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CONSTRUCTION
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Vol. 15  No. 6  JUNE 2012
Business expansion
Companies join together
Raba Kistner employees and New Braunfels business leaders
celebrate Raba’s new office location.
L-R: Bart Koontz and James Browning
S
an Antonio-based firm Raba Kistner Consultants has chosen New
Braunfels as the site for its newest
expansion of their offices. In conjunction
with New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce, the firm hosted a ribbon cutting
ceremony at the new facility May 9.
“This is our eleventh office for the
company, and shows our ongoing commitment to the region,” states Paul
Lampe, senior vice president. “Raba Kistner has been an active part of these communities and doing business in the areas
just north of San Antonio proper for over
40 years, but recently decided to open an
office in New Braunfels which will increase our ability to meet the needs of
our clients. Our relationship with this area
has been very good for the company and
our presence here will be good for our
clients.”
Heading up the new office is Ian Perez, PE. “Ian has a great community spirit
and will be an effective leader of this office,” adds Lampe. “We are also happy
that the opening of this office means that
he now has the opportunity to hire staff
from the community as we grow.”
Nancy Parker, marketing director,
notes the ribbon-cutting event drew
nearly 70 people from the community to
the new facility. “The New Braunfels business community gave us a warm welcome. We had a great time.”
continued on Page 25
T
wo San Antonio-based construction companies joined forces
through an acquisition completed
in April. Browning Construction LLC was
purchased by Koontz McCombs Construction Ltd. and will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary according to President and CEO Bart Koontz, Koontz McCombs.
“One of the big attributes of the acquisition is Browning has depth of expertise and experience in areas that we
didn’t have,” notes Koontz. “By having
them on our team, it certainly broadens
our capabilities.”
Browning President James Browning says, “This is very exciting for me. The
Koontz McCombs organization is a won-
derful organization, and I’m very excited
to associate our company with this organization.”
The purchase included acquisition of
Browning’s construction field offices and
yard on Basse Road. Construction operations and personnel of both companies
will be consolidated at that location. The
executive offices, accounting and development will remain at the Koontz McCombs headquarters location on Mulberry Avenue according to Bart Koontz. The
combined operations will have approximately 70 employees.
continued on Page 25
Revitalizing Broadway
T
here are a handful of buildings in
San Antonio that are certain to stir
fond memories for many in the
community. One of those special buildings is the ButterKrust Bakery Building
located at 2201 Broadway. According to
Tom Green, Kopplow Construction Inc.,
“Anyone who grew up in San Antonio
and was in elementary school in the
1970s and 1980s took a field trip every
year to this building. Students were given
a pencil, ruler and a big piece of buttered
bread.”
Now Green along with Project Manager Robert Stevens and Superintendent Troy Cresswell had the pleasure of
remodeling the memorable building for
owner, Baker Offices LTD, and transforming it into Class A office space named:
The Bakery Building on Broadway.
Architects for the 15-month renovation project included Principal Mac
Chesney and Project Architect Daniel
Long, Chesney Morales & Associates,
Inc. who planned the building and site
design. RVK Architects designed tenant
improvements.
The project scope included demolition, remodel and additions to the ButterKrust Bakery building. Improvements
involved salvage of the old bakery hall
and original two-story building of approximately 44,000sf. Additionally it included new construction of a two-story
building on the north end of the site and
a three-story building on the southeast
end of site. The total area upon completion is approximately 100,000sf. Additionally, the old west structure was salvaged for use as a partially covered parking area.
The project included exterior materials of concrete tilt-wall, masonry, EIFS and
composite metal paneling. Interior finishes included glass, stone, wood, stainThe Bakery Building on Broadway
continued on Page 25
Page 2
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
A product of hard work
Bob Foster, founder of All-Tex Supply, was honored at a recent 30th anniversary celebration
at the company’s headquarters in Dallas. Foster founded All-Tex in Austin in 1982. Foster is
flanked by co-owners Royce Farris, left, and Don Tice.
Sitework contractor of choice
www.olmosequipment.com
“BALANCED SITE MEANS
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OLMOS CAN DO IT
440 Pinn Road
San Antonio, TX 78227
210-675-4990
T
hree full decades – that’s how long
it’s been since Bob Foster opened
the doors to All-Tex Supply Inc. in
Austin in 1982.
Fast-forward to today, and the company is substantially larger, having expanded to two more major markets in
Texas as well as out of state. Today, the
chain that carries a wide selection of products, including commercial sealants, building products, power tools, glazing products, chemicals, concrete, wallcoating, waterproofing and water repellants, to name
a few, and is based in Dallas with locations
in Austin, San Antonio and Oklahoma City.
Royce Farris and Don Tice, who
joined in 1990, are now the principals, having purchased All-Tex from Foster in 2002.
“We went to work for him when he
opened the store in Dallas,” said Farris.
“At that time, he only had the store in
Austin. After that, he expanded to San
Antonio and Oklahoma City.”
With a changing of the guard at the
principal position also came a switch for
the location’s headquarters, which
moved to Dallas from Austin.
Farris and Tice, who have been onand-off co-workers in Dallas for the past
25 years, have seen a lot of growth in the
company since joining in 1990, Farris said.
“Business is really good,” Farris noted.
“The company has grown substantially. At
one point, we had only seven employees,
and now, we’re up to about 25.”
To celebrate the company’s 30th anniversary, Tice and Farris hosted an open
house May 17 at the All-Tex headquarters
in Dallas. The mixer, which 400 people
attended, included food, drinks, door
prizes and giveaways.
Farris said it was no mystery how AllTex had continued to grow and thrive.
“We’ve got good products, and a
good group of employees,” he noted.
“We’re honorable men.”
Farris said he enjoys being in the great
outdoors when he’s not hard at work.
“I am an avid hunter – It doesn’t matter to me what I hunt,” he said. “ I’m planning to go to Canada to go bear hunting
later this month. I’m also going mule deer
hunting in Mexico with a customer. I hunt
birds and white-tail, too.” –ms
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Page 3
Hats off to employees
V
irtual Builders Exchange (VBX) decided it was time to celebrate the
hard work of its employees with a
“Hats Off to VBX” event.
“We do these kinds of things periodically to bring a little levity to a very intense job,” says Brenda Romano, COO.
“We have broken three records in the
past 18 months and VBX staff is now handling close to 1,000 actively bidding jobs
on any given day. That’s a large volume
of information that must be carefully
managed and absolutely must be accurate. It’s nice to take a minute once in
awhile to lighten things up a bit and enjoy each other’s company.”
VBX’s North (Dallas), East (Houston)
and South/Central (San Antonio) regions
competed against each other by constructing ornate hats for the occasion.
The North Team won the competition.
“Each member of the winning team
received a crystal VBX logo to display on
their desk,” adds Romano.
Virtual Builders Exchange offers online
information about construction projects in
the bidding process and use of plan room
facilities. –dn
Mary Dixon, Bid Facilitation Coordinator,
shows off the Houston team hat, which
includes a Texans pennant
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Jonnetta Redmond, North Texas Team,
models the winning hat.
Lorri Chambers, in San Antonio, shows off
the South/Central team hat.
Page 4
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Celebrating the value of
customers
Every time is a great time
L-R: West Winter, McNelis & Associates; Graig Noto, Quality Fence & Welding;
Karen and Tony Ridout, RidoutBarrett
Q
uality Fence and Welding held its
8th annual customer appreciation
party at the office on Wetmore,
May 16. This year’s event was a luauthemed party. Guests were provided colorful leis and the facility was transformed
with a variety of Hawaiian decorations.
Along with fitting food and drink, the
approximately 60 guests in attendance
won a chance at a variety of door prizes
and enjoyed trying their skills at a washer
toss. For the more adventuresome souls, a
hula-hoop competition tested contestants’ twirling hip action. –dn
Four B Paving guests enjoy the feast
A
mainstay in the industry is Four B
Paving’s annual crawfish boil. This
event marks the 15th year the
company celebrates its customer relationships, business associates, friends
and family.
Brandy and Casey Cordell, Four B
Paving, hosted the event at the company’s office location in Spring Branch, May
5. The nearly 100 guests in attendance
enjoyed a traditional menu of crawfish,
sausage, corn and potatoes as well as an
evening of music. Lots of kids attended
the event and were treated to a castle
bounce and crawfish piñata bash.
One special treat of the evening included a first birthday celebration for
Mudbug. The colt was born on the eve of
last year’s crawfish boil event. –dn
L-R: Steph Leggett and Brandy Baker Cordell
What would a party be without hula-hoop fun?
Brandy Baker Cordell’s son, Baker Moltz, introduces Mudbug to his birthday carrot cake
San Antonio
CONSTRUCTION NEWS
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San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Page 5
Branching out
Mary Ann A. Mitchell, MDC principal and founder, has joined O’Connell Robertson as part of
its acquisition of her firm. L-R: Benjamin Rosas, Associate AIA; Jason Puchot, AIA, EDAC, LEED
AP BD+C; Kim Pham, EIT; Mary Ann A. Mitchell, AIA, IIDA, and Jorge Olivares, PE.
O
’Connell Robertson, a full service
architecture, engineering and interior design firm based in Austin,
has acquired the Mitchell Design Consultancy (MDC) in San Antonio.
Mary Ann A. Mitchell, AIA, IIDA,
MDC principal and founder, joins
O’Connell Robertson as part of the acquisition.
In her new role as principal, Mitchell
will serve as O’Connell Robertson’s
healthcare and government market leader for the South Texas Region.
Chris Narendorf, principal and director of O’Connell Robertson’s San Antonio office, said the acquisition made
the firm stronger.
“The acquisition of MDC enriches
our firm’s ability to provide comprehensive planning and design services to education and healthcare clients in the region, while allowing us to grow our expe-
rience in the retail and government sectors,” said Narendorf. “I look forward to
working with Mary Ann as we share a
commitment to innovating and the desire to increase and enhance our client
relationships,
further
integrating
O’Connell Robertson into the fabric of
the San Antonio community.”
Mitchell’s 25-year career as an architect and interior designer in San Antonio
has included facility design and project
management for Methodist Healthcare
System, Baptist Hospital, UT Health Science Center, and Alamo Colleges. She
most recently provided program management and design review services for
the new 1 million-sf Fort Hood replacement hospital in Killeen. She also spent
12 years at H-E-B Corporation during
which time she served as the Director of
Design – Architecture and Format Development. –ms
Tradition in the making
Board members installed
L-R: Kevin Smith, Sidney Holing, James Deaven, Daniel Perry, Rita Jordan, Bill Dawley, Leslie
Guajardo, Vivian Garza-Steele, Kim Roach, Mark Outlaw; Not pictured: Tommy Wallace, Jody
Hillenbrand, Jill Mayhew, Bill Gellhausen
T
he Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) held its 16th
Annual Cindy P. Dennis Scholarship
presentation and 2012-2013 officer installation at the Old San Francisco Steak House,
May 17. San Antonio businessman and philanthropist Gordon Hartman was the guest
speaker for the evening event. –dn
er Kim Roach, Armstrong, Vaughan &
Associates
Board Officers
President Tommy Wallace, SpawGlass
Contractors Inc.; 1st Vice President Vivian Garza-Steele, Zachry Construction
Corporation, 2nd Vice President Sidney
Holling, Clark Construction; Secretary
Jody Hillenbrand, TravisWolff; Treasur-
Board of Directors: Associate Members
Bill Dawley, SureTec Insurance Company; Leslie Guajardo, Padgett Stratemann & Co.; Mark Outlaw, PlainsCapital Bank; Kevin Smith, Alliance Solutions Group; Bill Gellhausen, Wortham
Insurance & Risk
Metal Studs
Drywall
Board of Directors: General Members
Rita Jordan, JSR Inc.; James Deaven,
CCC Group Inc.; Jill Mayhew, Bartlett
Cocke General Contractors; Dan Perry,
Alpha Building Corporation
WALLS
Acoustical
Insulation
A C R O S S
TEXAS
“DOING A STAND-UP JOB FOR 15 YEARS”
9018 Tesoro
Suite 101
San Antonio, Texas 78217
(210) 826-4123
Fax (210) 826-5801
Barbara Roberts and James Evanicky give away lots of door prizes
between sets by musicians L-R: Colton and Kevin Black.
F
or the second year, Big City Access treated its San Antonio area customers to a
Cajun culinary feast and open house at their facility in Universal City. The Apr. 26
affair included a traditional meal of spicy crawfish, corn, potatoes and sausage.
Barbara Roberts, president, hosted the event along with James Evanicky, sales
manager, and numerous company employees. Customers and guests were treated to
live music and an abundance of door prizes. –dn
Rick and Christine Herrera,
American Roofing
Laura and Sid Whitehead, KBR Inc.
Page 6
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Bill Goodge
PRS Solutions Inc.
Bill Goodge
B
ill Goodge is a jack-of-all-trades. A
general contractor turned full-time
project manager, he’s led a colorful
life including working as a sports photographer for his hometown newspaper,
a portrait photographer and a police
crime scene photographer. He also
earned a degree in cosmetology and
played in a heavy metal band or two.
Twelve years ago Goodge began a
subcontracting business refinishing
bathtubs. From there he has expanded
his company into other areas of general
construction and construction management. He even takes a few architectural
photos and corporate portraits when he
has time.
He prefers to approach business in a
personal manner stating, “If I could do
business on a handshake, I would do it. I
want to keep business personal, know
the clients well and keep it simple.”
How did you start your company?
In 2000, I started my business as a
bathtub refinisher doing residential and
commercial properties. I was fortunate to
get into the hotel industry, which led me
into general contracting for hotel renovations.
The Procaccianti Group out of Cranston, RI gave me my first hotel renovation
project in 2004. Typically, project scheduling was the root cause of any renovation problem, including preplanning and
materials procurement. I had the right
connections, and consequently, I was
very successful on that project. After that
project my business just took off.
Hotel renovation is hard work. Normally, I had projects that kept me travel-
ing 200 days out of the year. When you
have a family, traveling that much is difficult.
In 2006, I had an opportunity to undertake a new venue with a friend of
mine. We built two shopping malls in
Georgia and did the build-outs within
the mall as well.
In 2008, Georgia was hit hard by the
recession. There was little new construction in the state, and I decided to go back
into hotel renovation. I did that for several years and then returned to San Antonio in 2010.
What type of work have you done
since returning to San Antonio?
The last two years I have been doing
project management jobs for Swinerton
Builders and other area general contractors. I also work for several clients and
general contractors around the country
on hotel renovation projects.
Swinerton normally hires me for special projects. A recent project was a daycare center for a local bank. We had to do
the project at night between 6:30pm and
5am. We didn’t work while children were
in the building. It was a unique project.
I also do tenant improvement for
Class A office space. It’s easier for me to
manage the project and be one-on-one
with my client.
What makes your business unique?
What has kept me successful is the
preplanning I do on a project. In the preplanning stages, I like to be involved with
the architect and discuss any issues that
may arise. When we partner it’s easier for
both of us and beneficial to the project.
Bill playing in the Eclipse band
One of my biggest talents in construction and construction project management is the ability to create and keep
a fast-paced schedule.
As with the childcare center, it was a
30-day schedule, but I brought it down to
18 days, and we actually finished it in 11
days. I like to do that type of work.
Preplanning, procurement and
scheduling are my forte. Given the proper amount of time, I can do some amazing things. Besides the daycare center, I
have two other projects that were not
the largest jobs, but were impressive in
getting the work done in a very short
amount of time.
One was a 50-room resort hotel in
Mammoth Mountain, CA. The job had to
be completed between mountain bike
and ski seasons, which was only two
weeks. We gutted everything and built it
back within 12 days. Everything was onsite and ready at the beginning. That’s a
good project.
The other project was a complete
renovation of four restrooms for a distributing warehouse. The project had to be
completed in one weekend between
5pm Friday and 8am Monday.
The restrooms had 18 stalls, and everything had to be gutted and replaced
with new toilets, partitions, ceramic tile
flooring, sheetrock, paint and new ceiling
tile and grid. The schedule was in twohour increments, and it was finished on
time. That is crazy.
Most companies do a daily schedule.
My hotel renovation schedules are in
four-hour increments. For me it works to
micromanage the schedule. Once I have
good subcontractors who are willing to
work with the schedule, it flows like
clockwork. It’s a beautiful thing.
Those are the smallest projects I’ve
had, but to me being able to orchestrate
something like that is impressive.
Where did you grow up?
I’m originally from Sacramento, CA. I
went to school at Woodland High School
in Woodland, CA and attended college at
American River College in Sacramento.
When did you move to Texas?
I’ve been in Texas since 1989. I originally moved to Corpus Christi and later to
San Antonio.
What did you do in Corpus Christi?
I’m a musician, and I’ve played in
bands all my life. I was in a band in Corpus
Christi called Maxim. We played four
nights a week. I made more money playing in the band than I did in my day job.
What type of music do you play?
I’ve played mostly heavy metal. Now
I’ve changed from heavy metal to acoustic.
Tell me about your current band.
We started a band this year called
Eclipse. The lead singer is Carlos Trevino.
Rick Mendez and I play guitar. I’m actually
a bass player, but I picked up guitar because we play acoustic music.
I met Carlos while we were in Corpus.
We hit it off and created a band after I
played in Maxim. Carlos also had a very
popular band in the 1980s in San Antonio
called Presence. His vocal is so beautiful
and clean. He sounds a lot like Steve Perry
from Journey.
Rick and I also played together in the
Maxim band. He was a vocalist and
played guitar. He is big into Stevie Ray
Vaughan and Muddy Waters.
We are three diverse musicians. I
come from the heavy metal background,
Carlos comes from jazz and Rick comes
from a blues background. When we bring
it all together, it sounds amazing.
We take songs from Top 40 rock-nroll, smooth jazz, Black Sabbath, and Judas Priest and tear it down to a raw format and then build it back up for our own
style. We’ve taken all these musical
genres and made them into something
so unusual that there aren’t many bands
doing what we are doing, especially with
the production that we have. It sounds
really good.
The American Subcontractors Association SubFestival and BBQ Cook-off
event on May 4 was our debut show.
Besides playing in the band, what do
you like to do for fun?
I like the outdoors and enjoy going
camping, hiking and mountain biking.
I’ve been biking for seven years and it is
one of my favorite pastimes. It keeps me
in shape and young.
A couple of my favorite places to ride
in Texas are Smithville and Palo Duro
Canyon. Locally, I enjoy the Madrone Trail
at Canyon Lake.
Tell me about your family?
I have a four-year-old son, Nathan.
He’s following in his dad’s footsteps. He
loves to mountain bike. He’s been riding
without training wheels since he was
three and rides pretty well now. We go to
the Birds of Prey trail at Leon Creek. It’s
really smooth, and it’s his favorite place
to ride.
He goes to rehearsals with me, too.
He gets on the microphone with Carlos
and loves to sing. –dn
Mountain bike buddies Nathan and Bill
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Page 7
Skeet: Always in season
Industry FOLKS
Larry Petron, Store Manager
Alamo Iron Works/ Industrial
Distribution Group Company
L
L-R: Kelly Wilson, AGC; Jason Mahurin, Allegiance Floors; Bryan Boehme, Joeris General
Conractors, Ltd.; and Gilbert Ellis, Turner Construction Company
P
erfect weather made the Associated
General Contractors (AGC) Fun
Shoot at the National Shooting Complex a memorable experience. The annual
event held May 18 drew 137 sharp shooters and soon-to-be sharp shooters. –dn
Winners include:
Best Overall Score
Bryan Boehme, Joeris General Contractors Ltd. (96) Class A
1st: Tom Quintero, IBTX Risk Services
(96)
2nd: Ernest Taylor, Vulcan Construction
Materials (96)
3rd: Scott Striegler, Campbell Painting,
Inc. (95)
Class B
1st: James Anderson, Bartlett Cocke
General Contractors (80)
2nd: James Polonis, RVK Architects (80)
3rd: Craig Noto, Quality Fence & Welding (80)
Class C
1st: Jim Welch, Pape-Dawson Engineers
(70)
2nd: Cody Marcom, Campbell Painting,
Inc. (70)
3rd: Bobby Gumpp, Ranch Hand Truck
Accessories (70)
Women’s Class
1st: Babet Motes, Alamo Crane (67)
Construction News ON LOCATION
Ask me anything
L-R: Brian Dirks, Jeff Venegoni, Chuck Bell, David Long and Benny Medrano
are some of the friendly folks at Mueller Inc. Located in New Braunfels, the
company provides steel buildings and metal roofing panels. –dn
arry Petron began his career in the
construction industry in 1977 when
he went to work for a lumber yard in
Kerrville. Several years later, he accepted a position with the company to run a
lumber yard in Ozona, TX.
In 1985, Petron moved from Ozona
to San Antonio where he went to work
for Alamo Iron Works (AIW). While holding various positions over the last 20
years, today Petron is the store manager of the supply center, AIW’s retail store
serving local and oil field customers.
He says what he likes most about
the store manager position is, “I get to
meet a lot of nice people. I enjoy talking
with people and helping them get what
they need to get their job done. I get a
great degree of satisfaction from that.”
When he isn’t working, Petron
plays drums and rhythm guitar in a
country western band and sings both
lead and harmony.
Playing music since he was 14 years
old, he says, “I started out playing rockn-roll. I converted to country in 1971 or
1972 because that was where the money was at the time.”
He recalls playing five nights a
week in a club in Dallas for almost ten
years while working full-time as a hardware department manager for Montgomery Ward in Dallas.
“I would get off work about 5:30pm
from Montgomery Ward, go home and
eat dinner. The band would usually
start playing at 8pm and play to midnight. I’d get up and do it all over again
the next day.”
While Petron has played in numerous bands, his current band is the
Rhythm Mavericks, which plays country
and western and old time rock-n-roll.
“It’s a five piece band. Our band has
fiddle, steel guitar, lead guitar, and bass
and drums players. We also have a female singer. Most of us have been together five years and a couple members
have been with the band for a year. It’s
just a lot fun.”
Petron says one of his favorite musicians is Willie Nelson and enjoys playing his music.
In addition to working as AIW/IDG
store manager and playing in the band,
Petron says he has another interest as
well.
“I have a couple of Corvettes, and I
am a member of the corvette club of
the Texas Corvette Association (TCA) in
San Antonio.”
In April he participated in TCA’s
20th annual open car show in Boerne.
He says they had from 350 to 400 cars
participating in the show. Petron took
his 2004 Le Mans Blue Commemorative
Edition Coupe to the show, and left his
partially restored white, 1978 Corvette
L82 at home.
Petron has been married to his
bride, Paulette, for 42 years. During the
early years when Petron was playing in
the band, he says, “My wife went faithfully when I was playing five nights a
week.” Now he says she supports his car
interests. “My wife enjoys the fast cars
and the hot rods.” –dn
Page 8
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
WHAT IS YOUR
FAVORITE JUNK FOOD?
That’s an easy one! My favorite junk
food item is a red velvet cupcake
from Kate’s Frosting. Delicious!!
Abby Deras, Cude Engineers
My favorite junk food is the Pepper
Steak Pizza from Rome’s pizza at I-10
and De Zavala.
Lloyd Christenson,
Tradesmen International
Nachos of course – with jalapenos,
cheese, meat, bean and sour cream.
Hmmmm.
Candy Barilla,
Quality Fence & Welding
Nothing beats a box of Junior Mints.
Shelly Sheffield,
Quality Fence & Welding
My favorite is bone-in Buffalo hot
wings.
David Rangel,
Spectra Contract Flooring
I like pepperoni and mushroom pizza.
My most favorite food is my own barbeque cooking. Nothing is better
than home cooked barbeque.
Wayne Hanson,
Hanson’s Installations, Inc.
My favorite is the blueberry frozen
yogurt with sprinkled tapioca balls
and coconut shaving at Orange Leaf.
Awesome!
RC Contreras,
Trico Lift
This may sound weird, but hot Cheetos with nacho cheese is my favorite.
Sometimes I add sour pickles to even
make it better.
Julian Zamora,
Quality Fence & Welding
I like pork rinds. I like the hot ones.
Low in calories and fat, but you had
better have some breath mints with
you before you visit a customer.
Wow!
Marvin Bragewitz,
Texas Lehigh Cement Company
One word…popcorn! I can eat an entire bucket of popcorn on my own
when I go to the movies!
Hillary Cadra, Spawglass
Every day is a good day for golf
T
he San Antonio Chapter of National
Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) hosted its annual golf
tournament at the Canyon Springs Golf
Club, May 11. –dn
This year’s winners include:
1st Place
EDP Concrete: Chris Boyd, Todd Fields,
Damon Smith, Yvonne Patton
1st Women’s Team
Eva Ramirez, RVK Architects; Anita
Kegley-Deaton, Kegley Inc., Maggie
Seay, Cude Engineers; Melodye Tomsu,
Cleary Zimmermann Engineers
Closest to the Pin
Andy Drash, Drash Contracting Company and Melodye Tomsu, Cleary Zimmermann Engineers
Longest Drive
Clint Wurzbach, Freund Enterprises Inc.
and Eva Ramirez, RVK Architects
First place team
Specializing in Industrial Scrap Metal
& Container Service
Learning to stay safe
We buy Aluminum, Brass, Copper, Iron, Stainless Steel,
Steel, Brass & Radiators
2300 Frio City Rd.
927-2727
www.monterreyiron.com
Instructors L-R: Rafael Llera, Shorm
Consulting; Phil Bass, Hensel Phelps; Bonnie
Rivera, Rivera Vega Group; Dave Wells, ECC;
Ray Garcia, Engineering Safety Consultants;
Paul Mayfield, SpawGlass; David Cannon,
Turner; Jared Seago, Turner; Keith Ferguson,
JSR; Brent Montgomery, JSR; and Tomas
Larralde, HCA
T
he Hispanic Contractors Association
de San Antonio (HCA) hosted its
2012 OSHA Safety Fair at its office in
Live Oak, May 18-19. The content of the
free event covered OSHA’s 10-hour certification class, designed to train those in
the construction field on the rules, regulations and procedures necessary to help
maintain a safe work environment. The
250 students in attendance were offered
classes in both English and Spanish.
HCA Executive Director Tomas
Larralde states, “Co-chairs of the event
Kevin Jones, Rivercity Waste, and Henry Vera, Dumas Hardware, did an outstanding job of putting the event together. Thanks to them and the generosity of
our board, sponsors, volunteers, general
contractors and the Alamo Community
College District, we were able to offer this
program for free to people in the construction industry.”
Larralde acknowledges the classes
were taught by ten OSHA certified and
experienced instructors from the local
community. Additionally, Kick Start CPR,
3M, AEHS Inc., and Sunstate Equipment
Co. provided hands-on safety demonstrations. –dn
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
N
Great grilling
either heat nor humidity dampened the fun at the
American Subcontractors Association (ASA) annual BBQ Cook-Off and SubFestival at Raymond Russell Park, May 4. Twenty-four teams participated in the
barbeque competition and served over 350 guests during the late afternoon and evening event.
The festivities included a silent and live auction as
well as lots of door and raffle prizes. Family fun included
face painting, a photo booth and music by the Eclipse
band. –dn/ms
Page 9
Best Chicken
1st: Preferred Landscape & Lighting
2nd: Catamount Constructors
3rd: Quality Fence & Welding
Best Mystery Meat
1st: Alterman Inc.
2nd: Bartlett Cocke General Contractors
3rd: M & M Metals Inc.
Best Camp
M & M Metals Inc.
Best Brisket
1st: Allen & Allen Company
2nd: M & M Metals, Inc.
3rd: Bartlett Cocke General Contractors
Best Ribs
1st: Federal Management Solutions
2nd: Seither and Cherry/MC Mobile Homes
3rd: Joeris General Contractors
Best Brisket: Allen & Allen Company
Best Ribs: Federal Management Solutions
Best Camp: M & M Metals Inc.
Best Chicken: Preferred Landscape & Lighting
Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing
Best Mystery Meat: Alterman Inc.
Dulaney Exterior Solutions
MK Marlow Company LLC
Page 10
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Are you ready for some
bonding?
Smart-money use of
non-business time
Tony Ridout, Manging Shareholder
Ridout Barrett & Co., P.C.
San Antonio, TX
Kirk Quaschnick, President
Mogul Wealth Strategies, LLC
McKinney, TX
W
ith the anticipation of the economy improving
(hopefully soon) the demand for your construction company to obtain bid and payment/performance
bonds will be high. Most contractors have seen their financial condition weaken over
the past three years, so most project owners are going to require bonds and qualifications of these contractors. An easy way for a project owner to qualify its contractors is
to ask for a surety bond. Owners are not only asking for bonds from their general
contractors, they also want their general contractors to qualify their subcontractors
on the job as well.
Are You Ready? The first step is to
pull together the financial information
required by your bond agent. This includes:
1. At least 2 years income tax returns
for your business.
2. At least 2 years personal tax returns
of the owners of your business.
The Sureties will also request references from your bankers, creditors and
customers as well.
If your company does not meet traditional financial requirements for bond
approval, ask your bond agent about
surety companies who offer programs
for contractors considered higher risk.
Examples of these programs include:
3. At least 3 years business financial
statements with the most current being
no more than 90 days old on date of submission of application. It is important
these financials be prepared using GAAP.
4. Aging of your Company’s accounts
receivables and payables.
5. Certificate of Insurance to prove you
have proper coverage.
6. Copy of bond requirement from the
request for proposal or invitation to bid.
7. Resumes of owners and key personnel.
Additional documents your bond agent
will ask you to provide are:
1. A contractor questionnaire which
describes your company.
2. A status of contracts which your
company has under contract.
3. A performance and payment bond
request form for which you are seeking a
bond.
4. A job cost breakdown to include the
amount of materials and labor for the requested bond.
5. Personal financial statements of the
owners of your company.
Collateral – Offering collateral equivalent to 10 to 20% of the contract size.
Funds Control – Having a third party
manage the cash flow of funds for the
bonded contract, and
SBA Guaranty – The SBA charges a
fee for the guaranty of completion of the
contract.
If your company is currently receiving bonds, then this process is relatively
easy and a routine part of your business.
If your company has never applied for a
bond or has not done so in the past few
years, the process may seem overwhelming. Start today by contacting a Certified
Public Accountant with construction accounting experience and a bond agent.
These two professionals, working together, can make the process much easier.
If you can be bonded, you can make
your company more marketable than
your competitor who does not make the
effort.
Anthony (Tony) S. Ridout, Managing Shareholder, Ridout, Barrett & Co. P. C., President
of South Texas Surety Association, Board
Member of American Subcontractors Association, San Antonio. RidoutBarrett has
served the Construction industry for over 25
years
S
uccess in the construction industry often depends
on the ability to manage our time well. Whether
scheduling meetings, doing the books, training new
people or introducing a new product or service, successful business owners know that every day is a calculated race against the clock.
But what about non-business time?
That has a dollar value, too. How you
use—or misuse—your free time is a determining factor in the quality of life you
and your family enjoy. That’s why some
people can work 70 or 80 hours a week,
yet still manage to participate in a highly
rewarding home life. Meanwhile, others
see leisure time as an opportunity to
channel surf the television and then fall
asleep on the couch. Or they devote their
down time to household chores and yard
maintenance, even though they’d rather
be out playing golf.
We Spend Time…
Just Like We Spend Money
We can waste time…just like we can
waste money. You may want to ask yourself, “how can you get the best value
from your non-working time?” Evaluate
how to best use time in light of the following:
The pleasure factor
This can override all other considerations. If you’re a true-blue do-it-yourselfer who enjoys planting shrubs or
building that new kennel for the dog, go
ahead. If not, you might be better off hiring someone to do the work for you…
and either putting in a few extra hours in
the business or spending more time with
your family.
The dollar-value-of-your-time
factor
This is a hard-cash tangible based on
how much your time is worth. If your
work time is worth $120 an hour, your leisure time is worth the same. So, if you
don’t really enjoy the task of cutting the
lawn, for instance, hire the neighbor kid
to do it for $25…and go to a ball game or
take the dog for a walk in the park.
The convenience factor
In spite of the cost, it is sometimes
better to hand over the receipt shoe box
to a CPA rather than do your own taxes;
to call the plumber rather than fix that
leaky faucet yourself; or to tote home
carry-out rather than spend an hour making dinner.
The guilt factor
This is perhaps the most powerful
reason we end up doing things we’d really rather not do.
Beyond Dollars
We are often so caught up in what
we do that it can consume us. However, if
we don’t learn how to break away, we risk
never fully enjoying the fruits of our labors. Here are a few suggestions:
• Learn how to relax. Many business
owners don’t feel comfortable out of
“business mode.” So, we clutch the briefcase or do work at home. Try learning to
be more than just a businessperson. Not
only will it be fun, but will make you
fresher and more focused at work.
• Plan your leisure activities, just as
you do your business time. Map out your
day off to include a little yard work,
watching your daughter’s softball game,
and an hour or two of being a couch potato. Or take a whole day off and give it to
your son, daughter, spouse or friend to
do with as they please.
• Don’t bring work home or on vacations. Leave the briefcase at the office or
in the car. Also, encourage customers not
to contact you at home. If you force yourself to get all your work done before you
come home, you’ll get more done on
business time…sort of like getting ice
cream if you finish your veggies!
If you’re like most business owners
today, you work hard putting in long
hours each day doing what you do best.
One of the rewards should be a comfortable lifestyle. Make sure you take the
time to enjoy it.
Kirk Quaschnick can be reached at
(214) 420-7152
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Page 11
No scope is left unchanged:
A contractor’s basic guide
to change orders
Preventing falls
Joann Natarajan
Compliance Assistance Specialist
OSHA
Austin, TX
Tracy R. Galimore, Associate
Andrews Myers, P.C.
Houston, TX
E
very contractor knows that few jobs are completed
from start to finish without changes in scope, price or
time. Despite good faith intentions, no area of construction contracting is riper for dispute (or disputed more frequently) than change orders and extra work. However, understanding your contractual
change order provisions and diligent project administration will go a long way in avoiding the change order pitfall.
A “change order” is a document which
indicates the agreement of the owner, contractor and architect as to a change in the
work, including adjustment in the contract
sum and schedule. If the performance of
the work deviates from the plans and/or
specifications, it will likely be considered a
change.
It is noteworthy that “extra work”
should be distinguished from “additional
work.” “Extra” work arises outside and independent of the contract, or is something not
required for performance of the work. “Additional” work is required in the performance
of the contract and without which the work
could not be successfully carried out.
Determining whether the contractor
should be compensated for extra work often depends on the contractor’s compliance with change order provisions in the
contract. Nearly all construction contracts
contain a change order provision stating
that the contract may be amended to allow for additions, deletions and changes to
the contract work, time extensions and
even changes to the terms of the contract
itself. Most construction contracts generally require all changes to the contract be
in writing, and contractors should expect a
court or arbitrator to enforce a provision
which requires all change orders to be in
writing.
However, bear in mind that disputes
frequently arise with respect to change orders and extra work not because of the
complexity of the change order clause but
rather, the nature of the typical construction project. We are all aware of the common practice of contractors proceeding
with extra work upon oral authorization,
and then expecting a written change order
sometime down the line or at the completion of the job. This practice is problematic
in that Texas courts have consistently held
that the parties should only rely upon the
written terms of their negotiated contracts
rather than industry custom and trade
practices.
The good news is that if you encounter a change order dispute resulting from
failure to obtain a written change order before proceeding with the work, all hope of
recovery for that extra work is not lost. Like
most general rules, there are exceptions to
the rule that “it must be in writing,” that
turn on the specific facts of the individual
case. A good example is the general contractor that repeatedly orders extra work
(orally) in violation of its own contract
terms. The argument can be made that the
general contractor breached its own
agreement and therefore waived the contract provision requiring changes to be in
writing. Unfortunately, successfully maneuvering around the general rule usually
takes up valuable time and considerable
expense, most of which occurs post job
completion and while significant monies
are outstanding. . The better practice is to
thoroughly review and understand your
contract terms prior to the occurrence of a
change order, and make every effort to follow that contract to the letter of the change
order clause.
Situations may also arise where the
general contractor or owner cannot or will
not sign a written change order request
and the down-stream contractor feels pressured to proceed with the work regardless.
Some contracts contemplate this scenario
and contain a clause which gives the owner, architect or engineer the right to direct
the contractor to proceed with disputed
work without an agreement as to time and
costs for the change. The AIA A201 (Article
7) addresses change orders and “construction change directives” such as this. In this
instance, it is in your best interest to proceed with the work following the directive,
but provide written notice to the owner
that you are working under protest, thus
reserving your right to make a future claim
for payment for the extra work.
If no such contractual provision like
AIA A201 exists within your contract, and
you are compelled to proceed with the requested work then, at a minimum, send a
self-serving letter which confirms the oral
instructions received when you began the
extra work and include the charges for that
work within your next draw application. By
taking these additional steps, you at least
put the general contractor on notice that
you expect to be paid for the extra work,
and you have created a written record that
you were verbally instructed to do that
work. Even if you have failed to follow all
the procedures outlined in the change order clause, the fact that you took the time
to document what you were asked to do
will assist in convincing a judge or jury of
your position if a dispute arises.
In summary, a full understanding of
your change order clause is critical to avoiding pitfalls and reducing your business
risks. While in actual practice the change
order clause is often not followed to the letter of the law by the owner, the general
contractor, or the subcontractors, those
who choose to do business this way do so
at their own substantial risk.
Tracy’s practice focuses on construction
litigation and alternative dispute resolution, in
which she represents general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and owners in a variety of
construction related disputes.
FALLS ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF
DEATH IN CONSTRUCTION. In 2010,
there were 264 fall fatalities (255 falls to
lower level) out of 774 total fatalities in
construction. These deaths are preventable
PLAN ahead to get the job done safely
When working from heights, such as ladders, scaffolds, and roofs, employers
must plan projects to ensure that the job
is done safely. Begin by deciding how the
job will be done, what tasks will be involved, and what safety equipment may
be needed to complete each task.
When estimating the cost of a job, employers should include safety equipment,
and plan to have all the necessary equipment and tools available at the construction site. For example, in a roofing job,
think about all of the different fall hazards, such as holes or skylights and leading edges, then plan and select fall protection suitable to that work, such as personal fall arrest systems (PFAS).
PROVIDE the right equipment
Workers who are six feet or more above
lower levels are at risk for serious injury or
death if they should fall. To protect these
workers, employers must provide fall
protection and the right equipment for
the job, including the right kinds of ladders, scaffolds, and safety gear.
vide workers with the kind they need to
get the job done safely. For roof work,
there are many ways to prevent falls. If
workers use personal fall arrest systems
(PFAS), provide a harness for each worker
who needs to tie off to the anchor. Make
sure the PFAS fits, and regularly inspect
all fall protection equipment to ensure
it’s still in good condition and safe to use.
TRAIN everyone to use the equipment
safely
Falls can be prevented when workers understand proper set-up and safe use of
equipment, so they need training on the
specific equipment they will use to complete the job. Employers must train workers in hazard recognition and in the care
and safe use ladders, scaffolds, fall protection systems, and other equipment
they’ll be using on the job.
OSHA has provided training materials
that employers can use during toolbox
talks to train workers on safe practices to
avoid falls in construction. Falls from ladders, scaffolds and roofs can be prevented and lives can be saved through three
simple steps: Plan, Provide and Train.
These materials can be accessed at:
http://www.osha.gov/stopfalls/index.
html
natarajan.joann@dol.gov
512-374-0271 x232
Different ladders and scaffolds are appropriate for different jobs. Always pro-
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Page 12
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Submitted to Construction News
Another great day at the branch office
Terry and Jason Stewart, Stewart Plumbing, took Jared Koehler, Koehler Company,
and Jim Marrin on a fishing trip. The group caught and released several 40-in. plus bull
redfish. Jason reported Koehler caught a new personal best that was 47-in.
and weighed 43 lbs. L-R: Jason Stewart, Jim Marrin and Jared Koehler. –dn
Submitted to Construction News
Magnificent animal
Tony Ridout, RidoutBarrett, took down a world class Gemsbok Antelope May 3 outside
of Ingram, TX. Clint Tuma was the guide for the hunt at HeadHunters International. –dn
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Page 13
you anchor rope and the distance of your
cast. Once you have drifted over the
area, you intend to fish because your anchor didn’t hold or you misjudged the
wind. You might as well find a new area
to fish and try that spot later in the day.
During the summer months here in the
Coastal Bend, anglers can find some of
the best fishing along the entire coast.
Our bays are loaded with resident fish
and tide runners, which are constantly
arriving from the Gulf. With school being
out for summer and the weather getting
better everyday, that can only mean one
thing. Boating and fishing pressure will
be one of the most important factors for
not being able to find large concentrations of fish or stay on those fish once you
have a bite going. That is why I emphasize so much that the best fishing is usually during the week instead of on a
weekend. Another alternative to getting
away from the heat and crowed bays is
late evening fishing and night fishing.
Fishing/water
conditions improve
by Capt. Steve Schultz
Sponsored by:
Majek Boats, Premier Yamaha Boating
Center, Fishing Tackle Unlimited,
Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor,
Interstate Batteries, Pure Fishing,
Pflueger Reels, All-Star Rods, Mirr-O-Lure
and Columbia Sportswear.
Fishing late into the evening and into the
night during the full moon can get you
out of everyday crowds and into some of
the more popular fishing areas without
being hassled by novice boat operators
and impatient anglers. I have experienced all aspects of these people trying
to move-in on a set of rocks or a sand
pocket you are catching fish from and
scare all the fish away. It has reached a
point where you have to do some homework and really think about how you will
go about catching fish on any given day.
F
or the past several weeks I have seen a
definite increase in trout fishing in the
Baffin Bay area. High water levels from
recent spring tides and timely rains received in the last month, are the main
reasons for the increase. Winds have
been fairly light with the exception of a
couple of late fronts coming through the
area. These conditions have also helped
the brown tide conditions in the Upper
Laguna Madre, improving water clarity.
Despite some harsh weather and high
tides, our bay system remains in great
shape for the upcoming summer months.
Since the beginning of May and the arrival of croaker bait fish, fishing strategies
have changed. Rock structures, reefs,
Shawn Wyatt of Stephenville caught this 31-inch redfish while working the east drop
in the Landcut with Steve Schultz Outdoors.
grass beds and potholes are areas which
need to be keyed on. It is very important
when approaching these areas to use a
trolling motor or push pole. Anchoring
up on the outside edges of these areas
can be very productive on spawning
trout. Setting up on these locations is the
key to catching fish. Always approach
the intended area with the wind at your
back carefully estimating the length of
For more information or to schedule your
next bay fishing trip, give Capt. Steve
Schultz a call at 361-949-7359 or 361-8133716 or email him at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.com. Good Luck and Good
Fishing
Texas
Style
www.constructionnews.net
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PRO-LINE
PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE
ASPHALT PAVING
ASPHALT OVERLAY
ASPHALT REPAIR
SEAL COATING
LINE STRIPING
TRAFFIC SIGNAGE
www.prolinepaving.com
YOUR FULL SERVICE COMPANY!
“Over 20 Years Experience”
STEVE SCHULTZ OUTDOORS, LLC
BAFFIN BAY –– LAGUNA MADRE –– LAND CUT
SPECKLED TROUT –– REDFISH –– FLOUNDER
FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS
(361) 949-7359
www.baffinbaycharters.com
steveschultzoutdoors@gmail.com
U.S. Coast Guard &
Texas Parks and Wildlife Licensed
210.530.0062
•
1-800-ASPHALT
FAX 530.0064
MIKE & MARK CRAWFORD
P.O. BOX 791324 SAN ANTONIO, TX 78279-1324
EMAIL: prolinepavement@aol.com
Page 14
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Ken Milam’s Fishing Line
Sponsored by Tropical Marine and Honda Marine
My name is Ken Milam and, for the past 26 years, I have been guiding fishing trips for striped bass on
Lake Buchanan in the Texas Hill Country. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity of getting to know
a good many folks in the construction trade.
Sight for sore eyes
I
was driving home this evening and
saw some old friends. Running all over
the road in front of me were a band of
whitetail does. These old girls are my
neighbors of sorts, all related to each other, being mothers and daughters and
aunts and such.
I hadn’t seen much of these does for
the last couple months. On the rare occasion, I would see one, she would turn and
give me a dirty look as if to say I just better not make her have to jump the fence.
This is the time of year when does are so
pregnant they just look like they are
about to pop.
Today was different though. The
girls were all slim and sassy and giddy
acting. I do believe they have already
dropped their fawns and have them hidden in the brush. That, my friend, is a
sight for sore eyes.
Think back to last year. It was already
so hot and dry and drought ravaged, that
everyone figured the mortality rate for
the new fawns would be terribly high,
and I think it did take a toll on them. This
year’s new little whitetail deer have it just
about perfect. We have had enough rain
at just the right time to provide plenty of
food and water for nursing does, and
some say there is all the right stuff for
horn development in the bucks.
If you have done any traveling
through the farming areas of Texas lately,
you have seen great changes there too.
Last year ,anything that was planted was
in the process of drying up and blowing
away. Now you can see lush fields of
green. The thing I like most to see is how
many fine corn fields are standing. We
need a good corn year so feed corn will
not be so expensive we can’t feed our
deer herds. Good hay would be a blessing to the ranchers too.
I am cautious about saying the
drought is over. Things are looking up all
over the state as we start to recover from
the effects of the drought. As a fisherman by trade, of course the state of the
lakes and rivers are the most important
things to watch. We have seen a little increase in lake levels on the Highland
Lakes, but we have a long way to go yet.
The ground is a good bit wetter now, so
we keep hoping for the heavy rains to
come and give us some runoff in the watershed. I want to be optimistic, but all it
takes is for it to stop raining, (as it so typically does this time of year), and the slip
back into the drought will be all too
quick. There are too many people who
still can’t use their water wells and too
many ailing and dying trees.
On the flip side, if the rains pick up as
some meteorologists say that it might
through the summer and fall, we will be
in for continued great fishing and a fantastic hunting season.
If you haven’t already, come on folks,
pray for more rain!
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
Have you
appeared in
ConstructionNews?
If not, Call us!
There is no charge
for stories & photos.
210-308-5800
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Page 15
One big fishing tournament
Submitted to Construction News
Watching like a . . .
M
ay 5 turned out to be a great day for those participating in the Mr. Big Live Fish
Scholarship Tournament in Corpus Christi. Hosted by Niznik Concrete Contractors and Johnston Industries, the 52 boats of anglers vied for top honors. The tournament helps fund marine biology scholarships at Texas A&M University
Corpus Christi and promotes fish conservation. –dn
Pro Division
Amateur Division
Three Fish Stringer
1st: Ace Scout – David Rowsey, Chad Childress, Brian Childress and Robert Brown
2nd: Bear Ready Mix – Travis McKee, John
Gill and Leroy Navarro
3rd: Polish Pluggers – Tanner Moy, Tres
Moy, Brad Lyssy and Blaise Moy
Three Fish Stringer
1st: Pro-Vigil – Jason Williams, Pete Ballard, Brad Williams, Mark Stanush
2nd: Team CMC – Brocke Pittman, Robert
Tucker, Shane Plummer, Matt Koehler
3rd: Last Minute – Paige Blanton, Kenneth Hosek, Darrell Lyssy, Greg Wiatrek
Mr. Big Trout
1st: Ace Scout – David Rowsey, Chad Childress, Brian Childress, Robert Brown
2nd: Polish Pluggers – Tanner Moy, Tres
Moy, Brad Lyssy, Blaise Moy
3rd: Bear Ready Mix – Travis McKee, John
Gill, Leroy Navarro
Mr. Big Trout
1st: Pro-Vigil – Jason Williams, Pete Ballard, Brad Williams, Mark Stanush
2nd: Last Minute – Paige Blanton, Kenneth Hosek, Darrell Lyssy, Greg Wiatrek
3rd: Performance Equipment – Kelly Durham,
Mark Reeves, Dustin Durham, Tom Booth
Mr. Big Redfish
1st: Ace Scout – David Rowsey, Chad Childress, Brian Childress, Robert Brown
2nd: No Fear Jr. – Joshua Clark, Joshua
Guzman, Ross Geffert, Bryce Whitliff
3rd: Polish Pluggers – Tanner Moy, Tres
Moy, Brad Lyssy, Blaise Moy
Mr. Big Redfish
1st: Team CMC – Brocke Pittman, Robert
Tucker, Shane Plummer, Matt Koehler
2nd: Discount Motors – Frank Delarosa,
George Major, Brian Strickland, Rene Garcia
3rd: Under dog – Rudy Ruiz III, Rudy Ruiz
Jr., John Ruiz, Lousi Guerrero
Mr. Big Flounder
1st: Texas South Rattlers – Phillip Mangan, Garette Manephe, Travis Orsak,
Cody Stripling
2nd: Bear Ready Mix – Travis McKee, John
Gill, Leroy Navarro
3rd: Mike Hart Boat – Mike Hart, Brandon
Siedel, Richard Siedel, Junior Thomas
Mr. Big Flounder
1st: Team CMC – Brocke Pittman, Robert
Tucker, Shane Plummer, Matt Koehler
2nd: Pro-Vigil – Jason Williams, Pete Ballard, Brad Williams, Mark Stanush
3rd: Longshots – Mark Sansing, Jim Forestello, Kevin Stewart, Bill Dooley
This hawk lives in North Central San Antonio and likes to perch on the top of a
chimney where it can keep an eye on its nearby nest. –sj
Most Spots on Red
Last Minute – Paige Blanton, Kenneth
Hosek, Darrell Lyssy, Greg Wiatrek
Scholarship winner Michael Birchfield
First Place Trout and Three Fish Stringer,
Amateur Division
First Place Redfish and Flounder, Amateur Division
23 Annual
Funshoot
rd
Saturday, August 11, 2012
National Shooting Complex
to benefit the
San Antonio Youth Center
For Information,
contact Cindy Niznik
(210) 497-8121
Hosted by
First Place Flounder, Pro Division
Page 16
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Weekend fun, fun, fun
I
t’s a power boat race. It’s a poker run.
It’s a wild party. It’s all three. It’s Tickfaw 200, a Louisiana powerboat poker
run at Blood River Landing in Springfield,
LA.
Mike and Mark Crawford, Pro-Line
Pavement Maintenance, attended the
two-day event, May 4-5. Mike’s wife, Julie, and Mark’s wife, Michelle, went along
for the fast and fun poker adventure.
Mike said the foursome traveled 200
miles in Mike’s 35 Fountain Lightning
Boat over two days gathering poker card
punches along the way.
According to Mike the race started at
the Blood River, went across Lake Maurepas and into the Blind River. After a
couple of stops along the Blind River, the
boaters went back down the Blind River,
across Lake Maurepas and across Lake
Pontchartrain to New Orleans. From New
Orleans they travelled to Harrison, LA and
back down to Blood River.
Once the players returned to the Fun
House at Blood River Marina, they presented their official event identification
badge with five poker punches indicating the number of stops they made along
the way. Mike said, “To win we had to
stop at least five times and have our card
punched. When we returned, they pulled
out a clean deck of cards and dealt our
poker hand. The best poker hand wins
$1,500 for starts and then it goes down
from there.”
Mike added, “We decided to cover
the most miles on the calmest day. The
deepest part of Lake Pontchartrain is 35
feet, so when the wind comes up it gets
rough with five to six foot waves. We
cruised across Lake Pontchartrain at 65
mph.”
Mike said this wasn’t his first trip to
Tickfaw 200. In 2005, he went with a
friend on his friend’s boat. Now that Mike
has a boat that can handle the bigger water of Lake Pontchartrain, he decided it
was time to make the poker run with his
family.
Even though Mike didn’t have a winning poker hand, he said it didn’t matter.
“It was a blast. I’m ready to go back.” –dn
Julie Crawford enjoys the ride
Mike’s 35 Fountain Lightning Boat (front) is ready to go
Crawford’s Austin friends race along the river
Construction News ON LOCATION
So much to choose from
Sell your equipment the
Machinery Auctioneer way....
turn it into cash today!
For consignment and auction
information, call 210-648-2225
Comal Supply provides contractor supplies and rentals in New Braunfels.
L-R: Judy Eckart, Julie McKee and Bryan Acker, owner. –dn
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Page 17
Page 18
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Submitted to Construction News
The Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) National hosted a Legislative
Fly-In in Washington, D.C., Apr. 22–24.
Eight members and staff from IEC Texas chapters attended the event. Those
attending from Texas included: Texas
Region Director Lloyd Quinney,
Quinney Electric and Julie Howard,
IEC San Antonio; David Johnson and
Eric Peralez, Central Texas IEC; IEC National President Bobby Tutor, Tutor
Electrical Service Inc., and Marcie
Funchess, Fort Worth/Tarrant County
IEC; Texas Region Director Joe Martin, KenMor Electric, and IEC National
Vice President Gordon Stewart, Joe
Swartz Electric Company, Texas Gulf
Coast IEC. –dn
Legislative connections
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L-R: Eric Peralez, Rep. Francisco Canseco, Julie Howard, David Johnson
and Lloyd Quinney
Golfing raises funds
M
ay 14 marked the 2012 American
Institute of Architects (AIA),
American Society of Landscape
Architects (ASLA) and Acme Brick Scholarship Golf Classic. The 24th annual tournament held at the Republic Golf Club drew
140 players. The event raised over $15,000
and will be divided between AIA San Antonio and the South Texas Chapter of the
ASLA to be used for scholarships. –dn
Tournament winners include:
1st Low Gross: Shawn Willis, Art Johnson,
Paul Krackhardt, Brian Baumann
1st Low Net: Ken Samson, Harley Blackburn, Jay Flemming, Ricky Reyes
2nd Low Net: Carlos Cruz, Carlos Rodriguez, David Calderon, James Cantu
3rd Low Net: Coddy Pena, Patrick Murphy, John Moss, Damon Christofilis
Longest Drive: Joe Cannata
Longest Putt: Anita Kegley
Closest to the Pin: Ken Sampson, Brian
Ulrich, Miguel Alfaro, Shawn Willis
Longest putt winner Anita Kegley-Deaton,
Kegley, Inc.
1st Low Gross L-R: Paul Krackhardt, Goodwin & Green; Art Johnson, McCoy’s Building
Supply; Brian Baumann, American Bank of Texas; Shawn Willis, Acuform Architecture
Construction News ON LOCATION
Service satisfaction
L-R: Kevin Clark, Eddie Meckel and Jason Bailey work at
Morrison Supply Company, a distributor of plumbing HVAC
and builder products in New Braunfels. –dn
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Page 19
Nice to be appreciated
F
ive San Antonio industry associations jointly hosted a parking lot
party fittingly named Parking Lot
Sweatfest, May 17. Associated Builders &
Contractors (ABC), Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), American
Subcontractors Association (ASA), The
Builders’ Exchange of Texas (BX) and
Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors
(PHCC) put on the mixer complete with
fajita fare and appropriate Texas libations
to show appreciation for their members
and guests. –dn
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San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Submitted to Construction News
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Hunter Bakel, a student at MacArthur High School, North East I.S.D., was named
Outstanding Trade and Industries Student Winner in the Texas Career and Technology Council’s “Best of Texas” awards ceremony, Apr. 30. Hunter is a student in the electrical systems technology magnet apprenticeship program at MacArthur. Shown
with Hunter (center) are his instructors L-R: Raul Vasquez and Ed Del Toro. –dn
Submitted to Construction News
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Over 50 people attended Associated General Contractors (AGC) CLF for a fun
night of Missions baseball, May 12. Enjoying the 8–5 win over Midland included
L-R: Sam Nunnelly, Kyle, Nicole and Lyla Pennington,
James Jedrziewski and Brendan Hale. –dn
A good foundation
I
ntertech Commercial Flooring has added a
new Concrete Surface Analysis and Solutions Division.
The new division will be headquartered in
the Dallas/Fort Worth office and will serve the
company’s offices in San Antonio, Austin and
Mission.
Heading up the new division is concrete
expert Rick Kercheval.
Kercheval was founder and president of
On Track Technologies. There, he worked with
health care, institutional and other commercial
clients to evaluate and correct concrete issues
to extend the life expectancy of flooring.
Joining Kercheval as project superintendent in Intertech’s new division is Bob Roland.
Roland began his career with Stonhard as an
installer, and soon was promoted to crew chief,
leading project crews across five states.
Bill Imhoff, Intertech Flooring President/
CEO, said he was delighted to welcome the two
professionals to the team.
“Projects fail all over the country because
of improper testing and treatment of slab issues, and there are very few true experts who
can guide clients in how to resolve these issues,” said Imhoff. “Rick is one of those experts.
He began using the best solutions for moisture
vapor emissions (MVE) years ago, and is certified in testing for MVE on large projects. His
track record, mitigating concrete moisture issues on nearly 3 million square feet in highly
sensitive areas, puts him at the top of the industry.
“In addition, Bob is a seasoned trainer in
teaching correct installation techniques and
execution of project efficiency. He gets things
done with quality and consistency.” –ms
Rick Kercheval
Bob Roland
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Page 21
HVAC& PLUMBING
We love it, you,
maybe not so much!
Todd McAlister, Executive Director
Air Conditioning Contractors of America
(ACCA) - Texas
Austin, TX
W
ill it get to 100° fast enough for the HVAC Contractors in Texas? Most likely, not even close to fast
enough, as members of the HVAC industry like the triple digit temps into November, a
quick cold snap in January then back to the heat by mid-March. Good news for the
consumer is, rarely happens that way, though some of us are still holding our breath
and waiting for 80° evenings to keep the weather hot.
Not only do contractors worry about of several factors, including the continhow the seasonal outlook will affect their ued implementation of the federal govbusinesses, they now have a myriad of is- ernment’s policies regarding HCFCs, cursues causing contractors of all sizes to rent market conditions, and delays in the
evaluate and reevaluate how they will regulatory process.” Without going into
move forward into the summer of 2012 a long dialogue of what took place, it
and beyond. From the cost of refrigerant boils down to issues within the actual alto smart thermostats, energy audits to location of R-22 for prior years. The EPA
economic factors, HVAC contractors are recently decided to mandate an even
facing an onslaught of critical aspects to larger cut in the allocation amounts to
work towards the 2030 complete phase
their trade.
If you have had recent service on out of R-22, as mandated by the Montreal
your units, and of course, we recommend Protocol, and this is one of the drivers intwice a year tune-ups to help your unit creasing the cost for R-22 refrigerant.
operate at its peak efficiency, you are well There could be further price adjustments
aware of the cost increase of R-22 refrig- before the end of the summer if the EPA
erant. As Charlie McCrudden, Vice-Presi- decides to make their final rulings on
dent of Government Affairs for ACCA what the allocation amounts will be for
states, “This situation is the culmination 2012 to 2014.
Licensing and registration
requirements
John Lain and Jeff Rinard
Texas Department of
Licensing and Regulation
Austin, TX
John Lain
What changes are occurring in the HVAC industry?
Two items we want to address is technician registration
and smart home technology.
Effective Jan. 1986 the Texas Legislature required all air conditioning contractors in Texas be licensed. In 2007, Texas
H.B. 463 additionally required technicians to register with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR).
All persons in a capacity of air conditioning refrigeration maintenance that assists
a licensed contractor must be registered
with the department as a technician. The
registration includes a criminal background check at the time of registration
and each year upon renewal.
New commercial or residential construction is exempt from the regulation,
and technicians doing air conditioning are
not required by this department to be registered. That is because a home or business does not have an owner or occupant.
The second issue is the advancement
of remote technology. The control feature,
what we call smart home automation, has
arrived where many companies can remotely control the heating and air conditioning system. That is something that is
on the forefront for our department to
monitor potentially unlicensed activity.
Have there been significant code
changes in the last year?
The department adopted the 2009
residential and mechanical code in Sep.
2011. Through the state energy code, we
are requiring homes, particularly new
construction, have duct and building envelope leakage tests. We want to make
the homes tighter and the air conditioning systems more efficient in order to reduce energy consumption.
How is the code change monitored?
The compliance division assists the
enforcement division in investigating incoming complaints. We inspect and verify that required documents have been
completed to verify the home (specific to
the HVAC system) complies with the 2009
residential, mechanical and the energy
codes.
What training is provided on the code
change?
We travel throughout the state to
hold task force meetings with interested
stakeholders such as trade schools and
Texas contractors are also in the
midst of an energy auditing blitz. As
many of you know, the whole home and
home energy auditing business is booming in Texas. Recent code changes and
the statewide adoption of the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code has
brought energy audits to the forefront of
many consumers’ minds. ACCA-Texas
sees the value in these audits, and how
they could become a valuable tool for a
reduction in energy usage within a home;
however, we also see the value of still incorporating licensed HVAC contractors
into the scope of work that is performed
by these energy audit companies. There
could be some movement on regulation
of this budding industry in the next legislative session of 2013.
Another aspect that is bringing
about changes to the industry is the
adoption of “smart thermostats.” The
IPhone, IPad and other smart phones
have enabled their fans and companies
everywhere to begin an integration of
“apps” of all types to become a part of
our everyday lives with regards to energy
usage. The ability to remotely turn on
your HVAC system, your sprinkler system,
your lights, outdoor hot tub and other
devices and appliances within the home
is a growing trend for not only tech savvy
consumers but the everyman as well.
This does bring up an interesting discussion about who is responsible for installation and maintenance of these smart
thermostats. ACCA-Texas firmly believes
that only a licensed HVAC contractor
should install and maintain components
of the HVAC system, and companies that
choose to ignore the Texas Department
of Licensing rules and regulations should
be subject to the same fines and penalties that other unlicensed activity receives.
Energy efficiency measures, new
technology and economic impacts on
customers are only a few of the important issues currently impacting the HVAC
industry across Texas and the nation. The
remainder of 2012 will be a fast-paced
race to find solutions that benefit the industry and more importantly, consumers
in Texas. One thing is for sure, another
very hot summer is upon us, and for the
HVAC industry, the hotter the better!
Since 2000, Todd McAlister has been
the Executive Director of ACCA-Texas, a
Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and
Refrigeration (HVAC/R) based non-profit
organization that represents more than 750
companies and 5000 employees across Texas. Todd also currently serves in the US Navy
Reserves as a Logistics Officer out of NOSC
San Antonio in support of Fleet based Supply Units. –dn
industry associations. We meet with
building officials, interested contractors
and those who want to be on the leading
edge of changing technology. We discuss
how the department is going to administer the programs.
Our obligation is to make sure the industry is aware of changes. There are still
people in the industry in Texas that aren’t
aware that we’ve gone from the 2006
code to the more strict 2009 code.
will call unlicensed contractors who are
advertising either electrical or air conditioning service. We ask them come out
and give us a bid to do the work. The bid
is very important because that shows
they are offering to perform the work.
Once we receive the bid, the investigators will gather all the evidence and prepare a report that goes to the prosecutor.
Additionally, we work with the media to let people know what is going on
and see who is doing these violations.
What enforcement is done by TDLR?
We have two separate processes to
handle 1) complaints against unlicensed
contractors, and 2) complaints for mechanical integrity problems with HVAC
units or systems.
If something is wrong with an HVAC
system, our technical expert will make an
initial inspection of the system and compile a report for further investigation. The
investigators will interview people and ensure the City department responsible is
following the right ordinance. We will even
pull the permit and make sure an inspection was made at the house or business.
On a proactive side, we catch contractors who don’t have a license. In Texas, it is a violation to offer or to perform
work without a license.
One way we deal with unlicensed activity is by searching advertisements on
Craigslist, green sheets and newspapers.
We even review business cards. We gather up leads and will conduct four to eight
stings per year all over the state. Once we
complete one area, we move to another
area of the state.
During a sting, we get a vacant house
or a business that is normally under construction. Our undercover investigators
Are most of the complaints against
unlicensed contractors?
It is a combination of both. There are
unlicensed people who will rip people off
and mess up a project. Sometimes there
are licensed contractors who make mistakes as well. We stress people should
hire a licensed contractor and check him
out before he is hired.
There is an abundance of information on the TDLR website where a consumer can check a contractor’s license or
check if final orders have been filed
against a contractor for violations. Also,
there is information on the air conditioning statute, FAQs, rules, application requirements, enforcement plan and penalty matrix. We also have a customer service division and a Facebook presence where
questions can be asked and answered.
John Lain, program manager for air
conditioning, is a 39-year industry veteran.
He has 34 years as a contractor and five years
with TDLR. He is TDLR’s air conditioning and
refrigeration subject matter expert with certifications as a mechanical inspector.
Jeff Rinard is the investigation manager for the enforcement division. –dn
NEXT MONTH
JULY 2012
Electrical Industry
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Page 22
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
HVAC & PLUMBING
Change is constant in the industry
Matt Beecroft, Service Manager
Guarantee Plumbing & A/C Inc.
San Antonio, TX
H
ow would you describe the current condition of the HVAC and
plumbing industry?
The industry is changing more into a
service-oriented industry. In the past the
industry focused more on equipment replacement rather than service. Now that
is changing due to increasing costs related to new regulations and the higher
cost of equipment. These factors are driving our costs higher, and our level of service has to match the higher prices.
What regulation changes are impacting the industry?
The phase out of R-22 refrigerant is
making a significant impact on the industry. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) placed a hold on the importation
and manufacture of R-22 a few months
ago. Prices have tripled overnight on the
refrigerant. For smaller businesses that
don’t have the cash flow for the increased
cost, it is putting them in a bind.
For residential and business customers who have units that use R-22 refrigerant, what are their options?
R-22 costs around $80 per pound.
Customers are surprised by the higher
price of the refrigerant, however service
is still available on existing equipment. If
a customer has a leaking coil, the decision is whether to put money into an obsolete system? That is a tough decision
since probably 70 percent of residential
customers and 95 percent of commercial
customers still have R-22 systems.
To address the issue, we are educating our customers about different rebates that are offered through CPS Energy and through the Internal Revenue
Service (IRS). There are some IRS tax rebates on energy efficient equipment.
In 2006, companies quit manufacturing new equipment with R-22, but they
still can manufacture the R-22 refrigerant
for several more years to service existing
equipment. However, people need to plan
on the phase out of the R-22 and plan for a
new system. To find out more, the EPA
website has information about this issue.
What is the most significant challenge
your industry faces?
Labor shortages are a big issue for us.
It is difficult to find people who are either
skilled to do the work or find young people who are willing to learn the HVAC
trade. We are looking for people who have
a good work ethic and are willing to learn.
In this economy, we see a number of
people moving among companies within
the area in order to earn another dollar
an hour. We are fortunate at our company that we have people with longevity
who stay with us. We are not seeing the
turnover that other companies are experiencing.
How long does it take to get trained to
do the job?
For HVAC, a helper can start on day
one. However, moving up to a technician
level takes two to three years in the industry.
What are the education requirements
for plumbing?
Plumbing is different. People have to
apply for an apprentice card, which allows the apprentice to work under a journeyman or a master plumber. There are
different levels in the plumbing trade –
tradesman plumber, journeyman and
master plumber. It takes two to three
years minimum to increase through each
step.
Are there changes in technology that
are impacting the industry?
Technology has changed a lot over
the last few years with residential and
commercial equipment. This is due to
customers wanting higher energy efficiency. Also, equipment is larger than before and more computers are used in the
equipment.
The footprint of the equipment is
about the same, but it’s a little heavier.
Sometimes we run into situations where
we have to brace up an older structure because of the added weight on the rooftop.
As for green building construction,
we are seeing more geothermal heat
pumps. With more energy efficient
equipment, we have to look at the whole
building to come up with the best solution for the customer.
Besides the increase in R-22 prices,
what cost increases are occurring?
Costs are increasing due to the price
of equipment. Raw material prices to
manufacture products have increased.
When the increased cost of copper and
fuel is factored in with the increasing insurance rates due to the mold issue from
years ago, costs have gone up dramatically.
Is copper theft still a problem?
Even though new equipment has
more copper than before, there isn’t
much we can do on the residential side to
safe guard the units. Since units are on
the ground, homeowners generally do
not want to put a cage around their unit
because it isn’t attractive. Many commercial buildings are locking the staircases
going to the roof and some are installing
cages around the equipment.
What are the rewards of being in the
industry?
There is always going to be a demand for HVAC and plumbing. Being
able to solve a customer’s issue is always
a good thing.
Guarantee Plumbing & A/C has been
around since 1934, and our customers
know we are not going anywhere. We
have a reputation of integrity have a very
loyal commercial and residential customer base.
Guarantee Plumbing & A/C, Inc. is a
full-service repair company for HVAC and
plumbing. Service Manager Matt Beecroft
joined Guarantee after owning a Houstonbased HVAC company for 14 years. Beecroft
is the service manager for both HVAC and
plumbing. –dn
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San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Calling all subs
T
he Crowne Plaza Hotel in North
Austin was a can’t-miss destination
for area subcontractors May 8,
when The Blue Book held its annual GC
Showcase.
General contractors from all over
Texas and even from out of state in places
as far away as California set up booths to
make contact with area subcontractors
to help out with upcoming jobs. –ms
Page 23
Page 24
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Round-Up
Zachry Industrial
Inc. welcomes Mike
Kotara as their vice
president, power
sector executive in
the enterprise strategic development
department, which
controls all sales,
new business and
prior business relationships. –dn
DEA Specialties Co. Inc. is pleased to announce the addition of Paul Hougdahl
to the firm. A mechanical engineer,
Hougdahl will be an estimator and project manager at DEA. –dn
CNG Engineering is
happy to announce
that
Kenneth
Shappley,
P.E.,
LEED GA has joined
the firm as senior
mechanical engineer. He has more
than 21 years of experience in the
A/E/C industry and maintains registration in 25 states as a licensed professional
engineer. –dn
Garth Benjamin
“Ben” Reese, PE,
recently
joined
Raba Kistner Inc. as
construction materials project engineer in its San Antonio office. Reese
holds both a Masters and a Bachelor
of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Brigham Young University. –dn
Coyle_SDA,
Inc.
has hired James
“Jim” W. Russell,
RPLS, as survey
manager for the
San Antonio office.
–dn
HOLT CAT named
Mark Baker director of business skills
development. He
will be responsible
for managing core
operational business skills in addition to conducting
process standardization training.
HOLT CAT announces the following promotions and new hires. –dn
Ron Craft has been
promoted to vice
president of machine product support. A 19-year veteran in the heavy
equipment
business, Craft is responsible for all
parts and service support for machine
customers.
Bob Harwood has
been promoted to
vice president of
machine sales. He is
responsible for all
new and used machine sales and
rental equipment
for the dealership.
He has been involved in the heavy equipment business for 37 years.
Edward Craner has
been
appointed
vice president of
Strategy and marketing. He will lead
strategy and marketing for all divisions of HOLT CAT.
Robert “Bert” Fulgium has been promoted to vice president of power systems product support. A 20-year industry veteran, he
will oversee all industrial engine and generator set parts
and customer service support.
Howard Hicks will
assume the role of
vice president and
director of public
affairs. He is a 36year veteran of the
company.
Erin Fogarty has
joined the company
as the financial marketing
manager
and is responsible
for the financial
marketing team.
Aline Carmichael
has been named
the new senior director of human resource
partners.
She is responsible
for leading Holt’s
human
resource
practices, safety and environmental
management services.
Association Calendar
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News
ABC
Associated Builders & Contractors
Jun. 4, 18, Jul. 2: Members new employee orientation. 8–11am. ABC office, $45
person, Contact: Bob Jett
Jun. 12 & 14: CPR & First Aid Certification. ABC office, $30 ABC/BX member,
$40 non-member. Must attend both
nights for certification.
Jun. 19–22: OSHA 30 Hour, 8am–6pm,
$500 member, $650 non-member. See
website for early discount.
Jun. 27: Documentation seminar. 3–
6pm, ABC office, $50 member; $75 nonmember. Contact: Carol Wiatrek
Jun. 28: Burgers & Beer Membership
Mixer. Bluebonnet Palace. $25 person
Jun. 29, Jul. 6 & 13: 9-hr training Construction 101. 2–5pm, ABC office, $125 members,
$150 non-members. Contact Bob Jett
For information: 210-342-1994 or www.
abcsouthtexas.org
ACCA
Air Conditioning Contractors of Amer.
Jun. 4: Golf Tournament, Club at Sonterra North Course, 12pm, $125 person
AGC
Associated General Contractors
Jun. 1: CM-BIM exam, AGC office, 8am– noon
Jun. 4: Reception for NEISD President
Beth Plummer, AGC office, 5-7pm
Jun. 5: Brown Bag Lunch: Gallagher Benefit Services, AGC office, noon; The Basics,
Session #10, Education Center, 6–8pm
Jun. 7-8: PMDP Module 3: Project Administration, Education Center, 7:30am–4:30pm
Jun. 8: Education Committee meeting,
AGC office, 8:30am
Jun. 13: Fall Protection Awareness, AGC
office, 12–4pm
Jun. 15: Brown Bag Lunch: Fundamental &
Enhanced Commissioning, AGC office, noon
Jun. 21: Safety & Health Committee
meeting, AGC office, 11:30am
Jun. 22: Board of Director’s meeting, Petroleum Club, 8am
Jun. 26: CLF Steering Council meeting,
AGC office, noon
AIA
American Institute of Architects
Jun. 25: Monthly meeting, 12pm; Luby’s
Fiesta Room, 911 N. Main Ave. Speaker:
Parks Impact Study. $15 associate AIA &
interns, $20 members, $25 guests
ASA
American Subcontractors Association
Jun. 12: Dinner meeting, StoneWerks at
Lincoln Heights, The good, the bad and
the ugly of social media. $40 members,
$55 non-members
Jun. 14: Lunchbox Seminar: Am I at Risk?
Padgett, Stratemann & Co., 100 NE Loop 410
#1100, 78216. $30 members, $40 non-members
Jun. 20: Mixer at San Antonio Missions
Baseball, Free: ASA & HCA members
Jun. 22-23: 11th Annual Fishing Tournament, Port Aransas.
Jun. 28: Lien & Bond Claim Seminar,
1:30-4:30pm, Padgett, Stratemann & Co.
$150 members, $165 non-members.
For information: 210-349-2105 or contact@asasanantonio.org
HCA de San Antonio
Hispanic Contractors Association
All events held at HCA office unless
otherwise specified
Jun. 7, 14, 21 and 28: HCA Help Desk Thursdays. 9am-noon, HCA members FREE, RSVP
Jun. 6: Dine & Discover: Employee verification. Homeland Security. 8-10am. $5 members, $10 non-members. RSVP
Jun. 9: Fall Protection Training Class in English: FREE, 8am-3pm; RSVP: www.blacktiesanantonio.com/rsvp. Event Code: hcafpe01.
Jun. 14: HCA/SBA: 8A certification & business growth. FREE. Bring brown bag lunch.
11:30am-12:30pm; RSVP
Jun. 20: HCA/ASA Estimator Appreciation
Missions Mixer, Wolff Stadium, 6-8pm. $5
HCA, ASA & prospective members. Free
for estimators. RSVP
Jun. 21: Creating Safety Program for
Small Business in English: FREE, 702 Colo-
rado, 6th Fl. Conf. Rm, Austin 78701. 9am4pm, RSVP: www.blacktie-sanantonio.
com/rsvp Event Code: hcaspe01
Jun. 23: Fall Protection Training Class in Spanish, FREE, 8am-3pm, RSVP: www.blacktie-sanantonio.com/rsvp Event Code: hcafps02
Jun. 26: HCA, Alamo City Black Chamber of
Commerce and Alamo City Asian American
Chamber of Commerce outreach event to help
small business get work with local agencies,
8am-noon, RSVP: www.blacktie-sanantonio.
com/rsvp Event Code: hcaabh01.
Jun. 27: Creating Safety Program for Small
Business in Spanish, FREE, Mexican Consulate. Black tie. RSVP: www.blacktie-sanantonio.com/rsvp Event Code: hcasps02
For RSVP/information: 210-444-1100,
info@hcadesa.org
IEC
Independent Electrical Contractors
Jun. 7-10: IEC Texas State Conference,
Lake Tahoe
Jun. 15: Annual Sporting Clay Fun Shoot,
San Antonio Gun Club, noon–5pm
Jun. 16: Electrical Maintenance Tech
Class, IEC office, 8am– 5pm
Jun. 18: Continuing Ed., IEC office, 5–9pm
Jun. 19: A&T Committee mtg, IEC office, 11am
Jun. 20: Board of Director’s mtg, IEC office, 11am
Jun. 21: IEC Graduation, Leon Valley Conference Center, 6:30pm
Jun. 22-24: Executive Director’s Conference, Houston
Jul. 4: IEC offices closed
MCA–SMACNA
Mechanical Contractors Association
Sheet Metal & A/C Nat’l Assn.
Jun 6: Summer Social, Silverhorn Golf
Club, 6pm
Jun. 20: Joint industry fund forum &
business meeting, Oak Hills Country Club,
11:30am
NAWIC
Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
Jun. 6: General meeting & board elections. Petroleum Club. 5:30pm
Jun. 26: Board meeting, Komada, 6pm
PHCC
Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors
June: No monthly meeting
Jun. 2, 23, 30: Plumbers CE class
Jun. 19: Dane Bauerle training: Unlocking Keys to Personal & Business Success in
a Tough Economy
Jun. 26: Board meeting
For information: 210-824-7422 or www.
phcc-tx.org
SDA
Society for Design Administration
Jun. 28: Meeting: Gain Control of Your
Day in an Uncontrollable Workplace.
Bright Shawl, 819 Augusta, noon–1:15pm,
$20, RSVP: 210-757-4594
SAABE
San Antonio Assn. of Building Engineers
Jun. 20: Monthly luncheon, Embassy
Suites Hotel, 7750 Briaridge, 11:30am–
1:15pm, Means and Methods of Building
Exterior Restoration
SAMCA
San Antonio Masonry Contractors Assn.
Jun. 14: Golden Trowel Awards Banquet,
6:30pm; Club at Sonterra, $95 person;
Debbie 830-606-5556
TxFSCA
Tx Fire Sprinkler Contractors Assn.
Jun. 7-10: Skins and Fins, South Shore Harbor
Resort, 2500 South Shore Blvd., League City
USGBC Central Texas – Balcones Chapter
US Green Building Council
Jun. 3: Cool House Tour, Austin, 10am–
6pm, Earn up to 8 GBCI CEUs
Jun. 8-10: Heart of Texas Green Expo,
Bastrop Convention & Exhibit Center,
1408 Chestnut St, Bastrop
Jun. 21: Documentary Screening: Climate Refugees; UT School of Architecture, Goldsmith Hall, Austin
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Page 25
continued from Page 1 — Revitalizing Broadway
less steel, carpet and paint. The HVAC system is a chiller system utilizing ice storage
tanks to produce the chiller water.
Green notes the project will be LEED
certified for core and shell.
Stevens states there were several
major challenges the team encountered
during construction.
“As with any older structure, our major challenges were associated with the
remodel portions of the building: adding
a new roof over the existing two-story
component, cutting window and door
openings into the existing masonry walls
of the bakery hall, finding buried layers of
old concrete and asphalt paving throughout the site, and old pipes interfering
with new,” notes Stevens. “We even had
to drag an old ButterKrust delivery truck
out of one of the structures.”
Green acknowledges that while
there were some challenges, teamwork
made the project very workable.
“We have teamed with the owner, architect and engineer on 27 developments
over the past 15 years. Each project was
unique in its own way, but the constant
has been our working relationship,” adds
Stevens. “We get together very early on in
the design phase and try to solve all the
design and cost issues before we even
break ground. We believe these early design meetings are invaluable to the ulti-
continued from Page 1 — Business expansion
mate success of these projects.”
A general construction company,
Kopplow Construction Company Inc. was
founded in 1976 by Edward K. Kopplow
and performs 85 percent private work
and 15 percent public work.
Today, the company has 20 employees and handles an array of building projects for all types of clients. Companies
such as R.L. Worth & Associates, a real estate development firm, have relied on
Kopplow Construction to build over
1,600,000 sf of industrial and office space,
while private businesses such as Lone
Star Bakery have hired the general contracting firm to construct seven projects
over the last 20 years.
“Kopplow Construction success is
based upon its collective real estate development experience and years of commercial construction expertise,” adds
Green. “This enables us to relate to our
clients throughout every aspect of the
development and construction process,
as well as offer cost and time savings
whenever possible. Additionally, we self
perform the majority of our concrete
work in-house. As a result, our clients
gain the advantage in pricing, scheduling
and quality control.”
Kopplow Construction, Inc. is located in
San Antonio and provides general contracting services to clients throughout Texas. –dn
Lampe notes the new office will allow for a faster response time for its services. He said services provided at the location will be “engineering consulting,
environmental engineering, facilities
consulting, with a strong emphasis on
geotechnical engineering, testing and
pavement consulting, and construction
materials engineering, testing and inspections.”
Recognizing that New Braunfels and
the Austin/San Antonio corridor remains
a tremendous growth area for Texas,
Lampe adds, “We want to serve our clients in New Braunfels and along the corridor more efficiently. We are going to
support our clients from both ends of the
corridor.”
Raba Kistner Consultants provides program management services for facilities
planning and building enclosures rehabilitation, environmental engineering and
consulting, infrastructure engineering, geotechnical engineering and testing, construction materials engineering and testing, and pavement consulting. –dn
continued from Page 1 — Companies join together
Browning states he will continue
working at the firm. “I will be doing strategic planning, developing new work
and be involved in the executive management,” he said.
“It’s exciting to have Jamie with us,”
adds Koontz. “He has a lot of experience
and certainly has a lot of contacts in the
marketplace. I think it is a win-win for everybody. This is a great partnership for
us. Browning is an 81-year-old company
that has built a lot of great projects in San
Antonio.”
When asked if the company will be
expanding into new market areas, Browning states, “That is something we are going to be looking at together, and we’ll
be deciding if there will be new markets.
“Right now it is a very good opportunity to combine our two companies together. We think we have some real opportunities, and I am very excited to be
with such a wonderful organization.”
Koontz McCombs Construction, Ltd.
provides general contracting services for
commercial, institutional, industrial, medical and multi-family projects. –dn
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Page 26
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Appreciation custom
T
he SpawGlass annual luau has become a local tradition. This year marks the fifteenth year the general contracting company hosted its subcontractor, supplier
and vendor appreciation event. Normally held at the corporate headquarters in
Selma, the company moved the May 10 event to the Blue Bonnet Palace on Lookout
Road. Even though the area was blessed with rain, the new venue easily accommodated hundreds of guests in its indoor facility. –dn
Chuck Calvin and Russell Jenkins,
SpawGlass
L-R: Ron Ohm, SpawGlass; Davy Beiker,
Beicker Martinez Engineering; Kerry
Andrews, KA Architect
Martha Johnson, John Metoyer, Seleta Metoyer, Martha Wingo, CJ Tile & Marble Inc.
L-R: Robert Schultz, Architectural Division 8; Rick Corso, United Rentals; Bruce Culver,
Scott Grover and Louis Garcia, Speedway Erection
L-R: Robert Hofmann, Jacob Orosco and
Shannon Ritchie, Convergint Technologies
L-R: Zane Richardson, Fernando Faz
and Paul Lyssy, Richardson Tile & Plaster
L-R: Steve Holt, Jacobs, and Al Vazquez,
SpawGlass
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Job Sights
Page 27
Construction News ON LOCATION
Going the distance
Cody Culwell, Ott Plumbing Company Inc. in New Braunfels,
is headed out to a job in McQueeney, TX. –dn
Constructing a building expansion for a promotional products company
in San Antonio is Felipe Casillas, New Concepts. –dn
Eagle Ford
Shale
15 to 500 Ton
Capacities
Available
for your
Toughest
Projects
L-R: Martin Navarro and Beto Rios, Ecko Construction, build new parking
and sidewalk facilities in San Antonio. –dn
L-R: Chuck Strey and Grover Wright, AmeriCRANE assist 1st Choice Air Conditioning &
Heating Services in setting air conditioning units in San Antonio. –dn
33 Years
of Service
to Texas
from
El Paso to Beaumont
Amar
Amarillo to Brownsville
www.alamocrane.com
With hot weather fast approaching L-R: Johnny Hill, Ben Arizola and Ray Martinez, A/C
Technical Services Ltd., take care of HVAC maintenance for their customers. –dn
San Antonio (210) 344-7370
Austin
(412) 282-6866
Toll Free
(800) 880-0134
Woman-Owned Business
City–94–020011/WBE
State–13580/WOB
Page 28
San Antonio Construction News • Jun 2012
Construction News ON LOCATION
Lumber and more
Whether its building materials,
windows or specialty hardware
L-R: Marcie Heidrich, Diana
Eberhard and Shellie McInnis
are there to assist at Eberhard
Lumber in New Braunfels. –dn
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