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Covering the Industry’s News
P.O. Box 791290
San Antonio, Texas 78279-1290
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CONSTRUCTION
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The Industry’s Newspaper
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(210) 308-5800
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Volume 17
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Number 3
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MARCH 2015
Due vigilance
Picking up the pace
In running GPS of Texas, Blake Stephens has helped companies track their workers and work
hours, even solving some crimes in the process.
JR Trevino is proud of the new headquarters that he, his father, and their team
renovated for Treco Enterprises.
C
ontractors and equipment companies need to keep track of their
trucks and machines, and for more
than a decade now, Blake Stephens has
been helping them do it as the owner
and president of GPS of Texas.
While the company sells tracking devices for vehicles and equipment all over
the United States and Canada, GPS of
Texas, which started in San Antonio
about 16 years ago, has most of its presence in South Texas. Stephens observes
that business doubled in 2013 and doubled again last year, attributing much of
that growth to the oil boom in the Eagle
Ford Shale as contractors and other companies continue adding trucks to keep up
with the work.
He says that equipment and rental
companies often use it for theft protection. This also allows them to tie into an
hour meter and track how long equipment has been running so that it can be
properly maintained accordingly.
Stephens describes the GPS devices
as profit tools that promote fuel savings,
overtime savings, proof of work, efficiency and productivity by holding workers
accountable for their output and time. He
notes that the people who really toe the
line love it. He adds that some are afraid
of it, because the system can weed out
workers who are pulling productivity
down, and then the bottom line improves dramatically and quickly.
continued on Page 24
T
he new home of Treco Enterprises,
Inc. has been about two years in the
making, and finally, Edward “JR”
Trevino, vice president – business development, and his parents have a new
home the business can call its own.
Since Treco had outgrown its former
office off Tradesman Drive, which was
about 1,000sf, JR and his father, Edward
Trevino, Treco’s president, sought out a
bigger, more central location. When they
found their new office downtown at 1414
North San Jacinto, the space needed a lot
of work, but being general contractors,
they put two years of work into the building. About six months ago, they achieved
substantial completion on their new base
of operations.
After doing a little research into the
new building’s history, JR discovered that
the building was once home to David
Pace, founder of Pace Foods. Upon digging up the original deed, he learned
that Hettie Bosshardt sold the land to David and Margaret (nee Bosshardt) Pace
on Dec. 21, 1955 and a portion of the
property was deeded to the city for the
expressway, which is I-10 today.
Now, with Treco settling into its
home, business continues to pick up
pace. Running 12 trucks and about 15
employees, those numbers are up from
when they first bought the new building.
JR comments that having their own property has been conducive to the growth of
A drive-in for a new generation
D
o you remember the good old
days when moviegoers could park
their best ride at an old-fashioned
drive-in theatre and enjoy a feature under the stars with tasty food and good
friends? Well, those days are back. Drivein movie theatres are returning to Texas.
Whiting-Turner helped bring the
first of these new theatres to the San Antonio area with the Stars & Stripes DriveIn in New Braunfels, which aims to open
this spring. The private owner of the family-owned theatre, who was very involved
in the building process, has two other
drive-in locations in Lubbock and Midland.
Located on Kroesche Lane, in a rural
area off I-35 and 1101, the project encompassed the development of roughly 50
acres. The property hosts a total of seven
buildings and three screens, with space
for a potential fourth. As you enter the
main drive, you approach one of three
bright red box offices underneath a metal-roofed canopy to purchase your tickets.
Each screen has a galvalume-clad
booth, roughly 100sf in size, to project
the feature to the outdoor big screen.
The focal point of the property is the
centrally located 7,000-sf concession
building. Clad in galvalume siding and
natural stacked limestone, the design
lends a modern take on the classic drivein that blends in with the rural landscape.
While the drive-in concept may conjure retro images of yesterday, the look
for the Stars & Stripes in New Braunfels is
based on today’s design concepts with
clean lines giving the classic drive-in a
modern feel. There are pendant lights
hung from an exposed metal roof structure, smooth white countertops, polished concrete floors and shiny fabric
The Stars & Stripes Drive-In Theatre in New Braunfels, the first new drive-in in the San
Antonio area, will be opening soon. Photo by Bob Wickley, Photographer
Page 2
San Antonio Construction News • Mar 2015
Capital and courage
L-R: Kerry J. Koehler, president, and David Brodbeck, project manager,
at the CKE office on Warfield
W
hen Garth Coursen and Kerry
Koehler set out to establish
their own civil engineering firm
in 2008, the recession was draining the
economic pool. Coursen says they figured
it was time to either sink or swim, and
they jumped off the diving board. Coursen-Koehler Engineering & Associates
(CKE) was the result of that leap of faith.
Having had a work relationship for
about 15 years, Coursen and Koehler first
worked together at Turner Collie &
Braden (TCB), and then a smaller firm,
but they soon realized they wanted to
strike out on their own.
The biggest challenge to that goal
was financing it. Coursen notes that it
takes capital and a lot of courage, and it’s
important to have your families behind
you, because nothing is a guarantee
when you make that jump.
Fortunately, with the relationship
they developed with the Bank of San Antonio, they were able to secure an SBA
loan that provided the seed money to
get them started.
Coursen and Koehler specialize in
single-family residential development.
With the downturn in the economy, they
expanded into commercial projects. Today, the firm does a lot of land development, flood plain analysis and master
planning. Their recent projects include
River Rock Ranch, the Ranches at Cibolo
Creek, Valencia Hills and Emerald Oaks
retirement community.
“We have 12 employees,” says Coursen. “We’ve basically doubled in size over
the last year-and-a-half. We feel we’ve
taken advantage of a little bit of the rebound in the market. We’re cautiously
optimistic.”
Though Coursen doesn’t expect
their growth to continue at that rate, he
says they’re comfortable with it. He
hopes to expand with a couple more professionals in the next year to 18 months
and to expand services and do some municipal work. –mh
2014 RAM Promaster 1500/2500/3500 Cargo Vans, 3.6L Gas or 3.0 Diesel
Paul Zini
Fleet Manager
866-490-3195
ANCIRACJD.COM
THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS
JUST WENT DOWN
New COO at
Marek
Companies
M
ike Holland, new chief operating officer at The Marek Companies, has been with the company for 31 years and says the company’s
culture towards employees encourages
long-time retention. Holland will be
headquartered in Houston.
“Some of this started with the three
original Marek brothers and their desire
to share the company and its success
with the employees,” Holland says. “We
don’t look at people as a short-term investment. We look at them as a longterm investment. I’m an example of that.”
Holland will oversee the operations
for the award-winning specialty subcontractor’s offices in Houston, Dallas-Ft
Worth, San Antonio, Austin and Atlanta.
“We selected Mike to provide the
leadership and sustainability for our
overall operations as we position the
company for continued growth throughout our markets over the next decade,”
said Stan Marek, president and CEO of
the Marek Family of Companies. “Holland, a proven leader with over 40 years
of experience in the construction industry, has served the Marek Companies as
the Houston Division president for the
last 31 years.”
In addition to his role with the company, Holland, who is married and has
three children, currently serves on the
boards of several industry organizations,
including the Associated Builders and
Contractors (ABC) Houston Chapter,
American Subcontractors Association
(ASA) Houston Chapter and the Construction Career Collaborative (C3). He is
a member of the Texas A&M Construction Industry Advisory Council and is involved in the community as a board
member of the Greater Houston YMCA,
the Foster Family YMCA and Covenant
House Association.
He says the company’s long- and
short-term goals remain focused on
strength and growth.
“In the long-term, it’s really about
the quality of people we find to grow
from top to bottom,” Holland says. “In the
short-term, it’s about sharpening the
saw. Making sure everything we do is
aimed in the right direction. The market
is constantly changing and we want to
make sure we are in the right place doing
the right things.”
Marek is a 77-year-old private, familyowned specialty interior subcontractor that
provides both commercial and residential
construction services to major office, retail,
healthcare and institutional clients. –cw
Page 3
PUTZ AROUND TOWN
JC Putz here . . .
Construction News sales staff Kent Gerstner and Jim Reilly journeyed to Dallas last
month to represent the five-city newspaper at the 2015 Dallas Build Expo USA…
A-1 Fire & Safety
Full line of Fire
Extinguishers
in stock
Industrial &
Restaurant Fire
Suppression
Systems
Extinguisher
Cabinets & Onsite and In-Shop
Servicing of all types
Fire Hose
Onsite fire extinguisher training
203 E. Rhapsody
San Antonio, TX 78216
email: [email protected] www.A1fireand safety.com
210-342-5518
And to eat, apparently!
Does it feel hot in here? Maybe it was just
photographer extraordinaire Mary
Haskins heating things up at last month’s
Associated General Contractor’s Salsa
Taste-off!
. . . With that, I’m out’a here
San Antonio
CONSTRUCTION NEWS
San Antonio Editor . . . . . . . . Mary Hazlett
[email protected]
210-308-5800
Construction News Ltd. Home Office
P.O. Box 791290 • San Antonio, Tx 78279
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Page 4
With engineer’s eyes
Metal Studs
Drywall
WALLS
Acoustical
Insulation
A C R O S S
TEXAS
DOING A STAND-UP JOB SINCE THE 1900s
9018 Tesoro
Suite 101
San Antonio, Texas 78217
(210) 826-4123
Fax (210) 826-5801
L-R: Barry Black’s engineering and construction experience and Fred Belfort’s construction
experience while working with engineering firms allows them to see plans from both
perspectives for projects they are involved with in their own general contracting company.
W
Site Work & Milling
18954 FM 2252
Garden Ridge, TX 78266
Contact
Cecil Sorsby
ith more than 70 years of experience combined, Fred Belfort
and Barry Black set out to
forge their own path with Belfort – Black
Contracting, Inc. in March of last year. As
their general contracting company celebrates its first anniversary, they emphasize that the business is new, but they are
by no means new to the business.
As general contractors with backgrounds in professional engineering and
inspection and testing, their experience
lends itself well to identifying constructability and design issues. They can also
identify holes in bid packages and provide true project cost.
An engineer by training, Black came
to Texas from Tennessee in 1998 after
making a career change to get into construction, thus wearing both hats. As a
contractor, he worked with Belfort, who
was with Drash Consulting Engineers at
the time, on several projects for material
testing and geotechnical engineering
expertise. Belfort started in the engineering field in 1976 out of high school in
Michigan, working summers in the engineering department for the City of Saginaw, MI.
“We have experience not only as professionals in our respective industries
and our specialized skills, but we’ve been
out on job sites working as laborers, foremen and superintendents,” explains
Black. “This hands-on experience gives us
a perspective of the work from several
angles, and I think that’s important for
our clients and the services we offer.”
What they do is already expanding
as they are in the process of creating a
concrete division to provide subcontractor work in addition to their general contracting services. They are working in the
private sector and interested in the government sector. The company is MBE/
SBE/HABE/ESBE and Texas HUB certified,
working on DBE certification with a goal
to become an 8(a) contractor. –mh
Page 5
The more the Mosel
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L-R: Louis and Kurt Mosel represent two generations of leadership at L.C. Mosel Company.
O
riginally starting out as a plumbing contractor, L.C. Mosel Company has branched out in its
three generations.
In 1947, Louis Clarence Mosel Sr.
bought the construction side of Martin
Bauml Plumbing. At the time, he had a
partner, and the company was called
Mosel and Terrell until he bought out
the Terrells in 1969. That was when the
company became L.C. Mosel. In time,
Mosel’s son, Louis Clarence Mosel Jr.
became president, and in 1988, his son,
Kurt Mosel came into the business, taking over as president a couple years later.
During the course of being a plumbing contractor, the younger Mosel explains that the company started doing air
conditioning also and then opened its
own sheet metal shop to help with the
AC side. The company evolved into a fullfledged mechanical contractor.
In 1975, as a result of some joint venture projects, Louis Mosel Jr. and Kurt
Monier, A.J. Monier, also a San Antonio
mechanical contractor, decided to join
their sheet metal shops to form M&M
Metals. It is still owned by both companies today.
Kurt Mosel started at the family business in 1976 and started his apprenticeship for sheet metal in 1982. He and his
father are active in the Mechanical and
Sheet Metal Contractors Association
(MCA-SMACNA) and both have served as
president several times.
“Dad’s been the greatest boss in the
world,” says Mosel. “I think a lot of father
and son businesses may have a tough
time, but Dad’s always been really good
and easy to work with.”
The Mosels enjoy spending their
time at the coast. Mosel Jr. was in the
Merchant Marine and built a 32-foot offshore deep sea fishing boat before he
discovered his passion for skeet shooting. Kurt Mosel enjoys restoring and collecting classic cars with a particular fondness for his Mustang fastbacks. –mh
Fasten-ating
L-R: Brandon Beck, general manager, and Samantha Rodriguez, sales support, hear interesting
tales of projects and businesses in the neighborhood.
W
orking as a general manager for
Fastenal overseeing the company’s location on Nakoma,
Brandon Beck loves his customers; he
particularly enjoys hearing their stories
about the projects and businesses that
bring them into the store.
Beck says that customers come in
from a variety of different businesses in
the area, as well as from a variety of fields.
He has customers who are from sign
manufacturers, roofing companies, and a
battery plant that does car batteries.
One customer makes breach doors
for SWAT teams and military to practice
on, and he buys adhesive spray among
other items. Another customer down the
street makes plastic injection molds for
the breach door customer’s business. He
notes that there are a few others who
come into the store to buy something to
work on some aspect of that same customer’s projects.
Having grown up in Castroville, Beck
was a journeyman plumber, working at
Beyer Boys for eight-and-a-half years. He
has also worked as sales for Pepsi-Cola
and fleet rental for Enterprise. He started
at Fastenal as an outside sales representative in July 2011, and he made general
manager in five months.
His wife, Holly Beck, is a product
manager for Friedrich Air Conditioning,
where she does design. They have an
11-year-old daughter who keeps them
busy with volleyball and soccer, and a
son, turning 2 this month, who keeps
them busy with everything, Beck jokes.
Beck’s store is one of six locations
Fastenal has in San Antonio, plus surrounding cities, including Universal City
and Kerrville with stores in Pleasanton
and Uvalde also. The company has 2,700
stores across North America. Fastenal
sells industrial and construction supplies,
including fasteners, nuts, bolts, washers
and screws. They also sell supplies for
welding, electrical and plumbing. –mh
210-587-7634
www.GPSofTexas.com
Page 6
Michael Rivas
President
Valla Construction
I
n 2002, Michael Rivas started out as
Valla Design Group. A year later, he
started Valla Construction, Inc. Today,
the construction side of the business is
far larger than the interior design side.
The company does quite a bit of design
build work, which is one of the biggest
benefits of working with Valla; their clients benefit from both sides. Now, Rivas
is able enjoy the best of both worlds.
At 46, he keeps busy as a businessman and a father. At work, he recently
broke ground on a 10,000-sf two-story
office building and a Haven for Hope
project that were both design build. At
home, he spends as much time as he can
with his sons and he still lives in the home
he built for himself that started him on
the path to being a general contractor.
Where did you grow up? And how did
you get started in the industry?
I was born and raised here in San Antonio. I grew up in the Inspiration Hills
area and went to Central Catholic [High
School] for two years, and then I transferred to Holmes. When I graduated from
Holmes, I was top 5 percent of my class,
which opened up many doors for me in
the college arena, and I was accepted everywhere I applied. I decided to get my
feet wet locally. So I ended up going to
UTSA – when there wasn’t much of UTSA
back in ’86.
I was there for two years and met a
friend there who had suggested, “Let’s
apply to A&M.” So, we applied and I got
accepted. The letter went to my parents’
house, so they found out about it before I
did. I transferred to A&M the next semester. My first drafting classes were in high
school, which was really what started my
education for my college career in architecture – my degree is in environmental
design architecture.
I graduated in ’91 and moved back to
San Antonio. The economy was still in the
recession that we had experienced in the
late ‘80s. I spoke to people that I knew in
the architecture profession and asked
their opinion about what they thought
my next move should be. I wasn’t sure if I
should go back to school for my master’s
or if I should just dive into on the job
training and get out in the field. Basically,
I was advised by everyone to work in the
field and get experience.
So, I ended up working for an architect here in town, waited tables, and I
moonlighted at night. I also had a little
side company I started when I graduated
college to design custom homes. I also
designed quite a bit for Racquetball and
Fitness Clubs to supplement my income.
My first job was minimum wage, and it
was just to start getting experience. I was
paid a strict 40-hour workweek, but I
would work about an hour or two extra
every day. I would spend the extra time
reading documents and contracts and
anything else pertinent to learn as much
as I could in a real working office.
I stayed at my first job for about a
year and a half. I found out about another
architect that was hiring. I applied with
him, and after the interview, he hired me
on the spot. His name was Daniel
Muzquiz. He was from San Antonio. He
had just moved back from California. I
was with him for about nine years. He really developed me into how I run my
business and how I treat my employees.
He taught me a lot. There was a lot of
trust that we had for each other.
I had been offered jobs at other firms
– large firms – and I was never really a
large firm kind of a person. I liked the
smaller firms, because I was able to be involved in everything.
[Daniel] gave me the freedom to
work in many areas of the field. I really
learned a lot under him. I was his senior
project manager, and we ended up picking up some big contracts for the VA hospital. I headed up all that work from schematic design to punch lists.
I ended up designing and building
my house in Helotes. I broke ground in
2002. With starting this project, I felt that
I couldn’t give Daniel the time for what
he was paying me for. We sat down and I
explained the situation to him. He understood completely. I put my two weeks in,
and we worked it out – we still talk today.
I still ask him for advice and ask how
things are going, as we are still friends.
My house was my first design build
project. Building my house made me realize that I could go out on my own and
start my own business. I still had my little
side business designing custom homes.
While I was building my house, I started
building up my workload, and I partnered up with an old school friend of
mine. His degree was from A&M in architecture also. We started a little design
firm. We would refer contractors to our
clients. If something went wrong with a
contractor we would hear about it. I sat
back one day and said, “You know what?
I can do this.” So, in 2003, I started Valla
Construction, Inc.
We kept the two businesses separate, so we had the design side and we
had the construction side. We were designing and then we were starting to
build what we were designing through
Valla Construction. When I started Valla, I
brought in another partner on that because of leads and referrals he was able
to bring. I was able to start building up
Valla Construction. In 2004, my first partner on the design side decided he wanted to go out on his own. So, I bought him
out. It was my second partner and myself
that started building Valla up, and six
years ago, he decided he wanted to do
something different. So, I bought him
out, and now I’m the sole owner of Valla
Construction.
What do you do in your spare time
outside of work?
My spare time? How much spare
time do I have?
I have three wonderful boys, and I
spend as much time with them as I can.
My oldest one is a sophomore in college.
He and my second oldest boy have
worked here in the company during the
summers. I was trying to get my oldest
one to come on board, but he’s doing his
own thing and that’s fine. He’s studying
cyber security, which – in San Antonio,
you can’t go wrong with that. So, I’m very
happy for him.
I love to go fishing as often as possible, and I have a condo down at the coast.
I do a lot of volunteer work with St. Luke’s
Men’s Club that I am a member of and we
do a lot of fundraising activities.
I‘ve been involved with St. Luke’s since
I was in college. I really didn’t become a full
member until probably ’95. It’s a fraternity
of men, and we meet once a month and
plan fundraisers for charity. Our big function is the Wild Game Dinner, which is
coming up the first weekend in March.
About 800 people attend this, and we
have a live auction with all sorts of items.
The money we raise, we pay off our bills,
and what’s left over, we donate to various
charities and nonprofits – Boy Scouts, Girl
Scouts, St. Vincent de Paul, the battered
women’s shelter, the State School, you
name it. Then, we have a big dinner where
we give the money out to everybody.
I’m a volunteer. It takes a lot of work.
We prepare year round for this one event,
and the week before the Wild Game,
Michael Rivas evolved his design business into Valla Construction, and since 2003, he has
been providing both services to commercial, government, healthcare and institutional clients.
we’re working all week, preparing the
food and the venue. St. Lukes Men’s Club
was the originator of the Wild Game dinner. And other organizations have emulated what we have put together. It’s really focused on hunting, fishing, camping
– outdoors. There are fishing trips and
hunting trips that are raffled and auctioned. There are firearms, fishing rod
combos, coolers, and everything else
that goes with that lifestyle.
A lot of people and organizations are
involved and sponsor corporate tables
every year like Valla does. It’s a very well
known, popular event.
Are you involved in any other organizations?
We belong to the Hispanic Contractors Association (HCA), the Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce, the BB and SAGE
to name a few.
What about your hobbies?
I take my kids fishing. I travel when I
can travel. One of my passions is paintballing. So, I take my kids and friends and
we go paintballing. I take some of the
employees also. It’s a stress reliever. It’s a
way for us to kind of decompress a little
bit. I go with my kids more often than
with anybody else. It’s a good bonding
thing for me and my boys. All three of
them play. I also love to scuba dive, and
my oldest son is certified as well.
Tell me more about your family. Are
your parents from San Antonio?
My parents are from San Antonio,
and they provided a lot of support for
me, especially through college and then
in the early years when the work was really hard. My mom passed away six years
ago. My dad worked for the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) – Wage and Hour.
He retired, and he still lives here in San
Antonio. He helps me with the kids all the
time. He’s a doting grandfather. He calls
my kids his kids, and they’re very close.
My dad helped us early on, especially
when we started getting involved with
the government work, because of the
wage scales. The DOL would do seminars
– well, I knew everybody over there, so
any questions I had, if my dad couldn’t answer, he would say to call so-and-so and
they can answer that question for you.
During that time was when we started
getting into the government work about
10 years ago being an 8(a) contractor. So,
he was able to actually help us with some
of those issues at the very beginning.
What stands out to you about the experience of having your own design
and construction business?
Having my own business affords me
the freedom to make my decisions and be
able to live with those decisions and run the
company the way I was trained through
Dan Muzquiz. I really try to emulate [him]
the way I treat my employees. We don’t
have time cards. It’s all on the honor system.
We’re a close family. Everybody
we’ve hired has always been from somebody that we know. I have an employee
that I’ve known since I was 4 years old
and an employee that I’ve known since I
was in fourth grade. Also, an employee
that I met through the Cub Scouts when
my now 20-year-old son was a Cub Scout.
So, that’s kind of how we’ve brought people in, and it keeps that trust and that
common thread of looking out for the
company for the long term. I try to be fair
with everybody and treat everybody
equally and just the way I’ve been treated
in my years of learning.
I’ve always been strong on the artistic side since I was young. That’s how I
got into drafting and then drawing and
then AutoCAD. I started construction
work when I was 15. I began working in
New Jersey with some cousins in East Hanover. We built custom decks. I would
work up there during the summers when
I was in high school. That was my first
step into construction.
My biggest satisfaction is seeing a
completed project, especially one I know
that we’ve designed and that we’ve taken
from the very beginning to completion.
That was one of the frustrating things for
me in the past on the architectural side of
things – spending all that energy doing a
drawing or a project and it never gets
built. I’ve experienced that quite a bit
with the architectural firms that I’ve
worked with, and it’s disappointing when
you put all that effort and thought in the
design. When you’re designing, you’re
designing in your sleep, at night, you’re
thinking and thinking, and you wake up
with solutions. You’re always working on
it. So, for something to not come to fruition is really disappointing.
What is it like balancing the design
and construction sides of business?
Both sides complement each other,
and that was my vision from the very beginning when we had just the design side
and I created the construction, that they
would feed off each other.
We have 15 employees. Everybody’s
flexible. We all wear multiple hats. So,
even though you’re on the interior design side, they give support to the construction. We are all involved in getting
submittals, close out docs, going to
meetings and going to punch lists etc.
Do you have any personal goals that
you’re working towards right now?
Well, one of them is that I want to
keep building this business and make it as
successful as I can, not just for me but for
my employees. Because everybody has a
vested interest in the company, and being
a business owner, it’s a big burden, because you’re responsible for everybody
that works for you. And if something goes
well, it benefits everybody. If it doesn’t go
well, then it hurts everybody. That’s
something that I think about all the time.
I recently purchased a building, office and warehouse, on the eastside. It is
within the Promise Zone and Eastpoint
designated areas. Valla is on the SAGE
board and is actively developing working
relationships with local businesses to
help develop the area. –mh
Page 7
Getting their granite going
The new Mesquite family
Steven Villarreal, branch manager for Superior Granite’s new San Antonio location, greets
customers as they enter the indoor showroom.
L-R: Sandi, Courtney and Gary Wilhelm have made Mesquite Interiors
into their own family business.
T
hough Superior Granite By Vivaldi
has 12 locations across Texas, including one in Albuquerque, NM,
the company opened its first San Antonio
location at the end of November.
The new store on Warfield has drawn
customers that include custom homebuilders, fabricators and remodelers. As a
wholesaler, Superior sells the raw material to contractors and builders, which
makes their market very specific. Since
Superior does not fabricate or cut the
granite, they do not market to homeowners since they do not typically have someone or some way to transport or cut the
stone.
Steven Villarreal, manager for San
Antonio, came on board a week after the
location opened. Asking 110 percent of
his employees, he goes the extra mile for
his customers as well. Though the store is
closed on Sundays, he has emphasized to
customers that he will open on Sunday to
show a specific type of granite or address
a need that arises.
In the new store, Superior carries varieties of granite, marble and onyx as well
as sinks and tools. He notes that other Superior locations have flooring, too. Since
customers have already inquired about
flooring, they aim to incorporate flooring
soon, and faucets, he adds.
Villarreal served in the Marine Corps
for 10 years. Back home in Laredo, he
used to work for a granite company with
his background in sales, always in management. In his experience, “if you take
care of your employees, they will take
care of you.”
In June, he came to San Antonio because of his daughter, Alexis, who is 18
and was starting at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) where she is
studying sports medicine. Father and
daughter are so close that when she
moved in at UTSA, he moved into a place
of his own, relocating to be near her.
They talk every day. –mh
Galloping along
A
s president of Mustang Colt Services, Bill Shaw is very comfortable in the industry and has enjoyed learning new things over the last 10
years since he established the company,
formerly known as Mustang Electric.
Having started out in November
2004, Shaw says that the endeavor to go
into business for himself was “a goal skipping one generation” since his grandfather owned his own business in the mid1900s.
Shaw describes his father, who
worked for CPS, as very artistic and organized, noting, “I admired these qualities
and strive to follow his lead, God rest his
soul.”
He enjoys art as one of his many interests outside work. He also enjoys
many outdoor activities, including golf,
hunting, fishing, and of course – as one
might guess since his passion for wild
mustangs inspired the name of his company – rodeo is what he enjoys and indulges in mostly.
Before starting out on the path that
brought him to a milestone decade in
business, Shaw served in the Navy, where
he was an ET, but his Naval career was cut
short. When he was honorably discharged from active duty in 1978, he
used the training and the GI Bill for apprenticeship school.
Shaw declares that he learned his
trade by the expenditure of blood, sweat
and tears, and he feels blessed and appreciates his team sticking with him
through the years. He also likes being
able to make a difference in the lives of
the people who work for him.
“I like helping individuals in the pursuit of an electrical career,” he says. “I enjoy the challenges of a changing industry
with more emphasis on technology. This
also spurs interest from younger people
Bill Shaw, president of Mustang Colt Services,
established the company 10 years ago.
and helps me convince them that the
electrical industry is a good career
choice.”
At its most, in 2013, Mustang had 30
employees, and currently, there are 28.
Mustang’s workload is 30 percent commercial, 1 percent residential, and 24 percent industrial, service and special projects. Keeping the business very diverse,
Shaw takes a special interest in first-of-akind, unique jobs, which is what he refers
to as “special projects.”
“I am constantly improving my processes and learning from my peers in the
industry,” he says. “I am able to continue
learning new things and new processes. I
enjoy meeting new people and especially
enjoy servicing my existing customers
honestly and to the best of my ability.” –mh
T
hough Mesquite Interiors started
out in 1984 with one owner and
transitioned to three, the company
is now back to having one owner, longtime partner, Gary Wilhelm.
After sharing the business with two
partners, the original owner retired two
years ago, at which point, Wilhelm’s wife,
Sandi, came into the company. Then,
Wilhelm’s partner, Jerry Taliaferro, retired in May, and Wilhelm bought all of
the shares as well as the building Mesquite had been housed in that had also
been owned by all three partners.
He recalls that the first large job they
did was the Fairmount Hotel. Mesquite
also did the Sunshine Cottage for deaf
children with Kopplow Construction,
with Wilhelm noting that they do a lot of
work for Ed Kopplow. They also did the
Butterkrust Bakery building on Broadway
and recently finished work on the San
Antonio Children’s Museum. They also do
a lot of work with Metropolitan Con-
tracting Company and the Fetzer Companies.
Wilhelm notes that the partners had
an agreement that there would be no
family involved while all three of them
were running the company. Today, with
Wilhelm as sole owner, he runs the company as president, his wife is vice president, and their daughter, Courtney, is
office manager. Their daughter, Candace, has just started college, and she is
an assistant at Mesquite.
“We do all gauged galvanized steel
framing, drywall, acoustical ceilings and
insulation,” says Wilhelm. “We try to
chase the more negotiated projects. We
don’t bid public schools anymore. We
haven’t for years. It’s been a good ride.”
Now that Mesquite is a family business, Wilhelm notes that it has been neat
to sit and talk with family over coffee at
work in the morning, as he jokes, “I’m not
a micromanager.” –mh
Page 8
Construction News ON LOCATION
Winter is still coming
With a lot of big jobs in the works, Eloy Alfaro, left, branch manager for the HD
Supply/White Cap Construction Supply on Factory Hill Street, points to the weather
this winter as one of the biggest challenges to local construction recently. –mh
What is your most
annoying habit?
I cannot sit still. I’m just going, going, going, going, going, and people get annoyed with that. If you sit down to watch
a movie, and I’m like, I have to go do this,
I have to go do that. I just can’t sit still,
and people find that annoying. I think it’s
a good trait. I get annoyed with it sometimes, like in the evenings when I want to
sit down and relax, but I’m just always going.
Lindsey Sutherland, G.D. Interiors
It takes me too long to tell a story, and I
got that from my dad.
Barb Hrbek, Hart Acoustical & Drywall
Probably being too loud, I would think.
When I’m on the phone, the girls outside
of my office often give me a hard time
about that.
Shane Harrell, Catamount Constructors
My wife would say snoring. I’m going to
work on that [laughs].
Blake Stephens, GPS of Texas
I asked my husband, and his answer was
sometimes I drive a little too fast.
Stacie Gray, Lone Star Lighting
[Other people] would say that I beep at
everybody on the highways. With people
the way they drive in San Antonio, I’m always honking at them, and I guess I annoy everybody in the car with me, but
we’ve got the worst drivers in the world
in San Antonio. I travel all over, but – I
don’t know where they get their driver’s
licenses. If anybody ever said something
about Andrew, they would say he’s always beeping at somebody on the road.
Andrew Hernandez Sr., Decorative
Concrete Designs & Repairs
One of mine is that I’m always so busy. I
know people want to talk to me about
things – trying to make time for people
and there’s just so much going on in a
day. I wish I had more time. I have things
going on all the time, and I know people
want to sit down and talk to me, and I
kind of put things off because of that. If
an employee really wants to talk to me
about something, I know it’s important,
and I say, “We’ll talk about it today.” And
then something comes up. And then the
next day, something comes up. Being the
sole owner, I’m involved in everything, so
I try to make that time to accommodate
everybody.
Michael Rivas, Valla Construction
Well, it doesn’t annoy me, but what annoys other people about me would probably be that I’m a little messy. In college,
they called it the “Peter Pile,” because I
would just throw my stuff down, and
then my roommates would kind of gather. So, my wife does that too. I have a little
basket where if I’m looking for something
that I put somewhere and I can’t find it,
it’s usually in the basket.
Peter Willcox,
Willcox Metal Fabricators
I’m a pretty introspective person for the
most part. So, I think probably not expressing myself openly and freely. People
wonder what I’m thinking a lot of the
time.
Darrell Lehmann, Lehmann Engineering
I think my fiancé would say that I can be
overly sarcastic. I don’t think people dislike it at first, but I think after a while,
they’re telling me to shut up, pretty
much.
Clarence “CJ” Gore
Comfort-Air Engineering
Page 9
Thunder roars back
Submitted to Construction News
Engineers of relief
L-R: Craig King and Brian Evans started Thunder Electric, named for the company King’s uncle
owned where Evans got his first electrical job 45 years ago.
A
fter working together off and on at
various companies for decades,
Brian Evans and Craig King have
their own business together, Thunder
Electric.
When Evans was 16, he worked for a
company by the same name, Thunder
Electric, which was owned by King’s uncle, Jerry. The two have been working together at various electrical contracting
companies ever since.
Evans and King both worked at Calhoun Electric, Todt Electric and Montemayor Electric, and both had their
own electrical contracting companies at
one time. Evans also worked for Tim
Smoot Electric and Associates Electric.
King also worked for Bexar Electric and
IES Commercial. They finally seized the
opportunity to go into business together
when the company they were working
for shut down its residential department.
Since 2007, Evans, president, and
King, vice president, both owners, have
been doing installation and service work
that is mainly residential, including remodels, and light commercial, such as
lease spaces.
In their spare time, both Evans and
King enjoy hunting and fishing. Evans has
a 1935 Ford Street Ride he built over the
years, and he displays it at car shows every once in a while.
King started on his path to the electrical trade in his junior and senior years
of high school in a vocational program,
and that’s what he has been doing ever
since. Between working for King’s uncle
and working with King again at Calhoun
Electric in 1970, Evans served three years
in the Army.
Evans was born in Australia during
World War II at a time when his father was
a prisoner of war. His mother is “fullblooded Australian,” he says, noting that
he left when he was 2 years old, and once
his father was released, they returned to
the U.S. and traveled all over the country
and then overseas. –mh
A doctor in the house
John Irwin, president of Travertine Doctors, and his wife, Lisa, who handles advertising
and bookkeeping for the company.
W
hen John Irwin started Travertine Doctors a little over 10
years ago, he had already been
doing repairs and resurfacing of stone
floors part-time with his first company
Diamond Tile & More on West Avenue.
In 2004, when he started doing it
full-time, he didn’t think there was
enough work to conduct a business and
stay busy; however, by 2008, Travertine
Doctors was keeping him so busy that it
became their only business, and he started focusing entirely on restoration.
“A long time ago, we were actually
the only people in San Antonio that sold
people travertine,” says Irwin, who has
been in the stone business for 22 years.
“We honed it, polished it and sealed it,
and in knowing how to hone and polish
and resurface marble floors, we started
fixing cracks and pits and bulldozing
staircases where the edges were chipped,
doing it by hand on the jobsite, like you’d
do in a fabrication shop, and just devel-
oped the process that we’ve got in the
field.”
Irwin notes that he chose travertine
for the company name, because as sellers
of floors and countertops, he has known
travertine to outsell marble consistently
in South Texas for about 20 years. He explains that travertine is sedimentary rock,
often mistaken for being a type of marble. One example of travertine and Irwin’s work is the courthouse in San Angelo. Though the name represents a key
aspect of his expertise, Irwin notes that
they do work on all natural stone.
While Travertine Doctors has done
retail work, they mostly focus on larger
homes, 5,000sf and up. They do a lot of
work for customers they sold stone to
years ago, including polishing out spilled
wine for an existing client at no charge.
Though he never intended to stay in the
business when he got in at 18, Irwin credits his passion for stone as the reason he’s
still in it today. –mh
Vickrey & Associates, consulting engineers and surveyors, joined the city’s
Transportation and Capital Improvements (TCI) group at a groundbreaking ceremony
for the extension of Hardy Oak Boulevard. Vickrey is the civil engineer of record for the
project that will provide a connection and relieve traffic in Stone Oak. –mh
Page 10
Use JPM to track
productivity during jobs
Lane Gorman Trubitt PLLC
Dallas, TX
P
oor productivity can spell disaster for
a construction project. Unfortunately,
traditional measures of productivity are
applied after the fact, so they do little to
help contractors spot issues during a job
— while there’s still time to do something about it.
To help contractors monitor productivity during jobs, ASTM International
(formerly, the American Society for Testing and Materials) developed its Job Productivity Measurement (JPM) standard.
Adopted in 2010, the standard enables
contractors to measure productivity
throughout a job and address productivity issues as they arise. It also alerts contractors to changes in productivity rates,
serving as an “early warning system” for
potential productivity problems down
the road.
Output vs. outcomes
Rather than focus on output — such as
the amount of concrete poured — JPM
looks at outcomes. Output measures the
amount of effort expended or materials
installed, with little regard for the quality
of the results. It obscures unproductive
activities, such as repairs, rework or outof-sequence work.
JPM, on the other hand, analyzes
work performed relative to actual construction put in place — that is, work
product that’s acceptable to the customer. By measuring outcomes based on the
transfer of value to the customer, JPM offers a more accurate picture of productivity in terms of actual progress toward
contract completion.
It also provides a more reliable method of measuring percentage of completion. By tying it to construction put in
place, JPM allows a contractor to make
progress billings based on value provided, regardless of the amount of cost incurred, which can improve cash flow. This
method tracks nicely with upcoming
changes to accounting rules,
which tie revenue recognition to the
completion of performance obligations.
Putting systems in place
To make JPM work, you must have
systems in place to measure, in ASTM International’s words, “observed completion of the project as accepted by the
customer.” You need to break down the
contract into tasks, assign cost codes to
each task and create a budget that assigns labor hours to each activity that
contributes to the finished product.
In addition, when relying on regular
reports from workers in the field, you
must track the observed percentage of
completion for all activities (typically,
weekly). Then, you need to compare
those results against the actual hours devoted to each activity.
Errors, repairs, rework and inefficient
processes hurt a construction company’s
productivity. Rather than discover these
issues in a “postmortem,” consider implementing JPM. By providing ongoing
feedback on problems that hurt productivity, it gives you an opportunity to correct problems during the course of a job
— enhancing your performance, cash
flow, and ultimately, your profitability.
About Lane Gorman Trubitt, PLLC
Founded in 1950, Lane Gorman Trubitt,
PLLC (LGT) is one of the largest certified
public accounting firms headquartered in
the Southwest. Dedicated to serving the
middle market, the firm represents a broad
range of clients, from individuals to public
companies, in a variety of industries. LGT
offers traditional accounting, audit and tax
services, as well as various other specialized services. In an effort to expand the services provided to valued clients, LGT has
launched three affiliated companies, LGT
Financial Advisors, LLC, LGT Insurance Services Inc. and LGT Retirement Plan Solutions. To learn more, visit http://www.lgtcpa.com.
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Invisible exclusions, part III
The new (04 13) additional
insured endorsements
Charles E. Comiskey, Sr. V.P.
Brady, Chapman, Holland & Associates, inc.
Houston, TX
T
here are three potentially significant issues with the
new (effective April 2013) additional insured endorsements. The new endorsements (1) exclude the
sole negligence of the additional insured party, (2) potentially limit the amount of recovery, and (3) according to some insurance companies
and their agents and brokers, are required to be used in place of the older, broader-inscope additional insured endorsements.
#1. The Sole Negligence Problem
The ISO CG 20 10 endorsement provides coverage for on-going exposures
only. No coverage is provided for completed operations.
The ISO CG 20 10 04 13 states that
coverage is provided to the additional insured “only with respect to liability …
caused, in whole or in part, by:
1. [insured’s] acts or omission ; or
2.. he acts or omissions of those acting
on [insured’s] behalf in the performance
of on-going operations.”
Sole negligence of the additional insured would not be “caused, in whole or
in part by” the downstream named insured, hence coverage is no longer provided for the additional insured’s sole
negligence.
The ISO CG 20 37 endorsement provides coverage to the additional insured
for completed operations exposures. As
with the CG 20 10, the CG 20 37 10 01 includes coverage for the sole negligence
of the additional insured, and the CG 20
37 04 13 excludes the additional insured’s
sole negligence.
If additional insured status including
coverage for the sole negligence of the
upstream party is needed, use of the following wording is recommended: Additional insured status shall be provided in
favor of [Upstream Parties] on a combination of ISO forms CG 20 10 10 01 and CG
20 37 10 01.
#2. The Amount of Recovery Problem
The April 2013 endorsements include three new provisions:
1. The insurance afforded to such additional insured only applied to the extent
permitted by law; and
2. If coverage provided to the additional insured is required by a contract or
agreement, the insurance afforded to
such additional insured will not be broader than that which [the named insured is]
required by the contract or agreement to
provide for such additional insured; and
3. If coverage provided to the additional insured is required by a contract or
agreement, the most we will pay on behalf of the additional insured is the
amount of insurance: Required by the
contract or agreement; or available under the applicable Limits of Insurance
shown in the Declarations; whichever is
less.
The first change is inserted to permit
the additional insured endorsement to
apply to the many various state laws affecting the provision of this coverage.
The second change is clearly intended to make the agreement the controlling document with regard to the intended scope of coverage (i.e., for what exposures coverage is granted).
The third change is problematic as it
can limit the amount of coverage provided, depending on how the construction agreement was drafted. And keep
in mind that these same terms are being
incorporated into many excess liability
policies as well as the primary general liability policies.
If you are a downstream contractor
(i.e., a subcontractor or a sub-sub), the
more limiting wording works to your
benefit. If you are an owner or upstream
contractor, the broader wording works
to your benefit.
#3. The “Required to Use” Problem
The April 2013 editions of CGL additional insured endorsements are now in
common use, and many insurance companies are firmly stating that they must
be used and the older endorsements
providing broader coverage are no longer permissible. This statement may be
true within a particular insurance company, but is absolutely not true within
the insurance industry.
The CG 20 10 10 01 and CG 20 37 10
01 additional insured endorsements remain readily available to qualified contractors. New, small or residential contractors, or contractors with insurance
agents or brokers that cannot access
qualified insurance carriers, will likely not
be able to get them.
Charles E. Comiskey, CPCU, CIC, CPIA, CRM,
PWCA, CRIS, CCM, is Sr. V.P. of Brady Chapman Holland & Assoc. and is National
Chairman of the Construction Insurance
Practice Group of RiskProNet International,
the 5th largest brokerage organization in
the U.S. He can be contacted at 713.979.9706
or [email protected].
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Fittings
Decorative Castings & Designs
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Page 11
Employers use noncompetition
& nonsolicitation agreements to
limit poaching of
key employees
Trenching and
excavation safety
Joann Natarajan
Compliance Assistance Specialist
OSHA
Austin, TX
Shelly Masters, Principal
Cokinos Bosien & Young
Austin, TX
B
etween the demands of the surging construction
market and the increasing scarcity of construction
labor in the Texas workforce, employers face a heightened risk of losing key employees to poaching by competitors. Because key employee retention is critical to the
overall success of a company, a growing number of employers are seeking ways in
which to keep key employees satisfied, limit lateral movement and prevent others
from hiring away talented workers. Thanks to recent Texas Supreme Court rulings,
well-drafted noncompetition and nonsolicitation agreements offer a viable form of
relief for employers.
Noncompetition and nonsolicitation exclusive forms of employer-generated
agreements are not synonymous. Non- consideration necessary to enforce noncompetition agreements aim to prevent competition and non-solicitation agreean employee from working for another ments. These opinions have recently
employer in a competing business while been extended to contracts with indenonsolicitation agreements preclude so- pendent contractors as well.
licitation of another in some form or fash- The key to enforcement now is that
ion (e.g., by preventing a departing em- these types of provisions must be reaployee from calling on the employer’s sonable and not impose a greater recustomers or clients or preventing an- straint than necessary to protect the emother company from soliciting the employer’s interest. The provisions must
ployer’s workforce).
Nonsolicitation state a duration of time, geographical
agreements may also be used by a com- area to be limited, and scope of activity
pany to prevent another company with to be restrained. Courts have generally
whom it has entered into a contractual held reasonable geographic restrictions
relationship (such as a general contractor include the territory in which the emor subcontractor) from soliciting its employee worked and performed services
ployees.
for the employer, the area in which the
Covenants not to compete and so- employer does business, the physical lolicit are governed by Section 15.50 – 15.52 cation of the employer’s customer or cliof the Texas Business and Commerce ents, etc. The shorter the time period,
Code. By statute, a covenant is enforce- the more likely the covenant will be enable if: (i) it is ancillary to or part of an oth- forced. If the provisions are indefinite or
erwise enforceable agreement at the time without appropriate limitations, a Court
the agreement is made; (ii) it contains will likely find them unreasonable and
reasonable limitations as to time, geo- unenforceable.
graphic area, and (iii) the scope of activi- Because Texas has become more faty restrained does not impose a greater vorable to employers than it has been in
restraint than necessary to protect the the last two decades, employers should
goodwill or other business interest of the audit existing and prospective employemployer. If the primary purpose of the ment agreements, incentive plans, prime
agreement to which the covenant is an- contracts and subcontracts to determine
cillary is found in an employment con- whether to incorporate covenants not to
tract, the employer has the burden of es- compete, solicit or hire employees and/
tablishing that the covenant meets the or customers and other provisions to prostatutory criteria.
tect confidential information and trade
Prior to recent Court opinions, the secrets. Poorly drafted provisions can
judiciary frequently found noncompeti- lead to unwanted surprises for employtion agreements to be an unreasonable ers who wrongfully believe they are relyrestraint on trade. Texas courts enforced ing on solid agreements with enforceonly narrowly tailored noncompetition able language.
agreements. Under prior law, employers Shelly Masters is a Principal in the Auswere often unsuccessful in obtaining in- tin office of Cokinos Bosien & Young. She
junctive or other relief against the em- represents clients in the areas of construcployee.
tion, labor and employment, commercial
The Texas Supreme Court has made and products liability law. Cokinos Bosien
it easier for employers seeking to restrict & Young has been representing the conkey employees from competing post- struction industry for over 25 years. She
employment. Now, trade secret informa- can be reached by e-mail at smasters@cbtion and specialized training are not the ylaw.com or by phone at (512) 615-1139.
Lab technician
Marc Davis, a technician for Braun Intertec, did some work splitting aggregate in one of
the laboratories at the company’s new branch. –mh
T
wo workers are killed every month in
trench collapses. The employer must
provide a workplace free of recognized
hazards that may cause serious injury or
death. The employer must comply with
the trenching and excavation requirements of 29 CFR 1926.651 and 1926.652.
An excavation is any man-made cut,
cavity, trench, or depression in an earth
surface formed by earth removal. Trench
(Trench excavation) means a narrow excavation (in relation to its length) made
below the surface of the ground. In general, the depth is greater than the width,
but the width of a trench (measured at
the bottom) is not greater than 15 feet
(4.6 meters).
General Trenching and Excavation Rules:
• Keep heavy equipment away from
trench edges.
• Identify other sources that might affect
trench stability.
• Keep excavated soil (spoils) and other
materials at least 2 feet (0.6 meters) from
trench edges.
• Know where underground utilities are
located before digging. In Texas, dial 811
to request utility location at least two
business days prior to digging.
• Test for atmospheric hazards such as
low oxygen, hazardous fumes and toxic
gases when greater than 4 feet deep.
• Inspect trenches at the start of each
shift.
• Inspect trenches following a rainstorm
or other water intrusion.
• Do not work under suspended or raised
loads and materials.
Did You
know
?
• Inspect trenches after any occurrence
that could have changed conditions in
the trench.
• Ensure that personnel wear high visibility or other suitable clothing when exposed to vehicular traffic.
Protective Systems:
There are different types of protective systems. Benching means a method
of protecting workers from cave-ins by
excavating the sides of an excavation to
form one or a series of horizontal levels or
steps, usually with vertical or near vertical surfaces between levels. Benching
cannot be done in Type C soil. Sloping
involves cutting back the trench wall at
an angle inclined away from the excavation. Shoring requires installing aluminum hydraulic or other types of supports
to prevent soil movement and cave-ins.
Shielding protects workers by using
trench boxes or other types of supports
to prevent soil cave-ins. Designing a protective system can be complex because
you must consider many factors: soil classification, depth of cut, water content of
soil, changes caused by weather or climate, surcharge loads (e.g., spoil, other
materials to be used in the trench) and
other operations in the vicinity.
For more information:
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/trenchingexcavation/index.html
http://www.texas811.org
[email protected]
512-374-0271 x232
Construction News
reaches
your target market
Page 12
She lights up your life
Industry FOLKS
Clarence “CJ” Gore
Fabrication Shop Foreman
Comfort-Air Engineering
C
larence Gore, better known as CJ,
just celebrated 14 years working at
Comfort-Air Engineering on Feb. 12.
Soon after graduating from Madison
High School, Gore started at the company as a delivery driver, driving parts
to jobs. In time, he moved into the
sheet metal shop, and today, at 33, he
runs the whole fabrication department.
Gore cites the people as the reason
he has stayed with the company for his
entire career. He observes that everyone is like family, and while there are
ups and downs, everyone works together and cares about each other. He is
also very grateful that Comfort-Air has
allowed him to pursue his love of music,
allowing him to take time off to hit the
road and play shows. Gore is a drummer, and about five years ago, he recalls
he was playing about 25 dates a month.
“I started playing guitar when I
was really young, I think in middle
school,” says Gore. “In my family on my
dad’s side, everybody plays music. So, I
started playing guitar, and it was fun,
but once I got a hold of a pair of drumsticks in eighth or ninth grade, I
couldn’t stop. I just wanted to play every second of every day.”
Right now, he plays with the Jeff
Jacobs Band, but he will play with
groups when they need a fill-in drummer. He has played all over the southeast. He’s played in Austin a lot, Houston, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and a
lot of little towns with one venue on
their way to a bigger show. Though his
current band doesn’t have any upcom-
ing gigs, they’re spending their time in
the studio recording their second album. Though the first was self-produced, this one, “Livin’ Life Free,” is being professionally produced and will
be released in approximately three to
four months and available on iTunes.
Music isn’t Gore’s only interest; a
while back he and two partners had a
production company and website
called 5Live. He describes the site as investigative journalism, fairly similar to
Vice.com. One of his partners in the endeavor was the editor and Gore wrote
for the site and handled its marketing.
He recalls that one article went viral
with about 50,000 shares across social
media. In the end, the three of them
decided that the website wasn’t sustainable, and the venture lasted about
a year.
Now, Gore is trying to venture into
the world of craft beer. He has been
doing a lot of craft beer tasting as opposed to just drinking. He’s even interning one to two days at a time with
various craft breweries, learning the
actual science of how to brew.
For exercise, Gore enjoys running
and doing 5Ks. He has a puppy and is
engaged to Analisa Farias with the date
set for Oct. 17 of this year. –mh
L-R: Sean Stellato, project manager; Stacie Gray, president; Chris Stellato, quotations
T
hree years ago, Stacie Gray took
over Lone Star Lighting as president, and since then, she has been
helping to run the business her husband,
Al “Skeeter” Gray and Ken Flory started in 1991.
Gray originally came to work for the
company in 1997. Unfortunately, nine
years after the company was founded,
Flory passed away. After that, Gray
stepped up from her sales position at
Lone Star to a more managerial role. She
recalls that it was a challenge at first, but
it’s one she overcame “just by doing it.”
Her husband, who has a degree in
history, was in the marketing training
program with a major manufacturer
where he learned the lighting sciences.
He has been working in the lighting industry since the mid-1980s. Stacie graduated from the University of Colorado with
a degree in architectural engineering in
1980, subsequently working in the lighting or electrical engineering part of the
business. Since college, she has been in-
volved in the Illuminating Engineering
Society (IES).
Lone Star sells lighting and control
products, representing more than 80 different manufacturers. Most of those
products are for commercial, institutional
and industrial lighting. The residential
market accounts for around 10 percent of
Lone Star’s business.
In its portfolio history, Lone Star has
done a majority of lighting on the AT&T
Center, a major addition at USAA, several
Alamo Community College District
(ACCD) projects at different campuses,
work at UTSA and Port of Corpus Christi,
and Lone Star recently completed a job
on a new Silo restaurant.
Gray notes that she and her husband
run the business together. He travels a lot
in their territory, which includes Corpus
Christi and Laredo. They have two grown
sons, one of whom is in the Marine Corps
and the other is attending the University
of Colorado. –mh
Changes in market temperature
10843 Gulfdale San Antonio, TX 78216
210-829-1793
Serving the construction industry for over 28 years
Charlie Gallagher, branch manager of the Century A/C Supply on Wetmore Road, says that
York’s air conditioning line has opened up the branch’s customer base.
B
usiness changes, like the seasons,
fluctuate with the needs of the markets served by a supplier. In the case
of Century A/C Supply on Wetmore Road,
Charlie Gallagher, branch manager, observes that their business has experienced
a couple of shifts in the last few years.
Gallagher started at Century in 1987,
soon after the branch opened, as a delivery driver and worked all aspects of the
business through the years, from counter
to outside sales, eventually ascending to
his current position around 2004.
About two years ago, he noticed that
contractors were coming in who were
working to get air conditioning into the
camps in the South Texas area. With few
hotels or options for living accommodations in the Eagle Ford Shale, the employees working in the oil field were staying
in camps that needed AC.
With the oil industry boosting business, the branch experienced another
boon when they acquired the York brand
air conditioning equipment late last year.
Though Century sells commercial and
residential HVAC products, the branch
has not had a line that is heavy on commercial equipment before, and securing
York’s products has really put their commercial sales on the rise in the last four or
five months.
One of two stores in San Antonio, the
branch on Wetmore has seven employees and is about the average size for a
branch of the Century Companies, which
has its corporate office in Houston. Gallagher believes that he couldn’t ask for a
nicer owner to work for in founder and
CEO Dennis Bearden.
When he’s not helping contractors
get cool, he’s heating them up with barbecue at any event he can get to, including ACCA and PHCC events and the rodeos in San Antonio and Houston. He’s
even taken his barbecue on the road to
the American Royal Rodeo in Kansas City.
–mh
Page 13
Fueling up for work
Some Xtreme equipment
L-R: Brothers Brent and Mark Marshall provide members of the construction industry
with the fuel they need out in the field.
L-R: At Ahern Rentals, Izzy Uriegas, Hector Salazar Jr. and Jesus Apolinar have forklifts
to the extreme – Xtreme forklifts by Xtreme Manufacturing, that is. The equipment rental
company and Xtreme have the same owner, Don Ahern. –mh
We heard it through the pipe line
L-R: Jerry Flores; Adam Rylas, warehouse supervisor; Jennifer Lee; Bill Lawrence;
and Matt Martinez have a lot of work coming down the pipe. All-Tex Pipe & Supply is
currently working on the convention center and the Frost Bank project, as well as jobs in
high schools and in Boerne. –mh
F
ifty years ago, John Marshall got
into the fuel business. Three years
later, he started Marshall Distributing Co. in Seguin. In the late ‘80s, the
company moved to San Antonio to expand its territory and add new services
and suppliers. John’s sons, Brent and
Mark Marshall, bought their father out
in the early ‘90s and the company has
been under their leadership ever since.
As a fuel supplier, Marshall performs
construction onsite fueling services for
equipment or service trucks at the jobsite
or in the yard.
Brent explains that this service is
“great for reducing or eliminating labor
cost and increasing production profit.” He
adds, “Our professionally trained employees can come on regularly scheduled
route or fuel equipment during off-use
hours or shift changes allowing your manpower and equipment to be ready to go.”
The Marshall brothers practically
grew up in the company, and today, they
have 64 years of combined experience.
The company has always provided fuel
products, services, tanks and equipment
to commercial business, retail, government, farm and ranch, auto dealers,
schools, marinas, and of course, construction.
“The construction industry runs a lot
of equipment to get their job done and
that equipment needs fuel to run,” states
Brent. “We provide fast friendly solutions.
Fuel is one of the biggest expense items
our customers incur and we take great
pride in saving them money or time or
worry when it comes to their fuel needs.
In recent months, the fuel prices have
dropped considerably, and we are glad to
see that for our customer operating budgets.”
Marshall’s services focus on supplying gasoline and diesel products through
direct delivery, wet hosing, fuel fleet card,
and tank and equipment packages for
permanent or temporary jobsites. –mh
A36 Metal Studios.com
Architectural and Light Fabrication
eMail [email protected]
Cell # 210-326-3683
South I35@ 1604
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Page 14
A cure for boring concrete
Serving up a super bowl
O
n Jan. 30, the Friday before the Super Bowl, Luna Architecture +
Design held its own event – the
inaugural Luna Bowl Chili Cook-Off. The
event, which Luna intends to do every
year, even had guest “celebrity” judges,
including Tom Guido, Guido Construction; Christina Taylor, H2MG; David
Ash, D ASH Construction Management;
Nick Holscher, Kimley Horn; Robert
Saunders, NeoM; Craig Martinez, Vickrey Associates; and Matt Hoffer, Lehman Engineering. –mh
Winners
Grand Champion: Ozy Martinez
2nd: Jose Yanez
3rd: Charli Valadez
The first place winner took home
a super Luna “bowl.”
After working in concrete for decades, Andrew Hernandez Sr. found
his specialty calling in decorative concrete.
A
lthough Andrew Hernandez Sr.
started Decorative Concrete Designs & Repairs about 10 years
ago, he has 28 years of experience in decorative concrete work and a combined 42
years of experience in the concrete business.
At 54, Hernandez has done everything in concrete, but he believes decorative was his calling. He enjoyed the process of coloring concrete, and he recalls
that 20 years ago, he couldn’t give a
stamped job away. As the specialty
evolved, he notes the industry has grown
more and more interesting.
His jobs include an entryway with a
carpet layout that included a vine and
leaves as part of the design and a repair
to the asphalt in downtown San Antonio
where he poured black concrete that
matched the asphalt when it dried.
His “trophy job” was a repair at the
San Antonio International Airport Air
Traffic Control Tower years ago when the
extension was added to the offices at the
base. The tilt wall had a granite banner
on it, and when the panels were raised,
all the granite fell off. He’s proud to say
that though other companies were consulted about the problem, he came up
with a system to fix the issue within 30
minutes.
Eager to teach others, he does consulting and training on the job, traveling
to show people how to stain, overlay or
stamp concrete. To keep himself current
on the newest techniques and the cutting edge of the industry, he has been attending the World of Concrete conference in Las Vegas whenever possible
since 1989.
Originally from Chicago, Hernandez
came to San Antonio in 1982 to join family here. His grandfather and uncles did
concrete work, and now his two sons, Andrew Jr. and Anthony, do decorative concrete with Andrew Jr.’s own company.
Hernandez says that they could be called
competitors, but he doesn’t see it that
way. –mh
After 20 years, Luna Architecture + Design hosted its first ever chili cook-off.
Page 15
are several pointers I will give you to help you be a better angler when throwing surface plugs. Not every
game fish can be raised with a popping plug, of course,
but most can’t resist the temptation to blast what appears to be a helpless meal - even if they have no idea
just what it is. That even applies to fish that aren’t hungry. Presentation is key when working surface baits. On
calm mornings I tend to use smaller baits than I would if
it was windy. Work the bait with a side to side action and
a slow retrieve with frequent pauses. On winder days
move up to a larger plug such as a Top Dog or She Dog
and be a little more aggressive with your retrieve and
less frequent stops or perhaps none at all. Try different
retrieves of rhythm to find what works best on that given day. Another tip that will be very useful when fishing
surface baits, is to not try and set the hook to quickly
when you see the fish hit the lure. Lots of times they will
miss or short strike on the first pass only to come back
and hit it again. Once you find the tempo your target
fish wants, it could make for some explosive action.
Also, those who say top water lures only work in early
mornings and late evenings, have obviously never given
them a solid effort during mid-day wades.
Spring outlook
is promising
by Capt. Steve Schultz
Sponsored by:
Premier Yamaha Boating Center, Majek Boats, E-Z
Bel Construction, Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor,
Aggregate Haulers, Interstate Batteries, Simms Products,
Pure Fishing, Mirr-O-Lure, ForEverlast Hunting and
Fishing Products and Columbia Sportswear.
F
or the last several months I’ve been fishing with my
fingers crossed, not so much for the fishing luck
but for what our water conditions have been. So
far this year the waters of the Upper Laguna Madre
(ULM) and Baffin Bay Complex have been in great shape
and free of any algae blooms, even with the extreme
low tides we had during February. I hope I’m not speaking too soon, but just maybe the winter rains we had
will be enough to keep our bays clear through the
spring and summer months.
Cameron Zelnik (5) of Katy, TX caught this sheephead on his
cast last month during an outing with Capt. Steve Schultz. As
you can tell from the picture, he was one proud angler.
As we enter into March, we start seeing the early stages
of our spring weather patterns. Hopefully, cold fronts
will just be a change in our wind directions and a slight
atmospheric temperature change. Surface bait activity
should be more present as our water temperatures
should be steadily rising and nearing the 70-degree
mark. I guess it’s time to break out the topwater lures
and get ready for some explosive surface action. There
In the product section this month while we are on the
subject of top water baits, I would recommend using the
line of baits produced by MirrOlure. They offer one of
the largest selection of floating and slow sinking bait in
the industry. Top Dogs and She Dogs both come in several sizes to meet all fishing conditions along with Catch
2000, Catch 5 and MirrOdine lures. All these lures come
in an assortment of colors and patterns which are assured to catch fish. Look them up on the web at www.
shopmirrolure.com or your nearest tackle retailer.
To schedule your next bay fishing trip give Capt. Steve
Schultz a call at 361-813-3716 or 361-334-3105 or e-mail
him at [email protected]. Still have
several days open in March although summer is filling
up quick. Good luck and Good Fishing.
Making a live appearance
STEVE SCHULTZ OUTDOORS, LLC
E
veryone knows that the Great Outdoors section of Construction News
is the perfect place to claim your
bragging rights from a successful hunt or
fishing trip, but did you know that we
also welcome photos of live animals?
Last month in Great Outdoors, we
featured Gary Weaver, Timber Tech Texas,
visiting the mountain gorillas of Uganda.
We’ve also featured photos of wildlife
taken locally, such as deer grazing in the
backyard.
Whether you’re on a hike or on vacation, or even on your own ranch or patio,
we invite you to send photos of creatures
great and small.
BAFFIN BAY –– LAGUNA MADRE –– LAND CUT
SPECKLED TROUT –– REDFISH –– FLOUNDER
FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS
(361) 813-3716
(361) 334-3105
www.baffinbaycharters.com
[email protected]
U.S. Coast Guard &
Texas Parks and Wildlife Licensed
Here’s Dean, my three-legged dog, chilling in the sun after a brief romp in the
surf at Corpus Christi beach on a sunny
summer afternoon.
If you have a photo of your pet out
and about with you that you would like
to share in the paper, please send it to us.
We love animals, and we know that so
many of our readers have animal companions of all kinds and sizes. –mh
Call Mary at 210-308-5800 or send to:
[email protected]
For example, here’s a squirrel who came
by to inspect my wilted poinsettia (before my dog chased him away).
Page 16
Ken Milam’s Fishing Line
Since 1981, Ken Milam has been guiding fishing trips for striped bass on Lake Buchanan in
the Texas Hill Country,. You can hear Ken on radio on Saturday and Sunday mornings, 6-8
AM on AM 1300, The Zone – Austin, or http://www.am1300the zone.com
Spring fishing
by Max Milam
S
pring is almost upon us and the
weather is getting nice. The water is
getting warmer and the fish are
starting to stir. March is my favorite
month of the year to fish; you really don’t
know what you will catch with each cast.
This is because the warmest water is in
the shallows and this is where the baitfish
will be along with multiple species starting to spawn.
Largemouth and crappie are finally
moving back into the shallows and this is
a great time to take the kids fishing. How
many of you have memories of going
fishing with your dad or granddad sitting
on the bank with a cane pole catching
perch or crappie? Those memories very
likely took place during the spring or early summer, during this pattern. The best
part about spring fishing is that you don’t
need a boat; all you need is a hook, some
bait, and some water. Rather it is a pond
in your subdivision or Lake Buchanan
there is a good chance that you can catch
something and create memories in the
process.
Spring is also the time of year when
you can catch some trophy sized blue
catfish. I can remember one trip I had
some years ago when we were fishing
shallow with big baits looking for big
spawning female stripers and we found
one. As I started to turn the boat to chase
down the big fish another rod bent over
and started screaming out drag, I thought
oh boy we have two big stripers and was
getting ready for the rodeo. We continued to chase down and land the first fish,
an 18 pound striper, and then we turned
and started after the second fish. We
could see it throwing a wake 100 feet off
of the side of the boat, our adrenaline
was pumping because we knew it had to
be a potential lake record striper, and
then all of a sudden I thought I saw it rolling. Well stripers don’t roll and I knew we
had a catfish that we all would remember
for the rest of our lives. After about twenty minutes we finally landed a 48 pound
blue cat. It just goes to show you even
the guys that do it for living can make
new memories this time of year.
On your next day off grab your fishing gear, or call your favorite guide. Load
up the kiddos, a friend, or a neighbor and
go make some memories. I see stories everyday where some lucky fisherman
catches a fish of a lifetime, and many
times it is caught in a place where the
people that “know” what they are doing
would never suspect a fish like that to be
lurking. If nothing else you will have
spent some quality time with good company enjoy a beautiful spring day in the
great outdoors.
Max Milam (son of Ken Milam) has been
running fishing trips for several years at
Lake Buchanan. Max is a graudate of Texas
A & M, with a degree recreation, parks and
tourism.
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
A buck on the home range
Snow escape
Candace Wilhelm, 19-year-old daughter of Gary Wilhelm, owner and president of
Mesquite Interiors and Sandi Wilhelm, vice president, works part-time at her parents’
company, and she shot this 10-point buck on the family ranch near Floresville. –mh
Members of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) San Antonio Chapter hit the
slopes for the annual ski trip to Steamboat Springs, CO Jan. 29-Feb. 2. The long
weekend included continuing education classes and plenty of opportunities for
fun on and off the slopes. –mh
Gone west
David and Mary Hazlett found peace and
beauty in White Sands National Monument,
their favorite stop along a road trip through
New Mexico.
S
ometimes, your San Antonio editor
for Construction News – that’s me,
Mary Hazlett – has the urge to hit
the road and explore. In that spirit, my
newlywed husband, David, and I went on
a weekend road trip through New Mexico.
The Land of Enchantment did not
A girl and her gilt
Found: proof of alien life!
disappoint. We sledded down the pristine dunes of White Sands National Monument, stood in the shadow of a lava
flow frozen in time in the Valley of Fires,
followed the Rio Grande through the
mountains from Santa Fe to Taos, and
stopped in Roswell for a close encounter
of the nerd kind. –mh
Lexy Thornton, niece of Cherie Foerster, executive director of the Builders’ Exchange of
Texas, won first place in her class with Marley, her Duroc gilt, at the San Antonio Stock Show.
Standing with Lexy are her parents, Tim and Kim Thorton, who is Foerster’s sister. –mh
2nd
Annual
Mr & Mrs. Big
Trout Scholarship
Tournament
April 30
to May2
Yes, that is the world’s largest pistachio.
Ladies Fish May 1
Men Fish May 2
Our purpose for this event is to create
a Scholarship Fund for students studying Marine Biology at Corpus Christi
A&M University and to practice fish
conservation setting a standard for future tournaments. And, most of all, to
be safe on the water and have fun.
Hosted by
See MrBigTrout.com for more details
Contact: Doug 210-213-8289
Cindy 210-385-9195
Pattie 210-885-8593
Page 18
E
Page 19
basiC humanity
very weekday morning before going
into work at Raba Kistner Consultants, Inc. (RKCI), Frank Martinez,
supervisor for the Construction Materials
Engineering and Testing department,
goes to SAMMinistries’ Transitional Living
and Learning Center at 5 a.m. to make
sure 40 homeless families have breakfast
and sack lunches for their children.
This effort to provide food to the
homeless began with Martinez’s brother,
Joe Othon, and their fellow parishioner
from Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Scott
Thomas. Three years ago, when they got
their foot in the door at SAMMinistries on
Blanco Road, Martinez joined in the
cause. Seeing a need and an opportunity
to provide help and a service, they decided to get organized and formed basiC
(brothers and sisters in Christ) Ministries,
and Martinez was elected its president.
In the three years since establishing
basiC Ministries, they have gone from offering breakfast, consisting of tacos and
sandwiches, one day a week, to offering
breakfast, including pancakes, a variety
of tacos and sandwiches, fruit, and sack
lunches, Monday through Friday. They’ve
gone from the original three founders to
approximately 40 volunteers, including
meal teams of five to seven volunteers
that come in and cook everything on site
at 5 a.m.
“We see the results of our efforts,”
says Martinez. “We see the people at
breakfast. We see the kids pick up the
sack lunches, and they’re very appreciative of that. Something as simple as a
bean and cheese taco just means a lot to
these folks, because some of them don’t
have the funds.”
Others at Raba Kistner have joined in
Martinez’s effort. Receptionist Pam Mora
and her two sons are part of a meal team.
Last year, Frank Martinez won United Way’s
Volunteer of the Year in the Faith-Based
category for his work as president of basic
Ministries.
Katrina Conner, Martinez’s dispatcher at
the firm, helped them develop their Facebook and website. Conner is just one of
several volunteers who work behind the
scenes because they cannot be there
physically in the morning, but they can
help with administration and marketing.
Raba Kistner’s Andy Matelski brings his
barbecue pit to basiC fundraisers, and
field techs bring in old clothes for Martinez to take to the center.
Martinez’s work with basiC led to
SAMMinistries nominating him for an
award from United Way last year. Up
against three or four other big organizations in San Antonio, Martinez took home
the Volunteer of the Year Award in the
faith-based category. Meanwhile, basiC is
in the process of applying for 501 nonprofit status. –mh
Construction News JOB SIGHT
Getting up and running
At the new office for IBTX Risk Services, Emmanuel Pineiro, Punchdown
Telecommunications, which does infrastructure and network cabling, was helping them
get established by installing cat 5 cables for the data drops inside the walls. –mh
15 to 500 Ton
Capacities
Available for your
Toughest Projects
Reroofing at SAMC.
We can help you
stay dry in all types
of building trades.
To celebrate his award, Raba Kistner hosted an office reception for Frank Martinez, pictured
here with reception guests Dr. Robert Costigan and Richard Kistner.
A sign of home
from
El Paso to Beaumont
Amarillo to Brownsville
www.alamocrane.com
35 Years of Service
to Texas
A team of HOLT CAT employees helped install permanent building signage for Boysville
in Converse. The project aimed to improve the aesthetic of the 78-acre campus that is
home to children who are unable to live in their homes due to family disruption. HOLT
CAT brought volunteer manpower and heavy equipment to plant the signs, which are
limestone with iron lettering. –mh
San Antonio (210) 344-7370
Austin
(512) 282-6866
Toll Free
(800) 880-0134
Page 20
S
Centrally relocated
Ground control
Bryan Moore, principal in San Antonio, stands outside the office building
that IBTX Risk Services now calls home.
Dan Corrigan, owner and president of C-3 Environmental Services, with his wife, Christin
ince IBTX Risk Services deals in risk
and what’s best for a company and
its people, the firm took a risk of its
own to the same ends, relocating from
its office on Hausman Road to Suite 100
of the Union Square I building at 10101
Reunion Place.
The new space is 10,981sf and will
help accommodate IBTX’s expanding
footprint in the Alamo City. In a growth
mode for the last two years, the San Antonio office has increased its staff by
more than 25 percent with more than 50
employees and more to be added soon.
“This move provides us an office
identity that reflects our strong South
Texas presence and accommodates our
future growth plans as we continue to
expand our insurance, employee benefits, bonding, risk management services
and wealth management capabilities,”
states Stephen Smith, IBTX president.
“We are continuing to hire and grow our
client base and our new office space will
allow us to continue to grow our enterprise of services for our clients.”
Bryan Moore, owner/partner in San
Antonio, noted that moving so many
people is not easy, but the benefit of having multiple locations is that the Dallas
office picked up the service slack while
the San Antonio office was down. Now,
as the office gets settled, employees are
enjoying amenities such as covered parking and a lunchroom downstairs that services the building. The office also has a
kitchen now.
“This is a smarter space than the other one,” observes Moore. “It’s going to
give us room for growth. It’s just a better
space for us. It’s more cost effective for
us, better layout, better location.”
Now centrally located close to the
airport, the firm is not only convenient to
its San Antonio market but for IBTX team
members flying between the Dallas and
San Antonio offices. –mh
W
hen Dan Corrigan says he
started from the ground up,
one could take him very literally, because his company, C-3 Environmental Services, has all of its roots in
groundwork.
After graduating from high school,
Corrigan got right out into the field, moving from South Texas to Austin and going
to work for an environmental company
there. While working in Austin, he built
up experience doing erosion control and
re-vegetation projects.
Ten years ago, when the company
Corrigan worked for was traveling to San
Antonio periodically as the Alamo City
started on its upswing, he noticed a need
for erosion control and other ground services in the San Antonio market. He started C-3 to fill that void.
Based in Schertz, C-3 is an erosion
control company that does work in all
markets, with residential new development accounting for about 70-percent of
the workload. The company offers ser-
vices that include retention and filtration
ponds, stabilized retention walls, rock
berms, hydro seeding, construction exits
and tree protection as well as light concrete work and concrete washouts.
Corrigan notes that the cyclical market took some adjustment. So, as he conservatively grew the company, he sought
opportunities to diversify the business.
That is how C-3 started doing land clearing and grinding.
C-3 did a lot of work with Zachry on
the Mission Reach, doing rock gabion
structures, engineered wire baskets that
are filled with rocks and used to hold
back earthen structures. Another project
that stands out for Corrigan was the large
earthen reinforced walls, some 80 and
100 feet, which they built for the Sonoma
Verde subdivision.
At the office, Corrigan has 55 employees he keeps busy with work. At
home, he has a wife and three young kids
who keep him busy with sports. –mh
He nailed it
For general contractor Helmke & Associates’ office remodel on Gatecrest,
Manuel worked on the wood trim. –mh
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Page 21
Salsa extravaganza
T
he Associated General Contractors
(AGC) San Antonio Chapter spiced
up this year’s 12th annual Salsa
Taste-Off Mixer Feb. 12 by bringing the
event to the new headquarters of Joeris
General Contractors, complete with a
A firm frame
mariachi band. The turnout was tremendous with 28 companies participating,
and 139 votes cast by attendees. –mh
Showmanship Award:
Construction Leadership Forum (CLF)
Leaders at Lehmann L-R: Darrell Lehmann, Cindy Delgado, Aaron Staas
B
1st Place: Terracon Consultants, Inc.
2nd Place: Allen & Allen Company
3rd Place and People’s Choice: San Marcos Air Conditioning
Three men at work
eing a structural engineer, Darrell
Lehmann probably had more professional insight on how to structure his firm, Lehmann Engineering,
than he realized when he started out in
2003.
“The engineering came naturally to
me,” says Lehmann. “The hardest part
was starting the business – making business decisions, marketing decisions, all
the hats that you have to wear that aren’t
actually the number crunching part of
engineering.”
Though Lehmann found the business side the most challenging part of
striking out on his own, he seems to have
applied some of his expertise to building
a framework so that his firm could stand
up with strong reinforcement in all the
right places.
His first hire was Cindy Delgado,
and he charged her with the business
management so that he could focus on
engineering. His second hire was Juan
Valdez, who was a CAD draftsman and is
now a graduate engineer still working for
the firm. Soon, he hired Aaron Staas, a
graduate engineer from Texas A&M who
was licensed in 2009 and became a partner, buying into the firm in 2012.
Today, he has 20 employees, among
them three licensed engineers, two
graduate engineers, a lot of CAD techs
and several administrators.
He notes, “My goal for the future is
for this company to provide opportunities for the people working for it, for
them to be able to actualize their goals in
engineering.”
Lehmann’s firm has touched on every kind of project except for single-family residential. They have worked on the
Scobee Challenger Learning Center at
San Antonio College and at the San Antonio Zoo, as well as working with landscape architects on the San Antonio River Mission Reach. Also, the firm has partnered with a client firm to offer AE services to the wireless communication industry. –mh
2nd Annual Citywide High School
Construction Career Day
APRIL 8, 2015 9am - 2pm
Freeman Expo Hall
n
o
i
t
1200 select San Antonio and surounding
area high school students will attend
Hosted by
to see equipment and skill demonBYF
and
TCCI
strations and visit with area
Sponsored by
contractors and profesThe Builders Exchange
sionals representing
Education Council,
Gibson Plumbing, Memco
various trades and
Zachry Construction Corpration
industry
Marek Brothers, PHCC,
professions.
MCA-SMACNA, Beyer Boys, Moen
i
t
e
p
om
d
l
i
u
t
n
e
Greg Moore, I-Work; Chris Powell, superintendent for general contractor C2C
Construction; and Michael Jones, I-Work were busy at the site of the new Family
Dollar on Perrin Beitel. The project manager is Duane Shelton, and completion is
expected in April. –mh
S
d
u
t
C
B
Exhibitor Space and volunteer
opportunities still available!
For information call
Texas Construction career Initiative (TCCI)
210-701-1893
Page 22
Bringing down the house
Standing strong
S
T
Based in Selma, the ColeBrack team has done a variety of work,
but they have a soft spot for demolition.
hough ColeBrack Enterprises was
established as a general contractor,
the company specializes in demolition. Ernest Coleman, vice president,
notes that they do a lot of interior demolition – though they do exterior, too – and
asbestos often gets in the way. So, dealing with that issue, the team also specializes in asbestos and lead-based paint
abatement.
Along with Ernest, David Coleman
is also a vice president, and Robert
Bracken Jr. is president. All three leaders
of the company have at least 25 years of
experience in environmental remediation and demolition. Their senior estimator, Gerry Alexander, has more than 30
years of experience in the same field. Alexander feels the highlight of his job is
being the successful bidder on a project,
completing it, and turning a profit for the
company.
ColeBrack has done a little bit of everything - from small houses to big hotels
and schools. They have worked under
fixed price, cost plus and negotiated contracts. They’ve done projects ranging
from $1,500 to $2.7 million, and they’ve
performed abatements that were more
than 1 million square feet. They also have
extensive experience in government
work as a both prime contractor and subcontractor with more than 600 city, state
and federal – as well as private – projects
under their belts.
With determination to continue its
growth through diversification and customer service, the company also does
new construction and remodeling, construction management and design build.
They emphasize strict adherence to all
EPA, OSHA, state and local regulations,
stating that they have had no non-compliance regarding time completions or
quality deficiencies. The company has
also established their own standard operating format and quality assurance program. –mh
ince Voges Drilling Co. does foundation piers, it’s not surprising that
its leader, Jack McKinney, knew
how to keep his business standing on
solid legs through the recent recession.
When the downturn hit the company
in 2008, Voges made the most of the opportunities that came its way, including
the transition from doing solely commercial projects to doing projects for TxDOT.
McKinney says that with stimulus money
coming into Central Texas, some bridge
projects were released quickly, and in the
City of San Antonio, a lot of work was being done on the River Walk.
“We took advantage of those opportunities and kind of came out of the recession with a little firmer presence in the
TxDOT arena, if you will,” comments McKinney. “I would say probably at least half
of our workload is in roads and bridges
right now.”
He says they learned to monitor the
level of infrastructure building in the area
– not only roads and bridges, but also
schools and work for the Corps of Engineers, for example. He has also developed
a better understanding of the relationship
between public works and private works.
He sees what he refers to as a “build it and
they will come” pattern, where the state
expends funds to develop infrastructure
and private enterprise comes along to
build onto that foundation.
As work kicked up in the oil field, retaining his employees was a priority. Realizing that employees are an investment,
McKinney kept his valued workers by staying competitive and matching a large portion of their health insurance. For example, there was a big demand for crane operators in the oil field, and knowing this,
Voges reviewed the compensation packages with his four trained crane operators,
making a commitment to them, and they
made a commitment to stay with Voges,
and McKinney didn’t lose anyone.
Jack McKinney, owner and president of
Voges Drilling Co. in New Braunfels, adapted
to the changing economy and gave Voges a
stronger foundation.
Adding that the recession afforded
him opportunities to pick up more equipment and build the company up, McKinney says the economic slump ended for
them when they started work on the new
Amazon.com warehouse in Schertz in
late 2012. Since then, Voges posted its
best years to date in 2013 and 2014.
Now, with a new group of owners
and general contractors in the area, McKinney has watched Voges’ market change,
and he quotes Mike Tyson, saying that everybody has a plan until they get punched
in the face.
“For a business owner, you have to
understand that a plan is going to change
and that the trick is, especially with an
event like a recession, to understand why
it changes,” he says. “Accept the fact that
it’s going to change, but understand
why.” –mh
Going green board
Specializing in Industrial Scrap Metal
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2300 Frio City Rd.
210-927-2727
www.monterreyiron.com
The U.S. Green Building Council-Central Texas Balcones Chapter announced its new
board of directors for 2015-16. This year’s board includes second-year members Karen
Bishop, SARA; Cliff Braddock, PEPCO Energy Services; Paul Brown, Bautex Systems;
Pam Carpenter, 7th Generation Design; Brad Garner, Garner Development Services;
Jane Baxter Lynn, JBL Strategies; and Marc Stroope, Gardner Law Firm; second-term
members Mehmet Boz, AECom; Scott Gerhardt, CORE USA; and Michael Sweeney,
Arup; and new members: Jim Brunson, Satterfield & Pontikes Construction; Bonny
Gray, GSC Architects; Andy Kim, Austin Community College; Reed Sternberg, Texas
Green Realtor; and Lisa Storer, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Sustainable Sites
Initiative. Alternate board members are Andrew Clements, Texas Department of State
Health Services; and Beth Guillot, Fuse Architecture Studio. –mh
Page 23
First on the range
The morning paper
T
he Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) South Texas Chapter
hosted the first industry event to be
held at Top Golf, just 12 days after the entertainment venue’s grand opening.
With around 200 RSVPs, about 240
showed up at the modern driving range,
taking turns in their teams’ game bays to
drive for fun and points. Even members
who don’t play golf enjoyed the event.
“It’s the newest entertainment venue
in San Antonio,” comments Steven Schultz, chapter president. “We didn’t know
what to expect. We knew everybody
would have a great time. That’s what ABC
is all about, fun and friends.” –mh
Justin Calvin, SpawGlass, takes his turn
swinging for his team.
Diana Wigington-Hilleary, jack-of-all-trades in the office at Capital Pumping,
perused the paper before getting ready to start invoicing for the previous day. –mh
Over 100 years of
building relationships
L-R: Tye Gardner, Trade Management; Bob
Luton, ROMCO Equipment; DeWitt Bebout,
Kennedy Wire Rope & Sling Co.
Saul Robles, right, with his son Justin Robles,
26, who is interning at his father’s demolition
company, Robles1.
Since 1913, Fisk has been one of the nation’s leading
providers for the design, installation and maintenance
of electrical systems, structured cabling applications,
integrated electronic security systems, and building
technology solutions.
L-R: Debbie Martin, Lundberg Masonry;
Stephanie O’Rourke, Cokinos Bosien &
Young; Greg Allen, T&D Moravits and Co.;
Lynn Lundberg, Lundberg Masonry
Houston, TX (1913)
713.868.6111
Dallas, TX (1956)
972.466.0900
San Antonio, TX (1968)
210.828.3325
New Orleans, LA (1969)
504.889.0811
Las Vegas, NV (1989)
702-435-5053
Miami, FL (1997)
305.884.5311
Los Angeles, CA (2011)
818.884.1166
Customer Support Center
713.868.6111
Gasoline – On Road Diesel – Off Road Diesel
On Site Fueling – Wet Hosing – Temporary Loaner Tanks
We Loan City Approved UL-2085 Vaulted Tanks
L-R: (Standing) Andy Lindsey and David Campbell, South Texas Drywall; Bernie Ball, Traugott
Inc.; Michael Traugott Jr., Tammy and Alan Thompson, and David Dolby, South Texas Drywall;
(seated) Joe Cockerham, South Texas Drywall; Stacy Littlefield, Ryan Lambert
and Chris Jacobs, Equipment Depot
Extra Papers?
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select “Subscribe.”
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Brent & Mark Marshall
Page 24
continued from Page 1 — Due vigilance
Independent Electrical
Contractors, Inc.
15th Annual
IEC San Antonio
BBQ Cook-Off
Saturday, March 21
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Helotes Festival Grounds
Adults - $7.00
Kids under 12 - $5.00
Price includes BBQ Plate
Kid’s activities/games
Apprentice Wire-Off Competition
Public Welcome
In his time as owner, Stephens has
foiled many who should fear GPS for a
different reason. He notes that they have
found and recovered a lot of stolen
equipment – literally, tons of it. Clients
can log in on the website to view data for
their own vehicles or equipment, and
Stephens can use this same tracking data
to assist authorities in finding thieves on
official cases.
“I’ve been on the phone with a highway patrolman triangulating on a stolen
truck,” recalls Stephens. He says it was
satisfying to know three cops swooped
in and caught the thief because of him
and the products he carries.
He says that was a lot of fun, and they
do catch a lot of thieves, but a few years
ago, there was a very sad case where GPS
of Texas helped solve a double murder in
Odessa. He explains that the son of an elderly couple asked Stephens to put a
tracker on his parents’ Lincoln Navigator
because his 86-year-old father kept getting lost. Six months later, the couple was
found murdered in their home and their
vehicle stolen.
Stephens says when authorities contacted him, he logged into the account
and saw exactly where the vehicle was,
150 miles away in Lubbock. Within 15 minutes of contacting GPS of Texas, Stephens
is proud to say that the suspect was in
handcuffs. In 2012, that suspect was convicted and sentenced to death. –mh
continued from Page 1 — Picking up the pace
their workload and team.
While working on the property, Trevino, his mother and father, and one of
their administrators used a small 15x15
room as their office until the office space
inside could be finished out to allow
them each to have a space to call their
own.
The new location has about 3,000sf
of office space with room to add more offices if the need arises. There was also
space for a conference room and a file
room, which JR notes was a big bonus.
Though they kept files in cabinets and
moved older files into boxes in their former location, the new one allowed them
to put in a rolling file system, which
makes everything easily accessible and
much more convenient.
The new building also has a 9,000-sf
warehouse, whereas the old office didn’t
have a place for them to receive material.
There are old drainage grates in the floor
of the warehouse, which JR believes is a
remnant from its time under Pace’s ownership. They also made several improvements to the property, including safety
and security features, such as new fencing and video monitoring systems.
The new building is just north of
downtown and only about two to three
miles from one of Treco’s current projects, its largest renovation to date, the
downtown La Quinta Inn across the street
from Rivercenter Mall. –mh
continued from Page 1 — A drive-in for a new generation
The drive-in is a classic moviegoing experience, but the interior of the concession stand is
very sleek and modern. Photo by Bob Wickley, Photographer
We do custom rebar fabrication for all
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booths along the window line with future open seating planned. Just outside
the concession building, there’s a covered patio with outdoor seating illuminated with string lights and ceiling fans,
and plans for a playground within the
wooden fenced area are underway.
Whiting-Turner worked on the project for approximately seven months;
achieving substantial completion by
mid-December. Construction of the
buildings took roughly five months to
complete, but the site work, performed
by V.K. Knowlton Construction & Utilities, took more than 6 months. The project began by clearing the property,
which was farmland with very expansive
soils; thus requiring special consideration
for the building and pavement construction by the geotechnical engineer of record, Terracon. To help mitigate movement due to moisture, all the theatres
and drive aisles were constructed on lime
stabilized subgrade underneath 6 to 9
feet of compacted base material.
The paved areas are chip seal pavement, which is a mixture of rock and oil,
often seen on county roads. Instead of
big black parking lots of rigid asphalt, the
chip seal rock is tan in color, giving a natural and rural finished appearance. Treated wood post fencing, by Cut Antz Land
Improvements out of Karnes City, with
various types of high tensile net wire and
3-strand poly-coated wire fence lends
the property the feel of a ranch.
A significant part of the job was getting the underground infrastructure in
place prior to the extensive site work
preparation. The concession building is
set back approximately 1,600ft from the
main road, and the projection booths
and ticket booths, requiring power and
data, required runs of conduit upwards of
400ft and 800ft respectively.
Another challenge was the remoteness of the location with respect to obtaining a guaranteed water pressure and
minimum flow required to support the
demand of the building and operation of
the fire suppression system. WhitingTurner and the owner, Ryan Smith, engaged Kimley-Horn for the design of a
domestic water booster pump in the
early stages of construction.
The project team consisted of
Yvonne Larson, project manager; Cecil
Perkins, superintendent; and Jeff
Breeding, project engineer, with Whiting-Turner; architect Dale Dibello of Dibello Architects, and HMT Engineering
& Surveying. PBK’s San Antonio office
did the MEP Design.
Among the subcontractors on the
project were VA Electric, SI Mechanical,
Mulder Fire Protection, Longhorn Concrete, Comanche Masonry, Campbell
Paint, D&E Glass Company, Ennis Door,
Boa Studio for the millwork, Texas Fifth
Wall Roofing and Spider Wall Systems.
G.W.C. Whiting and LeBaron Turner,
classmates at the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology (MIT), founded The WhitingTurner Contracting Company in 1909. After
working on the original phase of La Cantera in 2002, the company opened its San
Antonio office in 2005. As a commercial
general contractor, Whiting-Turner’s work
includes industrial, K-12, retail, hospitality,
mission critical, student housing and senior
living projects. –mh
Page 25
Construction Education
Promoting professional
development
Dana Marsh, Education Director
Associated General Contractors (AGC)
San Antonio, TX
W
hile there are programs to rally the
next generation of the workforce
and college programs to bring construction science into the realm of higher education, what options are available for a
professional in the field who wants to
continue to improve along an existing career path?
The Associated General Contractors
(AGC) of America has programs that are
offered nationwide that anyone can attend, regardless of membership. Dana
Marsh, education director for the San Antonio Chapter, notes that these programs
offer professional development on every
level.
For people who are out in the field,
AGC has the Supervisory Training Program (STP), a construction-specific training curriculum developed, updated, and
field-tested by and for contractors.
“Supervisory skill – or the lack of it –
directly affects every company's bottom
line,” explains Marsh. “Each day, decisions
made by every foreman and superintendent are crucial to the success or failure of
every construction project. You make your
money in the field, and STP can help you
improve your organization's bottom line.”
Participants in the STP program,
which is comprised of six courses or modules, come from a range of backgrounds,
and Marsh notes that they could be “anyone on a construction jobsite in a supervisory role – from the new supervisor and
foreman to the experienced superintendent – who is looking to become a more
effective manager of people, time, equipment and materials.”
For project managers, there is the
AGC Project Manager Development Program (PMDP), another training curriculum developed and field-tested by and
for contractors, which also offers a certificate of completion. This five-course program helps assistant project managers,
project managers, project engineers and
project administrators, among others,
develop long-term skills. These courses
teach estimating and job costing, contract administration, project administration, risk management and leadership.
Education and experience
equally important
Dr. Orlando R. Bagcal, Associate Professor and
Coordinator, Construction Management
Technology Program
Tarrant County College South
Fort Worth, TX
H
ow have construction education
and training changed over the
years?
Construction education has always
been dynamic and evolving. The demand of stringent industry standards
and quality, as well as the growing emphasis on making buildings more energy
efficient, require a high level of knowledge and education. Keeping abreast of
current technological changes, emerging techniques and methods and computer knowledge and skills will help future construction project managers perform their professional responsibilities.
In addition, the delivery of education
and training has changed in the past decade. Aside from the traditional classroom face-to-face instruction, there are
various options that students can choose
that will suit their demanding schedules,
such as online classes and hybrid (combination of face-to-face and online) classes.
These options allow individuals who
want to further their education more
flexibility and enable them to learn subject content at their own pace.
What areas of education need to be
improved to better serve the industry?
The construction industry is a com-
plex and challenging environment, thus
requiring an individual that has the ability to quickly adapt and respond to current situations and problems. Students
who are pursuing a career in construction must be trained and learn critical
thinking (logical and analytical), team
working (collaboration) and advanced
knowledge and skills in computer-driven
technology.
Further, as many government agencies and private companies require and
standardize the use of BIM (Building Information Modeling) in construction
projects, it is important that students
must learn the capability as well as ability
to operate this software. The use of BIM
in construction projects is known to improve collaboration and more efficient
processes in the construction industry.
How important is “hands-on” training?
As I always tell my students, education is as important as obtaining experience (hands-on). Knowledge + experience = wisdom, a trait project managers
must possess in order to make good decisions in every situation that arises at the
field site. Practical experience or handson training is very important in becoming a construction manager, whether you
This program is comprised of five modules, and it is two days for each module.
Marsh emphasizes that they try to
spread out the scheduling for the classes,
especially if they are two-day classes,
which ensure that the attendees will not
be out of the office for an entire week.
“What’s good about these programs
is each module is stand alone,” she adds.
“So, if you don’t feel like you need all five
modules, you can attend just one module. If you’re a project administrator and
you want to just take the one on contract
documents and project administration,
you can.
“These really hit everybody that
works in construction, you don’t have to
be just a project manager or just a superintendent to get something out of one of
these modules.”
In 2009, AGC started its Building Information Modeling (BIM) Education Program, and upon completion, participants
receive the Certificate of Management –
Building Information Modeling (CMBIM). Marsh points out that this is the industry’s first and only BIM certificate program that teaches the practical application of the Building Information Modeling process for commercial construction
firms.
The San Antonio Chapter has also
joined with Bexar County to offer the “Basics” of Construction Training Program,
and this month, the program is in its 10th
year.
“The program is a 10-session educational program designed to assist small,
minority and women-owned construc-
tion businesses,” she says.
These sessions include topics such as
running a successful construction business, project scheduling, financial management, understanding contracts, liens,
estimating, project management, safety,
business development, insurance and
bonds. Graduates of the program are eligible to participate in AGC’s two-year
Mentor-Protégé Program.
These programs each offer a certificate of completion and help to fill an education gap once an employee or manager is in his or her job. Not only are these
things that are not taught in college,
Marsh comments, but a lot of field personnel might not have gone to college,
having worked their way up to their current position. Addressing practical issues
that these team members will be dealing
with daily, these programs can help them
learn how to motivate the people working for them and communicate to them.
Also, Marsh believes that this can
benefit those applying for these positions, stating, “if you’re applying for a job,
it’s going to show the employer that
you’re really interested in bettering yourself and progressing in your career.”
Dana Marsh started at AGC San Antonio as the plan room manager 15 years
ago. As the chapter developed a more robust education program, she transitioned
to education director. She serves on the Advisory Council for Construction Careers
Academy and the St Philip’s Construction
Advisory Committee, as well as chapter administrator for the AGC Student Chapter at
UTSA. –mh
obtained it through classroom laboratories, an internship or a job as a construction trade.
Students who consider a career in
this industry must learn the functions of
project managers: estimating, scheduling, planning, coordinating and supervising. There is also this growing need toward certification in special areas as construction managers. This certification is
becoming valuable as it provides validation and evidence of their expertise, proficiencies and competencies to be construction management professionals.
Construction Management Association
of America (CMAA), American Institute of
Constructors (AIC), National Association
of Home Builders (NAHB) and the U.S.
Green Building Council (USGBC) all have
established a voluntary certification
exam or training for construction managers.
At Tarrant County College, we offer
four different certificates of completion
and an AAS degree in Construction Management Technology.
What are ways to attract young people
to the industry?
The mindset of young people has to
be changed. The idea that the construction industry is all about dust and mud,
hammers and saws or materials and
heavy equipment must go away. Prospective young people need to know
that getting an education in construction
will lead them to vast and various opportunities in the industry. To attract young
people, we need to teach them to look at
things in a different way, a varied way in
doing things. Teaching strategies and
ways that will streamline processes and
improve workplace safety by integrating
computer and automation in the workplace could stimulate their desire to be in
the construction industry.
Likewise, construction companies
should invest in training their young construction workers so that they feel secure
that their viability as a hirable employee
will continue to grow. Thriving construction companies must establish skills progression programs with rewards as young
workers move up the management ladder. Doing so will help restructure the industry to continue to be appealing to
young people.
What are some areas of study?
The responsibilities of the construction manager are becoming complex and
demanding. Construction managers
plan, direct, coordinate and budget diverse construction projects in various
sectors such as residential, commercial,
heavy infrastructure and industrial facilities.
Are scholarships available for construction education?
There are several scholarships offered for construction management students at Tarrant County College through
the TCC Foundation such as the “Westwood Contractor Scholarship” and “For
the Ones Who Get It Done Scholarship.”
In addition, the Texas Builders Foundation and the National Housing Endowment of the National Association of
Home Builders (NAHB) offer scholarships
for students who pursue a career in the
residential sectors. The Associated General Contractors (AGC) is also offering
scholarships for those wanting to be in
the commercial sectors. –mjm
Page 26
Construction Education
Look for a good education
foundation
Mike Holland, CPC, AIC, President
American Council for Construction Education
San Antonio, TX
W
hen most people think about construction education, the first thing
that comes to mind is training for the
skilled trades – plumbing, electrical,
equipment operator, steel erector, etc.
These are important elements of the industry. Just as important are the senior
managers, executives and business owners who create the opportunities to work
in the industry and invest their money
and manage the risks to their investment
(the company’s equity). This element of
the construction industry needs more
than the training of the skilled tradesman
– they need education, that element provided by colleges and universities that
provides the foundation upon which to
build and lead a successful business.
Through American Council for Construction Education (ACCE), the industry
has developed the ability to create the
foundation (there’s that word again – a
construction-appropriate term for this article) for new graduates to begin their
career in the management of the construction process, to grow their experience and ability to combine the many
parts and teams of skilled folks and businesses to deliver that safe, on-schedule,
on-budget project, protecting the equity
of the company from the many risks that
threaten every construction project.
There are many colleges and universities across the country that offer 2-year,
4-year and master degrees in the building sciences, construction management,
construction science and management
that prepare the graduates to manage
the process. Other degrees that are tangent would include construction engineering, architectural engineering and
construction technology and other descriptors. Engineering is more focused on
the design of the project, whether a
building, highway, residential developments, a bridge or a utility. The building
sciences are focused more on managing
the constructing of the project; this re-
Hands on experience is key
Glen O’Mary, Director of Education
Construction & Maintenance Education
Foundation (CMEF)
La Porte, TX
W
hat type of training is available
at your organization?
CMEF provides formal craft training,
skills upgrade training, soft skills training,
customizable corporate training, and
fast-track training. The Foundation consistently seeks new training avenues to
assist members and contractors with
their changing needs in today’s construction environment.
A new program we have developed
– the Commercial Jump Start Training
Program - is a great example of how we
are able to fill a need that is the direct result of contractors requests for fast
tracked, module based learning. By
keeping our training model flexible, we
are able to meet a wide range of contractors’ needs quickly and efficiently.
How has construction education and
training changed over the years?
Previously, the training model of formal semester-based craft education fit the
bill for most contractors. While this training model is still applicable, today we have
a ‘perfect storm’ brewing in the industry.
We are blessed to have a healthy industry with new projects that have either
broken ground or are coming down the
pipeline in short order.
However, we have a shortage of men
and women in the field to build these
projects. A shortage of skilled labor has a
domino effect for everyone – delayed
projects and higher costs are most apparent. CMEF is working on many levels
to help alleviate this problem, from high
school programs that educate young
people about the opportunities in construction, to reaching out to veterans and
the un- or under-employed to demonstrate the rewards of a career in construction. Because of the industry’s critical
worker shortage, CMEF is focusing on
specialized, industry-based, fast-track
training options that benefit the employee as well as the employer.
How important is “hands on” training?
The “hands on” component is crucial,
and should be a part of every program.
You can sit with a student in a classroom and teach him or her the funda-
quires a broad basis of the technology of
building as well as the business side of
the process; engineering does not give
the graduate that element.
A degree in the building sciences includes education in these competencies:
estimating; scheduling; safety; project
management; construction law; communications, both written and oral; construction accounting; basic construction
methods and materials; surveying; ethics
in the construction industry; and the fundamentals of business: accounting; economics; business law; and principles of
management and more. Regardless of
the level of college degree (2-year, 4-year,
or master degree), the foundation that a
college degree provides the graduate the
starting point for advancing their career.
With the downturn in 2007-2011, the
media caused many parents and high
school students to steer clear of the construction industry – a sad situation.
Though the industry did slow down, it is
not one that can be exported, like computer programming, architectural and
engineering efforts, to lower wage countries – construction and the management
of it has to be on-the-ground, at the site.
The industry is now suffering from a
worker shortage on many levels, including the construction management graduates. This “hole in the pipeline” of new
graduates is now impacting many companies that need the continuum of management talent in their organizations to
continue that flow of quality management and leadership development for
the successful succession in the years
ahead. Today, the shortage of new graduates in the construction management
arena is causing companies to struggle in
filling their teams with the talent they
need.
A career in the building sciences,
construction management, construction
science and management professions
provides the opportunity for young
graduates to begin a very rewarding career – more than money – the chance to
be part of creating in every community,
state and country and supporting the local economy, health and education, and
environment for that community. During
one’s career, one can look at what they
created – not alone - with a team of other
professionals, skilled tradesmen and other local leaders and be proud of where
their career has taken them.
Education will provide the opportunity – the foundation; a person’s capabilities will take them toward their calling
and the success provided by this special
industry – construction.
Get that foundation built and see
where you take your career.
mentals of welding for hours, but it is not
until that student actually stands at a
welding booth and is able to physically
experience the welding process that he
or she gains a true understanding.
Hands on experience is the key to
success. It is this reason that we offer Performance Verifications at the CMEF campus. We assist craft professionals by observing their skills in a trade to verify that
they do in fact have the correct skills to
complete a task – not only correctly, but
also safely.
supported and passed House Bill 5, as
well as the efforts of our Schools Program
Director, Dr. Steven Horton, today I am
proud to say that we are partnered with
30 high school campuses and continue to
grow that number.
One of the goals of the Schools Program is to provide students with the opportunity to explore the many facets of
the construction industry and the career
opportunities available.
A second goal is to give CTE teachers
resources and new connections to current
happenings in the industry, providing
them with opportunities to meet industry
leaders, and become aware of the numerous job opportunities for their students.
A third goal of the program is to encourage industry participation from the
very companies who will seek to fill construction positions.
What are ways to attract young people?
The first step is to improve the construction industry’s image and properly
convey the many opportunities available.
We, not only as an industry but as an
entire community, need to let young
people know they have more options
available to them after high school. Unfortunately, many young people are led
to believe that a four-year college degree
is the only option if they want to be successful. Not all high school students want
to go on to college and they need to
know about careers in construction.
We feature success stories on our
website at www.cmefhouston.org of
men and women who went through our
training program, built their career in
construction, and today are highly successful individuals.
We have also been very successful in
expanding our outreach to high school
campuses. Just a few years ago, we partnered with a handful of high school campuses.
Thanks to our state legislators who
The mission of ACCE is to be a leading
global advocate of quality construction
education; and to promote, support, and
accredit quality construction education
programs. –cw
How important is recruitment at high
school and college level?
As mentioned before, it is very important to create awareness about industry opportunities and recruit students
into the industry at the high school and
college levels.
These recruitment efforts help develop a long-term pipeline of future industry professionals and exposure of our
industry.
It is never too early to educate young
people about the industry and built environment around them.
Many of our contractor members participate at the middle school level of education – working to foster lines of communication with young people early on. –ab
Page 27
NEXT MONTH
April 2015
Support Your Industry’s Feature Issue
Women in Construction
2015
Schedule
Jan: Construction Forecast
Feb: Construction Safety
Mar: Construction Education
San Antonio • Austin
Dallas / Fort Worth
Houston • South Texas
Apr:Women in Construction
May:Concrete Industry
Jun: HVAC & Plumbing
The young and the Rooter
L-R: Roger Vela and Amanda Hill were at the front desk around lunchtime,
helping Ryan DeWeese, operations manager, hold down the fort at
Mr. Rooter Plumbing of San Antonio. –mh
Polished
Enrique Carstens is the director of marketing and sales for Modern Day Concrete, and
he has samples to show the type of decorative and polished concrete the company
does. The floor of the office is a full-sized example. –mh
Call for Ad Space (210) 308-5800
Reservations
July:Electrical Industry
Aug:Service Providers
Sep: Green Building Trends
Oct: Specialty Contractors
Nov:Architecture & Engineering
Dec: Construction Equipment
Here come the trail riders!
Trail rides from all over converge on San Antonio for the annual Stock
Show and Rodeo. Above, the South Texas Trail Riders were seen on
Hwy. 181 just outside of San Antonio. –cw
Getting schooled
Members of Joeris General Contractors’ San Antonio team visited the company’s Fort
Worth office on Feb. 11 to discuss “Joeris University.” The upcoming centralized training
program for employees takes any opportunity happening within the company and
makes it available online for easy access. –mjm/mh
Page 28
Round-Up
Erika Yates has
joined IBTX Risk
Services as a risk
advisor. She will expand the commercial insurance portion of the company’s business line
and will be responsible for providing holistic risk management solutions to businesses in the energy and oil and gas industry. Having started in the personal insurance arena when
she moved to San Antonio in 2010, she is
licensed in Property & Casualty and Life &
Health.
Submissions
Round-Up
Big Red Dog Engineering announces:
Leo Gutierrez has
joined the firm as a
project designer. His
responsibilities will
include providing
engineering design
support to the project management
staff for retail, office,
multi-family and industrial development
projects. He earned his associate degree
in drafting and design at San Antonio
Community College.
James Sakai has
joined the firm as a
project engineer. His
responsibilities will
include the completion of engineering
designs and construction plans. He
earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Texas at
San Antonio.
Skanska USA announces that Amie
Kromis O’Riley has
been named as the
diversity and inclusion coordinator for
the company’s Texas region. O’Riley,
who is positioned in
the Dallas office, will
be responsible for internal coordination
of diversity and inclusion initiatives, community outreach and relationship development with diverse business enterprises. O’Riley received her Bachelor of Arts
degree in corporate communications and
public affairs from Southern Methodist
University.
Association Calendar
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News
ABC
Associated Builders & Contractors
All events are held at the ABC office
unless otherwise stated.
Mar. 2: Future Leaders Task Force meeting; 4pm; for more info, email Steven
Schultz at [email protected]
Mar. 11: Safety & Health Committee meeting; 12pm; for more information, email
Dana Hickman at [email protected]
Mar. 12: Chili Cook-off; parking lot adjacent
to ABC office; 3:30-7:30pm; for info, email
Ruby Trejo at [email protected]
Mar. 18: Apprenticeship Committee
meeting; noon; for info, email Dana Hickman at [email protected]
AGC
Associated General Contractors
Brian Platfoot has
joined Raba Kistner, Inc. as corporate health and
safety manager for
the firm and its subsidiaries, including
14 locations across
the state of Texas,
Utah, Mexico and
New York. He will manage the EnterpriseWide Health and Safety program. With
more than 14 years of experience, he has
been a regional health and safety manager in the construction and oil and gas
industries for multiple companies in Alaska. He earned his bachelor’s degree in
health and safety and his master’s in occupational safety and health from Columbia Southern University.
This is a monthly section for brief company announcements of new or
recently promoted personnel, free of charge, as space allows.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Email (w/digital photo, if available) by the 15th of any month,
for the next month’s issue (published 1st of each month).
Email info to appropriate city issue, with “Round-Up” in the subject line:
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
San Antonio:
[email protected]
Austin:
[email protected]
Dallas/Ft. Worth: [email protected]
Houston: [email protected]
South Texas:
[email protected]
All events are held at the AGC office
Mar. 2: Media Interview Training,
1-5:30pm
Mar. 3: The Basics Session #1, 6-8pm
Mar. 9: Annual Golf Tournament; The
Club at Sonterra; registration 11am, shotgun 12:30pm; deadline entries is Mar. 4;
for more info on playing or sponsoring,
call Kelly at 210-349-4921
Mar. 11: BIM Unit #4, 8am-5pm
Mar. 12: TBB Legislative Day, Austin; CLF
Brown Bag Lunch: Forensic Documentation, noon
Mar. 13: Education Committee mtg, 8:30am
Mar. 16: Leadership Academy, Week #1,
12:30-4:30pm
Mar. 19: Safety & Health Committee
meeting, 11:30am
Mar. 18-20: AGC of America Convention,
San Juan, Puerto Rico
12:30-4:30pm
Mar. 24: CLF Steering Council meeting,
noon; The Basics Session #4, 6-8pm
Mar. 28: CLF Family Event, Main Event
Entertainment, 11am-3pm
12:30-4:30 pm
AIA
American Institute of Architects
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18593 Bandera Rd.
Helotes, Tx 78023
210.298.2898
Is Here!
OPEN Monday thru Friday 8am – 5pm
Saturday 8am – 2pm
Utility, Landscape, Dump, Tilt Deck, Carhaulers & Goosenecks
Special Orders
www.helotestrailers.com
Towing Accessories
www.helotespits.com
Mar. 9: Lecture Series; lecture from Wilhelm von Boddien, the driving force for the
rebuilding of the former Imperial Castle,
Berlin into Humboldtforum Museum; 6pm;
San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 West
Jones Ave.; free and open to the public
Mar. 25: Joint Chapter meeting with SMPS;
“Perspectives on the Exploding Urban Core”
speaker Robert Rivard, The Rivard Report;
11:30am-1pm, Plaza Club, 100 W. Houston,
Frost Bank Tower, 21st Floor; RSVP required;
for more information, visit www.aiasa.org
ASA
American Subcontractors Assn.
Mar. 5: 20th Excellence in Construction
Awards Banquet; Historic Pearl Stable;
cocktails 6pm followed by dinner and
awards; to reserve a table or individual
seat, call 210-349-2105
Mar. 31: Lunchbox Seminar – Reasonable
Suspicion, Drug and Alcohol Training DOT
Certification eligible; Padgett Stratemann,
100 NE Loop 410, Suite 1100; 11:30am-1pm;
lunch provided; members $40, non-members $50; to reserve a seat, call 210-3492105 or email [email protected]
IEC
Independent Electrical Contractors
All events are held at the IEC office unless otherwise stated.
Mar. 16: Continuing Education Class,
5-9pm
Mar. 17: A&T Committee Meeting, 11am
Mar. 18: Board of Directors mtg, 11am
Mar. 20-21: 15th Annual BBQ Cook-Off &
Apprentice Competition, Helotes Festival
Grounds
Mar. 28: Electrical Maintenance Technician Class, 8am-5pm
For more info please call 210-431-9861 or
visit www.iecsanantonio.com
MCA–SMACNA
Mechanical Contractors Association
Sheet Metal & A/C Nat’l Assn.
Mar. 4: Regular & Associates meeting,
Oak Hills Country Club, 11:30 a.m.
Mar. 18: Joint Industry Fund meeting,
Oak Hills Country Club, 11:30am
Mar. 19: Golf Tournament, SilverHorn
Golf Club, 1pm
NAWIC
Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
Mar. 1-7: National Women In Construction Week
Mar. 4: General meeting, Petroleum
Club; 5:30pm; WIC Week Celebration
Membership Mixer
Mar. 6: Golf Tournament, SilverHorn Golf
Club
Mar. 19: Board of Directors meeting, Urban Concrete, 6pm
NFRA
National Foundation Repair Assn.
Mar. 19: Chapter meeting, TBD, 5-8pm
Apr. 16-17: 25th anniversary conference,
Menger Hotel, speaker Nolan Ryan
PHCC
Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors
All events are held at the PHCC office
Mar. 7, 21: Plumbers Continuing Education
Mar. 12: Open House/Monthly meeting
Mar. 18-19: Rheem training
Mar. 24: Board of Directors meeting
SAMCA
San Antonio Masonry Contractors Assn.
Mar. 25: Membership meeting; Pappadeaux Restaurant, 76 NE Loop 410;
noon; $30 per person; for more info call
Debbie at 830-606-5556
CFMA
SDA
Construction Financial Mngmt. Assn.
Society for Design Administration
Mar. 24: Chapter Luncheon; 11:30am-1pm;
Petroleum Club, RSVP to Stephanie at 210828-6281, ext. 1575, or stephanie.harms@
padgett-cpa.com
Mar. 26: Monthly Chapter meeting;
“Non-Technical Drivers of Risk in a Design
Firm” with speaker Jim Jimmerson, USI
Southwest; noon-1pm at The Barn Door,
8400 N. New Braunfels; for more info
email [email protected]
HCA de San Antonio
Hispanic Contractors Association
KEEP HAULING MY FRIENDS
Construction Site Safety in Work Zones;
this is a federally-funded training course;
space is limited
Mar. 18: Monthly meeting/Mixer; The
Plaza Club, 100 West Houston; free for
members, non-members $10; presentations by Joeris General Contractors
Mar. 19-20: OSHA 10-Hour (Spanish
Course); HCA office, 203 Norton St.;
members $25, non-members $40; includes breakfast, materials and OSHA 10
cards; space is limited
Mar. 27: 2nd Annual Casino Night; San Antonio Food Bank, 5200 Old Hwy 90 West;
6-11pm; silent auction, beverages, food,
prizes, three hours of gaming; bring canned
goods donation, get an extra gaming chip
To register or for more info, call 210-4441100, email Patty at [email protected],
or visit www.hcadesa.org
Mar. 12-13: OSHA 10-Hour; UTPA McAllen Teaching Site, 1800 S. Main St., Suite
100m, McAllen, TX; 8am- 4:30pm on the
12th, 8am-1pm on the 13th; OSHA 10Hour Construction Industry Course on
USGBC
U.S. Green Building Council
Mar. 12: Monthly Luncheon, 11:30am1pm; members $30, non-members $40,
student $20; TBD, San Antonio
Page 29
Another new leader rises at HOLT
Three times bigger, cooler
T
Heather and Keith Schmidt, owners of Schmidt Mechanical Group, are much more
comfortable in their new office location.
W
several advantages. The new space has a
reception area and six offices. Everyone
fits comfortably, and there is still room for
future growth. Heather notes that they
hope to continue to add employees.
There is also a training room complete
with a projector screen, allowing them to
show training videos. This gives them a
classroom setting to conduct their weekly safety meetings and training with their
technicians. The facility also boasts a
parts storage room and a warehouse
space.
The area is surrounded by other professional businesses, including neighbors
they enjoy having, and it is convenient for
its owners. This can be especially important for Heather, who is at the office parttime, since the couple has an active
3-year-old son. Heather notes that Keith
manages operations, including training
and inventory, while she does accounts
payable and helps dispatcher Susan
Mays with receivables and invoicing. –mh
hen starting a business, many
factors are hard to predict, such
as how the business will grow
and what space will be necessary. Heather Schmidt, co-owner of Schmidt Mechanical Group, says that they found out
very quickly that they needed more
space. In October, they moved to Suite
102 at 10927 Wye Drive.
Heather’s husband, Keith Schmidt,
president, started the HVAC company in
2010. Their previous office was on Austin
Highway with only about 900sf of space,
putting about four offices and the office
staff right on top of one another. Space
outside the office was also very limited
and did not offer enough parking or
room to spread out vehicles or trailers.
There was also not enough storage room
for parts, which meant their employees
were running back and forth to supply
houses.
At approximately 3,000sf, Schmidt
Mechanical’s new location comes with
he New Year brought some big
changes to the leadership at HOLT
CAT, and in early February, the
equipment and engine dealer announced
that Bert Fulgium has been appointed
vice president of product support for the
company’s Machine Division.
Fulgium is taking over for a veteran at
HOLT, Ron Craft, whom Fulgium calls a
“legend builder,” who recently announced
his retirement from the company. Before
moving into his new role, Fulgium served
as vice president of product support for
HOLT CAT’s Power Systems Division.
“I’m very excited about the opportunity to serve our customers in this new
capacity,” says Fulgium, noting that he
has been on the engine side of the company for 13 years.
In his previous position, Fulgium estimates that 80 percent of their business
came from the oil and gas industry. On
the machine side, instead of dealing with
just engines, he is leading a group that
deals with a diverse group, including customers in road construction and the mining industry.
Having grown up in Beckville, TX,
Fulgium originally started out as an instrument and electrical (I&E) technician.
He then moved into supervision and
management in the oil and gas industry.
From there, he took on a business development role for a couple of years.
Around that time, having attended
junior college for a short time after high
school, Fulgium decided to return to
school in pursuit of his bachelor’s degree
in business administration, which he
earned from LeTourneau University in
Longview. He later earned his master’s
degree from Texas A&M University-Commerce.
He began his career at HOLT CAT in
2002 around the time the company acquired Darr Equipment Co. He started out
as a local service manager in Longview. A
year-and-a-half later, he was promoted to
Bert Fulgium has taken on a new role at
HOLT CAT as the vice president of product
support for the Machine Division.
regional service manager. Five years ago,
he was promoted to product support
manager, and then he became vice president of product support on the engine
side. Along with his team, he has worked
on building new engine rebuild facilities,
which, he adds, have been wildly successful, and they started national generator
maintenance contracts. He states that a
lot of good people have contributed to
his success at HOLT CAT.
In his new role, which he describes as
being part of the sustainability and
growth efforts, leadership and the culture
of the company will be keys to success. He
maintains that a lot of great things are already at work, and he just has to continue
to provide leadership for a great team.
At 47, Fulgium’s passions outside of
work include his family and bow hunting.
–mh
Bringing your message to your target market
for 15 years
San Antonio
CONSTRUCTION
™
Hemisfair Entrance
(210) 308-5800
Electronic gold
hen Thomas Schluter, PE,
bought Beckwith Electronic
Engineering from founders
Jack Beckwith and George Ridder in
1991, there were 15 employees; today, as
the company celebrates its 50th anniversary, Schluter has grown the company to
ranging between 60 and 75 employees.
Since 1962, Beckwith has been a distributor, contractor, and consultant, designing, selling, installing, and servicing
commercial communication systems.
Those include nurse call and fire alarm
systems, security systems such as card
access and closed-circuit TVs, and intercom systems in schools.
As an engineering graduate of Trinity University, Beckwith hired Schluter as
a manager trainee in 1986 and worked
under him to get his professional engineer license.
“Thomas pretty much worked sideby-side with Jack, learning the company
from the bottom up,” remembers Cynthia Schluter, his wife and vice president.
“Thomas did every job there was to do,
because he wanted to know everything
and how it all worked.”
Several years passed before Beckwith expressed his intentions to retire
and sell the business, and Schluter seized
the opportunity to buy it.
Even though he was born and raised
in Mexico City, both of Schluter’s parents
were of German descent, and his family
Number 3
MARCH 2013
A & C power
L-R: Cynthia and Thomas Schluter have grown Beckwith Electronic Engineering
to be the star of its very own boulevard. Photo by Luis Vazquez.
W
Volume 16
John Wright and Bob Corbo have come together to bring the
Corbo Electric Company under the Alterman name.
T
wo of San Antonio’s oldest and
most respected electrical contractors, Alterman, Inc. and Corbo
Electric Company, Inc., have merged. Alterman’s acquisition of Corbo is a mutually beneficial move that will open doors
and will maintain current employment
levels.
Corbo owner Bob Corbo describes
Alterman as a “dear, friendly competitor”
that his company has worked alongside
on projects as building automation while
Alterman’s performed the electrical contracting. As he approaches his 70th birthday, Corbo states that it was time for him
to make plans to transition that would
take care of his nearly 100 employees,
many loyal customers, and ultimately, his
family.
John Wright, CEO and president of
Alterman, says that the company has
been looking for an opportunity to diversify and grow in the ways that the acquisition of Corbo will finally allow. Corbo’s
expertise in areas such as automated
controls, service, and projects that fall in
Alterman’s small to mid-sized range between $50,000 and $3 million.
“It was a perfect fit for us,” Wright explains. “And it helped Bobby accomplish
what he was trying to accomplish, so it’s
working out great for both of us.”
Corbo has reassured employees and
customers alike that Alterman will continue Corbo’s business, including allowcontinued on Page 25
Steel’s second life
A
century has passed since the
Peden Iron & Steel building was in
its prime, but Galaxy Builders revitalized the historic structure, transforming it into luxurious downtown living aptly called Steel House Lofts.
At a project cost of approximately $7
million, the old two-story, steel-manufacturing warehouse on South Flores
Street was converted into a four-story,
67-unit multi-family residence in just
over a year.
The rebirth of this facility came with
many challenges, several of which were
directly related to its age. Galaxy had to
be sure of the structure’s integrity.
“The framing materials that we used
were substantially different,” says
Neilesh Verma, president of Galaxy.
“The first two floors were metal and transitioned to wood framing for the third
and fourth floors.”
This was one of the first challenges
Galaxy faced, project manager Mick Sid-
bury recalls: “We had to test the concrete
on the roof to find out if it was going to
be strong enough. We weren’t sure because no one had ever done any core
drilling on that roof.”
Once the roof proved sound to hold
the additional two stories, the flooring
was redesigned to match the roof.
The crew faced another challenge
with the historic slab in the two-story
units occupying both the basement and
first floor. Ten inches of concrete had to
be cut out to install the spiral staircases
connecting the two floors of each unit
with bedrooms downstairs from living areas and kitchens.
“Hundred-year-old concrete is probably better than the concrete today,” observes Sidbury. “It was definitely a challenging job.”
Steel House marks Sidbury’s first job
Steel House Lofts was born from an historic downtown building over 100 years old.
Photo by Mary C. Haskin Photography
1998
2001
2003
2003
San Antonio Construction News
Austin Construction News
Houston Construction News
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News
2013 South Texas Construction News
South Texas
CONSTRUCTION
™
Eagle Ford area
(210) 308-5800
Focused on design
L-R: President Meg Jorn and Vice President John Pearcy
M
egamorphosis, inc. partners
Meg Foster Jorn, AIA, LEED AP,
RID, IIDA and John Pearcy, AIA,
say the love of design is apparent in the
work they do at their Harlingen-based architecture and interior design firm.
Jorn, the president, founded the firm
in 1995, and notes you won’t catch her
and Pearcy, the vice president, doing cutand-paste design on their projects.
The Rio Grande Valley’s bi- cultural
border location has developed styles
that are unique says Jorn. “The border
brick style” that was developed here in
the early 1900s is one example of an architectural style indigenous to the region.
“John and I try to use details and materials that are regional; sometimes with
a new or modern twist. We try to create
something unique for each client, regardless of budget. We see every project
as an opportunity. “John and I are very
different people, but we share the love of
architecture and design.”
The firm celebrated a milestone of
sorts in February after purchasing and
renovating a building in downtown Harlingen that will serve as its new headquarters.
“It’s very unique – it’s a little, funky
old building,” Jorn says. “After renting at
our current location for 13 years, this is
very exciting.”
A Massachusetts native, Jorn said
she got her love of architecture from her
Volume 1
Number 3
MARCH 2013
Chip off the ol’ block
Tre’ Peacock, owner of Peacock General Contractors, is hard at work in Harlingen.
T
re’ Peacock, owner of Peacock
General Contractors in Harlingen,
didn’t go to college for a construction degree.
He instead opted for a business degree, because he already knew he
planned on following in the footsteps of
his father, Bill Peacock, former owner of
Peacock Construction, which was
formed in 1974.
This year, Peacock General Contractors celebrates its 10th anniversary,
where Tre’, owner, works alongside his
father, who joined his son after his partner’s retirement.
“”I grew up in construction,” says
Peacock, who was raised in the Rio
Grande Valley. “I always knew what I
wanted to do—what my dad did.
“As soon as I got out of college, I
jumped out and started working from
him. From there, I went on to start my
own company.”
Peacock inherited his father’s staff
when he opened the doors to Peacock
General Contractors, but soon saw that it
took more than a name to get big contracts.
“I had the same employees and the
same people, so that was pretty seamless,” Peacock explained. “As far as the
jobs I could take on, that was a lot different.
“My history was not my father’s, so
my first year was probably a volume of $1
million. Last year was $11.5 million, so
Up and running like a Deere
V
CONSTRUCTION
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210-308-5800
ictoria, TX is home to a number of
breathtaking, beautiful ranching
and farming properties—which
you can’t maintain without good farm
equipment.
Fear not, ranch owners and ranch
hands. K&T Construction Co., Inc. recently completed a new farm supply
store and equipment dealer in Victoria
that is selling a variety of John Deere
farm equipment.
The project involved construction of
a 26,677-sf structure that included a retail
sales floor and a large mechanic shop for
the John Deere dealership.
The project took 270 days to complete, said K&T co-owner and project
manager Scott Strnadel.
The finished product bears the name
Shoppas’ Farm Supply, and is owned by
Chris Shoppa.
Strnadel said working with the owner was a positive experience, and allowed
the project to run smoothly.
“As a construction firm, a key component to a successful project is time,” Strnadel explained. “Mr. Shoppa played a key
role with making decisions in a very timely manner.
“His presence throughout the life of
the project minimized any down time.
When we needed a decision to be made,
it was done determinedly and immediately.”
The main materials used to construct
the dealership and mechanic shop were
metal building, masonry and drywall.
Architectural features include floorto-ceiling windows on much of the dealership’s front wall, allowing natural light
to enter the showroom.
Strnadel said the project’s short distance from the Gulf Coast presented
challenges with wind. Despite this challenge, he noted that nobody was hurt.
Glass windows adorn the front of Shoppa’s Farm Supply,
a new John Deere farm equipment dealership in Victoria.
Page 30
Metallic youth
Modern remodel
As a Texas State grad, Peter Willcox, owner of Willcox Metal Fabricators,
shows off his Bobcat pride with a metal sign from his shop.
Mario Rivera, a “jack-of-all-trades” for general contractor Treco Enterprises, installed
the laminate for new countertops and cabinet doors in one of the guest suites at the
La Quinta Inn downtown. Treco started renovations of the largest corporate-owned
hotel property in the country on Jan. 5 and should be finished by the beginning of April,
completing a whole floor every 12 days. –mh
I
n the first years as Willcox Metal Fabrication, Peter Willcox had started his
own company so young that he feels it
was hard for people to take him seriously: “I’d have people come in and ask
where my dad was. It would definitely
take people off guard.”
Today, he’s the 34-year-old owner of
a successful business, and it still might be
hard for his customers to believe he’s
been doing this going on 10 years now.
He enjoys what he does and tries to do
the best he can for his 27 employees. Last
year, he was proud to finally be able to
bring in health insurance, and in the next
year or two, he hopes to be able to offer
a 401K plan.
“It’s really neat to me that so many
people can make a living working here,
and I just think it’s my responsibility to
keep it going, and with my success, share
it with everybody else,” he says. “I don’t
want to leave anybody out, because Willcox Metal’s success is [because of] them.”
Originally from Austin, Willcox
moved to San Antonio after graduating
from Texas State University, and three
months later, was laid off. When opportunity knocked to start his own business, he
started operating in Boerne and moved
to San Antonio a few months later. At one
point, Willcox had a partner and they
bought out Triple J Manufacturing, which
made angle iron sign frames. He sold that
part of the business about a year ago.
Willcox Metal Fabricators does a lot
of signs, and a very unique project was
the AT&T logo on the new Dallas Cowboys
stadium in Arlington. Willcox came in on
the job to help complete parts of the signage, doing one entire logo on one side,
and the top three pieces on the other
side. They also did two of the words AT&T
Stadium on the Jumbotron, and a set of
letters behind one of the end zones.
He says the logo is about 95 feet
wide and the letters are 50 feet high, and
he remembers that it required 18
18-wheeler truckloads from San Antonio
to Arlington. They also had just a monthand-a-half to complete it, whereas a project like that typically takes them six or
seven months to do.
Willcox was particularly excited to be
part of this project since his father played
a small part in the construction of the
original stadium. When his dad was
younger, he drove a truck and delivered
concrete to the jobsite.
The sign business has kept the shop
busy lately; they’ve recently completed
the pylon for the Sonterra Village shopping center and the new pylon for Community Bible Church. Aside from the
signs, Willcox did the wine racks for Kirby’s Steak House and Stonewerks. –mh
The men with a plan
PRO-LINE
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YOUR FULL SERVICE COMPANY!
“Over 20 Years Experience”
L-R: Miles Stanley, project manager; Jacob Nadauld, CAD tech; and Rex Hackett, survey
manager, gather over a set of plans at Ford Engineering. The firm is currently working on
boundary and street surveys, as well as the Castillo Mission Funeral Home and the San
Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) Wheatley Courts project. –mh
ESBE SBE 213055107
210.530.0062
•
1-800-ASPHALT
FAX 530.0064
MIKE & MARK CRAWFORD
P.O. BOX 791324 SAN ANTONIO, TX 78279-1324
EMAIL: [email protected]
Past issues of Construction News
can be downloaded at
www.ConstructionNews.net
Page 31
Ruling the planet
Along came a Spider Wall
B
L-R: Bradley Bookout, founder of Spider Wall Systems,
and Benjamin Gonzalez, the company’s new owner
enjamin Gonzalez came to work
for Spider Wall Systems as a superintendent in February 2012. About
a year-and-a-half later, Gonzalez bought
the company from owner and founder
Bradley Bookout.
At the time Gonzalez moved from
Houston to work for Spider Wall, his older
brother, Gustavo Gonzalez, had been
working side by side with Bookout for a
few years as his first full-time employee.
When Ben and his brothers decided they
wanted to start a business to create some
of their own opportunities, Ben and
Bookout made a deal for him to buy the
company in its entirety.
Since Ben took over in November
2013, Bookout has stayed on as a director,
helping to teach them all that he learned
about owning and operating a small
business. Bookout started Spider Wall in
2010 to earn a living for him and his family. In the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M
University, the spider was the mascot for
his company, and it became the mascot
for the business.
Based in New Braunfels with around
50 employees working on projects from
Austin to San Antonio, Spider Wall does
commercial walls and ceilings. They are
currently working on an elementary
school at Fort Sam Houston, and their
biggest project to date was J&J Worldwide Services in Austin.
Ben says that owning his own business, which is now a family business, is a
little different than he expected. Having
to make difficult decisions and live with
the consequences is a challenge, but he
overcomes it by being tough and taking
risks, knowing that everyone is depending on him. He hopes to expand the business with a branch in Austin and continued growth in San Antonio.
At home in Dale, TX, Ben has some
land, and he can relax with his kids and
feed the cows. –mh
Capital improvements
Anthony Heye built his store and shop up over the last 15 years
to be the center of the pickup universe.
A
fter celebrating his 60th birthday
in November, Anthony Heye is
celebrating the 15th anniversary of
his company, Planet Pickup. With lots of
work these days, Heye told Construction
News that he never takes down the “Now
hiring” sign.
In the business for a total of 42 years,
Heye worked for another company for 25
years, then helped someone else start a
business before starting Planet Pickup.
“We’re all lock, stock and barrel paid
for and rolling along,” says Heye. “We’re
good to go. Still, things are rocking along
good. We’re pretty blessed.”
Heye credits his customers with advertising for them by word of mouth and
the oil field business for being a boon.
They’ve done a lot of fleet work for different groups of oil field companies, as well
as contractors.
As the name suggests, Planet Pickup
encompasses a world of products for
pickup trucks, including lift kits, tires,
wheels, bumpers, goosenecks and hitches, and Heye adds that they install everything that they sell.
Little by little, Heye notes he is trying
to feed the business over to his cousin,
James Heye, employee Chris Campbell,
a shop foreman who has moved to the
counter, and Anthony “Antz” Mackechney, who has also moved from the shop
to help at the counter. Heye says after he
turned 60, he told everyone to “expect
me when you see me.” But that’s been
put on the backburner since one of his
top salespeople, Steve Jones, is fighting
cancer and has been out since December, but they’re praying for him and
Jones says he will be back.
Having had his 60th birthday party at
Natural Bridge Caverns with a cave exploration and doing the canopy challenge,
Heye says his next big adventure will be a
New Zealand red stag hunt in April with
his buddy and their families. –mh
www.olmosequipment.com
F
or more than 20 years now, HJD
Capital Electric Inc. has grown under the leadership of its founder
and master electrician, Henry Davila,
who continues to grow the company.
Founded in 1994, Capital does civil,
structural, electrical and mechanical construction services. The company has
more than 125 full-time employees. More
than 30 years ago, Davila started out in
the electrical industry as an electrical apprentice under his father’s business. He
became a journeyman electrician and
then a master electrician, and struck out
on his own.
Early on, Davila did work providing
electrical services to the Audie Murphy
Veterans Administration Hospital, and
that work opened the door to add general construction services to Capital’s
repertoire. In 2013, the company created
two separate divisions, Capital Construction and Capital Electric.
In 2002, Capital obtained its Small
Business Administration (SBA) 8a certification, which led to new contracts at Department of Defense installations, including Lackland Air Force Base, Randolph Air Force Base, Camp Bullis, Camp
Mabry and Fort Hood.
Though Davila is still the sole proprietor, as he grew the company, he also
grew his leadership team. His vice president, Dave Wineman, has 30 years of
experience on multi-million-dollar projects, including 18 years as a project manager for the Army Corps of Engineers and
the Air Force Construction and environmental projects. Wineman has a bachelor’s degree in geology/biology and a
master’s degree in land/water resource
management. Running the electrical division as operations vice president, Ray
Garcia has been with Capital for 10 years
and has 34 years of experience in electrical. Garcia has increased federal projects
Henry Davila, president
by 40 percent in the last three years,
which allows Capital to add new team
members to the division, which already
accounts for approximately 60 percent of
the overall staff. –mh
Dave Wineman, vice president
WE MOVE
THE EARTH
440 Pinn Road
210-675-4990
Page 32
Phoning it in
W
hen we at Construction News see y’all out and about, we’ve noticed that some
of you love showing us photos on your phones. Who doesn’t love showing
off a picture or two, whether it’s of a loved one or a cherished memory or just
something pretty cool?
Since you’ve piqued our curiosity, we asked members of the construction community to send us one of their favorite photos on their phone and invited them to tell
us about it. Here are the pictures that you and your peers sent in response. –mh
Michael Sireno, Baker Triangle
Sireno’s granddaughters Ella and Karsyn “making funny faces at me.”
Yvonne Larson, Whiting-Turner
Larson couldn’t decide between a few pictures. One photo is of her daughter with
her “live baby doll” Zaria, whom she says has the patience of a saint, and the other is
of her daughter jumping in the waves at South Padre Island.
Rick Gonzales,
San Marcos
Air Conditioning
Gonzales with his wife Rosa Linda, who is
the one who made the winning salsa for
this year’s AGC Salsa Taste-Off
Clarence “CJ” Gore, Comfort-Air Engineering
“Here is a pic of me at Sunken Garden Theatre in 2006. My band at the time, called
Rockus Circus, was opening for Blue Oyster Cult. I’m holding a cowbell because of the
whole ‘more cowbell’ joke on Blue Oyster Cult made famous
by a Saturday Night Live skit.”
Ruby Trejo, Associated Builders and
Contractors (ABC) South Texas Chapter
“This is a picture of my best friend and I
finally seeing each other after about two
years. It was taken at Home Slice Pizza in
Austin, TX.”
Justin Smoot, Alterman
Smoot in February 2012 with his 41-inch scimitar horned oryx bull harvested
in Mason at Mason Mountain Wildlife Management Area
Nancy Parker, Raba Kistner
“This was taken last October at the San
Antonio Country Club with coaching
great Grant Teaff. He was the speaker –
as inspirational as ever – and then a
book signing afterwards. It was with a
Baylor alums group. When we won the
Southwest Conference championship in
1974, I was a freshman at Baylor. We
played against Penn State/Joe Paterno in
the Cotton Bowl, which was billed as the
‘Christians vs. the Lions’ by the media.”
Debra Ruiz, Wells Fargo/National Association of Women in Construction
(NAWIC)
“This is my little angel, ‘Rosie,’ looking so
shy and innocent as a ballerina,” Ruiz
says, adding that her mama knows better. “At 3.5 years old, she keeps a smile
on my face and is a true angel
and blessing from God.”
Kelly Wilson, Associated General Contractors (AGC) San Antonio Chapter
A photo of her with her husband, Tim
Wilson, in Gruene
Cory Frazier, IBTX Risk Services
“This photo is from the end of August
2014 and was the first baseball game for
my son, Bryce. Here, he is meeting the
legendary Henry the Puffy Taco. The
players may change every year, but it
was a treat for two generations of Missions fans to hang out with the mascot
that binds the generations together.”

Location - Construction News

Transcription

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