April - Construction News

Transcription

Covering the Industry’s News
Texas
Style
San Antonio Austin
Dallas/Fort Worth
P.O. Box 791290
San Antonio, Texas 78279-1290
PRSRT. STD.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
DALLAS, TX
PERMIT #1451
Change Service Requested
Houston
San Antonio
CONSTRUCTION
™
The Industry’s Newspaper
www.constructionnews.net
(210) 308-5800  P.O. Box 791290 San Antonio TX 78279  11931 Warfield San Antonio TX 78216  APR 2009  Vol. 12  No. 4
Out of the starting gate
Paradise found
L-R: Terry Dickerson, Machinery Auctioneers of Texas; Bryan Brown, Retama Park,
and Lyle Larson, Machinery Auctioneers of Texas
Dallas Cloud uncovered a longtime family secret on one of his Hawaiian visits.
T
he grounds in front of Retama Park
will be filled with a different kind of
horsepower May 15, when Machinery Auctioneers of Texas holds its first live
heavy equipment auction.
Machinery Auctioneers of Texas
was formed recently by Terry Dickerson,
owner of Dickerson Machinery Inc. and
Dickerson Machinery Rentals LLC, and
Lyle Larson, former San Antonio City
Councilman and Bexar County Commissioner.
“Both Lyle Larson and I saw a need in
the San Antonio area and surrounding
communities for an easy way to dispose
of excess heavy equipment inventory,”
Dickerson said. “We feel the best way to
T
help tackle this tough challenge is to offer local, live auctions – saving freight
costs and increasing overall profitability.”
The concept of holding the live auctions in San Antonio mirrors the heavy
equipment auctions in Kissimmee, FL,
close to Florida attractions like Disney
World. Dickerson and Larson hope the
auction will bring families to San Antonio
and Bexar County.
“We will have the auction on a Friday,
and that way a man can bring his wife
and kids and enjoy the River Walk, Sea
World, Fiesta Texas and the Alamo.”
Dickerson said the auction will also
continued on Page 29
D
allas Cloud, executive vice president of Moore Erection LP, and
Region 3 vice chair of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), recently returned from the ABC National
Convention in Honolulu, HI, a destination
he has grown to love.
In 1976, Cloud’s father took the family to Hawaii for Christmas, and returned
two weeks later to possibly buy a business and relocate there.
“He had a massive heart attack in Honolulu and died at the age of 47,” Cloud
said. “He wanted to open a helicoptertouring business, and I want to someday
continue his dream. I used to fly helicopters, and my dad had a helicopter when I
was in high school. I have always wanted
to fly again and open a helicopter tour
business.”
Cloud and his wife, Karen, have returned to Hawaii for the ABC conventions
four times. On the third ABC trip, they
visited the Island of Kauai and made a
discovery that would change their lives.
“When we go somewhere, we like to
get off the beaten path and talk to the local
people,” Cloud said. “We were doing karaoke at Rob’s Good Time Grill and just hanging with the locals. This lady came up to
me and said, ‘You look just like Hawaiian
Prince Andrew Pi'ikoi Kawananakoa.’
Eggs in one basket
were metal stud/drywall, acoustical ceilings, exhaust hoods/kitchen equipment,
quarry tile, millwork, wood trim and carpeting.
The design goal of the restaurant
owner is to create a homey, comfortable
gathering place for family and friends.
One of the Egg & I slogans is that it offers
“eggceptional meals.”
Another motto displayed on a wall
reads, “Mother always told you to eat a
good breakfast.”
What made the project unique for
EIB was the challenge of bringing an outof-date building up to current codes, according to Culbertson.
“It is our direct working relationship
with the architect and owner that allows
us to implement changes on-site, due to
operational concerns, unforeseen condi-
he Egg & I Restaurant is hatching a
fifth San Antonio location, with the
help of EIB Contractors Inc.
The upscale breakfast and lunch restaurant is planning an April grand opening at the Colonnade III on Interstate 10
West.
The project is owned by EISA Colonnade LLC, and is the fourth Egg & I that
EIB Contractors has completed.
The construction didn’t begin with a
shell, but involved transforming an existing 3,700-sf lease space into a restaurant,
encompassing both the interior and exterior.
“This included removal and replacement of approximately 40 linear feet of
existing brick storefront with new aluminum glass storefront, as well as running
of a new fire sprinkler main from the IH10 access road to service the main building,” said Jay Culbertson, EIB.
Also included in the construction
The Egg & I Restaurant at the Colonnade
Photos by Damian Cox
Page 2
San Antonio Construction News • Apr 2009
Page 3
PUTZ AROUND TOWN
JC Putz here . . .
OK, I have an idea. We all know business is down, Congress keeps doing stupid things like spending all our money for
the next three generations and the new
Prez wants to create new regulations for
more government control over our lives
and to get in our faces. Here is how we
can solve all these problems.
5. We have the Gulf Coast and lots of
lakes for fishing and South Texas for hunting the big bucks.
6. Plenty of wind for energy (Texans are
blowhards, you know, and Texas produces way more wind power than any other
state).
7. Because size matters.
(Did I really say that?)
8. Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.
9. Spurs basketball with our four-time
NBA champs.
10. All the pork in legislative bills will stay
in Texas and not go to things like the road
to nowhere in West Virginia.
Yes, folks it’s time for the Great State
of Texas to kiss goodbye all those idiots in
Washington and create our own independent country.
Let’s look at 10 reasons why this
would work:
1. We have our own power grid.
2. We have oil and natural gas to last us
forever.
3. Texas Banks are solvent.
4. We invented
chicken -frie d
steak and have
the best BBQ
cook-offs.
Austin has too many Yankees and
people from California so of course we
will have to move our Capitol to San Antonio, maybe on the River Walk. This will
bring plenty of work for our construction
industry since we will build it bigger and
better.
Kinky should
be our first President. You may not
like what he says all
the time, but he
says what he thinks
and that’s a lot different than what we
have now out of
Washington.
With all that said, I really feel better.
Let the games begin.
With that, I’m out’a here.
Page 4
The Post Office made us do it!
nies and organizations that mail their
publications, and many of them were as
confused as we were. Even the mail centers and printer mail-house companies
were confused.
So I, and various mail centers, contacted the U.S. Postal Service, and we all
got different answers: the post office personnel seemed to be as confused as everyone else.
Evidently the reason for this major
change is that the U.S. Postal Service has
acquired new mailing machines, effective the end of March. The confusion was
due to “how” the mailed publication is
folded, or if it mails flat, unfolded. The requirements are different in each case.
Last month
otice anything different about our front
page? It wasn’t our idea to put the
mailing label above the masthead, but the
U.S. Postal Service has issued new requirements for ALL mailed publications (newspapers, magazines, newsletters, etc.).
If we didn’t put the mailing label
above the masthead, our other alternatives were to put it along the top right
side, cutting into our top right front-page
story or cutting into the left of our frontpage GC.
I talked to people at other compa-
Beginning April 09
N
So, folks, just wanted to let you know
that “the post office made us do it” after
all these years. Most readers probably
won’t care, but we liked our layout the
way it was. Technology moves forward
and everything with it. My guess is that a
few years down the road, it will change
again – possibly back to the way it was.
-Reesa Doebbler
San Antonio
CONSTRUCTION NEWS
San Antonio Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathie Fox
[email protected]
210-308-5800
Construction News Ltd. Home Office
P.O. Box 791290 • San Antonio, Tx 78279
210-308-5800 Fax 210-308-5960
Publisher:
Production/Editorial:
Managing Editor:
Sales Representatives:
Buddy Doebbler
Reesa Doebbler
LaVerne Dickinson
Laureen Satabe
Kent Gerstner
Production Manager:
Sue Johnson
Administration:
Kevin Hughes
Houston Editor: Abby BeMent
DFW Editor:
Melissa Jones-Meyer
Austin Editor:
Vanessa Antoine
If you are a construction-related
company in Bexar or one of the 7
surrounding counties and are not
receiving a free copy of the San Antonio
Construction News, please call for a
Requester Form, or visit our website.
© 2009 Construction News, Ltd.
The San Antonio Construction News
(ISSN 1547-7630) is published monthly by
Construction News LTD., dba San Antonio
Construction News, and distributed by mail to
construction-related companies of record in
Bexar and 7 surrounding counties.
All submissions should be mailed to our
editorial offices. We reserve the right to
edit any materials submitted. No fees for
materials, copy or photographs submitted
will be due unless agreed upon in advance in
writing. Submissions will be published at our
discretion on a space available basis.
Construction News, Ltd. , dba San Antonio
Construction News, will not be liable for errors
in copy or in advertisements beyond the
actual cost of space occupied by the error.
Publisher reserves the right to reject any
advertisement at any time.
All Construction News
publications are audited
for circulation by
Page 5
Building on rock
P
L-R: Gwendolyn Trevino, Robert Sanchez and Art Rodriguez, vice president
resident Robert Sanchez, Tekton
Construction Inc., says there’s one
unusual thing about his company: Its
name is almost always mispronounced.
The correct way to say it is “TECHtone.” In Greek, “tekton” means “builder.”
“I started in construction at the age
of 18,” Sanchez says. “I just loved it, and
I’ve been doing it ever since.”
He worked for a drywall company for
10 years. Right before he started his own
business in 1993, Sanchez began studying full time at the Latin American Bible
Institute in San Antonio.
“My school ended at 12 o’clock, and
then I was off to work,” he recalls.
He found the name for his company
– a commercial drywall and acoustical
ceilings subcontractor – while studying
Greek words in a Bible class.
About six years ago, Sanchez’s father,
Robert Sanchez Sr., had just retired, and
Sanchez asked him, “Hey, Dad, can you
come give me a hand over here? I need
some help at this job site.” His father, now
the field supervisor, has been with the
company ever since.
Recently his brother, Gabriel Sanchez, also came on board.
In addition to running a construction
company, Sanchez is the music minister
at Bethesda Assembly of God Church.
“I’ve been doing that for about 18 years,”
he says.
The week after talking with Construction News, he was scheduled to leave for a
two-week missionary trip to Nigeria and
Equatorial Guinea.
During a previous mission to Nicaragua, he helped build a church, but during
his March trip to Africa, he would likely be
directing and singing songs, Sanchez
said.
Does being located on West Rhapsody have anything to do with musical
talents at Tekton?
Could be.
Sanchez says that office manager
Gwendolyn Trevino tried out for “American Idol”! –ld
Construction News ON LOCATION
Inside jobs
It’s raining outside, so we caught the folks at Doug Brown Construction busy
in the office. L-R: Doug Brown, Kathy Nanci, Deke Burt and Bart Moore. –sj
Ready to go
Richter Drywall Inc. on West Blanco Road does complete turnkey drywall
installation and all textures. Duane Richter is president. L-R: Danny Smith
and Cordie Dennis are on their way out to check on job sites. –sj
Page 6
Shelly Schoenfeld
Redondo Manufacturing
T
he Schoenfeld name is familiar to
both San Antonio and the construction industry. Shelly Schoenfeld is
the fifth generation of the family to call
San Antonio home and continue in construction, as the owner of Redondo Manufacturing, a producer of architectural
precast concrete and cast stone.
Her great-great-grandfather came to
Texas from Germany to do all the interior
woodwork at the State Capitol. His woodworking tools are displayed in Redondo’s
conference room, a reminder of the family legacy.
Through the years, the Schoenfeld
family members were also involved in
homebuilding, road construction, quarries and cattle ranching.
Schoenfeld is writing her own chapter in the family history – continuing with
the thriving business in San Antonio and
a new family ranch in Argentina.
Tell me more about your great-greatgrandfather.
He actually died building houses in
King William District. The scaffolding collapsed while he was working, and he
passed away a few days later.
At the age of 12, with only a fourthgrade education, my great-grandfather,
Carl Max Schoenfeld, convinced Mr. Harrington, his dad’s business partner, into
allowing him to continue his father’s
work. Dad says he had a photographic
memory.
When the Depression hit, he retired
from business, even though he had lost
much of his money. He was supposedly a
very good pool shooter and hunter. I
have his favorite shotgun he used for
deer and duck hunting.
My grandfather, Charlie, had two
brothers, Wilbur and Perry Schoenfeld.
Together they owned Mission Ice, Leon
Readymix, Bexar Concrete, Olmos Quarries, Leon Sand & Gravel and Bexar Asphalt.
My uncle Don Schoenfeld started
Schoenfeld Materials, which was headquartered near where The Rim shopping
center is now. He and his children, Chuck
and Donna, who had joined him in business, worked together there many years.
My cousin, Charles “Chuck” Schoenfeld,
joined me at Redondo Manufacturing in
2003.
What is the family connection with Redondo Manufcturing?
Mr. Redondo and Mr. Sutcliff were
partners who started the company before 1900. Redondo Manufacturing originally required a sculptor to do all the intricate work in clay, and then they poured
a plaster cast of it – concrete decorative
pieces.
During the Great Depression, my
grandfather put himself through school
working for Redondo Manufacturing at
the Texas A&M campus. To survive, Redondo had moved the manufacturing
plant on Poplar Street in San Antonio to
College Station to work on the dorms and
other buildings.
When my father graduated from
A&M in ‘61, my grandfather wanted to
get my father into a good business, and
he had always kept Redondo in mind. He
bought a little stock in Redondo. My dad
worked for Redondo three years learning
the ins and outs of the whole business.
He had located some stockholders in various places across Texas, and eventually
ended up buying majority stock in the
company and took over.
I understand the family has a long history in the cattle business.
My mom, Sharon, worked for the
Texas Charolais Sales Corp. for a few years,
and pretty much was a housewife and
raised my brother and I. Later on, when
we were in school, she wanted to expand
her life a little bit more by breeding cattle.
My dad and mom bought five cows
and a bull. They took them over to some
land was once a rock quarry on 1604, adjacent to the railroad. That was our introduction into ranching, but that didn’t last
very long there. The land just did not
support it. There wasn’t any grass.
They ended up buying a ranch in
Medina in the Hill Country. It was actually
one of the heroes of the Alamo, his legacy
to his family. I spent my childhood at the
ranch in Medina, hiking or riding bareback, wild and free. I just loved it.
I still have a horse. My young mare is
Isabella, and she is at Colonel Russell’s
hunter jumper barn in Leon Springs. She
is half Trakehner and half Dutch Warmblood.
Before I had my son, Dustin Loessberg, I’d quit riding. Now he’s just turned
18. I had horses, but between the business, a family and a divorce, I didn’t have
time for my horses. When I got divorced
back in 2000, I moved from 350 acres to
Boerne to get my son into a better school
district. I had two brood mares. After
three years of breeding two brood mares,
I had 10 horses. So finally I sold the ranch
and gave away several horses.
When did you start working for Redondo?
In 1976, I started working in the office on the books. I was a freshman in
high school and spent my summers working at Redondo. I went to Marshall High
School for two years and then Clark. I
was in the first graduating class of Clark
High School.
What was your career direction after
high school?
I first went to A&M for a little while. I
thought, “I like chemistry, I have an analytical mind and I love science. OK, I’ll be
a chemical engineer.” That didn’t last
very long. I took after my grandfather
and found out what bars and pool tables
were. I became a very good pool shot,
and I actually became a tournament pool
player.
When Herb Haglund and I got engaged, I moved to Kingsville. I graduated
from Texas A&I in Kingsville with a degree
Shelly Schoenfeld and the tools her great-great-grandfather
used on the Texas State Capitol woodwork.
in animal science. I have always been interested in agriculture. When I got into
A&I at Kingsville, with King Ranch at its
back door, I found myself there. I enjoyed
the animals and had an analytical mind,
and I found the science part of me.
I worked for a racetrack for a little
while, and decided that was too hard. I
literally had blisters on the bottom of my
toes.
Dad called me about that time and
he had a property that he didn’t have a
ranch manager for in Gillett, TX. I had
about 600 momma cows and 4,000 acres.
I worked the ranch for three and a half
years. It was the largest ranch in Karnes
County, and it was being run by a woman.
I didn’t think that much about it. I was
just out there doing the work. Gillett was basically just a bar, a grocery store and pool hall. I would go there
once in a while and eat lunch, and I found
out later they were all taking bets on how
long the girl would last. Most of them
didn’t give me much more than a month.
Then one day Dad called me and said
he wanted to let the office manager go at
Redondo and wanted to know if I could
come in and help. I had worked there
during the summer, but I hadn’t even
taken an accounting class. It was such a
shock. I took over the company full time
in 1991.
I understand you suffered a financial
hardship after your second divorce,
but you kept the business going.
I believe in what doesn’t kill you
makes you stronger. It was very, very difficult, especially with an 8- or 9-year-old
boy. My son and I have a very strong relationship, and we survived it.
It was a difficult transition for the
company, and there was so much burden
and stress involved in trying to juggle all
these things. We generally employ between 60 and 100 employees. Many of
the people have been here 35 years or
more.
When I grew up in Leon Springs as a
kid, the guys were always part of my life.
There is a big responsibility when work
slows down; it’s not just me. It’s a big
family, especially when I have spent so
many years with them. I feel the key to
my success is my employees. If it wasn’t
for them, I wouldn’t have anything.
Did you remarry?
Yes, three years ago. My husband is
Tom Gardner. He is the smartest guy I
have ever known. He is getting his master’s right now at the University of Texas
at Austin. It’s a program specializing in
the commercialization of science and
technology. He previously worked for Alcon Laboratories and DPT Labs for over
20 years experience in pharmaceutical
R&D and manufacturing.
He moved with his daughter,
Leighann, down here and worked for DPT
Laboratories as a senior scientist and
then this program came up. It’s a oneyear master’s course and it’s very intensive. He works 8 to 12 hours a day, every
day on the course. He owns his own consulting business, working part time for
the university as a consultant. He will
graduate this May.
Leighann and Dustin are 10 months
apart. Dustin is going to be graduating
this year from Boerne High School. He is
just like most other kids. He is a video
game player and loves trucks. He is pretty much a normal kid.
He is a welder and worked on the
Boerne High School welding project. It is
a state competition. He is accepted right
now into a junior college. I would like to
see him go into the construction trades
or construction engineering or something technical.
I think of the place we have in Argentina, which will be Dustin’s someday, and
because it’s a developing country, there
is so much potential for someone that
has engineering skills. Ultimately he will
find his place and what he wants to do.
Tell me about the ranch in Salta, Argentina.
It’s 20,000 acres, and we have our
own mountain. It was a family purchase.
We probably have about 500 head of cattle, but there are a lot of challenges. It is
not something you want to jump into until you have been at it for a few years. We
have had the place for three years.
Argentina is a lot like Europe. There’s
a lot of German and Italian influence.
They have a beautiful way of communicating.
It’s a remote setting in a somewhat
primitive country, but when I’m there, I
don’t want to leave. I’m looking at the
Andes in the front and my back is our
mountain, about 7,000ft. –kf
Page 7
Constructing winners
H
President’s Award
Matt Freund, Comfort-Air Engineering Inc.
General Contractor of the Year
Joeris General Contractors Ltd.
Pioneer Award
Chris Christians, Lynwood Building Materials
oneycomb calcite trophies disappeared one by one from the stage
at the St. George Maronite Center,
as nominees and winners accepted their
awards during the 14th Annual American
Subcontractors Association (ASA) Excellence in Construction Awards Banquet
Feb. 26.
Cyndi Mergele, Padgett Stratemann
& Company LLP, and Heidi Davis, ASA executive director, served as masters of ceremony, as more than 400 guests dined in
style.
A social hour, with live music, preceded the event. –kf
Outstanding Project Superintendent
Doug Kirchner, SpawGlass Contractors Inc.
Project of the Year $5-$10 Million
Valero Family Center
SpawGlass Contractors Inc.
Project of the Year $10-$20 Million
Mission Road Juvenile Campus Phase I
Journeyman Construction Inc.
Project of the Year Under $5 Million
St. Mark Presbyterian Church
The Keller-Martin Organization Inc.
Project of the Year Over $20 Million
Louis D. Brandeis High School
Bartlett Cocke General Contractors
Outstanding Project Manager
Armando Aguilar,
Constructors and Associates
Page 8
We’re in the circle
V
erified, a circulation-auditing company, recently notified Construction News that it’s a winner of a
2009 Circle of Excellence award.
In its letter of congratulation, Verified said that the award only goes to
those publications that “consistently
meet the highest standards of audit excellence.”
In announcing the award to the staff,
Publisher Buddy Doebbler praised Kevin Hughes, CN office administrator, for
his work in keeping the circulation lists
accurate for our San Antonio, Dallas/Fort
Worth, Houston and Austin monthly
newspapers.
Verified notes on its website that advertisers “look for audited circulation as a
mark of credibility and professionalism.” –ld
Hook ‘em Horns
L-R: Brandon Hall, Steve Chamness and Donnie Miller
are bringing a little “orange” to the San Antonio equipment scene.
A
new Longhorn has made its way
from Austin down the 35 Corridor
to San Antonio – Longhorn Equipment Co., that is.
President Steve Chamness founded
Longhorn Equipment in Austin in 2003,
and opened a second location in San Antonio on Interstate 35 near Judson Road
in February.
Longhorn Equipment will be the exclusive dealer for the Wacker Neuson
compact equipment line for Bexar County and all the surrounding counties, as
well as Travis and all the surrounding
counties in the Austin area.
When asked what brought Longhorn
to San Antonio, Chamness said, “San Antonio contractors have been doing business with Longhorn for some time, and it
is time for us to have a facility in San Antonio to better serve our customers.”
Chamness spent 12 years in the industry working for other equipment
companies before starting Longhorn. He
plans to host a grand opening barbecue
and open house in the future to introduce San Antonio to the staff and equipment lines.
“We are a dealer for all the Wacker
products, including the compact line,”
Chamness said. “We carry a full line of
construction equipment, all the way from
backhoes to Bobcats, SkyTraks, dozers,
wheel loaders, excavators, motor graders, boom lifts and scissor lifts.” Locally owned and operated, Longhorn offers
rentals, sales, hauling, delivery and service to contractors.
Although the company is just getting settled in its new facility, plans are
already under way to expand.
“We have two outside salespeople, and
have plans to add six to eight other employees,” Chamness said. “Currently running
operations at Longhorn in San Antonio are
Donnie Miller and Brandon Hall.” –kf
Submitted to Construction News
Hats off
Jeans, work boots and T-shirts replaced caps and gowns at the Mar. 4 graduation
ceremony at Alamo Café for new Marek Brothers Systems Inc. employees.
The workers completed a new on-the-job training program that offers individuals
with little or no construction experience the opportunity to learn a skill. Trainees were
assigned a personal coach and trained on tasks including shaft wall systems,
metal stud framing and sheet rocking. –kf
Page 9
Through
The Years
Robert Freund
Comfort-Air Engineering
I
f you ask Robert Freund what occupies
his time these days, he will say golf,
making beer and a 1969 Mustang.
But there was a time when the cofounder of Comfort-Air Engineering had
his hands full raising a family and building a career in the air conditioning industry.
He and wife, Georganne Freund,
raised five boys. Together with his brother, John Freund, and cousin, Byron Mapes,
they built Comfort-Air Engineering, which
is now run by the next generation of Freunds.
Freund was born in Austin to Andrew
Jackson Freund and Edna Geis Freund.
“My great-grandfather came over from
Germany to New York, but wanted to go
to a warmer climate, and went to New Orleans,” he said. “They then moved from
New Orleans to Austin.
“My grandfather was a jeweler. My
father started in the same profession as a
jeweler and engraver. My dad decided
the appliances and braces on teeth were
kind of like jewelry. In his 40s, he decided
to go to dental school. He became a dentist in Austin and practiced until he was
70.”
Though his father’s occupation was
steady and sustained the family through
the Great Depression, Freund wanted to
go in another direction.
“My brother and I, as kids, loved to
tinker with cars and things like that. But
I had this one uncle who had a farm just
south of Austin. He had some cattle and
lakes we fished on, and we could hunt.
We used to spend a couple of weeks each
summer out there at his farm. I thought if
I ever had to get serious about making a
living, I would do what he did. I bet I was
in college before I realized that farm was
not his source of income.
“After growing up in Austin, it was almost like, ‘What else is there to do besides go to the university after getting
out of high school?’ I did attend for three
years before Uncle Sam wanted me for
Korea. I went on active duty in the Navy
for two years. I came back and completed my engineering degree in 1957.”
During a two-week period, Freund
received his engineering degree, went to
work for Carrier Air Conditioning, and
married Georganne.
“That is a crazy story. I think it was in
the sixth grade that we actually met. I can
still remember she had on a red dress. It
was a pretty lively outfit. We did not go
to the same junior high, but we met again
in high school. I was a year ahead of her.
When I came back from the Navy, she was
in law school. I ran into her and her
mother at a grocery store, and her mother said to come see us sometime.”
Freund decided to set her up on a
double date with a friend of his. “I was
more interested in talking to her than I
was to my date. I decided I wanted to
stay in touch with her, and so we started
dating. I asked her what she thought of
that guy. She said, ‘Well, he’s OK, but he’s
not the type that I would marry.’
“To me, it was kind of a strange reply.
So I asked, ‘Am I the type of guy you
would marry?’ She took that as a proposal. As a result of that hypothetical question, she set the date. I contend it was a
hypothetical question. But, we have
been married 51 years.”
With a new wife and a new job with
Carrier, Freund began his career in Dallas
and then was sent to Syracuse, NY, for
training.
“I worked in what was called centrifugal gas compressors. While I was in that
division, I was selected for a project with
the aircraft industry, when commercial
jets were first coming into use.
“Carrier had developed an air conditioning unit specifically for jet aircraft for
the Douglas DC8. The plane had not yet
been approved for commercial use. I
spent probably three months with United
Airlines in San Francisco.
“At that time, I had been working for
Carrier a couple of years, but I was newly
married with no children. What it
amounted to was an extended honeymoon, living wherever we needed to, at
the expense of Carrier’s program. That
was supposed to have lasted maybe six
months, but it ended up lasting about
two years. We eventually returned to Syracuse NY. My career with Carrier was really taking off.”
While in Syracuse, Freund worked
with children in a detention hall program.
“My wife decided we would have one of
the kids come live with us, like a foster
child. We met this one kid that really
hadn’t been in any trouble, just ran away
from home.”
Twelve-year-old Kenneth Ellis became the couple’s adopted son. “He is
pretty close to 60 now. He has a daughter
and she has three little girls.
“After Kenneth came to live with us,
my wife had four boys right in a row –
Britt, Matt, Scott and Pat. We have 11
grandkids and three great-grandkids.”
The family relocated back to Texas,
which would create the opportunity to
start the family business in 1964. John
Freund was working for Friedrich Air Conditioning in San Antonio at the time, and
Mapes had recently retired from the Air
Force and was seeking a second career.
They opened the business in San Antonio
on Fredericksburg Road.
“We went on to develop a dealership
with Carrier and eventually developed
our own shop. That was right around the
time for HemisFair. We had a contract
with SAWS to provide temporary air conditioning for HemisFair. We thought it
might be a few window units, maybe
some chill-water small systems, but it
turned out to be a very lucrative thing.
We managed to get a real boost in 1968.”
Today Freund continues to do consulting with Comfort-Air Engineering and
he serves on the San Antonio Mechanical
Board of Appeals. But much of his time
includes his hobbies – golf, brewing beer
and the Mustang.
He has a private label, Quartermaster
Pigeon Beer, and the name’s origin is
linked to a long story. When asked what
he does with the beer, Freund said, “I can
produce about a case of beer every two
weeks, and I can take care of that, but I
get help sometimes.
“Our family reunion will be Memorial
Day weekend, and we are going to have a
golf tournament. The title sponsor will
be Pigeon Beer. Each winner in the tournament will receive a liter of the beer.”
–kf
Page 10
American Recovery Act
Going Coastal!
Tom D. Wright, CPA
Padgett, Stratemann & Co. LLP
San Antonio, TX
Walter Benson, Partner
Simpson-Benson-Douglas Insurance Agency LP
San Antonio, TX
O
n Feb. 17, the much talked about American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (“ARRA 2009”),
commonly called the “stimulus bill,” became law.
ARRA 2009 includes billions of dollars earmarked for construction projects
through various federal government
agencies. There is a two-year window in
which these funds will be let on contracts.
In addition, ARRA 2009 extended some
previously expired tax provisions as well
as enacted new ones.
The following is a summary of a few
of the tax changes that could provide a
benefit to the construction industry for
2008 and 2009. This covers only the
changes as of Feb. 17. Congress is working on additional legislation that could
have a significant tax impact on the construction industry.
Bonus depreciation and Section 179
expensing
ARRA 2009 extended first-year 50
percent bonus depreciation for new tangible business personal property placed
in service between Jan. 1, 2008, and Dec.
31, 2009. The remaining 50 percent cost
is depreciated using the standard depreciation methods. Certain long-term contract equipment may qualify if placed in
service prior to Dec. 31, 2010.
In addition, ARRA 2009 extended increased limits for Section 179 expensing. The bill provides for $250,000 maximum
expensing with a phaseout if more than
$800,000 assets are purchased to tax
years beginning in 2008 or 2009. The Section 179 expense is taken prior to computing the 50 percent bonus depreciation.
Net operating loss (NOL) carryback
ARRA 2009 provides an election for
eligible small businesses to increase the
carryback period for an applicable NOL
from two years to any whole number of
years elected by the taxpayer that is more
than two and less than six.
An applicable NOL is the taxpayer’s
NOL for any tax year ending in 2008 or if
elected by the taxpayer the year beginning in 2008.
An “eligible small business” that may
elect the increased carryback is any trade
or business (including one conducted in
or through a corporation, partnership, or
sole proprietorship) whose average annual gross receipts (or the average annual
gross receipts of any of its predecessors)
for the three-tax-year period (or shorter
period of existence) ending with the tax
year before the year in which the loss
arose are $15 million or less.
Thus, a taxpayer can’t elect the in-
creased carryback for a 2008 NOL if the
taxpayer’s average annual gross receipts
for 2005-2007 exceeded $15 million.
COBRA benefits
The American Recovery Act allows
an individual, who is involuntarily separated from employment between Sept. 1,
2008, and Jan. 1, 2010, to elect to pay 35
percent of his/her COBRA coverage and
have it treated as paying the full amount.
This applies to the first nine months of
COBRA coverage.
If an individual was terminated prior
to Feb. 17, 2009, the nine months may run
for the COBRA coverage period remaining after that date. The employer will be
required to pay the remaining 65 percent
but will be reimbursed by crediting the 65
percent amount against income tax withholding and payroll taxes on Form 941.
Income and other limitations on COBRA coverage continue to apply. The employer is required to notify former employee of the eligibility for the benefit and
current employees upon termination.
Withholding on government contractors
The 2007 Tax Increase Prevention Act
required all federal, state and local governmental entities making payments for
any property or service to withhold 3
percent income tax from the contract beginning with payments made after Dec.
31, 2010.
The American Recovery Act delays
3-percent withholding on government
contractors for one year, to Dec. 31, 2011.
If the withholding provision is to come
into effect in 2011, it has the potential to
be highly detrimental to contractors everywhere. It is being highly contested by
construction trade organizations across
the nation and any business who contracts with any government agency is
strongly encouraged to get involved with
your local trade organizations to ensure
that our lawmakers know the importance
of repealing the withholding provision
on government contracts.
With more than 12 years’ experience
serving clients, Tom D. Wright is tax partner
at Padgett, Stratemann & Co. LLP. He specializes in tax and business planning for
closely held and family-owned businesses,
including those in the construction sector.
He may be reached at Tom.wright@
padgett-cpa.com.
T
he Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) approved a 12.3 percent residential rate increase effective Feb. 1, and for 2009, increased the maximum limit of
liability to $1,705,000 for dwellings and town homes.
By its own numbers, the TWIA has almost $60 billion in loss exposure as of
Dec. 31, 2008, with over $18 billion in
Galveston County alone.
You might be asking, what does this
have to do with me? After all, if you don’t
own property along the coast, you are
not purchasing wind and hail coverage
from TWIA.
Well, hold on to your wallets and
read on!
The TWIA was established by the
Texas legislature to provide wind and hail
insurance for the Texas Gulf Coast property owners in the event of catastrophic
loss. TWIA is the insurer of last resort for
wind and hail coverage in the 14 coastal
counties and parts of Harris County.
By law, all insurance companies licensed to write property insurance in
Texas are required to be members of
TWIA. As would be expected, Allstate,
State Farm and Farmers, as the largest
property writers in the state, account for
almost 40 percent of the participation in
the TWIA.
After the devastation of Hurricane
Katrina and Rita, it became apparent that
the TWIA had significant exposure for
loss well beyond the Catastrophe Reserve
Trust Fund (CRTF) and available reinsurance. A Category 4 hurricane roaring up
the Houston Ship Channel would cause
billions of dollars in TWIA claims.
Then came the 2007 hurricane season with storms Erin, Humberto, Dolly
and Edouard and, of course, Hurricane
Ike in 2008.
After Ike, TWIA could pay out billions
of dollars in claims. Over $900 million
was paid out through Feb.1. All claims
will eventually be paid, as the TWIA is obligated to pay.
Insurance companies that participate
in TWIA funding were assessed $300 million that they cannot recover from the
state after the CRTF and reinsurance were
exhausted.
However, an additional assessment
of over $200 million paid by the insurance companies can be recovered over a
period of years in the form of premium
tax credit. This premium tax credit is a
dollar-for-dollar reduction in the premium tax that participating insurance companies pay to the state, in other words, a
reduction in revenue for the state.
This credit is subject to certain restrictions, for instance, limiting the credit
in any one year to 20 percent of the
amount assessed. Any decrease in state
revenue will result in potential budget
cuts and/or increases in taxes and fees.
Gov. Rick Perry designated the reform of the TWIA and funding of the CRTF
as an “emergency item” for the current
81st Legislature. As of Mar. 5, no bill had
been filed. We only need to look to the
previous legislature session to see what
might be coming. The 80th Legislature in
2007 came close to passing a bill, but the
bill died in the last few days of the session.
Part of the proposed legislation in
2007 included increases in CRTF reserves,
reinsurance, participating company assessments, pre- and post-event bond issues, and a general property tax assessment for all property owners in the state
of Texas.
Whether you live in San Antonio,
Abilene or Marfa, you could end up paying for windstorm losses along the coast.
Needless to say, between the revenue
shortfall of the premium tax credit and a
potential property tax increase in the
event of a catastrophic storm, lawmakers
have much work ahead.
Inland lawmakers are especially concerned about having to explain a property tax increase to their constituents
that do not own coastal property. Please
contact your state representative and
senator to express your concern or support. Texas Legislature Online is at www.
legis.state.tx.us.
Walter Benson is a partner with Simpson-Benson-Douglas Insurance Agency LP,
which provides surety bonds and insurance
to the construction industry. He may be
reached at [email protected].
Page 11
OSHA
Public works projects: Playing to
a different set of rules
Hazards associated with
operating skid-steer loaders
with bypassed and/or
improperly maintained
safety devices
Shelly D. Masters, Shareholder
Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney Ltd.
Austin, TX
C
onsider the following hypothetical situation: After
struggling to drum up the usual private construction work presently mired in recession-related delays
and cash flow issues, a light bulb goes off for S.U.B. Contractor Inc. who decides it is time to bid a $2 million school district renovation project
in the hopes of getting a piece of a solid, already funded construction project.
S.U.B. Contractor Inc. orally agrees with P.r.i.m.e. Contractor Inc. to do the job and
happily begins work until the bubble bursts some months later when progress payments begin to go unpaid. After timely serving lien notices and recording lien affidavits like it always did on private projects, S.U.B. Contractor Inc. was shocked and dismayed when advised by its attorney that the liens were invalid.
Is S.U.B. Contractor Inc. out of luck
with respect to its liens?
Yes. Texas law does not allow for the
filing of a mechanic’s lien on governmental
or quasi-governmental projects commonly known as public works projects (e.g., the
school district renovation project).
On government projects in excess of
$25,000, the prime contractor is required
by state statute to obtain a payment
bond to give security of payment to subcontractors and suppliers. A very rare exception to this rule exists for public works
contracts upon which limited lien rights
are available if the amount of the prime
contract is less than $25,000.
Can S.U.B. Contractor Inc. sue the
school district for payment?
No. Because S.U.B. Contractor Inc.
has no direct contractual relationship
with the public entity, it cannot bring suit
against the school district. However,
P.r.i.m.e. Contractor Inc. may be able to
bring a lawsuit for recovery of payment
under certain circumstances.
How should S.U.B. Contractor Inc. have
pursued payment?
Instead, S.U.B. Contractor Inc. should
have perfected a potentially viable claim
against P.r.i.m.e. Contractor Inc.’s payment bond.
For a subcontractor to ensure payment for work done, it must provide
timely notice of its bond claim pursuant
to Chapter 2253 of the Texas Government
Code. S.U.B. Contractor Inc. should have
sent written notice by certified mail to
the surety and the prime contractor by
the 15th day of the third month after each
month in which it provided labor.
Strict compliance with the notice
and procedural requirements is required
or loss of the claim could result. Different
notice periods apply to contractors or
suppliers who do not have contracts directly with the prime contractor and to
retainage claims.
Because S.U.B. Contractor Inc. did
not have a written contract with P.r.i.m.e.
Contractor Inc., the notice of the bond
claim must contain: (1) the name of the
party for whom the work was performed,
(2) the approximate date of performance,
(3) a description of the public work labor,
and (4) the amount due.
The notice should be accompanied
by itemized documentation of the claim.
The required content of a bond claim notice differs if there is a written contract
between the parties.
What remedy does S.U.B. Contractor
Inc. have if its bond claim is denied?
There could be many reasons why
payment has not been forthcoming such
as solvency of the prime contractor, project delays or funding problems.
Depending on the circumstances
and the terms of the subcontract, a subcontractor may bring suit against the
surety and the prime contractor. A lawsuit on a payment bond must be brought
within one year from the date of notice of
claim.
Even if P.r.i.m.e. Contractor Inc. and
the school district go bankrupt, S.U.B.
Contractor Inc. has a legal claim for payment against the surety who has assumed responsibility for the prime contractor’s obligation to pay.
The foregoing was provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice or to serve as
an alternative to seeking legal counsel.
Shelly Masters is a shareholder in the
Austin office of Segal McCambridge Singer
& Mahoney, Ltd. Representing construction
contractors, suppliers and design professionals, she has been involved in prosecuting, negotiating and defending against
construction disputes in mediation, arbitration and litigation. She may be reached at
[email protected].
Taste of success
L-R: Elizabeth Swintek, Renee' Fruiht and Karola Orduña, Crownhill Builders
Inc., accept first-place honors at the 2009 Salsa Taste-Off Mixer Mar. 5, hosted by the
Associated General Contractors (AGC). More than 200 people attended the competition,
which included 25 salsa teams. Joining Crownhill in the winners circle were Satterfield
& Pontikes, second place; Repman Construction Inc., third place; Alterman, People’s
Choice Award; and Repman Construction, Showmanship Award. –kf
Joann Natarajan, compliance assistance specialist
OSHA
Austin, TX
S
kid-steer loaders are manufactured
with safety features to prevent unexpected or inadvertent movement of the
loader arm and hydraulics when the operator is not in the cab. However, these
safety features can be bypassed, defeated or improperly maintained which can
result in serious injury or death to the operator and/or other employees working
on or around the equipment.
Common safety features of a skid-steer
loader include the seatbelt for operator
restraint, Falling Object Protective Structure (FOPS), Roll-Over Protective Structure (ROPS), and a Control Interlock System. Some of these machines are
equipped with a pulldown armrest (seat
bar) that may be used to interlock the
machine control systems. The seatbelt
helps prevent the operator from being
thrown about inside or falling out of the
skid-steer loader. The FOPS and ROPS
protect the operator from falling objects
and injury due to accidental rollovers.
Control Interlock Systems and/or operator seats used on some machines typically activate a safety interlock system
that is intended to prevent inadvertent
movement of the machine’s controls
when the operator is not in the proper
operating position (i.e., seated).
Properly maintained and functioning
seatbelts and control interlock systems
are critical to the safe operation of skidsteer loaders. Field reports have shown
injuries and fatalities can occur by operating skid-steer loaders with one or both
of these safety systems bypassed, disabled, or improperly maintained.
OSHA may cite an employer for a violation under the General Duty Clause if rec-
ognized hazards exist and the employer
does not take feasible, effective measures
to abate such hazards.
OSHA takes the position that an employee who moves from the proper position
on a skid-steer loader while it is energized, by doing such activities as performing maintenance or repair operations, creates the recognized hazards of
crushed-by and/or caught in-between.
The failure to use seatbelts also increases
the risk of employee injury in the event of
rollover.
Employers may abate these hazards by,
among other things, communicating and
effectively enforcing work rules prohibiting employees from disabling or bypassing safety equipment, including safety
interlock systems, and requiring employees to use seatbelts at all times when operating a skid-steer loader.
When equipment such as a skid-steer
loader is used in construction activities,
29 CFR 1926.20(b)(2) requires construction employers to develop safety and
health programs that provide for frequent and regular inspections by competent persons designated by the employee
of 1) the job sites, 2) materials, and 3)
equipment. In addition, 29 CFR 1926.21(b)
(2) requires construction employers to instruct employees in the recognition and
avoidance of unsafe conditions and the
regulations applicable in their work environment to control or eliminate hazards
or other exposures to prevent illness and
injury.
[email protected]
512-374-0271 x232
Page 12
New roads ahead
B
L-R: Justin, Dan and Danny Mills
ecause of the state of the San Antonio construction industry, Danny
Mills and his father, Dan Mills,
Mills Brothers Masonry, have had to put
their Harleys up for sale – but not for economic reasons.
“I did have a Harley, and my dad has
one, but we spend so much time doing
work. I got rid of mine, and he doesn’t
have any time for his, so he is getting rid
of his now,” Mills said.
“Our work keeps progressing. It’s
feast or famine, as they say, but luckily it
has been feast for us.”
Mills Brothers Masonry started Jan. 1,
2008. The other “brother” in the company is Danny’s brother, Justin.
“My brother and I are third-generation
bricklayers,” Danny said. “Our grandfather
did this for about 43 years, and my dad has
been involved for about 35 years.”
Both brothers cut their teeth on construction, working with their father and uncle Bobby Wolfshohl, Lundberg Masonry.
“We are a real construction-oriented
family. My mom, Betty Couvillon, works
for 4-B Paving.”
In November, the Mills purchased
space on Bulverde Road for offices and
an equipment-supply yard.
“We have remodeled everything
there, and put our masonry touch on it,
so everybody knows there we are a masonry company,” Mills said.
“My dad had a big hand in doing all
that. He takes care of all our office work
and estimating. He keeps us busy. My
brother and I run the field operations.”
Mills Brothers’ projects include some
high-profile names, such as Alon Town
Centre, Shriner University in Kerrville and
the Spectrum on Highway 281.
“The only time I haven’t been around
this, I did four years in the Navy. As soon
as I stepped off that bus and that guy
started yelling at me, I said, ‘Man, what
am I doing here?’ I waited for that four
years to end so I could get out and get
back to work. It was hectic, but I did my
duty and came back to what I knew.” –kf
Love that Bob!
“A
ll is still a challenge in this
everchanging business, but
I still love the construction
business,” says Robert Bowen, owner, RBC Construction.
Since 1975, Bowen has performed
a variety of construction services,
such as subcontract work, design/
management for commercial and private sectors, and miscellaneous government and Hill Country projects.
He said there is still plenty of
work out there due to necessity, and
everyone just has to work as efficiently as possible.
When not on the job site, Bowen
likes to barbecue with his kids at his
home in the Hill Country, and spend
time with them at Medina Lake.
Aside from the construction company, Bowen built, owns and operates
Post Plus, which provides postal services, UPS shipping, graphics, signs
and Internet services. Next door, he
has a garden and feed and tack store.
These centers are located in Medina
Lake Shopping Center, downtown
Lakehills. –rd
Page 13
Party on
Building friendships
W
ith Fiesta right around the corner,
Dale Sauer Homes is gearing up
for the annual celebration.
“Our company manages one of the
largest cooking booths in Night in Old
San Antonio (NIOSA) for the last five years
– Fajitas de Pollo,” Dale Sauer said. “We
have over 80 people per night, for each of
the four nights, work for us cooking and
serving fajitas to the public.”
Sauer and his wife, Debbie, are members of the San Antonio Conservation Society and volunteer their time for event.
The company celebrated its 10th anniversary in March with a party. “Other
events that we host are open houses the
week before a customer moves into a
home that we have built for them, and
we invite all of our existing customers to
share their stories with potential customers,” Sauer said.
“Interesting story: In 1999, the first
customer that Dale Sauer Homes built a
home for was Mr. and Mrs. Ed Bryan.
Then in 2003, Mr. Bryan came to work for
us as a superintendent for a year and a
half, overseeing our largest project to
date, a 9,600-sf timber frame home.”
Sauer has been in the home building
industry since 1980 when he began his
career selling construction materials after
returning from a military tour with the
82nd Airborne. Along with his wife, who
handles operations and marketing for the
Dale Sauer
company, Sauer works with longtime
friend and superintendent, Russell Reed.
Sauer serves as chairman of CBUSASA, an affiliate of CustomBuildersUSA.
CBUSA is a management company that
develops networks of professional builders, vendors and national manufacturers
to achieve lower costs, higher levels of
service and increased productivity. He
also serves on the board of directors for
the Greater San Antonio Builders Association (GSABA).
“When we are not building homes,
we enjoy traveling and attending racing
events,” he said. “In 2004, we traveled to
Ireland to celebrate our 20th wedding
anniversary, and in 2008 we traveled to
Hawaii to celebrate the success of our
first Parade of Homes house.” –kf
Equipment Depot donated a $30,000 forklift in March to the San Antonio Lighthouse
for the Blind (SALB). L-R: Doug Cross, SALB; Danny Rodriguez, Mike Bailey,
E.G. White-Swift, Mike Davis Bob Treece, Equipment Depot; Mike Harris, San Antonio
Manufacturing Association, and Mike Gilliam, SALB
E
quipment Depot is confronting the
economic slowdown head on, but
not by downsizing.
“We have built our business on developing long-term relationships with
our customers, so we tend to pick up
market share in down markets,” said E. G.
White-Swift, director of marketing and
advertising.
To build and maintain customer relationships, Equipment Depot participates in industry barbecue events and
golf tournaments.
“For more than 10 years, we’ve held
the Equipment Depot Fall Classic golf
tournament on the first Monday in October near Austin,” he said. “We typically
have about 140 players each year.
“In addition, we have always tried to
be a part of our community through participation in industry organizations, as
well as give back to our communities, by
making timely donations to charities, not
only when the market is up, but also
when the market is down. We’ve been in
this industry for 35 years, and we will be
here when the dust settles.”
Equipment Depot is a regional equipment company that sells, services, rents
and provides parts and training for leading brands of forklifts, aerial lifts and construction equipment.
“Earlier this year, we acquired Equipment Services Inc. in Longview, which
adds East Texas to our coverage area,”
White-Swift said. “We now have 14 equipment superstores in Texas as well as 15
service depots in outlying markets.”
Equipment Depot was founded in
1975 as Central Texas Clarklift in Waco
and Austin. It changed its name to Equipment Depot in 1995 to better reflect the
company’s expanded product and service capabilities. Equipment Depot entered the San Antonio market in 1995.
Today there are 14 locations in Texas. –kf
Page 14
Treetop celebration
The traditional tree is hoisted to the roof.
I
t took two barbecue teams to cook up
enough brisket and sausage to serve
the crowd of close to 400 subcontractors, construction team members and
dignitaries at the topping-out ceremony
for the new éilan office buildings at I-10
and La Cantera Parkway Mar. 4.
Lyda Swinerton Builders, the proj-
ect’s general contractor, hosted the event
with the help of grill masters Harrell
Plumbing and A/C Technical Services.
With a Tuscan-inspired design, éilan
will include office, luxury hotel and upscale residential space, service retail, an
amphitheater, a chapel and a gourmet
market. –kf
Workers gather for the barbecue and topping out address.
The lineup
Better-Built Enterprises Inc.
has completed
everything from
Arby’s restaurants to
residence halls at St. Mary’s.
Starting at the top of the stairs
are Mike Srp, Frank Squyres,
Arlen Cantu, Terri Turner,
and Mitchell Hutchison. –sj
Page 15
So, and It Was A Good Day have been some of the phrases I have been using when arriving clients call asking
how I did the day before. I am sure that’s not what they
want to hear, but why stretch the truth and tell them it
was great when it wasn’t. Not only does it add pressure
on me to find them a good catch, it also disappoints
them when it doesn’t happen.
Fishing! Not as
easy as you think
by Capt. Steve Schultz
Sponsored by Trans Sport Boats, Mercury Outboards,
Chris’s Marine, MotorGuide Trolling Motors, Power-Pole
Shallow Water Anchor, Pure Fishing, Pflueger Reels, All
Star Rods, MirrOlure, Bass Assassin and
Columbia Sportswear
L
ately, fishing here in the Coastal Bend has been fairly
difficult.
February in particular was one of the worst fishing
months I’ve experienced in 11 years of guiding. March
fishing improved, but still was a lot slower than years
past.
Spring winds and low tides seem to be keeping the
bays turned up, making structure hard to see and harder to get to. Lack of crucial rains has also played a large
part in our spring success. Mother Nature sure has her
way of helping relieve some pressure from the Mother
Lagoon when winds reach 20 to 30 mph. Many anglers
stay off the water when they wake up and see the trees
lying over in their front yard. I guess that’s why they call
it Fishing!
All last month, I’ve had quite the rollercoaster effect
on most of my charters. Average Catch, Not Good, So-
Forecasting the remainder of the spring will depend
on Mother Nature. Days with high winds and strong currents will drive us to sheltered shorelines for protection.
Wading will be the most effective method during these
conditions, staying lower to the water and working areas thoroughly.
Leeward shorelines will keep you protected during
windier days with clearer water clarity throughout the
day. Calmer days with lighter winds will open up much
more of the bay and allow for easier access to open waters. These conditions will allow a variety of methods in
planning your day. Deeper structures can be accessed
while staying in the boat, thus covering more areas of
the bay.
Looking on into early summer, I can only hope that
the mild winter we have had will bless us with a banner
summer.
Shrimp migrations were earlier than expected, and
with water temperatures increasing earlier this year it
may mean an earlier trout migration into our bays. Tide
runners should start showing up down south, moving in
from the Port Mansfield jetties and making their way
north into Baffin Bay.
This is the time of year most anglers head to the
Land Cut and fish the banks and drop-offs of the ICW.
Trolling the drop-off with a gentle southeast breeze can
keep you in the strike zone for literally miles. Using top
water plugs, soft plastics and even slow-sinking baits
can yield an awesome box of fish.
For information in booking your next fishing trip,
give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-949-7359 or visit
Baffinbaycharters.com.
Also please make note of Steve’s new e-mail address: [email protected]. Now booking
for 2009 Season.
Good Luck and Good Fishing.
Kyle and Justin Allen, sons of Greg Allen with T & D Moravits,
spend part of their spring break catching reds like these
with Capt. Steve Schultz.
Capt. Steve Schultz caught this 5-lb trout last month
drifting the rocks near Penascal Point. Fish was released
after the photo.
STEVE SCHULTZ OUTDOORS, LLC
BAFFIN BAY –– LAGUNA MADRE –– LAND CUT
SPECKLED TROUT –– REDFISH –– FLOUNDER
FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS
(361) 949-7359
www.baffinbaycharters.com
[email protected]
U.S. Coast Guard &
Texas Parks and Wildlife Licensed
Page 16
Ken Milam’s Fishing Line
Sponsored by Tropical Marine and Honda Marine
My name is Ken Milam and, for the past 26 years, I have been guiding fishing trips for striped bass on
Lake Buchanan in the Texas Hill Country. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity of getting to know
a good many folks in the construction trade.
The year of the
MONSTER fish!
I
n addition to running fishing charters, I
also host a radio show on 1300 AM – The
Zone out of Austin. Since the name of my
show is “The Great Outdoors,” part of what
I get to do is have various guests and callins from all over the state, giving us fishing
reports and news about what is being
caught and where, as well as information
on fishing tournaments and such.
This year may end up being one for
the record books. Already we are getting
word of lots of unusually big fish being
caught. Part of having a radio show is that
you have to do a blog for the listeners,
with daily updates.
I am lucky enough to have a bunch
of folks who send me lots of good
information to share on my blog. One
of them is Larry Hodge, the information
specialist from the Texas Freshwater
Fisheries Center in Athens, TX. This
is where the ShareLunker Program is
headquartered. Every couple of days it
seems, he sends me the latest pictures
and details of the newest of the monster
bass that people are catching. You can check this out for yourself
online at: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/
spdest/visitorcenters/tffc/sharelunker/
You can see where the big fish came
from, their weight, and their pictures and
learn all about the good work that the
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is
doing to improve our freshwater fisheries.
On top of that, you can get all the info on
visiting the Texas Freshwater Fisheries
Center. It looks to me like it would make
a good day trip for any angler.
The fishing guides on the Texas Coast
are reporting larger than usual trout
being caught. On Lake Buchanan, we are
seeing our stripers running larger than in
past years, too.
How can this happen all over the
fisheries? I don’t really know. I know it can
happen on individual lakes, all having to do
with drought and flood cycles and weather
patterns and other variables. I also know
that during uncertain economic times like
after the 9/11 tragedy or when gas prices
get real high, we see fewer anglers on
the water. That means that fewer fish are
being taken, so they can keep on growing.
That is probably one of the silver linings
of the current economic turmoil. The fish
just keep on growing and multiplying, so
that when we do come after them they
will really be worth the trip!
On Lake Buchanan this year, even
with the lake level around 17 ft. low and
projected to go a lot lower if we don’t
get some good rain upstream, we are
seeing our usual stringers of stripers
range larger than in the last several years.
As is typical of springtime fishing, we
are seeing good white bass action and
our hybrid stripers, stocked by the Lake
Buchanan Conservation Corp are getting
to keeper size, too. We also expect the
humpback blue cats to just continue to
grow and thrive. Here is another of those
silver linings. Low water just means that
there is less water for the fish to hide in!
Just be careful out there on the low lakes
and have a good map and depth finder
on board. There is definitely good fishing
to be had. If you don’t want to risk your
boat, just call up a local fishing guide!
Everybody I talk to is excited to get on
the water and see just how good fishing is
going to be this year. I hope you can find
time to come out and get in on it, too!
Meanwhile you can catch “The Great
Outdoors” from 6-8am, every Saturday
on 1300 AM, The Zone. You can even
catch the show online at: http://www.
sportsradio1300.com/main.html
Click
on the “Who’s Up” link to listen live and
join us while you have a cup of coffee and
get your weekend started. You can also
check out my daily blog at:
ht t p : / / w w w. a m 1 3 0 0 t h ezo n e. co m /
pages/greatoutdoors.html
It’s gonna be a good year for fishing!
Keep us posted if you catch a MONSTER!
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 17
This little piggy
Duck extravaganza
nce upon a time,
there were two
little piggies that
got caught up in a wild
hog trap.
Fortunately for one
of them, the trap was located on the Lone Star
Creek Ranch owned by
Robert Lewis, Lone Star
Mechanical.
This piglet did not go
to market. He became
the Lewis family pet, Porky the Pig, whose videos
are now viewed worldwide on YouTube.
Lewis said while they
were moving the two
hogs to another cage, the
other one escaped, leavRobert Lewis and Porky pose beside
the custom-made barbecue grill that bears a striking
ing Porky in the cage by
resemblance to the not-so-wild hog.
himself.
“That got the wheels turning,” Lewis around them.”
Lewis and his son, Mitch, found out
said, noting that his wife, Gayle, was raised in the Panhandle, where she had a that Porky makes a good hunting companion as well. “Before the deer season,
pet pig when she was growing up.
Since Porky was a wild boar, the next we thought we would have some trouble
step was castration, and the next stop with him because he follows us everywas a backyard pigpen at the Lewis home where.”
The plan was to pen Porky up for a
at Canyon Lake. Porky spent six weeks living the Hill Country life. Those accom- couple of hours while they were hunting.
“We took a little drive, and a few minutes
modations were short-lived, however.
The intention was to return Porky to later, here he came. We couldn’t believe
he got out of that pen.”
the wild someday.
Lewis tried another tactic. Since Por
“We brought him back to the ranch, but we felt sorry for him being in the pen, ky followed the truck all over the ranch,
so we opened the gate. He didn’t know they decided to take him on a little excurwhat to do. He took off down the road, sion, driving really fast to try and lose him.
and we lost sight of him for some time. “But he would eventually find the truck.
We thought, ‘Oh, well, it was good know- Then he got to where he would wait for
ing you.’ We never expected him to come us at the truck. It worked out OK.”
The most amazing discovery for
back.
“We don’t know what he bumped Lewis was Porky’s tracking ability. In one
into out there, but he turned around and of the YouTube videos, he helps hunters
came running back. Now, sometimes he find a wounded animal.
“Generally speaking, Porky is not a
will be gone for a few hours, especially at bother at all. We are concerned about
night, but he is never gone for long.”
Now a little over a year old and about how doggone big he is getting, though.”
Lewis expects Porky will weigh in at
275 lbs. soaking wet, Porky has the run of 400 to 500 lbs. when fully grown. “I
the 130-acre ranch.
“If he hears a truck coming or going, wouldn’t know what to do then. One
time we were gone for about five days,
he wants to know who it is,” Lewis said.
With a guard-hog attitude, Porky will and when we got back, he was so excited
protect his territory. He has been known he knocked my son down and was on top
to stare down the ranch’s bull and herd of of him.”
Not to worry, it was all hogs and kisscattle. “He bit the bull on the nose one time,” Lewis said. “He is just fearless es. –kf
ucks Unlimited, Boerne
Chapter, credits the
construction industry
for the outcome of its annual
banquet Feb. 26 at the Kendall
County Fairgrounds.
“We had another great
year, despite predictions that
the economy would have a
detrimental impact on our
banquet,” said Mark Gross,
Concept Builders and one of
the event organizers. “With
more than 400 in attendance,
we exceeded projections and
Lee Evans, T&D Moravits, with a “Boerne Duckette”
helped to send the message
at the Ducks Unlimited banquet
that the South Texas construction community is going strong.
“We realize the impact our industry sistently one of the best in the state. “
has on the success of fundraising events The event featured a social hour, dinlike Ducks Unlimited. More than 80 percent ner, live and silent auctions and drawings
of the attendees are directly or indirectly featuring sporting merchandise. Funds
involved in the construction business. It’s from the event help conservation efforts
their support that makes this banquet con- to promote waterfowl. –kf
O
Win some, lose some
Nyah Quintero makes friends with
some of the locals at the Rockin B
Ranch, owned by Michael Brenna,
Concrete Supply.
Nyah and her father, Tom Quintero, IBTX
Risk Services, next to her first deer taken
at the Rockin B Ranch during a recent
hunt. –kf
D
Page 18
Bounty of the sea
J
erry Greenwood, retired field engineer for Alamo Transformer Supply,
never saw the ocean until he was 30
years old. But once he did, there was no
turning back.
Since his first Caribbean vacation, he
has amassed a collection of seashells
from all over the world, from snorkeling,
scuba diving and beachcombing adventures in such places as New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji, South Africa and the Bahamas.
Greenwood grew up on his family’s
farm in northern New York State. “I was
supposed to be taking over the farm,”
Greenwood said. “It had been in the family for 150 years.”
Greenwood returned to the farm after spending time in the military. “I
worked with my dad on the farm for
about a year and realized I didn’t like either end of the cow.”
A new life focus landed Greenwood in
Texas in the electrical industry, and the future means to pursue his love of the sea.
T
“One thing led to another, and I got
really serious looking for shells,” he said.
Out of his extensive collection,
Greenwood does have favorites. “I was
always looking for the big ones,” he says.
Greenwood’s largest shell came from
Australia. “It’s called a bailer shell. The
natives used them to bail water from their
boats.”
Greenwood prefers to find live shells
– which have better color and form –
rather than abandoned shells that are
tumbled in the surf. Once cleaned, the
shells are polished.
Although Greenwood has given up
snorkeling and scuba diving, he still enjoys beachcombing. He hasn’t stopped
traveling, but also finds shells, like the
Tampico pearl oyster, at Canyon Lake
near his home.
When he is not traveling, Greenwood
continues with his electrical career, rebuilding streetlights and security lights
for small towns in the Hill Country. –kf
Jerry Greenwood and some of his shells.
The wild ones
rying your luck at a “Pluck the Turkey” raffle … bidding on a bronze
wild turkey sculpture or an Oklahoma spring turkey and hog hunt … sampling the turkey tamales …
The theme was obvious at the National Wild Turkey Federation Alamo
Chapter’s annual hunting heritage banquet Mar. 5.
The event, held at Alzafar Shrine Temple, attracted a fair share of people from
the construction industry. Banquet chairman Charlie Klein, Alamo chapter president, estimated the crowd at 275. –ld
Big B Construction Inc.
Crawford Electric Supply Company
HJD Capital Electric Inc.
Central Electric
Merry Christmas
James Saenz, Kathy TX, took this black buck with a 19-in. rack, at the Seco Crossing Ranch
Mar. 7. Clayton Kennedy, owner of Kencon Construction in San Antonio, purchased the
hunt at the Construct A Kid’s Christmas Gala and gave the hunt to Saenz, his son-in-law. –kf
Page 19
What about Bob?
Flashing smiles
L-R: Hula dancers are Jody Knowlton, Trey Fisher, Tim Harris, Durk Kennig, and Landy Gil.
I
t was hard keeping it a surprise,
but they pulled
it off!
Friends, family
and
co-workers
schemed to give
Bob Lynch, owner,
Walls Across Texas, a surprise birthday party.
“The event was
at our house, so
friends took him
out for a party before the party,” said
Mandy
Lynch,
A special performance by Landy Gill, just for Bob!
Bob’s wife and
partner in crime.
The theme was a Hawaiian luau, and
everyone came dressed for the occasion.
One of the highlights of the evening were
the hula dancers who danced to the song,
“Mr. Big Stuff,” a special performance just
for Bob. After all, it WAS the big 54.
We’re not sure how well Bob did with
the limbo dancing, but everyone assured
him afterward that he had a great time.
Happy birthday, Bob. Can’t imagine
what’s in store for next year. –rd
Birthday Bob
The guys from the shop at American Signal on West Blanco Rd.
lined up for this photo by the cones and barrels, part of the equipment
the company supplies. –sj
Never a dull moment
L-R: Wo-manning the ever-busy phones at United Rentals
on North Loop Road are Lacie Simmons and Elizabeth Guerro. –sj
publishing the industry’s news
Texas
Style




San Antonio
Austin
Dallas/Fort Worth
Houston
Page 20
Pass the sauce, please
Dealers Electrical Supply captured Bragging Rights
for scoring the most points in the competition.
M
embers of the electrical industry brought
their best recipes to
the Helotes Festival Grounds
Mar. 20-21 for the 9th Annual
Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) Barbecue Cookoff.
Sixteen teams competed
in seven cooking categories.
Teams also vied for Best of
Show and Bragging Rights.
Winners are:
Chili
1st: Quinney Electric
2nd: IES Commercial
3rd: Graybar Electric Supply
Gumbo
1st: Mission City Electric
2nd: Dealers Electrical Supply
3rd: Eldridge Electric
Chicken
1st: Dealers Electrical Supply
2nd: Eldridge Electric
3rd: Mission City Electric
Pork Ribs
2nd: IES Commercial
3rd: JMEG
Beans
1st: Montemayor Electric
2nd: Quinney Electric
3rd: IBTX
Open
1st: Eldridge Electric
2nd: Dealers Electrical Supply
3rd: Central Electric
Brisket
1st: Dealers Electric Supply
2nd: A.J. Kirkwood & Assoc.
3rd: Mission City Electric
Showmanship: Montemayor
Electric
Bragging Rights
2nd: Eldridge Electric
3rd Tie: Mission City Electric,
Quinney Electric
Wire-Off Competition
First-place winner receives an
all-expense paid trip to the National Wire-Off Competition in
St. Louis, MO.
1st: Robert Cigarroa,
IES Commercial
2nd: Manuel Mendoza,
Quinney Electric
3rd: Mitch Wallace,
Baish Electric
4th: Richard Alonzo,
Baish Electric
Quinney Electric
JMEG
First Place Open Division
Page 21
Air apparent
Steeling a moment
T
he air was charged with excitement
as HVACR contractors from across
the nation gathered at the Fort
Worth Convention Center Feb. 24-26. Informative booths, educational workshops
and lavish catering stations throughout
the hall maintained the air quality at ACCA’s 41st Annual Conference and Indoor
Expo.
Stan Johnson, president of Stan’s
Heating & Air Conditioning in Austin, TX.,
was elected 2009-2010 Chairman of the
ACCA. The ACCA represents 4,000 companies nationwide. –mjm
J. Tanner Gigas, Russell Davis, Steve Rodgers,
Johnson Supply
Gathering behind the counter are some of the guys and gals at Palmetco Inc.
The company supplies reinforcing steel and post tensioning for the industry. –sj
What was your
first car?
My first car was a 1961 Bel Air sedan, but
it was not nearly as cool as my second car,
a 1959 Dodge Coronet. It was really sleek
and had those “fins” that were so popular. I customized it mechanically and even
added shag carpeting on the inside. All
my friends called it the Batmobile!
Rob Lindenberg, The Chism Company
At 16 years old, I got my Dad’s hand-medown … a 1986 Peugeot. It was a French
car and had heated seats before they were
a cool novelty. They were really impressive but not often used in South Texas.
Ryan Chism, The Chism Company
My first car was a 1972 Datsun 510. Best
car I ever owned. I bought it new for
$3,000. All my guy friends helped me
work on it.
Vergie Junot, Associated General
Contractors of San Antonio
I had a black Ford F-150. I was damn
proud of it because I paid for it myself.
Ryan Kessler,
K. Built Construction Services
I started driving at 14 years old. My first
car was a 1984 Nissan. It was a pretty
“tricked-out” truck.
T. J. Rogers, Bartlett Cocke
‘56 Chevrolet, red and white. It was my
mother’s, and I got it passed down.
Scott DeSha, IEC
I had a 1972 light green 4-door Chevy
Nova. I ran that car into the ground. I
drove it until it wore itself out!
Laureen Satabe, Construction News
A Chevy II. But my actual first car that I
purchased was a little Nash Rambler, and
it was pink. And it had push buttons!
Diana Foster, IEC
I’m originally from Minnesota, and my
first car was a 1960 Oldsmobile 98. It was
indestructible – like driving a little house
around. Great in the snow because it was
heavy and had good traction.
T.C. Cornelissens, Austin Commercial
My first car was a 1961 Mercury Comet for
which I paid $400 back in 1968-1969
when I was a senior in high school. I
worked at Mickey Mantle's Country Kitchen in Central Park Mall (where I met Mickey Mantle several times) and saved up
the money from my tips before I purchased it. I drove it until I was 21 years
old and traded it in for my first Mustang!
Penny Previtera, Integrity Insurance
Kay Basham, Carrier, Maggie and Vince Gillette, Gillette Air Conditioning
and Lanessa Bannister, Carrier
Page 22
Poker faces
The final table
Prizes totaling $3,000 brought more than 60 players to the card tables for the
annual Air Conditioning Contractors Association (ACCA) Texas Hold’em Poker
Tournament Feb. 28 at the Absolute Dance Studio.
Prizes were awarded through 10th place. Tournament winners are:
1st: Brandon Chase, Lennox Industries; 2nd: David Knight, A/C Technical
3rd: A.J. Johnson, guest of D&C A/C Service LTD; 4th: James Hemby, Beyer
Mechanical; 5th: Steven Ghavidel, HD Grant; 6th: Rita Machts, MD Air
Conditioning; 7th: Steve Kace, Climate Magic; 8th: Bobby Hay, Beyer Mechanical;
9th: Melissa Hemby, Beyer Mechanical; 10th: Laura Hay, Beyer Mechanical
Round-Up
Scott Cannon has
been promoted to senior vice president
and account manager
for Skanska USA
Building Inc. His responsibilities include
managing healthcare,
government and education projects for
Skanska’s San Antonio office.
G&R Electrical Construction has hired
Fred Haranda as vice president of business development and Lisa Williams as
director of service.
Haranda will handle
business development for G&R’s Austin, San Antonio and
Houston offices. He
has 29 years of experience focused in
health care, institutional and commercial construction.
Haranda graduated from Jacksonville
University with a bachelor’s degree in
marketing.
Williams will handle
the service department for the Austin,
San Antonio and
Houston
offices.
She has 18 years of
experience in financial institutions, retail, lighting retrofits
and general lighting maintenance. She earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting at the University of Houston.
Round-Up
Submissions
This is a monthly section for brief
company announcements of new or
recently promoted personnel, free of
charge, as space allows.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Email (w/digital photo, if available)
by the 15th of any month, for the
next month’s issue
(published 1st of each month).
Email info to appropriate city issue,
with “Round-Up” in the subject line:
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
San Antonio
[email protected]
Austin
[email protected]
Dallas/Ft. Worth
[email protected]
Houston
[email protected]
Page 23
WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION
Gaining respect in a man’s world
Lori A. Bentivegna, Treasurer
Bent Plumbing Company Inc.
San Antonio, TX
W
hat is your background in the
construction industry?
I have been involved in the daily
business side of Bent Plumbing for over
13 years. I now am involved in almost every aspect of the company, except the
actual plumbing work.
Do you have a mentor?
Yes, Jo Wagner of CTO Inc. I met her
when serving on the PHCC women’s auxiliary for the state of Texas. She is an extraordinary person, both businesswise
and personally. She has a very successful
company. She is amazing.
Why did you chose a career in the construction industry?
I had previously worked for an insurance company that was dissolved through
a buyout after 10 years of employment.
The opportunity came about for me to
work with my husband, and at the time
our son was just starting school and it
gave me the advantages of leaving work
early to be with him after school.
What specific challenges have you
faced in your career?
Collecting payments seems to be the
greatest challenge for me. Also, trying to
gain respect from an industry that is predominantly men.
How did you overcome those challenges?
Both issues are ongoing challenges.
The best way to overcome these issues
Tomboy to project manager
Audra Bentley, Independent Contractor
Webster, TX
W
hat is your background in the construction industry?
I started in commercial real estate and progressed to
development and construction.
Ultimately, I have found selling and estimating construction projects in today’s economy can produce revenues that real estate cannot at this time. I am glad I got
into the construction industry. I really enjoy what I do
today and could not ask for a better job.
would be to seek out the best contractors to work with and take care of them –
to demand the respect from individuals
who think you don’t know how to handle
your job. Even though you are a woman,
you are just as capable of doing the job
providing you know what you are doing!
Everyone should be given the benefit of
the doubt, but there are still so many out
there that think otherwise…
What are the areas in which you see
the most increase in jobs for women?
Sales and support work mostly. However, I do know of a few women who are
involved on the project as a PM [project
manager].
From a woman’s perspective, has the
construction industry changed over
the years?
Definitely. It seems the bottom line is
more important than reputations and relationships, to a large degree. Things
don’t happen with a handshake, contracts are lengthier and the amount of
paperwork to get things accomplished
seems to have increased 10-fold over the
years. No one seems to care so much
about quality either – just the low number and getting the job done!
Which is more important for a construction career – education or experience?
If you are working in the field, a combination of education and hands-on
training is important. If you are going to
be in the office, specialized education is
What are your goals for the future in
the construction industry?
Our goals are to perform quality
plumbing for our clients. Also, to keep our
company a professional place to work,
and finally, to maintain a family and Christian atmosphere for our employees. –kf
Do you have (or have you had) a mentor?
Yes, I had one mentor in commercial
real estate, with whom I stay in close contact with today. I have a mentor in construction that I have known a short while.
It is important to ask the right questions
and listen to people with experience in
the industry.
faced in your career? Convincing men that I know what I
am talking about has been one of the
most challenging aspects of my career.
What do you enjoy most about your
career?
Growing up, I was a “tomboy.” I liked
being outside most of the time. I actually
enjoy the opportunity to walk to a site
under construction with a hard hat and
climb on a roof.
Which is more important for a construction career – education, or experience? Experience, hands down.
Know your customers, respect the rules
Marcell Ellison, Sales
Recon Services Inc.
Dripping Springs, TX
How did you become involved in the
construction industry?
In 1979, I went to work for Larry Nelson, Larry Nelson Company, and that is
when I knew I loved the construction industry. Then, over the years, I tried a couple of totally different industries. On Jul. 1, 2006, I started working with
Walter Biel, president-owner of Recon
Services Inc. It was the best move I've
ever made in my career.
Why did you choose construction? I chose it because I was exposed to it
at a young age, and I love this industry. It's like one of my superintendents
said one time - Austin is a large city, but
it's a very small, close-knit group in the
construction industry.
What are the benefits of women pursuing careers in the construction industry?
helpful, but also you should have a very
good understanding of how things operate in the field.
I would have to say that a lot of times,
it can be easier for a woman to get in on a
jobsite, but you have to get to know the
people you are visiting.
[I believe] you have to sell yourself
before you can sell any product or services. I don't right off the bat say, "I'm
selling roll-offs". I introduce myself, give them their
snacks and my brochure. I joke with
them that I'm just a Trash Lady, and that I
would love to have their roll-off business. You have to make your introduction
light and pleasant and make the person
you’re visiting comfortable with you initially.
You noted "snack” – why do you bring
snacks to the jobsites you visit? I was raised that way. If someone invites you over, you always take a gift. I
feel like it is the same thing on a jobsite.
You are going to visit them, so you bring
something. The men and women appreciate
them, especially if they haven't left the
site for lunch and/or a snack. I do the
same for our Recon roll-off drivers: if I see
one of them in the field, they also get a
snack or a burger.
Does the way a woman dresses in this
industry matter?
For jobsites: absolutely. You have to
dress by the same OSHA standards as the
men and women on the jobsites. I would
like to wear much nicer, pretty clothes,
but I respect their rules. I've seen super-
How did you overcome the challenge?
I think if I keep talking and just stay
positive I can overcome any challenge.
Audra Bentley, who is also a project manager and business developer, can be
reached at 713-480-0482 or emailed at
[email protected]. –ab
intendents throw women off jobsites for
wearing high heels, skirts, tank tops, etc.
Why do you believe you've been successful as a woman in this industry? Number one, I was fortunate to be
one of the first women out in the field in
construction sales. Also, I always stay in
contact with my contractors. Even after I
have a contractor’s business, I still go by
and visit, take them a snack and keep in
contact with them, make sure they are
happy with our services and if there's
ever a problem, take care of it immediately.
What is your advice for women who
want to join the industry?
Being in sales, I would recommend
picking a select company, do a good job
and do it right. Be yourself and be professional. Treat your customer and fellow
workers with respect and be genuine. There is nothing more obnoxious or
that turns a person off faster than a pushy
salesperson. Also, never, ever slam your competitors. I consider that very unprofessional. –va
Founded in 2004 by Walter Biel, Recon
Services Inc. is locally owned and operated
with offices in the Austin and San Antonio
areas. The company provides site-specific
industrial waste collection, disposal
and recycling services for construction,
demolition and reconstruction projects.
More information can be found at www.
reconservicesinc.com.
Page 24
Women in Construction
Internal compass vital
Flurry of activity
Kathy Golla, Chief Operations Officer
ALT Fabrication and
Bonded Lightning Protection Systems LTD
Argyle, TX
D
o you have a mentor?
I have had three significant mentors in my
life so far. Each of them has had a profound influence on whom I have become as a Christian professional woman. My desire is to return the confidence and wisdom I received to others in my life.
What do you enjoy most about your
career?
The people and the challenges! Every day is completely different and brings
new and exciting areas to explore and
conquer. I am competitive by nature and
enjoy working with a great group of people who are energized with vision and
passion for our industry.
want to pursue a construction career?
Know who you are and what you believe. Women need to have a firm, functioning internal compass. Too many
women allow situations or events to define who they are in the workplace. Consistency (in decision making, behavior
and values) over time produces trust, respect and a foundation for growth.
faced in your career?
Loving my job too much is by far my
greatest challenge. I have had to learn
balance (ongoing lessons). I can humbly
say that loving my work (while tremendously satisfying) is my single greatest
weakness.
Which is more important for a construction career – education or experience?
I’m not sure the two can be separated. However, I can say that experience is
the best education. Experience can serve
well those who have the drive, will and vision to succeed. –mjm
How did you overcome those challenges?
Our company has clearly stated, published core values. I am personally and
professionally committed to each core
value as a statement of my lifestyle. It is
my job to lead by example. Therefore, our
core values define my work ethic.
Late winter and early spring are busy times for the San Antonio Chapter of the National
Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC). On Feb. 20, members took part in the
Block-Kids Building Program, which introduces children to the construction industry.
On Mar. 6, members and guests kicked back and enjoyed the annual Wine and Cheese
party to wrap up Women in Construction Week, Mar. 1-7. Finishing out the March
activities, more than 70 members and guests gathered at the Petroleum Club for the
annual Industry Appreciation Night with WOAI anchor Delaine Mathieu. –kf
Kathy Golla has served as chief operations officer for ALT Fabrication (www.altfabrication.com) and Bonded Lightning
Protection Systems LTD (www.bondedlp.
com) for nine years. She is involved in mentoring women throughout the construction
industry, and is also an active participant in
the “Roaring Lambs” ministry.
What advice can you offer women who
Just pursue your dreams
Julia Campbell, Region 7 Director
National Association of Women in Construction
Fort Worth, TX
W
hen and how did you get started in construction?
Oh, gosh. Since 1972, I guess. I worked for a highway
contractor in Colorado. Of course, my dad was in construction all my life. He was a millwright, so I kind of grew up in the industry.
Over the years, have you seen more
opportunities opening up for women
in construction?
Without a doubt.
Why do you think this happened?
It’s partially because the roles have
changed. Not that long ago, it used to be
considered a man’s profession, and women were delegated to support staff and
admin jobs, that kind of thing.
But more and more women are now
going to apprenticeship training to learn
trades in the construction industry, which
I think is wonderful.
And then we have women that are
going to college to pursue a construction-related degree, whether it be architecture or construction management.
There’s a huge demand for qualified
people in construction in every aspect,
and we just need to encourage everyone
to focus on the construction industry
when they’re not sure what they want to
do!
What advice can you offer women who
want to be in construction?
My best advice is to go in with an
open mind. If there’s something that
piques their interests, pursue that. Once
they get into the industry, they may find
that something else is more to their liking.
And just pursue your dreams. There
are so many organizations out there to
support you with apprenticeship training
programs and college scholarships.
What challenges have you faced in
your career?
Lack of a formal education. I learned
early on to surround myself with people
who knew a whole lot more than I did,
and I learned from them.
The stigma of working in construction, as a woman. I started out as a flag
person on highway construction projects. After a while, between jobs, they
asked me if I would go help out in the office, and I found I had an aptitude for accounting and I’ve been doing that pretty
much ever since.
What do you think is more important,
education or experience?
Right now, it’s probably education.
That doesn’t necessarily mean going to
college. You can also go to a trade school
or a vocational school.
What would be your goals for the construction industry as they relate to
women?
As you know, we are running out of
qualified construction workers in every
trade. I would hope that more women in
the future would consider using their
many talents to learn a trade – whether it
be an ironworker, welder, plumber, HVAC
– because most women are adaptable
enough to learn these kinds of trades.
The bottom line is, we’re not going
to have any qualified workers here in the
next few years if we don’t encourage other people to pursue construction careers.
How has the construction industry
changed in its attitude toward women
since you started?
You can ask any woman who’s been
in the business for a while, and she’ll say
that people did not take women seriously. That was the most degrading thing.
When you walked on a job site, everybody looked at you like, What are you doing here?! They could not fathom that a
woman could know anything about
building a project.
What are some of the challenges that
women still face today?
Women have to work harder to prove
themselves. That’s a pretty all-encompassing statement, I guess. Women seem
to have the tenacity to do that. We know
what we can do. Most women are sure of
themselves and what they do, so it’s really not a big deal. They just go about
their business and do it.
Julia Campbell has been a member of
NAWIC since 1994. She is accounts manager for Dakotah Contracting, an excavation
and sitework company in Weatherford, TX.
Page 25
Women in Construction
On equal terms
Susan Eisenberg, Former Electrician
and Visiting Artist-Scholar
Women’s Studies Research Center
Brandeis University
Waltham, MA
T
hirty-one years ago, Susan Eisenberg showed up for her
first day as a union electrician. The bank’s security
guard wouldn’t let her in. He thought she was a terrorist.
Describing the experience, Eisenberg has written, "In
1978, that seemed more likely than that I might actually be
an apprentice electrician."
When did you start doing art about
your construction experience?
I did poetry and theater before I went
into the trades. I think the arts have always been part of how I understood the
experience for myself.
Why did you decide to go into construction?
To make a living, and I enjoyed the
work. As an electrician, I liked that combination of physical and mental work.
I started my apprenticeship in 1978,
which was really when the industry
opened to women. It wasn’t something
that you could think about before the
federal guidelines came out in 1978 from
Jimmy Carter.
What was it like then?
There really weren’t women ahead
of you, but there was a real camaraderie
among the women who came in at that
time. And also there was active monitoring on job sites then, and there was a
sense that affirmative action would be
carried out. Expectations were high.
From the men, there were both
things: There was opposition and people
who were really very supportive, who
were won over by the seriousness and respect we had for our trades.
Was there a lot of excitement, too,
about moving into this new area?
I was one of five women who graduated together from the apprenticeship, in
my IBEW local. There were six who started, and one woman dropped out at the
end of the first year, and then we all sort
of said, we have to make sure we all stay
in. Four of us carpooled together to apprenticeship classes two nights a week
for four years.
You have also written histories of
these women construction pioneers.
I am the author of “We’ll Call You If
We Need You: Experiences of Women
Working in Construction,” which was
published in 1998.
I interviewed 30 women around the
country who came in like myself, at the
beginning of affirmative action. I spoke
to women in five trades: painters, plumbers, electricians, ironworkers and carpenters.
By the ‘90s, it was clear that the number of women in the trades hadn’t
grown.
What I found was that that was getting explained in the industry as, women
aren’t interested in this work, or women
aren’t capable of this work. And what I
found when I talked to women was something very different.
The percentage of women in the
trades nationally is about 2.7 percent.
Across the board, everyone finds that totally absurd in terms of women’s abilities
and interests. I think contractors are missing out on a lot of outstanding workers.
Tell me about your art installation
about women in construction.
I wanted to bring people into the interior of the experience about what it’s
like to be a woman in the construction
industry.
When the viewer changes where
they’re standing in an installation, the experience changes. And I think that’s really true, you know, in construction: it’s a
really fluctuating experience. You could
be on a job that’s fabulous, have a terrific
partner, and then something shifts and
the crew changes and it’s become very
unpleasant.
There are the harsher pieces in the
installation. There’s a 6x6 plywood bathroom shack that has graffiti on the walls,
things that have been photographed or
recorded.
In the bathroom shack, there’s also
an audio site for some of the harsher stories: someone being pushed down the
stairs or pushed down an embankment
or being threatened.
We’ve had five vocational-technical
schools in the area come to see the installation, and I had asked them after they
saw the show for ways they were encouraged and discouraged. And they filled
out different color sticky notes – green
for ways they were encouraged and yellow for ways they were discouraged.
I put those inside of a casement window that viewers can look through and
see. Those have been very moving for
people because certainly there are very
positive experiences that they write
about, but also you have high school students who have chosen these career
paths who are being told “you’re never
going to make it” or “you’re a slut,” not
only by their classmates but also by teachers. So that’s really been an awakening.
I also tried to capture the real fun of
working in construction, so there are very
playful parts of the installation.
For instance, there’s a cake that has
written all around the outside of it, “My
kids know which bridges in town are
mine.” It’s a quote from Kathy Walsh, who
is a carpenter from Kansas City. There’s
colorful frosting and a bridge in the middle of it with Minnie Mouse driving across
it and tools all over the cake. –ld
Susan Eisenberg’s art installation
about women in construction, “On Equal
Terms,” was on exhibit in the Boston area
earlier this year. For information about
touring or the On Equal Terms Project, she
can be contacted through her website:
www.susaneisenberg.com.
Wiretalk
Working three floors apart
two mechanics
at either end of a pipe
feed and pull in meter,
keeping time
through a morse code of yanks and tugs:
fingertips
against the vocal chords of wire.
Susan Eisenberg, 1984©
from Pioneering: Poems from the Construction Site
(Cornell)
“Stella” is a life-size figure on a ladder pulling in
communication cable. Craftswomen have filled out the tags
hanging from Stella’s clothing with ways they felt labeled on
jobs. “Worthless” and “She steals tools” are two of the labels.
In Susan Eisenberg’s art installation about women in
construction, a plywood bathroom shack has crude graffiti
on its walls. Some of the recent examples are from cell-phone
photos taken on a job site.
NEXT MONTH
May 2009
Concrete Industry
2009
Schedule
Jan: Construction Forecast
Feb: Construction Safety
Mar: Construction Education
Support Your Industry’s Feature Issue
Call for Ad Space
Reservations
Apr:Women in Construction
May:Concrete Industry
Jun: HVAC & Plumbing
•
•
•
•
San Antonio
Austin
Dallas/Ft. Worth
Houston
July:Electrical Industry
Aug:Service Providers
Sep: Green Building Trends
(210) 308-5800
Oct: Specialty Contractors
Nov:Engineers & Architects
Dec: Construction Equipment
Page 26
Following footsteps
B
L-R: Bill Kirchoff, Jim Otis, Brandi Otis and Ruben Bryand
randi Otis, owner of H.J. Otis
Plumbing Company, gives a good
reason for the long tenure of the
company’s employees.
“We are like a big family here and are
all very close,” she said. “We treat our employees like family, and I believe that is
the reason we have success in keeping
them.
“You want to invest your time in employees that are going to stay with you.
Some have been here pretty much from
the beginning – over 15 years.”
Of course, the person with the most
seniority is Brandi’s father, Jim Otis, who
started the company in 1990. “He had
been in the industry for a long time and
decided to go out on his own,” she said.
“About 11 years ago, the company was
big enough to need somebody in the office. He brought me aboard in 1998, and I
became majority owner in 2003. What I
like most about my job are the people I
work with every day – my dad, Ruben
Bryand and Bill Kirchoff. Ruben is in
charge of running all the jobs. Bill Kirchoff is our head plumber, and he has
been with us for 15 years. I handle all the
payroll, administrative and the contracts.
My father handles the estimating.”
To cement the family-like relationships, the Otis staff spends free time fishing and hunting. “We do fishing tournaments together, and hunting trips, but
usually I’ll let them do that,” Otis said.
“The company owns a ranch right outside
of Junction.”
What began as a small company in
1990 now employs 15, and focuses on
new commercial construction, like the
Spectrum on Evans Road. Looking to the
future, Brandi’s dad plans to eventually
retire, and moving forward, she wants
the company to be more visible. A company website is on the horizon.
“We were pretty comfortable where
we were, but the whole economy thing
sort of wakes you up.” –kf
L-R: Stephanie Rendon, Terracon; Chuck
Gregory, convention co-chair, Terracon;
Jorge Hinojosa, Bexar Concrete Works; Dick
Kistner, convention co-chair, Raba-Kistner;
Laura Campa, Terracon; and (front) Mike
Hutzler, CMC Construction Services
Concrete
summit in SA
T
he world came to San Antonio Mar.
15-19 to share the latest in concrete
at the American Concrete Institute
Spring Convention.
A highlight of the event at the Marriott Rivercenter was a Concrete Mixer on
the River Walk.
An international awards banquet
honored recipients in 24 categories.
Honorees from Texas were:
50-Year Membership Award: Loris Gerber,
Loris Gerber Inc., structural engineer, San
Antonio, TX
Walter P. Moore Jr. Faculty Achievement
Award: Maria Juenger, associate professor
in the Department of Civil, Architectural
and Environmental Engineering at the
University of Texas at Austin
Fellows Award: Nur Yazdani, chairman
and professor in the Department of Civil
Engineering at the University of Texas at
Arlington –kf
Page 27
Chili con contractors
C
huck wagons, campfires, Mardi
Gras and a little Uncle Sam and the
Stimulus Package filled the Live
Oak Civic Center Mar. 4, for the annual Associated Builders and Contractors Chili
Cook-off and Safety Awards.
More than 350 people attended. A
silent auction and a raffle featured sporting items.
Cook-off winners are:
1st Place: Verizon
2nd Place: Sunbelt Rentals
3rd Place: Joeris General Contractors
People’s Choice: W.G. Yates
Best of Show: W.G. Yates
Safety winners are:
Less than 100,000 man-hours
Gold - Leonard Contracting, Inc.
Silver - Middleman Construction
Company LLC
Bronze - C.A. Landry Partners Ltd.
100,000-500,000 man-hours
Gold - Koontz McCombs
Construction Ltd.
Silver - The Koehler Company
Bronze - SpawGlass Contractors Inc.
Lashley South Texas
More than 500,000 man-hours
Gold - I.E.S. Commercial Inc.
Silver - W.G. Yates & Sons
Construction Co.
Bronze - CCC Group Inc.
Joeris General Contractors
W. G. Yates & Sons Construction
Metropolitan Contracting
Red Hawk Contracting
IBTX Risk Services
Tino’s Welding and Fabrication
CMC Construction Services
Industry FOLKS
Charlie Gallagher
Century Air Conditioning Supply
C
harlie Gallagher, Century Air
Conditioning Supply, takes his
grilling seriously. He is well
known in San Antonio barbecue competition circles, and is testing the waters at the national level as well.
“We probably do 10 to 15 cookoffs a year,” Gallagher said. “I’ve got
several good friends, and we cook together. A lot of times we cook against
one another, in a little friendly competition.”
Gallagher took home a first-place
award out of 229 teams at the recent
Rodeo Barbecue Cook-off for his chicken recipe, on the Contract Cookers
team, along with co-griller, Keith
Schmidt, VSI Mechanical. They also
placed 19th in ribs and 14th in pecan
pie.
“Last year I went to the American
Royal, which is like the world championship barbecue cook-off in Kansas
City,” he said. “One of my close friends
is Hampton Pratka. He cooks on another team called the Bottlecap Cookers. He invited me to go with him last
year to help them out. We did really
well.
“We had 600 teams and we got
125th place, so we didn’t get in the top,
but we can say we beat over 400 people.”
Gallagher also has his own barbecue team, Smokin’ Barrels, that competes in San Antonio area events.
“I put on a barbecue cook-off the
Sunday before Labor Day, called the
Rib Rodeo,” he said. “This will be the
sixth year. We started it in my backyard, and it’s gotten rather large. We
had 20 teams last year and this year
we will probably have over 40 or 50
teams. We had to move it out to Anhalt Dance Hall.”
Gallagher’s favorite barbecue
recipe is one for ribs. “It’s a lot of trial
and error, with a lot of store-bought
concoctions, kind of like a science
lab.”
Gallagher’s pastime is a good fit
with his construction-industry career
because of the number of industry
barbecue cook-off events.
He is the branch manager for
Century, a supplier of residential and
commercial HVAC equipment. His 20year career with Century started right
out of high school
“I started working for them as a
delivery driver. It was funny. I had
taken an air conditioning trade class
at St. Philips after high school, and a
job came open. I figured I would try
this for a while, and then I would go
into the service end of it. Well, I never
left. It has been a very good company to work for.” –kf
Page 28
Association Calendar
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News
For more info on events, contact the AGC
office 210-349-4921
ASA
American Subcontractors Association
ABC
Associated Builders and Contractors
Apr. 6: Spring Golf Classic, Fair Oaks
Ranch Golf & Country Club; 11am registration, 1pm tee time; $175/golfer
Apr. 6 & 20: New employee orientation,
ABC office, 8-11am; covers safety issues,
employee responsibilities, construction
process; $45/person
Apr. 7, 14, 21, 28 and May 5: Advanced
Print Reading Classes, Virtual Builders Exchange 4047 Naco-Perrin, Ste. 100,
5-8pm; $235 ABC members, $285 nonmembers
Apr. 9: Introduction to Project Management, Builders’ Exchange of Texas office,
4047 Naco-Perrin, Ste. 100, 5-8pm; $600
ABC members, $750 non-members
Apr. 10, 17, 23, May 1, 8: Print Reading
Classes, ABC office, 10408 Gulfdale,
1-5pm; $235 ABC members, $285 nonmembers
Apr. 14: Safety Smarts and Lunch, Clear
Springs Restaurant; topic: Heat Related
Illnesses, presented by Alamo City Medical Group Inc.
Apr. 15-16: OSHA 10-Hour, ABC office,
10408 Gulfdale, 1–6:30pm; $200 ABC
members, $250 non-members
Apr. 21: First Aid Certification, Engineering Safety Consultants’ office, 12758 Cimarron Path, Ste. 127, 5:30pm; $20 ABC/
BX member, $30 non-member
Apr. 22: CPR Certification, Engineering
Safety Consultants’ office, 12758 Cimarron
Path, Ste. 127, 5:30pm; $20 ABC/BX member, $30 non-member Electrical Licens-
ing Continuing Education: Classes are
now in session for 2008 NEC code changes; $35 members, $45 non-members.
For more info or to register for all classes
and events, call the ABC office, 210-3421994 or visit the website at www.abcsouthtexas.org
ACCA
Air Conditioning Contractors of America
Apr. 4: Sporting Clay Shoot and Barbecue, National Shooting Complex
Apr. 15: Board of directors meeting,
O’Krent Abbey Flooring Center, 2075 N
Loop 1604, 4:30pm
Apr. 16: Membership meeting, Embassy
Suites, 7750 Briaridge, 11am
AGC
Associated General Contractors
Apr. 4: Race for the Cure, the Alamodome; Everyone will gather at the AGC
office and be driven to the Alamodome.
Apr. 8: Blueprint Reading, Unit 4, Chapter office, 4-7pm
Apr. 9: YCF Forum: Contracts & ConcensusDocs, Chapter office, 4:30-7pm
Apr. 15: Blueprint Reading, Unit 5, Chapter office, 4-7pm
Apr. 16: Safety & Health Committee
meeting, Chapter office, 11:30am
Apr. 17: Education Committee meeting,
Chapter office, 8:30am
Apr. 24: Board of Directors meeting, The
Petroleum Club, 8am
Apr. 28: YCF Steering Committee meeting, Chapter office, 4:30pm
Apr. 8: Board meeting
Apr. 21: Dinner meeting, Amorcito’s Restaurant; topic: City of San Antonio Development Services
GSABA
Greater San Antonio Builders Association
Apr. 1: Custom Builders Council
Apr. 7: Summit Awards Workshop
Apr. 27: Golf Tournament, Club at Sonterra
All council meetings and education courses are open to GSABA members only.
HCA
Hispanic Contractors Association
Apr. 8: Board of Directors meeting, Board
Room, noon Apr. 10: Certification Assistance, HCA office, 9-2pm; $75/non-members and FREE/
members; call 210-444-1100 to make appointment
Apr. 14: Turner Construction, in conjunction with the UTSA Minority Business Enterprise Center HCA, is offering the “Turner School of Construction Management:
Your roadmap to success,” 2nd Floor
Training Room of the Institute of Economic Development at UTSA; 6-7:30pm,
each Tuesday; registration limited to first
40 companies
Apr. 15: General meeting, HCA office,
6pm; FREE to members and non-members
Apr. 16-17: OSHA 10-hour, HCA office,
8am-1pm; non-members $80, members
FREE; lunch provided
IEC
Independent Electrical Contractors
Apr. 2-3: IEC of Texas board meeting,
Austin, TX
Apr. 15: Board of Director’s Meeting,
11am
Apr. 16: Warren High School Career Day,
11am
Apr. 21: A&T Committee Meeting, 11am
MCA-SMACNA
Mechanical Contractors Assn—Sheet Metal
and Air Conditioning National Association
Apr. 2: Association Annual Golf Tournament, Silverhorn Golf Course, 1pm
NARI
National Assn of the Remodeling Industry
Apr. 15: General membership meeting,
11:30am-1pm
May 16: Chili Cook-Off, My Place Bar &
Grill, 29094 US Hwy 281 N, Bulverde;
doors open at 1pm for cook-off, 8-11pm
for dance; booth cost $100; pre-paid, single tickets for the event will be $10; no
tickets will be sold at the door. Call Da-
vid Lauer at 210-843-6307 for more info.
NARI SA meets monthly for general membership meetings, with mixers, and
Roundtable discussions. For more info on
events visit http://www.narisanantonio.
com or call 210-499-4694
NAWIC
National Association of Women in
Construction
Apr. 4: Susan G Komen Race for the Cure
Apr. 15: Board Meeting
Apr. 24–25: Regional Forum, Jenks, OK
PHCC
Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors
Apr. 9: Monthly meeting, Water Street
Oyster Bar; program: Recognizing Administrative Assistants and speaker on
Multigenerational Workforce
May 8: 2nd Annual Meat & Skeet FUNraiser (BBQ Cook-off & Skeet Shoot), Bexar Shooting Range, 10am-4 pm
SAABE
San Antonio Assn of Building Engineers
Apr. 15: Membership meeting, Embassy
Suites Hotel, 7750 Briaridge, 11:30am;
Program: Commercial/Industrial Sales
SAMCA
San Antonio Masonry Contractors Assn
Apr. 22: General membership meeting,
Pappadeaux Restaurant, 76 NE Loop 410,
noon; Guest speaker, Julian Castro, mayoral candidate, will discuss the future of
San Antonio; $20 per person, lunch.
Apr. 30: 13th Annual Golf Classic, Republic Golf Club, 4226 S.E. Military Drive;
11:30am registration, noon lunch, and
1pm shotgun start; $100 per golfer includes green fees, lunch buffet, beverages and golf cart; non-players, $25; registration after April 22, $110 for golfers and
$30 for non-golfers.
For more info or reservations on events
call Debbie at (830) 606-5556
SDA
Society for Design Administration
Apr. 23: Chapter meeting, The Bright
Shawl, 12-1:15pm; guest speaker: Melinda Gaul, ESQ., Gaul & Dumont, “Fundamentals of Employment Law: Employer
Mistakes and Miscalculations – What
Plantiffs’ Attorneys are looking for.” $16
RSVP Adela Popp (210) 227-7722; no
shows will be billed
TSPS
Texas Society of Professional Surveyors
Apr. 2: Chapter Board meeting, Jones &
Carter Engineering noon-1pm
Apr. 23: Chapter 11 4th Annual Golf
Tournament, Republic Golf Club, 1pm
shotgun start
May 7: Chapter 11 Board meeting, Jones
& Carter Engineering, noon-1pm
Page 29
continued from Page 1 — Paradise found
“We didn’t think much about it at the
time, but the next day we did a little research into the Hawaiian royalty. We found
out I am related to King Kamehameha II.
“It seems that missionaries came to
Hawaii in 1820, and there was a fair-haired
Texas woman named Fannie, whom the
King took a liking to. She returned to
Texas and married into the Cloud family.
A baby was born a short time later with a
really good tan. The king acknowledged
the child, so the birth is in the records.”
During the Clouds’ February visit to
Hawaii, they learned more about the island culture and practiced some of the
ancient traditions.
“My favorite thing is fire dancing,”
Cloud said. “I am getting pretty good at
it. I was the guest performer as part of
the royal family reception for Princess
Makkawananakia’s 16th birthday. I don’t
have much hair on my legs now. It seems
to have been burned off.”
One of the things he would like to
change when he moves to the island concerns the food. Cloud finds poi to be disgusting, but like true Hawaiian royalty, he
loves pork.
Also on the food front, Cloud says,
“Chicken is becoming scarce in Kauai because of the protected status of wild
chickens. I will work to change that law.
The chickens run wild there on the island.
“Years ago, a hurricane hit the island
and all the coops got destroyed. The
chickens escaped. Now they are protected and you can’t kill them. But there are
so many of them. At the resorts, you will
be lying out there on chaise lounges and
the roosters, hens and their little baby
chicks come around and they won’t leave
you alone.”
As Hawaiian royalty, Cloud thinks the
islanders should overturn the protection
continued from Page 1 — Out of the starting gate
serve the Austin area, and is expected to
draw between 850-1,500 people. The
goal is to help government entities, municipalities and contractors easily dispose
of their idled equipment.
“The focus of this company is to maximize the return on investment on this
equipment – not only in the private sector, but also for government agencies,”
Larson said.
“With the way the economy is, we
are giving these contractors an avenue to
get rid of their stuff in a competitive way
in a live auction and not have to haul it to
Dallas-Fort Worth, Okalahoma or wher-
ever,” Dickerson said. “What we eventually want to do is have two to four auctions a year.”
In addition to the live auction, Machinery Auctioneers of Texas has also
partnered with Proxibid, an online auction-hosting site, to broadcast the live
auctions worldwide. This website has
over 135,000 registered bidders for heavy
equipment auctions.
Equipment for the auction will be consigned from municipalities, counties, water
districts and the construction industry. In
addition to construction equipment, the
auction will also feature fleet sales. –kf
continued from Page 1 — Eggs in one basket
Home-style atmosphere
tions, as well as for cost-effectiveness,” he
said.
The design and construction team
included Jake Schopp, Icon Architecture; Dale Culbertson, project manager;
Jerry McDonald, superintendent; and
Mike Michaelis, M2 Development Services, construction manager.
Primary subcontractors included SATEX Plumbing; All Service AC & Heating
Inc., Centurion Painting, DeGeus Tile
Inc., LCE Electric Inc., Allegiance Floors
and Associated Glass.
EIB Contractors Inc. was founded in
2000 by Dale Culbertson, president.
Mark Culbertson serves as vice president. Jay Culbertson is treasurer and Kim
Roberts is the company secretary.
Based in San Antonio, EIB employs
20.
“In 2008 EIB completed 55 projects in
12 different states,” Culbertson said. “EIB
does all types of commercial projects, including metal buildings and ground-up
projects, but we specialize in retail interior finish-outs.
“Traditionally we do about 50 percent
private work and 50 percent public/government contracting, but lately it has been
70 percent government contracts.” –kf
APRIL 16 - 26
Dallas and Karen Cloud on the Island of Kauai
order and eat mor chikin.
Cloud has already named his future
touring company. “It will be AO-K Chopper Tours. ‘Ao’ is the Hawaiian word for
clouds, and the ‘K’ for Kamehameha is to
honor my ancestry.”
Gotcha! April Fools! –kf
Page 30
Extra Papers?
Heights of success
Visit our Website at:
Select “Rack Locations”
for a complete list of all rack locations
where newspapers can be picked up.
We do not mail additional newspapers.
If you would like a
personal subscription
($35/year)
select “Subscribe.”
C
Henry Serry, Koontz McCombs Construction senior vice president,
shares the history of topping-out ceremonies.
onstruction on The Broadway has reached the top floor for the 20-story residential high-rise project at Broadway and Hildebrand. To celebrate the milestone,
Koontz McCombs Construction hosted a barbecue lunch and topping-out ceremony Mar. 19.
More than 400 guests and subcontractors watched the native live oak tree and
American flag reach the top floor. T-shirts were handed out, and workers drew for
door prizes.
When completed, The Broadway will occupy 2.5 acres with underground parking.
The Broadway site is the former location of Earl Abel’s Restaurant. –kf
A crane lifts the traditional tree and flag.
Job Sights
Page 31
Plans for success
This group of guys at Marek Brothers Systems Inc. gathered
to look over some plans in the conference room. Marek specializes
in residential and commercial interior construction. –sj
Richard Medina, Central Texas Express Metalwork, rigs a support column to be erected for
the new aviary at the San Antonio Zoo. The steel column weighs 4,500 lbs. and is 45 ft. long.
C.F. Jordan is the general contractor for the project. –kf
L-R: Roberto Gutierrez and Francisco Lopez,
Twins A/C and Juan Menchaco, Corpos
Mechanical, check out their electrical and
A/C work at the Cadillac Professional Office
Building going up on Blanco Road. –sj
A construction team – from Dobs
Demolition, Abe Reyna Plumbing, Comal
Concrete Products, Alamo Crane and
Fabian’s General Contractors – prepares to
install a 10,000-gallon concrete grease trap
at the Hill Country Bakery on Stribling. –kf
Page 32
Chance encounter
L-R: Wade Cofield, Adolfo Rodriguez, Jaime Cofield, Jaci Moorman and Chance Cofield
in front of the new Cofield Group headquarters
C
ofield Group LLC is planning an
open house for the company’s new
headquarters on Clydeville.
The co-owners of the general contracting company, Chance and Jaime
Cofield, stumbled upon the location on
the couple’s date night.
“We found a little shack over by the
airport in a mixed-use neighborhood,”
Jamie Cofield said.
The couple kicked the relocation
idea around for a couple of days and decided to take the plunge. At the time, the
company was operating from home.
“We approached the little old man
that lived in the little old shack and pretty
much gutted his house and remodeled it
for our office,” she said.
“It’s an odd little street, in that it’s an
industrial area, but there are still a few
people that live there. There is a mix of
business owners. There is a puppy hotel
across the street. It’s nice, and it’s pretty
eclectic.
“It’s been a long time coming from
when Chance used to stand up, after
working at the dining room table, and hit
his head on the poor little chandelier and
have to walk out the door to a business
meeting.”
Chance Cofield started the company
in 2006. “He’s done everything from being a subcontractor to an estimator to
building high-end custom homes. He realized he wasn’t getting any younger and
decided to put his great work ethic and
construction knowledge to the test,” Jaime said.
Cofield Group's general contracting
services range from small interior renovations to ground-up commercial facilities.
Cofield Group self-performs services
such as interior finish-out, including demolition, framing and drywall, acoustical
ceilings and rough and finish carpentry.
–kf
What floats your boat
T
L-R: Steven Stanush, Keith Johnson, Ryan Huff, Ted Valdez,
Jerry Welch, Thomas Clark and Eric Laskowski
he management and employees at
S&S Plumbing Contractors have
one thing in common besides the
construction industry – they all like to fish.
Steven and Sherill Stanush, owners
of the company, take guided fishing trips to
the coast at least two to three times a year.
“We recently got hooked on fishing
on an airboat in Rockport,” Sherill said.
“It's a great way to get around the bays
and catch lots of fish. Last summer, Steven took our sons, Tyler, age 12, and Spencer, age 9, along with our good friend
Marty Sheppard on a guided airboat trip.
“Tyler and Spencer pulled in more
fish than the men, and each caught a 28in. redfish. They had a blast and cannot
wait to go again.”
Sherill enjoys fishing so much she
volunteered to be on last year's Plumbing
Heating and Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC) saltwater fishing tournament committee, and this year she is
sponsorship chairperson.
“Eric Laskowski, plumbing apprentice, enjoys floundering in Port Aransas,
which is done at night with a special light
and a spear,” she said. “Ted Valdez,
tradesman, enjoys deep-sea fishing for
shark. He once caught a 6-ft. hammerhead. Ryan Huff, journeyman plumber,
says at last year’s PHCC fishing tournament, he caught the most fish and the
biggest on the boat, but it was not
enough to place for a prize.
“Keith Johnson, journeyman plumber, enjoys lake and coast fishing and frying up his catch. The biggest fish he
caught was a 42-in. redfish at Braunig
Lake. Jerry Welch, journeyman plumber,
also participated in the PHCC fishing
tournament last year.”
She said Oklahoma transplant Thomas Clark, apprentice, fished for catfish and
stripers in Lake Texoma, but looks forward
to fishing in the Gulf for the first time.
Located in Converse, S&S Plumbing
Contractors was established in July 2006,
and focuses on commercial new construction, remodel and repair.
“Steven is the field manager, and I
am the office manager,” Sherill said. “He
did the work by himself when we started
out, then we hired our first crew about
nine months later.” Today the company
has three crews. –kf

April - Construction News

Transcription

Similar documents

328 Acres in San Antonio, Texas

Membership Application - Greater San Antonio Builders Association

Jasmina Wellinghoff, SA Woman

¡VIVA SA RUN!

TCA 2015 Maintenance Program-ind pgs.pub

SITTERLE HOMES AT SETTLER`S RIDGE SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

Read more About SARA

February, 2014 - Austin – San Antonio Chapter of the Association of

SAN ANTONIO

¡Viva San Antonio!