provided a
240-ton unit to lift scaffolding and sheet
glass for the Air Traffic Control Tower at
Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Since giving back is a big part of the
company culture, members of the company’s Texas offices are involved in the
Stock Show & Rodeo, benefitting local
youth. Campbell is involved with Adult &
Teen Challenge.
Jim Robertson, CEO and president,
notes that Allegiance was founded on
operating principles intended to make its
culture a distinguishing factor. In addition to efforts to support local communities and the future of the industry, Robertson says they do not use the word
“employees” but rather “purpose partners.” Though he has a title, he says there
is no hierarchy and the people-first policy
gives the company its name.
Headquartered in Pompano Beach, FL,
Allegiance Crane & Equipment has locations in Florida and Texas, including San
Antonio, Houston, Corpus Christi, Carrizo
Springs and Midland. –mh
L-R: Jake Donaldson, Vanessa Ortega, Keith Holley and Eric Hudson
A
rchitects-Plus and Three Square
Design Group launched Method
Architecture in June.
Method partners are Keith Holley
and Eric Hudson, principals and co-owners of Architects-Plus; Jake Donaldson,
founder and principal of Three Square
and Vanessa Ortega, director of projects at Three Square. “Things are in full
swing right now,” Holley said. “We were
thrilled with the positive response to the
merger announcement from our clients,
and have really been able to carry that
momentum forward.”
The new office in EaDo (East Downtown Houston) is progressing and the
firm is set to move in sometime in August.
“Operating out of two offices has its
challenges, but there has been great
buy-in and communication from our employees to ensure a seamless transition,”
he said.
Later this year, Method Architecture
will be participating in the annual American Institute of Architects (AIA) Bowl-ATAC event and will have a company-wide
volunteer day at the Houston Food Bank.
“I think everyone is looking forward
to our upcoming company retreat in July,
to do some team building and decompress a bit after the merger,” Holley says.
He added there is great mix of sports
fanatics, craft beer enthusiasts and foodies at the firm.
“We have a great foundation and are
firmly rooted in Houston, so it all starts
with a commitment to take care of our
current clients,” Holley said. “We all have
things that we want to accomplish professionally in the future, but the common
goal is to leave wherever we go better
than we found it and to have a little fun
along the way!”
Method Architecture is a full-service architecture firm specializing in tenant finish
and ground-up projects. –ab
Page 17
Round-Up
Talking safety
Bautex Systems LLC
has named Gretchen
Kliafas as a new architectural sales representative, East Texas region.
Kliafas
joins Bautex with
more than 16 years of
construction and design experience in
both the commercial and residential sectors. She has held national and regional
account management roles throughout
her career, working with hundreds of Texas contractors and builders.
TDIndustries employees participated in the National Safety Stand-Down Week in May.
–ab
Aye aye captain!
Kristie Alexander
has joined Johnston
LLC as junior associate/senior marketing
coordinator. Alexander brings the firm
nearly 10 years of
marketing expertise.
She has a background
in architecture marketing for higher education, knowledge
management and government procurements. Alexander received a M.A. in English from the University of North Texas
and a B.A. in English from the University
of Houston.
The DLR Group Houston office has hired
Chris Royster, AIA, as
project manager and
senior associate. In
this role, he will manage the design and
delivery of commercial and developerled projects. Royster
has designed and master planned more
than 1.6 million square feet of commercial and corporate office space.
Rebecca
“Beki”
Webster has joined
HOLT CAT as its
new vice president
of human resources. With more than
20 years of experience in human resource
management and leadership, Webster will have
executive oversight of all human resource
operations and will assume responsibility
of the company’s security and safety departments. A native of San Antonio, she
recently relocated to South Texas after 20
years working at Northrup Grumman, a
leading global aerospace and defense
technology firm.
Charles Johnson, AIA, Ross
Rivers, AIA and Tim Kunz,
AIA, NCARB were recently
named senior associates at
VLK Architects. Johnson
joined VLK Architects in
2005, Rivers in 1998 and
Kunz in 2006.
Association Calendar
Submissions
Construction professionals participated in the Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC)
Houston Chapter Captain’s Party at Bridge Water Events in Baytown Jun. 8 before the
Fishing Tournament at TopWater Grill in San Leon. –ab
Round-Up
Charles Johnson
HAGA
Associated Builders & Contractors
Houston Area Glass Association
Jul. 7: YPC Corn Hole Tournament
Jul. 8: Member Breakfast
Jul. 21: PAC Top Golf Summer event
For more information call 713-523-6222
Jul. 13: Summer Bowling Mixer, 6pm,
Willow Lanes, 19102 Hwy 249
For more information visit www.houstonglass.org
AGC
HCA
Associated General Contractors
Hispanic Contractors Association
Jul. 14: 2016 Midyear Safety meeting featuring Astronaut Scott Kelly
Jul. 19: Spring Golf Tournament, Black
Horse Golf Club, 12205 Fry Rd.
AIA
American Institute of Architects
IEC
Jul. 21: 2016 Connect Dinner, 6pm, Brennan’s of Houston, 3300 Smith St.
For more information: www.aiahouston.
org
Independent Electrical Contractors
Jul. 20: Monthly meeting
ASA
NAWIC
American Subcontractors Association
Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
Jul. 21: No General Lunch meeting in
July
Jul. 22: NAWIC Bowls!, 7pm, Copperfield
Bowl
For more information: www.nawic-houston.org
FPA
Foundation Performance Assoc.
PHCC
Jul. 13: Monthly meeting, 5pm, HESS
Club. Geotechnical Considerations for
Soil Stability, Ditches, Embankment and
Detention Ponds, Speaker: David A. Eastwood, PE, Geotech Engineering and
Testing
For more information: www.foundationperformance.org
Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors
Tim Kunz
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]
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News
ABC
Ross Rivers
Truck masters
H
ouston area plumbing, heating and
cooling contractors
contractors participated in
the 3rd annual Service
Truck Competition and Dinner at Brady’s Landing Jun.
15.
The three categories
judged at the event included most unique, best looking and best overall truck.
Prizes were given for each
category including tools,
gift cards and bragging
rights.
The Plumbing Heating
Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC) Gulf Coast
Chapter held the event. –ab
Congrats to the winners!
Best Overall: Epic Services
Aug. 10: Member Lunch, Saltgrass Steakhouse
For more information: www. gulfcoastphcc.org
TACCA
Texas Air Conditioning Contractors Assn.
Jul. 15: Bay Bash Fishing Tournament
Most Unique: Pickett Plumbing
Best Looking: Big State Plumbing
Page 18
On your mark, get set, network
studioMET Architects attends various events hosted by collaborators during the year.
“Some of our favorites are the crawfish boils and IIDA Product Runway,” she
said. “There are many talented crews in
this city!”
Hobbies employees enjoy outside of
work include cycling, hiking, camping,
marathon running, rock climbing, barre
workouts, traveling for various overseas
missions to work in underdeveloped villages and involvement at their churches
and children's schools.
studioMET Architects was recently
awarded the Firm of the Year Award from
the American Institute of Architects (AIA)
Houston Chapter for 2016.
The award honors a firm for more
than 10 years of design excellence, for
outstanding commitment to AIA Houston and for unparalleled leadership and
service to the profession.
“We are honored to win this award,”
founding partner Stephen Andrews said.
“Houston is an exciting laboratory for us
as we have witnessed its demographic
changes and growth over the years. We
couldn’t do what we do without some
amazing clients and dependable collaborators. It’s humbling to be recognized by
our industry for this award.”
studioMET Architects is a design-build
firm comprised of architects, artists, designers and craftsmen. –ab
Equify
L
continued from Page 1 — Explore, dream, discover
ocal contractors met at a luncheon
event held at The Junior League Ballroom May 26.
The luncheon featured a presenta-
tion from Harris County, Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack. The Houston
Contractors Association (HCA) held the
event. –ab
Pro-Vigil
Holes Inc.
continued from Page 1 — Pedal to the metal
“My family and I fell in love with the
area so we bought a lot and built a place.
I go there just about every weekend.”
Cloy says a memorable trip he and
his family took was to Loretta Lynn’s
Ranch in Tennessee.
“We spent a week near a crystal
clear river in the valley,” he said. “We
passed by a historical plantation mansion and an old grist mill.
“During our stay at Loretta Lynn’s
Ranch, we heard some of her country
music songs from the past.”
Looking towards the future, Cloy
says he plans to operate his company for
years to come.
“Besides our Magnolia location, we
have two acres just inside of Waller County. We purchased the land almost 20
years ago and it was too far out. In the
future, we may build an office and shop
there.”
MWS Inc. specializes in metal building
construction and barns. The company provides remodeling, add-ons and carports. –
ab
continued from Page 1 — Reaching the finish line
Taste of Texas
The Locus Construction crew does the framing work.
Commissioner Jack Cagle spoke to Houston area engineers at the Texas Society of
Professional Engineers (TSPE) Houston Chapter annual barbecue lunch at HCFCD North
Service Pavilion May 25. Funds raised at the event will go to the TSPE scholarship fund. –ab
firm specializes in retail, hospitality, corporate interiors, senior living and grocery
projects.
The company has operated for two
and half years and is licensed in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Colo-
rado. The company serves nationwide retail
clients. –ab
Professional Team:
Project Superintendent: Anthony Jezierski, Locus Construction LLC
Page 19
Power lunch
Industrious day
Joseph Botch and Jeremy Cooper, Met Plumbing in Katy, took a quick break
at a local restaurant for some welcome lunch. –cw
The Cherry crew breaks up and removes concrete at the
Shell station on FM 1093 in Fulshear. –ab
Sporting red noses
All fired up
Brookstone LP held a grand opening for the Atascocita Volunteer Fire Department to
celebrate their newly constructed building in May. The new fire station is located near the
intersection of West Lake Houston Parkway and FM 1960. –ab
L-R: On May 26, Marek employees wore red noses to support Red Nose Day USA
to help end child poverty. –ab
Lifetime of learning
Industry FOLKS
Susan Huff
Shipping Clerk
Rigid Global Buildings
S
usan Huff began working at Rigid
Global Buildings 16 years ago as a
receptionist.
After learning all about the different materials and products over the
years, she eventually became a shipping clerk.
Her job responsibilities today are
taking care of component orders and
scheduling deliveries and customer
pick-ups.
“I work with wonderful people,”
Huff said. “I am lucky my best friend
works with me, too!”
In June, Huff looks forward to going on a company trip to China. She
says she has the opportunity to go as a
reward for working at the company for
more than 15 years.
“I will stay in China for a week,”
she said. “I think it will be a great experience.”
Born and raised in Houston, Huff
attended and graduated from Westfield High School.
When Huff has free time, she is involved in helping out a Girl Scouts
group.
She has volunteered with the Girl
Scouts for more than 25 years when
her own two girls were in the program
and now her granddaughters are involved.
“I was asked to handle community
service projects for the area which includes Klein Independent School District (ISD),” she said.
Huff started a project called the
3Ts, which stands for tops, toys and toiletries. She contacted Klein ISD to see
what kids needed and found out there
was a need for these items.
“Each gift bag is labeled boy or girl
and goes to the children in need around
Christmas time,” Huff said. “The gift
bags go to 30 elementary schools in
Klein ISD. This year will be our fourth
year to do the project.”
Huff says all the items are supplied
by friends, families and people in the
community.
Huff is also involved in the VFW
Auxiliary.
“My grandpa served in WWII in the
Army Air Corp and that allows me to be
eligible to join the VFW and support our
military in every occasion and opportunity I can,” she says.
When not working, Huff enjoys
spending time with her grandchildren,
going bowling with her family and taking part in Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society. –ab
Rice University and JE Dunn Construction recently broke ground on the new parking
garage and office annex project. L-R: Lynn Terry, JE Dunn Construction; Tina Hicks and
Eugen Radulescu, Rice University and Emre Ozcan, JE Dunn Construction. –ab
Page 20

July - Construction News

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