Legal action Making his own break Up to speed

Transcription

Covering the Industry’s News
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CONSTRUCTION
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Volume 12
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Number 6
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JUNE 2014
Making his own break
Up to speed
Incept Construction LLC’s Bud Howard is doing it for himself and the industry.
UCS Group Dallas’ Henry Rodriguez says his new office’s technology changes everything.
W
hen you want something done
right, sometimes you have to do
it yourself. After nearly 34 years
as a commercial construction superintendent, Bud Howard is doing just that.
“I have seen the industry evolve into
something less than it used to be. I think
the importance of professionalism, as well
as craftsmanship, have really taken a hit
over the last several years,” Howard says.
“I wanted to do something about that. I
felt like the only way I could do that is to
start my own general contracting firm.”
Howard, owner of the newly-formed
general contracting company Incept
Construction LLC, started out as an apprentice carpenter in the ‘80s and got his
big break when he filled in for an absen-
tee superintendent. More than three decades later, he’s making that “big break”
for himself.
“Starting the business was a little unnerving, but my wife Sunni and I decided
last October to go for it,” Howard said. “I
felt with the people I knew in the industry and the opportunities that I know are
out there, I just needed to get out there
and make it happen.”
By January, however, the couple
started to worry.
“Nothing had happened the first several months,” he says. “We made the decision that if something didn’t happen by
the end of March, we were going to have
to rethink this thing.”
continued on Page 18
A
fter five years, Henry Rodriguez’
wish list finally came true. When
the president and CEO of UCS
Group Dallas LLC recently decided to relocate his company from its old Industrial
District building on Viscount Row to a
higher-end office space, his list had a few
“must have” items. It needed to be centrally located in Dallas, a bit more upscale
and closer to restaurants for entertaining
clients and vendors.
At the top of the list? The latest in
new technology. Rodriguez commissioned commercial architecture and interior design firm Entos Design for detailing high-end audio/visual and internet
services at the new office at 5910 North
Central Expressway. When Rodriguez
saw all of the options that were now
available, he was like a kid in a candy
store.
“I was unaware of the technological
advances until we started creating a plan
of action; the design team put together a
state-of-the-art equipment package,”
Rodriguez says. “We’re enthusiastic
about implementing all of the new technology; it will put us ahead of the curve.”
With offices in both Dallas and Houston, one inconvenience often facing Rodriguez and his employees was the frequent day trips to Houston during project planning phases. Now, thanks to the
new technology, those trips will be few
and far between.
Legal action
T
he countdown began the second
Drive Construction LLC President
Steve Worrall answered his phone.
The caller, attorney Nazeh Abusaad,
explained that the lease on the building
his law firm occupied was expiring soon.
Abusaad and his partners, Sean Modjarrad and Mohamad Said, needed to move
their firm to another building at 212 W.
Spring Valley in Richardson, but it was far
from occupant-ready. Could Drive Construction transform the structure to become the new headquarters for Modjarrad Abusaad Said (MAS) Law Firm – in
only two months?
Although the time frame was tight,
Worrall accepted the challenge.
“Phone call to finish, it was literally
eight weeks to gut and finish out two
floors,” Worrall says, “And that aggressive
schedule included design, permit, construction and close out.”
Working closely with Shoby Modjarrad, who created the design for the
space, Worrall, project manager Kyle
Roberts and superintendent Greg Bernard immediately got to work. The first
step was to combine the preconstruction
activities of design, permit and pricing
concurrent with demolition. Additionally,
the Drive Construction team proposed
capable MEP design-build subcontractors who could quickly expedite a costeffective program. After gutting the
space, the team and subcontractors constructed private offices and a conference
center consisting of five conference
rooms on the upper floor, with mahogany woodwork and a kitchen/café. The
conference center was upgraded with
European oak wood flooring throughout,
marble and granite counter tops and
conference tables, porcelain tile finishes
and custom millwork. The entire property was converted to LED lighting for optimum energy efficiency, performance
A mahogany reception desk greets clients at the MAS Law Firm
Page 2
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • June 2014
Brick work
Construction News ON LOCATION
Can do!
L-R: Owner Juan Cantu and project manager Juan Ramirez
of Can-Construction in Denton check their concrete supplies before starting
work on an air base project in Fort Worth. –mjm
A
The better-than-ever Brick Boys
little nip, a little tuck, a little spackling compound … even company
mascots want to look their best!
That’s why, when Acme Brick’s beloved
Brick Boys started to look a little long in
the toothing, it was time for an “extreme
brickover.”
This wasn’t the Brick Boys’ first time
to go under the trowel; these Acme ambassadors have undergone three other
procedures in their 14 years of service.
“The Brick Boy concept was created
to fill the need of a costumed character
for use at events and especially the Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting,”
says Britt Stokes, Acme Brick Company’s director of marketing and photographic services manager. “We needed a
way to let these shareholders know
about Acme Brick in a fun and memorable way. These newest Brick Boys reflect a
fourth generation of modifications and
improvements.”
Fortunately, the Boys didn’t have to
go to the kiln for their overhaul. The
skilled team at Cowan Costume Company in Cleburne adjusted the shoulder
harnesses inside the Microcell foam costumes and repositioned the armholes
from the sides of the Boys’ bodies to their
front. The adjustment makes it easier for
them to shake hands with their many admirers and allows them to pass objects
from one hand to another.
The new-and-improved Brick Boys
had their big reveal May 3 at Berkshire
Hathaway’s annual meeting in Omaha,
NE. After a performance with the Geico
Gecko and university cheerleaders, they
posed for photos with shareholders and
children and passed out 8,000 planning
calendars (which the new arm placement
made so much easier!).
As far as future procedures, there may
be “mortar” come with summer on its
way: A fan may be installed in each of the
Boys’ heads to help keep the actors inside
them from feeling hard-burned. –mjm
Page 3
Submitted to Construction News
One tough kid!
Roof raisers
More powerful than a locomotive! It’s Superkid!
When members of the North Texas Roofing Contractors Association learned a
Grand Prairie preschool teacher and her husband were in desperate need of a
new roof, they unanimously voted to adopt it as the association’s 2014
community service project. The team generously donated labor and materials
from their represented companies, including ABC Supply, KPost Company,
Springtree Roofing and Restoration, SuperRoofman,
and TriVAN Roofing and Waterproofing. –mjm
Cards for a cause
I
t didn’t matter what age their poker
faces revealed them to be; all of the
adults were “getting carded” at the
Plano American Legion Post #321.
Rather than mind, the 60 attendees
were delighted to whip out some cards
and support veterans and active military
personnel at the DFW Charity Poker Series. The May 3 event was a joint fundraiser for the Conley Group Foundation
and Post #321, an active supporter of veteran causes and needs.
“This event was sponsored by the
Care and Mercy Foundation, a non-profit
organization focused on supporting the
fundraising needs of charitable organizations that focus on special needs children
and adults and U.S. military veterans.
These two key groups face many ongoing challenges and needs,” says Bill Conley, CEO of Conley Group.
A second poker tournament in October is scheduled so that volunteers and
participants can continue to be active players in supporting America’s troops. –mjm
SUPERIOR
COMFORT.
SMART.
L-R: KPost Company’s Kelly Lea and Aileen
Struble and Conley Group’s Bill Conley
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CONSTRUCTION NEWS
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Page 4
David M. Riley
President/CEO
Bonded Lightning
Protection Systems
Ltd. and Advanced
Lightning
Technology Ltd.
F
amily and faith are at the center of
David M. Riley’s life and businesses.
As president and CEO of Bonded
Lightning Protection Systems Ltd., and
Advanced Lightning Technology Ltd.
(ALT), Riley was steered by both as he
found his life’s calling.
With Lightning Safety Awareness
Week June 22-28 in mind, we caught up
with Riley, who considers it a privilege to
work in the construction industry and ensure the safety of others who work in it as
well.
Are you from this area, David? You
work in such a specialized industry
and I was curious about your background and family.
I was born in Denton, TX in 1961 as
the second of three boys to Tony and
Linda Riley. I grew up in Denton, attending Denton elementary schools, junior
high, and graduating from Denton High
School and eventually University of North
Texas, formerly North Texas State University. My grandparents on my mother’s
side, H.M. “Doc” and Marjorie Pitner, were
prominent business influences in the
Denton community. Together, they
owned a meat packing plant, and Doc
was the president of Western National
Bank (currently Meridian Bank located on
University Drive in Denton) and a founder of the North Texas State Fairgrounds,
where the yearly county fair still takes
place. They also found and owned Roselawn Cemetery in Denton, where Marjorie, my grandmother, worked well into
her 90’s. I worked at Roselawn from the
ages of 13 to 20. Roselawn is still operated by my family.
My father’s family was also involved
in the Denton business community. Henry Gregory, his uncle, resided as constable of Denton for more than 20 years. His
aunts, Pauline and Maggie, owned and
operated the successful Three Sisters
Restaurant, which was located on Fort
Worth Drive and is currently home to Mi
Ranchita.
Throughout high school, I was heavily involved in baseball and the rodeo
team and dabbling in golf when my
schedule allowed. I stopped participating on the rodeo team my high school
senior year to allow more time for playing
golf.
Growing up, I was surrounded by
family members who were prominent
business examples instilling the values
and benefits of hard work, self-initiative,
self-employment, etc.
You mentioned you graduated from
the University of North Texas; did it
prepare you for your current career?
Post high-school graduation, I attended Grayson County Junior College in
Sherman, TX and walked on to the golf
team. My buddy and I left after one se-
mester due to lifestyle and leadership
differences with the coach. I then attended UNT/NTSU, where I walked onto the
baseball team. I was married with a newborn baby, working at Roselawn Cemetery, pursuing a General Studies major
with an interest in Electrical Engineering. I took my first test in my Calculus class
and after receiving the test results quickly realized Electrical Engineering was not
the career path for me.
From there, I packed up my young
family – much to my parents’ dismay –
and moved to College Station, where I attended Texas A&M pursuing Agronomy,
specifically turf management. During my
time in College Station, armed with my
family’s business sense and self-starter
mindset, my brother and I started and
prospered with our own mowing company, which we sold as a legitimate company at my relocation. Meanwhile, Tony, my father, went to
work at Bonded Lightning Protection
with the option to buy the company. He
purchased the lightning protection company in the spring of 1982. It wasn’t long
after he purchased the company that he
called my brother and me, asking for our
– and our wives’ –help. My older brother
and I collectively decided that my wife
and I would move back to help my dad,
while my brother finished school at Texas
A&M. Upon returning to the D/FW area,
my wife Lynn and I immediately began
working with my dad and mom at Bonded Lightning Protection.
How did you adjust to that?
I put my educational plans on hold
for a while as we worked hard to learn our
new industry (lightning protection). The
need for more construction knowledge
within our young company became more
and more apparent, so I returned to UNT
and studied Industrial Technology, specializing in Building Construction and
with a minor in Business Management. My father still strongly requested
that I work 40-50 hours with the lightning
rod company, so I attended night school
full-time, along with additional lightning
protection classes hosted by the Lightning Protection Institute (LPI). I received
my Journeyman Installer and Master Installer honors in 1984. In spring of 1986, I
was named “Outstanding Student in the
Industrial Technology Department at
NTSU.” I graduated Cum Laude from UNT
in December 1987.
Post-college graduation, I continued
to work full time at Bonded as the supervisor/manager of the Estimating & Design Department and pursued further
schooling within the lightning protection
field. I received my Master Installer Designer honor – the highest honor within
the lightning protection industry
– in
1988.
In 1984, I made the decision to stay at
UNT - not to return to Texas A&M for my
education as originally planned – and
pursue a career in lightning protection.
Upon my graduation in 1987, my father turned the lightning protection
company (Bonded) over to my brother,
Mike, and I to run while he focused on
starting and implementing a material
purchasing arm to help reduce material
costs for Bonded. That is when Advanced
Lightning Technology (ALT) was born. My dad sold Bonded to Mike and myself
in 1996; my younger brother, TJ, entered
into our Bonded partnership in 1997. My
dad retired in 1999 with both companies
(ALT & Bonded) in an equal partnership
between my two brothers and me.
How did you feel when you made
the decision to pursue a career in
lightning protection?
Excited! I enjoyed learning the field
and looked forward to the opportunities. Also, I was pleased with the stability the
construction industry offered: five-day
workweek and fewer relocation possibilities. A career in turf management would
have required longer hours, more workdays and likely relocations.
David M. Riley’s focus is on faith and family.
What challenges have you faced in
this business?
In the beginning, our biggest struggle was lack of knowledge about lightning protection, a specialized field within
the construction industry. To combat our
struggles, we worked long hours, studied
the products, changed my degrees and
took classes offered by the LPI.
Later, our challenges were, I’m sure,
similar to others: growth, including personnel needs, facilities, expansion. This is
still a challenge for us today.
Now, we also struggle with and focus
heavily on training our employees, providing them the product knowledge they
need to be better and educating the
public about the importance of lightning
protection. Still today, lightning protection is a specialized field. What have you enjoyed about working in the industry?
I’ve enjoyed learning this specialty
field within the construction industry. I
thoroughly enjoy the entrepreneurship
the company has and continues to offer. Working with family is also a blessing.
Did you have a mentor or mentors
who helped you? I could name several, but a few that
stand out are my grandmother, Majorie
Pitner, my father and mother and my uncle, Jerry Kelsoe.
What do you feel is the most important lesson you have learned?
Patience and stewardship – I do not
“own” these companies; God owns these
companies. I am just blessed to steer the
ship. What advice would you give others
wanting to start a business?
The best way to run a company is to
run it for others’ success, not your own. If
you can help others succeed, your success will come.
It amazes me how much of your family
is involved in your businesses!
My father purchased the company;
my mother worked with him from the beginning, and my wife started when I did. My brothers joined in soon after. I can
honestly say I had the privilege of working with my father, mother, wife, and
both brothers for many years. Today, my
wife still works there, along with two of
my three daughters and their husbands.
It is a blessing to share professional
achievements with family. Family is a
company core value we cherish.
What do you do for fun when you
aren’t working? What hobbies and interests do you enjoy? Do you have any
collections? Talents?
Golf, lake, and grandchildren! No collections other than golf balls from courses I’ve played – and I’ve played some
pretty cool courses! I wish I had collected
golf clubs over the years; I would love to
have kept the history showcasing the
changes. No talents.
Personally and professionally, what is
in store for you and for the company?
What do you hope the future holds?
Professionally, I hope the future
holds more success and financial opportunity for employees and I hope the company continues to grow. I hope the company never loses its heart – if a company
loses its heart, it’s doomed in my opinion. We will continue to work hard to keep our
heart strong through our Bonded Together donations and other charitable
work. I also hope that we continue promoting the mindset that we work for our
customers, not ourselves; we remain externally focused rather than getting
sucked into the grind of daily operations. Over the next five years, I plan and hope
to continue my heavy involvement in
running and growing this company (ALT
& Bonded) with a slow transition to a
part-time position and eventual retirement in my later years.
Personally, I hope to have more time
at the lake and for golf in the near future. –mjm
Established in 1987, ALT is a manufacturer and distributor with retail locations
throughout Texas and Oklahoma. Bonded
Lightning Protection, established in 1950,
provides lightning protection and grounding services for commercial, residential and
industrial structures, Bonded has multiple
installation offices in Texas, Oklahoma,
Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama,
Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and the
Florida panhandle.
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Page 5
Contact play
T
he Blue Book Building & Construction Network batted more than 1,000
May 15 at Texas Rangers Ballpark in
Arlington. The “pitching” of more than 100
general contractors who were on-deck at
Blue Book Network Showcase drew a
crowd of more than 1,100 attendees.
Michael Luttinger, Blue Book Network Showcase’s area director, said the
purpose of the event is “to bring buyers
and sellers together and make people
understand what we have to offer. Being
the largest construction network in the
industry has brought tremendous success to companies at a local and national
level. We do this once a year in 26 cities,
and it’s a tremendous get-together.”
The event was a double-play: In addition to visiting the booths, subcontractors,
architects, engineers, suppliers, manufacturers, and facility and property managers
could slide into the seminars and workshops made available to them. –mjm
Drive Construction LLC
PCL Construction
McCarthy
UCS Group
G.C.C. Gadberry Construction Company
Burns & McDonnell
Phillips/May Corporation
Novel Builders with PCL Contract Bonding
Agency’s Eric Lesch (far right)
Key Construction
G2 Contractors LLC
J.Wales Construction
MEDCO Construction
Page 6
Sales and Use Tax and the
Texas contractor: Solve the
riddle PART 3
Stephanie Thomas, CPA Principal
Thomas, Thomas & Thomas PC
Houston, TX
W
e have addressed both new construction and repair, remodeling projects for residential property
and commercial property for taxable entities in the previous articles. The focus of this article is construction projects with sales tax exempt
entities.
There are simple questions that contractors should ask at the beginning of
each project. They are:
Question 1. Is the project new construction, repair, remodeling, restoration or a mix?
The project type is not important since
the sales tax exempt entity will not be invoiced any separately stated sales tax.
Question 2. Is the project on commercial property or residential property?
Whether the project is for residential
property or commercial property is irrelevant if the project is for a sales tax exempt entity. The sales tax exempt entity
will not be invoiced separately stated
sales tax.
Question 3. What type of contract is
it?
The contract type is not important since
the sales tax exempt entity will not be invoiced separately stated sales tax.
Question 4. I answered these questions, what does it mean?
The answers to these questions determine how clients are invoiced and when
sales or use tax is due on purchases. The
following information is general and reflects current Texas sales tax rules only.
Sales Cycle: Invoicing if project performed for sales tax exempt entity.
A contractor does not invoice sales tax
exempt entities sales tax on any construction project.
Purchases Cycle: Sales tax the contractor should pay.
If the project is for a sales tax exempt
entity, the contractor may purchase incorporated materials, subcontractor labor and consumable supplies tax free.
The consumable supplies must be necessary and essential to the performance of
the contract and completely consumed
at the jobsite. An exemption certificate
should be issued to subcontractors, incorporated material suppliers and consumable supply suppliers in order to purchase these items tax free.
The contractor may purchase taxable services tax free if the contract expressly requires the service to be provided or purchased by the contractor, the
service is integral to the performance of
the contract and the service is performed
at the jobsite. If all of those criteria are
applicable, the contractor may issue a exemption certificate to the taxable service
provider in order to purchase the service
tax free.
Tools, equipment rentals, silt fencing, scaffolding, etc. are taxable to the
contractor regardless of the entity type
(i.e. exempt or taxable). These items are
tax exempt only if the exempt entity, not
the contractor purchases them.
It is important that the contractor
obtain the appropriate documentation
that the entity is exempt from sales tax.
For all entities that are not governmental
entities, a properly completed exemption certificate and confirmation from
the State Comptroller should be obtained
as soon as possible. Confirmation of a entity’s exempt status may be obtained online via the Exempt Organization Search
and Verification link in the Searchable
Taxpayer Information database on the
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
website.
The contractor’s responsibilities with
projects for sales tax exempt entities are
relatively simple. Separately stated sales
tax is never invoiced and certain items
may be purchased tax free. It is especially important to obtain substantiation of a
entity’s sales tax exempt status as soon as
possible.
Stephanie Thomas, CPA has helped clients
with sales and use tax issues exclusively
since 1998. Thomas, Thomas & Thomas, PC
is a CPA firm that addresses state tax issues
only. We help clients all over the country
address sales and use tax audits, minimize
sales and use tax deficiencies, and understand how to comply with applicable sales
and use tax laws. Stephanie can be reached
at (281) 469-1103.
Avoid FMCSA fines by
updating your MCS-150 form
Tom Quintero, Vice Pres. Risk Mgmt Services
IBTX
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX
O
ne of the regulations found in the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Regulations is 49 CFR 390.19, which
requires a motor carrier to update its registration information with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) once every two years. If you have a USDOT number, you are subject
to this requirement.
This registration update regulation has been a requirement for many
years, however, it was largely unenforced until recently. The FMCSA is taking a harsher stance and has begun to
fine motor carriers who have not updated their registration records.
To determine when you must file
your update, you must refer to your
DOT number. The last digit of your
DOT number is the month in which
you must file your update and the second to last number identifies if you
must file in an odd numbered or even
numbered year. For example, if your
DOT number is 921934, you must file
your update by the end of April (4),
2015 (odd number). If your DOT number is 1632927, you must file your update by the end of July (7), 2014 (even
number).
You can file your updated registration by filling out the MCS-150 form
and mailing it to their office in Washington, DC. You can also file electronically at their website, www.fmcsa.dot.
gov. If you are filing the form electronically, you will need a PIN number. If
you do not have a PIN number, you can
request it and they will mail it to you in
4-7 business days. If you lose your PIN
number, it will take another 4-7 business days to get a new one.
The form asks for basic identifying
information about a motor carrier such
as name, address, and phone number.
It also asks for the type of freight the
carrier transports and the number of
trucks and drivers it has. FMCSA uses
this information to keep track of the
motor carrier and to find the carrier for
audits. It also uses the truck and driver
information to help score the carrier
within its CSA system, which prioritizes
motor carriers for audits. In the future,
the information on the MCS-150 form
identifying the number of trucks will
also be used to ensure you have paid
the correct amount of UCR fees.
If FMCSA has evidence that a carrier has not updated their registration
information on time and the carrier is
still operating, they may fine them for
failing to update the registration. With
the new MAP-21 law that Congress
passed in 2013, these penalties will
likely be more than $1,000.
Typically, the FMCSA will not mail
you a reminder notifying you to update your MCS-150 form. If you do not
update your registration information,
FMCSA holds you responsible. In addition, if you update your registration
information at some point prior to the
month and year prescribed by your
DOT number, you still must file it again
when the rules demand. For example,
a motor carrier’s number is 1632927.
They update their registration information in December, 2013, because
they bought 10 new trucks. They still
need to file the MCS-150 form again in
July, 2014
Make sure your information is upto-date with FMCSA. It could save you
some money.
Tom Quintero brings 25+ years of experience in the Risk Management field in
the Construction industry & Heavy Manufacturing/Industrial environment as
well as Pre-Stressed Structural Concrete
industry, Heavy Highway TXDOT transportation and Fleet Safety Management, Pre-Cast Concrete and Steel Erection, Steel Fabrication and Distribution.
He is an Approved Professional Source in
the State of Texas and OSHA Outreach
Trainer through TEEX for the Construction Industry. He can be reached at
800-880-6689, or visit www.ib-tx.com.
Page 7
Be a smarter supplier,
contractor
Training workers in
scaffold safety
Mark L. Hill, Shareholder
Cowles & Thompson, PC
Dallas, TX
Joann Natarajan
Compliance Assistance Specialist
OSHA
Austin, TX
L
ien waivers are requested and executed every day in
Texas. If you want payment, you sign a waiver. With
construction in many parts of Texas advancing at a
fever pitch, this is very common. Lost in all this activity
though, many suppliers and contractors sign waivers
in exchange for payment without taking the time to understand what is actually in
them.
Historically, claimants like suppliers
and subcontractors routinely signed
very broad lien waivers in order to receive payment. This was frequently done
because the contractor simply didn’t
know or care to review the waiver, or the
contractor was under various pressures
(ex. financial) to just sign the waiver. It
thus became practice for developers and
GCs to use sweeping lien waivers to take
advantage of suppliers and subs.
Some lien waivers only waived your
right to claim a lien to the extent that you
are being paid. This is what suppliers
and contractors oftentimes assume they
are agreeing to in the waiver. The problem in the past, however, was that waivers many times went much, much further. Some waivers included releases of
all claims for payment, and some waivers
included language that released all
claims of every kind against the owner
and the property. Not understanding
these differences frequently proved to
be a costly mistake for suppliers and contractors.
In years past, Texas State and Federal
Courts upheld these broad waivers –
usually relying on the language in the
construction contract itself. Subcontractors and suppliers lost big.
Within the last few years though,
Texas has updated its lien waiver laws to
now require universal, mandatory forms.
While as with most laws there are some
exceptions, these mandatory forms can
help suppliers and subcontractors prevent owners and general contractors
from slipping in overly broad waivers, indemnity provisions, and releases of
claims.
Now, construction lien waivers in
Texas are likely unenforceable unless
they parallel the new lien waiver forms
set forth in Chapter 53 of the Texas Property Code. The Code includes four (4)
different lien waiver forms that a person
(ex. owner, developer) must use in order
to effectively waive or release a lien:
1. Conditional Waiver and Release on
Progress Payment. To be used when a
(claimant) supplier/subcontractor is required to execute a waiver and release to
receive a progress payment.
2. Unconditional Waiver and Release of
Progress Payment. To be used when a
(claimant) supplier/subcontractor is required to execute a waiver and release to
prove the receipt of a progress payment.
3. Conditional Waiver and Release on Final Payment. To be used when a (claimant) supplier/subcontractor is required
to execute a waiver and release to re-
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ConstructionNewsLtd
ceive a final payment.
4. Unconditional Waiver and Release on
Final Payment. To be used when a (claimant) supplier/subcontractor is required to
execute a waiver and release to prove the
receipt of a final payment.
Also, Texas law now provides that a
person may not require a claimant or potential claimant to execute an unconditional waiver and release for a progress
payment or final payment amount unless
the claimant or potential claimant received payment in that amount in good
and sufficient funds. This helps address a
problem claimants in the construction industry have faced for years, pressure to
sign unconditional waivers before payment has been made in full for the invoice.
Time will tell how Texas Court’s address these new lien waiver form requirements. Would a court still enforce an entire, broad waiver document? That’s unlikely. The Court could choose to enforce
only the limited lien waiver language, or
it could potentially kick out the waiver all
together?
The point being, regardless, is to be a
smarter supplier or contractor. Pay attention to what it is you are waiving, review or have it reviewed as a matter of
course, and know that the laws in Texas
have evolved to help.
Mark L. Hill is a Shareholder with the law
firm. He advises and defends clients, both
large and small, in construction disputes
and other business litigation matters. Mr.
Hill also helps businesses avoid and, if possible, resolve disputes before they ever reach
litigation. Mr. Hill has been named a Texas
Super Lawyer (Thomson Reuters) Rising
Star multiple years, and a Texas Super Lawyer in 2013. [email protected]
A
ll training must be conducted in a
manner and language which the
worker is able to understand.
• Only trained and authorized persons should be allowed to use a scaffold.
This training must be provided by a qualified person who recognizes the hazards
associated with the type of scaffold being used and who
understands the procedures to control
or minimize those hazards. Training must
include how to safely:
−−Use the scaffold and determine
the maximum load limits when handling
materials.
−−Recognize and avoid scaffolding
hazards such as electric shock, falls from
heights, and being hit by falling objects.
−−Erect, inspect, move, operate,
maintain, and repair scaffolds.
Follow the manufacturer’s allowable
load for the casters, scaffold components and platforms, along with recommended bracing to ensure a rigid and
structurally sound scaffold.
• Assess the work area, site conditions, and work to be performed.
• Conduct a pre-operation inspection to verify that all scaffold components are functioning properly and/or
are correctly assembled.
• Keep the platform free from tripping hazards such as hand tools, equipment, or materials.
• Lock scaffold wheels with positive
wheel and/or wheel and swivel locks to
prevent movement while in use.
• Use guardrails which include top
rails, mid-rails, and toe boards, or fall protection at working platform heights of 10
feet or higher.
• Stay at least 10 feet away from energized power lines.
• If outriggers are installed, deploy
installed outriggers on both sides of the
scaffold. All locking pins must be engaged before using the scaffold. Employers must ensure that workers h a v e
been effectively trained in the following
• Not to stand on the guardrail or
use any components of the scaffold or
other items (e.g., stepladders, buckets,
boxes, barrels, etc.) inside the scaffold to
gain additional standing height.
• Not to try to pull yourself from one
location to another while standing on
the platform.
• Not to use a scaffold if it is incomplete, broken or has missing or ill-fitting
parts which need replacement.
• Not to move the scaffold with
worker(s) on the scaffold when:
−−The worker(s) on the scaffold is
unaware of the move and/or the surface
under the scaffold is not within 3 degrees
of level and free of pits, holes or obstructions.
−−The worker is on any part of the scaffold which extends outward beyond
the wheels, casters, or other supports.
−−Manual force is not being applied as close to the base as practicable. Manual force must be applied not
more than 5 feet above the supporting
surface.
−−The height to base width ratio of
the scaffold during movement is greater
than 2 to 1, unless the scaffold is designed and constructed to meet or exceed nationally recognized stability test
requirements (such as ANSI/SIA A92.5
and A92.6).
[email protected]
512-374-0271 x232
Page 8
Page 9
last cool spell in mid-May, we saw water
temperatures dip back down into the low
seventies. These constant changes have
made patterning fish very challenging to
say the least. The other challenge anglers are facing is finding clean water to
fish. Reports that I have been getting indicate that a good portion of the Upper
Laguna Madre (ULM) waters are cloudy
with a bloom, making visibility poor.
Summertime blues
by Capt. Steve Schultz
Sponsored by:
Premier Yamaha Boating Center, Majek
Boats, E-Z Bel Construction, Power
Pole Shallow Water Anchor, Aggregate
Haulers, Interstate Batteries, Pure Fishing,
Mirr-O-Lure and Columbia Sportswear.
I
can’t tell you how much I’m missing
being on the water, being on a boat,
fishing, and most of all, seeing my customers. This injury has really been wearing on me both physically and mentally.
The update from my doctor remains the
same, meaning no weight bearing on my
leg and continuing physical therapy. I’m
really hoping to be walking by the 4th of
July, but only time will tell.
As for fishing, my original prediction of
me being back on the water by mid-July
is fading fast. I will keep everyone posted
on my progress and continue to keep all
my readers up to date on what’s happening on the water through info from my
fellow guide buddies.
Meanwhile, as we turn the page of the
calendar to the next month, hopefully we
can say goodbye to the cooler weather
for good. This year’s winter weather patterns have been drawn out the latest I
have seen in quite some time. With the
STEVE SCHULTZ
OUTDOORS, LLC
BAFFIN BAY
LAGUNA MADRE
LAND CUT
SPECKLED
TROUT
REDFISH
FLOUNDER
FISHING AND
HUNTING TRIPS
(361) 949-7359
www.baffinbaycharters.com
steveschultzoutdoors@
gmail.com
U.S. Coast Guard &
Texas Parks and Wildlife Licensed
With all of this said, fishing has not been
all that good this season. I’m really not
buying that everything is running a
month late this far into the year anymore.
By the time this column gets to the newsstand, we will be well into summer..
These fish should have been here several
months ago. I really think we have seen
such an increase in fishing pressure over
the last 10 years, our resource cannot
handle the pressure. I know these comments will stir up some controversy and
everyone will have an opinion on why
this is happening, so I will also add that
this is probably only one of the reasons
things seem to be tough this season. I’m
going to leave it at that for now and will
pick this topic up on a later column on
some of the other reasons why I think
fishing is not like it used to be.
I would like to take a minute and congratulate Doug and Cindy Niznik on another
successful tournament. This year the venue added a women’s tournament which
had a surprisingly strong turn out and
awarded two Texas A&M marine biology
students scholarships to use while doing
internships with Texas Parks and Wildlife
this summer. This is one of the few tournaments I support and fish. I wish more
tournament director’s would follow this
format.
Although I will not be fishing for the next
several months, please don’t hesitate to
call with all you fishing needs. I still have
several openings in September and October. I can also assist you in finding a
reputable guide for you and your group.
I can be reached at 361-949-7359 or 361813-3716, or e-mail me at
[email protected].
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
Now is your
chance!
S
chool’s out and the kids are FREE for
the summer! At least as free as their
busy schedules of ball games, classes and summer camps and the relentless
draw of their game consoles allow them
to be.
This is your chance to load up your
crew and go make some new family
memories and broaden some horizons!
Just like the winter holidays give you a
chance to get the kids in the woods,
these warm summer days let you have
the opportunity to hit the road and find
some water to play in.
I have been a fishing guide long
enough to watch quite a few of my clients
visit me as a child by dad’s side, a young
adult just starting a family and then
showing off the new grandkids. I have
seen firsthand how important it is to take
the time to introduce children to activities and traditions that are valued and
handed from one generation to another.
I have also seen folks whose parents never found the time to go and do stuff with
their kids. They often seem to feel like
there is something missing from their
lives and if they realize it what it is, then I
get to take them fishing to catch their
first fish for their 50th birthday. That first
fish is just as sweet to hold up in triumph
at 50 as it is at 5 years old!
The most important part of my job as
a fishing guide may not be the fish catch-
S & D Plumbing, Taylor, TX
ing as much as it is providing the canvas
for people to build their memories on.
Everybody loves to catch fish, but maybe
the most valuable thing is to get to spend
time with your family in a place where
you can’t just zone out and ignore everyone and everything around you because
it’s unfamiliar and you have to pay attention. To that end, I have seen a parent
collect all the cell phones in his hat before boarding the boat, so he could just
lock them up in the car until we got back
to the dock. Now maybe he was just trying to keep from losing any phones overboard, but I like to think he was really just
making sure the kids would really “be” on
the fishing trip.
The other important reason I love to
see the kids come fishing is that the numbers of young people enjoying the outdoors is dwindling. That will hurt all of
us. If fewer licenses and permits are sold
by Texas Parks and Wildlife, they have
less money to preserve and protect our
state parks and wildlife resources. Fewer
people traveling and getting involved in
the outdoors will result in fewer places to
go, and less activities to do. Most important though is just the fact that mankind
still needs and benefits from being outside. Without outdoor time we have no
more depth to our hearts and souls than
a black and white page of code. Man
hasn’t evolved past the world we were
created for yet. We still need to gaze into
the sparkling depths of a night sky, watch
a hawk soar on the wind or see a game
fish dart after a school of shad to really
feel alive.
So come on. Let’s get out there!
The Williams family
Half or Full Day Fishing Trips
All Bait, Tackle & Equipment
Furnished
Your catch Filleted and
Bagged for You
Furnish your TPWD Fishing
License & Refreshments,
and WE DO THE REST!
Ken Milam Guide Service
(325) 379-2051
www.striperfever.com
Page 11
Now on display …
L
ong-time readers of Construction News may remember seeing an article or two
about Richard Skipper, president and CEO of Ski-Hi Enterprises. The photos, at
the very least, would certainly be hard to forget! Skipper’s Fort Worth office includes a “museum” full of classic cars and animal mounts that one really must see in
person to fully appreciate. Since it’s been three years since we’ve ooh-ed and aah-ed
over his latest “gets,” we thought we’d see what the avid hunter, traveler and car collector has acquired in that time and is displaying in the museum. Needless to say, Skipper didn’t disappoint! –mjm
A 1923 Ford T-Bucket Roadster, fully customized with a 383 stroker motor
A 1979 Pontiac Trans-Am (10th Anniversary Edition) Big Block with 22,000 miles on it
A 1995 Corvette, which was a 1995 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car, with an LT1 motor
A Grey Wolf hunted in Nunavut, Canada
Skipper’s museum today
A Cape Buffalo (44 inches!)
hunted in Zimbabwe
An Audad hunted in Texas
A Muskox hunted in Kugluktuk–Nunavut
Province, Canada (Skipper rode in a sled for
50 miles, camped in tents in 10°F degree
weather for this one, and donated the meat
afterwards)
Reddy Kilowatt was on top of the Texas
Electric Building in the 1960s
Page 12
Bait and hook
R
oofing contractors and
suppliers from around
the state participated in
the 11th Annual Roofing Contractors Association of Texas
(RCAT) Fishing Tournament at
Woody's Sports Center in Port
Aransas, TX May 3.
“We had 35 guided boats
and more than 150 attendees,” said Vera Samperi, RCAT
executive director. “We had a
division for most spots on a
redfish this year. One of our
anglers caught a redfish with
nine spots. In addition, one of
our anglers caught a redfish
with no spots, which is unusual.” –ab
M
A run to remember
aybe it was all of his intensive
training or even his high-tech
running shoes that got him to
the finish line of the 118th Boston Marathon, but it was the outpouring of
prayers, texts and emails Kevin A.
Warneke received throughout his participation that helped him to cross it.
Concern ran high for Warneke, principal auditor at Lane Goman Trubitt
PLLC, and the nearly 40,000 other runners participating in the Apr. 21 race. The
bombings that had killed 3 people and
injured an estimated 264 others during
the previous year’s marathon were still a
fresh wound on the nation’s consciousness.
However, new safety procedures
such as lookouts, cameras, emergency
respondents, street closures and trauma
consultants at the race site reassured
Warneke, who was determined to run.
Warneke completed the 26-mile
385-yard race in 3 hours, 19 minutes and
48 seconds. His time wasn’t what was
most important, however, and he says he
felt humbled and blessed to be able to be
a part of what is considered one of the
world’s most prestigious road racing
events.
“The race was bittersweet, with one
of the many highlights being able to share
Warneke (right) with his wife Kimberly (left)
at the marathon
high-fives with the huge crowds that
stood at the locations of last year’s bombings,” he says. “I feel so blessed to be able
to take most of my family. I witnessed the
best of people in Boston and the running
world over the weekend and got to meet
some truly heroic people.” –mjm
Warneke (center) felt blessed to be able share the experience with his children,
Kaleb (left) and Natalie (right).
Have an outdoor
photo or story
you’d like to
share?
Send to:
DFWeditor@
Constructionnews.net
or call
Melissa at
817.731.4823
Page 13
Seventh’s heaven
T
hey partied seven ways to Sunday!
Nearly 100 women from Austin,
Corpus Christi, Dallas, Houston, San
Antonio, Waco and Tulsa, OK joined their
Fort Worth sisters Apr. 24-26 to celebrate
construction’s working women.
After settling into their hotel rooms
Thursday night, the ladies put on their
scootin’ boots for the world’s largest
honky tonk, Billy Bob’s Texas. Anyone
without sore feet the next morning took
a walking tour of the Fort Worth Stockyards and then enjoyed meetings and
workshops.
After an evening meet and greet, the
ladies turned in ( … early? Ha!) to rest before Saturday’s activities. The day included presentations by award-winning
training director Judy Hoberman and NAWIC National President Yasmine Branden.
The Fort Worth chapter also celebrated
its 60th birthday with cupcakes; although
the milestone birthday was last year, the
Fort Worth members postponed hosting
the 2013 Forum so that the Tulsa chapter
could play host during its own 50th anniversary.
The ladies were ready to rock Saturday night at the “Rock of Ages” banquet,
with the attendees costumed as their favorite musical era, artist or group. Three
past national presidents, current National
President Yasmine Branden, current National President–Elect Sandy Field and
three national directors were on hand to
celebrate the Region 7 members as they
received awards. Afterward, the bobby
soxers, hippie chicks and Pat Benatars
danced to the nostalgic notes played by
the Fab 45’s.
The National Association of Women
in Construction’s Fort Worth chapter
hosted the Region 7 Forum 2014 at the
Hilton Fort Worth. –mjm
NAWIC’s Fort Worth chapter
L-R: National President-Elect Sandy Field, past
National President Luci Roberts and current
National President Yasmine Branden
Breaking for barbecue at Riscky’s
On the right L-R: Forum coordinator
Karolene Pittman thanks Region 7
Director Jennifer Swinney with a “puppy
purse”
What is your greatest
accomplishment?
While I have been blessed with a generous amount of satisfaction from both my
personal life and business careers, I think
that my greatest accomplishment is consistently being a “problem solver” and
not a “problem creator” in my business,
my family and in my personal relationships. Helping family, clients, friends and
teammates to meet their needs and solve
their challenges is its own best reward.
Bill Conley, Conley Group
This may sound a little cheesy, but I think
my greatest accomplishment is taking
care of two pets! I have a cat and a dog
and they are very attention-needy. I
work full-time and taking care of them
too is sometimes daunting. It’s not like
having kids, but it’s still a lot of work if
you take the time to give them the attention they need.
Gloria Moss,
Joeris General Contractors
I recently stumbled upon a quote said by
someone much more learned than I:
“Your career is what you get paid for. Your
calling is what you were made for.” I realized that truth, and it puts a whole different perspective on things; if you can
combine them in some way it’s a real bonus!
Jim Hollis, BakerTriangle
I have been a children’s leader for 10
years for Bible Study Fellowship International, and I would consider that my
greatest achievement because I have a
chance to mold younger kids and their
morals.
Etonya Senigaur, Tillage Construction
Playing professional golf. I started playing competitively when I was nine. I
played all through college when I attended Arkansas State; I had a full ride. I
moved home and traveled all over the
South played on the Adams tour. I still
play, but it’s more for leisure with some of
our clients.
Kyle Roberts, Drive Construction, LLC
Going from a high school dropout and
bartending, to being a senior construction manager in a nice office 20 years later! I have the best life!
Brent Person, Lucky Construction Inc.
My kids would be the biggest one, making sure that they had what they needed
and that they are well taken care of.
Jon Steward, Mobile Modular
NAWIC’s Dallas chapter
My family. My wife and my two boys are
everything to me; anything and everything I do relates to them. It’s about making sure that they’re happy.
John M. Gonzales,
Basecom Construction Services
Having two beautiful and healthy kids –
a 4½ year-old son Jesse and 3½ monthold daughter Jayci. Those kids are darn
near perfect!
Lloyd Osborn, Novel Builders
My greatest achievement has been
thinking big business projects while
maintaining small business attitude.
Achievement is its own reward.
Ahad “Little Joe” Ghafoor,
Innovative Design Build
Page 14
A century in the making
F
ort Worth isn’t only where the West
begins, it’s also where it all began
for plumbing, heating and cooling
contractors in Texas.
Industry members came to Cowtown
April 24-26 to celebrate the legacy of 11
Texas plumbing contractors who gathered there 100 years ago to form the “Associated Master Plumbers of Texas.” Although the state association has changed
its name and grown to approximately 400
members since that time, the intention to
improve the industry and advance its
membership has remained the same.
Its century worth of achievements is
considerable. Its legislative efforts have
established new licensing laws and certification programs. Its educational programs teach over 10,000 students
throughout the state and 149 high school
students have received scholarships. A
Texas state-approved apprenticeship
training program was also developed six
years ago in partnership with North Lake
College and the Construction Education
Foundation; its unique condensed and
Past PHCC presidents were honored
Normac
accelerated curriculum certifies Journeyman Plumbers after four years with the
opportunity to take the Master License
exam the following year.
To honor the association’s impressive history and achievements, the celebration began Thursday morning with a
scholarship golf tournament at Fossil
Creek Golf Course, followed by an opening reception that evening at the
Worthington Renaissance Hotel. On Friday, attendees enjoyed an opening
breakfast and awards ceremony followed
by workshops and exhibits featuring the
latest in products. Football fans in the
group got a special treat Saturday evening, when former Dallas Cowboy Drew
Pearson spoke at the Presidents Awards
dinner. Past presidents were honored
and 2014 officers were also installed, and
a board of directors meeting and breakfast concluded the 2014 PHCC Texas
Round Up, hosted by the Associated
Plumbing-Heating-Cooling-Contractors
of Texas. –mjm
L-R: Michael Dumoit of Milwaukee Tool, former Dallas Cowboy and dinner speaker Drew
Pearson and PHCC Texas President Pat Freund of Primo Plumbing
Milwaukee Tool
Dry Force
Fluidmaster
Crafting professionals
L-R: Representing CEF were Travis Akins of TDIndustries (welding), Aaron Martinez of DynaTen
Corporation (plumbing), Joshua Garcia of DFW Mechanical (HVAC), Sergio Hernandez of
Hidalgo Industrial (welding), Coby McCormick of Aire Dynamics (sheet metal), Ricky Mata of
TDIndustries (welding) and Alejandro Munoz of Amber Electrical (electrical).
T
he Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) annual National Craft
Championships (NCC) were held
Apr. 29-May 1 in Birmingham, ALA. According to ABC’s Jeff Leieritz, 156 competitors queued up for 13 competitions.
“It is the most we’ve ever had,” he
said.
Most of the competitors were in
their 20’s, according to Leieritz, but ages
ranged up to the 50’s. However, seven
young men from the Construction Education Foundation competed in welding,
plumbing, HVAC, sheet metal and electrical competitions.
Competitors and attendees came
from all over the U.S. The craft trainees
competed for gold, silver, and bronze
medals in 13 competitions representing
11 crafts, including carpentry, electrical,
pipefitting, plumbing and welding. They
tested their skills in both a written exam
and a 6-hour hands-on, practical application where they demonstrated their
high-level skills and safety best practices.
The trading card program, which
was started last year with support from
Trimmer, was very popular and allowed
competitors to trade their personal trading card with other competitors, training
sponsors, employers and conference attendees. By collecting 10 competitor
cards, attendees were able to take a turn
in the “Spin to Win” contest at the Builder
Nation booth. Prizes included two iPads,
gift cards and NCC cups.
ABC National staff also interviewed
more than 10 competitors on camera and
captured their personal stories about
their career path, current training programs and why they would encourage
others to consider a career in the construction industry. The videos will be edited and used in future promotional videos to promote ABC Craft Training and
NCC.
“ABC is very excited to see the country’s best craft trainees show off their
world-class skills and training at this
year’s National Craft Championships,”
said 2014 ABC National Chairman Dan
Brodbeck, president and CEO of Compass
Partners, LLC, Brentwood, TN. –cw/mjm
Page 15
HVAC & Plumbing
Positive impact possible
for environment, labor
Michelle Wiener, President
Denali Construction Services LP
Carrollton, TX
W
ith the recent emphasis on green
building, what is the most environmentally friendly change relating
to your industry?
There are many exciting environmental changes within our horizon, from
energy code modifications to water conservation. We have the ability to positively impact our environment with the services we provide on a daily basis, from
HVAC maintenances, electrical initiatives,
and EMS and plumbing services (such as
low flow and waterless technologies). In
addition, our team can assist in the latest
water conservation methods, such as
rain harvesting and state of the art irrigation systems. Denali Construction Ser-
vices not only provides services for sustainability but practices it within our daily business operations.
Do the new water restricting fixtures
impact plumbing installation?
We believe the impact of installing
water restricting fixtures is minimal to
the end user as well as the installer. In
fact, we believe the water restricting fixtures provide an alternative to those end
users looking to lower their carbon footprint. Having options such as this is necessary if we are going to assist our local
environment with the significant water
restrictions that we are all facing.
Texas heat continues
and so do changes to the
HVAC industry
Todd McAlister, Executive Director
ACCA-Texas
Austin, TX
A
nyone that has spent a summer in
Texas understands just how dominating the Texas heat can be. With temperatures already soaring into the triple
digits before the middle of May, the summer of 2014 at the moment, does not
look any different.
For Texas HVAC contractors, who
routinely deal with the drastic changes in
the Texas weather, there is a multitude of
other dynamics affecting their businesses each and every day. Many of the concerns that were prevalent two-three-five
years ago are still on the forefront of industry change. From home automation
to the refrigerant revolution, HVAC con-
tractors need to stay abreast of the continually changing environments in which
they operate.
As I mentioned two years ago in a
Construction News article, one of the most
potentially impactful measures that has
occurred recently is the advent of home
automation products that link with our
“smart” devices. These products allow
homeowners to monitor just about everything within their homes remotely
and track items such as energy usage.
Though a recently passed legislative bill,
HB 2294, did not fully open up the home
automation industry to unlicensed HVAC
contracting, it did allow for licensed
Technolgy biggest change
in industry
Carlo Hernandez, Owner
AC-1 Service Air Conditioning & Heating
Brownsville, TX
C
arlo Hernandez has seen a lot of changes since he
first donned a leather tool pouch and entered the
HVAC industry in 1989.
“Technology is a huge change,” he
said. “We still get dirty, but now we’re sitting on a roof in the heat communicating
with a guy sitting in air conditioning in
California who’s directing us to move a
sensor or find a loose connection and to
perform a full rest of the system.”
Rapidly going by the wayside are the
days of arriving at a job and getting out
of the truck with a ladder and various
tools, Hernandez says.
“Now, when you get your tools, you
know what tools you need to bring,” he says.
It’s one of his beefs with the industry
charged with educating students who
want to enter the HVAC workforce.
As a sitting member on an advisory
board for Kaplan University, Hernandez is
outspoken about what can be done better when getting these students ready to
enter the workforce.
“I’ve told them, they are ‘overtooling’
the students,” he said. “They (the students) can’t spell it, they can’t pronounce
it, but they’ve got the tool anyway.”
But in today’s world, it’s more important to be equipped with some kind of
device that allows one to reach the man-
What is the most significant challenge
your industry faces?
As a mechanical contractor, we work
hard every day to provide the best services with the most highly qualified individuals. We are fortunate to employ the
best technicians; however, our workforce
is growing older. A struggle we are faced
with is recruiting younger individuals to
join and work for the professional trades
instead of pursuing a career in corporate
America. We believe it is important to allow youth to recognize the potential of a
career in mechanical services; not only is
the work fulfilling but it can be a highly
compensated career. It is imperative that
we work to establish an effective recruitment strategy, as our infrastructure depends on it.
Is HVAC/Plumbing education available for those wishing to enter the industry?
There are many professional trade
education schools individuals can attend; however, being a union contractor,
our preferred method is utilizing the
Joint Apprenticeship Training Centers.
The Apprenticeship’s programs afford individuals the opportunity to be trained in
all mechanical services (such as plumbing, pipefitting, welding, HVAC, sheet
metal and electrical) while working and
being compensated for the years served.
What are the rewards of the industry?
Rewards are vast, but at the end of
the day, we believe we make a significant
difference in the mechanical industry
and in the lives of the people we employ.
We believe three core values set us apart,
from integrity (doing the right thing the
first time), sustainability (leaving the
world better than we found it) and service excellence (always going above and
beyond). By adhering to these values, our
customers reap the ultimate reward – a
quality project, delivered on time and
within budget. We consider this a must in
order to be a successful business in today’s marketplace.
Denali Construction Services LP is a
woman-owned and -operated mechanical
and site service contractor. Operational for
10 years, the firm employs approximately
150 employees offering a vast array of expertise, from routine mechanical services to
challenging industrial retrofit projects.
home security companies to install thermostats with their home automation systems. A win/win for the homeowner,
however, these products could be an issue for the HVAC contractor who is
caught in the middle when the thermostat installed with these automation
products does not properly align with
the installed HVAC system.
Another “hot” topic is the drawn-down of
R22 refrigerant. With the phase-out date
of 2020 quickly approaching, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has
begun a rather aggressive reduction plan
that is reducing the amount of virgin refrigerant produced by upwards of 40%
each year between 2015-2019. What
does this mean for Texas consumers?
Most likely, more price increases on the
cost of R22 that will in turn mean higher
costs for HVAC maintenance for the customers.
Lastly, an item that has been a thorn
in the side of the HVAC community for
more than 4 years has been the proposed
efficiency changes through what the Department of Energy (DOE) termed Regional Standards. An April settlement of a
legal challenge brought by several
groups, including ACCA, alleviated much
of the proposed problems, but does
leave in place a change to the Seasonal
Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) from 13
SEER in Texas to 14 SEER beginning in
January 2015. There will be a drawndown of manufactured 13 SEER equipment prior to January 1, 2015 that can still
be bought and sold until July 2016, but
many contractors and manufacturers will
begin the 14 SEER turn-over in 2015.
The HVAC industry is a constantly
evolving and constantly moving target
that requires contractors to stay informed
for both the benefit of their company and
their customers. ACCA-Texas recommends that contractors participate regularly in trainings, networking opportunities and other forums through trade associations and other trade related groups
that help contractors stay educated on
these and other industry changes.
ual – most likely located online. Once
that manual is located, industry professionals need to be able to read it, as well.
“It’s important to be able to read the
manual and understand it,” Hernandez says.
Because there are so many more
manufacturers of HVAC equipment now,
there are many more ways each piece of
equipment can differ from the last one.
“Some digital programmable thermostats can have up to 30 steps you have
to follow to get it to work the way it’s supposed to work,” he explains. “That’s why
it is more important now to be able to
read and write.”
In addition, those working in the
HVAC industry must now register with
the state as a protection to the consumer.
Copper and pressure
Just like diamonds and gold that come
from different areas, copper is also mined
in different areas – and the good copper is
almost mined out, Hernandez says.
“The mines have dwindled,” he says.
“The copper is much thinner and leaks a
lot sooner than you expect it to.”
That can also be attributed to higher
pressure refrigerant, a result of the 1987
Montreal Protocol intended to phase
R-22 and other refrigerants, believed to
harm the earth’s ozone layer, out of the
market.
“In 1989 when I started in the business, I was working on 30-year-old equipment,” Hernandez said. “Now, equipment
starts leaking in 5-7 years.”
A current trend of copper theft has
also added to the costlier repairs and replacements today.
According to Hernandez, the challenge in the industry is to come up with a
longer lasting copper coil and manufacturers are trying various combinations of
copper and aluminum to achieve that.
“Every manufacturer is trying their own
philosophy,” he says. “Everyone is in the race
but no-one has won yet. I’m not married to
any one manufacturer, so I can choose what
my customer needs, based on warranty,
parts availability and other things.” –cw
Since 2000, Todd McAlister has been the Executive Director of ACCA-Texas, a Heating,
Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC/R) based non-profit organization that represents more than 750 companies and 5,000 employees across Texas. –cw
Page 16
HVAC & Plumbing
The plumber’s apprentice
Carter Ramzel, President
Benchmark Plumbing
San Antonio, TX
A
s the trades face a labor shortage that threatens to
grow exponentially as a large percentage of the
workforce prepares to retire, the plumbing industry is
getting an injection of new blood from the Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors
(PHCC) San Antonio Chapter’s new apprenticeship program.
As president of Benchmark Plumbing and PHCC-SA, Carter Ramzel recognizes the need for the Department of Labor-approved program. He notes a lot of
people in the PHCC have been involved
and brought the program to fruition, and
he has one of program’s first students as
an apprentice in his company.
“We simply have a shortage of skilled
plumbers in the state of Texas,” says Ramzel. “Right now, the average age of a master plumber in Texas is 58 years old, and
that number is increasing rapidly. There
simply aren’t enough master plumbers.
“If I had two journeyman plumbers
walk in my office today with good qualifications, I’d probably hire them today. I
need plumbers. We all need plumbers
and helpers across the state. It’s a serious
situation, and it’s probably that way in all
trades. Plumbing is a little unique in that
we answer to the Texas State Board of
Plumbing Examiners and hold licenses
through them. In our case, you have to
come in through the licensing process.”
Right now, the apprenticeship program PHCC started in conjunction with
St. Philip’s College has 30 students who
are in either Year 1 or Year 2 of their apprenticeships, and in just a few years,
they will be graduating.
“We want those students to be able
to move into the workforce immediately,” he says. “But, they’ll also be able to
get their master plumbing license in a
shorter period of time. They’ll only have a
one-year wait after the four years [of apprenticeship] to go out and get their
master plumbing license. Currently, if you
don’t go through an apprenticeship program, there’s a four-year wait.
“So, it speeds up the process to getting master plumbers into the workforce.
And there may be cases where you have
an older master plumber at a company
about to retire and you need to bring in
some younger blood to hold that master
plumbing license.”
Ramzel sees two main advantages to
plumbing companies taking on an ap-
prentice from an apprenticeship program.
“First, you get a better trained employee,” he explains. “The employee that
I currently have in the program is definitely learning in the classroom and using those skills in the field.
“The second thing is there are certain Department of Labor requirements
on federal jobs and other municipal jobs
that get federal money, and the plumbing contractors who get those jobs are
required to have their apprentices or
helpers in a DOL-approved apprenticeship program kind of as a quota to meet
ratios between journeyman plumbers
and apprentices on the job.
“Our program fulfills those requirements. There are a lot of plumbing contractors who are becoming interested in
our program as they look at those federal
jobs and the need to put a student in the
DOL-approved program. We are seeing
people join PHCC, specifically stating,
we’re joining because of your apprenticeship program.”
Also, Ramzel says that the PHCC is
encouraging local high schools to bring
plumbing into their career academies to
the point where those classes can be
transferred to the community college
level. This way, students coming out of
high school can enter the apprenticeship
program at the Year 2 level.
If these programs and schools can
get students interested in the trades, the
industry will be infused with new life for
the future and Ramzel believes the students will find a rewarding career. Since
he comes from a contracting background, once his son got his master
plumber license, Ramzel knew that was a
good route to go to help him start a company.
“There will always be a need for a
plumber,” he points out. “Technology
does change in our business, but the
need for plumbing remains. There’s going to be need for service and repair. It’s
been around forever, and it’s going to
continue.
“If students don’t enjoy sitting at a
desk all day long, there’s an opportunity
to get out in the field. You can work on
backhoes. You can drive equipment. You
can work with your hands or tools and actually see your work being accomplished
in the field. By any stretch of the imagination, it’s not easy work. But I think there’s
a lot of fulfillment in seeing your work
when you’re finished. That’s what I enjoy
about it.”
Noting that Texas lost a lot of plumbers during the economic downturn, Ramzel emphasizes that things are picking
back up again. He adds that a lot of
plumbers are not returning to the industry now that things are getting better.
Some followed other career paths,
moved, or let their licenses lapse, leaving
a vacuum in the recovering field.
Ramzel states that students shouldn’t
be discouraged about fluctuations in the
economy, however, noting that a versatile plumber can switch from residential
to commercial or to service: “If he’s good
at all his trades, he can stay busy yearround with no problem.” –mp
opened a campus in Hutto, TX last fall
that has an HVAC program. I have met
with the teachers and am on their advisory board this year.
What a great opportunity to go to a
state school close to home for someone
wanting to get into this trade.
What is your opinion about the current state of the Austin construction
industry?
This really is a great time to be in the
construction industry in Austin, TX. The
Central Texas market is the best in the nation and should continue to be for some
time.
We, as owners and managers, need
to learn to quit beating each other up
with lowball pricing and learn to sell on
value as opposed to “LOW PRICE”.
Opportunity awaits
Mike Creamer, Owner/President
C2 Mechanical Services and 2014 President of
Texas Air Conditioning Contractors
of America (TACCA)
Hutto, TX
W
hy did you decide to work in the
HVAC industry?
Before I started working in the HVAC
industry, I worked as a night manager at a
grocery store in Del Rio, TX.
The kid that came to do the maintenance on the air conditioning systems at
the store graduated from high school a
few years before me. I noticed he sure did
have a nice personal truck so I figured
there must be better pay in the air conditioning business.
Why do you enjoy what you do today?
I really do enjoy helping customers
get the most return on their investment
that they can. C2 wants our customers to
look at us as a partner in their success as
opposed to being the “A/C Guy”.
What does it take to be a successful in
your industry?
It really takes a lot of hard work and
dedication. This is not a 9-5 job. There are
no overnight success stories.
What advice would you give a young
person who wants to work in your industry?
A young man or lady needs to get an
education and combine that with onthe-job training.
I went to TSTI in Waco (now TSTC)
and got an associate degree in HVAC. I
was able to, years later, get a marketing
degree from Texas Tech and pay for it as I
went by using my air conditioning and
refrigeration skills.
The really neat thing is that TSTC just
In your opinion, what are a few challenges in the HVAC industry in recent
years?
The main challenge is finding qualified employees. It is good to see that the
Texas Legislature is finally getting away
from attempting to funnel all high school
graduates to 4-year colleges and has decided that the trades are once again valuable.
We, as business owners and managers, need to take any chance we can to
speak to state legislators about this issue.
Thank them and press them for more
funding.
How do you stay up-to-date in your industry?
I am involved in local, state and national associations. I think, as an owner or
manager, it is important to get involved
in local, state and national trade associations such as ACCA or AGC. These organizations promote and protect our interests. We need to “pay back” the industries
that take care of us. –ab
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Page 17
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Green day
Rampart Hydro’s Patrick Winkler discusses hydro-demolition.
T
L-R: 1st Place Team Zach Tiner of Kelly-Moore Paint Co., Jeff Adkinson and Kyle
Mederos of Right Choice Painting and Construction and Glenn Elliot.
With their brush strokes already perfected, it was time to work on their golf strokes!
On Apr. 25, the Dallas Chapter of the Painting & Decorating Contractors of America
(PDCA) held its annual Spring Golf Tournament at Bear Creek Country Club. –mjm
he vote is in, and they’re doing it
again! The good times began to roll
May 16 at an informal get-together
at Bastrop, TX’s Roadhouse Restaurant.
Technical sessions made up the morning
after, and then everyone stretched their
legs at a four-person scramble hosted
that afternoon at Pine Forest Golf Club.
After working up their appetites for the
buffet dinner hosted that night, attend-
Association Calendar
ees were then treated to a presentation
by Dale Regnier, manager of Marketing
& Chapters.
The event marked the first time in the
International Concrete Repair Institute
(ICRI)’s 26-year history that a multi-chapter event of this kind had been held. So
much fun had been had that on Sunday
morning, before they departed for home,
the North Texas, Houston and South Central Texas chapter members voted unanimously to make the ICRI Texas State Conference an annual event. – mjm
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News
AIA - Dallas
NAWIC - Fort Worth
American Institute of Architects
Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
Jun. 26-28: AIA National Conference, McCormick Place, 2601 S. Lake Shore Drive,
Chicago, IL 60616. Visit convention.aia.
org for more details.
Jun. 10: Board of Directors Meeting, 8713
White Settlement Road, Fort Worth,
76108. RSVP to Traci Garner-Davis at traci.
[email protected].
Jun. 19: Board Meeting, 3735 Country
Club Circle, Fort Worth, 76109. Networking at 5:30 pm, dinner 6pm. Cost is $36
per person. RSVP to Donna Ciarkowski at
[email protected].
AIA - Fort Worth
American Institute of Architects
Jun. 26-28: AIA National Conference, McCormick Place, 2601 S. Lake Shore Drive,
Chicago, IL 60616. Visit convention.aia.
org for more details.
ASA North Texas
American Subcontractors Association
Jun. 12: CEF Graduation, Westin Hotel,
Irving, 7:30pm. Contact Lori for info at
[email protected].
Jun. 19: Snooze & Mingle Networking &
Crawfish Boil, Morrison Supply, 3200 Irving Blvd, Dallas 4-8pm. Free.
Jun. 26: Membership Luncheon, Las Colinas Country Club, 4400 N. O’Connor Rd.,
Irving. Registration at 11am.
CEF
Construction Education Foundation
Jun. 12: CEF Graduation, Westin Hotel,
Irving, 7:30pm. Contact Lori for info at
[email protected].
CFMA
Construction Financial Mgmt Assn.
Jun. 7-11: CFMA’s 2014 Annual Conference & Exhibition, Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas. Visit www.cfma.org for more information and registration.
IEC - Dallas
Independent Electrical Contractors
Jun. 26: Night at the Races (with Fort
Worth chapter), Lone Star Park. Call (972)
550-1133 to register.
IEC - Fort Worth
Independent Electrical Contractors
Jun. 12: Graduation, Bob Duncan Center,
2800 S. Center Street, Arlington, 6:30 reception, 7:15 ceremony.
Jun. 26: Night at the Races (with Dallas
chapter), Lone Star Park. Call (972) 5501133 to register.
NAWIC - Dallas
Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
Jun. 2: Board Meeting, 6pm.
Jun. 16: MCM Eleganté Hotel, 2330 West
Northwest Highway, Dallas, TX 75220.
Networking 5pm, registration 5:30pm
and dinner and program 6pm.
Jun. 26: Clay Shoot fundraiser, 8am.
L-R: ICRI’s Region 7 rep Mark LeMay of JQ
recognizes Larz Smith of Integral Bonding
Systems for his 20-year membership.
ICRI’s Dale Regnier
NTRCA
N. Tx Roofing Contractors Assn.
Jun. 2: Golf Tournament, Hackberry
Creek Country Club, 1901 Royal Lane, Irving, TX 75063. For more information and
registration, visit www.ntrca.com
June 11: Lunch & Learn, International
Bowling Museum Arlington, 621 Six Flags
Dr., Arlington, TX 76011. Cost is $20 members, $25 non-members, includes lunch
and seminar. Visit www.ntrca.com for details.
RHCA
Regional Hispanic Contractors Assn.
Jun. 7: Day of the Construction Worker,
Fair Park, El Embarcadero Hall, 3800 Parry
Ave., Dallas 75210, 10am. Free admission.
Jun. 18: Membership Committee and
Business Development Meetings, 2210 W.
Illinois Ave., Dallas 75224, noon
L-R: Sika’s Kevin Bohannon, Mike Pocock of RSI Restoration Services Inc., Sika’s Bill Light
and Gabriel Carrerra of Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates
SCWCPA
South Central Wall Ceiling &Plaster Assn.
Jun. 25-27: Annual Convention & Trade
Show, LA Cantera Hill Country Resort, San
Antonio, TX. Contact the association office at (817) 461-0676 or visit www.scwcpa.org for details.
www.landmarkeq.com
McKinney
3774 N. Central
972-548-9590
Irving
1351 S. Loop 12
972-579-9999
Fort Worth
1309 Haltom Road
817-834-8131
Waxahachie
2200 W. Hwy 287 Bus.
972-937-0101
ts
ar e
P
ic
ll
Fu Serv
&
TEXO
The Construction Association
Jun. 4: Safety Stand Down Event. Visit
www.texoassociation for more details.
Jun. 23: TEXO Open Golf Tournament,
Trophy Club Country Club, 500 Trophy
Club Dr., Trophy Club, TX 76262. Visit
www.texoassociation for more details.
USGBC
U.S. Green Building Council
Jun. 5: Members only tour, Alta Maple
Station, 4pm.
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Page 18
Current champion
I
t all came down to the wire-off competition’s motor control project. Of the
competition’s five highly-charged
parts, the assembly and operation of this
electrical project determined which competitor would go on to the national competition in Maryland in October.
In the end, the ‘volt’ of confidence
went to Austin Electric Company’s Weldon Farra. The battle was intense from
the beginning; in addition to the wire-off
competition, the fourth-year apprentices
submitted a resume and letter outlining
future goals, as well as completing a written exam, a conduit bending assignment
and an interview.
The competition’s other live wires
were Tong Nguyen, The Brandt Companies; Nate Tilley, JBI Electrical Systems
Inc; Michael Hull, Walker Engineering;
and Derrick Clark, The Brandt Companies, all of whom have worked six years
or less in the electrical industry.
“The five competitors are excellent
electricians and the final scores reflect a
very close finish in the overall competi-
L-R: IEC’s fourth year instructor Mike Querry
presented 1st place to Weldon Farra of Austin
Electric Company
tion results,” A&T committee chairman
James Neyman says. “These men worked
hard to prepare for the five components
of the competition and successfully completed their final wire-off project. We are
very proud of the commitment and dedication of these competitors.”
The Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) Fort Worth/Tarrant County chapter’s wire-off competition was held May 3
at the Fort Worth chapter office. –mjm
L-R: Competitors Michael Hull (4th place); Tong Nguyen (2nd place); Weldon Farra (1st place);
Derrick Clark (5th place); and Nate Tilley (3rd place)
Extra
Papers?
continued from Page 1 — Making his own break
Fortunately, that option wasn’t
needed. On March 10, the company’s first
project came in and “we’ve experienced
steady growth ever since!” he says.
With new projects rolling in and recently opening his new office at 2410
Luna Road in Dallas, Howard says he
“wears every hat you can imagine. But I
can’t complain, it all has been good. ”
Howard says he relies heavily on
“the overwhelming support” he has received from the many people he knows
through his years in the industry.
“They really embraced the whole
idea of me starting my own company and
want to see me have success,” he says.
“I’ve met with people I’ve built relationships with over the years and all of them
have expressed they wish I had done this
a long time ago. As far as our three- to
five-year plan, our goal is to be a $100
million company. Of course this may
seem ambitious, but we’re receiving significant work and I don’t see it being out
of reach. I don’t feel I will ever limit myself
to how large my company can grow.”
One of the most exciting events thus
far in Incept’s quick start is the newlyformed joint venture agreement with
Haydon Building Corp. Haydon, an established company in the Phoenix area for
many years, made the decision to open a
Dallas/Fort Worth-area office a few years
ago and break into the K-12 market. With
Haydon’s resources and Incept’s connections in the school market, this relationship has already realized success and is
seeking more.
Howard enjoys company ownership
and the chance to put back into the industry what he feels has been missing.
“It’s a very rewarding experience,” he
says. “For those who haven’t had the opportunity, or who had the opportunity
and didn’t stick their nose out there, I
would highly recommend it.”
Incept Construction offers commercial
pre-construction, construction management, general contracting and design-build
services. –mjm
continued from Page 1 — Up to speed
“What I really wanted in our new office was some way to communicate between our office here and our office and
clients in Houston. Now I can be in Dallas
and have the ability to communicate with
our Houston employees through our new
audio/visual technology,” he says. “We
can go over a set of plans or a design, and
have the capability to look at documents
on 70-inch screens, as our designers are
working on their projects in Houston.”
Not only does the new 6,200–sf office enable the company to communicate more efficiently, it checked off other
boxes on Rodriguez’ wish list as well.
“We were looking for a more upscale
building; we are doing more tenant improvement work and more work for larger corporations. We have a number of
national accounts, as well as relationships
with local and national developers. We
needed to be more centrally located in
the Dallas area,” he says. “We also outgrew where we were. We have 18 employees and are adding four more. The
company is growing and we needed to
refresh our image. When someone made
us an offer on the Viscount Row office, we
decided it was time to move.
“A lot of our clients will be really excited about the things we will be able to
do in our new office, and we’re really enthused,” Rodriguez says. “Just being in
that building is going to make us so much
more marketable. We have the opportunity, unlike ever before, to further improve and elevate our business.”
General contractor UCS Group Dallas
LLC offers construction services and project
management. –mjm
continued from Page 1 — Legal action
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European oak flooring and marble
conference tables lend
a high-end look to the conference
rooms and offices.
and style. The split faced masonry block
on the exterior was repainted and landscaping was planted to complete the
transformation.
“The tight schedule, as well as working through the design process as the
renovations were underway, were the
most challenging aspects of the project,”
Worrall says. “With the high-end finishes
the client selected, quality controls had
to be put in place from the onset. The
submittal process along with researching
industry standards and best practices assisted us in achieving a high level of quality in a short amount of time.”
Still, the result was worth the rush,
and the team at Drive Construction enjoyed working closely with the attorneys
and the designer to create the firm’s new
headquarters.
“It was a great relationship between
all three parties which made it a fun, challenging and high-energy project,” Worrall says.
Founded in 2013, Drive Construction in
Dallas specializes in commercial groundup, build-to-suit, cold storage and hospitality construction for private and public sector clients in Texas and Oklahoma.
M
Page 19
On the run
Aiming high
HBT went clubbing for a cause May 5 at Dallas’ Bent Tree Country Club. The
independent insurance firm’s annual golf tournament raised $25,000 for the
Ronald McDonald House. –mjm
L-R: Johnston Products welders Octavio Gallegos, Julio Maldonado-Valdez
and Edgar Maldonado-Valdez
L-R: Trent Walker of UHC, Eddie Corbitt of United Rentals, Kyle Moss of MHBT,
Tim Raher of Nexus Solutions and Ben Ramundt of RT Specialties
T
hey came by motorcycle, they came
by classic car, and they came by two
routes to meet up at Johnston
Products on May 17. Whether the more
than 340 riders registered at Fort Worth’s
PCI Industries or Dallas’ Texas Scottish
Rite Hospital, once they parked at the Cedar Hill business, guests were treated to
lunch, rodeo games, a live auction, door
prizes and entertainment. All proceeds
from the 11th annual Poker Run & Cookout, hosted by the American Subcontractors Association (ASA), benefitted Texas
Scottish Rite Hospital for Children and
Happy Hill Farm Academy. –mjm
L-R: Shawna Maslonka, Santos Hampton, Jon
Steward, Mobile Modular Portable Storage
L-R: Vaughan Hancock and Rick Wojeciechowski of Parkway Construction,
Clay Harrison of Skiles Group, Johnny Fulkerson of MHBT
35 years of fun in the sun
L-R: PCL Contract Bonding Agency’s Melissa Lesch, Mike McAdams of Walker Engineering, ASA
Executive Vice President Linda White, Lori Chung of Johnston Products,
Karen Lubinski of Scarborough Specialties Inc., and ASA’s LaDell Tullos
Frontier’s Ft. Worth team includes, front row, L-R: Ted Gossett, Juan Ruiz and Cullin Whiteley;
and back row, L-R: Barry Brown Sr. and Tyrail Roof.
F
rontier Surveying, established in
Corpus Christi in 1979 by Dale Moore,
is celebrating 35 years in business this
year. Now led by Ivy Young, president,
who succeeded Moore in the mid 1990s,
the team has risen to new levels of growth
and success. The company has grown to
multiple offices in Corpus Christi and Fort
Worth, with plans to expand to Midland
and services all of Texas with more than
14,000 jobs completed since 2000.
But surveying is not about quantity,
it is about quality work and satisfied clients, Young says
As part of that, the company supports training and education in the surveying and mapping field.
“We sponsor and participate in Texas
Society of Professional Surveyors (TSPS)
golf tournaments, clay shoots, and educational seminars at the annual convention,” Young said. “We support local industry educational and charitable events.
“Since we are in a technical field of
the business, we spend much time and
effort on training and development.”
Frontier sent six employees to the
TSPS Locating Original Corners Seminar,
where employees spent three days in the
field retracing the footsteps of early Texas
surveyors, while honing their skills with
traditional and modern tools of the trade.
“Keeping up to date with technology
is critical in our business,” says survey
field coordinator Danny Dorman. “We
utilize many types of surveying equipment from GPS, total stations, pipeline
and utility locators, survey grade laser
levels and high definition 3D laser scanners. New technology requires new software and ongoing training, so we always
come back to education, training and development. It is all about having the right
tools and expert employees for the job.” According to Young, “Our clients work
hard, so we work hard. From sun-up to
sundown, or longer if needed. We work
hard, but we play hard, too. Treating employees like family is important. Loyal, happy employees take better care of clients.
Our Corpus Christi headquarters office has
an annual beach day in Port Aransas. Employees bring their families for fishing, fun,
games, contests and a Texas barbecue on
the beach. In our Fort Worth office, an employee family outing to Texas Rangers ballpark helps bring the team together.“
Frontier provides land surveying services for construction, oil and gas, and infrastructure. Services include construction
staking, ALTA surveys, as-builts, mapping,
hydrographic surveying, 3D high definition
modeling and GIS services. An example of
current work is the construction-staking job
for the Mary Rhoades pipeline in Jackson
and Matagorda County. –cw
L-R: Johnston Products’ Christian McCollum and wife Amy on their 1976 Wilmac Trike
Page 20
A very special place
Raider pride
Zion Contractors’ owner (and former Raider) Elizabeth Ponce
When Balfour Beatty Construction hosted an annual student farewell celebration for the firm’s mentoring scholarship program, Zion Contractors’ owner
Elizabeth Ponce was the natural choice as the event’s motivational speaker. Not
only can Ponce speak from experience to the program’s 12 high school students,
but she also shares something in common with Crystal Hernandez, the scholarship recipient – both are alums of Skyline High School, where the program began in 2011. –mjm
Marcus Luttrell (center) and LSF supporter use golden shovels to break ground.
T
he Lone Survivor Foundation hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for
its inaugural retreat facility on Crystal Beach, TX Apr. 26.
BRINT Construction envisioned and
designed two separate two-story buildings – a Main House in the shape of the
Pentagon and a Conference Center in the
shape of the Navy Cross signifying their
motto of “God and Country”.
LSF Founder Marcus Luttrell gave
an introduction at the groundbreaking
ceremony with a few heartfelt stories
from his experiences during the Lone
Survivor book and movie tour. He shared
moments on set with actors Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch and Ben Foster.
“It’s going to be a very special place,”
Luttrell said. “Thanks to everyone who
took part in making it a reality.”
In addition, LSF Executive Director
and U.S. Navy veteran Terry Jung shared
stories about relatives who had fought
and died while serving their country.
Guests witnessed and toasted the
first steps toward building the facility
while LSF founder and supporters used
golden shovels and a backhoe to break
ground.
As the first of its kind to offer healing
retreats for both combat veterans and
their family members, the entire facility
will be 5,089sf of living space and have the
ability to comfortably sleep 32 people.
LSF provides educational, health, recovery and wellness opportunities for
wounded U.S. Armed Forces members and
their families. –ab
Ace-to-five
L-R: CEC’s Mike Curry, Skanska’s Jackson Catrett, Derek Sparling and Gustavo Garcia
W
ith sausages on sticks, stogies
and stacks of chips ready for betting, it wasn’t difficult to lure
nearly 200 guests to CEC Electrical Inc.’s
Casino Night. Architects, engineers, general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers
and developers who have supported the
company were invited to the Fort Worth
office for a night of gambling and grub to
celebrate the electrical contractor’s fifth
anniversary. Sabino “The Cigar Roller” Sotelo was also on hand at the May 1 event
for the guests.
“The purpose of the open house and
poker tournament was to celebrate another successful year with our friends,
employees, partners, clients, suppliers
and to also give everyone an idea of all
the amazing things happening at CEC,”
company President and CEO Ray Waddell says. “It feels great to be celebrating
our fifth year. We are very fortunate to
L-R: Bick Group’s Jerry Cova selects a cigar
hand-rolled by “The Cigar Roller”
L-R: CEC’s Nick Stonebraker and Ray Waddell
greet Skanska’s Eric Bunner
have such a great group of talented people that work at CEC.”
CEC Electrical specializes in engineering, design/build, sustainable building, preconstruction, commissioning and mission
critical projects. –mjm
L-R: CEC’s Marc Stanfield, Hunt Construction
Group’s Gerald Reining and his “Lady Luck”
Christina Vozza

Legal action Making his own break Up to speed

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