V O L U M E
®
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S P R I N G
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NEWS
AMES CONSTRUCTION, INC. NEWSLETTER
IN THIS
ISSUE
Message from the
President.............2
Midwest
Regional
News....4
Western Regional
News....6
Classic D-8 undergoes
extreme makeover
If you’ve ever had the opportunity to pass through the gates of the Ames Construction Corporate
Center, you’ve passed a piece of history. When Dick Ames started his fledgling construction company in 1960, the first piece of equipment purchased was a Caterpillar D-8 Bulldozer. That magnificent machine, long since retired, sits proudly on a grassy knoll overlooking the busy parkway
near the company’s entrance — and it still works!
Keeping the old girl in running condition is no easy feat, but Ames Mechanic Mike Timm
makes a point of firing her up once a month. As Mike puts it, you have to “keep the pipes clean,
you see.” With its complex lever switching starting mechanism, only a handful of people, including Dick and Butch Ames, fully understand the intricate starting procedure for this impressive
relic. To those who work at the Corporate Center, the sound of this decades-old dozer growling
to life is as familiar as the monthly tests of neighborhood civil defense sirens. She chugs, spits,
sputters and emits a grayish-white smoky haze that drifts across the lawn and parking lots, but to
those who love her, it’s all good.
Sadly, the old D-8 was beginning to show her age. Surface rust, fading paint and leaky gaskets
told the tale, but don’t count her out just yet. Last winter, Mike Timm started her up, backed her
off her gravel display pad, and slowly coaxed her down the hill for a makeover. To those of us
who enjoyed giving this grand lady of the construction business an appreciative nod each morning and evening, her absence is glaring. But take heart: come spring, she’ll be fully restored and
ready to trek back up the hill to her place of honor next to the front gate, where everyone can
marvel at her beauty and listen to her throaty songs for decades to come.
Southwest
Regional
News....8
Rocky
Mountain
Regional
News....10
EDITOR’S NOTE: Caterpillar originally painted this CAT D-8 some 50 years ago, and true to its long time
reputation for standing behind its products, the Zeigler Caterpillar Company has agreed to take on the
painstaking chore of sandblasting and repainting our classic CAT.
Letter to all from Dick Ames
Dick Ames
receives Lifetime
Achievement
Award
Someone once asked me, “What makes a good employee?”
The answer to that question is easy. Loyalty. Being true to your
friends and family, your country, your job, your crew and the
company that employs you makes for a solid foundation on
which to build a lifetime of success.
Loyalty is a quality everyone admires, and something that
starts when we’re just kids. If you ever stood up for one of
your brothers or sisters, defended your best friend, or cheered
Dick Ames
for the hometown team (even during those frustrating losing
streaks) you were learning early lessons about loyalty. As a young man or woman you began
to form bonds with friends, coaches, teachers and employers. You knew who was watching
your back, who was looking out for your best interests, and who would always be there for
you. You were drawn to them because they were loyal to you and, in return, you were loyal
to them. Whether you went on to college, joined the military, or carved out a career on your
own terms, loyalty surely played a role in your success.
When I started out in this business over 55 years ago, I spent 10 years working for Verdie
Volden, of Volden Brothers Construction Company. Over time I became his right hand
man. I was important to Verdie and he was important to me. Striking out on my own was a
tough decision because I knew it might mean the end of my relationship with Verdie and his
company. In the beginning there were hard feelings, but I think Verdie understood that I
had to move on, and eventually we became friends again. You can chalk that up to loyalty
— something that lasted for nearly 40 years, until his death at 102 years of age. He was my
dedicated teacher and I was his devoted student.
Everyday I am grateful to be surrounded by a loyal team of hardworking men and women
— folks who are not just true to our company and its unions, but also to friends, family and
Dick Ames was recently honored by Associated
General Contractors (AGC) of Minnesota and presented with the organization’s Lifetime Achievement
Award in recognition for his 40 years of continuous
membership. An AGC of Minnesota member since
1966, Dick recalls a time when he could hardly wait
until he could afford to join AGC and proudly display the AGC logo on his truck and letterhead.
Today, Ames Construction continues to champion
the organization and the industry through AGC
chapters in Minnesota, Colorado, Utah, Nevada,
Wyoming and Arizona.
After more than four decades in the business, Dick has
never forgotten that the key to success in our industry
is teamwork, and has spent a lifetime developing teams
of men and women he refers to as “family.” The Ames
family includes craftsmen who work in the field, managers and support staff, and business partners such as
engineers, suppliers and subcontractors.
On hand to offer congratulations at the AGC award
ceremony were Dick’s brothers Ron and Butch Ames,
grandson Tony Ames, son Larry Ames and stepson
Richard Thomas.
co-workers. Loyalty shows strong character, the solid foundation that Ames Construction
was built on.
Thank you, and I wish the very best to you and your families.
Section of Highway
212 opens
Project and government officials were on hand to
officially open the first section of Highway 212 in
Eden Prairie, MN. The ribbon cutting took place on
October 30, 2006. Taking part in the ceremony were
(from left to right) Scott Riley, ZRC Project
Manager, Jim Grube, Hennepin County Engineer,
Jim Ramstad, U.S. Congressman (District 3), Nancy
Tyra-Lukens, former Mayor of Eden Prairie, MN,
Carol Molnau, Lieutenant Governor and MNDOT
Commissioner, Julianne Ortman, State Senator
(District 34), and Bob Lindau, former Mayor of
Bloomington, MN.
The Highway 212 construction is a design-build
highway project being constructed by Zumbro River
Constructors (ZRC). ZRC is a joint venture between
Ames Construction, Fluor Corporation and Edward
Kraemer & Sons.
2 AMES NEWS, SPRING 2007
Transportation Amendment passed
by Minnesota Voters
Ames Construction played a prominent role in the Minnesota
transportation funding campaign in the November 2006 election. By law, only 54% of all Minnesota motor vehicle sales tax
in the State was finding its way into highway and transit improvements, with the remainder being diverted to the general fund. A
proposed constitutional amendment called for the dedication of
ALL motor vehicle sales tax to transportation related funding. The
citizens of Minnesota approved the amendment by a 57% to
42% margin.
Passage of the amendment was all the more remarkable because of the
extraordinary majority requirement imposed by Minnesota’s constitution directing blank votes on the ballot question as no votes. The successful amendment will be phased in over the next five years. When
fully implemented, it will provide $300 million annually for road construction, the largest increase in state history.
Ames employees participated in the “VOTE YES” campaign by handing
out fliers, bumper stickers and yard signs in their communities. Ames
Government Affairs Director Richard Thomas served on the Vote Yes
steering and finance committees. Butch Ames played a key role in fundraising efforts with the Minnesota
construction industry. The industry as a whole raised over $3.5 million for print and media advertising to
help pass this critical constitutional amendment. Butch was awarded an Outstanding Achievement Award
by the Minnesota Transportation Alliance for his efforts.
In Memory
John R. “Bud” Brennan, Minnesota Region
Bud Brennan was born on September 16, 1925 in
Farmington, MN. He passed away on January 3,
2007 in Elko, MN at the age of 81. Bud came to
work for Ames Construction long before even the
computer was used to track employment records
and retired in 1990. In addition to working on
many projects throughout the Midwest Region,
he was also Ames Construction’s first labor foreman. Bud had two sons who are still with Ames
Construction: Mark, the Western Region Senior
EEO/AA and Sexual
Harassment Policies
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITY POLICY
This is to affirm the Ames Construction, Inc.
policy of providing Equal Opportunity to all
employees and applicants for employment in
accordance with all applicable Equal
Employment Opportunity/ Affirmative Action
laws, directives and regulations of Federal, State
and Local governing bodies or agencies thereof.
Ames Construction, Inc. will not discriminate
against or harass any employee or applicant for
employment because of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, disability, age, marital
status, affectional preference, ancestry or status
with regard to public assistance.
Ames Construction, Inc. will take Affirmative
Action to ensure that all employment practices
are free of such discrimination. Such employment practices include, but are not limited to the
following: hiring, upgrading, demotion, transfer,
recruitment or recruitment advertising, selection,
layoff, disciplinary action, termination, rates of
Richard Thomas is shown at the Transportation
Amendment display set up at the Ames
Construction Midwest Region annual picnic. The
display acted as a rallying point for employees
to become more involved in the transportationrelated funding issue at the State Capitol.
Ames Construction, Inc. is an
Equal Opportunity Employer
and does not tolerate
discrimination against any
individual for any reason.
pay or other forms of compensation and selection
for training, including apprenticeship.
Ames Construction, Inc. prohibits the harassment of any employee or job applicant because of
sex, national origin or race.
Vice President, and Terry, the
regional construction manager in
the Southwest Region.
Bud is survived by his wife
Audrey (Ames) Brennan, sons
Mark, Michael, Todd and Terry,
daughters Deborah, Rebecca and Beth,
two sisters, 16 grandchildren and
10 great grandchildren.
Pirates of the
Caribbean or
Halloween?
No ladies, that’s not Johnny Depp as Will Sparrow,
and that’s not one of those spooky skeleton pirates
from the Black Pearl. In reality, it’s the swashbuckling
Rick Stuntebeck (right) and the oh-so-scary Bob
Bruckner (left), both from the IT department, mugging for the camera at the Midwest Region’s
Halloween lunch held on October 31st.
Ames Construction, Inc. will use its best efforts to
afford minority and female business enterprises
with the maximum practicable opportunity to participate in the performance of subcontracts for construction projects that this employer engages in.
Ames Construction, Inc. will commit the necessary time and resources, both financial and
human, to achieve the goals of Equal
Employment Opportunity and Affirmative
Action.
Ames Construction, Inc. will maintain a hostile
free work environment, and good work conditions for all employees and supervisors.
AMES NEWS, SPRING 2007 3
REGIONAL NEWS
MIDWEST
®
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
MIDWEST REGION PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
East Bethel
Landfill Closure
Midwest Region
Service Awards
East Bethel, MN
EMPLOYEE
By way of background, the East Bethel Landfill covers about 60 acres in East Bethel Township, located
in north central Anoka County. In the late 1960s, the
future landfill operated as a dump. In October 1971,
the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
issued a permit to the Sylvester Brothers
Development Company to operate a sanitary landfill
on the site. The Sylvester Landfill closed in 1994,
however, and Ames crews began facilitating a portion
of the final stages of reclamation and closure in
October of 2006.
YEARS OF SERVICE
MINNESOTA
Above: Liner application on the East Bethel
project. Bottom: Crews at work on the East
Bethel landfill project.
The project involved consolidating waste buried outside the MPCA property limits, as well as waste
inside the existing landfill. This landfill closure was
particularly interesting because of its close proximity
to Neds Lake and surrounding wetlands, a protected
area known as “The Sandhill Crane Natural Area.”
(Named for the beautiful sandhill cranes that grace
its shores.) Safeguarding the area’s delicate ecosystem
was critically important to everyone on the closure
project. Also, because the waste was located inside the
groundwater table, careful removal of the waste was
vital to nearby residents and the community of East
Bethel as a whole.
After Ames crews successfully consolidated the waste,
a liner and new gas system with flares was installed to
burn off any excess gases. Additionally, three new
storm water ponds were constructed to handle all
runoff from the landfill, along with new groundwater
wells to filter pollutants around the landfill.
County Road J
Ramsey and Anoka Counties, MN
At first glance, the County Road J project looked pretty straightforward. Ames crews were brought in to assist in widening approximately two miles of road and to facilitate the replacement of an existing
bridge located on the border of Ramsey and Anoka counties. The
project involved 480,000 cubic yards of earthwork, placing 55,000
tons of aggregate, laying 16,000 linear feet of reinforced concrete pipe
and 2,000 linear feet of 12-inch PVC, as well as the prep work for
5,400 square feet of MSE walls. The purpose of the project was to
improve traffic flow in preparation for the opening of a new Medtronic
Office Complex located just south of the construction site. For Ames
crews, this type of work is business as usual, but sometimes the devil is in the details.
Robert R. Dellwo
25
Jan D. Bentson
20
Bradley Jacobs
Emil J. Trebesch
15
15
Robert J. Brisk
Jon Feind
D. Steve Franzen
Kevin P. Klimmek
Mick L. Mitchell
Todd P. Planting
Chris Stay
Daniel J. Volkman
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
Joseph R. Claffey
Robert Dale Edberg
Teresa Marie Johnson
Derrick J. Kobus
Mitchell D. Koebnick
Gregory E. Krenik
Laverne J. Krenik
Benjamin Michael Laidlaw
Michael R. MacArthur
Glen Patrick Mason
Paul M. Rasmussen
James Schilling
Murray Joseph Theis
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
Ames crews
constructing a
mechanically stabilized
earth (MSE) wall on the
County Road J project.
Take into account that improvements on this particular section of road affected three
different cities: Blaine, Moundsview and Shoreview. Within each city, of course, there
were different rules and regulations for water and sanitary services to be considered,
not to mention the fact that Ramsey and Dakota counties utilize different utility
companies. To be exact, thirteen different utility companies, including natural gas
providers, fiber optics companies, city utility services, petroleum suppliers and underground/overhead power companies were all affected by the widening of the road. As
you might imagine, the project involved extensive coordination on the part of Ames
crews, and we’re happy to report that the project was completed on time.
Ames crews work around existing utilities on the County Road J project.
4 AMES NEWS, SPRING 2007
Winona County
Landfill
Winona, MN
The Winona County Landfill, located approximately
four miles southwest of the city of Winona, received
its first permit to accept waste in 1971 and continued
to operate until 1998. The 35-acre site is believed to
contain approximately 1.2 million cubic yards of
waste. In accordance with legislation passed in 1992,
the landfill must meet Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency standards, which can include cover upgrades,
minor construction (such as gas vents) and future
corrective actions.
To keep the landfill in compliance, Ames crews began
construction of a new cell (pond) lined with a double-composite geo-synthetic clay liner and a highdensity polyethylene (HDPE) liner that spans 12
acres. The project also includes a new leachate containment system and the installation of an active gas
management system that will be used to capture
methane gas within the cell. Wells within the system
allow the gas to be burned off through external flares.
Additionally, crews have installed a 30-acre liner
cover over an existing cell, and are in the process of
covering the liner with topsoil. This project is unique
in that crews continue to face challenges associated
with the area’s naturally steep terrain. In total, the
Winona Landfill project involves 750,000 cubic yards
of waste relocation and 350,000 cubic yards of earthwork. The completion date is set for July of 2007.
View to the top of the Winona Landfill.
ROC 52 Design-Build
Project Merit Award
EMPLOYEE UPDATE
The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) recognized the design-build team of Ames Construction,
Fluor Corporation, and Edward Kramer and Sons in its
National Design-Build Award Competition for 2006.
Acknowledgment was for the project crews nicknamed
“ROC 52,” better known as the Highway 52 reconstruction project.
The $232 million project involved the reconstruction
and expansion of eleven miles (90 lane miles) of U.S.
Highway 52, which runs through the heart of
Rochester, Minnesota. The project was the largest onetime highway construction project ever let by the
Minnesota Department of Transportation, and included 27 bridges, eleven interchanges and the reconstruction of the entire frontage road system.
NEW HIRES
Trish Campbell – Safety and HR Department
Jason Duss – Engineer
BIRTHS
La Crosse
County Landfill
La Crosse County, WI
La Crosse County provides public management of an
integrated solid waste disposal system utilized by several counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin, accepting
residential, commercial, industrial and institutional
waste. In October of 2006, La Crosse County began a
landfill redevelopment and expansion project. Ames
crews constructed a six-acre clay and high-density
polyethylene (HDPE) lined cell (pond) and relocated
170,000 cubic yards of liquid incinerated waste into
the new cell as part of the massive project. Crews also
installed a new flare for burning off methane gas and
a new leachate system. In 2007, Ames crews will
embark on phase II of the project, which involves
constructing a 12-acre clay and HDPE lined cell with
a foot of pea rock placed over the liner for drainage.
All work is slated for completion by August 31, 2007.
Just a Reminder
DRUGS AND ALCOHOL
ARE PROHIBITED ON ALL
AMES PROJECTS
AGC thanks
Ames Construction
for 40-years
In 2006, Ames
Construction celebrated
its 40th continuous year
of membership with
Associated General
Contractors (AGC) of
Minnesota. To mark the
occasion, the prestigious
organization presented
Ames Construction with
a commemorative plaque, which is proudly displayed at
Ames Corporate Center. Through the support of its
members, AGC of Minnesota has been the voice of the
Minnesota construction industry since 1919. The goal
of the organization is to advance our industry through
initiatives that promote and protect our interests.
Congratulations to everyone!
Drugs and alcohol on Ames jobsites are strictly prohibited! Showing up for work under the influence is
also forbidden. This Ames policy applies to all workers, including supervisors, and also includes every
project site under our control. This policy is not limited to regular work hours only, but bans drugs and
alcohol from our jobsites at all times, including
before and after work.
Tanya and Jason Kesti’s little boy, Austin, was
born on November 29, 2006.
Chris and Michelle Stay’s baby boy, Jerimiah,
was born in December 2006.
Andy and Heather Bach’s baby girl, Maisy
Kathleen, was born on January 31, 2007.
Alex and Elizabeth McLean’s baby girl, Olivia
Elizabeth, was born on February 9, 2007.
COMING SOON
Brad and Teresa Bjorklund are expecting their
second child in March 2007.
In Memory
Myron H. “Sam” Beck, Minnesota Region
Sam Beck passed away on February 8, 2007 at
his home in Stockton, MN. He was born in
Millville, MN on January 30, 1932. A heavy
equipment operator, Sam worked for Ames
Construction from 1978 until his retirement in
1996. He worked on many projects throughout
the Midwest Region. Sam was a member of the
International Union of
Operating Engineers — Local
49ers and the Lewiston
American Legion Post #90.
Sam is survived by his wife
Jean, a brother and a sister, five
children, eight grandchildren
and a great grandson.
AMES NEWS, SPRING 2007 5
REGIONAL NEWS
WESTERN
®
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH / CARLIN, NEVADA
WESTERN REGION PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
Western Projects
Legacy Parkway, Salt Lake City, UT — Ames
Construction recently submitted three proposals to
the Utah DOT for the Legacy Parkway project, a
highway project northwest of Salt Lake City consisting of 15 miles of new road construction. Due to its
extensive size, the project was broken into three segments. Ames submitted proposals on segments 1 and
3 under the name of A & W Highway Contractors as
a joint venture with Wadsworth Brothers, and segment 2 as Ames Construction, Inc. Due to the length
of the proposals and the time frame, the Salt Lake
City and Burnsville estimating teams worked together
to submit proposals. We were successful on segments
1 and 2, and placed second on segment 3, with 10 of
the project’s 15 miles awarded to Ames/A&W.
Segment 1, approximately 4 miles long, is the most
southern segment and includes the interchanges that
tie the new highway into the existing interstate system.
The segment has approximately 2,100,000 tons of
imported material, 260,000 cubic yards of on-site
grading, 20,000 linear feet of storm drain, 20,000 linear feet of water line, 23,000 square feet of MSE wall,
177,000 tons of asphalt pavement and 118,000 square
yards of concrete pavement, as well as 6 structures.
Segment 2 is the middle segment of the project, and
consists of mainline road with several secondary street
interchanges. The unique challenge of Segment 2 is
the existing soil conditions. This segment is being
built across old lake bottoms not suitable for large
heavy embankment, so the engineers have specified
the use of lightweight aggregate, soil stabilization rock
and geotextiles throughout the project. Segment 2 has
approximately 2,000,000 tons of imported material,
100,000 cubic yards of on-site grading, 24,000 linear
feet of storm drain, 31,000 linear feet of water line,
70,000 square feet of MSE wall, and 150,000 tons of
asphalt pavement. There are also 5 structures planned
for the project.
Initial traffic controls at the existing I-215 corridor and
highways intersecting the project have been placed and
are being maintained. Initial environmental controls
have been installed and, due to the proximity of nesting
areas, wetlands and rivers, the projects will be closely
monitored for environmental compliance.
Crews at work on the Legacy Highway during the early morning hours.
Wadsworth Brothers, our partner on Segment 1, has
begun driving piles for bridges and pedestrian tunnel
stabilizations. They have also started concrete work for
the piers, tunnels and cast-in-place drainage structures.
Ames Construction is currently importing soil stabilization material on the mainline and at Parish Lane interchange on Segment 2. We are also installing environmental controls and performing site grading. In addition, we
have subcontractors starting wick drains, environmental
monitoring, geo-technical monitoring and fencing.
The regional office has shut down construction operations for the winter and will resume this spring,
with an anticipated completion date of October 15,
2007. Ames Construction has been recently awarded
the design of Phase 4B, which will commence over
the winter months.
Ames Western Region began preliminary work on
both segments as of February 1, 2007. All work must
be completed by summer of 2008.
Colony Phase 4A, Park City, UT — Ames crews are
currently constructing the second major project for
Iron Mountain Associates. The Colony is a privately
gated housing community within an exclusive, residential ski development located on Iron Mountain in
Park City, Utah. The design/build project consists of
approximately 3.5 miles of roadways and driveways
serving 26 new home sites.
New bridgework at The Colony. When
completed, bridges like this will allow skiers to
pass under roadways.
To achieve the required roadway grades up the steep
White Pine Canyon, the project was confronted with
construction of numerous retaining walls, including
hybrid Hilfiker/Tensar MSE wall systems, soil nail
walls and stacked rock walls. Phase 4A construction
also includes the excavation and grading of ski runs,
8 ski-over/ski-under bridges, and all infrastructurerelated utilities.
Ames crews also constructed a 10,000-gallon concrete
water tank and processed the required project construction aggregates onsite, including structural MSE
backfill, roadbase, riprap and utility bedding.
Work on the Legacy Highway continues
into the winter season.
6 AMES NEWS, SPRING 2007
The area’s mountainous landscape poses many construction challenges, including steep terrain, limited accessibility, and environmental impacts, including storm water
retention, high altitude weather and short construction
seasons. Ames Construction thanks all the individuals
and companies that contributed to this project.
New neighborhood lanes in the
housing development.
The Jack Nicklaus Valley Golf Course, Park City,
UT — The Jack Nicklaus Valley Golf Course is
located at Promontory near Park City, Utah, and is
being constructed by the Western Region. The
Ranch Club is nearing completion and is scheduled
to open during the summer of 2007. Construction
of this 18-hole Signature Course started during the
summer of 2005 with the excavation of 1.5 million
cubic yards of dirt and screening of 350,000 cubic
yards of topsoil. Ames Construction, the project’s
General Contractor, has performed and/or supervised a wide variety of activities, ranging from general earthwork to the construction of the on-site pump
station, water features and ponds. Once complete,
the golf course will include 100-plus acres of custom
grown sod, 60,000 feet of drain pipe, eight cart path
bridges and associated concrete abutments, 4,500
cubic yards of colored concrete for cart paths, one
mile of concrete-lined stream channels and several
wetland enhancement areas. Ames Construction
would like to thank all individuals involved in the
construction of this project for their dedicated time
and effort!
Fairways taking shape in the new Jack Nicklaus
Valley Golf Course.
Carlin Projects
South Dedicated Leach Pad – Phase 5,
Round Mountain, NV — On May 1, 2006, Ames
crews began construction on a 6,000,000 square-foot
leach pad for Round Mountain Gold Corporation.
The project scope included haul-and-place of
650,000 cubic yards of overliner material, haul, place
and finish of 230,000 cubic yards of clay material,
and 230,000 linear feet of collection piping. Crews
completed the project on November 1, 2006.
Leach pad production at the Round Mountain
project site.
Western Region Service Awards
EMPLOYEE
YEARS OF SERVICE
UTAH
M. Keith Cummings
Robert J. Eisenmann
Gaylen K Jarrett
20
20
20
Adrian D. Alldredge
Brandon L. Evans
Steven B. Liddiard
Wayne E. Remillong
Larry G. Sheehy
15
15
15
15
15
Rodney Shaune Cottam
Joshua T. Davenport
Jay E. Davis
Wayne E. Johnson
Steve R. McPherson
James R. Schaefer
James Thomas Turner
Terry L. Wampler Jr
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
Clifford J. Barber
Leonard Allan Boteilho
Donald G. Brummel III
Dana Coker-Brennan
David Charles Creamer
Eddie M. Fisher
5
5
5
5
5
5
Barrick Goldstrike
Mines, Meikle
Rodeo Crusher
In September 2006, the
Meikle Rodeo Crusher hit
an all time high of
169,157 tons in a single
month, and the news
kept getting better. On
November 29, 2006, the
night shift crushed
10,071 tons in single
shift, setting yet another
record. All of this
incredible work would
not be possible without the continued support of
Scott Nelson, Leon Higgins, everyone in the Carlin
office, and both day shift and night shift crews. It
also would not have been possible without the great
working relationship between Ames Construction
and Barrick Goldstrike Mines.
We are also happy to report that during our most
recent safety audits we received 99% from Barrick
Goldstrike safety auditors and 100% from Ames
Construction auditors. Thanks to the U.S.
Department of Mine Safety and Health
Administration, Barrick Goldstrike Mines and Ames
Construction safety teams for keeping us on our toes!
EMPLOYEE
YEARS OF SERVICE
Michael Dean Goddard
Ronald L. Graverholt
James R. Kemp Jr
Gregory S. Neff
Robert Francis Parker
Jeff William Rocco
Jaysen Selley
Cody S. Stoker
Joseph Warnick
Lewis Roy Young III
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
NEVADA
James C. Jarrett
Lavene P. Smyle
20
20
Kevin James Boyd
Delton Brunmeier
Brice D. Larson
15
15
15
Sixto Nunez
Valerie L. Portwood
10
10
Dorman Bodily
Thomas Patrick Heneghan
Scott A. Nelson
5
5
5
EMPLOYEE UPDATE
WESTERN NEW HIRES
Tim Berget – Project Engineer
Pat McNamee – Project Engineer
Glenn Eurick – Environmental Analyst
Dave Slane – Foreman
IN MEMORIAM
Les Steffes’ father, Raymond Steffes,
passed away on January 7, 2007. Les is the
Western Region Equipment Manager.
CARLIN NEW HIRES
Shahn Craig – Field Mechanic
Harley John – Crusher Operator
Kevin Jones – Crusher Operator
Another view of the leach pad work.
AMES NEWS, SPRING 2007 7
REGIONAL NEWS
SOUTHWEST
®
PHOENIX, ARIZONA
SOUTHWEST REGION PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
San Manuel Mine
San Manuel, AZ
As of January 1, 2007, the San Manuel project was
85% complete. To date, Ames crews have completed
the re-grading of slopes and placement of fine and
coarse alluvium on dams 6, 5, 3-4, and 1-2. Crews
have also finished all work on pond fills and beach
cover. Plant site re-grade and cover will be finished in
January 2007. Work continues on 10 Dam rock
armor haul and placement.
Since beginning the project, Ames crews have moved
8.6 million cubic yards of earth and manufactured,
hauled and placed about 750,000 cubic yards of rock
armor and 33,000 cubic yards of riprap. Anticipated
finish date for contract work is April 11, 2007.
Glendale Oasis
Water Treatment
Plant
Glendale, AZ
The Glendale Oasis is
an all-new potable
water treatment plant
that will serve the rapidly growing West
Valley area. Ames
Construction is serving as a subcontractor
Crews connecting one of
to Sundt Construction,
the many pipe sections
who is the construcon the project.
tion manager at risk
and general contractor. Facility design is being provided by Black & Veatch.
Our scope of work includes site grading and paving,
underground utilities, and mechanical/chemical piping and equipment. Site work includes 140,000
cubic yards of structure and site excavation, 40,000
cubic yards of export, and 25,000 square yards of AC
Remaining production stacks slated for demolition.
White Tanks
FRS#3 North
Inlet Channel
Maricopa County, AZ
View of the finished slopes of the abandoned
production area.
2007 AMES UPCOMING
®
Projects
SOUTHWEST REGION
BNSF
The Southwest Region submitted the winning
bid on 15 miles of rail for the Burlington
Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway Company in
the El Cajon pass near San Bernadino,
California. The project has a tentative start date
of May 2007 and consists of extensive wall,
bridge, box culvert, rock and earthwork next to
8 AMES NEWS, SPRING 2007
This 6,800-foot long flood control project, located
west of Phoenix at the base of the White Tank
Mountains in Maricopa County, Arizona, directs
floodwater to the basin behind Flood Retarding
Structure #3. The project will protect the Beardsley
Canal (a private irrigation facility), an existing flood
control channel to the south, and approximately 118
homes east of the Beardsley Canal. The project
includes a new 5,800-foot reach of new earth channel with three multi-cell reinforced concrete box culverts totaling 850 feet in length. Also included are
Ames operator filling in the assemblies.
and AB roadways. Underground piping consists of
24,000 linear feet of steel, ductile pipe and
PVC/CPVC pipe. This also includes 230 linear feet of
66-inch diameter jack and bore casing under U.S. 60,
a six-lane highway through Phoenix. The mechanical
scope includes welded steel pipe, ductile piping and
CPVC chemical piping, as well as installation of
chemical, water, air, and sludge pumps and equipment. Seven chemical tanks are also included in our
scope of work. The project site is very compact,
requiring extensive daily coordination and planning.
It is scheduled for startup in September 2007.
three special concrete diversion and inlet structures,
eight grouted riprap drop structures, and over
24,500 square yards of Reno mattress bank protection. The project required over 353,000 cubic yards
of excavation, 5,300 cubic yards of concrete, and
over 5,000 cubic yards of soil cement bank protection. The White Tanks project is scheduled for completion in April 2007.
Newly completed concrete box culverts.
an existing active rail line. The project has a
short, nine-month schedule.
yards of excavation. The project started in January
and has a six-month time frame.
Phelps Dodge/Fluor
Flagstaff Pullium Airport
Ames Construction was awarded the contract for
the construction of the new 400-acre leach pad at
Phelps Dodge’s new mine in Safford, Arizona.
The job includes grading, clay underliner, liner
and 2.4 million tons of crushed overliner.
Ames Construction is scheduled to construct the
runway/taxiway extension on a CM@R
(Construction Manager at Risk) contract. Ames
crews have provided pre-construction services for
the City of Flagstaff by way of constructability
reviews and cost modeling. The project will
include over one million cubic yards of excavation with approximately 750,000 rockwork.
Lowes/EMJ
Ames Construction was awarded an $11.5 million
dollar sitework contract for a new Lowes store in
Prescott, Arizona. The job includes an extensive
drainage structure, pipework and 600,000 cubic
What one built up,
AZAGC names
the other tore down:
Carolyn Butler
A father and son story Safety Professional
of the Year
Bud Johnson (pictured right) met with his son Jack
on the site of the San Manuel Projects. They’re seated in front of two towering stacks Bud helped construct more than 50 years ago, and which, by an odd
twist of fate, were demolished by Jack, an Ames
operator at both San Manuel projects, as part of the
plant closing and site reclamation. Father and son
posed on January 17, 2007, just prior to the scheduled demolition of the 500-foot landmarks.
Southwest Region
Service Awards
EMPLOYEE
The Arizona Chapter of Associated General
Contractors (AZAGC) named Carolyn Butler 2006
Safety Professional of the Year for her role as Site
Safety Manager on the San Manuel Mine Closure
project. At present, Carolyn is certified as a
Registered Safety Officer by the International Board
of Environmental Health & Safety, and is working
toward the organization’s Registered Safety Manager
designation. She is also active in the training program required by the U.S. Department of Mine
Safety and Health Administration at the San Manuel
mine site, and is an Occupational Hazard and
Health Administration outreach trainer for Ames
Construction personnel. In addition to her exemplary work for the company, Carolyn is active in a
number of local charities, including ‘Nikki’s Hope,’
EMPLOYEE UPDATE
YEARS OF SERVICE
20
20
Kenneth Roland Friske
Richard D. Lahr
Lars E. Rasmussen
15
15
15
David Arambul
Pete Baloo
Steven E. Hernandez Sr
Gerard F. Miller
John A. Motteler
Stephen C. Poolson
Jeff J. Williamson
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
Ronald R. Cain
Henry Len Chaddock
Nicholas A. Chaddock
Tracy Lee Chaddock
Richard John Doud II
Scott A. Effing
Christopher Allen Forsyth
Joe C. Fuller
Thomas Wayne Howard
Eric Martin Ortiz
Sean M. Sanchez
Timmy L. Thompson
Chad Daniel Wyatt
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
one of the largest financial supporters of the Pediatric
Brain Tumor Foundation of the United States.
Congratulations Carolyn.
Southwest
Region wins
Build Arizona Award
Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Arizona
named the San Manuel Mine Site Closure project as the
Build Arizona Award winner in the Private
Heavy/Industrial Projects (over $10 million) category.
Congratulations to everyone who worked on the project.
ARIZONA
Bradley E. Kite
Van R. Rasmussen
Carolyn Butler with Mike Flynn, Granite
Construction, the Safety Manager of Arizona
and the co-chair of the AGC Arizona
Safety Committee.
NEW HIRES
Christopher L. Kane – Project Manager
Michael E. Fox – Earthwork Superintendent
Corina S. De La Cruz – Project Assistant
Ryan J. Otto – Engineer
Peter C. Ozigbu – Project Manager
Left to right: Mike Hoover, AGC, David Martin,
AGC, Project Manager Mike Petko, SW Regional
Engineer Jeff Williamson, Project Engineer
Bruce Daniel, Project Supervisor Todd Hochstein.
Ophelia Padilla – Human Resources Assistant
Leah Proa – Project Assistant
Darlene P. Dutcher – Administrative/Clerical
Donna Pascel – Accounting Department
BIRTHS
Peter and Lori Herrmann’s baby boy, Kaiden
Matthew, was born on August 14, 2006.
Employees honored for years of service: Pictured are Ames Southwest employees who received their
service awards. Names noted with an asterisk were there to support the event. Congratulations Team!
Left to Right: *Linda Issel, Ken Friske, Nick Chaddock, Scott Effing, Hank Chaddock, Steve Poolson,
John Motteler, Van Rasmussen, Brad Kite, Eric Ortiz, Lars Rasmussen, Jerry Miller, Richard Doud, Dave
Arambul, *Terry Brennan, Sean Sanchez, Tom Howard, Jeff Williamson, Chris Forsyth, *John Ames,
Joe Fuller, Ronnie Cain, *Deanne Kimes, Chad Wyatt, Steve Hernandez, Scott Nielsen, Tim Thompson.
Southwest
secures a first place
Globe Award
The Southwest Region’s SR 188 project secured a
first place Globe Award in the Road Category at the
2006 American Road & Transportation Builders
Association Awards lunch held in September. The
Globe Awards program is an annual competition
honoring U.S. transportation construction industry
excellence in environmental protection and mitigation. The $30 million Resort Road to Devore Wash
project involved removing the old SR 188 and building a new state highway alignment through Arizona’s
Tonto National Forest. It extended more than 7.5
miles over rugged terrain, with six bridges, 70 pipes,
a box culvert, a pipe-arch animal crossing and 1.8
million yards of rock excavation. During construction the project team initiated an aggressive and
comprehensive sediment control program, utilized
slope rounding to mitigate storm water runoff and
transplanted 1,500 cacti. Congratulations on a job
well done!
AMES NEWS, SPRING 2007 9
REGIONAL NEWS
ROCKY MOUNTAIN
®
DENVER, COLORADO
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
BNSF
Donkey Creek and
Caballo Junction
Gillette, WY
Ames Construction was the successful bidder on
two Burlington Northern and Santa Fe (BNSF)
Railway Company capacity improvement projects
near Gillette, Wyoming. The projects, which began
in October 2006, include three pre-cast bridge
structures and 15 miles of grading for the Donkey
Creek Capacity Improvement, plus three cast-inplace bridges and 40 miles of grading for the
Caballo Junction project. In order for the BNSF
track-laying machine to lay track for the entire project, all grading must be complete by spring of 2007.
Loader work on the line.
Rock crusher in action.
Scrapers in action.
With nearly 2.5 million yards of excavation and
embankment and 200,000 cubic yards of sub-ballast,
more than 125 Ames crewmembers worked throughout the winter to meet the first deadline. In total, the
projects involved nearly 100 pipe extensions, more
than 10 multi-plate pipes and several box culvert
extensions. The project is on track with its June 2007
completion date.
Tony Ames assumes
Rocky Mountain
Region leadership
It was announced at the annual management
meeting in February that Tony Ames has been
named Manager of the Rocky Mountain
Region. Tony has worked for Ames
Construction in various positions, including
Civil Engineer and Construction Manager.
Rocky Mountain Region Service Awards
EMPLOYEE
YEARS OF SERVICE
Daniel L. Turner
COLORADO
Michael J. Mayer
Thomas B. Flick
EMPLOYEE
20
20
Frank D. Kadlec
David J. Kaminen
Richard A. Marquez
Philip M. Martinez
Dean A. Peterson
Johnny L. Floryancic
Russell J. Krank
15
15
15
15
15
15
15
Brad Andersen
Bradley R. Newton
Vicente Rodriguez
Edgar Keith Long
Daniel Villarruel
Ramon Chavarria
Millard W. Nealey
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10 AMES NEWS, SPRING 2007
Terry L. Bushar
Jose Juan Parra Rubio
Alan Matthew Pawlowski
Joel Gonzales-Patricio
Mitchell Dean Fletcher
Michael D. Spillman
Robin L. Eaton
Rock Lee Henderson
Paul J. Halderman
Bill J. Clemens
Casey Lee Shade
Howard Glen Rada Jr
Catherine Ann Beaver
Mark E. Dufour
Randy Bailey
James Lynn Wells
Javier Quintana
YEARS OF SERVICE
10
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
Renewable energy
market perfect fit
for Rocky Mountain
Region
The Rocky
Mountain
Region received
good exposure
and valuable
experience in the
wind power
emerging market
in 2006. With
many states reevaluating their
dependence on fossil fuel as an energy source, wind
generation is fast becoming recognized as a sustainable power solution. Ames Construction was part of
the construction team on the 90-unit Aragonne
Mesa Wind Power Project in central New Mexico.
BNSF
Ames cranes lift girder into position.
Kiowa, KS
Ames Construction successfully completed a 20-mile
section of Burlington Northern and Santa Fe (BNSF)
Railway Company construction between Kiowa and
Attica, Kansas. The project consisted of ten pre-cast
bridges, multiple box culvert extensions, pipe extensions, and 500,000 cubic yards of excavation and
embankment. The project began in October 2005
and was completed in September 2006.
Girder coming into alignment.
Christmas in January
The Rocky Mountain Region
held its slightly belated
Christmas Party on
January 13th, and why
not? With the stress of
the holiday season
long past, the more
than 100 partygoers had nothing
on their minds
but enjoying
an evening
with co-workers. The party
featured a
January 13, 2007
“Casino Night”
theme, complete with ongoing gift raffles, funny
money, and a shot at winning a 32" LCD flat panel
TV. Guests were also treated to a Mexican buffet and
a special appearance by Master Ventriloquist Kevin
Johnson, who some may remember as a contestant
on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.”
Merry Christmas!
Justin Loveitt was the evening’s big winner. In just
two hours of competition he leveraged $500 worth of
funny money into a whopping $18,500 and walked
away with the flat panel TV. Congratulations to
Justin — too bad it was only funny money, huh?
EMPLOYEE UPDATE
Mike Boss, Kevin Johnson, Tony Ames
and feathered friends.
NEW HIRES
Mike Boss – Recruiting Department
Jessica Johnson – Data Entry
Jeramiah Earl – Surveyor
Justin Loveitt – Engineering Department
Mike Bradford – Supervisor
Tom Stratford – Engineer
Justin Loveitt with his new TV and
funny money winnings.
Randy Kiser – Project Engineer
BIRTHS
Robert and Heather Gillis’ baby girl,
You can always find it at
Peyton Nicole, was born June 17, 2006.
www.amesconstruction.com
Juan Hernandez and his wife Bernie had a baby
We’re constantly upgrading the Ames website to bring
you the latest news and information about Ames
Construction. Want to learn more about your company?
See if your project is being highlighted? Need info on
your benefit package? It’s all there. Already, more
employees are using the Ames website to update
employment records, apply for new jobs, shop online
and even find
out what the
weather forecast is
for one of our other
regions. Plus, where else can
you watch a movie about your own company?
If you haven’t visited it yet, check it out!
boy named Alex on November 14, 2006.
Special note: Alex has an older sister named
Angel who is 5 years old. He is very lucky to have
a big sister to help take care of him as he grows up!
IN MEMORIAM
Joe Bueno passed away in August 2006.
Joe joined the company in 1990 as a foreman.
AMES NEWS, SPRING 2007 11
Ames Construction, Inc.®
PRESORTED
FIRST-CLASS MAIL
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
PERMIT NO. 3395
2000 Ames Drive
Burnsville, MN 55306
AMES CONSTRUCTION, INC.
Jim and Jill Westbrook
depart Ames Percheron Farm
On March 1st, long time Ames Percheron Farm
managers Jim and Jill Westbrook departed for the
wide-open spaces of South Texas. Jim was also the
hitch driver, and much like the cowboy of the past he
set out on a new adventure with the love of his life.
Now at the 2-S Ranch in Schulenberg, Texas, located
between San Antonio and Houston, they will be
working and showing Clydesdales.
When the Westbrooks arrived at the Ames farm
(what seems like ages ago), the Percherons were
already poised for national attention. With Jim and
Jill’s care and direction the team continued the Ames
tradition of winning awards and high standings in
arenas of competition.
As many know, the Percheron horse has been an
Ames family tradition for several generations. The
love and respect for the dapple-grey was upheld by
Chester Ames, Dick Ames’ father, who carried on his
family’s passion for farming and for this marvelous
horse. Some of Dick’s happiest childhood memories
center on the springtime ritual of riding from farm to
farm with his father and a big dapple-grey stud,
“Ames Pride.” In fact, Dick became the namesake for
one of two colts that were the last pair his grandfather raised, “Dick” and “Dan,” and, eventually Dick
was allowed to work both Percherons. By that time,
serious farming was fast becoming mechanized, and
the draft horse was making way for the tractor, but
on the Ames farm “Dick” and “Dan” were still
hitched up for light farm work and enjoyment —
mowing and raking hay, or drawing a cart or sleigh.
Years have passed since those days with “Dick” and
“Dan.” The country changed, and Dick Ames’ life on
the farm changed as well. In 1960, Dick left the farm
to begin a venture that would mirror the strength
and endurance he and his family saw in the
Percherons. Ames Construction, emerging as a commercial earthworking company, chose the Percheron
Utah Safety Council
honors Ames team
The Utah Safety Council named Ames Construction
as its Award of Honor recipient for 2006. The
award, presented at the organization’s annual luncheon, acknowledges “quality in Occupational Safety
and Health Programs as measured by outstanding
safety performance.” According to ‘Your Safety
12 AMES NEWS, SPRING 2007
as a symbol of Ames
pride, something that
continues throughout
the organization,
from construction to
raising show-quality
draft horses.
Though the
Percherons began as
workhorses, showmanship and competition have become
mainstays at the
Ames farm today. As
ambassadors for Ames
Construction, the
hitches make many
appearances each year
Jim Westbrook, at the reins with Dick Ames, drives the world famous Ames
at parades, competiPercheron 8-horse hitch at the opening ceremonies of a recently completed
tions and exhibits all
project in the mountains of Colorado.
across the United
States and Canada.
Jim and Jill Westbrook have moved on, but their
Ames Percheron Highlights
legacy will be with us for a long time. Farmhands
54 First Place Six-horse Hitch classes
Randy, Stacie, Tim and George are still at the farm,
24 First Place Eight-horse Hitch classes
and Jill will be back every summer to run the Scott
County Fair Horse Show, still one of the top draft
The most notable wins include:
horse competitions around. The couple’s son-in-law,
2001 – 2002 – 2003 National Percheron Show
Travis Shaw, will take over management and hitch
Champion Six
driving. Their daughter Jacqui Westbrook-Shaw will
2002 & 2003 North American Six-horse Hitch
assist, and daughter Juli will continue to help with
Classic Series World Champions
the horses and the fair event.
On behalf of the Ames family, Ames employees, and
fans around the country, we wish Jim and Jill the very
best. And the next time you’re at a horse show marveling at those magnificent horses and you notice a gentleman with what appears to be a toothpick between his
lips, look a little closer. Is that Jim Westbrook?
2002 & 2006 World Percheron Congress Champion
– Four, Six, & Eight Horse Hitches
2003 & 2005 Calgary Stampede $10,000 Six-horse
Hitch Champion
2005 & 2006 North American Six-horse Hitch
Classic Series Reserve World Champions
2007 National Western Stock Show Champion Six
& Eight Horse Hitches
Matters,’ the Council’s newsletter, “the success of the
Ames Safety Program is evidenced by annual statistics that reflect safety performance.” During the
three-year period on which the award criteria were
based, Ames Construction maintained incidence
rates well below the national average for the construction industry. Congratulations to everyone in
the Utah region for their hard work and exceptional
safety and health program!
The Ames Percherons also took many individual
honors, including an amazing 31 Grand Champion
Percheron Gelding wins, eleven Reserve Grand
Champion wins and five nominations for AllAmerican Champion Gelding status.