TDIndustries - Dragonfly Editorial

TDSpirit
Issue 29 - Summer
Summer 2011
2011
TDIndustries
UTSW Hospital Project
A Boon for the Community
TDSpirit
A publication of
Seis Grados de Inspiración
Letter from CEO
Harold MacDowell
Six Degrees of Inspiration
In reviewing this edition of TDSpirit, I am
reminded that the inspiration for meaningful
innovations comes from the teamwork we live
each day.
As closely as we are all related, so too are
the innovations that move our company and
industry forward.
In an ever-competitive world, each of us is
continuously striving to add value to our customers
and one another.
Good ideas come from everywhere, and
you’ll read about plenty of innovations—big and
small—that are increasing safety, reducing costs,
improving energy efficiency, and boosting quality.
This issue’s articles, the meaningful innovations,
and mostly the TDPartners and Customers behind
them are an inspiration to me and I hope to you
as well.
From our new safety gear vending machines to
our work for Samsung, Texas Children’s Hospital,
and many more clients, our intentional, everyday
innovation makes our lives, our jobs, our teams,
and our projects/services better.
I’m so proud that new ideas, improvements, and
possibilities become realities every day at TD. Like
our water control boxes. These onsite boxes are a
simple, handy solution that gets called into action
when any trade has an unplanned water discharge.
They also increase safety protection while avoiding
significant costs and delays.
Or our Mentally Install Systems On Paper
(MISOP) solution that came from our Houston
team. The MISOP process helps us to build it
once in the planning room, then build it on the
job for real. It helps us ensure quality and on-time
delivery.
Our shared value and dedication to one another
and to our customers create the powerful engine
that propels our innovation.
It shows up each day in the attentive,
professional approach we take to encouraging
the best from one another. It happens on the job,
in the halls, from the newest to the longest-term
TDPartners and Customers. This is no accident, I
am sure.
It is the direct result of our daily focus on adding
value to others. And that, I have come to know, is
the truest form of innovation.
Al revisar esta edición de TDSpirit, me viene
a la mente que la inspiración para la innovación
significativa proviene del trabajo en equipo que
vivimos cada día.
En la medida en que todos estamos relacionados,
también lo están las innovaciones que mueven a
nuestra compañía e industria hacia adelante.
En un mundo cada vez más competitivo, cada
uno de nosotros está continuamente tratando de
agregar valor a nuestros clientes y mutuamente.
Las buenas ideas vienen de todas partes y
leerá acerca de muchas innovaciones, grandes y
pequeñas, que están fortaleciendo la seguridad,
reduciendo los costos, mejorando la eficiencia
energética y aumentando la calidad.
Los artículos de esta edición, las innovaciones
significativas, y, sobre todo, los TDPartners y
clientes detrás de ellos, son una inspiración para mí
y espero que lo sean para usted también.
Desde nuestras nuevas máquinas expendedoras
de equipo de seguridad hasta nuestro trabajo para
muchos clientes como Samsung, Hospital Infantil
de Texas y muchos más, nuestra voluntad de
innovación diaria hace que nuestras vidas, nuestros
trabajos, nuestros equipos y nuestros proyectos y
servicios sean mejores.
Estoy muy orgulloso de que las ideas nuevas,
las mejoras, y las posibilidades se convierten en
realidad todos los días en TD. Como nuestras
cajas de control de agua. Estas cajas, ubicadas en
la planta, son una solución sencilla y práctica que
entran en acción al aumentar la protección de
la seguridad a la vez que evitan costos y retrasos
significativos cuando alguna operación emite una
descarga de agua no planificada.
O nuestra solución MISOP que vino de nuestro
equipo en Houston. Este proceso de Sistemas
mentalmente instalados en el papel nos ayuda a
construir una vez en la sala de planificación y luego
construir de verdad en el trabajo. Nos ayuda a
asegurar la calidad y la entrega a tiempo.
Nuestros valores compartidos, la dedicación
mutua y a nuestros clientes, crean el poderoso
motor que impulsa nuestra innovación.
Se muestra cada día en el enfoque atento y
profesional que adoptamos para estimular lo mejor
que tenemos todos. Esto ocurre en el trabajo, en
los pasillos, desde los TDPartners y clientes más
recientes hasta los más antiguos. Estoy seguro de
que esto no es casualidad.
Es el resultado directo de enfocarnos
diariamente en agregar valor a los demás. Y eso,
he llegado a saber, es la forma más genuina de la
innovación.
TDIndustries is changing the face of
mechanical construction and facilities
services through lifecycle innovations.
Austin
2701 Gattis School Road
Building “A”‚ Suite 101
Round Rock‚ TX 78664
512-310-5052
Dallas
13850 Diplomat Drive
Dallas‚ TX 75234
972-888-9500
Fort Worth
5700 Stratum Drive
Fort Worth, TX 76137
817-590-9360
Houston
8801 Jameel Road, Suite 100
Houston‚ TX 77040
713-939-1986
Phoenix
1702 W. 3rd Street
Tempe, AZ 85281
480-449-7690
San Antonio
12700 O’Connor Road
San Antonio‚ TX 78233
210-564-6065
Please report any change of address,
contact name, or additions by calling
Matthew Stephenson at 972-888-9348
or by email:
[email protected].
We want to thank the Partners of
TDIndustries who contributed to this issue
of TDSpirit.
From left to right:
Ed White, George Athens, Robert Stinger, Bill Jordan, and Dave Jordan
TDIndustries’
Merger with JBS
Energizes Phoenix Market
PHOENIX
Sept. 1, 2011, marks the one-year anniversary of TDIndustries’ merger with
Phoenix-based JBS Mechanical.
So how are things going?
“We never imagined we’d have this much success in such a
hard-hit real estate market, but our newly combined team is
a true bright spot in this still-bruised economy,” said George
Athens, Vice President of TDIndustries in Phoenix.
The results so far tell the tale. Since the merger, TDIndustries’
business in the Phoenix market has more than doubled. That
means TD is on pace to meet its goal of becoming the biggest
service provider in Phoenix and throughout Arizona.
“People no longer laugh when I reveal our ambitions,”
Athens joked.
More Services — With Speed
Now that the firms have joined forces, TD can offer clients
an array of services, including some, such as plumbing and
energy-related services, that JBS could not previously support.
“The plumbing business took off like a rocket ship,” Athens
said, noting that the skills of the combined workforce are very
complementary.
“We now provide clients with one-stop shopping,” Athens
said. “Not only can we fix our customers’ air conditioning and
plumbing, we can also take a look at the building to see if it’s
operating efficiently. A lot of companies can’t do that.”
This bolstered capacity means that TD can do more building
retrofits, take on larger and larger projects, and become a
player in the marketplace. “Projects are bigger, the level of
performance is higher, and the service is better,” Athens said.
Speed is another key differentiator for TD in the Phoenixarea HVAC contractor market. “We never put our customers
off to the next day if we can take care of them right away,” said
Robert Stinger. Stinger is the former president of JBS and
remains at TDIndustries as a senior sales executive. “It’s what I
tell everyone: Be prepared to walk at a fast pace.”
Technicians, for instance, do not go home until all requests
are off the board. This level of support, horsepower, and
reliability has been appreciated by the JBS customers TD
acquired. “That’s the way we roll,” Stinger said.
Looking Ahead
At the one-year mark of the merger with JBS, there’s an
excitement for what lies ahead.
“There’s a buzz about TD in the area,” Athens said. “Now
people want to come to work here and we’re able to find great
people. We feel very fortunate.”
TDIndustries’
UTSW Hospital Project
A Boon for the Community
“This is a world-class healthcare
facility that will serve our community
for generations to come.”
Mike Gresham, TD Senior Project Manager
DALLAS
TDIndustries’ partnership with Hunt Construction earns
prestigious job
TDIndustries’ Senior Project Manager Mike Gresham has a
succinct answer to the question of why the new University of
Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) is so valuable.
“This is a world class healthcare facility that will serve our
community for generations to come,” Gresham said. “And this
is a very high–profile customer we are grateful to serve.”
Construction on the 438–bed, 1.2 million–gross–square–
foot UTSW facility started in June with the drilling of the
first piers, and the hospital is on track to be completed for the
scheduled early 2015 opening. TD is responsible for building
and installing the facility’s total mechanical solution —
plumbing, medical gas, and HVAC systems.
The general contractor on the project, Hunt Construction
Group, has collaborated with TD on many projects over
four decades of work together, including constructing hotels,
office buildings, and, of note, the Phoenix Cardinals’ NFL
football stadium.
“The companies have formed a high degree of trust,” said
TD Executive Vice President Ed Reeve. “So when Hunt invited
TD to bid on the UTSW project, the TD team jumped at the
chance. The team put together a powerful proposal and earned
this prestigious job.”
Providing Turn–Key Solutions
With knowledge in all areas of construction — design,
building, and installation — TD plans to be a full partner to
Hunt at every step during the large, complex UTSW project.
TD is leveraging its particular expertise related to
healthcare facility construction and an array of other tools to
advance construction. For instance, the TD Engineering and
Coordination teams utilize Building Information Modeling
(BIM) to reduce errors in the planning process, protect the
budget, and keep everyone on schedule.
TD is also assisting in the design phase, providing a unique
asset to the prime contractor’s consulting engineers, Gresham
said. Hunt called on TD’s experts to consult with the UTSW
project architect, engineer, owner, and general contractor
to make critical system design decisions and devise key
installation details.
For example, the TD team suggested an operating room
module that deploys a prefabricated laminar flow air–diffuser
system that was not in the original specs.
“We think that will be very beneficial to their operating
rooms,” Reeve said. “We took that to the general contractor, and
they are considering that for this project.”
Taking Prefab To New Levels
“TD’s multi–trade, prefabrication approach is another key
differentiator,” said Brent Smith, a TD senior project manager.
“That’s where we think we became the most innovative,” he said,
“by thinking creatively about ways to expedite our field force.”
TD is working with other subcontractors to pre–design and
pre–assemble systems off site. “The fact that the various project
players are open to this method is a milestone event in itself,”
Reeve added.
“The benefits of that are improved quality, improved timing
of the schedule, and, possibly, cost reduction,” Reeve said.
“It will also result, longer term, in a higher quality, tier–one
hospital for the Dallas community.”
Key Contributions
Reeve, Smith, and Gresham saluted the following members
of the TD team who made important contributions to the
UTSW project:
Harold MacDowell, CEO, TDIndustries
Rod Johannsen, President, North Texas Construction
Dave Youden, Senior Vice President, Major Projects (Dallas)
Kathy Brooks, Executive Assistant to Ed Reeve
Steve Canter, Chief Technology Officer
Steven Grady, Manufacturing Manager
Larry Randolph, Coordination Manager
Drew Yaggy, Professional Engineer, Pre-construction Services
Leonard Gill, Assistant Project Manager
Brandon Gillett, Pre-construction Services Estimator
David Perdue, Senior Superintendent
PRE-FAB CORNER
A 6-inch grooved copper pressure regulating valve
station for the Deloitte University project. This prefab,
installed in area F in the basement, helps supply
water to the main building.
TDSpirit • • • SUMMER 2011
5
TD Goes
All in With Microchip
Maker SAMSUNG
AUSTIN
TDIndustries’ partnership with Samsung is a window into the
work of TD Technology
The TD Technology team provides mechanical construction
and services to the semiconductor, research and development,
and microelectronics manufacturing sector. Just don’t call them
“the computer guys.”
“A lot of people hear ‘technology,’ and they think we’re a
bunch of IT guys,” said TD Technology Business Development
Manager Keith Smith. “But that’s not quite right.”
Instead, the team builds and services the highly specialized
facilities that produce microchips — the tiny circuits that
give computers their processing power and memory. These
facilities require particular process piping, high-purity systems,
and process exhaust to handle the manufacturing process
where chips are embedded with circuitry within the
fabrication cleanroom.
TD’s 30-year history with the Dallas-area tech industry,
including Texas Instruments, has positioned it to serve the
specific requirements of this dynamic sector. “As information
technology grew up, we built on TD’s roots in commercial piping,
plumbing, and air conditioning by applying new disciplines to
the sector’s needs for more specialized environments,” Smith
said. “And that’s how TD Technology was born.”
Help Wanted: Sophisticated Partner to Build
Microchip Plant
In 2007, TD’s Technology Team, led by Jason Cinek, caught the
eye of Samsung Austin Semiconductor (SAS). SAS is a division of
Korea-based Samsung, the leading global electronics company.
The firm was in the middle of constructing North America’s
largest microchip fabrication facility — it would become
Samsung’s first in the United States producing 300mm wafer
technology — even as it was ramping up production at another
Austin facility. With work firing on all cylinders, SAS sought
an experienced provider to support the critical tool hookups.
TD Technology fit the bill, and the Partnership took off
from there.
With the completion of FAB2 in 2008, the demand for tool
hookup services resulted in growth from nine core Partners
to a workforce of 55, installing over 125 tools in 10 months.
Upon completion of this project through late 2009, Samsung
entered a sustaining position on site but continued to call
on TDIndustries as one of its key suppliers for maintenance
requests, tool relocations, and impromptu capacity upgrades.
In 2010, the semiconductor market began to emerge, and TD
became engaged in a series of bubble ramps through most of
the year.
Living the Client’s Issues
Today, TD Project Manager Jason Fee leads a team of
roughly 55 TD Technology workers who are embedded at SAS
in Austin, working on microchip tool installations and overall
plant maintenance.
TD Technology’s agility, skills in planning and scheduling,
and overall endurance support an industry moving at lightning
speed. “The changing environment is the only constant,” Smith
said. “Being able to live the issue with the customer and respond
to whatever it needs is critical.”
Running Rings Around ‘Saturn Ramp’
These qualities were put to the test during Samsung’s “Saturn
Ramp” project — an installation of more than 550 main tools
and 10,000 pieces of equipment in five months.
“The project schedule was extremely demanding,” Fee said.
It called for 1,700 contractors to be on site installing tools
day and night, which meant that TD Partners had to provide
24/7 supervision.
Yet TD knew quality and safety would be compromised if
Partners were driven too hard; accordingly, an overall limit of
six-day, 60-hour work weeks was set. “We felt we could meet
the client’s critical schedule and complex scope of work without
undermining our need to protect our people and maintain
quality,” he said.
The project was a success. TD Partners provided the largest
TD workforce ever deployed to Samsung, ramping up to 62
Partners and technicians who worked 60,000 hours from
November to April.
“Our safety record on that effort and overall has been nearly
impeccable,” said TD Superintendent Shawn Ramsey. There
have been no safety incidents this year — something that’s
almost unheard of — and just one incident over TD’s four years
of work with SAS.
A Collaborative Effort
Fee believes that this safety record, and the success of the
SAS effort in general, is a testament not only to TD’s special
expertise, but to TD’s team culture and the strong alliance with
the Samsung team.
“Everybody looks out for each other, but we also hold each
other accountable,” Fee said. “That we completed this project
on schedule without compromising personal safety or delaying
production shows that our processes are working.” From 2007
to present, TD has completed more than 358 individual projects
and worked nearly 270,000 hours across 400,000 square feet of
facility space in Austin.
One of largest contributors to the success and Partnership
with SAS has been the “family” atmosphere across the TD/
SAS team. Through the years, softball teams, bowling leagues,
flag football sessions, and weekly barbecues have been the
foundation for forming lifelong relationships.
“Over my 11 years with TD, I’ve never seen a team with such
camaraderie,” Smith said. “Everyone on the SAS project gets
along well with each other — and they actually hang out after
work. I think that’s a critical part of our success.”
TDSpirit • • • SUMMER 2011
7
TDSpirit
Project Gallery
Summer 2011
Texas Children’s Hospital – Houston, Texas
Texas Children’s Hospital – Houston, Texas
HOUSTON
Hi-Tech Hospital Wing Advances
Houston-Area Pediatrics
When TDIndustries started a new wing for Texas
Children’s Hospital, a world-renowned leader in pediatrics
care, TD knew it was part of something extra special.
The 515,007-square-foot facility is the first community
hospital built exclusively for children. It uses innovative
technology and features a unique design to promote
patient well-being, complete with a children’s play area
on every floor. The wing has the area’s only 24/7 pediatric
emergency room, two operating rooms, 48 patient beds,
labs, and a pharmacy, all fitted with advanced medical
technology and equipment.
TD accepted the challenge of constructing the wing’s
complex mechanical systems while meeting the strict, 2.5
year completion deadline.
8
TDSpirit • • • SUMMER 2011
TD’s leading edge in the healthcare industry gave the
client confidence in the TD team, including Vice President
Randee Herrin, Senior Project Manager Mike Gresham,
Project Manager Chris West, Superintendent Pete Ybarra,
and Building Information Modeling (BIM) Coordinator
Glen Krahn.
TD identified efficiencies by relying on its pioneering
use of the BIM three-dimensional modeling tool to reduce
pre-construction phase errors, which preserved costs
and time. The TD-proprietary Mentally Install Systems
On Paper (MISOP) process also was instrumental to the
accurate and efficient planning of the hospital.
Other technologies played key roles as well. It was
Trimble technology, a precision tool to locate underground
plumbing and other components, that fed the team’s need
for speed. “Trimble allowed us to set sleeves through the
slabs for pipe and duct penetrations,” Gresham said. “This
alone more than tripled the number of sleeves we could set
in one day.”
Under the leadership of Tellepsen Builders, the wing
was completed on time and on budget. Soon after opening
its doors the following spring, the hospital made history by
becoming the first pediatric hospital in the United States
to successfully implant an artificial heart into the chest of
a 17-year-old patient.
“Healthcare professionals are now providing the best
services and cutting-edge care to many more young
people,” Gresham said. “And that’s a major reward.”
PHOENIX
Premier Facility Rises At Phoenix’s
Grand Canyon University
When Grand Canyon University wanted a venue capable
of hosting diverse entertainment and sporting events,
TDIndustries’ team in Phoenix rose to the occasion with
the construction of a superior facility that included building
automation. Construction of the new 140,000-squarefoot facility guided by Perini Building Company Project
Executive Tony Meyer and Superintendents Neil Baker
and Mike Janowski began July 2010 and will be completed
on schedule and on budget, by summer’s end.
That’s in time for the venue’s first official use: a fall
performance of “Disney on Ice.” The event presented
TD with timing and technical challenges involving the
installation of chillers, air handlers, fan coil units, and other
equipment. To accommodate vivid pyrotechnics during
performances, TD installed two Temtrol manufactured
16-fan wall arrays, which work in concert to evacuate
smoke. TDIndustries and Climatec furnished equipment
and a design to meet smoke evacuation requirements and
acceptable sound levels.
“This is a first-class facility serving both the university
and the community,” said Project Manager Tom Thomas.
Thomas and Production Manager Doug Wallace
coordinated with TD’s Building Systems Integration (BSI)
group, led by Rob Chrisler, Jim Heiser, and Eric Zawislak.
The BSI group worked with Arizona Control Specialists
Bill Truett, Principal, and Project Manager Tom Horan
to design and implement a Tridium Integration system
supported by Delta Controls. The goal is to eventually
integrate all aspects of the building control system to
include lighting, fire safety, and other building functions.
University of Texas at Arlington
Grand Canyon Event Center – Phoenix, Arizona
“That system installation allowed TD’s BSI group to show
off its skills in the Phoenix market,” Thomas said.
The team used a number of processes to manage the
project, including the Mentally Install Systems on Paper
(MISOP) checklist and Building Information Modeling
(BIM), led by Coordinator Bill Wright. And because the
team was able to prefabricate a number of plumbing and
piping components at TD’s shop, customized installations
could be done in real time, avoiding any delays.
Others contributing to the project’s success were Corky
Pond of Climatec, Dave Dorich of Ferguson Enterprises,
and Austin Condon of Norman S. Wright.
ARLINGTON
A Leaner, Greener University of Texas At Arlington
TD’s Energy Solutions Group beat out a number of
major competitors in the bid to make the University of
Texas at Arlington (UTA) campus leaner and greener.
Already an energy conservation leader within the
University of Texas system, a TDIndustries energy and
infrastructure audit found that UTA could further
reduce its energy costs by replacing two 3,000-ton R22
chillers, making other utility-saving upgrades, and
comprehensively managing energy use.
The multifaceted infrastructure improvement project,
launched early this year, and on track for a Dec. 31,
2011, completion, is served by Dan Edwards, along with
Fort Worth Office Team Leader Aaron Rice and Field
Superintendant Steve Post. In addition to relying on TD’s
Mentally Install Systems on Paper (MISOP) checklist and
Lean planning process, Rice’s team coordinates weekly
meetings with UTA Associate Director Larry Harrison
and other university officials, TD representatives, and
subcontractors to facilitate communications and head off
any project roadblocks.
The project involves an assessment, implementation,
and continuous commissioning of thermal energy
plant operations and an HVAC system build; retrofits of
existing VAV boxes; installation of AHU high-efficiency
motor upgrades; and a replacement of thermal energy
plant chillers and a building roof upgrade. Domestic hot
water pumps are being replaced and thermal energy plant
cooling tower fan motor VFDs are being upgraded.
TD’s utiliVisor® solution, a continuous commissioning
tool, is ensuring that the Central Utility Plant is operating
at optimal efficiency by collecting data and conducting
analyses of key facility indicators. utiliVisor® is also being
used for measurement and verification of the thermal
energy plant.
In addition, TD provided in-house engineering
support for chiller, VAV, and AHU installation design
documents located in the UTA thermal energy plant and
University Hall.
“With these high-efficiency upgrades, TDIndustries has
guaranteed long-term energy savings to UTA,” said Rice.
“These improvements will not only help the university
meet state energy goals, they will free up precious dollars
for educational programming.”
TDSpirit • • • SUMMER 2011
9
Lackland Air Force Base
DALLAS / FORT WORTH
AUSTIN
Legoland Takes Shape In Dallas-Fort Worth
Putting A New Shine On Apple’s Austin Offices
Building a new Legoland theme park from the ground
up wasn’t exactly a snap given the challenges: a tight
deadline, potential surprises during the demolition and
underground phases, and the need to coordinate with
European concept designers working to bring the park to
life for children.
That’s why the TDIndustries team — Project Manager
Logan Harper; Superintendents Jeremy Kieschnick
and Mark Jones; Plumbing Foreman Luke Perry; Sheet
Metal Foreman Curtis Jewell; and Startup and Service
Technicians Todd Setford, Alex Jones, Ki Bartlett, and
Rowan Small — took a proactive approach to handling
any complications.
Lecgoland Discovery Center Grapevine, Texas
Apple Corporate Office - Austin
10
The team’s staffing and system decisions meant that
an adequate crew was in place early to knock out the
initial tasks, including gutting a portion of the Grapevine
Mills Mall, where the park is situated. As site conditions
were revealed, TD Partners were ready to revise and
change as circumstances dictated. Maintaining constant
communication with the general contractor and the lot
owner’s representatives also helped keep the office and
field staff on the same page.
“A light Building Information Modeling (BIM) process
was used to coordinate the mechanical systems and the
electrical details and uncover conflicts at the outset,”
Harper said. “This ensured that everyone’s eyes were open
when the work began.”
The job was TD’s first for General Contractor SuffolkROEL Construction, which helped build other Merlin
Entertainment theme parks on the West Coast. TD worked
with Suffolk-ROEL’s Project Managers Chris Heese and
Jano Montoya and Superintendents Kevin Flynn and
Robert Kay, along with Merlin Entertainment Project
Manager Jon Whitehead.
The venue, which opened on time in the spring, has
interactive displays, rides, and a 4-D movie theater.
New bathrooms and duct work were installed to serve
the exhibit and interactive areas. “Now that Legoland
is a reality, children of all ages can go there to let their
imaginations run wild,” said Harper.
TDSpirit • • • SUMMER 2011
With Apple’s penchant for sharp design and seamless
integration, we were flattered when the company
chose TDIndustries to remodel the technology firm’s
downtown Austin offices. TD’s command of the LEED
certification process for existing buildings, in addition to
the company’s expertise in HVAC and plumbing, assured
Apple executives that this fast-track design-build project
could be executed with finesse.
“Apple needed a firm that could coordinate the project
and begin building and installing parts rapidly,” said
Senior Project Manager Ronnie Swingler, who headed
up a team that included DPR Senior Project Manager
Scott Sass, DPR Project Manager Jason Hauck, DPR
Superintendent Tim Shannon, TD HVAC Foreman
David Fowler, TD Plumbing Foreman Lance Burnett,
and TD Superintendent JR Rushing. “It was a good fit for
our capabilities, and just the kind of challenge that gets
us excited.”
TD’s LEED experience helped overcome one potential
snag by spotting that the windows of an existing building
wouldn’t meet LEED requirements. Other tactics kept
the project on track, including the use of TD’s Mentally
Install Systems on Paper (MISOP) checklist repeatedly
throughout the project, as well as the crafting of all
drawings using Building Information Modeling (BIM).
The work began in August 2010 and finished five
months later. The project was on time and just as Apple
envisioned. It involved new office areas with rooftop VAV
systems; server, break, and rest rooms; a new roof; and
new insulation. TD installed LEED-certified windows
and used chilled-water fan coils and air handlers for the
server room along with in-row cooling units. Bill Harris
and Melissa Woolsey of HMG Engineering provided
the design.
The result is a greener workspace for Apple employees
and a LEED-certified addition to Austin’s lively downtown.
“We hope the space helps the city attract more employers
and create more jobs,” said Swingler.
LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE – SAN ANTONIO, TX
Perfect Marks For US Air Force Intelligence
Operations Facility
Delivering a new facility to a federal client with zero
punch-list items may seem impossible, but that’s exactly
what TDIndustries provided to the US Air Force early
this year.
At the start of the project in April 2010, few would have
predicted such a seamless result for the job — a USAF
intelligence operations facility with four data rooms,
offices, and conference areas. With a fixed January 2011
deadline looming, the facility’s construction was months
behind schedule and stuck in neutral, but TD’s adept
planning and superior quality control management
got the project back on track and headed toward the
finish line.
To gain ground on the timeline, the TD team — Project
Manager Justin Beard, Superintendent Jesse Hernandez,
Plumbing Foreman Harley Burchard, Sheet Metal
Foreman Arturo Castillo, and Piping Foreman Ricardo
Mendoza — rapidly installed the HVAC and plumbing
systems. Soon enough, the team was ahead of schedule.
TD’s federal expertise surely helped navigate the
technical issues, but use of the Mentally Install Systems
on Paper checklist and Lean coordination process also
contributed to the project’s success. The completed facility
— fed by two 120-ton air-cooled chillers supplying chilled
water to nine CRAC units and two variable air-volume airhandling units — was handed over early and under budget
to the USAF, which deemed it 100 percent done.
“The fact that there were no punch-list items for
TDIndustries is an incredible accomplishment on a federal
project where the building design and end-user demands
are constantly changing,” said Beard, whose team worked
with TolTest. “We’re proud that we were able to make the
customer so happy.”
Houston Community College – Houston, Texas
HOUSTON
Educating and Training the Leaders of Tomorrow
TD is just a few months into a five-year Facility
Operations and Maintenance engagement and already the
feedback from Houston Community College (HCC) is
positive. That is no doubt because HCC Project Manager
Ben Castillo and Operations Manager Gerad Moers are
already taking steps to ensure that maintenance needs
are tracked across the blend of old and new buildings
and systems that pose unique challenges. TD provides
HCC with full-time facilities mechanical, electrical, and
plumbing (MEP) services on site, as well as Building
Automation, Security, Fire Life Safety, Emergency
Generator, and Elevator services. Every year, more
than 76,000 students attend HCC, which consists of 68
buildings occupying five million square feet throughout
the Houston area.
“We are getting the Computerized Maintenance
Management System [CMMS] online to identify
equipment, develop appropriate preventative maintenance tasking schedules, and check the progress on work
being done,” Castillo said. “The CMMS ensures that we
don’t miss anything on a project this large. The system also
ensures that all repairs are scheduled according to priority
and not only done, but done well.” Castillo is developing
Key Performance Indicators to measure the success of
the preventative maintenance plan, which will result in
reduced system failures.
Castillo, who is supported on the contract by Gerad
Moers and Zone Managers Bert Lisle, Dennis Eveslage,
Andy Luna, Joe Frazier, and Robert Buess, is excited
about what the future holds for TD and HCC. “This project
is off to a great start,” Castillo said, “and we look forward
to many years of service to HCC’s students, faculty and
administrators.”
Outstanding
Campaign Growth
by Industry Award
United Way Salutes TD Partners’ Generosity
We’ve long known that the Partners of TDIndustries
are a generous bunch, but the United Way has let
our secret out to a wider audience by honoring us
with its Outstanding Campaign Growth by Industry
(Construction/Architecture/Real Estate) award.
It’s a tribute to all the TD Partners who give a portion
of their paychecks to help the Dallas-area United
Way support nonprofit programming in education,
health, and income assistance for struggling families.
The award also highlights a common cause with the
United Way to build a better future for the entire
Dallas community.
TDSpirit • • • SUMMER 2011
TD GIVES BACK
PEOPLE
11
ServiceLINK
™
Online Portal
DALLAS
TDIndustries’ newest innovation, the ServiceLINK Online Portal, is
already a hit with customers, who are using it to track service calls in
real time and save precious resources.
“I would recommend this system to anyone who is interested
in controlling costs, monitoring work, and planning ahead,”
said David P. Talbert, Director of Facilities and Operations for
the Lake Dallas Independent School District, a TD customer. “I
love this system.”
The ServiceLINK Online Portal, rolled out in February,
allows TD customers to place service requests and review
maintenance activities via the Internet. They can also see
maintenance histories online and communicate directly with
TDIndustries’ service representatives at any time, day or night.
Best of all, the site is available to every customer with a TD
service agreement.
Talbert said the portal is already proving valuable in the dayto-day management of school district facilities.
When he first took the job, Talbot got a lot of use out of TD’s
ServiceLINK phone-based customer service line. But to make
certain critical decisions about the school district’s HVAC
system, he needed more immediate access to data.
The new online portal provides it. The site enhances the
school district’s capabilities for pre-planning HVAC system
replacements, and it allows school officials to monitor the
system’s costs, which affect the entire district’s bottomline budget.
Empowering Customers
And that’s why the online system was created: to expedite and
enhance all of TD’s services to customers. The tool augments
TD’s all-hours customer service telephone line as well as the
existing ServiceLINK GPS handheld device system that TD
service technicians use in the field to accelerate service calls.
“This is an added convenience that really puts the power of
information into our customers’ hands,” said Frank Ziccarelli,
TD’s Information Technology (IT) Applications Director. “And
it allows us to round out our entire customer service approach.”
On the site, TD Partners can track customer relationship
histories — everything from equipment to account management
to service calls — at any time, which means they can respond
quickly to customer requests, questions, and concerns.
ServiceLink Key Features
The site has a number of other innovative features:
Real-Time Updates
The portal updates information on service call requests
so that customers know when TD service technicians
are on their way and when the work is being performed.
Work Histories
In a few clicks of the mouse, customers can access an
extensive work order history that provides a rundown
of every service that TD has performed at their facilities.
Inventory Lists
The site lists all equipment that TD currently supports
and will service at a customer’s location. Registered
customers can go to the site and pull down inventory
lists at any time to learn more about their assets.
“Customers can also use the portal for budgeting purposes,”
said Carrie Friedrich, a member of the Dallas Service
Business Development team. “That information can help them
determine how much it would cost to support those assets, or
whether they should change them out as they fail or age.”
Something for Everyone
One of the beauties of the system is that it is available to
customers at all levels, from building engineers in the field to
workers in the front office.
“If you’re responsible for maintenance, you can go in and
see how frequently your maintenance inspections take place,”
Kyle Hogue, Sales Manager of TD’s Dallas Service Department,
said. “From a director and C-level position, you can really
understand your financials.”
The following TD employees deserve special mention for
contributing to the successful development and launch of the
TD ServiceLINK Online Portal:
Kyle Hogue, Service Sales Manager,
ServiceLINK Online Portal Team Leader
Bob Wilken, Executive Vice President
Carrie Friedrich, Business Development
Frank Ziccarelli, IT Applications Director
Larry Robinson, SharePoint & SQL Server Database Administrator
Stacy Mitchell, Contact Center Supervisor
TDSpirit • • • SUMMER 2011
13
TDSpirit
Career Milestones
50
Ben Houston
Corporate
September 2010 – July 2011
40
Jerry Steenson
TDManufacturing
Eddie Ventrca
Special Projects
35
30
Dennis Broyles
Special Projects
Bobby Cole
Houston
Bob Lowe
Major Projects
David Barnes
Dallas Service
John Garnica
Dallas Service
Jeff Johnson
Multifamily
Nacho Lozano Jr.
Major Projects
Dwight Matthews
Central Texas
Stan Quillen
Dallas Service
Mark Reynolds
Houston
Dave Smith
Major Projects
14
TDSpirit • • • SUMMER 2011
25
Lisa Dylla
Major Projects
Ken Fletcher
Major Projects
Ken Frank
Special Projects
Scott Hicks
Houston
Mike Howard
Major Projects
Mark Parrish
Major Projects
Bernie Williams Jr.
Technology
Scott Castleberry
Professional Services
Mozzelle Dempster
Central Texas
Richard Frost
Technology
Lorenzo Garcia
Special Projects
Jim Jones
Central Texas
20
Melvin Kelley
Special Projects
Ricardo Lopez
Multifamily
Jeff Polston
Special Projects
Jesse Rodriguez
Dallas Service
Kevin Shields
Dallas Service
Ben Simmons
Multifamily
Ron Adams Major Projects
Jose Avelar Houston
Kathy Brooks Major Projects
Jaycee Curry Special Projects
Jay Dennig Jr. TDManufacturing
15
Lyn Freeman Fort Worth
Sam Garcia Central Texas
Ricky Harris Technology
Nelson Hughes Houston
Karlton Johnson Major Projects
Raul Lopez-Lucio TDManufacturing
Carlos Mariscal Major Projects
Glenn Neithercut Multifamily
Michael Palmer Special Projects
Ken Parish Special Projects
Eduardo Perez Houston
TDSpirit • • • SUMMER 2011
15
15
Paul Philp Dallas Service
Edgar Pineda Chaves Fort Worth
J Cruz Quiroz Houston
Eugene Ross Houston
Kelly Theriot Multifamily
Eddie Ventrca Jr. TDManufacturing
10
Jose Acevedo Central Texas
David Adams Major Projects
Juan Banda Houston
Ki Bartlett Fort Worth
Justin Bowker Major Projects
Noelia Campos Professional Services
Ricardo Cantu Facilities Management
Ty Cassel Central Texas
Michael Eary Dallas Service
Jerry Erwin Major Projects
Jose Estala Fort Worth
Daniel Faldyn Facilities Management
Kevin Faure Central Texas
Greg Gillespie Dallas Service
Tara Gresham Houston
John Guerra Dallas Service
Kimberly Hauck Professional Services
Jesus Hernandez Jr. Central Texas
Chad Hubenak Houston
Roy Jennings Central Texas
Terry Johnson Dallas Service
Edgar Limon Central Texas
Juan Macias Dallas Service
John Makelke Major Projects
Erich Mangum Technology
Ramon Martinez Dallas Service
Jose Martinez TDManufacturing
Robert Massey Fort Worth
Dick Mehsling Houston
Ty Merrick Major Projects
David Mirabal Houston
Jessica Morales Houston
Lazaro Padron Fort Worth
Mike Perez Central Texas
Alejandro Perez Dallas Service
Luke Perry Fort Worth
Carlos Rivera Technology
Corey Rivers Central Texas
Felipe Ruiz Dallas Service
Steven Sands Major Projects
Juan Saucedo Central Texas
16
TDSpirit • • • SUMMER 2011
Andrew Sheppard Houston
Jenny Sheppard Houston
Jorge Solis Major Projects
Fred Taylor Major Projects
Ed White Phoenix
Not Pictured
10
5
Vicente Abundis Central Texas
Jose Abundis Central Texas
Marge Angers Professional Services
Larry Bartlett Major Projects
Dave Blankenship Technology
Greg Blanks Facilities Management
Not Pictured
Charles Breault Professional Services
Joe Brewer Fort Worth
Katina Brewster TDManufacturing
Jon Britton Fort Worth
Leslie Carbajal Professional Services
Robert Chavez Central Texas
Kevin Cothrin Technology
Patrick Cunningham Phoenix
Not Pictured
Chad Dodd Major Projects
Jorge Espinoza TDManufacturing
Jose Flores II Special Projects
Jaime Fuentes Jr. Houston
Reynaldo Garcia TDManufacturing
Carlos Gentil Phoenix
Jonathan Godinez Technology
John Gould III Central Texas
Not Pictured
Lee Grant Phoenix
Manuel Grimaldo Houston
Rex Guthrie Central Texas
June Hallman Professional Services
Logan Harper Fort Worth
Noah Hermes Central Texas
Adolfo Hernandez Central Texas
Eloy Hernandez Houston
Aaron HerveyHouston
Michael Hord Fort Worth
Matthew Hunter Central Texas
Jose Ibarra Fort Worth
Mandy Jennings Houston
Kelly Johnson Houston
Stan Kleinjans Jr. Phoenix
Joseph Kupiszewski Fort Worth
Michael Lark Major Projects
John Levie Dallas Service
Mario Martin Special Projects
Eusebio Martinez Houston
Charles Mata Technology
Sorel Mayorga Major Projects
Gene McCarty Dallas Service
Chad McCarver Technology
Not Pictured
Steven McLemore Major Projects
James McPherson Facilities Management
Jeff Meek Phoenix
Michael Minium Phoenix
Brandon Moncada Central Texas
Tommy Moore Houston
Joshua Moya Fort Worth
Victor Nuñez Phoenix
Tom O’Laughlin Central Texas
Jeyson Paez Professional Services
Kimberly Peace Central Texas
Victor Perez Central Texas
Jose Perez Facilities Management
Andrew Petree Fort Worth
Derek Phariss Central Texas
Kent Pounds Technology
TDSpirit • • • SUMMER 2011
17
5
James Presley Major Projects
Kyle Rager Houston
Shawn Ramsey Technology
Walter Risner Technology
Pete Robledo Special Projects
Matthew Rogers Central Texas
LeRoy Rouse Central Texas
Juan Ruiz Major Projects
Not Pictured
Rafael Salinas Dallas Service
Christian Saucedo Houston
Scott Sawyers Facilities Management
Dustin Sears Houston
Todd Setford Fort Worth
Alex Shipp Professional Services
Joe Shofner TDManufacturing
Evan Smith Houston
Steven Stanley Central Texas
JT Taylor Dallas Service
Elier Texidor Fort Worth
Richard Thomas Dallas Service
Mo Underwood Professional Services
John Urbina Houston
Marco Villalobos Major Projects
Jose Villarreal Central Texas
Retirees
TDPartners are at the heart
and soul of our company.
We salute our recently retired
Partners and wish them all
the best following their years
of service. Thank you for your
many contributions throughout
your careers and for helping
to make TDIndustries a great
place to work!
Not Pictured
Emilio Villarreal Central Texas
Jim Wiener Jr. Major Projects
Shawn Windham Facilities Management
Don Windler Central Texas
Allen Womack Houston
Not Pictured
Juan Interiano
19 years
David Holmes
31 years
Vicki Luck
26 years
Gil Morse
16 years
Steven Smith
20 years
Woody Wiederkehr
17 years
IN MEMORY OF:
This poem is being written
about a sheet metal worker by day
and a firefighter by night.
He only worked two jobs because it
was his passion and delight.
When it came to out-of-control
flames, you could bet he was always
ready for the firefight.
Chris Moore
Chris passed away Nov. 13th, 2010.
He was hired on April 3, 2000 as a Sheet
Metal Mechanic and was promoted to
Sheet Metal Foreman in December 2007.
Chris was working on the Mary Shiels
hospital project.
18
TDSpirit • • • SUMMER 2011
His servant leadership style came
out while working his day job.
He didn’t have a bone in him
that would let him work like a slob.
As a matter of fact when he was
at work doing his thing,
You could hear his hammer bang
against the metal and “boy could
he ever make it ring.”
He was so happy at work we
would often hear him sing.
There were times he saved so much
money against his budget;
he knew he would be getting some
extra jingle-a-ling.
We all remember how much he
loved his darling wife.
For in his world there was never,
ever anything better in his life.
After she left his side, it was though
someone had cut him with a knife!
We all so dearly miss our
friend Chris Moore
It just doesn’t seem fair that I
can’t see his smiling face anymore.
However, it gives me great pleasure
every time I hear a fire engine roar!
— By JimBo Bunnell
PARTNER PROFILE
Office Manager
Jennifer Ferguson
Ever wonder why things run so smoothly in TDIndustries’
Phoenix office? Phoenix Office Manager Jennifer Ferguson might
just be the answer.
“Jennifer keeps everybody together,” said Ed White, Senior
Vice President. “She works well with everyone, not only from the
Phoenix office but with folks from all other TD locations. I couldn’t
live without her.”
Waiting for the Phone to Ring
Ferguson started at TD more than 14 years ago, supporting field
Partners in the North Texas Construction Group and handling
everything from ordering uniforms to keeping track of weekly
timecards for some 600 to 700 Partners. She handled it all! In
January 2002, she decided to take a risk and move from Texas to
Arizona to work with her current boss, Ed White, and former
Partner Gary Brackett to launch the brand-new Phoenix office.
Looking back, Ferguson realizes that choosing to move nine
years ago was one of the best decisions she has ever made. “I was
moving 1,000 miles away from anyone and everyone I had known
my whole life,” she said. “But I was too excited to be scared.”
“Jennifer was my first hire out here,” said White. “In those
early days, we’d wait together for the phone to ring. Her role was
technically ‘office manager,’ but what she did was all encompassing
— she did take-off drawings, change orders, and numerous
other tasks.”
In addition to learning the nitty-gritty of TD’s office operations,
Ferguson also became TD’s ambassador to the community by
chairing the firm’s United Way committee and helping the team
exceed its annual fund-raising goal.
“At first, it was just the three of us here, but over time, we’ve
had as many as 150 Partners,” Ferguson said. She met and married
one of them — Rick Ferguson, who is a Project Manager for TD’s
Special Projects team. They married more than six years ago and
together they have three children. One daughter just enlisted in
the US Air Force and is stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base in
Montana. “It’s been an amazing ride,” Ferguson said.
Growing with Phoenix
Ferguson’s scope of work at TD has grown apace with the
burgeoning Phoenix-area market. She is responsible for all aspects
of the Phoenix office — accounts payable, human resources,
résumé reviewing, and hiring — and works closely with White to
review financials. She even helps out on IT issues. She has no set
routine, and that’s just the way she likes it. “I enjoy variability and
wearing many hats,” Ferguson said.
When TDIndustries acquired JBS in 2010, an aggressive
timeline of three weeks was set for the integration of the two firms.
Everything needed doing — from setting up the office’s IT systems
to ordering uniforms for the field team. Ferguson made sure
nothing fell through the cracks.
“She is the glue of Phoenix,” said White. “When you are in a
remote office, you can’t hire a dedicated person for every role.
Jennifer fills in all those holes.”
SAFETY VENDING
One Swipe for Safety
TDIndustries’ new vending machines at our Dallas headquarters
may look like ordinary snack dispensers, but they’re actually filled with
something far more beneficial to Partners’ health: safety equipment.
The process of turning copper piping and sheet metal into usable jobsite
products is essential but risky work. Shop workers need a lot of safety
equipment, and it’s not always easy to keep track of.
To make sure no TD Partners forego the goggles, protective vests,
or other safety gear that keep them injury-free, TD created new safety
vending machines that give Partners full and immediate access to whatever
supplies they need, whenever they need them.
To access a piece of equipment, a Partner simply swipes his or her
employee badge over a sensor, enters the code that corresponds to the item,
and, bingo, out it comes. No money is needed and tracking is automatic
through the badge swipe.
By providing easy, free access to protective gear, we hope these machines
ensure that no one ever dispenses with on-the-job safety.
TDSpirit • • • SUMMER 2011
19
13850 Diplomat Drive | Dallas‚ TX 75234
Phoenix Youth Learn Skills for the Future
at Builders Academy
The technique of pipe soldering and the art of the interview were
among the skills TDIndustries’ Doug Wallace, John Pawloski, and
Jennifer Ferguson imparted to about 30 Phoenix-area students
who participated in the 2011 Arizona Builders’ Alliance Future
Builders Academy.
Each year, TD Partners take part in the week-long event
designed to build youths’ interest in construction industry jobs.
Students age 16 and older receive hands-on trade skills and careerdevelopment assistance from TD and other area professionals.
This year, youths learned about OSHA rules, soldered pipes, and
interviewed with TD and participating company staffs to practice
the soft skills they’ll need to land actual positions in the trades.
In fact, one student who aced the interview with Wallace and
Ferguson landed an actual position at TD for the summer.
“On behalf of everyone at the Arizona Builders’ Alliance, I would like to
extend my thanks to TDIndustries and the company’s entire staff for
continuing to support our annual Future Builders Academy. Without the
ongoing and dedicated support of contractors like TDIndustries, this event
could not take place. Thanks again for everything you do, and I look forward
to your participation in the Academy next year.”
Gary Townsley, Apprenticeship Director, Arizona Builders’ Alliance
BUILDERS ACADEMY
After a soldering lesson
from Doug Wallace,
students practice the
real thing